Page 9 of Ella and the Enchanted Bookshop

A man who looked distinctly like Asher with gray hair walked up, coffee in hand, and Asher turned toward him. “Oh, Ella. This is my father, Jay. Dad, this is Ella…” He paused. “You know what? I don’t think you ever told me your last name.”

“It’s Verre.” I grinned, suddenly glad my family wasn’t there. Casey disliked giving me the reins to the conversation when wealthy potential customers were involved. I turned to his father. “I hear you’re new to the neighborhood. Welcome.”

Jay shook my hand, and I decided immediately that I liked him. His eyes crinkled nicely at the corners, and he had a firm handshake. “Thank you. I came here last year for business and wasn’t able to get the place out of my head.” He waved his hand in the direction of the old ski resort. “And now I can call it home, too.”

“What kind of business?” I asked. Just then, Nevada wandered up and began to chew on my sleeve, so I pulled a cube of sugar from my pocket to distract her.

“Oh, I’m actually in the hotel business,” he said. “I’m hoping to restart the resort.” Then he laughed as Nevada went back to eating my sleeve. “You set this all up yourself? Your parents should be proud.”

I smiled, though my eyes stung a little at the corners. “Thank you. My parents… are in Heaven now, but it means a lot to hear you say that.”

He paused. “I’m so sorry. I just thought you’d said your family–”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” I began to rub Nevada’s nose in hopes of getting her teeth away from my clothes. “I live with my stepmother and stepsisters now, and we run the ranch together.”

His father opened his mouth as though to ask another question, but Asher spoke first.

“Did you get to read your birthday book last night?”

I sighed, embarrassment welling up within me. “I started it but didn’t get very far. I was out in the barn till nine.”

Jay blinked. “You had to be up early this morning too!”

I gave him a wry smile. “Five-thirty.”

Jay frowned. “And you said your family is where?”

“Well, hello there!”

We all turned to see Casey coming toward us, a brilliant smile on her face. She really was a handsome woman, and she knew how to make her makeup look effortless. Her clothes were simple but tailored perfectly to her thin build, and she wore just enough jewelry to give her some sparkle without being gaudy. And the natural red of her hair gave her eyes an extra spark. It was the kind of look that charmed men into thinking she was low maintenance and down-to-earth. Just the look my father had fallen for when they’d met after my mom’s death.

“Your daughter is an excellent worker,” Jay told Casey. “As a business owner, I’m impressed.”

“Well, we raised her that way,” Casey laughed. “Ella, why don’t you finish getting Caramel bridled?” Her voice was friendly, but I knew it wasn’t a request. Suppressing a sigh, I smiled and nodded at Jay before retreating to the trailer to get the other saddle. But to my surprise, Asher followed me.

“Are those your sisters?” he asked, nodding at Harper and Jaelyne, who were stacking pamphlets on the table for anyone who was interested in our ranch.

“They are,” I said as I dragged the saddle out from the trailer.

“Here, let me get that for you,” he said, reaching for the saddle.

“Oh, I promise, I can lift it.” I laughed. “I have to do it every day.”

“I’m sure you can.” He quirked a brow at me. “But that doesn’t mean a friend can’t help you.” He glanced over his shoulder and dropped his voice. “You’ve done a lot on your own already.”

I knew I shouldn’t, but the sudden fluttering in my stomach had me backing up and smiling like an idiot as he lifted the saddle and carried it over to the horse, and I hoped desperately that he wouldn’t notice the blush creeping up the back of my neck.

I might have also been noticing the way his shirt sleeves grew tighter when he hoisted the saddle onto his hip.

“Ella! Why is that young man doing your job?”

We turned to find Casey staring at us, her eyes wide.

Well, shoot. That look never boded well.

“I volunteered, ma’am,” Asher said with a friendly smile. But I didn’t miss the way his eyes narrowed slightly as he continued. “She’s been working hard all morning. I thought she deserved a break.”

Oh, Casey was going to kill me when we got home.