by Krista Ames
“Excuse me, ma’am. We should be landing shortly. If you could please stow your computer and replace your tray table?”
She started at the flight attendant’s voice. “Oh, I’m sorry. Of course I will.”
With shaking hands, she shut down her laptop, slid it into the protective case, and stowed it under her seat. Her heart beat faster in anticipation of the part of the landing, which scared her most—the sudden jolt when the pilot threw on the brakes, hearing the loose baggage shift in the overhead compartments, and the whining of the reverse thrusters slowing the plane as its tires squealed on the pavement when it touched down. She had nightmares that one day her flight would end with the oxygen masks dangling from above, and the plane spinning uncontrollably down the runway on its steel belly after the wheels broke off because the pilots hadn’t slowed the plane completely.
Trying to calm her frantically beating heart, she remained buckled in her seat, taking deep cleansing breaths while she waited for the passengers to file past, all grabbing their belongings, which had been crammed into the small overhead spaces. The landing hadn’t been at all what she’d expected, much smoother actually. She might have to praise the pilots on her way out the door for a job well done. Seeming to be one of the last people left on the plane, Ally released her seatbelt, grabbed the laptop and her carry-on, and found her way to the exit door.
Ten minutes later, she stood amidst a small gathering of people waiting for luggage to appear on the belt of the rotating carousel. Finally. Laramie Regional Airport. Sad memories of the last time she had been there filled her mind. A little more than two years ago, her mother had finally lost her battle with cancer. She had stayed longer than planned because she’d been afraid to leave, wondering how her only parent left would cope with the loss of the love of his life.
“Ally-cat, don’t you worry, angel girl,” he’d told her. “Your mamma’s gone to a better place. Don’t think I won’t miss her, but we had a lot of good years together, and I got to keep the best part of her. You.”
Maybe one day, she would be lucky in love. At this point, things didn’t look too promising. Men were more trouble than they were worth.
Standing to the side of the car rental counter, she fished her cell phone from her too cluttered purse to let him know she would be on her way when she picked up her vehicle. After dialing the ranch’s number, continuous ringing jangled across the line. Okay, Daddy, now would be a great time to answer your phone. When she was ready to push the End Call button, the ringing stopped, and the phone was snatched up.
Oh please don’t let it be the awful cowboy again.
“Hello, Kincaid’s.”
At the sound of another female voice, she sighed with relief. “Maribella?”
“Miss Ally, is that you? Oh gracious, girl, it is good to hear your voice,” gushed the beloved family housekeeper, who had been around since she was a little girl.
“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you so much for being there. You don’t know how happy I am to hear yours. Is Daddy there?”
“No miss, he is not here. I’m sorry. It’s roundup, and he’s still out in the pastures.”
“Oh gosh, how could I have forgotten roundup? Well shoot, maybe you can get a message to him? I’m at the airport in….”
“Oh heavens, child, why didn’t you say you need a ride home? I’ll send Roberto right away, where are you?”
She chuckled to herself. It was comforting to know the loving housekeeper hadn’t changed after all these years. She still wouldn’t let a person get a word in edgewise.
“Thanks, but I actually rented a car. I wanted him to know I’d be there soon.”
“No worries, miss, you be safe driving, and I will take care of everything.”
Click.
Ally stared at her phone and frowned. Apparently, the whole household hung up and ended a call without saying goodbye. Her dad’s bad habits had clearly worn off on Maribella.
More than an hour later, with her luggage stowed in the bed of the rented pickup, she crept her way through Freewill, the closest town to the family homestead. Emotions got the best of her, and tears formed in her eyes. She’d stayed away too long. It was so good to see all the familiar places again.
After the fifteen-minute drive from town, she reached Circle K Ranch and turned onto the long drive leading to the house—the place she’d always called home. Not only because she’d been raised there, but also because it had always felt like home, even after she’d moved out. The moment she stepped from the car, Roberto hurried to meet her.
