said. “Your clothes are still there. You can find freshly laundered underwear in the top drawer of my dresser.”
“Thank you.” Ariana gave Emma a weak smile. “I’m so sorry about the boot.”
Emma’s brow twisted. “What happened to the boot?”
“It’s at the bottom of the pond.”
Emma shook her head. “I’m just glad you two weren’t hurt too badly.” She pushed the hair off Dillon’s forehead. “I’ll get you an icepack for that lump. Do you need to see a doctor for a possible concussion?”
He shook his head. “I’m fine. I just want a steak and a beer.”
“Go,” his sister said. “Get your shower in the master bathroom. I’ll take Ariana up.”
“You going to be all right?” Dillon asked Ariana.
Heat filled her cheeks at his concern. “I’ll be fine.”
“Then I’ll see you in a few. You might want to tell Emma how you like your steak. She’ll let Ace know.”
“Medium,” Ariana said as she slipped out of the remaining waterlogged boot.
“Noted,” Emma replied with a grin.
Dillon headed for the master bedroom to shower, leaving Ariana with Emma.
Emma turned to Ariana. “Did you get hit when the boat flipped?”
“No,” Ariana said. “But I’m afraid Leslie was right. BODS is jacked up. I couldn’t possibly be the right match for your brother.” She trudged up the stairs to Emma’s bedroom.
“Why do you say that?” Emma asked, going to the dresser and pulling out clean undergarments. “You two seem to be getting on pretty well, considering you fell into the pond.”
“That’s just it. I’m not cut out for life in the outdoors. Dillon is a natural. I made our little fishing trip an utter disaster.” Ariana’s shoulders sank. “It was my fault the boat flipped and hit Dillon in the head.” She reached for Emma’s hands. “He could have died.”
“He said you saved his life, Ariana,” Emma squeezed her hands. “He doesn’t seem to be in a rush to get you home. Stick around and see where it goes.”
“I like him,” Ariana said. “I just don’t think I could get into a relationship that’s doomed from the start. We aren’t suited for each other. He needs more of a granola girl.”
Emma laughed. “A granola girl?”
“You know, one who eats healthy food, lives, breathes and speaks outdoors. I didn’t even know how to put a worm on a hook.”
“But you did it today, didn’t you?” Emma asked. “Or did my brother do it for you?”
Ariana smiled. “I actually did.”
Emma’s face brightened. “See? There’s hope. And maybe, next time you fish, you can fish from the shore instead of the boat. Speaking of the boat, is it still out there upside down?”
Ariana grimaced. “Yes.”
“My brothers will retrieve it tomorrow. They’ll love the chance to play in the pond.” Emma grinned. “If Coop stays the night, we might all go in the pond to retrieve the boat tomorrow. So, you see, it’s not such a disaster.”
“I almost caught a fish,” Ariana said with a smile.
“It’s too bad you didn’t get to bring it home to show it off.” Emma walked to the door. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Ariana. You’re new to ranches and the great outdoors. Give it a chance. You might learn to love it as much as we do.”
Ariana gave her friend a tentative smile. “Thank you, Emma. For believing in me.”
“I wouldn’t encourage you, if I didn’t think you were right for my brother. But I’ve known you for a couple years now, and I know you have a good heart and aren’t afraid to try new things. You wouldn’t have built a terrific Zen studio otherwise. I also know my brother. He wouldn’t have brought you home, if he hadn’t seen something special in you. He’s never brought home one of his other women.”
Her eyes widening, Ariana asked, “Were there many other women?”
Emma grinned. “When he was younger, the ladies would follow him everywhere, except out here to the ranch. They didn’t have the code to the electric gate, or they might have camped out in the yard, just for a chance to see Dillon. Lately, he’s been working too hard. He needs to learn how to balance work life with relaxation. I hope you can help him with that.”
“I’d love to have him attend one of my yoga classes,” Ariana said wistfully.
“Ask him,” Emma said. “He’d tell me to go to hell. With you…he’ll probably say yes.”
Ariana stepped across the hallway with her stack of clothes.
When she’d climbed out of the pond beside Dillon, she’d been sure it was the end