Dandelions on the Road (22 page)

Eva enjoyed watching their reactions. Both looked proud of their status.

“Today we’re going to put you to work to earn your keep here at Leida Lands.” Kate sported a mischievous grin. “We have a number of chores that need to be done and none of them are glamorous. Who wants the first job?”

Steve stepped forward and raised his hand without hesitation. “Me.”

Kate nodded. “Our farm hand, Bob, will show you how to muck stalls. You can take the west half of the barn while he does the east, sound good?”

Steve made a face. “I wouldn’t say good…” He put his hand back down by his side.

“Eva, I’d like your help grooming a few horses and you can check up on the men.”

“I’d like that,” Eva agreed.

“That leaves Cane.” Kate stroked her chin. “Hmm, what to have dear Cane do…” Kate paused and let Cane stew for a moment. “We like to keep fresh hay along the fence for the horses. We often use a tractor, but it broke down the other day so all we have is a wheelbarrow.” She pointed to a red wagon nearby. “Move that hay and spread it out along the fence.”

The hay stood several feet taller than Cane.

Steve leaned over. “Trade you?” he asked conspiratorially.

“I’m not sure.” Cane shook his head. “It’s hard to tell which will be more challenging.”

“I’ll take that as a no.” Steve threw his hands in the air. “Your loss. I wanted to muck anyway. Muck, muck, muck, at least it’s fun to say.”

Eva giggled as Steve followed Bob into the barn. Kate handed Cane a pitchfork and Eva noticed his shirt strain over his back as he stabbed the pitchfork into the stack of hay.

“Come on, the horses are just over here.” Kate jogged over to several mares waiting nearby, their coats dusty from the morning. She handed Eva a brush. “Just run it down their coats like this and be firm. They like it.”

Eva slowly brushed the horse, running her hand down its coat after the brush and speaking in soothing tones.

“Down to two, huh?” Kate asked over the side of her horse.

Eva paused and glanced at the barn, wondering how Steve fared inside. “Yeah and they’re both incredible men.”

“Seems like it. So…how do you know they’re as good as it gets?”

“What do you mean?” Eva stopped her methodical motion.

Kate moved to the other side of the horse. “There are a lot of other guys out there. What makes you so sure one of those two will make you happy for the long haul?”

Eva’s mind did a double take. “I guess I like to think they came on the show for a reason. Something led them here and for one of them, meeting me was what they were meant to do.”

Kate nodded. “Ah yes, fate sure can be fickle. Take my marriage, for example. I ended up in the wrong place at the right time when it came to meeting Chad. Did you know I actually ran to Las Vegas with hardly a dime to my name to stop Brian from getting married?”

Eva had heard the rumors. Brian’s high school sweetheart appeared and he got swept up in the moment and ran off to Vegas to marry her, only to realize she wasn’t the right one once they joined hands.

“I interrupted the wrong wedding,” Kate continued, “but I ended up being in exactly the right place. I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t stormed into that chapel.” She shuddered. “I’m so glad I did. Best mistake I ever made.”

“I know we haven’t known each other very long,” Eva said, “but I’ve been isolated since this show started. If you see something in either of the guys you think makes them wrong for me, please tell me. I won’t be upset. Actually, I’d be grateful for the insight.”

Silence settled between them as they stroked their horses. After a long pause, Kate spoke again. “It’s not that I see anything wrong with them,” she said. “It’s just that I wonder what might have happened if Brian had been allowed to join the show as a contestant.”

Eva remained silent, pondering the possibility.

“Brian would do anything for anyone, it’s just the way he is. But when he talks about you…I don’t know…I hear something different, something deeper. I got the feeling he would swim an ocean for you and then ask you what mountain you wanted him to climb.”

Eva narrowed her eyes and peered at Kate around her horse. “Then why isn’t he here? Why didn’t he fight harder? Mike told him no so he just gave up?”

“You’ll have to ask him.”

Eva put her brush back in the nearby bin. “Is it okay if I check on the guys?”

“Be my guest.” Kate grabbed Eva’s wrist before she left. “Keep an eye out for the right man, even if he seems to be in the wrong place.”

