Drawn to a Cowboy (Brother Duet #1) (6 page)

“What’s the story if you don’t mind me asking? And I guess this is why you have ten cabins and one of them is listed as number eleven?”

“The owner had five sets of plans made up to build a log cabin on this spot. He loved a woman who wouldn’t commit to living with him. He believed that they had a daughter. He refused to build or live on this site without one of them. No one has ever shown up to claim the offer. Hank, the previous ranch owner, often came up here and sat on the bench for hours.”

“That’s terribly sad.” I had to bite my lip to keep from crying, and quickly walked in the opposite direction. Something about being there felt so wrong and so right at the same time. I mean it was an outstanding place to sit and paint, but things that meant something to the old ranch owner seemed to hit Sage hard. I thought maybe I would return without him.

“Where are you running to?” Hottie was quick to catch up with me.

“Show me your favorite place here.”

“As an adult and as a kid, I loved the real dude ranch stuff. That’s how it was when I first came here as a young kid, just about to turn thirteen. My twin brother wasn’t wild about it, but I loved being in the corral. Learning how to tie ropes, lasso things with a rope, including animals as I got older. Well, my brother did like the roping part,” he said then stopped and shook his head, perhaps getting rid of a visual? “I started working here every summer since I was sixteen. Hank was worried that I was too young. That I would want to go home early, but just the opposite—I hated when the summer ended.” I loved watching him kick up the dirt as he walked along, like a kid. It was hard not to smile when he picked up sticks and rocks and tossed them off the dirt path we were following back toward the barn and stables.

“Guess you were born to be a cowboy.”

“I love the lifestyle on the ranch. If I could’ve, I would’ve skipped college and came straight here, but my parents and Hank said no way. I always wanted to be able to take care of farm animals, so they all pushed me to school. As soon as I graduated, earlier than expected since I didn’t continue with veterinarian school, I came to live on the ranch permanently.”

“Big change from city boy to country boy. Although, you don’t strike me at all as a city dweller.” I couldn’t envision him in anything other than fitted denims.

“I never fit in. Kids teased me in high school wearing my jeans with a big belt buckle, plaid button down shirts, and cowboy boots. If it had been allowed, I might’ve worn a hat too.” He laughed, and I tried to imagine seeing him at my school dressed like that. He probably would’ve been teased for not wearing beach attire, but damn he must’ve been so cute! “How many times did I hear, ‘what are you the Retro Urban Cowboy?’ Thankfully we had a FFA program (Future Farmers of America) at our high school so there were a few others that dressed like me.”

“I bet you were hot… uhh…”
Shit! That just flew out of my mouth.

“I needed girls that thought like you at my school.” He laughed, bumping into me with his hip as we stood side by side watching the cowboys teaching the guests.

“Somehow I think you did just fine with the ladies.” I smiled up at him.

“Let’s just say that going to a school that had an agriculture program was much better for my social life.”
I’m sure it was, you beautiful cowboy, you!

“And your brother, the city slicker, never came around to your cowboy way?”

“No, but he actually ended up going to the same college as I did. They had a well-known culinary program. I did mention that he loved the grub, didn’t I? If not, he did. He was a bit of a chubby boy, loved the food, not the exercise. That changed in college when he learned about proper nutrition. Not to mention, he met a fellow female student that was an adrenalin junky. She told him that she loved to
get busy
after running. That got him in motion, unfortunately she didn’t mean that she wanted to
get busy
with him. But thanks to her, he’s still a runner.”

“You look pretty fit, do you run too?”

“No, I get my exercise doing stuff around here. There is some gym equipment in a portion of the barn, weights and stuff for the guys. Then there is the gym that I showed you earlier in the main lodge for the guests. I use it mostly during the winter. And you?”

“I get a good workout surfing and swimming.”

“We don’t have that available here. The lake is too cold for the most part. We talked about installing an indoor pool or at least a lap pool, maybe down the road. Speaking of down the road, I promised Norma I would go pick up stuff for a wedding we’re having here in a few weeks.”

“What a beautiful place to get married.”

“Yeah, we’ve had a few here. This is going to be a bigger one than we usually put on, and the couple have far more requests than we usually supply. My brother’s coming in to do the food as a sort of kickoff to his new project here at the ranch. I’m looking forward to it, but it’s proving to be a lot of work to bring it all together along with the other shit I have going on.” Whatever the other stuff was must be a big deal by the sullen look on his face. It seemed to rank high up there, right with his sad feelings about his friend Hank.

“Well, let me know what I can do to help out. I’m always willing to pitch in,” I said as he started to head toward his truck, it seemed that we were done for the time being. “Thanks for the tour. I’ll work on some ideas and get back to you soon.”

“Sounds good,” he said from a distance.
Good! Hmmm… I can’t get my mind beyond sketching anything but you.
It was probably a good thing that he was so busy, otherwise I may never be able to do the paintings he had hired me to do.

Sage

A
few days later, I sat in my office going over the items Spencer had asked me to compile before taking a horseback ride up to the meadows. He would be arriving for the upcoming event and I wanted to be prepared to get things rolling for him. As if I was giving off a telepathic message that I needed to take a break, Norma came in with a cup and a thermos filled with piping hot coffee already mixed perfectly with cream and a hint of raw sugar. She was one of the best things that came with the ranch.

She had worked at the ranch since she was a teenager. In her early twenties she met her husband when he came to work the land. Once they married they lived on the property for a few years. When their three boys came along, they moved into a house just off the property until the kids were grown and out of the house. No longer interested in maintaining a big house, they moved back to the ranch, back to where they started in a three bedroom apartment in the main lodge. The apartment sat empty for years besides when the original owner lived in it while he built the cabin that was Hank’s, and then my private space—where I was safe from Jade.

