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He’d learned a long time ago that the only way he would ever get anything in his life was if he fought for it and fought hard. His parents had dished out that lesson early enough. No one was going to help him because no one cared. His family was the most important thing to him, and he wanted to welcome Bri into their fold. If he failed, then he’d deal with that when the time came.
Wade shifted his truck back into drive and put his foot on the gas. Zeke told him to meet at the barn with the big number three on it, and today was the first time he could remember praying that he wouldn’t see Brielle while he was visiting. He couldn’t figure out why, but he had a gut feeling she would be absolutely livid if she knew he was meeting with her father.
There was no sign of her or any of her sisters when he put his truck into park near the vehicles he assumed belonged to other ranch hands who worked here. Every structure on this property had been taken care of better than any building in the whole city. Just arriving on this ranch filled a man like Wade with a total sense of inadequacy. He didn’t belong here.
At least not yet.
He shoved his keys into his pocket and trudged toward the barns. The farthest one had a bold, black number three hanging over the barn doors. The building itself was painted white with black accents and appeared to have been recently erected.
Wade glanced around, his paranoia that Brielle might appear getting the better of him. Thankfully the only people wandering around were men clad in worn jeans and cowboy hats. He stepped through the doors and then paused. The aisle stretched before him longer than he’d expected, and he didn’t see Zeke anywhere. His gaze swept from one side of stalls to the other, filled with horses. On the posts between each stall, there were reins hanging on hooks, and at the far end of the building, several saddles were displayed. There were far too many than was necessary. Whatever new business plan Zeke had, it would take a lot of riders on the ground.
“Mr. Keagan. Good, you’re here,” a rough voice grumbled behind him.
Wade stiffened and faced the man who might just be his new boss. “Mr. Callahan, thank you for meeting with me.”
Zeke’s eyes swept over him from head to toe, and his eyes tightened just like his jaw. “You seem a little old to be looking for this kind of work.”
“With all due respect, it isn’t for you to judge. Any man willing to work in order to put food in his family’s mouths should be given the opportunity to do so.”
The man lifted his chin, appraising Wade, though not giving anything away.
Wade shifted, doing his best not to fidget while Zeke made his judgments.
Zeke shook his head, “I’m sorry, son, but—”
“Wade? What areyoudoing here?”
3
Brielle
If Brielle wasn’t holding onto the barn doorway with one hand, she might have done something she regretted—like march right up to Wade Keagan and slap him clear across the face.
How dare he go behind her back and talk to her father? Were all the men in her life conspiring against her?
Her gaze darted accusatorily toward her father. Their conversation this morning echoed in her head, contributing to the growing headache.
“The longer you wait to find someone, the harder it’s going to be,” Zeke said. He wasn’t even looking at her but rather at the Sudoku notebook in his hand.
She released a groan and shot up from the kitchen table. “Women are allowed to be independent these days, Dad. I don’t have to find a guy to give my life meaning.”
Her father glanced up at her. “Marrying your mother was the best decision of my life. You certainly have a history of having fun with the men around here, but it’s time for you to settle down. I’ll not have my daughter become the floozy the gossiping women fixate on whenever they see you with someone new.”
Brielle slammed her hands down on the table. “You can’t force me to get married. Not after Adeline and especially not after you changed your rules. You played your hand, Dad. You don’t have any control over me.”
He didn’t take the bait. No reaction whatsoever. Zeke simply put his notebook onto the table and rose to his feet. “You’re right. I can’t make you marry anyone. What I can do is request that you start paying rent, pulling your weight, or even move out.”
She gasped.
“I love you, Brielle, in spite of your incessant desire to push me. I’m sure you’ll do what you want one way or the other. It might just be a little less exhausting if you didn’t argue so much.”
He’d left her gaping after him. And after an hour of arguing withherself, she’d finally decided it was time to tell him what had happened ten years ago. She’d gone to find her dad and spill her secrets.
Only now, he was talking with Wade, and she lost her nerve faster than the rabbits darting in the underbrush of their surrounding woods. She glowered at Zeke, hating how helpless she felt standing there. Her fingernails dug into the wood, causing pain to shoot through her fingers more so than doing any damage to the barn.
Her father’s brows lifted as his focus bounced from her to Wade and back again. Then a smile split his face and he turned toward the trespasser. He held out his hand and shook Wade’s firmly. “You’re hired, son.”
If it was possible, Wade looked more shocked than Brielle.
