Page 24 of Her Cowboy Blind Date

“No problem. I’m often paired with a newbie.”

“Sounds good.”

“Have you thought any more about switching churches?”

“Yeah. I think I’ll stay where I am. Cindy’s there, and a few girls I know from my dorm.” She had reservations about the idea of people thinking they were in a relationship. Being friends was fine, but going to church with Sam felt more serious. People would notice and pair them together.

“If you change your mind, let me know. I can give you a ride there and back.”

“I’ll see how things pan out.” A group of girls in her dorm from church met for a weekly Bible study. Once the play rehearsals started, she’d miss their evening gatherings, and the girls would miss the dinner Cindy and Becky prepared before the study. Cindy’s semester schedule was busy, and the extra course load had chewed up her spare time. It would all work out. She looked forward to getting to know Sam as a friend.

“Have you seen the barn?” he asked.

“Not yet. Cindy mentioned that’s where the family hold parties and celebrations.”

“It’s a fair size and has sentimental value. We sometimes use it to store hay bales.”

“Is there hay in there now?”

He shook his head. “Aunt Lori insists that any hay stored in the barn is used first.”

“That makes sense if the space is used for parties.”

He nodded. “We’re done checking fences.”

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Fencing is fine. Good news. Why don’t we stop by the barn on our way back to the stables?”

“Sure.” She encouraged Caro into a trot and lengthened her stride into a canter, keeping pace with Sam and Beauty. She loved the feeling of the sun on her face and the wind in her hair. She’d forgotten how much she’d enjoyed riding.

The barn was a ten- or fifteen-minute walk from the homestead. The wooden structure stood tall on the flat plains, and it looked like it had an interesting history.

Sam tied up their horses and opened the barn door.

“Wow.” She walked inside, impressed by the high beams and polished floorboards in the middle of the barn. Long tables were set up around the perimeter of the large space.

He smiled. “Uncle Joe and Aunt Lori restored it.”

“They’ve done a great job.” She walked through an open door on one side. “This space looks like it could be a commercial kitchen.”

“It is. Aunt Lori insisted on a large area for catering purposes. They use the barn for larger family gatherings.”

She headed back to the center of the barn, her footsteps loud on the floorboards. “Do you do line dancing?”

Sam nodded. “We grew up barn dancing. Only type of dancing I can do.”

“I imagine you have great memories here.”

“I do. Mom has a large extended family who still live around these parts.”

“That’s nice.” She now understood the scope of Cindy’s party planning with her mom. The ranch homestead was large, and the living room would be a tight fit for more than twenty people. The barn could seat a hundred or more, with a large dancing area in the middle. One day she’d love to attend a party held in the barn.

CHAPTER 6

Two weeks later, Sam smiled and nodded at the friendly faces in the Fount of Grace congregation as he moved along an aisle leading into the church foyer. The Sunday morning service had run over time. He was supposed to be arriving at his parents’ home soon for lunch with Dad’s family.

Sam had woken late and rushed to get ready for church. He’d forgotten to stow the specialist tools he needed for Dad’s vintage Chevy in his truck. That would delay the start of his one-hour drive to visit his parents.

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