The Cowboy Billionaire

by Lorana Hoopes

  Daisy’s face fell. “Just three right now. Ethan always had at least ten on a regular basis, but when he was killed, I had to lay some people off.” She shook her head as if trying to clear invisible demons. “Thankfully, most of them were able to get another job, but a few had to move out of the area. I felt awful firing them, but I figured keeping a few and trying to build the ranch back up was better than losing it all. Plus, some day, I hope to expand.”

  “Expand? And do what?”

  She nibbled at her bottom lip as if debating if she wanted to share that secret. “I would love to have a horse camp for underprivileged kids.” She glanced at Cody and sighed. “There isn’t much for kids to do in this town, and I’d like to have a place for them to go where they can learn skills and have a little fun.”

  Hunter shifted his attention from her. She was not what he’d expected at all, and his actual purpose no longer seemed as noble as it had when he’d agreed to come here. The question was, what did he do about it?

  “Anyway,” she said with a small sigh as she changed the direction of the conversation, “do you know how to ride?”

  Hunter shook his head. He’d never been on a horse though he had often wondered what riding one would be like. It wasn’t that he wanted to be a cowboy permanently, but to see how they lived for a few days had always sounded like an adventure.

  “You’ve never ridden a horse?” Cody asked, clearly shocked by Hunter’s admission.

  “Not too many horses where I live, kid. It’s not too hard though, is it?”

  “Well,” the corners of Daisy’s lips twitched as she tilted her head, “it depends on the person. I didn’t think it was that hard, but I have seen people struggle.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine. Just show me what to do.”

  When he’d said those words, he hadn’t thought there would be much to do, but as Daisy went over how to brush and saddle the horse, his eyes began to glaze over. How did she know this much? She’d mentioned growing up in the city, but obviously she had been here long enough to embrace small town life. He wondered if Goldman had any idea what even went into running a dude ranch? Surely, the man simply planned on hiring someone who did, but Hunter was beginning to wonder if they’d bitten off more than they could handle this time.

  “Okay, so now we’re ready to mount up.”

  Hunter blinked and brought his focus back to Daisy who was leading the first horse out of the stall. The animal was much larger than Hunter had expected, and visions of him flying off the back of the horse flashed through his mind. “This one?”

  Daisy laughed and touched the horse’s nose. “Don’t worry. This guy is big, but he’s an angel. He won’t steer you wrong. Let’s get you in the saddle.”

  Hunter followed Daisy’s directions, but he still felt extremely uncoordinated as he swung up on the horse’s back.

  “Hold the reins,” Daisy said, placing them in his hands. “I’ll be right back.”

  Before he could say a word, she had dashed back into the barn. Hunter tried not to panic as he felt the massive creature shift beneath him. He could do this. If Daisy, who was feminine and petite, could control an animal like this, then so could he. Thankfully, the horse did not move from it’s position until Daisy and Cody reappeared, each on top of their own horse. Cody’s horse was much smaller than Daisy’s or the one he was on, but he still looked confident and at home on the back of the animal. As did Daisy.

  Hunter had thought Daisy was pretty before, but there was something about seeing her command the powerful animal that made her even more appealing. Her shoulders were pulled back, making her neck appear even longer and more slender. The wind lifted her long blonde hair from her neck and back, fluttering it in the breeze like the tail of a kite in the summer sky, and even her face seemed brighter, more animated, as if this was her happy place.

  A heavy feeling sprouted in his stomach once again. He didn’t know this woman, not really, so why did he feel so guilty at the thought of buying her land and putting her out of business?

  “Ready?”

  Swallowing his traitorous thoughts, he nodded. She gave him a quick tutorial in how to hold the reins, how to make the horse move, and most importantly, how to make it stop. Then she proceeded to lead the way to the fence.

