Page 2 of Broken Boundaries

I can’t tell if he actually means that or not, but I smile and say, “You too.”

Brooks takes off his hat, and the three of us sit down. I focus back on the menu even though I decided I was going to order the turkey club about five minutes ago.

“So, how’s the apartment?” Brooks asks with his signature country twang. I always thought Zach had a strong Southern accent, but it’s nothing compared to his dad’s.

“It’s good. Thanks for getting me in touch with Matt. It’s perfect for us.”

Zach puts his hand on my leg and smiles in my direction. I smile back and wonder if it’s awkward that Zach is touching my leg in front of his dad. Is this a normal thing for people to do? Here I am with my overthinking again.

Brooks nods. “Good. Good. Yeah, it’s not much, but it’ll be a good spot to start off in while you get up and running.”

“Yeah, we’re almost done unpacking,” Zach supplies. I don’t jump in to say that’s a lie. Our place is still full of boxes and half-unpacked suitcases.

“Sorry I couldn’t help you move in. It’s busy season at the ranch,” Brooks explains. While I know summertime must be busy for him, I also wondered if he didn’t help us move in because he knew Zach’s mom and her new husband would be helping us. Zach has mentioned that the two of them don’t really get along, and I’ve heard a few of the snide remarks his mom has made about Brooks.

“It’s fine. We didn’t have that much.”

The server comes by and takes our order, and I sit quietly listening to the two men talk until Brooks decides to aim a question in my direction. “Aspen, how’re you liking Blue Haven so far?”

“Oh.” I clear my throat and shift in my seat, trying to figure out how to not shit on his hometown without completely lying. “It’s an adjustment, but it’s cute.”

“You always lived in Atlanta?” he asks. His eyes are laser-focused on me as he waits for an answer, and it’s a little unnerving.

“No. I’m from Florida originally.”

“Ah, your folks still there?”

“Um, I don’t know. Maybe?” I haven’t spoken to my mom in over a decade. Not since she left me with my grandmother and ran off with the supposed love of her life. And my dad…? Never knew him. Apparently, I met him once. I have a singular picture of the two of us buried in a box somewhere, but that’s the extent of our relationship. “I grew up with my grandmother. She’s still there.”

Brooks nods and thankfully doesn’t ask any follow-up questions about my family history. His attention is pulled from me to his phone, which is lighting up on the table next to him. He sighs.

Zach notices too. “Everything ok?”

“Uh, yeah,” Brooks answers. “Kinda. My assistant/morning desk receptionist quit on me yesterday. Something about a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend. Harper is filling in today. and she’s trying to write the job posting but has about a thousand questions.”

Zach slowly lowers his fork and looks at me with a big smile. Oh no. I can see on his face exactly what he’s thinking. My eyes go wide, and I shake my head to try to stop him, but he doesn’t listen.

“Dad, Aspen’s looking for a job. Maybe you could hire her.”

“Zach!” I whisper-shout. How embarrassing.

“What? You just said that you needed to look for a job.”

Yeah, but not with his dad on a freaking ranch.

“You need a job, Aspen?” Brooks asks.

I close my eyes for a second to collect myself before I turn to him and say, “Yes, but please do not feel like you have to hire me because I’m Zach’s girlfriend. I have no problem looking around for jobs.”

“What experience you got?”

Shit. Guess he’s going to humor me. “I most recently worked at the Westin in Atlanta. I worked at the reception desk. I’ve also been a server, a bartender, and a sales associate. I’ve tried pretty much everything.”

“Can you start tomorrow?”

Wait. What? “I, uh…”

“Yep. She can,” Zach answers for me.