Eva turned and took in the sight on the other side of the horses. Cane had removed his shirt and sweat glistened across his muscles. She knew he was fit, but wow, she had no idea he had such an amazing physique. She tried to keep her blush at bay when he spotted her, put down his pitchfork, and wiped his face with the abandoned shirt.

“How’s it going?” she asked.

“I got a few loads over to the fence. Maybe a dozen more and I’ll be done.”

“Thanks for doing this.” She reached out and touched his arm.

“At this point, you could ask me for anything and I’d be willing.” Cane bent down and stared into her eyes.

Would he swim an ocean for me?
She wondered.
Kate said Brian would.

“I better let you get back to it. I’m going check on Steve.”

Cane picked up his pitchfork and tossed another load into the waiting wheelbarrow. “I’m going to get this done and then track you down.”

“You better.” Eva smiled. She could have watched his arm muscles flex and toss hay all day long.

She tore herself from the intriguing view and entered the barn.

“Whoa, slippery little devils, aren’t you?”

“Steve?” she called.

Steve’s head appeared above a stall door. “Over here, but I wouldn’t come much closer if I were you.”

“And why’s that?” Eva dared to take steps in his direction.

“Things are getting a little dicey in here.” Steve swung the stall door open and revealed his new look.

“Whoa.” Mucking the stalls definitely got the best of Steve.

“Bob didn’t tell me the fastest way to get the ‘muck’ out of the stall was to wear it, but I decided to give it a go anyway.”

Eva covered her mouth with her hand. Steve was a mess, but he was a good sport.

“Oh Steve, I’m not sure they’ll ever hire you as a farm hand.”

“Well, seeing as you don’t live on a farm, I can’t say I care much.”

Eva grinned. Steve wore his sunglasses atop his head and she caught sight of his twinkling eyes.

“I’d offer to help, but it looks like you have a handle on it.” Eva chuckled.

“Oh yeah, I got this.” Steve waved his hands in the air. “You just go roll around in that dandelion field over there and pick a whole handful of those weeds. I’m going to deserve a nice bouquet, you hear me?”

Eva giggled as she exited through the barn door. Once outside, she leaned against the wooden wall. Two incredible men, and they both wanted her. Surely she could decide. One of them had to be perfect for her at the end of all this…right?

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

TODAY WAS THE day. Eva was returning to Omaha. Her flight landed mid-afternoon, but Brian didn’t do anything cheesy like meet her at the airport with a boom box on his head. She had to be exhausted from the trip so he let her go home and settle in. Then, he ambushed her later that evening.

He stood outside her door with a daisy bouquet clutched in his hand. He raised his fist to knock, but the door flew open before his knuckles met the wood.

“Brian.” Eva looked surprised. She wore a bright blue tracksuit and held keys in her hand.

“I’m sorry, are you going somewhere?”

“Renee asked me to come over. You know, to debrief before tomorrow.” Her eyes flicked to the daisies.

Brian held them out. “These are for you. You said you preferred daisies to dandelions in your interview.”

“I-I did, you’re right.” Eva took the flowers and turned back into the house. “Come in. Renee said she’d be home all evening. I’m in no rush.”

Brian stepped into the doorway. Her house smelled like oranges. “How was the trip?”

“Good. It was good.” Eva turned in the short hallway and ran into Brian’s chest, crushing the daisies between them. She looked up into his eyes for a moment too long before taking a step back. “Sorry.”

Brian put his hands in his coat pockets. “How’s Kate?”

“She seems really happy. The horses are lovely. Look, Brian, why are you here?” Eva turned away from him and found a vase for the flowers.

“Forget the small talk. Cut to the chase. I can take a hint.” Brian sat on a stool at the kitchen bar.

Eva smiled sheepishly.

“Kate told me she spilled the beans about my conversation with Mike. I asked him if I could come on the show and he said no.”

Eva nodded. “And then we went off to Texas and you stayed here.”

She looked mad. Was she mad? “I didn’t know what else to do. I needed some time away to…to get over you or whatever we could have been. I can’t keep a professional air where you’re concerned. Not anymore.”

Eva leaned on the kitchen counter. “You should have come. Forget what Mike says. You could have come after me.”

Brian stood and moved around the breakfast bar while Eva studied the floor. When he was right in front of her, he placed a finger beneath her chin and raised her face to his. “Are you saying that’s what you wanted? For me to follow you to Texas? To give us a shot?”

