Embracing Hope (Cowboys of Sagebrush Rose #5)

Chapter Two

Isaac schooled his expression as he watched the enticing sway of Hope’s bottom as she marched out of her father’s office in a huff. Once they were at the end of the hallway, she pivoted and faced him, her expression dull and her lips pursed.

“What sort of game is this?” She tilted her chin.

“Game?” Although he'd totally fucked up by sleeping with a Rose daughter, he couldn’t deny that a part of him had perked up when he saw her. “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me, Hannah? Or is it Hope?” When she’d walked out of the motel room that morning, he’d had no idea that he’d ever see her again. Probably a good idea when he’d woke up straddling her during one of his panicked dreams. Most women would have run away, but she had spunk. She’d simply looked at him like this happened regularly.

Her eyes slanted. She didn’t appear any happier to see him.

She crossed her arms over her waist. “It’s Hope, Isaac. Or is it Lance? I’m a little confused myself.”

“My name’s Lance Isaac Marcum. Everyone has always called me Isaac, or Markie in the military.”

Her expression soured. “I’m sure that works out splendidly when it comes to sleeping with women,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Now isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? As I recall you were there too, ma’am.” His eyes darkened.

“Is this part of your strategy? Sleeping with me to make the Roses view the merger more favorably? It certainly gives you a little leverage if things don't go as planned, doesn’t it? I'm curious about your intentions.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. Was he really hearing this right? “Just to clarify, you were the one who approached me at the bar. You didn’t share your last name or your real first name, so how was I supposed to know you’re a Rose? Isn’t that a lovely surprise?”

He could almost see the thoughts sparking in her eyes. “It’s entirely possible someone mentioned me, or perhaps you did a little detective work and discovered what I looked like.”

“If I would have asked, yes, but I didn’t. And I didn’t know until moments ago, when Sam mentioned it, that you’re going to be a key player in this merger.”

“Are you really going to claim this was just a coincidence? That our paths crossed and we enjoyed an amazing night together by chance?” She laughed, but it had a raw edge.

“Could it be the other way around? Maybe you recognized me and thought your charming allure could improve the situation in your favor.” He journeyed his gaze down her beautiful body.

Her eyes sparkled as she stared back at him in disbelief. “And why would I do that? You need Sagebrush Rose more than we need Marcum Livestock.”

“Lady, you should do your detective work.” he ground out through clenched teeth. “Sagebrush Rose is lucrative but has gone down in revenue by twenty percent. Marcum Livestock has doubled its revenue this year, making us the number one growing cattle business in the state of Texas.”

She tapped the toe of her boot as if she imagined it was his head between her and the floor. “Obviously, you have no clue what you’re talking about. We have more than doubled our livestock this last year.”

“You mean in horses, right? It can take years for that investment to turn a profit. You’ve probably spent at least a million on horses, and how much have you made back in the last six months? Let me guess. Zero. Cattle ranching earns an ROI almost immediately. Why is your cattle livestock down by a fourth?” He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. “You can’t answer that, can you? And this is why a smart person once said, don’t mix business with pleasure.”

“After the loss of two of our breeding horses, we did suffer a loss in profit, but our sires are widely reputable and turn a profit. To make money one must spend money. Have you heard that from a smart person too?”

He didn’t know whether he should be angry or amused. “I’m sensing you might be experiencing some regret after last night.” Unfortunately, he had not one iota of regret. He’d been thinking about her ever since she left him in the motel room. He needed to stop that right away and get his head back on straight.

“I don’t live in regret, cowboy. I learn from my mistakes and never repeat them.”

He chuckled. Despite her feistiness, he found her to be refreshing. The verbal sparring match sent a jolt of awareness below his belt that he couldn’t quite shake. He found her quite the challenge. However, he wasn’t the same man he had been before the military shaped him. Once upon a time, he would have risen to the challenge until she was begging and pleading for him to take her to bed. He’d never been into chasing women, especially one that could be described as hot and cold.

Returning home, it had taken him some time to adapt to a new way of living. He preferred being a loner than to be in the spotlight. Once upon a time, he craved the attention of women and the power and influence he had as a Marcum. Now, he couldn’t care less. He was satisfied with working hard. “Good for you. And you’re supposed to be the welcoming committee?”

“Not voluntarily,” she huffed.

“I can’t tell if you’re angrier because you enjoyed last night or know it can’t happen again.” He found her expression almost comical.

“I hope you realize it can’t happen again.” She turned and stomped down the hallway.

