Page 37 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

Mrs. Rodriguez smiles knowingly. "Well, I'll leave you two to talk. I need to stretch my legs anyway." She squeezes my arm as she passes, leaving Noah and me alone.

"Hey, boss," Noah greets me, his voice stronger than the last time I visited. "Good to see you."

I pull up a chair next to his bed. "You're looking much better, Noah. How are you feeling?"

He grins, a spark of his old energy returning to his eyes. "Ready to bust out of here and get back to work. I'm going stir-crazy cooped up in this room."

I chuckle. "Now, now, don't rush it. You need to relax and heal properly. There's nothing special going on at the ranch that can't wait."

Noah falls quiet at this, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. I raise an eyebrow, suddenly suspicious. "What?"

He looks at me, eyes twinkling. "Oh, nothing, boss. Just... I hear things have been pretty interesting back at the ranch lately."

I feel a sense of dread creeping up my neck as I suddenly remember the running joke about Hayley and me that's been circulating among the hands. "And who, may I ask, has been keeping you so well-informed?"

Noah ticks off names on his fingers. "Oh, you know, Sebastian, Antonio, Ma'am Beatrice. She visited me the other day, and also …

"So, all the ringleaders," I say dryly, cutting him off.

"Well…" Noah says sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, in that case, I think you should recuperate at home for one more month. Just to be safe." I say sarcastically.

"But boss..." Noah whines, his face falling comically.

I can't help but chuckle inwardly at his reaction. Despite my embarrassment at being the subject of ranch gossip, I find I don't really mind. In fact, there's a part of me that's quietly pleased. As I look at Noah's crestfallen expression, I relent a little.

"Tell you what," I say, leaning in with a smirk. "You focus on getting better, and I promise to keep you updated on any... interesting developments. Deal?"

Noah's face lights up. "Deal, boss!"

As I leave the hospital, I find myself looking forward to Saturday more than ever. It seems the whole ranch is invested in this budding romance – no pressure or anything. But as I think of Hayley's fierce spirit and witty remarks, I realize I'm ready to take that chance.

But will she?

***

Saturday arrives, and it's finally time for my date with Hayley. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't distracted all week, my mind constantly wandering to thoughts of her and our upcoming evening together.

As I apply aftershave, I stare at myself in the mirror, taking a deep breath. "This is it," I mumble, giving myself a confident nod before leaving my room.

I hop into my truck, planning to drive to the other side of the ranch to collect Hayley from her cottage. The short drive feels like an eternity, my heart racing with anticipation. As I pull up to her place, I take another deep breath to calm my nerves.

I make short work of the three steps leading to her door and raise my hand to knock. Before my knuckles can make contact, the door swings open, and I find myself staring right at Hayley.

She looks absolutely stunning. Her hair falls in soft waves around her shoulders, and she's wearing a simple yet elegant green dress that brings out the color of her eyes. I've never felt nervous in front of a woman my whole life until this moment, and I find myself at a loss for words.

"Hi, Austin," Hayley says softly, bringing me back to the present.

I clear my throat. "Hayley, you look beautiful. That dress... it really suits you."

A light blush colors her cheeks. "Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself, cowboy."

I chuckle, feeling some of the tension ease. "We should probably head to the restaurant. Are you ready?"

"Absolutely," she replies with a smile. "Lead the way."

I open the truck door for her, helping her in before walking around to the driver's side. As we drive into town, all I can think about is spending the evening with her and getting to know her better.

---