Going Home

Chapter Two

Nate swiped his hat from his head as he dropped his forehead into his hand. He had received that letter, but he had chosen to throw it away instead, thinking it was from his father.

His father was dead now.

"How?" he choked out before clearing his throat and asking again. "How did it happen?"

"Drank himself to death... just like you said he would that day you pulled outta here." Sal shook his head. "He never was one for changin'."

Nate nodded as he let out a deep breath. "What about the house?"

Sal shook his head again. "Lost it all two months before he died. He was staying with me when he took his last breath. Stubborn old fool, wouldn't let me take him to the hospital."

A bell clanged behind the kitchen counter and Sal turned to fetch the hot plates of food that were ready to be served. "Excuse me, Son," he called over his shoulder as he took the plates and delivered them.

The last plate went to Emily and Sal stayed and talked to her a moment. When he straightened, he motioned for Nate to join them, only now Nate wished that Sal had waited. He didn't feel like talking to anyone right now, least of all a pretty woman.  She's married, you fool, he muttered to himself as he sauntered over to them.

"This here is my favorite boy around these parts," Sal began as he threw his arm around Nate's broad shoulders. "Emily Conrad, this is Nathaniel Hill."

She smiled meekly as he held out his hand and shook hers. "Pleased to meet you," she said.

But Nate was stunned into silence. If he thought she was pretty from a distance, she was all that and much more up close. Confused cornflower blue eyes framed with long dark lashes, soft glowing peach skin slightly sunburned by working outside no doubt, full lips, and short blond hair that reminded him of a field of wheat on a hot sunny day. She was, in a word, perfect.

"Pleasure's all mine." She seemed to blush under his warm gaze and it only made it all the warmer. She is a wonder indeed, he thought, too bad I'm not lookin' to get myself attached.

"Nate here is lookin' for work. I was thinkin' that you could probably use a hand out at the ranch for a little while, just until things cool down for you all," Sal explained.

Emily looked from Sal to Nate. "Well there's really not a lot to do—" she began but Sal cut her off.

"Weren't you just tellin' me the other day that you needed the fence mended so them horses of yours wouldn't be gettin' loose all the time. And then you said somethin' about that stable of yours...needs a new roof and then what about—"

Emily raised a hand with a sharp glance at Sal. "Alright, alright, so I could use a little help," she admitted as she eyed Nate again. "Why don't you take a seat, Mr. Hill, and we'll discuss the possibility of employment."

Sal nodded curtly, and, seeing that his job was done, pivoted on his heel and headed to the kitchen to get Nate's plate of food.

Nate sat down, stretching his long legs sheathed in black jeans under the table. He rested his arms on the top of the booth and eyed her beneath his navy-blue baseball cap.

Emily swallowed and tried to calm her racing heart. Never had a man seemed to swallow up so much space to her before. But this man seemed to take up the whole of the restaurant when he sat down. And his eyes were set on her and only her.

She cleared her throat as tried to gather her wits about her. "Well, I don't have a lot of work, just about a week's worth...maybe two, but I could use your help if you're up for it."