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A Rancher's Christmas
Ann Roth


Gina Arnett came home to Saddler’s Prairie to say goodbye to her uncle and sell the family ranch she’s just inherited. Her focus is on getting back to Chicago and her high-powered job.Two things change her plans: a sudden blizzard that snows in the small town, and Zach Horton—the ranch foreman who tries to convince her to stay. Gina’s boundless ambition is something Zach understands all too well. He’s kept his own past a secret, and to uncover it, she’ll have to reveal her own uncomfortable truths—and her growing feelings for Zach. He’s not the kind of man she’d dreamed of falling for. But at the Christmas season, all dreams seem possible…







A Holiday Change Of Heart

Gina Arnett comes home to Saddlers Prairie to say goodbye to her uncle and sell the family ranch she’s just inherited. Her focus is on getting back to Chicago and her high-powered job. Two things change her plans: a sudden blizzard that causes the town to be snowed in, and Zach Horton—the ranch foreman who tries to convince her to stay.

Gina’s boundless ambition is something Zach understands all too well. He’s kept his past a secret, and to uncover it, she’ll have to reveal her own uncomfortable truths—and her growing feelings for Zach. He’s not the kind of man she dreamed of falling for. But at the Christmas season, all dreams seem possible.…


“You’re important to this ranch,” said Gina.

“My family and I need you here, Zach. You’re not going to quit, are you?”

“I wouldn’t do that. But you should know that I intend to honor my promise to Lucky. I’ll do what I can to change your mind.”

“Try away. It won’t work.”

With her chin up and the confident smile on her mouth, she was irresistible.

“That sounds like a challenge—and I like challenges,” he said, advancing toward her. “Did you mean that?”

“I… Did I mean what?”

“About me trying to convince you.” Her eyes were the prettiest color, green with little flecks of brown and gold. “Did you?”

He brushed the silky lock back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her pupils dilated and he knew she felt some of what he did. She touched her lips with the tip of her tongue in what he recognized as a nervous gesture.

“I—”

He laid his finger over her soft lips. “Shh.” Tipping up her chin, he leaned down.


Dear Reader,

This is the fifth (and last) book set in Saddlers Prairie, a fictitious ranching town in Montana prairie country. But don’t worry—I’ll be back soon with new love stories set in a new fictitious town.

Gina Arnett grew up in Saddlers Prairie and left as soon as she graduated from high school. Now she’s back, but not by choice. Her uncle Lucky has left her his ailing ranch, a ranch Gina doesn’t want.

Foreman Zach Horton is a man with a past he keeps buried—and a mission. He promised Gina’s uncle that he would stick around long enough to convince her to keep the ranch.

Neither of them expects to find love, especially with each other. I hope you enjoy their story.

Happy reading!

Ann Roth

I always appreciate hearing from readers. Email me at ann@annroth.net, or write me at P.O. Box 25003, Seattle, WA 98165-1903, or visit my Facebook page. And please visit my website at www.annroth.net (http://www.annroth.net), where you can enter the monthly drawing to win a free book! Be sure to visit the Fun Stuff page, where you’ll find my blog and all sorts of fun stuff.


A Rancher’s Christmas

Ann Roth




www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ann Roth lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband. After earning an MBA she worked as a banker and corporate trainer. She gave up the corporate life to write, and if they awarded PhDs in writing happily-ever-after stories, she’d surely have one.

Ann loves to hear from readers. You can write her at P.O. Box 25003, Seattle, WA 98165-1903 or email her at ann@annroth.net.


BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

18 eggs

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp parsley

½ tsp dill weed

¼ tsp pepper

1 can undiluted mushroom soup

3 tbsp sherry

4 tbsp butter

¼ pound sliced mushrooms

¼ cup chopped onion

6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1½ cup each, shredded and mixed together:

jack cheese and sharp cheddar

Paprika

Grease a 9" x 11" casserole dish.

Beat eggs with milk, parsley, dill weed and pepper, and set aside. In a saucepan, stir soup and sherry until hot and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Melt the butter in a pan. Add mushrooms and onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add egg mixture and crumbled bacon to the pan and cook until the eggs are softly set. Remove from heat. Spoon half the egg mixture into the casserole. Cover with half the soup mixture, then half the cheese. Repeat. Sprinkle the top layer with paprika. May be refrigerated overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 30–35 minutes if unrefrigerated or for an hour if refrigerated.

Let stand 10 minutes, then cut into squares.


Contents

Chapter One (#u6c8a01c5-89b7-54bb-bf1f-1a7b4ad1db8a)

Chapter Two (#ucb556602-3eff-5e79-b16d-0197128f3d03)

Chapter Three (#u2fb9bfa2-1445-5cee-a350-0cd5b3ddf055)

Chapter Four (#uea191de5-22e5-5de0-bfe4-7433f213e99c)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)


Chapter One

Gina was rushing out to get herself another espresso before the upcoming meeting when her office phone rang. Knowing that it might be someone from Grant Industries, she lunged toward her desk before her assistant, Carrie, picked up. “This is Gina Arnett.”

“It’s Uncle Redd.”

Of all times for him to call.

“Hi,” she said. “I know I haven’t phoned you lately, but I’ve been in a real crunch here, working on that holiday promotion for Grant Industries—the big retailer I told you about last time we talked. If they like the results from the campaign I’ve put together, they’ll put me on retainer for them for the next year.”

Plus she’d earn a fat year-end bonus, which she really, really needed.

She checked her watch. Still time to race down to the coffee bar and get that espresso—if she hurried. “We’re rolling out part two of our Holiday Magic campaign tomorrow, and you wouldn’t believe how busy I am right now. Can I call you back tonight?”

“I need to tell you something, Gina,” her uncle said in a solemn tone Gina had rarely heard. “I’m afraid it can’t wait.”

She frowned. “What’s happened?”

Uncle Redd usually cut straight to the chase, and this time was no different. “Sometime during the night, your uncle Lucky had a heart attack. He’s gone.”

“Gone?” She sank onto her desk chair.

“I’m afraid so.” Her uncle cleared his throat. “How soon can you get home?”

It had been almost seven years since she’d visited there. The last time had been for her mother’s funeral. She remembered the long flight from Chicago to Billings and the shorter connecting flight to Miles City, followed by a forty-mile drive to Saddlers Prairie. Getting there would take the better part of a day.

“I’ll need to check with the airlines and get back to you,” she said. “When do you need me there?”

“As soon as possible. Seeing as how Thanksgiving is next week, we decided to hold the funeral right away. We scheduled it for this coming Friday—three days from now.”

Funeral.

The news finally sank in. Uncle Lucky was dead. Their little family just kept shrinking. Gina’s shoulders sagged.

“Do you need help with airfare?” her uncle asked.

“No, Uncle Redd. I’m thirty years old and I make a good living.” Never mind that most of her credit cards were just about maxed out. Nobody needed to know that. “As soon as I book the flight, I’ll call with my arrival information. Or would you rather I rented a car?”

“Waste your money like that? There’s no need, honey. I’ll be waiting for you at the baggage claim.”

Uncle Redd made a choking sound, and Gina suspected he was crying. Uncle Lucky had been his last living brother and they’d been close.

Gina had also been close to him, had spent most every summer of her childhood at his Lucky A ranch. She teared up, too.

Lately, Uncle Lucky had been begging her to come back and visit, saying he missed her and needed to talk to her about something important. Now she’d never know what he’d wanted to say.

Why hadn’t she made more of an effort?

She managed to tell her uncle goodbye before she hung up. She was sniffling and looking up the number for the airline on her smartphone when the com line buzzed.

“It’s me,” her assistant whispered. “Where are you? Everyone’s here.”

By everyone, she meant Evelyn Grant, the great-granddaughter of William Grant and Grant Industries’ first female CEO. That she’d even come to the meeting showed how important this campaign was to her. She wouldn’t like to be kept waiting.

There was no time to grieve. Gina wiped her eyes, grabbed her iPad and left for the meeting room.

* * *

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Gina sat in her office with Carrie reviewing what needed to be done with each of their clients when Gina’s boss, Kevin, knocked on the door. Wearing an elegant cashmere coat and scarf over his bespoke suit, he looked put-together, handsome and successful. Sure, he was a bit on the ruthless side and on his third marriage, but careerwise, Kevin was her kind of man.

Someday, Gina hoped to meet and fall in love with someone with her boss’s drive and determination. “Carrie and I are just reviewing my client to-do list,” she said. “What can I do for you, Kevin?”

“Are you sure you can handle the Grant campaign from Montana?”

This was the third time he’d asked her that question since she’d told him about her uncle’s passing. “Absolutely,” she repeated with a reassuring smile.

