“Yeah, yeah,” he sighed, pushing himself up from his seat, still grinning. “I’ll get yer cows moved. C’mon boys!”
Three other ranch hands followed Travis out. At least that would keep them busy for the rest of the day. I glanced back at my clipboard, checking off a couple of items.
“Danny?”
“Yeah, boss,” he replied, glancing up from his phone that he was always on.
The guy liked to watch the stock market. Or at least that’s what he said. It was a weird hobby if you asked me.
“Can you and Chris work on the Christmas decorations for the barn when you’re done cleaning? Lucas wants them up for the guests.”
“Yeah,” he nodded, slipping his phone in his pocket. He glanced over at Chris. “Chris loves a ladder.”
“I swear to god…” Chris growled. Everyone knew he was terrified ofheights. “Don’t you dare…”
“How’re you ever gonna get over your fear if you don’t face it?” Danny asked, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. “It’s just twenty or thirty feet or somethin’. You’d survive the fall.”
“In how many pieces?” Chris shot back. He stood up from his chair, still glaring at Danny. “You comin’ or what?”
Somehow Danny already had his phone out. “Yeah. Let’s go.” Then, to no one in particular. “Oh! It went up three points already!”
Then they were gone.
The last person I turned to was Mrs. Mabel McQuinn, who, according to Beau, had personally placed herself in the role of head of housekeeping and customer satisfaction. She was the one that made sure the food was made, the guest cabins were clean, and managed the cleaning staff.
“I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you what needs to be done, miss Mabel,” I said, tipping my hat toward her. Being on her good side was a requirement if I wanted to live a long life. “You know this place better than I ever will.”
“Oh, honey,” she said, waving me off with a gentle smile. “You know I’ve got everything handled. The cabins are spotless, the Christmas wreaths are hung, and I’ve got fresh cookies baking for when the trail riders come back.” She paused, studying me with those sharp eyes that seemed to see everything. “But you look tired, Diego. When’s the last time you took a day off?”
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the tension knotted there. “I’m fine, miss Mabel. Just got a lot to keep track of.”
“Mm-hmm.” She didn’t look convinced. She could see right through anyone. It was her superpower. “You know, Frank and I were just saying how hard you’ve been working. This place runs like a Swiss watch thanks to you, but even the best machines need maintenance.”
Before I could respond, the sound of tires on gravel caught my attention. A Jeep was pulling up the drive, kicking up dust despite the recent rain. I squinted against the morning sun, trying to make out who it might be. We weren’t expecting any new guests today.
“Now who could that be?” Mabel wondered aloud, shading her eyes with her hand.
The Jeep came to a stop near the main house, and I could see the driver through the windshield. It was a young guy with sandy hair and what looked like expensive sunglasses. He sat there for a moment, like he was working up the nerve to get out, then finally opened the door.
He was tall, probably a little younger than me, with the kind of lean build that suggested he’d never done a day of manual labor in his life. His clothes screamed city money. He had on designer jeans that had never seen dirt, too-clean sneakers that probably cost more than most people made in a week, and a sweater that looked like it belonged in a magazine ad. But it was his face that caught my attention. Even from a distance, I could see he looked rough around the edges, like he hadn’t been sleeping well.
“The guest cabins are full.Youexpecting anyone?” Mabel asked quietly.
“No,” I said, already walking toward the newcomer. “But I better go see what he needs.”
As I got closer, I realized this guy looked familiar somehow. Something about the way he moved, maybe, or the set of his shoulders. Then it hit me, this was the same man I’d seen wandering around town last night, looking lost as a lamb in a thunderstorm. I’d been worried he was some vagabond trying to stir up trouble. But in those jeans? He’d be lucky if he could outrun a turkey feather.
“Can I help you?” I called out as I approached.
He turned toward me, pulling off those expensive sunglasses, and I felt something shift in my chest. His eyes were the brightest blue I’d ever seen, like summer sky after a storm. But they were also tired, with dark circles underneath that spoke of too many sleepless nights. My gaze trailed over him, catching hints of pale freckled skin as his sweater rode up.
God… he wasgorgeous.
“I’m looking for Beau?” he said, his voice carrying a slight accentthat definitely wasn’t Texan. Beyond the accent he sounded… kindagrumpy,I guess. “Aunt Dolly told me I should pick up her order for the diner? Honestly, I’m not really sure what she meant, but she’s busy so here I am.”
For a moment, I just stared at him like an idiot. Up close, those freckles dusted across his nose were even more noticeable, and his sandy hair caught the morning sun in a way that made it look almost gold. I realized I was still staring and cleared my throat.
“Dolly’s order? Oh, the beef.” I nodded, finding my voice. “Yeah, we’ve got it packed up in the cold storage. Beau’s out on the north pasture, but I can help you.”
