Cowboy For Hire

by Victoria James

  “Are you going to let me fix this next one?” she asked as they dismounted.

  He handed her the tote. “It’s all yours. See if you can identify what’s wrong with it and how to fix it. Just be careful with the wire,” he said, unable to help himself from issuing a little caution.

  “No problem,” she said, lifting the tote and walking over to the fence.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets to resist picking up the tote for her or pointing out the best way to go about repairing the broken strand. Not for the first time today, he noticed the way the sun caught the lighter shades of brown in her shiny hair…and that was just plain stupid. Who cared about the way her hair looked, pulled back in that ponytail? Or the way she filled out her jeans and sweater? None of his business. Not professional.

  “Shit,” she said and quickly grabbed her hand to her chest.

  “What?” he said, walking over to her and crouching down.

  She was holding her hand to her chest, and her eyes were watering. His gaze went from her eyes to her hand, and he cursed under his breath as a trickle of blood ran down her wrist. “Let me see,” he said, holding out his hand.

  She shook her head. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I can finish this.”

  “Did the wire snag your skin?” he asked, wincing when his words came out harsher than he intended.

  She shrugged, then nodded.

  Damn. He should have been paying more attention. But he’d been too busy thinking about stupid things like shiny hair. “Why did you take your glove off?”

  She frowned. “They’re too big. It was hard to work like that. I thought I could be careful.”

  He bit back his remark. “When was your last tetanus shot?”

  Her eyes widened. “Um, like, when I was a kid?”

  He clenched his jaw and started packing up the tools. “We have to get that looked after,” he said, standing. When she didn’t move, he extended his hand, trying to look less angry.

  “I don’t want to go back yet. I can finish this and then get my shot,” she said, her green eyes spitting fire.

  “Let’s see it,” he said, crossing his arms.

  She jutted her chin out and held his gaze, and for a long few moments, he didn’t think she would. Finally, she thrust her hand out, and he couldn’t help the curse that flew from his mouth. It was a nasty-looking gash. “See, not so bad,” she said as blood oozed from it.

  “Nice try. Let’s go now before it gets infected,” he said, picking up the tools and walking back to the horses, not giving her an opportunity to argue with him.

  “I appreciate your concern, but I can make my own decisions. This is my ranch,” she said, standing in front of him now, tilting her head back so she could stare him in the eyes.

  “You’re right. But I’m the foreman, and I’m training you on how to be a proper rancher. A real rancher wouldn’t let that go. So you can either put on a brave face and continue fixing that fence for the next hour or so that it’d take a novice and end up with a nasty infection because that wound would get dirty, or you can deal with it and be back out here this afternoon,” he said, mounting his horse to show her that obviously there was only one right answer.

  After a few seconds, she made some kind of sound and stomped back over to her horse. “Do you need help?” he asked, wondering if it would put pressure on the wound to mount her horse.

  “No. Thank you,” she said, her politeness a complete contrast to the anger in her voice. So, day one wasn’t exactly a roaring success.

  As she turned the horse in the direction of the ranch, a pang of pity hit him unexpectedly. She was trying hard. She wanted this. She was trying to be a contributing member of her own ranch, and he really did admire that.

  “Hey, Sarah,” he said as they approached the ranch.

  She turned to glance at him, her full lips pulled into a thin line, her eyes filled with a pain that he wasn’t sure was completely physical. He felt compelled to make her feel better, and he didn’t know why. If that had been Tyler, he would have laughed at him and probably called him an ass. But she wasn’t Tyler. “It wouldn’t be a first day without some kind of mishap. Happens to everyone,” he said, trying to be positive.

  He was rewarded with an almost smile. “Did it happen to you, too?”

  He hesitated. “Well, it happens to most people.”

  She made a sound and stared straight ahead.

  “Do you need a ride into town?” he asked.

  “No thank you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, then I’ll probably just get back out there and continue fixing fence for the rest of the day. No time to waste,” he said, slowing as they approached the barn. He was being practical and also trying not to make her feel like a bigger fool by driving her to a doctor.

  “Thanks,” she said over her shoulder.

  He paused there for a minute and then turned his mare around and headed back out. He’d hoped the tension would leave now that Sarah wasn’t accompanying him, but somehow it didn’t. It trailed him around for the miles of fence he rode next to that day.

  Sometimes, when he was at the Donnelly Ranch, the odd post here and there would stand out to him. On some of those days, when Ty’s father would be with him, the older man would point those out and explain that some of them were more than a hundred years old, some from tree branches set in the ground before milling. That kind of history was astounding. Even more so to know that some of these ranches went back that many generations.

  Today, it made him think of the Turner family and this sad ranch they had been running this last decade.

  He shared no one’s history. His family lineage…went nowhere.

  Nothing like the Turners. Nothing like Sarah. And that was just fine, because a woman like Sarah could never be for him, especially not if she was his employer. His livelihood depended on her. So all thoughts of curves and shiny hair would have to be shut out. His top priority would be proving to her that he was indispensable and that at the end of the year, even if she could run this ranch, she’d still need him.

