Danica Favorite - The Cowboy's Faith

Still, it bothered him to think that some of his most treasured dreams would never come true.

“Don’t get any ideas,” Nicole said, coming up behind him. “Even if you manage to befriend the rest of my family, you and I are never going to be friends.”

“That’s kind of harsh, don’t you think?” Shane stepped forward. “I know you’re mad at Fernando for keeping things secret from you, but maybe you should give him the chance to explain, to see things from his side.”

Leah put her arm around Shane’s waist. “Exactly. I don’t think it was right for Fernando to not tell you about Adriana’s affair with Brandon, but having seen him with Snookie, and how hard he’s trying to do the right thing here, I have to believe that there’s more to the story. Give him a chance.”

Instead of Leah’s words being encouraging to Nicole, they only seemed to make Nicole’s face scrunch up, like she was trying not to tell Leah exactly what she thought of her sisterly advice. But then, just as quickly as the anger filled her face, the fake smile returned.

“I’m letting him train my horse, aren’t I? As for why, I don’t care. I just want to get my horse trained, and then both Fernando and I can move on with our lives. Separately.”

Fine by him. It wasn’t like he and Nicole had a future together. And the more she reminded him of it, the less tempted he was to wish his life were different.

“Whatever you want,” Fernando said. “I’m only trying to help. I’d leave now, except that I want to work with Snookie. Can we call a temporary truce for her sake?”

Crazy to think that a horse would be the thing they could find common ground on.

“Fine.” Nicole turned and glared at Leah. “But don’t think this means anything.”

Leah was obviously happy with Shane, and from what he knew of Leah losing her first husband, Fernando was glad to see her get a second chance at love. Hopefully, Leah’s example would show Nicole that not all men were like Brandon, and that she, too, could find happiness.

Except, instead of that thought making Fernando feel good for Nicole, it made his heart hurt a little bit at the thought of her with anyone else. Crazy, since he couldn’t have her for himself. He wanted her to be happy. And he prayed for the man who could do it.

Shane cleared his throat. “There’s also the small item of payment. While you said you were happy to do it for free, it wouldn’t be right for us to not pay you.”

Not this again. They’d already argued about it in the kitchen, and Fernando thought it was the end of things. But obviously, Shane had another plan. Which, by the expression on Nicole’s and her sisters’ faces, was exactly where this conversation was going.

“I agree,” Erin said. “We’ve budgeted for horse training.”

Then Erin sighed. “Probably not what you’re used to getting, but...”

“I’m not used to being paid for working with horses,” Fernando said. “I do construction for a living.”

Nicole gave him a funny look. “That’s right, you do. Why are you going to Salida? Isn’t that where your creepy uncle lives? Adriana once told me that you wouldn’t work for him for a million dollars.”

That was when he had a good job and he thought they valued him, despite his record.

“I got laid off,” he said quietly, grateful they’d at least done that for him. The uncomfortable silence made him wish he hadn’t said anything, but he didn’t want to lie, either.

Finally, Shane said, “Training Snookie isn’t going to be a full-time job for you. Since you’re in construction, maybe you could help with some of the things around here. I’ve been doing what I can, but with my own ranch, I can’t do as much as I’d like.”

“Yes,” Leah added. “We also have money in the budget to pay for some of the repairs, but getting anyone to come out here is really tough.”

He studied Nicole’s face, trying to gauge her reaction. She already didn’t want him here.

“It would keep him out of my hair,” she said.

There were worse answers, he supposed.

“And we still haven’t gotten that chicken coop fixed,” Erin added. “It’s too smelly to breathe in there.”

Nicole giggled. “So basically, give him all the stuff we don’t want to do?”

If she thought cleaning up a bunch of chicken manure was going to scare him away, she obviously hadn’t heard enough stories about his uncle from Adriana. The only stories Adriana probably hadn’t told Nicole were the ones about him. His entire family was ashamed of his time in prison, and all they ever told anyone about his seven-year absence was that he was off finding himself.

He had found himself. In a lot of unexpected ways. It just hadn’t been the youthful lark everyone made it sound like. He might have been young and stupid, but at eighteen, he’d been legally an adult and paid adult consequences.

“I’d be happy to,” Fernando said. “I can tell this place needs some improvements, and I’m familiar with the work. It won’t be a problem. Just give me a list, and I’ll take care of it.”

They discussed his wage, and while it was more than reasonable, Fernando couldn’t help wishing they’d found a way to disagree. But he couldn’t, in all fairness, ask for more, which would have been the only way they wouldn’t have come to an agreement.

Shane looked over at Fernando. “Why don’t you come with me? Leah and I were talking about the apartment over the barn. I stayed there when I first came to Columbine Springs years ago, and it hasn’t been used since. We were going to fix it up as guest quarters.”

He looked apologetic, but then shrugged. “It needs some work, but it’s habitable.”

Fernando nodded at the man’s thoughtfulness, but he looked over at Nicole to see how she felt about the idea. Her face was expressionless, which was a good sign, considering the hostility she’d once had toward him.

“Thanks. I was going to go look for a hotel or something. But if it’s not too much of an imposition, that would be great.”

Shane chuckled. “There isn’t much in Columbine Springs. We had some city folks try to establish a B&B, but they didn’t last long. There was an old hotel, but it’s been closed now for at least ten years.”

He liked Shane. He hoped they could be friends, but just as he had the idea, he dismissed it as being stupid. He didn’t want to establish ties here if it would cause Nicole more pain. Yes, she had to deal with her grief. But he knew he was walking a fine line, and he wasn’t going to insert himself into her life any further than was healthy for her.

Or for him.

It wasn’t just Adriana’s actions he didn’t understand but Brandon’s. Despite her obvious faults, his sister had been a great person, but in a way, Nicole was even better. She represented everything he wanted in a woman. She was smart, funny, kind to children and animals, and she had a zest for living that had always inspired him. How could Brandon have treated her so badly?

Maybe that’s why he’d been trying so hard to help Nicole. He’d always admired her, and seeing how bitter she’d become bothered him.

No, he didn’t think he stood a chance at her heart. No woman should be stuck with a guy like him. As an ex-con, he couldn’t give any woman the kind of life she deserved. Especially someone as wonderful as Nicole.

Or at least as Nicole had been.

Was that woman still inside?

As Shane led him out to the barn, Snookie neighed, reminding him of the other reason he was here.

Snookie was where he had to stay focused. He could help the horse. Nicole—that was something he had to leave alone.

Nicole went into the small apartment above the barn, carrying some linens Leah had asked her to bring over for Fernando. After everything that had been said earlier, she didn’t really want to talk to him, but her sisters had made it clear she had to stop running from the pain. She still wasn’t sure what to say to him.