CHAPTER TWELVE
“Good to see you, Matt, but I still don’t understand why you couldn’t answer my questions over the phone,” Ethan said as he took the chair Matt offered him in front of the large, walnut desk.
“I’ll explain everything.” Matt took his own seat but left the door to his office open, presumably because his secretary wasn’t in and he wanted to see his mystery buyer when he arrived.
“So who is this guy who wants my 100 acres?” Ethan said, settling back in the chair.
“Before we get into that, let’s talk about Autumn’s idea. I’m assuming she’s filled you in on everything. Did you get a chance to read over her numbers?”
“Yep.” Ethan nodded. “Looks like a good idea, as long as I can stay concentrating on the cattle and the day to day operations of the ranch. I’m not what you’d call a social butterfly, and I don’t think I’d be all that good at riding herd on a bunch of tourists. Autumn says as long as I make an appearance now and then and tell a few stories to the guests in the evenings, it’ll be all right. She wants to handle the cooking and supplies, and we’ll hire people to help out both in the lodge and to entertain guests with trail rides and chores.” He used finger quotes to express his opinion of this last part. A bunch of greenhorns wouldn’t be a lot of help with the cattle, but he was sure he could come up with something to keep them busy and out of trouble.
“I think it’s a terrific idea. There are lots of successful guest ranches in Montana, but none in Chance Creek that I know of. Your Big House has a terrific view and as far as I remember it’s the lap of luxury inside.”
“Thanks to Momma,” Ethan said wryly.
“So what you need is a little ready cash for starting up and a means to buy out Claire – am I right?”
“That about sums it up. Think we can swing it?”
“I do. I took the liberty of calling Claire and setting up a meeting later. Meanwhile, I think our buyer for your acres has arrived. I’ve done up the paperwork for the sale and for buying out Claire. If all goes well, we’ll plow through it all this morning.”
“You work fast,” Ethan said, surprised.
“I felt it behooved us for me to do so. Claire has another buyer lined up for the ranch – the whole ranch.”
Ethan looked away. “Lacey,” he said, his jaw tight. “I heard.”
“Claire's more than a little miffed that you keep putting her off and she let me know about it. I figured it would be best for everyone concerned to avoid that outcome,” Matt said. He glanced out the door .“Good, he’s here – let’s get started.”
You could have knocked Ethan over with a feather when Jamie walked in, the same grin plastered on his face that stole the hearts of every woman within a hundred miles. “Hey, Ethan.”
“Jamie. What’re you doing here?”
“Looking to buy me some land. Actually, I’m looking for more than that. Matt will explain.” He took the other chair in the office and tipped it back, resting one booted foot atop his other leg, supremely confident, as usual. Nothing ever seemed to faze Jamie.
Ethan wished he felt anywhere near as confident. He turned to Matt. “I’m listening.”
“Jamie, here, has saved up a fair whack of cash,” Matt began. “Seems he should have been an investment banker rather than a cowboy.”
“My Daddy tried his damndest to make me one,” Jamie interjected. “Didn’t take.”
Ethan suppressed a smile. He hadn’t thought about that in ages. Poor Jamie had spent four years sweating it out at Montana State while the rest of them got right to living after high school. He’d hated every minute of it and spent every available weekend and summer on the Cruz Ranch working with Ethan and his dad until he felt more like a brother than a friend. The minute he graduated with his BA in Business Administration, he’d booked it back to the ranch and hadn’t left since. Jamie was the quintessential cowboy, as far as Ethan was concerned. He lived and breathed horses and was one of the best ranch hands he’d ever worked with. The idea of him working a desk job was laughable.
“Some of it took,” Matt said. “You’ve done a terrific job with your investments.”
Jamie shrugged. “Don’t have much call to spend my money.”
Ethan laughed out loud. “That’s for sure. You ever been with Jamie at the bar?” he asked Matt. “Ever seen him buy a round? Jamie puts the cheap in cheapskate. Everybody knows that!”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Jamie said, some of the smugness gone from his face. “I’ve got enough cash to secure a loan to buy 100 acres of your land.”
