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  Debbie hopped out of the truck and opened the cooler on the ground. “We’ve got sandwiches here. Most of them are ham.” She paused, and her gaze moved to Hakim. “I hope I don’t sound too ignorant. I mean, we don’t get many foreigners around here. Do you eat ham, Hakim? If not, I think there are still turkey sandwiches on the bottom.”

  “Thank you for being sensitive to my culture. I am not forbidden by religion, but pork is not a very common food in my country. I would prefer the turkey.”

  Shelby rested her crutches against the truck and used her arms to push herself up onto the tail gate.

  Hakim sat beside her while they ate their sandwiches.

  “Hey, Shels. So’s this your ‘gentleman friend’ Lace was talking about?” Another man with a dark mustache strode toward them.

  Shelby gave him a playful shove on the arm, holding on to the side of the truck bed for balance. “Hakim, this is Dan Peterson. He’s married to my best friend, Lacey.”

  “Nice to meet you, Dan.” Hakim shook his hand

  Another cowboy walked past without looking at the three of them and grunted.

  Hakim raised his eyebrows, appalled by the floppy-haired man’s lack of respect. Such a thing would never happen in his country without a penalty.

  “And that idiot is Dan’s friend, Jake,” Shelby said. “Just ignore him.”

  After the meal was over, Burke handed Hakim a pair of gloves.

  Chet walked with him to the corral. He swung a leg over the fence and jumped down into the pen. “Climb on over, Hakim.” Chet continued, “Most people only see cows as animals grazing in a field. Then, they order a hamburger in a restaurant. There’s a lot of stuff that comes between, and most of it ain’t pretty. Branding is actually the most humane way to track these animals.”

  Shelby put her hand on Hakim’s arm and looked into his face. “You really don’t have to do this. Branding’s not as fun as it sounds, and it’s kind of dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing,” she said in a low voice.

  Hearing this, Hakim was even more determined. He tightened his jaw and pressed his lips together. Shelby’s smile was all the encouragement he needed to put on the gloves and even though he was uncertain of exactly how to do it, he followed Chet’s example and swung a leg over the bars of the fence, dropping into the enclosure.

  Chet strode to the pen separating the calves from the work area, swung open the gate, and shooed out one calf toward Hakim before closing it again. “So, what ya gotta do is grab him and flip him on his side. They may look small and fragile, but a calf is a hundred pounds of pure muscle. When ya get him down, sit on him. Watch out for his legs. They pack a punch. We gotta get hustling if we want to beat Dan and Jake.” He motioned with his chin toward the other pen.

  Hakim approached the calf, feigning confidence as he followed Chet’s lead. He didn’t want to disappoint Shelby by showing how anxious he felt. With Chet’s help, he reached across the animal’s back and heaved it onto its side. The strength of the young calf surprised him.

  Chet showed Hakim how to hold the calf still and keep himself from being kicked by straddling the animal and putting his knee between its back legs. Chet held the calf’s front legs, and Burke stepped close, and with efficient movements, immunized, tagged, and branded it.

  Hakim hoped his horror did not show when he heard the click as the tag was pierced through the calf’s ear, or when Burke held up the scruff on the back of its neck to inject the serum. A hot iron was pressed into the animal’s hide, and the smell was overwhelming. Bile rose in Hakim’s throat. The animal bellowed. Hakim took a deep breath.

  “You ready, Hakim?” Chet asked. “On the count of three, we let him up. You gotta get out of the way of those back legs quick. One, two, NOW!”

  Chet let go of the calf’s front legs before Hakim—still a little light-headed—stood all the way up.

  In one swift movement, the calf twisted into a standing position, sending Hakim flying onto the churned-up ground.

  “You okay?” Shelby called from the other side of the fence.

  Hakim stood and smiled weakly as he brushed at his jeans. “Yes. It is only a little mud.”

  Chet laughed. “That ain’t mud, dude.”

  ****

  Shelby felt a fluttering in her chest as she watched Hakim work with her family. After a little practice, Chet and Hakim fell into a rhythm. The early spring sun combined with the physical labor left the two drenched in sweat. Hakim removed Burke’s coat, revealing a tailored button-down shirt.

