Between Two Sisters (contemporary western romance novella)

by Shayna Ryan

  “I’ll put him away for you, if you like,” he offered. “I heard you just got in today, and I imagine you’ve got a lot to do before you start working tomorrow.”

  “Thanks, that would be great. It’s going to be quite a walk back to the cabins!”

  “Walk to the cabins?” Ramiro scoffed. “No need to waste such time, my good man.” He tossed a set of keys to Billy, who managed to catch them in spite of the unexpected move. “Take one of the Gators out back; just be sure to bring it back in the morning.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “Most likely,” Ramiro shrugged.

  Billy walked around the barn and found half a dozen Gators lined up there. He hopped into the nearest little utility vehicle and started it up. Ramiro was right; driving a Gator home sure beat walking.

  Back at his little cabin, he decided to take a quick shower and grab something to eat before unpacking. He found a note taped to his refrigerator.

  Billy, Just picked you up a few things to get you started. Hope it’s all things you like. Mrs. H

  He shook his head with disbelief as he opened the fridge and the cupboards to see what she had bought for him. There were crackers, cookies, cereal, peanut butter, coffee, and bread in the cupboard, and the fridge held milk, soda, juice, various lunch meats and cheeses, and some fruits and vegetables, as well as a few condiments. A peek into the freezer revealed some frozen pizzas, chicken, beef and pork chops.

  “That woman thinks of everything,” he chuckled, touched by her thoughtfulness and generosity. Judging by the amount of food she bought for him, he wouldn’t have to shop for at least a week, if not longer.

  Under the hot spray of his shower, Billy tried to put to rest his confusion about the Haffner sisters. Melanie- was she really giving him mixed signals? There were times when he thought he felt something from her, a mutual longing, and he was confident she felt the same spark between them when she held his hand to get up off the ground. But she was Marty’s girl, and that made her strictly off limits. He could only hope that they’d break up sometime soon, but it didn’t seem likely. She claimed they were happy together. But then why had he caught her staring at him in that way when they were out riding?

  Cass. Cass was a pin-up girl brought to life, and she was feisty. He loved a challenge. But Ramiro warned that she was trouble, and he believed it. He’d have to be steadfast in listening to his head instead of his libido, in order to stay out of trouble with that one.

  That left him wanting both, but able to have neither. He groaned as he assessed where it all stood and what it meant for him. It meant that until he could learn to let her go, Melanie’s presence would be a constant torture for him. In terms of Cass, it meant that he’d have an extremely attractive, available sexpot throwing herself at him whenever she could. Unless she was so mad at him that she’d given up already. He knew that was too much to hope for.

  After his shower, he dressed in a pair of clean jeans and a flannel shirt. The days were warm enough for t-shirts, but the spring’s chilly nights still lingered. He fixed himself a sandwich, and ate it quickly, in front of the kitchen sink. Through the little kitchen window, he spied a group of men at the next cabin over, drinking beers around a barrel fire. He decided it was time to meet his neighbors, and fellow employees.

  He was nervous as he closed his front door and sauntered over to the group. While not exactly shy, meeting new people, especially in a group that already knew each other, made him nervous.

  His worries dissipated when the men saw him coming and most of them gave him a friendly wave. To his relief, he spied Ramiro in the group, sitting on a thick log, drinking a beer with one arm around a woman about his age. She bounced a toddler on her knee.

  “Hey,” he said to the group at large as he approached, trying to play it cool.

  They introduced themselves in turn, and he did his best to learn their names. Someone fetched him a beer, and as he joined some of them by the fire barrel, he realized that the few women present appeared to be already matched up with some of the men. Billy did his best to ignore the sweet, comfortable glances that passed in between them at times. It only served to rub in his loneliness.

  “So what do ya think of the ranch so far?” a gangly, older man named Fletcher asked him.

  “Not much has changed.”

  Fletcher looked at him, confused.

  “I grew up here, when my father was the ranch manager.” A murmur passed through the group of men, and a few of the women exchanged knowing glances.

