Rugged Cowboy - Elana Johnson Page 0,96

seriously. That way, maybe the men she dated would take her more seriously.

“Slate,” she called, though she hadn’t expressly told herself to speak. The faux cowboy turned toward her, his face a stoic mask until he recognized her. Then he lit up, and Jill wondered if that meant something.

It doesn’t, she told herself.

He’d been extremely kind to her a couple of weeks ago, and Jill had not forgotten it. She’d been a complete mess, about to launch herself into the ocean waves and tell God to take her instead of her mother. Slate had been there, and he’d calmed her enough to get her into his truck. He’d spoken to her like her feelings and actions were normal, that she wasn’t the only one who felt the way she did, and that she didn’t need to apologize for the emotions raging through her.

Haven had scolded Jill about “falling apart” in front of their mother, and to “have more faith” to see them all through this crisis.

Jill wasn’t even sure what that meant. All she knew was that she’d had plenty of faith about a lot of things in her life, and God did what He wanted to do anyway. What was the point of pouring her heart out to Him? Why should she kneel beside the bed and beg, plead, and cry, only to do it again the next night? And then the next. And the next.

She felt abandoned, and that morning at the beach had been the worst bout of abandonment of all.

Then Slate Sanders had been here, and while Jill had met him once and seen him around the ranch a couple of times, she didn’t know him.

“Hey,” he said easily, coming toward her though he remained on the deck. His smile was hitched in place too. Jill wondered if he’d looked in the mirror and memorized how it should feel on his face the way she had. “You ladies heading out for the wedding?”

“Yeah.” Jill indicated the car. “Do you need a ride?”

“Nah,” he said. “I’m waiting for Luke and Ted. We’re going together.”

Jill frowned, a conversation from last night’s dinner tickling her memory. “You sure? Ted said he was going with Nate, I thought.”

Slate frowned and looked toward the back door. “I guess I better find out.”

“Do you want us to wait?” She knew the rules with the men who came to Hope Eternal Ranch in the Residential Reentry Program. Slate wasn’t in that program; his sentence was complete. But Luke was, and that meant that he couldn’t leave the ranch by himself. He had to be with a ranch employee, and Jill wondered if Slate counted.

He just likes to drive by the beach. Nate’s words moved through her head. He’d been worried about Slate the past few weeks—worried that he’d get in his truck, start driving, and never come back.

“Maybe,” Slate said. “Give me a minute, okay?” He strode away, and Jill could admit she liked the breadth of his shoulders in that suit coat. Wow, she thought. Tall, trim, tan Slate Sanders. A month ago, had she seen him like this, she’d have sidled up to him at the wedding and tried to get to know him better.

Now, her heart resisted what would come so naturally to her.

Jill loved people, and she’d always enjoyed talking to them, getting to know them, and spending time with them. She was no good alone, and she was usually the last one to go to bed, as she stayed up with whoever was willing to sit with her so she didn’t have to be alone.

“Jill,” Michelle said. “We don’t want to be late.”

“I’m not sure Slate and Luke have a ride,” she said. “He said he needed a minute.” She looked back to the deck, but Slate had gone inside the Annex, and he hadn’t returned yet. “You guys can go. I can drive them in a ranch truck.”

“Are you sure?” Hannah asked, getting out of the back seat. She looked at Michelle and then back to Jill.

“Yeah, sure,” Jill said easily, and her pulse started an increased rhythm.

“They won’t start without Luke and Slate,” Hannah reasoned. “They’re two of Dallas’s best friends.”

“We can wait,” Michelle said. “Because she has a point.”

“You can ride in the front,” Jill said to Hannah.

“I’m fine.” Their eyes met, and Jill had never had to spell out much for Hannah. She must’ve been able to say she had some sort of insane crush on Slate, because Hannah just nodded. “I do need