by Holly May
If she failed during the week, Jared could lay charges without hesitation and everything she’d risked and worked for would be tarnished. She could only hope he’d cut her some slack due to her fear – unless he was disbelieving of that.
No. He seems trustworthy.
She had to be careful not to get too close, and his attentiveness endangered that. He wasn’t blackmailing or threatening her, and surely after her badly conceived trespassing attempt, that was the response she expected.
Instead, the way he looked at her…
She lowered her gaze.
Her best friend Linda burst through the door. She’d just finished her shift at the grocery store working as a manager. Her income was barely enough for the both of them to survive on, and Rachel disliked someone providing for her. She was twenty-six, finally establishing her dream career and self-identity, yet the outcome was out of her hands.
Still, she felt blessed to have the support. Without it, she didn’t know where she’d be. Likely still stuck in a job that barely satisfied her, and in the completely wrong mindset of taking things for granted. She’d been complacent working for her mom, living day to day without doing what truly fulfilled her.
Today had definitely shaken that up. She’d even managed to surprise herself by choosing to climb over the fence and keep walking, spurred on by a confliction of beliefs. Lord, you led me here, but is this the right path? I pray you’ll help me through this.
“Hey, Megan asked me where you were,” Linda remarked, swishing her brown hair past her shoulders. “Something come up?”
“You wouldn’t believe this, but I trespassed on Mountainbrook Ranch. I was taking a photo and caught my leg when I fell.”
Linda blinked. “You can be impulsive, which I usually admire, but not this time.”
“I thought a photo from there would help my portfolio. I was desperate. And I deeply regret it.”
Linda dashed to the counter to grab leftover bread, tearing a piece off. “I bet. Did you do this for the interview with Hannah?”
Linda had arranged an interview with Hannah before Rachel’s bout of trespassing. It was an opportunity to secure a stable job in Spokane as a photographer, and a culmination of years of work. “She’s your friend, I don’t want any nepotism.”
“She’ll be impartial and professional. If you get the job, it’s because she truly loves your work. A photo from Mountainbrook won’t change that.”
She bit her lip. “I wasn’t so certain. Not that it matters, I didn’t get a decent photo.”
“I hope it wasn’t all for nothing.”
Rachel fell silent. At the time, the situation looked hopeless, but it was unraveling into something that held promise. Despite getting no photos of Mountainbrook, she’d met Jared, and he intrigued her. Not only that, but slowly she believed this held a greater purpose.
“Megan was worried,” Linda said. “You didn’t show up for wedding plans. She resorted to messaging me, and you know we don’t exactly get along.”
Knowing her sister, she had everything planned to the last rose garland months ahead. “Oh gosh, sorry, did she give you a hard time?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I’d gotten distracted. A cowboy came to my rescue.”
Linda’s green eyes lit up with excitement. Now she’d named her best friend’s ultimate fantasy. “Oh, you got caught. Did he tell you off for being bad?”
Rachel rolled her eyes and filled her in. Once she’d finished, all the corn bread was gone, her hunger was sated, and she was met with disbelieving silence.
“You aren’t getting charged, that’s great! But you’re accepting ranch work?”
Rachel nodded. “I know it seems crazy...”
“I’ll say. Going from photographer to cowgirl. Thought you were too scared to try riding again?”
She had no choice, but she couldn’t reveal that detail. If Linda knew of her options, she would’ve insisted for her to take the charges instead of riding. Linda had witnessed the moment Rachel was bucked off the horse and overheard the doctor’s statement that she’d been extremely lucky to have avoided a serious spinal injury.
She set memories of the past aside. “It’ll be an opportunity to overcome it, and I think it’s the right time. Jared will look out for me.”
Linda was immediately, and predictably, distracted. “Hmm. Does he have brothers?”
“It’s just him and his father. Once it’s converted to a guest ranch, it’s going to get a lot busier for them.”
