The Cowboy and The Pencil-pusher

This isn't the first time I've been cursed like this, and I seriously doubt it will be the last.But when Kurt mentioned the word "fuck" to me, I felt more distraught than ever, and it felt a little too targeted.

"Change is scary. I get it." I immediately switched to business mode so I could focus on the job at hand.

"We're not afraid," Kurt said gruffly. "We were in shock."

I laughed out loud.Can't help it.The expressions on the faces of these two men are absolutely amazing. "The kind of tourist farm we suggest has real cattle herding or other similar items. It's not the kind of tourist ranch that is pink girl."

"I didn't say that kind of ranch." Kurt shook his head, his lips pursed arrogantly.

I opened the folder and pulled out a photo of the Texas example. "It still looks like a ranch, doesn't it? No flower boxes and pony rides. That's the case, except it caters to city folks who want to come over to herd cows and ride horses. They fit into your environment, not you Go get used to them. I can show you other photos from my hotel computer if you're interested."

"I'm not interested," Kurt said.

My face flushed. "You guys are rejecting things without understanding."

Kurt's dark brown brows furrowed. "I've been riding horses here since I was five years old. Believe me, there's nothing but sissy about a tourist ranch."

His attitude made me cranky.I turned to Maddy and asked. "Perhaps you can be reasonable. Do you want to lose your ranch?"

Maddy turned his gaze to Kurt. "I'd rather lose my ranch if what you're proposing is what we'd rather avoid." He sighed. "I'd rather be displaced like a man than be a laughingstock."

"If you weren't so stubborn, you'd be the one grinning from ear to ear—counting the money."

"There's something called 'backbone'." Kurt pointed his perfectly straight nose in contempt for me. "Maybe your job doesn't have that quality, but we always have it."

I scowled. "One thing to say: I do a great job. No need for personal attacks."

Kurt shrugged, "That's good."

For some reason, I feel like I've won a battle.I took a card with a phone number on it from my pocket. "Here's Frank Stone's phone number. He's the head of Two Corners Ranch, the one we're turning over in Texas. You need to talk to him, because if anyone understands how you're shrinking right now, it's It must be him."

"Was he annoyed when you first mentioned the project to him?" Kurt bit his lower lip and examined me.

"It's hot," I answered frankly. "He just went into a rage."

Maddy smiled. "I admire your sincerity."

"It's pointless to lie to you. Anyway, if you talk to him, you will know everything."

"How exactly do you make money from it?" Maddie asked.

"We restructure the loan, add construction costs. So the loan will be deferred. The amount will be larger, but you do get back to repaying the loan. Also, two years later we will take a little bit of your profit. At that time Your business should have stabilized."

"Yeah." Maddy scratched his grizzled chin.

"You and I both know you're not going to get an offer like that from a typical lender." I looked directly at Maddy.

Kurt's fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, and he took the card from me. "I'd be interested to hear what this Frank guy has to say."

That's good news too.I had a feeling that if I could get Cora over, Maddie would be fine. "Okay, call him." I toss a ten-dollar bill on the table to pay for my coffee, and leave the booth neatly. "I'll get in touch with you tomorrow."

"Are you staying in town?" Kurt asked quietly.

I stuffed my wallet in my hip pocket. "Although I really want to leave, I can't leave anyway until this matter is clear."

"A request from above?" Maddy asked.

"Yes, call Frank today if possible, we need your answer tomorrow night."

"Understood." Maddie nodded.

Kurt looked at me with a curious expression. "If we reject your little proposal, would you really feel comfortable taking Maddy's ranch from him?"

"Maddy signed the contract. If he can't fulfill his responsibilities, why should I be considered a bad guy for enforcing the contract?"

Kurt shrugged. "Some people get upset about taking away someone else's dream."

I moved impatiently. "Dreams change and sometimes they disappear. Reality is everything and contracts are reality."

Kurt narrowed his eyes. "It's ruthless enough."

