Having this handsome cowboy offering to warm her up was basically her life’s dream accomplished. She’d read the cowboy romances, fantasized about them, and now, it appeared as though she was living one. All she could offer was a dumb nod.
Marshall quirked a brow in her direction. “You okay?” he asked.
Colette made a breathy sound of acquiescence, heat blooming in her cheeks once more, and led the men to her car. So much for good impressions.
“Of course, never better,” she said breathlessly, turning on her heel toward the car. Time to get to work. Never mind fantasizing about a ranch romance. Once her bags were collected, she was led on a cobblestone and gravel path around the main house to a sweet little cottage, surrounded by bushesand budding plants that would surely transform into a beautiful garden in the summer. Imagine spending the next few months watching this garden grow. It sounded like an amazing plan.
“This is the guest house where you’ll be staying. The main house has room for my grandparents, my brother and sister, and each of their significant others. Oh, and my parents,” Marshall explained, huffing as he lugged the two huge suitcases Colette had brought.
Jack followed with her groceries. She had been told to bring everything she needed for a longer stay, and boy, did she ever. In an environment where one could experience multiple seasons in one day, a lot of layers of clothing were necessary. Colette was ready for anything.
The black door to the home matched the one on the main house, and there was a huge picture window that allowed her a glimpse of the small, well-equipped kitchen and comfortable living room. An adorable planter box sat beneath the window, which would be enchanting, filled with colorful flowers. This place was way nicer than her apartment and at least double the size. She wasn’t certain how she would get used to all that space. The beauty of this position was that she could work from home every day, save for meeting Marshall at the ranch office whenever he required it. Her mandate given, and once the important files were shared, she could keep to herself and investigate, organize, and streamline the finances of the operation. Her hope was to bring back clients, provide tips on attracting new ones, and even suggest some alternate revenue streams once she tidied up the finances. Help the business run more efficiently and increase profits by decreasing losses.
Marshall walked into the small home behind her, dropping the baggage and stepping aside to allow Jack to deliver the groceries.
“You should have all you need here, but if you find anything missing, let us know,” Jack said with an easy grin. He tipped his hat in her direction and said goodbye. Marshall lingered in the entrance, waiting as Colette took in the space.
The way he watched her was unsettling, almost as though he was waiting for her to say something.
“Is it to your liking? I had some help getting the space ready for you. Do you want a quick tour?” he offered. Nodding silently, she waited as he took off his boots and led her through the small rooms. “This is the kitchen and living room, and we have a team of staff that can come if you need the place cleaned.”
Marshall led her to the small office down the hallway. Though he was being helpful, Colette found his presence disturbing, the idea of being in close proximity to him unnerving. He stood directly behind her as she assessed the office, his pine and leather scent surrounding her. Drawn to the window, she stepped into the room to see the scenic view of the fields beyond.
“What’s that building over there?” she asked, pointing to a long red building down the hill.
“That’s where the ranch hands live. We have a good group of men working the land and moving cattle. I’d suggest you stay away from there, unless you want to hear a bunch of bawdy jokes and lose your shirt at cards.” Marshall shook his head when she turned her gaze to lock with his.
She frowned at the remark.
He cleared his throat. “Trust me, don’t go there. I can’t imagine how distracted they’ll be once they discover there’s a new lady moving in.” Marshall retreated into the hallway, using his arm to wave her toward the other room. She rubbed her arms as she walked in the direction he indicated.
“This is the bedroom,” Marshall said as he clasped his hands behind his back and watched her run a hand over the bedspread.
The bedding was a lovely light-blue-and-white checked pattern with ruffles around the edges and a thick white blanket draped across it for extra warmth. It was so pretty. There was a small antique dresser for her clothes and a narrow closet. Twin mismatched antique brass lamps on either side of the bed made her long for sleep. It would be so cozy reading her books in this bedroom.
Marshall turned on his foot and began walking back to the front entrance. “I’ll leave you to get settled in.”
Colette followed him out and a shy smile teasing her lips.
“Towels and other linens are in the closet at the end of the hall. The kitchen is fully furnished.” He gave a determined nod.
“Thanks, Marshall. When should we meet to go over the finances?” she asked, her hand resting on the door.
He turned, placing his hat back on his head.
“Let’s meet at the ranch office first thing tomorrow, say… nine o’clock? That will give me time to finish the morning chores,” Marshall suggested. His eyes lit up, as though he suddenly remembered something. “Oh, and our cook, Betsy, left some food in the fridge for you tonight. She was fussing over making your first night perfect.”
Colette nodded and waved as she watched him head back down the path.
“See you tomorrow,” Colette said quietly, her eyes lingering on the Wranglers hugging his backside. She suddenly understood why all those cowboy romances had been written.
Closing the door before she was discovered, Colette placed her hands on her hips and decided to start with unpacking her belongings and settling in. That was enough gawking. She was there to do a job. Hopefully, the numbers and Excel sheets would help quell the sensation in her stomach. Nothing could steal her attention like a well-made spreadsheet. Maybe if there wasenough time, she would have a bubble bath. The spring chill had sunken deep in her bones, and she wanted to chase it away.
Anything to forget the image of Marshall tossing hay bales or whatever sweaty cowboys did in warm haylofts. And suppress the thoughts of what he would look like after a shower, or even in that shower, water cascading over those muscles. Wet hair swept back on his head. With a sigh, she pulled out the files Clarence had given her and began to scan the various documents, receipts, and emails for any obvious errors. There was no sense in fantasizing about another man who would no doubt only give her the briefest of flings. This was exactly what she didn’t want again. She was tired of these temporary situations that left her feeling unsatisfied and discarded. A man like Marshall would certainly find her lacking. Especially if he was used to women who knew their way around the ranch and were accustomed to life in a small town. She had none of those skills. Chastising herself, she forced herself to focus on the work, not the man.
Accounting, on the other hand, was exciting. She was in a long-term relationship with balance sheets and income statements. Cleaning up financial messes, making numbers add up, and finding discrepancies gave her a thrill unlike any other. With her finance and marketing background, she hoped to find the source of the issues, which would eventually help her build back the reputation of the ranch and modernize their practices to create more efficiency. Seemed easy enough. This account and the staff’s needs were small compared to the size of the ones she worked on in her old company.
She pulled the giant thermal water mug from the pile of items she brought in from the car and filled it, anticipating some focused working time. Heading to her office, she dropped the files on the desk. Giving each one a quick perusal, she sorted the information into piles, stacking the ones she needed clarification on in their first meeting. Marshall seemed adamantthat he had done everything right, kept the finances organized and up to date until recently, when things stopped making sense. Discrepancies he hadn’t noticed became a concern, hence why his grandfather had sought her help. While absently sipping from her giant water mug, an idea bothered her.
