Chapter 2
"Samantha."
Sam turned later that afternoon to see Mac Ely coming towards her. She smiled at him and found herself wrapped in a hug.
"How are you, Mr. Ely?" Sam asked.
"Mac," he corrected her.
"Mac," Sam smiled.
"I'm doing well," Mac told her. "How are you?"
"I'm well," Sam returned and tried not to squirm under the older man's scrutiny. He wasn't buying it and they both knew it. Sam only hoped that he didn't realize that his youngest grandson was the cause of her troubles. By the look in his eyes, he knew that too and Sam blushed and looked away.
"Let me tell you a story," Mac began, surprising Sam. He went on to tell her about a Shoshone girl who was so busy looking elsewhere for her happiness that she had missed all that she had because it had been right in front of her.
"I'm not Shoshone," Sam joked, trying to not admit that he knew too much.
"Perhaps not," Mac conceded. "But when two people who obviously care about each other deny themselves, it makes them both unhappy and all the people around them unhappy as well."
Sam shook her head.
"You're only fifteen," Mac murmured. "Though your head tells you that you're too young, your heart is telling you something else altogether."
"No," Sam denied it.
Mac just smiled at her. "Be patient and listen."
"I'm sorry, I need to get something to drink," Sam knew she was being rude, but didn't want to talk about it. She turned and practically ran in the other direction, just as she had that night at Deerpath.
As she hurried away, she realized that she kept running away from things she normally wouldn't. When had she become a coward?
She bristled, angry with herself. She wasn't a coward and never had been. This running away was going to end!
"Hey Sammy," Quinn greeted her as she took a can of soda out of one of the coolers.
"Hi Quinn," Sam smiled at him.
"I tried to flunk for you, but they passed me anyway," Quinn teased.
"That's okay," Sam laughed. "Maybe next time."
"Not me, I'm done with school," Quinn said.
"Not even local college?" Sam asked.
"Nah, I don't think so," Quinn shook his head. "Bryan's going to, but I think I'm done. I'm not a student."
"What will you do?" Sam wondered.
"Work on the ranch," Quinn answered.
"Jake's planning on going to college," Sam reminded him.
"Jake will end up taking over the ranch someday," Quinn pointed out. "I'm just a worker bee."
Sam looked up at him. Quinn nodded.
"You know that's true of him," Quinn said. "He's the one who puts the most into the ranch. It's only fair."
"Where does that leave you?" Sam wondered.
"Saying 'yes Jake, no Jake, anything you want Jake'," Quinn laughed.
Sam snorted, then gave up and just started to laugh.
