Chapter Two
An hour later, Zoey and Rachel were sprawled out on the front porch with empty glasses and ice cream bowls that were nearly licked clean, when a sudden thumping music grabbed their attention. A cloud of red dust rose in the air down the road. That could only mean someone was coming down the driveway in their direction.
“Who’s that?” Zoey asked, deciding it didn’t really matter to her that much as long as she didn’t have to move. Rachel’s porch was absolutely perfect for relaxing on a late summer afternoon. It was wide with deep steps that suited Zoey’s wide ass to a T, and it had a slew of inviting rocking chairs, and flower baskets scattered all over it. Heaven on Earth was drinking sweet tea while having girl talk on the front porch.
“I have no idea. The guys have people out here all of the time to look at the horses though, and we have some yearlings that are ready to be sold. Could be a client.” Rachel shifted so her feet were on the floor instead of hanging over the arm of the rocking chair she sat in, but otherwise she didn’t move to go greet the visitor.
As a dark red pickup truck came into view, the sound of Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” thumped through the air. Zoey’s heart skipped a beat and her stomach tightened. That red truck was familiar.
When the vehicle finally came to a stop in the driveway about thirty yards from them, Zoey’s eyes met the drivers and she gasped. No way. It couldn’t be.
Tanner Keegan in all of his male glory stepped from the truck. His six foot tall muscular cowboy frame was encased in a pair of worn Wranglers and a faded black t-shirt that hugged his tight abs like a second skin. Atop his head sat a black cowboy hat that shaded his gorgeous amber colored eyes from her view. Her eyes ate him up as always, until he turned to face them and headed their way.
Damn. Did he catch her staring?
“Hey, ladies.”
“Tanner, this is a surprise. What are you doing so far from home?” Rachel asked calmly. Zoey’s eyes narrowed in on Rachel’s face and she wondered if this was a set-up of some sort.
No, her friend knew how she felt about Tanner. She wouldn’t do that. It had to be some sort of odd coincidence.
“Parker said you have some new foals, and we’ve been talking about coordinating our breeding programs. Ideally it will make us all money when we have stronger stock.” Zoey could feel Tanner’s gaze, but she kept her eyes half closed where she lay slumped on the porch steps trying to keep her breathing and heart rate calm. “Hey, Zoey. Long time no see.”
She had to swallow hard to avoid saying something snarky about their last face to face encounter. “Hi, Tanner, how are you?”
“Really good. Staying busy. I heard you graduated?”
He leaned against the post right next to her, so she was forced to look all the way up his sexy frame from a very bad angle. Trying to stop a blush from climbing her cheeks, she threw a glance at Rachel hoping her friend would help her. Instead, Rachel sat there looking like nothing was wrong. Completely relaxed.
Bitch.
“Yeah, just a couple of months ago. I’ll be working at the Stone River Junior High School.”
Juliet chose that moment to wake from her nap and let out a loud cry so Rachel had to jump up and excuse herself, leaving Zoey to face her dream guy all by herself. It was an awkward sort of nightmare.
Tanner cleared his throat when silence ensued. Zoey shifted on the step so she was sitting up a little more and facing to the side instead of directly at his crotch. The tension was thick, and she didn’t know what to do about it.
When Tanner shifted his stance once more, she sighed. There was no way to avoid someone who was two feet away. “So how is the ranch doing?”
His lip lifted in a half smile and she had the idea that he was pleased she broke first. “Good, but the drought hurt us. Last season’s stock didn’t fatten or strengthen the way they should have. That’s why the guys and I are discussing partnering up our horse breeding programs.”
“If the Triple T and Brooks Pastures are working together, it’s a guaranteed success,” she said, and she had to hold in a moan when his lips spread into a wider smile.
“Thank you for that vote of confidence. I think so too.”
“So how is your family? Do your parents like living in Arizona?”
Tanner’s parents had retired to Arizona a couple of summers before, turning the running of the ranch over to Tanner alone. Zoey knew Tanner was the oldest of the Keegan boys, and the only one who seemed interested in ranching. Dalton was a doctor working in some far off country helping the needy, and Clint had run off right out of high school to become an actor in California. All three of them were older than Zoey and Rachel. Clint was five years older making him thirty this year, and that would put Tanner at about thirty-three.
“Mom loves it, pops misses home. They are planning to come home for a visit at Christmas. The retirement community has been good for mama though. She spends her time with her friends keeping active.” Tanner moved to sit on the step next to her, and she felt goose bumps pop up on her arms.
“Hmm…yeah, I can’t imagine your dad slowing down.” Zoey shifted away just a little bit trying to put more distance between them. Tanner’s eyes narrowed just a bit but he didn’t comment.
“He really didn’t have a choice after the heart attack.”
She felt her mouth fall open, “Your dad had a heart attack? When?”
His jaw tightened and he grimaced, “Yeah, it was about six months before they decided to retire. It damaged his heart quite a bit, so Doc said he needed to slow it down and take it easy. Before that, it never seemed possible that pops was a mere mortal. Working sun up to sun down without a vacation or a rest…well, I guess we’re all only human, right?”
Zoey’s heart lurched in her chest, and she reached out her hand to cover his fist on his thigh before she could stop herself. “I’m sorry, Tanner. I can only imagine how hard it must be to see him growing older and weaker. At least he survived the heart attack and you have more time with him.”