Redeemed Cowboy (Whiskey Valley Bryant Brothers)

He shakes his head. "I'm good. We don’t need anything. I mean, you do the ordering."

I nod in agreement. “Yep, I do the ordering.”

I bite my lip. There’s so much I want to say to him, but I don’t dare. He’s a player. He’s not interested in me, so I don’t know why I keep letting this get to me.

Chapter 2

Ryan

I can feel the disapproval from Mia. It's always been like this. I mean, I know the man that I am. I'm not interested in settling down, not after everything I saw my brother King go through. Of course, it's worked out now that he's met Natalie, but a few years ago, he was a mess. The woman he dated before was only interested in his money, and at the time, I thought it was going to destroy him. I’m much better off just having fun.

I just don't see why anyone would want to put themselves through that. But I can't help feel guilty as Mia stares back at me. There's something about her that makes me feel like I should be a better man, and I hate that feeling. All it does is frustrate me because I don't want to analyze it.

With the paper in my hand, I cross my arms over my chest and decide to change the subject. "So are we going to talk about the Cattleman's Association Ball?"

She shakes her head. "No. I know when it is. What else is there to talk about?"

I've never had to go to the Cattleman's Association Ball before. It's always been King's job, but he, Natalie, and their son, Elijah, are going to see Natalie's parents, so he won't be in town to make it. He didn't want to ask Griffin because he is helping out with something else. And Chance's really not the one you want to go to something like this. So I’m the lucky one. I drew the short stick, and with that, he didn't want me to pick my own date. He wanted me to take somebody respectable. I guess he thought I couldn’t find someone respectable on my own, and he convinced me that I needed to take Mia.

I look at Mia, sitting behind her desk. She has on her regular uniform. I call it a uniform, but just because that's all she ever wears. We don’t have a dress code or anything. She’s wearing a button-down shirt with the buttons fastened all the way to the top of her neck. The material is thin, and it's obvious she's had it for a long time. I don't think she ever goes shopping, and I know that we pay her a decent rate. She can surely afford new clothes.

"Well, have you got your dress?" I ask her. She just hems and haws at me with her eyes on the screen in front of her. She's thinking that I'm just going to leave without discussing this. "Mia," I say, and finally she lifts her eyes and looks at me. Or should I say over my shoulder because she sure as hell isn’t looking at me. "Do you have a dress for the event?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "Don't worry. I'll have one."

She won’t look at me. Why won’t she look me in the eye? "Well, take the ranch credit card because this is a business event."

Her face closes up a little more. She’s biting her lip, as if she’s holding back. I obviously said something or did something wrong. She grits her teeth. "I can afford to buy my own clothes."

Mia has always been very independent, and I respect that about her. But she’s also stubborn. "I know you can afford your own clothes, but this is a work event. You're going because King asked you to go. Just use the card."

She shrugs her shoulders, and I know that I just need to give up. She's going to do what she damn well pleases. I want to ask her what her problem is. For the last week, she's been different. Usually, we can cut up and laugh and have a good time, but it's obvious there's something that's been bothering her lately.

I think it all started with the day that King asked her to go to this ball with me, but I don't see what the big deal is. We've gone to work events before together, and it hasn't been an issue. She's back to staring at her computer and completely blocking me out. I tell myself that I should just leave, but I can't. I take two steps toward her to get her attention, and when she looks up at me, she sits back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest. She’s definitely ticked off at me for something.

"Was there something else you needed, Ryan?"

I shrug while I search her face. It's guarded, and I'm not used to getting that look from her. "Is everything okay with you?"

She gives me one brief, quick nod. "Yes, I'm fine.”

Fine. She says she’s fine. She’s obviously not, though. “You’re fine? Nothing going on? Nothing you want to talk about?”

She stares at her computer but shakes her head side to side.

I take a step closer. This is killing me. “Talk to me, Mia. Is someone bothering you? Did someone say something to upset you?”

She finally lifts her eyes and looks straight at me. Not over my shoulder or over my head. She looks right at me. She opens her mouth but then closes it really fast. That’s it. Someone said something to her.

“Who said it, Mia? Tell me and I’ll take care of it.”

She seems surprised that I’m ready to defend her, but surely she knows how much she means to me and to the ranch. I know each of my brothers thinks of her as family. Heck, Nat and Eli have been here the shortest, and they both already love her.

She looks back at her computer. “Nobody said anything, Ryan. Really, I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it a long time. But I do have a lot of work to get done today."

I feel a pain in my chest just hearing those words from her. She spent the majority of her life traveling to ranches with her father. Her mom left when she was thirteen, and after that, her father homeschooled her, and she moved ranch to ranch. Her father’s a great guy, would do anything for her, but he’s not one for staying in one place. I think that’s the reason King offered her the job like he did. He knew she needed this.

“Mia…” I start.