Dirty Sweet Cowboy

“What? What’s wrong ?”

“Maybe I’ll come with you. To the meeting, I mean. It makes sense to have the architect there too, right?” Hawk says, a hearty dose of hesitation in voice like I’ve never heard before. I scrunch up my face in confusion but nod .

“Yeah, you can. You don’t have to if you have other things you could be doing. I’m sure Simone will want to monopolize your time tomorrow, and sitting in on a meeting with the builder isn’t exactly exciting stuff .”

Hawk laughs nervously, awkwardly, and so loudly I think for a second he might wake Gracie up. I gesture at him to take it down a notch .

“I’ll tell Simone to follow dad around tomorrow. I think it’s more important that I be with you .”

The look on his face is serious, and I don’t have the energy to argue. I’m suddenly exhausted, and just want to crawl into bed. “Whatever you want, Hawk. You just take care of it. The meeting is at eight in my office, so just come over a few minutes before .”

I kiss Anna on the top of the head and then turn the corner out of the kitchen to head for my room. As soon as I do, I run square into Simone, who’s standing flush against the wall like a statute. She’s wearing a short, bright pink silk nightgown, and sheer short robe, with no slippers, her long hair is braided and hanging over her shoulder so it intentionally looks messy, but is clearly perfectly coifed .

I clear my throat and try to pretend I didn’t just almost punch her square in the boob .

“Simone! Is something wrong? Did you need some water?” I ask through gritted teeth, while she hides a guilty expression. I can tell she was eavesdropping, I just don’t know for how long .

She waves a dismissive hand at me. “No, nothing. I just couldn’t sleep, so I was up, wandering around. We haven’t really gotten an opportunity to talk, have we, Parrish ?”

I am really not in the mood for this , I think as I exaggerate a yawn. “We haven’t, but you’ve been spending a lot of your time with Hawk. And while I’d love to… talk… I have to get some sleep .”

I start to walk away, but Simone grabs my arm, stopping me short. “I’d love to get some time with you, Parrish. To understand what it is you do here .”

I look at her confused, with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t understand. I’m the ranch manager. I take care of everything having to do with McCormick Ranch’s business affairs. It’s not that complicated .”

She shakes her head with a smile. “I understand that’s your title, Parrish. But weren’t you married to the McCormick’s oldest son? I mean, is that really your job? Or is it more of a formality? A courtesy title ?”

My jaw drops. “I beg your pardon? Are you implying that I don’t deserve my job ?”

“I’m just asking …”

Anna comes skidding around the corner. “Hey! Ho! Ladies. What is going on out here? It’s getting a little loud and I don’t want to have to explain to my father why he was woken up my two women screaming at each other in his living room in the middle of the night .”

I bite my lip. “Nothing, Anna. Nothing is going on. I’m going to bed. Goodnight .”

Then I turn on my heel and stalk up the stairs, and to my room, where I collapse in my bed with a groan. I hate how angry Simone is making me. I hate that I’m letting her get to me at all. But most of all …

I hate that she’s going to be here for the entire stable build .

Hawk

“H awk! I need you in the barn !”

I’m crossing from the house to the office so I can be there for Parrish’s meeting with Russell when I hear dad’s voice shouting for me from the barn where we keep all of the ranch supplies. I groan and look at my watch. It’s almost eight, and Parrish told me to get there early. If I don’t show up when I say I would, she’s just going to be disappointed in me again, and I don’t want that .

“Dad! I don’t have time!” I holler back at him as I try to double-time toward the office. But then he sticks his head out of the barn doors and glares at me so intently, I can see the fire in his eyes even from where I’m standing .

“Boy! You get you

r ass over here now. I need to move these boxes before the carpenter gets here today, and I can’t do it by myself .”

I look nervously over at the office door, then check the road leading into the ranch to make sure that Russell’s truck isn’t lumbering down early. With a resigned groan, I rush over to dad, hoping that it’s just a box or two, and then I can get back to Parrish. But of course, as soon as I step through the doors, I see at least twenty-five boxes, and heavy one at that, which all need to be slid out of the way so the carpenter can get to the table saw .

“Dad, I told Parrish I would be there for her meeting with …”

He gives me the glare again. “Parrish is a grown woman, Hawk. She doesn’t need a babysitter. But I do need your help with this. So less squawking and more moving .”

I have to remind myself not to roll my eyes as I take off my jacket and start picking up the boxes of feed and supplies and chucking them to the other side of the barn as fast as I can. But the closer I get to the back, and to the table saw, the heavier they get. We have to use a lift, and before I know it, I’m soaked in sweat, and I have no idea what time it is because I had to take off my watch when it kept getting snagged on the boxes .