by Amy Vastine
Tyler gave Dewey a pat on the neck even though he wanted to hug his fake fiancée. Hadley managed to create business opportunities for the ranch while getting her horseback riding in.
“We could absolutely set something up. We’ll sit down with you sometime this week to talk it over.”
Conner circled around to the back of the group. “We’ve got to keep moving, boss.”
“I’m going to hang on to this pretty lady and her horse. We’ll get Dewey back to the horse barn safe and sound, I promise.”
“No problem. It was good to meet you, Hadley. Anytime you want a mini cattle clinic, let me know. I’d be happy to take you out.”
A strange sensation began to build in Tyler’s chest. “If anyone is going to teach her how to wrangle cattle, it’s me.”
Conner tipped his hat. “Gotcha, boss.”
Hadley dismounted the horse and waved goodbye to her new group of friends. She had a way of fitting in no matter what the situation. Tyler envied that.
“Sorry for taking off on you after Katie and I finished fixing the fence. Ethan talked me into going on this ride and I couldn’t say no.”
“It’s fine. Glad you’re having fun.” He meant it, which was odd for him to say. Usually he cared only about getting the job done. Fun wasn’t in his vocabulary. “I like your hat,” he said, flicking the brim so it fell over her eyes.
She pushed it back. Her smile was dazzling. “It’s Katie’s. She let me borrow it so I didn’t fry in the sun. You forgot to tell me to pack some hats.”
Tyler adjusted his own baseball cap. “I didn’t think about it. I was lucky I thought to pack one for myself.”
“Katie said you used to live in ten-gallon Stetsons.”
Tyler felt the corners of his mouth curl up at the memory of the impressive hat collection he had when he was younger. “I don’t know about ten-gallon, but I had a pretty sweet black cattleman’s hat.”
“Katie also said you used to get lost, roaming around the ranch in your cowboy hat.”
His lips fell into a straight line. He didn’t want to think about what else Katie might have said about him. “I’m sure Katie had lots to say, but let’s talk about the ranch.”
Hadley paused and tilted her head to the side for a second. “Okay, let’s talk about the ranch.” Before Tyler could say anything she began, “Did you know that there’s an archery area on the south side and sand volleyball court? I know that there are enough cattle here to still consider this a working ranch, but Ethan has this idea to add more hands-on experiences for guests, which would make it potentially twice as profitable for you guys. And I have this idea, it might seem a little crazy, but hear me out—”
Tyler put his hands on her shoulders. “Whoa, slow down.”
Their eyes locked and Tyler felt frozen in place. She licked her lips and his mind wandered where he had forbid it to go. Kissing her was off the table. He had to take a step back so he didn’t do something foolish like pull her against him.
“Sorry,” she said, tugging on one of her braids. “I didn’t mean to get overexcited, but your brother has some really great ideas that could make this place successful.”
“Successful for whoever comes in and buys it from us so we can all go back to our real lives,” Tyler added.
Hadley’s face fell. “Right. Of course.”
“I got pictures of everything on the property. I need you to help me figure out how we want to put everything together. I also need you to rough out a few marketing brochures for us to send out to potential buyers.”
“Tyler Blackwell—all business, all the time,” she said. “I told your family I might know you better than they do now.”
Tyler wasn’t sure how to take that since she sounded disappointed. How could the Tyler his family knew be better than the one he was now?
* * *
HADLEY’S THOUGHTS WERE all over the place, making focusing on the task at hand more difficult. She felt like there was something she needed to tell Tyler, but she couldn’t remember what it was for the life of her.
“Which one of these do you like better?” Tyler asked, turning his laptop screen toward her. “This one or this one?”
She got off the couch and moved over to the desk he had claimed as his workspace. “I like the first one better.”
“Me, too.” He added it to the webpage he was working on.
Hadley raised her arms above her head and stretched. She’d forgotten how riding a horse made her use muscles she usually didn’t. “I’m almost done with the cabin descriptions. I’m not sure how to make the Evergreen sound distinctive. It’s basically the same as Sunrise Ridge.”
“It’s closer to the main lodge for people who don’t want a long walk to dinner.”
Mentioning dinner made Hadley’s stomach growl. She was starving. She’d left first thing in the morning to help Katie and came back to the cabin to work on the website with Tyler after horseback riding. No breakfast, no lunch. It was almost one o’clock. She needed food.
“Speaking of food... What do you say we go check out what’s to eat in the lodge?”
“I really want to get this page done. But you can go if you want.”
She put her hands on his shoulders and gave them a little rub. His muscles were so tight. “Don’t make me eat lunch by myself. Even you take a lunch break when we’re at the office. I’ve seen you eating at your desk.”
“Working lunches are not a lunch break. If we want to get this website up and running, we have to keep working.”
“I promise not to ask you to take another break if you go with me now. We can grab some stuff to bring back here for dinner so we can have a working dinner,” she offered in compromise.
He gave a heavy sigh. “Fine.”
She talked him into walking to the lodge instead of driving, so they could stretch their legs. They passed the horseshoe pits. A family was playing kids versus parents. The youngest boy was up and his brother was cheering him on as he tossed the horseshoe at the stake. He managed to throw a ringer and the boys high-fived.
