The Bull Rider's Secret. Jill Lynn

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ sighing, swooning and requiring fainting couches all summer.

      Maybe a what-were-you-thinking slug was in order.

      “I just checked there, so now I’m headed to the barn. If you run into him, would you let him know I’m looking for him?”

      If the man would just pick up his phone or respond to the texts she’d sent, Mackenzie wouldn’t be on this scavenger hunt.

      “Sure.” Bea’s short raven hair shifted with her perky nod.

      “Thanks.” Mackenzie’s boots crunched across the parched asparagus-colored grass, the short walk doing nothing to calm her frustration. When she stepped inside the barn, it took her a minute to adjust to the lack of light. She heard her brother before she saw him and followed his voice. He was talking to Boone, one of the new staff members—almost all of them could be labeled that this summer. And the timing for the turnover couldn’t be worse.

      Usually they had at least a few veteran staff return for the summer. Ones who could lead and train the more transitional summer help. But this year, everyone seasoned had moved on to greener pastures. Which was why she and Luc had hoped to hire someone to work with them—or at least closely under their direction. Especially with Luc and his wife, Cate, expecting twin girls in July.

      Luc finished his conversation, and Boone headed outside. Mackenzie waited for him to be out of hearing range before she laid into Luc.

      “Tell me your hey-I-hired-someone text that I missed earlier this morning was a joke.”

      Luc scrubbed a hand through his short light brown hair, a grimace taking over his face. She was two inches taller than him, but he had her in brawn. Tall and straight, with muscles and barely existent curves, Mackenzie had accepted her body—or lack thereof—long ago.

      “Nope. Not a joke. You know how much we need someone. And when I came across the right person yesterday, I snagged him.” His hands went up like he was placating a skittish horse. “I know you’re mad. Or I assume you are, but please trust me on this. Summer is completely stressing me out with the twins coming. We have no idea what that will look like, and I need to be available for them, for Cate.”

      “I get all of that.” Mackenzie’s rigid body kicked down a notch. “And of course we planned to hire someone, but I didn’t think you’d go and do it without me.”

      “It just...happened.” Luc leaned back against the workbench. “You know how hard it’s been to find someone who’s the right fit. And now summer season is here. We should have hired this person weeks ago. So, when I found a match, I jumped on it. I wasn’t trying to overstep. I just—” his arms shot up in a helpless gesture “—feel better knowing we’ve got extra enforcements. Another lead. Someone who can handle the shooting range and staff and guests.”

       And how do you know this person can do all of those things? Do they have any experience?

      But Mackenzie knew experience itself was overrated. What mattered was leadership and customer-service skills. If someone could handle a horse and interact well with staff and guests, they could be trained.

      She slid her tongue between her teeth to trap it. To keep from continuing her tirade. Luc normally didn’t pull stunts like this. But the babies had him all twitterpated. She could probably extend some grace. This time. And if Luc liked this new guy, she probably would, too. They thought alike. Had that twin connection that tethered her to him.

      “Okay.” She tried to get okay with her okay. “So, who is it?”

      “Me.” That voice.

      It came from behind her, and she whirled to face it. Him. Jace Hawke. He stood just inside the open barn door, holding a saddle, sunshine outlining his silhouette like he was some sort of gift from above.

      What? Impossible. Luc would never have hired her high school boyfriend. The ex who had turned her heart from mushy soft to solid boulder.

      With his cowboy hat on, Mackenzie couldn’t tell if she was still taller than Jace by a quarter of an inch. Yes—they’d measured back when they’d been young and in love. Before he’d trampled her to smithereens.

      She straightened her shoulders, wanting to use every advantage when it came to him. Wishing she were a giant and she could squash him like a bug, then flick him out of the barn.

      “Kenzie Rae.” He nodded in greeting. As if they were old friends, without a mountain range of hurt between them.

      He’d always called her that. Like he’d trademarked it. Owned it. Owned her, really.

      And he’d always had an irritating drawl.

      Well, in high school it hadn’t been irritating. Back then it had curled into her, deep and warm and mesmerizing. She’d been starry-eyed over him. For two and a half years they’d dated. And he’d taken off, leaving her a note? A stupid, worthless note.

      Emma’s fiancé was always surprising her with notes, and she thought it was romantic. The girl went all swoony over the gesture. But not Mackenzie. Notes were cop-outs. Used when someone didn’t have the guts to say something to your face.

      Jace’s jeans and boots and blue button-up shirt fitted him like a softened ball glove, outlining all of those I-left-you-to-go-ride-bulls muscles he’d accumulated over the years. And the same quiet confidence oozed from him.

      The kind that destroyed everything in its wake. That told lies and then turned tail and ran.

      “I’ll store my saddle. Give you two a minute.” He spoke to Luc, eyes toggling back to her before he strode toward the saddle room.

       To store his saddle.

      Because he was planning to stick around. Because Luc had hired him.

      Seriously? Was she smack dab in the middle of a nightmare? Mackenzie slammed her eyelids closed. He’s not here. He’s not here. I’m having a bad dream. I just need to wake up and then... She peeked just as Jace disappeared through the saddle-room door. He’ll still be here.

      “You’re playing me, right?” She held her brother’s gaze. Glued herself there until he gave an answer as to why he’d do this to her.

      His mouth was slightly ajar, as if he’d just been declared at fault in a deadly accident. “I didn’t know it was like that. I didn’t realize... I thought the two of you ended on good terms.”

      Because that was the story she’d spun the summer after graduation. Jace had left town to chase his dream and ride bulls...and she’d been all for it.

      That had been so much easier to say than the truth: he left me a note and took off. He never said goodbye. He destroyed me.

      Those weren’t phrases Mackenzie let into her vocabulary. Ever. And she’d worked incredibly hard to not let anyone—especially her twin—know how much Jace’s leaving had hurt her.

      Turns out her efforts had worked.

      “I ran into Jace in town last night, and we got to talking. He’s good with animals and people. He knows cattle roping, team penning, steer wrestling. He can teach the other wranglers some new competitions. The guests would love it. СКАЧАТЬ