Chapter 5: Chapter Five—Swayze

She was up shit creek without a paddle.

The entire walk home with Ryker trotting beside her felt like a walk of shame. Here she was with no savings, no transportation, and no job, with a man after her. There had been times growing up with her single mother that they went without water for weeks, and she vowed when she had Ryker that would never happen to them.

Taking up Montgomery King’s offer would be easy. An easy out as she looked at it. Just the sight of him had her heart thudding against her ribcage; she could only image her rules of staying away flying out the window if she took the job.

Being around him all day with his perfect eyes and strong arms screamed danger. When he had caught her at the parade, and when he brushed against her back at Megan’s, his scent alone had her head spinning, and the warmth of his arm against her made the third grader inside her squeal.

It was like putting a red sign above her head in town. Dating the famous, small town, rebel bull-rider was just asking for attention, which she didn’t have enough to share.

She’d figure it out. She always did.

She cooked Ryker’s supper around 4:00 p.m., letting him watch YouTube on her phone while he ate, so she riffled through her mailbox.

Ryker’s voice faded away as she opened her electricity bill that felt heavier than usual. Disconnect Notice was in large print with a red backdrop, staring up at her in mock humor.

Feeling stupid was an understatement at the least. She knew quitting her job was a bad idea, but the thought of staying there under constant interrogation from the Sweenys felt like torture.

Tears built at the corners of her eyes as she fell to the floor in her kitchen, her back against the sink cabinet. She felt like the worst mom of the year, putting her feelings before Ryker’s need. What had she done? Pride was a dangerous thing and it’d taken her ability to make the right decision.

Since she ditched her bank account, she walked toward her room where she hid her shoe box of money. The $200 in it was only half her rent that was due in two weeks, her electricity bill was high because of the air units in her apartment, and she had to make sure she had enough for food and the water bill.

This wasn’t going to work. There was no way she could come up with the money without a job to pay them. She didn’t have any of her things to sell but the few outfits she had brought with her.

“Crap,” she whispered to herself.

“Momma! I’m thirsty!”

Swayze sighed, pushing her shoe box back onto the top shelf of her small closet to walk toward the kitchen. “Momma is getting it,” she said.

Ryker hummed along to the Paw Patrol theme song as she gave him his drink. His little legs swung against the small Mickey Mouse chair he had, not a worry in the world.

Three years old was not the time in a person’s life to start to worry. She’d be damned if Ryker had to worry about food, taking a bath, or having lights to see.

Swayze looked at the small cup of flowers on her kitchen table and sighed. “Damn it.”

***

It only took a two-minute search on Google to find the address for the King Ranch. It was a ten-mile walk toward the opposite end of town, down a long, dirt road with nothing on either side. The long walk would give her time to gather her courage to talk to him.

She dropped Ryker off with Lena, not telling her that she’d lost her job, and started walking toward the ranch. Butterflies ate at her stomach with each step, sweat drenched her back, and her thin, gray shirt stuck to her like glue.

Every step she took, a rock pressed through her worn Keds, but at least if she could get the job, she’d have electricity and a roof over her head.

Forty-five minutes later, she walked onto a long driveway with a huge ranch house sitting in the distance, in front of what looked like hundreds of acres. The wraparound porch had lovely green plants everywhere with rocking chairs and charm all-around.

A small Honda sat to the side of the house, making her stop mid-step. Was there a woman here? Was Kaden married? He’d never brought her to the restaurant, but that didn’t mean anything. Had they already hired someone else for the job?

Cartoons sounded from the living room as she approached the front door. Children? Kaden had kids. Those poor kids.

Someone’s shout drew her attention to the field, so she nervously walked around the house toward the back. A gated fence that wrapped around the entire back field was unlocked, and a dirt walkway led to a huge arena where two men stood.

Swayze’s knees buckled, catching herself against the bar of the fence, her eyes never leaving Montgomery. She knew it was him from the distance. There was no denying his silhouette because it wasn’t something you saw every day.

