“Do you want me to take over the fundraiser?” Adam couldn’t imagine finding the time for that, but he’d do it if he needed to.
“No, you do enough around here. We need to hire someone else. I’m going to contact an employment agency to find someone for us. I do want you to interview, though, because you’ll be the person working closest with them.”
Adam nodded. In addition to his work counseling the boys, he was in charge of personnel on the ranch. “I’ll do that. If you can, get the interviews set for Monday. I can take all day and just interview. Well, except for Nick. The new boy will need me every day for a while, I think.”
“That sounds good. I’ll do my best.”
“Anything else?” Adam asked. His father had the power to catch glimpses of the future. He’d be able to bring in the right person with no problem.
“Not now. Just be sure to watch Nick. I don’t think he’s going to hurt anyone else, but I worry he might be self-destructive.”
“I sensed that in him as well. I’ll do everything I can.” Adam stood, heading upstairs to shower before dinner.
Chapter Two
Tiffani Simpson drove her little Ford Fiesta the hour and a half from San Antonio to Bagley. She hadn’t been super interested in the job someone had pointed out, but she was a firm believer in fate. She’d seen the listing, found out she was being laid off, and read something about the ranch all in one day. It seemed to her she was meant to go to Bagley and work as a fundraising coordinator for the boys’ ranch there.
She pulled into the driveway, surprised at the sheer length of it. Parking in front of the main house as she’d been instructed, she got out of the car, taking a minute to smooth her hair. It wasn’t every day that she drove an hour and a half for a job interview.
She walked to the house and knocked, waiting nervously for someone to come to the door. When the door opened, it was a middle-aged gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair and blue eyes. The kind of eyes that pierced the soul.
“Hi, I’m Tiffani Simpson. Are you Adam McClain?”
The man smiled, shaking his head. “Adam is my oldest son. Come in, and I’ll call him over.” He led her to a small office. “Can I get you something to drink while you wait?”
“I’d love some ice water. Lots of ice.” Tiffani’s worst habit was crunching on ice, and she needed to do it more when she was nervous—like today.
“I’ll be right back.” The door closed behind him, and Tiffani wandered over to the window, looking out at the ranch. Doing a fundraiser here would actually be enjoyable. She believed in what these people were doing, and she loved the idea of helping kids who were in the foster care system.
The door opened behind her, and she turned, smiling as she reached for her ice. Instead, she saw a man with the same eyes as Mr. McClain, but he was a great deal younger. And handsome. Much too handsome for her heart rate.
“I’m Tiffani Simpson.”
“Adam McClain. My dad is getting you some ice water. Would you like to sit down?”
Tiffani shook her head. “I’d rather stand for a minute or two. I sat the whole way here.”
“Where do you live, Miss Simpson?”
“San Antonio.”
“If you were to get the job, would you relocate? Or would you continue to make the drive?”
Tiffani thought about his question for a minute. “I’d relocate if I could find a good place to live.”
“We have some cabins for rent here on the ranch, if you’d care to look at them after the interview. We’ve found that when people begin to work for us, we want them close at hand so they can see how the ranch runs.”
“I’d like that.” The door opened behind her, and Tiffani accepted the water from his father.
“So what can you tell me about fundraising?”
“I’ve been a fundraiser for three different non-profit agencies. I read an article about your fundraising event the ranch puts on every year in a magazine, and I love the idea of putting my ideas to work for you.”
Adam leaned back in his chair, watching her. “What ideas do you have?”
“I know you do rides, a small rodeo, food, and games as part of your fair. What if you had people make some quilts you could auction off? Or what if you had the boys put on some sort of show?”
“I like the quilt idea. I’m not sure how I’d feel about having the boys perform for money.” Adam sensed that her ideas were all coming from her heart. She was very enthusiastic about their cause. “How soon could you start?” His father had told him she was the one to hire, but he’d needed to sense her emotions about the job for himself.
“My last day at my current job is Monday. If you could show me the cabin you have in mind for me, I could start as early as Wednesday. Your fundraiser is only once a year, correct?”
“Yes, but we’ve worked with the same woman for longer than I’ve been alive. Hiring someone new and getting them up to speed in time for the fundraiser might be a difficult thing.”
“I assure you I’m a quick learner, especially when I feel strongly about something.”
Adam got to his feet, offering his hand. “Welcome to the team, Miss Simpson.”
Tiffani grinned widely. “Thank you. And please, call me Tiffani.”
“You’ll need to call me Adam. There are a lot of Mr. McClains running around this ranch.”
“The article I read said that you have six brothers. I can’t imagine coming from a family of that size.”
“How many siblings do you have?” Adam started walking toward the door, determined to give her the ranch tour.
“None. My father died when I was two, and my mother never remarried. I always loved the idea of a big family.”
Adam frowned. Maybe he should introduce her to Gideon and forget all about his attraction to her. Gideon was guaranteed to have seven sons. He would probably have several, but there were no guarantees with him. Of course, he could provide her with daughters, and his brother couldn’t.
