She flinched at the reminder but cleared her expression before turning to face him again with a mug in hand. Jeremy was a mistake she would deal with on her own. “I don’t want to talk about…” The front door opened, and heat infused Tamara’s face as Amy walked in, her stepmother’s eyes widening in surprise upon seeing Connor before a beaming smile brightened her face.
“Good morning,” she greeted them, not bothering to hide how pleased she was. But when Jason stepped in behind her, it was Connor’s turn to look uncomfortable.
After flicking a quick glance towards Tamara, her foreman gave Connor a piercing stare. Following a moment of tense silence, Jason said, “It looks like we weren’t the only ones stepping out last night, Amy.”
Connor raised a brow and slid the pan of eggs off the burner. “There’s enough for all three of you. I have to get going.” He cut his eyes to Tamara. “I’ll call you later. Amy, Jason, I hope you’ll both be at our barbeque next weekend.”
Amy jabbed an elbow into Jason’s side, and he relaxed his scowl. “We’ll be there, Connor. It’s been too long since we’ve all gathered for a fun afternoon.”
Tamara had forgotten about the barbeque and now was looking forward to attending even more. “I… uh, I’ll walk out with you, Con.” She started to follow him back to her room where he’d left his clothes, but he held up a hand and then gave her hair a playful tug. “No need, little one. Eat your breakfast.”
“Okay, thanks. Talk to you later.” She wished he’d kiss her goodbye but knew he wouldn’t with the other two hovering. Getting down plates, she waited until Connor had dressed and she heard him leave before turning to Jason as they sat down at the table. “What gives with the ‘daddy glare’?” It was one thing to have the man her father trusted with running the ranch keep an eye out for her as they worked together but quite another to have him go parental on her.
“Sorry.” He sighed with a rueful look. “All I could think was what would your father say and acted accordingly.”
Amy laughed, reaching over to squeeze Tamara’s arm. “We’re both fine with Connor and you, just surprised by his sudden change of heart and don’t want to see you hurt.”
Tamara scooped out the eggs that looked perfect, shaking her head in bemusement over everything that had transpired since she’d arrived home last night from the club. “No more surprised than I was when he showed up here last night.” She smiled at Jason. “Thanks for caring, but I’m a big girl. If there’s one guy I can handle, it’s Connor.” At least she hoped that was true. She didn’t know what she would do if he decided this change in their relationship wouldn’t work and he wanted to go back to ‘just friends’ status.
Jason nodded, scooping a forkful of scrambled eggs. “As long as he treats you right. The reason I came in was to let you know we checked on the horses since they were so restless last night and found a raccoon inside Lady’s stall. I can’t figure out how the critter got in there, but it spooked her some. I put her in the corral to settle down, but you might check on her.”
“I never heard them, I’m sorry.” She couldn’t believe she’d slept through the ruckus and blushed when Amy and Jason smirked. Wanting payback, she taunted, “I’m surprised you did.”
Amy grunted. “We’re not as young as you. And Jason’s cabin is closer to the stable.”
Scraping her plate clean, Tamara carried it to the sink, replying, “I’m headed out there now to start on the stalls. I’ll check on her. Poor thing. I’ve noticed she gets jittery around smaller animals.”
Jason rose and followed her over with his empty dish. “I have a few interviews this morning for Neil’s job. I’ll let you know if one looks promising enough to hire. I plan to be more selective this time.” He sent Amy a wink before strolling out with a wave.
“Okay, give,” Amy insisted as soon as he left.
“Me?” Tamara rinsed the plates, cocking her head toward her stepmother. “What about you? Last I heard, you were taking it slow.”
Amy shrugged. “What can I say? He wore me down, as, I assume, you did Connor.”
“Not so much as wore him down as his brother pointing out the obvious to him, whatever that happened to be. He didn’t say a lot, and I was too happy with his change of heart to question him much.”
Amy joined her at the counter and started loading the dishwasher. “What’s wrong? I can tell by that look on your face something’s bothering you.”
“I don’t know.” Tamara sighed, wishing she was as sure of Connor’s feelings as she was of her own. “I’m afraid to get my hopes up too soon. He can be stubborn about his protectiveness toward me.”
“Well, there are worse traits in a guy.”
She thought of Jeremy and admitted that was true. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll see you around lunchtime, after I help with chores and take Galahad out.”
“I’ll be in town all morning, so I’ll pick up something to go at the diner,” Amy offered, closing the dishwasher and drying her hands.
“Fried chicken for me. Thanks.”
Even though Tamara knew Jason would have checked the stable to see where the raccoon might have gotten in, she couldn’t help taking a look around herself. Like him, she couldn’t locate where the raccoon might have slipped inside once the doors had been shut, but they were wily creatures and could work their way through the tightest gaps. If it happened again, she’d ask Jason to set a trap and then haul the animal far enough away it wouldn’t return.
She’d known Lady was a timid mare when she bought her at auction, but she’d been so sweet and in need of a good home after months of neglect by a previous owner, Tamara couldn’t resist buying her. As she mucked out the stalls, it bothered her that she hadn’t heard the mare’s nervous movements and sounds. She’d been so physically drained after Connor finished with her, she doubted an earthquake would have woken her. As exciting as that was for someone who’d never gotten past mediocre in her sexual encounters, seeing to her horse’s needs was her responsibility, and one she’d always taken seriously.
Mark, the hand who had been working for the Barton’s for over ten years, showed up to help her tackle the eight stalls and by th
e time they finished, she was more than ready for a breath of fresh air and an invigorating ride. “Thanks for the help, Mark. I hope this didn’t put you behind on anything else.”
“No, all’s fine around here, more so now those damn rustlers have been caught. Did you hear the authorities picked up the other three yesterday?”