“I still can’t believe you have that beautiful, va-va-voom girl rooming with those boys in the stables who are forever drooling after women.” I refused to look up from the cup of coffee I had just poured—I could tell she was shaking her auburn head at me.

“You make it sound like she’s sleeping with the horses.” I was able to keep a straight face looking down.

“Might as well be,” she huffed.

“Those rooms are very nice. I slept in one of them for many years, hers as a matter of fact, and I survived. Hell! I’m still here.”

“Yeah, living in a mansion.” I started to refute her words, but then she stung me with more words but good, “Well maybe she will enjoy the group showers. You and I both heard the boys were more than willing to share with her and let’s face it those are some mighty fine looking men. If I was younger…”

“The fuck she will!” I burst out with fire in my eyes, blazing in her direction.

“Oh!” She snickered, “somebody’s got a little crush.”

It took every ounce of restraint to keep from saying more than a simple denial, “I don’t have a little anything on anyone.”

“Okay, whatever you say. But if that’s true, why not let her stay in one of your guest rooms? Your log cabin is big enough for several guests. Much too large for just you all alone.”

“I’m giving her a cabin as soon as one’s available. I think there is one at the end of next week. And one of the new cabins is close to being completed.”

“The only cabin that is going to be open is the honeymoon cottage because the bride and groom switched to one of the tent cancellations. It will only be available for a week or so, not certain. She would probably love it, it’s so romantic. Perfect for a rendezvous too! Secluded, no one would see
you
sneaking in and out, but not for long. It’s booked for the rest of the summer. She’ll be back with the boys in no time.”

“Shit! Get your mind focused on the fact that she is employed by the ranch.” I poured myself a much needed cup of coffee. My brain was in a fog since that woman roared into my view, quite literally. “What do we have that is opening?”

“Nothing! I just told you that, it’s summer—our busiest time of the year.” As if to prove a point, she leaned over me and pulled up the reservation screen on my computer. It was all right there, “Sold Out!”

“Well, who knows she might be okay bunking there longer, we could always get a cancellation. But I guess you were right about her current accommodations, she hasn’t complained at all.” I didn’t like the smug look on her face. “I don’t understand why you’re so afraid of that woman.” I wasn’t afraid, I was terrified. She had me thinking things I’d never thought before. Well, that’s not true, I wanted
forever
at one time, but
she
didn’t, or not with me. Jade had me feeling that same old painful, chest aching, hard-to-breathe bullshit—I wanted it to stop.

Changing the subject, I outlined what my brother, Spencer, had proposed. He wasn’t really interested in the country life, but he saw the potential with the ranch. He had been out to the place a couple times since I had taken over, besides the few times when we were kids. His first time, he absolutely hated every minute that had him doing outdoor activities. He wasn’t meant to be a cowboy. Funny as kids, before our first trip to the dude ranch, he always wanted to be the Indian to my cowboy. We were twins, yet so different.

Spencer and I did share a few common interests along with a family trust fund that we used to fuel our passions. We both loved good food, healthy as in fresh and chemical free. I had introduced that factor into the ranch kitchen, growing as much of our own produce as we could, weather permitting. Three large greenhouses that I had implemented on the property allowed us to do that.

My brother had been promoting the same philosophy in his restaurants for years by changing his menus in accordance to what was in season. With the ranch in my hands for the past two years, I was finally ready to take Spencer up on his offer of taking over the restaurant portion. His staff, his menus and one of his super ingenious chefs. My part was cataloging equipment and inventorying non-perishable items before his arrival. Norma was thrilled, she knew all about crushes. She had a bad one on my brother since his first visit as a fully grown man. I had to laugh at how she batted her eyelashes at his every word.

“I have everything that Spence asked for on his last visit. When did you say he will be here?” I swear I could hear her heart beating a mile a minute.

“Next week, remember, he’s catering the wedding as his kick off.”

“Oh yes.” Maybe she did know what I was feeling for Jade, she was losing it, too. “I do have the items he requested.” Refocused on business at hand, she pulled out a notebook and started reading off what sounded like a list. “The decorator is coming to set up a temporary leveled deck for the event. Stringing lights. The band is set. The additional food arrives the day before Spence.” There was that flutter in her voice, again. I laughed, reminding her that she was a married woman and that her husband would be helping out. She slapped my shoulder playfully, reminding me that she was to be respected as my elder, “You don’t get flippant with me, young man.” I laughed, assuring her that I was just trying to save her from incurring legal fees.

Speaking of legal matters, a new letter had arrived the day before, they just wouldn’t give up. I had full ownership of the ranch, it was in a written will. Three different attorneys (one of which was Hank’s and mine, Nick Granger), had gone over the deed, the will and all other paperwork that had been filed. The two bastards, literally, had gone through two different law firms and were probably about to fire the newest ones. What more were they going to try? Nothing had worked in their favor so far. I wished that they would just concede and move on. They got plenty from their father, why did they want the ranch too?

“I see that look on your face. More lawyers breathing down your neck?” Norma watched as I flipped closed the latest letter I had received and tucked it back in its envelope.

“Yes, they said they found some sort of clause. Told me to watch my back.” Scrubbing my hands up my face and into my hair, I leaned back in my chair. I was ready to forget that shit for the day, I was ready for a good distraction.

Just as I was thinking about what I needed most, Jade showed up. “I’m ready to go,” she announced coming through the doorway in tight jeans and a tank top. And suddenly, I was wondering why I had suggested artwork for our four luxury tents. I could’ve just shown her photos or had her ride up alone. No, of course I couldn’t have her do that even though she did handle herself quite well aboard a horse. She had gone on a few daily rides with our guests. Even volunteered from day one to lag behind with the slower riders. She was amazing at calming people, not me though—she always had me on edge.