Ellie had barely started her morning chores when a cloud of dust appeared on the horizon. She squinted against the sunlight, her stomach sinking. There was no mistaking the rumble of Wyatt Callahan's truck barreling down her driveway.
"What now?" she muttered under her breath, yanking off her gloves and tossing them onto the porch railing.
The truck skidded to a stop, the driver's side door creaking open as Wyatt stepped out, his usual confident swagger in place. He adjusted his hat and walked toward her, his boots crunching on the gravel.
"Callahan," Ellie greeted, her tone sharper than intended. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Wyatt's smirk was already in place, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Morning, Bennett. You missing something?"
Ellie frowned, brushing a stray curl out of her face. "Not that I'm aware of."
Wyatt turned and motioned toward the back of his truck. Ellie stepped closer, her irritation morphing into disbelief as she spotted one of her cows lazily chewing hay in the truck bed.
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.
"Found her wandering on my property this morning," Wyatt said, leaning against the truck and crossing his arms. "Thought I'd do you the courtesy of bringing her back."
Ellie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just fixed the fence."
"Did you check all of it?"
Her cheeks burned as she remembered the stretch she hadn't gotten to yet. "No, not all of it," she admitted, her voice begrudging.
Wyatt pushed off the truck, his boots kicking up dust as he walked toward her. "Thought so. Looks like you've still got some holes to patch."
Ellie's jaw tightened. "I'm aware, thanks."
"Good," he said, his tone maddeningly casual. "Because if I keep finding your cattle on my land, I might start charging you a boarding fee."
Her eyes narrowed. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Wyatt's smirk deepened. "A little."
Ellie groaned and turned toward the barn, grabbing a lead rope and bucket of feed. "Fine. Let's get her down so I can put her back where she belongs."
Wyatt opened the truck's tailgate, helping Ellie guide the cow down the makeshift ramp. Once the animal was safely on the ground, Ellie shook the bucket, coaxing her toward the pasture.
"You might want to start naming them," Wyatt said, following her. "Makes it easier to keep track of who's missing."
Ellie shot him a look over her shoulder. "What, like 'Troublemaker' and 'Wanderer'?"
He chuckled, the sound low and genuine. "Could work."
Ellie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks for bringing her back. I'll take it from here."
"Sure you don't want me to stick around? Show you how to reinforce the fence properly this time?"
"Don't push your luck, Callahan."
He tipped his hat, the grin still firmly in place. "See you around, Bennett."
Ellie spent the rest of the morning checking the remaining sections of the fence, finding two more areas in need of repairs. Each hammer swing was fueled by her frustration with Wyatt, her stubbornness driving her to prove she could handle it without his help.
By the time she finished, her arms were sore, her shirt was soaked with sweat, and her temper was frayed.
She was just about to collapse onto the porch when her phone buzzed in her back pocket. Pulling it out, she saw a text from Claire Riggins:
Big news. Town hall tonight. You coming?
Ellie groaned. She'd planned on spending the evening recovering, but if there was one thing she'd learned about small towns, it was that showing up mattered.
Be there
The Wildwood town hall was exactly as Ellie remembered from her childhood—wooden pews arranged in neat rows, the faint scent of pine cleaner, and the low hum of chatter as the townsfolk gathered.
Ellie slid into a seat near the back, her eyes scanning the room. Rosie waved at her from the front, and Claire was busy chatting with the mayor.
And then, of course, there was Wyatt. He stood near the side of the room, his hat in one hand, his other resting on his belt. He was laughing at something one of the older ranchers said, his smile easy and natural.
Ellie tore her gaze away, determined not to let him get under her skin.
The meeting began with updates on local road repairs and a charity auction planned for the following month, but the real buzz started when the topic shifted to the upcoming county fair.
"Now, as y'all know, the ranch competition is the highlight of the fair," the mayor said, his voice carrying over the crowd. "This year, we've got a few new faces, including Miss Ellie Bennett."
Ellie froze as every head in the room turned toward her.
"Miss Bennett's taking over the Bennett Ranch, and I'm sure she'll give the rest of y'all a run for your money."
A ripple of laughter spread through the room, and Ellie managed a tight smile, her cheeks burning.
After the meeting, Rosie and Claire cornered her in the hallway.
"You should enter," Rosie said, her enthusiasm palpable.
Ellie blinked. "Enter what?"
"The ranch competition," Claire explained. "It's a tradition. Each ranch competes in categories like best livestock, horsemanship, and land management. It's a big deal around here."
Ellie hesitated. "I've only been here a week. I don't know if—"
"You should do it," Wyatt's voice interrupted, drawing her attention.
She turned to find him leaning casually against the wall, his expression unreadable.
"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Because if you're serious about making a name for yourself here, this is how you do it," he said simply. "Show them you're not just some city girl playing rancher."
Ellie bristled at his tone, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words.
"Fine," she said, lifting her chin. "I'll do it."
Wyatt's smirk returned, his eyes glinting with something like approval. "Good. I'll see you in the arena, Bennett."
As he walked away, Ellie felt a surge of determination.
"Game on, Callahan," she muttered under her breath.