by Ashlee Price
His confidence was gone and his nerves were rattled when he saw Karen’s truck pull up. His heart pounded in his chest, his body knowing something that his mind had not came to terms with. Trent waved at them as they walked up and his eyes went to Foster.
“Afternoon, ladies. Thanks for fitting me in today Karen. I know you are busy.”
She waved him off. “Just point me in the right direction and we will have her taken care of in no time.”
Karen was all business, but Trent wanted to chat more than anything. He knew that the horse was sick and a couple of shots would have her better in no time, but it was the only way to get Foster out there, so he was willing to pay for the vet visit.
“So how are you liking the job now Foster? Is it getting easier?”
She looked up at him as he stood close. “I like it well enough. I am certainly learning a lot. If I stay with Karen too long, I may never want to leave this place.”
“That sounds good.”
Foster was not expecting that answer or the way he looked at her. He was wearing a disarming smile and she tried not to focus on it too much. She looked down as she held the horse steady so that Karen could look at her properly. “I guess if I am going to have to stay here, I should learn to ride a horse too. Could you recommend a place around here that teaches lessons?”
Trent could have named off three ranches that specialized in it and did well, but he didn’t want to. He liked the idea of spending time with her and teaching her to ride would be far less expensive than calling out Karen every time he wanted to see her. “I could always teach you and I wouldn’t charge you for it.”
“Really? Well thank you for the offer, but I couldn’t possibly ask that of you. I could pay you for lessons.”
“No, free of charge. Just getting someone else to love them would be enough for me.”
She thanked him and he asked when she would want to take a ride.”
The horse suddenly neighed and moved towards Foster. She held her ground, but Karen scolded them for flirting and not paying attention. Foster felt her face getting red and went back to the task at hand with more diligence. “Sorry Karen. This customer is a little more distracting than the other ones.”
Trent chuckled but backed off. “I get the hint Karen. I will be up at the house when you are done. I will make a pitcher of tea.”
Chapter 5
“Why don’t you go ahead in Foster? I am almost done with things out here.”
“Well I will help you put the horse up at least.”
“Are you afraid of him?”
She made an undignified sound. “Of course not. Why would you ask such a thing?”
Karen smiled at her. “Why won’t you go in without me?”
Foster knew she had to. The older woman had basically challenged her and there was no way that she could not go in now. “I was just trying to help Karen. That’s all.”
“You have done enough today. Go sit down and rest. I will be in the house in a minute.”
There was nothing she could say, so Foster moved back towards the house that stood by the road. There was light glowing from the inside that was inviting. She didn’t know what to expect, not much more than a few pieces of furniture. He was so quiet that she couldn’t see him decorating any louder than he was. What she wasn’t expecting was the bright colors on the walls in the form of art work, mixed in with cow skulls that seemed to be a popular décor in the area. It didn’t fit, but the man was a walking contradiction anyways so it somehow did.
She walked through the house to where she heard his voice. He had called her in when she had knocked, but she felt out of sorts with all of the dashes of color against the white-washed walls. There wasn’t a reason that her nerves were bad, but she was trembling inside. “Trent?”
“In here Foster. Just come on in. I was about to start dinner if you would like to stay for a while.”
“Thanks, but Karen is almost ready and we will be going.”
“I can always take you home.”
“Well aren’t you so helpful.”
“Not really, it is selfish reasons that I ask you to stay.”
“And what reason is that?”
“I hate to eat alone and it has been a while since I have had any real company. Besides, you are new to the town and everyone is gossiping about you, so I would love to know the truth.”
Foster sighed and sat down. “I never got the whole small town gossip thing until I moved her. It seems like everyone knows a little bit about everyone else.”
“Except you.” Trent handed her a glass with some tea in it and she thanked him. He didn’t have his hat on that time and she could see his face more clearly. It was more disturbing when she could see more of him. His eyes missed nothing and with them directed at her, she blanched at the intensity.
“There isn’t much to know.”
“I find that hard to imagine Foster. A woman like you has many secrets to tell.”
He was leaning in and she did to out of habit. The action surprised her and she moved back away from him. “Yes, well what are your secrets?”
“Better left unsaid.”
“You want to be a mystery then?”
“Makes it more interesting, don’t you think?”
She agreed. “Well then I guess we are at an impasse, too worried about keeping are secrets close to our chest.”
His eyes strayed to her front, unable to stop himself. “Well if you share one, I will share one with you.”
She was breathing hard from his proximity. He leaned back towards his seat and she sighed a little. “I am sure that my secrets aren’t even worth knowing.”
“Try me.”
There were many, she had so many of them and not very many did she want to say out loud. Especially not to a man like Trent that already seen far more in her than anyone else did.
