“Fine. Have at it. I wanted to know when you got off work because I’d like to see the Double Dutch Ranch.”
Her lips puckered before she licked the bottom. So damn cute.
“I swear to God, Zach, if you tell me to use my GPS, I might reach over there and smack you.”
“Damn, woman, I wouldn’t if I were you.” His skin tingled as sweat formed. “It’s about twenty minutes from your place.” He had no one to blame except himself for asking her to come along. On the other hand, he liked looking at her sitting there.
“They’re having an equine camp. If it isn’t a bother, and if you’re still on the clock, would you mind showing me where it is before we go home? I’m going to their camp.”
“Yeah. I can. My friend the horse whisperer? He’ll be doing events. You might want to watch in on him.”
“Yeah. A horse whisperer, huh. I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
“Don’t tell him I called him that. He’d be embarrassed, and we wouldn’t want that, now, would we, sweetheart?”
“I’m sure we wouldn’t. Thank you…sweetheart.”
Zach stopped after a couple acres into the drive. “I see this section of fence needs repair.” He took a small notepad from behind the visor and wrote it down, shoved the shifter into first gear, and took off again. The ruts made the ride bumpy. He glanced over a couple times to get a subtle peek at her boobs bouncing. She’d be a hot mama if she let herself relax a little. They rode on in silence, which didn’t last long.
“Stop.”
He did. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I want to take a picture of this area.” She got out and walked off about fifty feet.
“Watch for snakes.”
“Yeah.”
She stayed in that spot and peered at the ground around her, then took some pictures from different directions. As quickly as she got out, she got back in without slamming the door.
Zach stretched his arm across the back of the seat. “How come you left Boise?” Kimber peered out the window, gulping to swallow. He moved her in some way. She didn’t want to answer. He faced forward and put the truck in gear. “We’ll circle back around along the other edge of your property. I’ll need to order some for the broken section. How would you like me to pay for it?”
“Did you say you bought supplies from that supplier in town? I’ll talk to him about setting up an account, and I’ll talk to my landlord.” She picked up his notepad. “What is Jake’s last name?”
“Lawton.” After she wrote it down, he took his notepad from her hand. Zach ripped out the page with Jake’s name and handed it to her.
“This is a lot of property. Do you know why Mr. Brooks wants to sell it?”
“Nope. I’m sure someone around here does.” Zach left the desert and pulled back onto the ranch road where they had left from earlier. “We’ll go to the Double Dutch down the highway.” He drove to the highway. “This is where you’ll turn left. There’s three brothers. They all have their own stretch of land. Their mom lives in about the center of their places. You’ll like Mrs. Carlson. She treats everybody like family. I figured that out real quick. Good cook, too. Do you cook?” What the hell?
She took a tube of lipstick from her purse and pulled the visor down. A stack of papers fell on her lap. Zach held in a chuckle. She gathered the papers and held them in one hand while applying lipstick with the other. Then she stuffed the papers behind the visor. He kinda liked the lipstick glistening her lips like that.
“I like to cook, but I don’t suppose you’d like what I cook.”
“Why?”
“I cook…well, I used to cook gourmet food.”
Zach chuckled. “You buy a ranch and automatically stop cooking gourmet food?”
“Yeah, something like that. How about you?”
“I grew up on a cattle ranch, ma’am. I make a damn good steak and potato dish. But, yeah, I cook.” He turned down a road for the Double Dutch Ranch. “This is the main road to Mrs. Carlson’s home. You can get to Dane’s and Tristan’s from here. Jase is the oldest brother, and you can shoot through the desert from the back of this property to get to his house, or take the long way around.”
“Please, Zach, don’t mention what I said about boarding or starting a rescue ranch. I don’t want to make enemies before I even know these people.”
Her please warmed his heart a little. “Not a problem.”
“Can we turn around? I’ll meet them another time. Do you know where the class will take place?”
