Page 7 of Waiting for the Rancher
At the harsh statement, Hazel paused in the dawn light just outside wide-open barn doors. She peered inside and found the source of the comment—Sterling—with a shovel in hand, mucking the stall closest to the haymow.
Even in the low lantern light, the dark circles under his eyes were noticeable, his expression haggard and his jawline hard.
In the two days since the failed wedding, he’d probably only slept a total of a few hours at the most. She’d heard him pacing both nights in his room. And he’d worked himself to utter exhaustion both days.
Now, at dawn, she’d hoped to find Alonzo to drive her over to the Oakleys’ for work, but the old cowhand wasn’t waiting for her with the wagon like he usually was. And she hadn’t found him anywhere.
“Where’s Alonzo?” She searched the shadows of the barn, taking in the few dairy cows ready to be milked, the sow with her piglets in a penned off area, and a couple of barn cats perched in an open loft window.
“You’re not going.” Sterling’s voice was firm, and he dug his shovel into the dirty hay as if the matter were finished.
She bristled under his tone. He was treating her like she was a child instead of a full-grown woman with a mind of her own. “I am going, Sterling. I like my job, and I don’t intend to quit just because you’ve decided not to be friends with the Oakleys anymore.”
In all the years of working for the Oakleys on their horse ranch, she’d never intentionally skipped a day of work until yesterday. She couldn’t stay away today too.
From the moment she’d risen from the bed she shared with her sister Scarlet, she’d known she had to go. Yes, she was still mad at Maverick for the way he’d been holding and kissing Violet on Sterling’s wedding day. She hated the cavalier way he’d made excuses for his womanizing, for the way he’d hurt and embarrassed Sterling, and for the shame he’d brought to their family.
Yet she had an important job at the Oakley horse farm as the broodmare manager, and she wasn’t ready to give that up—not yet, and maybe not ever. She loved being in charge of the mares. It was her life, everything she’d ever dreamed of doing and more—tracking breeding cycles, overseeing gestation periods, assisting with all the foaling, and providing the newborn care. Not only did she thrive in her work, but the Oakleys needed her. Shoot, the mares needed her.
When she’d been younger, she’d helped at High C Ranch with the horses as a regular ranch hand. Then last summer, Mr. Oakley had decided his herds and breeding operations had grown too big for him to oversee. So he’d started looking to hire a manager who was organized and efficient and knew the horses well. She’d expected him to employ a veterinarian or maybe a cowboy with years of experience.
So when he’d approached her and asked her if she’d take the job, she’d been flustered, hadn’t been sure if she was qualified. But she’d been thrilled and hadn’t been able to say no when Mr. Oakley had insisted she was the one he wanted.
Oh sure, someday she planned to get married and have a family of her own. But at twenty-one she was still young and had time left before she’d have to settle down. Secretly, she hoped that someday her husband wouldn’t be opposed toher continuing to work at the Oakley farm as the broodmare manager.
Whatever the case, she’d missed her time at the Oakleys’ with the mares and the foals, and she was going back.
Sterling had stopped his shoveling to glare at her. “Don’t you dare choose the Oakleys over me.”
“You know I love you, Sterling.” She gentled her tone. “I’m on your side through all of this.” She hurt for him more than he knew. And she was so angry at Violet that she doubted their friendship could ever be repaired. But this wasn’t about choosing sides. It was about losing the most important part of her life. And she couldn’t give it up.
Besides, spring was the busiest time of the year for foaling. Six of the mares had already given birth, and she still had ten more to go throughout the rest of the spring and early into the summer. Tiny was due by the end of the week. The gentle mare needed her, and Hazel wasn’t about to miss the birthing.
“I’ll always be here for you.” She wanted to cross to her oldest brother and give him a hug. He’d always been there for her too—had supported her taking the broodmare job when both Father and Mother had reservations. “But you’re not in charge of my life.”
He continued to glare.
She held his gaze and didn’t waver. She wasn’t nearly the spitfire Scarlet was, but she could be stubborn when she needed to be.
Finally his shoulders slumped, and he leaned heavily upon his shovel.
“I promise I’m just going to do my job. That’s all. I don’t plan to talk to Maverick—not any more than I absolutely have to.” She may have once admired him. In fact, when she’d been younger, she’d always liked him, thought he was the handsomest cowboyshe’d ever laid eyes on, loved his sweet charm, and adored his humor.
There had even been a time a few years ago when she’d entertained fanciful notions about trying to win him over and getting him to notice her as a woman and not just his best friend’s little sister.
But she hadn’t known what to do, and every effort she’d made to talk to him or spend time with him had seemed to miss the mark. Maverick had continued to treat her like one of his sisters and nothing more.
She’d eventually resigned herself to the fact that he’d never like her as much as she liked him. Over time, she’d done well with keeping her secret feelings for him stowed away. She’d been able to do her work without constantly battling her girlish attraction to him. Only once in a while had the rush of emotions slipped out and taken her by surprise.
The truth was, she was mostly over her infatuation with him. Now, after the way he’d betrayed Sterling, she felt nothing but animosity toward him—well, and sadness. And regret. And disappointment. And frustration.
Of course, she didn’t blame Maverick entirely for all that had happened, even if Sterling did and refused to see all the ways Violet had contributed to the problem. Hazel had sensed Violet’s confusion and hesitancy all spring.
In fact, just a couple of weeks ago Violet had brought up postponing the wedding, had admitted she wasn’t sure if she was ready to get married. But since Violet was usually an emotional and indecisive person, Hazel hadn’t taken the concern seriously—had instead encouraged Violet with how much Sterling loved her.
In hindsight, Hazel guessed she should have taken her friend’s confusion to heart. Maybe she should have listenedbetter. Maybe she should have told Sterling about Violet’s hesitancies.
Regardless, what was done was done. And there wasn’t any changing what had happened. After hiding in the barn for a short while and refusing to speak with Sterling, Violet had ridden home with her parents and sister. Sterling had gone to town yesterday to talk to her again and had learned that she’d left the high country and was traveling east with her sister and mother. Although Sterling had tried to discover where she was specifically going, apparently Violet had told her father not to tell anyone, especially not Sterling.
