Chapter 9
Rafe
The Confession
Sundays were my least favorite day of the week. Chores were minimal and I used the day to catch up on paper work.
Since Rory’s arrival, I spent less time behind my father’s mahogany desk, but there were a few things I could not avoid. Like the fact the ranch was in serious trouble. There were some decisions I needed to make.
I stared at the profit and loss spreadsheet Rory had printed out a few days earlier.
It was not nearly as cheerful as the bright yellow sticky note she put on top of the pile of paper.
We need to talk about this! Followed by a smiley face.
There wasn’t anything to smile about, so I had to assume she was feigning optimism.
I assumed she meant we needed to talk about everything else she had forced into the huge binder clip. I thumbed through the rest of the papers and my heart sank.
Everything started and ended with Argent.
At first, I thought they were like every other developer who had bought the land west of my property.
The part with the best views. Every few years, a developer would buy the land, sign the water contract to be fed from my aquifer.
Then they would discover that between the costs of development and the protests of the people in the area it wasn’t worth it.
They would give up but would honor the contract until they could sell.
But Argent was different. They were the biggest developer to buy the land in well over two decades. They had the resources to absorb the costs while they built.
The front door opened and closed followed closely by Rory’s raspy voice. “Honey, I’m home.”
Fuck. That statement shouldn’t sound as good as it did. I frowned, as I popped my head out of the doorway. “What are you doing here on a Sunday?”
“I brought your car back, in case you needed it.” She gestured to the pile of papers in my hand. “But now's as good a time as any to talk about that stack of paper.”
I stared down at the top page. The one that told me I barely survived the month. “What if I don’t want to?”
“Rafe.” Her face softened, and I knew she was about to deliver some truths I was not prepared for. “I am a fully qualified CPA, I handled the finances for a large breeding farm. Trust me on this. Besides, there is so much I need to tell you.”
Her face paled as she turned away from me. Whatever she wasn’t saying was more than just about me and my financial trouble. “What do you mean?”
“Let me get coffee, and we can chat.”
One thing I had noticed was Rory ran on caffeine and snacks. Not full meals. It was one thing I could fix for her since I knew she hated meal prepping for one. “I made a beef casserole last night. Want to share some leftovers with me for lunch?”
“Uhm.” Her eyes widened. Yeah, I was an asshole, if she was surprised I would offer her food. “Sure. Why not?”
While I dished for each of us, she filled our coffee mugs. “City, you should check the fridge, most days I have leftovers. I usually cook for a few days.”
“Okay.” Her eyes narrowed on me. “Are you okay?”
I rolled my eyes because I was not that much of an asshole. “I’m fine. Look, I know you prefer your sandwiches, and snacks, but when you want a proper meal, check my fridge. Okay?”
“Just surprised, is all.” She moved around my kitchen with a familiarity that eased something inside me.
“I mean, I hate cooking for one, too, which is why I’ve been living on Ramen and sandwiches.
But I could cook some nights and bring you the leftovers the next day as well. That way we both get some variety.”
Nodding, I took a deep breath before I offered to cook and eat together. I gestured to the pile of papers. “You wanted to talk?”
“First, tell me about Argent and why they didn’t sign a contract for the water.” She hiked herself on to the counter, and I swallowed hard to maintain my focus. “I went back years, Rafe. They were the first developer to not sign the contract.”
“They bought the land about 8 months ago. Maybe a month or two after I paid the taxes.” Instead of sitting in one of the uncomfortable kitchen chairs, I paced the length of my kitchen.
“They didn’t want to sign the contract immediately.
I didn’t pay too much attention, the ranch could survive without the income for a month or two. ”
I continued telling her the story. How they had surveys done on the land. Pulling out the relevant sheet, I pushed it to her. “They found water on the land, and would not be needing me to supply them.”
Since then, I’d been on the back foot every step of the way.
I told her about how they were also trying to buy the businesses in town.
They were specifically interested in Miller’s Feed and Seed.
Part of the reason why I did not want to cancel my contract with them.
“And then I found out that when they have their aquifer up and running, they intend to sell to the rest of the area, and will be able to undercut me by almost twenty-percent.”
“Rafe.”
“I’m barely surviving without that income, Rory.” I rested my ass against the kitchen table. “God knows how I am going to pay my taxes when they’re due. I thought I would survive until the cattle auctions next year, but without supplying the water, I probably won’t make it that long.”
She pushed the laptop forward. “So, what’s the solution? Please tell me you’re not thinking about selling.”
“I won’t have a choice.” I pulled out the letter I had received the day before from the pile of mail on the counter. “They sent me this.”
Her fingers brushed mine as she took the letter from me, and warmth spread through me. Not in a sexual way, but still highly inappropriate for the situation. Rory read the offer from Argent.
The offer was lower than what the land was worth. Much lower but it would mean I could walk away with something.
She frowned up at me. “Rafe, this offer is insulting. This land, the animals, the buildings, all of it is worth at least five times more than this.”
“Its only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.” I rested against the counter next to her and folded my arms. “You know that.”
She frowned at the letter once more. Her eyes narrowed, as fear and determination warred across her features. “I may have a way to help.”
“What do you mean?” It wasn’t that I doubted her, I just couldn’t see a way through.
She hopped off the counter and sat in one of the kitchen chairs and motioned for me to do the same.
