“So how did you find the property shares, if they weren’t listed with an agent?”
Maybe they hadn’t avoided the topic after all. “Through a website, actually. Where sellers list the shares themselves.”
Hints of skepticism stirred behind his brown eyes as he nodded.
Suddenly, a tall man slipped in through the open barn door behind Trenton. He, too, wore boots and a cowboy hat that he lifted as he set eyes on her. “Howdy. I’m Dirk.”
“What are you doing here, Dirk?” Trenton said before she could reply. “I told you we’ve got it covered today.”
Their visitor shot a careless glance in Trenton’s direction before rather strutting toward Andie, extending an arm as he neared.
“Is that any way to introduce me to our new guest?”
“Owner,” Trenton corrected.
The guy’s eyes doubled in size. “Huh?”
“Hi,” she blurted, shaking his extended hand. “I’m Andie.”
“And you’re a…” he stuttered.
“Oneof the new owners,” she explained. “My brothers and I are partners with Trenton now.” She was surprised by the way his name came to her so naturally, as if she’d already known him.
“Hey, where’s the new…chick.” That final word fell flat as Andie spun to see yet another cowboy stride into the barn. This one was shorter and not quite as lean as Dirk.
“This isn’t the chicken coop, boys,” Trenton said, voice low and even.
“That’s not the kind of chick I was talking about,” the new guy said, a wide grin on his face as he strode toward Andie. “I’m Lee. I see you met my less-charming friend here.”
Andie glanced from Lee to Dirk, then settled a questioning look at Trenton.
“Oh,he’smy even less-charming friend, that one,” Lee said with a laugh. He shook her hand, crossed one leg over the other, and folded his arms too.
“She’s one of the new owners,” Dirk mumbled out the side of his lip.
Lee’s brows lifted, but the confident smile never left his face. “You don’t say…”
Trenton cleared his throat and hurried to Andie’s side. “Don’t you boys have some stalls to clean out?”
“We already did all that,” Dirk said, tipping his head to catch Andie’s gaze once more. “You coming to the party on Friday?”
“Uh…I’m not sure—”
But before she could finish answering, Trenton was shooing the pair out of the barn with the wave of his arm. “Do this later, guys, will you? We’ve got a class to start.”
“If you say so,” Dirk mumbled, his thin face scrunching into a pout.
“I’d like the first dance if you don’t mind, Ms. Andie,” Lee drawled as he backed out of the barn, smile still aimed at her.
She couldn’t help but be charmed by his confidence.
“Tell him no,” Trenton said under his breath.
“Sure,” Andie found herself blurting instead.
He turned a hard look on her, and an odd thrill shot through her chest.
“If I go, that is,” she added, waving to the duo as they left.
