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Kieran had several replies ready to unleash, but Finley beat him to the punch.
“Because you’re a suspicious bastard.” Finley’s voice was light and laced with humor, undercutting the sting of his words.
Big Red’s lips twitched, and he finally broke eye contact with Kieran to smile at Finley. “This coming from someone who is way too trusting.”
“Touché.” There was a wistfulness in Finley’s voice that intrigued Kieran, and he wanted to see if his expression matched the tone, but Red’s calculating amber eyes were back on him. Finley snorted. “Ivan, this is Kieran Sullivan. Cash assigned him to work in the equine program.” When neither man acknowledged the introduction, Finley huffed out a sigh. “I’m just going to let you two pound your chests like alpha gorillas and get it out of your systems. Make it quick, Kieran. We have a lot of work to do.” He pivoted on his heels and headed back toward the barn, leaving Kieran to square off against the bear-sized man.
“Ivan Gallagher,” Ginger Rock said after a few awkward moments. “I’m the foreman around here. I answer to Cash, but everyone else answers to me.”
“Explains the swagger,” Kieran replied.
Ivan blinked twice but didn’t react otherwise. “If you do one thing to upset Finley, I’ll bounce you off this ranch so fast and hard your ass will leave potholes in the gravel. And I won’t care who protests or tries to intervene. Keep your nose clean and your hands to yourself.”
Heat rushed to Kieran’s face as he bristled with anger. This asshole didn’t know the first thing about him but had already pegged him as a threat to Finley. Kieran wanted to push back, to get in his face and insult him, but he couldn’t blow the opportunity. He gave Big Red a curt nod and followed Finley, but the foreman held out his arm like a crossing gate. Kieran jerked to a stop and glared at the man.
“I need to hear the words, Sullivan.”
Kieran counted to five and tried to throw a fire blanket on the flames of his rising fury, then calmly said, “Heard and understood.”
Ivan studied him through narrowed eyes. Had he wanted a pinky promise instead? After another intense stare-down, the burly man relaxed a little and said, “Get back to work.”
Kieran fought off the urge to salute him as he turned to follow Finley. He was surprised the blond man hadn’t made it too far, considering his earlier gait. Maybe he wasn’t as indifferent to the standoff as he’d pretended to be. Kieran quickened his steps and caught up to him in a few strides.
“Who won?” Finley asked.
Kieran glanced over and saw a smile flirting at the corner of his mouth. “Excuse me?”
“The pissing contest,” Finley clarified.
Kieran snorted. “It was a tie.”
Finley sighed heavily. “Guess I can expect more chest-thumping in the future.”
“The foreman seems mighty concerned about you. Warned me off and everything.” Kieran wanted to take the words back because they implied he cared about their relationship. He didn’t. It was just an odd conversation to have right out of the gate.
Finley stopped and whirled on him again.Fucking great. Ginger Rock was probably storming toward them. He was surprised the earth wasn’t shaking with the man’s fury. “Are you going to accuse me of screwing Ivan too?” Kieran tried to respond, but Finley hadn’t finished his tirade. “Because we’re not. And just to be clear, I’m not fucking my way through the staff.”
Son of a bitch.Why did the hurt shimmering in Finley Ashe’s eyes bother Kieran so damn much? Shit. He’d have to triple his efforts to keep an emotional distance from this guy, but he wanted to do it in a way that wasn’t cruel to someone who’d only shown him kindness.
“What I said about you and Cash was crude and rude. I was out of line.”
Finley arched a brow as his mouth ticked up at one corner. “That’s a lazy apology.”
Kieran fought off the urge to smile. “It’s more a statement of fact.”
“Apology accepted,” Finley said before turning back toward the barn. Once inside the structure, he turned and looked at Kieran again. “Aren’t you going to ask what I did to get locked up?” Kieran snorted and shook his head. “What? I could be dangerous.”
Of that, Kieran had no doubt. “I know when a guy has done time. I can tell by the expression in his eyes and in his demeanor. Rueben has done time. Ivan has done time. Several of the other guys I’ve met have also been locked up. You? No way in hell. The spitfire who manages the house? Not a chance.”
Finley’s lips curved into a smile, and Kieran felt a tug low in his belly. “Never underestimate Harry. She’ll make you pay.” Kieran didn’t doubt that either. He noticed their eye color and accents were similar, making him think they were related. Siblings? Cousins? He was curious but wouldn’t ask.
Finley’s conduct turned to all business when he gave Kieran a barn tour. The enormous structure housed an impressive tack room, a veterinary examination area, a breakroom, and ample storage for their equipment and tools. Their last stop was Finley’s office. The space was small but tidy with wood-paneled walls and standard furniture—a desk, lamp, computer, and chair. A red loveseat tucked along one corner added a pop of color, but the gallery of framed horse paintings, wildlife photography, and family snapshots hanging on the wall behind the desk was the real showstopper. The largest image was of a little blond boy sitting astride a black horse, wearing a cowboy hat that was bigger than he was. Kieran wasn’t sure how old the kid was, but it was unmistakably a younger version of the man who stood beside him.
“This is where you’ll check in each morning at six,” Finley said. He walked over to a clipboard where he posted daily tasks and assignments. He flipped through a few of the daily sheets, summarizing each chore and when they performed it.
“I’ll train you on each task the first week, supervise the second week, and turn you loose the third week if you’ve got it down. I will assign the tasks each morning, and you’ll initial once you’re done.”
“Sounds fair,” Kieran said.