In agitation, he followed her. “So that you know, I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

“Oh? You broke that rule last night,” she said over her shoulder.

“I had no clue who you were, whether you believe me or not. I have nothing to prove.”

“Something tells me it wouldn’t have made a difference.” She flipped the ends of her hair over one shoulder.

He followed her through a mudroom and out a screen door. Outside, he squinted against the bright sunlight. “There’s nothing that says you must show me around. I’d prefer someone a little friendlier.”

She stopped to face him, her agitation glinting in her glare. “You don’t understand Daddy. Once he has his mind made up on something, there’s no changing it.”

“This should be as delightful as that time I got shot in the ass by a BB gun,” he mumbled under his breath.

“I heard that.” She turned her back and stepped off the porch into the grass. “According to those callused hands, you’re not afraid of hard work.”

Isaac’s lips twitched. “I’m not afraid of back-breaking work.”

“That's good because this isn’t one of those elite tours where you see the ranch and then get a seven-course meal and expensive bourbon afterward. I have work to do, and if I’m stuck babysitting you, then I’ll expect help with no complaints.”

Honestly, he found her attitude intriguing. As Marcums, he and his brother had always been popular with the fairer sex. He suspected it was due to their mother’s flawless genes that she’d handed down, but he realized their wealth played more of a significant role. After all, looks diminished over time, but a healthy bank account could create lasting opportunities—just like his father used to say.

He remembered the day he’d told his parents that he’d enlisted in the military. They’d both been disappointed, asking him to withdraw. They’d had plans for Isaac, which included him taking the lead over the family ranch and business to carry on the Marcum name properly. Although Isaac’s father had served in the Army, he’d said it wasn’t the life to live. They shoved guns into young men’s hands, and if they were lucky, they could retire in twenty.

What his parents didn’t understand then, and probably never would, is that he’d made an important decision regarding his life. Although Isaac suspected they knew he’d been a wild child, he doubted they understood the extent of his behavior—drinking too much and partying too hard.

One morning, he woke up and took a good hard look at himself in the mirror. He didn’t like what he saw. He took a long look into his future, and he didn’t like what he saw there either. He didn’t want to be like his father, a burned-out man who was so embedded in work that everything else came second.

And yet, wasn’t that the life Isaac had adopted?

Marcum Livestock owed its success to his father's incredible work ethic. Isaac and CJ grew up with opportunities their dad could hardly dream of as one of ten in a poor, struggling family. He made a bold decision early on to create a better life, and his dedication truly paid off. Russel's perseverance not only transformed their future but also instilled in them the values of hard work and determination.

As he strolled through the tall grass that slapped at his boots, he rolled his shoulders, shaking off the tension that the woman stirred within him. This experience brought a refreshing challenge into his life—a welcome change from the usual routine. After years of being what he dubbed a “warm robot,” rising with the sun and working tirelessly until nightfall, maybe it was high time he pushed himself out of his comfort zone. He’d never seen himself as a social butterfly or the best communicator, yet here he was, handling a situation that he didn’t much care about. What would Russel say about the merger if he were still alive?

As they veered to the right instead of the left toward the activity at the barns, he thoughtfully scrubbed his jaw. “Are we not going to explore the ranch?”

She stopped and gave him a curt shake of her head. “I told you. I have plans.”

Something warned him that he should refuse to follow her around like a whipped puppy and explore the ranch on his own, but something else—a small part of him—was curious and kept him following in her tracks.

She slid open the door to the garage, revealing a brand-new candy apple red Bronco inside. “Nice ride,” he said.

The corners of her mouth fought with a grin. “Glad you think so.”

As she gracefully walked past the Bronco and approached the vintage blue Mustang, he smiled. It was an impressive car but as he opened the passenger door and peeked inside, a thought crossed his mind. How would he manage to squeeze back out once he settled in?

“Problem?” She cast him a look over the black convertible top.

He wanted to say, “Yeah, a big one,” but he felt she wanted to make him uncomfortable. “No, not at all,” he said instead. How terrible could it be?

He stuffed himself into the leather seat and bent his legs in the cramped space. When she didn’t shift or make any move to leave right away, he looked over at her. She was glaring at him. What have I done now?

“Safety first. Seatbelt,” she said evenly.

“Yes, ma’am.” Clamping his mouth on the groan, he grabbed the strap and clicked the belt into place, feeling like a sardine crammed in a tin can. “Happy?”

“Very.”

She accelerated, the tires squealing on the concrete as she zoomed out of the garage. “Is this the way you drive all the time?” he asked, a mile down the country road feeling a bit carsick as they navigated the curves at a speed that only heightened his sickness.

