Shane had paid the bill despite her insistence that she could pay for her own food. He’d thanked her for her company, wished her luck, and even offered his help if she needed it, then climbed into his Suburban and driven off. That had been the last she’d seen or heard from him in over a week.
She’d gone to the bank as planned to find out about a small business loan, and had transferred all of her savings from her bank in New York to the one in Burnt River. Gramps had still seemed skeptical, but also hopeful about not losing the place.
Alley headed for the tack room at the front of the barn to find some bandages. Her blisters stung, and if she didn’t cover them, she might as well call it a day. Even with gloves on, she wouldn’t be able to grip a shovel.
Tires scrunched on the gravel outside, coming to a stop in the yard. The vehicle’s engine shut off, and seconds later a car door slammed. Alley caught a glimpse of a dark-blue Suburban through the partially opened barn door. Shane’s vehicle. Her heart skipped a beat, and adrenaline surged through her limbs, turning her legs to jelly. Alley’s first impulse was to rush out of the barn and head him off, but Gramps’ voice reached all the way to the barn.
“Shane, what a surprise.”
Alley cursed under her breath. Apparently, one week had been long enough for Shane to make another attempt at talking Gramps into selling.
Shane clasped Gramps’ hand in greeting. “Henry.”
Alley ducked behind the barn door when Shane appeared to be looking around the yard. She rolled her eyes at her silly behavior, but she needed to get her racing heart under control first. The need to collect her thoughts before mustering up the courage to talk to someone was an annoying problem. She’d combated social anxiety her entire life, and the last time she’d rushed in without a clear plan, it hadn’t turned out so well.
“Things look different around here. Did you hire someone to fix the fences and clear out the yard?”
Gramps chuckled. “No. Alley and I did all the work. She’s been relentless. Works harder than anyone I’ve ever known.” After a quick pause, he added, “Of course, she was like that as a little girl, too. When she sets her mind to something, she does it, and she won’t quit until it’s right.”
“I can see that.”
Had that been a tone of admiration? Alley shifted and leaned forward slightly to sneak a peek out the large barn door. Gramps and Shane still stood by the Suburban. Gramps turned to face Shane fully.
“I’m sorry, Shane, but I’ve been rethinking my plans to sell. Alley seems determined to hold on to the place.” There was a pause, and not a sound from Shane.
“If things had been different and her father had been alive, this place would probably be in much better shape,” Gramps continued. “She wants to stay on.”
“Stay on? You mean she’s staying in Burnt River? She’s not going back east?”
Gramps made a sound that was sort of a chuckle, but might have been a snort of disbelief. “She’s giving up going to MIT for her doctorate in order to bring this farm back to what it was. I’ve got to let her have the chance to do it, Shane.”
“But how much does she know about the horse business, Henry? You know as well as I do that this is a tough business to be in.”
Alley took a step forward. She wasn’t going to stand there much longer, listening to Shane tell her grandfather how incompetent she was.
“Seems like she’s found her real interest in life, and it’s not all that fancy schooling,” Gramps said.
The sound Shane made was definitely a scoff. “She’s smart. She shouldn’t throw her life away like that.”
“I tried to tell her the same thing, but she says she’s not her mother, and doesn’t want to be compared to her mother.”
Alley took in a deep breath and moved out of the barn. She held her head high and walked with her shoulders back, even though every muscle along either side of her spine ached and screamed from the hard work she’d done over the last week. She swallowed back the familiar feeling of insecurity that consumed her, which made her want to run back into the barn and hide from Shane in one of the dark stalls. She was not about to let him see that he made her nervous.
Gramps stood with his back to her, but Shane looked her way the moment she stepped out of the barn. With each step she took, her heart beat faster. Their eyes met, and a fresh wave of adrenaline shot through her. He removed his hat from his head, and took a step around Gramps.
Alley swallowed, fighting every impulse to turn around and go back into the barn where she could be invisible again. Heat crept up into her cheeks the closer she came. Shane’s eyes moved from her face down the length of her and back up. A grin formed on his face as he watched her tuck some wayward strands of hair behind her ear.
Alley’s eyes narrowed even as her heart skipped a beat. His dark, nearly black hair shone in the sunshine, and dimples in his cheeks made him look like a mischievous boy. He was too good-looking to be legal, and what was he grinning at, anyway?
Peeling her eyes away from him, she glanced at some dirt on her boots, then wiped at the dust on the front of her t-shirt. It was a futile attempt. Her clothes needed to go straight into the laundry once the day was over.
“I can tell you’ve done a lot of work around here.” Shane still grinned as she ventured a glance at his face again.
Gramps reached out and patted her arm. “She does too much.”
Alley smiled at her grandpa. It was a good excuse to avoid Shane’s persistent perusal. He looked at her in the same way he might appraise a horse he was planning to buy. Those dark brown eyes of his reached straight into her very core, making her pulse race with both apprehension and exhilaration.
Being near him brought out every single insecurity she’d stored up from years of being labeled the school nerd, and other girls snickering behind her back because of her weight. In her mother’s presence, nothing had ever been good enough. That look in Shane’s eyes was exactly the opposite of all that, and she was at a loss for a reaction.
