Learnin' The Ropes (21 page)

“Before you moved back to the ranch, you were a financial planner?” Ty asked as they drove out of the forest and into the rolling hills of farmland southeast of Portland.

“Yes. I absolutely loved it. I started as a peon with a firm downtown and worked my way up to a great office with a wonderful client list. When I returned to the ranch, a few of my elderly clients refused to let anyone else handle their accounts, so I maintain them from home. Once in a great while, I meet with them in person. The client I’m meeting with today is ninety-three and as sassy as they come. She refuses to learn how to use a computer, which is why I need to meet with her in person. My former boss allows me to use one of the meeting rooms at the office, which works really well for me and the clients.”

“That’s great. So what do you do for them?” Ty wasn’t entirely sure he understood what financial planning entailed.

“Some clients need advice on what types of mortgages or insurance they should have, how much they should keep in an emergency fund, or what changes could improve their tax situation. Others need assistance deciding what they want their financial future to look like. I mostly work with those who need retirement plans and make investments on their behalf as well as managing those investments. My job is to make sure the client’s financial goals will be met over a given period of time,” Lexi explained, warming to the subject.

“Sounds very important.” Gainfully employed on the ranch, Ty realized he needed to make some plans and investments for his future. Nearly thirty, he didn’t want to be one of those people who waited until they were fifty to start putting away money for retirement.

“I like to think it is. After all, if you don’t plan for your future, what kind of mess will you be in when you’re sixty or seventy?” With practiced ease, Lexi whipped through the morning traffic. Ty was as impressed with her driving skills as he was everything else about the fascinating woman.

In downtown Portland, Lexi stopped the car in front of a large office building. She turned to the backseat and picked up her purse and briefcase then handed Ty the car keys.

Confused, he looked from the keys to her.

“This is my old office building where I’m meeting my client. Why don’t you take the car, go see Beth or do whatever, and pick me up at noon? We can have lunch with your family and then hit the road.” Lexi glanced in the mirror, waiting for traffic to clear before opening her door.

Ty continued to stare at her, unmoving.

“What’s wrong, Ty?” Lexi gazed at him in concern. His face seemed a little pale and he hadn’t moved since she dropped the keys in his hand.

“I just… seriously? You’re just going to hand me your car keys and turn me loose?” Unable to digest Lexi’s trust and faith in him, he didn’t know how to react. “You really trust me that much?”

“Yes.” Lexi grinned, relieved nothing was wrong. “You do promise to come back and get me, don’t you?”

“Of course!” Ty closed his fingers around the keys. He liked the idea of having the car to drive around for the next few hours.

She shrugged. “Great. Then what’s the problem?” Ty should have worn his relaxed-fit jeans and hooded sweatshirt with a scruffy face. Dressed like a cowboy, he was going to draw a lot of attention, particularly from girls who liked seeing a rugged, good-looking man in snug-fitting jeans and boots. The thought of any female ogling him left her irritated and unsettled.

“No problem. None at all.” Ty hurried out of the car then ran around and held her door open for her. Lexi was afraid he’d get hit in the traffic, but he didn’t seem concerned. He walked her to the sidewalk, tipped his hat, and ran back to the driver’s side of the car. “I’ll be waiting right here at noon.”

“Just see that you are, buckaroo.” With a jaunty wave, she watched as he pulled into traffic.

Inhaling a deep breath, Lexi turned and studied the office building. It was large and held a variety of businesses in addition to the financial planning firm where she worked. There were business offices, a few attorney offices, and other professional suites. Her former fiancé, James, worked in one of the posh corner offices on the top floor. If her luck held, she’d be in and out of the building without running into him.

Ty still couldn’t believe Lexi handed him her car keys and walked off, but he wasn’t going to argue with her.

He drove out of downtown to a mall where he picked up a few things for Jax and gifts for Beth and Nate before driving to their apartment. Eager to surprise them, he didn’t mention that he’d be in town today when he spoke with Beth the previous night.

