The Cowboy Imports a Bride (Cowboys of Chance Creek)

by Cora Seton

  "I…don't have an appointment," Morgan said. "I was wondering…if I could hang out with the shelter animals?" She trailed off, feeling foolish. Bella probably wouldn't want people to drop in unannounced. This was a veterinary office, not just a pound.

  "Sure thing!" Hannah smiled broadly. "We love it when people come and give the pets some attention. The animals love it, too. Are you a dog person or a cat person?"

  "I guess I could be either."

  Hannah considered her, and Morgan had a feeling she could see the traces of tears on her face. "Let's start with cats today," she said kindly. She led the way through to the shelter and once again Morgan found herself in the feline area of the big building. "Our animals have the best chance for adoption if they're good with being handled and unafraid of humans. If you take the cats out of their cages, one at a time, and just pet and hold them for a little while, that's really great."

  "What if they don't want to be held?"

  "Don't push things if they put up a fuss," Hannah said. "Some of the cats are feral. We give them shots, spay or neuter them, then try to find farms where they can be barn cats. Take your lead from the animals." She turned to leave.

  "What if one gets away from me?" Morgan said, beginning to panic a little at the thought of being alone among all these cages.

  "As long as you keep the main doors shut, you'll be fine." Hannah assured her. "Just come back up front when you're done."

  Left among the animals, Morgan didn't know where to start, but she approached the cage of an orange tabby and cautiously opened it. The cat, interested, came over to inspect her, sniffed her outstretched hand and consented to be picked up. Morgan sat down on the floor and held the purring cat in her lap, stroking her fur and allowing her to sniff her, in return. The cat seemed in no hurry to run away from her so after a moment she relaxed and was rewarded when it curled up in her lap.

  After a few minutes, she reluctantly put the animal back in its cage and took another one out, repeating the process. This one was more wiggly and she wasn't able to pet it as long before it made an effort to get away. Once she safely had it back in its cage, she moved on to the next one.

  Soon she realized she was moving methodically through the cages because she wanted time with each animal before she had to leave. She began to understand how Bella could become obsessed with saving them all. How could you choose which one to keep or let go? They were all so beautiful.

  A few crouched in the back of their cages, hissing and spitting when she reached out to let them sniff her hand. Those she let be, but when she cuddled her tenth cat, a lovely black and white one who liked to nuzzle her under her chin, she had to laugh when she thought back to her confrontation with the Mathesons.

  Who cared about Holt or Jake or Ned? These kitties didn't judge her because she was a Tate instead of a Matheson, or because she wanted a vineyard instead of cattle. They accepted her presence – reveled in it – without question.

  Some humans could learn a thing or two from these fluffy balls of fur.

  When she finally did leave, after cuddling every cat in the building that would let her near, she felt much better. Hannah smiled at her. "Are you hooked yet?"

  "You bet. I still don't see how Bella can afford to feed all those animals, though."

  "The bills are crazy," Hannah confided. "I've been working on some plans, though."

  "Really? Anything I can do to help?"

  Hannah brightened. "Do you mean that?"

  "Sure." It was better than stewing about Holt.

  "If you want to join me for lunch soon I could show you what I've got so far. I could use someone to bounce ideas off of."

  "Sure. I'll call you later in the week." Morgan left the office much happier than she'd been when she arrived. Between the furry therapy she'd received from the cats, and the promise of a lunch date with Hannah, she thought she could take on Holt and all his sons.

  Besides, she had made her first friend in Chance Creek unconnected to Rob or the Cruz ranch. In some small way, she'd sent down a thread of a root into the community she wanted so badly to join.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Right before dinner on Sunday, Rob parked in the lot at the Chance Creek Regional Airport and climbed out of his Chevy. He couldn’t believe only a little over a week had passed since he and Morgan landed here. So much had happened in the intervening days.

  He was dog tired and he still had hours of work ahead of him at Carl's place tonight. He'd managed to get some equipment in and the acre plot was mowed and tilled within an inch of its life, but it had been much harder to find a mason. He had two kinds of rocks on order; rounded river rock for the perimeter fence, and flat shale for the raised beds. While the mason worked on the fence, he'd tackle those beds himself.

