Page 44 of Saddle Storm

I lean back crossing my arms in front of me. “I think that’s fair.”

“Look I don’t have to do this, but you’re right. We don’t have staff on seven days in a row. Just with this wedding, it’s been all hands on deck.”

“Fine,” I say, moving on to my next thing with some caution since I haven’t exactly prepared for it. And know I’m about to open myself up to a war. I rub my hands together. “What about a cottage for her and Max?”

His head snaps up from the schedule he’s attacking with an eraser. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. And don’t act surprised because we spoke about it an hour ago on the phone. I don’t like where she lives. It’s practically outside of town, too far from school and the ranch. And building code compliance is questionable at best.”

Wilder stretches his arms. “Maybe I should promote her too? Double her salary? Give her my office? Look I get you two are re-connecting or whatever, but that doesn’t give you the right to march in here and make demands.”

I push off my seat, irritable. “I’ve got every right. I may not be a partner, but I’m still a member of the family and I didn’t have to willingly give up my share to you both.”

Wilder watches me, his thumb brushing his bottom lip in that way he does when he’d prefer to avoid confrontation than face it head on. He straightens in his seat, refocusing on the schedule. “Well then, take it up with Dallas, because he’s in charge of guest cottages.”

“Really? Did you check with him when you put Rose in Millie’s old cottage last summer?”

“As a matter of fact, I did.”

“Bullshit. You told him you’re setting her up there. He didn’t have a choice.”

“First off, Dallas and I own every inch of the land equally, so if I did, I was within my right. Second, Rose is different. She was here for six weeks. You’re asking me to permanently move an employee onto the property.”

“Not permanently, those cottages aren’t meant to be homes. Just for a few months. Or until she can afford something . . . else. For Christ’s sake, anything else.”

After a beat, he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, scheduling is my thing. I’ll give Storm time off any day she needs. But the guest cottages—that’s Dallas.”

“I’m not asking Dallas, I’m asking you,” I shout, just as the door opens and my oldest brother walks in. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Dad is behind him.

“Hey, the whole family’s here,” Dallas cheers tiredly, a coffee tumbler in hand. I know sleepless nights are a given with a newborn, but he looks like it’s been days since he slept.

Dad steps in quietly behind him and closes the door.

“Hey, Silas. How’s the arm?” Dallas asks like he didn’t just walk in on me shouting about him. He takes his hat off, hanging it on the hook.

“I’m fine.” I step away from Wilder’s desk and go sit on top of Dallas’s like I’m staking some claim to the place. “I’m here because I want one of the guest cottages. I’ll pay for it.”

Dallas frowns. “They’re not for sale. They’re guest cottages. And in a month, we’re closing them for the winter.”

“It’s for Storm. I’d like to move her into one. Temporarily, but I can’t tell you how long. Maybe a year.”

“For Storm?” he asks, jerking like he’s confused. Then his brows shoot up like he’s intrigued. “For Storm,” he repeats, this time with a tell me more about this tone, as he moves toward his desk.

Dad drops onto the worn sofa, posture relaxed, like he’s settling in to watch his favorite show.

I roll my eyes and hop off the desk. “I don’t see what the big deal is. You gave Millie the small cottage over near the main house when she started working here.” I look at Wilder. “And we just covered Rose.”

My brothers glance guiltily at each other.

“He’s not wrong,” Dad croaks, picking up a newspaper from the coffee table like he’s prepared to read it.

Dallas fixes his desk after I rearranged it with my weight. “I don’t suppose you ran this request by Storm?”

I don’t answer.

He exhales. “Look, it’s not that simple. They’re not meant for long-term living. Millie’s cottage technically wasn’t either, but I . . . well, I maintained it for her,” he trails off.

I fold my arms over my chest. “Now why would you do that?”