“Why don’t you tell me why you are here?”
The moment was gone, her mind back on the very question he had asked her before. The one she still wasn’t sure how to answer. “I came here with someone who was dying. We were traveling and this is where we had to stop. When they died, I just stayed here. Kind of lame, huh?”
He shook his head and asked her who it was. There was a similar reaction from before. She didn’t want to talk about it.
“No, I have told you one of my secrets. Now tell me one of yours.”
Trent was quiet for a minute and was about to say something when Karen came in. He went back to the stove and then the fridge to pour her a glass. “So how is she looking Karen?”
“She’s fine. Just needs a little antibiotic to help her fight off whatever she has. She should be good as new in a week. Give her a couple of days until you start working with her again, but she will be ready soon.”
Karen took the glass and then took a drink. Her brown hair was sticking out everywhere from her bun. It had been a long day for the woman and even though she was used to the work, there was something to be said about her age. She was getting old and hoped that she would be able to retire one day. “Why don’t you sit down, have something to eat?”
“No, I need to get back. Lawrence hasn’t been feeling very well lately. But you should stay Foster. He is a really good cook.”
Foster could feel her being pushed towards him and she wondered why. There was something to be said about the way he made her feel, but she wondered why Karen was pushing her towards him. Was it that clear to her boss that she was desperately alone and in need of something?
“Yes Karen is right. I will take you back later.”
There seemed to be a consensus that she was not privy to. “Okay, well then it sounds like I don’t have much of a choice. I will see you in the morning Karen.”
She watched the woman leave and looked back over at Trent. “So why is she pushing up together?”
He grinned for a minute. “Because Karen is a hopeless romantic and she must think that we have something in common.”
Foster felt lik
e it was more than that, but like many of his answers, he was still pretty vague. “So what is it that you are cooking?”
“Some stew. If you are not from here, you have probably never tried it.”
She tilted her chair to look at the pot on the stove better. There were many ingredients and she had never seen anything like it. She didn’t want to ask what all was in there. “It looks, interesting. So a man that can cook, how does that come about?”
“Many years doing it myself.”
Foster wanted to ask more, like if he was single and how long. It had been too long since she had been with a man, the reality no more clear than when he was looking at her in that way. “Must be your personality then, because I can’t see you being short on admirers. I think if Karen was a bit older she would be in line. Many women in town feel the same way.”
She blushed at the way he looked at her. “And how would you know that?”
“Well I worked at the diner for several months and everyone talks. This is a small town after all.”
He nodded, but wasn’t sure if he agreed with the sentiment. Trent could date if he wanted to, but he wanted more than just a few dates. If he didn’t see it going anywhere, it just seemed like a waste of time. And since it seemed impossible to find that, there had been a long time since he was able to do more than just have a few moments of shared pleasure with a woman.
“I am just taking a break, or was.”
She caught the wording, but avoided his gaze. “A break huh?”
“Yeah, what about you? I hear that you have turned down some of Cross Junction’s finest.”
She had to giggle a little. “Have you been gossiping up at the diner?”
“Guilty.”
“Well I would hope that the men that have asked me out here are not your town’s finest. Merle was half drunk when he asked me and that man from Jefferson’s Farm was not very diplomatic when he offered me money to say yes. This town maybe small, but it is filled with pervs more than anything.”
“Kyle. His name is Kyle at old Jefferson’s. You have to understand that you have a way about you. The way you look at a man can make him go a little crazy inside.”
“So it’s my fault? You seem to be still sane.”
“Just barely.”
Chapter 6
“Well you hide your madness underneath quite well.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“So why have you turned down so many offers? Were none of them to your liking?”
“I guess the right person just hasn’t asked yet.”
“Is that an offer?”
Foster shook her head. “No, just a comment. Where is your bathroom so I can wash my hands?”
He pointed towards the door at the end of the hall. It was hard to hold in his feelings, she was beautiful and held something inside that he wanted to fix. She didn’t even realize what she did to him and the lack of guile made him want her even more.
Ladling out some stew into the bowls, it was several minutes until she came out and he could tell she had washed some of the dirt off of her face. “Ah, that is so much better. Starting to feel a little more human now. It smells good.”
She didn’t say much while they ate. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her, but Foster ignored the looks. It was hard to, the man was gorgeous, but she knew she had to. Then it had been so long since anyone had said anything, that the sound was strange in the air. “So about that offer...”
Foster rolled her eyes, “There wasn’t one. I’m not looking to get involved in anything right now Trent. If I was, you would be the first to know it.”
“Is that a promise?”
“As close to one as you are going to get. Keep cooking for me and I will have to change that.”
“You like my cooking?”
