268. The End
Early May 2008
“I guess this is good-bye then ain’t it?” She was standing a few feet away from the truck and empty trailer with the New Mexico plates, a few feet away from him. Laine was certain that if she took a single step closer she’d not be able to stop herself from closing that gap completely and would wind up making a scene.
Anrai was leaving. He and one of his staff from Seven Corners were going to be making the drive back to New Mexico and that was that. His work here with Jagger was done. The trailer was empty because they’d decided that the gelding would be staying at Flint Creek after all. Anrai said it was where the beast wanted to be. Laine wasn’t going to argue with either of them.
Drew was already in the cab, behind the wheel and pretending that he wasn’t hanging on every word exchanged between the two horse trainers. He’d been in Montana a handful of days and he could tell there was something a slight bit more than business between the man he’d known for years and the woman who ran this pretty little piece of land.
Anrai rubbed at the back of his neck as he studied her, dark eyes drinking in every last detail that was Laine Anderson. “Call me if you have any issues with him.”
“I will. You’ll let me know that you got where you’re goin’ okay?” If this were just the end of a business relationship, why would she be asking such things? “Ya’ll drive safe.”
She raised a hand in farewell, watched Anrai get into the truck and pull the door closed. Laine even took a few more steps back as they pulled out of her gravel drive, she didn’t want to be hit with any small rocks the heavy vehicle kicked up. The rancher watched them leave, her jaw clenched and her hands up, one still waving, the other shielding her eyes from the early morning sun. She didn’t want to turn away until they were out of sight.
After everything that happened here, Laine was certain she’d never see him again. He came here to work with a problem horse and ended up having some of his most guarded secrets stolen from him by a nosy, controlling woman who couldn’t stand to be told what to do on her own Ranch. He’d been yelled at and insulted by her and though she apologized and made amends as best she knew how, Laine wasn’t sure it made up for anything. Then there was the mess with Colt, her brother’s murder--dear, sweet Jesus. No, if Anrai MacEibhir were a smart man, he wouldn’t want to come back here, he’d want to put her and Flint Creek well out of his mind.
If she were a smart woman, she’d do well to put him out of her mind too. Forget about the man with the handsome and youthful face, the man who could turn himself into the prettiest damned stallion she’d ever seen, the man who finally showed her just what it was like to make love so passionate that she still felt weak-kneed just thinking about it. Him. She wasn’t going to forget Anrai.
She wasn’t that smart.