As the only member of her family under seventy, she would be expected to handle her uncle’s estate, meet with the attorney and cull his papers and personal effects before Uncle Redd moved into the house and took over the ranch.

But that shouldn’t consume too much of her time, and she was sure she would still have plenty of opportunities to focus on her job. “Anything I can’t do from there, Carrie will take care of. She’s been in on this campaign from the start and she’s up to speed on everything. And don’t forget that next week is Thanksgiving. The office is only open Monday and Tuesday. That means I’m really only out three days this week and two days the next.”

Gina’s assistant, who’d worked for her for the past six months and was only a year out of college, nodded enthusiastically. Like Gina, she dressed in stylish suits and great shoes. She was smart and eager to get ahead, reminding Gina of herself at that age—of herself to this day.

“I’m excited about this challenge,” Carrie said.

Seeming satisfied, Kevin nodded and checked his Rolex. “I have a dinner meeting tonight with clients and I don’t want to be late. I’ll leave you two to hash over any details. What time does your plane leave, Gina?”

“Six a.m.” Way too early, given that she’d probably get to bed around midnight tonight. But for more than a month now, she’d pretty much lived on sleep fumes. With the help of copious amounts of caffeine and plenty of chocolate, she’d managed just fine.

“You’ll be back the Monday after Thanksgiving.”

It was a statement, not a question. “That’s right,” Gina said.

She’d booked a return flight for that Sunday, giving her ten full days in Montana. That should be enough time to see everyone and straighten out her uncle’s affairs.

“Give my condolences to your family, and have a good holiday.”

It wouldn’t be much of a holiday. “Thank you, Kevin.”

Her boss left.

Gina hadn’t spent Thanksgiving or any other holiday with her relatives since her mother had died. They would probably expect her to cook Thanksgiving dinner, which was okay with her. She enjoyed cooking but never had the time anymore.

“Um, Gina?” Carrie said, bringing Gina back to the task at hand. “I’m meeting some friends in a little while and I should get going.”

“Right,” she said. “Let’s review day by day what’s supposed to happen between now and when I return. We’ll start with Grant Industries and then go over the other accounts.”

“I’m ready.”

Carrie didn’t quite manage to stifle a yawn, which caused Gina to yawn, too. They were both exhausted, but she needed to know she could depend on her assistant. A lot was riding on this campaign.

“This is a huge responsibility, Carrie. Are you sure you can handle it? Because I can easily bring in someone else.” Several of her colleagues, including her best friend, Lise, would do anything for the Grant account. But when Grant Industries had signed with Andersen, Coats and Mueller, Kevin had selected Gina to manage it, and she preferred to keep Lise away from her “baby.”

Carrie perked right up. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to prove myself.”

Gina smiled, relieved. After reviewing all of their clients’ accounts, Gina shut down her desktop computer. “That’s it, then. My uncle’s ranch only has dial-up, but I found a hot spot for wireless so I’ll be able to stay connected.” She would have to drive about five miles into town to get internet, which was inconvenient but better than nothing.

“Seriously? No wireless?”

“Unfortunately not. My uncle was a rancher and didn’t use the internet much. I expect frequent reports from you on the Grant account and the rest of our clients. Numbers, feedback plus any ideas or concerns you have. That way I can keep tabs on everything and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.”

“No problem.”

“Great. You have my cell phone number. If you need me for anything at all, text me or call—day or night. Oh, and Montana is an hour ahead of us, by the way.”

Carrie nodded. “Don’t worry about a thing, Gina. I can handle this.”

Gina hoped she was right. Her job and her creditors depended on it.

* * *

DUSK WAS FALLING when Zach Horton exited Redd’s battered Ford wagon. Icy wind blew across the airport parking lot, and he clapped his hand on his Stetson to keep it from flying across the pavement. Time to switch to a wool cap.

Redd blew on his gloved hands and squinted at the cloud-filled sky. “Looks like it’s fixing to snow tonight. Good thing Gina’s flight is due to arrive on time. I sure appreciate you driving my old heap to pick her up.”

The seventy-one-year-old was too shaken up by his older brother’s unexpected death to drive the forty miles to the airport alone, let alone in the dark. “I’m happy to help,” Zach said. “I’ve been hearing about Lucky’s niece since he hired me. It’s time I met her.”

She didn’t know it, but Lucky had left her the ranch. He wanted her to take it over. Correction: he wanted Zach to persuade her to take it over. “Where did she say to meet her?” he asked.

“In the baggage claim area.”

“She checked bags?”

“That’s what she said.”

Zach shrugged. According to Lucky, Gina Arnett was a marketing whiz, steadily climbing the corporate ladder. She’d recently been promoted to assistant vice president at her company. The whole family was proud of her.

Zach was familiar with the type. Uptight, driven, goal oriented—he’d had his fill of women like her. He’d had his fill of corporate deals and one-upmanships, period.

He doubted Gina Arnett would want anything to do with the Lucky A and had told Lucky so. But Lucky had asked Zach to do everything possible to persuade her. The rancher had taken Zach in when he was a broken man, and Zach owed him.

There weren’t many people he counted as friends, and losing Lucky hurt. He would sorely miss the old man who had taken him in and mentored him in ways his own father never had.

He and Redd entered the baggage claim area, which was noisy and full of passengers awaiting their luggage.

After a moment, Redd pointed to a woman across the way. “There she is.”

In high-heeled suede boots and a stylish camel hair coat over pants, she looked pretty much as Zach had pictured her, though taller. Her light brown hair was parted on the side and hung almost to her shoulders in a straight, sophisticated style. With big eyes, full lips and an air of self-confidence, she was knockout beautiful. Lucky had neglected to mention that.

“Uncle Redd,” she said, hugging Redd tight. Her eyes flooded before she squeezed them shut.

Feeling like a voyeur, Zach stood back and averted his gaze, giving them privacy.

Finally, Redd let go of her and wiped his eyes. “Gina, this is Zach Horton—he’s the foreman at the Lucky A.”

She raised her watery gaze to Zach. Makeup had smeared under her grief-stricken eyes. For some reason, that made his chest hurt.

He whipped off his hat and extended his arm. “Pleased to meet you.”

She had delicate fingers and a firm grip, her skin soft against his callused palm. “I’m sorry about Lucky,” Zach said, sounding gruff to his own ears. He cleared his throat. “He talked about you quite a bit.”

“He told me about you, too. I remember how happy he was when he hired you several years ago. He was always talking about how much he liked and respected you. I loved him so much.” Her eyes filled.

As the tears spilled over, Zach’s throat tightened, pressure building behind his own eyes. He turned away and nodded at the conveyor belt. “Here come the bags. Which one is yours?”

“I checked three—two big and one smaller. They’re red with cream trim.”

She was staying what? Ten days? This wasn’t a vacation, and little Saddlers Prairie had only one real restaurant. What did she need all that stuff for? Zach didn’t miss the laptop peeking out from her huge shoulder bag. She must be planning to work from the ranch. He’d expected that.

Gina pulled the smaller of the three bags from the conveyor belt and Zach grabbed the remaining two. Redd reached out to take one, but Zach shook his head. “Leave those to me.”

“I’ll take the other one, then.” Redd pulled the smaller bag from Gina’s grasp.

“Thank you both.” She hooked her free arm through Redd’s. They bowed their heads and made their way toward the exit.

* * *

SHIVERING, GINA TUCKED her cashmere scarf into her coat collar as she, Uncle Redd and Zach made their way toward her uncle’s old station wagon. The icy Montana wind was every bit as biting as she remembered—not much different from Chicago in late November.

Snow flurries danced in the glow of the parking lot’s perimeter lights. A few flakes could easily turn into a deluge, and she hoped they made it to the ranch while the roads were still passable.

“You sit in the front with Zach,” Uncle Redd said, the breath puffing from his lips like smoke while Zach loaded the luggage into the cargo area.

Tired from lack of sleep and the long travel day, and feeling emotionally raw, Gina preferred to sit in the back and just be. “You take the front, Uncle Redd,” she said. “I’m fine sitting in the back.”

“That’s where the dogs ride. You don’t want to get dog hair on those pretty clothes.”

He had a point.

Zach slammed the cargo door closed and headed toward the passenger side of the car. “Hop in,” he said, opening the door for her.

He was big and muscular and movie-star good-looking, with a strong chin and wide forehead, and he was tall enough that even in boots with three-inch heels, she had to tip her head up to meet his gaze. She’d noticed his striking silvery-blue eyes halfway across the crowded baggage-claim area.

Despite her grief, and despite the fact that she was usually attracted to corporate-executive types, she was hyperaware of him.

What drew her most was the sorrow evident in his face. No one had expected her still-spry Uncle Lucky to die at seventy-four. His loss would no doubt be keenly felt by Zach and everyone in town.

