“Did Maddee rodeo?” Ellie asked.
Tucker nodded. “Sure did. That girl can ride.”
“How about you?” Ellie hooked her thumbs in her front pockets. “Did you rodeo?”
“During my middle and high school years.” He shrugged. “I stopped when I attended the U of A.”
She nodded as they reached the backdoor to the kitchen. “I competed in middle and my first year of high school. My cousin, Leeann, and I had a lot of fun competing against each other. We both had other interests that eventually took our attention off rodeo.”
He smiled at her as he opened the door. “And here I thought you were a city girl.”
Delicious smells of refried beans, taco meat, and chili peppers met them when they entered the kitchen.
“Oh, that smells so good.” Ellie went up to the dark-haired woman who beamed at her and Tucker. Ellie held out her hand and introduced herself. “You must be Lupe.”
Lupe took it. “Are you staying for lunch?”
Ellie shook her head as they released hands. “I have an appointment I’m heading to after I leave here. If I don’t get going, I’ll be late.”
“I’ll walk you to your vehicle,” Tucker said
“Thank you.” She smiled at him. “First, I need to grab my briefcase from your office.”
Tucker guided her through the house and back to his office, where she retrieved her case. He then walked her out to her SUV. Piper and Penny came tearing across the yard from the stables and stopped, one on either side of Tucker.
When Tucker and Ellie reached the driver’s side door, she paused. “Thank you for hiring me and for showing me around.”
He gazed into her eyes, and heat eased through her, melting her from the inside out. “I hired you because I think you’re a good fit for the job.” His smile softened. “But I’m glad you’re here so that we get a chance to know each other better. I enjoyed the time we spent at the Renaissance fair.”
She felt off balance again, a nervous sensation skittering through her body that was unusual for her. “I’m glad, too.”
Ellie turned and fumbled with the handle, then opened the door, climbed inside, and closed it behind her. Tucker still stood beside the SUV.
She buzzed down the window. “See you Saturday.”
He gave a nod. “See you then.”
She started forward in the circular driveway, buzzing up her window to keep dust out of the car.
Tucker was standing, watching her leave as she glanced in the rearview mirror. She looked forward, focusing on her driving as thoughts of the morning churned through her mind.
It was unbelievable that he was her new client. What were the odds? She smiled. She was more than looking forward to Saturday.
3
“That’s a start.” Ellie sat back in her chair and petted her tortie Ragdoll cat as she stared at her laptop screen. Hailee purred as she lay next to Ellie’s keyboard.
Ellie read through the document again and nodded to herself. She had written a good chunk of a narrative for Tucker’s site, and her start wasn’t half bad.
Before Tucker's project, she’d worked on a cattle rancher, Rosco Redford’s social media. For a man in his thirties, he was tech-clueless, other than what it took to use his smartphone or basic requirements on his desktop. A fellow rancher had convinced him he needed a website and social media to grow his business, which had taken a financial hit in recent years.
A knock at the door of her townhouse drew her attention. Hailee jumped off the desk as Ellie rose from her desk. The cat followed at her heels as she headed down from her office on the second floor. When she opened the front door, she was greeted by Leeann McLeod Gann’s smiling face.
“I have muffins.” Leeann raised a small white bag. “From Rachel’s Bakery.”
“Gimme.” Ellie took the bag from the bakery in King Creek. “Come on in.”
Leeann stepped inside and closed the door before setting her large purse on an armchair. She greeted Hailee with a hug, the big cat giving a rumbling purr.
