Page 4 of Hard Bred

“Maybe you’re being too picky,” Gran suggests gently. “No one’s perfect, dear.”

The question hangs in the air, and suddenly my mind is full ofhim. Brady. His strong, weathered hands. The intensity in his steel-blue eyes that makes my heart go haywire. The electricity I feel when we work together, moving in perfect sync without a word spoken.

Once again, I’m tempted to spill it all. To confess that I’ve found a man who exceeds every standard I’ve ever had.

But I can’t. Because dating Brady is impossible. Forbidden.

And my longing is almost certainly one-sided.

I take a deep breath, pushing the images away. “Love will happen when it’s meant to, Gran. I’m not going to force it.”

She looks like she wants to argue, but something in my face must give her pause. Instead, she reaches out and pats my hand. “I just want you to be happy, sweetheart.”

“I know,” I say softly. “And I am. Really.”

We spend the rest of the meal talking about lighter topics—Gran’s book club drama, more town gossip, and her ongoing feud with the neighbor’s cat. As I’m helping clear the table, I glance at the clock and suddenly remember something. “Gran, do you know if Lizzie’s gift shop is still open this late?”

My grandmother’s eyebrows shoot up. “At this hour? What in the world do you need from Lizzie’s?”

I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. “Logan invited me to a surprise party for Brady’s fiftieth birthday this weekend.”

Gran’s eyes light up with interest. “Well, isn’t that nice of them to include you.”

“Oh, sure,” I say with a smirk. “Brady’s going to be thrilled. Both with the surprise party, and with me being one of the invited guests. I don’t know what I ever did to offend him so much, but I swear, he hasn’t smiled at me one single time in an entire year of working for him.”

“Men can be odd creatures,” she says, shaking her head. “Maybe you should do something to try to soften him up. Sometimes they need a little patience, a little understanding…but sometimes they just need a good swift kick in the pants.”

I burst out laughing. “Gran!”

As we finish cleaning up, my mind is swirling with thoughts. My grandmother is right. Brady’s birthday party is more than just a social event. It’s an opportunity. Away from the ranch, away from our usual roles as boss and employee, maybe I’ll finally have a chance to break through that hard exterior of his.

And so I make a silent vow to myself. At the party, I’m going to find a way to get through to Brady Magnuson.

3

BRADY

The neon sign of The Rusty Fork flickers, casting an uneven glow on the sidewalk. I stand just outside, the smell of fried food and beer wafting through the door every time it swings open. My stomach knots, not from the smell, but from what I know is waiting inside.

A surprise birthday party. Logan might have thought he was being slick when he invited me to dinner, but subtlety ain’t exactly his strong suit.

Turning fifty. Christ. When did that happen?

I take a deep breath, the cool night air filling my lungs. My hand hesitates on the door handle, rough beneath my palm. I square my shoulders, steeling myself. I’m not one for big celebrations, especially when I’m the center of attention. But Logan and Sierra mean well. I know they’re just trying to make this milestone memorable.

“Come on, it won’t be that bad,” I mutter to myself. “Try to make the most of it.”

The second I push through the door, a chorus of “Surprise!” greets me. Even though I’m prepared for it, it’s still overwhelming.

Despite feeling a bit flustered, I keep a relaxed smile plastered on my face as folks surround me—Logan, Sierra, and a bunch of locals I’ve known for years. I nod, shake a few hands. Friendly palms meet mine, accompanied by hearty slaps on the back.

“Happy birthday, Brady!”

“You’re looking good for fifty, man!”

And then I see her, and everything else fades away.

Claire is standing near the back of the room. The sight of her nearly knocks the wind out of me. It shouldn’t be surprising that she was invited, and yet for whatever reason, I didn’t expect to see her here tonight.

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