Page 15 of Take My Love

“Are you hirin’? Could I apply?”

I bark out a laugh, crossing my arms. “You need a job too?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Pinning him with my stare, I contemplate how to respond. “Do you have any experience?”

“I was a contractor for the past two years and built houses. Before that I worked in construction. I don’t have goat-related experience, but I’m a hard worker who’s used to being in the heat for long hours. I’m also a quick learner and will catch on to whatever you need me to do.”

I consider his words for all of three seconds. “So you’re a city boy thinkin’ you can work a ranch job.”

His forehead wrinkles in protest. “I wouldn’t necessarily?—”

“It wasn’t a question.”

His mouth snaps shut.

“Sorry, I need someone with animal experience, but thanks for stoppin’ by!” I turn on my heel to walk away, grabbing an empty bucket on my way to the barn.

“Posey, wait. Please?”

The desperate plea in his voice has me stopping in my tracks.

“I’m sorry. I’m truly, so very sorry for how things happened between us. If you give me a chance, I’ll prove it to you. And I know that my word might not be enough, but I’ll do anythin’ to make it up to you.”

He thinks I’m still mad about what happened years ago. Although a part of me is upset that my first time having sex is tainted with the memory of thinking he didn’t remember and then dangled the possibility of being together in front of me likea carrot before telling me he was dating someone else, it’s not the only reason I’ve stayed away from him all these years.

“Anything?” I spin around, arching a brow.

“Yes. I’ll do all the grunt work and more. Whatever you need.”

That gives me an idea.

“Fine, I’ll give you a week trial.”

His eyes widen in excitement. “Seriously?”

“Don’t be too happy yet. You’ll be beggin’ me for mercy by the time the week ends.”

“It’s a goat farm.” He chuckles. “How hard can it be?”

Oh, Silas Mathiesen…you’re about to eat your words.

“Do you have any idea what we do here? No, you don’t, so let me fill you in…” I continue speaking before he can interrupt me. “I’ll walk you through a typical day for my staff. Aside from the basics of feedin’ and carin’ for the goats, we milk ’em, then clean and maintain all the equipment. We monitor their health and wellbeing on top of maintainin’ farm records for each goat. Then there’s breedin’ season.”

“Breedin’?”

“Yes, when a mommy goat and daddy goat love each other, they make a baby goat. Well, technically, they’re called kids. But anyway, keep up.” I sigh, regretting my decision already. “There’s filterin’ and pasteurizin’ the milk, which then gets distributed—some for goat milk we sell to local businesses and some we freeze for goat soap—which is another whole process from beginning to end. It’s a lot of hands-on and teamwork. It’s messy and dirty but?—”

“I can handle it,” he states confidently.

“Fine.” I can’t believe I’m about to say this. “Can you start now?”

He licks his lips, glancing down at his clothes. “Uh, sure.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

He scrambles to follow me into the barn and before I can warn him to watch where he walks, he steps in goat shit.