Page 40 of A Sunny Sweetheart for the Cowboy

“Why not?”

“Uh… why not?” This was where she said because he was the same to her as any of the other men who worked at Sweet River, but Susanna would probably see through that. “I doubt there’d be any future for us. We’re much too different.”

“You know what they say.” Susanna chuckled. “Opposites attract and all that. Why, my sister used to say that if she and her husband agreed on everything, one of them would be unnecessary.”

“I guess that’s a point.” Not a very good one, but the more she protested, the more Susanna would think she was right.

“Harvey and I have a lot of differences, too,” Susanna confided. “He’s such a neat freak and I’m, well… I guess I’m a slob.”

Paisley glanced over as she dropped butter in the heating pan. “You’ve done a great job keeping this camp kitchen in order.”

“There’s not much to it, and nothing else to do.”

“Another point.” Paisley chuckled. “I’m not very tidy, either. I blame my ADHD, but that might be a copout. I don’t know.”

“There’s a benefit to marrying a neat freak, at least if he actually does the cleaning and doesn’t just nag his woman to get on it all the time.”

Paisley didn’t even know Weston’s habits on that front. The stable and tack room were always tidy, but maybe his serfs did that.

“Anyway, just saying, having different strengths is a really good thing in a marriage, so long as you respect that and work together for common goals.”

“I’m not marrying Weston. I barely even like him some days.” Most days, lately. Today, for instance.

A twig cracked behind her. Probably one of the kids sneaking around to keep their flag safe. But… what if it wasn’t?

She whirled around to see Weston standing not far away, boots braced, arms crossed over his chest, wearing the disapproving frown she’d come to expect. Who was she to think she could change him? Nobody, that’s who.

“I barely like you, either. Most of the time, not at all.”

She shrugged. “Then I guess we’re on the same page.”

Susanna chuckled. “Invite me to the wedding.”

Paisley pivoted and glared at Susanna, who smirked while she flipped the cornbread pancakes Paisley was supposedly in charge of. “Thanks for nothing.”

“You’re welcome.” Susanna seemed barely able to keep from laughing out loud.

Was this a little taste of what Weston felt like when Paisley prodded him to smile about something? Because Susanna wasn’t the slightest bit funny.

Chapter

Twelve

He didn’t like the silent treatment. Not from Paisley, at least, though he could do with it from the rest of this bunch. They’d somehow made it through the evening. Harvey had led the kids in a few songs and a devotional around the campfire.

Weston hadn’t had a chance to get near Paisley to apologize. Yeah, he was going to do that. Once the red haze had lifted from his eyes, he could clearly see he’d been a jerk. It would be easier if she wasn’t avoiding him.

They’d packed up camp right after breakfast. He’d been in charge of breaking down the camp kitchen and loading the packhorses as everyone else took down tents and corralled misplaced articles.

Paisley readied the horses and helped the kids mount up. Harvey and Susanna managed a bit better today than they had on Tuesday. And then they’d all ridden out, leaving Weston on Ranger at the rear, leading the packhorses.

Hours later, home was just minutes away. Home? He hadn’t had one of those since Dad died and Mom lost the Circle K, but Sweet River Ranch wasn’t really home. He’d lived in his little duplex in staff housing for over a year, though. It was sparse, not that different from the day he’d moved in, still with the old furniture that had preceded him.

If he was going to stay here, he should pick up some of his own. A better bed. Maybe a comfy chair that didn’t dig broken springs into his backside. Huh, he could even frame a couple of his favorite photos and hang them on the wall like normal adults did.

Was he going to stay? Was this his future?

Tate had decided to. He’d married a local, built a house, and started a family. Now he was focused on running the guest ranch and didn’t have much to do with the larger hotel empire Sullivan Enterprises operated.

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