by Megan Ryder
Ty shook his head. “You’ve made a conquest, Piper. And trust me when I say that wasn’t an easy one. Were you serious about singing again?”
She cocked her head, a thoughtful look on her face. “Well, I thought about what you said, and I might want to test a few songs with the crowd, if you think it might be appropriate.”
“We’re playing all weekend, so pick your night. Are you ready to go home?”
She sighed and leaned against him, her arm snaking around his waist. “I’m tired. I’m ready.”
He settled his arm around her shoulders and didn’t even wonder why it felt right. “Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Eleven
Ty was in the barn currying Calypso when he sensed he wasn’t alone. He shifted and saw Piper in the doorway, looking a little unsure of her welcome. He gestured to the stool by the stall and resumed grooming. Instead of perching on the stool, she grabbed a brush and followed him, cleaning the horse as if she’d done this before. They got into a rhythm and Calypso leaned into the grooming, appreciating the double attention to get rid of the winter coat. Ty took care of the hooves while she combed the mane, then he led the buckskin into his stall and gave him some grain and hay. Finally, he closed the door and faced her.
“You have experience with horses.”
“At boarding school, I rode. We had to take care of our own horses, with staff for the daily stuff. We never had any at home though because we weren’t home long enough. I miss riding.” Her tone was wistful as she stroked Ghost’s nose, Tara’s white horse who had stuck his head out of the other stall to investigate the new people in the barn.
He busied himself putting away the grooming gear. “I could take you riding someday if you want. You can’t come out to a ranch and not go riding. It may not be as fancy as your boarding school horses, but we’ll make do.”
She gave him a nasty look. “If you think that matters to me, you don’t know me at all. Though, I suppose we don’t know each other, not really.”
“I suppose not.” He paused. “Did you have fun last night?”
She smiled, as if surprised by her experiences the previous evening. “I did. The band was great, and I didn’t expect to have fun singing. You have a great voice.”
His amusement immediately fled, and he shut down, busying himself with tidying up the barn, though it was already pretty picked up. “Thanks. I just sing other people’s songs. No big deal.”
“Maybe, but you bring something else to them. The other night, when I heard you in the barn, that wasn’t a song from anyone else. That was your song, wasn’t it? A song you’re writing. Are you writing it for Tara and West?”
He stiffened, bracing himself against the automatic pain that came from the thought of how badly he was failing. One week. He had one week to finish the song for Tara and West. He was no further with it than he was three weeks ago. Which was to say, nowhere. Damn it.
He faced her, keeping his expression neutral. “Maybe. What if I am?”
She stepped up to him. “I have some experience in this, you know. I could help you. What do you say we collaborate on it?”
“So, you get a new song for your album?”
She flinched as if struck. “No, this has nothing to do with my album. This is personal, just for Tara and West. It belongs to them, no one else.”
“Won’t it violate your contractual obligations, your legal ties?” His voice was snide, cutting, but he couldn’t help it. Did she truly want to help Tara and West or was she doing this for her own benefit? He owed it to Tara and West to know that for sure.
Her face paled, but she didn’t back down. “I deserve that, I suppose. But no, it won’t violate my contracts because it has nothing to do with my business. This is personal, a way for me to see if I can reinvent myself with love songs. Look, I thought this might be a nice way to work together and do something nice for Tara and West. But if you want to be an ass about it…”
She turned and stalked out of the stable, her ass swaying angrily as she walked away. Dundee lifted his head, watching as if they were playing a tennis match. Ty let his head fall against the wood of the stall, and Calypso poked his head out to investigate, gently lipping Ty’s hair, no doubt testing to see if it was hay.
Shoot, he could use the help, but if he worked with her, he wouldn’t be able to resist her, not that he wanted to. She called to him on a visceral level, and he wasn’t going to play it safe, especially not if they were going to be spending time in close quarters. Last night it was hard enough to bring her to her cabin and put her to bed alone, especially considering how sexy she was and how much she seemed to want him.
But he had a line, and drunk girls were definitely it for him.
Damn. He had to take the risk.
“Piper! Wait!” He strode out of the barn to find her waiting just outside, sitting on the ATV, her face tilted to the sun.
“Took you long enough. We’ll start tonight. My cabin. After dinner. Keep it between us.”
She sauntered away, and this time his eyes stayed firmly fixed on the gentle sway of her ass. She stopped and looked over her shoulder once and winked.
*
Piper rocked gently on the porch, one leg tucked under her as she strummed her guitar and hummed softly under her breath. The sun warmed her even as the spring breeze was cool and gentle. She had been working on this song for the past couple of days, the music just out of reach. But the key was that she could hear it again, hear the chords, the sounds she had not been hearing in months. Now she needed words. And while it seemed a daunting task, she was determined, and excited, to work with Ty on the song for West and Tara.
But first, she had a promise to keep.
She opened her phone and connected with her business manager, Darren. “Hey, Piper! I was just thinking about you. Have you had a chance to look at the songs I sent you? They’re a little different than your last album, but I think that might work. More marketable.”
