A Sunny Sweetheart for the Cowboy (Sweet River Ranch #3)

Chapter 1

Chapter

One

T here she was. Not that he’d been watching for her return.

Weston Kline turned away from the dining hall entrance. She wouldn’t have spotted him in those few brief seconds, would she? Nah. Paisley was far too busy laughing with the long-lost friends she’d made here last summer. It was practically old home week. A reunion of sorts.

She was like a butterfly, bringing life and joy wherever she went. Everybody loved her. Everybody wanted to be near her, to be her best friend.

Everyone except Weston. All that happy-happy-joy-joy was nothing but an irritation. A show. Nobody could possibly be blissful all the livelong day, week after week. One of these days, she’d crack, and it wouldn’t be pretty.

Then he’d know she wasn’t genuine. Was that what he wanted? No, of course not, but it was still inevitable. He’d be able to relax his guard around her if she proved herself a little more human .

“Dude!” Weston’s cousin Maxwell clapped his hand on his shoulder. “Aren’t you starving? Get in there before the new hires eat everything. They’ll soon figure out what a great cook your mom is.”

Yeah, Weston was hungry. When wasn’t he? As the head wrangler at Grandfather Sullivan’s guest ranch, he worked harder than any of his city-boy relatives. He’d met his cousins for the first time just over a year ago when Mom finally went against Nana’s wishes and tracked down her biological father through a DNA site. She’d found out the old man was filthy rich and had no idea he’d ever had a daughter. Or so he said.

So, Weston had suddenly met the other half of his family, and he sometimes wished he hadn’t. All that privilege had gone to their heads. The namby-pamby, sheltered — but they’d been good to him, and some of them, at least, had proven to be regular guys. If regular guys had designer clothes and penthouse apartments in Chicago and master’s degrees in who-knew-what.

Weston didn’t care. Except he did.

“West?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m coming.” He forced some sort of smile at his cousin. It didn’t have to look genuine. They all knew better than to expect joviality after working with him for an entire year.

Maxwell gestured. “You first.”

Grr. Weston hated that, but if he insisted, it might draw everyone’s attention. Like Paisley’s. Yeah, no. He stepped forward. “Where’s your crew?”

“Most of them are already in here, I think. Join us?”

Maxwell’s crew had been with him several years as they’d flipped houses together before pausing that career to renovate Sweet River Ranch’s cottages, some of which had been in severe disrepair. The construction workers were a tight unit who didn’t mingle a lot with the other staff.

“No, thanks.” Weston shook his head as he stood in line, his back to Paisley, Cadence, Kaci, and the other girls. He was not part of Max’s elite club. “I’m sure you all have a lot to catch up on.”

“Always room for you, dude.”

“Thanks, but I can’t stick around long.” It wasn’t that he couldn’t, exactly, but he didn’t want to. How long could he pretend not to notice Paisley’s return? Pretend not to care?

He didn’t need to fake it, because he didn’t care. She was annoying, remember? He wasn’t looking for a relationship, and especially not with someone so… bubbly. So effervescent. He might not have his cousins’ degrees, but he knew a few big words. Reading a lot was an education in itself.

“ Weston!!!”

He winced, but ignoring Paisley would lead to even more attention, so he turned slowly. Before he could fake noticing her for the first time, she slammed into him, her arms wrapping around his middle in a ginormous squeeze.

His arms went around her in self-defense, only so she wouldn’t send him crashing to the floor. Much as he would have liked to revel in that for a moment, maybe sniff her perfume, he dropped his hands as soon as they’d both regained balance. “Paisley. Hi.”

“Oh, it’s so good to see you! How were things in Montana over the winter? I emailed you, but you didn’t write back.”

Of course, he hadn’t. Why put himself through that?

Weston shrugged. “Okay. Spring’s here now.” And it was represented by the blue-eyed beauty beaming expectantly at him, wearing her typical cutoff jean shorts, with a green staff T-shirt peeking out beneath her plaid flannel shirt.

“How’s Enchantment? May I ride him today?”

“Uh… he’s fine. Ride whenever you want before the tourist schedules take over.” Weston had been surprised to discover he didn’t mind the influx of visitors. They were mostly poor city chumps who didn’t know which end of a horse was which, so his expertise was revered. A few girls had tried to flirt but given up quickly when he stared straight past their heads.

