to oversee the livestock. They couldn’t seem to compromise.
Sweat beaded on Nick’s brow as he recalled the final argument that had sent Stephanie packing. Over the past four years, he’d eaten more than his share of arena dirt trying to elude the memories of that day. Haunting memories that continued to challenge him in the darkest part of the night. Memories that poked and prodded at his conscience until he’d wake up time after time in a sweat and pace the floor until dawn. He’d tried to do the right thing. Could he have been so wrong?
The powerful hum of the diesel engine lessened as the truck slowed. Nick pulled his hat low, thankful for the distraction. He hadn’t relived his past so vividly in years. He’d turn on the stereo and close his eyes, and maybe his world would fall back in place again.
The truck slowed more. He scanned along the side of the tree lined highway running the edge of the Black Hills National Forest. A sign indicated a rest area in a mile while another proclaimed Mountain Shadow Lodge due west. Nick grinned in spite of himself. Rachel had probably had too much bottled water during their roadside picnic. If he were honest, stopping at a rest area wouldn’t hurt him either. He squeezed his lids shut against the dull throb at his temples. The truck lurched left onto a dirt road and all thoughts of headache pain disappeared. The last rays of sunlight disappeared as they drove deeper along the forested road. “What are you doing?”
“I’m pulling off to check out the lodge.” The truck slowed to ease over a bump.
“Why?” Nick resisted holding his head against the jarring ride. “Can’t you wait a mile?”
She threw him a distracted look. “A mile?”
“The sign back on the highway said Rest Area, one mile. Can’t you wait that long to do your thing?” A deeper bump rocked the truck to the side. “Ow!”
“Sorry,” Rachel said, not sounding sorry at all. “Actually, my thing is exactly why we’re here. We have to stop for the night.”
Whitened knuckles gripped the steering wheel and he snapped to attention. “You’re not sick, are you?”
“Only of your grump, cowboy.” She guided the truck around another hole.
“Look, we’ve been making good time on an empty highway,” he coaxed, trying a different tactic, one so foreign and rusty, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to pull it off. “Another four hours, five max and we’ll be in Casper before you know it. Now be a good girl, go to the bathroom and let’s get on down the road.”
“Sorry, big guy,” she said on a sigh. “No can do. I can’t see in the dark. Night blindness.”
Dusk was quickly turning to dark as Nick watched the play of emotions across her face. His stomach sank as he realized she was serious. “Can’t see?” he parroted. “Not even a little?”
“It’s a rod-cone thing. Supposedly I’m missing some of one or the other. Anyway, unless I can feel my way, I don’t do anything in the dark.”
Nick wasn’t sure how to respond to that comment, so he wisely chose silence.
The light of twin bare-bulbs attached to the timber posts of a wooden porch loomed ahead. A two-story fishing lodge stood at the end of the drive complete with smoke from a wood fire spicing the air. A small smile curled his lip. Rustic retreats had their place in a man’s life for good reason. He couldn’t wait to see how his self-appointed guardian dealt with this place.
Allowing the engine to idle, she slipped out of the cab, slamming the door behind her. Nick watched Rachel walk toward the door. He gave in to a chuckle as she stepped onto the porch and paused to look at the lacquered bass mounted overhead before pushing the wooden door open. He wagered they’d be back on the road in five minutes, if even that long. Rachel Hill had Five Star Hotel written all over her.
Left alone in the diminishing light, Nick counted three trucks parked off to the side, none of which appeared too road worthy. A giant,
Sweat beaded on Nick’s brow as he recalled the final argument that had sent Stephanie packing. Over the past four years, he’d eaten more than his share of arena dirt trying to elude the memories of that day. Haunting memories that continued to challenge him in the darkest part of the night. Memories that poked and prodded at his conscience until he’d wake up time after time in a sweat and pace the floor until dawn. He’d tried to do the right thing. Could he have been so wrong?
The powerful hum of the diesel engine lessened as the truck slowed. Nick pulled his hat low, thankful for the distraction. He hadn’t relived his past so vividly in years. He’d turn on the stereo and close his eyes, and maybe his world would fall back in place again.
The truck slowed more. He scanned along the side of the tree lined highway running the edge of the Black Hills National Forest. A sign indicated a rest area in a mile while another proclaimed Mountain Shadow Lodge due west. Nick grinned in spite of himself. Rachel had probably had too much bottled water during their roadside picnic. If he were honest, stopping at a rest area wouldn’t hurt him either. He squeezed his lids shut against the dull throb at his temples. The truck lurched left onto a dirt road and all thoughts of headache pain disappeared. The last rays of sunlight disappeared as they drove deeper along the forested road. “What are you doing?”
“I’m pulling off to check out the lodge.” The truck slowed to ease over a bump.
“Why?” Nick resisted holding his head against the jarring ride. “Can’t you wait a mile?”
She threw him a distracted look. “A mile?”
“The sign back on the highway said Rest Area, one mile. Can’t you wait that long to do your thing?” A deeper bump rocked the truck to the side. “Ow!”
“Sorry,” Rachel said, not sounding sorry at all. “Actually, my thing is exactly why we’re here. We have to stop for the night.”
Whitened knuckles gripped the steering wheel and he snapped to attention. “You’re not sick, are you?”
“Only of your grump, cowboy.” She guided the truck around another hole.
“Look, we’ve been making good time on an empty highway,” he coaxed, trying a different tactic, one so foreign and rusty, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to pull it off. “Another four hours, five max and we’ll be in Casper before you know it. Now be a good girl, go to the bathroom and let’s get on down the road.”
“Sorry, big guy,” she said on a sigh. “No can do. I can’t see in the dark. Night blindness.”
Dusk was quickly turning to dark as Nick watched the play of emotions across her face. His stomach sank as he realized she was serious. “Can’t see?” he parroted. “Not even a little?”
“It’s a rod-cone thing. Supposedly I’m missing some of one or the other. Anyway, unless I can feel my way, I don’t do anything in the dark.”
Nick wasn’t sure how to respond to that comment, so he wisely chose silence.
The light of twin bare-bulbs attached to the timber posts of a wooden porch loomed ahead. A two-story fishing lodge stood at the end of the drive complete with smoke from a wood fire spicing the air. A small smile curled his lip. Rustic retreats had their place in a man’s life for good reason. He couldn’t wait to see how his self-appointed guardian dealt with this place.
Allowing the engine to idle, she slipped out of the cab, slamming the door behind her. Nick watched Rachel walk toward the door. He gave in to a chuckle as she stepped onto the porch and paused to look at the lacquered bass mounted overhead before pushing the wooden door open. He wagered they’d be back on the road in five minutes, if even that long. Rachel Hill had Five Star Hotel written all over her.
Left alone in the diminishing light, Nick counted three trucks parked off to the side, none of which appeared too road worthy. A giant,
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