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And it was like a gazillion dollars. Apparently, Ryder’s cousin was loaded.
The dirt road wound over the grassy plain, the green fields going on for miles, rolling out from all sides to touch the pines and evergreens that hugged the land in the distance. Blue sky ran forever, an endless expanse that burned with the white glow of the sun. Below, horses and cattle grazed in the fields.
It was so gorgeous my heart squeezed.
My insides glowed with anticipation, this excitement that spiked in my blood.
I hadn’t worked with horses in…years.
For far too long.
Regret washed through me. It felt like everything I’d left behind was right here, teasing me, so close but out of reach.
I had the power to change that now, though, didn’t I? So I bit it back and hauled butt up a hill, dust flying behind me as I raced to shave off a few seconds.
My breath caught all over again when I got to the top of the ridge and caught sight of the ranch tucked in the valley on the other side.
“Holy crap,” I mumbled.
Outbuildings were situated on the property, barns and corrals and cabins all built on the breathtaking land, surrounded by those rolling fields and thickets of trees.
On the far north side, the river weaved its way through the property. Stoic oaks and rustic firs raced the edges of its path, as if they had chased it in a bid to catch up. Mountains capped with snow set it all in a glorious backdrop.
But what dropped my jaw was the cabin sprouting up from a copse of trees at the far side of the valley, about a hundred yards in front of the river.
Cabin schmabin.
I’d call that sucker a mansion.
At least three stories tall, its pitched roof crept out from the tops of the soaring trees. From this vantage, the trees camouflaged a lot of it, but I could make out enough to know it was all kinds of grandiose.
Stone and wood and totally imposing.
I’d heard this place was incredible, but I’d had no idea what that really meant.
Apprehension chugged in my blood. Somehow the sight of it made my tardiness feel ten times worse.
I swallowed it down because I didn’t want to be some kind of weirdo who was stammering all over herself when I met my new boss.
Overimpressed.
That was so not me.
I’d just be myself. Show him that I was the most qualified to do the job. Wasn’t that really what mattered?
He’d given me instructions to meet in front of the main barn. It couldn’t be missed since it was just off the right side of the road that cut through the middle of the ranch. The barn was painted burgundy with white accents.
Corrals and pens surrounded it on each side.
It was ten times larger than any other building on the property.
I parked in front of it. Shutting off the engine, I scanned the area, wondering exactly where I was supposed to go.
The huge double-doors were open, revealing row after row of stables inside. A few men were rambling around, watering down horses and mucking stalls.
I climbed from my truck and poked my head through the doors. A guy who was probably too cute for his own good was closest. Tight denim jeans hugging his firm ass, dimples on his cheeks, and blond curls peeking out from under his cowboy hat.
“Excuse me,” I called to him.
He finished tossing some hay into a bin before he turned my way. A grin sparked on his face. “What can I help you with, darlin’?”
His eyes took a slow perusal over me, riding from head to toe and back up again.
I was flattered and all, but I didn’t have time for flirting.
“Do you know where I can find Mr. Greyson? I have an appointment with him at ten. I was supposed to meet him out here at the barn.”
The dude cracked a smirk. “Hate to break it to you, but it’s ten-fifteen. I’m thinkin’ he’s not gonna be impressed, though I can’t say the same about myself.”
His grin only grew as his eyes made another pass.
Frustration sailed through me, and I shifted on my boots.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath.
I hated the idea of messing this thing up. Not only did I need the money…but the horses.
Disappointment flared, and I dropped my head.
“You supposed to teach the little one to ride?”
I perked up at that. “That’s right.”
He canted his head toward my left. “Filly is in the first corral on the north side. Can’t miss her. Black Leopard Appaloosa. Beautiful as can be.”
“Thank you,” I wheezed in relief.
Grinning, he tipped down the brim of his hat. “Anytime, gorgeous. I’m Nate.”
“Thanks, Nate. I’m Paisley, and I gotta run.”
I pulled away from the open doors and walked around the corner of the building to the north side. It ran with a long row of covered exterior stalls, and there were two round pens to the left, plus a bunch of corrals extending beyond.
