Page 41 of A Marriage Pact for the Cowboy

Graham’s neck and face flamed red in half a second flat.

“But while you were gone, Maxwell hired us a new farm manager and kitchen help for Aunt Nadine. I know you saw the payroll paperwork.”

“Yes?”

“My little brother is smitten.”

Thankfully, Tate’s voice had lowered into a conspiratorial tone, because the women in the kitchen weren’t that far away.

Eryn looked adorable even with her blond hair wrapped in a braid around her head and a plaid apron over her jeans and green staff T-shirt. She didn’t seem to have overheard Tate… or even noticed Maxwell’s entry, for that matter.

He squelched the slight feeling of disappointment.

“Smitten?” Graham looked between Maxwell and Eryn. “Oh!”

“Yeah, he’s following in our footsteps, yours and mine,” Tate continued, still smirking. “Hiring our girls here to keep them nearby while they’re being wooed.”

“That’s not how it was with Cadence!” Graham protested.

Tate tilted an eyebrow up and studied their cousin.

“Okay, a little bit. But I didn’t think I stood a chance.”

It had been entertaining to watch shy, geeky Graham fall in love over the summer, just as fun as it had been to observe Tate and Stephanie’s romantic drama play out earlier in the spring.

Great. Everyone had a front-row seat to Maxwell’s pursuit of Eryn. He might as well hand out bags of popcorn now.

It didn’t really bother him so much. He was used to his family and how they had each other’s back by being in each other’s faces. Even Bryce did, for all his disparaging talk. If Bryce really didn’t want to toe the family line, he could put his business degree to use elsewhere. Yeah, he’d barely squeaked through college — he’d been too busy partying to take studying seriously — but he’d graduated. He kept working for Grandfather because it was easier than hustling out in the real world. He made more money for less work.

Maxwell hadn’t bothered with post-secondary schooling, though he’d started taking online courses before moving to Montana. Seemed a guy who ran his own business should have a bit more education than the school of hard knocks.

“See how she keeps looking over here?” Tate stage whispered. “She wasn’t doing that before my kid brother came in, but now she can’t stop.”

Maxwell’s gaze slipped to see Eryn focusing on plating a batch of biscuits. She didn’t seem aware of him at all.

Graham snickered. “You mean, like he keeps looking at her?”

Busted. Was there any point in denying it?

Maxwell pulled out a chair, turned it, and straddled it where he could still see into the kitchen. “I’ve got news for you two.”

“Oh?” Tate drawled, leaning back. “You’re a faster mover than I gave you credit for.”

“Not that, dingbat.” Maxwell shoved his brother’s shoulder. “She’s really shy. Could you two not make a production out of this and scare her off before I even have a chance?”

“Shy, hmm?” Tate’s eyes danced.

“She seems insecure,” Graham affirmed. “I know what that’s like.”

At least one of these doofuses took Maxwell seriously. Cadence had been really good for Graham, though she’d been plenty insecure herself when she’d bolted to the ranch last year after being jilted days before her wedding. Graham had done the bravest, most impulsive thing he’d ever done by helping her run away and giving her a safe place to land.

There were more similarities than Maxwell had realized.

Tate leaned in. “I think you should just declare yourself to her.”

Hadn’t he already done that? And she was interested, but he needed to go easy. She was timid, skittish like a yearling filly.

Hmm. Now there was a thought. Nutmeg’s yearling filly, Echo, didn’t trust easily. Would Eryn be drawn to the young horse? How about vice versa?

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