Hope’s Highest Bidders

3. Cole

3

COLE

I planned to go to the Reid Ranch early this morning, but one thing after another came up. By the time I make it over here, it’s in the evening, and all the lights are off at the barn. I pull up to the small house, and even in the dark I can tell the porch needs repaired, shutters need replaced, and the house needs a new coat of paint. My hands flex around the steering wheel knowing that Sassy is living like this. She deserves so much more.

I push my way out of the truck and take my time up the steps. The screen door has holes in it and seems to be barely hanging on. I rap my knuckles on the door in three hard knocks and stand back.

I hear footsteps inside, and when the door opens, it’s like a sucker punch to the gut. Sassy is standing before me in shorts and a T-shirt. Her long hair is piled in some kind of knot on the top of her head, and she’s looking up at me with big green eyes. She’s so beautiful she about takes my breath away. “Cole...”

Her voice is breathless as she leans against the door. “Dad’s not here. His friend took him into town for some ice cream.”

I’m holding the screen door open with my boot, and I shove my hands into the front pocket of my jeans. It’s either that or reach for her. “Can I come in?”

She looks behind her and then back at me. At first I think she may have someone inside, but she steps back and opens the door wider to let me in. “Sure, uh, come on in.”

I take my hat off my head and hold it as I walk in. She points to a hat rack, and I hang it on the hook before turning back to her. “So...”

She crosses her arms over her chest, and I try not to let my gaze go there. “So...” she mimics me. “What’s going on?”

I point to a torn leather chair that I know is the one Amos usually sits in. “Can I sit down?”

She nods almost nervously, and her cheeks turn red. “Sure, have a seat.”

I stand, waiting for her to sit. She finally moves to the couch and sits down, pulling her feet up under her.

I settle into the chair and lean forward, my elbows on my knees. “Tell me what’s going on here at the ranch, Sassy.”

Any friendliness on her face disappears in an instant. “We’re not selling it, Cole.”

I hold my hands up. I had stupidly made the mistake in the past of offering to buy the ranch from Amos. I think he stopped talking to me for at least six months after that. “I’m not offering to buy it. Regardless of what people think of me, I’m not a complete ass. I’m not trying to run you off your ranch. I want to help.”

She’s staring at me, her head tilted. I swear sometimes when she looks at me, she sees the real me. Not the millionaire rancher or the too bossy cowboy. I always feel that I can be myself around her, and it’s a little unsettling.

She blinks twice and bites her lip. “I don’t think that.”

I shake my head in confusion. Obviously I can’t even think around her because I can’t keep up with a simple conversation. “You don’t think what?”

She’s not looking at me now. She’s fiddling with her fingers, staring down at her hands. “I don’t think you’re an ass... I mean, I know you’re not. You’ve always been good to Dad and to me.”

Speechless, I want to move closer to her. I want to sit next to her on the couch, pull her into my arms, and make her forget all her worries.

She finally lifts her eyes to meet mine, and I smile at her. “Thank you, Sassy.”

She shrugs as if it’s not a big deal, but I know it is. “So how can I help?”

She holds up her hand. “You help us way more than you should already, Cole. You send over Travis and Rick, and I know you need them on your own ranch. You’ve helped us when the well pump went out, you helped us get the loan for the tractor a few years ago. You help us all the time.”

I shrug because all of that is a drop in the bucket to me. “It’s really not a big deal. I know that Amos won’t like it, but maybe you and I can work something out. No one will have to know. I’ll give you the money to fix what needs fixed around here, and we’ll go from there.”

Her mouth drops, and she closes it quickly. “I can’t… I mean, I wish I could, but it’s too late.”

I watch her warily and see that she’s on edge again. “What do you mean it’s too late?”

She won’t look at me. “Nothing. I didn’t mean anything. Look, I can’t take any handouts. I know this place needs work, but I’ve got it figured out and I’m going to fix it.”

She’s hiding something. It’s obvious there’s more going on here than I know about. I shouldn’t have stayed away. Hell, it didn’t help control my desire for her so it didn’t help anyway. I don’t know how else to do it but be blunt. “I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine. We’re all fine. The ranch is fine-“

She doesn’t get to finish because her phone starts to ring. She gets up and grabs it off the counter. She huffs as she answers. “Yeah?”

All I can hear is her side of the conversation. “I’ll be right there.”

She’s stuffing her feet into boots as she hangs up the phone. “I have to go out to the barn. Prancer is trying to bust out of his stall.”

“What? Frank can’t handle an ornery horse?”

She walks to the door. “Frank won’t deal with Prancer since he bit him a month ago. I need to go settle him down. You leaving? Staying...?”

“You want me to go to the barn with you?”

She laughs. “I think I can handle it.”

I knew that’s what she’d say, so I stay seated. “I’m going to hang out here. We have a few things to hash out.”

She rolls her eyes and lets the door slam behind her on the way out. As soon as she’s gone, I pull out my phone and open the notes app. I start making notes. Porch, roof, paint inside . I look at the yellow stain on the ceiling and add roof leak . I walk room to room making notes of things to get fixed. Sassy may not want my help, but I can’t just stand idly by and let their house fall down around them. When I get to the office, I see the stack of papers on the desk. I know I shouldn’t. I know it’s a complete intrusion of their privacy, but I can’t help it... especially after seeing the heading. Breeding Bidders Auction House Contract.

I read the page and notice Sassy’s signature at the bottom. I stumble on my own feet. Everything is happening at once. I can literally hear the blood rushing to my head and something like a train whistle sounds in my ear. Woozy and dizzy, I lean against the desk to hold myself up. I hear the front door open, and I go to the office doorway.

Sassy is smiling until she sees my face and the paper I’m holding in my hand. I hold it up. “What the fuck is this?”

She reaches for the paper, but I pull it from her reach. “Answer me, Sassy. What is this?”

She doesn’t like my tone, and I’m not aware enough to give a fuck right now. “It’s none of your business, Cole. Why are you snooping anyway?”

I’m caught off guard when she lunges, pulling the paper from my hands. She folds it up and stuffs it in the pocket of her shorts. “I told you I’m taking care of things around here, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”