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I drive out to the old barn where Grayson is busy saddling the horses. He looks at me over his shoulder and shakes his head before tightening the strap. Hopping out of the truck, I walk over to him.
“Where the fuck have you been?” he asks.
“That is no way to talk to your boss,” I snap, then grin. “Overslept.”
“You dumbass. I already sent the boys out to the far pasture to round up the cows and move them. Saddled Meadow for you so we could ride over to the wells and make sure they’re good. I think the pump on the east side needs to be rewired. It was making a noise a week ago.”
“A noise?” I prompt. “And you decided to say something now?” Releasing a deep breath, I shake my head and walk over to Meadow and climb on. He’s a red quarter horse who loves to run and ride through the mud. We’ve had some great days together even though he’s young, spunky, and doesn’t always listen.
Once my feet are in the stirrups and Grayson is on his horse, we take off down one of the yellow trails that shortcuts over to the little water shack we need to check. Looking up at the sky, I see the dark clouds in the distance and know we don’t have much time.
“Should we take the four-wheelers instead?” Grayson asks, looking out over the horizon.
“Nah, I think we’ll be okay if we get going and don’t lollygag any longer. We’re already halfway there.”
“Alright. You’re the boss.” He snickers and follows me as we continue forward.
The temperature is dropping, and the wind is picking up, but I focus on the task at hand so we can get it done before getting dumped on.
“You gonna talk about those bruises on your neck?” Grayson finally asks, trotting up beside me.
“God, not you too,” I huff. “Riley’s ragged on me enough this morning for it. In front of Alex, too.”
“Well, it’s impossible to ignore it when they’re like beacons in the night.” He chuckles.
“I drank too much, but luckily, I wasn’t drunk. One more beer and I might’ve gone home with her, but I’ve had enough one-night stands to last me a lifetime,” I admit.
“And it’s not because Rowan’s coming home tomorrow?” He arches a brow.
All I can do is smirk. “Maybe I’m not as transparent as I thought.”
“Better get something to cover up those marks, or she’ll notice.”
I nod, agreeing. I honestly didn’t think about it. Rowan will use every opportunity to bust my balls, and these stupid hickeys will be enough to get her wrath for a month.
We continue riding until we arrive at the water well. We dismount and tie the horses to a fence post before walking over. Grayson was right; it’s making a noise, but I’m not sure what it is exactly.
“Go check the water trough and turn on the water so I can hear this pump kick on and off,” I order, and he jogs across the pasture. I take the casing off the pump and continue to listen closer. After everything is filled, Grayson joins me in the small shed.
“I’m pretty sure it’s the bearings. They need to be replaced before this thing burns up. We’ll need to look in the supply room and see if we have a few extra.” I pull out my cell phone and take pictures of the model number and type of pump it is. “And we’re gonna have to hurry. This storm’s movin’ in quickly.”
Grayson unties the horses as thunder rumbles in the distance. After hopping on, we decide to gallop for a while and run into my ranch hands, who are moving the cattle to where we just were. We don’t have time to stop and chat but exchange words in passing.
“I’ll catch y’all at the B&B for lunch,” I yell, and several of them give me a thumbs-up. The Circle B Bed & Breakfast has been around for decades on the Bishop’s ranch. It’s an old farmhouse Riley’s grandparents converted into a secluded Southern getaway. It’s known for many things: the rooms are named after colors, they serve the best damn food in this part of Texas, and horseback riding lessons are offered. Riley and Rowan’s cousin Maize is the chef now. She uses all of Grandma Bishop’s homemade recipes, and a kitchen staff prepares every meal fresh. John has been in charge of it for years and gets his panties in a knot anytime us ranch workers come in and overstay our welcome. But just thinkin’ about Maize’s buttermilk biscuits makes my mouth water. The B&B’s booked year-round with repeat guests who love visiting the ranch and animals.
I can’t blame anyone for wanting to return because I’ve been obsessed with this place since I met Riley. During my high school summers, I started at the bottom of the barrel doing grunt work and all the shit assignments. I hoped after years of busting my ass, I’d get promoted, and once Herbert announced his retirement, Alex offered me the job.
