Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
“How’s that? I thought Waylon hired him. Waylon’s your boss, right?”
“Sort of. Yes, Way owns the ranch with his siblings. And yes, he hired the guy without consulting me. But…” I finished washing my hands and opened the cabinet with the bread and peanut butter. “It’s complicated.”
Tully’s voice held a hint of annoyance. “Complicated? Gee whiz, Professor. I can’t imagine little ole me would be able to understand something complicated. I barely graduated top of my class in law school.”
I looked up at the ceiling, but there was a noticeable lack of patience up there. I’d have to find my own.
“Way’s been trying to hire more ranch help all year. I pushed back. Hence, the stoner.”
He took the seat next to Lellie and used a package of wet wipes to clean her hands. “Were you touching the horse, sweetie? Was she soft? Yeah, I bet,” Tully said as she babbled happily in reply. “Let’s get those hands cleaned off before you eat, though, okay? No yucky germs. And let’s get your bib on so we don’t ruin your pretty shirt.” He glanced up at me, which was when I realized I’d been staring at him. “Why didn’t you want Way hiring more help?”
“We had a guy here named Taza. He was good. Is good. But he got a better opportunity. It took me a long time to get used to him, and the man’s a talker. I didn’t want to have to break in someone new.”
Tully nodded thoughtfully as he cleaned his own hands with the wipes and smoothed down the front of his shirt. “Which would be fine if you didn’t have a couple hundred head of horses to manage, right?”
I didn’t want to appreciate the firm abs under the shirt that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe back in high school, but I couldn’t deny how sexy he was. I simply didn’t have time for that temptation. “Right. There’s no way that kid can wrangle horses.”
“I told you I can help. When is roundup?”
The last thing I needed was this city boy attorney with his styled hair and germ-free fingers trying to play cowboy. “Friday. And you’ll be a big help if you keep Lellie safe and entertained, like I asked.”
He huffed out a breath. “Fine. But stop complaining about needing experienced riders when you’re not willing to listen to me and you’re not willing to give your boss the benefit of the doubt about hiring someone capable of doing the job.”
I ignored him to focus on finding the jelly in my fridge and fixing lunch. After finishing the stack of sandwiches, I cut one of them up into tiny bite-sized pieces and added it to one of the new plastic plates I’d washed, alongside some cut-up strawberries. I brought the plate to the table and handed it to Tully before returning for the other stuff.
When I placed a plate of sandwiches, chips, and fruit in front of him, he glanced up at me in surprise. “What’s this?”
“What’s it look like? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” I frowned. “Unless you’re allergic?”
“Not at all. I just haven’t had anyone make me a PB&J in…” He laughed lightly. “I can’t remember how long. Maybe ever.”
Yeah, for all that he claimed not to have “wealth,” I could easily imagine that Tully Bowman wasn’t the peanut butter-on-white-bread type. But he gamely reached for the sandwich anyway.
“Can you tell me more about Katie’s will?” I asked as I took my own seat. “What else do I need to know?”
He took his time before answering, wiping his mouth with a paper towel and then taking a sip of water first. “Her parents are suing you for custody.”
“Wait. You mentioned they weren’t happy. You didn’t say…”
“I just heard the news from my assistant. They’ve officially filed suit. My assistant said they’re pressuring my office for your address so they can serve the papers.”
I bit back a string of curses. The news shouldn’t have surprised me. And maybe it didn’t, exactly. But it sat heavily in my gut nonetheless. “Oh.”
Katie’s parents were controlling, sanctimonious assholes, but I couldn’t fault them for fighting for custody of their own granddaughter over a single dad they’d only ever known as a scruffy high schooler from the poor side of town.
I felt Tully’s eyes on me, but he didn’t say anything. Not for the first time, I wondered exactly whose side he was on. Was he trying to protect Lellie’s best interests? I hoped so. He didn’t need to be on my side necessarily, but I sure as hell hoped he wasn’t on the Scotts’ side either.
Lellie finished eating and started fussing. Tully wiped her down again with wet wipes, which were beginning to seem like a miracle product. I understood now why Connie had suggested them.
Once she was clean, I took her into my bedroom and laid her down on the bed, cuddling with her and reading a picture book from her suitcase. Thankfully, her eyes began to close at the sound of my voice about halfway through the short book, and before long, I felt comfortable moving her to the portable crib and escaping back to the main room. Tully had finished cleaning up after our meal and was sitting on the sofa with his phone in his hands.