As they walked across the ranch, he pointed out the stables, the barn, the fields, and the boys’ houses. He stopped in front of a small cabin. “This is the house we have that you could rent.” He opened the door and led her inside. The cabin had originally been built more than a hundred years before by the boys who were the first foster kids there. It had been updated through the years to include electricity and indoor plumbing, but it still wasn’t the most luxurious place on earth.
“It’s certainly rustic.”
He laughed. “It is. You’ll find it has all the modern conveniences, though. All the appliances are included, and there’s a hot tub at the main house you’d be welcome to use.”
“A hot tub? Sold!”
He smiled. “It’ll be nice to have you on board, Tiffani.”
“I’ll be back on Tuesday with all my things. I don’t have a lot, so it shouldn’t be a big deal to move in.”
“If you’ll give me a call about thirty minutes before you arrive, I’ll arrange for you to have help unloading your vehicle.” Adam leaned against the doorjamb studying her. “Will you move alone?”
“If you’re asking if I have anyone I live with the answer is no. I’m too married to my job to be in a relationship, I’m afraid.”
“I hope you’ll put just as much enthusiasm and love into working here at the ranch, then.”
Tiffani smiled. “I don’t seem to know any other way to be. It’s one hundred percent or nothing in my world.”
“That’s what we need around here.” Adam opened the door and led her outside. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Thank you! I’m not sure I could find it at this point.”
He grinned. “Let’s stop by my office, and I can give you a map of the property. You’ll be all over it.” He eyed her skirt and heels. “I hope you own some good old-fashioned cowboy boots. Wearing that will just get your clothes ruined.”
“I’ll be sure to wear something more appropriate when I work here.” Tiffani looked at him, a
little worried about how attracted she was to this man. He’d be her boss, and office romances never ended well.
Adam felt the wave of attraction come from her and hid a smile. He felt the same. “When you get here, I’ll show you around town. There’s a church in Bagley that has acted as our benefactors for years. You’ll need to be introduced to the pastor and his staff.”
“Are you asking me out, Adam?”
“Would you go if I said yes?”
She laughed softly. “Not yet, but give me a little while to get my bearings. Then I just might do it.” As much as she was against dating someone she worked with, there was something special about him. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get to know him better. His eyes—the exact same as his father’s—sent her pulse racing. Yes, getting to know Adam McClain was an exciting and scary prospect all in one.
Tiffani was there by late Tuesday afternoon. She called thirty minutes before she reached the ranch as promised. She drove slowly through the grounds, following the map Adam had given her. When she found the house she’d agreed to rent, she found thirty boys waiting out front for her.
She slipped from her car, surprised. “What are all of you doing here?”
“We’re going to unpack your truck for you.” The boy who answered looked about seventeen, and he had a big grin on his face.
She’d borrowed a pick-up truck from a friend. She’d take it back the next weekend. “I’ll sure let you. I don’t exactly love lugging boxes.” She was exhausted. She’d finished up at her other job, packing boxes every night. It was a good thing she didn’t have a lot to move.
“Start carrying them in, boys. Tiffani, if you would go inside and direct them where to take each box, that would be a huge help.” Adam smiled at her as he handed her a key to the door.
She felt a spark rush through her body as she looked at his smile. What was it about him that made her heart beat faster? “I’ll do that.” She took the key and unlocked the door going inside.
For the next twenty minutes, the boys carried in things. She had them put them in various rooms. The cabin was furnished, so she’d been able to just bring her boxes of stuff.
When they’d brought in the last box, she thanked them all profusely, shutting the door as they left. She leaned back against the door with an exhausted sigh, only to find Adam standing in her house looking at her. “I thought you’d gone.”
“Obviously. You look tired. Why don’t I stay and help you unpack?”
For a moment, she was tempted, but she really wanted to put everything where she wanted it. She’d shared a house with a friend in San Antonio, but all the furnishings and everything had belonged to the friend. She’d had no say in how things were set up. Here she had every right to move anything she wanted.
“I’m probably just going to unpack the essentials and go to sleep. I’ll do a little every night until I’m done.”
“You’re invited to the house for supper tonight if you’re interested.”
She wanted to say no, because she really was tired, but she couldn’t turn down the invitation. She knew his parents lived in the main house, and telling them no could be career suicide. “I’d like that.”
He grinned at her, making her stomach flutter wildly. “Be there at six, then.”
Tiffani glanced at the clock and saw that it was after five. She would have just enough time to shower and walk to the house. “I’ll be there. Thank you for inviting me.”
“You’ll have to thank my mother. I was just passing along the invitation.”
“I’ll do that, then.” She stood there awkwardly for a moment. “I need a shower if I’m going to meet your mother.”
He nodded, heading for the door. “I need to check in on one of the boys before dinner anyway.”
“What exactly do you do here, Adam?”
“I manage the ranch, and I’m the counselor for the boys. If they have any kind of trouble, they always run to me.”
She thought about his words while she showered. She’d read that one of the men was a psychiatrist, and she was more than a little intimidated by the idea of it being Adam. Why psychiatrists intimidated her, she didn’t know…but the idea of Adam being one really did.
