Sadie slowly dropped her hands and stared into his friendly gaze. And the longer she stared, the warmer her insides got and the harder it became to breathe…until her cat stepped on a button.
Twice.
“No. No.”
The guys chuckled.
“Uh oh, Dale,” RJ said. “Looks like you’ve got competition.”
The heat in her face increased, but she ignored it, digging for her gumption instead.
“Speaking of competition,” she said, dragging her gaze from him. “I think you all deserve those cookies now.”
“Even Cooper?” RJ asked. “He already had one.”
“Even Cooper,” she replied with a grin. “But he gets one less now.”
The mood was light, filled with laughter and teasing as they returned to the kitchen and the guys enjoyed their snacks and drinks. Sadie felt a deep sense of contentment surrounded by these men who were married to her friends. But they were also part of her community, her extended family.
After they’d eaten their fill, Mac turned to her. “Thanks for the hospitality, Sadie. We should probably get back to work, though.”
Sadie nodded, a little sad to see them go. “Of course. And anytime, guys. You know where to find me if you need more cookies.”
As they headed back out to finish the job at Sam’s, Dale lingered behind for a moment, catching her eye. “Thanks for the break. We needed that.”
Sadie smiled softly, feeling a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with the cookies. “Anytime, Dale. I’m just glad I could help. Oh, and I’m about ready to head to the ranch to feed and exercise Orion and Triton. I felt bad for keeping them locked in their stalls since yesterday, so I went there earlier than normal this morning.”
Dale stilled, his gaze alert. “Wait…you were there yesterday? What time?”
She blinked. “Around noon. Why?”
“Yesterday at noon? Are you sure?”
“Yes. Positive. I went there after I left the bakery yesterday and before I visited your dad.” She frowned. “Why?”
“And you’re saying you fed and exercised them, then put them in the barn before you left?”
She nodded. “Yes. That’s what I’m saying, just like this morning. Why?”
He blew out a breath. “Because when the guys and I went there in the afternoon, Orion and Triton were running wild in the field.”
Sadie’s heart jolted. “That’s not possible. I tugged on the stall doors to make sure they were shut before I left. Same with the barn door.”
“I need to get to the ranch,” Dale said, turning to rush out her door.
She grabbed her purse and ran after him. “Not without me!”
Chapter Seven
Dale gripped the steering wheel as he navigated the country road toward the ranch, the sun blazing across the familiar landscape. Next to him, Sadie sat with her usual upbeat energy, tapping her fingers lightly on her thigh, no doubt to some tune playing in her head. He admired her for it—her unrelenting positivity—and was grateful for it today, to help counteract his growing frustration.
“You didn’t have to come with me,” she said, glancing over at him with a soft smile. “I can handle the horses. I’ve helped your dad before and have been taking care of them myself for two days now.”
“I know,” he replied, doing his best to keep his tone even. “But after what happened there yesterday, I’m not letting you go out there alone.”
The beauty sent him a sidelong look, clearly not buying his calm demeanor. “I already did this morning. Besides, I’ve been thinking about that. Maybe I just didn’t latch the stalls correctly like I thought.”
“Doubtful,” he muttered, not wanting to get into a debate. “No way was I allowing you to come out here yourself. You’re stuck with an escort. Better safe than sorry.”
