Page 18 of Samuel

He watched as Evie scooped the stubborn puppy up, snuggling her face right into his fur. She gave Shep one more tickle on his belly before unceremoniously plopping the dog down into his arms. “There you go. Have a nice day, Sam.”

His feet stomped across the grass as he told himself that being gruff with Evie was for the best. But as soon as he started climbing the steps to the house, his eyes drifted back to where her mat was laid out on the lawn, just to make sure she was safe.

Six

“What are you guys gossiping about?” Sam jumped down off his horse’s back, stalking towards Derrick and Zeke. They shouldn’t be just standing around gawking when there was work to be done.

“Miss Evie.”

“What the hell about her?” Sam looked back and forth between the two men.

“You know, it’s just really odd. She’s such a sweet lady. Gorgeous eyes too. You’d think her man would want to keep her close by, especially with that baby in her belly.” Derrick’s eyes were trained across the field to where Evie sat under the big oak tree, eating her lunch.

A familiar kick landed in his chest. Why did she always pickthattree to sit under? It was like something called to her there. She couldn’t know what it meant to his family. They barely shared the story with each other, let alone with strangers.

“Maybe her man kicked her out. She doesn’t have a ring on her finger. We should ask. Then we’d know who to knocksome sense into.” Zeke rolled the dip in his cheek, held a plastic bottle up to his lip and spit into it.

“You going to ride your horse all the way up to Wisconsin to find him?” Derrick asked.

“A lady like that, you protect. She’s sweet as spun sugar. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to her, is all.” Zeke smiled. That fucker actually smiled.

“Would you two school girls get back to work? No one needs to avenge Evie’s honor. We don’t even know the whole story. Besides, she’s here to work. Not have us butting into her personal information.”

“You’re not at all curious?” Derrick asked.

“No. It’s not any of my business.”

“Keep saying that and maybe one day we’ll believe it.”

“Don’t think I didn’t see you this morning.”

Sam was definitely trying to get a rise out of Evie. She’d been so quiet in the office since he got in, keeping her head down and her eyes on her computer screen. It was unsettling. And what Zeke and Derrick had said slowly seeped into his veins.

“What do you mean?” Her eyebrow quirked up.

“I mean, I saw you watching Zeke and Derrick taking care of the horses. They told me you’re out there every morning.”

“Oh.” A blush dusted her cheeks and Sam couldn’t hold in a chuckle. “I’m an early riser. Since I can’t come into the office to work, I like to watch them bring the horses out for the day. I promise I stayed away from them, though. I wasn’t in any danger.”

“I didn’t think you were.”

“They just looked so free, running out in the pasture. It’s really beautiful. And the horses are always looking at me whenI walk through the barn. I didn’t grow up in a rural area, so I don’t know what they’d like or what might spook them. But I’d love to learn one day.”

He should take her to see Jasper. Maybe seeing the old guy would help her open up.

“Do you want to go meet them?”

“I’ve already met Zeke and Derrick.”

Sam laughed. “No, not them. The horses. Well, one horse in particular.”

“Really?” Her eyes lit up, and the smile he’d been waiting for all morning finally showed up on her face. “Would that be okay? I know you were nervous about me being too close to them. I don’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

“I was being a little overprotective. As long as you don’t go in the stalls with them or out in the paddock, I think you’ll be okay.”

She practically jumped up from her desk. “Okay! I’d love to meet them.”

He brought her to Jasper. A sweet old man, he wouldn’t hurt a fly…or nip at her if she didn’t hold out his treat in the perfect position like some of the other horses might.

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