“What way?” She flicked him a glance.

“Like a bat out of hell.”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” she said without a modicum of concern or care.

“Of course not. I’ve been on the back of a bull plenty of times myself.” He tried to relax in the seat, watching the scenery pass in a blur. He shifted slightly to look at her profile. “Just so we're clear, I don’t make it a habit to have one-night stands.”

“Oh? So you thought we’d see each other again?” She kept her gaze ahead on the road.

“Honestly, I didn’t put much thought into it.” He picked up a roll of mints in her console and took one out, popping it into his mouth.

“Look, before you embarrass yourself too much, it’s okay. We’re adults. We’ll just have to pretend it didn’t happen. That would be easier than discussing the sticky situation.”

He scratched the side of his neck with his thumb. “Pretend it didn’t happen? That sounds like a very adult thing to do.”

*****

Hope bit back a grin as Isaac unfurled his way out of the passenger seat. His exaggerated stretch, reaching for the sky to ease a kink in his back, made her day just a little brighter. The bulge behind his zipper reminded her that he was big everywhere.

“Are you good?” she asked, keeping herself from bursting into laughter.

“Wonderful!” His lips curled into a grin. Where are we?” He scanned the small, charming house, with toys scattered throughout the yard and a tire swing swaying gently from the tree. He stopped to examine the old rope, which was nearing the end of its usefulness.

“Babysitting.” She left him standing near her car as she made her way up the brick walkway to the front door and knocked.

“Did you say babysitting?” he asked when he joined her on the stoop.

“I did.”

“That’s hardly back-breaking work,” he said.

“You’ll find out.”

The door swung open and Courtney wrapped her arms around Hope in a warm embrace. “I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for your help.” Courtney, with her charming brunette locks, sparkling Bambi-like eyes, and radiant smile, brought an uplifting energy to every moment.

“This is what best friends are for. You’d do the same for me.” Hope and Courtney had been friends since elementary school. “I brought a co-pilot.”

Courtney settled her admiring gaze on Isaac. “That you did. Come in, both of you.”

“I’m Isaac,” he thrust out his hand.

“Courtney,” she shook his hand, then swung her finger toward the little red-headed girl sitting at a small round table. She was busily brushing a doll's hair. “That’s Marah.”

“Hi, Marah. What do we have here?” Surprisingly, he seemed very comfortable with the child.

“A tea party. Do you like tea?” Marah asked in a soft voice

“I do. Care if I join?” he asked.

Hope watched the exchange as Isaac started to take a seat on the floor, but Marah insisted he sit in one of the tiny chairs. He looked like a giant sitting on a lamppost.

“Are you two okay for a moment while I speak to Aunt Hope in the kitchen?” Courtney asked.

Marah had shoved a doll into Isaac’s hands which made him appear less rough around the edges.

“We are fine,” Marah answered happily.

Courtney dragged Hope into the kitchen and asked, “Please tell me that you’re dating that hunk of a man.”

“No, we’re not dating.” Hope leaned a hip against the edge of the counter, grabbing a potato chip from an open bag.

Courtney sighed. “Then you should. Immediately. We don’t have many cowboys that look like him around these parts.”

“I hate to disappoint you, but it won’t, more like can’t, happen. It’s purely business.”

Crossing her arms, Courtney appeared confused. “Business? Do you always bring your business associates when you’re babysitting?”

Laughter wafted in from the living room as the subject of interest and Marah played.

The situation had backfired on Hope. It seemed that the “giant” handled anything she threw his way calmly.

“I’m playing host. Daddy’s idea.” Hope rolled her eyes.

“How is Sam, sweetie?” Courtney reached for Hope’s hand and gently squeezed.

“He’s stubborn. He refuses to get treatment.” A lump caught in her throat.

“I know that must be hard.”

Hope nodded. “How are you now that the divorce is final?”

“Marah and I are doing good. There was an adjustment period for both of us, but it feels much better not walking on eggshells. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. Did I tell you that I’m the newest teacher at the elementary school? All my prayers are coming true.”

“I’m so happy for you.”

“Oh, look at the time. I better go if I want to make it to the doctor’s office on time. Do you mind if I stop and grab some groceries at the market before I come home?”

“Feel free to take a break and treat yourself to a cup of tea at one of the charming shops in the Catskills. You deserve it.”

“Maybe I’ll take you up on the offer,” Courtney said with a wink as she grabbed her bag and went to tell Marah goodbye.