  He'd done his best to lay out the garden's primary features in a pattern as similar as possible to the magazine photo Carl had given him. Carl himself had ordered the fountain, so tomorrow a contractor was to come in and lay the pipe. He'd also put in a sprinkler system throughout the garden. Rob would have to take an hour or two off of his day with Ethan to make sure the man understood the plans he'd dropped by his office.

  Entering the airport, he waited for Jamie and Claire's flight to come in. He was excited to tell Jamie about moving onto the Cruz ranch, and looked forward to hashing out ways their business interests could line up. Morgan had lectured him about waiting at least until tomorrow to discuss that, however. She said Jamie and Claire would be too exhausted from their travels to talk business tonight.

  He understood that. He was almost too tired, himself.

  When the happy couple finally deplaned, they did look a little done in. Both were tanned, and they were holding hands, but Claire was quieter than usual.

  "You two okay?" Rob asked, when they met up.

  "Better now that we're off that plane," Jamie said.

  "Three flights and I sat in front of a screaming baby twice," Claire said. "My head is pounding."

  "Let's get you home," Rob said. He kept his mouth shut about all of his news, grateful for Morgan's advice now. This was definitely not the time to spring his plans on either of them. When they reached their new log home, he helped unload their luggage and prepared to take off.

  "Any chance you could fill in for me again tomorrow morning?" Jamie said, leaning against his truck. "I want to make sure Claire's better before I get back to work."

  "Sure thing."

  "Great. I'll call Ethan and let him know."

  "I can tell him myself," Rob said. "I'm heading back that way now."

  "Really? Helping him with evening chores?"

  "Nah – just popping home for dinner." When Jamie looked confused, he elaborated. "Morgan and I are staying in the spare room at the bunkhouse; until we buy some furniture and get moved in over at your old cabin."

  "My cabin? Why aren't you on your own ranch?"

  Rob realized he'd put his foot in it. "I was going to tell you tomorrow; you two looked too bushed to talk it over tonight. I'm buying 150 acres from you and Ethan. That's where Morgan and I are going to settle down. We'll put in her vineyard and eventually build a winery there. Meanwhile I'll help you and Ethan and maybe the two of us can team up on that horse-breeding business. In time, I want to offer rodeo riding lessons. It'll all play into the guest ranch business." He grinned, happy now that he'd had a chance to lay it out for Jamie, after all.

  "Ethan agreed to all that without even asking me?" Jamie said slowly.

  Rob stilled. "You got a problem with it?"

  "I don't know. I…thought he and I were partners. That's a pretty big change of plans."

  "Heck, I thought I'd get a better reception than this." Disappointment made his tone sharp.

  "It's nothing personal. Shit, I just went on my honeymoon." Jamie ran a hand through hair that was already standing on end. "I go away for a week and Ethan decides all of this? I…I better talk to him tomorrow."

  "You do that." Rob started the truck. "See you
around."

  Jamie stepped back from the vehicle and watched him drive away.

  * * * * *

  Morgan was beginning to doubt she really had a fiancé. If she woke up in the middle of the night, Rob was by her side, fast asleep, but she hardly saw him during the day. He was gone by the time she got up in the morning and didn't come home until after she'd gone to bed. She knew he'd taken on this garden project for Carl in order to raise the money he'd promised her to start her winery. She'd begun to regret ever asking for it, but without his contribution, she'd have to put that dream on hold for another year. Given the amount of time it took to get a vineyard up and running, she didn't feel like she had another year. They needed to get the land prepped this fall so they could plant the rootstock first thing next spring.

  Rob had been distant last night when he popped in for a quick dinner before heading out to Carl's. He'd driven Jamie and Claire to their house and said they looked tired but good. She was looking forward to hearing all about their trip to Hawaii. She'd never been there, herself.

  When she let herself into the Big House, she found Claire sipping a mug of tea in the kitchen, keeping Autumn company while she prepped breakfast. There was an uncomfortable silence when Morgan entered, as if the two of them had been discussing something they didn't want her to hear.

