Even though the room was at a comfortable temperature, he felt the first itchy sensation of sweat on the back of his neck.
No. The word was easy enough to say. Riding lessons for kids? He was a busy guy with a small empire he was growing into a medium-size empire. Except he’d already agreed and backing out wasn’t an option.
He swallowed.
“The horses come with all the necessary equipment. Saddles, bridles.” She smiled. “I’m not familiar with the details.” She continued to hold out the paper. “He’s expecting your call.”
It was as if a force he couldn’t see or explain propelled his arm forward. His fingers closed around the paper and drew it back.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Her smile widened. “Trust me. This is a good thing.”
He was less sure.
“Oh, there’s also the matter of Wilbur.”
“He’s the guy who owns the horses?”
“No. Wilbur is a pig. An unfortunate name, but there we are. Wilbur is available. For Priscilla.”
Shane remembered getting a good night’s sleep and having a couple of cups of coffee. His brain should be working just fine. But he couldn’t seem to make the connections.
“You’re offering me a pig?”
“For your elephant. I heard she was lonely. I don’t think a cat is going to be enough of a companion. You have a couple of mares who will be part of the herd, but they won’t match her intelligence. Pigs are very smart. Or so I’ve heard. He’ll be arriving next week. If it doesn’t work out, let me know and I’ll have him returned.”
She glanced toward the door. “It’s nearly time for me to welcome the newest citizen to Fool’s Gold.”
With that, she turned and left the waiting area.
Shane stood in the center of the room, trying to grasp what had just happened.
“You okay?” Annabelle asked as she came up to him. “You look like…” She frowned. “I can’t describe it.”
“Me, either. Who is she?”
“Mayor Marsha? What’s not clear from her title?”
“Is she a witch or something?”
Annabelle laughed. “Don’t be silly. She’s a lovely woman who has taken care of the town for years.”
“No mystical powers?”
“Not that I know of. She’s very connected. Everyone tells her everything. It’s impossible to keep a secret around her.”
“I figured that out for myself.” He showed her the paper.
“You’re getting horses?” She sounded delighted. “For the riding lessons?”
“Why not?” He hadn’t felt he had much of a choice. “And a pig for Priscilla. His name is Wilbur. That seemed to bother the mayor.”
“Wilbur? From Charlotte’s Web? It’s a children’s book. Charlotte is a spider who…” She shook her head. “Never mind. I’ll check out a copy for you at the library. Then you’ll get the joke.”
“It was a joke?” It seemed to him that Mayor Marsha was more like a tornado. She blew into people’s lives and rearranged things, then disappeared. All that was left was the fall-out and a dazed sensation.
“I think a pig is a really interesting idea. They’re supposed to be really intelligent.”
“I’ll make sure I leave out the daily crossword for them both.”
She leaned against him, the scent of her body drifting to him. “This is what Fool’s Gold is like. People care. They get involved. It’s nice.”
“It’s extortion and entrapment.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Maybe a little,” he admitted, liking the feel of her against him. He dropped his gaze to her mouth and he wondered if there was somewhere more private where he could take advantage of her.
She turned toward the waiting crowd. “Do you know everyone here?”
“Not even close. Rafe and I are trying to figure out what we’re doing here, waiting for a woman we don’t know to give birth.”
“You’re being supportive.”
“Don’t you think she would find that a little strange?”
Annabelle grinned. “You’re so picky. Besides, you know her brothers. You have to. Rafe knows Ethan, so you should know Kent or the other one. I can’t think of his name.”
“Ford,” Shane said absently, searching the room again. He spotted Ethan right away, talking to Rafe. Kent was with a boy who was maybe ten or eleven.
Kent looked up and saw him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and headed over.
“I’d heard you were in town,” Kent said, shaking hands with him. “It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back. Do you know Annabelle Weiss?”
Kent nodded at her. “We’ve met at the library.”
“Your son is an excellent reader,” Annabelle said.
“Not in the summer. He’s more an outdoor kid when it’s nice.” Kent slapped Shane on the shoulder. “Just like you. I remember when you taught me how to ride a horse.” He turned to Annabelle. “Shane here loved the ranch. He never wanted to come play with his friends after school. We had to go to see him. Man, remember when you dared Ford to jump over the fence?”
Shane winced. “I didn’t think he would say yes. It was too high. The horse stopped and Ford didn’t. He broke his arm. Your mom was so mad.”
“Can you blame her?” Annabelle asked. “Typical boys.” She looked at Kent. “I don’t think I’ve met Ford. Does he live in town?”
“He’s in the military. He hasn’t been home in years.”
“That must be hard on the family,” she said.
“It is. My mom, especially. He sends emails and calls, but we can go months without hearing from him. He’s involved in secret, covert missions.”
Shane tried to imagine the friend he’d known eighteen years ago as a soldier. “If you talk to him, tell him I send my best.”
“I will.”
The door to the waiting room opened and a blond-haired woman entered. Shane thought she looked kind of familiar and realized she was Kent and Ford’s mother.
The woman smiled with obvious relief and pride. “It’s a girl,” she said happily. “Skye is six pounds, fourteen ounces and couldn’t be more perfect. Montana and Simon are ecstatic and I have another granddaughter.”
* * *
ANNABELLE DROVE ONTO the Castle Ranch and felt a sense of belonging. Silly, really. She didn’t belong here. She was Heidi’s friend and Shane’s client, but little else. Still, a girl could dream. There was something about the expanse of land, the quiet, the various animals. It wasn’t a life she’d ever known, but she sure got the appeal. Plus the ranch was close enough to town that company and a good margarita were only a few minutes away.