After parking Lexi’s car, he hurried upstairs and down the hall. He rang the doorbell and waited for Beth to answer. The door didn’t immediately swing open, so he knocked, hoping Beth was home. When all remained quiet, an overwhelming sense of disappointment settled over him. Where was Beth? Or Nate for that matter? Beth said he worked from home. From their conversation last night, she didn’t mention being gone today.

Dejected, he sulked his way down the hallway when the elevator door opened and Beth and Nate got off. Nate carried the baby’s car seat while Beth dug in her purse for her keys.

“Hey,” Ty said as they walked past him.

Nate glared at him while Beth eyed him warily. “May we help you?” she asked, holding her keys in her hand like a weapon.

“I’d like to think so, Bethie.” Ty couldn’t believe they didn’t  recognize him in western clothes, with a shaved face and trimmed hair. Admittedly, he looked pretty rough when he left Portland back in February.

Beth stared at him in surprise then a happy cry escaped her lips before she threw herself into his arms.

“Ty, my goodness. Is it really you? Look at you! You’ve gone all cowboy on us. You look amazing, Oh, I’m so happy to see you,” Beth gushed, hanging onto his neck and sobbing against his shirt.

“I’m happy to see all of you.” A big smile lit his face as he hugged his sister and patted her back. “If I ask real nice, may we go inside the apartment so I can meet this nephew of mine?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Beth said, beaming at Nate, and swiping at her tears. “It’s Ty, Nate. It’s Ty!”

“Yes, honey, I’m aware of that,” Nate said, indulgently, nudging Ty with his elbow as Beth hurried to unlock the apartment door. “Sorry we didn’t recognize you at first. Didn’t expect to see you in the hall and definitely not dressed as the Marlboro Man. What are you doing in town?”

“The boss had to come to Portland for a business meeting today and asked if I wanted to come along. She thought I’d waited long enough to meet Jax.” Ty followed Beth and Nate into the apartment. After setting his gifts on the floor by the table and taking off his hat, he impatiently waited while Nate set down the baby carrier. Beth unhooked the fasteners, lifting out the sleeping baby.

“Here he is.” Beth handed the baby to Ty as he sat down on the couch.

Never having held a baby before, Beth gave him instruction on how to hold an infant. Love for Jax instantly sprang to life, filling Ty’s heart with a wonderful, exciting, scary sensation.

 He bent his head closer to the baby and breathed in the heavenly scent of the baby’s head. “He’s wonderful.” Ty knew even less about babies than he did about ranching, but he knew this baby was special. From the top of his head, covered in dark hair, to his round little face and long fingers, he was amazing.

“Thanks, Ty.” Beth swiped at her tears, while holding Nate’s hand in hers. She was thrilled to see Ty look so healthy and happy. She was over the moon to have him in the apartment, holding her beloved son. “We think he’s pretty terrific.”

“I can see why. Just look at those fingers,” Ty said, touching the baby’s tiny hand with his forefinger. “Perfect for catching a football, don’t you think, Nate?”

“That’s what I keep telling her.” Nate chuckled. “I’ve already got his career all planned out.”

“Right on.” Ty stared at the baby, absorbing the wonder of the miracle in his arms. Remembering Lexi’s request, he looked at Nate. “Do you guys have plans for lunch?”

“Nope, we’re free as birds the rest of the day. Nate glanced at Beth for agreement. She nodded her head. “Why?”

“The boss wants to meet you both and she said she would really like to see the baby. Would you mind having lunch together?” Ty spoke without looking up from his nephew’s face. The baby yawned and squished his eyes, making him grin.

“I’d love to meet Ms. Ryan,” Beth said. “What time and where?”

“I’m supposed to pick her up downtown at noon. What about the restaurant you guys used to go to all the time when you were dating. It’s nice with good affordable food, isn’t it?” Ty asked, as the baby opened his eyes and started to fuss.

“Yes. That sounds like a great plan. We can meet you there.” Anxiously, Beth waited for Ty to hand the baby back to her. Instead, he watched Jax squirm and fuss. When the baby let out a full-fledged red-faced cry, Ty looked to her and shrugged.

