Page 55 of A Taste of Whiskey
“I’m glad to hear that,” Ezra said. “I’m thankful every day for the home we have here and for the family we’ve found.”
Sasha was thrown back to years earlier, when they were celebrating Ezra’s graduation from his master’s program. She could still see him lifting his glass, still hear him thanking everyone for their support.I was lost when I first came to the ranch. I felt alone and had no direction and no interest in finding one. Then Wynnie got me out of my own head, and you all showed me what a family should be like. You helped me find my purpose, and I’m honored to be given the chance to help others do the same. I won’t let you down.Guilt swamped her. She had been so caught up in the chance to finally be with Ezra, she hadn’t given enough weight to what he had on the line.
“We’re thankful for you, too, honey,” her mother said. “Now, to get back to the point of the meeting, Tiny and I were talking about how to make the best use of the audience you’ll have at the networking dinner…”
As her parents went over topics they’d like her and Ezra to focus on during their talks, Sasha wrestled with what she and Ezra were doing. She might be risking her parents’ trust and respect, but Ezra was risking everything. And for what? For something that as long as they both worked there could never be more.
By the time the meeting was over, Sasha’s mind, and her heart, were in turmoil.
“Hold on, darlin’,” her father said.
She tried to mask her emotions as Ezra walked out, and she turned to face her father. “Yeah?”
“We’ve got a rescue coming in tonight between seven and eight. A blind mare.”
“Maya told me. I’ll be ready for her, and I’ll text Cowboy and Doc once she’s settled.”
“Thanks, darlin’.” He put his arm around her, hugging her against his side. “Thanks for attending the networking dinner. You know how I hate those things.”
“No problem. I’m going to check with Ezra to see if we can combine parts of our talks so we don’t duplicate information.”
“Good idea, honey,” her mother said.
Sasha headed down to Ezra’s office with her heart in her throat, and peered in at him. “Hey. Do you have a sec?”
“For you? Always.”
She walked in and closed the door behind her. “In case they ask, I told my parents I wanted to talk with you about combining parts of our talks.”
“Good cover, Bo Peep. Are you as relieved as I am?” He drew her into his arms and kissed her. “I’ve been dying to do that all day.”
She smiled, but worry stole it away, and she forced herself to step out of his arms. “Ez, while we were in there, the impact of what you’re risking for whatever this is between us hit me like a brick in the face, and it scares me.”
“It scares me, too, but we talked about the risks.”
“I know we did. But now that we’re in it, and after sitting with my parents thinking they were going to fire you…” Too nervous to stand still, she paced. “You worked so hard to get this job and to build a life here with Gus.” Her throat thickened, but she forced the words to come. “I just don’t know if we should continue to risk it.”
His brows slanted. “Sasha—”
The intercom on the desk buzzed, and his jaw tightened as Maya’s voice came through. “Excuse me, Ezra?”
His jaw tensed. “Yes, Maya?”
“Your next client is here.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right out.” He gritted his teeth, both of them watching for the light on the intercom to go off.
When it did, Sasha reached for the door. “I’d better go.”
“Sash.” He touched her arm, drawing her eyes to his, which were as serious as they were distraught. “We need to talk about this.”
Too emotional to speak and knowing it wasn’t the time or place to discuss it anyway, she nodded and headed out the door.
Chapter Fifteen
IT WAS DRIZZLING rain when Kathy Lethango, a short, stout woman, arrived with Posey, the roughly sixteen-year-old Appaloosa she was relinquishing. Posey was blind in her right eye, and her left eye had been removed because she’d suffered from uveitis, an inflammation of the eye’s uveal tract, a painful condition that had gone untreated for too long by her current owner.
Sasha peered into the horse trailer.