  Though he would never have considered it beautiful before, there was something breathtaking in the flat, Texas landscape. Not only did the air feel cleaner, but he felt like he could see for miles. That was something he never got in the city. Well, he could see for miles from the windows in his office, but that was only due to the fact that it was so many floors up. In reality, there were plenty of times he almost felt claustrophobic on the city streets with the large buildings looming over him and the people pressing against him as he walked the crowded sidewalks. Perhaps that was why he enjoyed his office so much. It was the one place he felt as if he could breathe.

  They rode in silence around the majority of the property, but as they neared the back part, Hunter could see a few men working on a section of fence. Daisy reined in her horse to fall into step beside his.

  “Those are my employees, the few that are left.” She lifted her hand and pointed at the man closest to the fence. “That’s Carlos. He emigrated here from Mexico and now he’s working to try and bring his family here.” Her finger moved slightly to the left. “And that’s Frank. He lost his wife and baby daughter in childbirth two years ago. He was suicidal before Ethan hired him and helped him find a new purpose. The young one there is Jorge. He just graduated and he wants to go to college, but he has no money, so he’s working here to save up. He’ll be the first in his family to attend.”

  With each name, the heavy feeling in Hunter’s stomach grew even larger. He’d rarely thought about the people who worked at places he bought, but these men all had families to take care of too or other reasons that kept them here. Would the company keep them on at the dude ranch? Would they even want to work there? “They seem like good men.”

  Daisy smiled and nodded. “They are. The best. I don’t know what they’ll do if I can’t make this ranch work and I have to sell it.” She sighed and added in a softer voice, “I don’t know what I’ll do either.”

  The moment hung in the air between them and Hunter wanted to speak up, to tell her who he was, but he couldn’t. Not yet. Not until he decided what to do.

  “Anyway, we should probably get back. I know you wanted to stop at the general store, and I’ve got more work to do.”

  Hunter nodded though a tiny shred of disappointment pierced him. He was exhausted and he did need to stop at the store as well as take a shower, so why was he disappointed that he was getting off the hook early? Could it have something to do with the beautiful blonde woman to his right or the boy that reminded him so much of himself after his mother had left? No, certainly not. After all, he had Brittany back home, and while he was fairly certain she was not the woman he would one day marry, Daisy was not the kind of woman he was interested in. Was she?

  “Yeah, sounds good. I’ll rest tonight and be ready for another day tomorrow.” Hopefully, the rest and time away from her would also clear his head and refocus his purpose. He was here to do a job - get her to sell one way or the other, so he could get back to his job and his life.

  8

  Daisy

  Daisy glanced up at the knock on the barn door and sighed when she saw Sheriff Gillespie. Though kind, he was too cowboy for Daisy. The man embodied the stereotype to a T - from his ten-gallon hat to the spurs on his boots. Daisy hadn’t even known people could still buy spurs, but he had found a way. Unfortunately, he had also made it his mission to try and date her a few months ago. Evidently, he felt that a woman shouldn’t be on a ranch alone and that a boy needed a father figure in his life. While she agreed with the latter, she had no desire to marry or even date the Sheriff just to have a man in Cody’s life.

  She plastered a fake smile on her face as she greeted him and wished she hadn’t let Cody off the hook so s
oon, “What can I do for you, Sheriff?”

  He hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and grinned at her. “I was just doing my rounds and thought I would check on you and Cody and Fanny. It must be getting lonely out here with all the other farms selling.”

  It had felt lonelier. Not only did Daisy miss having neighbors, but she missed hearing their animals, and she missed Fanny having someone to talk to during the day while Daisy worked. Her aunt hid it well, but she could tell the woman missed talking with Ethel each day. Hopefully, her bed and breakfast idea would gather steam and people would start coming. Not only would that help financially, but it would give Fanny something to do as well. Something other than dealing with Cody and his moodiness. “It’s definitely quieter, but we’re making it.”

  “That’s good to hear.” He nodded and pressed his lips together as if he wanted to say more but wasn’t sure where to start. “I know you’re busy and all, being short handed, but I wanted to see if you might like to join me for dinner.”

  And there it was. The offer he made every time he stopped by. One would think he would get the hint after the first few times Daisy turned him down, but the man had a stubborn streak a mile long. “Thank you for the offer, but I have someone coming in the morning to learn about ranch life, and I really need to get some work finished before he comes.”