Dylan had been fit, but lean, Mont was in a different category altogether. Neither brother noticed she stood there, so she watched, feeling like a creep, but part of her said to hell with what other people thought.

He sat on top of a horse, holding on to the grip while the other hand was in the air, like she imagined him riding a bull. But the horse wasn’t having it. He bucked Mont, and he rode him like a pro, which she assumed was true by the skill of him riding.

His hat covered his face, but his body was tensed, his shirt sat in a puddle by Kaden’s feet, who stood at the entrance of the arena like a bouncer.

“This is a bad idea,” Swayze whispered to herself.

Mont looked like a cowboy god on top of that horse. Those wide, tanned shoulders looked big enough to toss her around like a rag doll. Why did his chest and abs have to look like that? Like something that came out of a teenage werewolf movie? Or a Marvel film?

Swayze’s hand tightened around the bar she leaned against, her eyes roaming him like he was the last man on earth—and she wanted to get it out of her system before she got the nerve to actually go talk to him.

“Get it together,” she whispered. “He is just a man.”

A man that was too good to be true.

The horse neighed loudly, grunting and bucking until Mont jumped off, laughing as he ran from him and jumped over the small arena fence.

“Damn!” Mont yelled. “I haven’t lost my touch.”

He hadn’t, she admitted, but never to him. That would only inflate his ego, which didn’t need any more air.

Suddenly he noticed her from across the field. She prayed he would pick up his shirt as he started toward her and cursed beneath her breath when he walked past it. Meeting him halfway, she kept her eyes glue to the ground, watching each step she took.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Swayze Sways,” he drawled.

Swayze tightened her hands into fists against her sides, giving him quick eye contact to avoid him noticing her discomfort. “Hey, um, I wanted to talk to you—”

“Did you walk here?” he asked.

“Well, I don’t have a vehicle, so yeah.”

Mont’s silence brought her gaze up to his, and she instantly regretted making eye contact. She could get lost in those moss-colored eyes. The way he pulled his mouth into a lopsided grin, all his attention on her no matter what went on around them made her heart putter.

“Um…”

Swayze stopped as Kaden approached with an aggravated look on his face.

Mont didn’t budge.

Both brothers stood staring down at her, and all the strength she’d gathered on the walk over seeped out like a balloon.

“I—never mind,” she said, turning to walk back toward the yard.

“Hey, Swayze, hold up,” Mont hollered after her.

Tears started to stream down her face from embarrassment, and he caught her before she could wipe them away. “Hold your horses, Hoss,” he said. “Why are you crying?”

Swayze shook her head. “I was stupid for coming out here. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, now,” Mont said, grabbing both of her shoulders in his wide palms. “What is it?”

Swayze mustered up the courage to look at him. “I was coming over here about the job offer. Truth is, I need it. I don’t have the money to move, and I have to be able to support Ryker and me. I have no other choice.”

Mont nodded, watching her face closely. He stepped back. “Follow me. We’re gonna go talk to Kaden.”

“You haven’t asked him yet?”

Mont shrugged. “No, but we’re kind of in a bind too. He’ll get over it.”

Swayze mentally cursed him as Mont grabbed her elbow and guided her toward where Kaden had disappeared to. He climbed onto a tractor as they rounded the corner of the barn. His cowboy hat covered his face, which was a relief because she didn’t think she could deal with a mean scowl right now.

“Swayze is gonna take over the books,” Mont said.

Kaden’s head snapped upward. Swayze cringed; she wouldn’t have been surprised if his head spun like in The Exorcist. “Not a good idea, Mont.”

Mont chuckled. “Are you gonna do the books? Abigail is too busy with Kathryn, obviously, so I already hired her.”

Kaden took off his cowboy hat and raked his hands through his dark hair. “You don’t make the rules around here.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. We need help. She is gonna work on the books, keep up with meetings, manage our accounts, and get paid. That’s that. I offered it to her yesterday.”

“After she quit the diner? It’s not our fault she quit.”

