Ranch Hideout. Sandra Robbins

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       THREE

      The morning sunshine felt warm on Liz’s skin as she pushed the wheelbarrow out of the stable and headed toward the compost pile. She’d gone only a few feet when a voice behind her startled her.

      “Good morning. I see you’re already hard at work.”

      Her body stiffened in shock as she halted and jerked her head around to stare at Gabriel Decker, who was walking toward her. The big smile on his face turned to a frown when he saw her reaction. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

      Liz took a deep breath to try to calm her racing heart and attempted a smile. “It’s okay,” she said. “I was preoccupied and didn’t hear you walk up.”

      His frown deepened, and he took a step closer. “Are you sure you’re all right? You looked terrified when you turned around.”

      She nodded. “I’m fine.”

      His gaze moved over her face, and she had the feeling that he was uncertain whether she had been honest with him or not. There was no way she was going to tell him that she was used to being terrified. She’d lived that way in a safe house under protective custody for months until the FBI told her they were sending her to stay with a former police officer and his family at the other end of the state. After all she’d been through, she wasn’t sure life would ever return to normal for her.

      As she stared at Gabriel, she was once again struck by how handsome the man was, and this morning he looked especially so. Today he wore faded jeans and a chocolate-colored T-shirt that brought out the rich color of his eyes. He still had that bit of stubble on his face that made him blend in easily with the mountain men she’d met since arriving at Little Pigeon. She reminded herself that no matter how good-looking he was and how friendly he seemed, she had to be careful. She knew nothing about him, and she couldn’t risk getting to know him.

      She turned back to the wheelbarrow and gripped the handles. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m mucking out the stalls, and I still have a lot of work to do.”

      “I’ll help if you’d like,” he said as she started to go.

      She stopped again and turned back to him, her eyebrows lifted. “You’re a paying guest, Mr. Decker. I don’t think Dean would want you to be cleaning out stalls. It’s hard work, and you’re on vacation.”

      He grinned and speared her with his dark gaze. “I’m used to hard work, Liz, and I’ve cleaned out my share of stalls in the past. I’d be glad to help.”

      She hesitated for a moment and studied him. He seemed like a nice man, and although she didn’t want to admit it, she had been lonely since she arrived. Dean and Gwen had been wonderful, but they had their own lives. She had tried not to interfere with that, which meant she’d kept to herself as much as possible. And really, what was the harm in letting him help? They were on the ranch property, with Dean and his employees all around. Even if Gabriel wasn’t someone she could trust, surely he wouldn’t be so blatant as to try to hurt her here.

      After a moment, she smiled. “All right, Mr. Decker, I’d be happy to have the help.”

      His grin widened, and his eyes twinkled. “Gabriel, please. I thought we were on a first-name basis after I came to your aid yesterday.”

      She swallowed at the memory of the gun pressed to her head. “I appreciate what you did, more than I can ever tell you. But I’m trying to put that behind me, so I’d rather not talk about it anymore.”

      His eyes grew soft, and he tilted his head to one side. “I understand that. I won’t bring it up again. Even though it wasn’t an ideal meeting, I hope it will only be the beginning of our friendship.”

      Liz’s face grew warm, and she looked down at her feet. “That sounds nice. I could use a friend. I haven’t made any outside Gwen and Dean since I’ve been here.”

      “Then consider me the first.”

      She bit down on her lip and turned to put her hands back on the wheelbarrow. “Just let me dump this load at the compost pile, and I’ll show you what needs to be done in the barn.”

      Before she could move, he was edging her out of the way so he could wrap his fingers around the wheelbarrow handles. “I’ll dump it. This looks like a heavy load.”

      Without waiting for her to respond, he pushed the wheelbarrow toward the compost pile and left her staring after him. She watched as he heaved the manure and stall shavings onto the rubbish heap and then walked back to her.

      “That wasn’t so bad.”

      She shook her head and laughed as she turned and headed back toward the barn. They’d taken only a few steps when Gabriel spoke again. “What’s that building over there?”

      Her gaze followed the direction he was pointing. “That’s an old bunkhouse. I’ve been told that Dean’s grandfather used it years ago when he had a lot of itinerant workers. It’s been deserted for years. Dean turned it into a workshop and a supply shed for medicinal supplies for the horses. He keeps it locked all the time, but he’s given me a key to it in case I need to get anything.”

      “I’d think he’d keep the medicines in the tack room where they’d be handy.”

      She shook her head. “No, the temperature can’t be regulated in the barn.”

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