I pressed my lips together to give her a withering look that didn’t do a thing to wipe the grin off her face. “That’s terrible, Kasey. Is that how you’re living your life in Austin? Chasing after other girls’ boyfriends?”
She laughed her high, sweet laugh. “I don’t have to chase after anyone. And, neither do you.” She leaned back onto her pillows again. “But, I’m just saying, having a girlfriend isn’t the same thing as having a wife. That’s just a fact.”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t help smiling at my little sister’s logic.
“The first thing you need to find out is if he’s actually single,” she said.
I thought about the woman I saw driving onto the ranch as I was driving off. She could’ve been a friend or another person applying for the job minding the horses. He could be single, after all.
Not that it mattered. Once I started working, I wouldn’t have a spare minute to date. And, anyway, if I got the position on Pete Gains’s ranch, he’d be my boss, which would make him off limits, single or not.
Chapter Seven
Pete
Friday
I put halters on all the horses and led them one at a time out to the paddock for their morning feeding. I was breaking up hay bales for them when Lacey appeared around the other side of the barn. She leaned onto the wooden fence around the corral with both arms, watching me spread out the hay for our animals. Technically, everything on the farm belonged to me, but these horses were as much Lacey’s as they were mine. They probably liked her more, too.
As soon as I filled up the trough with cool, fresh water, I strode over to where she was resting her elbows on the fence. I tipped my hat back and wiped my sweaty forehead with my handkerchief. It was early, but getting hot fast. I had to make sure to keep the horses watered today, and both doors open on the barn to keep it ventilated.
“I think I’m going to hire that girl who came out a few days ago. Emma Flowers.” I liked saying her name for some reason. I mentioned her at the Texan this morning at breakfast, and the old timers all knew her father, John, said he was from a long line of ranchers going way back. He’d worked on farms his whole life and owned his own small chunk of land that he worked with his daughters.
Lacey dipped her head into a nod, her smile sharp, so I knew I was about to get a lecture. “Sounds good. Just make sure you keep it in your pants, cowboy. We need the help with the horses. You can’t be trying to date her.”
“She’s more than qualified, Lace,” I said, frowning.
“I know she is. But she’s cute as a button, too. You said so yourself. If you chase her off, I’m not picking up the slack. You’ll be the one taking on her duties.” She was still smiling, but her dark eyes were serious.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I grumbled. “Like I have time to date. The rodeo’ll be here in a few weeks. We have serious shit to do before then.”
“Alright, then,” she agreed, but she didn’t sound convinced.
I hopped over the fence and walked up to the house. I’d actually wanted to call Emma this morning after breakfast, but it’d only been seven o’clock. My mama taught me a decent person didn’t call anybody before nine. It was just past that right now.
I leaned against the wall next to the phone in my sunny kitchen and dialed her number.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Emma Flowers?” I recognized her voice but asked anyway, just to be sure. She did have a sister, after all.
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“Hi, Emma, it’s Pete from the ranch. Pete Gains.”
“Hi, Mr. Gains.”
My cheeks tingled red for no good reason. “Call me Pete. I’m too young to be Mr. Gains!” I laughed, but she didn’t. I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous. “I was calling to offer you the job with my horses, if you still want it.”
She didn’t answer right away. I half expected her to tell me she’d accepted a position someplace else, though I could tell she’d liked what the ranch had to offer.
“That would be great,” she said, not really sounding excited about it. She was harder to read over the phone than she’d been in person, and she’d been pretty damned hard to read in person.
“You can come out to the barn on Monday morning,” I said. “I’m usually up before the sun is.” I tittered a little at that. There was nothing but silence on her end. I wondered if she had a sense of humor. It wasn’t a requirement for doing the job, but it sure did help the day go by. I’d have to see if I could get her to come around. We worked hard on the ranch, but we liked to have fun, too.
“I’ll see you then. Thanks, Mr. Ga…Pete.”
I hung up the phone and wandered back outside again and got back to working. There was always so much to do on the ranch and only two people to do it. It would be nice to have someone else on the property full time.