Her Renegade Rancher EPB

by Jennifer Ryan

  “First, if you need help, all you have to do is ask. Second, Wayne’s guys aren’t going to let you mess anything up. They’ll teach you what you need to know. If they’re dicks about it, you let me know, and I’ll take care of it.”

  “No. They seem like nice guys.” She bit her lip, and her eyes clouded with an even deeper concern. “It’s not them I’m worried about.”

  “Simon seemed to have his head screwed on straight. The other one, Josh, is a hothead. Watch out for him.”

  “He is not happy about what happened. Neither is Wayne’s sister.”

  Colt gave her a sardonic smirk. “Were they that surprised?”

  “That the woman they think slept her way into the ranch got it?” Luna shook her head. “Not so much.”

  The rage inside Colt burst in his chest, but he held it contained inside of him with no outlet, not one of those assholes in reach to punch for thinking such a thing.

  “The guys were surprised their father left them so little.”

  “They got some big-time cash. If they want the rest, he gave them a means to get it.”

  “Josh is all for the sale. In fact, he pretty much said he’d make sure I wanted to sell.”

  Colt read between the lines and the dismay in Luna’s eyes, the defensive way she wrapped her arms around her middle again. “He threatened you.”

  Her pretty lips compressed together. She gave him a soft nod, fear filling her blue eyes.

  “Bastard. He does anything, I want to know about it.”

  One side of her mouth quirked up into a half grin. “You’re sweet.”

  Colt tensed, his hands fisting. “Sweet, hell, I’ll fuck up the asshole if he touches you.”

  Luna threw up her hands and let them fall. “What’s the point? There’s nothing he can do. I won’t sell. If he wants any part of the land and the money the ranch makes, he’s got to meet the terms.” She said the words, but her tone said she didn’t quite believe them. Josh scared her.

  Colt didn’t want to argue that Josh could make her life hell to the point where she would want to turn her back on the ranch and that family just to be done with the whole business. Hadn’t Wayne thought about that? He’d practically dared his family to make her life a misery to get her to sell. Of course, Wayne had probably thought they’d take the knock on the chin and slink away, because they were lazy as hell. He hadn’t accounted for their greed.

  Colt vowed he’d watch over Luna. One of those assholes frightened her again, he’d bash their faces in. One of them touched her, he’d kill them.

  “It’s just so much.” Luna sighed and stared up at the darkening sky.

  “Start with the simple stuff. You need to quit your job.”

  “I already did. Tonight was my last shift.”

  “I’m surprised they let you go so fast.”

  “Well, since Sadie put in her notice, they’d interviewed several people. They already hired one new girl and had a couple more they planned to bring on within the next month. They had no problem letting me go and calling them to start work immediately.”

  “Then you’ll need to move into the house.”

  “I don’t have much to pack.”

  “I noticed.”

  “I’m surprised you did, since you refuse to come into my house,” she teased.

  He didn’t answer that loaded statement with an explanation. “What day do you want to move in?”

  “I can’t for five days. The family will move out Wayne’s things, except for the office and library. I guess I’ll move in then.”

  “We’ll be at your place with the trucks next week.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Three trucks ought to do it. If we need to make more than one trip, no problem.”

  “You can’t be serious. You’re going to help me move? And you volunteer your brothers, too?”

  “You’re Sadie’s best friend.” He tried to play it off, but he hated the slight frown and disappointment in her eyes. “Besides, I want to do it.” That put some of the spark back in her eyes. “Rory will do it for Sadie and because he likes you. Ford won’t mind pitching in. My brothers and I will check in with your crews, see how things are going, and let you know what you need to focus on first.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  He’d do anything for her, but didn’t say so. They were still working their way through this are-we-friends-or-something-more stage. Maybe he needed to stop feeling her out and just kiss her again. He didn’t, because the attraction was obvious and all-encompassing, judging by how hard he had to work to keep his hands to himself. What he couldn’t afford to do was go all out and take her to bed, risking fucking it all up and still having to see her all the time because she was Sadie’s best friend. Rory would kill him for messing with his soon-to-be-bride’s best friend. Not to mention if he did go down that path, it better be for real, because Luna was a forever kind of girl. Maybe a once-in-a-lifetime kind of girl. Was he ready for that kind of commitment? He wasn’t quite sure, but it was growing on him. Or maybe that was just the need gnawing at his insides to get her naked and pressed up against his aching body.

  “We’ll be there. Since you’re not working at the diner anymore, you’ve got time to get everything packed. Until then, come up to the house and have dinner with us. I’m starving.”

  Colt took her hand and tugged her gently to get her to follow him.

  “I don’t want to intrude.”

  “You came here for a reason, right? To talk to Sadie about what happened. Here’s your chance.”

  A soft smile spread across her lips, and she gave his hand a squeeze. “I don’t really need to unload on her now. You set my mind at ease. I can do this. Wayne’s guys will help me. And if I need help, I’ll call you.”

  “There you go.”

  “You might regret it if I end up counting on you for every little thing I don’t know about ranching.”