She slid onto the bench-style front seat—Uncle Redd’s car was that old. In an attempt to get warm, she hunched down and hugged herself.

Zach got into the driver’s side with a fluid grace she hadn’t expected of a man his size, shut his door and started the car. “Once the engine warms up, I’ll turn the heat up high,” he said.

As he rolled toward the exit, she glanced in the rearview mirror at her uncle. “I’ve missed Sugar and Bit. Are they still inseparable?”

“Pretty much. You’ll see them at the house. If you want, you can keep them with you tonight for company. Wish I had the room at my place, but I don’t.”

The thought of staying alone at Uncle Lucky’s didn’t bother Gina. “Thanks, but your dogs won’t even remember me. I’ll be okay by myself.”

“Probably better off without them.” Uncle Redd chuckled. “Bit still thinks he’s human, and that always gets Sugar’s goat. They’re like an old married couple.”

“Sort of like Gloria and Sophie?” Gina teased. Her elderly cousins, widowed sisters, lived together and bickered constantly.

“Exactly, and almost as old in dog years. Bit’s almost ten and Sugar just turned nine.” Redd sighed. “We’re all gettin’ up there—present company excluded.”

“Don’t forget, I recently turned thirty,” Gina said. “That’s not so young.”

Zach made a sound that could’ve been a laugh. “You’re just a kid.”

She scoffed. “You can’t be much older than me.”

“Four years. That may not seem like a big difference, but trust me, I’ve been around the block a lot more than you have.”

“I’m not exactly naive,” she argued.

“From where I sit, you’re both still babies,” Uncle Redd quipped from the back.

Gina shared a look with Zach, both of them acknowledging that today, they felt old and weary.

At last Zach cranked up the heat, and a welcome blast of warm air hit Gina. The highway was dark and deserted, with only the car headlights lighting the way. No one spoke. The combination of warm air, darkness, silence and exhaustion was impossible to resist. Gina’s eyes drifted shut. She was almost asleep when Uncle Redd broke the silence.

“Gina grew up here.”

Zach glanced at her, his face shadowed in the dash lights. “Lucky said that after you graduated from high school, you left town.”

She remembered that day well. Her parents had both been alive then, and excited about her future, yet sad to see her go. She’d been the opposite—desperate to leave Saddlers Prairie, get her education and start fresh in a big city. All her life, her parents had fought about money and struggled to make ends meet. From the time she was in grade school, Gina had vowed to leave town someday and find a high-paying job. She had no interest in ever coming back, except for occasional visits.

“She’s the first one in our family to graduate college, let alone earn a master’s degree,” Uncle Redd said with pride. “She’s a smart one and pretty, too.”

“Uncle Redd!” Gina said, embarrassed.

“Well, you are.”

She snuck a glance at Zach. His gaze never left the road, but his lips twitched, and she thought he might even crack a smile.

“Since the day she left she hasn’t been back to visit but three times,” Uncle Redd went on. “Once over Christmas break that first year in college and again when her dad—my oldest brother, Beau—passed that summer. After that, we didn’t see her for another four years, when her mama took sick with pneumonia. Marie was forty-two when she had Gina. She and Beau had been married almost twenty years and didn’t think they’d ever have kids. When Gina came along, they were over the moon. We all were. Of the three of us brothers, Beau was the only one to have a child.”

“You don’t need to bore Zach with all that,” Gina said.

“I don’t mind.” Zach glanced at her. “I knew you were the only kid in the family, but Lucky didn’t tell me the rest.”

After another stretch of silence, Uncle Redd let out a loud yawn. Soon, soft snores floated from the backseat.

Gina glanced behind her. “He’s out cold.”

“I don’t think he slept much last night.” Zach rolled his shoulders as if he, too, were tired. “You’re in marketing, right?”

She nodded. “I’m an assistant vice president with Andersen, Coats and Mueller.”

“That’s a big firm.”

“You’ve heard of them?”

“I’ve read a few articles where they were mentioned. Do you like what you do?”

No one had ever asked her that, and she had to stop and think. “I love it.”

That wasn’t quite true. She loved the perks that put her in contact with the decision makers in big and small companies, and she liked the respect from her boss, colleagues, family and friends. “It’s hard work, though. Right now, I’m in the middle of holiday campaigns for several clients.” Her turn to yawn. “It seems like weeks since I’ve had a decent night’s sleep.”

Even without the holiday push, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept through the night.

“Let me guess—you live on caffeine.”

“And chocolate. Lots of both.”

“And you enjoy living that way?”

“The chocolate part, for sure.” She smiled. “Everyone knows that if you want to get ahead, you have to work long hours.”

Although Zach didn’t comment, Gina had the feeling he wasn’t impressed. She wanted him to understand.

“Growing up, we had enough to eat and a roof over our heads, but we were poor,” she said. “My maternal grandfather owned a farm equipment business, and when my parents married, he hired my dad to work for him. Then, when my grandfather died, my dad took over the company. For some reason it never did very well. My mother worked two jobs to pay the bills. I always wanted something better.”

“That makes sense. So do you have the life you want?”

She was getting there. “I own a condo in an upscale high-rise and I drive a Lexus.” Between the steep mortgage, car payments and credit-card bills, she never quite made ends meet, but that was her business. “I can eat out wherever I please and buy new clothes anytime I want. You draw your own conclusions.”

“Sounds as if you’re doing well.”

A few moments of uncomfortable silence filled the car. Gina searched her mind for something else to talk about.

“Where are you from, Zach?”

“Houston.”

“I thought I heard a bit of the South in your voice.”

She was about to ask about his background and what had brought him to Saddlers Prairie when he turned on the radio. A Carrie Underwood song filled the air. And with that, the conversation was over.

Gina shifted so that she faced the passenger window. Giving in to the exhaustion weighting her down, she closed her eyes.

She didn’t wake up until Zach shut off the engine and touched her shoulder. “Wake up, Gina. We’re here.”


Chapter Two

Zach gathered with the entire Arnett family, dogs included, in the living room of Lucky’s house. They’d asked him to help play host to a steady stream of visitors, including the four members of the ranch crew and their families who stayed on during winter.

Lucky hadn’t even been dead forty-eight hours, but that didn’t stop the well-meaning townspeople. They brought food, offered solace and shared stories about the old rancher.

A cheerful fire danced in the fireplace, at odds with the occasion, and the little room was almost too warm. None of the Arnetts seemed to mind the heat or the company. Zach was grateful for the support and for their acceptance of him, no questions asked. It was a good thing because he wasn’t about to air his dirty laundry to anyone. Only Lucky had known the truth.

From that first day Zach had drifted into town nearly three years ago, lost and broken, the people of Saddlers Prairie had welcomed him. Zach hadn’t planned on staying, had only known that he needed to get out of Houston and start fresh someplace else. The big sky, rolling prairies and wide-open spaces of Montana had appealed to him, and the welcome mat in Saddlers Prairie had pulled him in.

In need of money—he was damned if he’d touch his bank account—he’d applied for work at the Lucky A. He hadn’t known squat about ranching, but Lucky had taken a chance on him and offered him a job. Wanting the rancher to know what kind of man he was first, Zach had told him the whole sorry story of the commercial real-estate company he’d built and his subsequent downfall, sparing none of the ugly details.

Lucky had accepted him anyway and advised him to put the past behind him. Zach had done just that. He’d learned the ranching business and had soon become Lucky’s foreman. The successful CEO he’d once been and the beautiful woman he’d been engaged to seemed like part of someone else’s life.

Clay Hollyer, also a transplant and a former bull-riding champion who now worked as a rancher supplying stock to rodeos around the West, wandered toward Zach. His pretty wife, Sarah, pregnant with their first child, was at his side.

The couple offered their condolences. “What will you do now?” Clay asked.

The near future was a no-brainer. “Someone needs to take care of the ranch, so I’ll be staying at the Lucky A for a while.”

After that, Zach had no idea—except that he wanted to stay in town. His father and stepmother thought he was out of his mind for living in a trailer on a run-down ranch and working for peanuts when he didn’t have to. But Zach had learned to draw happiness from the little things in life and, for now, he was content.

He glanced around for Gina. She was standing to the side of the fireplace, beautiful and animated as she chatted with people.

Make that he used to be content.

Now that Zach had met Gina, keeping his promise to Lucky and convincing her to hold on to the Lucky A seemed even more of a Sisyphean task than he’d thought. He seriously doubted that Gina would give up her career to run the Lucky A, but if he could at least convince her to keep the ranch in the family... That was what Lucky really wanted, for her to pass it down to her heirs—that was, if she had children one day.