  …

  Cade was standing in the well-equipped tack room at Joshua Ranch a couple of days later, trying to not get involved in the conversation he was eavesdropping on. He’d never been one for listening in on other people’s conversations, but since this had to do with Sarah, he stayed where he was and was careful not to make a sound.

  “I worked with her dad for years,” Sully, one of the younger wranglers, said. “If he’d wanted his daughter to join the business, it would’ve happened. She was never the same after she saw her brother die. If the stories are right, she didn’t talk to no one for three years afterward.”

  “I heard the same. Don’t know how long she’ll last, doesn’t look too tough to me,” Jesse, another young ranch hand, chimed in. “Apparently she hurt herself the first day on the job. I saw her in here holding her arm, her hand all bloody. She’s not exactly a natural at this.”

  Cade’s muscles tightened. She’d worked hard alongside them all week. Sure enough, the day after her mess up with the fence, she’d been waiting for him outside the barn. They had worked on fences together, and by the end of that day, she’d known what she was doing. She’d been impressive. A quick learner.

  And here they were, disrespecting not only a good woman but their boss. He hadn’t expected to have to deal with these kinds of issues, but he knew he had to speak up because rumors spread faster than wildfire, and it was his job to quash this kind of talk.

  With an inward groan, he walked out to join the chatty young cowboys. They stopped talking the minute he emerged from the tack room. At least they had that much common sense. “I think you boys have better things to do than gossiping about the woman who signs your paychecks.”

  He was pleased to see both their faces blanch before tu
rning red.

  “Sorry, Cade. We didn’t mean any disrespect,” Jesse said, nudging his hat up and meeting Cade’s stern gaze.

  After another second of staring them down, just for good measure, he gave them a nod. “Fine. We’ve all had our fair share of accidents on a ranch and we don’t sit around gossiping about it and questioning a guy’s competence.”

  “Of course,” they mumbled.

  He gave them a long, hard look. “Just see that it doesn’t happen again and this line of conversation ends now.”

  They both nodded and scrambled down the corridor and out the barn. He’d keep an eye on them and his ears open to any of that kind of meddling.

  As he did his nightly ritual of one last check on the horses, a quick pop-in to make sure there was hay in every feeder and that the waterers were clean in the stalls, his mind wandered back to the woman at the center of the gossip.

  The end of week one left him with the conclusion that there had been some verbal memo passed around that stated that Sarah was incapable of performing like the other ranch hands, just as Mrs. Casey said. No one let Sarah do anything. They stepped in every time.

  He’d have a talk with the men tomorrow morning over breakfast when Sarah wasn’t around. She was working hard. She had gotten in there and tried to do what they were doing. He could read the frustration on her face, and hearing the men grouse about their idea of her failures wasn’t the way he wanted to end the week. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, and for the next month he’d be playing double duty because after dinner he’d have to get accustomed to the business end of the ranch.

  He headed for his house, his gaze lingering on the sun dipping behind those mountains he loved, painting the sky pink, and an odd feeling of gratitude mingled with weariness. Never in a million damn years would anyone back home picture him here. Joshua Ranch was a fine Montana operation, and the fact that he was foreman at his age was something that made him proud. He wouldn’t screw this up, which was why he had no problem grabbing dinner from the canteen and taking a quick shower, then heading back to the ranch office to get in a few hours of work.

  Three hours later, Cade was still knee-deep in spreadsheets and accounting, settled behind the desk of Sarah’s father’s office. While his favorite part of the ranch manager job was being outside, the business side of things was essential. He’d had to learn this part of the business fast at the Donnellys’ ranch, and he had gotten good at it.

  He glanced at the display on the computer and was surprised it was almost nine o’clock. He scrubbed a hand through his hair, resting his elbows on the paper-filled desktop, and willed himself to wake up a little. He should have brought in a cup of coffee after dinner. His gaze roamed the room, taking a break from the screen, and it settled on the bookshelf filled with family pictures. They were the typical photos, like the ones he saw in other people’s houses, except the one with Sarah and a boy who looked almost exactly like her. He must have been the brother who died.

  The knock at the door prevented him from wondering about it. He stood, rolling his shoulders as he crossed the room to answer the door. Sarah was on the other side, holding two mugs and smiling. Her grin wobbled slightly when she saw him, and something flickered across her eyes. “Um, I saw the lights on in here and thought that, since you were burning the midnight oil, maybe I could help out or at least bring you a mug of hot chocolate.”

  He was touched by the gesture, even though he wasn’t really a fan of hot chocolate, and opened the door wider. “Thanks, that’s very nice of you. Not necessary, but I was just thinking I wished I brought a cup of coffee with me tonight.”

  She handed him a mug. “Great. It’s not a problem. If you have time, I’d love to watch what you’re doing. I know you’ve had to go slower than normal while teaching me everything, and I don’t want to slow you down with this, too…”

  Her voice trailed off, and he realized that she sounded uncomfortable. Maybe he wasn’t that welcoming. When working at Ty’s ranch, he never had to think about how he came across or what vibe he gave off. Working with Sarah was proving to be different. There was also the added complication that he found her attractive. Too attractive. Her hair was still damp around the ends, and she smelled as though she’d just showered, which led him to imagine her in the shower, which was completely inappropriate.