Swayze had heard enough. She turned to hurry off their property, but Mont caught her easily, bringing her back to him. “I don’t want to be here if I’m not wanted,” she said.

Kaden turned his eyes toward the field and back down to Swayze.

“Listen,” Kaden said. “I don’t trust you, to be honest. You show up here with a kid, won’t talk to anybody, and frankly, I think you’re in trouble. If one thing happens to this ranch or my family because of you, you’ll regret it.”

“Stop with the threats,” Mont shut him down. “Just like anyone else we would hire, we’ll give her a chance and see if it works out.”

Kaden grunted something, started the tractor, and moved toward the field.

Mont turned to look at her. “Sorry about him. It’s not you; it’s me.”

She doubted that.

“You can follow me to the house, and I’ll show you where we left off.”

Swayze fell into step with him. “I didn’t know Kaden was married.”

He snorted. “Neither did I. He has a three-year-old too.”

“Girl or boy?”

“Little girl,” Mont said with a smile on his face. “I would have loved to be there for her birth, or the wedding, but Kaden and I have a rocky relationship, if you haven’t noticed.”

“It’s pretty obvious,” she said.

“I’m glad you changed your mind about the job.”

Swayze shrugged. “Like I said, I have no choice. This doesn’t change my answer about us going out though. That’s still a rule. Plus, now you’re my boss, and it would be a disaster waiting to happen.”

Mont gave her a long side glance as they walked up the stairs to the porch. “Maybe it wouldn’t be. Maybe you’re here for a purpose.”

Yeah, to stay incognito. “Whatever you say.”

Mont opened the door to the house. The SpongeBob theme song spilled out of the front door, causing Swayze to smile. A small curly-headed girl sat in front of the TV with a bag of apple slices, singing along.

She turned around to look at them but continued her munch adventure.

“Let’s go meet Abigail,” Mont said. “She’s in the kitchen.”

Her nerves rattled deep inside her stomach, each stride feeling like another step toward something that wasn’t supposed to happen. Everything about her visit had screamed she didn’t belong so far. The quality of the house, Kaden not wanting to give her a chance, and the possibility of getting too close to Montgomery King was enough for her to bolt, but yet, there she stood.

She followed him, noticing how homey their house felt. It smelled like apple pie, had a large open floor plan with built-in bookcases and an entertainment center for the living room. There was no denying they had money, which was another reason she shouldn’t have been there.

Abigail stood at the stove when they rounded the corner, a dirty white apron tied around her waist, blond hair tied into a neat bun on top of her head. She hummed along to the cartoons from the living room, stopping when she noticed them in the doorway.

“Hi,” she said, wiping her hands.

“Abigail, this is Swayze, and she’s gonna start working as a bookkeeper for us, since it’s been difficult for you since Kathryn was born.”

She wished they would have told her she was taking her job.

Abigail finished wiping her hands, looking back and forth between Mont and Swayze. Finally, a smile broke across her face. “I’m so damn glad. It’s been a pain in the ass—”

“That’s a bad word!” Kathryn yelled from the living room.

“—getting things caught up. It’s nice to meet you, Swayze. Love your name, by the way. Kaden approved this? What the hell did you put in his sweet tea?”

Mont chuckled. “Nothing. I just told him how it was gonna be.”

Abigail tucked a stray blond hair. “That works for me.”

Swayze shook Abigail’s outstretched hand. “I’m making lunch.”

“I’m actually gonna take Swayze to Megan’s for lunch,” Mont said.

Swayze gave him a look. “I don’t remember agreeing to that, Mont. Plus, I did just quit yesterday. I’ve got food at home.”

“You don’t want to go to Megan’s and order the menu? Then make fun of hacker Tonya when she waits on us?”

Swayze couldn’t help but laugh. “It actually does kind of sound nice—immature, sure—but funny as hell.”

“Well, then it’s a date.”

“No, it’s not,” Swayze said.

“It’s a get together of two people to talk about your new job duties.”

