Page 28 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy
“Yeah,” Bradley chirps, his voice so squeaky he sounds like a bird. “She’s got babies in her belly.”
“Which cat?” I look to Carly, but she just shrugs.
Bradley is already on the other side of the driveway, on his hands and knees, trying to convince a soft gray cat to come to him.
“He likes you a lot,” Carly says, settling into the crook of the tree. Her voice is softer, meant for me alone.
I don’t know what to say, but my chest feels too tight and my hands feel like they need something to do.
“He’s super smart,” I tell her, looking at Bradley, who has managed to pet the cat’s head. “I’ve never had a ranch hand teach me so much.”
She laughs. “I’m the only ranch hand you’ve ever had! But, yeah, he might be smarter than me. He’ll probably ask you a million more questions before the day’s over. Be prepared.”
“I’m ready,” I say. “Can I ask one first?”
“Sure,” she says, tilting her head toward me. Her hair catches in the breeze and glows like fire in the sun. I can’t tell if I’m more eager or afraid to hear her answer.
It’s on the tip of my tongue —Where is Bradley’s dad? Are you still together? Are you single? Are you… interested in changing that?
I’m too aware of the dynamics at play, though. I’m her boss, and it would be inappropriate for me to even suggest having feelings for her. I would hate for her to think that in order to keep her job, she needs to date me.
Plus, I don’t know how often I’ll even be in Miralena. Though I bought the ranch, I’ll need to return to work in Houston at some point. After discovering how much work this place is, it’s pretty obvious I need to hire someone to run it when I’m not here.
And the most suitable candidate is her. Which makes all of this even messier.
That doesn’t drive her out of my mind, though. I’ve never met anyone like her. She juggles everything and clearly still finds time to be a good mom. A great mom.
“I don’t know how you do it,” I tell her, and it comes out with more awe than I expected. “How do you do it?”
It’s not the question I originally planned on asking, but it will have to do.
“Maybe because I’m six and a half too?” she says, and I laugh. I can picture what she must have been like at Bradley’s age, and I think about how my own mom would love the two of them.
My heart pounds like it’s about to tell on me, and I take a breath, then say the one thing that scares me more than anything.
“Bradley seems happy,” I say, though what I mean is so much more.
“I hope so.” Carly smiles and gets up on her knees to put the leftovers back in the cooler. “But I guess everyone is afraid they’re messing their kids up, you know?”
“That’s something only a great parent would worry about,” I say, and she turns a little pink.
I want to say more — want to make her blush more. I want to see her lashes flutter and her breathing speed up. Want to draw her closer and inhale her scent and…
She snaps the cooler shut and wipes the back of her hand over her forehead. “Well. Back to it.”
“Yeah.” Why does it feel like there’s sawdust coating my throat? “Back to it.”
I still want to ask her about the dad, but I don’t want to find out something that will disappoint me. Not when I already feel so caught up in this.
Maybe I’m a coward, too afraid of being disappointed to face the truth.
Carly heads back to the barnyard, and though I stand as well, I linger a little longer, trying to shift gears but finding it nearly impossible. I’m more curious than ever, and as I watch Bradley from the corner of my eye, I know it will take Herculean effort to stay away from these two.
CHAPTER 13
CARLY
The ranch is taken over by a tranquil quiet at the end of the day, when the sun is burning out, turning the paddock and barns and trailers golden. Bradley, hyper from exhaustion, bounces up to the car, flinging open the back door and diving inside.
