Chapter Twenty-Five
Posey
Silas is extra flirty during yoga this morning and the women are eating it up.
Even Mila can’t deny it’s helped more members join and the class be more fun. The goats aren’t the only added bonus now.
I don’t mind it because it’s all in good fun. Now that people are speculating about us, we play into it more, stealing glances and not-so-subtle touches that’ll have them gossiping until the next class.
It’s been great for business since more people are buying goat soap from retailers in town and our website.
Landen and Ellie made an appearance at class too, which gave them time to see how we do things here. It was fun watching them try poses with goats climbing on them. We’re supposed to meet up with them tonight, but it’ll depend on how things go with my parents first.
“I’m gonna drive my car to my parents’ house, but I’ll catch up with you over lunch?” I tell Silas once we drop off the goats and return home to change. “I already told Amaya I was takin’ a half day.”
“Okay, baby. Text me if you need me. I love you.”
“Love you too,” I repeat, butterflies swarming my belly at how much those words mean to me.
Even though I’ve never said them to another man before, they easily slip out for him.
I gave my parents a heads up that I’d be stopping by after yoga, so when I arrive, they’re both in the kitchen waiting for me.
“Mornin’, sweetie,” Mom greets, making pancakes at the stove. “Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, starvin’ actually.”
“Perfect, take a seat.”
“Hey, Dad,” I say, sitting across from him. He’s reading a newspaper, which I find comical since everything’s digital now. “Didn’t know we still had those.”
“Not many left.”
“I could get you an iPad and you could read a handful more from all over the world.”
He scoffs at the idea.
“Have you hired someone to start buildin’ the new childcare center yet?”
“No, we’re still gettin’ bids in. Why?”
“I’d like you to hire Silas to manage the project. He has experience, knowledge, and he’s dependable. He’d make sure it was done correctly over anyone else who’s just in it for the money.”
Which is true. Silas wouldn’t let any of the contractors slide if they got lazy or did shitty work.
“Why?” Mom asks, bringing over a plate of food and maple syrup.
“Is he not workin’ out at the farm?” Dad raises a brow.
“He wants to start his own home building company, but doesn’t have enough assets to get a business loan. So, he could use the money he makes from this job to go toward his company.”
“How much does he need?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but probably a good amount for a new work truck, professional work clothes, office supplies, new computer, maybe enough for a part-time secretary. He thinks it’s too far-fetched, but I think it’s possible.”
“And why’re you so eager to help him find another job?” Dad grabs a few pancakes before pouring the syrup on top.
Slowly, I blow out a breath. “’Cause you gotta fire him.”
Dad doesn’t react. “I see.”
“Am I missin’ somethin’?” Mom asks, taking her seat next to Dad. “Why do you wanna do that?”
“’Cause he’s datin’ our daughter,” Dad supplies.
I’m not all that shocked he knows or at least probably assumed after catching us goofing around. Although at that time, we were only friends.
“You and Silas?” Mom’s eyes light up. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so happy for you two.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Dad still doesn’t look at me.
“How long has this been goin’ on?” he asks.
“Shortly after he moved in,” I admit, but don’t go into the details of how it started. “I tried to fight it, I really did. We both did.”
“Does your brother know?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Oh, Garrett. Why’re you givin’ her a hard time?”
“’Cause she knew about the employee relations policy and violated it anyway.”
“Oh, that silly thing?” She waves him off. “You can’t help who you fall in love with.”
“Lindsey, it’s to avoid issues like this. He should’ve quit before they…things got serious.”
“He’s been lookin’ for work, Dad. And the only company who offered him a job in the field he wants would send him to Louisiana for at least a year.”
“And he didn’t wanna be away from you, I assume?”
“Or his mom and sisters. Or Warren. He loves it here.”
“Would you two continue livin’ together?”
“Yes,” I say firmly. “Marjorie likes him there, too.”
“Does she?” Mom beams. “Oh, good.”
“Yep, and we watch Golden Girls together, so she’d be sad if he left.”
Dad sighs. “You realize we’re talkin’ about a ghost, right?”