Piper rested her head on the back of the chair. Crap. She’d forgotten to look at the songs, or maybe she hadn’t wanted to. She was one week off her tour. Barely. She wanted a break. Not to mention it would have been nice if he had talked to her about her thoughts, her plans, before sending her ideas. Well, that was life as a Raines. Career planning by committee.
“No, Darren. I’ve been kind of busy here.”
“What do you mean? You’re on vacation in Montana, for crying out loud. What else could you be doing besides staring at cows?”
She resisted the urge to snap something back. It wouldn’t matter. “I’ll get to it. Look, I heard a really good band last night. They have some potential.”
“In cow-punch Montana? Seriously, Piper?”
“Hey, I’m the one who helped you find The Rockin’s Country Cowboys, didn’t I? Hanging out in that small town one night, I heard them playing and called you. Their first album has done pretty well, and they’re opening for my brother on his tour. I think I’ve proven to have a good ear.”
She could hear him breathing, so he hadn’t hung up. “You have good instincts when it comes to musicians,” he finally admitted grudgingly.
“And I’ve been pretty spot-on with some of the songs, too, that I thought might not work.” She stopped the rocker with a flat foot. The songs she had been reluctant to sing, to record, had been the ones the critics panned the most. Maybe Ty was right. Maybe she should take more control over her career, direct it more rather than listen to some of the other so-called experts. Not that they weren’t smart or knowledgeable, but she shouldn’t discount herself either.
“So, you don’t like the songs I sent you.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I want to be taken more seriously in my career now. It’s time for me to take more control.”
“We can talk about that when you come back from your vacation and after you listen to the songs. I think you’ll like them.”
She sighed, under her breath. Not worth the battle right now. “About this
group?”
“Fine. Get me their demo tape. I might know someone in your area who would consider them. Unless you think they’re ready for Nashville.”
“Maybe. I’ll have to hear them some more, but they might just need more exposure before they’re ready for bigger venues. I’ll send the demo tape. Thanks, Darren.”
“Listen to the songs!”
She ended the call. It wasn’t worth it to hear him badger her anymore. As usual, she felt like nothing was accomplished. But maybe she could help someone else, someone who deserved a chance.
A bark in the distance caught her attention, and she smiled as Dundee came running over the low rise, racing toward her cabin, Ty following more slowly, this time walking rather than on an ATV. As he drew closer, she saw he was carrying something that looked like a basket or big bag. She loved up on Dundee and threw the yucky tennis ball for the dog. Lord knew how that dog had energy after a day of chasing cows.
By the time Dundee ran back, panting, Ty was at the bottom of her steps, and he rested a picnic basket on her porch.
“I hope that’s dinner you brought me and not the leftovers from your lunch.”
He grinned. “Marie was disappointed that I said we couldn’t make dinner tonight, so she sent over some of her roast beef and all the fixin’s. Hope you like beef.”
Her stomach rumbled, and they both laughed. “I guess you have your answer. Come on in and let’s eat. Then we can get to work.”
*
After dinner, they decided to stay inside since the sun had set and it was too cool and dark to really see what they were doing. Dundee stretched out in front of the gas stove on his back, snoring, while Piper got comfortable on the couch. Ty sat in the chair and fumbled a bit with the guitar, tuning and testing each string over and over until finally she reached across the open space and rested her hand gently on the neck of the guitar.
“Enough, Ty. I’m not going to judge anything. We’re going to work together on this, and I’m sure it’s great. Relax.”
He gave her a sheepish look. “I haven’t played an original song in years. I just want this to be right.”
“Years? How long, exactly?”
He shrugged, avoiding her stare. “A long time. Anyway, I think I have a melody, sort of, and some words, but they’re not quite right.”
Sensing the discomfort and hidden pain, she let it drop for now and settled back against the couch. “Why don’t you play me what you have, and we’ll go from there?”
Ty began to strum the guitar, and Piper closed her eyes to let the music wash over her. After a few moments, she sat up.
“Where did you hear that song?” she demanded, leaning forward, her hands on his knee. “Was that the song you were playing in the barn the other night?”
“Yeah. It’s not quite right.”
“No, it’s perfect. It’s been an earworm I haven’t gotten rid of since I heard it. I love it. Play some more, no words.”
He shot her a look as if about to protest then shrugged and played the chords, the sound weaving through the cabin. She settled against the couch, eyes closed, and listened, feeling the music for the first time in a long time, that sense of rightness settling in her gut. This was the song that represented her friend and the man she’d chosen to spend the rest of her life with, and the ranch where they were going to be happy, raise a family, and have a future. She could almost see it, Tara and West.
The notes trailed off way too soon, and she opened her eyes, focusing on Ty. “That was perfect. You have a real gift.”
He flushed and fiddled with his guitar. She smothered a grin. She’d grown up around musicians her whole life and had never met a man so easily embarrassed with compliments. She should be suspicious of his aw-shucks attitude. It had to be a fake, a country boy act designed to throw her off the scent of who he really was. Most guys were quick to try to impress her, to do whatever they could to get in with her family. Many of them had half the talent of this man. Yet, he seemed happy roping cows and waiting for them to give birth.