“Nice toss!” Hadley shouted as they walked by.
The boy beamed. “Thank you!”
Tyler smirked.
“What?” she asked, tugging on his arm.
He stared at her hands wrapped around his forearm. She quickly let go. “You make friends wherever you go,” he noted.
“No reason not to.”
Being nice to people encouraged them to be nice back. It was something her father had taught her since she was little. Her dad was the kind of guy who made nice with everyone, from the mailman to the attendant at the gas station. At restaurants, he treated the busboy as kindly as the manager who came over to see how their dinner tasted. It didn’t matter how important someone’s job was, everyone was treated with the same respect.
“Wouldn’t it be fun to put in a playground for the kids in this space here? Maybe sell ice cream and some snacks from a food truck.” She pointed to the spot that was absolutely perfect for that setup.
Tyler shoved his hands in his pockets. “Maybe.”
“When I was doing some research on guest ranches, I found one that had an outdoor cooking spot, too. That would be so much fun. We’ve already got the picnic benches behind the lodge. Set up a fire pit back there and get someone to cook some eggs to order and some bacon or sausage. People would love it. And pay for the cowboy experience.”
“You’re just full of ideas. Ethan’s going to think you want to run the place instead of sell it, which is the opposite of what I want.”
All the wind was taken from her sails. There was so much potential in this place and she couldn’t stop herself from seeing it and wanting to build on it. But Tyler was right, those ideas were better sold to whoever would buy this place. Getting Ethan excited about the future was pointless when the ranch wouldn’t be t
he Blackwells’ anymore.
“Right. I’ll save it for the prospective buyers. Help them see what they could do to expand.”
“Thank you. The less Ethan thinks about what he can do with this place, the better. His focus needs to be on being Falcon Creek’s veterinarian. The guest ranch will be someone else’s problem soon enough.”
Hadley felt sorry for Ethan. She could see how someone might feel connected to this place. Letting it go was going to be hard. Not for someone like Tyler, but it seemed the Blackwell brothers were all very different from one another.
They entered the lodge and found the dining room almost empty. Everyone must have hit the buffet early. A morning full of outdoor activities could work up some mighty appetites. Hadley knew she was ready to eat all of whatever was left.
“Tyler! Hadley!” Grace waved from one of the long banquet tables. She had two plates of food in front of her. Hadley wondered for a minute if Ethan was here, as well. “Come sit with me. I hate eating alone.”
No Ethan. In her defense, Grace was eating for two. Hadley and Tyler took seats across from her. The dining room had a rustic charm to it. The tables were covered in white tablecloths and guests could either order off the menu of foods served family style or go through the buffet.
“Finally getting some lunch?” Grace asked.
Hadley put her hand on Tyler’s back, trying to appear more like a happily engaged couple. “I had to drag this guy away from his computer or we were going to starve.”
“I’ll have to remember to check in and invite you to eat with me in case he tries that again. I love coming here for lunch. All-you-can-eat buffets are a pregnant woman’s dream come true.”
Grace was easy to talk to. She seemed like someone Hadley would be friends with if they lived in the same town. She’d be the perfect sister-in-law if they were both really marrying Blackwells. But Hadley wasn’t a real member of that special club.
* * *
TYLER THOUGHT HADLEY was hungry but all she wanted to do was chitchat with Grace. He had a million things to do, like find a moment to call Kellen back without Hadley around.
“I’m going to go grab some food. Do you want to come with me, dear?” he asked Hadley.
Reminding her there was food seemed to do the trick. She was quick to end their conversation about the deer Hadley had seen on her horseback ride this morning. Today’s buffet theme was Southwestern. They filled their plates with cheesy quesadillas and refried beans and Spanish rice. Hadley grabbed one of the fish tacos. Tyler couldn’t pass up the chips and guacamole.
“You two weren’t kidding about being hungry,” Grace said with a laugh when they returned.
“I forgot to get some sour cream,” Hadley said, getting back up.
“She’s really sweet,” Grace said after swallowing down some water. “She seems like a good match for you.”
“Glad you approve.” It was funny that anyone would think that when it was so clear to him that they were completely incompatible.
“She balances you out. You need some light to your dark.”
“I’m not dark.”
“You make fun of Jon for being the serious brother. Have you ever looked in the mirror?”
“I’ll never be all smiles and hugs like Ethan.”
There was a dreamy look in her eye. “Your brother is one of a kind. I’m very lucky.”
Tyler ignored the prickly sensation of envy that ran over his skin. Grace was truly in love. He had to remind himself that Ethan deserved it. “When are you two going to tie the knot?”
“We’re thinking maybe a Christmas wedding after the baby is born. What about you and Hadley? Have you made any plans yet?”
Tyler and Hadley hadn’t had time to come up with fake wedding plans. He didn’t think people set wedding dates right after they got engaged. He’d keep it vague and let Hadley know later what he said so she could stick to the same story.
“We haven’t gotten that far. We’ll probably do something like Ben and Rachel. Maybe not elope but definitely low-key. Hadley’s pretty private given she’s got a famous brother. She wouldn’t want a lot of attention.”
