“Not yet. We’ve still got work.”
He frowned. “Work?”
River’s mouth curved like she had a secret. “Sprinkler system’s gone wonky, and I could use an extra set of hands.”
He blinked. “A sprinkler system.”
“Yep.” She gave his wrist a quick tug. “Come on, let’s go.”
His brows pulled together. “And this requires the ATV?”
A grin tugged at her mouth. “It’s out in the field, so yes.”
Before he could say much else, she led him toward the hangar and the ATV parked beside it. She motioned him toward the driver’s seat. “You’re driving.”
Mathew looked at her. “Why am I driving?”
River adjusted the brim of her cap and gave him a look. “Because you’re probably better behind the wheel than I am, and I’d rather not get bounced into next week.”
That pulled the corner of his mouth upward. “Good to know.”
“Are you driving or not?”
He shook his head, climbed in, and started the ATV.
River let out a whoop that made him laugh under his breath, and before long they were bouncing down the trail toward the far field. Every few seconds, he found himself glancing her way. Wind tugged strands of hair loose beneath her hat, and the smile on her face was impossible to miss.
She caught him looking and smiled wider.
Something in his chest shifted at seeing her smile like that, so he pressed the gas a little harder and let himself enjoy the ride.
The field they were headed to was currently set up with a tall sprinkler system. It was newer and automated. He wasn’t sure how it worked, beyond the fact that it operated through an app, so the farmer could move it without being in the fields.
Back when his father worked on a farm, this sort of thing wasn’t readily available. Or maybe his father simply didn’t want to depend on anything but himself. He was a proud man. Stubborn. Set in his ways.
And he’d passed on those traits to his sons.
While River worked on the system, Mathew scanned the fields. He hadn’t grown up in Copper Creek. They’d had a farm in another part of Colorado. But this felt similar. Between the mountains and the rolling hills, it was the same.
A twinge in his chest was the only indication of how much he missed the open spaces. He’d never regret going into medicine. He loved his job and everything it entailed. The fast pace. Big stakes.
But this?
It was nice. It felt good to be out in the open air. He was starting to understand why his dad insisted on manual farm labor over working indoors.
His gaze landed on River.
He couldn’t help but wonder if this happy feeling also had something to do with her.
At that very moment, she glanced in his direction and smiled.
Yeah, it definitely had something to do with her.
They took the scenic route back to the farm. And maybe they came in too fast.
They were definitely pushing the ATV harder than they should’ve, judging by the sounds it made when he took one corner too fast. Still, he loved the squeal of laughter spilling from River.
“Mathew Harrison Klein.”
