“Which is a lot easier when Archer isn’t living with me,” he added with a chuckle.
“Oh.” She paused. “Yes, he’s...”
“Prickly? Antisocial? A curmudgeon?” Fisher loved seeing her laugh. “Lacking social graces? Crusty? Opinionated?”
She held up her hand, still laughing. “He has a strong personality.”
He nodded, thinking over her description. “I think you nailed that on the head. You could also replace strong with difficult.”
She shook her head, still smiling. “Why is he staying with you?”
“Water pipe broke. He lives in one of the original ranch buildings, over a hundred years old. I’m not sure why, since it’s barely standing and it’s nothing special to look at. It’d probably be easier to knock it down and start over, but that would take time. And, as you might have picked up on, Archer isn’t a patient sort.” He shrugged. “So, until the place is fixed, I invited him to stay with me. Now I get to enjoy the pleasure of his company every single day.”
She nodded. “Sounds about right.”
He cocked a brow. “Meaning?”
“You...you would do something like that.” She cleared her throat. “Be generous, I mean.”
“First nice, now generous.” His attention shifted to the barn and lookout tower. “Is that another strike against me?”
“There are no strikes against you, Fisher.” Her voice was low, but he heard her.
In the fading sunlight, her eyes were crystal blue. Her cheeks were pink, but he hoped it had nothing to do with the lingering heat of the day. He wanted to be the reason she blushed and her breath hitched. More than anything, he wanted to be the reason for her blinding smiles.
“I like the sound of that,” he murmured, fighting the urge to take her hand in his. He ached to touch her.
“We just need to figure out how to show Dr. Marcus what a catch you are.” Kylee smiled, turning her attention back to the ranch.
Disappointment hit him hard, right in the gut.
“Kylee?” Shawn stepped out onto the back deck, followed by Eli. “Didn’t know where you were.”
Fisher watched the exchange—Kylee’s apology, Shawn’s anxiety. His sister’s warning filled his ears. She’s going to have scars, Fisher. I’m thinking they might be pretty deep. It wasn’t only Kylee’s past he’d have to deal with. Shawn and Eli were about the same age, but inside he suspected Shawn’s life experiences had aged him. Eli radiated confidence and humor. Shawn was uncertain and wary.
“I wanted her to see the view before it was too dark,” Fisher explained, waving Shawn closer. “See that building down there?” he asked. “That’s the horse barn.”
Shawn pushed the hair from his eyes and leaned against the railing. “The big white one?”
“That’s the one. Thought maybe after we eat I could take you down there. Camp starts next week, so this would be like a preview,” Fisher offered.
“You can meet Red,” Eli offered. “He’s my horse.”
Shawn glanced at Kylee. “Can we?”
“Definitely,” Kylee agreed, hesitating briefly before asking, “Fisher, you said something about needing help with the hayrides?”
His insides shifted. She was giving him her trust. He liked it. “I’m leading the hayrides in a few weeks, for Labor Day. I need someone to help out. Check harnesses, give the horses water and replace hay bales as we go. Eli said he’d help, so I need one more set of hands.”
Shawn looked between the two of them. “Really? I mean, I don’t know anything about harnesses or hay bales—”
“I’ll teach you,” Fisher interrupted.
“Me, too,” Eli offered.
Fisher grinned at his nephew. “You’ll be a pro in no time.”
Shawn’s smile gutted him. The boy didn’t smile enough. He didn’t complain or pout, he just never seemed happy. “I’ll do my best, Doc.”