  Sarah was wearing a navy hoodie with jeans and sneakers. Her face was scrubbed clean, giving her this mix of girl-next-door prettiness and gorgeous, soft woman. That was a dangerous combination for him, a combination he never had. She was unlike anyone he’d ever been with…not that he’d ever taken the time to really know a woman.

  “So what are you working on?” she asked, raising her eyebrows as she took a sip of her hot chocolate and entering the small office.

  He pulled one of the chairs around so that she could sit beside him and see the computer screen. When they both sat down, Cade was very aware of how close they were sitting, how intimate a setting this was. He took a sip of the hot chocolate, surprised by how smooth the chocolate was and without a flooding of sugar. “I think this might be the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.”

  She crossed one leg over the other. “Thanks. Secret recipe. It has no sugar in it and is made with organic cocoa. Compliments of Mrs. Casey.”

  “Ah. I guess that’s a good sign,” he said with a low chuckle.

  “I think it might be a sort of peace offering,” she said, her eyes dancing.

  He leaned back in his chair as he took another sip. “I thought that was what the strawberry-rhubarb pie was.”

  Sarah scrunched up her nose in a gesture he found inexplicably adorable. It was probably the hot chocolate and long nights making him think like this. “I’m still sorry about that. She’s kind of like a second mother, and she’s been with our family since I was little.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, deciding what he should reveal and shouldn’t. Despite the fact that there would never be anything more between them other than colleagues, they would get to know each other very well this year. Getting things out in the open would be essential if she was to become as involved as she claimed. “She mentioned some kind of health problems? If there’s anything I should be aware of, especially in situations where we’re out there moving cattle or really physical things, you can let me know. I would never tell anyone else.”

  Her mouth dropped open slightly, and she averted her gaze, but not before he caught a flash of anger in her eyes. “There’s nothing other than the typical stuff people have. I’m sure you have…things,” she said, motioning her hand in his direction.

  He shook his head slowly. “I have nothing.”

  She frowned. “Everyone has some kind of problem. Back, headaches, IBS, joint issues…”

  He felt a grin coming on and fought it back for her sake. “I’m not eighty; I eat everything and it stays where it should.”

  “Oh. Well, I guess you’re lucky.”

  “So you have IBS?”

  He had the pleasure of watching her face go red, but it also reminded him that he shouldn’t be having this much fun teasing her. She was his employer.

  “No. Basically I’m like you. Minor issues.”

  “I told you, I have no issues.”

  She placed her empty mug on the desk with a thud. “Fine. I’m not exactly like you but pretty close. I have no issues that should be of concern to anyone but me, and I can control them. Which reminds me, since I’m robust and filled with good health, I’d like to go on the next cattle drive.”

  Hell. He kept his poker face on just long enough to try and figure out how that would work. Of course she could come—it was her own damn ranch—but it was just that Sarah coming along would be one other element he had to worry about. It wasn’t a full-out cattle drive; it would only be one night out there. But it would have been easier with just a bunch of cowboys. He cleared his throat
. “Sure. Sounds good. Have you ever been on one before?”

  Her mouth tightened slightly. “Uh, no. I always wanted to, though.”

  He ignored the pang of sympathy he felt for her. He couldn’t imagine growing up in a place like this and being denied the ranching life. “What about Mrs. Casey? Will she have an issue with this?”

  Sarah sat up a little straighter. “Edna may be like family, and she may believe otherwise, but she doesn’t control me. I’m going on that cattle drive. I begged my father to let me join him, but it never happened. And then the last few years of his life, he didn’t go on them, either. Health issues prevented him from having an active role on the ranch, so he kept himself busy with the business side of things.”

  Interesting. Everyone really had sheltered her from everything. From what he was seeing, the books were a mess. He was going to have to meet with their bookkeeper to get a clearer picture, but the day-to-day wasn’t looking great. Cade was going to track down the previous foreman to see if he could get some insight, because this hadn’t happened overnight. If the man was still in Wishing River, Cade would find him.

  “Well, this is your ranch now, and you can do what you want,” he told her. “I’m sorry to hear that about your dad, though.”

  “Thank you.” She gestured at the papers on the desk. “How are…things? I’m embarrassed to admit that I know next to nothing about the ranch’s finances. I meet with the bookkeeper and accountant but don’t actually know the everyday side of things.”

  “It’s not that complicated, actually. And while it’s not good, it could be a lot worse.” He nodded at the computer screen. “It’s pretty much the same system they had over at the Donnelly ranch, just on a bigger scale. Last year, Ty and I switched it over to something newer that I’d like to try here. It’ll be a lot of work initially but in the long run will save us time, and we’ll even have better records.”

  She nodded, leaning forward.

  He knew none of that would mean anything to her without an explanation. “Right now, we’re tracking the essentials. With the new system, we’ll easily be able to go way beyond grazing records, rainfall, and water testing and easily track things like calving times, breeding times, pasture usage, input costs, feed, medical costs, labor, and on and on,” he said, clicking through the screens as he spoke.