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However, now I allowed myself to feel the giddiness from before. I rushed toward the front door, fumbling with the selection of keys on the ring before finding the right one. When I opened the door, I knew I was in some kind of a fairytale. From the sweeping cathedral ceiling that started in the foyer to the stone fireplace that I could just catch a glimpse of to the incredible wooden floors, I was simply floored.
I held my breath as I walked further inside, marveling in the décor, including every gorgeous picture attached to the walls. I was immediately drawn to the massive set of glass doors flanking the back of the house that led to the kind of view you only saw in magazines. At that point, I was unable to hold back the girl inside. She raced through the house, gasping from the sight of the modern kitchen to the expansive entertainment system.
I almost hung on the banister as I raced up the stairs, finding three bedrooms with their own bathrooms, but the master bedroom was the most glorious of all.
A huge canopy bed. A plush chair right by the window. And a whirlpool tub meant to soak in for hours on end with a glass of wine and a good book.
I turned in a full circle, unable to hold back my sounds of joyful happiness. This was mine. All mine for a whole year. I jumped onto the bed, shifting back and forth, marveling in just how luxurious the comforter was. And there were pillows. Lots of pillows. I could never afford this kind of place, but I would certainly indulge in taking advantage of every single inch.
Laughing, I finally made it back downstairs, walking into the kitchen and tentatively opening the refrigerator. They hadn’t just stocked the insides. They’d packed it full of everything I could imagine wanting in the next several weeks from wine to cheese, produce to meats and vegetables. When I closed the door, I leaned against it, taking short breaths.
For some reason that’s when an odd thought came to me. Robert had pulled out all the stops in an effort to make certain I would be comfortable. From what I’d seen on the drive here, I could easily tell there were several other living quarters likely for the staff. However, none of them were grandiose by this scale or any other. Then there was the car as well as the food.
And the quick hire, refusing to allow me any time to ask additional questions, all promised to me after I’d arrived. While I was certainly no detective, that screamed of something that Robert hadn’t wanted me to discover. Was there some burning secret hidden in the bowels of the winery? Or was Montgomery just too difficult to work with? Either way, I wasn’t going to allow this kind of opportunity to be taken from me because of scandal or the bad behavior of the owner.
Neither one of them had any idea what I was made of. Laughing softly, I smiled to myself. It was time to get settled.
Then the work would really begin.
Who knew, maybe after a year, this job would be mine on a permanent basis. My dream job, even if I had absolutely no clue what the full job description entailed.
* * *
Robert had suggested that I explore every inch of the estate. That sounded like a good plan, but for now I was exhausted. Tomorrow was a new day. I’d take a short drive then try to learn everything I could about the company from the internet. I had no doubt I’d need to be sharp in order to meet with the owner. Maybe I would be able to ask some intelligent questions after doing so. I didn’t bother changing before grabbing a bottle of water and heading to the Jeep. While the sun was still bright in the sky, a slight chill was in the air, the light breeze creating a series of goosebumps dancing along my arms.
I was surprised at just how enjoyable the drive was, the winding road giving way to several incredible areas to explore, vineyards that seemed to be exploding with grapes. Everything was so majestic the sights took my breath away.
As I rolled down another curvy road, another gorgeous building was set off a few hundred yards away, the house slightly more modern than anything else I’d seen, but just as spectacular. It was easy to tell that this was the home belonging to Montgomery Wolfe.
I slid my hand over the steering wheel, staring at the spectacular location before sighing. If only I could live in something so grandiose. Laughing softly to myself, I continued driving, almost instantly mesmerized by a rolling pasture with fields of green, a large barn nestled smack in the middle. I drove closer, parking next to a beaten-up pickup truck. As soon as I opened my door, I could hear horses whinnying close by.
A smile crossing my face, I eased out of the Jeep, every synapse on fire. There were at least a dozen horses playing in the field, their manes flowing in the light breeze. I pulled my phone into my hand, taking several pictures. I wanted nothing more than to remember this moment for the rest of my life.
Daring to walk closer to the fence, I leaned over the thick wooden posts, the vision taking my breath away. From the mountains in the background to the incredible forests, I was blown away by just how much beauty there really was.
After a few seconds of dreaming a fantasy I couldn’t have, I noticed a man walking out of the barn. With his shaggy blond hair and faded blue jeans, he was the epitome of a cowboy in action. He led a horse into the corral, rubbing the animal’s muzzle the entire time. Within seconds I was able to tell the horse had been in some kind of an accident, the baby’s gorgeous palomino coat marred by horrible scars.
A fire.
The injuries had to be from a fire.
The cowboy noticed me after a few seconds, offering a smile and a nod, walking toward me, his hand still wrapped around the horse’s rein. He grinned as he approached, giving me a hard onceover.
Hell, yes, he was sexy.
I was surprised the horse didn’t seem fazed in the least, even easing her head over the railing. Very gingerly I brushed my hand in between her eyes, laughing when she nuzzled against my shirt.
“She doesn’t do that very often. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember the last time she did,” the cowboy stated.
“She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”
“Star. She really is one too. A bright shining star.” He patted her flank before moving closer to the fence. “So, you’re the latest hire.”
Laughing, I glanced in his direction. “That sounds like you have new hires all the time.”
“Oh, they come every so often and mostly go.” After a few seconds, he chuckled, finally holding out my hand. “That sounds really bad. I’m certain you’re going to love it here. I’m Joshua, by the way.”
“Aspen Porter, but I have a feeling there’s a significant reason why you think I might not last on the job.” His handshake was firm, his eyes twinkling.
