Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗

keep your opinions to yourself.” She didn’t want to talk about this with him. It was her personal life. She was his boss. He was a ranch hand. They’d all been through a lot what with the fire, then the snowstorm, but now she had to get serious and run her ranch. Guys like Lank only complicated things. After this morning, it was more than she could handle.

“I guess that’s right, Miss Jameson. No one asked me.”

“I’ve got to get cleaned up. And I’m sure you’ve got work to do.”

“Sure thing, boss lady. Whatever you say.”

She glared at him for a moment, trying to decide if she should yell and scream, or just ignore him. He met her gaze, his eyes cool and steady, which annoyed her even more. She spun on her heels and walked to the house.

What a day. And Lank just added the cherry on top. She had a lot of thinking to do about her plans for the LoveJoy Riding School. She asked for a sign. She got a sign all right, but was it a sign from God or the Devil himself? She had no idea how to know the difference.

Chapter Twenty

A bright flame-burst lit up the barn, and then an air compressor clicking on filled the quiet. Nathan Olsen looked like a Star Wars stormtrooper in his white welder’s helmet as he operated the acetylene torch. The shop was peaceful, and he worked surrounded by darkness except for the task light hanging directly overhead. He liked welding late at night or early morning before dawn when he was less likely to be bothered. He had automatically assumed the job of ranch welder after his grandfather passed, but not before he learned everything he could from the old man. Building gates, repairing cattle guards destroyed by distracted drivers, and anything else that needed repair. Today he took a bold step to make something a little different. Probably inspired by the day with Carli at the art gallery. After lying awake for several nights thinking about the design, he woke up this morning eager to give it a try but didn’t make it to the shop until after dark this evening.

Carli stayed on his mind as well. He gave her credit for leaving a life in Georgia to move to the Texas ranch she had inherited from a grandfather she never knew. He wanted to know more about her, yet he felt her holding back. Maybe something happened in Georgia? Maybe it had to do with her being raised by guardians and never knowing her family? She was a mysterious puzzle, that’s for sure, but he wasn’t giving up hope. He was drawn to her, more than he’d ever been before to anyone else.

As he bent over his work in deep concentration, he didn’t know anyone was in the shop until he felt a hand on his back. Nathan flipped the welding hood up and turned to look over his shoulder.

Skip Olsen raised his voice over the equipment sounds. “Whatcha up to, Son?”

“Making a copper rose for Mom’s birthday. She loves roses. Take a look. I’m almost done.”

“When did you learn to do that?” He glanced at the piece for a split second.

Now’s your chance. Say something. Tell him. Nathan’s heart thudded in his chest, but before he could open his mouth, his dad began listing chores. “We’re gettin’ a load of mineral block delivered tomorrow. Could you meet the truck with the skid loader and stack them in the hay barn? Haul a couple of round bales out to the big pen for the horses. The vet’s coming, around ten, to take a look at a couple of the broodmares, just routine. Then I have a bunch of paychecks you can hand out to the boys. And make sure your brother drags that arena next to the barn. It’s muddier than a pig pen.”

Nathan’s shoulders dropped in defeat. “Maybe Angie could do it? I’d like to finish this up for Mother.” The minute the words left his mouth, he knew he should have kept it shut. His father’s face took on a brighter shade of red and his expression grew hard.

“I gave you time off in the middle of the week to eat lunch in town. And then you were gone all day long last weekend, but you never said where.” His booming voice echoed in the concrete shop building and drowned out the welder. “I think I’ve been more than generous. No more lollygagging. This ranch doesn't run itself.”

Nathan turned the welder off. “Yes, sir,” he said quietly. Then Nathan looked to his dad and asked, “Where you gonna be?” It was a risky question, but once again it slipped from his mouth before he thought to not speak.

“I’ve got a Honey Do list to tackle with your Mom in town. Need groceries and I don’t know what else. I think she invited half the county to celebrate her birthday and Mother’s Day. And of course, her greatest joy is cooking a big meal. You should invite Carli.”

“Sure, Dad. Hey listen, I’d like to talk to you about something.”

Ignoring Nathan’s comment, he kept talking. “Oh! Almost forgot. Can you get someone to follow you and drop my truck off to Lamar’s? Needs an oil change and tires rotated. Sometimes they can deliver it back to us. Or you could wait for it. We’ll take Mom’s car to town.”

With a heavy sigh, Nathan replied, “Sure, Dad.” There was no way he could get through all that in one day. The other Olsen kids went about their business, while the entire operation fell on his shoulders. He’d gone so many years without saying anything, it was next to impossible to argue now. His breath came raggedly in frustration and anger, but he choked down his words and remained silent.

Before he flipped his face mask down again, he focused on the copper rose. The thin sheets of metal were bending exactly like he had pictured, slowly