Page 11 of The Rancher

I heard her get up during the night to work. It kind of broke my heart.

I've gone through phases where I work a lot, but this feels like a compulsion. Like she's afraid to slow down. It doesn't seem healthy to me. I'll have to gently pry what’s going on there out of her so I know how to proceed. The last thing I want to do is upset her or overstep any boundaries.

After leaving a note on the kitchen counter I slip out to the stables for an hour of morning chores, then come back for a shower. I make coffee and get eggs and vegetables ready for bagel sandwiches, then wait until I hear her getting dressed to start cooking.

She comes downstairs with her hair in a smooth braid, wearing a dark blue t-shirt and jeans.

"My God." I clutch my heart. "It's the most beautiful farmhand in the world."

She laughs, then I indicate she should sit at the dining room table as I set down breakfast and coffee for her. I kiss the top of her hair, then grab my own plate. I notice she's looking at me guiltily. "Yeah," I say gently, "I might have heard you wake up in the night and go work for a while."

"I'm really sorry if I woke you⁠—"

I shake my head. "That's not the point. I just don't understand how you're prioritizing work over your health."

She takes a sip of coffee, then stares into the mug for a moment. "I've set a goal. When I’ve saved up enough money to hit it, my life will feel much more stable.”

“Okay.” I nod. "But it’s not like you owe money to the mob or anything, right? If you're in financial trouble, I’ll pay any outstanding debts right now."

She looks over at me, shocked. "That's not the case, but…wow… I can't believe you would say such a thing."

My fingertips gently stroke the back of her hand. "You weren't really listening when I was making the deal with that farmer, were you?"

"No. I was bonding with Prince. Why?"

I can't hold back a chuckle. “I figured that was the only reason you didn’t act strange about me paying double what that horse is worth.”

My hand drops to her knee, my fingers tracing small circles along the inside of it until she smiles. "Money has always come easily to me, baby. So I feel I have it to share it. All five of us here on the ranch are the same. We're ‘quietly allocating resources’." I chuckle. "At least, that's how Boss puts it."

Remy nods. I sense she's overthinking things and decide to change the subject.

"So tell me – what are some of the weirdest bookkeeping jobs you've done?" She brightens at that, and we chat about her work while eating. Then we make some more coffee, fill a couple of traveler mugs, and put them in the truck.

The sun is just peeking out from behind some giant fluffy clouds. "We're going to be in the truck for quite a while today." I take her hand. "Why don't we go say hi to Prince before we leave?"

Remy smiles. "Sure."

She's much shorter than I am, so I'm careful to take small steps until I get used to her gait. I also listen to her breathing, to make sure she isn't getting winded. I’d guess someone holed up in a basement six and a half days a week doesn't get a lot of cardio. But she seems just fine as we chat about animals, the strangest pets, and how kitten videos can always brighten the darkest days.

Her hand feels so good in mine. I honestly think there's a chance this could become a real relationship. The idea makes my head spin. The thought of being her man…her protector…the one who cares for her, and makes sure she always has everything she needs… That's the detail that fills my mind with the promise of being…whole.

Remy lights up as soon as I open the stable door. Prince does as well, coming right over to the edge of his stall to nod at her.

"I think his eyes look brighter already," she says eagerly.

"Yeah, they do."

I go into the stall to scratch his withers. "I already peeked in on him when I dropped by this morning to check the feed level and do some chores."

Remy snaps her head around. "Wait. So I shouldn't get up in the middle of the night to work, but it’s fine for you get up super early to do the same thing?"

My mouth falls open. Turning to Prince, I address him. "She has a point. Am I being an asshole?"

Prince tilts his nose toward Remy, making it look like he's nodding. We both laugh when he snorts at us.

"Hey there."

As Boss approaches, Remy instantly becomes smaller, practically hiding behind the horse. I hate it. Gently taking her elbow, I bring her to the front of the stall. "Hey, Boss. I'd like you to meet Remy and Prince."