I watched as she stared at her fingernails.
For several breaths her shoulders hunched as she took deep breaths.
She was talking herself into something. I wished I could hear the conversation in her head.
Eventually, her eyes met mine and narrowed.
Something warred in that brain and she swallowed hard.
Forearms on the table, she leaned forward. “This Vance Stein guy is just a puppet, or at most a mid-level employee.” She paused, clenched her fists and took another deep breath. “My brother has strong ties to The Argent Group. I think he is one of the founding members.”
The story she told me was hard to believe, but I knew she had no reason to lie to me.
Her brother had her father killed, and he was trying to steal her and her sisters’ inheritance.
Because of a clause in her father’s will and veiled threat to their safety, she and her sisters decided to go on the run.
The more she spoke, the angrier I got. Not at her, but for her. Even though I had lost all my family, I never doubted they loved me. I could not imagine either of my parents or my brother wanting to kill me.
“So, there’s a chance he could find you out here?” I voiced the overriding fear that planted root as she told me her story.
Rory shook her head. “No. The Argent Group is big. I have no doubt my brother is looking for me. But he’s too high up the food chain to concern himself with an employee all the way on the west coast. Not that it matters.”
“I don’t see how this helps, City.” I folded my arms on the table and leaned forward. “If anything, we shouldn’t attract too much attention to this ranch, so he doesn’t find you.”
Her features softened for a moment before she took a deep breath.
Kind of like the one she took when she wanted to tell me we needed to take in the donkey Mr. Henderson had found abandoned.
I had agreed then. The donkey was underweight and had been abused, I didn’t have a choice.
Especially when those warm brown eyes blinked at me.
Damn, it occurred to me I would do anything for this woman.
“But I have proof of his money laundering.” She mimicked my position as she leaned even further forward. “I have the drive with all the transactions. If we threaten to send it to the authorities or the press if he doesn’t back down, he could tell this Vance asshole to back off.”
It sounded like a solid plan, but something still bothered me. “Wait. Why didn’t you send it to the authorities instead of going on the run?”
“We don’t know how high up the corruption goes. He had the sheriff and a judge in his pocket. A senator, too. If the charges didn’t stick, then we’d have nothing. And we’d still be in danger.”
Yeah, I was liking this plan less and less.
“So, if you send this drive to the press, then you give away the only leverage you have? If you send it to the authorities, and the charges don’t stick — which is a high possibility — then you also have nothing?
And you’ll have exposed yourself and your brother will come after you. ”
“Yes, but Rafe you’ll keep the ranch.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not.” Was she insane?
“You will not put yourself in danger. It’s not an option.
I am not saving this ranch at your expense.
I lost my mom and brother when I was a teenager, Rory.
That was painful. Then my dad to cancer last year.
I thought I was done losing people. I cannot lose you as well. ”
Rory’s shoulder stiffened and she blinked her eyes a few times. “Rafe this is not the time to be stubborn. I can move—“
“I said no.” My voice went low in a way I didn’t think it would outside of the bedroom.
“This is the only time to get stubborn. You have a fucking donkey in your menagerie, the barn cats get treats. Clearly, I am not as stubborn as everyone thinks I am. But I will not risk you, and you sure as fuck are not moving somewhere where I cannot watch over you.”
Rory’s eyes narrowed. I loved watching her mind work in complete silence. She tilted her to the side, and her lip twisted. She could be plotting my demise, or thinking about a new recipe. Either way, it was sexy as hell. “Grouchy, what if there is no way out.”
She used my nickname. I tried not to smile at the victory.
“City, if there is no way, then we’ll deal with it then.
But like I expect you to trust me when driving along the cliffs.
Maybe I need to trust you. If there is a way out of this mess, you’ll find it.
Check with me before you cancel contracts, but I will listen to every suggestion you have about the business side of running this place. Deal?”
The corners of her mouth lifted into the sexiest smirk. “Deal.”
“But can we also agree not to take in anymore stray animals?” I picked up the plates and headed over to the sink. “Besides the fact that we’ll run out of room soon, that fucking rooster you found has no idea when sunrise actually is.”
Her eyes rolled so hard I was sure they would get stuck. “Please, you’re as much of a sucker for the animals as I am. Most of them were here before me.”
Technically, she was right. But none of them liked me, they all wanted to follow her around. Well the rooster didn’t, probably because he was plotting ways to annoy me.
My shoulders relaxed as I looked over at her. “Let’s figure this out. You keep your animals and I keep my ranch. There has to be a way that doesn’t involve you putting yourself in danger, City.”
An image of her dead body flashed into my mind. I thought of all the ways her brother could kill her and get away with it.
Her eyes met mine, our gazes locked. Dammit, she was an employee.
She had danger following her. She didn’t need me lusting after her.
She certainly didn’t need me acting on the warm feeling spreading through my chest when it occurred to me that she was willing to risk her life for me. Well, not for me, but for my ranch.
“If you’re going to stay here, I need to show you the whole of the ranch.” I shoved my little crush aside and leaned in front of her. “Argent may have the land with the best views, but my land has some pretty awesome scenery too. Can I show you?”
Her smile brightened and the warmth intensified. “Can we take the horses?”
“Let’s saddle up and take Gunner and Juno for another ride.” I stood from the table and held my hand out for her. “I think we both need it after this conversation.”