Chapter Ten
“Starting early?” Jordan stepped out of his trailer as Lil crossed the driveway to her truck.
The sun had topped the trees, but dew still clung to the blades of grass growing along the edge of the barn.
“I thought I’d get my rides in so that I can tackle a few things here. The ditches need to be mowed again.” And since Meg seemed to have a training or team meeting every few days at the school district, Lil was practicing running the ranch alone.
Except that she wasn’t. Alone, that was.
Jordan was there.
And she was getting used to his company.
It’d been a while since she’d been drawn to a guy, and she didn’t know whether to be alarmed or cautiously optimistic. Jordan, the accidental breaker of hearts, according to Aubrey, had taken a step back after the kiss. Was he regretting the action, or simply being sane?
“I could mow,” he said.
“I’m well aware.” She settled a hand on her hip. “But then what would I do?”
He smiled a little, as if thinking of things she could do, things that didn’t involve ranch chores. And yes, heaven help her, she was intrigued.
“It’s been quiet,” she said, forcing her brain away from hot cowboy land.
“It’s only been four days.”
Days in which he’d not only finished repairing the hole in the barn roof but had begun working his way through the rest of the repair list. His next project was reroofing the sheds. He was working on the place as if he owned it. Which he did.
“Still good with me staying here?”
She let her gaze sweep over him. “I think I can tolerate your presence for a bit longer.”
“Tolerate?” He took a few easy steps toward her, hooking his thumbs in his front pockets when he came to a stop a few feet away.
“If I grit my teeth.”
His smile nearly knocked her over. “Just checking.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
His tongue worked in his cheek before he said, “Because you’re good with my company.”
Hearing her words echoed back to her had a sobering effect. “That sounds cold, doesn’t it?”
“Sounds like a person who’s being upfront in an uncertain situation.”
She gave a slow nod, appreciating his take. “Yeah. I’ll go with that.”
He tilted his head, his eyelids lowering as he studied her face. “So will I.”
Lil’s breath caught at the sheer sensuality of his gaze, but she managed to fake a half-smile. Oh yes. So in control. “I’d best be going.”
“Probably.”
“I’m not running away,” she said.
“I know.”
But just in case he didn’t, she took a step closer, stopping with their boot toes all but touching. “See?” The air seemed to crackle between them.
“I dare you,” he said.
She dared. She took his face in her hands and eased his lips down to hers for a gossamer kiss.
“Not running,” she said against his lips.
His hands came to her waist, but she stepped back before he could turn the kiss into everything her body was crying out for. There were points to be made, and chores to be done.
“I have horses to train.”
Jordan’s forehead wrinkled. “Right.”
Lil walked to her truck, parts of her body aflame, but thinking all the same that she needed to tackle more of life that way.
The training rides went well, perhaps because the horses sensed a newfound determination in Lil.
There were so many things in her life over which she’d had no control and had simply had to wait and see how they played out, including recent events, that having something she could manage was remarkably freeing.
She’d just released Fancy, her last ride of the day, when the barn door rolled open and Wade came out.
“Good rides?” he asked.
“Yes. And thank you for feeding these guys for me.”
“It’s just a matter of tossing a few flakes,” he said before shifting his feet in the gravel. “Don’t mind at all. And however this works out, you, and your horses, are welcome back at any time.”
“Thank you.”
“About Dakota.”
“What about him?”
“Well, he’s welcome to stay on here until Jordan moves back. He’s a good worker and we can keep him busy.”
“You’re sure?”
“I like the kid.”
“Great.” Between the two ranches, he’d have a steady paycheck.
Her phone rang as she drove to the Willow Creek. It’d been days since she’d heard from Aubrey.
“What’s up?” she asked after the call switched to Bluetooth.
“I ran into the lady that you chased cows with at the Graff Hotel,” Aubrey said.
“Think about what a unique statement you just made,” Lil replied dryly.
Aubrey laughed. “Yes. It was an experience, although I didn’t exactly help you guys. That said, I hope you give Jordan crap about it every now and then. Anyway, I told her about your horse training thing and she’s interested.”
“She has a horse that needs to be ridden?”
“I gave her your number, but you can stop and see her if you prefer. She works at the courthouse. I met her when I was dropping off my property taxes.”
“She works in the treasurer’s office?”
“The assessor’s office. We had a nice long chat because it was lunchtime and she was holding down both offices alone. Nice lady.”
“What’s her name? She gave it, but I can’t recall.”
“Sara. I never got the last name.”
“Sara will do.”
