Read Online Cowboy for Keeps by Debra Clopton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Debra Clopton
Ads: Link
You’re just going to have to straighten up and fly right. It’s going to be great.”
Yeah, right. He’d believe that when he saw it. “And she doesn’t bug me. It’s not personal. She just isn’t right for the job.” Well it was a little personal. But he sure wasn’t opening his big mouth again and saying that.
Seth gave him a look of complete disbelief. “You are so bothered by this woman that it isn’t even funny. All those other excuses aside, I’m curious if it has anything to do with the fact that you find her attractive. She’s pretty, got grit and enough determination that I figured you’d like her.”
“She’s twelve years younger than me—”
“So. You’re not in high school anymore. It doesn’t matter.”
Wyatt disagreed. Yeah, sure, no doubt about it—he did find his physical therapist attractive. “Twelve years is too big a difference to me. I’m not looking to date Amanda anyway. She’s here for a job and all I want right now is to get mobile. That’s more important than a date.”
For some reason, Seth’s grin told him he wasn’t buying any of that. Too bad. “Stop grinning, brother, and get back on that tractor and smooth out this ground.”
“She seems to get along really well…I mean, you know, since being in such bad shape.”
“She does. That drunk driver almost killed her and had no injuries. It’s criminal.”
Wyatt had been careless in flying his plane when he shouldn’t have. “I’m grateful that my plane crash didn’t harm anyone other than me,” he said remorsefully. “I wouldn’t have been able to live with that. What if I’d killed someone?” The idea made him ill. His gut clenched and his back started tightening up. He knew any minute it would seize up and put him in a world of pain.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Seth said, all humor evaporated. “Wyatt, it’s not the same thing. You didn’t knowingly have that crash and you weren’t drinking and flying. I hope you don’t hold that against yourself. It was an accident. That’s all. Just like Mom and Dad’s crash.”
Wyatt grimaced against the pain shooting through him and fought to hide it. “I knew better than to go up in the middle of a storm like that. That makes me liable in my book. It was a straightforward act of negligence. It’s different than Dad. His crash was on a clear day. He did nothing stupid.”
Seth looked away, studying the ground as he thought of a comeback. Wyatt knew that deep down Seth had to agree. Seth was too responsible, too black and white where right and wrong were concerned not to see it Wyatt’s way. It was only his protective instincts for Wyatt that had him making excuses.
“You can agree with me,” Wyatt said. “You know good and well that you tried to talk me out of it. I should have listened.”
Seth took a deep breath, thumbed his Stetson back off his forehead and looked at him with worried eyes. “Come on, Wyatt, maybe that’s all well and true. But you have to snap out of this mode of thinking. It’s eating you up. You can’t keep second-guessing your decision. You took off in the middle of that storm—you’d done it before with no problems. You’re one of the best twin-engine pilots around. You’ve never had an incident before—and that time when you had engine malfunctions you got that plane back to the airstrip on a wing and a prayer, basically. This happened because it happened. Period. Let it go and get on with it.”
Wyatt closed his eyes against the pain ripping through him and the images of being trapped started playing across his mind. Not good. He opened his eyes to meet Seth’s studying him with concern. “I’m fine, Seth. Stop worrying.”
“You aren’t and we both know it. I’m going to smooth out this ground, then head back home. My advice to you is to lighten up. Stop thinking about how you lost control—you and I both have a problem with control. God is in control even when we think we’re the ones doing
Yeah, right. He’d believe that when he saw it. “And she doesn’t bug me. It’s not personal. She just isn’t right for the job.” Well it was a little personal. But he sure wasn’t opening his big mouth again and saying that.
Seth gave him a look of complete disbelief. “You are so bothered by this woman that it isn’t even funny. All those other excuses aside, I’m curious if it has anything to do with the fact that you find her attractive. She’s pretty, got grit and enough determination that I figured you’d like her.”
“She’s twelve years younger than me—”
“So. You’re not in high school anymore. It doesn’t matter.”
Wyatt disagreed. Yeah, sure, no doubt about it—he did find his physical therapist attractive. “Twelve years is too big a difference to me. I’m not looking to date Amanda anyway. She’s here for a job and all I want right now is to get mobile. That’s more important than a date.”
For some reason, Seth’s grin told him he wasn’t buying any of that. Too bad. “Stop grinning, brother, and get back on that tractor and smooth out this ground.”
“She seems to get along really well…I mean, you know, since being in such bad shape.”
“She does. That drunk driver almost killed her and had no injuries. It’s criminal.”
Wyatt had been careless in flying his plane when he shouldn’t have. “I’m grateful that my plane crash didn’t harm anyone other than me,” he said remorsefully. “I wouldn’t have been able to live with that. What if I’d killed someone?” The idea made him ill. His gut clenched and his back started tightening up. He knew any minute it would seize up and put him in a world of pain.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Seth said, all humor evaporated. “Wyatt, it’s not the same thing. You didn’t knowingly have that crash and you weren’t drinking and flying. I hope you don’t hold that against yourself. It was an accident. That’s all. Just like Mom and Dad’s crash.”
Wyatt grimaced against the pain shooting through him and fought to hide it. “I knew better than to go up in the middle of a storm like that. That makes me liable in my book. It was a straightforward act of negligence. It’s different than Dad. His crash was on a clear day. He did nothing stupid.”
Seth looked away, studying the ground as he thought of a comeback. Wyatt knew that deep down Seth had to agree. Seth was too responsible, too black and white where right and wrong were concerned not to see it Wyatt’s way. It was only his protective instincts for Wyatt that had him making excuses.
“You can agree with me,” Wyatt said. “You know good and well that you tried to talk me out of it. I should have listened.”
Seth took a deep breath, thumbed his Stetson back off his forehead and looked at him with worried eyes. “Come on, Wyatt, maybe that’s all well and true. But you have to snap out of this mode of thinking. It’s eating you up. You can’t keep second-guessing your decision. You took off in the middle of that storm—you’d done it before with no problems. You’re one of the best twin-engine pilots around. You’ve never had an incident before—and that time when you had engine malfunctions you got that plane back to the airstrip on a wing and a prayer, basically. This happened because it happened. Period. Let it go and get on with it.”
Wyatt closed his eyes against the pain ripping through him and the images of being trapped started playing across his mind. Not good. He opened his eyes to meet Seth’s studying him with concern. “I’m fine, Seth. Stop worrying.”
“You aren’t and we both know it. I’m going to smooth out this ground, then head back home. My advice to you is to lighten up. Stop thinking about how you lost control—you and I both have a problem with control. God is in control even when we think we’re the ones doing
Similar Books
