Rose ignores me, her eyes shimmering with gratitude. “That a promise? Because I started twenty minutes ago and I’ve already got enough to fill your afternoon.”
Ginger gasps. “Wilder Thorne. Your best friend’s little sister? Where are your manners?”
I rub the back of my neck and avoid Ginger’s eyes. “Heard her say she could take care of herself just fine. Come on, we need to make more rounds.”
“Is this where I’ll be working?” Rose almost sounds excited as she takes in the guest welcome area.
“No.” I start walking toward the back. “Let’s move.” I stroll past a few tourists browsing a selection of ranch- branded merchandise. Rose eyes the shelves stacked with goods like scented candles, wooden spoons, and hand-woven blankets. It’s not quite a gift shop but fills the walls with more of that “touristy vibe” Dallas insisted we needed. Tourists were less impressed with old family photos and vintage memorabilia. I didn’t disagree since it’s just the kind of thing I learned in business school. Commercializing the ranch has made it more profitable but at the same time, created busy work for us.
It’s been a joint effort over the years and business has sure been booming as a result. But it comes with a price. Bigger staff, double the vendors, upkeep of each structure. And the bane of my existence, bookkeeping.
After a quick intro to the rest of the office staff, I cock my head to the exit. “Let’s move on.”
“Oh, sweetie, wait up,” Ginger calls, placing a bag on the counter. “I swiped this from the gift shop just for you.” She eyes me. “Sure the boss won’t mind.”
Rose dips her hand into the bag, pulling out a pink cowboy hat. At this point, I’ve got a migraine in my future with all the eye rolling.
“Oh,” Rose breathes, slight disappointment in her voice. “It’s so pretty. Thanks. You got a blue one?”
“Blue?”
“It’s my favorite color.”
Ginger frowns. “Blue cowboy hat .?.?. no, I don’t think so. We sell a lot of the pink ones, though. Thought with a name like Rose, you’d be a fan .?.?.”
Rose blinks, then smiles gratefully. “This is perfect. Thanks, Ginger.”
My office manager gives me one final glare of warning to “be nice” before shooing us out.
I hold the door open for Rose, hearing Ginger behind me typing away into the computer and muttering “blue cowboy hats.”
The next stop is one of the barns, one of the larger ones that overlooks the south pasture. I can tell from her expression the smell hits her hard but I give her credit for not saying as much.
My tour is quick, like with any newcomer. Partly because I’m not one hundred percent sure she’s listening. And partly because I’m not sure how long she’ll really be able to hack it here.
I gesture at the open space as we walk past the wide door. “This one’s mainly used for storage,” I say, “and shelter during rain. You’ll be in here quite a bit, signing for deliveries, keeping things in order. I’ll need you to make sure it stays in good shape and stocked. You’re not responsible for keeping it clean, but let me know if it needs it, and I’ll get the boys on it.” I turn to her, something I’ve been avoiding since her body was pressed againstmine and I had the breath knocked out of me. “You’ll have a set schedule,” I tell her firmly. “Nothing too overwhelming, but busy.”
Rose nods slowly as she processes everything.
“Any questions so far?”
“Just one. How do I get around? Will I get a horse?”
I chuckle. “No. You’ll be on foot, mostly. Anywhere you need to go is within walking distance of the Saddle Room—that’s my office. You can always pull me or Jeff aside if you need a ride somewhere. That’s one of our cowboys. He’s been with us for nearly a decade. Trust him more than I trust myself. I’ll introduce you tomorrow.”
Rose blinks, her gaze blank. Something tells me she’s not keen on the idea of depending on someone just to get around.
We hop back in my truck, but I don’t move just yet. From where I sit, I point back to the main office, reminding her where it is. “You’ll stop in there to pick up mail for Dallas and me. I’ll need you to go through it. Any outstanding invoices need to be thoroughly reviewed. Way you do that is to confirm on time delivery and that inventory received is what’s stated on the invoice. Ginger and Brett at the office can help you with that. Your signature on each one confirms you checked all the boxes. I’ll approve it and you’ll take it back to the office.”
She frowns. “There’s got to be an easier way to do all that. You got email here?”
“We do. But Ginger doesn’t like email. She likes paper.” I start the car and drive. “Also, all vendor calls will be forwarded to you. Any questions, you can talk to Brett or call Dallas—he’s usually the one who deals with them.”
She waves me off. “Oh, I don’t need to bother him. I’ll be fine. I’m great with people.”
“They’re not social calls. You’re conductingbusinessand ensuring we’re getting what we paid for.”
She gives me a pointed look. “It’sallabout how you talk to people, Wilder.”