  Suddenly, the thumbs slipped from the loops, and Sheriff Gillespie stood a little taller. “Oh yeah, he's doing a story or looking for a job?”

  “A story. Fanny said his name was Hunter Goldsby, but I didn’t get much beyond that.”

  “I see. Well, I hope for your sake he’s on the up and up, but you know you can call me if you ever need anything, right?”

  Daisy could hear the hope in his voice, but she knew she would have to be in real trouble before she would call the sheriff. Perhaps, if they did get people staying with them, Fanny could find a woman who would be a perfect match for Sheriff Gillespie because a new focus might be the only way to get his fixated gaze off her. “Thank you, Sheriff. I’ll keep that in mind, but really, he seems harmless. He was here most of the day today and nothing happened.”

  Daisy saw the look of jealousy flash across the sheriff’s face. It was brief, and he recovered quickly, but it had been there. Dwight Gillespie had never caused problems for her before and she hoped he wouldn’t now. Especially with everything else on her plate. Daisy wasn’t sure she could take one more problem.

  “All right then,” he said, tipping his hat. “I’ll let you get back to work, but some day, I’m going to get you to have that dinner with me.”

  Daisy forced a smile and swallowed her sigh. That was exactly what she was afraid of. At some point the man would wear her down, but accepting would only lead him on. She’d have to find a solution before that happened. “Good night, Sheriff.”

  When she was sure he was actually gone, Daisy made her way back to the house. She was starving and tired, and with another long day looming over her, she needed to get to bed early.

  “Was that Sheriff Gillespie I saw leaving?” Fanny asked as Daisy washed her hands in the sink.

  “Yep, sure was. He was swinging by to check on us and ask me to dinner. Again.” She rolled her eyes as she turned off the faucet and grabbed a towel.

  “Maybe you should just go out with him and see-” Fanny began, but Daisy cut her off with a shake of her head.

  “Aunt Fanny, we have been through this. I am not interested in dating right now and certainly not Dwight Gillespie.”

  Fanny’s sigh held just the hint of exaggeration. “I know, but I worry about you. I had a good long time with my Jack, and I know you loved Ethan, but it’s just you and Cody here on this big ranch.”

  “It’s not just us, Aunt Fanny. We have you.”

  “You know what I mean,” Fanny said with a slight scowl. “I’m getting along in years, and I won’t be a good companion forever. Besides, don’t you want more children running under your feet one day? Tromping muddy prints on your freshly cleaned floors?”

  Daisy chuckled. “When you put it like that, I can’t believe I haven’t had a bushel of kids already.” She grabbed the plates from Fanny and carried them to the table. “I wouldn’t mind more kids one day, Aunt Fanny, but I want them with the right man. Especially with everything Cody is going through, I can’t just jump into another relationship. It has to be the right one. Speaking of Cody, where is he?”

  “He should be here in a second. I told him to wash his hands for dinner.” Fanny set a large bowl of spaghetti down in the middle of the table and then turned back to grab a salad from the big island bar. “What about Hunter?” she asked when she returned. “He seemed nice.”

  Daisy rolled her eyes and shook her head. She knew Fanny meant well, but that was just silly. “I don’t even know him, Aunt Fanny, and he doesn’t live here. There would be no point starting a relationship with a man who lives in Dallas. What magazine does he work for anyway?”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”

  Daisy froze, the fork she intended to place hovering inches from its place as she turned her attention to her aunt. “He didn’t say? Did you ask?” Had Fanny gotten any information about this man she had led all over her ranch?

  Fanny tilted her head and tapped her chin. “I don’t guess I did. He said Dixie gave him your name, so I figured he was okay.”

  “Who’s okay?” Cody asked as he entered the kitchen.

  “No one,” Daisy said at the same time Fanny answered, “Hunter.”

  Cody’s face lit up. “I liked him. He was funny and he didn’t get mad when he fell in poop.”

  “See? Cody approves,” Fanny said.

