Page 19 of A Marriage Pact for the Cowboy

So… you’re requesting we hire your wannabe girlfriend?” Linking his hands behind his head, Tate leaned back in his office chair. His eyebrows tilted up, accentuating his knowing grin.

Maxwell spread his hands wide. “I cannot affirm or deny. I barely know her, so all this could go south. That’s a risk I’m willing to take and, I guess, a risk I’m asking Sweet River Ranch to take on my behalf.”

“You do know it’s October now, right? Most of our staff is seasonal. Summer, in case you’d forgotten, which is over.”

“I’m aware.” Why was his big brother making him sweat this out?

“Bro.” Tate shifted so he was leaning across his desk. “I have to ask. Is this a knee-jerk reaction to Heather leaving?”

Maxwell skewered his brother with a glare. “Heather quit five months ago. Any jerking of knees is long past. And, besides, we didn’t have that kind of chemistry. We were friends comfortable in each other’s company.”

“Chemistry?” Tate’s voice tilted up with humor. “What kind of chemistry are we talking?”

“Look, I can hire Eryn to my crew if you’re going to be like this. I can use an extra person or two, so long as they’re willing to learn and follow orders.”

Tate chuckled. “Ooh, touchy. But I can see how you’d rather not be her boss if you’ve got designs on her. What’s her skillset? Let’s see what we can do.” He bumped his mouse and peered at his computer monitor.

Designs. Was that what they were calling it now? It sounded unsavory compared to the growing hope Maxwell felt inside himself when he thought of getting to know Eryn.

Tate’s gaze slid to him then back to the screen. “You’re taking a big risk, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” Maxwell flexed his hands. “But finding out her dad didn’t have a job and neither of them had a place to live, I couldn’t shut up when I had a solution.”

“I think we’ve heard a rendition of this story before,” Tate muttered, jabbing at a few keys.

It took Maxwell a minute before he burst out laughing. “Oh, man. I’d forgotten completely. You offered Stephanie a job as Jamie’s nanny when you’d known her for less than a day.”

“And then there was Graham, rescuing Cadence after she was jilted, and hauling her all the way from Chicago to give her a job and a fresh start.”

Two happily-ever-afters had started in a similar way. Huh. Maybe it wasn’t such a long shot, after all.

Tate looked at him again. “I feel obliged to remind you that this is a bigger deal. With Keith Ralston on payroll — great find, by the way; we need him — Eryn may feel obligated to you and like she can’t quit her job if things don’t work out between you.”

“I thought of that.” A heavy sigh slipped out of Maxwell. “But I still couldn’t leave it be. Keith is a perfect replacement for Joseph. Farming at its core can’t be that different in Montana than Kansas. He has all the experience needed to jump straight in.”

“We don’t have any openings on the resort side, unfortunately. What job experience does Eryn have?”

“Mostly restaurant work. Everything including some cooking.”

“Hmm. Aunt Nadine could probably use someone part-time with Emma and Tina away at college. We do have more guests booked over the winter than last year.”

“I’m not sure that’s what Eryn really wants, but I’m sure she’ll be happy with it, at least for now.”

Tate studied him, eyes twinkling. “And what does Eryn really want? Besides, assumably, a giant rock on her left hand?”

“She’s not a gold digger. If she were, she wouldn’t have turned me down when I first asked if we could keep in touch.”

The grin widened. “Now there’s a story of humiliation I’d like to hear.”

“There’s nothing to it. She only agreed because her dad decided to accept my offer. She wasn’t playing a long game, because she had no way of knowing it was an option. I didn’t know when I asked her that, either. I only found out her dad had sold the farm after the fact.”

“See, that concerns me. I’m a little reluctant to turn over the farm to someone who lost his own through hard times.” Tate air-quoted the words. “What does that even mean?”

“You can ask him yourself. Frankly, I didn’t think it was any of my business. You’ll be his boss, not me.”

“I can ask and probably will, but unless he’s on the run from the law, you’ve kind of committed me to hiring him. He’s already on his way to Montana.”

What day was it? Maxwell had flown home on Wednesday, so it must be Thursday. “They’re not leaving Kansas until Monday. Go ahead and set up a video call.” He crossed his arms and stared at his brother.

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