I avoided his accusing gaze. "I never said that forced foreclosure on Madi was a pleasure for me. I just said that I can't be classified as a bad person just because I play by the rules and work normally."

"So it's still disturbing you?" Kurt insisted.

I looked at him without answering.I have a strange conflict inside me.As if I didn't want to disappoint him with my answer.But there's no reason I should care what this guy thinks of me.

"Give me your answer to this proposal tomorrow night." I looked back at Kurt and left the restaurant full of doubts.

***

This is the consequence of my leaving the hotel without authorization.

I stared in panic at the cougar in front of me.Originally, I just wanted to take a short walk around the hotel in the evening to stretch my muscles and improve blood circulation.It was then, about half a mile from the hotel, that we came upon such a snarling beast.I didn't venture too far from the main road, so I was in total shock to see this living, brown beast standing and growling eight feet away from me.

I was so close that I could even make out its white neck and belly and the black tip of its tail.The jaw and neck of the animal looked thick and powerful, and its eyes were fixed on me as if I were its dinner.All the books I've read say that lions rarely attack adults, but the way this big cat crouches and is ready to leap leads me to believe that it certainly disagrees with those I've read.

The skin above my lips began to sweat, and I took a step back as the cat took a step forward. "Good kitty. Please go." I hated the tremor in my voice.I tried to sound calm, but my beating heart was almost taking my breath away.

This beast weighs at least 150 pounds.I can't tell if it's a male or a female, but it's not a good stubble regardless of whether it's male or female.I took another step back, and it still wanted to get closer to me again.Obviously the animal isn't going to just leave unless I can make it go.I took out the key from my coat pocket and shook it at it. Although it stretched its head as if curious about what I was doing, the sound of the clattering key did not scare it away at all.

Running away would only be a major mistake.But I can't just stand here all day and wait for this big cat to attack me or go away.So I took another step toward the road, and I got a weird, deep growl.Try to look big, it works well with bears.But does it work on cougars?

Regardless of how much I was afraid of the consequences of such an action, I raised my arms high above my head and waved them vigorously, while yelling: "Shh! Go away! Shhh!"

The big cat's response is simply to wag its tail back and forth.

I tried my best to restrain my panic, but the fact is that this animal is not afraid of me in the slightest, and I am so nervous that my heart is knotted.I thought maybe it would be a good idea to try and get the attention of passers-by.So I took a deep breath and started screaming as hard as I could. "Help! Help me!" My voice echoed in the night air, echoing repeatedly in the nearby aspen grove.But there was no response, only the gentle rustling of the leaves in the breeze, which made me feel extraordinarily alone.

Its hot eyes locked on me and the cougar took a tentative step towards me.When the beast started to move, I took a step back in horror.As a result, I stepped on a wet leaf on the ground, and with a loud bang, I fell to the ground.

Oh shit.

I instinctively realized that lying on the ground was the last thing on my mind.My point was confirmed when the big cat leaned down and snarled towards me.Its eyes were deep and alert, and its sharp teeth threatened.I struggled to get up, and at the same time the big cat jumped at me.Suddenly there was a loud noise, and the puma roared and disappeared into the thick bushes.

I squatted in place, staring intently at the direction in which the beast was escaping, not knowing what was going on, until the noise around me caught my attention.Embarrassed, I stood up to find Kurt approaching me with a rifle over his shoulder.

"Damn it. I missed it." He said coldly.

I stared at him, hoping it wasn't a dream.Kurt met my gaze and nodded, and I realized he was actually here.I had a strange urge to hug him, but I resisted it.

"I never thought I'd be this happy to see you." I glanced at the bush where the cougar disappeared, relieved.

"Are you all right?" he asked.He stopped in front of me and looked at my face.Without an answer from me, he grabbed my shoulder. "Paul? Are you hurt?"

"No." My legs were shaking and I felt dizzy, but thanks to him I was safe. "I'm fine." I tried to swallow but my throat was choked like sandpaper.It hurts where my elbow just hit the ground.I rubbed gently and he noticed.

"Are you hurting your arm?"

"No big deal." I flinched as my elbow throbbed again.

"Let me see." He took my wrist and carefully pushed up the shirt sleeve, exposing a bloody gash. "follow me."

I felt sick to my stomach at the sight of my own blood. "Damn it, I ruined my shirt what?"

"I have a first aid kit in my truck," he laughs. Kurt's voice softens. "Come on. I'll help you deal with it."

I cautiously glanced back before following him.His truck was parked a few feet away from the main road.The car stopped crookedly, as if it had braked in a hurry.He opened the passenger door and groped under the seat.Then he leaned me against the truck and pushed my sleeve up again.His touch and movements are very efficient and quick.Maybe it was because I had just fallen, and my legs went limp as his warm fingers brushed my skin.I stared at his hard jaw as he wiped the wound with alcohol swabs and put on a bandage.He smells of citrus and mint which surprised me.I thought a rough cowboy would smell of body odor and horse manure.

"Is there any pain?" He said in a low voice.

My arm was throbbing and throbbing.But I don't want to look like a weakling.My eyes wandered up to his full lips, and when he licked them, there was an unexpected allure.He's a handsome guy, and being so close to him kind of messed my mind. "No, I'm fine."

He twitched his lips and said, "You're tough enough, huh?"

I lift my chin and pull my sleeves down. "I'm from the city, but I'm not a coward."

He stepped aside and tucked the first aid kit back under the seat. "I decided to trust you. Most city folks would pull their pants down when confronted by a cougar. You have a lot of self-control."

I sneered. "Yes. I was especially proud of the scene where I fell on my back."

He smiled, so beautiful that it made my heart tremble. "nobody is perfect."

I cleared my throat and looked over to where the cougar had been. "Do you think it's safe to walk back now?"

"Not at all safe. I'll drive you back to your hotel."

"Oh." I breathed a sigh of relief.After my own tough-guy declaration, I really hate to admit it, but I was pretty apprehensive about walking back to the hotel alone. "Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you."

"No trouble." He walked to the other side of the truck, climbed into the driver's seat, and said to me with a frown, "Okay, come up quickly, unless you want to sit in the back."

I climbed into the truck and slammed the door. "I'm glad you've had a rough time." I gasped.

"I just passed by by chance and saw you going down this trail." He cleared his throat. "Several of our calves were injured, so I know there are beasts around here." He bit his lower lip. "I was just going to tell you to be careful." He smiled. "Then it turns out you found it for me."

"Should I say you're welcome?" I laughed.

"I just wish I could have killed it just now. I now I have to keep hunting it down."

"Damn, really?" I was surprised that there wasn't any tension in his voice.

"This cougar has attacked the ranch twice, and now it's attacking people. Yes, it has to die."

"Can you do it? Can't you notify the relevant departments?"

He laughed. "I would, but I'm sure they'd agree that it's a dangerous presence, given the threat it has made to your life."

"He's not afraid of me at all." I rest my head on the seat. "Things that make me glad I live in the city."

He shifted gears and glanced at me. "Aside from the cannibal cougar, it's not that bad."

"Yes, that's not counted." I sighed. "I should have been smarter and not wandering outside by myself."

"It's the beast. Usually you don't have to worry about being attacked for a walk at night. We wouldn't like living here, either."

"I agree."

"Of course, I mean, you have to watch out for snakes."

I shuddered. "Yeah, I figured I'd better stay in the hotel until I got an answer from you or Maddy."

He smiled, and I stared at his angular profile.He had a straight nose and high cheekbones.I let my eyes wander, from his square, resolute jaw to the soft, jet-black hair sweeping his collar.He was handsome, of course, and obviously a brave man, judging by the fact that he had just saved me.The more I look at him, the faster my pulse beats.Maybe it's just because he's such a rough and sexy cowboy that I'm attracted to him.I don't see a man like him very often in the city.

