Big Sky Eyes by Sawyer Belle

to your
Mama. You’re having fun out here. I can tell.” She sent a nod toward Mackenna.
“And I know who to thank for it, too.”
    “Ma,” he said in a warning tone.
    “She’s lovely.”
    “Mom…”
    “And good looking, too…”
    “Mama…”
    “And hopelessly smitten with you.”
    He paused.
    “No, she’s not,” he said after a thought. “We’re pals.”
    “You very well may be, but I’m telling you that girl has
stars in her eyes when she looks at you. And why shouldn’t she? You are a good
catch.”
    “Why shouldn’t she? Because you said it: she’s a girl. Six
months ago, she was only sixteen years old. Good Lord, Mom. What do you think I
am?”
    “Semantics,” she dismissed with a wave. “You could say six
months ago she was sixteen, or you could say she’s halfway to eighteen. It’s
not that big of an age difference. Besides, women mature faster than men, so
you’re actually probably the same age anyway up here.” She tapped his head.
    “Thanks,” he said dryly and she laughed.
    “I’m teasing you, honey. Really though,
why not Mackenna?”
    “I don’t know,” he shifted uneasily. “It’s just not like
that between us. She’s like…she’s…like ..”
    “She’s like who ?” Alora asked,
already knowing the answer.
    “She’s like Nat.”
    Alora’s eyes brightened with sad remembrance of the daughter
that was no more and she swallowed passed the lump of emotions crowding her
throat. Brent immediately regretted his words, but he could not recall them.
    “She’d be Mackenna’s age if she had lived,” Alora said
quietly.
    “I know.”
    Alora’s smile faded and she withdrew into the quiet place in
her mind that she often retreated to and Brent’s gut wrenched with guilt. He
sighed, wishing he could redo their entire conversation.
    “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”
    Alora pulled herself up to kiss his cheek.
    “Brent, when are you going to accept that you are not responsible for my troubles?
Not for any of them.”
    He hugged her tightly to him, unable to form words. What was
he doing here? This frail, courageous woman carried more burdens than was fair.
He was the only one who could help her and protect her and he was out here
playing tour guide. What’s more, he had been enjoying it, just as Alora said.
For that, he hated himself.

Chapter 12
    Gone was the Brent she had come to know and love. He was
replaced with the surly, mean character she had met on day one. She hadn’t
noticed his slip backward in the remaining two weeks of her recovery because
she hadn’t much contact with him. Now that she was riding again and back at her
regular duties, the difference was staggering.
    When she teased, he rode away. He spoke only what absolutely
needed speaking. He snapped at Kelly enough that she suspended her pursuit and
filled her mouth with unpleasant opinions of him. He and Ty could be seen
arguing almost nightly by the stables because the guests were starting to
complain to Bev of his abruptness.
    There were only three weeks left of the summer season when
Mackenna finally decided to brave the beast. Evening was falling. Guests were
hunkered around the fire pit, visiting with Bev and Grant while they ate barbeque.
Ty and Leslie were shoeing one of the horses in the round corral. Lord knew
where Kelly was, but Mackenna knew where Brent was.
      He was in the second
story of the stables, in his wooden loft that hung over half of the stalls. It
was completely open, no doors in or out, and had only one square window that
ran the height of the wall and could be easily shuttered. Narrow wooden steps
led the way up and Mackenna made no attempt to hide her approach. In fact, she
called out to Sass and tossed down an apple as she climbed above her stall.
    Once she reached the platform, she found Brent sitting
cross-legged in front of the open window, his arms wrapped around his knees,
fingers dangling casually in between. He still wore the red bandana