Page 95 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

As Kristy pulled into the parking area of Lexi and Cort’s ranch, she noted Rusty’s SUV parked near the barn. But no Rusty.

Her father had called and told her that Dean agreed not to file charges with the understanding that Kristy was moving back to Cheyenne. Dean should have known moving back to Cheyenne would have nothing to do with him.Ifhe’d been listening. Likely that was her father injecting his conditions for making the gesture.

The thought of becoming her father’s chief of staff was already causing knots in her stomach. She hated politics. She hated the drama, the backroom gamesmanship, the public limelight. But the worst of it would be moving back to Cheyenne and away from Rusty. Surely it would strain their budding relationship, even if she was making the move for his sake.

She’d work for her father as he wanted. She’d agreed to two years, which would take her through the next election cycle. The important thing would be keeping her relationship going with Rusty because then she would move back to Gillette and, hopefully, find a job again.

She felt guilty. Guilty for leaving Ariel, who was, understandably, barely speaking to her. But Ariel could work with whoever Marcia hired to replace Kristy. She felt guilty leaving Marcia in the lurch when Marcia needed her now more than ever and had been super complimentary about the gala, with promises to Kristy that she would indeed get a piece of the business—as well as hinting at other plans.

Already the An Affair to Remember had had four inquiries as a result of the gala, so there was definitely a business opportunity in the area.

Really, four hours was not that long a distance. Some people lived on separate coasts and made it work.

It worried her that Wyoming didn’t have a statute of limitations on crimes, but by then Rusty would have a few years under his belt as a police officer, and she hoped that would prove to be enough reason for him to keep his job. And surely by then Dean would unequivocally understand that nothing was going to happen between them.

She scooted out of the car and used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. As she focused on the porch, she spotted movement. Her heart leaped but settled as the figure moved to the steps and she realized it was Lexi.

She appreciated Lexi’s invitation to come out to the ranch and talk to Rusty. She had no clue, though, why Rusty hadn’t returned her calls. Though he’d overreacted at the gala, it had to mean he cared for her.

And she was in love with him. That thought had been bouncing around her head and filling her heart. That was why she was willing to do this.

“He’s in the corral behind the barn, rubbing down Misty. He slept out at the cabin last night,” Lexi called from the porch.

That was a surprise. “Guess that’s why he didn’t return my calls. No cell service?”

Lexi shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”

Kristy turned toward the barn. Was there another reason he wasn’t returning her calls? He couldn’t be angrywithher. And he couldn’t know about the deal she’d made with her father yet.

“Kristy,” Lexi called, and Kristy looked back over her shoulder. Lexi had come down the stairs. “Let him down easy, if you can. He comes across as a strong man, but he’s more vulnerable than you might think.”

What did Lexi mean about letting him down easy? Her stomach was in a jumble as she pushed through the gate of the first corral. No horses were in that first one, and she tromped through the dusty field to the back gate. The smells of horses, hay, and manure wafted over her despite the still air.

She looked over the gate toward the west, where she could see him working. His back was to her, and he was currying a horse.

When she latched the gate behind her, he craned his neck, straightened, then turned around to face her.

“What are you doing here?” His voice had a low growl to it that made her stop in her tracks.

“I came to see you. You didn’t answer my calls or texts. Lexi invited me out here.” If his face had been a cloud, it would have been a black thunder cloud.

“My not answering should have been a hint.”

“You don’t want to talk to me?” Anxiety pumped her pulse.

“Not right now.” He turned back and began to curry the horse again.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Shouldn’t I be the one upset with you?”

“Why, because I decked a guy who looked like he was hurting you?” He didn’t turn around but continued with the curry comb, a little more vigorously than Kristy thought was called for. “Usually you get thanked for that.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.” She hadn’t told him yet about Cheyenne. His attitude was going to make that even more difficult.

“You tell me. Say what you have to say and go.”

“Rusty, I don’t know what is bothering you.”

This time he turned around, and the horse brushed her nose against Rusty’s neck, as if encouraging him to keep going.

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