‘I don’t know. That’s why I’m worried. If we had more information, we would know what additional security measures we’d need to take, if any. But as it stands, she’s here completely alone.’ Mav sighed deeply when he thought about the impending conversation. ‘That doesn’t sit well with me.’
‘Well, if you have the conversation, I’ll have concierge sort whatever she needs.’
‘I’m shit with words.’
‘No, you’re not. You just don’t like to talk. There’s a difference.’
‘Fuck.’
Sierra gave him a double thumbs up before pushing to her feet. She checked her watch, sighed. ‘I better get back. But let me know what she says.’ She turned to go.
‘You don’t want to say hi to Ty?’ he asked.
Sierra stopped. Her spine went rigid. But she didn’t turn around. ‘I don’t have time today.’
‘It’s not the horse’s fault he was a gift from Benji,’ Maverick reminded her, gently pushing even though he’d known she’d refuse.
‘I know,’ Sierra replied. But she didn’t say more, and she didn’t look back towards Ty’s stall either even though the horse had popped his head over the door at the sound of her voice.
Maverick watched her go, and instead of feeling angry, all he felt was regret.
He waited for the twelve o’clock lunch break before approaching Nina because he wanted privacy for the conversation and because it had become somewhat routine for them to be the only ones left in the barn when the wranglers went to the staff quarters to eat.
Nina stood alone by the main arena, one booted foot on the lowest rung, looking out at the ranch.
‘I saw you finally managed to groom Barbie,’ he said loudly as he drew closer to her.
She still jumped. Only a bit. But he saw it, that quick jerk in her muscles before she realized it was him and calmed. She looked over her shoulder at him. ‘Yeah.’ A ghost of a smile haunted her lips, though her eyes stayedsosad. ‘It took me most of the morning and she somehow still looks dirty, but Benji said it was still good progress.’
‘It is.’ Mav stopped a few feet from her. ‘Her wounds are mostly superficial, so we can give her a bath as soon as she’s feeling more at home. Maybe in a day or two after the vet comes.’
‘Why hasn’t the vet been already?’
He didn’t hear judgement, only curiosity. ‘I won’t ask my vet or farrier to come see rescues I haven’t had time to settle. It’s not their job to try and calm or manage feral animals. It’s mine. Barbie needs to be calm enough to be handled safely by a stranger.’ He leaned his forearms on the rails, placed his own foot on the rung out of habit. ‘You did that,’ he said. ‘You spent time desensitizing her to humans, and you relieved me of a lot of work. Thank you.’
Nina rested her chin in her hand. She smiled. ‘I’m enjoying myself. It’s cathartic.’ Her smile dimmed. ‘It’s helped to keep my mind occupied …’
Mav held his breath, hoping that she’d share more, but she seemed to catch herself, and when she fell silent again, he used it as a segue. ‘I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that …’
Nina turned those dark, wary eyes on him.
Christ, here we go, Mav thought. But he jumped right in. ‘Yesterday you forgot to put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door.’
He didn’t have to say more. Nina shook her head on a sigh and turned away as if she’d known her slip would come back to haunt her.
‘If you want me to shut up at any time, you tell me.’ When she didn’t reply, didn’t even look at him, Mav took two steps closer. He reached out and gently turned her face back in his direction. The tears in her eyes devastated him, but he pushed, knowing that he wouldn’t find the courage to attempt the conversation a second time. ‘But until you do tell me to shut up, I have some things to say. Okay?’
A tiny nod was the only indication that she was listening.
‘You’re paying through the teeth to be here. Hunt Ranch isn’t just a dude ranch, it’s a luxury resort with a twenty-four-hour concierge, and if you don’t feel safe here, that is a problem for us.’
‘It’s not the ranch,’ she rasped. ‘I … I don’t feel safe anywhere anymore. And I know that’s irrational, but it’s like my body won’t listen to my brain.’
Her reply confused him. Christ, anyone would be afraid. ‘I think that’s going to be your new normal for a little while, all things considered. But there are things we can do to help.’ He didn’t reach out and touch her again, though he wanted to. He kept it transactional in the hope that a business conversation would ease her embarrassment. ‘Option one, we post a wrangler outside your cabin at night.’
‘No.’ Her reply was instant. She shook her head vehemently. ‘I don’t want to be a burden. And I don’t want people asking questions.’
‘They already are, Nina,’ he said quietly.
