Page 21 of His First Baby Rodeo

She brooded over it as she tended to the horses. If he hadn’t wanted to know what she thought about the idea of his retiring, why in the world had heaskedher? It wasn’t as if she was walking around volunteering the information unprompted. She wouldn’t have given an opinion if he hadn’t asked. And even that was putting it mildly. What he had done wasn’t so much asking as demanding. He had all but forced it out of her, and then he’d gotten angry when he hadn’t liked the answer. It was infuriating.

By the time she had finished her daily chores — an hour earlier than usual — her anger had subsided, but only a little. She still wasn’t in any mood to spend time with Mac, so when she saw him waiting for her in the kitchen, her temper spiked. She tried to walk around him, thinking she’d just head straight for the shower.

But he stopped her. “El, can you sit down for a minute?”

She turned — he was her boss, even if she was irritated with him for the moment, and she did have to listen to what he had to say. She didn’t have to sit for it, though. Let him talk to her standing, if it was so important.

He waited a moment, then seemed to understand that she meant to stay on her feet. “All right,” he said. “I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry.”

That surprised her. “Sorry for what?”

“The way I acted last night,” he said. “I was upset about what my doctor said, but it really had nothing to do with you, and I shouldn’t have involved you in it. I’m sorry I did.”

“That’s okay,” she said hesitantly.

“You don’t have to say that,” he said. “It’s not okay. It was unprofessional, and it was rude, too. You made it abundantly clear that you knew it would be crossing a line to say anything at all, and you didn’t want to do it, and I forced you. Please forgive me.”

“Okay, it’s forgotten.” She just wanted to get out of the kitchen. She did appreciate the apology, but at the same time, it made her feel a little uncomfortable. Last nighthadn’tbeen all his fault, and now that he was taking responsibility for it, she found herself forced into facing that fact.

“I’d like to make it up to you,” he continued.

Great. “Mac, you don’t have to make anything up to me,” she said. “It was an argument. I had as much power to prevent it as you did. I knew what you wanted to hear when you asked the question, and—”

“And you answered with the truth anyway,” he said. “I get it, El. That took guts. I’ve got plenty of people in my life who will feed me lines because they think it’s what I want to hear. I don’t want us to have that kind of relationship.”

What kind ofrelationshipdo you want us to have?She almost asked the question aloud, but she caught herself just in time. “Okay,” she agreed. “Honesty, then. From now on.”

“And I won’t make you weigh in on my retirement anymore.”

She nodded. “Thanks.”

“But I do still want to make it up to you,” he said. “I put you in a bad position. An employer shouldn’t act like that.”

“So how do you want to make it up to me?”

“I was thinking it might be fun to check out the state fair,” he said. “It’s in town this week.”

She blinked. “That’s how you want to make it up to me — as my employer? By taking me to the state fair?”

“Have you ever been to the state fair in Texas?”

“Well, no,” she admitted.

“Trust me. It’s a great time. I go every year.”

“Yougo every year? You’re one of the most antisocial people I’ve ever met.”

He laughed. “No, I’m not. I told you, I like to live a divided life. You think I’m a quiet loner because you only ever see me at home. That’s not the only thing I am. Remember, I’m still a famous rodeo rider. People do know me. It’s fun getting out and kissing a few babies sometimes.”

“I literally cannot picture you kissing a baby.”

“Come with me to the fair and maybe you won’t have to imagine it.”

It did sound fun — getting off the ranch, blowing off a little steam…

“Tonight?” she asked.

“Why not?”

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