Ranch Hand For Auction: A Western Romance Novella by Kimberly Krey Page A
Authors: Kimberly Krey
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exclusivity. Something he’d never been willing to commit to.
Shayna’s reply lit up the screen.
So what will you say to Michael? That you found some guy you’re interested in, so you’re going to stay?
When she phrased it that way, it made Meg sound terrible. It made her feel terrible too. But only for a moment. Because Meg knew better. There was a reason she was open to the possibilities where Jake was concerned. A reason that started with M and ended in L and deserved everything that he got. Her thumbs went to work, typing back so fast she felt as if she were screaming the words.
Well Michael’s never done a thing to stop me, Shay. I’ve given him a million chances and he won’t budge. It almost seems like he’s waiting for this to happen. Like he wants me to find someone else so he can just move on and find another woman to torture for another three or five or twenty freaking years!
That one hit with the punch of truth. More potent than the other. Packed with tender emotions of feeling less-than-enough for the man she’d cared about for so long. Her eyes stung as she looked over the words she’d sent. No matter what Shayna had to say, she couldn’t convince her otherwise. Whether she pursued a relationship with Jake or not, Meg wanted to end things with Michael. She wanted to end things and move back to Montana where she belonged.
“You okay?” Jake’s voice pulled Meg from her musings.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Fine, just texting a friend of mine from…” She was going to say from back home but the phrase was all wrong. This was home. “From Colorado.”
“Michael?”
Whoa. Her heart cranked into double time, skipping at least two full beats. “No,” she blurted. “Just a girl friend of mine. She’s engaged to Michael’s friend.”
“Ah. And did you break the news yet?” Jake asked.
“What news?”
A smile pulled at one side of his mouth. “That we plan to elope. Live out the rest of our days together.”
The words giddy and schoolgirl shot to her head as the most happy, elated flutters romped in her chest. “Oh, that news. Yep, I told her. Said she may as well tell Michael too, save me the trouble of sending him a text.”
Jake took one hand off the wheel, stretched an arm toward her, and took hold of her hand where it rested on the seat. He brought it up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the rounded curve of her knuckles. “That’s my girl.” He lowered their hands onto the seat then, keeping them joined in one warm union.
Was there a word that went beyond giddy? If so, that’s what she was. Elated. Overjoyed. And … and thinking back on the strange reaction Jake had when she mentioned meeting his family. A fresh flame of fear roared up in her chest, smothering the happy flutters she’d felt moments ago. She snuck a casual glance at him from the corner of her eye. Noticed a furrow in his brow. It was subtle, a gentle crease along his forehead. Less subtle was the look in his eyes. A sad, almost pained look.
Meg moved her gaze back to the view beyond her window, wondering if she’d misjudged his expression. After all, it had been such a limited view of him. Still, the question loomed over her head like a black, heavy cloud: What if Jake didn’t want a commitment either?
A new bit of desperation seeped in, urging her to bring up the conversation, test the relationship waters. She thought about how to phrase it. Something like, I’ve been thinking about moving back. That was simple enough. She’d do it. She’d say it.
In just a minute.
Only her mouth wouldn’t work.
Perhaps it was because her mind was already working overtime. Cycling through all the moments she’d spent with Jake during the last week. Were they enough to justify such a move? Such a change in her life?
Meg had confided in her father the day after they’d kissed, told him about the feelings she had for Jake. He hadn’t seemed the least bit surprised. Meg could tell however, that he was
Shayna’s reply lit up the screen.
So what will you say to Michael? That you found some guy you’re interested in, so you’re going to stay?
When she phrased it that way, it made Meg sound terrible. It made her feel terrible too. But only for a moment. Because Meg knew better. There was a reason she was open to the possibilities where Jake was concerned. A reason that started with M and ended in L and deserved everything that he got. Her thumbs went to work, typing back so fast she felt as if she were screaming the words.
Well Michael’s never done a thing to stop me, Shay. I’ve given him a million chances and he won’t budge. It almost seems like he’s waiting for this to happen. Like he wants me to find someone else so he can just move on and find another woman to torture for another three or five or twenty freaking years!
That one hit with the punch of truth. More potent than the other. Packed with tender emotions of feeling less-than-enough for the man she’d cared about for so long. Her eyes stung as she looked over the words she’d sent. No matter what Shayna had to say, she couldn’t convince her otherwise. Whether she pursued a relationship with Jake or not, Meg wanted to end things with Michael. She wanted to end things and move back to Montana where she belonged.
“You okay?” Jake’s voice pulled Meg from her musings.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Fine, just texting a friend of mine from…” She was going to say from back home but the phrase was all wrong. This was home. “From Colorado.”
“Michael?”
Whoa. Her heart cranked into double time, skipping at least two full beats. “No,” she blurted. “Just a girl friend of mine. She’s engaged to Michael’s friend.”
“Ah. And did you break the news yet?” Jake asked.
“What news?”
A smile pulled at one side of his mouth. “That we plan to elope. Live out the rest of our days together.”
The words giddy and schoolgirl shot to her head as the most happy, elated flutters romped in her chest. “Oh, that news. Yep, I told her. Said she may as well tell Michael too, save me the trouble of sending him a text.”
Jake took one hand off the wheel, stretched an arm toward her, and took hold of her hand where it rested on the seat. He brought it up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the rounded curve of her knuckles. “That’s my girl.” He lowered their hands onto the seat then, keeping them joined in one warm union.
Was there a word that went beyond giddy? If so, that’s what she was. Elated. Overjoyed. And … and thinking back on the strange reaction Jake had when she mentioned meeting his family. A fresh flame of fear roared up in her chest, smothering the happy flutters she’d felt moments ago. She snuck a casual glance at him from the corner of her eye. Noticed a furrow in his brow. It was subtle, a gentle crease along his forehead. Less subtle was the look in his eyes. A sad, almost pained look.
Meg moved her gaze back to the view beyond her window, wondering if she’d misjudged his expression. After all, it had been such a limited view of him. Still, the question loomed over her head like a black, heavy cloud: What if Jake didn’t want a commitment either?
A new bit of desperation seeped in, urging her to bring up the conversation, test the relationship waters. She thought about how to phrase it. Something like, I’ve been thinking about moving back. That was simple enough. She’d do it. She’d say it.
In just a minute.
Only her mouth wouldn’t work.
Perhaps it was because her mind was already working overtime. Cycling through all the moments she’d spent with Jake during the last week. Were they enough to justify such a move? Such a change in her life?
Meg had confided in her father the day after they’d kissed, told him about the feelings she had for Jake. He hadn’t seemed the least bit surprised. Meg could tell however, that he was
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