She did, but more importantly, they needed something else to talk about. She wanted him, but Foster was not ready to worry about men again, even handsome ones that could cook.
“I do. Not many men where I am from cook, so it is kind of special.”
“I have many talents.”
She smiled and looked down. Foster was sure that he did. The dinner was quickly becoming something else and she was once again, more worried about keeping her cool than anything else. She would have to see him again in a professional atmosphere, so it was best not to get too close. “I am sure you do Trent, but I am not looking for those kinds of talents right now.”
“Everyone needs those kinds of talents Foster. It takes our minds away from everyday life.” Trent stood up and took her bowl. He asked if she wanted anymore, but she couldn’t. Their hands touched ever so gently as she handed him the dish. It was impossible not to feel the jolt with the connection.
“You seem to have a good life, not much to take your mind away from.”
“I do now. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here on the ranch.”
“So what do you need to take your mind away from?”
“Not much, but I can think of the perks.”
Foster smiled back at him. He must have known he was pushing too much because he backed away. “But I have no problem waiting either. Some things are worth the wait.”
Trent turned his back to put the dishes in the sink. Foster needed a moment without him looking at her. He had a way of looking through her that was hard to handle. He asked her about horseback riding lessons and Foster still wanted to. “Whenever you have time, just let me know.”
“I have some time this weekend, if you are up for it.”
Foster said that she was and asked if he could give her a ride home. She was getting tired and his words were getting to her. What she needed she wasn’t ready for, but the temptation was still there. She followed him to his truck and he helped her in. When he got around and got in on the other side, Foster found it hard to get something off of her mind. “Do they really talk about me up at the diner?”
He smiled and then nodded. “Yea, quite a bit, but can you blame them?”
In a way she knew that she was interesting to them because she was new in town, but she never would have guessed they wondered about her sexual orientation because she had said no to a couple of dates. It was strange to think of people she didn’t know talking about her.
“I guess not, it’s just kind of weird I guess. Like I said, I am still trying to get used to the small town life. Everyone knows everyone here.”
“Yet you are still a mystery.”
She didn’t respond, but told him where she was living. “Isn’t that a vacation home?”
“It is, but I fell in love with it and I have been trying to get the owners to sell it to me.”
“I know Bill and Carrie. They use that for their income.”
“Yeah with the rent as high as it is, I would think so.”
“Then why do you stay?”
“It links me to someone I loss I guess and besides, have you seen the views?”
“I haven’t, but maybe you will invite me over one day.”
“Maybe one day.”
It was as good as it was going to get and he knew that. He wanted her to invite him in and show him more than just the sights that very night, but something was holding her back and he didn’t want to lose it trying to push for more.
Foster didn’t invite him up though. Instead she just thanked him with a small smile on her face. “Thanks for a meal and company. I needed that and didn’t even realize it.”
Trent wanted to tell her there were even more things that she needed as well, but he knew that it was for another time. Trent was patient and with her, it looked like he was going to need to be.
***
“So what happened with you and Trent last night Foster?”
She gave her boss a look. “Thanks for leaving me hanging by the way.”
Karen chuckled a little. “So it went well?”
Foster couldn’t tell her that it didn’t, because she reflected on it as a really good night. The smile was hard to co
nceal. “It was alright, but that is not the point. You really left me hanging there.”
“You two are perfect for each other and I know you have your reasons for not wanting to date, but when you are ready for a good guy, you will know that he is perfect for you. And poor Trent, he needs a good woman and a little good luck.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Most of his life I suppose. I knew his parents.”
“Knew?”
“Yeah, he lost them both when he was a teenager. And then he got married and lost his wife as well. That man has the warmest heart and the worst luck of anyone I have ever known.”
Karen had once again shocked her with information that she just gave away without a moment’s thought. “Wow, I would have never known that. He seems pretty upbeat for all of that to be going on.”
“You would never know it, but he was raised a couple of years in a foster home out of town. When he was old enough to leave, he came back and bought his father’s ranch back. He has been there ever since and is one of my best clients. But sometimes, I will see him looking off to the horizon with the saddest face that you could imagine. He needs to find love to make him smile again.”
“And you think that is me?”
“You have the same look sometimes and I know that pain is something that is shared. You both have a lot in common is all. There is opportunity to for you both to be happy again.”
It was her third week into her job and it seemed like her boss knew her better than she knew herself. There was sadness in Foster. It was hard for their not to be one, but she spent most of her day trying to hide it. She tried to think of the next day and the future, but the past could be haunting at times unable to be forgotten.
“I don’t know if I am ready to be happy again. Not in that way anyways. I have never really been in love. I like the idea of it, but never felt the way you are supposed to. I see the way you look at your husband and I wish for that sometimes. But it is harder to find nowadays Karen.”
