“You are entirely too chipper before noon, Eli.”

“And I ain’t gonna apologize for that either. Has bein’ on sabbatical made you one of them lazy types that sleeps until noon?”

“Fuck off.”

Eli laughed and Fletch followed him to the fence connected to the chute, mimicking his stance, leaning over the top, gazing across the paddock.

“Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what brings you by?”

No reason to hedge. “Tanna.”

“I figured.” Eli sipped his coffee. “But swinging by to say howdy to her because you were in the neighborhood ain’t all of it, since I’m pretty sure you woke up beside her a few hours ago.”

“I did. I could get used to having that cowgirl in my bed. Anyway, I wanted to see how she’s doin’. Or more accurately, what she’s doin’.”

“Well, she hasn’t been doin’ anything since up until this morning I haven’t seen her for two weeks. That aside, you questioning my methods, cuz?”

He shrugged. “Maybe a little.”

Eli took it in stride. “Been wondering if I oughta be questioning them methods more myself.”

“I know she hasn’t been here, but before that . . . had Tanna made any progress?”

“Some. Not nearly enough. She don’t scale the fence and run away from the horses like she did that first day when she helped me feed.”

Fletch frowned. “But she is at least around horses, in close proximity to them?”

“No. I’m as embarrassed as I am frustrated when I admit that Tanna’s idea of getting help . . . and my idea of helping her are vastly different.”

“Explain that,” Fletch demanded.

“She has no problem cleaning a stall. Or the whole barn, as long as there aren’t horses in said barn. I’m afraid to go into my own tack room because she’s got it so perfectly organized. She’ll even grab a bucket and help me feed. But as far as her spending time with any horse? Dropping a lead rope and catching one? Or even just standing by while I’m grooming one? Nope. Hasn’t happened yet.”

Fletch’s stomach knotted. “Shit. It’s been weeks since she first came to you, Eli.”

“I’m aware of that. I haven’t pushed her—we both know that pushing ain’t my way. Times like this, I wish it was. But I expected she’d get tired of the snail’s pace and take the initiative. A woman like Tanna, made of fire, stubborn as all get-out, shouldn’t be content to be shoveling shit. She oughta at least be riding by now. Heck, even having her pet a damn trail pony would be a step forward. Again, it hasn’t happened.”

“Got a theory as to why that is?”

Eli sighed—a rare sign of his frustration because Eli always excelled where others had failed. “If I was the type to lay blame, I’d point out that Tanna isn’t here every day trying to overcome this paralyzing fear . . . maybe because she ain’t sure if she wants to overcome it. Is she goin’ through the motions just to keep the folks off her back who think she oughta be over this issue by now?”

“She does have a job,” Fletch pointed out. “She’s limited on time during daylight hours, and she’s worked the last ten days straight.”

Eli faced him. “You making excuses for her?”

“No.” Fletch blew out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know. I don’t want to. She tries to hide her fears, but some nights she has nightmares. She won’t talk about them to me and I know they’ve got to do with the accident. I’d hoped maybe she was talking to you.”

Eli shook his head.

“Any time I ask what she’s doin’ out here with you, she changes the subject. I knew something was up, or that her progress had stalled or whatever when I realized she won’t even come down to the building where I’m working with Tobin because she’d have to pass through the horse corral.”

“I never would’ve pegged her as the Queen of Avoidance, but that’s what it’s come to. And I feel like I’ve helped put the crown on her head.” Silence stretched. “You got any suggestions?” Eli asked. “’Cause I ain’t too proud to admit I’m doin’ her more harm than good right now. Seems I’m better with horses than people.”

“Yeah, I’m right there with you most days.” Fletch tapped his fingers on the top of the fence post. “What were your plans for today?”

“Nothin’. I sorta wing it when the girls are here. Andie is insistent on them blowing off steam and excitement before I put them to work learning life lessons.”

Fletch snorted at the term life lessons. The girls were getting firsthand knowledge on cleaning a chicken coop, mucking out a barn, and the daily requirements of having livestock. “So you could’ve scheduled something for the girls today as a surprise?”

“Whatcha got in mind?”

“A hands-on demonstration about proper horse grooming with a veterinarian, assisted by the lovely cowgirl and expert horsewoman, Tanna Barker. Followed by a show-and-tell session of what it means to be a barrel racer. Complete with visual aids.” Fletch grinned. “Gonna show the Queen of Avoidance that the King of Tenacity is in the house today.”

Eli grinned back. “That’ll work. But I’m gonna leave it up to you to tell her. I ain’t about to get my head chopped off.”