Chapter 2
Chapter
Two
W eston led Ranger out of the stable and looped his reins over the corral post. Every single one of the 32 mounts Sweet River owned had been claimed for today’s ride. He could only hope there were a few experienced riders in the mix of greenhorns. He was only confident of himself, Darrell, Cadence, Paisley, and Jude. Should be enough.
Darrell, Weston’s wingman, dusted his hands together as he surveyed the row of patient horses, twitching their ears and tails against early-season bugs. “They’ll be happy to get some fresh air today.”
“Yeah. I hope so.”
Darrell chuckled as he headed back into the stable, returning with the bucket of carrots the new employees could feed to the horses. He tilted his hat back and surveyed the group in green Sweet River staff T-shirts milling on the other side of the fence before glancing over to Weston. “Want to do the honors?”
Weston crossed his arms over his chest. “You go for it.” His gaze scanned the group. Paisley had said she’d be here, but she wasn’t. He’d fully expected her to come early and help him and Darrell tack up all the horses, and she hadn’t. Where was she?
Not that he cared, but Enchantment was chafing at his bit, and someone experienced was going to need to ride him, or things wouldn’t end well. Who else out there could handle the gray gelding?
An electric golf cart careened into the yard and lurched to an abrupt stop beside the stable doors. Paisley leaped off, her well-worn red cowboy hat anchoring the long blond hair tumbling down over her shoulders.
Because of course red. It suited her.
Weston wouldn’t be caught dead in any hat other than brown. Who needed to stand out in a crowd and draw everyone’s attention?
Paisley. Because everyone had turned to see who the latecomer was, and several voices called, “Hi, Paisley!” as she waved back.
Everyone loved her.
Didn’t mean Weston needed to. He glowered at her. “I thought you weren’t coming.”
She flashed a grin at him as she swaggered over. “I told you I’d be here, cowboy.” She tugged his hat down a notch then whirled to face the would-be riders. “Is everyone here?”
This was Weston’s job, not hers, Ms. Activity Coordinator.He elbowed her. “Darrell and I have got this.”
“Oh?” She smirked up at him.
He itched to kiss that smir — no. He itched to wipe that smirk right off her face. She presumed too much. Always .
Darrell consulted his clipboard. “Okay, we’ve got Jude and Cadence helping as well today. If all the leaders are ready, we’ll assign riders to each one.”
Weston’s brother offered a cool nod from where he stood at Pepper’s shoulder, while Cadence sidled up beside Mirage. Cadence had proven herself last summer. Who knew being a rich kid who grew up going to a horsey camp every summer could be a competent horsewoman? Weston had to give her credit.
Paisley made a show of offering a carrot to Enchantment, who tossed his head before accepting it. That gelding would require Paisley’s focus and thus keep her out of trouble.
Weston could only hope.
Darrell assigned riders to horses in the five cohorts, then they were all busy helping greenhorns mount up and get comfortable.
Weston watched Emma Cavanagh. The young kitchen worker knew her way around horses. She’d grown up at Rockstead Ranch nearby so, of course, that made sense. They should have assigned a cohort to her. He’d mention it to Darrell for next time.
Soon Darrell led off with half a dozen riders, Jude following, then Cadence, then Paisley. Had Darrell assigned Paisley to the second last group on purpose? Thanks, dude.
Weston wasn’t sure if that was derision or honesty speaking up. The sarcastic running commentary in his head was ever-present. It helped when he wanted to keep people at a distance, which was always.
Especially if the person was Paisley Teele.
That’s what he constantly told himself, and what he told himself right now as he swung up on Ranger’s back. He nodded to the riders Darrell had assigned to him and gestured to the trail. “Gently squeeze your knees. Keep your hands loose and your heels down. Head out.”
They filed up the hill while he analyzed everyone’s form. There were absolute newbies in the mix, but it didn’t look like anyone was going to fall off the instant his or her horse swerved or stopped suddenly.
Weston brought up the rear as they came around the first bend, where the trail widened.
