When I pulled up to the house, the truck wasn’t there, so I followed the path down to the barn and climbed out. London was talking to three men along with her sisters, so I hung back until she was done and made her way over to me. Her sisters joined us, but the three men didn’t move, so I eyed them, London turned and gave me the go-ahead to speak in front of them.
“That pasture, how many acres is it?” I pulled out my notepad and began taking notes.
London crossed her arms but didn’t speak.
Paris answered, “That one is about, eighty—more or less.”
“And what about the field to the northwest?”
“That’s the largest.” Holland chimed in, but I kept my eyes focused on London. “It’s about one hundred fifty acres.”
“Your big field did sustain some damage, but it was mild, maybe an acre or so, that’s just a guess. The pasture next to the main road was totally wiped out.”
London’s arms tightened across her body, her nails dug into her arms, but she kept silent.
“The investigator will be out here soon to test for an accelerant and arson.”
“Arson?” Holland’s face was a mask of fury. “You mean someone deliberately burned our fields?”
“That’s what we’re going to look for.”
“The cattle?” London asked and then looked to Paris as if she might have the answer.
“Don’t worry, Asher will be here soon and we’re going to test all the fields. We can’t have the cattle grazing until we know what’s going on,” Paris assured her.
Just then, two trucks pulled up the driveway and parked. Marcus got out of the first one, and his brother, Asher, followed. A twinge of jealousy hit me over the way London flew into Marcus’s arms. “Shh, we’re going to get the cattle moved,” Marcus crooned.
I averted my gaze and saw Paris wrapped in Asher’s arms. I wasn’t sure why Marcus was here, but I totally understood Asher’s presence. He was the local large animal veterinarian and was probably here to check on the herd.
“Paris was just telling me that you guys suspect arson. She and I are going to head out to the pasture that wasn’t burned, I just want to take a few grass cuttings and run some litmus tests on it. I’m assuming it will all be fine since whatever chemical was used should have burned off in the fire, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I just don’t want them ingesting a ton of chemical laden ash. Why doesn’t someone go and speak to the new neighbor and see if he wouldn’t mind allowing the cattle to graze for a bit. His farm is almost twice this size,” Asher instructed.
“I’ll do that,” a man about my age said. He was wearing a black T-shirt, worn jeans, and boots. He turned to me, and something in his eyes bothered me. “I’m Ryan, I run the ranch.”
I cut my eyes to London, who looked as if she were ready to throw down. “Excuse me? Since when? Last I knew, I ran this ranch along with my two sisters.”
“Sorry, London, I just meant that I’m the foreman of the ranch.” Ryan turned so that London couldn’t see him and gave me a mocking wink.
I hated when men were condescending to women, and unfortunately, it was something I saw more often than not. We had a ton of good ole boys who believed women should be barefoot and pregnant while in the house making them a sandwich.
“Hold off there a second, Ryan. Let’s see what your bosses want you to do. If they give the all clear for you to speak on their behalf, then go ahead.”
My eyes locked with London’s, and she was fighting back a smile.
“Ryan, you can go and ask if our new neighbor will let the cattle graze in his pastures, but take Wally with you. And Ryan? Please remember who owns this ranch, who signs your paychecks.” London didn’t step away from Marcus, and that bothered me even more. “Is there anything else you need from us, Deputy McManus?”
“Braden.” I was exasperating her, and a small part of me felt guilty for it. But she was giving me some attention, which was better than being ignored by her.
“Well, I’m going to go check on the horses.” Holland stepped back and turned toward the stables.
“Why don’t I grab the change of clothes from my truck and then help you with whatever you need. I’m off the rest of the day.”
“Why don’t you stay there and let us do our chores?”
London finally pulled away from Marcus and headed toward a stall, hollering over her shoulder, “Thanks, Deputy, have a great life.”.“Fine, I’ll head home and get a nap, but I’ll be back. We can talk later.”
“No need, Deputy McManus.”
“I beg to differ, Miss Kelly, unless of course you want to talk over everything now. I need to apologize to you, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have snuck out without—”
“Will you shut up? Go do whatever you need to do. When you come back, we will talk. Right now, I have work to do.”
Oh, she was mad, and she was determined to make me suffer, but I’d regretted leaving her the second I was out her door. All I wanted was for her to listen to me, to look at me, to give me a second chance, whether I truly deserved it or not.
London went back to working in the stall, and I gave a half wave to the rest of the group as I headed for my Explorer. I was going to have to do some groveling. But truth be told, I deserved any punishment she was going to dish out. I wasn’t giving up because I wanted another chance. I’d fucked up. I wouldn’t be making that mistake again.
Normally, when I got home from work, I’d hit the bed and be out in no time, but not today. No, this morning I lay there staring at the fucking crack on my ceiling that I’d never noticed before and thought of London and the way her body felt when she was under me.
The way her eyes darkened to that of a well-aged brandy just before I slid into her.
I wasn’t sure if I actually fell asleep or not because it seemed that I was still thinking of London when I realized that it was a quarter after ten. After jumping in the shower, I dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and work boots before heading back to the ranch.