She parked and got out. Priscilla stood by the tree, looking fierce and protective. She’d heard about the feline family she’d connected with and hoped it all worked out. There was an obvious size difference—which could get in the way of any meaningful friendship.
Shane had moved two pregnant mares to the fenced area next to the elephant enclosure. Maybe she would bond with them as well and have an even bigger herd. In the past couple of days, she’d done some research on elephants and the females were extremely social. Poor Priscilla had been lonely since her move to the ranch.
She turned toward the barn and saw Shane walking toward her. For a second, she enjoyed the view. A tall, good-looking cowboy in a hat. He was more silhouette than form, the sun behind him. She had to shade her eyes to take in the details, but it was worth it. The man looked good in jeans.
She had a brief thought that he would probably look just as good out of jeans, but decided it was best not to go there. While she’d enjoyed their brief kisses, she wasn’t sure how she felt about them. It’s not like she and Shane were dating. They were barely friends. As a rule, she didn’t get involved physically without some kind of relationship. Still, he could sure get her pulse into an aerobic state without even trying.
“Right on time,” Shane said as he approached.
“I’m a big fan of punctual,” she told him.
His gaze shifted from her face to something behind her and he groaned. She didn’t even turn around. She just waited until she felt the familiar vibration that was Khatar trotting toward her. She held out her arms. He stepped in front of her and she cradled his head.
“Hey, baby. How are you?”
He nickered softly. She scratched behind his ears, causing him to stretch out his neck and roll back his lips.
“You like that, don’t you.”
Shane shook his head. “I’ve told him to have a little pride, but he won’t listen.”
She laughed. “That makes two of you because he thinks you should volunteer to be my sacrifice for the ceremony.”
“No, thanks. I’ve already had one woman cut out my heart.”
She suspected he meant the words to be light, but there was something about his tone. She leaned against Khatar.
“That doesn’t sound good. Have you heard from your ex lately?”
He took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh. “Nope and I’m good with that. The last thing I need is more drama around here. I have plenty.”
“You sure you’re not missing her?”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “I took Rachel back too many times already. The first couple of times I told her no, it nearly killed me. Now it’s easy. Talking about her reminds me that men do stupid things for a woman.”
She wanted to point out that not every woman was wild and unfaithful. She wasn’t. She was looking for permanent and meaningful. As long as the man in question was willing to love her with all he had. She was done settling.
“She cheated,” he said flatly. “More than once and probably a dozen more times than I know about. When I’d finally had enough and filed for divorce, she begged me to let her come back. I did and she took up with my boss. That was the end for me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. And I’m done talking about it. Want to look at my kitchen plans so I can get a final okay to Jocelyn?”
She smiled. “There you go with the sexy invitations.”
He chuckled. The sound was a little forced, but some of the bleakness faded from his eyes.
“I’ve got the plans in the barn,” he said, pointing the way. “So your boyfriend doesn’t get his panties in a twist by you going into the house.”
She laughed. “But he’s so handsome, aren’t you, Khatar? And royal. I’m practically dating a prince.”
“He’ll never drive a fancy car.”
“I don’t care about that. He’s better than a fancy car.”
“A woman who knows what she wants. I like that.”
For a second he stared at her the way a man stares at a woman he desires. With purpose and invitation. Then it was gone and she was left feeling all tingly on her own.
As she followed him to the barn, she thought about Rachel and how she’d taught Shane not to trust. Which meant he wouldn’t like feeling out of control. Not sexually and certainly not emotionally.
She figured he was attracted to her—he wouldn’t have kissed her otherwise. But he didn’t have any faith. Not in her or himself. He’d learned to be careful. Maybe even to keep his heart out of reach. She wanted messy and he wanted safe.
An intelligent woman would keep things friendly and nothing more. Everyone claimed Khatar was dangerous, but the truth was Shane could do a whole lot more damage. Broken bones would heal. Broken hearts could be scarred forever.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SHANE SIGNED THE RECEIPT and handed the clipboard back to the delivery guy. As he pocketed the yellow copy he’d kept for himself, he saw Annabelle drive in and park by the barn.
“Have a good one,” the delivery guy called.
“You, too.”
Shane felt his attention straying to where Annabelle had climbed out of her car. She wasn’t due for a lesson anytime soon and, as far as he knew, she usually worked on Tuesday mornings. So what was she doing here?
He walked toward her, skirting around the truck. The driver backed up, turned and left. The now-empty trailer bounced over a bump in the driveway and a few loose pieces of hay drifted to the asphalt.
“Morning,” Shane said as he approached.
“You’re busy,” she said with a sigh. “I should have called.”
“Just a hay delivery. It’s collected and signed for.”
“Hay?”
“Winter’s coming.”
“It’s the middle of summer.”
“In six months there’ll be snow on the ground. There are a lot of animals to feed. We get a price break if we take the hay as soon as it’s baled. That way we’re paying the storage costs rather than the company. They like that.”
She wore a dress, one of the flirty, fitted ones that hugged curves and promised sin. To someone else, he reminded himself. Because wanting was one thing, but taking was something else. At least, that’s what he told himself when he was in control of his hormones.
“I’ve made a decision,” Annabelle told him. Her green eyes glittered with determination.
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“You don’t know what my decision is.”
“That doesn’t have any bearing on how I’m going to feel about it.”
She grinned. “Ah, a wise man who’s spent a fair amount of time around women.”