Chapter 6
Another busy day, another stunning prairie sunset. Marshall admired the colors as they turned from a bright blue to a soft peach before the sun dipped below the horizon. He had asked Jack to finish up with the last of the chores because he needed a break.
Stewing required a lot of effort.
His conversation with Colette had been on his mind all day. After he had stormed out of the office, he had done his work with only half of his focus.
Colette had bothered him.
Why would anyone on the ranch want to sabotage him?
The thought was ridiculous. Laughable.
Of course, she probably watched all those crime shows and assumed it was something sinister. Marshall would have to convince her the problem was simple. He wasn’t good at this type of stuff. It was humbling, but true.
His chest rose with a heavy sigh as he watched Jack emerge from the stables.
“Hey, Jack,” he called out as the older man made his way to the front porch of the house. Jack pulled off his cowboy hat and swiped a hand across his brow.
"Hey, Marshall,” he said, climbing up the stairs and stopping next to him.
“Plenty of leftovers in the fridge if you want to take some home to Edith,” Marshall said, rubbing his hands on his thighs.
“Thanks, man, maybe I will,” Jack said, going into the house.
Marshall turned, surprised to hear Jack’s boots on the wooden floorboards less than a minute later.
A cold beer was waved in front of his face.
“You look like you need this,” Jack said, settling in the chair next to him with his own drink. “How was it with our new hire today?”
Marshall grunted. “I think she probably hates me now. The finances are such a disaster and it’s all my fault. I’ve given her a huge mess to clean up.”
“Don’t worry too much about it. She seems like a smart cookie. I’m sure she’ll figure it out.” Jack tipped his beer and took a sip.
“Yeah, hopefully,” Marshall said, uncertain. There was no doubt she was intelligent, but the task she had been assigned was daunting.
“She’s a cutie, eh?” Jack waggled his brows suggestively.
Marshall rolled his eyes. “I hadn’t noticed. I’m a professional. I don’t have time for that.”
A snort came from his friend at this comment.
Marshall was offended. Had he noticed how inappropriately she dressed for a job at the ranch?
Yes, but only because he would have to give her some tips on not dressing all pretty and done up.
There was no reason to be that fussy here.
Perhaps that kind of polish was required in the city, but she was at Rosebud Ranch now.
She needed to be more practical. He would have to save that conversation for a later time.
He had already been a real grump with her today.
Sure, her dark hair tumbled in soft curls that framed her face, and her bright blue eyes were striking, but like, anyone would notice that.
Yeah, that dark brown—almost black—hair was probably silky to the touch, but anyone with a brain in their head would think that.
It was hard for him to see past the flush that colored her skin when he messed up her papers like a total jerk.
He was such a numbskull and wouldn’t be surprised if she ran back to the city after the way their first meeting had gone.
“Maybe you’ll start noticing once you two start working together more.” Jack chuckled, taking another swig of his beer. “I think she’ll be good for you.”
Marshall’s brows drew together. “Why would you say that?”
“It’s always good to have some new people on staff, keeps things interesting. The way things have been going, it can’t be bad to have a little shake-up. You clearly need help, everything can’t be on you,” Jack said with a shrug.
“I don’t see the need for a shake-up. We need someone to get things running smoothly again, to stop whatever is going on and get everything back to routine,” Marshall said with a tip of his hat.
“The ranch is all about routines. Sunup to sunset, we do our work, give the ranch everything we have, and it provides.”
“Maybe you don’t have to give the ranch everything?” Jack suggested. He cast his gaze onto the horizon. “Pretty sunset tonight.”
Marshall slid a glare in his direction. Nice subject change. Subtle.
“Yeah, it’s lovely.”
“Well, I’d best be heading out,” Jack said, standing up stiffly as he waited for his joints to catch up with the movement. “I’ll see you tomorrow. And you know what? If you were a grump today, maybe go pop by and see Colette. Settle things so that you can start off fresh tomorrow.”
Jack opened the storm door and disappeared into the house, only to return with a bag of leftovers. Betsy always made extra food to ensure no one would ever go hungry on the ranch. Her shift started at the crack of dawn most days of the week and she was usually gone by early afternoon.
Marshall sipped his beer as he watched Jack drive away in his beat-up old truck.
He should go have dinner and call it a night. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out. His brother was calling. Just who he wanted to hear from right now. He loved his brother, but there was no way Roger would be happy if he knew how Marshall had bungled his meeting.
“Hello, brother. I’m calling to see how your first day with Colette went,” Roger asked.
Suspicious, Marshall stayed evasive. “It was fine.”
“No issues?” his brother asked. “Your quick answer tells another tale.”
“None,” was Marshall’s curt response. “She’s only been here one day. I think Colette is off to a great start.” He clenched his jaw, hoping his brother would swallow the explanation.
Roger sighed. “Can I make a small request?”
“Yeah?” His brow gathered in confusion.
“Please keep your hands off Colette. You cannot fuck Simone’s friend. I know you like to have fun with the ladies, but this girl is special to Simone, so she’s special to me. Not a girl to mess around with. Keep things professional, okay?”
Marshall rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of it. She’s part of my staff; I wouldn’t hit on a fellow employee.” Imagine the gall of his brother. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind once.
“Technically, she’s Grandpa’s employee, but good. I’m glad there won’t be any of that,” Roger continued. “I knew I could trust you, Marshall. We’ll be coming up for the weekend soon. Simone misses Colette already.”
“Can’t wait,” Marshall deadpanned. “It’ll be fun.”
“You okay?” Roger asked.
“Just insulted, that’s all.”
His brother laughed. “Oh, if that’s all, we’re good. See you soon. We can chat more when I come to town. Wait until I update you on how much Regina George is growing.”
A smile tugged at his lips as Marshall pictured Roger and Simone’s cat. The one they had picked up from the ranch when she was terrorizing his own cat, Pablo Picasso. Marshall was glad they were so happy with her. She was a menace.
“Looking forward to it,” he said, before saying goodbye. And he was. Visits from his brother were always fun. It gave him some company, and it forced Marshall to go out and have fun in town.
As Marshall hung up the phone, Jack’s and Roger’s words weighed on him.
There was no way he was going to visit Colette. He had nothing to apologize for; she just had to get used to working for him. Plain and simple.
The resolution didn’t sit well with him. Though he was tired from a long day, a nervous energy simmered in his gut.
Maybe they had started off on the wrong foot. And if she was special to Simone and Roger, he should make an extra effort to smooth things over with her.
It wouldn’t hurt to visit Colette to see how she was settling in.
If the opportunity arose to apologize or make a second, better impression, maybe he would take it. He liked maintaining friendly relationships with all his employees. They all looked out for each other.
Colette would be no different from anyone else working on the ranch.