“Oh, Miss Ally, so good to see you. You stay longer this time?” His words rushed out as he enveloped her in a massive bear hug.
She giggled in delight. She’d missed his hugs so much. No matter the situation, she could always count on him. Returning his embrace wholeheartedly, she then wiggled loose before she lost all feeling in her arms. “We’ll just have to see. Roberto, it’s so good to be home.” She glanced here and there at all the familiar sights. The barn she’d spent countless hours playing in and around. The corral where she’d been taught everything she needed to know about riding horses and of course the house where she’d grown up. She’d never expected it all would look so good. “Gosh, not much has changed here since I left.”
“No, Miss Ally, no change here. New bank owner though. Long sordid story there, but he’s nice enough, decent looking, and single.”
Obviously, everyone thought it important for her to have a man in her life, and from the sounds of it, Roberto was no different.
“Thanks, but I’m not staying in Freewill forever. I’m visiting Daddy for a little while.”
“Whatever you say, miss,” he said with a bit too much sarcasm to his tone.
Behind him, the woman she’d known for her entire life bounded down the front steps, waving her arms in excitement. She smiled at Maribella’s typical exuberance, so full of life.
Roberto laughed as well. “Hold on to your hat, miss. My wife is happy to see you.”
Ally ran into the woman’s warm, welcome embrace. Her heart burst with so much love in that moment a tear ran down her cheek.
“Miss Ally, I so happy you are here. Roberto, get her bags and come in.” Maribella turned them both toward the house, never taking her motherly arm from around Ally’s waist.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Roberto, do this. Roberto, do that. Always orders. Nothing ever pleasing the woman. Go fetch her bags and carry them inside. Never a please. Only a demand. Good thing Ally is family, or you can do it yourself, Maribella.” He continued to grumble while he lifted the bags from the back of the rented pickup. The loving housekeeper ignored her husband as usual, and Ally grinned, happy the couple’s banter had remained just like she remembered. “I have your old room set up. Clean sheets and towels.”
But before they could take their first steps onto the porch stairs, a wonderfully familiar bellow came from behind her. “Well looky there, damn if it ain’t my angel girl.”
Ally turned around to see her father swing down from his horse, leaving it with another of the cowhands, and make his way toward her from the barn.
“Daddy!” She sprinted across the ground separating them and leapt into his arms. God, she’d been away from home for too long.
Her dad spun her around before setting her back on her feet. His gaze shifted over her shoulder. “Gentry, meet my baby girl.”
Ally glanced around to see whom he’d spoken to.
The hottie in question simply tipped his hat her way. “Ma’am.” Then turned to the men behind him when someone called him away.
Shock jolted through her. Oh my God, I know that voice.
Chapter Three
“Damn.” Having returned from the roundup, Matt Gentry hadn’t had the chance to dismount his tall, dark gelding. He cursed softly to himself and shook his head. He stared dumbfounded as the group of four climbed the porch steps and entered the house. “That’s Ally Kincaid?” Her tiny frame sat atop some long legs, but she was
n’t much shorter than he was, maybe half a head or so with light golden tresses flowing over her shoulders.
“What’s the matter, Gentry, the boss’s daughter scare ya?” His right-hand man came to a stop next to him trying to hide a smile. “Pretty little thing, ain’t she? Sweet, too, and the apple of her daddy’s eye. You outta go in and meet her.”
“Jesse introduced us already so I’ll pass, Tommy, but thanks. I have more important things to do.”
“Gentry, get your ass in here,” a demanding order barked from the direction of the house. “Now!”
Tommy smirked. “Guess those ‘more important things’ are gonna have to wait, huh?”
“Shut up.” Disgust rolled through him as he dismounted, guided his gelding into the barn, and handed him off, so he could go play nice with the princess of New York.
Entering the house, he shut the front door behind him. A ruckus erupted from the family room. Jesse’s deep baritone voice was hard to miss on any occasion, but tonight the laughter he mixed with it was a welcome sound, and not one that came from him very often. He was clearly happy to see his daughter. He removed his Stetson, smoothed back his disheveled hair, and proceeded forward.
