Page 177 of Lavender Lake
He took my other hand and linked his fingers through mine, lending me his support.
“Rudolph Lancaster demanded a meeting. They just left the office.”
My heart beat in my ears as I waited for Jack to deliver the final blow to my career.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were dating a professional bull rider?” Jack demanded. “I had to find out from them.”
“Oh, well,” I stammered. “It’s new.”
“They want you both in their campaign.”
“What’s that now?”
“They want you and your bull rider as the faces of their campaign. A rancher’s daughter and a professional bull rider fall in love? What could possibly be more authentic than that?”
The blood rushed from my head, leaving me dizzy. Cas immediately guided me to a kitchen chair, and then knelt in front of me.
“They’re offering you both a decent paycheck. I mean, it’ll probably seem like chump change compared to what Bowmanmakes on the circuit. But there you have it. Oh, and congrats on the baby.”
When I didn’t reply, Jack pressed, “Salem? You still there?”
“Still here,” I croaked. “And trying not to pass out from shock. You mean I’m not fired?”
Jack laughed. “Fired? Kiddo, you may have just jump-started a whole new direction in your career.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
The Ranch
Three days later, Wynn hugged me. “I don’t want to leave.”
I bear-hugged the shit out of her. “You have a job and a life to get back to.”
“I don’t have a life,” Wyn protested. “I work all the time.”
“And I hate my job,” Poet blurted out from beneath Hadley’s arm.
“Finally admitting it,” I said, dropping my arms from around Wyn. “Just when you’re leaving and we can’t hash it out and figure out what to do.”
“There’s nothing to do,” Poet said. “Either I suck it up or I quit.”
Wyn and Poet swapped places and it was my turn to hug Poet.
“I’d love for you guys to stay. In fact, move here,” Hadley commanded.
“Don’t tempt me,” Poet muttered.
“I’m not moving here,” Wyn stated. “Never gonna happen.”
“Afraid that pregnancy is catching?” I asked with a laugh.
“That,” Wyn said. “And there’s very little in the way of hobbies.”
“What do you mean?” Hadley demanded. “There’s tons to do here.”
“Yeah, Grandma and Grandpa hobbies,” Wyn said. “Like crocheting, bird watching, you know. Sedate, might-as-well-take-a nap kind of hobbies.”
“Nesting hobbies,” Hadley quipped.
