Page 21 of Austin
She’d spoken the truth about not hating it when he touched her—and not knowing how to handle it. And these were just small innocent touches. What would it be like if he really touched her?
She shifted her gaze sideways, watched his profile as he drove. He was a million miles away. Thinking about bulls? Or the road? Or maybe her?
She didn’t know. Wouldn’t know. She pulled out her phone, went to the news app and started to read. It wasn’t until they pulled into the Callahan Ranch that service faltered. She set her phone aside and Austin finally spoke. “If at all possible, be nice to my friends.”
Her eyes widened, but he simply stared at her, showing no sign of remorse for his bald statement. Which made her wonder just how much of a bitch he thought she was.
“What I’m saying is don’t take out your feelings about me on them.”
“No worries,” she replied coolly as she reached for her door handle.
Half a dozen trucks were parked near the barn and a group of five or six people were gathered near the chutes.
“Austin!” A small woman with a thick blonde braid, dressed in jeans, a flannel shirt and a canvas vest, started toward him, clipboard in hand.
“Ellie.” Austin caught her in a tight embrace, lifting her feet off the ground.
Kristen folded her arms over her middle, staying rooted next to the front bumper of the truck and feeling awkward. Nothing new there.
“Unhand my bride,” a tall dark-haired man demanded as he broke away from the group. He also pulled Austin into a hug, only he lifted Austin off his feet.
“Easy,” Austin said on a choked laugh. “Hard Landing gave me a hard landing last night.”
“But you won! Congratulations.” Ellie gave him another hug before looking over at Kristen. “And you brought a friend.”
“I did. Kristen and I went to high school together. We bumped into each other in Reno, and I’m giving her a ride home.”
More like halfway home. Kristen worked up a smile, feeling very much as she had in the Silver Bow, and came forward. Austin introduced her to Ellie and Clinton Callahan, as well as to Katherine, Ellie’s aunt, and the rest of the branding crew—Tom, Clay and Rusty—all of whom seemed to know Austin well. She was the odd man out.
Nothing new there.
“Would you mind manning the clipboard?” Ellie asked. “We’re one hand short, so I’m delighted that you came.”
“Sure. Just tell me what to do.”
A shadow crossed the woman’s face. “Have you ever been to a branding?”
“A few,” she said dryly. “My mom grew up on a ranch in Montana. We branded twice a year.”
Ellie’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, probably because Kristen was dressed in clothing no one wore to a branding—running shoes, skinny jeans and a flowered tunic top—and then she smiled. “Excellent.” She gave Austin a thumbs-up. “Nice work, Austin. Better than last time…”
He smiled sheepishly, then went to join the men who were heading into the pen where the calves were being held, making Kristen wonder what wasn’t being said.
Ellie instantly filled in the blanks. “Austin brought a girl a couple of years ago who lectured us on the cruelty of freeze branding.”
“Guess she’s never seen hot branding.”
“She hadn’t seenanything. Austin spent more time calming her down, than helping out. Finally, she sat in the truck and ignored us all.”
“Interesting.” She meant that sincerely.
“But you guys aren’t…” Ellie made a gesture with the clipboard as if encouraging Kristen to set her straight one way or the other.
“No.” Kristen gave her head a quick shake. “He’s friends with my twin sister and things just worked out for him to give me a ride to Salt Lake.”
“Are you going to watch him ride there?”
“I’m catching the bus the rest of the way home.”