She seemed so driven that Zach didn’t know if she wanted kids. She sure was good with Bit and Sugar, though. The two dogs seemed wild about her, too. Bit, a Jack Russell, pranced around her, and Sugar, a white, sixty-pound husky, wagged her tail nonstop. Both of them hovered close and gazed at her adoringly, which said something about her.

Locals and transplants seemed to want to be around her, too. A group of women, some of whom she’d probably known growing up, surrounded her. Among them were Meg Dawson and her sister-in-law, Jenny Dawson, and Autumn Naylor, who were all married to ranchers, and Stacy Engle, who was the wife of Dr. Mark Engle, the sole doctor in Saddlers Prairie.

As engaged as Gina appeared to be, Zach noticed her yawn a few times. After spending the whole day traveling, she had to be exhausted. It had been a tough couple of days, and Zach fought the drowsies himself. Without thinking about it, he moved toward her. Her friends offered condolences to Zach before wandering off.

“You doing okay?” he asked, leaning in close to be heard over the noise in the room. He caught a whiff of perfume, something sweet and floral that reminded him of hot tropical nights.

“I’m managing. I found out from Stacy that you’re the one who found Uncle Lucky yesterday. What exactly happened?”

Zach didn’t like talking about it. “Lucky was supposed to meet me at the back pasture first thing in the morning. When he didn’t show and didn’t answer his phone, I came here, to the house, looking for him.”

“And you found him still in bed. Uncle Redd mentioned that Uncle Lucky had a heart attack, but he didn’t tell me about you finding him.” Gina shuddered. “That must’ve been awful.”

“Not the best way to start your day.” Zach grimaced. “The only good part of it is knowing that Lucky was asleep when he died and didn’t suffer. We should all be so lucky.”

“Pun intended?” she asked, her mouth hinting at a smile.

“No, but what the heck.” Zach grinned.

He liked Gina. He couldn’t help himself. Not just because she was easy to look at. She also cared about her family and the people in this house. They seemed genuinely pleased to see her, and she acted as if the feeling was mutual.

She fit in well here. She belonged. Did she know how special that was?

“Do you ever see yourself moving back to Saddlers Prairie?” he asked, feeling her out.

“Are you kidding?” She let out a humorless laugh. “I’m staying through Thanksgiving, period. One week from Sunday, I’ll be on a flight back to Chicago. I hope—”

“I’m glad you two are getting a chance to know each other,” Gina’s cousin Gloria said as she and her sister Sophie squeezed past several people to join the two of them.

Both gray haired with sharp, brown eyes, their faces looked so much alike, they could’ve been twins. That was where the resemblance stopped.

Gloria, bigger boned and taller than Sophie by a good four inches, patted his arm. “Isn’t Zach wonderful?”

Sophie, who was two years younger than Gloria and soft around the middle, fluttered her lashes at him. “I hope you’re getting enough to eat, Zach. There’s a ton more food in the kitchen.”

“I’ve had a plate or two, thanks.”

“That’s good.” Sophie turned to Gina with a fond smile. “You’re so thin, cookie. Did you eat?”

“I’ve been nibbling.” Gina yawned.

Gloria gave her sister a dirty look. “You don’t look too thin to me, sweetie. You’re just right. Tomorrow will be a busy day. You have an early afternoon meeting with Matt Granger, Lucky’s attorney. He’ll give you a list of errands like you had had when your mother passed—stopping at the bank and so forth. You’ll also want to make calls to cancel Lucky’s health insurance and Social Security, any subscriptions he had and who knows what else.”

Sophie frowned. “Don’t burden her with all that now. She’s exhausted, aren’t you, cookie?” She grinned at Zach. “I call her ‘cookie’ because I could just eat her up!”

“You’ll eat anything,” Gloria muttered. “Land sakes, Sophie, she isn’t a child anymore.”

Used to the bickering, Zach glanced at Gina and saw her smother a smile.

“Now, now,” Gina soothed, hooking her arms through her elderly cousins’. “Remember what’s happened. And don’t refer to me in the third person.”

“All right, sweetie. Excuse us a moment, Zach.” Gloria pulled Gina away from Sophie, speaking loudly enough that anyone within ten feet could hear. “What I was trying to say before she—” Gloria jerked her chin Sophie’s way “—so rudely interrupted, is that tomorrow you’ll be going nonstop, and you should probably get some sleep.”

“We have guests, and I don’t want to be rude.”

“Yes, but you traveled all day, and it’s an hour later in Chicago. People will understand, and they all know they’ll see you again at the funeral. Zach and the rest of us will hold down the fort.”

Sophie nodded. “We made up the guest bedroom you always use and put fresh towels in the bathroom for you.” She lowered her voice. “Don’t worry about Lucky’s bedding. We disposed of it, so you won’t have to. We wish you could stay with us, but we don’t have the room. Unless you want to sleep on the living room couch...”

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “I think I will go upstairs in a minute.”

After saying good-night to everyone and exchanging hugs and tears, she bent down to pat the dogs. They licked her and then trotted over to Uncle Redd.

“Thanks again for picking me up tonight,” she told Zach. “I worried about Uncle Redd driving all that way, especially in the dark. I offered to rent a car, but you know how stubborn he is.”

“Stubbornness seems to be an Arnett family trait.” Zach’s mouth quirked again, and Gina smiled. “If you can’t sleep tonight and need company, give me a call. My trailer is just across the ranch.”

“Good to know, but I’m so tired I’ll probably fall asleep the second my head hits the pillow. Although if we didn’t have a houseful of guests tonight, I’d take Uncle Redd’s car and drive to the hotspot near the post office and check my email, just to make sure my assistant survived without me today.” Gina yawned so hard, her eyes watered. “She hasn’t called, so I guess she did. I’ll call her in the morning.”

Zach thought about telling her to blow off work and take care of herself instead, but he doubted she’d listen. He ought to know—three years ago, he’d been just like her. Probably even worse.

He nodded. “Sleep tight.”

“And don’t let the bedbugs bite? When I was a little girl, Uncle Lucky used to say that when I spent the night here. Good night, Zach.”

He watched her trudge up the stairs, moving as if she was beyond weary. It was going to be a rough ten days.

* * *

USED TO WAKING up early, Gina opened her eyes after a sound sleep. At first she had no idea where she was. It was still dark outside, but she could make out the faded curtains and old blinds pulled over the window and feel the lumpy mattress. She was in the small, plain guestroom she thought of as hers at Uncle Lucky’s ranch.

But Uncle Lucky was gone.

Bleary-eyed but feeling oddly rested, she stumbled out of bed. The chattering of the guests downstairs had lulled her to sleep, and she had actually slept though the night. No tossing and turning, no waking up and worrying. Which was surprising, but Gina wasn’t going to question her good luck.

She peered through the blinds. Sometime during the night, a few inches of snow had fallen. It wasn’t enough to cause problems, but it blanketed the rolling fields in white.

Uncle Lucky’s house was old and outdated, but thanks to storm windows and a working furnace, it was reasonably warm. So different from Gina’s childhood home, where winters meant shivering from the second she crawled out of bed until she climbed back in under the covers at night.

It wasn’t exactly the Ritz here, but at least everything was in working order. Uncle Redd could move in without doing any repairs or updates, which would suit him fine. None of the Arnetts enjoyed spending money without a good reason. Gina had a very good reason for spending hers—to be successful, she had to look the part.

Still in a sleep fog, she padded to the bathroom. A shower helped shake out the cobwebs, and once she fixed her hair and applied makeup, she felt much better. Knowing she would be meeting with the attorney that afternoon and not wanting to have to change clothes later, she dressed in a cream cashmere sweater set and gray slacks, a stunning outfit purchased on credit at Neiman Marcus. Sliding her feet into her slippers, she headed downstairs.

Now that the visitors had all left, the little house was eerily silent. Much too quiet, but at the moment, Gina’s main concern was coffee.

As a child, she’d spent every summer here, and she knew her way around her uncle’s cluttered kitchen. Now cakes, pies and breads filled every spare bit of counter space, but some kind soul had cleaned up last night and run Uncle Lucky’s portable dishwasher. Gina unhooked it from the faucet and wheeled it to its place against the wall, bypassing a stack of old newspapers that probably went back five years. Those had to go, but not just now. Coffee. She needed coffee.

Uncle Lucky had always preferred the no-frills stuff, and his coffeemaker was the kind that percolated on the stove and took its sweet time. Compared to the state-of-the-art coffee and espresso maker at Gina’s condo, it seemed primitive.

Not that she made her own coffee often. In Chicago, she could run down the street and pick up an espresso at any number of places. But Saddlers Prairie didn’t have many options. Barb’s Café was nearly a five-mile drive from the ranch, and the Burger Palace, a fast-food place, was almost ten. Neither was open for business this early. She was stuck with Uncle Lucky’s generic brand.

