“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. I just want to be taken seriously for once in my life. My dad sent me down here to pacify me. He wants me to take pictures and put up some glossy social media posts. Then he thinks I’ll get it out of my system and be happy wining and dining his buddies until he can marry me off to someone with a good name and a big portfolio.”
“Would that be so bad?”
She leaned forward in her chair and rested her elbows on the table. “I want to do something that makes a difference with my life.”
“That’s your problem. You’ve always had a soft heart. Follow in your mom’s footsteps and become one of those ladies who lunch. She volunteers with all kinds of organizations, doesn’t she?”
A loud scoff escaped her lips. “I think they spend more time planning parties for themselves than they do raising money for things that matter.”
“Well, you’ve got the next day or two down there, right?”
“Yeah. If only the cowboy running this place didn’t hate me so much.”
She thought I hated her. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I was pissed at her dad for forcing her on me and mad at myself for not being able to control the feelings that surged inside me every time I saw her, heard her, or even thought about her. Her ability to tear down the carefully constructed walls I’d built around my heart terrified me.
“So, win him over. Out of all our friends, you’re the one who could talk her way in or out of anything. Fire up that smile and wrap that man around your little finger, girl.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I might not be able to shut down the way my body reacted to her or how she made me yearn for things I’d given up on a long time ago. But these two prima donnas had another thing coming if they thought I’d be so easily manipulated.
“I’m not sure he’s the type of man who’d go for that.”
“Does he have a dick?”
“Kaitlyn!”
“Well? It’s true. Bat those beautiful eyes at him and wiggle those hips. You’ll have him in the palm of your hand in no time.”
“He’s different.”
“Different how?”
Whitley paused. I strained forward, so eager to hear what she thought of me.
“Damaged.”
There it was. Even a complete stranger could tell I was broken. I wasn’t about to be a pawn in some game she wanted to play with one of her sorority sisters. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to jump out of my chair and put an end to the conversation. A tiny part of me—the part that was still thinking with my brain instead of my injured pride—made me pause. If Whitley Silverstone thought she could win me over with a few hair flips, she was sorely mistaken.
I’d do what Flint asked. I’d make sure she got her hands dirty, then send her running back home to her daddy and her spoiled rich friends. And I’d take great pleasure in the entire process.
4
WHITLEY
It was stilldark outside when my alarm went off. I didn’t want to give Chase any reason to doubt my intentions, so I’d made sure to give myself plenty of time to get up and get ready before following him down to feed the animals. I tugged on a pair of jeans that hugged my hips, then layered a zip-up fleece over my t-shirt and long sleeve denim shirt.
Kaitlyn’s advice from the night before had been rattling around in my head since we hung up the phone. It had been easy enough to charm my way through high school and college. It helped that I attended the same college as my dad. Also helped that my last name was plastered across the side of the business building. But those advantages also meant I’d spent my entire life wondering if I was actually good at anything or if my family ties had earned me a free pass.
Chase Hampton didn’t seem like the kind of man who cared much about pedigree unless it had to do with his bulls or horses. Spending time on the ranch would let me know if I had what it would take to follow my dreams and buck the expectations of my family. Or if I was as useless as everyone seemed to think and would be better off doing what my parents wanted, like finding a husband and settling down.
With a belly full of butterflies, I slid my feet into my boots and headed toward the kitchen. The scent of strong, dark roast coffee greeted me. A half-full carafe sat on the burner. I found a mug in the cabinet and poured myself a cup, then headed toward the refrigerator in search of creamer or even a splash of milk. We had an espresso machine at the office, and I usually started my day with a shot or two of espresso and steamed milk. Finding nothing but a few bottles of beer and a couple of plastic containers of leftovers, I gritted my teeth and made peace with the fact I’d be drinking my coffee black.
The house was silent. The only noise came from a clock on the wall as the second hand ticked. Chase was obviously up already since he’d made coffee. I wandered back toward the hall, wondering if he was still in the bedroom. The sound of a dog’s bark pulled my attention to the back window as I walked through the living room. I glanced out to see Jackpot racing ahead of Chase. They appeared to be heading toward the barn.
Dammit. I set my mug down on the table and rushed out through the back door. It was only five after six. He must have gotten an earlier start. I raced down the gravel drive toward the big barn. Jackpot noticed me first and ran back to greet me.
Chase kept up a brisk pace, though there was something about his stride that threw me. He had a bit of a limp. My dad told me Chase used to be a bull rider, and I wondered if the limp and the scar on his face were the result of a ride gone wrong. I wouldn’t ask him about it, that was for sure. The man already hated me. There was no sense bringing up a potentially sore subject.
“Hey.” I finally caught up to him as he reached for the handle on the big barn door. “I didn’t hear you get up this morning. Thanks for leaving me some coffee.”