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Weston blinked, aware of Paisley pressed against his shoulder. She was obviously listening, too.

“David doesn’t see it like you do.”

“He doesn’t love you. You’re just convenient for him.”

“Thanks for that.” Bitter sarcasm oozed from Heather’s voice.

Ouch. Weston was not the smoothest guy himself. But man, couldn’t Maxwell have found better words?

“You know what I mean.”

Nope, the dude needed to do a better take-back job than that.

“My mind is made up, Maxwell. I’ve given my two-week notice at the office. I’ll be working for Dad in Gilead.”

“Doing what? Something appropriate for a delicate female?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“It won’t be as much fun as renovating houses with me.”

“It will be fine.”

Max lowered his voice, and Weston strained to hear. “Don’t go, Heather. I’ll give you a raise. Whatever you want.”

“You can’t give me what I need. What Dad needs.”

Weston might not be the brightest crayon in the box, but Heather sounded a bit sad. What did she want from Max, anyway? A pledge of undying love?

Huh. Maybe.

“You mean David.”

Ugh, Maxwell was hitting below the belt, and guilt for eavesdropping was starting to get the better of Weston. It was time to make a noisy entrance.

Weston cleared his throat and spoke loudly. “Hey, Paisley, I won. I got here first.”

Silence came from the box stall at the other end.

“Get out of my way, cowboy. I’m starving.”

“I didn’t hear ‘please’.”

“With all due respect, dearest cowboy,” she said with a simper, “please do let me pass before I fall faint from hunger.”

“That’ll do.” Weston let a smirk cross his face for what was the fourth time today, not that she could see. He led Ranger into his stall and began the process of untacking. He could hear Paisley doing the same in Enchantment’s pen. The faint swish of the stable door closing caught his attentive ear.

He’d likely had a better day than Maxwell Sullivan.

There was a first for everything.

“What was going on in there?” Paisley asked quietly as she fell into step beside Weston on the way to the dining hall.

“Sounded like Max and Heather were having a fight.”

“Oh, no! I always thought they’d become a couple one of these days.”

Weston scoffed, though he’d thought it himself. “Women see romance everywhere.”