Page 17 of Charlie Takes a Chance

I grin and show her the cute calf face.

She laughs and presses a hand to her chest, showing off her engagement ring that’s large enough to be considered a dumbbell. “That didn’t take you long!”

“Isn’t he precious?”

“Have you convinced Max to let you take care of it yet?”

I shake my head. “I just found out about it tonight. Max is in town, so I snuck down here.” I stare at her face through the grainy, frozen screen. “By the way, what’s the deal with him anyway? He’s such a cranky pants!”

“Really? That’s so weird. He wasn’t like that the times I was around him. Maybe he’s PMSing.” Her frown doesn’t look too genuine.

“Haha. Very funny. But really. He tried to throw me out of the house.”

Magnolia laughs, but the sound is out of sync with the video. “I’m sure that went over well with you.”

I have to bite back my laugh at that memory. It’s safe to say we both have a little bit of an immature nature. “He is not happy I’m here.”

“Did he check on you tonight, at least?” she asks, concern in her voice.

“He did. You can call off your watchdog. You know I’m used to doing this. It’s not a big deal. I’m not going to do anythingtoounsafe.” I reach down to slowly pet the calf. His soft breathing is soothing.

“Charlie, you’re one of my best friends. If you fall off a ladder or are lying on the floor in a puddle of blood from a saw gone wrong…I’d never forgive myself. Just let me get a good night’s sleep and know that you made it back to the bunkhouse safely. Max is my insurance that my best friend survives.” Magnolia puts on her ‘pretty, pretty please’ face.

The face that’s hard to say no to. Because how can you say no when it’s a friend concerned about your safety? Not easily, that’s for sure.

“Fine. I’ll put up with him. But I can’t promise to be nice.”

“I’m sure he’ll come around. You don’t have anything to worry about.” She smiles reassuringly at me. Easy for her todo. She’s not sharing a house with a guy who is not afraid to physically remove you from his house.

“I accidentally told him about Bryce today.”

Magnolia pulls a face. “Bryce doesn’t deserve any more of your time. He’s not even worth talking about.”

“I know. But it’s worse than that. I told Max that Bryce broke up with me.”

Magnolia pauses whatever she was planning on saying. “Wait, you told Max that he broke up with you? What did he say?”

“Nothing. Something snarky, I think. I don’t actually remember. I was too busy dying of mortification.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

I narrow my eyes at her, and I hope it comes through clearly on her end through this bad cell connection. “What is that supposed to mean, Miss Magnolia?” I use Alexander Whitlock’s nickname for her. The cutest grandpa around.

“I just…ya know…think maybe you could be good friends with Max if you guys got over whatever this weird argument is between you.”

“If you’re trying to matchmake, you can stop now. Max and I haven’t had a single argument.”We’ve had many.

“You just told me he tried to throw you out of the house,” she reminds me.

“That was only a misunderstanding.” The only thing worse than Magnolia knowing I’m fighting with the ranch manager, is Magnolia trying to set me up with him.

“I’m only saying…you’re both single. You could have a holiday rebound!” she suggests with a grin.

“I forgot that you have such fantastic relationship advice,” I reply in a deadpan voice.

“Meh, my love story didn’t follow the normal trajectory.” Magnolia references the fact that she and her fiancé started outas a fake engaged couple. Yeah, safe to say their relationship didn’t follow the usual patterns.

A diesel engine rumbles outside the barn, and my breath catches. “I’ve got to go. Someone just pulled up.”

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