Chapter Two
Seth sat in the booth at the diner, talking with a regular client. He always liked talking with Kevin but this morning, he was supposed to show Ryan Carroll the operation of the farm for the feed. He hoped Cull didn’t mind showing her around.
“I’m sorry to have called you at the last minute, Seth,” Kevin said.
“It’s no problem,” Seth said with a grin.
“I’m glad to hear that. I don’t usually just drop by, but I just bought two horses, and I’d like to have you train them for me.”
“I hope you’re not in a hurry. I have one ahead of you.”
“No, I’m not, but you’re the best.”
“Trick Dillon and Wyatt Stone are the best, but since they stopped training cutting horses, my business has picked up.”
“Trick is only training tiedown now, and he’s even cut back on that. Wyatt quit altogether.”
“Trick told me he wants to spend more time with his family,” Seth said.
“I think after losing Kaylee, he realized how short life was. I’m glad he’s happy though.”
“Me too. He loves Rayna and his little girl. Spoils them both.” Seth grinned.
“Yes, he does. I’ll get the horses to you in a day or two. I was heading for Helena and thought I’d stop in and ask you. I’m sorry it was last minute.”
“I get it. Don’t worry about it. I’ll have the guys clean two stalls for them so that when you get them here, I’ll have a place ready for them.”
“Alright. I’ll head back to my place, then have one of the ranch hands deliver the horses to you.”
“Okay. I need to get back to the ranch anyway.”
Kevin nodded, then the men slid from the booth, walked toward the door, but Kevin stopped to pay the tab, and Seth nodded at Connie, who owned the diner, as he went out the door.
After shaking Kevin’s hand, he strode toward his truck, opened the door and climbed inside.
Damn, it was chilly this morning and he wondered how it was going with Cull, and Ryan Carroll.
As he pulled his truck up to the barn, he glanced around but didn’t see anyone, but he did see Ryan Carroll’s SUV. He opened the door, stepped from the truck, and heard men yelling. Seth grinned as he knew they were trying to break a few horses today.
After shoving the door closed, he headed toward the indoor corral. He stopped when he saw Ryan Carroll snapping photos. Clenching his jaw, he walked to where she stood. When she looked at him and smiled, he mentally shook his head.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Watching the guys try to break this horse.”
“I see that. This is not what you’re here for. None of my work is to be photographed. Only the part about growing Beckett Feed.”
“These are for my personal use. I just thought I’d get a few—”
“Where’s Cull?” Seth placed his hands on his hips as he looked around.
“He was putting the UTV away.” Ryan turned to face him. “How did your meeting go?”
“Fine,” Seth said as he looked down at her feet, then at her. “Didn’t I tell you to wear boots? Those are not good if you plan on riding.”
“I know. Cull told me. I’ll buy a pair later today. Damn, you need to lighten up, Mr. Harrison.”
“And if you want photos of how we grow Beckett Feed, you’ll need to see the process of how the soil is prepared, the feed planted and grown.
I thought you’d know some of what you’re supposed to be doing.
” When she gasped, he turned from her to watch the men.
“Did you even get to any of the fields where we’re planting corn? ”
“Yes, but Cull said it was too muddy from last night’s rain.”
Seth shook his head as he looked at Ryan. “Which is why you need boots. Get yourself a pair. I’m sure we have muck boots you can wear but when you ride, you’ll need the proper boots, Ms. Carroll.”
“Wow, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed or did some woman kick you out of it?”
Seth smirked. “I have never been kicked out of a woman’s bed.”
“So, you say. As I said, I’ll pick up boots later.”
“There’s a lot to do tomorrow and if you don’t get proper boots, you will not go with us. There’s no sense in sticking around today since you’ll need to make a trip to town. I’ll see you in the morning.” Seth touched the brim of his hat and strode from the barn.
****
Ryan watched as Seth Harrison hightailed it out of the barn. What did she ever do to him? Was he serious about her leaving for the day? She hadn’t gotten many photos of the fields since it had been so muddy.
“You, Mr. Seth Harrison, may be one good-looking man, but your manners are lacking,” she murmured as he walked up the steps of his house, opened the door, entered, then slammed it shut behind him.
Maybe his meeting didn’t go as planned. She had no idea what the meeting was about, but he didn’t seem as nice as yesterday.
Heaving out a sigh, she walked from the barn to her vehicle, climbed in, started it, then drove back to town.
