“I don’t snore.”
I shrug my shoulders and laugh before slipping out of the bed. “How can you be so sure? You don’t have to sleep with you.”
Hayden sits up and swings his feet to the floor. He says nothing until I make my way to his side of the room for my suitcase. “You think I’ve been sleeping alone for the past forty-two years?”
Heat rises to my face, so I busy myself with my suitcase. “I haven’t thought of you sleeping at all, let alone with who.”
He lets out a low chuckle. “Right.”
Before I can come up with anything witty, he walks past me and into the bathroom. I quickly get dressed while he’s in there and kick myself for the way that conversation went. I’ve mostly recovered by the time he comes out of the bathroom, and I’m fully composed by the time I finish my turn in there.
We’re both quiet as we check out of the hotel and get back into the truck to head to the ranch. The sky is still a dark shade of purple, so it’s hard to tell if storm clouds have drawn near. I’m crossing my fingers because my plan allows for a stop about four hours in and then the cabin for overnight. And then the final few hours in the morning. We could do the trip in less time, but I don’t want to stress out the horses.
I keep my worries to myself during the short drive. As we pull into the ranch, the first hints of daylight tease from behind the trees. It’s too early for sunrise, but the sky is no longer too dark to make anything out. I can sense the impending storm the moment I step out of the truck. Slightly humid air stirs in the ominous breeze.
“Miranda?”
Turning around, I find a weathered, brown-skinned woman wearing worn jeans and a sweatshirt making her way toward me. She appears to be in her early fifties, with some gray in her natural coils. She’s pretty.
“Yes,” I respond, reaching out my hand to shake. “And this is Hayden. He’s tagging along in case I need some help.”
“Sarah Johnson. It’s nice to meet you both. Your father told me to expect the two of you. I’m glad you didn’t make the trip alone. I know I wouldn’t want to get stuck on the side of some of these roads all by myself. Anyway, follow me.”
Turning, she leads us towards the large stables. We step into the first building on the left, and I’m amazed at the size of the facility. It didn’t seem this large from the outside. Once we’re inside, Sarah stops and points out the two end stalls where two beautiful chestnut mares stare back at us with interest. There’s no stopping the smile that spreads across my face. I’m already in love.
“Ready to get them loaded?” Hayden asks from beside me.
“Yeah, let’s get this party started,” I answer with a grin.
Hayden chuckles as he makes his way inside the stall nearest to us. I head for the other one and attach a lead to the halter. They don’t give us any trouble, which is a relief considering time isn’t on our side if we’re going to get ahead of the weather.
“You shouldn’t have any issues getting them loaded; they both have a calm temperament,” Sarah says as we reach the back of the trailer.
She’s right. While some horses are fearful and need some coaxing to get them inside a trailer, these two walk right in despite not knowing us. We get them loaded and situated, and by the time we step out, the threat of rain is heavy in the air. I make eye contact with Hayden, and no words are needed. Weclose up the trailer, shake Sarah’s hand, and make a beeline for the truck. We aren’t going to miss the rain, but hopefully, we stay ahead of the worst of it until we can stop for the night.
Chapter 10
Hayden
My shoulder aches from the tension I’ve been holding there. The rain is really coming down. But not just rain; an unexpected wintry mix hammers down on us. It’s been a few hours since we stopped for a break, but I don’t think there’s any way we’re going to make it to the cabin Miranda reserved. It’s two hours from here on a good day. Even though I have faith in Miranda’s capabilities, I sure am glad she let me take over the driving after our stop. The wind has made it incredibly difficult to maintain control of the truck with the trailer attached, and that’s not even accounting for the slick conditions.
Unlocking my phone, I open the contacts before passing it to Miranda. “Do me a favor and scroll to John Egleston?”
The rain and sleet continue to hammer us, streaming down the windshield and reducing visibility no matter how fast the wipers go. I mutter a curse under my breath. I’m pissed at myself for not insisting we stay put at the rest area. But I reallydidn’t think it would get this bad until later tonight, after we’d stopped.
Miranda places the phone on speaker and sets it on the console when it begins to ring. Even with the sound up, it’s not easy to hear over the elements beating down on the truck. I mutter another curse when it goes to voicemail. He’s probably out securing the animals with the storm hitting earlier and worse than anticipated.
“Can you scroll to Martha Egleston?” I request.
Martha picks up on the second ring, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “Hello?”
“Hey, Martha. Hayden Scott.”
She practically cuts me off. “How are you, honey? It’s been a while.”
I glance at Miranda and find her watching me skeptically. I have to chuckle because Martha Egleston is in her late fifties and is basically a second mother to most of us who have spent time on the rodeo circuit. And she’s very married.
“I’m okay. Listen, I know it’s last-minute but-”
