Round Up (Lost Creek Rodeo #1) - Rebecca Connolly Page 0,2

slipper boots. “Someone has to spoil them. You won’t let them into the main part of the house anymore.”

Kellie rolled her eyes and moved to the coffee machine on the counter. “They’ll get over it. They go everywhere in your house, even when they’re full of ticks. They’re only inside now because of the storm.”

Ryan frowned at Frankie, still scratching his head. “I’m gonna get custody of you, okay? She doesn’t treat you right.”

“Oh, good grief,” his sister groaned, pulling down two coffee mugs from the shelf. “Coffee, Ryan?”

“Please.” He straightened, patting Frankie’s head once more. “You lose power?”

She shook her head as she poured their drinks. “No, thank goodness. Thought we might for a minute there, but we were good. You?”

“Nope.” He moved to the side of the doormat, wiping the bottom of his boots carefully. “Fence post went down in the west pasture, though. I don’t know what you paid them last summer to do that, but you should get a refund. Wasn’t down near far enough, and we’ll have to replace it, if not the entire line.”

Kellie sighed, nodding. “Okay. Thanks for doing that.” She came over to him, setting his mug on the island near him. “Black, right?”

“Always.” He flashed her a quick grin. “Like my heart.”

She raised a brow at him. “And your humor.” She shook her head, moving to the fridge, no doubt wanting her vanilla creamer.

Gross.

“Hey, Kells?” Ryan said quietly, turning his cup just a little on the counter and sliding his hand through the handle, letting the heat warm him. “You don’t have to thank me every time I do something. It’s my job now.”

She paused with her hand on the handle to the fridge, giving him a confused look. “I know that. I hired you.”

He sipped his coffee slowly, the beverage still burning his mouth. “Yeah, I remember. But doing my job doesn’t require thanks, you know? I’m just doing what I’m supposed to.”

Kellie frowned and came over to stand opposite him, pouring the creamer into her coffee while staring at him. “I know that, too. Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate that you were up early and driving out to check stuff after the storm.”

“I don’t want to feel like I’m doing you a favor,” he confessed, looking down into the dark liquid in his cup. “Like I’m your brother helping out on the family farm.”

She set her coffee down and covered his free hand with both of hers. “Ryan.”

He glanced up at her, embarrassed by this entire conversation, though it needed to happen. She’d put on her big sister voice, and he had never been able to resist that. “What?”

Her bright blue eyes could have bored into him. “Stop.”

Huh? That wasn’t what he’d expected from his therapist of a sister, especially when she’d put the voice on and everything. “Excuse me?”

“Excuse yourself,” she said simply, still serious. “I did not hire you out of pity. I know the timing might lead you in that direction, but for me, it was like being hit with the lightning of inspiration. I needed better hands here, you needed something to do, and it was the easiest decision I have ever made. Trust me when I say that there is no one else I would want running the ranch. You’ve got the experience to fit the job, you actually care about the place, and you aren’t going to pull punches on me. That’s what I need, okay?”

Sometimes, he forgot what a tough cookie his sister was, and how direct she could be. He threw her a lopsided grin. “So I need to pull up my chaps and get to work?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” She returned his grin and slid her hands from his. “And if I want to thank you for getting up at the crack of dawn to do your job, I’m gonna thank you, okay? I’d do the same to any of my employees.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Ryan protested, embarrassment gone now. “Employees? I’m your partner, remember?”

Kellie picked up her coffee and blew on it gently, shrugging a shoulder. “If you say so, Ry-Ry.”

He scowled at the childhood nickname. “That’s going to get old real fast.”

Rolling her eyes again, she put the creamer back in the fridge and moved around the island to a bar stool. “I promise not to use it when we’re meeting with investors and Ms. Harland.”

Ryan shuddered for effect. “Please don’t make me meet with Ms. Harland. I’ll beg.”

“She is wonderful!” Kellie protested, slapping a hand on the counter. “Ryan,