Chapter 17
What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
Gunner
Charlie was watching Benny, one of the stable hands, working a horse in the indoor school seeing as the snow had started, when I caught up with her. At least she was acting like she was watching him, but I could see she was looking off into the distance.
“Charlie,” my voice was low and neutral. For as angry as I was with her, Cassidy was right there might be other things going on that I didn’t know about.
Her head swung in my direction. “What?”
“I think we need to talk.”
“We talked. You made it clear that you’re not happy with my work.” Her hands clenched the top bar of the fence. “Seems like you’re not happy with me full stop.”
I took a breath, because she was right, I wasn’t, but I needed to get to the bottom of why our relationship had changed so drastically.
“What’s going on, Charlie? We used to work so well together. A well-oiled machine.” I put my hand over hers holding the fence. “You’ve seemed distracted lately. Is everything okay back home?”
When she looked at me her eyes were full of tears, and I suddenly wished that I’d had the conversation with Cassidy earlier. I wished that I’d spoken to Charlie earlier.
“Come on Charlie.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “Talk to me.”
She nodded slowly, took a deep breath and then began to talk.
I burst back into the office, stamping snow from my boots. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you waiting so long.”
The smile she gave me hit like a physical force.
Not the polite curve of lips I’d expected, but something soft and radiant that stopped me mid-stride.
It reminded me of someone else—of Mom’s expression when I’d read her a whole chapter without stumbling, or when I’d first cantered around the paddock without falling.
A smile that said she saw something in me worth being proud of.
“Did you figure it out?” she asked, leaning forward in her chair.
The words wouldn’t come as Cassidy moved to the edge of her seat, hope and maybe excitement shining in her eyes. She was the sun peeking through the clouds.
“S-she, erm, she,” I blew out a breath, still floored by the effect of Cassidy’s gaze on me.
The memories that it evoked despite never having been gifted with it before.
“She’s been offered a job back home in Tennessee and didn’t know how to tell me.
Rightly or wrongly, she was angry with herself because she didn’t know how to approach me.
That anger came out in the form of playing up. ”
“And now?” she asked, rolling her lips in, waiting.
“She’s leaving.” I shrugged. “Can’t deny it hurts that she doesn’t want to stay and learn from the best, but she’s going to be head trainer with a team of six working for her. It’s a great opportunity for her.”
“And she’s going with your blessing?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I’ve told her she can call me any time for advice.
” I was glad we’d finally got to the bottom of things, even though it had left me with a huge headache.
I needed a new assistant, but no one I already employed was ready to step up, so I’d have to recruit.
“Finding someone to replace her isn’t ideal, especially with the plans with the camp. ”
Cassidy gave a one shouldered shrug. “We’ll manage. Unless you want to postpone.”
“Nope. No way. Like I said with that fucking development we need to get ourselves established and the beginnings of a great reputation so, no, we forge ahead.”
Cassidy nodded and reached for her notebook. “I made some notes while you were talking to Charlie. Things that we can do quickly. Things that we need to start to put in place in readiness. Give it a quick look over and if you agree with them I’ll put them on a spreadsheet.”
“Okay.” I sat in my chair and looked down at the notes in her neat, cursive handwriting. “Funny I always thought teachers were like doctors and had awful handwriting, but yours is pretty. My mom had beautiful handwriting, too.”
She smiled softly and boy it gave me a kick to see a little blush creep up her neck.
I rolled my chair closer to her, ready to change the subject from my mom. “Talk to me about what you think we need to start with.”
“Well, there’s a whole host of permits that we need, so I think they’d be a good start,” she told me. “Because if we don’t get them then there’s no camp.”
I looked down at the list. Each point had an email address next to it and what the permit was needed for. She was nothing if not organized.
“I’m happy to contact them all, get the ball rolling.
” She looked up at me, briefly sucking on her bottom lip.
“Could you start contacting some of the equipment suppliers? I can send you a list, just to get an idea of costs?” I nodded as Cassidy ploughed on.
“I’ve also come up with some ideas for sponsors, but I guess that’s something we need to talk to Nash and Wilder about. ”
“We can, but there’s no harm in me putting out some feelers. And,” I said with a shrug, “Nash made it clear this is our baby so I’m sure he’ll be on board with whatever we decide.”
Nash, Wilder and myself were all equal partners in the ranch. Mom left it to all three of us, which we discovered once we retrieved her will that Dad had hidden, but Nash, as the eldest, was the one we all turned to for the final decision or advice.
“Okay then,” Cassidy said, her leg bouncing, “let’s get started.”
Her enthusiasm was not only catching but it was cute as hell. It was also another reason why I was rethinking how I felt about her.
“Damn,” I said, stretching my back and neck. “I know now why I need Ruthie in here to do the admin for me. I am not built for sitting at a desk for hours.”
Cassidy’s head looked up from the spreadsheet she’d created and was updating.
She’d pulled her hair up into a mess bun on top of her head and there was a pink blush to her cheeks.
It might be snowing outside but it was warm in the office with the log burner roaring away in the corner.
I was grateful for that in more ways than one because Cassidy had stripped off her sweat top and was down to a tight, pink t-shirt with a cartoon heart with legs and arms on the front.
“When does Ruthie start?” she asked, reaching for a mug of coffee which had to be cold by now.
“Three weeks. And it can’t come too soon, especially as I now need to find a new assistant.”
“I’m sure you’ll find the right person.”
She stretched her arms, and I couldn’t help but notice how her tits pushed against the cotton.
I whipped my gaze away, not wanting her to notice or think that I was some sort of creeper.
The temptation was too much, though, and my eyes went back there.
She’d dropped her head back, twisting it from side to side and I had a huge desire to lick up the column of her slim, smooth neck.
“We should call it a day,” I croaked out, aware that my dick was suddenly feeling trapped in the confines of my jeans.
Cassidy picked up her phone and looked at the screen, blinking. “I didn’t realize the time. It’s getting late. We’ve worked through lunch.”
I put a hand against my belly. “Now you mention it, I’m feeling hungry. We should go over to the house and grab some food.”
When I stood up, my gaze went to the window, and I was surprised by how heavily the snow had fallen. Against a darkening sky, flakes of white confetti danced in the wind transforming the outside to a magical snow globe.
“You have snow tires on your car?” I asked, turning to look at her.
It was clear from the way she grimaced what the answer was. “Is it bad?” Getting up from her chair, she craned to look out of the window, having to stand on her tiptoes because she was so small. “Ah, shit.”
“I don’t think you’re getting back to town tonight, sweetheart.” Realization of what I’d just called her hit me, but it was too late to take it back. “Let’s get to the house otherwise we may get snowed in here.”
Alarm flashed in her eyes, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m joking, but you’re definitely not going back to town.”
“I could borrow a truck,” she suggested.
I held my breath for a beat. “No fucking way. You’ll be safer staying at the house. Now, let’s go and see what leftovers Ruby left in the house for us all.”
Ruby, our new cook for the ranch hands, liked to stock up the family refrigerator with whatever she’d made throughout the week. While Lily’s cooking was awesome, Ruby’s was on another level, and I was pretty sure we’d all gained a few pounds since she’d been working for us.
“You ready?” I asked after a couple of minutes of Cassidy gathering her things.
“Yep, all good.”
When I opened the door to the swirling snowstorm, I put an arm around her, guarding her from the weather. I tried to ignore the way her small body against mine made me feel ten feet tall. Made me think I could conquer everything or everyone because it was the most alien feeling ever.