Page 75 of A Sunny Sweetheart for the Cowboy

What if God wanted her to lose her job in Montana and stay in Phoenix? What if the moment with Weston was only that, a moment meant to get her attention? Would God be that cruel?

He was a loving God. His corrections were for her own good. She had to hold onto that knowledge. If God meant for her to stay in Arizona, it was for her best. God had something better than Weston in mind for her.

How could anyone be better than Weston? Okay, he’d been surly at first, but lately? Not so much. He had a tender side. He was genuinely seeking God and asking her to do the same, like a true leader.

Weston loved her. Her, Paisley Teele.

And she needed to phone Tate, but on a Sunday afternoon? Better now than minutes before she missed the staff meeting. Did she have Tate’s number or only the lodge office? She tapped around in her contacts list. As a senior staff member — her, Paisley Teele! — she’d been provided access to personal numbers. She had no excuse.

“Lord?” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Please help me. Guide me. Help Tate be understanding. Or not, as You will.”

She tapped the number. It rang twice.

“Tate Sullivan here.”

“Hi, Tate.” She swallowed hard. “It’s Paisley Teele.”

“Paisley! Good to hear from you. What’s up?”

If he knew anything, he wasn’t letting on. Here went nothing. “On Friday night, I heard from my sister that my mother overdosed and was admitted to the hospital in Phoenix. My sister wasn’t sure Mom would make it. I… I flew down Saturday morning, and I won’t be back in time for tomorrow’s staff meeting.”

“I see. How is your mother doing?”

“Better than I thought. She’ll be coming home tomorrow.”

“When can I expect you back on the job?”

“Wednesday at the earliest? But, if at all possible, I’d like the entire week. I know I don’t have vacation time coming.” The words rushed out like a creek after a beaver dam had been blasted. “I know you need your staff right there, doing the jobs we were hired for. I know you have no obligation to make an exception for me. I know I have a lot going on at the ranch with the family activities and with the Independence?—”

“Yes.”

Paisley blinked. “Yes? Yes, to what?”

“Yes, to the week.” Amusement tinged his voice.

“Really? I mean thank you, but I thought you would fire me.”

“Emergencies happen.” His tone sobered. “I’m not going to soften this, Paisley. If this were nearly anyone else, I would’ve had to let him or her go. Not out of meanness, but because you’re right. We need our workers working, especially at this extremely busy time of year.”

“Then, why?”

“Weston,” Tate said simply. “Two reasons there. He and Cadence and Graham have a solid handle on the Fourth of July celebrations, thanks to the notes you left.”

Paisley winced. Those notes were a mess, even to her. To someone else? There was zero chance they could see into her head and make sense of it all. Perhaps she could wrap things up from Arizona. She should have plenty of time around Mom’s and Kait’s needs without the distraction of the kids’ activities and the not-so-grumpy cowboy she’d grown to love.

The cowboy who’d stepped in and kept her from being fired. “The second reason?”

Tate chuckled. “He said if I let you go, I’d need to find a new head wrangler, too.”

“He what?” Paisley blinked back tears as she pressed her hand over her heart. “He couldn’t have said that. He barely likes me.”

“Not true. I believe his exact phrasing included the word love.”

Weston Kline loved her. He’d said to her just minutes ago, but it was difficult to believe. He knew her failings, and he still stood up for her. Whatever Tate did to Paisley, Weston would take the same punishment. For her. She didn’t deserve him. But she’d do her best for the rest of her life to be worthy of him.

“Sounds like you two need to talk,” Tate went on. “But… yeah. Cindy and Sabrina are keeping on top of things with the activities. With your team on the festival comprised of two of my cousins and a soon-to-be cousin-in-law, you’re good to go. But please keep me in the loop. It really is a very busy time here.”

“Thank you, Tate.” Paisley’s voice choked on her churning emotions. “I’m sorry. I promise to do better. I… I was afraid.”

---