Page 80 of Brazen

FUCK!

“What ranch?” There were at least twenty in the county.

“Wolf Ranch.”

I blinked at the old man.

“She’s at Wolf Ranch,” I repeated.

He grinned. “Yeah. She’s there to fix that axle on your trailer.”

She was at Wolf Ranch fixing the axle on my trailer? Right now?

My axle. My trailer. I’d mentioned that it was broken to her one time when I shared my business plans. She remembered and volunteered to fix it.

He scratched his head. “You didn’t see her?”

I shook my head.

“Well, shoot. The way she ran off, it seemed like she wanted to do more than fix that axle.”

“Like… kill me?”

He wiped his hands with a rag again as he shook his head. “No, you idiot. Like kiss you.”

34

CLIO

* * *

The axle took longer than I expected because of a rusted bolt. I dealt with them every day, but with a hydraulic torque wrench when I didn’t have to put any muscle into it. This stupid bolt had me standing on the lug wrench, then jumping on it to get it to turn. Thankfully, the trailer was on the back side of the stable, so the only one watching had been Cletus from the pasture. Or heard my swearing.

Sam wasn’t here for me to talk to, but at least I could do this for him. I could try to show up for him the way he had shown up for me.

Once I got the rusted bolt loose, the work went quickly. I’d heard about cooks putting love into the food they prepared. I poured my gratitude for Sam into this work. Hoping he’d receive this little favor for what it was–an act of love.

I finished up, trying to formulate a plan. Should I leave him a note? Send a text? Call? Wait for Wes to tell him I showed up?

I went around the corner carrying my toolbox, and I ran into a wall.

A hot, muscled wall that I bounced off of.

My toolbox dropped to the ground with a clatter.

“Sparks.”

I looked up from my spilled tools. “Sam,” I breathed.

He was here. He was here.

“I came–”

“I went–”

I bit my lip because we spoke over each other.

He quieted.