  “So it is you,” Ramiro commented from his seat.

  “What are you talking about?”

  His question was met with silence. Sweat broke out on Billy’s brow. What was he missing here?

  “C’mon, let’s take a walk.” Ramiro passed his drink to his wife and stood up. He gestured for Billy to follow him, and he did. Unease bloomed in his stomach as they moved away from the group to a cluster of picnic tables towards the back of the cabins.

  “What’s going on?” The suspense was killing him.

  “Well,” Ramiro began as he removed his hat and scratched his head nervously, “this isn’t supposed to be common knowledge, but it’s gotten around, as things have a way of doing. One of the ranch hands accidentally overheard the Haffners talking recently.”

  “And…?”

  “And according to him, Mr. Haffner was hoping to get you as assistant manager, and Mrs. Haffner threw out a comment that Marty best be on his toes with you here, if you know what I mean.” He gave Billy a pointed look.

  “No, I’m afraid I don’t.” Was he worried he might take his job?

  “Melanie,” Ramiro spat out awkwardly.

  “Melanie? But Marty’s with Melanie!”

  “Exactly.” Ramiro gave him a knowing smile. “Buzz around the ranch has been that trouble’s brewing for Marty, if you showed up. I don’t think he knows about all this; no one wants to be the one to bring the manager bad news,” he added hastily.

  Billy’s stomach turned as he took in what Ramiro just told him. “It’s nothing. Melanie and I used to be good friends, when we were kids; that’s all.”

  “If you say so,” Ramiro shrugged.

  Billy tried to keep his calm when they got back to the group, but his thoughts were jumbled. Why would Mrs. Haffner say such a thing?

  -4-

  Billy rose early the next morning, eager to get right to work, despite his exhaustion. He had tossed and turned all night, replaying his brief moments with Melanie the day before, the scene with Cass, and the rumor that had been passed onto him by Ramiro. He hadn’t even been there a full day, and already his heart was in tangles.

  After a quick breakfast, he drove to the barn and found the fencing repair supplies right where Mr. Haffner said they’d be. He was glad to be the first one to work because it allowed him to load up his truck in peace. With all that weighed upon him about Melanie, the sister he wanted but couldn’t have, and Cass, the sister he wanted but shouldn’t have, he wasn’t in the mood to speak to anyone.

  Half an hour later he was out at the fence site, walking the length of it, inspecting it piece by piece and correcting the wire where it was needed. The morning sped by, between the work he was doing and the confusion that muddled his brain about the Haffner sisters. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn’t hear the rider approach.

  “Hey,” Cass called to him softly.

  He spun around in surprise, dropping his tools in the long grass. “Hey,” he replied cautiously. He tried to look at her without taking in her sultry looks, but it was impossible. She wore a tight, thin t-shirt that showed the lines of her bra underneath. Her ratty jeans had holes in them that showed a lot of her muscular, trim thighs. Her cheeks were pink from the wind, and her hair was tousled from it. She looked casual, and natural, and sexy as hell.

  “I brought you some lunch.” She held out a brown paper bag. “A peace offering, I guess.”

  He took the bag from her and
smiled. “Thanks. That’s mighty nice of you.”

  She looked nervous, and it bewildered him a bit. He’d never imagine the confident, bold woman of yesterday could ever be nervous.

  “So, I was thinking…if you’re gonna take your lunch break soon, do you mind if I join you?”

  “Sure.” He held out his hand to help her down off the horse without thinking about it. She grasped it gingerly, but as she slid off the horse, the mare shifted, and Cass ended up tumbling straight into Billy’s arms.

  “I’ve got you!” They stared at each other for a moment as they stood chest to chest, and Billy noticed the tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose for the first time.

  “Thanks,” she said, pulling away from him. She brushed herself off nervously. “I’m not usually such a klutz. Oh, I brought a blanket, in case you, well, you know, wanted to have a picnic or something.”

