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I raised both eyebrows. “What does that mean?”
Hunt looked pleased with himself. “Let’s just say Duke made sure he won’t be running his mouth about you again.”
I stilled. “How did he do that?”
“Played poker with him.”
I rolled my eyes. Hunt chuckled. Amos hissed.
Everyone knew Duke was a card shark—well, at least, anyone who knew him, which was several of the ranch hands.
“What’s your point?” I inquired nonchalantly.
Hunt looked bemused. “Point is Sawyer got his ass handed to him.”
Amos made a low sound in his throat. “Ain’t that something.”
It wassomething. I just wasn’t sure what.
I pushed off the desk and clapped my hands together as if shaking off dust. “I got work, so I need you both tofuck off!”
“Work as in producing thatdamn reportfor that damn b?—”
“Out,” I cut Hunt off.
Fiona was a bitch, no doubt about it. She also was used to getting her way and having Duke’s support while she did, which was obvious in the way in which she kept looking at him, incredulous that he wasn’t handing our asses to us and was instead asking her to behave.
Their dynamic seemed fucked up to me. But what the heck did I know about relationships? Not like I’d ever been in one, not counting the three months with Duke, which was more a summer affair than a relationship.
Hunt wanted to know why I didn’t ask Fiona to go fuck herself? Well, because I was determined to let shit roll off me. I had a plan, and that involved selling the damn horsesandthe cattle and getting the hell out of here.
The kitchen smelled like the cinnamon bread Itzel liked to leave to proof, so it was ready to bake for breakfast. I came by later in the day, after dinner, when it was quiet, to check in on her. When Nash was alive, I spent a lot of time with Itzel. She reminded me of Mama—as she could’ve been if she hadn’t fallen in love with Nash and been her own person.
I sat at the worn wooden table with Itzel. She poured black coffee into cups, and I added the bourbon—our nightcap.
“Salut.” I clinked my cup with hers.
“So”—Itzel took a sip of the doctored coffee—“what’s next?”
I rubbed my thumb over the rim of the mug. “Don’t have the exact details.”
She gave me a knowing look. “Bullshit. You’re too organized not to know.”
I huffed a laugh. “No, really. I have a vague outline: sell the horses and now the cattle and…leave. I just don’t know where. There’s plenty of work in Wildflower Canyon. Maverick’s been trying to hire me for years.”
Itzel smiled knowingly. “But that’s not what you want, is it?”
I lifted a shoulder and then let it drop. “No. I want to leave.”
She went quiet for a second, her dark eyes studying me. “I think it must be very hard to watch the man you love with another woman.”
I flinched at her statement. “Itzel, I don’t?—”
“You don’t have to lie to me.” She waved her hand. “How long before the ranch sells? I’m going to stay until you do, and then….”
“I have four jobs lined up for you.” I pulled out a sheet of paper from my jeans and put it in front of her. “Here are the ranches and salary.”
She reached across the table, squeezed my hand once, then let go. “Elena Rivera, always taking care of everyone. Who’s taking care of you,mija?”