Page 52 of Waiting for the Rancher
“I’m coming in, Hazel.” Sterling’s voice contained a finality that brooked no arguments.
As the door opened, she shifted so that she was facing away from him.
It was past dusk, and he’d likely returned home for the evening meal and learned from Mother or Scarlet that she hadn’t been out of bed all day. Now he was coming to scold her to get up and be productive. Or maybe he’d figured out she was in bed because of Maverick’s departure. She wouldn’t put it past Sterling to have seen her attraction toward Maverick and realized her melancholy had to do with his leaving.
Whatever the case, she didn’t want to talk to Sterling. She wanted to be left alone to sleep—the only place she could find respite from the pain of Maverick’s rejection.
The door clicked closed, and Sterling’s heavy steps crossed to the bed. He stood at her bedside for several moments before a shuffling and scraping indicated that he’d lowered himself into the bedside chair. Hopefully that didn’t mean he was planning to stay for a while. If so, she’d have to pretend to fall asleep.
“Hazel?” His voice was gentle.
She pinched her eyes closed.
After several long seconds, he blew out a breath. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m just tired and weak.”
“Since when are you too tired and weak to go to work?”
A lump rose in her throat. Even after Sterling’s failed wedding, she’d only missed one day of work. And yes, she’d missed going during the couple of days Maverick had been her patient. But beyond that, she’d never willingly stayed away.
“What’s going on, Hazel?”
“I told you—”
“No. Tell me the truth.” His voice was low and demanding.
“You wouldn’t understand.” How could he? Not when she didn’t even really understand everything. Besides, there was no sense admitting she liked Maverick when it didn’t matter anymore. She was keeping her resolve—she didn’t want to be with someone who could leave her so easily, who wasn’t willing to fight for her.
“Does this have to do with Maverick?” Sterling’s question ended with a growl.
What did Sterling know about her and Maverick? Had he sensed their attraction?
She rolled over to find Sterling watching her with a furrowed brow.
“Did he do something?” Sterling’s tone was menacing, as if one misstep from Maverick would put a rift back into their relationship.
She couldn’t say anything, didn’t want to be the cause of their relationship deteriorating again. Not after they’d just started repairing it.
“What did he do?” Sterling sat up straight and cracked the knuckles of first one hand and then the other.
“He didn’t do anything.” And that was the trouble. He hadn’t been ready to do anything to try to make their relationship work.
As if hearing the despair in her tone, Sterling grew motionless. His dark-brown eyes turned murky. “You’re upset because Maverick didn’t do anything?”
She didn’t respond. But she also didn’t turn away from Sterling this time.
He studied her face, and his expression began to soften. Could he see what she wasn’t willing to put into words?
“I should have seen it earlier,” he finally said quietly.
“Seen what?”
“That you’re in love with Maverick.”
Swift tears filled her eyes.
“When?” Sterling’s question was void of anger. In fact, he seemed resigned, which was more than she’d expected.