  “A picnic sounds great.” He watched her as she pulled another bagged lunch and a blanket out of the saddle bags. She was a different girl today, sweet and calm instead of reckless and pushy, and he didn’t know how to take it, but he liked it.

  “How about right there?” He pointed to a nearby spot in the grass and she nodded.

  Together they spread out the blanket and then sat across from each other, cross-legged.

  “I hope ham and cheese is okay,” Cass said apologetically as he peered into his lunch bag.

  “It’s more than okay; it’s one of my favorites,” he assured her.

  “I’m really sorry about yesterday,” she began as she nibbled on some cookies she had packed. “I just…you showed up here, all grown up, and I guess I kind of just lost my head about it.”

  “It was flattering, actually, so don’t worry about it, okay?”

  “And I’m sorry for what I said about Melanie. I shouldn’t have said that; it’s none of my business.”

  Billy sighed unhappily. “No, you’re right. I need to call it like it is and let go of some silly teen crush. I know she’s with Marty. I guess I just kind of hope she’d be single.”

  “I guess I kind of hoped you’d be single,” Cass broke in. “Can we start over? Forget yesterday ever happened?”

  Billy doubted he’d ever forget when she insinuated the things they could do together, but he wasn’t about to point that out.

  “Okay, you got it.”

  “Good.” Satisfied, she nibbled on her sandwich.

  “But what do you mean, about me being single?” He couldn’t resist asking, even though suspected that he already knew the answer.

  Cass put her sandwich down and looked at him calmly. “You’re hot, Billy, hot as hell, and you seem like a decent guy. I’d be a fool to not want you. But yesterday…I’m not used to guys turning me down, you know? The fact that you did kind of makes me want you more.”

  He flushed with pleasure at her words but worked to quickly compose himself. “So you want me because I said no?” he teased. This woman was dizzying.

  “No, I want you because I want you. But I want you even more now, because you’re different from most of the guys I’ve known. You’re a gentleman.” She opened her can of soda and took a few sips. “And I’m pretty sure you want me, too. You’re just too busy clinging to the idea of Melanie to admit it.”

  He would never admit that she was right about that, but somehow, simply hearing her say the words helped him to realize just how ridiculous the whole thing was. He was turning away Cass so he could cling to his false hope about Melanie.

  “So what have you been up to, since I left?” he asked to change the subject. He didn’t care to discuss Cass’s attraction for him, or his feelings for Melanie, any longer.

  Cass cheerfully filled him on about finishing high school staying on at the ranch, and her plans for the future.

  “As much as I hate living at home, I’m saving my money to buy my own farm,” she told him proudly. “Old Man Jones has got 80 acres up for sale on the other side of town, and I want it.”

  “What’ll you do with it?” He was a bit surprised at her ambition, and impressed she was already thinking ahead to her future.

  “Build a house, and barn, and start my own breeding program. I want to breed champion horses. You wanna be my ranch manager, some day?” she teased.

  “Maybe someday.” He had been wrong; he saw that now. Cass was more than just a hot body. She had goals and aspirations, and she wanted more out of life than to work for Daddy. When she toned down the sex kitten act, there was far more to her than she let on.

  “Well, I better let you get back to work.” She stood and began packing things up. Billy had finished his lunch, and he helped her gather up their mess. To his surprise, he was sad to realize his lunch break had come to an end already. He had enjoyed Cass’s company.

  Once everything was back in the saddlebags, Cass hopped up onto her mare. Billy hated to see her go, but he had work to do.

  “Thanks, Cass. This was a great surprise today.” He found himself wanting to keep her talking, so she’d stay longer. Suddenly, spending the day out in the fields alone didn’t appeal to him anymore. He wondered when he’d see her again.

  “You’re welcome. It was fun.” Silence stretched between them, but neither made any move to continue on about their day.

