Wyatt starts to say something, but Jackson cuts him off. “What are you proposing?”
This makes perfect sense in my head, and I hope it does to them as well. “I think we should give Caden more responsibility so I have some time to sort things out. I’m not sure how we break up my duties, but I thought the three of us should talk before we get into the nitty gritty anyway.”
Wyatt’s brows knit. “I like the guy, and he sure as fuck knows his way around a crop, but he hasn’t worked here that long, and you want us to turn operations over to him?”
Jackson’s eyes narrow. “Did he put you up to this? Because he got in your pants quick enough.”
My face flushes hot, but I ignore the sudden heat, focusing on the point at hand. “One, my relationship with Caden has nothing to do with this. Two, I haven’t even spoken to him because I wanted to talk to you two first, so don’t insult me by insinuating he whispered sweet nothings about turning over the business to him and I rolled over for it. That’s ridiculous. I came up with this on my own because it makes sense.”
Wyatt shifts in his chair. “Why do you think it makes sense?”
“Because he’s good at it in a way I’ll never be.” I look him straight in the eye. “Don’t pretend you don’t see that. When it comes to running a farm, he’s got a gift. I think turning that over to him will only help you grow your respective businesses.”
“You want to quit?” Jackson asks, his voice hard.
I shake my head. “No. At least not yet. But if Caden takes over the operations part of my responsibilities, it will free me up to figure out what I might want to do with my life.”
Jackson raises a brow. “What you’re saying is that you want us to free you up so you can figure out how to leave us?”
“No!” I shake my head. “I don’t know. Maybe.” I blow out an exasperated breath. “I want the space to figure out what I want. You both know your path and feel passion in your work. Is it so hard to understand that I want the same?”
They fall silent, both getting the same hard set to their jaws, and it makes them look like the brothers they are. It highlights how they’re alike instead of all the ways they are different.
“It’s not.” Wyatt finally breaks the tension between us. “You deserve that, Cat.”
“Thank you. And you’re not losing me. I live here, and I still have to work for a living. I just want less on my plate so I can figure out what makes me happy.”
“I don’t like it,” Jackson says in that surly way he has. “But I understand, and Wyatt’s right. You deserve to do something that makes you happy, even if it’s not working for us.”
“Thank you.” I smile a little. “You do realize you’ve proven my point by saying working for us. Remember, I own as much of this land as you do.”
“Good going, dickhead,” Wyatt says.
Jackson shakes his head. “You know what I meant.”
I laugh. “I do.”
Wyatt says, “So what’s next?”
“Next we talk to Caden and see if he’s okay with it.”
Wyatt nods. “Do you want the honors, since he’s your boyfriend?”
I wrinkle my nose. “He’s not my boyfriend. Don’t be silly.”
“Then what is he?” Jackson asks, his expression speculative.
“I don’t like labels.” I square my shoulders. “But I’ll talk to him first.”
I’ve done it—cut the first tie. Now I can only hope I know what I’m doing, and that I’m not making a mistake putting our family business, and my faith, in Caden’s hands.
21
Caden
I’m looking over the schedule when Cat knocks softly on my office door. When I see her standing there in a pair of tight, faded jeans and a plain, black T-shirt, something happens to me I’m not sure I like.
I feel…trust.
Trust in her.
Trust in the future.
Trust in us.
It makes me nervous, that surety, but there it sits, right in front of me, making it hard to deny.
I smile. “Hey there, honey. How’s your day?”
Such a simple, domestic question. I like the way it feels on my tongue.
“Not too bad.” She tilts her chin toward the chair opposite the desk. “You got a minute?”
“You’re the boss.” I wink. I like teasing her, like that it’s so goddamn easy between us.
She straightens and slides onto the chair, leaning forward and propping her elbows