and career-minded just as Elaine had been. His thoughts wanted to take him back twelve years, but he resisted as he always did. He had no intention of ever getting involved with a woman like that again. Since then, “serious” hadn’t been on his mind.
He knocked the snow from his boots before he went into the house. Once inside, it didn’t take him long. His mom always had the refrigerator stocked. After all, hungry ranch hands needed fuel. He scooped together sandwiches with thick bread and lots of meat and cheese, then slipped them into ziplock bags and put those into a grocery bag. He grabbed packets of mayonnaise and mustard from the refrigerator shelf. His mom kept plenty in there to put in lunch boxes for when they were out for the day fixing fence or other repairs. Next, he brewed coffee. When it was ready, he poured it into a large thermos, grabbed a tin of cookies, a few foam cups and paper dishes, then pushed everything into another grocery bag. Picking up both bags and the thermos, he headed out again.
In the barn once more, Eli spotted Hadley standing at Amber’s stall. The mare was back on her feet.
“She’s not ready,” Hadley said. “I think she’s trying to help herself.”
“You mean let gravity help her,” Eli amended.
Hadley looked at him then, her gaze locking to his.
He felt a jolt of elemental attraction that he attempted to dismiss.
“I told you I don’t have a lot of experience with horses,” she reminded him.
With difficulty, he transferred his focus to Amber again rather than Hadley and gave her an out if she wanted it. “I hate to tie you up here if it’s not necessary.”
“But you’re still worried.”
Apparently she could read him. He didn’t like that. Over the past dozen years, he’d dated...but never seriously. He tried not to let women read him. Still, he answered her truthfully. “I am worried. Not only about Amber. The snow’s getting deeper, and you might not be able to get out if you don’t go now.”
She laid her hand on his forearm. “I think taking care of a horse in labor is more important than my getting back to town.”
The sincerity in her voice rocked him almost as much as the feel of her hand on his arm.
They stood awkwardly for a few moments because they both knew what Hadley staying would entail. They’d be cooped up here together, almost perfect strangers who knew nothing about each other. She pulled her hand away from him.
They might be strangers, but he was becoming more curious about her.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go into the tack room and have some lunch. Dad had that area of the barn renovated so he could use it as an office as well as a tack room. He made sure it was safe for a gas-fed infrared heater. It’s not toasty, but it’s warmer than the barn.”
Hadley followed him to the tack room.
“Living in Montana, I’m sure you’ve been snowed in before.” They might as well get to know something about each other.
“I have,” she agreed with a nod. “If I’m at the clinic, I keep the animals company. I’ve always been able to entertain myself with a good book, and I carry one wherever I go.”
“Do you have one with you now?” he asked as he pulled a wood captain’s chair next to the desk chair.
“I have one in the SUV.”
Hadley was glancing around, and Eli tried to see the tack room area through her eyes. It was orderly with saddles on sawhorses and harnesses and bridles hanging on pegs on the wall. The concrete floor, absent of straw or any debris, made the space safe for the heater. The heater kept the room between fifty-five and sixty degrees when it was running. He kept his jacket hanging on a peg behind the door. If it came to it, Hadley could use his coat as well as her own. Eli’s gaze swept from the computer and flat-screen monitor on the scarred wood desk back to her.
She caught him watching her. “What?”
“I just wondered if you were cold.” He reached for the bag of sandwiches to give his hands something to do. For some reason, he was so tempted to push back the waves of her hair from her cheek. That was a crazy idea.
“I’m cold-weather friendly,” she told him with a smile. “Even though I spend most of my hours in the clinic with small animals, I do like to hike and cross-country ski.”
He arched his brows. “Good to know.”
A few minutes later he’d laid out everything he brought into the tack room and poured the coffee into the insulated cups. She looked at all of it a bit wide-eyed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Her cheeks reddened. “This is really thoughtful.”
He chuckled. “Making a few sandwiches and brewing coffee?”
“You brought chips and cookies, too.”
There was something in her voice that made him study her. “Why do you think that’s thoughtful? I need to eat as well as you.”
“Never mind,” she said, her cheeks growing a little redder.
He handed her a sandwich. “We could be here a while. We need stuff to talk about. Feel free to spill anything you want.”
Now she laughed. “It’s no deep, dark secret.”
Although those were the words that came from her very pretty lips, a shadow passed over her eyes. That shadow convinced Eli that maybe Hadley Strickland did have secrets. He waited.
“I’ve just come to expect men to think about themselves first.”
To lighten the mood, he grinned at her. “I did. I was hungry.”
She gave him a steady look. “Let’s just say I think your momma taught you well.”
That gave him pause. “She did,” he agreed. “Though with my brother Derek, I’m not sure he had his ears open.”
Hadley laughed. “He does have a reputation.”
“You’ve heard about it from Melba and Old Gene? Or maybe your sisters?”
“My sisters mostly. Not that we talk about men every time we get together.” There was amusement in her voice, and he wondered what they did talk about. Family? Their goals and dreams?
After taking a few bites of his sandwich and having a swallow of coffee, he asked, “How long are you staying in Rust Creek Falls?”
“I plan to stay until after Thanksgiving. My mom and dad will be joining the rest of the clan here.” When she said it, she wrinkled her nose slightly. When she did, he noticed freckles on her cheeks. She had such a beautiful natural look.
He cleared his throat and asked, “You’re not glad your mom and dad are coming?”
She looked thoughtful for a moment then shrugged. “Oh, I love spending time with Mom and Dad and the rest of my family. It’s
