Running for love [ captainswan ]

Hired

Emma Nolan sighed. It had been a long, hard and not to mention, incredibly hot day. She had been working in the stables for hours, woke up early for her daily run. And now she was sitting next to her mother. Looking at paper work.

"Emma. Em. Focus please?" Mary Margaret couldn't help but smirk a little bit.

"Sorry mom, it's just... I've had a long day, I spent hours mucking out the stables now Marco is sick. I trained with three horses today, and I didn't even get to ride Zeus yet." She whined a bit, but in all honesty, she had been working hard.

Mary Margaret, who mostly was called Snow from when she was young and everyone thought her skin looked like Snow, sighed. "Emma. Paperwork is more important."

"I know... I know.. Why can't Neal just do all this?" She stared down at the papers. There were numbers, a lot of numbers. She was glad it was summer break, but no, her mom found a way to have her still work with numbers...

"Leave him all the paper work, Em he loves spending time with the horses too. You need to learn this."

Emma put her face into her hands. "I know," she mumbled. "But it is so much, Neal is smarter, he knows this stuff. I suck at this."

"Em, you don't suck. You just gotta learn." She smiled at her youngest. [ I made Neal the older brother bc I liked it better that way ]

Emma nodded and continued helping her mother, eventually she understood things a bit better. Bae used to help her with numbers, no. Don't even think about him, he turned his back on you. Emma sighed. It had been six months since Bealfire left me, and I am not about to bring him back into my mind. But what then happened, well, let's say that could keep her mind occupied. No no no! No romance Emma!

"Last but not least, this is the office, Snow is here most of the time." The door opened to show David walk in, with another man, let's say in his 20's, like her brothers age, his hair was ruffled, and his deep blue eyes found hers. Shit! Look away.

Emma quickly let her eyes fall down to the paper she was working on.

"This is my wife, Mary Margaret and my daughter Emma." He smiled.

Her mom stood up, and gave him a hand. "You must be Killian, I'm so glad you're here."

"The pleasure is all mine, ma'am." An Irish voice came out, fuck. That voice, it made her feel all wobbly inside. His eyes found hers again. Damn.

"Uh, hi, how're you doing?" Emma said finding her voice again.

"Very well," he winked at her. "You okay?" He asked a bit concerned.

"Yes, why...?" She looked down to see she had been holding her pen really right, it had cracked a little, ink leaking all over her hand. "Fuck.." She muttered, quickly grabbing a tissue dapping her paperwork. This is so embarrassing, great first impression Emma, just absolutely great.

Killian laughed. "You gotta strong hand there, love."

Emma blushed, "that's what you get when you've worked with horses all your life." She smiled a bit shy.

Snow, who had been helping Emma clean up, shot her daughter a questioning look. "So how do you like the stables here?" She asked trying to change the subject. Emma saw her mothers look, she knew, she so knew, great work Emma, let your mother know you think a guy is so..- She looked up at Killian- smoking hot.

"It's amazing, everything looks great." Killian smiled.

Her father, who had been looking for some papers came back. "Killian, all I need is your signature here and you're as good to go."

Signature? What signature. Emma tried to look at the paper and then watched Killian. "Uhh mom?" She whispered, still looking over at Killian

"Oh sorry honey," Snow turned to her daughter. "We forgot to mention, now Marco is sick, we've got a new stable hand."

"Glad to help." Killian winked at her, giving the pen back to David. Why does he keep winking! What if her dad saw! Not that she minded, because there was nothing going on, nothing! He was just a random guy, who will be helping them around on the ranch, and is extremely hot. Stop! Stop thinking like this Em, you don't do romance.

"I hope you'll find your place here." David gave him a strong handshake, he put the papers away and led Killian outside, explaining more about the ranch.

"He is handsome." Snow smirked towards her daughter.

Emma sat down. Going back to work, but before doing so. "I don't know what you mean." She quietly said, smirking a bit.