He chuckled. “Yeah, I’m right. Did your momma correct me or reprimand me? No. She went after Aida. She knows I’m right, too. We all saw it. Just not you.”
Shit. What was I supposed to do with this? I knew Aida had been different since I’d brought Reese home. When Aida wasn’t around, I didn’t think about her or worry over her like I did with Harlow. We weren’t that close.
“She always wanted to do things with just you. ‘Take me dancing, Mase.’ ‘Let’s go riding, Mase.’ ‘Some boy broke my heart, hold me, Mase.’ All that shit was ridiculous, but you did it anyway, never once realizing what she was after.”
I didn’t say anything, because . . . I was afraid he was right.
“Hell, it’s a good thing it was you she wanted. If it had been me, I’d have fucked her. I have no morals. Besides, she’s adopted, so I’m not really related to her, either. And her legs are pretty damn nice.”
Shaking my head, I stood up. I couldn’t sit here and listen to this. I needed to be alone. Figure out how to talk to her now. She’d just made this awkward, and she needed to go home. I couldn’t have her here around Reese anymore. Not with this crazy shit going on in her head.
Reese
“That man of yours is a fine specimen. Seeing him all caveman and protective over you is hot,” Piper said with a wink. She was dressed in skintight jeans, brown leather riding boots, and a flannel shirt that was tied at her waist, showing off her flat stomach. “This is the office you’d be working in,” she said, pointing toward a large barn door. “Let’s go on inside and talk.”
“OK,” I said, as she turned and headed for the door. I was nervous. Since the moment Mase had let go of my hand and left, my heart had been pounding in my chest and my throat felt tight. This was it. My chance at a job that could help me in life and really get me somewhere.
The door opened, and I took a moment to look around. The ceiling went all the way to the roof of exposed wooden beams. Large Edison bulbs hung from long cords from the ceiling, casting the room in flattering light. Bookshelves lined the back wall, and three tall file cabinets were against the left side of the room. A computer with a massive screen sat on a whitewashed wooden table. Two brown leather chairs were across from the desk, with a small round barrel functioning as an accent table between them.
Piper took a seat in one of the chairs and waved for me to take the other.
“So,” she said, crossing her legs and draping an arm across her thigh. “Mase informed Arthur that you don’t have any experience with horses or the type of work I would require. He did say that you were a hard worker and he believed you could do anything you put your mind to. What I want to know about is you. What you think you can do. What you want to do.”
This was it. I would have to tell her about my dyslexia now. No point in going any further if this was unacceptable for her. I unclenched the tight fist in my lap and took a deep breath. I had nothing to be ashamed of. I was not stupid. I had learned to read, and my writing skills had improved ever since Mase began teaching me.
“First, I want you to know that I do have dyslexia.” I didn’t pause and give her time to say anything. “Until I met Mase, I couldn’t read or write. He came into my life and helped me identify the root of my problem, and then he got me help. I read daily to him, and I also write daily in a journal, which Mase reads over to check my spelling. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. However, when I’m in a tense situation and feel pressured, I can misspell something or possibly freeze up and not be able to write at all. I understand if this is something you don’t think will work with your needs. However, I do want this job, and I will do my very best to make you happy.”
Piper sat there a moment before speaking.
I focused on not fidgeting with my hands. I was nervous, but this was a part of my life. One I had to learn to work with.
“This job will require a lot of reading and writing. However, from what I’ve just heard, I think that having an employee who wants to do a good job and doesn’t take it for granted is the best kind to have. I will need you to answer phone calls, take notes, read and reply to e-mails, and then help me some with the tack and cleaning the stalls. If you are up for this challenge, I want to offer it to you. I like fighters, Reese Ellis, and you seem like a fighter to me.”
I could feel the tears sting my eyes, but I blinked them back. Relief washed through me, and I smiled. It was probably one of those big, cheesy grins, but I didn’t care. I had gotten the job. Me. I had done this.
“Thank you,” I said, wishing I had words to tell her how truly thankful I was.
Piper leaned over and patted my knee. “Don’t thank me yet. You may hate this job, but I’m hoping you won’t.”
I wouldn’t. I was going to love it. Because it was something I’d gotten on my own.
Sitting behind the desk, alone in the office, I checked the third thing off the list in front of me. Piper had gone over everything with me and then left me a list of things she needed me to do today. Once she had left, I’d let out a huge sigh of relief. Being in here alone made it so much easier to read and write. I had complete focus.
The next thing on the list was to read and reply to the e-mails. Piper got a lot of interest in her horseback-riding lessons. I’d already had four phone calls about it. When I opened the in-box, there were eight e-mail inquiries.
I began reading the first one but had barely made it through before the door opened after one short knock. I glanced up to see a familiar face but not one I had expected to see or wanted to see, for that matter. His messy, sun-streaked hair was pulled back again and covered by a backward baseball cap.
“You got the job,” he said, with a smug look on his face.
How did he know about the job? I nodded but didn’t say anything.
Captain chuckled and stepped into the office. “You like it?” he asked, looking as if he had every right to be standing in this room.
I nodded again.
His grin grew, and a dimple appeared on his face. “Is your silence a challenge, Reese? Because I like challenges.”
Dang this man. He was determined to drive me crazy. “Actually, it was a hint for you to leave.”