“’Bout damn time you came in, Gentry. I want you to get to know my girl. Ally-cat, get your little butt back in here.”
The tall blonde, bright green eyes shinning, bounded into the room, reminding him of a child on Christmas morning.
“Ally-cat, this is Matt Gentry, my foreman.”
“Very nice to have you join us, ma’am,” he said and extended his hand.
She blanched, the smile fading from her eyes and her lips. She turned a glare on her father. “Foreman? Of this ranch?”
Matt tried to hide a smirk, a bit of satisfaction curling in his chest at her obvious discomfort. What the heck, why not make her squirm a little bit more? “Yes ma’am, that’s what he said. Foreman. Of this ranch.”
She seemed immobilized by shock as she looked between him and her father.
“Best damned foreman I’ve ever had, too!” Jesse chimed in, seeming not to even recognize her aggravation. “He could run this place without me.”
“Oh, well now, boss man, I wouldn’t go that far. This job wouldn’t be near as much fun without you.”
Anger burned red on her cheeks, and she turned to glare at Jesse. “Damn it, don’t you know—”
“Ally-cat, don’t you start on me. I run this ranch the way I see fit. I’ll always accept your business advice when it comes to the books, but it ends there.”
“But Daddy—”
“No. Don’t you ‘but Daddy’ me. I make the decisions on this ranch. I may be old but I’m not dead, not yet anyway.”
“Don’t talk like that. You won’t be going anywhere for a long time yet.” Ally’s voice softened and her shoulders sagged.
“Glad you think so, Ally-cat.” Jesse patted a spot next to him on the couch. ”Come sit with me while Maribella whips up something for us to eat.”
“If you’ll excuse me,” Matt said, backing out of the room. “I’ll go clean up before dinner.”
He angled toward the hallway leading to his room, sensing her gaze following his movement, and assumed she would prefer if he cleaned up, ate, and slept in the bunkhouse with the other hands for the night. However, he wouldn’t be doing any of the sort. Jesse had given him a bedroom upstairs in the sprawling home, conveniently overlooking the barns, bunkhouse, and outbuildings, and he intended to use it same as always, especially if it pissed her off.
Matt really respected the old man. He hadn’t come to Freewill looking for handouts, only honest work for honest pay. Jesse had taken him in at one of the lowest points in his life, no questions asked. He’d never offered any background information, work experience, or a sob story, just said he needed a job and promised to work hard. Matt had kept his word, too. He worked from sun up to sun down right beside the ranch owner, learning everything possible along the way.
“Okay, hold on,” Ally piped in. “Where are you going now?”
“Up to my room, ma’am, to clean up for dinner. Is that okay?” He stopped right outside the family room, keeping himself partially in view of both people on the couch.
“Wait! You have a room in the house?” She had asked Matt but looked suspiciously at her father before she turned back to await his answer.
“Yes, ma’am, so if you’ll excuse me?” Matt ducked away from the room and up the stairs. Behind him, Ally pelted her father with questions about why in the world he had the ranch foreman sleeping in the house. He laughed to himself.
Quite the spitfire, that girl. No, she’s all woman. Definitely not a girl. Damn sexy, too. He grimaced, losing the smile he hardly ever wore anymore, and got himself in the shower. Shit, knock it off. Just what you don’t need, another woman to muck up your life.
***
Ally was so spitting mad, she was sick to her stomach. She couldn’t even believe her daddy would have any ranch foreman—but especially that one—staying in the house. Unacceptable. No matter how good he looked with his hair plastered flat to his head from the cowboy hat he’d removed and held in front of his slender six-foot frame.
“Listen here, Ally-cat. He’s a good man and an even harder worker. You know that’s what counts.”
“Please tell me he’s not some mass murderer or something. Did you do a background check on him? God, I hope so. For chrissakes, you have him living in the house. I can’t even believe it!”