“Her spirit,” I counter.
“You know Silas has to put in a bid first, right? I can’t just give him the job ’cause he’s your boyfriend.”
“Okay, I’m sure he knows how to do that,” I say confidently.
“Garrett.” Mom uses her stern wifey tone on him. “Silas is family. He’s been in our kids’ lives since elementary school.”
“What’s that gotta do with anythin’?”
“If you know what’s good for you and what food I put on your dinner plate at night, you’ll stop being a hard-ass and be happy to see your daughter happy. Silas, too. He just went through a bad break-up.”
“Not sure that’s gonna help, Mom.”
“Your father acts like we didn’t date right after he broke up with someone.” She scoffs. “We were crazy about each other within a matter of days.”
“This is different,” Dad argues, stuffing a forkful of food in his mouth. “She’s supposed to set an example for the other employees. Now what am I supposed to do? Reward her and hire him for a different job?”
“Can’t you reword the policy?” I ask softly. “Instead of no employee relations, maybe just employees who work directly together can’t date. Plus, he’d technically be a contractor, not a ranch or resort employee.”
“I like that idea,” Mom says, sipping her coffee. “And it lets others date who work on opposite sides of the ranch and resort.”
Dad grumbles as if he knows he won’t win this argument.
“And maybe our other three children will find someone they’re interested in on the ranch.” Mom beams. “And have babies.”
I snort at how eager she is for grandchildren.
“Which would be great for the childcare center,” I add, trying hard not to laugh as Mom and I gang up on him.
“What does Ian think about this situation? Does he know?”
I tense, quickly shoving more food in my mouth.
“Posey?”
Swallowing hard, I wince. “Yeah, about that…”
Since I don’t want any more secrets between us, I tell them everything. From when I told Ian to give Silas a hard time during his first week, to him catching Silas and I in a suggestive position, and then Ian coming clean about his feelings for me.
“He threaten y’all?”
“Yes, which is why I had to fire him.”
“Never liked that kid.” Dad shakes his head, frowning over the rip of his coffee mug. “Sounds like we need to find two replacements now, huh? One for Ian and one for Silas?”
I perk up. “Does that mean you’ll give Silas a chance?”
He nods. “And a loan so he can start up his business right away. If he’s gonna be datin’ and livin’ with my daughter, at least he’ll be workin’.”
Jumping out of my chair, I round the table and wrap my arms around him. “Thank you, Daddy. You have no idea how much this means to us. But him especially. He’s not used to someone else believin’ in him enough to give him a chance.”
He hugs me back. “Okay, now sit so we can finish our breakfast. I wanna hear how the goat soap business is goin’.”
“Sure thing, Daddy.”
Once we’ve finished eating and talking, Dad prints out a check for a hundred thousand dollars in Silas’s name. My eyes nearly fall out of my head when I see the number.
“This is a lot, Dad.”
“It should get him started for whatever he needs and we’ll consider the rest a sign-on bonus.” He lifts his shoulders. “I’ll get the paperwork started for the job. Tell him to come for supper tomorrow night so we can talk and sign the contract.”
“You really are a softie underneath your hard exterior.”
“Yeah, well…” He shrugs again. “I want y’all to be happy.”
“Thank you. We appreciate it. And if it helps, he makes me really happy, Dad.”
“Good.” He kisses the top of my head. “Maybe now you can give your mother grandbabies so she stops askin’ about it?”
I bark out a laugh. “Is that a condition? He has to knock me up?”
“I mean…” He grins cheekily. “You don’t wanna be too old poppin’ out kids, do ya? What are ya? Forty?”
“Oh my God, Dad. I’m not even thirty.”
“Well, in that case…” he quips. “Whenever y’all are ready. But I’d like to walk ya down the aisle someday. Can I have that at least?”
“Yes, I sure hope so.” I grin, thinking about the day Silas and I have our own wedding.
I stuff the check into an envelope before saying goodbye to my parents. It’s almost noon, so I put the check in my glove compartment and drive to the barn. Amaya’s been blowing up my phone. Apparently there’s a ton of gossip about where Ian is.