While the coffee brewed, Gina cut herself a thick slab of cinnamon-raisin bread. She popped it into the toaster and waited. Without Wi-Fi, she wasn’t able to check her email and felt lost. She did have a text from Carrie. The rollout of the Grant Holiday Magic campaign had gone as smoothly as Gina had hoped, which was good news. Carrie didn’t mention the other clients, and Gina assumed that all was well.

Her assistant’s personal news was interesting. She texted she’d gone with friends to a bar after work on Tuesday and had met someone. He’d asked her to go out for dinner with him on Wednesday, and she had been about to leave for her date as soon as she fired off the report with the campaign’s numbers. Gina would stop at the Wi-Fi hotspot and read the report later.

At least one of them was dating. Gina texted back a thanks for the info and asked about the dinner date.

She didn’t need to talk to her assistant this morning, but she was used to being busy all the time, and the lack of rushing around and accomplishing things was unnerving. She dialed the office.

“Hi, Marsha, it’s Gina,” she told the receptionist. “Please put me through to Carrie.”

“She hasn’t come in yet.”

Gina checked her watch. It was after nine in Chicago, well past time to start the workday. “Where is she?”

“Well, she had that dinner date last night. Maybe she stayed out late and overslept.”

Not a good sign.

“Wait, I just remembered something,” Marsha said. “On her way out last night, she mentioned something about stopping at some of the Grant department stores today. Maybe she’s at a store right now.”

Conducting a visual check. That made sense. Gina let out a relieved breath—and then wondered what she had been worried about. Carrie was a younger version of herself. As eager as she was to move up the corporate ladder, she wouldn’t blow this.

“I’ve been thinking about you and your family,” Marsha said with sympathy. “How are you doing?”

“It’s not easy, but I’m managing,” she said and gave Marsha a few details. “Will you have Carrie call me when she comes in?”

Gina disconnected and made a mental list of what she needed to do this morning. She would start with compiling Uncle Lucky’s bank statements and legal documents so that she could take them to the meeting with the attorney. Her uncle’s office was even more cluttered than the kitchen, and finding what she needed wouldn’t be easy.

She also thought about the funeral tomorrow and all that entailed. Her family expected her to give the eulogy, which she’d started to write in bed last night. Gina didn’t plan on taking up too much time because other people also planned to speak, but she still needed to hone her speech and practice it.

At some point she needed to sort through the old papers and junk her uncle had collected. And he’d collected piles of both.

Suddenly, she felt even more tired than she had yesterday. Last night, more than a few people had offered to help her with whatever she needed. After she sorted through everything, she would take some of them up on the offer and ask for help hauling things to the dump or the nearest charity bin.

For now, clearing out the clutter would keep her busy.

At last, the coffee was ready. It didn’t smell very good, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. She filled a chipped mug and searched the aging fridge for milk.

Casseroles, cheese plates and all kinds of food crammed the shelves. Thanks to the kind people of Saddlers Prairie, there was enough food in there to feed a small army. Even with Uncle Redd, Gloria and Sophie helping her eat it, there were enough meals to last until Thanksgiving.

She took her buttered toast and coffee to the table and sat down. Maybe Zach would help them eat some of this stuff.

Zach. Now there was a man. He was big and super good-looking—every girl’s dream cowboy.

Gina frowned and reminded herself that she wasn’t into cowboys. She liked ambitious men in well-tailored suits. She hadn’t met the right one yet, but she had no doubt that, in time, she would.

The coffee tasted awful. If she hadn’t needed the caffeine so badly she’d dump it down the drain. She was revising her eulogy and picking at her toast when someone knocked at the back door.

Pathetically eager for company, she jumped up and hurried to open it. Zach stood on the stoop, his face ruddy from the cold. Against the backdrop of the blue sky, his hair looked almost black and his eyes were the color of liquid silver. His heavy parka was unzipped, revealing a flannel shirt tucked into jeans.

“Morning,” he said, his breath fogging in the cold air. “I finished the chores and thought you might want company.”

How had he known?

“Sure.” She widened the door. “Come in.”

After wiping his boots on the mat he stepped inside, bringing a whiff of fresh air with him. “It’s cold out there,” he said, blowing on his hands.

“It’s nice and warm in here.”

As Zach shrugged out of his parka and hung it on one of the hooks along the wall near the door, Gina couldn’t help admiring his broad shoulders, narrow hips and long legs.

He caught her staring. His mouth quirked and he raised his eyebrows.

It was a good thing she didn’t blush easily. “I was wondering whether I should offer you coffee,” she said. “Lucky’s coffeemaker is older than I am, and this stuff tastes pretty bad. But there’s plenty to eat if you’re hungry.”

Zach glanced at what was left of her toast. “That looks good.”

“I’ll slice some for you.”

She started to stand, but Zach gestured for her to stay seated. “Relax—I’ll get it myself. I met the woman who made that bread when she brought it by yesterday. Her name is Cora Mullins, and she went to grade school with Lucky.”

He pulled a plate from the cupboard as if he was family. From the way Uncle Lucky had sung his praises, she knew he’d thought of him that way.

“May as well try the coffee, too,” he said, grabbing a mug.

A few minutes later, he joined her at the kitchen table. He sipped cautiously. “Compared to the sludge Lucky makes—made—this isn’t half bad.”

He made a face that coaxed a smile from Gina. “Believe me, I tasted his coffee several times,” she said. “I’m surprised I didn’t sprout hair on my chest.”

Zach’s gaze darted to her breasts. Interest flared in his eyes and her body jumped to life. Maybe he wasn’t her type, but she sure was attracted to him.

He glanced at her pad and paper. “Don’t tell me you’re working.”

“I was trying to revise what I want to say at the funeral.” She bit her lip. “But thinking about that makes me sad.”

“Talk about Lucky’s coffee. That’ll get a smile out of everyone.”

She hadn’t thought of using humor. “Smiling through the tears—I like it.”

Zach wolfed down the bread, obviously famished from whatever he’d been doing outside. “Before I forget, here’s the key to Lucky’s truck.” He raised his hip and set the key and her uncle’s rabbit foot keychain on the table. “He logged over a hundred and seventy thousand miles on it but maintained the engine beautifully. It runs great, but it’s a stick shift and doesn’t have power steering. Think you can handle that?”

She scoffed. “I learned to drive in that truck.”

“No kidding! So Lucky gave you driving lessons?”

When she nodded, Zach shook his head and chuckled, a nice sound that brightened up the gray morning. “What’s so funny?” she asked.

“The man was hell on wheels, pushing the truck so hard, it’s a wonder he didn’t burn up the engine he took such care with. I was picturing you with the pedal to the metal and the truck churning up clouds of dust. I’ll bet Lucky got a big kick out of that.”

“Especially when I pushed the speed up to sixty—which was about as fast as the old truck could go.” She smiled at the memory. “I was fourteen, too young for a driver’s license, but Uncle Lucky said I needed to learn in case of an emergency. He took me out on a few deserted roads where the sheriff wouldn’t spot us and there were no other cars for me to hit.

“I spent most every summer with him while my parents worked at fairs around the state, trying to drum up business,” she added.

“I’m surprised your dad didn’t want to ranch.”

“He, Uncle Lucky and Uncle Redd grew up on the Lucky A, but only Uncle Lucky stayed. Uncle Redd left to run the agricultural department of Spenser’s General Store, and my dad went to work at my grandfather’s farm equipment business. He said he liked getting paid regularly, but I don’t remember that ever happening. But I mentioned that the other night.”

“Yeah. That must’ve been tough.”

“I was born into it, so I didn’t know any better. But my parents did, and their money troubles definitely took a toll on their marriage.” Gina didn’t like to think of those times. “That’s why I left home and why I work so hard at my job.”

For no reason at all, her eyes teared up.

The concerned look Zach gave her only made her feel worse. “You miss him, don’t you?”

She nodded and tried to blink back the tears. In vain.

“Uncle Lucky kept asking me to come back and visit,” she said. “He said he had something to say to me in person. Now it’s too late, and I’ll never know what it was. Why didn’t I make the time to come back?”


Chapter Three

Gina hunched her shoulders and wiped her eyes, and it was obvious that she was racked with guilt for not visiting while Lucky was still alive. She also seemed tormented over not knowing what he’d wanted to tell her. Zach knew, and this seemed a good time to enlighten her.

Even now she was beautiful, her eyes a soft green through the bright sheen of tears. She bit her bottom lip, and then freed it. Full again, it looked pink and soft and warm....

Zach tore his gaze away. He had a job to do, and he wasn’t going to think about his strong attraction to her. She was mired in the corporate world and he wanted to stay as far away from that as possible.

