Page 18 of Chasing the Wild
“Help me out here, Layla. You gotta give me more than that. From where I’m sitting, there seems to be a lot of rushing and stress for something that shouldn’t be as serious as all that.”
She looks defeated. Slumping a little against the back of the armchair. “I need to graduate in August, so in order to do that I gotta complete my apprenticeship hours as fast as possible. If I don’t get to my new job with Shipton Stables by tomorrow, they’ll give my position away, which means not only kissing goodbye to the hours I need to complete, but a paycheck I can’t afford to miss.”
There are layers to what she’s saying, but I can sense how carefully guarded her walls are.
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of rather obvious news, but you won’t be in Shipton by tomorrow.” My chin jerks towards the huge window overlooking the ranch. The vista is solid white beyond the triple-glazed glass pane.
Her brief moment of composure starts to crumble.
This job is clearly important to her. Or maybe the money is important, who knows, but I can’t deal with her losing her shit again tonight.
Fuck.
My mouth is moving before I can stop myself.
“What do you need to satisfy the requirements of your apprenticeship?” I scrub a hand over my jaw.
Her big green eyes, brimming with a sheen of tears, bounce up to meet mine. “Um, I need a placement where my hours are logged professionally. Working with a registered business for a minimum of eight weeks. I’ve already done all my bookwork by distance learning, so it’s anything that involves hands-on experience with stock, horses, farm animals…”
Eight weeks.
I turn over that piece of information.
There’s a part of my brain screaming at me, but I ignore it. Because I can’t for the life of me let this girl be fucked over by crappy circumstances and whatever else it is that she’s not willing to tell me, yet.
I’m trying to make amends with my shit-head of a son, and make up for the years when I should have been there for him, but couldn’t be, thanks to my own crap and his idiot of a mother. But if I can’t make any headway with him, the least I can do is try to help hismaybegirlfriend out.
So, I do the worst thing imaginable, considering the way my cock is more than interested in the young woman sitting across from me.
I offer her a job.
Chapter 6
It’s pitch black outside and deathly quiet.
The house feels like it resents my presence just as much as its owner does.
Somehow, I fell into a fitful sleep last night surrounded by eerie howls of wind and floorboards creaking like the hull of a ship. Eventually waking up to nothing but silence and my phone screen proclaiming the time.
Four thirty a.m.
Rather than engage in any more futile attempts at sleep, I figured it was better to find some coffee and get my head around the day to come. Quietly getting myself dressed in yesterday’s jeans and sweater, before I splashed some cold water on my face, and made my way to the kitchen with only the hallway sensor lights casting a dim glow to see by.
Right now, I’m waiting in the dark for coffee to brew after trying to rummage around a stranger’s kitchen in order to find things without making a peep. I’ve found a spot to stand in where the Wi-Fi seems to be strongest, sending Sage a quick explanation of the chaos my life has become over the course of the past twenty-four hours. Bless her heart because she hadreplied to my voicemail last night, letting me know that she was going to see Aunt Evie today to check on her for me.
She’s also insisting on sending me every cowboy-related meme she can find.
At least one of us finds this situation humorous.
Meanwhile, I find it impossible to explainanythingabout the man who has so kindly taken me in and offered me work. So… I just… don’t.
For about the fiftieth time, I reopen my banking app and see that the money Kayce’s father transferred last night has successfully been paid to the finance company.
Holy fucking shit. I honestly still can’t believe how he just took care of it, without question. Even if it does leave me squirming a little that I didn’t exactly tell him the truth, but then again, I don’t need him fighting my battles with Kayce. As much as I’m still furious with the guy, there’s no need to spoil his relationship with his dad any further.
The stupid mistakes I made with my ex are most definitely not his father’s problem.
It’s only a few minutes before I hear heavy footfall approaching and the overhead lights above the kitchen island flick on. The next moment, Colton Wilder wanders in, with messy hair and eyes still fogged by sleep. Only, he doesn’t have a shirt on, and all I see is a broad chest and his jeans with belt undone at the buckle.
