Page 58 of Parading the Cowboy Billionaire (Bluegrass Ranch 4)

“The whole policy thing, and I already knew about the unfair parties. She told me about them way back in March when she first came out here and we argued.”

“You like her?”

Lawrence pressed his lips together and nodded. That was a big, oldheck yes, not a tiny nod, and Cayden grinned.

“All right then. Just a few more weeks, and then the two of you can see where things will go.” He got back to work on his app, and a few seconds later, he had his two tickets. “Got ‘em. We can go any time after four.”

“Cayden?”

“Hmm?” He glanced up, abandoning his phone though Ginny had just texted when he saw the look on Lawrence’s face.

“What if she doesn’t want to take things from fake to real?”

“Has she said that?”

“No, but.” He exhaled and looked out Cayden’s window too. “I know my track record with women, and it’s not good.”

“Do you think she doesn’t really like you? What indication has she given of that?”

“I think she likes me right now, because I can help her get into the parties she wants to go to.”

“Well, that won’t change once she’s no longer working for us.”

“Right.” His voice faded, and Cayden knew exactly what he was thinking.

He didn’t want to be used. He wanted a real relationship with Mariah, not a fake one so she could get through the door at a work event.

He didn’t know how to say it would be okay or that it would work out. Not everything was okay, and not everything worked out.

He stood up. “Come on. Let’s go get Duke, saddle up, and ride for an hour before we stuff ourselves with wings.” He rounded his desk and grabbed onto Lawrence’s arm. “Okay?”

Lawrence finally chuckled a little as he got to his feet. “Fine, but I’m not going to stuff myself. It’s just you who can’t control himself with the wings.”

“Hey, we all have flaws,” Cayden said with a grin. He led the way out of his office, glad he was getting outside that day. He had a ten p.m. date with his girlfriend that didn’t sound like it would be good news, three weeks to the biggest event he’d ever tried to pull off at Bluegrass Ranch, and perhaps years before he could make Ginny Winters his wife.

He definitely needed to get outside today.

“You better get a ticket for Duke to the Lionshead,” Lawrence said behind him. “He’s the only person I’ve ever seen eat more wings than you.”

18

Ginny stared at the folder Harvey had put in front of her. “Is this what I think it is?” She tore her eyes from the seemingly simple and innocent manila.

“Yes,” he said.

“What is it?” Drake asked, reaching for the folder. He picked it up while Ginny folded her hands in her lap.

She should be panicking, but all she could feel was…calm. She should grab her purse and storm from Old Ember’s, her destination Mother’s mansion.

She should practice her explanation on the drive over.

She sat very still and looked Harvey in the eye, as he sat across from her tonight. He wore a look of resignation and sympathy. “I’m going to stick to our agreement.”

Ginny nodded, her gratitude rising up to choke her. She’d been attending church with Cayden each week, and every time was easier than the last. She fit there now, and she couldn’t imagine not being able to go and bask in the warm sunlight pouring through the stained glass windows, listen to the pastor’s rolling Southern voice, and feel like her life had more purpose than making money.

Didn’t they have enough money?

Nothing will ever be enough for Mother, Ginny thought, and that was probably the truest thing that had ever moved through her mind.

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