He handed her a paper napkin to blow her nose. “Don’t beat yourself up over what you can’t change,” he said, giving her the same advice Lucky had given him. “Your uncle knew you loved him, and that’s what counts.”

“But I’ll never know what he wanted to talk to me about.” She brushed crumbs from the tabletop into her hand and dumped them on her plate.

“I think I do.”

“Oh? Tell me.”

Her mouth opened a fraction, and from out of nowhere, Zach had the crazy urge to taste those lips. Down, boy. He raised his gaze and gave her a level look. “Lucky wanted to talk to you about his decision to leave you the Lucky A.”

She blinked in surprise. “That can’t be right. Uncle Redd is his brother. The ranch is supposed go to him.”

“Lucky and Redd discussed it, and they both felt it should pass to you.”

“But Uncle Redd never said a word about that over the phone or last night. I think you misunderstood.”

Having sat in on the conversation, Zach shook his head. “I know what I’m talking about, but if you don’t believe me, you’ll find out when you meet with Matt Granger this afternoon.”

“But I don’t want this ranch,” Gina said, looking stricken.

“All the same, it’s yours.”

“What am I supposed to do with it?”

Zach figured that was a rhetorical question, and in the silent moment that passed, he could almost see her mind work—and it worked fast.

“I guess I’ll sell it,” she said.

Not if Zach could stop her. “That’s one option, but Lucky wants—wanted—to keep it in the family.”

“Then he shouldn’t have left it to me,” she muttered, pushing her hair behind her ears. “I’ve had a lot of good times here, but I saw my uncle struggle every year. I know how hard it is to work from dawn to dusk, sometimes longer, all the while praying that Mother Nature behaves so that you can make a profit and survive another year. Sorry, but I’ll pass.”

She wore a stubborn look that reminded Zach of Lucky. With that and the defiant lift of her chin, Zach knew she’d made up her mind. Still, he had a promise to keep. “At least think about it for a few days. For Lucky.”

“You’re playing the guilt card. That isn’t fair.” Once again, she caught her lip between her teeth. “Even if I wanted to keep the ranch, and believe me, I don’t, I don’t see how that’s possible. I live in Chicago. That’s where my job—my life—is, and where I want to be. I’m a city girl now. Lucky’s known for years that I wasn’t coming back here.”

“He left you the ranch anyway.” Zach let the words hang there for a moment. “Ranching is good, honest work,” he added.

“And for the most part, ranchers are good people—I know that. But it doesn’t pay, not for the Lucky A. I don’t have to look at my uncle’s bank statement to know that he doesn’t have two dimes to his name. He always struggled to keep his head above water. I decided long ago that this wasn’t the life for me.”

“Lucky used to talk about how you helped with the chores around here and how you enjoyed taking care of the animals and being outside.”

“When I was little, I did.”

Zach tried a different tack. “Can you honestly say you’re happy with your life?”

“What are you, my psychiatrist?” she quipped, but she looked like a deer in headlights. “I’m a creative person, and I get to use that creativity in my work.”

She hadn’t answered the question, which in itself was an answer. “You didn’t look like you were being creative when you walked off the plane last night,” Zach said. “You looked ready to drop.”

“I don’t mind the long hours because it means that I’m successful and productive. And FYI, I happen to thrive on stress and a big workload.”

Having been there, Zach understood. He also knew that that kind of adrenaline never resulted in long-term satisfaction. “So you enjoy life on the human hamster wheel.”

“Sometimes it does seem like that, but... You couldn’t possibly understand.”

“Because I’m a ranch foreman.” Stung, Zach crossed his arms. “You don’t know anything about what I understand. You don’t know anything about me.” He considered explaining about the company he’d once owned, the things he’d done for the bottom line and the terrible price he’d paid. But that was his business. Besides, it was behind him now.

The starch went out of her spine. “That was rude, and I apologize.”

Zach nodded. She angled her head and really looked at him. “You’re right. I know very little about you, except that you’re from Houston. There are ranches all over Texas. How did you end up at the Lucky A in Saddlers Prairie, Montana?”

“I needed a change.” Which was all he was going to say. “You should know that I made a promise to Lucky that I’d convince you to keep the ranch.”

“You’re trying to change the subject. Don’t tell me—you left Houston because you’re a criminal.” Her eyebrows arched and her eyes twinkled, lighting her whole face.

“Very funny. Nope.” Not directly, anyway. In his own eyes, he was. The family of Sam Swain, the man who’d suffered a heart attack and died after Zach had forged the business deal that had undercut what he wanted, probably agreed. But Zach’s family and fiancée at the time hadn’t believed he’d done anything wrong—except when he’d sold his own company.

“You’re going to have to break your promise to Lucky. I can’t possibly—”

Not wanting to hear it, Zach held up his hands, palms out. “Just listen.”

She sighed. “All right, but I’ve made up my mind.”

“You no doubt know that people all over the country, maybe even the world, romanticize cowboys and ranching. Some even dream of living the ranching life. Why not indulge in that dream by offering a working vacation on a ranch?”

“You’re talking about a dude ranch.” She was tuned in now, her eyes bright and interested.

“Exactly. A few months ago, Lucky and I started laying out plans for turning the Lucky A into a working dude ranch. Imagine visitors staying for a weekend or as long as two weeks, paying for ‘the ranching experience,’” he said, making air quotes, “and providing free labor. In return, the Lucky A supplies lodging, meals and expertise.”

“Uncle Lucky thought that up?” Gina looked confused.

“Actually, I did, but Lucky jumped at the idea, especially after we penciled out the numbers. We’d have to update the bunkhouse and hire a cook, but if we brought in just twenty people a month between May and October, we’d break even.”

“My uncle has never penciled out numbers for anything.” Gina gave him a shrewd look. “Something tells me you haven’t always been a ranch foreman.”

“I’ve dabbled in a few other things. What do you think about the Lucky A Dude Ranch?”

“I have questions. These days, the crew lives in trailers. The bunkhouse hasn’t been used for years, except for storage. Getting it in working order will take a lot of updating. Where does the money to make those improvements come from?”

“We penciled that out, too. The wiring and plumbing are in decent enough shape, but the building needs more insulation and a new furnace and air conditioner, plus paint and new fixtures. I can do everything but install the heating and cooling systems, which will save a bundle. The estimated cost will be roughly twenty to thirty thousand dollars.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

Zach put up his hand, palm out, to silence her. “Lucky and I talked to the bank and they were willing to loan him half of that. If beef prices stay high, we figured he’d net the rest by spring. Once the business is up and running and profitable and the loan is paid back, we’ll look into adding a couple of cabins.”

Gina stacked her mug on top of her empty plate. “As intriguing as the idea is, you can count me out.”

He’d expected this. “You say that now, but I’m not giving up.” He scraped his chair back and stood. “Thanks for the coffee and toast. Before I forget, the combination to your uncle’s safe is his dad’s birthday, April 5, zero four zero five one nine. I’ll let myself out.”

He left her sitting at the table.

* * *

THAT AFTERNOON, ZACH, Curly and Bert, two of the crew members, checked the water troughs that provided a steady supply of water to the cattle. Sometime during the night, the heater in the big water tank had failed and the water had frozen in the pipes. Thirsty cattle had ventured onto the ice at the river, which was slippery and dangerous. Pete, a mechanical whiz, was already at work repairing the heater.

Donning safety glasses, the three of them wielded shovels and pickaxes to break the stuff up in the troughs and remove it. Then, with the help of a blowtorch, they began to melt the water in the pipes. For now the cattle would have the water they needed.

They were almost finished when Zach’s cell phone rang. He pulled off a glove and slid the phone from his jacket pocket. He didn’t recognize the number, but the 312 area code was Chicago’s. Had to be Gina.

He’d been thinking about her pretty much nonstop since that morning. Everything about her both fascinated and irritated him. The cute expression on her face when she told him about the awful coffee she’d made, her pretty smile and the way her eyes had sparked when she defended her career. How her breasts had looked in that sweater.

Zach swallowed. He was way too attracted to her for his own good and was both pleased that she had his number and put out that she’d called.

Curly and Bert eyed him curiously.

“I better get this,” he said. “This is Zach,” he answered gruffly.

A slight hesitation. Then, “It’s Gina. Is this a bad time to call?”

Did she have any idea of the knots she’d tied him up in? Yeah, it was a bad time. “I thought you had to meet with Matt Granger,” he said, drawing raised eyebrows from Curly. He knew that Granger was Lucky’s lawyer and realized who Zach was talking with. After hearing about her from Lucky for years, the crew had finally met her at the house last night.

“I’m supposed to meet him at three, but I can’t find Uncle Lucky’s bank receipts or other papers. I thought I’d find them in his desk, but they aren’t there. Uncle Redd isn’t answering his phone, and neither is Gloria or Sophie.”

