Page 26 of A Marriage Pact for the Cowboy

“Oh, there’s so much to do and see! I run the family activities here at the resort. We do trail rides and archery and kayaking and bonfires and all sorts of events. I hope you’ll take advantage of everything that sounds interesting to you. I can hook you up with any of it.”

“Thank you, but I’m not sure how all that fits around my work schedule.”

“There are fewer families here during the school year, but we do things on weekends still through Thanksgiving. And then we have big events planned for Christmas week. Not kayaking so much.” Paisley giggled.

“No, we’ll be at least knee-deep in snow by then.” Maxwell chuckled. “But it’s not too cold for kayaking now, if you enjoy being on the water.”

“I’ve never been.” Eryn seemed to shrink in on herself. “Any of those things, really.”

“Hey, you went trail-riding in Kansas,” Maxwell chided gently. “We could ride here, too.”

“Oh, let’s!” Paisley brightened. “Tomorrow afternoon? Maxwell, you up for that?”

“Sound good, Eryn?”

Eryn glanced toward her father, who was deep in conversation with Weston. Maxwell heard references to pregnant heifers and silage and the fence on the west pasture before tuning them back out.

“I don’t want to be a bother.” Eryn poked her fork at her plate.

“You’re not. We look for any excuse to go riding around here. Which horse for her, do you think, Maxwell?”

“Mirage, probably. I’ll take Nutmeg or whichever one needs exercise most.”

“Sounds good. Let’s plan to head out right after lunch. You’ll love the back country, Eryn. It’s so beautiful here.”

“You’re staying this winter then, Paisley?” he asked.

She flushed. “Of course! I have a wedding to plan!”

“Are you guys getting married here at the lodge?”

“Yes. Stephanie and Tate’s and Cadence and Graham’s were so beautiful here.” She turned to Eryn. “Imagine the bride descending the log staircase over there—” she pointed “—and the groom waiting by the fireplace. There’s room for almost one hundred guests, not that Weston and I know that many people.”

“Only the entire staff at Sweet River.” Maxwell chuckled.

“Not everyone needs to attend the ceremony. We’ll have a big reception and dance out on the lawn afterward.”

Eryn’s eyes widened as she absorbed Paisley’s plans.

Maxwell could relate. Paisley’s enthusiasm was a bit much at times, but she’d worn Weston’s reserves down.

Unfair. Weston had come into his own with the light of Paisley’s love shining on him.

Maxwell wasn’t the recluse his cousin had been. He didn’t need a woman to bring out the best in him. But… maybe he did.

Or maybe it was the other way around. Maybe Eryn needed someone who believed in her the way Paisley had believed in Weston.

Could Maxwell be that someone? Did he even want to be? While he’d occasionally thought of getting serious with Heather, she’d come to him as an equal with her strong personality and opinions.

Eryn would agree with everything anyone said if she wasn’t sure how her opinions would be taken. Was he the right person to help her instill confidence and stand her ground?

Did he want to be?

Eryn listened to the other woman bubble on and on about her upcoming wedding to the cowboy, who was completely ignoring her and focused on answering Dad’s questions about the ranch operations.

Obviously, Paisley didn’t take that lack of attention as negative. Maybe no one dared ignore her for long. She seemed like a woman who got what she wanted.

Eryn didn’t even know what she wanted, let alone how to forge her own path to achieve it. Was Sweet River Ranch a place where she could figure all that out?

---