“What’re you going to do with it?” Ethan asked.
“Breed horses.”
“You won’t work for me no more?”
Jamie studied the painting behind Matt’s desk. “I’d like to work with you. I’d like to buy in to a share of the ranch and keep the property as a single parcel. Matt told me about Autumn’s idea and I think it’s a terrific one. I wouldn’t mind working with the guests – teaching them to ride, taking them out on day trips. Maybe taking groups out for week-long camping trips out on the range. I like that kind of thing.”
“You wouldn’t mind dealing with all those people?”
A smile curved Jamie’s lips. “I like people.”
“You like women. What about their husbands and children?”
“I reckon I can tolerate a few of them, too. I like teaching people stuff. I like the idea of getting kids away from their computers and out into the real world. Can you imagine what it’d be like to put a kid on a horse for the first time and lead them out into the country? I think that’s gotta be better than us losing the ranch and having to work for Carl.”
Ethan’s knuckles tightened reflexively on the armrests of his chair. “You got that right.” He studied Jamie. “I didn’t realize you loved the ranch that much.”
Jamie bristled. “I helped build those fences alongside you and your Daddy. I was out there every second I could – helping birth the foals, training all those horses. I may not be blood, but you can’t deny my sweat’s been poured over every inch of that land!”
“Whoa! I wasn’t attacking you.” Ethan stood up and held out his hand to Jamie. “I was welcoming you.” The outer door to the office opened and someone came in, but Jamie stood up, too, and blocked his view.
He hesitated. “You saying you’ll sell to me?”
“I’m saying I can’t think of anyone else I’d want as a business partner. I’d be proud to co-own the ranch with you.”
He was about to shake Jamie’s hand when Claire stormed into the office. “What the hell is going on here? You can’t sell a partnership to the ranch! I’m half owner, and I’m selling the whole thing to Lacey and Carl!”
“Claire,” Matt got between them and held out a hand. “Thanks for coming. Sit down.” He cleared his throat and Jamie quickly moved away from his chair to make it available to her.
“I’m not going to sit down until I know what the hell’s going on here.” She crossed her arms over her chest, her sleek bob swinging.
“Calm down, Claire – it’s good news. I’m buying you out. You’ll have enough money to open up a whole chain of interior design businesses,” Ethan said.
Her gaze swept from Ethan to Matt to Jamie. “Really? I’ll get half the price of the ranch?” She sat down and faced Matt. “Tell me.”
“Six hundred-thousand dollars,” Matt said, drawing a sheaf of papers out of a file folder. “Jamie’s buying a quarter share in the ranch, and together they’ll qualify for a second mortgage that will buy you out. When everything’s settled and signed, you’ll have your money and Ethan and Jamie will own the ranch.”
“And Autumn,” Ethan said.
“And Autumn, just as soon as the two of you are married,” Matt agreed.
“Oh, my God,” Claire said. “I didn’t think…I had no idea…” She turned to Ethan. “But you’ll be up to your eyeballs in debt!”
“I’m already up to my eyeballs in debt,” Ethan said. “But Autumn came up with a great idea. We’re going to open the Big House as a guest ranch. She loves to cook and she’s amazing at it. She wants to feed the guests, and Jamie here wants to handle the outside chores – teaching guests to ride, and all that. I’ll keep running the ranch like I’ve always done and we’ll hire some kids from town to do the rest.”
Claire blinked. “That’s…a really good idea.”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” Ethan said, sitting back in his chair. “My bride’s pretty smart.”
Claire looked skeptical. “If she’s so smart why would she pick you for a husband?”
“Ouch!” Ethan scowled and Claire grinned. For a second his sister looked like her old self, before she’d grown up and gone boy crazy, before all the fights with their mother. God, he missed those days.
“You sure you don’t want to go in on the business with us?” Jamie asked Claire. “You could help out with the horses, too. