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Maybe I need to sequester myself far away from her. I’ve been using the excuse of showing her the ropes as to why I’ve been hanging out with her so much these past few days, when usually I don’t engage with my employees unless they or I need something.
Just start keeping far away from her for a whole year, Jack. That’ll help you resist temptation. It’s a big ranch. It should be easy, right?
The sound of crushing gravel under tires hits my ears from a distance. Sarah’s SUV is pulling up in the ranch house’s driveway. “Guess I have to go meet my bride-to-be. You have everything here under control, I gather?”
“We’re just about done anyway. And you’re not sounding too thrilled about meeting your future wife. Did you two have a fight or something?”
“Oh... no, I’m just being funny,” I say, forcing a smile on my face.
I don’t think Lily bought it.
We head out of the stables, and Sarah steps out of her vehicle, slinging her purse over her arm.
She’s pretty, I suppose. Objectively. Long blonde hair, takes care of herself, just the right height to have long, slender legs. She must have dealt with so many guys trying to get with her through high school and college. She just isn’t my type.
Not to mention, her last name made it even more impossible to imagine her as a good match for me. Every time I saw her around Greenbluff, I just naturally expected all the vileness of her father, just in a prettier package.
Fortunately, that isn’t the case, but it doesn’t make it easy to forget that innate gut feeling.
She smiles our way as we approach. “Hey, there, Jack. This is your new wrangler, I’m guessing?”
“Sarah, this is Lily. Lily, Sarah.”
“Hi,” Lily says, meekly shaking her hand. She looks so intimidated by her.
Sarah looks Lily up and down. “Do I have to worry about you going behind my back?” Sarah has a smug little grin on her face, her arms behind her back to further sell the playfulness.
“What?” I cough, a chill going down my spine. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sarah. One, I’m almost old enough to be her father. Two, I respect boss-and-employee boundaries. Three, I’m dedicated to making what we have work.”
She laughs again. “I’m noting that your dedication to our engagement is the third thing you mentioned.”
I want to feel things for Sarah. It would make everything so much easier.
I never believed in love at first sight. My parents always told me that their relationship took work, them starting off on a shotgun wedding after what was supposed to be a one night stand. But they had more in common, the more they got to know one another. They worked hard with one another, and they made it work, and they both came to eventually fall deeply in love with one another. This is how I thought it would work with Sarah and I, but we didn’t even have that off night of passion to start with. Just two people with a shared goal of burying an idiotic century-old family feud.
Of course, Lily showing up goes and wrecks how I think I love and lust work. Damn, that girl is making me feel things without even trying, and I know every inclination I’m feeling toward her is such a bad idea.
“I look at all three reasons as equal in importance, and it doesn’t matter which comes first.”
“Sure you do, Jack. I totally believe you.” Sarah starts heading toward the ranch house. “You coming? I don’t think you want me doing all this myself.”
“Doing what?”
“Planning the wedding, silly.”
“Oh.” I pause, glancing at Lily, who is nervously shuffling in place. “Do you really need my help for that, Sarah?”
“I don’t really. I’m just giving you proper warning, since it’s your wedding too. You sure you just want to let my imagination run wild? Unrestrained by the bounds of thrift or bad taste?”
“I’ve never been much of a planner. Or had any grand designs for my wedding.” This wasn’t a lie to get out of it. I guess I’m just a stereotypical guy in this sense. Outside the woman I loved being there, I couldn’t care less about the set dressing of it all.
“You know I love pineapples,” Sarah laughed. “Do you really want pineapple on the cake? Or even worse, pineapple on the pizza at the reception?”
I let out another long breath and look at Lily. “You know what? One of your duties is being my assistant. Why don’t you go and help Sarah with this? Offer your insight. Keep her from going too crazy.”
“Are... are you going to make me go do math? Make me keep a budget?” Lily freezes in place.
I shake my head. “I’m not that worried about the money. I’m what you see, Lily. A bit of a cowboy. And we’re in New Mexico. Go help Sarah and just keep reminding her that we’re in New Mexico and not Hawaii.”
