Chapter Two
Holly awoke to the strange sound of birds singing the next morning.
In the penthouse apartment she had in downtown Houston, she might see the occasional pigeon on her window ledge, but she never heard the sweet sound of birds—not with all the traffic noise and sirens.
Like always, the first thing she did was roll over and look at the clock beside her bed.
When she saw that it was almost noon, she threw the covers back, jumped out of bed, and grabbed her phone to call the office.
You are on vacation. The voice in her head sounded like her mother.
She fell back on the bed and laid her hand over her pounding heart.
She had never been late to work a single day.
She had always been a workaholic, from her high school years, through college, and now on the job.
In the past as well as the present. That kept her from ever taking time for herself or having much of a social life.
Her mother fussed at her continually to at least make a spa appointment once a month to get a facial, but she would rather be working than spending time taking care of herself.
Her phone, lying on the nightstand right beside her ear, startled her so badly when it rang that her heart pumped even harder.
She glanced over to see a picture on the screen, but there was only a phone number.
She tried to figure out who was calling through four rings before she finally decided to pick it up.
She fully intended to hang up if it was a telemarketer.
“Hello,” she said, totally out of breath.
“Lula Ann?” a masculine voice asked. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Who is this?” she demanded.
“Bubba Jones. We met at the speed-dating event last night. Are you sure you are not busy?”
“Positive.” Her heart skipped a beat, then raced ahead with a full load of steam, thumping around like it could jump right out of her chest. She remembered the little zing of excitement the night before when she shook his hand.
Still, she wondered if even talking to him was a good idea.
After all, why start something that couldn’t last?
“Are you still there?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I thought I had overslept.”
“I see,” Bubba said. “Looks like we matched at that event last night. I’m calling to see if I could take you to dinner this evening. Nothing fancy. Just a burger and fries, and then maybe a movie in the park. I don’t have a quilt, or a picnic mat so …”
“Why would we need either one?” she asked.
“We will have to sit on the ground to watch the movie,” he explained. “It’s outside, so you might want to bring mosquito repellent, too.”
Holly was about to tell him that she had other plans.
Watching the second hand on the clock sounded better than fighting off buzzing bugs all night.
But she’d never been to a movie in the park, and although she loved burgers and fries, any date she had been on in the past had involved something with cloth napkins and a wine list.
“I suppose I could rustle up a quilt. But it will have to be one that won’t get grass stains on the backside,” she told him, and checked her messages while she waited on him to say something. Sure enough, there was a text saying the only match she had from the event was with Bubba Jones.
“Does that mean you will go?” He sounded surprised.
“If we matched, then I guess it wouldn’t be right for us not to go out,” she said, but inside her heart was doing a Texas two-step, and her hands trembled. “What time?”
“I have to do a couple of things this afternoon, but maybe six thirty. The movie in the park doesn’t start until dark. Do you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?” Bubba asked.
His deep drawl sent chills running up and down her spine. “No, but whatever vehicle you are driving could.”
“We can’t have that, can we? I’ll have you home by midnight, so you can play with your rocks tomorrow morning. Where do you live?”
She hesitated for a moment while she looked up the address on her phone.
“Hey, if you aren’t comfortable with me knowing where you live, then we could meet somewhere,” he suggested.
“No, it’s just that I haven’t lived here long, and I have to think,” she replied, and blurted out the house number and street. “If that’s too far …”
“Not at all. I’m up near Katy right now, so it’s not going to be a problem,” Bubba said. “I’ll see you at six thirty.”
“I’ll be the redhead who answers the door.”
“I’ll be the cowboy driving an old white pickup truck.” He chuckled. “See you later, and I’m glad that we matched.”
“Me, too.” She didn’t tell him that he was the only name she had put a yes beside. That would come later—if ever. “Have a great day.”
“I’d rather have a great evening as a wonderful day. Bye now,” he said, and ended the call.
Miles tossed the phone over onto the passenger seat of the old farm truck he had driven from Ringgold to Houston and started the journey around the border fences of the ranch he was interested in buying.
He carefully eyed every aspect of the land, but his mind was still on Lula Ann and how much he was looking forward to more than five minutes with her.
