Betting on Texas

by Amanda Renee

  “What about the livestock?” Jesse growled.

  “What? Oh, yes.” Cobwebs had clouded her brain. All thoughts were on the man who stood just a hairsbreadth away. A man with a serious dislike for her. Then why did she want to pull him closer and kiss his sun-stained lips?

  “Miranda?” Jesse snapped her back into reality.

  Miranda stepped off the porch and steadied her nerves.

  “I’ve thought about it, and after talking it over with Aaron, I’ve—”

  “Aaron? Don’t tell me you listened to a thing that fool had to say,” Jesse said. “He’s a playboy. Looking to get down those tight-fitting britches you got on.”

  “Hey! You don’t have to be so rude.”

  “Me? Rude?” Jesse threw his hands in the air and walked away. “Honey, this is just part of my Texas charm. And you’re a fine one to talk after the stunt you pulled at The Magpie.”

  “That stunt was your own creation. You masterminded the whole thing didn’t you? No wonder you were so adamant about going to breakfast even though I told you I wanted to go home.”

  “You think I planned it? I’ll take that as a compliment. Go back to where you came from. You won’t make it here a month.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on that, cowboy.” Miranda followed him to the main corral.

  “Okay.” Jesse stopped short. “Let’s bet on it.”

  “What are you taking about?”

  “I bet—” Jesse turned toward her “—you won’t last one month on this ranch.”

  “Oh, okay.” Miranda laughed. “Some bet, there. A whole month. Wow.”

  “That’s all it will take.” Jesse hopped up to sit on the top rail of the fence.

  “You’re really serious?” Miranda shielded her eyes from the sun. “What are we betting?”

  “The ranch.”

  “What?” Miranda looked skyward as she shook her head. “What do you mean ‘the ranch’?”

  “If you last the month, I’ll leave and you’ll never be bothered by me again. If I win, you sell me the ranch for what I originally bid on it. What do you say? You game or don’t you think you can handle it?”

  Miranda narrowed her eyes. So this was his plan. He still wanted the ranch for himself. Well, one month would be easy enough. And it would teach him a lesson not to underestimate her.

  “You’re on.”

  “And before you think you have this all figured out, there are a few ground rules.” Jesse swung his legs over the fence and jumped into the corral.

  “What kind of ‘ground rules’?” Miranda mocked the last two words.

  “You can’t sell off any livestock. And you have to work like every other rancher in these parts.”

  Miranda opened her mouth to protest.

  “And before you say the animals are too expensive, you can keep my share of the money I’ll be getting tomorrow when I deliver these two horses.”

  Jesse attached a lead rope to one of the horses and led him to the gate.

  “What do you mean, ‘deliver these two horses’? Those are my horses.”

  “Not all of them. These two are Blueford’s. I’ve been training them for a while now and tomorrow they go home.”

  There was no way she could lose. She bought the ranch to live on, after all. Okay, so, there were a few animals to take care of. Two horses were already leaving. This would be easy.

  So what was the catch? “I’ve got news for you, cowboy. I’m not going anywhere.” Miranda held out her hand. “You have yourself a deal.”

  Jesse led the horse through the gate and closed out any space between her and the rest of the world. He took her hand in his and shook it firmly. The heat of his hand caused her to try to pull away.

  “This is a working ranch, Miranda.” Jesse ignored her attempt to break free. “It may not look like much, but there is a viable business here.”

  “Face facts, Jesse. You aren’t staying long and I can’t manage this place by myself. Once your little bet is over, the livestock goes.”

  “This is a ranch—those animals belong here.” Jesse released her hand and led the horse toward the stables. “If you win, and you won’t, but if you did, you could at least hire a foreman.”

  “With what money? You seem to think I am rolling in it.”

  “You’re rolling in something.” Jesse smirked.

  Miranda ignored the comment and continued.

  “What makes you so certain I’m loaded?” Miranda placed her hands on her hips and tapped an impatient foot.

  “Look at you! All decked out in your fancy clothes. Those sure didn’t come off the rack at Walmart.”

  “You’re right. They came from Neiman Marcus.”

  “And you say you’re not rich.” Jesse dismissed her with the wave of his hand and sauntered toward the stables. “I bet you don’t even know the meaning of an honest day’s pay.”

  “You just lost your first bet,” Miranda yelled to his back. “I was a sales associate.”

  “A sales associate?” Jesse stood where he was and stared blankly at Miranda.

  “That’s right, Jesse. Just about all the clothes I own are sales items which I never would have been able to afford if it wasn’t for my employee discount.”

  “You mean you worked?” Jesse’s tone softened.

  “Of course I worked. I plan to work again once I get this place in order. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, despite what you think.”

  “And the truck and the boots?”

  “All things I bought to fit in better around here. Only it seems to have the opposite effect when it comes to you.”

  “A sales girl at the mall doesn’t make that kind of money. There’s more to it than that.”

  Miranda opened her mouth to tell him about the lottery when the full force of his words hit her.

