Page 32 of Her Cowboy Baby Daddy
“Excuse me?”
This was not a wise business decision, but Hayley couldn’t help herself. “You signed onto the Hunt Ranch to work with horses, and they put you in a housekeeping position. Here you’re a jack of all trades. I think that if this job involves horse training, you should take it.”
It was obvious from Andie’s expression how badly she wanted to. “I made a commitment.”
“Andie... I can get someone else.”
Andie studied her, obviously torn. “Liar.”
“No. Really. I have the names of some guys who can help temporarily until Spence gets back.”
“Spence is coming back?”
“Yes.” She spoke as if she was surprised that Andie didn’t know. “Call back. Tell them you talked to your employer, and she understands.”
“Really?” Andie asked softly.
“Yes. For heaven’s sake, how many horse training jobs are out there?”
“Not that many.”
“Exactly. If you can do what you love full time, then do. I really appreciate the fact that you were going to let it go because I hired you, but... don’t. This is a rare opportunity.”
“It really is.”
“You and Greta will have a great time on the Marvell Ranch. And who knows, maybe it’ll lead to something full time.”
As could her job here on the Lone Tree, but taking care of fences and cattle was not where Andie’s love lay.
“Are you sure?”
“I am.” She was sure that Andie should take the job and equally sure that she was setting herself up for some hardship, but she had to do the right thing. “If things don’t work out, you can have this job back.”
“That’s really generous.” Andie looked like she was going to hug herself, and Hayley suspected that she was trying not to smile too broadly.
“Make the call, then we’ll ride out to see that fence damage.”
“I will. And... thank you!”
“No problem.”
She hoped.
*
The wind wasrising, and dark, blueish-gray clouds welled over the mountains when Hayley emerged from her greenhouse, feeling frazzled. Tomorrow would be busy, as would the following day and the day after that. Connor and Ash were good at what they did, but without Andie, who’d been on the Marvell Ranch for over a week, the day-to-day of the ranch was going to fill her hours until she hired someone else. She’d never had manpower problems before.
You never crossed Carter Hunt before.
But honestly, as much as she loved a good conspiracy theory, she didn’t think he was responsible for the missed interview that day. It was harder to find day labor, and until now, she’d been fortunate. The people her dad had hired came back year after year, but this particular crew was aging out. The high school boys would soon be college boys, and after completing their freshman year at U of M, Hayley didn’t think they’d return.
Get through this summer and worry about that later.
Right. But in the meantime, she had cattle to move on Saturday, and the next time she moved them, it would be to the pasture where the tree had destroyed the fence. She hoped that Spence would help her, but there was a good chance that he wouldn’t return to her ranch after she put her plan into action and dropped her bombshell.
Should she wait to drop it until after the fence was fixed?
That was manipulative, and she wouldn’t go there. She was going to be straightforward and honest. And she would look him in the eye while she was doing it.