“Huh. As fascinating as this sounds, what about the interview? Are you rescheduling it?”
“No, Mountainbrook’s temporary. Maybe I could get photos. And it’ll earn me the exposure to attract steady clients so I have the option to go freelance if Spokane doesn’t work out.”
Freelancing was a last resort. Call it single-mindedness or stubborn ambition, but she had her sights on professional work and wouldn’t settle for anything less. Her parents wanted the best for her, and she owed them that. Especially her mom. As for seeing Jared again? She’d keep her priorities in check so the week would go smoothly.
As if things had gone the way she’d planned before.
Rachel pulled up outside the ranch. She’d messaged Jared using the contact details from the card and he’d told her to come bright and early at six.
The clouds were tinged saffron and gold from the rising sun, a beautiful photo opportunity. Still, she stifled a yawn. Lack of sleep from nervousness didn’t help. She wanted to make a good impression to amend her inexcusable one.
The ranch looked idyllic with the first rays of morning light filtering onto the grass. The silence was punctuated by the occasional nickers from the horses. Living in a small town, she appreciated being amongst nature instead of a sprawling city but she was conflicted with the desire to experience a diverse environment from Sandpoint and Spokane fulfilled that need.
That’s the only need that needs fulfilling, she reminded herself, thinking of Jared.
She placed a woven straw hat over her head and got out of the car. After locking up, she noticed Jared appear at the door to the ranch. He wore dark blue jeans that clung to muscular legs and a black shirt stretching across his broad chest, exposing impressive forearms and the ridges of his abdomen.
Rachel tore her gaze away from his body and approached him. He towered over her by a few inches, the Stetson framing his chiseled face. He’d shaved and it revealed a small scar on the side of his jaw. She swallowed, trying not to focus on his inconsequential features.
“Reporting for work,” she offered, hoping to sound cheerful.
“Good to see you didn’t climb over the fence this time.”
She smirked. “Very funny. If you like, I can take landscape photos and publish them on my blog? You might welcome the endorsement before the opening.”
He tipped his hat in acknowledgment and her heart skipped a little. “Right then, it’s a deal. I’ll even help you get some shots. My father’s out ordering more livestock so it’s just us for the morning.”
He’d agreed? Well, she couldn’t dwell on his change of heart. Now she almost wished the other ranchers were around. At first she’d been grateful to have a chance to relearn the ropes without being watched and judged, but being alone with Jared was going to heighten her anxiety.
“You’re ordering in cattle?” she asked. “This is the first working ranch I’ve been to, so excuse my ignorance.”
He nodded. “We have a few old units to be sent to slaughter and need to get replacements.”
She adjusted the camera slung around her neck. “How often is that done?”
“Every three months. We’re hoping to thin the herd, cut costs. Beef farming is the reason why my father’s changed his attitude about the ranch.” His gaze lowered. “He just looked them over one morning after branding and decided he didn’t have the heart for it anymore.”
“That’s understandable. So your father decided to convert the ranch?”
Jared’s gaze darkened. “It was unexpected. I think he knows he won’t be able to keep up the hard labor for much longer, but he’s too stubborn to retire from ranching. Converting the place will provide consistent income and give him the chance to step back.”
“Sounds favorable for both of you.”
He paused. “How so?”
“Guest ranches are popular. Tourists love the cowboy experience. Sandpoint has beautiful alpine scenery and you don’t have much competition.”
His brow furrowed. “I don’t see it that way. Too much of a change could be bad for him, and he’s been through a lot.”
She recalled that the protective gleam in Derek’s eyes mirrored her own father’s loving look. She’d studied expressions and the nuances of faces for portraits and knew enough to conclude that his father was a resilient and proud man.
“Perhaps you underestimate his strength.”
His sharp blue eyes focused on the roaming cattle. “Strength comes from pain and I don’t want him going through that again.”
The clipped tone in his voice served as a warning not to delve into his life and she knew it was best to yield, despite how much he fascinated her. “I’m ready to start.”