Hopefully, one date would lead to another, and they would take it to the next step so he could get the picture of her out of his head.
He drove into the next pasture where at least a hundred head of Angus cattle grazed. After he had closed the gate he let down the tailgate, hiked a hip on it, and called his father. Martin answered on the fifth ring. “Hello, son. Are we buying or not?”
“I’m sitting in the middle of a pasture trying to make up my mind. What did you think?” Miles asked.
“I’d buy the place without a minute’s hesitation, but the choice is yours,” Martin replied.
“It comes with a house for you to live in, good-looking cattle from the pictures you just sent me, and lots of excellent pastureland. The only problem I can see is that it is five hours from your family, but then, you have access to the helicopter anytime you need or want it. Your mama and I would have liked for you to buy something between here and Nocona like your sister did, but there’s nothing that big in this area. ”
“I’d need a foreman and at least a small crew,” Miles said.
“Much as I hate to say it, I think Elijah would move with you. He’s ready to retire and turn the foreman’s job over to his nephew here on the Circle C,” Martin said.
“Hot damn! Have you talked to him about it?” Miles asked.
“No, but he talked to me. Let me know something soon, son.”
“Yes, sir, I will. And thanks, Dad, for everything.”
“You are welcome, son, but it’s my job is to see that you and your sister are taken care of before I step off this mortal earth.
I want each of you to build your own dynasty, but even more, I want you to listen to your heart.
It won’t steer you wrong. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you real soon. Bye now.”
Miles took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
His father had told him that same thing too many times to count, but today it seemed to carry a lot more weight.
Getting to know the ranch like it was a woman was silly, but he wanted to know for absolute sure that this was the place to make his own dynasty like the one his dad had made on the Circle C Ranch up near the Red River.
By the next afternoon, he had gotten the right feel and was ready to talk about an offer.
He got into his truck and was about to close the door when a black-and-white dog hopped inside, ran across his body, and sat down in the passenger seat.
“Where did you come from and what’s your name?” Miles asked.
The dog wagged his tail so hard that it sounded like a drum beat on the seat. He barked once and then looked straight ahead.
“I don’t understand that language, but I guess you are telling me to drive, right?” Miles asked.
The dog gave him a side look.
“Okay, then. Full speed ahead.”
Two hours later, he was sitting at the farmhouse kitchen table having a glass of sweet tea and snacking on a bowl full of blackberry cobbler with Regina and the ranch owners, Paul and Eva Sullivan.
“Why are you selling?” Miles asked.
“Well, Mr. Chapman, it’s like this,” Paul Sullivan answered.
“I inherited this whole place from my great-uncle, and I don’t know a thing about ranching.
The neighbor has been doing the chores until I can get the place sold.
I figured I’d have to sell the cattle at the sale barn.
It’s a blessing to me and Eva that you are interested in buying the place as is.
We won’t have to donate or try to have an auction for all the contents of the house, if that works. ”
“And we won’t have to worry with the cattle,” Eva added.
“What about the dog?” Bubba asked.
“Turbo?” Paul asked.
“I didn’t know his name, but does he go with the property?”
“Yes, sir, if you want him. The neighbor offered to take him, but he’s been raised right here,” Eva answered. “He’s a good cattle dog, and one other thing. The cat could stay as well, or we could take her to the animal shelter. She’s a good mouser. Do you want the goats, too?”
“Goats?” Miles frowned.
“Ten of the ornery critters. Uncle Waylon liked to watch the new babies play, and he sold them to the local kids for their FHA projects,” Paul answered.
“Yes, all of it,” Miles answered. “Work up a price and—”
“They already did,” Regina said, and passed a piece of paper over to him. “You can think about it or …”
He looked at the number and nodded. “Does this include the equipment and that old work truck out there?”
“Everything including the barbed-wire fences,” Eva answered. “We’ll only take out some personal family things from the house, but the rest is included in the price.”
“Then consider it sold,” Miles said. “My lawyer can get with yours to work out the paperwork. Since it’s a cash sale, it should go fairly smoothly.”