Ready for the Rancher

by Zuri Day

  “Interesting,” Adam said. He shifted and sat up against the headboard. “The guy who came to dinner, Luke, works there, too. He said the two were as close as brothers and that if there were more openings at the plant, I should give him serious consideration.”

  Again, Ryan kept silent. The best thing she could say about Luke Johnson was nothing at all.

  “What do you think?”

  Adam had done the very thing she’d been afraid of—sought out her opinion. “I’m probably not the best person to ask,” she finally said.

  “You don’t like him.” His accuracy surprised her. It showed on her face. “I saw your reaction to him the other night.”

  “No, but it’s for personal reasons.”

  Adam’s countenance darkened quickly. “Did he do something to hurt you?”

  “No.”

  “Something unethical?”

  Ryan shook her head. “It all happened a long time ago, before I left for college. I hadn’t seen him for years.”

  “I get the feeling you were fine with that, not seeing him.”

  “I never knew him very well and what I did know...yeah, not impressed.”

  “The way he eyed you as though you were a barbecued rib made me want to punch him.”

  Ryan smiled. She knew the statement was made because guys were naturally territorial, not because of any special feelings that he had for her. But it sounded good anyway.

  “Dennis knows his way around a slaughterhouse, that’s for sure. Their facility is larger than the one we’ve designed, and handles more livestock. So when it comes to general overall experience, I believe he’d be a good fit.”

  Ryan nodded.

  “What do you think about my hiring him? Is he someone you’d recommend?”

  Ryan couldn’t tell him what she really thought. So she made light of the moment. “Seriously, you’re asking me about someone’s qualifications to work in meatpacking?”

  “Well, stated that way it does sound crazy.” Adam finished his juice, put down the glass and looked beyond her, and it seemed beyond anything he could see from the tall, paneless windows.

  “I’ve always liked your brother, you know?”

  “Because he defended you, right?”

  “He did.”

  “Why were the guys teasing you?”

  The question was simple but from the subtle yet unmistakable change in Adam’s demeanor, the answer was not.

  He pinned her with a hard look and said, “Growing up, I suffered from dyslexia. I was almost seventeen years old when it was finally diagnosed.”

  Ryan saw that it wasn’t the man but a little boy that answered, the one that her brother had protected. The pain in his voice hurt her heart. “You have dyslexia,” she gently corrected. “But you don’t have to suffer from it.”

  “Why? Do you think you can heal me? Will it go away if I eat the right foods?”

  “I don’t know,” Ryan said. “But I can try to help you.”

  Adam placed the containers they’d set on the bed back on the tray and pulled the tie on his robe. “I know a way you can help me,” he said, once again reaching for the hem of her dress. “And this requires no reading at all.”

  Ryan had planned to have another conversation, the one where she said this was it and they couldn’t see each other romantically anymore. But she followed his lead and allowed the distraction. She understood the need he felt to run away from what shamed him. She’d been forced to do the same. If he discovered her secrets, who knew? Maybe he’d want to get away again...from her.

  Ten

  Adam stanched a yawn as he entered the barn that contained the offices of Breedlove Ranch. Ryan hadn’t left his private hotel suite until Monday dawned. Halfway through forty winks he had to get up to attend a 7:00 a.m. business breakfast, fortunately located in the hotel, followed by one meeting after the next. His late lunch had been a sandwich at his desk while on a conference call with the architects and construction company handling the CANN Island build in Djibouti, an ambitious project dreamed up by his brother Christian and on track to be completed within the next twelve months. He’d handled a slew of correspondence with his secretary before dashing out to not be late for his own meeting. Hiring a manager for the processing plant was top of the agenda. He’d spoken with Stan, the ranch manager, on Friday and sent over Dennis’s résumé to be reviewed. He knew there were at least two other well-qualified candidates in the running. The sooner the decision was made on who to hire, the better he’d feel about meeting their projection of shipping out the first orders of Breedlove Wagyu at the first of the year.

  While clearly qualified and Adam’s first pick, Dennis wasn’t quite the man that Adam remembered. Life seemed to have hardened the guy he used to call Washboard. A cloud of cynicism hung over his life. Adam would have liked the opportunity to speak with people Dennis worked with other than Luke. He didn’t doubt that his old friend was good at his job, but Breedlove Beef would be no ordinary slaughterhouse. The same care and attention given to raising the cattle would be demanded in how the facility was run and how the meat was processed. A bad batch of beef could ruin a farm. Quality was everything. Loyalty to the Breedlove brand, paramount. The Dennis from back in the day had stood up for him and had his back. Would he have the same devotion to Adam’s company and Breedlove Beef? Could he be trusted with the most important position Adam had to fill since starting the company five years ago?

  Adam took the steps two at a time and entered the room at the top of the landing. Stan was already there, along with a few of the company’s board members including Wally Martin, Henry Tolliver and his grandmother Jewel’s husband, Adam’s Native American stepgrandfather who knew land, cows and horses better than almost anyone, Will Yazzie Breedlove.

  Stan, who ran the ranch the way he used to run his military platoon, made a show of checking his watch.

  “You’re late.”

  “I’m a minute early.”

