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for
trespassing and anything else I can think of. Then I’ll—”
    “Enough,” her mom interrupted. Rayne looked
at her. “I did not raise you to be a fool, and you know it. Tell them you’re
sorry right now or so help me I will get medieval all over your ass.”
    “But Mom, I—” Her mom simply put her
hands on her hips, and Rayne shut up. She turned to the Goldens and noticed
that Sanders was across Ryland’s shoulder, still out. “I’m terribly sorry for
the way I’ve acted. I can’t really have you arrested, and I’m pretty sure that
I need your business more than I need to keep you away. But I’m not going to be
his mate.”
    “You already are, love, and you know how
that works,” her mom said, coming to stand next to her. “You all are welcome to
finish whatever it is you need to do today. We can meet at my house to discuss
this matter. I’ll have dinner ready at six. And my daughter will be on her best
behavior, won’t you, Rayne?”
    Rayne nodded and went back to finish the
pots she had been working on. She was nearly finished with the first one when
the man she’d tossed around like a rag doll came in and sat down. She decided
to ignore him. It was that or piss her mom off again.
    ~~~
    Neal watched her work. He was amazed at
the artistry she exhibited in her work on the different flowers she was arranging
in the large crock. He noticed that there was another one sitting beside it,
and he wondered if these were what the first man had been waiting on.
    “I’m sorry.” She didn’t respond to him, but
he smiled. “When I came here today, it was to offer you a partnership. Ryland
said that it would be a good investment, and I have to agree with him. You have
a good head on your shoulders, and you are damned good with your record
keeping.”
    He saw her pause, but she didn’t speak.
He didn’t care, watching her was too much fun. When she bent to pick up a large
bag of potting soil, he stood to take it from her when she told him to leave
her alone.
    “I’ve been doing this for a long time
and your help is not needed. In fact, don’t you have somewhere else to be right
now?” He told her no, he liked where she was. “I can’t be tripping over you all
day. Get the hell out of here.”
    He stood up and realized that he was
bothering her, so he went out to the counter where Karin was ringing out his
mom. They were talking about how to water the flowers that she was getting and
what sort of sun they needed. He noticed that his brother was gone, but Bronwyn
was still looking around. She had another cart of plants.
    “I’ll have to have Rayne get that for
you, sir.” Neal looked at Karin and the man standing to her left. “I can’t lift
things that heavy for very far. When she comes out, I’ll have—”
    “I can get it for him,” Neal said. She
looked at his suit and he pulled off his jacket and tie. “Just tell me what it
is and I’ll get it for him.”
    Karin looked a little nervous as she
glanced at the area where her daughter was. He wanted to tell her that she and
he would come to an agreement sooner or later, but he had a feeling she
wouldn’t believe that any more than he did. She was as stubborn as he’d heard
she was.
    Neal put the twenty bags of mulch on the
two carts from the back storage area and rolled them up to the counter. Ryland
was just coming in when he offered to help the man load it into his truck. He
was dirty and sort of enjoying himself. Ryland helped him load them as the man
paid.
    “Is she really your mate or just hopeful
thinking on your part?” He told his brother both. “Yeah, I can see that. She’s
a little on the hardheaded side. And fucking amazing too. She lifted you up ten
feet without touching you.”
    “I know and dropped me from there too.” He
put the last bag in the truck and looked back at the shop. “I’m going to hang
out here today. I think she could use the help, and I need…Ryland, I hate my
job.”
    His brother nodded. “I know.