money on a farm.”
Ethan’s mouth twitched.
“What? You think you could do it?” Sam pulled Diego to a halt.
Ethan stopped Miss Priss and urged the mare in a circle to face Sam. She tried not to be impressed at the easy movements he used, as if he’d been doing it for years instead of days. Ethan shrugged. “It can’t be that hard.”
“In that case, why don’t you come out with Cole later and let him show you the ropes?” Sam snorted. Less than a week on a horse and Ethan thought he was a real working cowboy? Typical. “You’ll think twice.”
“Oh, yeah?” Ethan shifted in the saddle. “I think I could pick it up after one try.”
“One section of fence, and you’re an expert? I’d let Cole be the judge of that.”
“Then let him.” Ethan grinned. “What do you say?”
Sam tilted her head. “All right. Kate and I were planning on going to the Appleback street fair tomorrow night. I say if you don’t—under Cole’s supervision—fix any broken fence within two hours’ time, then you have to sign up for the dunking booth.”
“And if I make the deadline?”
Sam pursed her lips. “You won’t.”
“But if I do…” Ethan’s eyes glimmered in challenge. “You have to enter.”
Sam sidled Diego up close to Miss Priss and offered her hand to Ethan. “Deal.”
They shook, and Sam smirked. She couldn’t wait to see Ethan and his trademark polo floating in a pool of water.
Ethan winced as another barb bit into his glove. Cole, several feet down by the post, shot him a knowing look and Ethan tugged harder at the fencing despite his screaming biceps. He couldn’t let Cole know he was struggling, or the cowboy wouldn’t tell Sam that Ethan did the job correctly. The only thing worse than splashing into a small town’s annual dunking booth would be the gloating look on Sam’s face if he lost.
He pulled again. No matter who won, at least Ethan had a date to the fair. Sam never would have considered inviting him to come with her and Kate otherwise. Ethan wrinkled his brow. Invited, challenged—same difference, right? Regardless, Ethan now had tangible proof to show his father he wasspending time with Sam doing fun things. Bottom line—if he was with her, Daniel wouldn’t have a chance to move in. Never had appearances become so important.
And never had a work project become this complicated.
He shuddered at the thought of his father finding out Ethan’s real plans to leave the company. He pushed aside the thought and concentrated on the physical ache in his muscles. He’d never worked so hard, but the thought of getting to spend tomorrow with Sam in a non-chore atmosphere made sweating over a prickly pile of fencing almost worth it.
Although, on second thought, it would be awfully hard to explain to his dad why he was out in a pasture in the middle of the afternoon, helping to repair a fence instead of working to destroy it as Jeffrey requested. The complications kept piling up. It’d be pretty simple to sabotage the fence, even under Cole’s scrutiny. But Ethan refused to participate in his father’s devious plans. He’d rather make excuses to his dad than hurt Sam any more than he was already going to have to.
“How does this work, exactly?” Ethan strained harder and his gloves slipped. The fencing snapped free and fell to the ground in a messy tangle of wire. He sucked in his breath. Now he’d done it. Once Sam heard about this, he’d lose for sure. He turned his gaze to Cole, who snickered.
“Guess this might be a good time to introduce you to a little thing I like to call a fence stretcher.” Cole held up a long yellow tool and grinned.
Ethan’s mouth opened. “You’ve got to be kidding me. How long were you going to let me pretend that I was being productive?”
“I reckon ’bout ’til you gave up.”
“Great.” Ethan ran his gloved hand over his face and groaned.
Cole began stringing the wire through the machine. “Don’t worry, I won’t
Ethan’s mouth twitched.
“What? You think you could do it?” Sam pulled Diego to a halt.
Ethan stopped Miss Priss and urged the mare in a circle to face Sam. She tried not to be impressed at the easy movements he used, as if he’d been doing it for years instead of days. Ethan shrugged. “It can’t be that hard.”
“In that case, why don’t you come out with Cole later and let him show you the ropes?” Sam snorted. Less than a week on a horse and Ethan thought he was a real working cowboy? Typical. “You’ll think twice.”
“Oh, yeah?” Ethan shifted in the saddle. “I think I could pick it up after one try.”
“One section of fence, and you’re an expert? I’d let Cole be the judge of that.”
“Then let him.” Ethan grinned. “What do you say?”
Sam tilted her head. “All right. Kate and I were planning on going to the Appleback street fair tomorrow night. I say if you don’t—under Cole’s supervision—fix any broken fence within two hours’ time, then you have to sign up for the dunking booth.”
“And if I make the deadline?”
Sam pursed her lips. “You won’t.”
“But if I do…” Ethan’s eyes glimmered in challenge. “You have to enter.”
Sam sidled Diego up close to Miss Priss and offered her hand to Ethan. “Deal.”
They shook, and Sam smirked. She couldn’t wait to see Ethan and his trademark polo floating in a pool of water.
Ethan winced as another barb bit into his glove. Cole, several feet down by the post, shot him a knowing look and Ethan tugged harder at the fencing despite his screaming biceps. He couldn’t let Cole know he was struggling, or the cowboy wouldn’t tell Sam that Ethan did the job correctly. The only thing worse than splashing into a small town’s annual dunking booth would be the gloating look on Sam’s face if he lost.
He pulled again. No matter who won, at least Ethan had a date to the fair. Sam never would have considered inviting him to come with her and Kate otherwise. Ethan wrinkled his brow. Invited, challenged—same difference, right? Regardless, Ethan now had tangible proof to show his father he wasspending time with Sam doing fun things. Bottom line—if he was with her, Daniel wouldn’t have a chance to move in. Never had appearances become so important.
And never had a work project become this complicated.
He shuddered at the thought of his father finding out Ethan’s real plans to leave the company. He pushed aside the thought and concentrated on the physical ache in his muscles. He’d never worked so hard, but the thought of getting to spend tomorrow with Sam in a non-chore atmosphere made sweating over a prickly pile of fencing almost worth it.
Although, on second thought, it would be awfully hard to explain to his dad why he was out in a pasture in the middle of the afternoon, helping to repair a fence instead of working to destroy it as Jeffrey requested. The complications kept piling up. It’d be pretty simple to sabotage the fence, even under Cole’s scrutiny. But Ethan refused to participate in his father’s devious plans. He’d rather make excuses to his dad than hurt Sam any more than he was already going to have to.
“How does this work, exactly?” Ethan strained harder and his gloves slipped. The fencing snapped free and fell to the ground in a messy tangle of wire. He sucked in his breath. Now he’d done it. Once Sam heard about this, he’d lose for sure. He turned his gaze to Cole, who snickered.
“Guess this might be a good time to introduce you to a little thing I like to call a fence stretcher.” Cole held up a long yellow tool and grinned.
Ethan’s mouth opened. “You’ve got to be kidding me. How long were you going to let me pretend that I was being productive?”
“I reckon ’bout ’til you gave up.”
“Great.” Ethan ran his gloved hand over his face and groaned.
Cole began stringing the wire through the machine. “Don’t worry, I won’t
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