“Fuckin’ finally!” she shouts the moment she sees me. “What’s goin’ on?”
I grab my apron and some supplies, then start filling her in on everything with Ian and telling my parents about Silas. I don’t tell her about the business idea or the check since I want him to know first.
“I told ya he had a thing for you. We all did.”
“Even if I wasn’t with Silas, Ian ain’t my type. I think of him like a brother. Well, did. Now I think of him as a creepy weirdo.”
“Maybe that’s why his fiancée cheated on him with his stepbrother?” She snickers, and I try not to laugh, but it’s impossible with her. She makes everything sound overly funny.
“It’s strange ’cause he said he felt somethin’ for me the first day we met but then like a year later he started datin’ Sheila. But I guess he was waitin’ until he could find a different job to hit on me.” I shiver at the thought of us together. “Anyway…”
“Will Silas continue doin’ goat yoga with you and Mila?”
“I’m not sure,” I say honestly, but it makes me sad to think he probably won’t. Once he gets his company up and running, he’ll be busy with his own schedule.
“Well, if he doesn’t, can I vote on findin’ a replacement? Preferably someone who’s single, rich, and has an eight-pack?”
“I will definitely get right on that!”
“That’s why I love you.”
By the time my shift ends and Silas gets out of work, I’m bouncing in the passenger seat, ready to explode. I didn’t have time to tell him much of anything since we were both so busy but it’s better to tell him face-to-face anyway.
“Hey, beautiful.” He hops in and immediately pulls me in for a kiss.
“Hello, handsome.” I smirk, grabbing his hat from the backseat and placing it on his head. “There’s my naughty cowboy.”
“You’re butterin’ me up, aren’t you?” He pulls back, frowning. “Your dad’s pissed, ain’t he?”
“He wasn’t thrilled at first, but—” I pause when Silas sighs against the seat. “He came ’round.”
“Really? He’s not gonna rip me outta bed in the middle of the night, kick my ass, and make me goat food?”
“No…” I tilt my head, trying not to cackle. “But he did say he wants to walk me down the aisle and to give my mother grandchildren.”
His brows shoot to the ceiling. “What?”
This time I can’t hold it in and throw my head back, laughing at his wide eyes filled with fear.
“Okay, let me start from the top…”
He pulls out of the lot and drives us toward the cabin while I explain everything in detail that happened over breakfast. As soon as we pull into my driveway, I open the glove compartment.
“He gave me this to give to you.”
As soon as he opens it and pulls out the check with his name, he stares at it wordlessly.
“Now you can start Mathiesen Homes or Mathiesen Builders. Maybe Mathiesen—”
“He just gave this to you to give to me?”
Dammit, he never lets me tell him my third idea.
“It’s for you, babe. He said it’s a business loan to get whatever you need and the rest is a bonus.
We’ll go over tomorrow night to eat and then he’ll go over the contract.
After that, you’ll probably go over the blueprints for the childcare center and go from there.
He’ll pay you for the work as well. This is just to get your company off the ground so you can book other jobs too. ”
“I-I dunno what to say, baby.” He’s still staring at the check as if it’ll disappear into thin air if he looks away.
“He trusts you, Silas. He knows you’ll do a good job. And so do I.”
When his eyes meet mine, they’re glossed over, and I nearly tear up at how emotional he looks.
“No one’s ever been so confident in me before. It’s…” He swallows hard. “It’s hard to accept. What if I fail y’all?”
Scooching closer, I pull him into my arms. “Failin’ at somethin’ you at least tried to make happen doesn’t make you a failure.
You only are if you don’t try at all. You’re already goin’ after what so many other people wish they could do.
I believe in you wholeheartedly, which means you should believe in yourself too. ”
He cups my face and kisses me until my lips go numb.
“I love you so much, Posey. I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve a second chance, but I’m so grateful I got one.”
“Love you too.” I squeeze him tighter. “But now we gotta go tell my brother and the rest of my siblings the news.”