She’d go back to The Western Wear store and get boots.
They had completely slipped her mind yesterday when she’d been shopping, but she’d get them today, then maybe Mr. Grumpy would be happy.
Since she was basically free for the day, she asked Alyssa if she wanted to go into Clifton with her to do some exploring, then they climbed into her SUV and headed to town.
They explored as many shops as they could and ended up spending too much money. Once arriving back at their cabins, they had lunch at the main house, then walked around the grounds, taking in the activities. Ryan smiled as she looked around. It was such a beautiful place.
Tuesday morning, as she arrived at eight, a light drizzle started as she parked her vehicle, then entered the barn, but stopped when she saw a brown and white cow slowly making its way toward her. Ryan glanced around but no one else was there.
The cow stopped in front of her and stared at her with big brown eyes.
“Uh, hey there, cow.” She moved back and the cow stepped forward again. “Whoa, that’s close enough.”
“That’s Elsie. She’s harmless but supposed to be in her pen. She’s a good escape artist.”
Ryan turned to face Seth Harrison and bit her lip.
No man should be that handsome especially with sweat staining his shirt and she could make out his hard pecs and flat stomach.
She stared into moss green eyes. Then she saw the buckle on his belt, but she couldn’t make out what was on it, and she didn’t want to stare at the area for too long or he’d notice.
“Escape artist?”
“She has figured out how to open every latch we put on her pen. I’d rather she didn’t roam around the yard and leave patties everywhere.” He bit his lip, and she knew he was trying not to grin.
“I see. So, that patty I stepped in was a gift from her?”
“She’s the only cow that stays around the barns.”
Ryan tilted her head. “And why do you only have one cow?”
“I don’t have just one cow. I own several head of young Charolais steers and heifers. I use them when I train horses. She was raised by hand. Her mama died when she was born and no other female cow would feed her, so we did. She’s friendly.”
Ryan turned to look at the cow again. “Hi, Elsie,” she said then laughed when the cow mooed.
“I got boots,” she said with a smile, nodding toward her feet.
Seth looked down to her feet, then met her eyes. “Damn good thing, Ms. Carroll, otherwise you’d be wasting another day for us.”
Ryan gasped. “Are you always this grumpy or is it just with me?”
He stared at her for a few seconds, then looked at the cow. “Come on, Elsie. Back to the paddock for you, then I have paperwork to do.”
Ryan watched as Seth strode into the barn, her mouth dropping open when the cow followed him.
She couldn’t take her eyes off those tight Wranglers, and the black T-shirt he wore clung to his broad back as it did the front.
His boots kicked up dust as he walked away from her.
He didn’t seem to like her, but it could be he wasn’t happy about her following him around to watch how Beckett Feed was processed.
“Well, too bad, Mr. Harrison, I’m following you no matter what.
I want my photos in this article, and you are not going to stop me.
Besides, Mr. Beckett wanted it, so you, Seth Harrison, have to deal with me.
Whether you like it or not.” With a deep sigh, Ryan strode through the barn, snapping photos as she did.
****
After putting Elsie in the paddock, Seth entered his house, placed his hands on his hips and let his shoulders slump, staring at the floor as if it could swallow every ounce of his patience.
That woman was going to drive him insane.
He lifted his Stetson from his head and hung it on a wooden peg by the door.
He trudged down the hallway to his office, where ledgers and invoices lay stacked in precarious piles.
He swept around the heavy oak desk, eased his chair from beneath it, sat and clicked on the computer monitor.
Rows of numbers filled the screen, planting costs, payroll, tractor maintenance.
But even as he typed, his mind drifted to Ryan Carroll; her sharp, smoky voice; the tilt of her chin; the way she’d snapped ‘Mr. Harrison’ with such effortless confidence. What a damn pain in the ass.
Leaning back, Seth clasped his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. “Just stay the hell away from her,” he muttered, imagining her politely outraged expression. “Let Cull deal with her.”
He forced himself upright, reached for the mouse, and plunged into the day’s bookkeeping.
Yet every click brought him back to the first day she’d shown up; her tailored blouse, the faint perfume lingering around her.
He needed a plan to clear her out of his head.
She was too striking, too noticeable; any man on the ranch would look twice.
Maybe if he made her walk the field in this muck, she’d hate it and quit.
Two straight days of rain had turned the soil to thick, clinging mud.