“Why do you want that pasture?”
“It’s good summer feed.”
His eyes bulge. “You would graze it instead of getting a crop out of it?”
“I’d bale the first and second cutting, then put my pairs on there.”
He visibly relaxes at that, and I don’t know if I’m quite ready to have him be comfortable with me.
“Although,” I say, “I could move my pairs directly there after they lamb, and then I wouldn’t have to worry about moving them until weaning time …”
“Stop. You’re going to make me cry.” He presses a hand against his chest and contorts his face as though the tears are going to come.
I didn’t know the man could be so dramatic.
“Dad’s keeping back his heifers this year … and we don’t have enough ground for my ewes and his heifers. I need somewhere I can lamb them out next spring.”
Zane nods. “I understand that. But I store my big bales in those straw barns. I get several cuttings from those fields.”
I shrug as if to say,Not my problem. I’m really getting the hang of this aloof thing; it’s rather fun. “Maybe you should ask someone else to marry you. Preferably somebody you’ve dated. That seems like a better idea.”
I’ve known Zane for years. He’s hardly given me a second glance. Why would he think I’d be a good choice for this?
Zane scowls at me. “I thought this was a great idea. I thought you liked me at least. Aren’t we friends?”
“Friends? How so?” I want him to define what we are. Because even I’m not sure what our relationship could be defined as.
We live in the same small town. We see each other often. We even help each other out when there’s a big project, like marking calves or lambs, but the whole town does that. That doesn’t constitute a friendship. We don’t talk to each other about our personal lives. Zane doesn’t know about the men my mom is constantly trying to set me up with. I didn’t text him about the price I got for my lambs last fall. He doesn’t know I like to shop for vacations I don’t have time to take.
Now, Max is my friend. I could sit down at lunch with him and tell him an entire life update without missing a beat. I’ve told him about the men my mom has tried to set me up with. He even knows about the unfortunate crush I have on Zane. Even Max’s wife, Charlie, who’s new here in town, is more my friendthan Zane. I could pick up the phone and call her right now and tell her about this ridiculous proposal, and we could talk about it for hours.
But sit across from Zane and tell him juicy life details or my current crushes? I could never.
First, because heisthat crush. Second, because I don’t feel comfortable around him. Usually, I get tongue-tied. I’m not sure what’s going on today. I guess I’m deeply annoyed that he has finally proposed marriage, and it’s just a game to him. He’s never even asked me out on a date.
A look of hurt flashes across Zane’s face. It’s quick—but it’s there. “I thought we were friends…”
And now I feel bad for hurting his feelings. I sigh. “We are.”Just not close friends, I say in my head.
He smiles then, his blue eyes sparkling when he does. “Oh, good. You had me worried for a minute.”
“How long would this marriage last?” I ask out loud.
Because why on earth would he need to get married to me? Zane is ridiculously good-looking. He could meet a stranger, date them for a couple of weeks, and convince them to marry him. He doesn’t need me, even if I am the only available female who lives in town. He could charm one of the many tourists into staying.
“We can talk about that later if you want.” He shrugs. It’s a vague answer if I ever heard one. “Dad is convinced that I need to get married to take over the ranch. He says he couldn’t have done it without Mom. And I believe him on that. He and my mom are really, really happy. And I think that’s why he wants that for me. But the last time I tried to get married … that didn’t turn out well.”
At last, he’s finally referencing the reason he won’t ever be interested in an actual wife.
A little over a year ago, Zane’s fiancée left him at the altar. The entire town of Pine Ridge, plus the bride’s family and friends, watched as he stood there, staring and waiting for his bride to walk down the aisle. She never came.
The worst part was that he sat in that church for two hours after all the guests left. My mom had sent me back to pick up her purse, and I found him still sitting on the steps in the sanctuary, head in his hands.
Later, word spread that someone had witnessed her driving out of town with the man who was her ‘maid of honor.’ Rumors flew around that she had ditched Zane for the other man, though I don’t know if that’s the case.
Yep, safe to say Zane is not a fan of marriage.
And, yes, while Idofeel bad for Zane, it doesn’t mean I’m going to marry him. I have been crushing on him for the last year, and he has not seemed to look at me the same way. I’ve been putting distance between us as much as I can, because it had become apparent he wasn’t falling for me, the way I was for him.
