Chapter Nine
“I’m not going back to work until Jordan shows up.”
Wade leveled a serious look at Trev from the opposite side of the kitchen table. “I believe I heard the man say I need you as soon as possible. He also mentioned not fucking up.”
Trev’s boss, Paul Hugo, had indeed said that when he’d called in the late afternoon to tell Trev that there’d been an unexpected company restructuring.
When Trev returned to work, he’d have a different job title, more money, and more responsibilities.
It was a win, but Trev’s first thought had been, Shit.
I’m not ready to go back. He had ranch business to take care of.
Thinking he was alone, he’d put the phone on the speaker to jot down notes.
The reason Paul mentioned not fucking up was because Trev would work under one of the more difficult senior managers—a manager who was due to retire at year’s end, thus opening up more possibilities for Trev if he managed to survive working with the guy.
As soon as the call ended, Wade appeared from the living room to offer gruff congratulations, adding that he hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.
So much for being alone. Trev thanked his uncle instead of saying that he wasn’t fully on board with this unexpected company move and then escaped to the barn to work on equipment while he debated next moves.
Did he bow to company wishes, put his head down and work until Snarly Ass retired? Did he use this as an excuse to jump ship and find another job?
When Trev resurfaced at dinner the matter was left untouched until after they’d eaten, at which time Wade announced that he could handle the ranch without him.
Maybe he could, but odds were against it.
“I’m staying here until Jordan breaks free.”
“I’m sure that with Maclyn’s help—”
“Mac is actively looking for another job.”
“The Staton—”
Trev cut his uncle off with a look. “No. I’ll give up my job before I let those guys back on the ranch.” He was thinking of giving up the job anyway, but in no way was that a responsible move. Not right now.
“You didn’t put all this time into a degree just to quit because of me.”
“This is my legacy, too. And my brothers’,” Trev pointed out. “We kind of need to keep it afloat.”
“Are you saying that I can’t hack it?”
“I’m saying that your leg is bad. There’s more work than one or even two people can handle, and you’re going to need help.”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
“Never, but you gotta be realistic.”
Wade scowled as he picked up the remote and unmuted the sound, indicating that he’d had enough back-and-forth for the time being. Trev escaped before suffering permanent hearing damage.
“This is how life works,” he told Killer Moo when he stopped in the barn to see how she was progressing before taking Mac’s shift walking through the cattle. He’d had a feeling she’d be home later than midnight. “You got to do shit that you don’t want to do in order to keep the lights on.”
Killer Moo chewed her cud and ignored him. The cow might not have life advice, but she looked better and in the morning he’d open the gate and put her back with the herd.
“What kind of shit do you have to do?”
Trev jumped at the unexpected voice behind him and turned to find Mac sitting on a hay bale calmly regarding him. “When did you get back?” He hadn’t seen her truck, but sometimes she parked on the far side of the foreman’s house.
“Almost an hour ago.”
“Short girls’ night out.”
“But productive.”
“How so?”
“Might have a job lead.”
“Bartending?” he joked.
She smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear but offered no more explanation.
“Did you check the cows?” he asked.
“I did. They’re quiet. What kind of stuff is life handing you, Trev?”
He took a seat beside her on the bale and leaned against the stack behind them, the straw poking at the back of his head until he compressed it to the point of comfort.
“I got a call this afternoon. My company is restructuring, and I’m being shuttled into a new position. More money. Different title. New boss.”
“Really?” She sounded impressed.
“Charm and good looks pay off again.”
She gave his shoulder a push, catching him by surprise and almost knocking him off the end of the short bale.
“Hey now.” He rubbed his shoulder.
“You deserve that.”
“Maybe so.”
He smiled and she smiled back before drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging her arms around them.
“Cold in here,” she murmured, and indeed, she was wearing a hooded sweatshirt instead of a real jacket.
Trev slid an arm around her shoulders, thinking of warming her, but instead feeling like a teen making a move at a drive-in movie.
“Smooth,” Maclyn said, still holding her knees against her chest as she tipped into him.
“You’re off the clock and I need a hug.”
He felt her silent laughter and smiled at the barn’s opposite wall.
Had someone told him a couple of weeks ago that he’d be cozied up with Maclyn Kane on a hay bale, he would have laughed.
But this didn’t feel funny or unreasonable.
It felt natural in a way that he decided he wasn’t ready to think about right now.
Better to just hold on to the moment, because before he knew it, it would be gone.
