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“It is, isn’t it?”

“Not sure what you mean by that.”

Jill surveyed him through wary green eyes that reminded him of the sycamore flowers in bloom. “I mean you don’t love it—this or working for your brother. It’s just a job.”

He laughed, but it sounded shallow to his ears. “Yeah, that’s not a state secret, Henley. But Bennett and Maggie need help. So—”

“So you gave up on your own plans?”

She got it—this thing that had been plaguing him his whole life—which was alluring as all heck. Hell, everything about the woman was alluring. But that didn’t mean anything, not when the same thing she understood would keep him from following through on any promise he could make to her.

She licked her lips and blew a puff of air to move the rogue curl that fell over her eyes, and he kinda wished things could be different.

Why can’t they? You don’t have to marry the woman to enjoy being around her.

Maybe there was some truth to that, and they could find a way to that common ground they’d talked about.

He was game if she was.

“I’m gonna run these tools back to the house, and then I wanna show you something, okay?”

*

As soon as Jax jogged off, Jill caught a hint of movement along the edge of her vision.

Squinting, she saw a copse of dyed-purple hair peeking out from the juniper bushes lining Maggie’s driveway.

“I can see you back there. Come on over.”

The purple hair was attached to a strong but gangly young woman with a bandana tied around her neck and oil-stained jeans that looked lived in. Her quivering bottom lip made her look nervous, but it was offset by the way she drew her bony shoulders back and kept her chin raised.

Jill stuck out her hand. “I’m Jill. I don’t own the property, but I’m staying here. What brought you here?”

“I’m Caitlyn. Are you the Marshall Ranch?” the young woman asked.

She shook Jill’s hand while her focused gaze took in the backyard.

“I’m not. That’s next door. You replying to the ad? They’ll be happy to see you.”

The young woman couldn’t have been more than nineteen, but the frown on her face aged her a bit.

“Ya think so?”

“Sure. They’re looking for help and I’d bet you’re looking for work. Why wouldn’t they be happy?”

Caitlyn shrugged. “Not many people ’round here like women on a ranch.”

“You have a lot of experience with horses?”

“Some. Mostly ranch equipment and machines and that, actually. But I can ride.”

Jill’s senses were acutely aware of something just outside her field of vision.

“Machinery, huh? You go to school for mechanics or anything?”

“No. I’d like to, but it’s expensive. My dad taught me some before he passed away and the rest I taught myself. Not much you can’t find on YouTube these days.”

Jill’s stomach fluttered. Was it this easy, the answer to what she needed to do to keep Steel Born afloat? God, she hoped so, mostly because the idea filled her with a joy she hadn’t felt in months. Years, even.