Dee: Good to hear. Well I better leave you. I’ll talk to y’all later.
Mom: Look out for an Alaskan boyfriend while you’re there!
Dad: Knock him dead, Dee. Show them how us Daniels’ do it.
Scott: Good luck.
Dillon: Good luck to the ranchers she’s working with, you mean?
I give the host of the Bed and Breakfast a quick wave goodbye, promising to call by the next time I’m in Kinleyville before I make my way outside. With my big hiking pack on my back and a smaller bag hanging off my shoulder, I watch Toby hop out of the truck and smile my way.
In the light of day, his rugged features are more highlighted and are more than a little distracting. How can a man who’s such an enigma to me be so damn good looking. The man barely said a word to me before hiring me, and now he’s looking at me like I hung the starsandthe moon before winning a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s a little confusing, but thrilling all at the same time. Hopefully we’ll get to know each other better on the drive back to the ranch and I can work out why he’s so intriguing.
"Mornin’, Dee," Toby says with a crooked smile, his voice rich and deep. If I was in the market for a man, I’d be more than a little starry-eyed over this man. Thankfully–despite what my mother wishes–I’m in my ‘eat, travel, and suck-the-most-out-of-life era.’ I'm not particularly looking for a partner, but that's not to say I'm against one.
I've never been the kind of woman who dates for the sake of dating. I figure that there’s no point unless you know it might lead somewhere. So I’ve always done it with purpose–which unfortunately means barely doing it at all. That’s what happens when you’re searching for that elusive pot of gold at the end ofthe rainbow. The gold being a husband and life partner, a future, maybe a bunch of children to call our own, and to do it in a place where I want to stay and never leave.
So until I meet a man who gives me visions of any or all of that, and who wants the exact same things as I do, my focus is on me. My happiness, my fulfilment, making the most out of life and wringing everything I can out of it.
I'm all about working, learning, experiencing new things, and meeting new people. And honestly, I'm OK with that.
There’s been a flutter of excitement in my chest ever since last night because for some reason that I can’t quite work out, this job feels different. I almost wonder if there’s a little bit of fate at play. What are the chances that I’d call around the biggest ranches in Alaska and just happen to find Randy who knew Red and Toby and the rest of the brothers,andthey had a need for a ranch hand straight away.
"Ready for the long drive back to Bull Mountain?" he asks as he stops in front of me and takes care of my bags.
"I've been doing my vocal warm-ups all mornin'. Gotta be ready for our sing-off."
His eyes crinkle at the corners. "Good. I woke up feelin' like hearin’ some Allman Brothers Band and maybe some Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers then some Dire Straits after that. I just figured we could start there and see where the music gods take us.”
“Hmm. So no Brittany Spears or Backstreet Boys?” I can’t hide my smirk as his eyes fill with horror.
“Sorry, Dee, but I’m not sure this job situation is gonna work out after all. ‘Specially if you’re choosin’thatkind of music over mine.” His words don’t mean much when his smile is so wide it’s almost splitting his face open.
“Well damn, and here was I startin’ to like you, Toby Graham.”
“Likin’ me without even knowin’ me? Didn’t think I wasthatgood,” he retorts.
“Nah. You pretty much won me over when you mentioned Dire Straits. Romeo and Juliet is one of the best songs ever made.”
He nods approvingly. “I guess I can let your previous musical indiscretions go now after that statement.” He jerks his head to the truck. “You ready to hit the road or do you need to stop for breakfast first?”
“Nope. I’m all topped up and ready to go,” I say, following him toward the truck. At first there’s a strange fluttering in my stomach that is distracting as hell. Then it’s the heat of Toby’s hand radiating through my thick jacket warming my skin. It throws me so much that I misstep and Toby has to grab hold of my hips to stop me from falling to the ground.
“Whoa there. Are you OK?” I look back over my shoulder and find his brows pinched, concern written all over his face.
“Th-thanks. I’m good. Really. I’m not a klutz, I swear,” I say, stepping forward and pulling myself up into the passenger seat.
“Nah. Must’ve been some ice on the side bar. No worries.” The all-knowing look in his gaze tells me he’s full of it, but he’s gracefully giving me a pass this time. If it was my brothers, they’d be laughing their asses off and teasing me relentlessly bynow. “Now let’s hit the road so you can see just how much you’re gonna like Bull Mountain Ranch.”
“Sounds good to me.” Then with a wink and a grin that I swear has me dazzled for a second. I use the time once he’s shut me in and rounded the hood to get my bearings again.
Once he’s behind the wheel, Toby adjusts the rearview mirror before the engine roars to life.
Turning on the radio, he steals a glance and shoots me a grin before turning up the volume, putting the truck in drive, and heading out of town.
As we leave Kinleyville, I notice the landscape slowly changing, the beautiful scenery morphing into a sea of greens and yellows, the tall hills whirring past and slowly but surely getting bigger, the snow-capped tops moving away for a spell as we make our way down the highway, the radio blaring as we both sing our hearts out to ‘Free Falling.’
Inside I’m bursting with excitement and anticipation. I’ve only been off a ranch for two weeks and I’m already itching to work on the land again.
