AlexI took a bite of my crispy bacon before sipping the black coffee. I had been starving when I walked into the only restaurant in town. People in town were used to me eating a lot. I burned a lot of calories doing what I did, and for now, I didn’t have to worry too much about putting on a ton of weight. I wasn’t exactly a bodybuilder, but I was stronger than most women.Correction, stronger than most normal women. Women that ranched and farmed were tough. I was proud to be what I considered one of the elite class of females across the country that could rein in a scared horse, load a bale of hay, and then cook up a hot meal for the menfolk. What I really loved was working my ass off on a farm and then sitting down to enjoy a meal someone else prepared. Like my breakfast. Any meal prepared by someone else always tasted a little better in my opinion.“Did you get those new boots you were looking at?” Sadie asked casually.I stuffed a buttery piece of pancake in my mouth, shaking my h

DamionI knew my grandfather had someone minding the farm, but no one had said anything about that someone being a beautiful young woman. I had seen the truck pull up and watched through the dining room window where I had just sat down to enjoy a sandwich with Oliver. When I saw the truck, I assumed it was the hand Harvey told me about. Then she got out of the truck and I was less sure about my assumption. He had told me someone named Alex was running things. That didn’t look like an Alex to me.I waited and watched as she disappeared into the barn. I wondered if she worked for Alex. Before I ventured out to introduce myself, I got Oliver situated in the bedroom that used to be mine growing up. I walked outside, inhaling the fresh air with the scent of freshly tilled dirt lingering. It was strange how a scent could stir up memories. I took a few more deep breaths, closing my eyes and letting myself be transported to another time.When I opened my eyes again, I found her staring at me.

AlexI felt giddy. The sun was barely sending up its shots of pretty oranges and yellows into the morning sky when I drove down the long gravel driveway. I was going to make it my mission in life to make Damion’s life a living hell.I wanted him to hate the farm and pack up and leave. I didn’t like him. He was arrogant and obnoxious. He was the kind of man who thought he could snap his fingers and anyone and everyone would jump to do his bidding.I couldn’t wait to show him I wasn’t one of those people. He could fire me if he wanted. That would free me from my obligation to Oliver. If his grandson ran me off the property, there was little I could do about it. Damion would sell the farm, take the money, and run back to New York. It would be sad to see it go to someone else, but I had to believe the person that bought the farm would keep it going.Oliver had said he wanted the farm functional. He hadn’t specified he wanted it to be in his grandson’s hands when it functioned. Hell, he ha

DamionAfter getting up way earlier than I would have preferred, Oliver and I were both dragging a little. Thankfully, our bodies were still on east-coast time and it didn’t feel nearly as early as it had been when she’d rumbled the tractor by the window.It was a trick I was familiar with. My grandpa used to do the same damn thing when I would get home late. He hated the idea of sleeping in. He considered seven too late. No matter the day, the man was up and out of bed by five at the latest. Apparently, Alex was the same way.“Okay, are you ready?” I asked Oliver, who was sitting at the kitchen table, just finishing his cereal.He shrugged. “Do I have to?”“Yes, you have to. This school is going to be a lot different than your old school.”He put his bowl in the sink. “Don’t I have to wear my uniform?”I smiled, shaking my head. “Nope. Jeans and whatever shirt you choose is good enough.”“Do they have books?”“Absolutely. Today, we’ll go and just check things out. You don’t have to s

AlexI parked my truck in front of the barn, hopping out with my work gloves in hand. I reminded myself I wasn’t going to make any judgments. I was going to be positive and professional. I could show the man what needed doing without wanting to strangle him. After all, I had survived Deke. I could survive this guy.Patience, I told myself. Lots of patience. I walked into the barn, greeting the horses as I set about tidying the place up. I had left in a hurry yesterday and had left things in a bit of disarray. Obviously, the new owner hadn’t bothered to clean it up. Instead of coming back to the farm, I had gone home and answered a few of the emails I had been putting off. I wasn’t ready to take a new job just yet, but I wanted to make sure I had a job when this one ended.I had a feeling it was going to be ending much sooner than I had initially planned. I was going to play nice, but there was nothing forcing Damion to return the favor. He’d been surly and a little too domineering for