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And she’s exploiting my weaknesses.
Maybe I need to do the same.
What are Boone's weaknesses?
She loves her family and she's loyal. That's not a weakness.
She's been hurt. And what I plan to do is exactly the thing that's hurt her the most. Betrayal.
But is it? Maybe she's just being unreasonable.
"You work fast, Boone," I say as I survey the office.
"I want you to stay here and work with me," she says with a shrug. "No secret about it."
I draw in a breath. "Well, maybe we should talk about some of the details," I say. "I'd hate for us to work together and have it damage our friendship. No job is worth that."
"Kit," she says, getting a drink from the mini bar. She raises her brows at me and I nod, so she makes one for me too. "If I thought it would ruin our friendship, I'd never have brought it up."
There’s a bistro set in the corner. She hands me my drink and sits down across from me.
"You're the one friend I've made all on my own. Without knowing about my family or seeing my good-looking brothers, you liked me for me. I know I’ve said this before, but I really need to emphasize what a big deal it is to me." She takes a sip from her drink and smiles with satisfaction at her bartending skills. "And," she continues, "you're one of the few people who will tell me I'm being an idiot and I actually listen."
I raise my brows at her. "Well, most of the time," she admits with a smile.
"Thank you, Boone. That's a huge compliment." I sip more of my drink. "But, to spend my whole life here in Chickadee Ridge? It's kind of a major decision, don't you think?"
Though in my heart, I know it’s not such a tough choice. Everything I want is here. The only thing I want is Adam.
"But, you like the town, right? It's cute. And it's no trouble to go to Ponderosa Pass for shopping or other city stuff. It's not like you'll be a prisoner here." She laughs. "Though in the winter, travel can be challenging."
That reminds me of something I'd seen on the drive to the ranch. "What are those big bars they have next to the highway on-ramps? And the sign that says, 'When flashing, go back to last exit'?"
"Welcome to Montana," she laughs. "You probably noticed long stretches of highway without many exits or towns."
I nod.
"When the snow and wind get going, it covers the highways. They put those things down, like at a railroad crossing, to keep people from getting on the highway and getting stuck. They put those signs up for the outsiders who come here and think their four-wheel drive truck is enough to get through anything. Idiots."
"That sounds...interesting." Visions of being snowed in with Adam flash in my mind and I bite my lip to keep from grinning.
"Now," Boone says, going to the desk and pulling out a file. She comes back and hands it to me. "I've written up the basics. Salary, profit sharing."
I glance at the numbers and my eyes nearly pop out of my head. "Th-this is really generous, Boone."
"I told you, I ran the numbers. This place is going to make a mint, with your help." She finishes off her drink and grins. "You'll be great at it, you know you will."
I nod.
"So," she says, "what's holding you back? I know your family won't approve. Your mother will have a cow over it." She smirks at the thought of it. I do too. "But, come on, Kit. What do you want?"
It's on the tip of my tongue to tell her what I want is her brother, Adam.
"I want to do it," I say, and it feels great to admit it.
She whoops and jumps up to give me a hug while I'm still sitting. "Thank you, Kit. This is going to be fantastic. You won't regret it."
God, I hope she's right.
