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The barn grew eerily quiet. Rory didn’t get the impression that Tyler was remotely interested in him. He assumed Tyler was just vocalizing an observation he’d made. Owen’s and Ivan’s reactions were very interesting. Owen suddenly couldn’t seem to look away from the ground, and Ivan snapped his pencil in half.
Rory looked over at him with a quirked brow. Was Ivan the Blessed threatened by that comment? Rory sure as hell wouldn’t press the issue and find out with an audience around. He risked undoing all the progress he’d made with Owen if he so much as batted an eyelash in Tyler’s direction. Ivan probably thought Rory was a shameless flirt and a provocateur, but only Ivan brought out those characteristics in him.
“Could it be that easy?” Rory asked. He rubbed his thumb and forefinger over his trimmed beard. “I’ll have to give it some thought. And to think I stress myself out choosing destinations and content.”
Owen shifted his booted foot in the gravel and snorted. “There’s always the Only Fans option you mentioned.”
It was Rory’s turn to laugh as he slapped Owen on the back. “Never.” He turned to Ivan and caught a murderous expression on his face before he wiped the slate clean. “What’s next, boss?” Rory reckoned the title was okay since the others called him that.
“Repairing fences in the lower pastures,” Ivan said. “You could head inside the ranch house and help Harry for the rest of the afternoon if you’d prefer. I promised to share custody of you.”
Rory would’ve found the comment funny if Ivan’s previous remarks and obvious doubt hadn’t pissed him off. It was clear Rory still needed to prove himself, so he turned his back on Ivan to address Owen and Tyler. “Do we head out on four legs or four tires?”
Tyler and Owen both smiled. “Horseback for this job. You ride?”
“Sure do, though it’s been a while.”
Ivan stayed back at the barn, but Finley joined them since his precious horses benefited from the repairs. Rory wasn’t sure if Finley always joined his crew on those types of tasks or if he was curious about Rory. It didn’t take him long to discover Finley was there to work his ass off. Rory fed off his positive energy when his muscles whined for a break and his stomach pleaded for food. The sack lunches Harry made for them had seemed excessive, but Rory had burned through the calories in record time. The trio was curious about his career and asked a lot of questions, mostly about the rainforest and farming practices in other countries. It made the afternoon go by fast and helped him ignore his body’s incessant complaints.
“I’m sure my sister is fit to be tied that we hogged you all day,” Finley said when they arrived back at the equine barn. “Give me your horse, and I’ll get her settled. You better clean up and check in with the real boss on the ranch.”
“Thought that was me,” Ivan said.
Rory hadn’t even heard him walk up behind them. “Damn, you move stealthily for a big man.”
“We all know who really runs the show around here, and it’s Harry,” Finley said. “Queen of the kitchen always gets her way.”
“Well, the queen is looking for her…”
Rory crossed his arms over his chest and dared Ivan to say joker or jester.
Ivan cleared his throat and said, “Protégé.” He looked and sounded irritated. “I told you before you set out that you should report to Harry. Remember the custody comment?”
Rory wasn’t the least bit mollified. “You saidcouldand only gave me the option because you didn’t think I could handle nailing up fence line after packing and stacking bags of seed.”
Ivan scowled, placed his hands on his hips, and took two steps closer to Rory. “You think I was going easy on you?”
Rory matched his two steps, then added another. Any closer, and he’d be within climbing range. “Yes, and I told you I didn’t want that. All I asked you to do was treat me like you would anyone else.”
“We need popcorn,” Tyler whispered.
“And a cold beer,” Owen added.
Rory and Ivan were too busy staring each other down like gunslingers at high noon to pay them much attention.
“Since you two knuckleheads technically report to me, I’m telling you to take your horses to the barn and cool them down,” Finley said. Tyler and Owen mumbled their displeasure but did as they were told. “Will you guys be okay out here, or do I need to get the hose?”
That got Rory’s attention, and he looked at Finley with a raised brow. “Hose?”
“My grandmother used to take the water hose to her two dogs if they got to bickering too much. She’d open up the door at the first sign of trouble and holler, ‘Do I need to get the hose?’ They’d usually straighten right up.”
The story had eased the tension between Ivan and Rory, which was clearly exactly what Finley had wanted. Rory walked back to the horse he’d ridden to the lower pasture and back. He stroked a hand over her soft muzzle and patted her chest. “Miss Loretta, it was a real pleasure meeting you. Thanks for being such a patient girl with me.” She nickered softly and bumped him with her muzzle. “Thanks for a fun afternoon, Finley,” Rory called over his shoulder as he walked away.
“Anytime,” he replied.
Rory debated heading straight to the kitchen until he looked down the length of his body. He was covered in dirt and dust from a long, physical day and had no business stepping into a room where someone prepared food. Rory hadn’t made it far when the sound of heavy footfalls reached his ears.
So the big man wasn’t always stealthy.
