“We’re just leaving,” Melissa said. “Could you bring tea for three to the office? We have some things to discuss.”
“I’ll put the kettle on.”
“Jimmy?” Melissa summoned him with a look.
He helped her to her feet. “Follow us, John,” he said as he guided Melissa toward the office. Jimmy unlocked the door and led her to the sofa. She sat demurely, waiting for the men to sit.
“John, come in and close the door,” she said. “Aaron will know where to find us if the kids need anything.”
He stepped into the office, closing the door softly behind him, then crossed the room to take a seat facing Melissa. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything. For starters, why are you traveling with your grandchildren when it’s clear you don’t have enough money to care for them properly?”
John hung his head, his posture one of defeat. When he looked up, his eyes were filled with pain. “My wife died two years ago, hit by a drunk driver. Last summer, my son, Jacob and his wife, Nancy, were out boating when a storm came up. Their boat capsized. They loved the water and both were good swimmers, but they were no match for such a powerful storm. The coast guard found them later that day. It was their fifteenth anniversary. I’ve had the kids ever since.”
“Oh, John! I’m so sorry to hear that. You must have been devastated,” said Melissa. “Had they provided for their children at all?”
“Yes. Jake had life insurance that his executor locked into a trust fund for the children. They can’t access it until they’re twenty-five.”
“That’s too bad. It sounds as if you could use some of it to provide for them now.”
“It’s been a hard couple of years, for sure. Mama lived with us and her pension helped keep us afloat, but when she died and I lost my job, well, it was the beginning of the end. Mama’s room…” His voice broke. “I couldn’t bear to go in there for the longest while, but when the bank served me with foreclosure papers, I had to sort through her belongings and decide what to keep. That’s when I found my birth certificate. I also found love letters between her and Bill that spanned three years. I’ll show them to you if you want to see them. They’re in the car.”
“What a run of bad luck you’ve had. Have you any other family?” she asked.
“Yes, a daughter, Maria. She’s married and has four kids of her own. Her youngest two still live at home and her oldest daughter lives in Maria’s basement apartment. I put my furniture and most of our personal belongings in storage and we’ve been staying at Maria’s, but it’s so crowded. That’s when I knew I had to contact you.”
Sheila knocked once before entering with a loaded tea trolley. “Aaron came into the kitchen looking for you. He told me the kids were thirsty. Thanks for giving me a heads up on that.”
“Sorry, Sheila. So much has happened so fast.”
“That’s all right, Missy. I took care of them young’uns. Made me a little later getting here with yours, though.”
“Thank you. It looks lovely.”
“Want me to pour?” she asked.
“I’ll take care of it, Sheila,” Jimmy said, rising and crossing the room.
“Good. Do the boss lady good to get waited on once in a while.” Sheila said. “I need to get back to the kitchen. Help yourselves to the snacks. If you need anything else, send Jimmy.”
Jimmy’s eyes darned near glazed over at the array of cookies, squares, and donuts piled high on a plate.
“Sheila, you have got to marry me,” he declared.
“Any time you’re ready, handsome,” she said before sashaying to the door, where she turned, bestowed a bold wink on Jimmy, and left the room.
He howled with laughter. “She’s a real charmer.”
“So I see,” John said, although he didn’t share in the laughter.
Jimmy poured and passed the cups around, then filled a plate for her.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling as he placed it on the end table beside her.
Jimmy went back to fill a plate for himself. “Help yourself, John.”
Once they had their plates filled with goodies from the tray, he and John resumed their seats.
Melissa fixed John with a steady gaze. “What did you hope to gain by coming here?”
“Roots, an extended family. I didn’t expect you to welcome me with open arms, but I had hoped. As I told you before, I grew up on a cattle ranch. There’s not much I don’t know about running a ranch. I could be a big help to you.”
“We don’t run cattle here. We raise and train thoroughbreds.”
“I know. I researched the place on Maria’s computer before I contacted you. I’m a hard worker, Melissa. I’m not looking for charity, just a job and a share in what’s rightfully mine.”
She avoided the last and turned to her accountant. “Jimmy, you’ve been awfully quiet. Thoughts? Questions?”
He spoke from behind the desk. “Were you in here yesterday?”
John turned beet red. “Yes, Tommy sneaked away from the cabin while I was out hunting rabbits. I still don’t know how he made it this far, but I found him in the office, sitting at the desk, and hustled him out of here. How did you know?”
Jimmy grinned. “He managed to erase a full day’s work on the accounts.”
“Ah, darn. Sorry about that. Anything I can do to help?”
Melissa laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Jimmy will straighten it out. I have the same problem. Aaron slips in here sometimes and creates havoc. That’s why we keep it locked now.”
John looked confused. “Then how did Tommy get in?”
“Melissa called out needing my help. In the rush, I forgot to lock up.”
“Understandable. Geez, after all this, you probably won’t want us around at all. Not a good first impression.”
“Life happens,” said Jimmy. “Other than ranching, what else have you worked at?”