“Ae you and Ranger going out later? I’d love your company for my first time back in the saddle after eight months. Before?—”

“Excuse me.” The line had moved forward enough that Weston was next to fix his tray. He managed a smile for his mom, who waved from her spot by the restaurant-size range. Emma and Tina kept the line moving as they served up chili, salad, and cornbread. Mom’s chili was the absolute best.

He turned with his tray and nearly ran right into Paisley, who was still smiling brightly and awaiting his answer. She was harder to get rid of than those blasted thistles in the east pasture. “What was your question again?”

“May I ride with you today?”

Well, she was nothing if not persistent and blunt. He glanced around, saw a table with one empty chair, and forged toward it. “I doubt I’ll have time today. I’m busy.”

He set the tray down and looked around the table. Too many pairs of eyes looked back at him from faces of young women he’d never seen before. New hires for the new season, by the looks of their staff T-shirts with fold lines still etched in them.

Weston swallowed hard and lifted his tray.

“Not so fast, cowboy.” The girl next to him placed her hand on his arm. “Please join us and tell us about the ranch and what we’re in for, working here this summer.”

Was that Paisley’s snicker he heard behind him? He’d ignore her. But meanwhile, sweat was gathering on the edge of his T-shirt’s crew neck. He’d ignore that, too.

And he was stuck. “Uh, sure. I can’t stay long.” He pulled out the chair and sat down, ducked his head for a quick, silent grace that included a plea for a clean escape, then began to shovel chili into his mouth.

“Girls, this is Weston Kline, one of the boss’s grandsons. Weston is the lead wrangler.”

He looked at the speaker. Kaci Moore. He hadn’t noticed the head housekeeper seated across from him. That meant these were probably housekeeping staff, and he’d have pretty much nothing to do with them for the entire summer. Whew.

Weston managed a sort of smile. “Guilty as charged.”

“Oh, so are you the person to see to if we want to ride?” the girl next to him asked.

His spoon stilled for a few seconds before he could get it going again.

“Yep, he is who you want.”

Did Kaci have to word it quite that way? He glanced at her, and she smirked. Great. They’d barely exchanged ten words last summer. Now she was flirting or setting him up or something.

He was way too old for these girls — they looked barely out of high school — even if he were looking for a relationship, which he absolutely was not.

The scent of Paisley’s perfume — how had he even remembered that for all these months? — wafted its signal before she leaned past him with her hand lightly on his shoulder. “Mr. Sullivan mentioned a group trail ride for staff members tomorrow right after lunch. I’ll be assisting Weston with that, so be sure to sign up on the board over there so we have enough horses saddled.”

Wait, what? He froze. But she wasn’t completely wrong. Grandfather did want every staff member to have some knowledge of all parts of the guest ranch in case they were approached by a tourist. It was news to him that a time had been set.

Weston glanced at the huge whiteboard. And, there was a signup started in Paisley’s round printing. When had she done that? Before accosting him or after?

It didn’t matter. Looked like he was stuck.

Too bad he didn’t completely hate the thought.

“So, you spent all winter gathering all the energy and feminine wiles you need to pin down Weston Kline?”

Paisley Teele skewered her roommate with a pointed look. “Of course not. I was busy teaching skiing to intermediates. I used up every bit of energy I could muster every single day.”

“Uh huh.” Cadence Foster laid her book facedown and stretched as she rose off the creaky sofa. “That’s why you waylaid him in the dining room earlier.”

“Pfft.” Paisley waved a hand as though that would clear away Cadence’s accusations. “I hugged no fewer than 38 staff members today, Graham included.” Maybe mentioning Cadence’s fiancé would divert her attention.

“You were counting?”

“An estimate.”

“I wondered if you’d meet someone in Colorado and not return to Sweet River Ranch.”

Why couldn’t that have been the case? Why had she measured every cute ski instructor and flirty lodge worker and hunky first-aid attendant against the brooding enigma that was Weston Kline? She’d been trying to shove him out of her mind for an entire year now, since the day they’d met when she’d returned to Montana for her second summer at the guest ranch, the first under Sullivan ownership.

She shrugged. “I like it here. Want a cup of tea?”

