The next morning, Adam woke with muscles he never knew he had, every single one aching more than the first. He walked slowly into the breakfast area where Loretta greeted him with a knowing smile.

“First day’s hard labor causing you problems?”

“Not at all. I am perfectly fine,” he replied through gritted teeth, making the housekeeper laugh.

“You will get used to it. It’s been a long time since you did any fetching and carrying, I imagine.”

He couldn’t disagree. He didn’t even move his drum set nowadays as there were runners to do that. The memory of what it had been like in the early days with him dragging his drums around to gigs, hefting them up the back stairs of Whelan’s pub in Georges Street. He had been physically fit and excited in those days, before they became famous enough to be mobbed everywhere they went. Back when it was fun to be in a band.

“You ready to eat or do you just want to stand there all day?”

“Can I eat standing up?”

Loretta giggled. “I saw your attempts at learning to ride. Just how many times did you land on your butt? I don’t think I’ve laughed that much in a long time.”

“Glad I provided you with some amusement,” he said, but he smiled to show her he would have found it amusing, too, if he hadn’t been the one that kept hitting the ground.

“You will be fine today. Ashley is a great teacher. Plenty of patience, too. Good thing as she needs it in this job. Okay, your breakfast is getting cold. Ashley will be here soon to round you up for the next set of chores.”

Adam wasn’t sure if his body was up to more chores, even if it did mean seeing Ashley again.

* * *

Ashley found Mack out in the stables. He looked up as she walked in.

“Morning, Mack, sorry I’m late.”

“I think I would die of surprise if you arrived on time.”

“Thanks a lot, boss,” she replied.

“Only teasing, you know that. Want the good news or the bad news?”

“The good.”

“We need to check the herd. Boss heard rumors flying around town that someone is rustling cattle from the ranches up north. Sent me one of his emails this morning. Wants every animal checked.” Mack rolled his eyes, causing Ashley to smile.

Not only did he hate computers, but he didn’t have much time for his absentee boss either. Ward was an investor, not a rancher. If truth were known, he probably didn’t know a steer from a milk cow.

Not that he’d ever admit that. He liked dressing up in cowboy boots and a hat for the ads for his various ranches. He had a whole string of them across the country. Ashley had never spoken to him. He didn’t mix with the staff. He issued orders through Mack. She knew the foreman only did what he thought was right. The rest he ignored, like the time the boss thought they should invest in sheep. Mack would have walked out rather than babysit a load of sheep, as he put it.

“Cattle rustlers? Is he serious” she asked, a feeling of dread coming over her. If they took the cattle what would happen to the ranch? Would her life be turned over again? She needed this job. She wasn’t sure she could start over next time.

“I haven’t heard anything. Have you?”

“No.” But then she wasn’t likely to. Her parents’ herd had been wiped out some years back. No point in paying attention to news like that. It always came too late.

“Guess we’ll have to check them,” Mack growled.

Ashley knew he hated wasting time and he had more on his plate than usual. They were short on hands—well, experienced ones, that was. The boss thought their guests could make up the slack but most of them knew less than he did about the ranching business.

“Sure thing. Are we bringing any of the guests?” she asked.

Mack rolled his eyes. “That’s the bad news. You got to take the two new guys.” Like Ashley, Mack needed this job. The pay was good and for Mack, it came with a nice house for his wife. Charity McDonough was confined to a wheelchair following an accident with a horse. No longer able to ride, she loved watching the horses every day. It would break her heart to leave.

“Seriously?” How was she supposed to check the entire herd with two greenhorns for company?

“Yes, Adam and Tyler.”

She sighed but didn’t complain. There was no point. Mack didn’t have any choice. He had to do as he was told, just as she did.

“I am sorry Ashley. I don’t mean to land you with them but I got so much on my plate. I know you will have to take it slow as they can’t be expert riders even with you as a trainer.”

She smiled at his praise while thinking of Adam falling on his butt. “It’s okay. I’ll go fix up their horses and meet you back at the house. Mack, sorry about this morning.”

“Ashley, forget it. What the boss doesn’t know can’t worry him. You do more work in the hours you are here than most do in the day.”

Glowing from the praise, she picked out two relatively tame horses, saddled them, and, riding her own, led them back to the main house. Their guests were waiting.