She asked too many questions for his taste, but he supposed it was natural for a newbie. “See the house up ahead? The corral is behind it. Turn left and drive past the house toward the barns. You’ll find it.” He pulled off the road and turned around. “Pay attention getting back now.”
“I will.” Her voice mellowed, “Thank you for doing this.”
“You’re welcome.” He liked the banter, but he kind of liked when she played nice. Now, he had to figure out where he’d seen her before.
***
Kimber entered her bedroom to change from PJs into jogging shorts. In an hour, she’d run, beginning on the drive, then she’d head along the road leading to the highway. A stunning sunrise would join her this morning. As much as she didn’t fit in on a ranch, Jerry had settled her here to be close to him. He’d told her he had confidence that she’d adapt. And she would. As a teen, she dreamed of living on a ranch and raising horses. Jerry must’ve remembered she’d told him that many years ago. Kimber smiled at the memory of days that were long gone.
She slipped the memory card into her laptop and loaded the photos from yesterday. A slew of emails awaited her. Opening them, she had to laugh because she didn’t know anyone. All of them were “welcome to your new home” messages. Why had Jerry done this? Each one came from a total stranger. Of course, they’d be strangers. Gloom set in again. She thought of Charlotte.
Refusing to be brought down so early this morning, she reflected on what Melinda had said, about being lucky she had so many old friends. Her old friends had stood around a grave to mourn her. Kimber glanced out the window for Zach’s pickup. If he was here, the truck had been parked out of sight. Either way, she made a new pot of coffee.
She went back to her computer. Her social media pages were loaded with comments and tweets. She had, supposedly, posted pictures. Hah! How fake. Stock photos were all they were. It made her look like the well-rounded woman she was supposed to be. Albeit, this all seemed interesting. How had Jerry managed it all?
She sorted her pictures into folders on her computer before deleting the accounts. Time had slipped away. So much for her sunrise run. Her own backyard had photo-worthy images to capture. Taking pictures was her first real thing as her new identity—besides moving to a small town and living on a ranch. With a crabby, but hotter than butter melting on popcorn, foreman.
Before changing back to jeans, she looked up the Chamber of Commerce in Canyon Junction. At this point, she wasn’t in the mood to see what this place had to offer. She glanced around her house. On the east wall sat an aerial view of her home and property. Brooks had leased it without first meeting her or asking questions? What was the catch? Putting a man behind bars was the catch.
In the closet, she got her boyfriend-styled, straight-legged jeans in light gray, pairing them with a soft pink pull-over, sleeveless top. She pulled on her short, western styled boots. Then she sighed. What kind of life was this going to be?
Outside, she searched for Zach’s truck. If not for him being here, she’d forget what her voice sounded like. She walked around the exterior of her home. A white rail fence had sectioned off different areas. One section appeared to be a working corral, and another section looked unused by the growth there. She straightened her shoulders and entered the barn. A tapping sound came from outside. She found Zach at the air conditioning unit. “Don’t fret, I’m walking up behind you.”
“I heard ya this time. Mornin’, ma’am.”
<
br /> “Weren’t we going to stop the “ma’am?”
“Nah.” He glanced up from his haunches with a friendly grin.
Did he have to look so damn good all the time? Sweat on his face and a shock of hair on his forehead with his hat back added to his ruggedness. “Having trouble with the unit again? I’ll order a new one if this keeps up.”
Zach removed an indigo neckerchief from his pocket and wiped off his face. “It’ll be getting hot here before long, and this one doesn’t seem to be holding.”
Before long? This was nothing like the climate she’d left behind. “I don’t want the horses to suffer.” Kimber watched him work a few more minutes. “I’m going for a ride toward town. Does your friend Jake carry air conditioning units?”
“He’ll be able to order you one. Want me to call him?” Zach dropped his wrench and stood. He rose well above her head when he moved close to her.
“It’s time I meet him. Especially if I want to start a business account. I’ll take care of it soon.”