And there sat Paisley on a restless Enchantment, her whole face breaking into a bright smile when she saw him. Her cohort and his doubled up on the wider trail, chatting and following the others, while she nudged Enchantment beside Ranger.
How could he convince Paisley he wasn’t worth her attention? There were plenty of guys here at the ranch far better suited to her than he was. Guys who were fun. Guys like his brother, Jude, or their Sullivan cousins, Bryce and Maxwell.
Guys who didn’t have the regrets Weston did.
Regrets he tried to forget, but they refused to leave him alone.
“It’s such a beautiful day.”
He glanced sideways to see Paisley’s eyes closed with her face tilted to the sun. Riding an ornery horse like Enchantment without paying attention was a bad idea, but before he or the gelding could remind her, she glanced his way and beamed.
Nothing hidden in that smile .
It was open and honest and friendly and welcoming all in one.
Why did she turn it on him?
Why did he react to it? He was like a moth circling a candle. She was the bright one, full of light, while he slunk around in the shadows. He liked the shadows. No one noticed him there. Few had expectations of a lowly moth.
Finding out he was related to the Sullivan clan had ratcheted up those expectations. He put up with it because Grandfather had set him in charge of the horses.
What had Nana been thinking way back all those years ago, having an affair with her boss, then slinking away when she realized she was pregnant? Mom had begged and begged and begged Nana to tell her who her father was, and Nana always said no.
This had gone on until Christmas about 18 months ago when a DNA match had been revealed, and Mom had marched off to Chicago to confront Walter Sullivan in his fancy office. Apparently, they all had Graham’s mother, Aunt Bridget, to thank for handing out DNA tests to the family for Christmas that year.
Bet no one had expected lost relatives to be revealed on account of a gag gift. Walter’s sons still refused to acknowledge that Mom was their half-sister, but Mom took them in stride. All she wanted was to get to know her dad and spend time with him, so here they all were.
Men as rich as Grandfather could afford to buy a rundown ranch a few states away in an effort to meld his family together with a rehab project. He’d called in all his grandsons, which now somehow included Weston and Jude. There’d been another, but Weston had never met the guy. Grandfather’s namesake had died in a helicopter crash not long before the fated Christmas, leaving a toddler behind in the care of his brother Tate.
Which had contributed to Tate marrying Jamie’s nanny, Stephanie, last summer, though they barely knew each other.
Way too much family. Way too many complications. Way too many people in Weston’s space.
“Weston?”
He startled and looked at her. Great, she’d been nattering at him for something like ten minutes now, and he’d blocked every word she’d said. Paisley might as well have dumped all her deepest secrets and insecurities for all he would have noticed.
“Uh, yeah?”
So eloquent. Why did she bother?
“Look! There’s a bald eagle!” Cindy’s hushed voice caught Paisley’s attention. And that’s what she was supposed to be doing, keeping an eye on her cohort, not hammering against Weston’s indifference.
The group reined in their horses while they watched a large bird with white head and white tail feathers swoop then settle on the topmost branch of a nearby snag. The bird eyed the group. They stared back, gaping.
“There’s another one,” Weston said quietly. “To the right and down a few branches, almost hidden. And a juvenile further over. ”
“I see them!” the girl whispered in awe. Others murmured agreement.
See? Weston could be a nice guy when he forgot his need to be surly. Somewhere lay the key to making the cowboy relax and smile. This was the job she’d been put on earth to fulfill.
Nice one, Paisley. You’re a glutton for rejection, that’s all.
It might even be the truth, not that she wanted to analyze too deeply. The guest ranch would celebrate this summer’s grand opening next weekend, and her scattered brain had enough to do with planning all the activities. So far, she hadn’t messed anything up too badly. No one had suspected her inabilities yet, at least that she knew of.
Once she got through the kick-off weekend, she needed to buckle down with planning the Fourth of July. She’d best keep the facade of a woman who had everything together for as long as possible. Maybe one day she’d become her. Practice makes perfect and all that.
The group urged their horses up the trail, and Paisley fell in beside Weston again. She could still keep an eye on her group, so no worries there. But now she needed to think of a topic to which Weston might respond. She cast him a sidelong glance, but he was looking away.
