“We talked when I returned on Friday, and he’s got my probation officer’s number.”
“And you’re still here.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he nodded.
“Are you clean?”
“Yes.” His gaze didn’t waver from hers.
“All right then.” She smiled and moved toward the stall door.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.” A glance over her shoulder caught his look of confusion to match his voice, so she faced him once more. “I respect that you’ve worked hard to turn your life around, and over the past three years, you haven’t given me any reason to distrust you. As long as your past is in the past, then it doesn’t change who you are to me.”
Relief filled his expression and a ghost of his usual smile curved his lips. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
Her turn to nod.
The morning flew by with most of the wranglers out on trail rides while Britt stayed back to cover for Mark until the afternoon. Keeping busy kept her mind off last night. Or it should’ve. Snippets of her conversation with Joel snuck in when she least expected.
Not a good idea.
My life doesn’t allow for clutter.
You’re thinking with your heart.
You deserve better.
Damn it—she wanted him out of her head. Didn’t help that he’d been right on every single damn point.
More than once, her heart clamored for her to listen. This time for a different reason. One that had less to do with her father and more to do with that someone better she deserved. Someone who was too perceptive and unexpectedly gallant.
He wasn’t supposed to make her like him more. Her head knew where they would end up once his investigation was over. It really sucked, but sometimes the head needed to look out for the heart.
And her head told her to get back to work.
She carried two saddles out to the horses lined up at the hitching rail. Jon and Mandy would be back soon and their afternoon ride had an increased guest count. A searching sweep located Kelly leaning against the side of the barn. He brought his hand up to take a long drag off a cigarette.
She set the saddles down with a thump. Mitch she didn’t have a problem with; Kelly was a whole other matter. “A little help would be nice here.”
“Just taking a break.”
“You know there’s no smoking near the barns.”
“I’ll pick it up.”
“That’s not the point. I didn’t say anything to Mark the last time, but trust me, you don’t want this to become an issue.”
He shrugged, squinted toward the lake at the group of guests returning from a ride, and dropped the cigarette. Smoke streamed from between his pursed lips as he crushed the butt beneath his boot heel, then he looked up without barely lifting his head. “Thought you didn’t date here? I saw you with that pretty-boy ranger.”
Something in his tone tripped her pulse. Did he mean last night? She’d seen him at the bar, but was pretty sure he’d left shortly before Joel showed up, so how would he know they’d spent more time together?
A chill prickled along her spine as something else occurred to her. Was it possible he could’ve keyed her truck instead of some random kid? Would he really carry his grudge over her rejection that far?
“What I do is none of your business,” she informed him coldly, refusing to be intimidated. “Don’t mess with me, Kelly. One word from me and you’ll be gone from here faster than you can say ‘just kidding.’”
His gaze wavered, and then he stooped to pick up his garbage. He walked away, his footsteps fading as the clip-clop of horse hooves, creaking saddle leather and guest voices took over.