  Shelby was distracted by the muscles in Hakim’s back and arms when he strained and sweated under the weight of the calves. She hadn’t realized he was in such good shape. She heard the sound of Dan’s voice and dragged away her gaze. She realized she’d been staring, and her cheeks colored.

  “Hey, Shel! You giving them the advantage by making us wait?”

  “Sorry, I guess I’m getting tired.”

  With about a dozen calves left, Burke lifted his hat and wiped his forehead. “Hakim, you’d better get Shelby Jo home. We can finish up. Her mother will have my hide if I keep her out here all day.”

  Shelby knew her dad’s concern was genuine, but he was also making sure the two of them had alone time. She flashed him a grateful smile.

  “You get some rest.” Burke nodded to Shelby before he put his hat back on.

  Hakim stepped on the fence rail to climb back over the fence.

  Burke patted him on the back. “Thanks for your help, son.”

  “Thank you.” Hakim stepped down and shook Burke’s hand. He recognized Shelby’s bright smile on her father’s face. “I enjoyed this experience very much.” He climbed over the fence to join Shelby.

  Burke handed Hakim the keys to the pick-up.

  “See ya, guys.” Shelby waved her fingers.

  Hakim helped her into the cab, put the crutches in the back, and walked around to the driver’s door. He turned the key, but the engine didn’t start.

  Shelby leaned back against the headrest. “You gotta step on the clutch.” She rolled her head to the side to watch him.

  Hakim looked down at the pedals on the floor and then back at Shelby with a wide-eyed expression.

  “You don’t know how to drive a stick shift?” Shelby sat up.

  “I should be able to figure it out with a little instruction,” he said.

  “All right, push in the clutch and put it in neutral.” She reached over and pulled the stick on the column into place. “Now turn it on.” The engine started, and Shelby scooted closer, putting the truck in gear. “The trick is to let up on the clutch at the same time you push on the gas.”

  Hakim tried once, and the truck bounced and stalled. His face colored under his tan skin.

  “It’s okay. Try again.” Shelby helped with the gear shift, and with a lot of jerking and grinding, they made it up the lane to the farm house. She braced herself with one arm on the dash and one on the seat since her right leg was useless.

  “I am sorry. That drive must have been very uncomfortable.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I’m a cowgirl, remember? Chet drives worse than that on purpose.” Shelby looked around the yard and squinted as she realized something was missing. “Hey, where’s your car? How’d ya get here?”

  “Nasir drove me.”

  “Oh, so where is he?” she asked.

  “I asked him to allow me time alone with you.”

  Shelby’s heart tripped at his words.

  He caught her gaze. “Do not worry. Nasir is not a social person. He will find ways to occupy his time.”

  Hakim got out of the truck, walked around the front, and opened Shelby’s door. He pulled the crutches out of the truck bed and handed them to her as she slid down from the high seat.

  Smiling her gratitude, she put them under her arms and pointed to the porch swing.

  Moments later, they sat, stretching their legs in front of them.

  “So, what did you think, cowboy?” She bumped his
shoulder with hers, and winced at the mud and manure on Hakim’s designer jeans.

  “I think I need a shower.” He grinned, lifted the brim of her cowboy hat, and brushed aside her hair, examining her healing scar.

  “I love that you came here, Hakim.” Heat spread through her chest. “I know it’s disgusting, wrestling cows in the mud, but I love that you did it to be with me.”

  He ran the back of his fingers along her cheek, leaving a path of heat. “I cannot think of any place I would rather be.”

  Chapter Seven

  Later that evening, Hakim drove down the dirt road. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Nasir following in another sedan. He had spent a good part of the afternoon convincing Nasir to allow him to come alone. The second rental car was their compromise.

  Nasir pulled over on the highway where the lane curved toward the Walker’s ranch and parked the car to wait.

  For the second time that day, Hakim stepped onto the wooden porch and rang the doorbell—this time his heart pounded in anticipation instead of anxiety.

  Shelby’s mother answered, the open door emitting a splash of light.

