Jane made a face, and he chuckled. She folded her arms and tilted her head, her eyes dancing with amusement. “Okay, you got me. I definitely couldn’t live without running water and a sewer system. But lights?” She shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind living by candlelight.” The way her voice lowered with a sort of reverence had the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. She was serious. Jane wasn’t the type of person who needed a lot. While she’d admitted that splurging occasionally was fun, it wasn’t part of her dream.
It made him wonder if he could keep his wealth a secret from her. Would it be so bad to pretend to be penniless if it meant he could call her his own? Then again, would she really push him away if she found out he had billions to his name?
Not worth the risk.
“So,” she drawled, pulling his hat from her head and placing it against his chest. “Show me how to clean out these stalls so I can get to work. I have a feeling it’s gonna take me a little longer the first time around.”
He shook his head in disbelief. A girl who dedicated her life to serving others was ready and willing to roll up her sleeves and shovel horse dung—calling itfun. “You’re a little crazy, aren’t you?”
She stopped in her tracks and faced him, her mouth falling open even though the corners tipped up slightly. Her eyes gave away just now unoffended she was. And yet she gasped like he’d told her that she’d never be allowed to each chocolate again. “I beg your pardon, cowboy, but I am not crazy.”
Noah folded his arms. “Okay, not crazy. But you have some pretty strange interests.”
“What do you mean by that? Because I think living on a ranch is fun?”
“Maybe.”
Jane moved toward him, her hands on her hips. “Well, I seem to recall a time when a certain cowboy—” She flicked the brim of his hat as she said it, “—used to be interested in rocks.”
He didn’t react. What would she think if she knew he still had a small collection? Worse, what would she do if she knew he’d kept every single one she’d given him—both the rare finds and the basic pebbles?
She’d definitely think him a little crazy.
Her eyes widened, and she laughed.
Wait, what?
Jane’s laughter continued, and she shook her head. “You still collect them, don’t you?”
He cleared his throat. “Actually, I haven’t added to my collection in a while.”
“And what’sa while?” Her smile was as wide as ever.
Noah shrugged.
She laughed again. “Okay, cowboy. Maybe you’re in the wrong field. Did you ever consider going into geology or something? What did you go to college for?”
“Business.”
This time, she paused and looked at him contemplatively. “Really?”
He nodded. What else was he going to do after he’d made it big with the money his parents had given him? He’d made the right investments, and he needed to know what to do next. Most of his classes had been online. He hadn’t gotten his degree from a fancy university like Caleb had, but he had all the credentials he needed to feel confident in what he was doing.
“Why?” Her question wasn’t really accusatory. It was more curious than anything else. “Not to be rude or anything, but I didn’t see you as being the business type.”
He forced himself to ignore the fact that she’d envisioned him at all. “And what did you see me being?”
Jane shrugged. “I dunno. Working with rocks. Or doing something like me.”
Noah blinked, and his lips parted with surprise. “Like you?”
“Sure. You were always hanging around when I was doing service projects for church. You seemed to like it, too. I just figured that might be something you would be interested in.”
She wasn’t wrong. And the fact that she’d figured that out all on her own had his insides all in knots. This woman got him, and she didn’t even know it yet.
CHAPTER TEN
So much paperwork!It was never-ending. How Cassidy managed to throw the gala without losing her hair was impressive. Then again, Cassidy never seemed the type to overanalyze everything. She set someone on a task and didn’t worry one bit if it was done to her specifications.
