and keep it at the barn until she could figure out a solution.
With that in mind, she led Dante into his stall and headed to the feed room to start preparing the horses’ dinners while Jessa and Sadie brought the rest of the animals in from their paddocks.
“Going to rain,” Sadie called.
Rio stared out the barn door. Tree branches swayed in the wind. She could hear the leaves shiver as the air brushed through them. Already the sky had darkened, a leaden gray, made murkier by the heavy clouds that had gathered all afternoon.
Rio pressed her lips together in frustration and hurried to finish up. She couldn’t escape until her work was done and Sadie had gone into the house. The sooner she left, the better.
As she pushed the door to the feed room closed, Travis pulled up outside the barn. Fat, cold raindrops had begun to fall in a heavy cascade. Rio doubted the sky would clear up anytime soon.
“Wonderful,” she muttered under her breath.
Travis jogged into the barn, sending a look her way before acknowledging Jessa. “You all set?”
The girl’s head barely moved in acknowledgment. She trudged to the truck outside the barn and climbed into the back seat.
“How did she do?”
“She’s a hard worker,” Sadie replied. “Won’t say two words to me, though. She’ll warm up, I’m sure. I’ll see her Wednesday?”
“Yes you will. And thanks.”
“Can you do me a favor and give Rio a ride to her hotel? I don’t want her walking in this rain.”
Travis gave Rio a sharp stare and Rio froze under his scrutiny.
“No, really, it’s okay, I can make it there myself. I’ve walked through worse.” Rio cursed herself for sounding so panicked. What the heck must this guy think? Now she felt guiltier than ever about the damned situation she’d gotten herself into.
“No you won’t. It’s biting cold out here and you’ll catch your death if you walk. Travis can spare a few minutes, right?”
Travis continued to eyeball her, his jaw tight, his intense gaze locked on hers. “Of course I can.” His voice sounded amiable despite the fire glowing in his stare.
She couldn’t protest anymore. If she did she might as well admit to everything she’d been doing since arriving in town. Perhaps she could still deceive the man. He could drop her off at the cabins and leave before she pretended to go inside one of the small buildings. It was her only hope.
“Fine,” she murmured, and quickly finished up so she could get this over with.
Silently, Rio climbed into the passenger seat of Travis’s truck, wishing she could sit in back with the equally despondent Jessa. The girl slouched against the door, looking as miserable as Rio felt.
Thick splatters of rain on the truck broke the utter silence hanging heavily in the small space. As soon as Travis opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat, the air bristled with an energy that was inescapable, no matter how far Rio pressed herself against her door.
Travis didn’t speak until he steered the truck down the driveway. He glanced into the rearview mirror. “I’ll drop you off first. Start your homework and I’ll bring a pizza home.”
Jessa didn’t respond. Rio swore silently. She’d be alone with him. This was it. The time had come for him to put her in her place, make sure she understood he didn’t trust her.
He pulled into a driveway less than a quarter mile down the road from Cobble Creek, leading to another farm. Unlike Sadie’s place, however, this one didn’t appear to be a working farm. The beautiful old house sprawled out over a green, leaf-scattered lawn. A wraparound porch surrounded the home, along with deep green bushes that would no doubt be rich with flowers in the spring. Even in the sullen rain, the place was lovely and welcoming.
Before he had a chance to put the truck in park, Jessa shoved the door open and climbed out, running through the rain toward the front porch. Travis waited until his daughter closed the door behind
With that in mind, she led Dante into his stall and headed to the feed room to start preparing the horses’ dinners while Jessa and Sadie brought the rest of the animals in from their paddocks.
“Going to rain,” Sadie called.
Rio stared out the barn door. Tree branches swayed in the wind. She could hear the leaves shiver as the air brushed through them. Already the sky had darkened, a leaden gray, made murkier by the heavy clouds that had gathered all afternoon.
Rio pressed her lips together in frustration and hurried to finish up. She couldn’t escape until her work was done and Sadie had gone into the house. The sooner she left, the better.
As she pushed the door to the feed room closed, Travis pulled up outside the barn. Fat, cold raindrops had begun to fall in a heavy cascade. Rio doubted the sky would clear up anytime soon.
“Wonderful,” she muttered under her breath.
Travis jogged into the barn, sending a look her way before acknowledging Jessa. “You all set?”
The girl’s head barely moved in acknowledgment. She trudged to the truck outside the barn and climbed into the back seat.
“How did she do?”
“She’s a hard worker,” Sadie replied. “Won’t say two words to me, though. She’ll warm up, I’m sure. I’ll see her Wednesday?”
“Yes you will. And thanks.”
“Can you do me a favor and give Rio a ride to her hotel? I don’t want her walking in this rain.”
Travis gave Rio a sharp stare and Rio froze under his scrutiny.
“No, really, it’s okay, I can make it there myself. I’ve walked through worse.” Rio cursed herself for sounding so panicked. What the heck must this guy think? Now she felt guiltier than ever about the damned situation she’d gotten herself into.
“No you won’t. It’s biting cold out here and you’ll catch your death if you walk. Travis can spare a few minutes, right?”
Travis continued to eyeball her, his jaw tight, his intense gaze locked on hers. “Of course I can.” His voice sounded amiable despite the fire glowing in his stare.
She couldn’t protest anymore. If she did she might as well admit to everything she’d been doing since arriving in town. Perhaps she could still deceive the man. He could drop her off at the cabins and leave before she pretended to go inside one of the small buildings. It was her only hope.
“Fine,” she murmured, and quickly finished up so she could get this over with.
Silently, Rio climbed into the passenger seat of Travis’s truck, wishing she could sit in back with the equally despondent Jessa. The girl slouched against the door, looking as miserable as Rio felt.
Thick splatters of rain on the truck broke the utter silence hanging heavily in the small space. As soon as Travis opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat, the air bristled with an energy that was inescapable, no matter how far Rio pressed herself against her door.
Travis didn’t speak until he steered the truck down the driveway. He glanced into the rearview mirror. “I’ll drop you off first. Start your homework and I’ll bring a pizza home.”
Jessa didn’t respond. Rio swore silently. She’d be alone with him. This was it. The time had come for him to put her in her place, make sure she understood he didn’t trust her.
He pulled into a driveway less than a quarter mile down the road from Cobble Creek, leading to another farm. Unlike Sadie’s place, however, this one didn’t appear to be a working farm. The beautiful old house sprawled out over a green, leaf-scattered lawn. A wraparound porch surrounded the home, along with deep green bushes that would no doubt be rich with flowers in the spring. Even in the sullen rain, the place was lovely and welcoming.
Before he had a chance to put the truck in park, Jessa shoved the door open and climbed out, running through the rain toward the front porch. Travis waited until his daughter closed the door behind
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