Alley waved off her grandpa’s remark and plastered a smile on her face to project the confidence she certainly wasn’t feeling.
“The place needs cleaning up, and it’s not going to happen by itself,” she said.
Gramps chuckled, shaking his head. “Come on up to the porch, you two. Alley, you look parched. I’ll bring some of that ice tea I’ve been brewing in the sun all morning. It ought to be ready.” He turned to head to the house.
“I can get my own drink.”
Alley sprang forward to catch up with Gramps. It would be the perfect excuse to get away from Shane without appearing rude. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed that he was still looking at her with keen interest and an appreciative gleam in his eyes. It hadn’t seemed so bad when they were at the diner together a week ago. There had been a lot of people present. Right now, she was practically alone with him, other than her grandpa. Somehow, that made it even more awkward.
“You and Shane go sit on the porch for a few minutes,” Gramps insisted. “You need a break, young lady. You haven’t stopped working since sunup.”
“Better do what your grandpa says, Alley. I hear he’s got quite an ornery streak in him.”
Shane winked, and the smile on his face widened. He finally lifted his eyes from her. His longer stride sent him ahead of her and Gramps, and he led the way up the porch steps.
“I’ll only be a moment. You two talk amongst yourselves.” Gramps gave a quick nod, then pulled open the screen door that led into the kitchen.
Alley stuffed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, but winced at the sting when her raw blisters scraped against the fabric, and quickly pulled them free again. Shane stood in front of her in the next instant and reached for both her hands, rotating them so her palms were face-up. A frown passed over his face.
“Looks like you need better gloves,” he grumbled.
Alley swallowed, tugging to pull free. The warmth from Shane’s hands seeped through her fingers and up her w
rists. She’d had a similar reaction at Evie’s Diner when he’d placed his hand over hers and asked her not to leave.
“I’ll remember to get some the next time I’m in town.”
“You look like you’ve been working a lot.” Shane finally let go of her hands. “Maybe too much.” There was no condescension in his tone, only a hint of concern. “Do you have something to put on those blisters?”
Alley’s gaze lifted to Shane’s eyes. That was a mistake. His dark stare sent a rush of heat through her. “Like I already told Gramps, the place isn’t going to clean itself up.”
Her response nearly caught in her throat. She blinked, then reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear again. Darned loose tendrils that weren’t quite long enough to stay put in her ponytail. What the heck was wrong with her, anyway? She was no longer in high school, crushing on the football star.
Time to grow up and stop feeling intimidated.
It was the same mental speech she’d given herself a thousand times over the years. She’d made it through high school and college on that mantra, and she’d even gone out with a few college classmates who’d asked her on dates.
It had been much easier talking to guys with whom she shared common academic interests, but none of them had led to anything serious. Whenever she’d wanted to go out with classmates, her mother’s constant reminder that she had no time for socializing had kept her isolated in college the same way it had in high school.
A sigh of relief escaped her mouth when the screen door squeaked open, and Gramps returned with a tray of glasses and a pitcher. Shane stepped forward and took it from him, setting it on the small porch table.
Gramps took a seat on the only chair on the porch, and motioned for Shane and Alley to sit on the swing. Shane poured a glass of tea and handed it to her.
“Careful with those blisters,” he warned. The swing groaned when he lowered himself onto it next to her.
“So, what brings you out here to see us today, Shane?” Gramps raised his glass to his lips and took a long drink.
Shane glanced from him to Alley. His gaze dropped to her hands.
“I wanted to see how things were going.” His eyes lifted to her. Alley held her breath. He sat close enough that she inhaled the subtle scent of shaving cream, and something like new saddle leather.
“We’re doing fine,” Alley said before Gramps could reply. “There’s no need to check up on us.” She took another sip of her tea, then stood. Setting the glass on the table, she faced her grandpa. “I still have a lot I want to get done today, so please excuse me.”
Gramps and Shane could sit and visit. She couldn’t allow him to interfere with her schedule, or with her jumbled nerves. If only he didn’t have his eyes on this farm, it might be easier to talk to him, the way they’d talked over lunch about neutral things, but Shane wouldn’t have come to the farm without a motive to get his hands on the place. At least for now, Gramps was willing to go along with her plan. She rushed down the stairs and headed back to the barn
“I wasn’t checking up on you, Alley,” Shane called after her. “At least not for the reasons you think. I found a trainer for your horses.”
Chapter 9
Alley’s back stiffened at his words, and she stopped in her tracks. Slowly, she turned around. Shane returned her stare, although the distance was too great to really see her eyes. He’d been lost in them before, a week ago at the diner, and he’d experienced the same reaction again a few minutes ago after she’d come out of the barn.
His gut clenched almost painfully. Alley Cramer was the most refreshing thing he’d laid eyes on in Burnt River in years. There was nothing pretentious about her. She wasn’t loud and obnoxious, didn’t talk constantly, and instead of dressing to get noticed, it seemed as if she went out of her way to look invisible. The only problem was, her dirty jeans and mud-splattered t-shirt made her look damn alluring. Best of all, she wanted nothing to do with him.