Hmm. “I bet you’re enjoying Stephanie and Tate’s baby. Lucky you, with two little nephews.”
Weston scowled at her. “Since Tate is not my brother, Jamie and Simon are not my nephews.”
Touché. At least he’d answered. At least he acknowledged the boys had names. “Almost the same thing, since you all live so close together.”
“Not the same thing at all.” He lifted his chin as he faced forward and urged Ranger to walk faster.
“I can’t wait to get a chance to hold that sweet baby. Have you held him?”
Weston spared her an incredulous look.
Of course, he hadn’t.“I want half a dozen kids someday. How about you?”
“None.”
“Aw, how can you say that? Babies are the best. Little kids are cool, too. Jamie loves all his toy cars. Isn’t he so adorable?”
No response other than Ranger’s long legs stretching just a little more.
Well, Enchantment’s gears had another notch, too. He kept pace with Ranger. Pretty soon they’d be cantering into the tails of the horses ahead of them.
“Teenagers might be more problematic. I know I wasn’t the best.” Now, wasn’t that an understatement? But with no father around and a druggie for a mother, maybe she could be cut a little slack. “How about you? Your mom seems great.”
Weston scowled.
Paisley carried on. She was committed now. “I know your dad passed away. I’m sorry about that. Mine has never been in the picture. I have no idea if he even knows I exist.” She snapped her fingers, and Enchantment’s ears flattened for a second. “I should put my DNA up on that site — what one did your mom find your grandfather on?”
“No clue.”
“Maybe I’ll ask her.”
No response.
Wow, Weston Kline was a hard nut to crack. “I really like your mom. She’s such a great cook and an all-around nice person.”
He grunted something that may have been affirmative.
“My mom got sober a few years ago. I think it’s going okay. At least my sister seems to think so. I haven’t seen her in a while.”
The cowboy glanced her way a tad longer than required.
Aha. He was interested in that bit of information, if nothing else she’d said. “She was in an accident that left her in a lot of pain, and she became addicted to prescription drugs. But then she needed stronger stuff and fell into a spiral for years. My sister Kait convinced her to seek help, and she finally went. She’s only relapsed once, and she’s been clean this time for about three years, I think.”
“Huh.”
Well, that was a response, wasn’t it? Not that Paisley wanted to spend this entire ride talking about her mother’s problems, even if it was the only topic he’d responded to. She cast about for another subject, preferably one where he’d have to do some of the talking. “What’s it like having a brother? I only have sisters.”
Did Weston just roll his eyes? “Annoying,” he muttered.
“Sisters, too. Mine are older than me, though, so they were super bossy. Jude’s younger than you, right?”
He grunted.
This conversation was going nowhere quickly. It might not even qualify as a conversation. “Weston, why are you so prickly? Why don’t you smile and talk to people?”
He bared his teeth in her direction. “ I smile. I talk.”
“That was not a smile. That was a feral grimace. You can do better. Like this.” She flashed him her best megawatt smile.
Weston stared at her. “Why do you care?”
“I can’t handle being with grumpy people.”
“No one is forcing you to be around me.” He waved up the trail. “Go ahead. Take your group and leave. Who knows how far away the rest of them are by now?”
Wow, that was more than two words. He became eloquent when he was trying to get rid of her.
“I’d rather be with you.”
“You just said…” His eyebrows rose.
“You’re an exception to my rule.” Was she revealing her hand? Did it matter if she did? Paisley leaned a little closer. “Because there’s something about you that makes me think your gruffness is all an act.”
He stared at her with narrowed eyes for a few seconds. “It’s not an act.” He kicked Ranger’s flanks, and the gelding shot up the trail around their group.
Cindy reined in beside Paisley on her horse. “What’s up with him?”
“I poked the bear.” And it wasn’t the adorable, illustrated bear on Cadence’s book cover, either.
The other woman chuckled. “I hear that never ends well.”
“I’ve heard the same.”
And yet, that had never stopped Paisley before, and it wasn’t going to this time, either.
She hated giving up on anything or anyone. Except maybe Mom.