  Morgan handed Claire a kitten. "Rob and I got this for you if you want it."

  "Thanks," Claire said, but didn't meet Morgan's gaze. She took the kitten and held it carefully on her lap.

  "I was telling Claire about how Ethan had to save Ned from you the other day," Autumn said.

  Morgan looked from one to the other. Maybe they'd discussed that earlier, but judging by the tension in the room, something else had been the topic of conversation before she walked in.

  "He was angry that Rob wouldn't go back to working on the Double-Bar-K. When he called Mom a whore, I decided to teach him a lesson."

  "He called Mom a whore?" Claire set down her teacup, but Morgan didn't get the feeling she was mad at Ned. Instead, she had the distinct impression Claire was somehow blaming her.

  "Like I said, he was angry."

  "Well, I can understand that. People like to be consulted when plans change." She bent down and put the kitten on the floor where it began a tentative exploration of the large room.

  Morgan narrowed her eyes. There it was again – that trace of hostility in Claire's voice. "Holt told Rob he couldn't use the land he was giving us for the vineyard. What did he expect Rob to do?"

  "He probably didn't expect Rob to go run off and purchase 150 acres of our land behind our backs," Claire said.

  Ah, there it was.

  "That's what you think? That Rob was trying to do something sneaky?" She moved all the way into the kitchen and put her purse on the counter. "The way I heard it, Ethan offered the land to Rob. It doubt it even occurred to Rob to ask if Ethan had checked with Jamie first. After all, this is Ethan's ranch."

  "Like Ethan had any choice but to offer it to him once Rob started bitching and moaning about how his father had done him wrong," Claire said. "Anyway, Jamie's supposed to be Ethan's partner. Ethan can't go around selling bits of the ranch to people on a whim."

  "I don't think it was on a whim," Autumn put in, crossing her arms on the other side of the counter. "Ethan loves the idea of the three of them working together on this ranch, and he thought the three of us could have a good time supporting each other, too. I agreed with him."

  From her tone, it was clear she didn't anymore.

  Claire frowned. "Did Ethan consult you before offering the land to Rob?"

  "No. He didn't have to; he knew I'd be all for Rob and Morgan sharing the ranch with us. And for the record, Jamie didn't run it by Ethan or me before he decided to marry you and make you part owner again."

  "That's different." Claire's voice was rising. "Marrying into ownership and buying into it are two totally separate things."

  Morgan struggled not to turn on her heel and walk right back out the door. This was too important to walk out on, though. Why was Claire so dead set on not sharing the ranch when six months ago all she wanted to do was leave it behind, herself?

  "Ethan still has the majority share in the ranch," Autumn began cautiously.

  "And he thinks he can use that to lord it over everyone and call all the shots?"

  "Who am I lording what over?" Ethan walked into the kitchen. Claire snapped her mouth shut, color flooding her face.

  "Claire feels you should have discussed things with Jamie before offering to sell Rob part of the ranch," Morgan said quietly.

  "I'm not the only one who feels that way. So does Jamie – he's pissed, and I am, too," Claire said. "You need to consult us before you do things like that!"

  "Whoa, hold on, Claire. A month or two ago, Jamie and I paid you $600,000 for your share of the ranch. Seems to me if you're going to start bossing me around, you can pay me back," Ethan said. He bent down and scooped up the kitten, who was now sniffing around one of the easy chairs.

  Claire's face flushed even more. "That's not how it works," she said. "If you're so tight for money, ask her where all the cash Mom stole went!" She pointed at Morgan.

  "Mom didn't steal…" Ethan said.

  "Bullshit! We all keep pussy-footing around it, but she did, and that's why the ranch is in debt, which is why you have to keep selling pieces of it!"

  "Morgan's already said she doesn't know where the money is!" He sat down heavily on the easy chair and put the kitten in his lap where it crouched, quivering.

  "Then who does? Where the hell did it go?"

