“You’d better at least try. What’s the point of hirin’ someone if you ain’t gonna let him do the work?”

Her mouth opened, then closed. She couldn’t think of a rational rebuttal.

Tires thudded by the barn, sounding abnormally loud in the morning stillness. A drawn out squeak echoed as the gate was opened. An engine gunned and a screech bang followed.

Gemma hustled toward the sound. Her stomach did a little flip at seeing Cash.

He yelled, “Mornin’, Gem.”

Cash’s smile died the second he saw Carter coming from the direction of Macie’s camper. His neutral expression became a frown when Carter demanded, “Where’s Macie?”

“If she would’ve wanted you to know, McKay, she would’ve told you.”

“You ornery—”

“Carter,” Gemma said sharply, “enough.”

Cash said, “Maybe you oughta be doin’ your job instead of worryin’ ’bout my daughter.”

“At least somebody is worried.” Carter snorted. “Did you see her last night? Or ignore her? I bet you don’t even know where she is.”

“As a matter of fact, I do know where she is, and the chances of me tellin’ you just dropped to zero, boy.”

Good God. This was ridiculous. “Look. I don’t have time for this stupid male posturing. Carter, what did you get done this morning while Cash was tending the livestock?”

“I moved the horses into the south pasture. I sprayed down the stalls and refilled the flytraps. Then I prepped Daisy’s medicine. Didn’t know if you wanted me to give it to her or if you wanted to do it. Then I took stock of the rest of the veterinary supplies and made a list for the next time someone goes to the feed store.”

Cash seemed impressed. “I noticed them flytraps were lookin’ ratty last night.

Thanks for takin’ care of it.” He knocked his hat up a notch and addressed Gemma. “The stock tank out where the cattle are grazin’ is bone dry. I came back to switch out trucks before I head back out to refill the water tanks.”

“Is that damn pump broken again? That’s twice in the last month,” Carter said.

“I wondered. Thought boss lady could help me out. Show me how, or let me figure out the best way to prime the pump.”

The double meaning in Cash’s words caused Gemma’s stomach to pitch again.

“Sure.”

“Did you notice if the salt licks are gone?” Carter prompted. “’Cause it was damn close to nothin’ the other day when I checked on ’em.”

“Completely gone. I couldn’t find replacements tablets.”

“She keeps them in the cellar.”

“I’ll know where to look next time.” Cash angled his chin at Carter. “Far as I’m concerned, you done everything I thought needed doin’, so there ain’t no reason for you to stick around today. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”

The two men stared at each other. “Fine. I’ll go. Just as soon as you tell me where she is.”

Cash laughed, a little harshly. “If Macie wants to contact you, she will.”

“And when she does? What then?”

Gemma stifled a groan at Carter’s surety where he stood as far as Macie was concerned, after knowing her for one day.

“If she does contact you, I’ll abide by her wishes. Until then, you’ll abide by mine.

Stay away from her, McKay.”

“You forgot one tiny detail. I don’t think Macie wants to stay away from me.” Carter retreated and loped to the barn. Before either of them said another word, Carter mounted his horse Deacon and galloped across the pasture, away from what probably would’ve been an argument as heated as the day.

Cash swore.

She tried to diffuse the situation. “What happened to you this morning? I woke up and you were gone. Was I snoring or something and chased you off?”

“No. You looked so peaceful I let you sleep in. I woke up early to hang out with my daughter, but she’d already taken off.”

“Where is she?”

His eyes narrowed. “If I tell you, you gonna blab to McKay?”

“No. But if he asks me, I ain’t gonna lie.”

Cash sighed. “I called her cell when I couldn’t find her this morning. Evidently she found work at the Last Chance Diner. She’s cookin’ first shift today.”

“She already found work? I hope I’m not the reason she felt the need to get a job when I told her she’d have to earn her keep if she stayed here.”

“Don’t worry. Though your offer was mighty nice, ranch work ain’t her thing.”

“Glad to hear I didn’t chase her away.”

“Take more than that to scare either of us off.”

Gemma stepped closer. She had an overwhelming compulsion to touch the smooth skin on his cheek, which was still damp from the exertion of early morning chores. She settled for curling her fingers around the window frame. “Is everything all right? You seem…I don’t know…different today.”

“Just tryin’ to get the lay of the land, so to speak. I don’t want to disappoint my new boss lady.”

“Nothin’ you’ve done to me, or for me, has disappointed me so far, Cash.”

He grinned. “Good to hear. What do you say we get the rest of these morning chores done and head over to the diner for lunch? I’d like to see my girl in action.”

“Sounds good. I’ll grab the truck keys, and the salt, and meet you by the gate.”

Something between them still didn’t feel right. Rather than press the issue, she’d see if it resolved itself – or if it was unfounded paranoia on her part.

Carter tried not to fume as his horse cruised across the pasture. Problem was, he suspected he was mostly mad at himself. He should’ve trusted his gut feeling and gone to Macie like he’d planned last night. From the looks of it, Cash and Gemma had been so wrapped up in each other Macie probably spent the night by herself.

How often had that happened to her? Was that the reason for her reserve?

It was a detached attitude, a purposeful distance he recognized. Hell, even his own family considered him aloof. Last night, in the long hours he’d spent alone, he’d attempted to draw Macie from memory. He’d expected that seeing her in the flesh would lift the veil stifling his creativity. It’d worked at first. By the time he’d finished with the half-dozen or so sketches of her, none of them to his liking, it was nearly three in the morning. He crumpled them up and managed to nod off. His dreams weren’t memorable, but on some level they’d disturbed him enough to rouse him from a light slumber.

Tags: Lorelei James Rough Riders Billionaire Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net