After ending the call, Lil felt like high-fiving the air for all of two seconds. She’d have to confess about the shooting if the woman didn’t already know. Operations were tight in a small county courthouse, so chances were that she did.
Lil was going to stop by and see if she could get another horse to replace Luke. And maybe by the time the next horses were due, in two weeks, she would be able to carry on business as usual without having to make big confessions.
*
Tom Baxter was a hard man to pin down. Calls went unanswered, messages ignored.
Finally, Jordan resorted to ambushing the man.
Tom had a haircut every Saturday, so Jordan loitered outside until the man left.
When Tom spotted him standing next to the window as he came out of the storefront, his shoulders drooped.
“I’ve been meaning to return your calls.”
“That’s okay. I know you’re busy.”
“You have no idea.” Tom shoved his hands into his denim jacket pockets. “I just got back from Oregon yesterday. My daughter had twins. I practically had to carry my wife to the car in order to get back here in time for first cutting.”
“Which daughter?”
“Kate.” Tom’s face broke into a grudging smile. “Boys. Will and Mason.”
“Congratulations.”
Jordan knew Tom more by reputation than acquaintanceship. He was pretty certain, having gone to school with Tom’s daughters, that Tom knew Jordan by reputation too.
“You own the Willow Creek now.”
“I do.”
“That’s kind of a fantastic turn of events.” Tom obviously meant mind-bending.
“You’re telling me.” Jordan jerked his head toward the Main Street Diner. “Have time for a cup of coffee?”
“I’ve got lots of catchup work to do back home.” Tom ran a hand over his collar, obviously torn between learning more about his new neighbor and getting back to work. “What do you need to know?”
“Has anyone contacted you about buying your land?”
“No. Why?”
“Someone contacted me before probate was over. Offered a nice deal. All I can figure is that they like the isolated locale. Thought they may have talked to more than one person in the neighborhood.”
“Most of my property is on the east side of Turner’s Ridge, so other than the land on the west slope that butts up against your ranch, it’s not so private.”
“You heard about the cow. Right?”
That got Tom’s attention. “What about the cow?”
“Someone shot one of the McAllens’s cows in the pasture.”
Tom’s eyes narrowed. “Let’s get that coffee.”
Once they were settled in a booth and the server had poured, Tom said, “Shot a cow. Did the shot come from my property?”
“From the Weston land according to the brand inspector.”
“Well, hell. Guess I’m kind of glad we don’t turn the cattle out to graze for another couple months.
” He laced his finger around the mug in front of him.
“You know … I did see someone on my property when I rode it last. The McAllen sisters’ cows got out.
Again.” The way he emphasized the word made Jordan want to tell the man that the escapes may not be entirely the McAllens’s fault, but he held off.
“I was making certain there were no holes in the fence and ran into a guy looking for a lost dog.”
“When was this?”
“Early May.”
“Did you know him?”
“I’ve seen him around. Don’t know his name.” Tom scrunched up his forehead. “Forgive me for asking, but you mentioned probate. Did you inherit the Willow Creek?”
“I did.” It felt so strange to confess that. “It was kind of unexpected.”
Rumors were certainly flying around the community by now, so maybe it was time to stop dodging and fess up.
“Did you know Carl Jordan?” Jordan asked.
“Never met him, even though we shared a fence line for thirty years. Never met Weston either for that matter.” Tom shrugged. “Out-of-staters,” he said as if that explained everything, which it kind of did. Very few locals were wealthy enough to put their land into conservancy.
“I didn’t know him either, but according to the will, I’m his kid.”
Tom nodded without looking at him, confirming Jordan’s suspicion that everyone knew everything. “I guess he spent a least a little time here.”
“I guess.” Jordan felt a bit lighter.
There was no stopping speculation so why not own it?
Tom finished his coffee and set down the cup. “I didn’t know your mom well, but she was a sweetheart.” He shook his head as if wondering how anyone could abandon her. “Gotta tell you, though. You’re probably better off not being Jared Leonard’s kid. He was a loose cannon, that one.”
Jordan didn’t have the heart to tell the man that as far as fathers went, he preferred the cow thief to the rich guy.
*
“You went to see Tom Baxter?” Lil was waiting at the bottom on the ladder as Jordan came off the shed room.
He dusted the sandy roofing particles off his jeans after stepping to the ground. “I thought it made sense to talk to him. He’s your closest neighbor in residence. Maybe he saw something.”
Lil propped her hands on her hips. “I’m not trying to push myself into where I don’t belong, but I would have liked to hear what he had to say.”