  “That’s what happens when you keep time with a foreigner’s watch. You need one of these.” Stan held up his arm to show off a chunky black watch with a thick band. “Something made in America.”

  “Sure thing,” Adam replied, not giving his manager the chance to sing the praises of his country the way he knew Stan wanted to do. The guy was a patriot to his soul, one whom Adam highly respected. It was men like him who filled the forces that helped keep the country safe.

  Adam sat down, crossed a leg over his knee and looked around the table. “Okay, let’s get right to it. We all know why we’re here. We need to hire a plant manager ASAP. On Friday, I visited Bakersfield Meat Packing, managed by an old friend of mine. It’s a big operation, larger than ours. I think he’d work well for us. Stan, what were you able to find out on Dennis Washington?”

  Stan picked up the paper in front of him. “Looks good on paper, for sure. I appreciate that he’s a military man. Nothing too serious came up on his background check. He likes speed and has a number of traffic violations to prove it. His credit isn’t the best, which tells us he manages a plant better than he does his bank account. Speaking of the plant, did you know that he no longer works there?”

  “No, I didn’t. When did he leave, and why?”

  “I’m not sure,” Stan answered. “HR could confirm that he’d worked there as the manager but for legal reasons wouldn’t tell me how or why he left. Luke Johnson, a coworker at the plant and one of his references, says he recently resigned but another source said he was fired.”

  This information blindsided Adam. Just the Friday before, Dennis had given the tour of Bakersfield Meat as though he owned the place. Had something happened over the weekend? Did Dennis believe the job at Breedlove was a fait accompli?

  “What’s your overall impression?” he asked Stan.

  “I’m leaning toward the guy from North Dakota. He’s older, more seas
oned, a solid cattle rancher. But there’s no denying that when it comes to meatpacking plants, Dennis Washington knows his stuff.”

  Discussion continued. Adam listened to everyone’s opinion and then made his decision. They hired Dennis Washington. He told himself that it was because he knew Dennis, because his old friend was highly qualified and the position must be filled quickly. That he had a very attractive sister who was never far from his thoughts had nothing to do with it. That’s what he told himself. But it did.

  * * *

  By the eve of her birthday, Ryan was exhausted. She’d spent the week traversing one end of Las Vegas to the other, handing out flyers and setting up her portable massage chair in malls, stores and casinos to perform various types of hands-on healing to drum up business for Integrative Healing. Earlier today she and Brooklyn had attended an Oktoberfest event. Much of the crowd had drinking and celebrating on their mind, but Brooklyn’s angel readings were popular and Ryan had rubbed more necks and shoulders than she cared to count. She turned down an invite from Brooklyn to Johnny’s concert, and when Adam texted not long after, said no to him, too. But now, two hours later, full, showered and relaxed, she wished she hadn’t turned him down so quickly. Having had a tiring day was only part of it. The other part of it was feeling the walls closing in on her. Dennis got the job and was moving to Vegas. Her mother had left a message to not muck it up for him. If her adopted mom only knew. Her “mucking” probably helped him get the job! Would his being so close impact her personal decisions of trying to build a relationship with Phyllis and find her birth father?

  Ryan decided not to call Adam. Instead, after tossing the phone on the couch, she punched a pillow to put behind her head and grabbed the remote with the hopes of getting lost in someone else’s story. The next thing she knew she woke up to find the movie over and the TV watching her. Guess she hadn’t needed company after all. She shed her clothes, crawled between the covers and was quickly back asleep.

  Hours later, when the doorbell rang, Ryan didn’t move immediately. She thought she was dreaming. It rang again. Her eyes blinked open. She looked toward the window, where dim shards of light eased from the space around the edges of the blinds. It was almost still dark outside.

  What time is it?

  “Just a minute!” Throwing back the covers, Ryan snatched a robe from the foot of the bed and hurried toward the door. One look out the peephole and her heart melted. Someone had sent her flowers!

  She opened the door, wondering who could they be from. No one from her family, she knew for sure. Dennis rarely remembered her birthday and she’d received a card from her parents earlier in the week. Brooklyn, maybe?

  “Hi.”

  “Ryan Washington?”

  “Yeah, that’s me.”

  “These are for you.”

  “Wow!” The bouquet was even bigger and more beautiful than it appeared through the peephole. The vase alone was huge.

  “Do you need help getting it inside?”

  “No, I think I’ve got it. Hold on, though, and I’ll get you a tip.”

  “That’s already taken care of. Enjoy your day.”

  Ryan set the arrangement down on the first available table and looked for an envelope. It was hidden within the abundance of greenery. She opened it up and pulled out the card inside it.

  Flowers pale in comparison to your beauty, but I hope these will brighten your morning. If you have a couple of hours today, I’d love to spoil you with a little R&R. Call me. Adam.

  Ryan took another look at the flowers, bent over and inhaled their heavenly scent. It would be really easy to fall for Adam, she decided. But she couldn’t, especially now that Dennis was moving here and they’d be working together so closely. For the best, she decided, returning to her room and flopping on the bed. Getting Integrative Healing off the ground would and should be her singular focus. When trying to build one’s own empire, who had time for cowboys?