  “Hey,” the words begin spilling out of Billy’s mouth before he could stop them, “do you wanna go out Friday night? Dinner, or something?” His voice was shaky as he wondered what the hell he was doing. He knew not to tangle with Cass; it was wrong, all wrong, but he couldn’t help himself. Ramiro’s warning be damned. He had seen a softer side of her today, and he liked it. She wasn’t dating the ranch manager, and they had enjoyed a nice lunch together, so why not?

  His invitation surprised her, but he saw the excitement in her eyes as she shifted in the saddle. “Friday. I’d like that, Billy.” She offered him a huge smile and his stomach twisted with anticipation. “Tell you what- no dinner. I know a place we can go grab a few drinks in town.”

  “How will you get in?” Last time he checked, the drinking age was 21.

  “I’ve got a fake ID.”

  “Oh. Yeah, drinks sound good. Friday, then?”

  She nodded. “I’m sure I’ll see you around before then, and we’ll straighten out the details then.” She clucked to her mare, and trotted off back towards the main ranch.

  Billy watched her go, allowing himself to enjoy the sight of her riding away without guilt. Why should he deny himself his attraction to Cass anyway? They were both adults, and there was nothing wrong with two adults going out for drinks. It was just drinks, he reminded himself firmly. She was a young woman; he had handled plenty of them in the past. No need for this to get messy like he had feared before. She had just spooked him yesterday, coming on so strong. He preferred to chase his women, not the other way around. As he watched her ride off until she was nothing but a speck on the horizon, he hoped he was right about his ability to handle her and keep it from blowing up in his face. His job depended on it.

  To his disappointment, she didn’t come visit him on the fence line again that day. He worked as long as he could, until the light began fading in the sky. It was good to keep busy. By the time he pulled his truck back into the drive at his little cabin, his confidence about taking Cass out on Friday night was swiftly waning.

  It had been an impetuous thing, asking her out like that. He knew all the reasons that he shouldn’t have, but out at the fence line, laughing in the sunshine with Cass, all he wanted was to see her again. Now he questioned his own judgment about it all.

  Too late now; he couldn’t back out of their date. He rubbed his temples and vowed it would be a one-time thing, and he wouldn’t sleep with her, no matter how tempting the offer was. He could take her out for a few beers, just to hang out together, and nothing more.

  His anxiety about Friday night left him tossing and turning in bed again that night. Unable to stand it another minute, he threw on a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt and headed ou
t the door. No use staying in bed if he couldn’t sleep. He might as well go for a walk and visit Gobie.

  The fresh air and walk to the barn did him some good and helped him to clear his mind. He could date Cass, if he wanted to. They would just have to go slow. He was an adult, damn it, surely he could handle this without jeopardizing his job.

  As he approached the barn, he saw the interior lights were on. With a frown, he slid open the door and stepped inside, wondering who else was up at this hour. The aisle on his side was clear, so he crossed through the tack room to the other side and stuck his head out the door to see who was in there.

  It was Melanie. She was grooming her mare in the aisle, singing a quiet song to her while she brushed her. She was in flannel pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt, with her hair piled up in a knot on top her head.

  Billy watched her for a moment before stepping out into the aisle and clearing his throat to announce his presence.

  “What are you doing out here, at this hour?” he asked her as he approached her mare and patted her flank softly.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” she mused. “I couldn’t sleep, and the barn’s one of my favorite places, so I thought I might as well come out here. What about you?”

  “Couldn’t sleep either,” he shrugged. He tried not to notice how beautiful she looked, even as disheveled as she was.

  “I heard you’re taking Cass out this weekend.”

  “Does your father know?” he asked quickly. He wondered exactly how many people Cass had mentioned it to.

  Melanie threw her head back and laughed out loud. “Yes, he knows, and he’s fine with it. He knows you’re a good man, Billy. Don’t worry about it.”

  Relief flooded through him at the news that Mr. Haffner knew about his date with Cass, but didn’t mind. He was slightly embarrassed that Melanie knew though, and he chastised himself for caring. It didn’t matter; she had a man already.

  Melanie caught his eye. Her expression was solemn as she stepped closer to him. “I wish it was me instead,” she whispered.