Instead of waiting for an answer, Brian bent over and gingerly touched his lips to hers. At first, she stood so still he was sure it was a mistake, but then, she responded. Brian got the answer he needed. There were definitely feelings between them…big ones.

Brian pulled back and laid his hand on the side of her face. “I’m sorry, Eva. Sometimes I get in my own way.”

“I understand,” she whispered.

“What are you going to do about the guys left on the show?”

Confusion creased her face. “What do you mean?”

“Do you plan to tell Mike about us?”

Eva took a step back. “Wait, I can’t do that. I haven’t decided anything at all. Cane and Steve have put everything they have into this…into me. And you didn’t even bother to come after me and admit there was more to this than a kiss on the swings at Adventureland.”

“I said I was sorry.”

“Yes, but you have to prove it. Show me, Brian. Show me I’m worth more to you than anyone else. You went to California for Kate. Where will you go for me?”

Brian stood in silence. She was right, but what was he supposed to do? How could he prove his deep feelings?

“What do you want me to do?” he asked.

“Go back to hosting,” she said. “Do what you do best. If you and I were meant to be, the time will present itself.”

“And in the meantime, you go on dating two other guys?” He was not okay with that.

Eva shrugged. “It is what it is.”

Brian stared into her eyes. He was confused. He thought she felt what he did when they kissed. All of their conversations, the way he felt light-headed around her and yet so comfortable…the two of them were on another level. Weren’t they? She was leaving him no choice. He had to return to the show.

Brian made his way back to her front door. When he opened it and let himself out, he turned and spotted her in the kitchen. “I’m going to find a way to overcome this.” He glanced at the daisies on the counter. “There’s never been anything more important in my life than the way you make me feel.”

Brian felt his heart sink into his shoes as he walked away.

“AND THEN HE just walked away?” Renee gasped.

Eva spent the last two hours debriefing Renee on Steve, Cane, and finally Brian. “He told me I was the most important thing in his life, but I don’t know, it can’t be true.”

Renee nodded. “And Cane and Steve have made you feel that way.”

“Right. That and more.”

“So what’s the problem? Why not just leave Brian in the dust and focus on the other two?”

“That’s just it.” Eva curled her legs beneath her on Renee’s couch. “I can’t seem to shake the idea of Brian and me and I don’t know why.”

“Sometimes it’s the ones you least expect.” Renee winked.

“Don’t I know it? You stole my man.” Eva elbowed her friend. They often joked about their past love triangle.

“I’m just saying, don’t limit yourself. The show picked twelve guys, but there are more than twelve guys on the planet. It’s possible none of the contestants are right for you.”

“That’s exactly what Kate said.”

“I’ve got to meet this Kate,” Renee teased. “What do you want me to focus on tomorrow?”

Eva curled her lip. “Well, Steve is hilarious, as I’ve told you. I want to see if you can get his sensitive side to come out. It’s in there, but I need to see it. And Cane, well, he says and does everything right. I mean, on paper, this man is perfect for anyone and he makes me feel really special, but I want to see some flaws. Let’s see what’s wrong with him.”

“You want to know if he’ll jump on a table and dance if he thinks he sees a mouse?” Renee asked.

“Something like that, but don’t you dare go out and buy a mechanical mouse.”

“Who me? Never.”

Eva laughed. It felt good to decompress with her friend. Renee would help her through this tough situation. And she was right, the person for her would reveal himself. She just needed to watch carefully and let her heart decide. Everything would fall into place. It had to. Her future depended on it.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

“I’M SORRY, MIKE, I really am, but I’ve been up all night. Trust me, you don’t want me on that date today.” Brian faked a gravelly voice.

Mike sighed on the other end of the phone. “We can’t delay taping. We have to get everything to editing ASAP to wrap this thing before it starts airing. Promise me you’ll be at the finale, even if you have to be wheeled in on a hospital bed.”

“I promise.” Brian cleared his throat. He hated lying, but he needed time to pull it off. He just hoped he wouldn’t be too late.

EVA SETTLED INTO the coffee shop chair and Renee sat across from her. The crew was nearly done setting up the cameras around them.