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“What were you chatting with Hank about?” Nate asked, not bothering to hide the unease in his voice. She liked that the cocky rancher wasn’t so cocky all of a sudden.

Pouring herself another glass of beer from a new full pitcher, she sat back in her seat and smiled. “I just got my first dance student.”

Chapter Eleven

It was impossible to lie about the green-eyed jealousy monster that whispered negative things in his ear as he saw Mieka chatting with Hank at the bar Friday night. And that monster was back to whispering when Nate went to find her Sunday so they could head to Denver and she was guiding the good-looking redheaded ranch hand with the neck tattoo around the indoor corral to the sound of ballroom music.

He knew he had no claim on Mieka. She was free to dance with whomever she wanted. She was free to do whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted.

But tell that to the green-eyed monster that wanted her all to himself.

He hung back in the doorway of the corral to watch her dance with Hank for a moment. The big ranch hand, and former army ranger, was clumsy as he danced, stepped on her toes at least ten times that Nate could count. He also kept apologizing for his sweaty hands, but Mieka just smiled, told him it was okay and to keep trying.

She was grace incarnate, and Hank was, well, Hank was trying.

When Hank attempted to spin her, but then stepped on her foot again, she was facing Nate, their eyes caught and she smiled which made him smile.

“Sorry,” Hank murmured.

“It’s okay, just try again,” she said patiently.

Nate wandered further into the corral, his hands in his pockets, watching Mieka patiently adjust Hank and start over again and again.

The music stopped, so did their dancing.

“All right, let’s end here for the day,” Mieka said to a long-faced Hank. “You did great for your first day.”

“I really do have two left feet,” Hank said glumly.

“We’ll get you sorted,” Mieka said, resting a reassuring hand on Hank’s broad shoulder. “Just practice the box step I showed you. We’ll meet here again in a few days, okay?”

Hank nodded, then snagged Nate’s eyes. A red heat bloomed in the big ranch hand’s cheeks and he dropped his head to almost a bow. “Nate.”

Nate’s mouth twitched. “Lookin’ good, Hank. We’ll be calling you Fred Astaire in no time.”

That comment only made Hank grow even redder in the face and Nate couldn’t stop himself from chuckling as the broad-shouldered man lumbered out of the corral.

Mieka swatted Nate’s shoulder. “Be nice.”

“I am nice,” he said, pretending to be offended. “I’m always nice.”

Her side-eye and lifted brow said she didn’t agree.

“Ready to go?” he asked. He’d hitched up one of the horse trailers to his now fixed truck—Larry was a miracle worker—and they were heading to Denver to pick up all the furniture and décor that Mieka had ordered.

Stepping out into the bright May sun, Nate and Mieka had to maneuver around all the families with young children who had come for the petting farm.

In just a matter of days, the petting farm would be open seven days a week and every day would be chaos like this. But it was a good source of money, so as much as it was annoying tripping over strangers and kids, Nate didn’t really mind it for the summer months where they made bank.

“Seems busier than yesterday,” Mieka said as they made their way over to his truck which was parked down the laneway and off to the side a bit. They had a designated parking spot for patrons, but that was already full and people were parallel parking on either side of the laneway. He was worried he might not be able to squeeze his truck or trailer through.

“Yeah, I agree.” They climbed into his truck and he started the engine. It purred like a well-fed cat and he said a silent thank you to Larry and his mechanical wizardry.

It took them forever to get down the laneway to the main road, since even though his truck and trailer fit between the rows of cars and trucks, it was tight. Then there were families walking aimlessly without a care in the world down the gravel driveway, having decided to park on the main road and walk.

Twice he had to stop the truck, put it in park and yell at people to get out of the field, that it wasn’t part of the petting farm.

Mieka was giggling the second time he climbed back into the truck and put the vehicle into drive.