“Did you check the safe?”

“Um, I don’t know where it is.”

Why hadn’t she asked him this morning? As much as Zach trusted the two crew members, he wasn’t about to tell her within hearing range of them. “Hang on a sec.” He muted his end of the line so she couldn’t hear him. “I need to go to the house and help Gina with something.”

“I’ll bet you do,” Bert said, giving him a sly look. “She’s a foxy one.”

Zach narrowed his eyes, and the burly ranch hand backed up a step. “No offense meant. What do you want us to do when we finish here?”

“Help Chet with loading the hay onto the flatbed. Make sure none of the herd has wandered off, and feed and water the horses. If you run into problems, give me a call.”

Zach climbed into his truck and drove to the house.

Looking worried, Gina met him at the back door. “I had to call the attorney and reschedule for four. I can’t find anything in the desk except junk. Uncle Lucky is—was—such a pack rat.”

Zach eyed the four-foot-high stack of yellowing newspapers against the kitchen wall. “He sure was.” He wiped his feet and stepped inside. “So you don’t know where the safe is.”

“I didn’t even know he had one until you mentioned it this morning, and I thought...I assumed that the papers I needed would be in the desk.”

“Let’s go into Lucky’s office.” Zach followed Gina through the kitchen and down the hallway. She was wearing the same sexy sweater and pants as that morning, an outfit that had to cost a mint. Gina had a great ass and hips that swayed naturally and seductively.

By the time they reached the office, he was semihard and not happy about that. Turning away from her, he headed through the room, stopping in front of an oil painting of a cowboy astride a horse that hung opposite the desk. He lifted the painting off the wall and set it carefully down.

Gina’s eyes widened. “For as long as I can remember, that painting has been hanging there. I had no idea it was hiding a safe.”

“Now you know. This is where you’ll find all of Lucky’s important papers, including a copy of the will and our spreadsheet for the dude ranch.”

“See, a word like spreadsheet—that wasn’t part of my uncle’s vocabulary.”

“After we developed one, it was. Try the combination.” Zach stepped back so that she could work the numbers.

She opened the safe and pulled out half a dozen folders. There was no room for them on Lucky’s cluttered desk, so she stacked them on the desk chair. “Just look at all this stuff.”

She was definitely unhappy about her uncle’s filing system. A lock of hair had fallen over her eyes, but she didn’t seem to notice.

“I wish I’d started earlier,” she said. “I’m not going to have time to look through everything, so I guess I’ll bring all these folders with me. Thanks for stopping what you were doing and showing me the safe, Zach. I don’t know what I’d have done otherwise.”

“Helping you out is part of my job.”

She tugged at her sweater, drawing his gaze to her breasts. “I’ve been thinking about how we left things this morning. You meant a lot to Lucky, and he obviously trusted you. You’re important to this ranch. My family and I need you here, Zach. You’re not going to quit, are you?”

“I wouldn’t do that. But you should know that I intend to honor my promise to Lucky. I’ll do what I can to change your mind.”

“Try away. It won’t work.”

With her chin up and the confident smile on her mouth, she was irresistible.

“That sounds like a challenge—and I always like challenges,” he said, advancing toward her. “Did you mean that?”

“I... Did I mean what?”

“About me trying to convince you.” Her eyes were the prettiest color, green with little flecks of brown and gold. “Did you?”

He brushed the silky lock back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her pupils dilated and he knew she felt some of what he did. She touched her lips with the tip of her tongue in what he recognized as a nervous gesture.

“I—”

He laid his finger over her soft lips. “Shhh.” Tipping up her chin, he kissed her.

* * *

ZACH’S HANDS WERE cold from being outside, but his lips were warm. And very good at their job. Gina hadn’t kissed anyone since she and Wayne had parted ways in June. Even in their first few months together, when there was some degree of passion between them, Wayne had never kissed her like this.

The kiss was firm, yet sweet and gentle, and something more she couldn’t define. Whatever it was, she liked it. A lot. Zach smelled of fresh air and man and was every bit as hard and muscled as he looked.

His arms tightened around her, and she willingly sank against him. Another kiss followed, and another. Shifting so that she was even closer, he slid his tongue over hers. Gina felt his arousal against her stomach. Her nipples tingled and her panties were instantly damp.

She wanted to go on kissing him forever. Instead she pushed him away.

He looked every bit as stunned by the heat between them as she was. “You better go or you’ll be even later for your meeting,” he said, his eyes hot as he straightened her sweater.

“Right.” She managed to close the safe and hang the painting with barely a tremble.

“You’re a very convincing man,” she murmured on the way to the kitchen. “But—”

“You’re still going to sell.”

She nodded.

By the time they reached the back door, she felt reasonably normal again. “Thanks,” she said as she opened the door for him.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “For showing you the safe, or for those kisses?”

Both. “I’ll see you later.”

“No doubt. Have fun with the lawyer.”

* * *

IN A DAZE, Gina drove down the highway in Uncle Lucky’s hulking truck. Traffic was light, but then in Saddlers Prairie it always was. Her mind wandered. She couldn’t get over Zach’s kissing her and how much she’d enjoyed it. In Uncle Lucky’s office of all places.

Her uncle had only been gone a few days. They hadn’t even held the funeral yet, and here she was fantasizing about the hunky foreman. What was she thinking?

That was the trouble—she hadn’t thought at all. She’d simply reacted. Boy, had she.

Up in rancher heaven, Uncle Lucky was probably shaking his head, wondering if she’d lost her mind.

She had—temporarily. Zach Horton wasn’t her type. Besides, she wouldn’t be here long. Getting involved with him was a bad idea.

Involved? Gina frowned. Just where had that idea come from? So they’d shared a few kisses. Fabulous, bone-melting kisses, the thought of which, even now, made her lips tingle and her stomach flutter. They didn’t mean anything and wouldn’t happen again.

Though if Zach did kiss her again, she wasn’t at all sure she’d stop him.

Her cell phone rang. Grateful for the interruption and eager to get her mind off Zach and his kisses, she set her phone on speaker mode and picked up.

“It’s Carrie,” her assistant said.

Gina started guiltily. She hadn’t thought about work or Carrie since early this morning. “It’s about time you called me back,” she chided. “Where have you been all day?”

“Where do you think I’ve been?” Carrie sounded defensive.

“I called you early this morning—hours ago.”

“The note from Marsha didn’t say it was urgent. Did she tell you that I was at the office until almost nine-thirty last night? I was up before dawn this morning and worked from home. Then I stopped in at a few of the Grant stores so that I could get a visual to go with the numbers they’ve been sharing.” She filled Gina in on what she’d observed. “I sent you an email with all the details. Did you see it?”

“Not yet, but I’ll be checking soon.” On the way back from the attorney’s office.

Things seemed to be going well, and Gina smiled. “That sounds good, Carrie. I’m impressed with what you’ve done. I thought you were supposed to have dinner last night with that guy you met at the bar.”

“Chad. Yeah, but it was too late for dinner, so we had drinks instead. We made a dinner date for this weekend.”

Been there, done that. Getting ahead sometimes meant putting your personal life on hold. “I’m glad he’s flexible,” Gina said.

“Chad’s an attorney—he understands long hours. That’s one of the many things we have in common.”

Everything Carrie said reminded Gina of herself and Wayne. When they’d first started dating they’d both thought they shared a number of interests. But after a few months, they’d realized that the only thing they really had in common was the desire to climb the corporate ladder. Neither of them had been upset when they’d parted ways.

“Have you had a chance to work on any of our other campaigns?” Gina asked. “Is there anything I should know about?”

She heard the sound of papers shuffling. “Oh, you know—the usual reports and phone calls. All the companies are anxious about their holiday campaigns.”

Something in her voice put Gina on alert. “Is everything okay? If you need help, tell me now.”

“I don’t! It’s super busy, but I’m handling it,” Carrie assured, sounding extra perky.

Too perky. Gina’s worry radar kicked up again. But then, like herself, her assistant thrived on deadlines and stress, so maybe the bubbly enthusiasm was for real.

“Look for an updated report on the Grant stores tomorrow,” Carrie added.

“Do you think you could send it this afternoon? With the funeral tomorrow, I doubt I’ll be checking email until the following day.”

“I’ll try. How are you?”

Gina didn’t have to think long about that. She’d just been kissed more thoroughly than she could ever remember, by a man she had no business kissing, and already she wanted more. She was a confused wreck.

She shook her head. “At the moment, I’m driving my uncle’s old four-speed truck down an all-but-deserted two-lane highway to his attorney’s office.”

“That doesn’t sound fun. You take care of yourself and your family, and don’t worry about me or work. Things are great here.”