He turned his head to catch my gaze.I quickly look away.

"I called the guy named Frank." He hesitated.

"Really? How?"

He shrugged. "I have to admit, he sounds like someone I would hit it off with."

I don't know what that means in terms of my proposal for a tourist ranch. "Did he answer your concerns?"

"Mostly."

He parked the car in the hotel parking lot and I turned to him. "What else do you need to know? He was in financial trouble before, but that's in the past."

He parked the car, left the ignition on, and faced me.He looked at me curiously. "He said your father was a good man and really helped him out."

I squint at him. "very good."

"He also said you don't care about anything but the bottom line."

My face burned again. "He said that to you?" I don't know why this annoys me.I don't want to be friends with these people.

"He said it."

"I had a lot of respect for Frank at the time."

"I believe."

I meet his gaze. "The only reason he likes my dad is because my dad has had cancer last year and he's changed a lot. That's why he's giving Frank and Maddie these unreasonable offers."

"I can hear from your tone that you think this is a mistake."

I kept my voice even and said, "I'm just doing my job."

"Frank said you would, too."

"It's not against anyone, but if Frank thinks so, he can die."

"Calm down. I don't think you're embarrassing my grandfather out of personal grudges." He sighed. "But I think it would be better for guys like Frank and Marty if you weren't in charge." His tone was calm.

"It's funny to me that all these people love my dad all of a sudden." I stare out the windshield. "And I was seen as a cold-blooded monster."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's funny how everyone thinks my dad is a saint, given that he was like me not so long ago. Didn't they ever think that my dad made me who I am today? I was born in the womb It wasn't like that when it came out."

"Okay. But it sounds to me like your father realized something was wrong with the way he was doing things and wanted to fix it."

"Maybe." I rolled my eyes.

"But you don't seem to think your father's change is doing any good?"

"I don't think it's a long-term thing either."

He frowned. "Don't you believe people can change?"

I fiddled with the air outlet of the air conditioner while thinking about his question. "Probably. But I'm 25 now, and my dad was a heartless bastard for the past 24 years." I met his surprised gaze. "Yeah, sorry. But that's what it is. He's scared of his health issues, and now he's a man again. But I think the fear will eventually fade, and he'll go back to being who he was. If I'm stupid now with him Be gentle and sweet, and when he turns back, I'm done."

He shook his head. "Wow. Your father-son relationship is really complicated."

"It was all good until he became the kind and generous person he is now." Well, maybe it wasn't good at all.He has been very strict my whole life.But at least I know what to expect from him.

"I can say that you are wrong, will he always be like this?"

"Maybe whether he changes back or not, I'm screwed." I opened the door and looked back at him. "Why are you asking these questions?"

He shrugged. "No idea. You got my attention."

I shook my head. "If that's the case, you must be having a pretty boring time here." I closed the door and leaned against the open window. "Thank you again for saving me, I think I owe you that."

There was a smile in his eyes. "You can repay me by having dinner with me."

I frowned: "What?"

"You heard me right. Let's have dinner tomorrow night, at the steakhouse next door to your hotel. Then we'll be done. I'll tell you how my grandfather decided."

"I'm talking about the favor I owe you, which is the kind of favor that ordinary people understand."

he laughed. "But you do owe me something. It's thanks to me that I gave away your delicate little flower. I know how much you like to see debt piled up instead of wiped out, but before you pay me back, you It is owed to me."

I couldn't help laughing out loud. "Are you serious?"

"Sincerely."

"Well...well. I guess I'm going to have to know your grandfather's final decision anyway." I frowned. "What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock."

"Do you really want to have dinner with me?" I firmly believe that I have written all my doubts in my expression.

"Yes, I think."

"I don't know what's going on yet, but I think I'll see you at seven tomorrow." I turned and walked to the hotel room, ignoring the ridiculous thought of seeing him again. little excitement.