Melissa shot him a curious look, but remained silent, wondering where his question was leading.
“I was the manager at a production facility in San Diego for over twenty years. It came as quite a shock when they shut down.”
“Why did they close?” Jimmy asked.
“A big conglomerate, our competition, bought us out and closed the place. No warning, no severance pay, nothing.”
“Do you have a résumé? References?” Jimmy asked.
John nodded. “In the car.”
Clueing in to Jimmy’s intention, Melissa spoke. “If your credentials check out, I may have a position to offer you,” she said. “Think you could run a racetrack?”
“Cars?” John asked.
“No, horses.”
John brightened as if a light bulb had gone off. “Are you talking about Dehavilland Downs in Kentucky? It’s yours?”
Melissa smiled, encouraged by his excitement. “That’s the one. I need a new manager. Interested?”
“Interested? Oh, yeah. The wife and I won a trip to Kentucky a few years back. We visited the track while we were there. I loved it. What happened to your manager?”
“I fired his butt for stealing from me—my ex-husband. The assistant manager is running things right now, but he admits to being in over his head. What do you think?”
“I’d love to take it on, but what about the kids and a place to live? Travel expenses, and such? We managed to make it here, but I just don’t have enough money to get us that far, let alone get set up.”
“I own a house near the track. The current tenant, my ex, will be out by the end of the month.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal. When do I start?”
“Like I said, it depends on how your references check out. I can’t just blindly hire someone off the street, even if we are related. This is a big money business and I have to make certain that whoever I hire will be up for the task. Besides, we still have the mess with the lawyers to sort through. I’ll have to get back to you on the position.”
“Sounds good, but what do I do in the
meantime?”
“I’d like you to stay at the ranch. You can remain in the line shack until I hear from my lawyer. It’ll give us time to get to know each other better. You can work with the wranglers to pay for your keep.”
“Thank you.” John turned toward Jimmy. “And thank you for herding us down here today, young man. I may not have liked your method, but I’m awed at the outcome.”
“Glad it worked out for you.”
“I honestly didn’t connect the track to this family. Is it part of the ranch’s holdings?”
“No, the track belonged to my parents. They loved horses, but didn’t want to ranch. It’s mine now. Has been for a few years. We have an auditor there now, going over the books to see what kind of shape it’s in.”
“He’s a good man and will work with you to get the track running at full speed again. Pardon the pun.” Jimmy popped a cookie into his mouth.
“I think that about wraps things up,” Melissa said. “Jimmy, would you ask Sheila to come here?”
“Sure thing.”
He opened the door and she saw all three kids racing down the hall.
“Hey, what gives? Where’s the fire?” Jimmy asked as he held out a hand to halt their forward motion.
Aaron stopped and turned. “No fire. We’re just sliding.”
“Then can you slide down to the kitchen and tell Sheila your Mom wants her?”
“Okay.”
All three were in their stocking feet, running and sliding their way down the polished hardwood floor.
Jimmy came back inside and closed the door. “Those kids sure know how to amuse themselves.”
“I’m just happy they’re getting along. Being an only child, Aaron can be cantankerous at times.”
John appeared concerned, watching the doorway. “They all have their moods. I just hope they don’t break anything or hurt themselves.”
Sheila appeared at the open doorway, kids in tow. “You wanted me, Melissa?”
“Yes, John and the kids will be leaving now. Can you pack a few staples to send with them?”
“Sure thing.”
John stood and faced her. “Thank you, Melissa. I’ll never forget your kindness this day.”
“Well, if we are family, it only seems right that we help each other out. I’ll see you tomorrow. And no more hunting on ranch property,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you. I’ll report for duty in the morning. Good night.”
“Good night.”
She could have allowed them to stay at the far end of the west wing, where Jimmy’s rooms were. The blue suite contained two bedrooms with a hide-a-bed sofa in the sitting room. John and Tommy could have shared the room with two single beds, or use the sofa for a third bed. Either way, they’d be far more comfortable than staying in the line shack. But Jimmy’s words of caution had won out.
“What do you say? Time to call it a night?” Jimmy asked as soon as they were alone.
“I should, but I’m so wound up, I’m not sure I’d get much sleep. If it wasn’t for the constant pain in my ribs, I could at least go for a walk.”
“What if we just sit in the courtyard for a spell? Get some fresh air.”
“I hate to be such a burden,” she said, although she found it difficult to contain her excitement. She was getting too used to being in his company.
“No one as beautiful as you should be referred to as a burden. I’ll just push the tea trolley out in the hall for Sheila and lock up.”
Jimmy bent slightly to do so and the view from where she sat was precious. The man’s fine tush filled out his jeans just right. When he returned to help her up, his touch had her heart doing a spectacular tumble in her chest. Had she fallen for this man?
She loved his company, but hated it when he took charge, as he was prone to do. Although she must admit, he did it with the best intentions. His questions about her holdings had led to having an audit done. He’d taken charge but she was grateful for his care of Aaron while she was in the hospital. He’d evicted Marcus. And now the conversation with John. What business did he have to question him about his work experience? She was capable of hiring her own employees. Did he have an ulterior motive?
