Page 7 of Her Royal Cowboy Billionaire

A young man entered the barn and walked over to Michele. “Do you want me to take care of the horses?”

She smiled at him. “Thanks, Rudy. I’d appreciate it. I want to take Mr. Fedorov inside. Erin has to show off her ribbons.”

The young man smiled. “Hey, she earned those. Isn’t that right, sweet pea?” He held a hand up, palm out, for a high five.

Erin grinned and slapped a palm against his. “That’s right.”

“Okay, you two. Thanks again, Rudy.” Michele turned to Alex. “Let’s go inside now. We can get some tea, and you can see her ribbons.”

They exited the barn and headed for the house.

Alex caught the scent of newly mowed hay. “Do you raise hay, too?”

“Oh, no. I don’t have enough time, land or water for that. You’re smelling the load of hay I got this morning. It’s behind the barn.

As they approached the house, a couple of barn swallows flew from under the overhang above the door.

“Darn birds. I tried chasing them off. They had to put their nest right above the door.” Michele shook her head. “Every time I’d take it down or move the nest they would build it back. I decided to just get used to cleaning bird poo off my porch.”

“They can be difficult. Why are they not in your barn though?”

“There’s already a pair in there. I guess they don’t like to share.”

They entered through the side door which faced the barn.

As Alex entered, he noticed that, though the home was older, it had been well cared for…well-loved.

“I’m updating the kitchen now. The appliances started going out one after the other and I wanted a dishwasher put in, so things had to be changed.”

Alex walked with his hands clasped behind his back, as was his usual way. “Do you like your home?”

Michele nodded. “Yes, very much.”

“Then that is all that is needed.”

She held Erin’s hand and patted the top of it. “We like our house, don’t we, sweet pea?”

“Yup.”

“I bet you do. I understand you grew up here, Miss Erin.”

She nodded her head very fast. “Since I was a baby.”

Alex smiled. “How old are you now?”

“I’m six. I’ll be seven soon.”

“It’s very good to grow up in the same place where you live. I did the same. My parents have been in the home they have now since they were married.”

Michele leaned a hip against the island in the middle of the kitchen that was just a frame so far. “I’m sure you know about renovation as well. It’s quite dusty.” Michele coughed and waved her hand in front of her to disburse the dust. “They are replacing the cabinets and combining the kitchen and dining rooms into one big room. I wanted this island in the kitchen with the sink in it and the dishwasher, then I’ll have lots more counter space. But that requires plumbers, and well, there is just a lot of change when you renovate.”

He nodded.I can’t very well tell her I was brought up in a palace and there were few renovations done, and any that were the family left for the time they were being done.“I am sure it will be lovely when you are done.”

“I hope so, or I’m putting up with all this dust for nothing. And we’re eating way too many frozen dinners since the microwave is our only cooking method at the moment.”

Alex chuckled. “I was wondering how I would get to see more of you; now I know. Please let me take you both to dinner. Twin Bluffs has a fine steakhouse and I hate to go there alone.”

Michele was quiet for a moment. Her mouth pursed as though in thought.