Zach removed his hat and scratched his head. “I have to pick up some supplies later. Why don’t you go over with me? I’ll need the truck to haul some sawdust for the stalls.” He chuckled for some reason.
When he laughed, his whole face brightened. Dimples bracketed his mouth. He was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen, and for a city girl, that said a lot. “What time did you plan on going to Jake’s?”
He pulled a watch with a broken band out of his pocket. “Before lunch, I suppose.”
“Speaking of lunch…”
Zach held up his palm. “Lunch is taken care of today.”
Kimber set her hands on her waist and tilted her head, speaking confidently. “Let’s get something straight. If you want to have lunch here on a daily basis, it’s fine. I’ll make sure to fix something hearty for you. I have nothing else to do these days.” And she’d change that as soon as she could.
“Look, I don’t like to be tied down to a certain timeframe while I’m working. It’d be best if I ate lunch when I had time. No offense to you, ma’am. Those roast beef sandwiches tasted good.”
“All right, but don’t be surprised if I offer again.”
“Understood. If I miss lunch, I might drop a hint.”
Kimber smiled. “That sounds like a win-win situation.”
He nodded. “Let’s say Jake’s about ten-thirty? Oh, you were going to town. Is it too early?”
Hmm, now that left her in a pickle. “I have chores to do inside. I’ll wait for you. The town will be there later.” She’d intended on visiting the Double Dutch more than going to town. If there were three cowboys living there who considered her ranch competition, she wanted to make a good impression.
Kimber strolled toward the door, but whipped around. Zach walked past her into the barn. “Hey, Zach… I saw an aerial view photo on the wall in the house. This place is nice, huh? From your prospective, am I correct in thinking it has potential?”
“You pretty much have it pegged. From what I see, someone spent some time fixing up this place, but I know now for a fact, it had been vacant for almost a year. Your dad or uncle have anything to do with that? Too bad the owner left the barn in a haphazard shape.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah, the guy on the plane. You should consider yourself lucky to have a nice and apparently rich father.”
“When I get settled in, I’ll be better able to make a decision about what I’d like to do here, especially for when I buy it. After doing some research of the area, I might have another idea.”
“Yeah. You could get rid of the horses. Then you wouldn’t need the extra expense of care, or having to pay a foreman. Once this air conditioning unit gets fixed…” His gaze lowered to the floor as he shuffled up sawdust at his feet.
“If you can find a better job, then take it. It’ll be a while before I come to a final decision.”
“I don’t think I’d find a better job, but thanks for permission.”
“It wasn’t permission.” She fingered her necklace out of nervousness. He had a cunning grin on his face. “I’ll see you at ten-thirty.” She stomped out of the barn, opened the gate to the yard section surrounding the home, hooked it back to stay open, and strutted into the house. Again, first thing she did, was observe the interior of the home chosen for her. The Southwestern furnishings and décor satisfied her.
Kimber couldn’t see herself changing anything except the arrangement. The large front room window had been shaded with an overhang stretching out over the brick porch. In front of the porch, a short stone railing had been built, and the inside behind it, had two kinds of cacti and bushes of some sort.
Stepping closer to the window on the far end of the house, she observed the mountain standing right there. What had Zach called it? Superstition? The same mountain adorned the Chamber of Commerce website header. She entered the kitchen as Zach knocked and came into the entrance at the back door.
He wiped his boots then lifted his eyes to her. “I wouldn’t have come in if I didn’t see you standing there.”
“I like observing the different views. It’s lovely here. Every time I look out, I see something new.”
“It’s dry for my liking. There’s a lot of cacti out your window.”
Not much pavement and concrete, either. “I like looking at their different sizes. What can I do for you?”
“Do you have any coffee?”
“I made some before going outside.” She got the sugar out and a mug. “Here you go. I can make a pot in the mornings and bring it outside in a carafe. That way it’ll be handy.” Kimber opened a small bag of chips and pulled out a few to eat. She offered him some, but he gave a short shake to his head.
