Page 34 of From Rivals to I Do

“The fourteenth at eight, then,” Eli says as he tips his hat at me. “It’s been a pleasure, Ms. Darla.”

“Likewise,” I say, and my heart pitter-patters when he smiles before he walks away. I watch him until he’s out the door.

“Wow.” I breathe to myself as I quickly finish my coffee and gather up my purse. He sure is something.

I can’t help but be giddy the whole drive home, a great big smile on my face as Eli runs through my mind. I crank up the tunes on the radio, and for the first time in a long time, I actually enjoy them, singing along like a chipper little bird.

It’s strange, but going out with Eli on our little breakfast excursion has caused this odd shift within me that I can’t explain. And though I’m still anxious about it all and where it might lead, I can’t help but feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Hope.

And honestly? It feels so good.

Chapter nine

Chapter Nine

Even though my mind is focused on helping out my prized cow and her babies, Darla is, surprisingly, still so fresh in my mind. Wandering through, a refreshing little thought in the world of mine that had become so cold and gray.

Sure, the first time we met hadn’t been so hot. However, it’s been a blast talking with her over text, and now that I’ve met her in person, it feels like the pie incident doesn’t matter at all. She feels like the splash of color I might very well need. A vibrant ray of hope in my mind as I park the car and jog over to the cow, only to see Mitch come out with the vet.

“Hey, what’s going on? Everything alright?” I ask as I watch the vet take off his gloves.

“False alarm,” the vet says. “She’s not calving, it’s false labor, looks like. But it won’t be that way for long.”

“Thank you, Doc,” I reply.

“Call me if there’s anything else,” the vet says as he walks past me, leaving just Mitch and I alone by the barn.

“Sorry about interrupting your date,” Mitch sighs. “I tried to convince Zack we had it, but he was insistent that you come home.”

“It’s alright,” I say with a shrug. “That’s how ranch life is.”

“How’d it go?” Mitch asks.

“Really good actually,” I say. “Funnily enough, it was the pie girl.”

“You’re kidding!” Mitch replies, shocked.

“Yeah, I was surprised too,” I say. “But I really think you’re on to something.”

“Well, I’m glad you took my advice,” Mitch says with a smile. “So, what’s the lucky lady’s name?”

“Darla,” I say as we start to walk back toward the house, but Mitch stops in his tracks.

“Darla, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s new around these parts,” I say, and I watch as Mitch’s face seems to shift from jovial to clearly uncomfortable.

“Wouldn’t happen to be Darla Middleton, would it?” Mitch asks, and I’m instantly shocked that he knew.

“Yeah, actually,” I reply. “How’d you know?”

“Man, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Darla is no good,” Mitch says, his face a tight line.

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

“I’m friends with her ex-husband, Joseph,” Mitch says.

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