“What are you doing here when you should be in Nashville?” She couldn’t help but ask the question. There was surely a story behind him.
She half expected some sort of hard-luck story. No one ever gave him a shot. The ranch needed him. He never thought he was any good. Something along those lines. Instead, he shut down, his eyes going blank and his face freezing like a block of ice. Dundee whined from his spot on the floor and laid his head on Ty’s foot, his soulful blue eyes staring up at the man who clenched the neck of the guitar with white-knuckled intensity. He slowly loosened his fingers and let out a deep breath.
“I have responsibilities.”
That was all. A simple statement for a simple man. Yet she was beginning to think he was far more complex than he ever let on. Interesting that he brought up responsibilities when just the day before he talked about how he wasn’t sure if he had a place here, if he was doing anything more than being a hired hand while his brothers did more to support the ranch. She didn’t know much about ranching, but she knew music and he had a gift, one she wanted to hear more of.
So, she wasn’t going to push on the ranch issue right now. Focus on the music. All else would follow.
She picked up her guitar and swung it on her lap. “What key were you in? And the chords?”
He gave her a confused look and shrugged. “I don’t really know. I just kind of play by ear, honestly. I haven’t taken lessons since I was a kid.”
“Okay, play it again, and I’ll see what I can pick up.” She listened more intently, and they repeated the intro a few times until she had the basic sequence. “I think I have it. Do you have any words?”
He reached into his bag and pulled out a battered spiral notebook. He opened to a page full of scribbling and scratched-out words. “I’m still playing with them.”
She gave a low laugh. “Well, you’re way ahead of me. I’ve been struggling with this ever since Tara called and invited me to the wedding!” She caught his surprised look and nodded. “Yeah, I thought it would be nice to write a song for her, but I’ve been hopelessly blocked forever and, after being here for a few days, I think anything I would have written would have been way off anyway.”
He laid the guitar down and crossed an ankle over his knee. “Tara is not what you expected?”
She smiled. “Not at all, not the Tara I’ve seen in the past few years. And thank God for that.” She patted her leg to call Dundee over for attention. “I think she found something here, peace, not just the other half of her soul. It doesn’t matter if it didn’t fit into her plans for her life. She’s happy.”
He nodded. “Redemption Ranch has a way of doing that to people. I remember when I first came here, so many years ago now. Talk about life not turning out the way you thought.”
She cocked her head. That was an edge of pain in his voice. “Tara said you guys were all foster kids. How did you come to the ranch, if you don’t mind me prying?”
He turned haunted eyes on her, the pain still reflected inside hitting her like a two-by-four, though his words were flat, wooden. “My parents had been killed a few months prior, and I needed a place to stay. My social worker was having trouble placing me and thought this might be a good place.”
The CliffsNotes version seemed oddly unemotional, given his tightly clenched jaw and shadowed gaze. But it was better to avoid the topic for now.
He cleared his throat. “You coming to The Rock tomorrow night? We’re playing again.”
She frowned. “I think so. It’s the bachelorette party, and I assume it’s going to be at The Rock. Where else would we have it? Although I don’t think Zane is a big fan of Tara or Hailey.”
Ty laughed. “Are you kidding? He loves them. They just tend to get a little feisty when protecting their men. And yes, I remember West telling me the party was in the private room at the bar. Don’t worry; all the guys will be there to drive everyone home.”
“I didn’t think West would b
e far from Tara’s side. Maybe I’ll bring my guitar. I might get a chance to sing with you again.”
“I’d like that, and so would Zane. I think he’s counting on word of mouth getting out about you singing the other night, and bringing more people in.”
She grimaced. Great. More people to hear her possibly screw up. Yet, a part of her was excited to try singing in a more casual environment again, to see if she could capture that same excitement she had the other night, to see if it was the bar or Ty that made the night so fun.
Chapter Twelve
The next afternoon, Piper relaxed on her porch and strummed the guitar, playing with the melody and the words she and Ty had already come up with for the song. It wasn’t quite right, not yet. But they were getting there. She settled back in the rocking chair and gazed out at the gently rolling hills and mountains in the distance and sighed. There was something about the ranch that brought her peace yet also inspired her like no place else. She now understood why her parents jealously guarded their cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Maybe Tara would let her come and visit often when she was between albums.
It was that thought that naturally turned her attention to the other reason for her attraction to the ranch. Ty Evans, her current writing partner and the man she was trying to figure out. He had one of the best voices she had heard in a long time, could have a serious career in Nashville if he would just reach out and grab it, but he seemed happy singing to the cows and in the local bar occasionally, as if any of them would appreciate his talent. If he had seemed content and happy, she might be willing to let it go, but underneath his easygoing ways, she sensed a disquiet, an unhappiness with his life. When pressed, he passed it off as a by-product of the wedding and his brothers moving on, but she suspected there was more going on.
She didn’t think she was projecting her feelings, but she felt uniquely qualified to understand him.
Her phone rang next to her and she glanced to see her brother’s smiling face. Great. Her mom had sent her brother to harass her this time.