Okay, okay, how much of a chance had she really given him? None, honestly, and she wasn't proud of that. She didn't know anything about him or anything about this ranch. But she was trying to change that, wasn't she? Didn't she get credit for trying? It would sure as heck be nice.
"Colt's over by the arena," Tony grumbled before turning to walk away. Brielle stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked at her with disapproval but didn't say a word.
"Look, Tony, you know and I know that I don't know anything about running a ranch, and I really need your help. Do you think we can come to a truce and maybe work together?"
Brielle was almost surprised by the words coming out of her mouth. It wasn't like her to actually try to compromise. She'd been here only two weeks, and already she was speaking differently, acting differently - as if she'd received the gift of tongues in a foreign land. If this was the big change her father wanted to see, she was going to be ticked, because she didn't want him to be right.
She didn't want to admit that she needed to change. Still, she told herself, she needed her foreman if she were to do what she had to do so she could get out of Montana ASAP. That didn't count as changing; it was doing whatever it took to get back to her real life.
Tony looked at her for several moments. Was he trying to see inside her head? His look made her squirm a little - she was surely coming up short in the man's mind. It shouldn't matter to her, but for some reason it really did.
He spit another stream of tobacco. "I will give you a chance when I think you honestly give a damn about this place."
"I do care about it here," she lied.
"That's a joke. Don't for one minute think you can fool an old man. This has been my home since I was in my early teens. I love the land, love the people, love the animals even more. Some little city girl doesn't get to come in with all her daddy's money and act like my home ain't good enough for her. I don't appreciate that none." Surprisingly, his voice stayed level throughout.
"I am not some spoiled little brat," she told him. "And if you care so much about this place, why is it failing?"
"Maybe that's something you'll have to find out. Anyway, from the talk I had with your daddy, he realizes he made some mistakes along the way. I don't believe you can do this at all, Miss Storm."
///
Her fists clenched at her sides. "That's the rudest thing I've ever heard."
"I wasn't trying to be rude, just stating the facts," Tony said before turning away to leave.
"I wasn't done speaking to you," she said, frustration clear in her tone, making him pause before turning back toward her.
"When I feel you have something valuable to say, I'll chat longer." And with that, he walked away, leaving Brielle stunned, hurt, and extremely pissed off.
"I should fire him right now," she muttered, but then clasped a hand over her mouth. She really didn't want him to overhear that. She wasn't so naïve as to think this place could run without him. And one way or another she'd get Tony to like her, although after those words of his, she shouldn't give a damn what he thought about her.
No, wouldn't happen. That man would always do what he wanted. Even if he loved her - sure, sure - he would still do things his own way. That was just the sort of man he was. Stubborn. Ornery. Set in his ways.
Brielle found her temper waning as she made her way to the arena. She was shocked when she realized that she sort of liked the gruff old guy. And she should have hated him on principle alone.
When she turned a corner and looked up, she found Colt putting a saddle on a majestic brown horse that she was sure she should know the breed of, but she knew less than nothing about horses. The horse, unfortunately, wasn't the only majestic creature in the place. The way Colt's muscles bulged made her slightly lightheaded. This man was much finer than the guys she normally hung out with, despite their expensively honed gym bodies. Yeah, working on a ranch seemed to do good things to a lot of the population of Sterling. At least from what she'd seen so far.
"You've ridden before, right?"
Brielle was startled to realize Colt was speaking to her. No, she hadn't ridden, not even once.
"Of course I have."
Sauntering over to the horse, she thought back to the cowboy movies she'd watched, put her foot into the stirrup and hefted herself onto his back. She was a little wobbly, but felt immense pride as she sat astride this massive animal. And she was facing the right way.
Man, it was a long way to the ground.
"I picked Bluegrass because she's pretty mellow. I figured the only horses you've ridden have been at some hoity-toity country club."