Why couldn’t I have been listening to Willie Nelson or John Prine or something else cool for a fifty-one-year-old man working in his office? The truth was, Gigi listened to these songs so much they’d become earworms for me. If one came into my head, I had to play it or I’d be humming those stupid lyrics all day.
“It’s cool you’re trying to connect with her that way. I still listen to pop music from the eighties and nineties.” She smiled self-consciously. “I guess that makes me old.”
“I don’t think anyone could see you as old.” Was that the best compliment I could come up with? I’d completely lost my touch with women.
“Thank you, that’s sweet. I came in to ask about a ride to the shops in town. I really need better shoes for hiking.”
I looked down at her feet, clad in gold sandals that looked like something out of a gladiator movie. She’d painted her toenails the same color as her cheeks when she blushed. Dammit, even her feet were irresistible, and I wasn’t even the foot fetish type.
In the hubbub of my busy day, I’d forgotten that she’d made a request for a ride to the store. Tyler was going into downtown Three Rivers, and he could take her with him. She didn’t know that though, and he hadn’t left yet, which gave me an idea.
“I’m heading into town in a few minutes if you want a ride.” I snapped my laptop shut. “It’s about a thirty-minute drive, door to door, but you’ll find a store there that can supply what you need.” Should I be going into town with everything I had on my plate that day? Probably not, but I was doing it, anyway.
“Really?” Her big brown eyes widened, her pretty pink lips parted slightly, and a surge of desire rushed through me like lightning in a storm. “That would be great. I can grab my purse and be back in five minutes if that works for you?”
I stood up from my seat and found I needed to readjust myself. Nothing like getting overexcited about driving a lady into town. Was I sixteen again? I needed to get it together and act like a proper ranch manager.
“Sounds fine. I’ll be here.”
I watched her walk back to her cabin, then sprinted to staff housing to find Tyler. The staff cabin for the men—two rooms with bunk beds separated by a communal bathroom—wasn’t far away, but it was uphill and I was panting by the time I got there. I found Tyler heading toward the bathroom with his shampoo and towel in hand.
“You don’t need to do the supply run,” I said between gasps. “I’m gonna do it myself.”
“Are you sure?” He tossed the towel over his shoulder. “I don’t mind going.”
“No, it’s fine. I need a few things in town.” I was still a dad and needed to figure out what my daughter would do while I was gone. “Maybe Gigi could take a trail ride?”
He looked slightly baffled, no doubt wondering why I’d run there like I was being chased, but he didn’t question me about it. I knew I liked that boy.
“Sure,” he said. “She can help Walt with today’s guest ride. She loves showing off her skills.”
“Perfect! Thanks, Ty.”
As I sauntered back to the office, I literally smacked the smile off my face.
“Get it together, dumbass,” I muttered to myself. “She’s a guest, not your new girlfriend.”
Who did think I was, getting excited about driving this woman anywhere? She wore a wedding ring, a clear sign she was taken, not to mention that the diamond on it was probably worth as much as this ranch. Well, maybe not that much, but it was a huge rock. There was also the issue of her preference for fancy spas over dude ranches. My eyes needed to stay focused on one thing, and that was making sure she had a wonderful time at Silver Sage and stayed for the full week. Maybe she’d even write us a nice review or tell her friends about our place.
Just be cool, Matthew Hart. Play it cool.
* * *
“Doyou mind if we make a quick stop at the vet’s office before we hit the store?” I asked Lauren as we drove toward town. “I need to pick something up from my brother. I’ve got a barn cat with worms.” If ever there was a sentence that reminded me a woman like Lauren was out of my league, it was “I’ve got a barn cat with worms.” I loved my Wyoming lifestyle, but it sure wasn’t glamorous. Fortunately, Lauren didn’t ask me to take her directly to the nearest airport.
“Of course, that’s fine.” She pulled her sunglasses out of her bag and slid them on her face. “I have no plans today except shopping for appropriate shoes and learning more about ranch life. I’m looking forward to checking out Three Rivers.”
“It’s a small town.” I didn’t want her expectations to get too high. “Population of less than two thousand people.” Guests came to the ranch to spend time outdoors, away from civilization, so I rarely had to play tour guide in Three Rivers. “As far as shopping, we’ve got The General Store, Ranch Apparel, Feed & Grain, and a Family Dollar. Probably not the type of shopping you’re accustomed to in New York.”
“I’m not expecting there to be a Saks Fifth Avenue,” she said dryly.
“That’s good because high fashion here is a new pair of boots and a Stetson.”
“See, that’s perfect. Maybe I’ll buy some boots. I want to sample the local flavors and see where people shop and hang out. That’s the fun part of traveling to new places.” She seemed more cheerful than the previous day, like maybe she’d gotten some good rest and woken up with a more positive outlook on life.
“Oh!” I snapped my fingers. “I forgot. We also have a new beauty parlor with a gift shop inside it. I’ve heard they sell some nice things, but I can’t be sure because I get my hair cut at the ranch.”
“By your wife?” Lauren asked. Was she putting feelers out to see if I was married?
