Page 10 of Unforgettable Cowboy (Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys #1)

“By the way,” Hayes led Spot across the shallow stream as he spoke, “would you consider staying for the interview?” Before Bailey could come up with a response to the surprise question, he added, “I might need a second opinion and frankly, I’ve never interviewed anyone before.”

“Neither have I.”

“But you’ve been interviewed, and you have a business degree.”

“Haven’t you? Been interviewed, I mean?”

He shook his head. “I’ve only had ranch jobs and pretty much they all fell into my lap.”

“Lucky you.”

“Will you stay?”

She hesitated, then said, “Sure.” Why not? If he needed to discuss his single candidate, which Bailey was certain he’d hire as long as she was upright, then she could give him some time. Besides that, it was another hour before quitting time.

She turned to head back up the hill to the quad, stumbled, and Hayes instantly righted her with a hand on her arm.

He released her as soon as she got her balance and she continued to climb, not looking back.

She could still feel the lingering impression of his hand on her arm and had to remind herself that while it was gratifying to find that someone had her back, it wasn’t something she would come to depend on.

She didn’t need anyone to have her back.

That said, there were parts of her that she wouldn’t mind Hayes having, but that was a conversation for another day.

*

Estelle Mendoza was a small woman in her fifties, neatly dressed in khaki slacks and a blue print blouse, and Bailey could see the resemblance to her quiet daughter.

She also noted the flicker of concern on her face when she took in the cowboy with the sludgy jeans walking toward where she waited on the bench seat next to the front yard gate.

“Ms. Mendoza,” Hayes said. He looked down at his muddy self, then said, “Sorry I’m late. We had an accident on the hill.”

“Nothing serious I hope.” Estelle got to her feet, holding a portfolio against her chest like a student clutching a textbook.

“No. Just dirty.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I was afraid I got the wrong time.” She spoke softly and Bailey knew Hayes well enough to see that he was already having misgivings about the candidate’s ability to handle his uncle.

“Ranch time,” he said, gesturing toward Bailey, who smiled. “This is Bailey Hunt.”

“I recall.” Estelle’s smile was gentle and genuine. “You were a year ahead of Paige.”

“I was. How is Paige?”

“Doing well.”

“Shall we go inside?” Hayes opened the gate, ushering Estelle up the path while shooting Bailey a look that clearly said, “Are you coming?”

Bailey followed the two into the house, noting that the carburetor was gone from the table. A nice touch.

Hayes took a seat and Bailey sat after Estelle had placed her portfolio on the table. She felt out of place, but she’d said she’d stay, and she would.

Hayes outlined the job, caring for the house, doing the laundry and, until Wade was back on his feet, minor cooking responsibilities.

“My uncle is fond of frozen dinners,” Hayes said as if this were a selling point.

Estelle’s eyebrows rose. “Frozen dinners?”

Hayes shrugged. “They’re pretty good.”

Estelle’s expression clearly said, “If you say so.”

“There will be a person here a couple hours a day to help Wade with rehab and the like.” Hayes shifted in his chair. “I have to ask…are you comfortable helping my uncle to his feet and such when he needs to be up and about?”

“Don’t let my size fool you,” Estelle said. “I know the basic laws of physics and how to apply them.”

Bailey raised her eyebrows as Hayes caught her eye.

“All right,” Hayes continued, obviously winging it. “Do you have any questions?”

Estelle fixed him with a serious look. “I know your uncle.”

Bailey pressed her lips together to keep from smiling as she watched Hayes’s expression freeze at the flat statement. She’d have to play poker with the man sometime.

“I will not be bullied,” Estelle continued in a soft but no-nonsense voice.

Hayes swallowed. “I think that Wade might have mellowed over the past few years.”

“Did he not recently cause a scene at Big Z’s Hardware store because he thought a tourist was harassing a staff member?”

Hayes’s mouth opened, but it took him a second to actually push words out of it. “I wasn’t aware, but…yeah. That sounds like something he would do.” He clasped his hands together on the table in front of him. “He’s not all bite.”

“Obviously. He took in three boys and raised them to adulthood.”

“And not one of us has been arrested.”

She smiled faintly. “I applaud the fact that he stood up for staff, but when angry, Mr. Matthews tends to be colorful and pushy.”

“Were you there?”

She nodded. “I was. I know that Mr. Matthews will be in pain until his injury heals and pain tends to make people say and do things they normally wouldn’t.”

“You won’t have to put up with verbal abuse,” Hayes said flatly.

Estelle’s eyebrows rose. “That isn’t my concern. You need to understand that if your uncle tries to push me around, I will push back and I will not be polite when I do so.”

It took Hayes a second to close his mouth, which had drifted open at the adamant statement. Bailey had to admit that she hadn’t expected such strong words to come from the small woman sitting on the opposite side of the table from Hayes.

“As long as you don’t quit,” Hayes finally said, “you can push back to your heart’s content.”

*

Bailey stood next to Hayes as they watched Estelle drive away in her Prius, a quiet little car for a quiet little lady who said she was going to give as good as she got.

Hayes had his doubts.

“You didn’t need me,” Bailey said from beside him. “You did great.”

“I have a feeling that wasn’t a real interview.”

“No, it was not.” He gave her a questioning look and she said, “No interview is valid unless you ask someone what their greatest weakness is.”

He turned to her, a slight smile curving his gorgeous mouth. “What’s your greatest weakness?”

“I work too hard,” she replied instantly. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he got her drift. Turn a positive into a weakness.

“That is a demerit. What else?”

“You also have to say, ‘Tell me of a time when you solved a problem creatively,’ and also ‘tell me a time when you took a leadership role.’”

“You might have clued me in ahead of time. I told you I was a rookie.”

She gave him an arch smile that caused a little arrow of desire to shoot through him. “I wanted to see how you solved a problem creatively.”

It was all he could do not to touch her. But he wasn’t going to start down that path again.

“I’m going to have to threaten Wade, I think.”

“You think that will work?”

“I hope. Estelle is right. Pain makes people lose their filters.”

“Does Wade have a filter?”

Hayes made a scoffing sound. “Yes. But he doesn’t use it often.”

“Then it probably needs to be cleaned or replaced.”

Hayes laughed and Bailey fought an answering smile as she glanced down at her boots. “I need to get going. The silver awaits.”

“Where’s your next show after the Copper Mountain Rodeo?” Was he prolonging his time with her after strong-arming her into staying for the interview?

Yes. Yes, he was.

“Laughlin, Nevada,” she said, taking a couple of backward steps as she spoke. “It’s a biggie. Lots of orders come in.” She was about to turn toward her truck when she stopped to add, “Thanks for lending me the shirt, by the way. I’ll get it back to you after the weekend when I do my wash.”

“Where do you do your laundry?”

Bailey blinked. “The laundromat.”

“You’re free to use our machine.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said in a way that told Hayes that she was not going to take advantage of his offer. Once again, she started for her truck and, once again, he opened his mouth to stop her.

“Bailey?” She looked back at him. “Thanks for staying.”

She gave him a smile edged with irony as she reached for her door handle. “I’m getting better at that.”