Falling For The Cowgirl

Emma clapped her hands to end the discussion. “Pardon me, but we have another candidate to interview before we proceed to decision making.”

“Leave it to the Big Heart Ranch children’s director to be the voice of reason,” Lucy said.

“AJ Rowe.” Travis glanced at his watch. “It’s bad enough Mr. Rowe went to the University of Oklahoma. He’s also late.”

“Now, Travis. Not everyone can be an OSU Cowboy,” Lucy said with a laugh. “Let’s not let our college rivalries blind us to a potential employee.”

Heads turned when Lucy’s assistant, Iris, stepped into the doorway. “Ms. Rowe is here.”

Ms. Rowe? Travis mouthed the words to his sisters as he scrambled to search the candidate’s résumé for a hint as to how he’d missed that particular bit of information.

He looked up in time to see AJ Rowe enter the room.

In a gray business suit with black heels, the woman looked every inch the professional. AJ Rowe had twisted her honey-blond hair into some sort of knot at the back of her head. She carried a black leather briefcase in her hand as she entered the conference room.

Travis did a double take. With those big blue eyes and that golden skin, the woman bore more than a passing resemblance to Travis’s former fiancée. A woman who’d left him face down in the dust and had walked over him with her boots on.

His heart continued a crazy gallop as he carefully picked his jaw up, hoping no one had heard it slam into the ground.

Nope. This was not going to work. He was looking for a combination rancher and bouncer. Someone to keep everyone in line, so he could get something done on occasion. The last thing he needed was a beautiful woman distracting him and his ranch hands.

“Ms. Rowe. We’re delighted to meet you,” Lucy said. His sister continued the introductions.

When Lucy came to him, Travis offered AJ a handshake, though he declined to meet her gaze, and he also declined to notice how soft her hand was.

“The Travis Maxwell?” the woman murmured with dawning recognition in her voice.

His head jerked up at the questioning tone and he connected with clear blue eyes.

“Have you two met?” Lucy asked.

“No. I recognize Mr. Maxwell from the cover of Tulsa Now magazine.”

Travis bit back a groan. He’d been labeled Bachelor of the Year.

Lucy’s idea, and he’d been paying for that particular bright idea in spades ever since the story ran last month. Women were still sending him emails, letters and had even showed up in person to let him know they would be happy to help him change his bachelor status to something long-term. The irony being that he had zero interest in relationships let alone matrimony. No. Been there and almost done that.

“Publicity for the ranch,” Travis mumbled. He shot Lucy a death stare.

“He’s only a part-time cover model,” Emma said with a chuckle. “The rest of the time he’s the ranch foreman.”

Travis shook his head. Laughingstock of the ranch was more like it.

Once they were all seated, Lucy began a round of the same questions she’d asked the last five applicants.

Travis fiddled with his pen, glancing outside at the redbud trees waving in the breeze of an Oklahoma spring. The deep purple buds were open in an explosion of rosy-pink blooms.

He ducked his head to sneak a sideways glance at the candidate.

AJ Rowe gestured a hand. “I’ve been working ranches since I could sit in a saddle.” Her voice held a trace of sadness. “My father was the foreman for two of the biggest ranches in Oklahoma in his time and I worked by his side growing up.”

“You’ve got an impressive and lengthy work history,” Lucy commented. “I can’t help but notice that you’ve transitioned employers several times over the years.”

“That’s a nice way to address job-hopping.” AJ smiled tightly. “The reality is that most ranches hire in favor of male candidates. Code of the West.” She shrugged. “If I am hired, it’s short-term until they’re able to replace me with a man.”

Though Travis turned his head back to the window, the finger of guilt continued to poke at his conscience.

Awkwardness settled in the conference room. Finally, Lucy shifted the paperwork in front of her and looked to Emma for assistance.

“Tell us about your equestrian experience,” Emma prompted.

“I’ve done quite a bit of professional barrel racing.”

Travis glanced at the paperwork. “You didn’t mention that in your résumé.”

“An omission,” she murmured.

Omission? Barrel racing was a female-dominated sport. Travis had no doubt that she’d left it off her résumé for that reason. That, along with the gender-neutral name AJ, would ensure she got an interview at very least.

So why did that annoy him so much? Because he didn’t believe for a heartbeat that he had a bias and he didn’t like being treated as though he did.

Another gap in conversation had Emma once again breaching the silence.

“I used to barrel race, too,” his sister gushed. “Of course, I was never a professional, but I did compete locally. Are you still competing?”

“Mostly I train. I enjoy working with young girls and teaching them to appreciate the sport. Healthy competition builds self-esteem, and the fact that they’re focused on something other than boys is even better.”

Both Lucy and Emma smiled. Mention children and his sisters were on board. After all, Big Heart Ranch existed solely for the children.

“That’s wonderful,” Lucy said, confirming his thoughts. “Interaction with our kids is a large part of the job. The children of Big Heart Ranch have backgrounds of abuse, abandonment and neglect, and they are, of course, our number one priority.”

AJ offered a sympathetic nod.

“I’m sure Travis has some questions for you,” Lucy said as the toe of her boot made contact with his shin under the table.

He offered a weak smile. “What are your thoughts on cattle management, Ms. Rowe?”

“Bison.” Her full lips curved into an excited smile. “Have you considered bison?”

Travis frowned and blinked with stunned surprise. “Bison? Ah, no. Cattle is the best choice for Big Heart Ranch,” he said firmly.

“And yet bison have many advantages, including efficient feed utilization, low-fat and high-protein meat with an ever-increasing consumer demand. Lower vet bills. They’re hardy and disease-resistant and calve without assistance.”

Why was the woman still smiling?

“You’ve read the recent studies on grazing?” she continued.

“I have.” He met her gaze head-on.