in her white CR-V with Sophia snoozing in the back seat. His voice, so calm and commanding, made her feel strangely breathless.
The truth was, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking of him, of the way he’d looked at her, like she was the only person in the room, of the way he’d kept hold of her hand when there was no excuse for him to be holding it beyond the fact that he wanted to. She’d loved how he’d been so sweet to Sophia and that he’d insisted on carrying her diaper bag and tote out to the car.
Plus, well, he was way too good-looking and she hadn’t been with a man in over a year.
The plan was to give up men, after all. At least for a decade or so—maybe longer.
And really, hadn’t she made her unavailability perfectly clear to him?
Annoyed and flustered and oddly gleeful all at the same time, she called him back.
“Hello, Sarah.”
“Hi, Logan. How did you get my number?”
“I stopped by your office. Your mom gave me your card.” Dear Lord in heaven, his voice. It was so smooth, like raw honey. She pictured it pouring from a mason jar, all sweet and thick and slow. And then he added, “Your mom and dad are obviously very happy together.”
Sarah felt her face go hot. Stifling an embarrassed groan, she answered drily, “Yeah. I try to be out of the office as much as possible.” Then she changed the subject. “Logan, I’m flattered you went to all that trouble just to get my number, but really, I meant what I said. I hardly have time to wash my hair lately. I’m not dating anyone, not even you.”
“I get it. I called on business.”
“Oh.” Did she sound disappointed? Well, she wasn’t. Not at all.
He said, “We’re just getting moved in at the Ambling A and frankly, the accounts are a mess. We need a professional to get the books on track. We want to hire local. And that means Falls Mountain Accounting.”
Her heart rate had accelerated at just the idea of being near him as she gathered the information to whip those books of his into order—but no. She needed to keep her distance from him, which meant he would have to work with her dad. “Did you meet with my dad yet? He’s the best. I know you’ll be happy you hired him.”
“Sarah.” He made her name into a gentle reproach. “Your dad seems to have his hands full—with your mom.”
She did groan then. “I do not believe you said that.” He didn’t immediately respond and she suddenly had a burning need to speak, fill the silence between them. Bad idea. But she did it anyway. “They never used to be like that, I swear. I don’t know what happened. I haven’t asked. I doubt I ever will.”
“I understand.”
“Yeah,” she grumbled. “Sure, you do.” He made a soft, amused sort of sound. “Did you just chuckle, Logan? I swear to God I heard you chuckle.”
His answer was actually more of a demand. “You, Sarah. I intend to hire you.” He was just so...commanding. She’d never liked bossy men, but she found herself longing to make an exception in his case. In a strictly professional sense, of course.
And she might as well be honest—at least with herself. It was a definite ego boost to have this hot rancher so interested in her, even if she would never let it go anywhere.
Plus, well, he’d insisted he wanted to work with her. If she said no, he would go elsewhere. It wasn’t good for business to turn away work.
“All right, Logan. Have it your way.”
“I love it when you say yes. How about I meet you at your office?”
Her office, where there was no telling what her parents might be up to? “Er, no. I’ll come out to the Ambling A.”
“That’s even better. I feel I should warn you, though, it’s kind of a mess, old records all over the place. Some are on floppy disks, believe it or not. There are even some dusty, leather-bound ledgers that go back to the fifties.”
“It will be fine, don’t worry. Mostly, I need the current stuff.”
“Well, I’ve got that, too.”
She quoted her hourly rate.
“That works. Today?”
“Logan, it’s almost five. I need to go home, feed my baby, maybe even stretch out on the sofa and veg out to the new season of GLOW.”
“You’re tired.” He actually sounded as though he cared. “Tomorrow, then.”
“All right. I have a nine o’clock that should go for an hour, two tops. After that, I’m flexible. Is it all right if I call you when I’m ready to head over to the Ambling A?”
“Works for me. Call me on this number.”
She said goodbye and then sat behind the wheel for a moment, thinking how she would have to watch herself tomorrow, make sure she kept things strictly business. In the back seat, Sophia made a soft, happy sound in her sleep, and that had Sarah thinking how good Logan was with the baby.
Too good, really. The last thing she needed was him being charming and wonderful with Sophia. That could weaken her already shaky defenses.
Sarah bent her head over her phone again and texted her dearest friend since childhood, Lily Hunt.
Hey. You on the job at the Manor tomorrow?
Lily was an amazing cook and worked at Maverick Manor as a part-time chef.
Not tomorrow. Why?
Now, that was a long story. One she didn’t really want to get into via text—or in a phone call or face-to-face. Because what was there to say, really? Nothing had happened between her and Logan and nothing was going to happen.
I have to go visit a new client, Logan Crawford. He and his dad and five brothers have bought the Ambling A. I think things will go more smoothly if I’m not trying to take care of Sophia while I’m setting up their accounts. So how ’bout a cushy babysitting gig at my house?
There. That sounded simple and reasonable without giving away too much. She hit Send.
And Lily took it at face value: You’re on. Tell Sophia that Aunt Lily can’t wait. When to when?
Be at my place at 8:30. I should be back by two or three.
I’ll be there. But I want something from you in return.
What? You think I won’t pay you?
Sarah, I know you’ll pay me. You always do. If I didn’t take the money, you would chase me up Pine Street waving a handful of bills.
Very funny.
These are my terms. Saturday at 6. Dinner at the Manor. You and me, my treat. A girls’ night out. We deserve it. Get your mom to take Sophia. That’s what grandmas do. Come on, it will be fun.
It did sound kind of fun. Sarah hadn’t been out to dinner in so long, she couldn’t remember the last time. And Lily didn’t get out enough either, really.
Sarah, I meant it. Ask your mom.
Grinning, Sarah replied, Okay. I’ll ask her.
Yes! See you tomorrow morning, 8:30 sharp. And don’t put it off, call your mom now.
Sarah did call her mom. Flo answered on the first ring. “Honey, I’m so glad you called. Here you are back in town and we’re all working together—and yet, somehow, we hardly see you. How’s my sweet grandbaby?”
“Asleep at the moment.”
“She is an angel—oh, and by the way,” her mom began much too coyly, “a handsome cowboy showed up at the office this morning looking for you.”
Who are you and what