Page 18 of Second Chances with my Billionaire Bosses

Her laughter was like shards of glass hitting me all over. I backed away a few more steps and bumped into the wall.

“Of course, but I should go.”

I hurried back to my car and didn’t stop to let it all sink in before driving to the Mays’ ranch. I parked down the road so the guys wouldn’t hear me and then I snuck up to the porch to leave their breakfast before hurrying back to the section of fence I’d worked on the day before. It was a long walk but it was only after I’d tightened a few pieces of wire that I felt like I could breathe again.

The sky was dark overhead, like a storm was coming, but no one knew where I was and no one could ask for anything. I was alone. Just like always. I glanced toward the shadow of the house in the distance and rubbed at my chest. I was fine being alone. I wasn’t lonely. It didn’t matter what Samantha thought. It was perfectly fine to not have a husband or kids. I didn’t need any of that. I had Bob and he was great.

The sky opened up over me as a summer storm rolled through. I was drenched through in what felt like seconds and wincing as the chilly rain stung when it hit my bare skin. The sun would’ve been barely peeking over the mountains had it not been for the storm clouds and without it, the chill in the air sank deeper and deeper into my bones.

Thunder rolled and lightning cracked across the sky but I didn’t move. I stared up at the sky and let the rain prick my face over and over again until it puddled in the inner corners of my eyes and in the dip over my cupid’s bow. For a second, I wished the rain would wash me away. I was tired and I had the overwhelming sensation of being more invisible than I’d ever wanted to be. No one knew who I was. No one cared. As long as the things I did continued to get done, I could fade away and no one would notice.

Tears mixed with the rain, leaving warm streaks until the rain regained control. My entire life felt like a carefully constructed box. I felt trapped in my coffin decades before I should’ve been. It should’ve been easy to break free; my parents were gone. It wasn’t easy, though. Change was so terrifying that even thinking about taking a step back from the tight box I lived in made my heart race painfully.

I never allowed myself to break for long so it was only a few minutes of thinking about the what-ifs before I got back to work. My tools slipped from my hands and I scratched myself against the jagged wire more than once but I’d finished a long section of fencing before lunch. Then, like the perfect sister I was, I got back in my car, soaking wet, and drove back to the family ranch to change clothes and cook lunch.

CHAPTER 14

Maxie

The chill still hadn’t left my body, even after standing over the hot stove for half an hour, breathing in the comforting smells of chili and cornbread. I filled bowls and put them on the island just before everyone came in to get lunch. The routine was back to normal with no one doing more than grunting at me as a thanks. At least I thought it was a thanks. I stayed over the stove after everyone had sat at the table and dug into their meal, dying for more of the warmth to soak through my thick jeans and warm flannel overshirt. I had to admit I’d been stupid to stay in the rain when I couldn’t seem to warm up.

A loud knock on the front door announced Arlo, Shep, and Rhett’s entrance. I could feel their eyes on me and hoped they’d let me stay invisible in my little corner of the kitchen.

“You keep showing up to eat our food and we’re going to start charging you.” Mills laughed easily. “Grab a bowl and join us. You can tell us about the ranch.”

“Maxie didn’t tell you anything?” Arlo sounded irritated. There was a tension to his voice that made me feel on edge. Especially since I felt like it was directed at me. “The ranch is fine. While we were distracted getting our shit delivered last night and this morning, your sister was hard at work repairing fencing.”

I didn’t look back at them. How did they know?

“She’s so fast that we almost missed her. Except we worked late last night installing a security system with cameras that tracked our ranch manager working her butt off, even in the rain this morning.” Rhett’s voice leaned towards anger, too. “If I’d caught on earlier, I would’ve had her working inside out of the rain.”

I pretended to stir the chili. I wanted the floor to open up and suck me down, away from the silence that stretched after their words.

“Why the hell were you working in the rain, Max?” Tate called from the dining table, meaning I had to turn to look at him.

When I did, my eyes crashed into three very angry gazes pinned on me. I cleared my throat, the feeling scratchy.

“Things have to get done. The faster the fence is finished, the faster cattle can be brought in.”

“Have you eaten?” Shep moved closer, his arms crossed over his wide chest. “You look pale.”

I swallowed down the urge to cry again and forced a smile.

“I’m fine. Grab a bowl and sit with everyone while it’s still hot.”

“You heard her, boys. Grab a bowl and sit down.” West held up his glass. “Can you bring more sweet tea over?”

The pitcher was heavier than I remembered it being as I picked it up and skirted around my new bosses. I went around the table and refilled the glasses that needed it and I was out of breath by the time I put the pitcher down on the island.

I had scribbled down a loose schedule when I hadn’t been sleeping the night before for the cake preparation for Josie’s birthday. I didn’t have much time so I took advantage of my lunch to get out everything I needed and whip together a simple white wedding cake. It was a favorite for kids, especially when I added the Funfetti sprinkles. Even exhaustion couldn’t break my stride while baking. I put everything together and slid the cake pans into the double ovens, setting timers to go with the different sizes.

I took out my list and crossed off baking the cakes. I still had so many things to do, including making a smaller cake for Janet and Frank Parris, a couple celebrating their fiftieth anniversary. I’d almost forgotten it. Cooking three meals a day at theranch, making and decorating the cakes, and making six dozen cupcakes for the girls’ summer camp party was a lot to handle when I wasn’t supposed to be taking over a new ranch.

A heavy feeling settled over me. Maybe that was why my brothers hadn’t wanted me to take over the ranch alone. They knew I couldn’t handle it. No matter how hard I tried, I still couldn’t hide that I wasn’t perfect. They knew I couldn’t do it all. I was going to prove them right. I knew I was. I was going to fail and—

The first timer screamed, the sound making me flinch hard enough to knock a glass off the counter. I gasped and dropped to my knees to clean up the shattered shards. The timer continued screaming. I was kneeling on broken glass, the pain in my knee sharp. I had to turn the timer off. The cakes. The cakes had to come out of the oven. If they burned, I’d have to start all over. The glass, though. Someone would hurt themselves. The timer screamed. My knee felt wet. More cuts on my hands. The timer. Oh, god—

Strong arms wrapped around me, yanking me off the floor and into their arms. I was weightless and flying through the air. My heart pounded at my sternum, asking to come out. My face felt wet. Cold. So cold.

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