Page 88 of Liam

“Jerry? What’s up?”

“The guys have gotten the hay baled and stacked.”

“Okay.” Liam looked at his watch. “Get some of them to do the maintenance, and the others can move some horses to the east pasture, since the new fence is installed.”

“Will do.”

When Jerry didn’t move, Liam raised his eyebrow.

“What?”

“Who was here for you?”

Liam closed his eyes for a few seconds and huffed.

“Why?”

“Luke mentioned he saddled a horse for a woman. A real looker, as he put it.”

“Luke needs to mind his own fucking business.”

“Yeah, so, who was it? Siobhan?”

“Yes.”

“Well, since you’re in such a shitty mood, I’d say it didn’t go too well.”

“She’s leaving Montana.”

“What? Why?”

“Why? Because I work too much. Same shit, different day.”

“I thought you were smarter than that. Liam, we all need a day with someone we love. I don’t know how I’d cope if I didn’t take those two days a week off. Trixie and I do so much together in two days that it makes getting through the week easier. I’m home in the evenings, but we know how that goes. She knows I can be called out at all hours, but she also knows those two days will be here soon, and we’ll be together. I know you love this ranch, Liam. No one doubts that, but what good is it if you don’t have someone to share it with? Hell, you even give the men days off.” Jerry sighed. “I’ll get with the men. You need to do some thinking. Do you want that woman to leave? Because if you don’t, then you’d better do something.”

Liam watched him stroll from the barn, then headed home. He’d have to find something to eat since his mother threw him out of the house. He sighed as he parked the truck beside the porch.

****

Siobhan entered the bar, waved at the bartender, then walked behind the bar. She’d been back for two weeks and was trying hard not to think of Liam. It was so hard not to because she was miserable.

Thank God for good makeup. It covered the dark circles under her eyes. She cried constantly. She missed him so much. But she knew he didn’t miss her since he hadn’t called.

He had to know she was back in Denver by now, but he didn’t care. She wanted to call Scarlett and ask if he’d been in, but she was afraid to hear that he had left with a woman.

“Hey, you’re early,” Ted, the bartender and her boss, said.

“I had to get out of the apartment.”

He put his arm around her. “I’m so sorry, hon. You haven’t heard anything from him?”

“No. He’s one stubborn cowboy.”

“You should have been more stubborn.”

“I tried, Ted. Anyway, let’s get ready for the dinner crowd. Did you and Greg have an enjoyable weekend?”

“We did.”

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