Free Sunset at Keyhole Canyon: A Mustang Ridge Novella by Jesse Hayworth

momentum going. Instead, after a brief pause, she said, “I think Friday would be nice.”
    “I think tonight would be better. Tomorrow. Monday at the latest.”
    The low, intense statement made her feel better, confirming that she wasn’t the only one dreading the lonely week ahead. “Yes, it would . . . but I want us to have the week to shake off our vacations.”
    He exhaled, but then nodded slowly. “Then Friday it is. I’ll pick you up after work.” He paused. “Can I call you in the meantime?”
    “I hope you will.”
    “Good. That’s . . . good.”
    “Hey, Nina?” Traci popped her head around the corner of the bus, looking sheepish. “Sorry to interrupt, but breakfast is over, the bus is loaded, and Junior is about ready to go. You coming?”
    “I’m . . .” She tightened her grip on Ben, but nodded. “Yes, I’ll be right there.”
    As Traci disappeared, Nina made herself let go of Ben and take a big step back despite the ragged pressure in her chest.
You’re fine without him
, she reminded herself, surprised that a big part of her needed to hear that, be reminded of it. But she was starting to think that while she might be fine without him, she was much, much better with him.
    “So . . .” She forced a smile. “I guess I’ll see you.”
    “You will.” It was low, fervent. He pulled her in for a hard, possessive kiss. “You better get moving.”
    “I know. I’m going.” But she went up on her tiptoes and kissed him again. Then she let go with a last, lingering squeeze, and made herself walk away. At the corner of the bus, she stopped for a last look back, and found him still standing where she had left him.
    He lifted a hand, but didn’t say anything. She waved back, trying not to let it feel like good-bye.
    Traci had saved her seat on the bus, and gave her a one-armed hug of sympathy as she sat. “You okay?”
    “I’m . . . Yeah, I’m good.” She was a little surprised to find that it was true, even as she pressed her face against the glass to watch Ben. He stood beside his SUV, arms folded, watching the bus. His eyes were trained on her, even though she knew he couldn’t see through the tint.
    It hurt to leave him, but they needed to take this home, see if it would work when they had more demands on their time, more complicated decisions than whether to ride out or go fly-fishing.
    Engine revving, the bus got underway, taking a wide circle around the parking area. Nina watched Ben until she couldn’t see him anymore, until they rolled through the iron archway that marked the edge of the homestead and spelled out “Mustang Ridge” in welded horseshoes.
    As the gates disappeared into the distance, her phone vibrated, startling her, as she hadn’t gotten reception most of the week. Hadn’t missed it. She thought about ignoring it, imagining the messages that had piled up while she was gone. But on a suspicion, she checked the cell.
    Sure enough, there were a bunch of messages, but the last one was the one she wanted. It was a text from Ben. It said:
I’ll see you Friday after work. I promise
.

Chapter Ten
    By Friday afternoon, Ben was strung tight with anticipation. He wanted to see Nina, wanted to be with her, touch her, talk to her, and prove to her that things between them were solid, that what had happened between them at the ranch wasn’t just a vacation fling—it was the real thing.
    “You okay, man?”
    Startled by the question, he swung around in the wide hospital corridor to where Dean Mills, his friend and lucky-dog coworker with the great family, had stopped to stare back at him. “I’m fine. Why?”
    “You were whistling.”
    Ben laughed. “I was? What song?”
    “Sounded a little like
Home on the Range
. You still in vacation head?”
    “Try weekend head.” Ben stretched his arms wide. “I’m off shift in an hour, not back on until first thing Monday.” Which meant sixty-some glorious hours free to spend with Nina.
    Dean’s eyebrows