“Famous brother?”
“Her brother is Asher Sullivan, the actor.”
“Asher Sullivan from When We Were Young?”
“That’s him. Don’t tell her I told you.”
Grace waved him off. “Your secret is safe with me. It sounds like Jon and Lydia will be the first wedding. They were thinking this fall. Of course, I’ll be as big as a barn by then.” She picked up a chip and seemed to think twice about eating it. After a second or two, she opted to eat it anyways. “This baby better be twenty pounds when it comes out because I have gained so much and I refuse to believe that it’s due to my addiction to sweets.”
“You sure it’s not twins? I hear they run in my family.”
Grace chuckled. “There’s only one in there. We’ve checked. And double-checked.”
Hadley returned with her dish of sour cream and two enchiladas. Tyler stopped and stared.
“What? They looked delicious. I couldn’t say no.”
“You are my favorite new person. I think we were destined to be sisters,” Grace said.
The guilt born from his lies spoiled Tyler’s appetite. He hated to get anyone in his family too attached to Hadley when she wasn’t going to be around past the two weeks they were here. They were all going to be so bummed to lose her given how easily she had been accepted.
Everyone would mourn her loss except for him. At least that was what he told himself. Hadley had no place in his personal life.
Guilt wasn’t the only thing making him not want to eat. There was another emotion creeping into his gut. Tyler set down his fork. Why would he feel disappointed? It wasn’t like any of this could possibly be real.
CHAPTER TEN
“YES, WE’D LOVE to set up a meeting. We could tour the property, talk about our current assets. Would someone be able to come out next week?”
Tyler had been on the phone all morning trying to work a couple of leads he had regarding potential buyers for the ranch. It was Friday, day five on the ranch, and they were done updating the website and Facebook page. The rest of their time and efforts needed to be spent on booking guests and wooing buyers.
He glanced back at Hadley, who was on the couch with a piece of red licorice hanging from her mouth. She had almost eaten the entire bag they bought during their late-night run to Brewster’s after Hadley had threatened to move into the lodge if they didn’t stock the kitchenette with some basic staples. Tyler wasn’t sure when licorice became part of a routine diet, but what Hadley wanted, she got.
“We’ll see you then,” Tyler said, scribbling down the date and time. He hung up and spun in his chair. “Representatives from the Mendes family are coming out on Wednesday to tour the property and hear our sales pitch.”
Hadley pulled the licorice out of her mouth. “These are the people from Colorado Springs?”
“The extremely wealthy people from Colorado Springs who already own and run a dude ranch out there. They have a son who wants his own ranch, though, and they think this might be perfect for him.”
“I’ll dig deeper into their ranch and see how we match up in terms of facilities and livestock,” Hadley said, taking a bite of the licorice and going back to her laptop. She was good at using her initiative and knowing what to do. He really liked that about her.
She had her feet up on the coffee table in front of her. Dressed in shorts and a worn-out UW T-shirt, her bare legs seemed to go on forever. Tyler liked that about her, too.
He spun back around because those were not the kind of thoughts he should be having. She was his employee. Not his fiancée. Not even his girlfriend. She was his brand strategist. He internally chastised himself. He still hadn’t called Kellen to plead his case for her be
ing promoted.
“I’m going to find Ethan. I’ll be back in a few.”
Hadley set her laptop down. “I’ll come with you. I could use some fresh air.”
“No,” he said and stopped abruptly. “Sorry. I mean, I need you to get started on gathering that information. When I get back, we’ll take a break. We can steal a couple horses and I’ll show you all my secret spots on the property. How’s that sound?”
She seemed to need a minute to adjust to his mood swing. “That sounds great,” she finally replied, picking her laptop back up.
Tyler headed out and dialed Kellen. It took three rings before he picked up.
“Three days? That’s as long as you could hold out for?”
“I’m calling to simply reiterate that I feel very passionate about Hadley... Wait, that came out wrong.” Had it? Tyler wondered if he was beginning to lose his mind. “I meant I feel very passionately about promoting Hadley.”
“I’ve been working closely with Eric and we’re making real progress. You should see what he sent me for the Kingman account. He did really thorough research. I’ll send you a copy of it so you can see he’s coming around. Don’t count him out yet.”
Leave it to Eric to figure things out right when Tyler needed him to fail. “What if she didn’t take a pay raise? What if we just gave her the title?”
“Why is this so important to you? I don’t understand.”
There was no way he could tell the truth. This was why lying was such a bad idea. It never ended with one lie. They always multiplied until no one could remember what the truth was anymore.
“I’m afraid we’re going to lose her if we don’t. She’s an asset to the company and if she ever got an offer from someone else, I think she’d be gone in a heartbeat.”
“Hadley’s loyal, Ty. I’ll talk to her when she gets back from this trip you sent her on. I’ll find out what she wants and how we can keep her happy.”
Tyler already knew what she wanted and how to keep her happy. He certainly didn’t need Kellen to do it. It was like he thought he had a better rapport with her than he did. Kellen always insinuated the employees liked him better. Tyler’s insecurities were triggered.
