The Cowboy and The Pencil-pusher

I just met his burning eyes for a while, then tried to switch to a more everyday topic.After all, there should be a business relationship between us.I need to divert the topic from our relationship life.

"So you've been living here?" I asked in an unnaturally cheerful voice as I stirred the food on my plate.The previous discussion had kept my stomach churning and it was hard to swallow the food in front of me.

He hesitated before answering. "I was born in Texas. My family moved here when I was ten."

"A big family?"

"I'm an only child. My mother died when I was 15. After that it was just me, my father and my grandfather." He wiped the water from his glass. "Dad hasn't completely recovered from the shadow of mother's death." He raised his head with a sad smile on his lips. "It might sound weird, but his passing was almost a good thing to me. It was like they could finally be reunited."

"I see."

"is it?"

I nod. "Do you remember a lot about your mother?"

He gave a gentle smile. "Yes." There was joy in his eyes. "She is a fun and warm person. She always told me that the most important task in life is to be happy."

"Wow." I couldn't help but be jealous of the love his mom gave him.I have never felt such love from anyone.

"What about you?"

I look away. "My mother left when I was born."

"gone?"

"My birth was a rather strange event."

He frowned. "What kind of weird method?"

I smiled dryly. "I'm the product of a deal."

From the way he scratched his head, I knew he didn't understand what I was saying. "I do not understand."

I hesitated. "I'm the product of a one-night stand. My dad isn't interested in marriage, but one day he wants an heir." I cleared my throat. "So he paid a woman after he made her pregnant so she wouldn't have a miscarriage." Even my birth had to do with money. "I have no idea what kind of person she is."

"I regret that."

I looked up sharply. "It's okay, it's impossible for you to miss someone who has never met you."

He narrowed his eyes. "What I mean by sorry is that you didn't have the chance to make her acquaintance."

"Yeah, who wouldn't want to meet a woman who sold her child?" Would I be different if she was still with me?When I was a child, I wanted to know the answer very much.But most of the time now, I just hate her and what I think of her. "I saved a lot of money on Mother's Day gifts, so don't feel bad for me."

He pursed his lips and said nothing.

"My dad raised me alone." I held out my arm. "The rotten person in front of you is his achievement."

His eyes wandered over me, and then he swallowed heavily. "You're not that bad."

"I have."

He sighed. "Considering what you just told me, you're not that bad."

I squeezed out a fake sweet smile. "Then we seek common ground while reserving differences?"

"But your father has changed now?"

"It's said to be like this." I pushed the plate to the table.

"But you don't buy it?"

I drank my beer and wiped my mouth with a tissue. "I'm confused by him." Staring at the flickering red candlelight on the table, I looked up at him defiantly, "I'm honestly very angry."

"why?"

"Because he told me one thing and now he's telling me another. What should I do? It's bullshit."

"Just change with him." He said softly.

I rubbed my eyes and laughed. "Of course, no problem. I'll find something."

"Maybe this project will help too."

I raise my eyebrows. "How can it help?"

"Look out for some of the good things that have happened since you kept the Madi estate. Look closely and you might be surprised how many lives have been changed by this seemingly small thing you did."

I gritted my teeth. "Speaking of which, I would like to use the income and expenditure performance to explain everything."

"Of course, but I mean if you really want to see that this is so much more than a deal, you have to pay attention to the people involved. Not the money. I think that's what your dad does."

"Maybe."

He looked puzzled. "Do you want to be like your dad now?"

My heart was in a state of ups and downs.I knew he would probably hate me if I denied it.But exploring your feelings is not an easy task.Change takes giving and I'm not sure I have any desire to change.I was doing fine until recently when my dad started fighting with me.

Seeing that I didn't respond, he continued: "This project will benefit the whole town. We can hire more people on the ranch, which will have a direct impact on the economy of the town. The more people we hire, the more guests we can entertain." More, right? Then the tourists who visit the ranch will also go to the town to stroll and spend. This project that Madi and you cooperate will have an important impact on many families in this area. You are one of the planners."

