He didn’t understand how he had the power to hurt Logan like that. It wasn’t like he was anything other than an employee to him. But he knew guilt made him think that, and he tried to repress his mental voice telling him to run, fast and far. Maybe it would just be better if he disappeared from their lives. He had brought nothing but problems and trouble to the siblings, even though they had been kind and gentle from the start. His hand rose instinctively to his cheek, his fingers drifting over the ragged edges of the scar there. It had been awhile since he’d remembered that it existed, and touching it made him remember why he shouldn’t get too close to anyone.
Resolve stiffening his spine, Kaden went into the house, packed the duffel bag he’d brought with him and headed back into the kitchen to make the lunch for the men. He set it out on the table with covers over it to make sure no flies landed on it. Then he threw together dinner and placed it in the oven before quickly writing instructions on paper for Logan to finish up. Knowing that he owed the man a lot, he sat down to write an appropriate thank-you. He wrote of how much he’d loved the time he’d spent on the ranch, and how sorry he was for all the trouble he had caused. He went on to explain that the horse had come to trust him, letting him touch him willingly, and even anticipated his visits each day. He apologized for disobeying Logan’s orders, but he had been drawn to the horse because they were a lot alike. Trust did not come easily.
He propped the letter against the oven timer in the middle of the stove, grabbed his duffel bag from his room, and walked out the front door, but not without looking back for a split second. With a heavy heart, he began his long walk to town. Logan had given him his pay each week, and it rested in the bottom of his duffel bag. He had enough to get back to New York and find an apartment. Maybe it would be a good idea just to go somewhere else. Terry would probably be mad at him for abandoning another job. The sun beat down on him, sweat popping out over his forehead, upper lip, and beneath his arms, but Kaden trudged on, shrugging the bag higher up onto his shoulders. Damn, it was hot. Hopefully, he would be back to town and gone by the time Logan came back for lunch. Only Kaden didn’t count on the fact that Logan would come back to apologize to him.
Kaden reached the town about a half-hour after he left the house because someone stopped to pick him up, giving him a lift. When he hopped down out of the truck, he thanked the guy behind the wheel and turned around to find the dark-haired lady from that night at the bar coming out of a beauty salon. “You’re Kaden, aren’t you?” she asked when she spotted him, heading his way with a smile.
He nodded mutely, wondering what she wanted. “I’m Helen Chambers. I saw you that night at the honky-tonk. We didn’t have a chance to meet because of that bastard Franklin.” She held out her hand, and he shook it cautiously, studying her. “What are you doin’ in town? Charlie bring you in to get more supplies?” She looked around to see if she could spot the ranch truck.
“No. I’m going home,” Kaden said softly.
“Oh? How come? The roundup isn’t over for another couple of months, and I know for a fact that Logan would never fire you. He loves your cooking too much. He told me how happy he is that his cousin Terry suggested he give you the job. It’s been hard getting someone in to do such a heavy load.” Helen laughed lightly. She saw the haunted look that Logan spoke of the last time they had talked. And she had a feeling this young man was the reason that he hadn’t been around lately. Something in the way he spoke about him, and the look he got in his eyes, gave her that impression. She would never figure a big, masculine man such as Logan would be interested in another man, but it appeared that way. Granted, the kid did look
Resolve stiffening his spine, Kaden went into the house, packed the duffel bag he’d brought with him and headed back into the kitchen to make the lunch for the men. He set it out on the table with covers over it to make sure no flies landed on it. Then he threw together dinner and placed it in the oven before quickly writing instructions on paper for Logan to finish up. Knowing that he owed the man a lot, he sat down to write an appropriate thank-you. He wrote of how much he’d loved the time he’d spent on the ranch, and how sorry he was for all the trouble he had caused. He went on to explain that the horse had come to trust him, letting him touch him willingly, and even anticipated his visits each day. He apologized for disobeying Logan’s orders, but he had been drawn to the horse because they were a lot alike. Trust did not come easily.
He propped the letter against the oven timer in the middle of the stove, grabbed his duffel bag from his room, and walked out the front door, but not without looking back for a split second. With a heavy heart, he began his long walk to town. Logan had given him his pay each week, and it rested in the bottom of his duffel bag. He had enough to get back to New York and find an apartment. Maybe it would be a good idea just to go somewhere else. Terry would probably be mad at him for abandoning another job. The sun beat down on him, sweat popping out over his forehead, upper lip, and beneath his arms, but Kaden trudged on, shrugging the bag higher up onto his shoulders. Damn, it was hot. Hopefully, he would be back to town and gone by the time Logan came back for lunch. Only Kaden didn’t count on the fact that Logan would come back to apologize to him.
Kaden reached the town about a half-hour after he left the house because someone stopped to pick him up, giving him a lift. When he hopped down out of the truck, he thanked the guy behind the wheel and turned around to find the dark-haired lady from that night at the bar coming out of a beauty salon. “You’re Kaden, aren’t you?” she asked when she spotted him, heading his way with a smile.
He nodded mutely, wondering what she wanted. “I’m Helen Chambers. I saw you that night at the honky-tonk. We didn’t have a chance to meet because of that bastard Franklin.” She held out her hand, and he shook it cautiously, studying her. “What are you doin’ in town? Charlie bring you in to get more supplies?” She looked around to see if she could spot the ranch truck.
“No. I’m going home,” Kaden said softly.
“Oh? How come? The roundup isn’t over for another couple of months, and I know for a fact that Logan would never fire you. He loves your cooking too much. He told me how happy he is that his cousin Terry suggested he give you the job. It’s been hard getting someone in to do such a heavy load.” Helen laughed lightly. She saw the haunted look that Logan spoke of the last time they had talked. And she had a feeling this young man was the reason that he hadn’t been around lately. Something in the way he spoke about him, and the look he got in his eyes, gave her that impression. She would never figure a big, masculine man such as Logan would be interested in another man, but it appeared that way. Granted, the kid did look
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