She got to the house just before six and knocked on the door, hiding her yawn behind her hand. A middle-aged woman came to the door, smiling broadly. “You must be Tiffani. Welcome to the family!”
Tiffani did her best not to react to the strange words. She was working there. Did they consider that made her part of the family? “Thank you, Mrs. McClain.”
“Oh, with all the McClains on this ranch and in town, you really need to use my first name. I’m Lillian.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Lillian. You have a beautiful home.”
She smiled. “It’s been in the family for hundreds of years. Members of my husband’s family fought and died in the Texas Revolution.”
“That’s fascinating.”
“Oh, that’s not even the tip of the iceberg with this family. I have a feeling you’re going to love it here. Are you settling in all right?” Lillian led her to the dining room where everything was already on the table for supper.
“I am. That little cabin is just the right size for me. I think I’m going to like it here a great deal.”
Adam stepped in from another room. “I’m glad to hear that. We like the idea of you staying for as long as possible.” When his eyes met hers, she felt a shudder run through her body. He had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. There was something absolutely mesmerizing about them.
“Thank you, Adam.” Tiffani tore her eyes from his and looked at the food on the table. It was a traditional Tex-Mex meal, complete with enchiladas, tacos, refried beans, and rice. “Everything looks delicious, Lillian.”
“Oh, trust me, it is. Mom makes the best food ever. When I was away for college, I’d drive home every weekend just so she could feed me. And she’d always send home frozen meals so I’d have something to sustain myself during the weeks.”
Lillian rolled her eyes at that. “He went to UT in Austin. He could have commuted, but he chose to stay in the dorms.”
Tiffani grinned at the byplay. It was obvious they were a very tight-knit family. “Well, I can’t wait to sample your cooking, then.”
Adam’s father stepped into the room then. “Hello again, Tiffani. I’m glad you decided to join us for supper. This will be a bit of a working meal, as we will be discussing ideas for the fundraiser next year. We have almost a full year, but you’ll need to be working toward it that whole time. We put on a big event so we have enough funds for the following year.”
“Sounds good to me, sir.” She couldn’t bring herself to use his first name, even if she’d known it. It would have been nice if someone had shared that with her. She knew all seven of the sons were named after the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers characters, because that was in the article she’d read.
“Please, call me Peter. Sir will just confuse everyone.”
“I’ll try my hardest, sir.”
They all laughed at her words. Adam winked at her, letting her know that humor was not only tolerated, it was expected. Good. She’d fit right in here.
“Where do you want me to sit, Lillian?” The table was long, and four seats were set at one end of the table.
“Peter will sit at the head of the table, let’s have Adam sit on his right and you sit across from Adam. I’ll sit next to you.” Lillian’s green eyes sparkled. Adam seemed to be a blend of his parents. He had his mother’s nose, but his father’s eye color. The shape of his eyes was his mother. He had her dark chestnut hair. His father’s strong jawline.
Tiffani took the seat Lillian had indicated. Once they were all sitting, Tiffani was astonished when they bowed their heads to pray automatically. It was definitely not something they did for guests. They prayed before every meal. It was refreshing in this world.
After the prayer, they passed dishes around and filled their plates. There was no doub
t in her mind that eating was as serious around here as praying was. Once their plates were filled and she’d had her first bite of the enchiladas, the questions started.
“Have you had a chance to see the place we put the carnival every year?” Lillian asked. “I bake pies for it. A lot of ladies at the church make cakes, and we do a cake walk. There’s so much that goes into it.”
Tiffani nodded. “I have looked at it. And I have a couple of ideas, if I may.”
“Oh, yes, absolutely!”
“Do you know of anyone who would make a quilt that we could use to raffle off? That’s something that could be done every month of the year, or you could have several for raffle at the carnival.”
Lillian smiled. “I make quilts myself. And many of my sisters-in-law do as well. Anytime a baby is born, we’ll make a quilt for them. Maybe the seven of us could sit down and just make quilts for a couple of hours a week. It will force us to get together more often, and we all enjoy our time together.”
“You were one of seven children as well, sir?” Tiffani asked Peter.
“I was. I have six brothers. I’m the seventh son of a seventh son. We don’t know how far back that goes, but it’s centuries. I’ve tried to trace it further, but genealogy is not my forte.” Peter smiled at the shock on her face.
“That’s supposed to be lucky or something, isn’t it?”
Adam nodded. “Seventh sons are always supposed to be lucky. Unfortunately, I’m just the first son of a seventh son.”
Tiffani sat and listened as they told her tales about the family’s history. She was utterly fascinated. She’d never heard of a family like this. And she’d grown up in San Antonio. It was surprising word of them hadn’t reached her.
Chapter Three
After dinner was finished, Adam looked over at Tiffani. “I’d love to walk you home, if you don’t mind.”
Tiffani got to her feet. “That would be lovely. Would you like me to help with the dishes first, Lillian?”
Adam (Seven Sons Book 1) Page 2