When I arrived, Ben was there with the fire inspector. I gave them both a chin nod and then took up a spot next to London, who was sitting next to Holland on the couch.
“From our preliminary test, it appears to have been what we classify as fuel oil number one category, which can be kerosene, charcoal starter fluid, or one of several different insecticides. The way the fire spread, I believe that whoever started it was inside the property perimeter. The fire began at the point of that field farthest from State Road 46 and then burned toward the highway. My guess is that they wanted to do damage but didn’t want to damage the house. I’ll let you know as soon as we hear back from the lab on the actual chemical. My team is currently combing the area around your farm and looking for any evidence.”
“Such as?” London looked up at me after she’d asked the question.
“Containers like gas cans or matches, lighters, even clothing that may have been burned. I’ll need a list of all the people who have access to the ranch. Also, Ben mentioned that your father recently passed, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” London and Holland whispered in unison.
“Many times after a death, there’s a battle with the will, family members are upset over who will inherit. Anything like that?”
“No. My dad was an only child. It’s just the three of us. We each got one-third, and we are not allowed to sell it. If one of us wants out, they must give their portion of the land divided equally between the remaining two.” London reached over and squeezed Holland’s hand.
“Employees or boyfriends? Pissed any of them off lately?”
“No,” London said, but my mind was going to the man who was all too quick to claim responsibility for the ranch.
5
London
The inspector and Ben left just as Ryan, Paris, and Asher walked in. When Ryan saw Braden standing next to me, his face twisted into a scowl.
“I’ll get some food ready. Holland want to help?” Paris headed t
o the kitchen.
“Not particularly.”
“Do it anyway,” Paris snapped, forcing Holland to come with her.
“You’ve got me, I’ll always help,” Asher announced as he followed behind. God, could the man be any more in love with my sister and could she be any more oblivious about it?
“I’m going to head out, I need to check in on my mom and then get up to the bar. Call if you need anything.” Marcus kissed me on the side of my head and then hollered his goodbyes to the rest of the group. Sometimes I wished that I had feelings for Marcus. It would make life so much easier. I didn’t, though.
“Thanks for going to the neighbors,” I said to Ryan, who was still glaring at me, “but Asher feels that the pasture is safe.”
“May we go into your office and talk about this?”
“No, it’s fine, Braden can hear.”
“London, I don’t think we need anymore outsiders in the family business right now.”
Family? He...he didn’t think? What the hell?
Calm down, London, calm down. Count to ten...in Spanish. Ryan is an idiot. He’s hurt, that’s all. He feels that his role as foreman has been usurped since Dad passed.
“Fine. Braden, will you excuse me for a second? I’ll be right back. Stay and have lunch with us, it’s the least we can do.”
Braden gave me a half-smile and nodded before his focus turned to Ryan and his eyes darkened. Yep, these two were going to have a cockfight, and I didn’t have time for either one of their bullshit.
“Let’s go, Ryan, you need to get back to work.” I headed to my office with Ryan on my heels.
Ryan stepped in and moved to close the door. “Please leave the door open.”
“But we have things to discuss.”
“I understand that, but the only people who come down this hall are my sisters, and they have every right to hear whatever it is you want to tell me. So, if you don’t mind, I said to leave the door open.” Ryan swung the door back hard enough that knob hit the wall, and my anger flared. “I’m not sure what’s gotten into you lately, but on top of what has happened with the field, I don’t have time for your drama.”
“Fine. I met our neighbor, Mr. Brooks, and he’s more than willing to let the cattle on his property for a fee.”
“A fee? But we’re neighbors.”
“He said it’s business. Eighteen dollars per acre, per month, and your crew makes sure the pasture is kept rotated.”
“That’s ridiculous! Eighteen dollars is the standard rate if they do everything.”
“I’m just the messenger. His field closest to ours is fenced off at around one hundred ten acres.”
“Let me think about it, I need to run the numbers. It might be better to just keep the cattle here and bring in some different hay for the few months it takes to regrow the Bermuda grass. I guess we won’t be having any neighborly parties with the new folks, huh?”
“It’s just him. He’s into horse racing and does a lot of training and houses some of thoroughbreds during the winter. He said that if I needed a job I could always go there.”
“Does that interest you, Ryan?”
“I’m just saying that I do a lot around here—a lot more than you realize. You’d miss me if I wasn’t here, you’d feel it.”
“I don’t question that you’re an asset to the ranch. But I can hire assets that don’t give me attitude for less money. If you feel the need to go work somewhere else, be my guest.” That conceited prick, he thought that I’d beg him to stay. If it weren’t for the damn unemployment that I knew he’d claim or the fact that I didn’t trust him not to lie about some jacked-up charges like hostile work environment or sexual harassment, I’d fire him. But, damn it, he never did anything that was hands-down, unequivocally fire-worthy, something that I could hold over him if he didn’t leave peacefully.
“The cattle really need more than just the one pasture. I think that you are going to have to take Mr. Brooks up on his offer even if it is high.”
“Your thoughts are noted.”