Gina disconnected, dismissed her concerns and went right back to thinking of Zach’s kisses.


Chapter Four

Thanks to the meeting with the attorney, checking her email—and not finding the report from Carrie—and running some errands, Gina didn’t return to the ranch until nearly dinnertime. She walked in the back door with her arms full. Her family was in the kitchen—Sophie and Redd getting out cutlery and dinner plates and Gloria putting one of the casseroles into the oven.

“You’re finally back.” Gloria lifted her cheek for a kiss. “What took so long?”

“Honestly, Glo.” Sophie tsked. “Give the girl a chance to catch her breath.”

“For goodness’ sake, Sophie. It’s a figure of speech, not a criticism.”

Gina ignored the petty squabbling and set down her things. “I met with Matt Granger. Then I ran around, doing all the things he needed me to do. I also checked my email and stopped off at Spenser’s to buy trash bags and boxes for when I sort through Uncle Lucky’s things. Since you’re all here...”

She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. “You all knew Uncle Lucky left the ranch to me instead of Uncle Redd. Why didn’t one of you say something?”

Her uncle and cousins exchanged looks. “We thought it might be better coming from someone else. I need a kiss, too,” Sophie said, as if their keeping a secret from Gina was no big deal.

Obligingly, she kissed her cousin’s wizened cheek.

“Were you surprised when Matt told you?” Uncle Redd asked, offering his cheek, too.

Gina kissed him, then straightened and frowned. “I would’ve been if Zach hadn’t warned me.”

“Zach told you?” Gloria’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t expect that.”

“I’m thankful he did,” Gina said. “I don’t like surprises like that.”

Sophie looked contrite. “We were afraid you’d be upset.”

“That doesn’t mean you should avoid the subject. How would you feel if I did that to you?”

Her uncle gave her a sheepish look.

“I guess we should have told you,” Gloria said.

Sophie bit her lip. “Please don’t be angry with us.”

She looked so anxious that Gina kissed her cheek again. “I’ll live. But from now on, please don’t keep secrets from me.”

“Understood.” Uncle Redd eyed the folders she’d set on the counter. “What’s all that?”

“Papers I took to the attorney. I’m going to put them away and drop these trash bags and boxes in Uncle Lucky’s office. I’ll be back.”

In the office, Gina removed the painting and opened Uncle Lucky’s safe. She returned the folders and then searched for the packet the attorney had described. She found what she was looking for in the back corner of the safe.

She didn’t have to fold back the layers of tissue paper to know what was inside—the watch Uncle Lucky had inherited from his father, who’d gotten it from his father. According to the attorney, for some time now, Uncle Lucky had thought of Zach as the son he’d never had and had asked that the watch be passed on to him. Gina knew that Zach would be touched.

Over his seventy-four years, Uncle Lucky had known his share of ranch hands. As far as she knew, he’d never grown as close to any of the others as he had to Zach. It was comforting to know that someone her uncle cared about had lived on the ranch these past few years.

She should’ve been here, too. Once again, her guilt stirred. Every year, Andersen, Coats and Mueller closed from December 24th through January 1st, and she could easily have flown home last year. Her uncles and cousins would have loved that.

Instead, she’d spent Christmas Eve at a party with Wayne. That night, he’d stayed over, but early the next morning, he’d left for a family get-together, and she’d gone to Lise’s townhouse for brunch. She’d spent the rest of the day alone, filling the time with work.

This Christmas was bound to be even more lonely, but she wasn’t about to come back here in a month.

She locked up the safe, placing the package in her purse.

When she returned to the kitchen, mouthwatering smells greeted her. Her stomach growled, demanding to be fed. Someone had set the table, and the family was seated around it. “That smells so good, and I am so hungry,” she said, licking her lips.

“The casserole needs to bake at least another thirty minutes, so I’m afraid dinner won’t be for a little while yet, but sit down and relax.” Gloria patted the chair next to her. “Tell us what else Matt Granger had to say.”

“You all know that Uncle Lucky wasn’t exactly flush with cash. There’s enough money in the bank to pay salaries and the bills for a few months but not much extra.”

The next part was difficult, but Gina needed to say it. She cleared her throat. “Mr. Granger explained that even though Uncle Lucky left the ranch to me, I’m not legally bound to keep it. He said that what I do with the ranch is up to me.”

“What do you plan to do?” Uncle Redd asked, but his resigned expression told her he already knew the answer.

“This is what I told Zach and Mr. Granger.” Gina made sure to look each of her relatives in the eye. “I’ve had some wonderful times here, but I can’t keep the ranch. I guess I’ll put it on the market, hopefully before I leave town.”

In the beat of silence that filled the room, Gina’s family traded looks.

Sophie shook her head. “I’m afraid that won’t work. You see, next Thursday is Thanksgiving, and Carole Plett always closes her real-estate office for the entire week.”

“Then I’ll talk to her tomorrow. She’ll be at the funeral, right?”

“Unfortunately, she won’t,” Gloria said. “I was at Anita’s Cut and Curl this morning, getting my hair done for tomorrow. Carole happened to be there, too. Her daughter in Elk Ridge just had a little girl, Carole’s first grandchild. As you can imagine, she’s eager to get her hands on that baby, and since the real-estate business is slow this time of year, she decided to close up shop this afternoon. She’s probably pulling into Elk Ridge just about now.”

“That reminds me,” Uncle Redd said. “We got a sympathy card from her today. She donated a big bouquet of flowers for the funeral.”

“That was real sweet of her.” Sophie looked pleased. “I was over at the church earlier today, making sure everything is ready, and those flowers look just beautiful.”

So much for listing the property while she was in town. Gina sighed. “I guess I’ll call her from Chicago.”

“That’s a real good idea, honey,” Uncle Redd said. “It’ll give you more time to think about whether you really want to sell.”

“I don’t have to think, I—”

Uncle Redd fixed Gina with a stern look she rarely saw, and the rest of her words died in her throat. “This land has been in our family for generations,” he said. “It ought to stay in our family.”

“He’s right, cookie,” Sophie said. “You should pass it on to your children—when you have them.”

Gloria narrowed her eyes. “Speaking of children, how much longer are you going to wait before you get married and start a family?”

Gina gave her a wry look. “Gee, Gloria, why don’t you ask me something really personal?”

Undaunted, her cousin settled her hand on her ample hips. “I’m family. I can ask you anything I please. And don’t try to put me off.”

“Fine. At the moment I’m not dating—I just don’t have time. You know how busy I am with work.”

“What happened to Wayne?” Sophie asked. “He sounded like a nice fella.”

“He is,” Gina said. “But things didn’t work out.”

Hating the pitying looks on her cousins’ faces, she added, “It wasn’t a bad breakup or anything. We realized we didn’t love each other and that we didn’t have a future together. We parted on good terms.” She shrugged. “I promise you that someday I’ll get married and start a family. But it won’t be for a while.”

“But you’re thirty years old.” Gloria frowned. “You should already be married and settled down. Why, when I was your age, I’d already been married and widowed.”

Gloria’s husband, Harvey, had died in Vietnam and she’d never recovered. As far as Gina knew, she hadn’t dated since.

“Tony and I tried to have kids.” Sophie gave her head a sorrowful shake. “But I kept losing them early in the second trimester.”

“My first wife couldn’t get pregnant at all,” Uncle Redd said. “The second one said that taking care of me was enough and my third had had her tubes tied. If this family is to continue, it’s up to you.”

The constant pressure to marry and have babies never stopped. “Hey, this is the twenty-first century. I’m still young and I have a career, remember? I love what I do, and I’m darn good at it. That’s why I was promoted to the assistant vice-president position last spring.”

“And we’re all real proud of you,” Uncle Redd said. Sophie and Gloria nodded enthusiastically. “But couldn’t you hold on to the ranch?”

Gina hated to disappoint her family, but they needed to understand. “Who’s going to pay the ranch crew’s salaries when the money runs out? Even if I paid them with my own funds, and I’m not going to do that, we all know that sooner or later, the ranch will need even more cash to stay afloat.”

She wasn’t about to confess that despite her large paycheck, keeping the creditors off her back kept her virtually broke. She was too humiliated. “Besides, I live more than eleven hundred miles away,” she went on. “How could I possibly run the ranch? And don’t tell me I should move back here. I have a good job in Chicago, and I like living there.”

A stony silence met her words.

“Times are tough,” Uncle Redd said. “There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to sell the Lucky A.”

Gina hoped he was wrong. “Well, then—”

A knock at the door cut her off. Relieved at the interruption and wondering who had come to pay their respects, she jumped up. “I’ll get that.”

She opened the door and found Zach.

* * *

“HEY,” ZACH SAID, wiping his feet on the mat.




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