He sat quietly looking at the ashes in the fireplace, avoiding her question.
“Daddy?” She sighed. “You don’t know anything about him, do you?”
“I know all I need to know about Matt. He’s been working here for two years, and I have no intention of kicking him out of his bed because you are uncomfortable with him living in this house. My house. Are we clear?”
Not in a long while had she been disciplined by him—and she suddenly felt twelve again. He was a loving man but a hard one, and experience had taught her when not to cross him. Apparently that time had come.
“Yes, Daddy, I’m sorry. Please promise me you’ll be careful.”
“No need to be careful. Now let’s go get some dinner. I’m starved.”
Matt listened from the hallway, before he started down the stairs. Their voices came from a different part of the house now—probably the kitchen with the way the smells drifted up the staircase. Maribella would never get any complaints from him on her cooking. It was a hell of a lot better than Roberto’s offerings out in the bunkhouse. He felt sorry for those guys sometimes. Maribella did, too. Once or twice a week, she would bake extra goodies and treat the guys. She always ate her supper separately though, in her own house with Roberto.
He stood outside the doorway, listening to Ally’s soft, smooth voice while she talked to her father about the food Maribella had prepared. The melodic sound ran over him like melted butter. Funny how her subtle twang was so much more noticeable away from New York. He wondered how she’d sound in the heat of passion. Might be something he’d like to find out. No, you idiot. The boss’s daughter is off limits.
“Well might as well get this over with,” he mumbled as he forced himself to walk through the kitchen door.
***
Ally’s attention immediately flew to the newcomer in the room. How could she not? He was gorgeous. Not that she actually wanted to notice. Ha! Who was she kidding? His hair was still damp where it curled slightly at the neckline of his T-shirt. The short sleeve tee was snug fitting and showed off his pectorals and tanned arm muscles. He grabbed his plate, made his way around the table, and leaned in close. Oh, his scent hit her—clean soap and pure male. Good God.
“Like what you see, princess?” he murmured.
Startled out of her trance, she stumbled for a quick, snide comment. “You wish, cowboy,” she whispered back, and then turned back to her daddy, who was already halfway finished with his meal.
She was not about to let anyone see h
ow rattled the foreman’s presence actually made her. She only hoped she hadn’t already given her odd interest in him away. Ignore him and he won’t be any the wiser. She would be sure to make this trip a short one, or she would be in trouble.
Jesse cleaned his plate and abruptly stood, placed his dishes in the sink, and made to leave the room.
“Looks like you kids get to do the dishes. I’m off to my study.” Her dad kissed the top of her head and slapped his foreman on the back, then chuckled as he disappeared through the door.
“That rat!” she said. “He shoveled through his dinner on purpose.”
“No worries, princess. I do the dishes every night anyway. You can go do whatever it is you do before bed. I’ll take care of the clean up before I head out to check the horses.”
“Oh no you don’t. I won’t let you go running to Daddy tomorrow whining because I didn’t do my share, so I’ll wash. And why are you calling me ‘princess’?”
“It seemed fitting. Would you rather me go back to ma’am?”
“No, I would rather you use my name, thank you.”
He only shrugged. He pushed his place setting aside, rose, and reached for the dessert and plates on the counter. “Since we’ll be working together, how about some dessert before we get busy?”
“Oh, I suppose. What kind is it?”
“Dutch apple. We have vanilla ice cream, too, if you want some.”
“Oh, my gosh, Maribella made me my favorite!” Ally squealed in delight.
“She made me my favorite.”
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“I’m not stubborn, princess. She’s been baking me Dutch apple for two years.”
“Well, she baked them for me for years before you came along.”
“Okay, neither of us is going to win this way. Can’t we agree to disagree? You get the ice cream while I dish up the dessert. No arguing,” he said when she started to protest. “I have the pie and the knife, so I’ll serve.”
“Fine,” she huffed.