Kieran didn’t speak until they were inside the barn on their way to Pie’s stall. “I think he needs to give up.”
“On Lani?”
“Yeah. She thinks he’s an eejit.”
“That’s what she tells herself because she’s afraid he could make her give up everything.”
“After what she said?”
“Especially after what she said.” Sara lowered her voice. “That was fear talking.”
“Are you afraid I’d do that?”
She stopped next to Pie’s stall. “No. You were ready to give up everything forme.That was scary.”
“But you wouldn’t let me do that , either.”
“I want you to be happy.”
“So naturally that means refusing to marry me.” His crooked smile told her he was teasing. Sort of.
“It that’s what it takes.”
“I want to kiss you.”
“And I want to kiss you, but Rance and Lani just brought the tack in.” She gestured to the reddish horse with a white patch on his forehead who was poking his nose over the stall door. “Sweetie-Pie, I’d like you to meet Kieran Haggerty. He’s from Ireland, but someday soon you’ll be seeing a lot of him.”
She said all that without a catch in her voice. She was proud of that.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“You’re a natural, buddy.”
“Thanks. Don’t feel like one.” Kieran glanced over at Rance standing next to Sara. Lani had gone into the house, but Rance had stayed to see how the greenhorn managed the first ride of his life.
Or maybe his goal was a conversation with Sara. Kieran couldn’t hear what it was about since he only caught pieces of it when Pie wandered over that way. He could guess, though.
Rance wanted Sara to move to the ranch almost as much as he did. The fella clearly hoped this relationship would have a happy ending. He might be luring Sara with the prospect of trading in her car for a truck like his. Or the joy of having a horse of her own.
Maybe he’d tried that approach with Lani and that’s how they’d ended up arseways with each other. Bribery wasn’t in Kieran’s nature. He didn’t plan to lay out reasons she should sacrifice her chosen path for him. Bad enough his granny had made that sacrifice.
He needed to hear that story. She could’ve started teaching once his mum was in school. That would have given her sixteenor seventeen years in the classroom. Why hadn’t she gone back once he was in school? Grief. That was his best guess.
“Kieran!” Sara called over to him. “He’s heading for the flowers by the porch! Don’t let him eat them!”
He brought his focus back to the horse under him. Pie was going straight for a bed of flowers. He pulled back on the reins and called outwhoa. Pie stopped. Now what?
“Turn him around!”
“Got it!” What had Sara told him about changing direction? Feck it all, he couldn’t remember. “D’ya know voice commands, then, Pie?”
Turning his head, the horse gazed at him.
“Ya look like ya do andwhoaworked.” He swept his hand out. “Right.” He pointed again. “Right,lad.”
Pie shook his head and stayed where he was.
“Ya don’t fancy that direction? Fair enough.Left.” He swept out his other arm. “Left, laddie. That way.”
