Page 36 of The Rancher

She nodded and tried to focus. Ray looked a little blurry. “That’s right, I remember. And you can’t terminate it for six months anyway, without paying me in full for the year.”

“But that won’t happen.”

Lyris nodded and blinked several times as she stood. “Well, um, I need to check my youngest charges before I turn in for the night.” She put her hands in her pockets and rocked back and forth on her heels.

Ray stood, too and walked toward her, stopping about three feet away. “Lyris?—”

As she stepped forward, she pulled a hand from her pocket. Then she pressed two fingers across his lips. “Don’t Ray. We worked well together today. Let’s leave it at that.”

He sighed before stepping back and giving a single nod of his head. “I’ll convince you I’m true. This thing between us.” He waved two fingers back and forth between them, “isn’t going away any time soon.”

“It will. The feelings we have aren’t real.” Guilt swamped her as she knew she was lying to him. “We just happen to be in the right place at the right time. That’s all.”

Ray nodded vigorously. “Yes. The right place and time. But that doesn’t mean how we feel is any less real. Do I need to fire you in order to date you? Actually, it wouldn’t be firing because you aren’t technically my employee.”

Her eyes burned and her throat was tight. “I am for all intents and purposes. That’s why we can’t date. I won’t take a chance. I won’t get hurt again. Leave it alone, Ray.”

He took her hand in his. “Lyris, I can’t leave it alone. I haven’t felt like this for anyone since Francie died. I know you feel it, too. I can’t just give up before we explore what could be. If I’m wrong, I’ll back away. I won’t do anything to hurt you. I promise.” He caught her gaze before she could shudder it. “You feel it. Don’t deny it, don’t deny us when we haven’t even tried.”

She shook her head. Her eyes were full of moisture, and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. “Please, Ray, don’t.”

“Fine. For now. If you see anyone at the barn, tell them to notify me if they see Ted. That he’s no longer working here.”

She nodded, then turned and headed out toward the barn. Regret filled her that she couldn’t trust herself to give in to her feelings.

Ray rana hand through his hair. “Well, that went well,” he said to no one. He headed to his bedroom and another lonely night. His phone rang.

“Kincaid. No, no it’s not too late. What can I do for you?”

He listened.

“Yes, I’m aware of your breeding operation. No, I’d like very much to talk about it. Can you meet me at Whispering Winds, tomorrow at ten?’

He listens.

“Great, Mr. Jacoby. I’ll see you then.”

He placed his phone in the front right pocket of his jeans. Then he went to the bar and poured himself a double bourbon.

He needed to rearrange the duty roster. But who would he give it to, to see it carried out? Will or Jason? Those were his most trustworthy cowboys. Will was younger and had only been with the ranch for five years.

Jason had been with the ranch for fourteen years, since the beginning but he never wanted the responsibility of the stable master.

Will Asher it would be.

He opened up his laptop and then opened the current duty roster. Changes would have to be made to cover Teds chores.

Lyris enteredthe barn and flicked the light switch. The walk over and the confrontation with Ray had cleared her head of the alcohol buzz. She picked up a few horse cookies from the bag on the wall beside the door and then walked to the first of the large birthing stalls.

Majesty snorted and then whinnied.

“Hello, girl.” She rubbed her hands over Majesty’s back. Then she saw the little black filly with four white socks peeking from under her mother’s neck. Lyris held out her hand. “Hello, baby girl, How are you tonight?”

The filly moved forward and sniffed her hand.

Finding Majesty’s scent, she moved forward and pressed her head into Lyris’s hand.

“Oh, you want some scratching, do you?” She ran her hand down the filly’s head and then scratched her around her ears and then the ears themselves.