Rhett's Make-Believe Marriage by Liz Isaacson

Author:Liz Isaacson [Isaacson, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AEJ Creative Works
Published: 2019-09-03T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Rhett let Evelyn lead them out of the pasture, as she’d been out to this ranch before, and he had not. In fact, he hadn’t seen much of Three Rivers at all, and he was beginning to realize what a mistake that had been. The town had charm, that was for sure, and everyone who lived here seemed to take care of each other.

Just like Evelyn and her sisters had helped Rhett and his brothers after the tornado. Like he was helping Callie now. He may not be a born and bred cowboy like Jeremiah, but even Rhett could see when a ranch was in trouble. And the Shining Star was a few hay fields away from ruin.

When Rhett had asked Callie why she didn’t hire help, she’d said they couldn’t afford it. She’d still tried to pay him yesterday, but he’d steadfastly refused.

“You can’t work for free,” she’d said.

“Yes, I can,” he said. “I don’t have much of a job anymore, and you need the help.”

“Don’t tell Evelyn,” she’d said, and Rhett had agreed.

He wanted to tell her, but his heart wouldn’t let him. She’d signed a few new clients since they’d been married, and he was grateful for that. He’d bought the house on Quail Creek Road, and he hadn’t told her that either. It felt like the secrets between them were piling up, and they’d only been married for a couple of weeks.

Out under the clear blue sky and the heavy heat of a near-summer day in Texas, Rhett finally felt like he’d found somewhere he could just be himself. A sigh slipped out of his mouth, drawing Evelyn’s attention.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” she asked.

“I can’t believe you can just come here and do this.”

“Well, it’s not free for everyone,” she said. “But if you’re a veteran or have a special need, Courage Reins does have a grant that pays for equine therapy.”

“It’s amazing,” Rhett said. “I saw some horses in there kicking balls and stuff.”

“Yeah,” she said. “That’s why these two aren’t in the program yet. They have to have the right temperament and abilities to work with people who need the calmest of the calm.” She smiled at him, and Rhett thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

“I have a confession,” he said.

Evelyn watched him. “How many minutes does this conversation get?”

“I only need one,” he said with a chuckle. “But I want you to think about it for oh, I don’t know. Thirty seconds before you react.”

“Wow, thirty seconds. That’s a long time if you think about it.”

“I’ll count for you.” He looked away, the waving prairie grasses so beautiful when he’d never found them all that awesome on his own ranch. He’d never felt quite at home at Seven Sons, though he knew God had directed him there.

But Three Rivers Ranch really did possess a wonder and spirit all its own. “I bought the house,” he said. “I didn’t just rent it. I bought it.”

“Rhett.”

“Thirty seconds.” He cut a look at her, though he’d seen her reaction with his excellent peripheral vision.

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