As usual, he hurried around to open the truck door for her. She stepped down, and he blocked her path, holding his arms out wide. “We’re still friends. So how about a friendly hug?”
She looked up to his eyes and they shared a smile. “Of course, we are, silly. We’ll always be friends.” She walked into his strong arms, warm and solid. Part of her was annoyed she hadn’t let him kiss her, but another part just couldn’t be that trusting. She wasn’t ready for anything serious yet.
Abruptly, she heard Lank’s voice and twisted loose from Nathan’s tight hug.
“If you two are done foolin’ around, I need to see you, boss lady. We have a problem in the barn.”
Glaring at him, Carli bitingly said, “We’re not fooling around!”
“Looks like it to me.”
“You’d best be careful what you say, Lank. Don’t be disrespectful.” Nathan puffed up his chest and stepped closer to Lank.
“What’s it to you, man?”
Nathan moved in a step closer. They were nose to nose. “Don’t be a jerk, Torres.”
Carli knew she needed to step in before things got out of hand.
“Just a minute, you two. Lank, I’ll see you in the barn. Nate, thank you for a nice day. Now both of you get back to your own business. That’s enough.”
“Yes, ma’am, boss lady. Whatever you say, boss lady.” Contempt shadowed Lank’s voice. He saluted and grumbled as he walked away. But not without first staring daggers into Nathan’s hide. Nathan glared back.
“I thought you two were friends.”
“Used to love him like a brother. Not anymore,” came the curt reply as Nathan climbed into his truck. “I’ll talk to you later, Carli.”
“Sounds good. And thanks again, Nate. I had fun today.” She set her tote down on the front porch and then spun on her heels to follow Lank to the barn. She gave a quick wave to Nathan as he drove away. She couldn’t help but smile to herself. It had been a fun date. She glanced up to see Lank watching her with a deep scowl on his face. Her smile faded. He turned his back to her and kept walking towards the corral.
“Are you two a thing now?” Lank flung the question over his shoulder, his voice hard and mocking.
“Is it any of your business?” Carli wasn’t going to let him annoy her. She finally found a friend she could go places with, if she could keep him at bay about the kissing for a while longer, and she wasn’t going to let some smart-aleck cowpuncher ruin her mood. She glared at his back, broad shoulders, and lean muscles defined through his pearl-snap shirt. Despite the late afternoon chill, he wore no jacket.
“Looked like you have something going on is all. Seems like the Olsen family has welcomed you with open arms.” He shrugged his shoulders as he opened the corral fence and stepped aside for her to go through the gate. She stumbled and her shoulder glazed his outstretched arm. She ignored the churning that grew in her belly.
“What’s the problem?” Carli stopped in the middle of the pen and placed her hands on her hips. She looked around and saw nothing out of place. Returning from her date with Nathan who was all inspired, she had planned to work on the genealogy research tonight. But instead, she was standing in the middle of a horse pen.
With one fluid motion Lank skirted past her and then was up and over the pipe rail fence. “This is the problem.” He stood next to her horse. “Beau has been acting strange. Almost colicky. I thought you should know.”
“I’ll see if he wants some grain.”
“I already fed your horse, while you were out partying with your boyfriend. He didn't eat much at all.”
She faced him and jammed a finger in his chest. “For your information, we were at an art gallery event and then we went to eat. We’re friends. Not that it’s any of your concern.”
“Appears you’re settling into your new life in Texas just fine. Good for you. And that hug was way more than friendly.” He glared at her and she glared back.
How this guy had the power to irritate her was beyond reason. Carli decided he was annoyed at something, but she couldn’t figure out what. Maybe even past the point of being a mild annoyance, as anger glinted in his eyes. She turned her back on him and walked to the tack room.
“I told you, I’ve already fed him this evening.” Lank stayed close on her heels.
“I have some extra supplements. And maybe a little mineral oil.” She stomped to the saddle house and flipped on the light switch. The outside light slowly faded as the setting sun disappeared from the horizon.
“When’s the last time you rode Beau, by the way?” Lank was like her shadow, too close.
“I plan to start riding him again tomorrow. What is wrong with you?” She turned to face Lank, staring directly at his face. In the beam cast from the one dim bulb, a darkness of a beard lined his square jaw making her heart flutter. His eyes still shined mean.
It was a long moment before he said, “If you’re not happy with my work, just say so.”
“I have never, ever said anything about your work.”
He looked at her with defiant eyes, his jaw clenched. “If you keep coming behind me and doing my job over, then I guess I’m not up to your standards.”
“What are you talking about?” Carli felt drained. She had no idea why Lank was confronting her on something that obviously had nothing to do with what he was saying.
“Me doing your work and then you doing it again.” He grabbed a broom and began sweeping.
“Can you be still for just a minute?”
