5

The rest of the trip was in relative peace. Though many of the people who worked at the company came up to talk to Micha he was easily dismissive of them. They all tried to ice her out of the conversations if they even were responded too. Sophia almost wasn’t to laugh at some of the attempts to get his attention from the women around her. They were damn near throwing themselves at him. They had changed the way they had dressed by unbuttoning their shirts to reveal what they all thought was their best assets before moving up the near empty cabin to get to first class to talk to him.

“So, Mr. Moran what do you think we will have to do there at the ranch?” Miss Goodin asked as she perched herself on the seat next to him as she leaned forward.

“Some ranch things,” Micha replied without looking up at her. He was more interested in rereading the airplane’s safety card which he had in front of him for each of the encounters.

“Like riding horses?” the woman prompted and he nodded.

“Sure, probably,” Micha said with a slight chuckle.

“I am sure I would like riding one of mighty beasts. I do so like riding something unruly like that.” She said with a smile.

“I am sure that most of the horses are rather tame as they have been broken many times over,” Micha said. “Those would be more your taste anyway. I don’t you could really handle anything that unruly in regards to an animal like that.”

“Well now.” She said as she realized the insult being thrown back at her. Though it had been so subtle he wasn’t sure she would understand it. Sophia laughed at it.

“It isn’t like your new toy could handle anything better. “ Miss Goodin said as she stood and adjusted her shirt back to be normal and then headed back to her seat.

“Do you like pissing them off?” Sophia asked as she looked at him.

“I never realized that they were all throwing themselves at me like that before. The double entendre of riding a fantastic beast wasn’t their style yesterday. I really do have to wonder how long they all had to work on the same pick up line. For them it was probably near to the two weeks they knew about the trip.” Micha said with a laugh. “They all seem so alike.”

“Well they are. That is what the business world wants you know.” Sophia said, “It wants it’s men to be strong and strong-minded and ruthless really but women are supposed to be just as cut-throat but they have to do it in a more subtle manor. I am honestly glad I have to crunch numbers versus deal with the people. I can’t be like that.”

“I see that.” He said with a smile that seemed genuine for him. “Farm girls don’t have to show how strong they are, they just are. You intrigue me. Not many real farm people can make the leap to the business world.”

“It wasn;t easy. I mean I knew everything that happened on the farm. It was something you had to know. How to work with the different vendors that came in and be able to handle anything that happened with one of the animals no matter what they were. In this world you have to know how to do your job and that is it. No one wants to talk to you or know how you did what you did. you just have to know how handling your job yourself.” Sophia replied. “There is no overlap.”

“Do you think there should be one?” he asked now trying to understand her thought process.

“I think there should be some central thing that everyone can collaborate on to help the office have some personality. It should also have some interaction.” Sophia said. “So if you have to have someone step in and do something out of their comfort zone they are at least prepared for the job.”

“I think I am understand what you are saying,” Micha said as he thought about it. The idea was different in the way that she described it but it could work and make things better. “First thing is first though. We need to break the men of their behavior to make it more of an equal playing field. No one should feel that they have to sleep their way to the top.”

“That would be a good thing to do first,” Sophia said flatly.

“I had no idea it was like that. To be honest I thought I had the practices in place to stop that from happening. People I thought I could trust in place. That is a legal headache I really don’t want to deal with.” Micha said as he chuckled. “And for that I failed miserably. I guess this trip will be a good tool to break them like a horse.”

“possibly,” Sophia said. She knew what people would see with her being so close to him. She knew the comments and treatment for her was going to get worse before it got better. She was trying to steady herself for that as well.

“It won’t be as bad as you think.” He said as he looked over her. “Trust me on that.”

“You have no idea what it is going to be like,” Sophia said as she shook her head. “Basically instead of helping me like you thought you were doing you placed a huge bullseye on my back.”

“Sophia you know as well as I do you are probably worth ten of each of them. Come on farm girl now it is time to show everyone what it is like to grow up with that responsibility on your head.” Micha replied as he took her hand in his and squeezed slightly. “I have faith in you being stronger than them any day. I also don’t on planning throwing you to the wolves to have to deal with it on your own, either. Some changes will have to be made to the plans that were drawn up but I can do that easily.”

“what plans?” Sophia asked looking her question.

“The housing and the cattle drive,” Micha said. “Both were supposed to be divided by the sexes.”

“And now?” Sophia asked as she looked at him.

“I still think they should be divided by the sexes and the ranks with a few exceptions,” Micha replied with a shoulder shrug.

“What are the exceptions?” Sophia asked.

“Easy. You and me.” Micha said as he shook his head. “One you are going to help me with my parents and also to see that this is done in a good and easy manner. So I need you close.”

“Micha I never agreed to help you,” Sophia said with a slight smile as she shook her head.

“Yes you did.” he said with a laugh, “You just didn’t realize it.”

“Fine but you plan on housing us separately?” Sophia asked.

“There are two large cabins in a dormitory-style. I thought the junior personal could be housed in those.” Micha said and Sophia was nodding her head. “There are seven single cabins. I thought the executives could be housed in those.”

“Alright.” She said.

“However now I want to have a draw to see who gets what cabin except for one,” Micha said. “The cabins can sleep six each. You and I will have one. The rest can fight for the others.”

“And the cattle drive?” Sophia asked.

“People will have to compete to gain a spot on that. That was always the plan but you will have a spot on it regardless next to me. I need to know there is someone else I don’t have to watch over in handling a horse or the cattle. You will also give the illusion to my family that we are together. A farm girl would be their dream for me.” Micha said with a laugh. “Even just a dairy farmer. You would understand the ranch and the going on without having it explained to them.”

“I could see that.” Sophia said with a laugh, “So what do you want to change for the drive?”

“The things required for it.” He said with a deepening grin. “you see they have to be on their best behavior at all times.”