couldn’t, at least not without losing herself in the process.
Steve cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry for overstepping the boundaries last night. I can’t explain what happened. I’m not usually—”
“Please.” She held up a hand, the slow heat of embarrassment beginning its ascent from her neck to her face. “You don’t have to apologize or explain.”
In a move that surprised her, he brought the truck to a complete halt at the side of the road. “Look at me.”
She swallowed hard, and tried to steel herself against whatever was about to come.
“Look at me, Dani.”
Her chest rose and fell as she turned toward him.
Pure kindness and concern radiated from his features. “We both love Mama Beth, and we’re going to be spending a lot of time together over the next few weeks. I can’t do this without making things right between us. Besides, that woman has eagle eyes when it comes to this kind of stuff.”
Dani nodded. He was right. Mama Beth would notice the strain between them. “Okay.”
He glanced away, his jaw flexing. This was as hard for him as it was for her. After what seemed an eternity, he spoke. “I think both our feelings got confused last night because of the fear and concern we have for Mama Beth. That’s the only way I know to explain it.” His eyes met hers, and her stomach twisted.
This wasn’t helping. Not one little bit. If anything it made it worse. She needed to hate him, not like him. Dani struggled for words, hoping she could form a coherent sentence. “I’m sure that’s all it was.”
“So are we good?”
She bobbed her head, grasping at anything to bring the uncomfortable topic to a close.
He continued to study her for one minute more, then reached up with his fingers and put the truck in gear.
Dani forced her attention from his hands to the wildflowers that dotted the sides of the road and smoothed her mussed curls. “Where are we going?”
“No where in particular. Somewhere you wanted to go?”
Would any place hold the peace she desired? She stared ahead, focused on nothing. “Some place peaceful where I can forget this world and its problems.”
“Sounds like heaven to me.”
Dani turned her head away. Not the God stuff again. She rubbed her left arm and watched the passing landscape out the side window.
“Best I can do is a place not too far from here.” A few minutes later they reached a country lane and Steve put the truck in park to open a gate made from cedar posts and barbed wire. Back in the truck, he inched along the bumpy overgrown path. The wispy leaves from gnarled mesquite trees pirouetted in the spring breeze, while a bull frog croaked in the distance.
The rutted ride bounced her around on the seat. She gripped the arm rest and took in the surroundings. A place to forget the rest of the world existed, beautiful and serene, private and secluded. “This is part of your ranch?”
“Yep, the original homestead. Part of the old chimney is still standing over there.” He nodded with his chin toward a pile of stones. “Back then they had to settle close to water. The same creek that runs through town cuts through this corner of the ranch.” Steve pointed past a line of live oaks. “We’re not far from Mama Beth’s. Her house is just on the other side of the creek and across the pasture.” The pickup rolled to a stop underneath a gigantic oak.
Dani hopped out of the truck and ambled toward the old oak tree, so large her arms wouldn’t fit halfway around. Steve followed. She trailed her fingers over the rough bark and peered up through the tree’s sun-dappled branches. “This oak must be hundreds of years old.”
“I like to believe my great-great-grandfather saw this tree.” A hint of pride played about his lips.
She gauged her emotions. His connection with this place and its past made her envious. What would it feel like to have such a sense of home? A sudden realization hit. He had honored her by sharing this hallowed
Steve cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry for overstepping the boundaries last night. I can’t explain what happened. I’m not usually—”
“Please.” She held up a hand, the slow heat of embarrassment beginning its ascent from her neck to her face. “You don’t have to apologize or explain.”
In a move that surprised her, he brought the truck to a complete halt at the side of the road. “Look at me.”
She swallowed hard, and tried to steel herself against whatever was about to come.
“Look at me, Dani.”
Her chest rose and fell as she turned toward him.
Pure kindness and concern radiated from his features. “We both love Mama Beth, and we’re going to be spending a lot of time together over the next few weeks. I can’t do this without making things right between us. Besides, that woman has eagle eyes when it comes to this kind of stuff.”
Dani nodded. He was right. Mama Beth would notice the strain between them. “Okay.”
He glanced away, his jaw flexing. This was as hard for him as it was for her. After what seemed an eternity, he spoke. “I think both our feelings got confused last night because of the fear and concern we have for Mama Beth. That’s the only way I know to explain it.” His eyes met hers, and her stomach twisted.
This wasn’t helping. Not one little bit. If anything it made it worse. She needed to hate him, not like him. Dani struggled for words, hoping she could form a coherent sentence. “I’m sure that’s all it was.”
“So are we good?”
She bobbed her head, grasping at anything to bring the uncomfortable topic to a close.
He continued to study her for one minute more, then reached up with his fingers and put the truck in gear.
Dani forced her attention from his hands to the wildflowers that dotted the sides of the road and smoothed her mussed curls. “Where are we going?”
“No where in particular. Somewhere you wanted to go?”
Would any place hold the peace she desired? She stared ahead, focused on nothing. “Some place peaceful where I can forget this world and its problems.”
“Sounds like heaven to me.”
Dani turned her head away. Not the God stuff again. She rubbed her left arm and watched the passing landscape out the side window.
“Best I can do is a place not too far from here.” A few minutes later they reached a country lane and Steve put the truck in park to open a gate made from cedar posts and barbed wire. Back in the truck, he inched along the bumpy overgrown path. The wispy leaves from gnarled mesquite trees pirouetted in the spring breeze, while a bull frog croaked in the distance.
The rutted ride bounced her around on the seat. She gripped the arm rest and took in the surroundings. A place to forget the rest of the world existed, beautiful and serene, private and secluded. “This is part of your ranch?”
“Yep, the original homestead. Part of the old chimney is still standing over there.” He nodded with his chin toward a pile of stones. “Back then they had to settle close to water. The same creek that runs through town cuts through this corner of the ranch.” Steve pointed past a line of live oaks. “We’re not far from Mama Beth’s. Her house is just on the other side of the creek and across the pasture.” The pickup rolled to a stop underneath a gigantic oak.
Dani hopped out of the truck and ambled toward the old oak tree, so large her arms wouldn’t fit halfway around. Steve followed. She trailed her fingers over the rough bark and peered up through the tree’s sun-dappled branches. “This oak must be hundreds of years old.”
“I like to believe my great-great-grandfather saw this tree.” A hint of pride played about his lips.
She gauged her emotions. His connection with this place and its past made her envious. What would it feel like to have such a sense of home? A sudden realization hit. He had honored her by sharing this hallowed
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