She gestured to her outfit of pale blue jeans and an eggplant colored shirt with rolled up sleeves. Knee high brown boots completed the look. With her blonde hair pinned up beneath her hat, she felt more composed than last time, and counted on getting dirty more than once today.
“You certainly look the part of a cowgirl.”
Had his voice deepened? She ignored that trail of thought. “Hopefully I’ll be more like one once the day’s over.”
Rachel held his gaze for a moment as his eyes roamed over her body. He didn’t break their gaze, a hint of a smile on his lips.
“Okay, come this way.”
Rachel followed him to the stables, eager to be distracted, and was greeted by the musty smell of hay and leather, the vast ceiling adding a well needed sense of expansion. She counted seven stalls, all occupied by an array of horses.
Jared strode across the hay littered floor. “Day usually starts at seven after feeding time. Horses get saddled up, then we head out. We check the perimeter, round up cattle, ensure water troughs are running, and rope any injured. You only need to be concerned with learning to ride. Due to contractual obligations, you’ll be paid for this as well.”
That compounded her guilt. “You’re paying me?”
“Yeah. Just wanted to make it fair.”
She flinched. “Oh. Right. Uh, you’re doing a lot for someone who trespassed on your ranch.”
“The Lord works in mysterious ways, doesn’t he?”
That easy smile of his prompted her to return it. He had an assiduous faith, which was admirable. “He does.”
Glancing at the horses, Rachel reached for her camera and unclipped it. “You said I’m free to take photos. Can I?”
“Sure.”
She snapped a photo of each horse as Jared told her their names. They were all Appaloosa breeds, vibrant colors with white streaks. Her gaze lingered on a caramel colored one dotted with white patches. Compared to the others, its docile behavior singled it out.
“He’s ideal for you,” Jared said, stroking the horse’s head. It flared to life, tossing its mane. “Caramel, our newest acquisition. He has a smooth gait and a beginner’s temperament.”
The affection in his voice made her smile. “Did you name them all?”
“We purchased five of them from the neighboring ranch, but kept their original names. The others I sought out myself. I rescued Caramel. He had a broken leg, was mistreated by his last owner. The shelter was going to put him down.”
A frisson of warmth filled her. “You saved him.”
“It was the least I could do.” He nodded toward a reddish orange horse taller than the rest. “Ember there was my father’s favorite.”
She snapped a photo of Ember feasting on some hay. They were gorgeous animals, but she couldn’t look at them without a twinge of alarm. How would they react to her? The moment she climbed on one, it was a matter of trust and relenting control to something fickle.
Calm down.
“What happened to him, if you don’t mind me asking?” she asked gently, meeting his eyes.
Jared hesitated. “The day after a heavy downpour, my father took her out to scope the perimeter. Had to round up an injured calf. He was on a tight schedule and needed to trail them all by midday. He took a shortcut down a steep hill, not one we normally follow, but he was in a rush. Rainfall had weakened the land. Ember slipped enough to throw my father off the saddle.”
She gasped. It sounded similar to her unfortunate accident, and had obviously stirred those memories up for him. “That’s awful. Were you at the ranch?”
“I was in New York.” As if he’d divulged too much, he shook his head. “Let’s get started. It’s gonna be a long day.”
He unhooked a saddle and headed for Caramel. After opening the stall door, Rachel watched him loop it over the horse’s back and fasten all the buckles and straps. His biceps bulged as he did so, and she watched him work, fixing the saddle as if he’d done it hundreds of times. No doubt he had.
“Don’t you hire any help?” she asked.
“When we need to. Daily stable hands are yet another aspect to manage.”
She bit her lip, wanting to know more, but gathered Jared had told her enough. She was here to do the job, not get close to him.
His eyes flicked to her and she recognized a flash of pain. It was obvious her presence caused him discomfort. She couldn’t help but want to alleviate it. After all, it was her fault he had to do this. “I was thinking about what you said. You don’t have to pay me, I can work for free.”
