Page 16 of Roping Her In

No, he had to keep her out, and as he layered his phone over hers to text Libby about Hailey’s login, he rebuilt the defensive barriers against Hailey higher and higher and higher. He would not fall for a pair of pretty blue eyes again, no matter how competent, and how beautiful, and how smart the woman was behind them.

He simply couldn’t afford to do that, as he had nowhere else to run when things went wrong.

“I can’t believe I have to work with that guy for the next eight weeks.” Hartford glared at Jake as if he’d personally chosen Patrick for the intern position at Three Rivers.

Leia grinned in a giddy sort of way that only seemed to annoy Hartford more.

Jake still had to read over all of the notes that had been entered for the horse exams that day, so he knew where to spend the vet team’s time and energy tomorrow. He couldn’t wait to escape back to his quiet cabin, where he had some of his mother’s leftover fried chicken waiting for him.

“Thankfully, it’s just a couple days a week,” Hartford said, and he folded his arms and glared at Leia. “Just you wait, sister. You’ll have to have him for the second half of the internship.”

“Thankfully, you’ll have him broken in by then,” Leia said.

Jake needed to wrap up this meeting. “All right, you guys. Thanks for your hard work today.” He met Leia’s eyes. “I’m glad Hailey will be an asset.” He looked at Hartford. “And I’ll see what I can do about Patrick. Maybe I can talk to the intern coordinator at the college, or even just take him aside and get him up to date on the culture here at the ranch.”

“I thought you already met with both interns,” Hartford said.

That familiar slip of guilt moved through Jake. “I did,” he said. “But I’m sure I could’ve done a better job, as I’ve never had interns before, and maybe it’ll just take another meeting with him.”

“Let’s hope so.” Hartford sighed and clapped his hands on his thighs. “All right, what are we going to do for dinner?” He grinned at Jake.

In that moment, he realized that he didn’t have a dark, quiet, solitary cabin to return to, as Hartford would be staying with him through the rest of birthing season.

Leia got to her feet. “Remember, I’m coming in late tomorrow morning. I have a doctor’s appointment, but I should be here by ten.”

“I remember,” Jake said.

“What’s Hailey’s schedule?” Leia asked as she opened the cupboard in the corner, which he reserved for his vet techs to put their coats, hats, bags, and other items they brought with them.

“Uh, she said she was going to text it to me,” Jake said. “I’ll let you guys know as soon as I do.”

“She’s the same as Patrick, right?” Leia asked. “So it’ll only be fifteen or twenty hours a week.”

“Fifteen, I think,” Jake said. “She’s got classes still.”

“Does she?” Hartford asked. “That’s funny. Patrick doesn’t have any.”

Jake stood too and started to shrug back into his leather jacket. He didn’t have to go far, but the sun had already set and even walking the length of the administration building, and then in front of two cabins to his could freeze a man.

“I think Patrick probably had to retake a few things,” Jake said dryly, and that caused both of his vet techs to laugh. He joined them, his heart feeling lighter. Everything had become easier once Hailey had left the ranch.

Since they hadn’t technically met to go over her schedule before today, he’d had no idea how long she’d stay. She’d come in at lunch with everyone else and sat in the staff room, where she’d used one of the microwaves to heat up a bowl of soup that had looked and smelled delicious.

Jake had only walked through to get his lunch out of the fridge, which he then ate by himself in his office with the door closed. He did that sometimes, so no one questioned him. But today’s reason was far different than any other Jake had used to isolate himself during meal time.

“I’ll see you there,” Jake said, suddenly deciding to take a couple of minutes alone in his office. “I want to make sure everything’s synced so I can go over the notes on my tablet.”

He wanted to text Hailey and tell her that he used technology just fine, though it had been eight years since he’d been in veterinary school.

As if dictation is so novel. He heard the harshness of his thoughts in his mind, and felt the bitterness as it ran through him. Once Hartford and Leia had left, he sagged into his desk chair and hung his head.

“Dear Lord,” he whispered. “Why am I so antagonistic toward her?”

Hailey had done nothing to warrant his icy behavior, other than be beautiful and smart and in his space. Sure, she’d been a little annoying in the beginning, but as Jake sat there in the quiet dimness of his office, the spirit whispered to his heart that he wasn’t angry with Hailey. He was angry at Chantelle, and furious with himself, and maybe harbored a little grudge against God too.

His emotions rose like the tide, flooding through him until they touched the back of his throat, choking him. He was definitely furious with himself for not seeing the warning signs with Chantelle.

And no, he still hadn’t forgiven her for dating him for two years, and whispering that she loved him, and then refusing his diamond ring.