complete.”
Sarah turned and walked toward the barn as he stood there watching her go. Unsure how to proceed, he thought quickly, but every potential scenario seemed to have her moving farther away from him. Refusing to give up, he followed her into the barn. He found her unpacking supplies and placing them on shelves.
Sarah paused as she heard him walk into the tack room. Closing her eyes, she took a ragged breath. What was he doing here? Hadn’t he caused enough grief for her? When she had walked away from VIC Enterprises and Vitaly, she was determined never to have anything to do with him again. As far as she was concerned, she had made a huge mistake falling for him and she knew that the only way she would get over her heartbreak was not to see him again.
So, why did he have to come here now? What could he possibly say that would make any difference? Shaking her head, she ignored him as she continued to unpack the boxes. A shuffle to her left caught her attention as she turned to look. Vitaly was squatting quietly beside her as he shifted boxes closer to her. Reaching inside, he pulled out the contents as he silently handed them to her. Shrugging her shoulders, Sarah took them and between the two of them, they made short work of replenishing the inventory.
As Sarah stood up, Vitaly followed.
“Thank you,” she said simply before turning to leave. His hand shot out to stop her as he grabbed her arm. Closing her eyes, Sarah wavered slightly on her feet. It bothered her that he had such power over her. Rubbing her arm, Vitaly could sense her shift in emotion.
“Sarah, look at me.” At her stubborn shake of the head, he grasped her chin and turned her toward him.
“That woman who answered the phone was my wife, Nadia. We’ve been legally separated for years but never divorced. I didn’t see the point as I never anticipated meeting someone worth…”
Vitaly’s voice trailed off as Sarah gave him her full attention. Smiling gently, he looked down at her. “We were celebrating making our divorce official.” Seeing tears well in her eyes, he groaned as he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I’ve been going crazy without you. I was shocked when I came back and you were gone. I had no idea what was going on or where you were. And when I found out, I couldn’t simply leave; there was too much going on.”
Tilting her head up, “So, why are you here now?”
“Ivan kicked me out. He said that I was frightening the staff.” At Sarah’s chuckle, he pulled her back into a hug.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you, kotyonok. My little kitten with the great big claws,” he told her as he rubbed her back. He wanted to kiss her, but at that moment, male voices were heard outside. Stepping away from him, Sarah left the tack room as he followed. Walking toward them were two older men who stopped when they saw Vitaly.
“Daddy. Uncle Max. This is Mr. Vitaly Chekov. He owns the logistics company I was interning for.” Turning toward Vitaly, she introduced everybody.
“This is my father, Bill Jenkins, and my uncle, Max Jenkins,” Sarah said as she introduced them.
Pulling his right work glove off and slapping it on his pants, Bill held out his hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Chekov. What brings you by?”
Shaking his hand, “Well, sir, I was hoping to speak to your daughter about returning to VIC Enterprises on a full-time basis.”
“That your little bitty car out front?” Max asked, as he shook his hand.
“Ah, yes, that’s my car, why?”
As the brothers looked at each other and nodded, Bill replied.
“Well, looks like you’ll have plenty of time to discuss the matter with my daughter. Rain is coming and the road washes out. You won’t make it back to the highway in that car, so looks like you’ll be bunking here.”
Looking at his daughter, “Sarah, honey, why don’t you take our guest to a guest cottage and get him situated. Dinner is at six whether you are there or not.”
At that, the
Sarah turned and walked toward the barn as he stood there watching her go. Unsure how to proceed, he thought quickly, but every potential scenario seemed to have her moving farther away from him. Refusing to give up, he followed her into the barn. He found her unpacking supplies and placing them on shelves.
Sarah paused as she heard him walk into the tack room. Closing her eyes, she took a ragged breath. What was he doing here? Hadn’t he caused enough grief for her? When she had walked away from VIC Enterprises and Vitaly, she was determined never to have anything to do with him again. As far as she was concerned, she had made a huge mistake falling for him and she knew that the only way she would get over her heartbreak was not to see him again.
So, why did he have to come here now? What could he possibly say that would make any difference? Shaking her head, she ignored him as she continued to unpack the boxes. A shuffle to her left caught her attention as she turned to look. Vitaly was squatting quietly beside her as he shifted boxes closer to her. Reaching inside, he pulled out the contents as he silently handed them to her. Shrugging her shoulders, Sarah took them and between the two of them, they made short work of replenishing the inventory.
As Sarah stood up, Vitaly followed.
“Thank you,” she said simply before turning to leave. His hand shot out to stop her as he grabbed her arm. Closing her eyes, Sarah wavered slightly on her feet. It bothered her that he had such power over her. Rubbing her arm, Vitaly could sense her shift in emotion.
“Sarah, look at me.” At her stubborn shake of the head, he grasped her chin and turned her toward him.
“That woman who answered the phone was my wife, Nadia. We’ve been legally separated for years but never divorced. I didn’t see the point as I never anticipated meeting someone worth…”
Vitaly’s voice trailed off as Sarah gave him her full attention. Smiling gently, he looked down at her. “We were celebrating making our divorce official.” Seeing tears well in her eyes, he groaned as he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I’ve been going crazy without you. I was shocked when I came back and you were gone. I had no idea what was going on or where you were. And when I found out, I couldn’t simply leave; there was too much going on.”
Tilting her head up, “So, why are you here now?”
“Ivan kicked me out. He said that I was frightening the staff.” At Sarah’s chuckle, he pulled her back into a hug.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you, kotyonok. My little kitten with the great big claws,” he told her as he rubbed her back. He wanted to kiss her, but at that moment, male voices were heard outside. Stepping away from him, Sarah left the tack room as he followed. Walking toward them were two older men who stopped when they saw Vitaly.
“Daddy. Uncle Max. This is Mr. Vitaly Chekov. He owns the logistics company I was interning for.” Turning toward Vitaly, she introduced everybody.
“This is my father, Bill Jenkins, and my uncle, Max Jenkins,” Sarah said as she introduced them.
Pulling his right work glove off and slapping it on his pants, Bill held out his hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Chekov. What brings you by?”
Shaking his hand, “Well, sir, I was hoping to speak to your daughter about returning to VIC Enterprises on a full-time basis.”
“That your little bitty car out front?” Max asked, as he shook his hand.
“Ah, yes, that’s my car, why?”
As the brothers looked at each other and nodded, Bill replied.
“Well, looks like you’ll have plenty of time to discuss the matter with my daughter. Rain is coming and the road washes out. You won’t make it back to the highway in that car, so looks like you’ll be bunking here.”
Looking at his daughter, “Sarah, honey, why don’t you take our guest to a guest cottage and get him situated. Dinner is at six whether you are there or not.”
At that, the
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