way she does.”
“Intimidated by me? That’s crazy.”
“It’s not. You’re the first woman to come around the ranch that has the guts to challenge her.” He poked at the eggs with a spatula. “She sees you as a threat.”
“That’s not at all how I want to be seen.” Josie caught Seth’s gaze. “How do you see me?”
“As an independent woman who has been led to believe she has to do it all on her own.”
Josie didn’t know if she liked that assessment. The truth in it tugged at her chest.
Seth scraped the fluffy, yellow eggs from the pan and divided out two portions onto plates. He took the salt and pepper shakers from the counter and shook them over the meal, then balanced both dishes in one hand while he rummaged through the cutlery drawer for two forks. “Want to eat this on the porch with me?”
“I’d like that.”
Josie followed Seth out to the old rockers and took her seat. He left her with their breakfasts while he went back into the house to fetch a carafe of orange juice and a handful of napkins. Mornings on the ranch were peaceful. Cows mooed softly in the distance, a rooster’s crow interjecting every few minutes like clockwork. She could hear the wind rustling the leaves arching over the tree-lined driveway, making a swishing, scratchy sound. The same wind played with the strands of hair framing her face, tickling her cheeks.
“Here you go.” Seth stepped back onto the porch and poured a generous glass of juice, then passed it off to Josie. “Are you good with just the eggs? Or should I make some toast, too? I’m not a big breakfast eater, but I’m happy to make some if you are.”
“The eggs are just fine.” She brought a forkful to her mouth and took a bite. They were great. Not too overdone where the edges were dry and lacy, but not too runny, either. “Thank you, Seth.”
He smiled. “Planning to work with the horses today?”
“I am.” Josie took another bite. “I’d love to have them all haltered by the end of the day, but that might be pushing it. We’ll see what I’m able to get done before my appointment.”
“For your arm?” Seth pushed his foot off the porch to rock his chair.
“Yep. Getting it checked out again. I still have a couple more weeks before the cast can come off.” She rolled her arm so the underside faced up. She was more than ready to get this cumbersome, clunky thing off of her.
“Still don’t want to talk about how you broke it?”
She drew in a prolonged breath that lifted her shoulders and kept them up under her ears. “It was just a really bad accident. One that shouldn’t’ve happened.”
“That’s why they call them accidents,” Seth said. His mouth tipped up a little in the corner, like he wasn’t sure if it was okay to smile but still wanted to try.
“Sure.” She held her juice glass out from her lips. “Fair enough.”
“If it was an accident, you really shouldn’t blame yourself for it.”
She appreciated Seth’s attempt to empathize, but it didn’t make her feel any less unworthy of it. “That’s where you’re wrong.” She tipped her glass to him and tried to temper the anxiety that swelled each time she thought back on that awful night. “I might not be the one who caused the accident, but I shoulder the same amount of blame.”
“I’m not following.” Seth’s eyes searched hers for some sort of revelation. “But it’s truly none of my business, anyway. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“You’re right,” she confirmed with a brisk nod. “It’s not. But I do think I’d actually like to talk about it.” Her voice found its conviction. “If you’re willing to listen.”
“Absolutely, Josie.” Seth’s foot planted and his chair stopped its repetitive swaying. “Always.”
This would take a heavy dose of humility, but Josie was ready for it. It was long overdue and something in her soul begged for release. She took a fortifying breath.
“So there’s this guy in town named Brian. We went to school growing up but were really just acquaintances. He got engaged last year to his high school sweetheart, and shortly after their engagement, she was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.”
“That’s awful.” Seth’s expression disintegrated into a pained frown. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“She passed recently and he took it pretty badly. They’d spent all their savings on her treatments so he was really down