Dirty Sweet Cowboy

“He said what ?” There is no way in hell I want a reporter living on the ranch while all of this is going on, let alone getting up in everyone’s business, interviewing them, and taking pictures of us. “Miss Leoni …”

“Simone, please .”

I roll my eyes again. “Simone. There is a lot going on here right now and I’m not sure it’s in anyone’s best interest or safety, especially yours, to have you here for such a... protracted length of time. If you’d like to come for a week, perhaps we can put you up in the carriage house, and my daughter and I can move into the main house. But a whole month seems …”

She cuts me off. “I promise to stay out of your way, lovey. You won’t even know I’m there. Besides, my ticket is already booked and Hawk said it was okay .”

I feel my cheeks start to burn and my insides start bubble with rage. “Well, Simone. If Hawk already set everything up and told you it was fine, I’m not sure why anyone cared what I thought. This seems more like a call to inform me what is happening, regardless of my opinion, than a call to ask my permission .”

“I didn’t realize you’d been left out of the loop, and I’m sorry for that, Parrish. I hope we can be friends when I get there!” Her tone is perky and grating on me given the morning I’ve had, so rather than argue, I just relent .

“Fine. Fine fine. When are you coming ?”

“I’ll be out there tomorrow afternoon. I’m leaving Los Angeles in the morning, and then I’ll take a car from Helena .”

I snort laugh. “You’re ‘taking a car?’ You realize how far Dylan is from Helena, right ?”

“Not to worry! The magazine will pay for it. I look forward to meeting you, Parrish!” And then, she hangs up, before I can say anything else. I drop the phone back in my pocket and grit my teeth .

“Anna!” I scream at the top of my lungs. It’s early, and I suspect she’s still asleep, but I refuse to rage alone. “Anna! Where are you?” I yell up the stairs. A moment later, she comes shuffling down the hallway in her pajamas, a quilt wrapped around her shoulders, and her hair in a shaggy pony tail off the side of her head. She rubs her eyes and yawns .

“What the hell are you screaming about, girl? Do you know what time it is ?”

I cross my arms over my chest and scowl. “Do you know anything about this reporter ?”

Anna yawns again as she walks down the stairs. “What reporter? I need coffee before we start raging about anything, please. I slept on the pull-out and it’s like sleeping on a bed of nails .”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “The pull-out in Hawk’s room? Why ?”

“He was having a thing last night. It’s not worth discussing .”

“Speaking of,” I say as I follow her into the kitchen, “where is your dear brother? I’d like to have some words with him .”

She turns on the coffee maker and jumps up on the counter as it starts to brew. “I have no idea, actually. He was gone when I woke up, which is when you started screaming at me. What the hell is going on ?”

I grab the fresh-squeezed orange juice out of the fridge and pour myself a glass with a sigh. “You’re not going to believe this. Hawk told a reporter she could stay here for a month, for the entire length of the renovation. How the good goddamn am I going to get anything done with a reporter under my feet ?”

Anna shrugs as she pours herself a cup of coffee. “The same way you do everything, Parrish. You manage. And if she’s in the way, you tell her she’s in the way. And you tell Hawk to stop making decisions like this without consulting you first. It doesn’t seem like much to ask .”

I nod. “I know you’re right. I just wish he’d stop acting like he runs this place .”

“That’s Hawk. He’s always been a bossy jerk. Keep reminding him it’s not his place. He needs a swift boot in the ass. And not just your hand on it .”

My jaw drops. “Anna! What are you? What? I don’t know… What ?”

“Don’t bother. I know what’s going on .”

My shoulders drop and my stomach swirls. “He told you ?”

r /> “I left my coat in the stable last night .”

I cover my face with my hands in shame and groan. “Oh, my god. Anna, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry .”

She waves a dismissive hand at me. “Forget about it. But if you’re going to keep doing that, you need to make sure he still knows you’re in charge around here. Which you are. No making decisions without your input. No bringing reporters to live here without permission. We’re not going to survive without killing each other if you don’t assert yourself a little bit .”

“I know. I promise. I’ll be better. So. How do we deal with this reporter ?”

Anna sips her coffee and shakes her head. “Just ignore her. Let her do whatever she going to do, because she’s going to do it regardless of what we want. The story will help dad sell some horses, and may make some more money on that merger. But we just… ignore her .”