it.”
“What’s the H word?”
“Harassment.”
She expected annoyance, or maybe confusion, but Tad nodded as if she’d suddenly made everything clear. “Okay, I get it. I thought I’d give it one more try, just in case, but I guess Beth was right. You’re a lesbian, aren’t you? Why didn’t you just say so?”
She stared. “I’m what?”
“Beth told me after last week’s lesson, but I didn’t believe her. Boy, I really missed on that one.” He laughed, shaking his head. “But, hey, we can still have lunch, maybe talk about the waitresses from the Backstreet Bar. I think a couple of them go both ways, you know?”
She blinked at his conspiratorial expression and thought about setting him straight. Then thought again. He’d finally found a way to accept her lack of interest in him, which was what she’d been trying to achieve for the past two weeks. She shouldn’t mess with a good thing.
“I have to pass on lunch, but thanks for understanding. Now how about getting Misty saddled up?”
“Sure.” He gave her a friendly punch on the shoulder and walked past her to get the saddle and bridle. She cleared her throat to cover a laugh. In a matter of seconds she’d dropped completely off his sexual radar. If she didn’t find Beth so repulsive, she’d thank her.
* * *
Reese met her at the barn again after work and suggested they go out for dinner. She insisted on stopping at her house first to change clothes. They never made it out of the bedroom.
He was there the next day, too, and the days after that. By the time two weeks had gone by, they were in a comfortable routine. She knew it had an end date, but it was getting harder to keep that in mind as their affair became a friendship. It didn’t seem to be a bad thing. How could friendship be bad?
It had been going on for over two weeks when he showed up at the barn at lunchtime in his suit and tie. T.J. finished hitching the manure spreader to the tractor, and looked up in surprise. “Hi.”
She’d gotten so used to seeing him after work and outside of the resort, that she’d nearly forgotten the businessman side of him. It was an uncomfortable reminder, but probably needed—he had another life where his off hours weren’t spent in a barn or eating burgers at Del Tanner’s Bar and Grill in Barringer’s Pass. The reminder was a bit unsettling. His serious expression was even more worrisome.
Reese glanced at Lexie, the girl driving the tractor, then back at T.J. “Can I see you in the office?”
“Uh, sure.” She looked at Lexie. “You got this?”
“No problem.” The girl released the clutch on the idling tractor and drove off as T.J. walked upstairs with him to the manager’s office.
She stole a glance at him. Reese had always looked out of place at the barn in his immaculate work clothes, but today it made her aware of how she must look to him. He’d never seen her in anything but blue jeans, except when she had on nothing at all. She wouldn’t change who she was for any man, but couldn’t help wondering what Reese thought of the contrast between her and the women he saw in Boston. Women with manicures and sexy high heels. She looked down at her short, unpainted fingernails and the scuffed boots that wouldn’t pass for sexy with even the grubbiest ranch hand. There was nothing she could do about the boots, but she shoved her hands in her pockets as they walked into the office.
“This must be important if you came down here in the middle of the day.”
“It is.” He closed the door and locked it.
His serious expression worried her. “Is something wrong?” She always hated to deal with employee problems, but it was best to get them out of the way before Tom, the new manager, started work next week.
“I’m afraid there’s a problem.” Reese took her upper arms and backed her into the desk. “A very big problem.” He leaned into her so she could feel exactly how big his problem was. The tight line of his jaw
“What’s the H word?”
“Harassment.”
She expected annoyance, or maybe confusion, but Tad nodded as if she’d suddenly made everything clear. “Okay, I get it. I thought I’d give it one more try, just in case, but I guess Beth was right. You’re a lesbian, aren’t you? Why didn’t you just say so?”
She stared. “I’m what?”
“Beth told me after last week’s lesson, but I didn’t believe her. Boy, I really missed on that one.” He laughed, shaking his head. “But, hey, we can still have lunch, maybe talk about the waitresses from the Backstreet Bar. I think a couple of them go both ways, you know?”
She blinked at his conspiratorial expression and thought about setting him straight. Then thought again. He’d finally found a way to accept her lack of interest in him, which was what she’d been trying to achieve for the past two weeks. She shouldn’t mess with a good thing.
“I have to pass on lunch, but thanks for understanding. Now how about getting Misty saddled up?”
“Sure.” He gave her a friendly punch on the shoulder and walked past her to get the saddle and bridle. She cleared her throat to cover a laugh. In a matter of seconds she’d dropped completely off his sexual radar. If she didn’t find Beth so repulsive, she’d thank her.
* * *
Reese met her at the barn again after work and suggested they go out for dinner. She insisted on stopping at her house first to change clothes. They never made it out of the bedroom.
He was there the next day, too, and the days after that. By the time two weeks had gone by, they were in a comfortable routine. She knew it had an end date, but it was getting harder to keep that in mind as their affair became a friendship. It didn’t seem to be a bad thing. How could friendship be bad?
It had been going on for over two weeks when he showed up at the barn at lunchtime in his suit and tie. T.J. finished hitching the manure spreader to the tractor, and looked up in surprise. “Hi.”
She’d gotten so used to seeing him after work and outside of the resort, that she’d nearly forgotten the businessman side of him. It was an uncomfortable reminder, but probably needed—he had another life where his off hours weren’t spent in a barn or eating burgers at Del Tanner’s Bar and Grill in Barringer’s Pass. The reminder was a bit unsettling. His serious expression was even more worrisome.
Reese glanced at Lexie, the girl driving the tractor, then back at T.J. “Can I see you in the office?”
“Uh, sure.” She looked at Lexie. “You got this?”
“No problem.” The girl released the clutch on the idling tractor and drove off as T.J. walked upstairs with him to the manager’s office.
She stole a glance at him. Reese had always looked out of place at the barn in his immaculate work clothes, but today it made her aware of how she must look to him. He’d never seen her in anything but blue jeans, except when she had on nothing at all. She wouldn’t change who she was for any man, but couldn’t help wondering what Reese thought of the contrast between her and the women he saw in Boston. Women with manicures and sexy high heels. She looked down at her short, unpainted fingernails and the scuffed boots that wouldn’t pass for sexy with even the grubbiest ranch hand. There was nothing she could do about the boots, but she shoved her hands in her pockets as they walked into the office.
“This must be important if you came down here in the middle of the day.”
“It is.” He closed the door and locked it.
His serious expression worried her. “Is something wrong?” She always hated to deal with employee problems, but it was best to get them out of the way before Tom, the new manager, started work next week.
“I’m afraid there’s a problem.” Reese took her upper arms and backed her into the desk. “A very big problem.” He leaned into her so she could feel exactly how big his problem was. The tight line of his jaw
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