Cadence shuddered. “I can’t handle that much caffeine this time of night. I need my beauty sleep.”

“Aha!” Paisley pointed a finger at her roommate. “I brought some herbal teas for you.”

“I don’t really do herbal tea. Or any tea.”

Paisley scowled. “You drank tea with me last summer.” But not in the evening. And not often. Hmm.

“I was new here, and I didn’t want to offend you.”

“And now it’s open season?”

Cadence laughed. “Sure, why not?”

“Being engaged to one of the Sullivan grandsons has gone to your head. You’re no longer afraid you’ll lose your job and get kicked to the curb.”

“You, too, could feel this secure. This loved. This… sense of coming home, of belonging.”

“Um, right. Not so quick to plan my life, girl.”

“How many more years do you plan to work seasonally?”

You’re not getting any younger. Paisley could hear the silent words hanging in the air. “Not sure. I guess we’ll find out.” She pivoted to fill the kettle. Cadence might not want tea, but Paisley sure did. That’d be the day a strong cuppa would keep her eyes open when she hit the pillow.

Sleeplessness was more likely to be the result of envisioning Weston Kline’s brown eyes as he tried not to react to her. It was all fear on his part, right? She understood relationship fear, but something about the surly cowboy drew her. Maybe because he was completely unattainable. Since he’d never commit to her, she didn’t have to commit to anyone or anything.

Limbo wasn’t as much fun as it had been back a few years ago, though. Cadence wasn’t wrong. Paisley had been drifting from seasonal job to seasonal job her entire adult life. In a brain that bounced from one thing to the next, nothing held her attention for long. Her job here at Sweet River worked for her, though. She ran programming for kids and families, so there was no time to achieve stagnation. Tourists came and went, and her roster of activities shifted according to the ages of current guests and her own whims.

A match made in ADHD heaven.

Except for the keeping organized part. But somehow, she’d managed to stay on top of things enough that no one had complained. Maybe they hadn’t even noticed.

One could hope. The kettle came to a boil, then Paisley poured hot water over her Earl Grey teabag before turning back to Cadence, who had her nose stuck in her book again.

Paisley shook her head. How anyone could immerse in imaginary worlds like that, she had no idea. Reading was for information, and she always went by the first hit or two in an online search. Hopefully they wouldn’t lead her astray too often.

She crossed to the sofa and settled beside Cadence, who shifted slightly. Paisley set her tea down then pulled the hardback out of Cadence’s hands. “Hey, I’m here.” She looked at the illustrated cover and winced. “Seriously? “The Rose Gate?” There’s a creepy bear staring at the girl.” A plump and adorable bear, but still.

Cadence yanked the book back. “It’s a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Of course there’s an animal involved. It’s a terrific series by a new author I just discovered. Look, she does all the illustrations, too.”

Paisley’s gaze dropped to the bottom of the cover. Hanna Sandvig. Whoever that was.

“See?” Cadence opened the hardcover to a full-page illustration. “She draws as well as she writes.”

“Nice.” Paisley feigned a yawn. “How come you’re not hanging out with your hunky fiancé tonight?” Not that Graham was that hot, at least, not by Paisley’s standards. Cadence obviously thought he was. And didn’t the couple spend half their evenings snuggled up on the sofa, each immersed in a novel? Paisley couldn’t think of a more boring date.

“He’s working late tonight. There was a snafu with the payroll program, and with registeringso many new employees this week, it needed to be fixed sooner than later.” Cadence lifted her book.

Paisley gently pushed it down. “Makes sense. Tell me about the wedding plans. September 21st, right?”

Cadence folded the dust jacket flap into place as a bookmark and set the book aside. Finally. “Yes. And you’re my maid of honor. We already talked about that.”

“Yes, thank you! I’m excited for that. What do you need me to do meanwhile? Will the wedding be at Grace Fellowship down in Jewel Lake or here at the ranch?”

“Here, I think. Graham said Tate and Stephanie’s wedding was in the lodge great room, and it worked well. Graham and I have fewer family members and people we’re close to, so I think the intimate setting here will be perfect.”

“Yes, theirs was a beautiful wedding.”

Paisley remembered the day. It was the first time she’d noticed Weston Kline. He’d filled out his suit nicely.