  She fluffed up the pillows behind her, lay back and tapped her cell phone screen. Said cowboy answered at once.

  “Good morning, birthday girl!”

  “Good morning.”

  “Or maybe girl isn’t the right choice. Maybe I should have said birthday woman, or lady.”

  “I prefer birthday goddess.”

  “Ha! You are that,” Adam replied, his voice slipping an octave, making Ryan feel all girlie inside.

  “Thank you for the flowers. They’re amazing.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Even if you had them delivered earlier than the bird that got the worm.”

  “Ha!”

  “Just kidding. It was very thoughtful of you. I appreciate it.”

  “There were two reasons why I had them delivered now. One, in case you had plans they could arrive before you left home. Two, if you don’t have plans, you could join me here, at the ranch. I’m going riding in an hour and would love for you to join me.”

  “What kind of riding?” Ryan purposely asked the question in a way that could hold many meanings, as though she hadn’t told herself just moments ago that the two had no future together. Her willpower had been strong, her decision firm. And then she’d heard that sexy voice. Dammit.

  “There’s certain types of riding I welcome at any time.” Ryan smiled at the inflections in Adam’s voice, leaving no doubt as to what kind of riding he meant. “But right now,” he continued, “I meant horse riding. It occurred to me that I’d never invited you out for one of my favorite pastimes.”

  “Horse riding. That sounds so...highbrow.”

  “That’s probably because of the cost of maintaining horses, which can be expensive. But spending time with, taking care of and bonding with horses is one of the best experiences any human being could have, and there are ways for anyone to enjoy that, no matter their social or economic status.”

  “They’re beautiful animals.”

  “Have you never ridden a horse before?”

  “Never.”

  “I’ll send a car over and you’ll see that it’s the perfect way to start the day.”

  “Just text the address instead. I’d rather have my car to run errands afterward.”

  An hour later, Ryan pulled her car up to the grand wrought iron entrance. A friendly-looking gentleman came out of the guardhouse located just outside the gate. She looked around at the picturesque scene and tried to imagine actually living here. She couldn’t.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Washington,” the guard said.

  Ryan didn’t try to hide her surprise. “How do you know my name?”

  “Adam informed me of your imminent arrival and my need to provide directions for you to get to his ranch.”

  He handed her a square white card that contained a map of the estate. She could see where a pen had been taken to highlight the route to Adam’s house.

  “It’s a lot of land and can feel intimidating, but if you head straight down this road, all the way, then take a left here, and a right by the pond, you’ll see the arch for Breedlove Ranch. Can’t miss it from there.”

  “Thank you.”

  Ryan entered the estate, her eyes widening as they took in the sheer beauty of the land. The grass was the most uniform shade of green she’d seen outside of Astroturf. Pristine didn’t begin to describe her surroundings. She didn’t see a speck of dirt out of place, an errant leaf on the ground. And were those peacocks? Her jaw dropped.

  Ryan was emotional by nature and by the time she reached Adam’s spread, the estate’s beauty had almost brought tears. She drove under the arch and down to where she saw Adam looking like a cowboy ad again, his booted foot on a plank of fence, a kerchief around his neck. Beyond him, two horses trotted in a corral. Farther away, cows dotted the landscape. Seeing them sobered her a bit. They were leisurely grazing when she knew how their story would end.

  As she pulled in, Adam
walked over. “Hello.”

  “This place is amazing,” Ryan said, as they hugged. “The other night I could feel that the area was vast, but to see it in the daytime? Wow.”

  “Did you have any trouble finding me?”

  “No, but only because I had a map, the first time needing one after arriving at my destination.”

  Adam smiled, stepped back and whistled. “Whoa, girl. Look at you wearing those jeans!”

  He reached out and felt the denim. “The material is a bit thin, though. I hope they’ll be okay.”

  “We’re riding horses, right, not bucking broncos?”

  “Ha! I guess you’ve got a point.” He checked out her sneakers. “These will do for today but we’re going to have to get you a pair of boots.”

  “Anything else, fashion stylist?”

  He gave her a once-over that warmed her blood. “That’s all for now. Come on, so I can introduce you to Biscuit.”

  The horse was beautiful, the landscape breathtaking, the riding easy. Ryan enjoyed it more than she’d imagined. Back at the house Adam’s actions made it clear that he was interested in a different kind of ride. An afternoon of lovemaking was tempting. Adam’s sexual prowess would have been the perfect birthday present. But doing so would have only prolonged the inevitable.

  She eased herself from Adam’s embrace and took a few steps to put distance between them before turning around.

  “There’s no denying our sexual compatibility. You are totally intoxicating.”

  Adam walked over to a chair and sat down. “I think I hear a ‘but’ coming.”

  “But...” Ryan smiled as she sat on an opposite chair. “This is a very busy time for both of us. I’m getting my practice ready to open and next week you’ll be orienting a new employee—my brother.”

  “Does his moving here bother you? Or is it that he’ll be working for me?”

  “A little bit of both, but mainly it’s that you and I agreed that our getting together would be fun, casual and uncomplicated. I’m not sure that by continuing to see you it can stay that way.”