“Want to talk about it?” I tried to ignore the fact that his hand was now close enough to play with my hair.
He turned toward me. “Thanks, but not really. I’d rather enjoy your company and forget my troubles for a while.”
“Same,” I said. “I got some crappy news from my lawyer tonight, but I’d rather not talk about it either.”
He used his boots to rock the glider, and I pulled my feet up underneath me to enjoy the comforting swaying motion.
“We’re a pair, huh?” he said.
“Well, it’s hard to feel sorry for yourself when you see a sunset like the one tonight. Is it always that amazing?”
“Tonight was pretty, but you might get an even better one if you stay long enough.” He tapped my shoulder and my heart fluttered. “See what I did there, encouraging you to stay with us longer?”
“I appreciate you encouraging me to stay. I’m still not convinced that I’m rugged enough for this place, though.”
He put his hands on his knees and stood up. “You know what we should do? We should go introduce you to the horses.”
“Right now?” I asked hesitantly. “In the dark?”
“Why not? Gigi is playing cards with Kyra and Tyler, and unless you have other plans…”
“Other than finishing this beer,” I said, “I have no plans on my agenda tonight.”
“Great. Then let’s go say hello to the horse you’re riding tomorrow morning.”
CHAPTER9
MATTHEW
Walking next to Lauren as we drank our beers felt completely easy and natural, which made no sense at all. We barely knew each other, and she was a guest, which usually meant I put on my ranch manager persona and turned into jovial, laid back Matthew Hart. Pretending to be carefree when you have the weight of the world on your shoulders is a tough act, but I had a lot of practice at it.
With Lauren, I couldn’t pretend to be that guy who had everything perfectly together, or maybe I didn’t want to. This was certainly the first time I’d told a guest about my alcoholic employee or my custody arrangement, so there had to be something special about her, and if I spent more time with this woman, more walls were going to come down. That was a scary and exciting thought.
Even though there was comfort in walking the ranch with Lauren, I was also hyper aware of her proximity. If our arms so much as brushed against each other, I felt a throb of longing to hold her hand in mine. I knew it wasn’t appropriate to feel this way about a married guest, and yet I couldn’t stop it. Attraction like that was something I hadn’t experienced since my teen years, and I’d almost forgotten how good it felt.
The lights were out in the stable because Walt had long been in bed and some horses were asleep too. The one I wanted Lauren to ride was still awake and standing at the gate of her stall.
“This is Alma,” I said, introducing Lauren to the brown mare I’d chosen for her. Reliable and sturdy, Alma would do the job of getting Lauren from point A to point B with no surprises.
“Alma, like the woman who works at The General Store?” she asked. “She has the same name as the horse?”
I smiled and nodded. “You picked up on that. Walt named this horse after his cousin, Alma, who you met at the store. He said it was a compliment, and I figured she’d take it as an insult, but she said it was the highest form of flattery, having a horse named after her.”
“Well, hello, Alma.” She stroked the bridge of Alma’s nose, and the horse nickered in greeting. “She’s a beauty.”
That was a kind assessment. Alma didn’t have unusual markings, an impressive build or a lively gait, but she had soulful eyes and was one of the best natured horses I’d ever been around.
“I’m glad you think so. She’s your mount tomorrow morning. Be here at nine, and Gigi and I will take you out for a ride.”
Lauren continued petting Alma as she spoke. “Are you sure you have time for that? I know you must be busy.”
I shrugged and stuffed my hands in the pockets of my jeans. She was right. I had a to-do list as long as my arm. The last thing I had time for was a trail ride, and here I was promising her one. I leaned against the stall next to Alma’s, trying to come up with an explanation of why I was shirking my responsibilities.
“If I wait until I’m not busy, I’ll never ride in the summer. In fact, I haven’t ridden in about a month, so I’m long overdue.”
“You really should enjoy these years with Gigi. Kids grow up so quickly, and before you know it, they’re off to college and then out on their own.” Lauren pressed her lips into a thin, taut line. “I know this is a ridiculous question, but what if I fall off? I’ve ridden horses before, but I’m not the most coordinated person. I once fell off my bike seat at Soul Cycle.” She shot me a smile full of embarrassment and shame. “That’s when I switched to Peloton. I could never go back to the gym where I crashed and burned.”
“Lady,” I placed a hand on her back, “you’re too hard on yourself.”
