When at last she pulled up in front of the charming ranch house that had housed generations of Baxter men and their families, she noticed something odd. Apparently, Case’s cattle received more attention than did his aging home.
It would be an exaggeration to say the place looked run-down. That wasn’t it at all. But the two-story white ranch house with blue shutters seemed tired. Although the wraparound porch was large and appealing, no flowers were planted at its base. No colorful cushions bedecked the porch swing. No toddler bicycles or teen sports equipment lay scattered about the yard.
Although the B Hive Ranch had been in the family for decades, everyone in Royal knew that Case’s parents had both died young, and Case was an only child. It would be sad to see the place end up in other hands if Case had no heirs.
It was a possibility, though. Case was in his midthirties and apart from—or perhaps because of—his youthful marriage, which had ended badly, he showed no signs of settling down.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Mellie reminded herself that this was not her first rodeo. Keep N Clean had just celebrated its eighth anniversary. Mellie herself was a seasoned businesswoman. There was no need to feel intimidated by the power and stature of Case Baxter.
She didn’t know him well. Really only in passing.
Hopefully, that was about to change.
Along with her stylish tote that served as purse and catchall, she picked up a navy-and-lime-green folder that she now handed out to all prospective clients. Though the expense of producing the upscale advertising materials had been wince-worthy, she hoped the professional presentation would take her expanding company to the next level.
For some reason, she’d expected someone other than the owner to answer her knock. But only seconds passed before the tall blue-eyed man with dark brown hair opened the door and swung it wide.
He greeted her with a polite smile. “I’m Case Baxter. I’m assuming you’re here for the interview?” He filled the doorway, lean and long and wildly handsome.
Mellie shook his hand, feeling his large, warm fingers momentarily squeeze hers. Wow. His photograph in the newspaper didn’t do him justice. His short hair was neatly cut, though an unshaven chin gave him a rakish air. His clasp was not a second too long. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But her heart beat faster.
He was the perfect specimen of a Texas male. He wore faded jeans that molded to his body in interesting ways...scuffed hand-tooled cowboy boots, a cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up and an expensive watch that looked as if it could pick up cable channels on Mars.
She found her voice at last. “I’m Mellie Winslow. I own Keep N Clean.”
Case frowned slightly. He didn’t invite her in. “I thought I was interviewing a prospective housekeeper.”
“Well, you are,” she said, squirming inwardly. “The truth is, Mr. Baxter, I’ve been expanding my business. Things are going very well. But when you called asking for help, I decided I wanted to take this job myself.”
“Why?”
It was a valid question. She decided that honesty was the way to go. “May I come in so we can talk about it?”
“I supposed so.” He led her into the adjoining dining room, where a large formal table groaned beneath the weight of stacks of mail. In the few places not covered by papers, a layer of dust coated the wood.
“Have a seat,” he said. “As you can see, I didn’t exaggerate my need for assistance.”
Mellie sat down, and when he did the same, she slid a Keep N Clean folder across the table. “My rates and services are all listed here. The reason I’d like to do this job myself, Mr. Baxter, is because all of my current staff have taken on as much as they can handle. But I don’t want to turn you away. Having the newly elected president of the Texas Cattleman’s Club as a client would be invaluable advertising.”
“Always assuming you’re as good as you say...” He opened the folder and scanned testimonials she’d included from satisfied clients.
Mellie frowned. “I’m a hard worker. I’m meticulous. Also, I don’t need anyone to hold my hand every moment. Once you tell me what you require and give me detailed instructions about what I should and should not muck with in your home, I’ll be invisible.”
Case leaned back in his chair, folded his arms across his chest and stared at her.
She refused to fidget. If this silent showdown was part of his interview strategy, she would pass muster or die trying.
At last he shrugged. “Your rates seem fair. But how do you propose to run your business and at the same time keep my house in order?”
“How do you propose to run your business and still keep the TCC in order?”
Sarcasm was one of her failings. Having a smart mouth was not the way to win over prospective clients. Fortunately for her, Case Baxter laughed.
His eyes went from glacial blue to sunshiny skies when he was amused. “Touché.” He tapped the fingers of one hand on the table, the small restless gesture indicating some level of dissatisfaction or concern.
Mellie leaned forward, giving him her best reassuring smile. “Have you used another service that wasn’t up to par? We could talk about where they fell short.”
“No.” His jaw tensed for a moment as if some distasteful memory had unsettled him. “I don’t tolerate strangers in my home very well. I like my privacy.”
“That’s understandable. If you prefer, we can arrange for me to clean when you’re gone. Or maybe that’s the idea you don’t like. I could make sure to work while you’re here. Whatever it takes, Mr. Baxter. How about a month’s trial run? At the end of that time, if you’re unhappy with the quality of my work, or if having someone come in to clean bothers you too much, I’ll cancel the contract with no penalty.”
“I can see why your business is doing well. It’s hard to say no to you.”
Mellie saw a definite twinkle in his eyes. She flushed. “I’m ambitious. But I think a man like you understands that. You won’t regret having me here, Mr. Baxter, I promise. In fact, I swear you’ll wonder why you didn’t hire Keep N Clean a lot sooner.”
“Perhaps I should be absolutely clear. It’s more than cleaning. If you come to work for me, I’ll want you to take a shot at organizing my home life.”
His request wasn’t out of the ordinary. Structuring a client’s daily environment to maximize family time and personal efficiency was something Mellie enjoyed. But it was hard to imagine Case Baxter allowing anyone, much less Mellie, access to something so personal.
When she hesitated, his eyes narrowed. “Is that a problem?”
“No. Not at all. But you mentioned protecting your privacy, so I would want to be perfectly clear about boundaries.”
“Such as?”
She floundered mentally, oddly put off her game by a conversation that shouldn’t have seemed the slightest bit provocative and yet drew her thoughts to sex-tossed sheets and whether Case Baxter favored boxers or briefs.
“There are many levels of organization, Mr. Baxter. Everything from creating a well-aligned sock drawer to alphabetizing kitchen spices.”
He chuckled, ratcheting up his masculine appeal at least a hundredfold. “I’m sure we can settle somewhere between the two.”
“So that’s a yes?” She cocked her head, her stomach a swirl of anticipation and feminine interest. Mixing business with pleasure had never been an issue, but with this man, she might have to be on her guard. He had neither said nor done anything to acknowledge the fact that she was a woman and he was a man. But it was kind of a hard thing to miss.
He nodded.