he was wearing a condom. If he chose to drink alcohol, he didn’t drive until he was sober. He never dated someone in an inconvenient time in his life and had never fallen in love. Until now.
It was Wednesday, a few days after their picnic at the river. He had needed some space to sort things out. The feelings and attraction were still there, even stronger now, but he was trying. Every time he glanced up at the house, Samantha was staring down at him. His heart pounded in his chest like a steel drum.
Over the past three days, he’d seen her around the farm. She would be walking, the wind blowing her curls gently in the wind. She had started wearing her hair down more often, which drove him crazy. Because of that, he had to constantly fight the urge to slide his fingers through those beautiful curls. No matter what he was doing at the time he saw her, he wanted to stop so he could rush to her and scoop her up in his arms. It took all his strength to resist her. He forced himself to work while she waved and blew him a kiss.
He wished she would find something away from the ranch to do. Then, when his wish came true, not knowing where she was drove him crazy. He actually missed her.
One thing was certain. Noah Combs was falling in love.
* * * *
Samantha rose early in the morning. She scrambled out of bed, showered, and was seated at the table for breakfast within half an hour. It was time to spill the beans to her mom. Dad must have already gone to do his morning farm chores, leaving her alone with Mom.
“Good morning.” Mom poured Samantha some orange juice.
“Mornin’.”
“What have you been doing? I haven’t seen you around much lately.” Mom took a bite of her scrambled eggs while Samantha buttered a piece of white toast.
“Doing stuff around the ranch. Can we have wheat bread tomorrow?”
“We don’t have any and I don’t plan on making a special trip to the store for bread.”
“I can pick some up.”
She shook her hand as if she was shooing off an irritating fly. “No need when white’s fine.”
Samantha put her fork down on her plate. “I received an invitation from Jackie. I don’t want to go…”
“You’re going. It would be in poor taste for you not to.”
“Please don’t interrupt me. I’m going to the wedding even though I don’t think it’s a good idea. Besides, I need to make amends with them, too.” She took another bite of eggs.
“I’m glad.” Mom waved the fork in the air as if it was some tool to emphasize the point she was trying to make. “You know, Billy Maclaren’s home from college. I should call over there and see if he can escort you to the wedding and reception.” She pushed her chair away from the table.
“I have a date,” Samantha said softly.
“Who? You haven’t been here very long. Have you been out socializing without me knowing?” Her mother’s face brightened at the idea of Samantha making her rounds through the town. One of her goals was for her daughter to be up in the ranks of Alban society. At this point in her life, the idea didn’t appeal to Samantha.
It would be easier to tell her now than to show up with him. It wouldn’t be right to start a scene at Jackie’s wedding. “I’ll be going with Noah.”
Mom flopped back into her chair. Her mouth dropped open and she tried to form some words. None came.
She had finally made her mother speechless.
Her mother quickly recovered and asked, “Why him?”
She shrugged. “Because I like him.”
“Why not go with someone else?”
“I don’t want to go with anyone else, Mother. See this?” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her license. Her finger jabbed at the printed date of birth. “I turned into an adult two years ago.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I can date whoever the hell I like.” She tossed her silverware down and stood.
“Sit back down, and talk to me in a new tone.”
“No. I won’t sit back down. If you don’t stop ordering me around like I’m some
It was Wednesday, a few days after their picnic at the river. He had needed some space to sort things out. The feelings and attraction were still there, even stronger now, but he was trying. Every time he glanced up at the house, Samantha was staring down at him. His heart pounded in his chest like a steel drum.
Over the past three days, he’d seen her around the farm. She would be walking, the wind blowing her curls gently in the wind. She had started wearing her hair down more often, which drove him crazy. Because of that, he had to constantly fight the urge to slide his fingers through those beautiful curls. No matter what he was doing at the time he saw her, he wanted to stop so he could rush to her and scoop her up in his arms. It took all his strength to resist her. He forced himself to work while she waved and blew him a kiss.
He wished she would find something away from the ranch to do. Then, when his wish came true, not knowing where she was drove him crazy. He actually missed her.
One thing was certain. Noah Combs was falling in love.
* * * *
Samantha rose early in the morning. She scrambled out of bed, showered, and was seated at the table for breakfast within half an hour. It was time to spill the beans to her mom. Dad must have already gone to do his morning farm chores, leaving her alone with Mom.
“Good morning.” Mom poured Samantha some orange juice.
“Mornin’.”
“What have you been doing? I haven’t seen you around much lately.” Mom took a bite of her scrambled eggs while Samantha buttered a piece of white toast.
“Doing stuff around the ranch. Can we have wheat bread tomorrow?”
“We don’t have any and I don’t plan on making a special trip to the store for bread.”
“I can pick some up.”
She shook her hand as if she was shooing off an irritating fly. “No need when white’s fine.”
Samantha put her fork down on her plate. “I received an invitation from Jackie. I don’t want to go…”
“You’re going. It would be in poor taste for you not to.”
“Please don’t interrupt me. I’m going to the wedding even though I don’t think it’s a good idea. Besides, I need to make amends with them, too.” She took another bite of eggs.
“I’m glad.” Mom waved the fork in the air as if it was some tool to emphasize the point she was trying to make. “You know, Billy Maclaren’s home from college. I should call over there and see if he can escort you to the wedding and reception.” She pushed her chair away from the table.
“I have a date,” Samantha said softly.
“Who? You haven’t been here very long. Have you been out socializing without me knowing?” Her mother’s face brightened at the idea of Samantha making her rounds through the town. One of her goals was for her daughter to be up in the ranks of Alban society. At this point in her life, the idea didn’t appeal to Samantha.
It would be easier to tell her now than to show up with him. It wouldn’t be right to start a scene at Jackie’s wedding. “I’ll be going with Noah.”
Mom flopped back into her chair. Her mouth dropped open and she tried to form some words. None came.
She had finally made her mother speechless.
Her mother quickly recovered and asked, “Why him?”
She shrugged. “Because I like him.”
“Why not go with someone else?”
“I don’t want to go with anyone else, Mother. See this?” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her license. Her finger jabbed at the printed date of birth. “I turned into an adult two years ago.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I can date whoever the hell I like.” She tossed her silverware down and stood.
“Sit back down, and talk to me in a new tone.”
“No. I won’t sit back down. If you don’t stop ordering me around like I’m some
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