Honeymoon with the Rancher / Nanny Next Door: Honeymoon with the Rancher / Nanny Next Door. Michelle Celmer
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She’d lain awake a long time thinking about it, and this morning she’d awakened tired but more determined than ever to pull her weight. To prove that she was up to any challenge he could throw at her.
But that was before she’d realized that the first chores of the morning were mucking out stalls and feeding the horses. Now Tomas had turned the stock out into a nearby pasture to graze while they shoveled manure. There was no other polite way to put it. She put another forkful in the barrow as Tomas strode up the corridor whistling. It was obscenely early to sound so cheerful. When she saw his boots stop beside her, she turned with a scoop of dirty straw and was deliberately careless so that a bit fell on his boots with a plop.
Then, calm as you please, she deposited the rest in the wheelbarrow.
“Thank you for your help this morning,” Tomas said, shaking off his foot, unconcerned. “You’re really getting into the swing of things now, aren’t you?”
The sun was barely up and Sophia was dying for a first cup of coffee, and the sooner they finished the sooner she could have it. But despite the unpalatable chore, the dew on the grass and the early morning birdsong somehow made everything rosier. “It’s not so bad.”
He took the pitchfork from her hand. “I’ll get rid of this. There’s fresh straw over there to put in the stalls.”
Sophia spent the next fifteen minutes putting down the layer of straw, all the while listening to Tomas’s cheerful whistling. After the hours she’d spent puzzling out what exactly their kiss had meant, Tomas was acting as if nothing had happened at all. She shook out the last of the straw and dusted off her hands.
“Are you ready for breakfast?” Tomas came back around the corner and Sophia straightened, bracing her lower back with both hands. There had been a communion to working with him this morning. A satisfaction of working together, much like that she’d felt yesterday as they’d painted the shed. Her stomach grumbled and Tomas smiled at her. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
She followed him back to the house as the sun peeked over the rolling hills, colouring the pampas with a fresh, warm glow. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the open space that was at once youthful and timeless. Each day started anew, with the flaws of yesterday behind it. As they reached the door she closed her eyes and let out a breath. Antoine, her mom, her friends—they would be appalled at the fact that she’d spent her first daylight hours cleaning a dirty horse barn. And yes, it had been an unusual experience. But not a bad one.
As she and Tomas pulled off their boots, Sophia realized she was perhaps made of more than she was given credit for. Perhaps she simply hadn’t tried because it had been safer that way. Secure. No risk, no loss.
“What’s so funny?” Tomas’s voice broke through her thoughts as he went to the sink to wash up. She joined him there, sharing the soap as they washed their hands beneath the running water.
“Two days ago when I arrived, I didn’t plan on shoveling … well, you know.”
“You did a fine job for a beginner.”
She dried her hands and gave him the towel. “Thank you, but now I want to know what’s to eat. All that fresh air has given me an appetite.” She would kill for bacon and eggs, the sort of breakfast that never passed her lips anymore. Perhaps it was the combination of hard work and fresh air. Perhaps it was knowing that she need not hold to the conventions of the past at Vista del Cielo. Either way, she was famished.
As if he read her mind, Tomas took eggs from the fridge. “I will fry some eggs and there is the bread from yesterday.”
Her mouth watered at the thought of a fried-egg sandwich. “That sounds perfect.”
They worked together to prepare the meal, and once they sat at the table Tomas asked, “How’s the hip?”
Sophia chewed and swallowed. It still pained, but she didn’t want it to keep her from whatever Tomas had planned for the day. Now that she had made a success of something, she wanted to build on the momentum. The sense of accomplishment was addictive. “It’s a little sore, but I’m no worse for the wear.”
“Since the chores are done, I thought you might like a trip into town. You can find some clothes there, perhaps some souvenirs to take back home with you.”
“What about the shed? We still have to put on another coat of paint.” But Tomas shook his head.
“I decided it can wait. We should be back later this afternoon and I can paint it then.”
“Are you sure?”
Tomas swiped his bread across his plate. “Yes, I’m sure. You helped this morning. It is your vacation after all. If Maria were here, she would take you on a day trip to town. In her absence, it’s my job.”
Sophia felt her excitement deflate. This was nothing more than Tomas living up to his responsibilities once again. Making up for yesterday, too, she supposed. It had nothing to do with actually wanting to spend time with her. It was his duty. His job.
Still, a day in town sounded fun. She didn’t want to spend her whole trip on the estancia. She wanted to see new things. And perhaps she could purchase some comfortable clothes. But first she’d have to have a shower to get rid of the barn smell.
“Just give me twenty minutes to clean up.”
Back in Canada, it would have taken her three times that long to be ready for a day out. Sophia smiled as she took her plate to the sink.
In Argentina, nothing was the same.
“Me, too,” Tomas replied. As Sophia went back to her room to gather fresh clothing, she told herself she would not think about Tomas’s dark, lean body beneath the shower spray.
Sophia’s feet were beginning to ache from all the walking, but it had been worth it. She wiped her lips with a paper napkin and then crumpled it, tossing it into a nearby garbage bin. They’d stopped at a sausage cart for lunch, grabbing a snack to tide them over before heading back to the estancia for the afternoon. The chorizo had been suitably spicy and the bread chewy and fresh. Beside her, Tomas gave a satisfied sigh and she smiled.
“That was delicious.”
“Not fancy, but one of my favourites.” He too wiped his mouth and disposed of the napkin.
The afternoon was hot and Sophia soaked in the heat, enjoying the feel of it on her skin. Tomas had proven a better tour guide than she’d expected. They’d spent the morning visiting the Gaucho Museum and browsing the silver shops, admiring the craftsmanship. She’d bought two casual outfits and a pair of silver earrings for her mother as a gift. Meanwhile, Tomas had taken her to a local bodega where he’d picked up several bottles of Malbec, claiming it was Maria’s particular favourite. Once they’d stowed their packages in the estancia’s SUV, he’d suggested a quick lunch of grilled sausage wrapped in a bun. It had been perfect. They had munched while walking along the river. Now, with the shops closing for the afternoon, they ambled along the pathway.
A group of boys were playing soccer ahead, their shouts a happy sound in the peaceful quiet. “This is such a lovely town,” Sophia said. “Honestly, Tomas, the more I see you here the more I understand. I’m a city girl, where things are vibrant and rush, rush, rush. But here, it’s …” She broke off, confused. “It’s hard to explain.”
But Tomas nodded. “That’s what staying at the Vista del Cielo is all about, remember? Maybe sometimes I take the quiet and slower pace for granted.”
He paused and faced her, taking her hands in his. “Sophia …”
He stopped and his jaw tightened. His fingers clasped hers tightly as she looked up into his face, falling under the spell of his dark gaze as her heart began to pound. Did he possibly know how attractive he was, how magnetic? They didn’t even have to be close to one another for her to feel the pull. It had been there yesterday, too, even as they’d shouted at each other.
But now, as