“There’s no need to be bringing that misunderstanding up right now. We’re showing Lena the cottage. As soon as we can move out some things, she can start working on moving in here,” Doc stated.
“She’s going to be staying here on the ranch? In this cottage?” Quinn asked, and Abigail chuckled. They all heard someone calling from outside, and so Abigail and Doc left her alone with Quinn. He held her gaze as he smiled at her, and feeling on guard and shy, she reached for a box and began to lift it out of the way so she could get a better look at the flooring.
A moment later she felt his presence beside her.
“No need to be lifting anything, darling. I got the men coming over any minute to start moving this crap outside. It’s going to be nice to see you around the ranch, Lena.”
She swallowed hard then walked away from him to place some space between them. That was when she heard a whole lot of noise coming from outside.
* * * *
Quinn watched Lena as she walked away from him. She was real sweet and very shy just like his fathers, Doc, Frank, and Will, had told him. As she headed toward the front porch, he saw the other men getting out of the trucks, waving and saying hello to Lena. He couldn’t help the jealous feeling he had inside. She was young and innocent looking, and men around here could see a woman like that from miles away.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lena. You remember me from Doc’s office Wednesday don’t ya?” Clay asked as he tipped his hat toward Lena.
She reached out to shake his hand.
“Of course I do. How are you feeling?” she asked as she pulled her hand from his.
Clay looked Lena over and he smiled. “I’m feeling real fine knowing you’ll be my neighbor on the ranch. You need anything at all, even a tour, you let me know, Miss Lena,” he stated then winked. Before she could respond, the others were shaking her hands and flirting with her. Lena took a step back as Clyde and a few others seemed to get into her personal space. Quinn placed his hand against her waist before she bumped into him. She jumped then turned to the side and nearly knocked Clay off the front porch.
Quinn was taken aback by
her reaction to being touched. He also realized just how petite she was. Her head had barely made it to his chest, and protectiveness steered his next move as he stopped Clay from following Lena.
He pressed his hand palm-forward against Clay’s shoulder.
Holding his stunned gaze, the man looked annoyed for being stopped in his pursuit.
“Start taking the boxes I placed outside in the back. Have the others start with the inside.”
“No problem, although I’d rather be inside where the view is much more interesting.”
Clay turned on his heels and gave orders to the other men as Quinn clenched his teeth.
“What’s wrong, Quinn?” his father Frank asked. He and Will rode up on horseback.
“Nothing.”
“That didn’t look like nothing. It looked to me like you were jealous of Clay talking with Lena,” Frank pushed. Quinn stared at his father, who stood a few inches lower than him.
“I know these guys, and they don’t always have the best of intentions, especially when they see new, prime meat like Lena.”
Frank placed his hand on Quinn’s shoulder.
“That’s why your mother, fathers, and I hope that you’ll keep them in line and keep an eye on Lena. She’s not from around here, hence her non-Southern accent and tough demeanor. Doc thinks she’s had a rough life and been on her own for a while.”
Quinn looked over his shoulder and saw that Lena was helping Abigail look inside a few boxes in the kitchen.
“How did he come about meeting her anyway?” Quinn asked.
“He found her sleeping between the garbage pails in back of the office.”
“What?” Quinn asked, feeling sick and concerned. Why would she be there? Where was she from, and didn’t anyone care about such a beautiful, young woman?
“She hasn’t told them much, but knowing your mother, she’ll get to the bottom of Lena’s story and help her the best she can.”
“I guess Dad’s lucky he found her before someone else did.”