Zach stirred in sugar. “Don’t forget to bring sugar out with the coffee.” He smiled. It only lasted a second before his lips straightened. It was nice seeing it while it had remained.
Maybe all that sugar in his coffee began to sweeten him up a little.
He took the mug and headed toward the door. “I’ll be running out to fix that fencing we saw yesterday, but I should return on time. If I get busy out there, well…we might not make it to Jake’s today. I’ll let you know.”
“Okay.” Zach smelled like cigarettes. He walked out and across the yard, and her eyes cheated on her by following him. She ran to the door. “Hey.”
He turned so fast, the coffee spilled over the side of the mug right onto his boots. She didn’t hear him sigh, but his lifted shoulders gave him away. “What?” He kicked sand up onto his boots.
“You sure I should wait before riding Major? I’m kind of beginning…” She held up her hand toward him. “Not beginning, per se, but I haven’t ridden in a long time.”
“I haven’t been here long enough to know him. Davy… Pardon me. David would know better. I’m going by what he and Randy told me. I don’t advise it.”
Too bad she wasn’t looking for a man…ever. A guy as good-looking as him had to have a girlfriend. Against her will, her gaze traveled over him. What’s his story? “All right. Thanks.”
Zach stomped off the sand from his boots. He held up his mug in a salute and strode away.
Kimber would decide herself which horse to ride. She’d go nutty if she didn’t do something. Horses always brought her comfort. Maybe they would again. Back in the barn, she heard a couple thuds as something heavy landed in the bed of his pickup, but she moseyed into the tack room. One day she’d have this room and the horses figured out. It didn’t change the fact that there was a lot more tack than horses.
Instead of riding, she went back to Major and took a lead line from the hook, talking softly to him before entering his stall. She attached it to the halter Zach must’ve put on him. “Let’s take a walk, boy.” On the way out, she grabbed a longer rope, hooked it instead, and walked him out east of the house. She opened then closed the gate, entering the small round corral surrounded by the white fence.
First, she walked beside Major while hol
ding the rope to keep him close, but she gradually let some out as she talked to him. They picked up their pace until he went faster than her, and she had to slow him down before she fell on her face again.
She ran into the tack room for a bridle and replaced the harness when she returned to the horse. Kimber’s gaze followed around the fence. A mounting block sat near the gate. “Whoa, Major.” As antsy as he was, he slowed down with a nudge of coaxing. If Jerry had seen her right now doing something from her past, he’d freak. Joke’s on him. He’s the one who relocated her to a ranch.
At the stand, she boosted herself unto his bare back. “That’a boy. We can do this, can’t we?” Major reared up, and she fell off onto her back. “Okay, your choice.” She dusted herself off. Again, she mounted him, holding onto his mane, and she subtly squeezed her thighs. Up he went again, tossing her to the ground, then he took off bucking. She got up again to dust herself off. “Phew. I’m not giving up.” Major peered at her from a few feet away.
She brought him to the stand, and once again, mounted him. “Whoa, Major.” He danced to the side then took off a little faster than she would’ve liked. It’d been too long since her fanny bounced up and down on a warm, solid back. Or anything. She pressed her thighs tighter and held on for dear life when he went into a trot. Oh no. Hold on. “Whoa…” The fence came closer and over it he went. “Major, you can jump!”
She got Major slowed down and headed back to the corral, saying, “Whoa,” and pulling on the reins.
At the gate, Zach stood with his hands on his hips and a grin on his face. “I know this much about Major. He likes hooo instead of whoa.” He nodded then walked away, got into his truck, and drove off, leaving a wake of sand-dust behind him.
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Major’s neck, but when she came back around the ring facing the drive, Zach had stopped. He appeared to be looking in his rear view mirror. Crazy. What did he expect to see? Her falling on her ass again? With the big ooofs she made when she hit the ground, she doubted he missed it.
Finding Kimber (Canyon Junction; Hearts In Love Book 2) Page 7