  “Won’t bother me a bit, unless you don’t call when you need me.”

  He felt her stare, but didn’t look down at her. Instead, he walked into the house with her hand firmly in his and led her into the kitchen, where his family had already gathered at the table to eat. The house smelled of roast pork and cheesy potatoes.

  “Hey everyone, look who I found outside.” Colt led Luna to his place at the table, pulled out the chair for her, and waited for her to sit before he finally released her hand. She stared up at him with that dazed, overwhelmed look in her eyes he’d seen when she’d stood out in the yard, staring at the ranch spread out before her. He liked that he surprised her.

  “Luna, how did it go today?” Sadie asked, starting the conversation about Wayne’s family and the will.

  Colt washed up at the sink, then grabbed a plate and silverware from the kitchen. Ford had pulled a spare chair to the table. Since Luna was too busy answering his family’s questions, Colt took her plate and filled it with food before he made himself a plate. He sat across from her, listening to her tell the tale again and making plans for what he needed to do to help her. First, take Simon’s measure. If the man really did want to work on the ranch with Sadie for the next eighteen months, Colt needed to be damn sure he wasn’t a threat. Or turned into a rival for Luna’s affections. Colt really hadn’t thought about that until this moment, staring at the beautiful woman across from him, eating dinner with his family like she belonged. Because she did.

  His grandfather eyed him from across the table. Colt kept his features blank and tried not to glance over at Luna and fuel his grandfather’s enthusiasm that he might get another of his grandsons to propose.

  Not going to happen. Not now. No way. No how. He needed to stop this train of thought before it went off the rails he thought the path of his life was headed down. That particular matrimonial stop was way in the future.

  So why did he think about that future when he looked at Luna at the family table? Why did he spend hours each day wondering what she wanted for her future? Why did he worry endless
ly through the night that she might actually take that teaching job out of state at any moment?

  Well, he didn’t have to worry about that anymore. She had a massive ranch to run. An equine therapy program to start. A new life ahead of her full of possibilities. Did one of those possibilities include him? He’d make sure it did, because holding back how he felt about her had to stop. He wanted to take things slow, get to know her better, but there was taking things slow and making very little progress. Toward what, he didn’t really know. Or at least wasn’t ready to acknowledge. What he did know was that he wanted to spend more time with her. Helping her with Rambling Range would be a great way to do that.

  The daunting task overwhelmed her. He’d make it easier by overseeing the guys who worked for her, watching her back with Wayne’s family, and teaching her everything he knew about ranching.

  He pulled himself out of his thoughts long enough to get back into the thread of conversation. “Tell Sadie about the equine therapy program you’re going to start.”

  Luna cocked her head. “You really are interested in that, aren’t you?”

  “I’ll even help you pick the horses and train them for what you need.”

  “You will?”

  “Colt is great with horses. You won’t find better than him.” Granddad couldn’t help boasting about Colt, especially when it made Colt look good and advanced Granddad’s agenda.

  Colt didn’t miss the knowing glances Ford and Rory shot his way, or the smirks they tried to hide for Luna’s sake. Sadie planted her chin in her hand, elbow propped on the table, and stared at him with a certain gleam in her eyes. He shot her a You better not be planning a double wedding look.

  Sadie cocked up one eyebrow and smiled softly at him, like she knew exactly where this was going. So did he. He just didn’t want to think about it too much. Instead, he was ready to make something happen.

  “Like I said, I’ll help you with anything you need.” He let the innuendo hang, especially since he’d dropped his voice to make his point.

  Luna spent the rest of the evening filling in Sadie and working on some of the wedding plans. Colt gave the ladies space to do their thing, but when it came time for Luna to head home, he rose from his chair in the office where he’d been checking out the online horse auctions coming up. He’d found a couple of candidates for Luna’s new endeavor.

  “Hey, heading out?” He stood in the office doorway.

  Luna turned to him after hugging Sadie goodbye. “Yeah. It’s been a long day. I’m wiped out.”

  “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  Luna waved him off. “You don’t have to.”

  “Let him. He won’t take no for an answer.” Sadie turned to leave, winking at him as she passed through the living room on her way to find Rory waiting for her upstairs.

  Colt followed Luna out the door to her Jeep. She didn’t say anything but turned back to him before she opened the door and got in. He didn’t expect her to close the distance between them, but his arms opened and wrapped around her without a coherent thought coming to mind. He held her close, her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

  “Thanks.”

  “For what? I didn’t do anything.”

  “Yes, you did. You made it easier to breathe when it felt like the enormity of what I’m about to take on closed in on me.”

  His heart beat faster just having her close, but her words sank in and a warmth spread through him. He hugged her closer and kissed the side of her head. She settled into his chest and sighed.

  He indulged holding her close for a few minutes, letting the quiet night settle around them. She didn’t seem inclined to release him, but he couldn’t hold on to her all night in the driveway. He hated to send her away, but she needed time to settle into her new life and decide what her new future looked like. He hoped it included him.

  With a reluctance that stunned him, he leaned back, cupping her soft cheek in his hand. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, then gently set her away.