She would be gone. Operations on the Tree Fork Ranch would continue without them—if Jordan ever finished his freaking project.
She pulled back then so that she could see his face, releasing her knees and lowering her feet back on the ground. Drive-in snuggle time was over. “Do you want the transfer?”
“No.” It felt good to be truthful.
“Stay on the ranch.”
“Part of me would love to, but it can’t support all of us and I have some financial commitments.” Student loans and a healthy truck payment. “Besides that, Hayes will be back this summer, and Jordan is thinking of consulting,”
“Like quitting his job consulting?”
“Yeah. The ranch would be his home base.” Trev wondered why his brother hadn’t done it long ago, given the way Jordan’s company operated. “The ranch is his safety net. The place can support two of us and Wade plus the seasonal day hand.” He glanced down at her. “Which is you.”
“Well, maybe …” Her voice trailed off. Like him, she had no easy answer.
“It’s okay. Lots of people work jobs that …” eat their souls “… aren’t a perfect fit.” His job didn’t really eat his soul, but after Paul Hugo’s call he realized how much he didn’t want to go back. What ate his soul was missing the life he should have led.
“That’s true.” Mac went quiet for a long minute.
He wondered if she was going to tell him about her possible job when she said, “Why’d you go into this field?
I knew you were going to MSU, but like I said I assumed that you majored in some agricultural field.
Ag econ or range management or something. ”
“Circumstances at the time.” Trev studied the tractor parked in the shadows at the far end of the barn as he spoke.
“Ah,” Maclyn said softly.
“Yeah.” He didn’t look her way. Maybe he was afraid of seeing a touch of sympathy for the once smitten cowboy.
Maclyn was quiet for a moment. “Brooke loved horses, but she never wanted to be a rancher or farmer. She had more upscale ambitions. An arena. A training clinic.” She let out a soft humorless laugh. “And that needs finance.”
“Sucker that I was.”
“I think she loved you,” Mac said quickly. “But”—Mac picked at the edge of the hay bale—“she had very strong ideas about the life she wanted to lead.”
There was something in her delivery that made him think there was more to come, but Mac remained silent.
“And …” he prompted. She half turned to him, and he gave up staring at the tractor, meeting her thoughtful gaze instead.
“You were a challenge.”
Exactly what he’d come to believe.
“Brooke was an overachiever. Valedictorian. President of everything. Former rodeo queen. She loved winning.” Mac smiled briefly. “I know she loved the fact that—”
“She’d brought me to heel?” he asked.
“Harsh.”
He shrugged. “The evidence is plain to see. I’m a computer jockey.”
“We don’t use that term anymore.” She let out a soft breath as she leaned into his shoulder. “I assume you were too far along in your program to change majors?”
“Two months from graduation when she left me.” He gave a snort.
“I decided that the best thing I could do was to use the degree she maneuvered me into getting and be a success. And I am.” Trev shifted his gaze to the opposite wall again.
“But I miss being the guy who didn’t give two fucks about anything. ”
“And still came out on top.”
“Good looks and charm,” he murmured.
He sensed that she smiled before she yawned. “I’m tired, Trev. It’s been a day.”
“That it has.” He got to his feet and pulled her up with him, their fingers tangling loosely together. “You should go to bed.” Her fingers tightened on his and she gave him a look that made his body stir. An invitation? Sure felt like it. He cleared his throat. “I should check cows.”
“I already did.”
He looked down at the woman who was getting to him in ways he hadn’t anticipated when he’d first invited her onto the ranch. “Yeah. Maybe I’ll just check again.”
She let go of his hand. “Suit yourself.”
Trev couldn’t leave it at that. He lightly cupped her cheek, and she leaned into his palm. Closed her eyes. “Where are we going with this, Trev?”
“Dunno. This might not be the best time to muddy the waters.”
Even though he dearly wanted to.
“You’re right.” She nodded at the ground. “You’re right. I’ll …” she lifted her head to give him a business-like smile “… I’ll see you in the morning.”
He wished that he could see her when he woke up.
Mac turned and headed to the door, head high, back straight, leaving Trev alone with Killer Moo and her calf. His groin throbbed.
Unfinished business sucked.
*
Zach Marvell was as good as his word. Mike Hersey of the Dawson Meadow Arena contacted Maclyn two days after her night out with Shay, the call coming in while she was driving back from flagging weak areas along the last stretch of boundary fence.