When Ryan stood and finally left, I followed him out to the living room. Might as well get all the talking shit over with. “Braden, you wanted to speak with me?” I waved for him to come on back to my office.
“How long has the guy worked for you?” Braden tilted his chin toward Ryan, who had just slammed my front door.
“Too long. Fifteen years, but my dad liked him, probably because he never undermined my dad like he does me.”
“Is that what he’s doing, undermining you?”
“Yes. His ego is bruised. He thinks women are incapable of anything. I think he’s amazed that my dad would leave a successful farm to three ‘incompetent’ women.”
“But you aren’t incompetent.”
“I know that. My dad knew that. Hell, he raised us and trained us. He had us running this farm. By the time Holland was ten we each had our roles firmly identified and were working them. But Ryan doesn’t see that, he only see girls standing in the way of men.”
“What do you mean?” Braden stopped at the open doorway to my office and leaned against the doorframe.
“He’s been asking me out since we were teenagers, and I’ve always said no.”
“Why’s that?”
“Not sure, just never really saw him as date material.” Neither one of us moved into my office, we just stood there neither going in or out, neither of us making a move one way or the other. It was kind of symbolic.
“What’s his last name?” Braden bit the inside of his cheek while his mind got lost on something.
“Cardenas, why?”
“I don’t know, just the sheriff in me.”
Why, why, why did he have to say that? Something about his sentence had my mind spiraling into the gutter and has me thinking, I’d like to have the sheriff in me. God, something was seriously wrong with me. He’d left me a damn apology, and all I wanted was to have him again. “So what did you want to talk about?”
“I owe you an apology.”
“You gave it, remember? In your note it said, I’m sorry.” I was being a total bitch but he was making me uncomfortable, I always got nervous around him. Why after all these weeks did he think I’d accept his apology? He should have done it immediately.
“Let me explain, please.”
I crossed my arms and straightened my shoulders. My daddy used to call it my London-takes-on-the-world stance. He used to tell me that if anyone ever gave me trouble, all I had to do was assume that stance and I’d intimidate the hell out of them. But by the look on Braden’s face, I didn’t think it was working on him.
“I saw you lying there that night, you were so gorgeous, but you were totally out of it. It hit me that maybe you had been more intoxicated than I had realized, and I felt like an ass. I was embarrassed. I pride myself on my morals, and there you were so beautiful and innocent, and all I could think about was that I had taken advantage of you when you were drunk.”
“I knew perfectly well what I was doing, and I fully consented, so you have no reason to feel guilty. So if that was all you wanted to talk about, I guess we’re done.”
“No. Let me make it up to you, please? Go out with me...on a real date.”
“Umm...no. You and I are like oil and water, we don’t mix.” I pursed my lips, forcing myself not to show any emotion over that bold-face lie.
I stepped back when he stepped forward, I took another step back when he advanced again, until my back was against the bookcase and his hands were pinning me in place.
“Why, London Kelly, do I think that you are lying? I think you know that we mix.” He pressed his hips against mine. “We mix very well.”
“Lunch is ready.” Paris’s voice interrupted us.
“Coming,” my voice squeaked as I shouted back. After clearing my throat, I tried again. “Huh, coming, be right there.”
Instead of turning and walking back out of my office like I thought he would, Braden righted himself, as in adjusted the fro
nt of his pants. Oh sure, I don’t think he meant for me to notice because he turned sideways but I noticed. I noticed that ginormous bulge in the front of his jeans.
“You okay? You’re blushing?” he asked, turning back to face me and then reaching up to cup the side of my face.
I pulled away. “Mm-hmm, just tired and hungry. You can stay for lunch.” I raced out of my office, not wanting him to know where my mind had just been.
In the kitchen, Braden pulled out my chair at the table and sat next to me as if he was some missing puzzle piece to the familiar gathering.
“What did you make?” I looked up at Paris as she and Asher brought plates to the table.
“Calzones. I had some dough already in the fridge and sauce from spaghetti last night, so it was easy.”
“Sounds awesome. Do you always cook like this?” Braden took his plate from Paris. “Thank you.”
“Pretty much, it’s my thing. I’d spend all day in the kitchen or in a garden if I could. That’s why I’m always in charge of trying different seeds and seeing what mixes for the grass.”
“Why don’t you build a garden then?” Braden sounded genuinely interested in what Paris had to say, and I felt a tightening in my shoulders.
Holy hell, I was jealous, some part, a very small part of me was jealous...of my sister. No, that couldn’t be. I loved my sister. I glanced over to Asher, who seemed to feel the same way I did about it.
“I don’t really want to waste all that time just to have well fed deer.”
“My dad and I built a garden for my mom. It isn’t huge, but it’s big enough for her to cook for the family and to give some to neighbors.” Braden looked over to me, and I plastered on a smile. “The way it’s designed, it keeps the deer and rabbits out.”
“Oh, I’d love that. I know just where I’d have it built as well.” I couldn’t be jealous when I saw the look of happiness on my sister’s face. I felt sorry for Asher, but if Braden could make Paris this happy, then who was I to stand in the way?
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