He’d made it plain that he wanted to own his own ranch. Did he have his eye on her and Thoroughbreds R Us? He was the complete opposite of Marcus, but she’d loved Marcus at one time and look where that had gotten her.
Jimmy didn’t want commitment. She didn’t either, not really. Did she have it in her to have an affair with the man? Would she survive it? Or would she fall to pieces when it ended?
Once outside, he carried her as he strolled leisurely through the garden, not even winded, as if she weighed nothing at all and they had all the time in the world.
“It’s a beautiful night.” He spoke softly, his voice hushed on the evening air.
“Yes, it is. Thank you for this.”
“My pleasure.”
His teeth shone white in the darkness lit only by small solar lights to guide their way to the gazebo.
“Would you like to sit for a while?”
“Sounds lovely.”
He set her on her feet and she eased onto the bench seat.
“You need a garden swing out here,” he suggested.
She adjusted her position so she faced him. “Funny you should say that. I’ve always wanted one.”
“Really? I could build one for you,” he offered.
“Don’t you have enough to do with the accounting and your Mustangs?”
He slapped his forehead. “Darn! Aaron still didn’t get to see the Mustangs.”
Melissa laughed. “There’ll be other days.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” Jimmy laughed. “Tippy has broken a few mares to the saddle already and is keeping them in a separate corral. Says he can work with one each day. He’s good with the horses and keen on making some extra money, so it works for both of us. And speaking of the Mustangs, we never settled on a price for the use of your pastures.”
“We’ll work something out. Tippy’s not riding out there alone to do this, is he?” Melissa worried that he’d get hurt and no one the wiser.
“No, the other wranglers ride out to watch. Gives them something to do in the evenings besides watching TV or playing cards.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I’d hate to have him doing something so dangerous with no one else around. What if he got hurt?”
“I’ve already told him to come and get me if no one else was available. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.” He patted her knee, a comforting gesture that sent her world into turmoil. How could such a simple touch set her body on fire? She shivered in reaction.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“Just a little,” she lied.
“Want to go in?”
“Not just yet.” As she’d hoped, he moved closer and wrapped an arm around her, hugging her tight to his warmth.
“Better?”
“Mmm, so much. I could stay out here forever.”
His husky chuckle surrounded them. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
“Jimmy, what’s happening to us? Why do I feel so comfortable with you?”
“I don’t know, but I feel it too. Chemistry, perhaps? The need to feel loved? Accepted? It could be any number of things.”
“True.” She snuggled closer, relaxing at the sound of his steady heartbeat. “And just because we’re attracted to each other doesn’t mean we have to hop in the sack and make out.”
“Oh, lady. Vivid pictures are coming to mind here.” He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Ready to go in?”
“Yes, I guess so.”
“Where to?” he asked as he scooped her up.
She struggled to hold on with her good arm. “My bedroom. I’m exhausted.”
“It’s been quite a day.”
“Do you think I did right by inviting them to stay on the ranch, even if it is just at the line shack?” she asked.
“If the little girl l
ooks that much like your grandfather, it increases the chances of John telling the truth. You’ve stuck your neck out quite a ways in order to help them. What if the DNA proves otherwise? What if they’re not family?”
“But they had no money and no place to go. What else could I do?”
“Well, to point out the obvious, you could have called child protection.”
“No, I couldn’t. John’s just a man down on his luck trying to keep his family together. He’s not an abuser, not if the happiness of those kids is anything to go by.”
They reached her patio doors and Jimmy shifted her slightly to pull the door open. With her nose pressed up against his throat, she inhaled the musk-scented cologne he wore. His heart beat rapidly against her ear as he carried her inside. After placing her carefully on the bed, he leaned over, one hand on either side of her, bracing his upper body, and gazed into her eyes.
“You’re quite the softie under all that higher-than-thou attitude.”
“What! Are you calling me a snob?”
“I call ’em as I see ’em. That first day we met, at the train wreck? The impression you left me with was one of high-maintenance, used to having all the good things in life.”
“That was my first sales trip and I was afraid for the horses. I know I was a bit on the brusque side, but snobbish?”
He nodded.
“And now?” She held her breath, unsure if she wanted to hear his answer.
“Now, I’m enjoying getting to know your softer side.”
He brushed a few strands of hair off her face and grazed a gentle finger down her cheek. When it continued onward, outlining her mouth, her lips parted in sudden awareness. She wanted this man. Wanted his kiss. “Will you stay with me tonight?” The words were out before she’d even had time to think things through.
“Darlin’, when we get together it’ll be total pleasure between us. You’ve too many breaks and bruises for the experience to be enjoyable for you right now. But I’ll definitely take a rain check on that invitation when the doctor says you’ve healed.”
He followed his words with a kiss, a gentle, enjoyable kiss that barely held passion in check. It warmed her insides, made her feel loved, cherished, desired. When he pulled away she felt lost, bereft.
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