“As long as they don’t include sexual favors, then we’re good,” Swayze said.

Abigail turned toward the stove. “You must be the girl Kaden said Mont has been harassing.”

Swayze reached her arms out. “That would be me.”

“You’re cute; I don’t blame ‘im,” Abigail said. “If you need anything from me, let me know. I’ll be around the house.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“All right,” Mont said. “Follow me to the office so I can catch you up.”

There was no hiding that the den was decorated by a man. It looked like they had bought out a leather company for all the furniture, not to mention the turkey feathers and deer heads plastered on the wall.

She didn’t care if a dead deer stared at her all day. As long as she was paid, it didn’t matter. Swayze sat down in the big leather chair, her feet hardly touching the ground. The desk looked like it was in the middle of a robbery, and a two-year-old had been moving papers around.

“Here is where we are,” Mont said, taking off his cap to run his fingers through his hair. It did look overwhelming, and there was no organization to the receipts.

She frowned.

Mont leaned in closer to the screen, his scent overpoweringly sexy, and she hated every minute of being around it. “I’ll give you a rundown really quick.” He launched into a long explanation on QuickBooks, which she was vaguely familiar with, having had to learn about it in college, and then he showed her how he’d like things filed electronically. They had a printer, scanner, and copier, even an old school filing cabinet that she was sure she’d tackle in the coming weeks.

An hour later, Mont stood from the box he’d scooted over to sit on and stretched his arms above his head. Swayze stopped herself from looking at the sliver of skin that showed from his shirt and low-riding Levi’s.

“That’s about all the information I’ll give you today. I don’t want to overload you.”

Swayze nodded as she grabbed her purse from the floor beside her. “Thank you. I do appreciate the offer, and I know I can do it. I’m a hard worker.”

Mont studied her with those soul-snatching, green eyes, tilting his head like he could read her own. “I know that. I can see it. You take care of your kid alone, pay the bills—I know it must be difficult.”

Not wanting his pity, she pushed her purse strap higher and made her way around the opposite side of the desk. “I guess I’m gonna go pick up Ryker now.”

“Hold up,” he said. “First off, you can’t be walking this ten miles alone every day, and second, you said you’d go to lunch with me at Megan’s.”

Swayze wanted to object, but the thought of walking the ten miles it would take to pick Ryker up and walk back home seemed unbearable after the day she’d had. “I don’t know how I’ll get to work,” she whispered more to herself.

“I’m more than happy to pick you up,” he said softly. His tone made her look at him, that lopsided grin he always wore. She wondered if he was ever not smiling. She imagined he didn’t smile while he was—

She stopped herself. She wouldn’t imagine what he would do kissing her, running his large fingers through her hair, or how much of that bull-riding he took into the bedroom with him. Mont was dangerously sexy, and taking the job would definitely tempt her to give in to him, but like she said earlier—she had no choice.

“I don’t want you to have to take me every day,” she whispered. It was humiliating not having anything to your name, and she almost turned him down because it was obvious he was just being nice to her.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Don’t worry about it. Now come on out here, and I’ll take you to eat.”

Swayze walked into the living room past Kaden and Abigail. “Kaden tells me you have a three-year-old yourself?”

“Yes, I do.”

“You know, I don’t mind him coming over here. I’d love Kathryn to have someone to play with; it would actually give me time to clean around here. The boys are working most of the day, anyway.”

“I don’t know.”

“You wouldn’t have to hire a babysitter, and it’d save you some money,” Mont said, shrugging. “We don’t mind at all.”

Abigail gave her a you-know-you-want-to look and winked. Kaden didn’t look very excited about the idea. Mont followed her gaze to Kaden.

“Don’t worry about Kaden,” Mont said. “The frown is permanent.”

Abigail looked over her shoulder, tossing Kaden a glare. He rolled his eyes in response.

“Okay,” she whispered. “If it’s all right with everybody.”

“It’s a done deal then,” Mont said, grabbing her elbow and guiding her toward the front door. “Let’s go give some much-needed payback.”