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“I’m not going to go easy on you. I’d wager your uncle would be a better fit for what you’re wanting.”

She groaned, rolling her eyes as she did. “My uncle only cares about having someone he can boss around. I’m not his kid. He doesn’t care what I do as long as the work gets done.” Her thoughts shifted to last night when he’d let her go hungry.

Just the thought of it set her stomach on edge, and it gurgled loud enough that she wouldn’t have been surprised if the ranches two miles away had heard it.

Thankfully, Mason didn’t react. She already felt more off-balanced than she could ever remember.

Pushing aside that feeling, she shoved her hands into her back pockets and put on a brave face. She could fake confidence. She’d done so for much of her high school years. “Okay, so you don’t want to help me, but you’re going to take the job.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Mason faced her fully. He touched beneath the brim of his hat to tilt it upward. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it does. I want to know what I’m up against.”

“What you’re up against? I thought you wanted me to take the job.”

“I did—do.” Harley groaned. “Why are you making this so hard?”

For a moment his expression didn’t change. Then he flashed her a grin. “Because it’s fun.”

Harley blinked several times, letting his words sink in. She wouldn’t have said she knew this man well at all, but she would have said she had been able to get a decent read on him. Mason was supposed to be an uptight cowboy. Realizing she probably looked ridiculous as she stared at him like he’d just admitted that he moonlighted as a zookeeper, Harley looked away. “Well, that’s not very nice,” she mumbled. “I’ll tell my uncle that you’re taking the job.”

“I’m capable of making my own meetings.”

She made a face but didn’t comment back. There had been a brief moment when she had almost felt bad about her plan to manipulate him. It was the point between being desperate for his help and realizing that he simply didn’t care for her.

Now she knew better. Mason wasn’t like the city boys she’d dated when she was more impressionable, but he was still someone who didn’t make room to be kind to strangers. After all, he’d only been willing to help when she offered to build him something for his family’s ranch. Money might not be important—unless it was used to help his family. On the one hand, he was sweet enough to think about those he cared about, but when it came to her, he couldn’t care less.

Harley stopped as she reached the barn door. “Well, I have to get back to get started on my chores or I’m not gonna get any breakfast.”

“Wait.”

She didn’t move, her hand resting on the edge of the doorway. “What?”

“Why don’t you think you’re going to get breakfast?”

“My uncle didn’t let me eat dinner last night.”

Mason seemed to let her words settle, not commenting further. She waited until the silence became unbearable. Then she tapped her fingers on the wood where they rested.

“Anyway, I guess I’ll be seeing you later.” Boy, how things had changed for her since she’d come to Colorado. She’d been at the top of her game. She had friends, money, and the freedom to do what she wanted.

Now what did she have? Nothing.

She was starting from ground zero.

There were new rules to follow. Okay, if she were honest, she wasn’t going to follow the new rules. She was going to figure out all the loopholes and come out on top. No one was going to change her. In the end she’d get what she wanted, and not even Mason would be able to catch her off guard again.

Harley only made it about five yards out of the barn when she heard Mason’s voice once again.

“Get in the truck.”

She stopped in her tracks.

“Come on, I’m not going to let you walk all the way back to your place on an empty stomach.”