Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

10. AUSTIN

Chapter ten

AUSTIN

After Hayley drove away in the morning, I still had lots of work to do. The new horses need settling, so I head to the stables where my foreman, is waiting.

"Boss," he nods as I approach. "These new ones are a bit skittish."

I survey the nervous animals, which are only about ten of the whole fifty, which I think is a good sign. "Let's take it slow. Give them time to adjust."

Like Russell said, they are beautiful horses, each with the same basic look, but slightly different from the others. Absently, I stroke the coat of one of the skittish horses, who seems to nudge at me, asking for more scratches. “This one is a large dog.” I muse.

After a few horses detour here and there, we spend the next hour carefully introducing them to their new environment. The ranch hands move quietly, speaking in low voices to keep them calm.

"Easy there, girl," I murmur to the mare that had somehow stuck to me. "You're safe here."

By the time we finished, the horses seem more settled. Sebastian gives me a thumbs-up. "Nice work, boss. They'll be right at home in no time."

“Yeah, follow up with Russell on the immunization chart so we don’t miss anything, okay?”

“Noted, boss.”

“I need to go in to complete some jobs. I’ll see you later today or perhaps tomorrow.” Nodding, I’m already heading back to the house. As I settle in, I am instantly involved in a series of Zoom meetings and international calls. And before I know it, hours have gone by, and my eyes start to burn from staring at the screen for so long.

I didn’t stand up from my desk until the evening. I look down to see my two dogs, patiently waiting next to my chair. They're whining softly, their eyes pleading.

"I'm sorry, buddies," I say, scratching their heads. "I know I haven't been giving you enough attention these days. Tell you what, when I'm done with work today, we'll go for a run."

Hearing the word 'run' makes them excited. Their tails instantly start wagging, and I can't help but laugh. They lick my hand too, almost like a stamp of promise before settling back down. With a sigh, I return to work.

My next call is with Wei, and once again we discuss the merger he's working on between companies in China and Japan.

"The cultural differences are proving challenging," Wei explains. "But I think we're making progress.” We talk about the order of international business law and cultural etiquette, and by the time we're done, it's already pushing past midnight. I sigh, running a hand across my face. Turning my gaze towards my dogs, I see they're already sleeping.

"I promise, we'll go for a run once you wake up," I say, stifling a yawn.

This time, I make it to my bed. As soon as I hit the surface, I'm out like a light, exhaustion taking over.

When I wake, it's a few minutes before my alarm. One of my dogs is lying on my chest, licking my face, while the other is holding their leashes in his mouth, tail wagging expectantly.

I groan, about to roll over when I remember my promise. My dog keeps licking my face, causing me to laugh despite my grogginess.

"Alright, alright, we'll go for a run," I say, scratching their heads.

I skip my usual coffee. The morning cold will be enough to wake me up. I dress quickly, leash the dogs, grab my shotgun for safety, and we head out.

Normally, we take the trail towards the barns, but today we're headed in a different direction. I try to convince myself it's not because this path leads to Hayley's cottage, but who am I kidding? It's such a strange hour to say welcome to a new tenant, though.

As soon as we pass the corrals holding some of our more skittish horses, I unleash the boys and let them race ahead.

"Take it easy, boys," I tell my dogs, but within minutes they're both running full tilt. It's been a while since we've done this, and their excitement is contagious. I take the excuse to jog alongside them when they slow down. I think they realize I’m not as young as I used to be.

The wind makes it hard to breathe, but I haven't had this much fun in ages. Suddenly, they speed up and change direction, heading towards the vegetable garden.

"Oh no, you don't!" I yell, knowing they're the main reason I erected a fence in the first place.

But they're faster than me, and before I can catch up, I see the garden fence in the distance. They finally slow down, and when I catch up, I notice a figure moving by the fence.

My first thought is that it's a mountain lion, and my instinct is to protect my dogs. But on closer inspection, the figure seems to be struggling... almost human. My dogs are also interested in a bundle lying on the ground near the fence.

"So, it seems we have a thief," I mutter. It's rare, which makes it all the stranger. Knowing Hayley is close by in the cottage, vulnerable to this possible intruder, makes my blood boil. I realize I need to take action.

"If you take another step, I'm going to shoot," I say, meaning every single word.

The figure stops, confirming it's human. I train my shotgun on it while grabbing my flashlight. My dogs also begin to growl, sensing the tension.

I shine the light, and I'm greeted with the shock of my life.

"Hayley?" I say incredulously.

"Ha, ha, yes, it's me," she replies, turning towards me.

It is indeed Hayley. But what is she doing here at this time of the morning?

I give my dogs the command to sit in a hushed voice, then put the safety back on my weapon.

"What the heck are you doing?" I ask, lowering the flashlight.

I squint, finally able to see her clearly. She's wearing pajama bottoms and a green hoodie, her hair adorably mussed from sleep.

"I, uh... I was just..." she stammers, still clinging to the fence. "Exercise," she rushes out, surprising both of us.

My dogs, with their perfect timing – start sniffing the bundle on the ground, and within seconds, its contents – squash, tomatoes, and cabbage – are in plain sight.

"It must have been a... fun exercise," I say, unable to resist being sarcastic. "Were you stealing from the garden?"

"Stealing is such a strong word," she argues weakly. "I prefer 'borrowing without permission' actually."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "You could have just asked, you know. I would've given you whatever you needed."

"Where's the fun in that?" she quips, amusing me further. Yep. This is the feisty cat I remember.

I set down the shotgun and approach the fence. "Need some help getting down, princess?"

A moment passes. I can see the internal struggle on her face, but for some reason, she's not moving. "I'm good," she says adamantly.

I notice her position hasn't changed for a few minutes. "You're stuck, aren't you?" I ask wryly.

A few more minutes of silence pass, the only sound being my dogs having fun with the contents of the blanket.

Finally, Hayley admits reluctantly, "Leg cramps."

I bite the inner part of my lower lip to stop me from laughing. I reach up, knowing I have only two options: pull her legs, which won't work in this instance, or grab her waist. I can already imagine the fight coming, so I say, "This is the only way."

I wait for her to say something, but after getting a silent go-ahead, my hands encircle her waist. As soon as I touch her, she lets go of the fence.

"Easy there," I murmur, my voice low. I can almost smell the subtle scent of a sweet perfume. "I've got you."

As I help her down, her hoodie that had bunched up slips, and for a moment, we're face to face, just inches apart. Her eyes, even in the dim light, are a beautiful shade of green I'd never fully appreciated before.

"You know," I say softly, "if you wanted anything, you could have come up to the house..."

Suddenly, the moment is broken. She pushes at my chest, causing me to let go.

She takes a step back and adjusts her clothes. "Thanks, and I apologize."

Grabbing her blanket, she begins shuffling back to the path that leads to the cottage. She suddenly stops, looks behind her, and says, "and fix the lights." She grumbles, and then she's gone.

My dogs whine at that moment, upset that their newfound blanket is taken. I still can't take my gaze away from the direction she's disappearing towards. If I offer to walk her back, she'll probably decline. And she might not be comfortable walking with a man she doesn't know much about. I can only watch, hoping she won't trip or fall.

My dogs both whine again.

"I know, buddies. I know."