Page 81 of Live, Ranch, Love

Getting away from me.

For the first time in a long while since I came to Willow Ridge, I felt empty. Deflated. It made me see far too clearly that it’s not just the beautiful scenery that makes Sunset Ranch liberating. It’s him.

I finish my stretch and stand as he approaches, but he stops just short of the edge of the group, muscles tensing as if he wants to come closer. Because I sure wish he would, but no doubt he’s following our rule of making our relationship seem professional in front of the guests, which feels even more pertinent with Jake around. Considering that he’s found a way to worm his way into the retreat, I want to keep one thing out of his reach. And if that means keeping my hands, and eyes, off Wyatt as much as I can during this trial run, then I’ll find a way to survive.

Our eyes meet as I offer him a hopeful smile, and his responding one—full of the warmth and tenderness I needed from him—tugs at my heart. But it’s quick and disappears when he clears his throat.

“Colt isn’t here, is he?” Wyatt asks, glancing around the group gathered on their yoga mats.

“Nope.” I shrug, furrowing my brow. “Haven’t seen him, sorry.”

Wyatt scratches his head. “He’s late for work. Thought he might be missing his morning yoga sessions and ran off to find you.”

Scanning the mats once more, Wyatt then cocks his head when he spies the remaining empty mat waiting for Elio, a health and wellness influencer who is yet to arrive. I’d assumed the jet lag might catch up with some of the guests, so guessed he might be running a little late because of that. But then I catch a glimpse of movement over Wyatt’s shoulder, where two distant silhouettes saunter down the track towards us.

When they come into view, I can’t stop the smirk that spreads across my cheeks. Elio and Colt, looking a little exhausted—likely not from jet lag—eventually find their way to Wyatt’s side, a faint blush reaching their cheeks as everyone turns to them. It appears Colt’s still wearing the same clothes I saw him in yesterday too.

Colt shoves his hands in his pockets and throws a wobbly grin at Wyatt, who’s now scowling at him, arms crossed. “Morning, Hensley.”

“Something more important than work today?” Wyatt chides.

The whole group, even Elio despite being in the thick of the exchange, is struggling to bite down on their grins as they watch. Colt’s jaw drops as he flicks his stare between Wyatt and Elio, cheeks reddening, the usually cocky rancher struggling to find words.

So, Elio saves him, patting Wyatt on the shoulder. “Sorry, man—I’m afraid that’s my fault. I’ll make sure he’s up earlier next time.” Then he winks and nudges Colt with his elbow, before making his way over to the yoga mat that’s waiting for him.

“Next time,” Colt mouths to Wyatt with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a too-proud smile considering that his boss is still throwing the kind of dark, cold stare at him that would make anyone’s knees quake.

Wyatt just shakes his head and gives Colt a light shove to start walking away, towards the ranch that needs them. Without even so much as looking back at me. Something tells me this week is going to be more of a test of my strength than I realised.

***

“Hey there, Hensley,” I shuffle up next to Wyatt, leaning on the fence beside him, as close as I can get without drawing attention.

His dark features have been pinched throughout the whole lesson, arms tightly crossed, watching Flynn have a go at teaching the group how to ride. After the last trial, he’d been pretty enthusiastic about getting involved, and Wyatt was more than happy to offer up the chance. Especially since he’s refused to talk to Jake this whole time, so I’m not sure how he would’ve made it through instructing him. His daggered stare follows Jake as he trots around the corral.

“Hey,” is all I get back, blunt and quick, not even a glance. Like he’s so concerned that if he takes his eyes off Jake, the guy will steal me away or burn down the ranch.

The few inches between us makes my body ache, craving his touch since he’s still been off since I told him I was letting Jake stay. I miss the way he’d always find an excuse to touch me.

“Still annoyed at me?”

Wyatt sighs, dropping his arms. He stares at the ground for a beat before talking. “I’m not annoyed at you, Aurora. I’m just waiting for you to get out of whatever daydream you’ve mustered up thinking having him here is a good idea. I don’t care if you think the universe,” he makes sure to use quotation marks to emphasise his disbelief, “sent him here. Tell the universe to take him back.”

Jaw angled, locking in frustration, I take in a deep breath. “I’ve explained it to you before, Wyatt—he’s trying to be better and it makes me feel good to help him, knowing I’m less affected by him as the days go by. I just need you to trust me on this. Please.”

Even if it is killing me to see him so bothered by it. To feel his walls back up. But I just want to prove to myself, and to him, that I’m strong, that I can grow from this. Imagine how invincible I’ll feel when I’ve made it through the week and sent Jake off, knowing that if I can survive him being here, in my new safe haven, then I can do anything. That has to be why the universe sent him here.

Wyatt’s nostrils flare as he finally looks at me, eyes widening. “And I need you to trust me that he’s bad news. You don’t see the way he smirks at me every time he catches me watching the two of you talking, or how he glares at us when we’re together.”

I shake my head, chuckling. “I think that has more to do with you punching him in the face than it does him trying to get me back.” Especially since Jake’s now sporting a nice purple bruise across his cheek, having to make up some story every time he’s asked about it. “You made it pretty clear how you felt about him and I. He’s just goading you.”

“I told you—he tripped and fell.” Wyatt shrugs. He snaps his stare back to the group ahead.

“Besides,” I add on, “he’s been going above and beyond with showing the retreat off on his social media. The amount of traffic he’s brought to both my account and the one we’ve set up for Sunset Ranch is amazing. At least we’ll make money off him being here when we open this place up properly.”

“Whatever,” Wyatt huffs like a petulant child.

For some reason, despite his moodiness annoying me, it also makes me smile. I bite down on the inside of my lips, trying to pretend otherwise. But the truth is, I’m head over heels for him, and I don’t think there’s anything he could do now to make me run away.

---