“Guess he told me what he thinks of me.” Ty grinned as Beth took the baby and turned her back to the guys.

“He’s just hungry.” She covered herself and Jax with a light blanket and nursed the baby while sitting on the edge of the bed across the room.

While Jax ate, Ty got out the gifts he purchased. He bought Jax a stuffed pony and a couple of storybooks that were farm themed. He gave Beth a large basket of bath products he knew she loved, and for Nate he purchased a box of his favorite chocolates.

“It isn’t Christmas. What’s with all the gifts?” Nate asked as he opened the box and took out a piece of chocolate before offering one to Ty.

Ty shook his head, knowing Nate would enjoy every single piece of candy in the box. “I just wanted to say thank you,” Ty said.

“For what?” Beth asked, shifting the baby beneath the blanket.

“For always being here for me. For being my family, no matter what,” Ty said somberly with a humbleness Beth and Nate hadn’t seen before. Life on the ranch had definitely changed Ty, even in the short time he’d been there.

“Ty, you’re going to make what’s left of my mascara run,” Beth said through her tears, making both Nate and Ty chuckle.

“I don’t think there’s any left, honey,” Nate teased as Ty got to his feet.

“If I’m going to pick up the boss on time, I better get a move on,” Ty said, kissing Beth on the cheek and shaking Nate’s hand. “I’ll see you at the restaurant at twelve-thirty.”

“We’re looking forward to it,” Nate said, walking him to the door. 

Ty made it back to Lexi’s office building with five minutes to spare. He snagged a parking space out front and waited for her to step outside. At five minutes past twelve she still hadn’t appeared and he began to worry. Ty decided to wait inside the door of the building for her. Nearly across the expansive forecourt area, he watched Lexi rush out the door followed by a handsome man in an expensive suit who appeared to be arguing with her.

Anger oozed from her, evident in the grim set of her mouth and flash of fire in her eyes. She was close enough Ty could hear the conversation.

“Lex, you are a foolish, stubborn girl. Why can’t you listen to reason?” the man said, stepping in front of her so she had to stop walking. She glared at him with a look of loathing before stepping around him and continuing her march toward the street.

“I could listen to reason if something reasonable was being said. Since the words are coming out of your mouth, there’s not a thing worth listening to.” Her tone belied her barely contained hostility. “I’ve asked you twice and I’m not asking again. Leave me alone, James. Let it go and leave me alone.”

“This is ridiculous. For once in your life, make a smart decision.” James grabbed Lexi’s arm with enough force it made her stumble. “You know you want to be with me.”

Lexi caught herself but before she could jerk her arm free, Ty pushed James aside and stepped between the two of them.

“I believe the lady asked you to leave her alone,” Ty said. No one manhandled a woman in his presence. No one. The fact that some jerk was treating this particular woman so disrespectfully lit the fuse of his temper.

“And who might you be, Bubba?” James asked, sneering at Ty like he was something stuck to his shoe.

“No one you want to mess with,” Ty responded in a tone that would have been a warning to most men to back off.

James laughed and quickly stepped around Ty, grabbing Lexi by the other arm. “I’m not finished with you, Lex. I insist you come with me right now,” he said, tightening his clamp on her arm and trying to pull her back toward the building. “We can work this out if you’ll stop acting so stupidly.”

James yelped in pain when his arm twisted behind his back. “Let go of me, you cavedweller,” he gasped, trying not to cry as the enraged giant continued to apply pressure to his arm.

“Leave the lady alone,” Ty warned, letting go of James’ arm. When he did, James turned around and swung at Ty, missing him entirely. Ty swept out his leg, catching James behind the knees while pushing him over onto the pavement. “If I ever see or hear of you bothering Miss Ryan again, I might not be so inclined to behave like a gentleman.” 

Ty half expected the jerk to get up and swing at him again, but he sat on the ground looking at him with fear in his eyes.