His nostrils flared. “I would’ve paid Antony anyway. You aren’t a seasoned rancher, so you won’t be getting his wage. Hard work brings a profit here.”
“Antony?”
“The rancher you’re replacing for the week. I’ll get you to sign the contract at the end of the day, if that suits you?”
She bit her lip. “Oh. That’s fine.”
Watching Jared tend to the horses, she was compelled to take another photo.
“A portrait of you will be perfect for promotion,” she insisted at his wary look. “You’ll be hanging around the ranch, so guests will want to recognize your face.”
A furrowed brow enhanced the troubled gleam in his eyes. “Whatever works.”
“I get the impression you won’t be loving the attention.”
“I ain’t too happy about it, but needs must.” He stepped back, wiping his brow. “Anyway, grooming and tacking doesn’t take much time with one horse. Will be a different story tomorrow.”
“Okay. Good. I’ll take some exterior photos of the stables before we go any further.”
“Don’t be too long.”
Tension gripped her like a vise. It was the first time in years that she’d be riding again. How discomforting to be afraid of something that happened long ago, and she had all the reasons to accept the past and get over it.
But nothing she thought of was enough to subdue her irrationality. She’d just have to bite the bullet and try.
She stopped outside the stables, strands of hay no longer crunching beneath her boots. The stables looked beautiful in the morning light with orange tinged clouds providing a serene backdrop. She basked in the moment and raised her camera for a photo.
Satisfied with the angles and contrast of her photos, Rachel returned to the stall, finding it empty. Jared emerged, closing the door, almost colliding with her. She stepped back, inhaling sharply.
“Sorry,” Jared said. “I’m not used to having company. Force of habit.”
She stared up at him, not wanting to admit that being close to him was far from appalling. “It’s okay. Let’s get this over with.”
“That’s the spirit, cowgirl. You might want to put your camera over there.”
&nbs
p; She stiffly walked to a wooden bench, cleared it of hay, and set it down. Clasping her hands together, she returned to him, catching sight of Caramel in the stall. I used to enjoy riding once. I need to relearn that feeling again.
“I know I shouldn’t be afraid...”
“Fear’s illogical. Come on.”
She entered the stall, breathing in the scent of hay and horse. Rachel glanced at Jared. He stepped in close behind her, the heat of his body brushing against hers. She only needed to tip her head to look at him. Again, she was drawn into his eyes, the dim light in the room darkening his tan. Wisps of brown hair fell against his face, barely visible beneath his Stetson. He watched her intently.
He stepped forward and opened his arms in invitation. “I’ll help you up. It’s best to mount from the left side.”
She guided a foot to the stirrup and grabbed part of the saddle, intent on hoisting herself up and over as she remembered. Only it wasn’t as easy as she’d thought. She groaned, struggling to get her other leg over, her arms burning from the sudden weight. Jared’s hand fell against her back, holding her steady. His touch stole her breath and she almost lost her grip before managing to sit securely.
The stalls seemed to sway around her. She closed her eyes, her attention on her slow breaths. Riding was paramount to enduring the job. Caramel wouldn’t bolt. They were in the stables, a safe, familiar area for him.
Finally, she opened them. The heat of Jared’s hand left her and he grasped the reins. They were tied off to the side, easily usable with one hand.
“He’s used to neck reining, part of Western style riding. He responds to the reins against his neck, you pull them to the left, you turn left. We’ll start slow. To get him moving, gently squeeze your legs.”
Rachel applied pressure and Caramel moved forward at a temperate pace.
“First hurdle over. He hasn’t thrown me off,” she joked.
Jared guided Caramel out of the stall and her body jolted against the saddle as they started moving faster. Beneath the sun, she was grateful for the hat shielding her eyes and she clung to the saddle, trying to adjust to the movement.
