CountryCore Series: The Ranch Hand (WLW)

Chapter Seventeen

This chapter contains brief violence and may trigger some readers.

Chris had only been gone for a little over a couple of hours and she was already feeling so achingly acute, she continuously shifted in her seat as she drove. Everything was going so well and while there was a tiny voice in the back of her head that told her to watch out for the future, she ignored it and pressed on.

One of her biggest worries was Aubrey. She still didn't trust that woman. Not only had she gotten attached to Hayley in an alarmingly rapid amount of time, but she followed her around everywhere. She wouldn't have equated it to a love sick puppy act either because it definitely was not that. The look Aubrey had in her eyes with which she watched Hayley was anything but loving. Chris felt a chill run up her spine at the thought that something bad may happen while she was gone, but then images of the Gloucestershire Old Spot boar she was on her way to inspect popped into her mind. Those images collapsed and crashed against images of Hayley being put in a detrimental situation and Chris was left over with nothing aside from frightful confusion.

Something just wasn't right. She looked at the time on her radio as old country music played from it and read it had been two and a half hours since she left. Maybe the feelings would dissipate once she was further away. It could all just have been from her missing Hayley and also missing what didn't get to happen between them last night.

Yes, that had to be what it was.

She turned up the radio and kept her eyes forward as the rain came down from above. That rain would wash away those fleeting worries. Everything would be just fine.

* * *

The rain halted all production again due to how hard its downpour and winds were, but this time it had started coming down while they were working. After hearing Lee call for her to head inside for the time being, Hayley scrambled to grab Hairy's toys and got beside him as he began to slowly trot his way toward the barn door. Before she made it inside, however, a hand came to rest on her back and the rain above her stopped.

She looked up and was met by Aubrey smiling down at her. Something about her had screamed her to attention the last time they spoke, which was that very morning, and she'd avoided her since. Well, that and Chris were the reasons. By the look of anguish that littered her face, Hayley assumed she'd picked up on this.

Oh, no... Hayley had listened to her ridiculous instincts that tended to betray her yet again and this was the result. Aubrey had been nothing but cordial toward her and she didn't deserve it with how she was acting today. She must have had her own story and was hurting just the same as when Hayley first arrived. Aubrey was still finding her footing on the ranch and herself by the looks of it, and Hayley felt what she was doing was only causing her more pain.

It hadn't been just because of that moment she felt such war within herself at seeing Aubrey, but also when she'd heard Chris' words from the evening before.

While they sat and both worked at layering the pie they made for Luisa, Chris asked her to stay away from Aubrey while she was gone. She didn't fully explain exactly why, but by the way she looked when explaining that Aubrey gave her the chills, Hayley had agreed.

That must have been why. Hayley rationalized. The only reason I was so attentive was because of what Chris said. Aubrey isn't bad and...maybe I can get to know her a bit more so that Chris can relax. Maybe that will help. Chris would probably be upset and disappointed she didn't keep to her word, but when Hayley went to her and told her how good of a person Aubrey was, that would probably clear everything up.

"Well, I was hoping I could ask you for a walk this evening but," Aubrey said as she pointed to the sky. "Looks like the weather has other plans."

"I wouldn't say so. I mean..." Hayley thought for a moment as they stepped into the barn and started leading Hairy to his indoor pin. "I love walks in the rain as long as I have an umbrella and there's no thunder."