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“I think Kyle is a little lost right now,” Gina admitted. She shrugged one shoulder. “Of course, I’ve only known him for a couple of years. He used to laugh the loudest. He used to be the life of the party. He was as personable as Holly. He’s just different, but I think he’ll figure things out soon enough—and that includes how much he loves you.”
Maddy stared at her. “He’s not in love with me.”
“Sure, okay.” Gina turned as her husband said, “Hey, baby.” He leaned down and added, “This better be my plate.” He kissed her quickly and picked up the plate that still held the whole cake—minus two pieces.
Gina giggled and looked at Maddy. “Have it if you want. I’ll show you the pictures and ask you if you think it looks good enough for a wedding after you talk to Maddy.”
Maddy wiped her lips quickly and stood. Leaving her cake on the table, she walked with Blake back to his office. He settled behind the desk and took a big bite from the cake. Maddy watched him stick the whole thing in his mouth, thinking about what Gina had said.
“Did you and Gina ever go through a rough patch?” she asked.
Blake’s expression morphed to pure surprised. He chewed quickly and swallowed. “I did not think this meeting would be about my relationship with my wife.”
Maddy shook her head, pure embarrassment filling her from top to bottom. Her face flamed hotly, and she looked down at her hands. “I forgot my folder.” She made no move to go get it. She looked up again, drawing a deep breath. “I don’t need it. I didn’t come to ask you about Gina.” She put what she hoped was a professional smile on her face. “I want to stay here and work full-time.”
Blake coughed this time, and chocolate cake crumbs flew from his mouth. “You what? Really?”
“I like the cabin,” she said. “Hadley is an amazing friend and roommate. I like doing the art classes. Sierra says I’m helpful on the ranch.” She stopped there, because the ice cream booth wasn’t open year-round. Holly said they usually closed from January to May, so Maddy wasn’t sure what else she could do during those few months. “The Texas Longhorn Ranch is a big, busy place,” Maddy said. “I’m willing to do anything to help.”
Blake held his fork in mid-air, cake-less. “Does this have anything to do with Kyle?”
“I didn’t realize this meeting would be about my relationship with my ex-boyfriend.” Maddy cocked her eyebrows and held her breath.
Blake burst out laughing, and that thawed him. He dove in for another bite of cake, and this one he waved around. “You’re right. This has nothing to do with him.”
Maddy hadn’t seen him for a week. He hadn’t done more than stop by her place. No texts. No calls. No love notes on her door. No stopping by the ice cream shop or loitering in the doorway of her art classes.
There was still a full month of summer left, but Maddy needed time to make a few trips back to Dripping Springs. She’d need to pack up her house. List it for sale. Talk to her parents.
That last one made her throat narrow, but Maddy sat across a desk from Blake Stewart, asking for a full-time job where her ex-boyfriend lived and worked too. She could talk to her parents about leaving her hometown and doing something different with her life.
She needed this change, and making it here, on this ranch, felt right.
Besides, Kyle won’t live and work here forever, she reminded herself. Soon enough, he’d be off on his grand adventure, becoming a famous country music star.
Bitterness touched her heart, and she pushed hard against it. She didn’t want to harbor ill feelings for him—for anyone. Their break-up was still fresh and new, and Maddy needed more time to work through her feelings.
Blake finished his bite of cake. “I think we’d love to have you full-time at the ranch,” he said. “The cabin isn’t needed for someone else, and Todd always needs more people to help in the fall with the harvest.”
“I can do it, sir,” Maddy said.
He shook his head. “Don’t call me sir.”
“Seriously,” Gina said from behind her. “It goes right to his head, and then he thinks he can treat me like an employee at home.”
“I do not.” Blake rolled his eyes. He scooted back as Gina went around the desk and sat on his lap. She curled her hands around the back of his neck and smiled at him. “Did you hire her?”
“She already works here,” he said.
Maddy watched them, still wondering if they’d ever had a blip in their journey toward what was obviously true love. She wanted to ask again, but she didn’t. “He did say I could stay on full-time.” She looked at him. “Should I talk to Todd, then?”
“You’re on Sierra’s team,” Blake said easily. “I’ll let her know you’ll be staying on once summer’s over, and that she needs to start training in more than patting goats and talking to chickens.”
Maddy’s heartbeat very nearly stopped. “I do more than talk to the chickens, sir,” she said, her voice crisp and loud, as if he were a naughty kindergartener she needed to get in line ASAP.
He laughed again and said, “I know you do, Maddy. I was joking.”
Relief swept through her, and she got to her feet. “Okay, well, thank you, sir.”
