Second Chance Rancher

She ran straight into Dane Scott as he was coming up the steps of the church. “Whoa.”

His hands steadied her.

She blinked back tears. She didn’t cry. She wouldn’t cry. Instead she brushed off his hands and kept walking. If she had any sense left at all she would get in her truck and head back to Austin and a job that would keep her mind busy.

She stopped midway to her truck, bending at the waist, taking deep breaths to ease the tension in her lungs. A hand on her back rubbed slow circles. She shook her head but he wouldn’t leave. Why wouldn’t he leave?

“Take slow breaths.” His voice rumbled close to her ear.

“Go away,” she rasped out, trying but not quite managing to sound like herself.

He laughed. “That’s the Lucy we all know and love.”

“Take a hike, Scott.”

“Right. As soon as I make sure you’re not going to pass out on the church steps.”

She stiffened beneath his touch. “I don’t pass out.”

“Of course you don’t.”

“Neighbors don’t get in a person’s business. You are getting in my business.” She still couldn’t look at him.

“Yeah, I guess that must mean we’re friends. Everyone needs friends.” He stood close, his shoulder against hers. She’d felt chilled but his nearness brought a warmth. Someone recently had told her everyone needed human touch. Of course she’d debated the fact.

“I have friends,” she argued. She nearly thanked him for the disagreement. Anything to take her mind off the panic that had edged in.

“Look, if it makes you happy, I’m not thrilled with the idea of friendship. Really. You’re not pleasant. You rarely stick around. Not exactly the best qualities in a friend. But here we are.”

“You obviously can’t take a hint.”

“Rarely,” he said in a teasing voice that made her smile. Not a full smile, though. She wouldn’t give him that.

Instead she moved away from his hand that was all too comforting. “I have to go.”

“Of course you do.”

She faced him, noticing the teasing glint in his too-blue eyes.

“I think I’ve proven that I’m not quite ready to go in there. And seriously, Dane Scott, if this gets out, I’m coming after you.”

“You mean if people find out you’re human?” He winked. “We wouldn’t want the whole world to know that, would we?”

“No, we wouldn’t. I’ve worked hard at...” What had she meant to say? And why was she saying anything to him? Because he was easy to talk to, she remembered. She’d made that discovery at sixteen, telling him everything she’d never planned on telling anyone. “I’ve worked hard at letting go and moving on.”

The teasing glint faded from his eyes and was replaced with something softer, warmer. “Sometimes facing our fears makes us stronger.”

She wanted to hurt him. Really, was he going to be tender? Like she was his young daughter waking up from a bad dream?

She didn’t want tenderness. Or sympathy. She backed away from him. “Fine, I’ll go back inside. But I don’t need you there to hold my hand.”

He held up both hands. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Friend.”

“Neighbor,” she mumbled as she walked away.

* * *

Dane followed Lucy inside the church. He shouldn’t have. He should have gotten back to work. He was planning on replacing light fixtures in the dorms that had been created in the old Sunday school rooms. Instead he walked behind her, ignoring the tense set of her shoulders and the fact that she didn’t want him along for this journey.

He couldn’t stop himself, though. Even with her quills up, Lucy had an easy way about her. She had a sense of humor, an easy smile, and she was kind. They were parts of her personality she didn’t seem comfortable with. He shouldn’t be comfortable with them, either, because those parts drew him to her, and that was the last thing he needed.

“Stop thinking about me.” She shot the comment over her shoulder as she walked through the kitchen. “I’m not a project. I don’t need to be fixed. Go do whatever good deed you were going to do here today, Dane.”

He stepped next to her as she stood, surveying the homey kitchen Pastor Matthews and his wife, Amy, had created in this church. “I’m replacing light fixtures and repairing some sockets. You’re not on my ‘to do’ list.”

“Thank goodness for that,” she said as she kept walking. “The kitchen is nice.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I’m glad this church is being used this way. Definitely not what my father would have wanted.”

“It’s a good ministry and they are having some success helping women to get out of abusive situations. They also try to find counseling for the husbands.”

“There are always going to be women who won’t walk away from the abuse.”

“That’s true,” he stated.

“Life doesn’t come with guarantees. Or maybe there is one. We all have our baggage. You included.” She shot him a look.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Me included.”

“Issy’s mom?”

“She left when Issy was a year old. Fortunately my daughter won’t remember her mother walking out on us.”

“No, she won’t. But you will.” She stopped and faced him. “She has you, Dane. That’s more than a lot of kids have.”

“Yeah, she has me.” But that hadn’t been the plan. He’d considered himself a part of a couple. Only to learn he wasn’t, and now he was a single dad.

He led her to the nursery that also served as a makeshift day care. There were two little girls playing with blocks as one of the older church members, Mrs. Gilly, watched over them.

“Their moms either have jobs or are out finding jobs, if they can,” Dane explained to Lucy as she glanced around the brightly painted room. “Ladies from church volunteer to watch their children.”

She watched the children play, tossed a quick nod to Mrs. Gilly, then she left. Dane followed her into the hall and didn’t ask if she was okay. He already knew the answer and knew she wouldn’t want to admit out loud that she felt as if she was coming apart on the inside.

He led her down the hall to the living area. It was empty other than a big gray cat sprawled on the window seat. She approached the long-haired feline and, with her gaze focused on a distant hill, she ran a hand down the animal’s back.

“I should go now. Maria will wonder if I’ve left the county.” She glanced back at him. “With good reason. Since I’ve done it before. And since our mother does it on a regular basis.”