Page 17 of Roping Her In

She didn’t believe in marriage. Fundamentally. And Jake wanted nothing more than a wife to build his life around. That fact streamed through him strongly now, though he’d put it on the back burner since returning to Three Rivers and taking over the full-time veterinary position here at the ranch.

He’d needed time for his heart to heal, and as he sat there and looked at the three framed photos of a bygone era here at the ranch, Jake finally felt like he was ready to try again.

So he’d been impulsive with Hailey and kissed her when he shouldn’t have. He should’ve started with a dinner invitation, and holding her hand, and praying with everything he had that she could feel the same fizzling chemistry between them that he did.

“She does,” he whispered, because he had a very good memory, and the woman had kissed him back just as hungrily as he’d kissed her.

Jake sighed because he’d gone round and round this thought process before, and he always ended up in the same place.

Hailey was his intern, plain and simple.

That only left God for Jake to be angry with, and as he sat there, he realized that he absolutely was. The Lord could have prevented Jake from ever meeting Chantelle Bagley, and He certainly could have prompted Jake to talk to her about her feelings on marriage way before he’d been down on one knee.

He certainly could have assigned someone else to Three Rivers for the internship, and Jake wouldn’t be dealing with Hailey Winters at all. The Lord could have helped him meet her at the grocery store, or coming out of the IFA. Or literally anywhere else, and everything would be different.

“Why does it have to be like this?” he whispered, and he switched his gaze up toward the ceiling as if that alone would indicate to the Lord that he was praying and really wanted an answer. Jake didn’t get one sitting there in his office, and he wondered if he ever would.

He sighed and refreshed his tablet, seeing the new notes populate in the app. Leia’s always came through in purple, while Hartford had chosen blue.

Jake typed back in red, orange, or green, depending on his instructions, and he didn’t have to scroll more than one box to see that Hailey had chosen pink.

“Of course,” he said, but it wasn’t with the same disdain he would’ve used had she been standing in front of him. No, this came out more appreciative, and it told him a little bit about her as well.

He really needed to know her schedule, and well, she’d said she’d text it to him. She hadn’t done so yet, though she’d left the ranch a couple of hours ago. Jake had the woman’s number, and he leaned back in his chair as he started typing.

He hadn’t complimented her one time that day, unable to bring himself to do so lest any of his strongholds be weakened.

But now he typed, Thank you for a great day of work today. I know the first day anywhere is always hard, and Leia, Hartford, and I all thought you did a great job. I know you’ve got a lot going on, but if you could send me your schedule when you get a chance, I’d appreciate it. It’ll help me know how to plan for when you’re here.

He read over the message and fixed one typo before sending it.

“She should like that,” he muttered to himself, because while he didn’t know Hailey super well, he knew she liked a plan. He did too, because there were only so many hours in the day, and literally hundreds of animals under his care.

He was just about to stand when his phone chimed. He returned his attention to it and found a message from Hailey there.

His pulse bumped in a pleasant way as he read. Sorry about that. My momma wanted a full report of my first day.

He smiled, because that tracked for a Texan momma. I hope it was a good report, he sent back.

I have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Amarillo, so it would be great if I could do my internship hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’m thinking eight to one. Then I can eat lunch in my car on the way to my job.

Jake frowned. You have a job?

Yes, sirree Bob, she said. Some of us have bills to pay.

Hey, I have bills to pay. He turned his frown upside down. And yes sirree Bob?

You also have a job, and no one’s acting like you shouldn’t.

Jake supposed he had come off a bit judgmental. Where do you work?

Feline Friends, she said. Lila Mae lets me set whatever hours work for me, and I can take an afternoon shift there.

So you’re going to do fifteen hours here, and twenty at Feline Friends, and be in Amarillo twice a week.

That’s right, she said.

Jake had so many thoughts, from Sounds like you won’t have time for dinner, or Good thing you don’t have a boyfriend, or you wouldn’t be able to spend any time with him, or, Could you make time to start a new relationship with your surly internship advisor?