  “Good evening, Mrs. Walker,” he said.

  “Come on in, Hakim. Please call me Debbie.” She opened the door wide and called up the stairs. “Shelby! Hakim’s here.”

  “Thank you for permitting me to borrow these boots and coat.” Hakim handed Debbie the clothes Nasir had cleaned.

  “You’re so welcome. Burke and I appreciate any help we can get with those calves. He’s not as young as he used to be, you know.”

  “It was my pleasure,” Hakim answered with a small bow, but froze, distracted as Shelby made her way down the stairs and into the room. She wore a long floral blouse, belted at the waist over a T-shirt and black leggings. On her good foot was a red cowboy boot.

  Hakim realized that aside from the hospital, he had not seen Shelby when she wasn’t wrapped in a winter coat. He couldn’t help but notice how the outfit emphasized her small waist and athletic curves. He schooled his expression, not wanting to stare. Her hair was longer than he’d expected, curling in silky copper waves over her shoulders. As usual, though, his gaze was drawn to her face. “Good evening, Shelby Jo. You look lovely.”

  “Thanks. You look pretty great yourself.” She waved a hand at his designer jeans and charcoal sweater. “Ready to experience the excitement of the Culver Springs night life?” She pulled a coat from a hook on the wall.

  “Of course.” Hakim helped her with her coat. Her soft hair brushed across his hand when she shook it out over her collar. He slid his hands into his pockets, controlling the temptation to touch her hair again.

  “See ya, Mom!”

  “Good night, Debbie,” Hakim said.

  “You two have fun!”

  He passed the car on the side of the road and glanced in the rearview mirror as Nasir pulled out to follow. While he drove them to Lacey and Dan’s, Hakim listened as Shelby gave a brief tour of the town. He tried to imagine her life as a child.

  They passed the high school and the Native American Cultural Museum. Sheby shared memories of stopping for ice cream after school and pointed out where she crashed her bike and broke her arm.

  “Shelby, you seem so happy here. Why did you leave Culver Springs?” he asked.

  Shelby bit her lip for a moment, before she answered. “Here’s the thing. In a small town, everybody knows you. They know your parents, your grandparents, your high school boyfriend, what you wore to prom, what kind of grades you got—sounds pretty cozy, right?” She paused, her fingers drumming on the door handle. “Since they know you so well, they assume they know what’s best for you, too. And your future is pretty much laid out for you. You’re expected to live your life a certain way. Be who everyone thinks you are. I left to see who I could become in a place where nobody knew me or had preconceived ideas of who I was. I wanted to see if I could find my own way, to meet people and see if they like me for me. Map out my own path, you know?” She stopped speaking and glanced at him. “That probably makes no sense to you.”

  “No,” he said in a quiet voice. She could not know how perfectly she had described his own feelings. “To me, this makes perfect sense.”

  Following Shelby’s directions, Hakim pulled into the driveway of Dan and Lacey’s brand-new house. He helped Shelby out of the car and grabbed her crutches from the back seat, glancing down the road to where Nasir parked on the street.

  A dark-haired woman, who he assumed was Lacey, waved from the window and then opened the front door.

  Shelby gave the woman a quick hug and introduced Hakim.

  “Good to see you again, Hakim.” Dan clasped Hakim’s hand.

  Shelby held Lacey’s new baby, Cole, cradling him while she spoke with his four-year-old sister, Shay.

  Shay’s hair was the same striking dark brown as her mother’s. It curled in bouncing ringlets. She wore a princess costume with a plastic tiara. Hakim couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

  “Shay, this is my friend, Hakim,” Shelby said, waving a hand in his direction.

  “I am four.” Shay held up four chubby fingers to show him.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Shay.” Hakim knelt down to Shay’s height. “Shelby told me this is your new house.” He glanced around the small entryway, feeling claustrophobic with the low ceilings. The décor seemed cluttered, and like Shelby’s house the furniture was mismatched and the tables and shelves held keepsakes and pictures. A home. Not a showpiece of elegance like his palace.

  “I have my own room,” Shay said. “Wanna see it?”