Shane almost laughed out loud. Perhaps that wasn’t such a good thing. He was used to having women make eyes at him, especially once they found out he was from a prominent horse breeding family. With his mother’s stroke when he was twenty, the heavy burden of the ranch had been on his shoulders, leaving little time for socializing. He’d almost forgotten what it was like to go out with friends and simply unwind. He especially had no time for superficial women who only cared about landing a rich husband.
Alley was completely different. Rather than seek him out, she acted as if she’d rather be anywhere else but in the same breathing space as he. Whatever her mistrust of him was, he wanted to prove her wrong. Shane kept his eye on her, waiting for a reaction to what he’d said.
Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and she still fought with the shorter strands that kept falling down the side of her face and framed her cheeks. For an entire week, he’d told himself that, other than a love of horses, hard work, and chili cheese fries, they had nothing in common. She was extremely smart, highly educated, and had lived in the big city for the last ten years, while he was a country boy with nothing more than a high school education.
Shane stepped off the porch and met her halfway across the yard. She hadn’t come any closer, and still hadn’t said anything. Her eyes narrowed slightly when he approached. No doubt her mind was trying to work out what his ulterior motive was for having found someone to train her grandpa’s horses. For nearly seven days, he’d worked on a plan that might be beneficial to both him and to the Cramer Farm. All he had to do now was convince Alley. No doubt Henry would be easier to sway, but he might score more points if he brought his proposal to his granddaughter.
“I think I found someone for you who can get your two-year-olds started,” he said when he met up with her.
Alley stared up at him. “You found a trainer for me?” Her brows rose.
Shane nodded. “He hasn’t had any hands-on training experience in several years, but he’s been in the business a long time, and knows how to start young horses.”
Her eyes narrowed even more. “He works for you?”
Shane laughed. “Why are you so suspicious of me, Alley Cramer? What have I done to you?”
“For starters, you want to buy this farm. I don’t know what your motives might be for helping me and my grandpa.”
Shane leaned forward, the smile vanishing from his face. “That’s what people do around here, Alley. They help each other. You might have forgotten that, living in the big city, but here in Burnt River, folks look out for each other.”
Dammit, he didn’t want to lose his temper with her again. What would it take to knock some sense into her and get her to trust him?
He took a deep breath. “Do I want to buy your grandpa’s farm?” he asked, standing straighter. “If he’s willing to sell it to me, the answer is yes. Am I gonna do whatever it takes to get my hands on this place? No. I’m not that desperate for this piece of property.”
Her wide eyes stared up at him. She looked so unsure, and so damned . . . kissable. Shane ran a hand over his face, and combed his fingers through his hair. He took a step back. He didn’t need this distraction called Alley Cramer. He had his own business to tend to. He had a mother who needed constant care, and a brother who might never walk again.
Trouble was, he hadn’t been able to think of his own business while his mind kept wandering to Alley, working out how he could help her. It was clear for anyone to see that she was in over her head. Even Henry knew it, but the old man saw exactly the same thing in Alley that Shane saw – a determined woman wanting to hold on to her roots.
Alley Cramer had crawled under his skin from the moment he’d seen her at the diner on the evening of Mike Weiker’s memorial. For an entire week, he’d teeter-tottered between coming for a visit just to see her again, and telling himself to leave it be, that she wasn’t going to be in town long. When Henry had said she wasn’t leaving Burnt River, his heart had nearly somersaulted inside his chest.
“This trainer, how much
experience does he have, and is he dependable?”
Shane rubbed his thumb and index finger along his jaw, and fought to hold back a grin. Alley’s expression had turned business-like. If she ever did learn the industry, there was no doubt she’d excel. Right now, though, she was in way over her head.
“He’s been around horses all his life, and started colts before. Like I said, he hasn’t done it in a while.”
“And you trust him?”
“I wouldn’t recommend him if I didn’t.”
“I can’t pay much up front.” Her gaze dropped to the ground. Admitting she had little money couldn’t have come easy. “I can offer room and board, and profit-sharing once the four horses are ready to race and sellable.”
Shane nodded. “I think he’ll be agreeable to those terms.”
Alley moved away from him and started walking toward the barn. Shane fell in step beside her.
“I’ll have the barn ready in about a week. Then the colts can be housed in the stalls and get used to being handled daily.”
“So, you want him to start in about a week? Next Monday, perhaps?” Shane worked out some quick dates in his head.
“I think so. By Monday, everything should be finished enough.”
She pushed open the rolling barn door and stepped inside. A converted stall on the left looked to be the tack room. Alley headed for it. She rummaged through some boxes and produced a roll of bandaging material. One glance around the room was enough to see that it was well-stocked in training equipment, although much of it looked like it needed a good cleaning.
Alley wrapped bandages around her hands. She stepped back out into the barn aisle and reached for a shovel that leaned against one of the stalls. Grabbing the pair of gloves that were draped through the bars of the stall, she slipped them on.
Shane glanced around the barn. It was almost immaculate. The strong scent of ammonia lingered in the air, but the open barn doors carried the smell away. She was doing everything right, and Shane’s admiration for her grew. The only thing she didn’t have, that he knew of, was the money needed to get this place back on its feet.
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