Her words catch my attention and I stare at her for a moment. She noticed I wasn't here. “Yeah. I ended up getting caught up helping my brother with something.”
She nods, still smiling. “That’s right. You mentioned you were going to be helping him with one of the yearlings he bought, right?”
My head tilts to the side. Most times we've spoken, I wasn't sure if she was making conversation as a nicety. I didn't realize she was actually paying attention and listening to the things I was saying. She remembered a small, miniscule detail from a conversation we had a week ago. “Right. You remembered.”
“You seem surprised.”
“Because I am,” I admit as a soft laugh escapes me. “You work at a bar, Ella. You know how to talk to your customers and be friendly with them. I'm surprised because I never expected you to remember the things that I've told you.”
Her icy blue eyes pierce mine as she studies me for a moment. “You're right. I have a lot of conversations with a lot of people. Sometimes certain ones stick out more than others.”
She leaves without another word and confusion encapsulates me. Ella is a closed book and I want to peer inside her mind. I want to dissect her thoughts. I want to know everything I can possibly know about her.
She stays over on her side of the bar for a while and she’s gone long enough for me to finish my entire meal. Cade texts me, asking when I’ll be back at the ranch. They ended up buying the trailer and came home early.
I respond, telling him I'll be there in a little bit. Remi comes back over to me and I hand her my card to pay my tab as Ella starts walking back over.
“Are you leaving already?” She questions me with a touch of sadness in her tone. “I’m so sorry, I got caught up when that rush of people came in.”
“You don’t have to apologize, El,” I say. “Cade needs me back at the ranch. Him and Cash are both home early and we need to move the cattle to a different pasture.”
“No, no, I get it,” she says with an unreadable expression on her face. A touch of emotion washes over her irises but it passes too quickly that I don't get a chance to see what it was.
“I don't have to leave just yet,” I say with a shrug. I can’t help but feel like I should stay. Her lips part, as if she’s going to say something but she quickly closes them. It’s like watching a door close right in front of your face. There’s a part of me that thought she was opening that door to further our conversation but then I watched her close it again, like she made a mistake.
“Oh, no,” she waves her hand dismissively. “I don't want to keep you. I'm sure I'll see you another time.” She forces a smile onto her lips that almost looks genuine. “Bye Cole.”
She turns her back to me and I can’t let her walk away. “El, wait.”
She quickly turns back to look at me, her eyes shining brightly. Her lips part once more and I watch her chest deflate as she exhales. “Yeah?”
“Can I take you out sometime?” I pause, letting out a breath. “Just to dinner or somethin’.”
Her eyes widen and I feel the same feeling inside my chest. I don't know where the hell the question came from but my brain and mouth didn't make the proper connection and the words slipped out before I had the chance to stop them.
She nervously shifts her weight on her feet. “I'm sorry, but I can't do that.”
My stomach sinks. Of course she can’t. “I apologize. That was rude of me and I shouldn't have asked. I didn't even think about you not being single.”
Her eyebrows pull together and she shakes her head. “No, I am. It's not that–” She pauses and lets out a ragged breath. “I just don't think that it's a good idea.”
“Why not?”
She pulls her plump bottom lip between her teeth and bites down before releasing it. “It's complicated.” She blows out a breath. “You’re friends with my brother, Cole. And I have Chloe.”
My head cocks sideways. It’s an excuse and a bullshit reason. Hell, it’s not even a real explanation. Her brother isn’t here anymore, so I refuse to accept that as a complication. He’s been in Cheyenne since he left medical school and has his own life away from Silverspur.
The Chloe part—I can see how she might think of that as a complication, but really, it’s not. Not in my mind, at least.
She stares back at me as if she’s contemplating running in the opposite direction. I’m beginning to wonder if maybe I’ve overstepped.
“I'm sorry. Forget that I said anything.”
A conflicted look passes through her eyes. “Please don't apologize. I'm not in a place in my life to be dating or seeing anyone.”
Regret strikes my chest. Ella doesn’t say it, but I imagine she means because of her daughter.
“It's only dinner, Ella. Nothin’ more. I just want a chance to talk to you away from here.” I pause, letting out a soft breath. “We used to know each other, remember?”
