Page 14 of A Rancher's Bride
That shut her up fast.
“I think you’re the perfect person to help represent Silver Stone. You know just about everything there is to know about our horses and our breeding program. Plus, you’re not intimidating, and you get along fine with people.”
“With cowboys,” she pointed out. “And with the ranch hands and ordinary, everyday people. Not with the highfalutin’ moneybags who’ll be hanging out at that event.”
He made a rude noise. “They’re just people, Kelli. The fact they’ve got a little more money in their pocket isn’t a reason for you to think less of them as people.”
She didn’t answer. This time it didn’t seem to be shock, but embarrassment. So be it. It wasn’t right to judge anyone except on what was in their hearts and came out in their actions.
He filled the quiet rattling around in the cab as quickly as possible, keeping his tone light. “Hey, as we just remembered, you talked to some of those people a couple years ago, and they liked you plenty. And you liked them, and this is something I could really use your help with.”
A low groan escaped her as if she were being tormented. “Okay, fine. I will come with you to a fancy hotel where I don’t have to shovel shit for nearly a week. And I will eat donuts for breakfast and steak for supper, and I will talk nice to everyone while I pretend that they have nothing more than a couple of toonies in their pocket, same as me.”
“That’s my girl,” Luke said with a grin as he turned down the drive and headed toward the bunkhouse. “Keep your lips sealed until I find out more, and that goes double for your online community. Not a word, before or after.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t post private stuff online. I just read the articles.”
“Yeah, right.”
Kelli grinned. “Thanks for giving me the opportunity. I promise if this goes ahead, I will do everything I can to make sure Silver Stone sounds bright and shiny so we can impress all those ordinary people.”
The other topic of discussion—her acting like a masked vigilante—was also better to drop for the night. Leaving her happy now meant when he approached the topic tomorrow to get her promise to not do it ever again, she should be more receptive.
He pulled up outside her bunk. “I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”
“Thanks.” She hopped out.
Luke was in the middle of backing up to change directions when she tapped on his window, guilt painting her features. “I acted irresponsibly at the bar and scared you. You’re right. That wasn’t the proper way to go about helping, and I’m sorry.”
She was stronger than just about anyone he knew. The confession had come far quicker than he’d have been able to spit one out. “I’m sorry I went all stubborn and made you leave without your truck.”
She shrugged, a glimmer of mischief back in her eyes. “Eh. I’m used to you being a stubborn overlord. It’s okay. I would never expect a donkey to change their nature overnight.”
Bam. Apology and insult, just like he’d expected. “Good night, Kelli.”
“Night, boss.”
4
Sheer willpower got her into her room without flipping out with excitement. Or was that panic rushing through her veins?
The entire evening had been one rush of adrenaline after the next, and she knew better than to slip into bed without dealing with it.
She was pumped to the max. Between the bully at the bar and Luke being all alpha dude, and then him hugging her out of the blue—
Not to mention the gala.
If she crawled into bed now she’d end up staring at the ceiling for hours, buzzing.
Kelli stripped out of her dancing gear and pulled on a worn set of sweatpants and a loose T-shirt, dragging out her yoga mat and plopping down in the middle of her floor to try and find some Zen.
Being all guru-y wasn’t something she’d ever aspired to, but the Stone family’s foster sister, Dare, had sworn by it. If there was anyone who Kelli trusted to know ways to successfully deal with a mass of bullshit in their lives, Darilyn Hayes was one. The woman was now married and living elsewhere, but she’d passed down this legacy.
So Kelli sat on her brightly coloured mat, legs tangled like a pretzel as she took deep breaths and worked on relaxing. Breathing in peacefulness and breathing out all her stress.
The way her insides had tangled so hard the instant she saw the bully—breathe out.
The way her heart rate picked up when Luke Stone gazed at her with those dark brown eyes—breathe out.
