and it hadn't been until he'd kissed her and felt her that he had been able to put his finger on the issue. As much as he instinctively adored his mate and felt complete loyalty to her, he knew she wasn't being entirely honest with him. She wasn't sharing something right at the edge of their conversation. He couldn't tell what, and he wanted to believe it was because something scared her. She had told him about her father, that he was a hard man, and perhaps there was more to that relationship than she was letting on.
Gunner took another sip of his brew and rocked back and forth on the porch swing. If Cassidy wasn't a hundred percent honest with him, how could he protect her? How could he help her? These thoughts ran through his mind for quite some time. He knew the only answer and the only course of action was to be ready and prepared to provide her whatever it was that she needed. He knew one thing for sure—he would never let her go, and he would never let her down. Everything else was secondary.
He finished his beer and went inside. When he reached his bed and climbed under the covers, he didn't think he would be able to sleep that night, but to his surprise, he blacked out quickly and didn't wake up until his alarm went off the next morning.
He rose from bed and went through his normal morning routine, showering and then putting on his work clothes. He had a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon from the farm and a glass of whole milk from their family milk cows.
He then drove his truck to the early-morning meeting conducted in the warehouse, where all his brothers and the interns met for briefings and job expectations. They always discussed and posted a weekly schedule on Sunday afternoon. The brief fifteen-minute meetings helped everyone stay on track.
Austin sat at an industrial desk in the corner of the warehouse. A dozen folding chairs were set around the desk. Dylan had a clipboard and was keeping track of input from the rest of the crew. Neither Cheyenne nor Montana were there, but Cal and Cash's mate, River, who had been adding so much utility with her herd dog, Boo, came to every meeting. She had become an integral part of the operation at Wilde Ranch.
“I need someone to go into town and pick up an order of tools and mineral supplements at the feed store,” Austin said. “Gunner, I see that your schedule is open for the day. You don't have any classes or any other scheduled responsibilities. Would you be able to pick up the supplies?”
“I can do that.”
“Good. After you are done with picking up the order, you can come back and help Dylan in the warehouse with the interns. We have a big order to pack and ship today.”
“Will do,” Gunner said.
After everyone else's duties were straightened out and the meeting was adjourned, Gunner walked to the edge of the warehouse and poured himself another cup of coffee. The feed store wouldn't be open for a few hours, so he decided to help the interns and Dylan in the warehouse until then. For the next two hours, Gunner folded boxes, inserted packing material, and packed meat orders for their customers to be shipped out through the mail. They had a good portion of the orders completed by the time the feed store opened, and Dylan told them all that they'd done a good job.
Austin's idea of hiring interns to help on the ranch and learn about regenerative agricultural production had been a godsend for all of them. It was the only thing that allowed Gunner to have enough time to go to college in the first place. The interns got free room and board and free education in exchange for their labor on the farm, and that was how River had come to meet his brothers Cal and Cash.
He wished that things could be the same for him, but he didn't think Cassidy even wanted to be in Fate Rock. She seemed determined to go back to New York or leave for Denver as soon as possible so she could pick up where she'd left off. Gunner hoped he could find some way to convince her to stay or to find some peace in her life. That was what she needed.
He hopped into the farm truck and headed into town. The summer sun