  “I was a bit more than a sales girl at the mall, and even if I wasn’t, what is so wrong with being a sales girl, Mr. Earn an Honest Living?”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You’ve said enough to last a lifetime.” Miranda marched toward the main house. “My money is none of your concern.”

  “I leave with the horses first thing in the morning,” Jesse called after her. Now he was the one trying to keep up with her.

  “Where is this Blueford?” Miranda asked from the top step of the porch.

  “Albany.”

  “Albany, New York?” Talk about one heck of a drive trailering two horses.

  “Albany, Texas. About a four-and-half-hour drive north of here.”

  “Oh.” Miranda felt so ignorant about the state. Where can I buy Texas for Dummies or at least a bigger map? “When do we leave?”

  “We? What’s this ‘we’?”

  Miranda cocked an eyebrow as she folded her arms in front of her.

  “You certainly don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight, now do you? I don’t trust you. Not with the ranch on the line.”

  “Whatever.” Jesse rolled his eyes. “You want to come, fine. Stay out of my way, though. We’ll head out tomorrow.”

  “What time?”

  “Sunup. If you’re not out here by then, I’m leaving without you.”

  Chapter Five

  “Damn roosters!” Miranda sat upright in her sleeping bag. Who needs an alarm clock with those blasted things around?

  Still unable to reach Jonathan, she’d sent him an email last night demanding answers an
d outlining the events of the past few days. She knew it was too early for him to have read it yet, but she checked anyway. No new messages.

  She jumped in the shower, threw on some clothes and headed out the door. Her body ached from sleeping on the floor for the second night in a row. She kicked herself for being too lazy to drag a cot in from the bunkhouse. As soon as they got back, she would buy a mattress.

  Famous last words, Miranda. It’s been three days now.

  “Sleep well?”

  Jesse snuck up behind her as she left a note on the back door for Mable. His mischievous grin told her he knew she was sore. There was no way she would give him the satisfaction of winning this round.

  “Like a baby,” Miranda replied, smiling. “I didn’t even need a cot from the bunkhouse.”

  The speed in which Jesse’s smile faded when he realized she knew about the extra beds amazed even her.

  “I’m telling Mable.” She waggled a finger at him as she walked around the trailer, already hitched to Jesse’s truck. The horses were tied to the side.

  “What are their names?”

  “The chestnut is Charisma and the paint is Hawkeye.” Jesse reached inside the trailer and grabbed an armful of nylon and fleece braces.

  “These are shipping boots. They protect their legs during transport,” he said as he fastened the black boots around their lower legs. “Think you can manage to untie Charisma?”

  As Miranda moved to the left side of the horse, he jolted and swayed sideways, almost crushing her against the side of the trailer.

  “Charisma’s not fond of trailer rides,” Jesse said as he soothed the animal. “He’s a little skittish. At least you approached him from the left. You’re learning.”

  Learning? He almost flattened me!

  Charisma pulled against his harness and tie-downs then kicked backward with both legs. Jesse quickly snatched Miranda out of harm’s way.

  “Why, Jesse, I didn’t know you cared,” Miranda said as she held on to him.

  “Believe me, I don’t.” Jesse released her as if disgusted with himself. “It’s the load we’re hauling I care about. Not you.”

  Jesse’s words bit into her heart. No matter what she did or said, he insulted her in some way. It wasn’t the most ideal of situations, but couldn’t he at least give her credit for trying?

  “I hate you!” The only words she could think of flew out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. Not very mature.

  “You hate me, huh? Want to trailer these horses alone?” Jesse mocked.

  “I could if I wanted to. I am so tired of your insults. I did nothing to you. Nothing that was my fault anyway. You have a mean streak a country mile wide and a chip on your shoulder the size of Texas.”

  “Wowee, girl. You sure sound like a Texan. But make no bones about it, you ain’t Texan. You never will be.”

  “That’s it! Get off my ranch!” She didn’t know how or where the words came from, but she’d had enough. She met every challenge and she deserved respect.

  “We’ll see how well you do without me.” Jesse stormed off to the foreman’s house, leaving her alone with the horses.

  I can do this myself. I don’t need him. I don’t need anyone.

  Miranda caught a glimpse of Jesse as he watched her from the window. Her hands trembled. She slowly began to unfasten Hawkeye’s tie-downs. The horse jerked back for a brief moment and then followed her in the trailer. Inside, Miranda attempted to retie the horse the same way Jesse had. Frustrated, she yanked the tie harder than she should have, spooking the horse. Hawkeye attempted to rear. The trailer violently shifted. Miranda grabbed hold of Hawkeye’s halter to steady herself. Alarmed further, the horse broke free from her grasp and knocked her to the trailer floor.

  “Miranda!” Jesse pulled her to safety. “Never do that again! You’ll end up killing yourself with the way you handle these horses.”

  Miranda ran out of the trailer while Jesse settled the horse. He loaded Charisma while she waited in the truck, shaken and scared. She thought it would be like putting a dog in a kennel. Even though the horse was twenty times the size.

