Page 22 of The Cowgirl's Secret Love
They all lifted their bottles.
Finn got down two and a half swallows before he stuttered to a stop, coughing while beer dribbled from his mouth to splash over the deck. “Dear God, what thehellis that?”
Karen was eyeing her bottle with disgust.
Zach alternated between sniffing the contents while swilling liquid around in his mouth. He lifted a finger, got to his feet, and walked to the edge of the deck to spit the liquid out of sight.
He turned back as he wiped his mouth. “Sorry about that. I take it yours were no better than mine?”
“Is this from that microbrewery outside Fort Macleod?” Karen made a horrified face. “I wondered what their beer was like.”
“And now we know,” Finn said dryly. He glared at his friend. “Zach, I thought we agreed you would warn people before you use them as guinea pigs.”
Zach reached into the mystery bag he’d dropped beside his chair and pulled out three new longnecks. A familiar, national brand. He popped the tops like a pro, handing them over immediately with a wink. “I forgot.”
They drank deeply. Finn was hoping to wash the god-awful taste out of his mouth, but he was amused.
Laughter danced in Karen’s eyes as well. She leaned forward in her chair. “So. You mentioned a contract job here at your nameless dude ranch. Want to tell me more?”
Hallelujah. She was going to do it.
What before had been an offer so she could use her talents had now become a very serious asset to winning the challenge.
Finn pointed toward Zach. “He’ll be your boss. We’d be working together to brainstorm and figure out exactly what we need, by when. Some of the dates are still up in the air, but we’ll nail them down as soon as possible.”
“You need trail ride guides? Horses? Barn staff or anything else?”
Zach coughed apologetically. “All of it. We’ve got leads on some, but once Finn mentioned your name as a possible coordinator, I figured we’d wait to see how you wanted to deal with it. If you knew people who are good to work with. That sort of thing.”
She looked thoughtful. “Depending on when you open, I might have a couple of very experienced guides available. I don’t know if you remember, Finn, but the summer you were out at Whiskey Creek, I was setting up a side gig. Wilderness trail rides in the Willmore area outside of Jasper.”
It had been one of the things she’d been so proud of. “I checked out your most recent website update. You’re doing great.”
Her smile lit her face. “The camp leaders, Dani and James, have a lot to do with that, but Willmore is definitely a seasonal camp. They’ve been wintering at a different ranch, but I might be able to talk them into coming here if there’s a salary involved.”
Zach actually rubbed his hands together. “That’s what I like. Problem-solving before problems even present themselves.” He glanced at Finn. “I think Karen would work great as a member of this team, and if you’re okay with it, I’ll set up a job description and compensation package then go over it with her.”
Sounded brilliant to Finn. He tossed the question to Karen. “Does that sound like something you’d like to do while you’re here? I know you want to spend time with your family, and we’ll make sure that happens, but this will be a real job.”
She glanced over the fallen buildings and unkempt fields. “It looks like enough work to be a real job, but you know, that’s okay.” She nodded slowly as she brought her gaze back to meet both of theirs in turn. “I don’t think I really get the concept of this holiday thing. I like to work, and I like to spend time with horses, so it sounds a lot like a working vacation.”
In spite of his uncertainty about the twisted challenge presented to him and Zach earlier that day, the knot of tension inside Finn eased.
She’d said yes to part of it. It meant she was staying, which meant he had longer to make his case.
They belonged together. Now he had time to prove it.
Zach rose to his feet, holding out his hand to Karen, who gave it a firm pump. “Welcome to Nameless Dude-town. Glad to have you.”
“From me as well. You’re going to be a huge help,” Finn assured her.
Karen accepted Finn’s outstretched hand. Her handshake was firm, but the expression in her eyes was soft and slightly teasing. “Let’s see what we can do to make this a memorable summer.”
6
I’m not sure if I’m even madder after reading your note or if it worked a little. A flower and an apology—awesome.
Left on my windowsill? That’s a little stalkerish, dude.