  Morgan couldn't stand it anymore. "Stop it! Stop yelling! If Rob buying the acreage is going to cause this much trouble, then forget it – we'll go somewhere else! But since I work for Autumn, right now I'm going to stay here and help her with breakfast. Aren't you supposed to be fixing up Carl's mansion, Claire? Seems to me it's time for you to get to work, too. We certainly shouldn't be fighting while there are guests upstairs trying to sleep."

  Claire opened her mouth, glanced at Ethan and seemed to change her mind about what she was going to say. "Fine, I'm out of here. But I notice you still haven't dropped off the list of dates Mom spent with you, like you said you would. I'd like that by the end of today, and I'm going to keep searching for that missing money."

  "Whatever," Morgan said and joined Autumn behind the counter. Ethan stood up and handed Claire her kitten.

  "Don't forget this."

  Claire frowned at the animal, then snuggled it close to her chin as she walked out.

  "Sorry about that," Ethan said to Morgan. "I don't know what's gotten into her. You think something happened between her and Jamie?"

  Autumn shrugged and Morgan shook her head. "Whatever it is, I hope they work it out quick."

  * * * * *

  When Rob got in at two in the morning again, Morgan was waiting for him in the living room of the bunkhouse.

  "What's wrong?" he asked.

  "Everything." She got up and crossed the room to hug him, leaning against him when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "We can't plant our vineyard here."

  He pulled back. "Why the hell not?"

  "Shhh – Ethan and Autumn are asleep. Because Claire's pissed that Ethan offered the land to you without asking her or Jamie. And she thinks I know what happened to all the money my mom blew and that I'm lying to cover it up. Which doesn't even make sense. If I had all that cash squirreled away somewhere I'd buy my own vineyard."

  "Huh." Rob moved to sit on the couch. He looked much too tired, his jeans and shirt covered with dust, stubble darkening his face, and hollow circles under his eyes. "Jamie wasn't too happy when I mentioned it yesterday, either. I assumed if Ethan said it was all right that it would be. I didn't think about needing to give Jamie a say first." He ran a hand through his blond hair, mussing it up. "Well, I'm sure it'll all sort out. Claire's mad they weren't asked, that's all. That doesn't mean she'll refuse to
sell to me if we ask nicely." He grinned a lopsided grin, and it was all Morgan could do not to join him on the couch and snuggle up on his lap for a kiss.

  "Maybe, but what if she doesn't?"

  "I'm pretty sure Ethan ultimately gets to call the shots."

  "Yeah, but if Claire and Jamie don't want us here, we can't stay," Morgan said. "I couldn't stand that."

  "I'm not letting Claire keep me from building a life with you," Rob said, leaning his elbows on his knees. "She better not try to stop us."

  "It's not just Claire," Morgan said, sitting down next to him. "It's your father and brothers, too. Ned said that I was breaking up your family by forcing you to build me a winery."

  "To hell with Ned," Rob said. "He likes to hear the sound of his own voice."

  "Your father hates my guts. And they're right – you aren't speaking with any of them," she protested. "And it's all because of me."

  "It's because they're pig-headed and they can't admit they're wrong. Now come to bed. Everything will look better in the morning." He stood up and tugged her across the room. "What did you say last night about missing me?"

  She allowed Rob to lead her to the bedroom, and for a little while forgot their cares in his touch, but when they'd fooled around and he'd fallen asleep, she faced the fact that her presence in Chance Creek was tearing apart two families.

  Maybe she'd been wrong to agree to marry Rob. Maybe this was what happened when you put the cart before the horse and agreed to marriage before you had a relationship. Had they been too thoughtless about the consequences of their actions when they'd pledged to spend their lives together? She had hoped that marrying Rob would bring her all the community she'd always craved. Instead, it was ripping both their families apart.

  And what about what Rob had wanted? He was looking for a chance to be independent. She knew he'd thought their marriage would allow him to make something of his life – to become a success. Now he was slaving away for Ethan and Carl, little better than a hired hand. Maybe it was a step up from being his father's lackey, but he was working so hard to give her what she wanted that he wasn't making any progress toward his own goals.