  Jesse opened the door to the truck and climbed in the driver’s seat.

  “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to—”

  Throwing herself into his arms, clinging to him for dear life, Miranda knew he was the enemy and she shouldn’t need him. But for the moment, all that mattered was the safety of his embrace.

  Surprisingly, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

  * * *

  “SHH. IT’S OKAY. EVERYTHING’S okay.”

  Jesse enjoyed the feel of her against him. The way she fit perfectly in his arms. He didn’t mean to yell at her the way he did. When Hawkeye had almost crushed her, every ounce of his soul screamed to protect her. She moved closer and Jesse fought the tremendous urge to lift her face to his and kiss away her fears.

  Miranda released herself from him. Color rose high in her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry.” She hid her embarrassment by looking out the side window.

  “So am I.”

  In more than one way.

  Miranda continued to stare out the window without so much as a word. Since no major highway ran from Ramblewood to Albany, they took the back roads through the Hill Country. Unsure of how to ease the tension, Jesse pointed out numerous local points of interest he thought would appeal to her in each town. Miranda was childlike in her enthusiasm over different landmarks they passed.

  “What do FM and RM mean on the road signs?”

  Jesse laughed. He never paid much attention to it before. It was second nature to him.

  “Farm-to-Market and Ranch-to-Market,” Jesse said, all too willing to give her a little lesson in Texas 101. “FM roads provide access to the rural parts of the state. You’ll see RM roads when the number of ranches outnumbers farms. It goes back to old days where farmers and ranchers brought their crops and stock to market.”

  “That’s neat,” Miranda said.

  Over the course of the next few hours, Miranda showered him with questions about the history of Texas. He had to admit, he loved every minute of it. She seemed genuinely eager to learn all he had to teach her. He couldn’t help but admire her enthusiasm but he had to keep reminding himself this wasn’t a date. She was the biggest adversary he ever had. The ranch swung in the balance.

  They stopped for breakfast at a small roadside hole-in-the-wall. This time, Miranda ordered pancakes and sausage without any prodding from him. If the look on her face was any indication, she enjoyed every mouthful.

  “Tell me more about this guy we’re going to see.”

  “Blueford is an old friend,” Jesse said as he took the last bite of his biscuit and gravy. “He owns the largest ranch in Shackleford County. I’ve trained every cutting horse he owns.”

  “Impressive.” Miranda leaned forward. “How long does it take to train a horse?”

  “Depends. Some take longer than others do. On average, eighteen months. You can only train a horse for a couple of hours a day. I like to start them when they’re two and a half or three years old.”

  Jesse explained how training began on each horse. He was taken aback by Miranda’s interest in his work. He didn’t get much of an opportunity to share his passion, outside of his family. With the exception of Cole, ever since he turned down his father’s last offer to join his brothers at Bridle Dance, he didn’t see much of them on a social basis.
Truth be told, he felt a little lonesome.

  His father was as willful as he was. They both knew it and even acknowledged it on occasion, but it didn’t mean either one of them would back down. Joe Langtry wanted Jesse to run the Bridle Dance Ranch alongside his brothers. He envisioned all his sons raising their families on the ranch. Now that the four Langtry boys were getting older, Joe latched on to that idea even more.

  Miranda continued her Texas inquisition throughout most of their trip, not leaving much room for him to find out much about her, other than her desire to learn about the Lone Star State. Questions came from all directions on every subject. Her passion and excitement allowed him to see everything fresh and new.

  Drive Carefully—Stop Wildlife Squish in Albany

  The sign appeared out of nowhere. Jesse held his amusement in check until Miranda burst out laughing. Tears ran down her cheeks causing Jesse to lose control himself. Afraid he would drive the truck off the road, he pulled into the Dairy Queen parking lot.

  “Wildlife squish!” Miranda wiped at her eyes. “Oh, my sides hurt. I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t very funny, but it came as such a surprise.”

  Jesse rested his arm across the back of the bench seat and gently pushed a strand of hair away from her face. It had been a long time since he last had some humor in his life. Enjoyment was something he’d long since forgotten. Now he owed his newfound sense of it all to Miranda. The one person he should despise more than anyone else on this planet.

  She looked at him with such an openness and honesty, he didn’t understand how he could be so cruel to her. From the second he first laid eyes on the woman beside him, she captured a piece of his heart he was certain he’d lost forever. Once he realized his vision of beauty was the new owner, all bets were off. Miranda took from him the one thing he wanted most in this world. The chance for a life and a family, on the land that meant everything to him.

  Afraid he might lose himself in a moment of weakness, Jesse proceeded through Albany’s business district and into its tidy town square. They stopped at Albany’s only traffic light where Miranda gasped at the impressive courthouse before her. Its limestone grandeur had astounded visitors for over a century. The sculpture garden in front of the art museum was equally as impressive, but Jesse didn’t want to waste time sightseeing. The sky had an ominous look to it. He wanted to get the horses delivered to Blueford and be on their way before they had to contend with a Texas monsoon.