down. “You probably needed the time away.”
“I did,” I said with a sigh.
David flipped the top of his paper down. “So, how are you doing, darlin'? You all right?”
I pushed my hair back. “Truthfully, I don't know. I don't know when or if I'll ever be all right.”
Caroline sighed. “You will.” She paused. “Hayden called again.”
I leaned my head against the door frame. “What did he say?” I asked in a monotone voice, expecting her answer to be the same as the last time.
“Well,” she drawled, causing my heart to thump. “He asked me if you were still here . . . and I told him I didn't know where you were.” When my eyes widened, she added, “Well, I didn't know where you were. Besides, he sounded pretty upset when I told him.” She grinned. “I think you've got him scared, honey.”
I couldn't help the joy I felt knowing Hayden was upset over my absence. “Did he say when . . . when he would be back?”
Caroline's smile faded slightly. “I'm sorry, honey, but he didn't.”
The hope that I had just felt was dashed a little. “Well, I'm glad he's all right.” I again pushed a hand back through my hair. “I think I'll go for a walk, maybe walk up to Hayden's.” I smiled tearfully. “I kind of miss the porch swing.”
“We understand,” Caroline said. “We'll leave the door unlocked for you.”
I nodded emotionally and left.
I stood on the back porch for a moment looking out over the ranch. With thoughts of Hayden ever present in my mind, I started my walk up to his place. I kept telling myself that going there would most likely only cause me more pain, but my heart wasn't listening. It didn't care. Besides, I didn't think the pain could get any worse than it already was.
Hearing the squeak of a door opening, I glanced back and saw Chris exiting the bunkhouse. I cursed inwardly when he looked in my direction and ran to catch up with me. I really wasn't in the mood to talk to him or anyone else, but especially him . Still, I managed to force a smile when he reached me.
“How are you doing?” he asked, reaching out and touching my arm.
“I'm all right,” I lied. I smiled brightly. “I'm good.”
When he moved closer, my smile faded slightly. Chris was nice, but a little too forward, and he was the last person I wanted to discuss my problems with. I turned to start walking when he abruptly took my arm in his hand, tightening his grip slightly. The action completely startled me.
“You're lying, Raine. I've got eyes. I see what's going on. Hayden deserted you and you're still determined to wait for him to come back.”
I looked at him, my brow automatically creasing in anger and my defenses instantly rising. “So, what's it to you?”
“I'll tell you what it is to me,” he said, moving even closer and causing me to back up a little. “I've been watching you. You didn't know it, but I have. You see, the way I figure it, you need a real man, and from what I can tell, Hayden definitely ain't man enough for the job. He can't handle a woman like you.”
I snorted incredulously, my eyes roaming over his face, taking in his slicked back black hair and dark eyes. He was of average build and maybe six feet in height at the most. He was a couple of years younger than me, but at that moment, he acted even younger. “I don't know who you . . .” I paused and thought about what he had just said. “A woman like me? What is that supposed to mean?”
He smiled widely. “You know, a woman of color, or whatever you all call yourselves these days.”
I shook my head slightly. This is unreal. “A woman of color, huh? Are you saying black women are different from white women?”
“I'm saying,” he answered, his voice growing more seductive, “Hayden ain't man enough to give you what you really need.”
“And what is that?” I asked with a smirk, sarcasm lacing my voice.
“Real loving. The kind you women like.”
I'm not going to even touch that one. “Well, I hate to
“I did,” I said with a sigh.
David flipped the top of his paper down. “So, how are you doing, darlin'? You all right?”
I pushed my hair back. “Truthfully, I don't know. I don't know when or if I'll ever be all right.”
Caroline sighed. “You will.” She paused. “Hayden called again.”
I leaned my head against the door frame. “What did he say?” I asked in a monotone voice, expecting her answer to be the same as the last time.
“Well,” she drawled, causing my heart to thump. “He asked me if you were still here . . . and I told him I didn't know where you were.” When my eyes widened, she added, “Well, I didn't know where you were. Besides, he sounded pretty upset when I told him.” She grinned. “I think you've got him scared, honey.”
I couldn't help the joy I felt knowing Hayden was upset over my absence. “Did he say when . . . when he would be back?”
Caroline's smile faded slightly. “I'm sorry, honey, but he didn't.”
The hope that I had just felt was dashed a little. “Well, I'm glad he's all right.” I again pushed a hand back through my hair. “I think I'll go for a walk, maybe walk up to Hayden's.” I smiled tearfully. “I kind of miss the porch swing.”
“We understand,” Caroline said. “We'll leave the door unlocked for you.”
I nodded emotionally and left.
I stood on the back porch for a moment looking out over the ranch. With thoughts of Hayden ever present in my mind, I started my walk up to his place. I kept telling myself that going there would most likely only cause me more pain, but my heart wasn't listening. It didn't care. Besides, I didn't think the pain could get any worse than it already was.
Hearing the squeak of a door opening, I glanced back and saw Chris exiting the bunkhouse. I cursed inwardly when he looked in my direction and ran to catch up with me. I really wasn't in the mood to talk to him or anyone else, but especially him . Still, I managed to force a smile when he reached me.
“How are you doing?” he asked, reaching out and touching my arm.
“I'm all right,” I lied. I smiled brightly. “I'm good.”
When he moved closer, my smile faded slightly. Chris was nice, but a little too forward, and he was the last person I wanted to discuss my problems with. I turned to start walking when he abruptly took my arm in his hand, tightening his grip slightly. The action completely startled me.
“You're lying, Raine. I've got eyes. I see what's going on. Hayden deserted you and you're still determined to wait for him to come back.”
I looked at him, my brow automatically creasing in anger and my defenses instantly rising. “So, what's it to you?”
“I'll tell you what it is to me,” he said, moving even closer and causing me to back up a little. “I've been watching you. You didn't know it, but I have. You see, the way I figure it, you need a real man, and from what I can tell, Hayden definitely ain't man enough for the job. He can't handle a woman like you.”
I snorted incredulously, my eyes roaming over his face, taking in his slicked back black hair and dark eyes. He was of average build and maybe six feet in height at the most. He was a couple of years younger than me, but at that moment, he acted even younger. “I don't know who you . . .” I paused and thought about what he had just said. “A woman like me? What is that supposed to mean?”
He smiled widely. “You know, a woman of color, or whatever you all call yourselves these days.”
I shook my head slightly. This is unreal. “A woman of color, huh? Are you saying black women are different from white women?”
“I'm saying,” he answered, his voice growing more seductive, “Hayden ain't man enough to give you what you really need.”
“And what is that?” I asked with a smirk, sarcasm lacing my voice.
“Real loving. The kind you women like.”
I'm not going to even touch that one. “Well, I hate to
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