  “Go home before I can’t let you go at all.” His aversion to sending her home made his voice gruff.

  A soft smile spread on her too-tempting lips. “I’m kind of hoping you won’t let me go.”

  “Trust me, I’ll see you soon.”

  The smile brightened and made her eyes sparkle. “I’m counting on it.”

  He watched her drive away, anxious to see her again, wanting to call her back. If that didn’t tell him how deeply he wanted her, the tightening band around his chest reminded him. So did the dreams and mounting urge to go see her over the next few days. Five days turned out to be far too long to go without a glimpse of the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about.

  Chapter 10

  Luna walked into Mr. Manning’s spacious office feeling like she should have dressed for the occasion. The handsome blonde lawyer with the light green eyes wore an expensive-looking suit that definitely made him look like the successful attorney several people told her about when she subtly asked about him to those in the know in town who dropped by the diner.

  “Luna.”

  “Good morning, Dex.”

  He shook her hand, waved her into the seat in front of his desk, and went around to his seat and picked up a stack of folders in front of him. “So, first things first. I represented Wayne in all personal and business matters for the ranch. Do you plan to hire your own attorney? Or would you like me to continue and represent you and the ranch going forward?”

  “I’d like you to stay on. You know the players, the businesses, and I hope you will be an asset as I figure out how to fill Wayne’s shoes.”

  “I don’t think Wayne intended you to do that, but protect what he built.”

  “I plan to do that. The how of it eludes me, but I’m up for the challenge and learning what I need to know.”

  “Wayne trusted the men working for him. The ranch is a well-oiled machine.”

  “Except I’m losing Toby. I’ll need a new manager.”

  Dex patted the folder beneath his hand, picked up his glasses from the desk, and slid them on. The tortoiseshell frames made the green in his eyes stand out. Striking. But not as nice as Colt’s hazel eyes when he looked at her.

  “That leads me to the will and some items Wayne included that I didn’t share with the family.”

  She held her hands tightly in her lap. “Okay. Do I have to meet some other terms to keep the ranch?”

  “What I’m about to tell you stays between us. You are not allowed to share it with anyone. Not your friends or family. No one. Clear?”

  Butterflies fluttered in her belly. “Perfectly. But why?”

  “Because if you tell anyone and try to invoke the terms I’m about to outline and it’s a lie, you’ll lose everything and the Traverses will be allowed to sell the property.”

  A stone dropped in her gut. “Well, I definitely don’t want that to happen.”

  “Good. I hoped you’d say that. Yesterday we went over the terms of Simon and Josh inheriting fifty percent of the ranch. What I didn’t tell them, or you, is that at any time you can give them that portion if you feel they want it and deserve it. You can also pay out more than their cash inheritance if you feel they deserve it.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. But it must be based on the fact they want to be a part of the ranch business and contribute in a meaningful way.”

  “Does that meaningful way have to include working there every day?”

  Derek smiled. “No. Maybe they decide the business side of things is more in their comfort zone. They want to help you set up your nonprofit and raise funds and that makes you happy and satisfied, you can pay them or give them a portion of the ranch. They want to take over buying and selling the cattle, horses, or crops, fine. They want to take over the books for the businesses and do the financials, no problem.”

  “But that’s not how it sounded in the will.”

  “People hear what they want to hear. Simon and Josh don’t want to play cowboy, bu
t they are good at other things. They’ve been businessmen for years. They’re college educated. They could have worked with their father in any number of ways. They chose not to.”

  Luna nodded, understanding dawning. “They don’t see the value in the land or ranching. That’s what Wayne wanted. For them to see that what he does matters.”

  Dex smiled softly and gave her a firm nod.

  “Okay, so I have the option of compensating them if they do a good job in any area of the ranch. That might come in handy if they need an incentive.”

  “You can give them money as a bonus, but giving them a piece of the ranch requires they prove they’re dedicated to maintaining it for a lifetime.”

  “Got it.”

  “Now about you.”

  “Oh God, what else do I have to do?”

  One side of Dex’s mouth pulled back in a half smile. “Decide between you and them.”

  That got her attention. “How so?”

  “Wayne added a provision in the event you decide to get married. If that happens before the eighteen months is up, you can choose to keep the entire ranch no matter what.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Wayne wanted you to be able to run the ranch with your husband if that’s what you and your husband wanted for your life.”

  “Well, that’s not going to happen.” But Colt did come to mind. She shut that train of thought down before it left the station.

  “The thing is, you can’t tell your prospective husband about this at all. He cannot know that you can keep the ranch in its entirety. If you tell him and try to defraud the estate, you lose everything.”

  Never going to happen, because she didn’t have a prospective husband. She mentally swiped Colt’s image from her mind like switching screens on her phone.

  “Okay. So that’s it?”

  “One more thing. If you marry and decide that you want another life, you can also choose to sell the ranch. You will get half and the other half will go to the charities Wayne designates.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Wayne left you options. He wanted you to take care of all he left behind, but he didn’t want to bind you to that place if it’s not what you wanted. He knew you’d be fair and conscious of your decisions.”