  Unsure of what was appropriate, he looked to Shelby, eyebrows raised.

  “Hakim would love to see your new room, and so would I.” Shelby reached for Shay’s hand.

  The child reached instead for Hakim’s hand, grabbing it, and then she led them up the stairs.

  Having little experience with children, he was touched and a bit bewildered by her gesture.

  Shay stopped at a doorway and held her hands out in a grand gesture. “My own room.”

  Hakim followed her into what he supposed was a typical American little girl’s room. A dresser and canopy bed were her only furniture, and a giant pink dollhouse filled the rest of the space.

  Shay instructed Hakim to sit on the floor and began to hand him different toys, telling him each of their names.

  Before long, he had a lap full of dolls. He had rarely spent time with a child and did not know how to act around a little girl.

  “Which princess is the most beautiful?” Shay asked.

  “Hmmm…” Hakim tapped his chin, pretending to consider her question. “I think Princess Shay is the most beautiful princess of all.”

  Shay giggled and clapped her hands together. “Then you can be the prince.”

  “Very well. What does the prince do?” Hakim lifted his shoulders. If the child only knew.

  “He rides a horse, and rescues the princess, and dances with her,” Shay explained.

  “Then, I will indeed be the prince.”

  “We’d better save Hakim,” Lacey said from where she stood in the doorway beside Shelby. “It’s not often Shay has such a captive audience.”

  Shay held tightly to Hakim’s hand as Dan and Lacey gave them the rest of the tour.

  Five minutes later, the babysitter arrived, and Shay reluctantly said goodbye to Hakim, after he promised to try and return another day to play.

  He was surprised when she hugged him, and when she planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek, an unfamiliar sensation stirred in his heart. He had never given much thought to having children of his own. Obviously, he was expected to produce an heir. He understood his duty, but he had never considered being a father would mean loving a child—and having a child love him. Putting away the thought to ponder later, he closed Shelby’s door and walked to the driver’s side of the rental car.

  Hakim drove them to what Shelby claimed was the best restaurant in town: “Italian Garden.” He opened th
e door, and the smell of garlic and pasta sauce floated on the air. Shelby had informed him the restaurant hadn’t changed as long as she could remember. Built-in glass cabinets hung on the walls, encasing a never-changing display of faded silk flowers. The booths were upholstered with light blue vinyl, and yellow-paned light fixtures hung low over the tables.

  At the side of the booth, Hakim helped Shelby take off her coat, noticing she exchanged waves with nearly every person in the restaurant. He stood aside to allow her onto the cushioned seat, but she preferred to keep her injured leg on the outside, and so he slid in first, realizing he’d never sat on a vinyl bench in a restaurant booth. He hoped his expression didn’t betray how completely out of his league the situation made him feel. They sat across the table from Dan and Lacey.

  Dan draped his arm across the bench, and when Lacey scooted in close, he gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek as she opened her menu.

  Hakim wondered if he and Shelby would ever be that comfortable together.

  Shelby laid her crutches on the floor next to the booth and slid next to him.

  Hakim caught a whiff of her perfume. Subtle, and feminine, but not too flowery, Just like Shelby. He tilted his menu toward her. He could feel her heat where their thighs touched.

  The waitress arrived at their table. “If it isn’t Shelby Walker and Lacey Barton.” She put a hand on her hip.

  “Shannon!” Shelby jumped up, balancing on one leg to hug the small blonde woman. “I didn’t know you still worked here.”

  “Yep. Been almost ten years. I should own the place by now, right?” Shannon raised her eyebrows at Hakim. “So, who’s this?”

  “My friend, Hakim.” Shelby slid back into the booth. “Hakim, this is Shannon Price.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Miss Price.” Hakim reached over to shake Shannon’s hand.

  “Handsome and polite. Shelby, you sure know how to pick ’em. So, Hakim, have these girls told you about all the trouble we used to get into?”

  “No, however I would be very interested to know what Shelby was like when she was younger.” Hakim smiled at Shelby. Her smile in return caused the increasingly familiar warmth to spread in his chest.