Page 5 of Ashes of the Past
What an asshole! How dare he knock me over and act like it’s my fault!
“Typical cowboy, always thinking he owns the place,” I retort with fire in my eyes.
I glance down at the ground and try to clean up the mess on the sidewalk. I can hear Rachel yelling on the phone. I lean down and pick it up.
Thank goodness it wasn’t damaged.
“Some asshole just knocked me over and blamed me,” I grumble into the phone.
“I heard,” Rachel replies with a giggle.
“Damn it, I worked so hard on this arrangement for Gavin and Lena’s anniversary. He told me she would be here today helping the new mayor get his footing.”
“Is it destroyed?”
“Yeah, the vase shattered, and some of the stems are broken. Fucking asshole.”
I blow out an exasperated sigh as I pick up the glass and throw it in the trash. I grab the flowers off the pavement and carry them back to my truck.
First Clay, now this guy. I need to go home and go to bed.
“It’s okay. I’m sure you have a backup. You always do.”
Good thing I made a second arrangement for myself. I’ll just grab it and run it back to City Hall.
“Of course I do. It’s the principle, though.”
“You can’t control other people. Don’t let him or Clay ruin your day. I already hear the wheels in your head turning.”
I sigh loudly. “Have I ever mentioned that I hate cowboys?”
“And every head in Hicks Creek turned,” she says with mock gasp. “Careful now, that’s eighty percent of our population.”
“I’m well aware. It’s why I haven’t dated since I got home.” I let out a frustrated groan. “I just called to vent about Clay. He had the audacity to tell me not to make up lies to Olivia.”
“He’s so dumb. His actions are why she doesn’t want anything to do with him.”
“I know. His getting on the rodeo circuit is the best thing that could have happened for us, though. Now, I barely have to see him.”
“Hey, I got to go. Tilly seems to be having issues with a customer.”
“It’s probably the same jerk who just barreled through me. Seems entitled,” I say jokingly before we hang up the phone.
Twenty minutes later, my assistant is delivering the flowers to Lena Marshall, our town mayor, and I’m locking the door to my shop, Bloom & Vine. Everything is finally quiet after a day of chaos. My hands ache from arranging bouquets, my rear hurts from my tumble to the ground, my feet throb from standing forhours, and my head spins with the never-ending list of things waiting for me back at the ranch.
I’m barely halfway to my truck when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, already bracing myself for bad news.
Dang it, how quickly does my mindset go down when I have contact with Clay? It’s like he triggers every negative thought imaginable.
It’s a text from my dad.
We’ve got a problem. Call me ASAP.
Maybe that one was my intuition, and I shouldn’t have blamed it on Clay.
My stomach knots. I don’t need this tonight, not with this disaster of a day. I climb into the cab of my truck, the leather seat cool against my back, and dial Dad’s number. He picks up on the first ring.
“Brynn,” he says, his voice heavy with tension. “The new manager arrived early. Can you come out and show him the lay of the land? We’re having issues with the irrigation system in the north pasture, and I can’t afford to do it.”