  Daisy rolled her eyes. “No offense, but Cody is eight years old. He’s not skilled at judging people’s character.”

  “Hey,” Cody said, frowning and folding his arms across his chest.

  Fanny placed an arm around his shoulders as she led him to the table. “Don’t worry, Cody, I think you’re a great judge of character.” She turned her attention back to Daisy as she pulled her own chair out. “Besides, I figured any story would be good for business. You got him to pay you, right?”

  “Yes.” Daisy swallowed her exasperation as she sat down in her own chair. Fanny had always lived in Soda Spurs and she didn’t know how ruthless the outside world could be. “He is paying me which will help, but Aunt Fanny, what if he writes something terrible about the ranch? That would kill what little business we have.”

  “Why would he do that?” Fanny narrowed her gaze at Daisy. “You were nice to him, weren’t you?”

  “Yes, Aunt Fanny, I was nice to him, but what if he works for a company that opposes ranching? Or worse, what if he works for the company trying to buy me out?”

  “Well, you can ask him that tomorrow. Now let’s pray, so I can eat. My stomach is grumbling, and I’m not getting any younger.”

  Before Daisy could reply, Fanny had bowed her head, closed her eyes, and begun the prayer. Daisy followed suit, holding her statement until the prayer was finished. Only when Fanny uttered ‘Amen’ did she dare to continue the conversation. “Aunt Fanny, I can’t just ask that.”

  Fanny scooped a heaping of spaghetti onto her plate. “Why not? He’s working here all week, right?”

  “Yes, but I can’t just pop a question like that. He’d probably lie anyway.” Daisy grabbed the scoop from Fanny and filled her own plate.

  “Why would he lie?” Cody asked.

  Fanny shook her head. “He probably wouldn’t. Your mother is sometimes too quick to expect the worst from people.” She shot Daisy a pointed stare. “Perhaps he’ll surprise you and tell you what you want to know.”

  Daisy supposed it was possible. Hunter had seemed kind and genuine, but she’d known enough people in her life who seemed kind but were actually ruthless. The phrase a wolf in sheep’s clothing hadn’t been created out of thin air. Still, she supposed it couldn’t hurt to ask.

  9

  Hunter

&n
bsp; Hunter could not believe how tired he was when the alarm went off the next morning. He didn’t even think he had done that much work, but his muscles were sure complaining about something.

  As he shut off the alarm on his phone, it vibrated beneath his fingers with an incoming call. Hunter sighed when he saw work’s number. He had spent hours last night wrestling with what to do, but he’d finally come to the decision that he couldn’t take Daisy’s land from her. She, her son, and the people she employed, needed it. The question was, how was he going to convince Goldman of that? “Hello?”

  “Hunter, how is it going?” Goldman’s smooth voice unnerved him even through the phone.

  “It’s okay, sir. I spent the day with Daisy Keller yesterday-”

  “Good, and did you convince her to sell?” Goldman asked, cutting him off.

  “No, sir. In fact, I think we should reconsider.”

  “Reconsider? Her property is in the middle of what we want to develop. Why on earth would we reconsider?”

  “Because she needs the land. She has a son, and she employs people who rely on this job.”

  “Then we’ll offer them a new job.” Goldman’s dismissal was so swift that Hunter wondered if he was even truly listening.

  “I just think we should try to work with Daisy instead of taking her land.”

  “I didn’t send you there to think. I sent you there to get the job done. So, finish the job before I find someone who can.”

  Hunter opened his mouth to reply, but Goldman had already hung up, and Hunter was left with silence on the other end. He didn’t think Goldman could fire him, but he remained in charge of the business and Hunter’s monthly draw until the day Hunter met his father’s mysterious expectation, and he could certainly make Hunter’s life miserable until then. Sighing heavily, Hunter prepared himself for another day of hard work with Daisy.

  After a quick breakfast, he made his way out to the ranch once again. Unsure if he should walk through the house, he decided to park and go around the side like he had yesterday. He found Daisy and Cody letting the chickens out for their free range time.