I nodded silently.

He narrowed his eyes. "Is this nothing to you?"

"I didn't say that," I said out loud.

"Then let me ask you: If you met a man bleeding profusely in the street, would you save him?"

"What?" I asked, surprised by the question.

"I want to find out if you're wilted." His question about the bleeding of the wounded was stupid, but his expression was super serious.

I blushed. "What 'wilted'?"

"Your emotions. Maybe because you've never explored them, they've come to naught. You know, like if you never use your legs they'll shrink."

is that true?

"I have emotions." My voice grew impatient. "And yeah, if I see someone hurt I'll help them. I'm not a complete jerk."

"I never said you were an asshole."

"Well, I'd be an asshole if I didn't care about someone bleeding in the street, right?" I shot back

He grinned. "Yes."

I shook my head.

"Okay. So you still have a conscience." The corner of his mouth twitched. "Well, if we can make you feel caring for those who haven't shed blood, then we've achieved our goal."

"Go away." I lowered my face.

He smiled warmly and leaned over to me. "calm down."

"The way I work now is fine."

He sits back. "I guess you had a lot of fights with your dad?"

I shrugged one shoulder. "so?"

"Maybe you'd like to change for personal reasons—like impressing someone in LA." His eyes drifted to my lips, and a gentle thrill ran through me from head to toe. . "As for the question of whether you have a boyfriend in Los Angeles, I don't think you have given me an answer yet."

I took a deep breath, but decided to tell the truth. "It's none of your business, but I'll tell you: No. I have no one in Los Angeles who misses me. No boyfriend, no dog, no goldfish."

"No friends with guns?"

"Not never. Not never. But not often."

"now it's right."

I frown. "What's the meaning?"

"I guess your job is to be your lover, or rather, your master."

I snorted coldly and looked away. "I've been trying to keep the theme of the meal in the business sphere, whereas you keep trying to drag it into the private sphere."

"I told you, you got my attention. Besides, I have a knack for lost animals."

I couldn't help laughing out loud. "I'm not some stray animal. And if I were, what would you do? Take me home and feed me milk?"

"There are others."

I drank the beer and put the glass on the table heavily. "You're here again."

"I just want to be happy with you."

"I'm glad I can bring you joy."

He looked at me quietly, a playful smile rippling on his lips.

His intense gaze made me fidget. "Okay, I've paid back the favor I owed with a meal, and now we're settled." I was really drunk, so it was hard to take my eyes off his plump lips. "I should go back to my room."

"I'll see you off." He said jokingly. "Just in case there are lions roaming around."

His fiery gaze on me made my heart tense. "Would you like to take me back to my room, sailor?"

"why not?"

"Well, first of all I have a feeling you're going to get in trouble."

"Me? No, no, I'm just a harmless cow herder."

I smile slightly.He's so charming I can't help but smile at him. "I think I might as well go back alone, cougars are not so close to me."

"It's not fun."

"You're the first person to mention me with Fun." I grinned. "You can take that from me." I handed my credit card to Trudy as he came.

"Hey, I'll pay for it." Kurt glared at the waitress with an unhappy look on his face.

"Oh, come on."

"Eat is the one I mentioned first."

"But I'm here to thank you for saving your life, remember?"

he laughed. "I did it to make you feel guilty, and then you had to come and eat with me."

"Well, your goal has been achieved."

He looked at me. "Since we will work together on the ranch project, I will still have the opportunity to treat you to dinner."

"I guess the more time you spend with me, the less you'll think about it." I signed the receipt Trudy brought.

"You underestimated your own charm."

I snorted. "How can you underestimate something that doesn't exist at all?"

He stared at me. "No. There are. It's just very well hidden, but there are."

I shook my head and stood up. "rest early."

He sat without moving, just looked at me. "See you later, Paul."

I nodded, turned and walked towards the exit.When I turned back, Kurt was watching me with a curious smile.