“If you want that job, then you’d do well to stay away from me. Before I go to HR and make that more difficult.”
He scoffs, but I’m already headed toward the conference room door. I don’t breathe until I reach my desk, drop my meeting notes, and suck in breath after ragged breath like each gulp of air weighs a thousand pounds.
I’ve been pretending Spencer’s advances haven’t made my skin crawl—and sometimes make me want to call in sick to work or bail on a group activity with our friends—for going on five years now. I don’t know how long it would have taken me to stand up for myself and say something to Jeff if it weren’t for Dean and Alana’s insistence, so I’m grateful for their push, even if it means speaking up will make things more difficult for a while. It’ll be worth it in the end.
Right?
* * *
DEAN
“What do you think we should do?” Kaden frowns as the vet inspects Smoke’s rear leg. The farrier found nothing wrong with his shoe on Sunday, and the vet has already said she thinks our old Appaloosa is battling something more than laminitis.
“Guess it depends.” He’s old, and he’s been on the ranch longer than I have. He was Hank’s horse, and if I recall correctly, his records say he’s damn near as old as me.
“On?” the younger McMurray brother asks impatiently.
I bite back the quip on the tip of my tongue and instead ask, “What doyouthink we should do?” This ishisranch. He should be making these kinds of decisions, too.
“I’d probably put him down, but you’ve known him longer. You know how he’s handled this kind of stuff in the past.”
Uh-huh. And that’s why I wanted to buy the ranch myself. Because I do know this place better than anyone else. But I’m not getting paid to make those kinds of calls on my own anymore. More to the point, Holden asked me to consult with him or Kaden on the bigger issues, and I’d consider Smoke’s future to be one of them. He’s practically the ranch mascot.
“Doesn’t matter what I think,” I mutter, knowing damn well I’m being ornery. Those papers sitting on my counter have been eating away at me more and more every day, just like the bullshit Tessa’s dealing with in Colorado. I know what I want to do, but what I should do doesn’t match in any of these situations.
“What’s your problem?” Kaden balks.
“Nothing.” I shrug. “You’re the boss. You make the call.”
“You got an issue with me coming on as partner?” He turns to face me, his scowl as ugly as Smoke’s new limp.
“Nope. No problem at all.” And I don’t. Sure, I was a salty when Sandy told me she was selling. But I wasn’t surprised. When Hank died a few years back, I knew change was coming. I’d hoped I might get to play a bigger part in it, but I like the McMurrays, and I’m damn glad they’ve kept me on.
“Sure as hell seems like there’s an issue,” he grits out.
I scrub a hand around the back of my neck. I’m being a prick, and I’m taking my sour mood out on him for no reason other than I can. That’s not the kind of employee or friend I want to be.
“Look, man, I’ve got a lot of shit on my mind, and it’s put me in a mood. I’m not trying to be an ass, but I really do think it’s your call to make.”
He surveys me for a long beat before he sighs. “It probably is. But I’m asking you, not only as the guy who knows this horse and this ranch best, but as someone I respect. What would you do?”
The sincerity in his voice catches me off guard, and my chest tightens. I do know this horse, and if Hank were here, the decision would have already been made.
“If it’s something systemic, and it’s ultimately going to impact his other joints and cause him pain, we need to put him down. He’s too old, and he’s had too good a life to start suffering now.”
Kaden’s shoulders drop as he sighs. “That was my thought, too.”
“All right. Then the decision’s been made.” I glance at the vet as she continues to work with Smoke. It’s likely she won’t be able to give us a solid diagnosis today anyway. “I’ve got some things to take care of at the cabin. Some stuff I want to get done before the weather changes.”
He stuffs his hands in the pockets of his jeans and nods. “Okay. I’ll hold down the fort this time.”
“Good. Might need you to do it for a few days again, too.”
“Yeah? Something going on?”
I avoid his curious gaze and chuck my nose. “Just some family business to take care of.” I feel guilty for lying, but then it’s not really a lie, is it? Legally, Tessaismy family.
“Ah, okay. Do what you gotta do, man. We’ll be fine here.”
