LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter Four

      Now that a name had been put to the big bruiser of a guy, Cash could see the resemblance between the grown-up version of Eliot and his father, Jeb. Although time had passed, those pale blue eyes that had once stared holes in Cash didn’t cut him any slack now as they flicked between Rio and him.

      He’d have to be stupid not to recognize the disapproval in the gaze—and its softening when resting on Rio. Cash had barely set foot on the property, and already another of Rio’s admirers had surfaced.

      Eliot thrust out his hand. “Wish I could say it’s good to see you again, Herrera.”

      “Been fourteen years.” Cash briefly clasped the offered hand. He had no intention of reviving youthful conflicts.

      Eliot’s eyes narrowed. “I have to admit I’m surprised you’re back in Hunter Ridge considering this is where—”

      “Let’s not go there.” A familiar splinter of anger wedged itself under Cash’s fairly thick skin—something he’d been on guard against in recent years, too well aware of where it could rapidly lead. Conscious of his son seated nearby, Cash’s words came quietly. “We were boys, and our parents’ poor choices had nothing to do with us.”

      The man snorted. “Maybe not for you, but—”

      “Eliot.” Her eyes issuing a warning, Rio nodded toward Joey, who, although earlier occupied with the barn cats, was now taking in the conversation with interest. “This is Cash’s son. Joey.”

      The other man studied Cash’s boy for a long, expressionless moment, then walked over to shake his hand. “Good to meet you, Joe Herrera. I imagine we’ll be seeing a lot of each other this summer.”

      The boy nodded uncertainly, his questioning eyes darting to his dad. Then Eliot moved back to Cash.

      “So you have yourself a kid now. That come with a wedding ring?”

      Cash’s jaw tightened at the insinuation that there wouldn’t have been one. “It did. Divorced now.”

      “Figures.” He gave a dismissive shrug, then turned to Rio. “I have those three wagons cleaned out and repainted. Axles oiled. So you can come around to give them your stamp of approval when you’re finished with this morning’s ride. See if there’s anything else that needs attending to before that church group comes in for hayrides over Memorial Day weekend.”

      “We have a packed schedule today.” She flipped through the pages on the clipboard. “I trust your work, though.”

      The man’s chest puffed out at her words of praise. “I want to make sure things are up to the Hideaway’s standards. Assuming, of course, that those high standards hold since I was here last summer.”

      He cut a dubious look in Cash’s direction, and Rio frowned.

      “Of course our standards hold. And I’ll do my best to check out the wagons today.”

      “Much obliged.” He smiled in acknowledgment, his gaze lingering on Rio. Then he gave Cash a brisk nod and strode out of the barn.

      “Sorry, Cash.” Rio made a face that reminded him of when she was a kid. “Eliot seems a bit touchy today.”

      Because Cash had been standing too close to Rio when the other man had walked in? “He never liked me much when we were kids. Can’t say I blame him.”

      “He needs to get over it.”

      Pushing thoughts of Eliot momentarily aside, Cash looked to where Joey was again playing with one of the cats. If he hadn’t been mistaken, his son had been uneasy that morning about spending the day around the corrals and barns. But in an effort to please his dad, he’d gone along with what they’d discussed the day before—the importance of the role he’d play in enabling Cash to get started on the new job. At least the furry felines seemed to have kept him distracted. Of course, horses had yet to be removed from the confines of their stalls. But so far, so good.

      Rio tapped the clipboard with a knuckle. “Looks like we’re set to go. And no rush, but later today Luke has a saddle he’d like you to—”

      “How long, again, is Eliot here for?”

      At his too-abrupt comment, she gave him a questioning look. “He’s in college. Comes back here to work every summer. Is that a problem?”

      “Just wondered.” Fortunately, as the future horse operation manager, he wouldn’t have to deal with the other man year-round. But would there be an expectation that Eliot be hired full-time postgraduation? “What’s he do besides maintain wagons?”

      “Odds and ends. He does building and fence maintenance. Is active in trail rides and hayrides. Whatever needs to be done.”

      “What’s his major?”

      She frowned, tiring of his questions as she’d earlier tired of his opinions? “Sports medicine. He’s working on his master’s. Why?”

      Cash had taken a few night classes after high school himself, but hadn’t gotten anything close to a degree. Eliot was one up on him in that respect. But, thankfully, the career path Eliot had chosen didn’t sound like something he’d be putting into practice around the Hideaway in the future.

      Cash shrugged. “I hope that works out for him.”

      And kept him far from Hunter’s Hideaway. Eliot appeared to have a chip on his shoulder, and Cash didn’t want to be forced to be the one to knock it off. But the guy could rest easy. Cash wasn’t looking for trouble, and he wasn’t campaigning to be president of Rio Hunter’s fan club. Once upon a time, crazy in love, he’d played that thankless role with Lorilee longer than he should have—right up until she’d walked out of his life with another besotted fool, toddler Joey in her arms.

      “Cash? Did you hear me?” Rio bumped his arm with her clipboard, drawing him back to the present. “Our summer hires will be here any minute to start working with the horses. You might want to find a place for Joey that’s more out of the way.”

      “Yeah, sure.” She was right. Sitting in the open might not be the best spot for him once activity picked up. Cash hadn’t figured out what he’d do with Joey when accompanying Rio on this morning’s ride, either.

      When he’d suggested to Joey that he could double-up on Cash’s horse, it hadn’t gone over well. So he’d backed off that idea. Of course, he could always force the issue if that’s what it came down to. Throw him up in the saddle and be done with it. That’s what his own father, not pandering to any sign of weakness, would have done. But he didn’t want to make the boy more fearful or risk humiliating him.

      He walked over to Joey and placed a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Let’s find you a better place to hang out while I work.”

      “Can I bring the kitty?”

      “Sure.” But barn cats usually had a mind of their own.

      When he had his son safely situated in an old-time surrey where he could watch the activity in the biggest corral, Cash joined Rio and a group of high school and college-aged summer hires. All

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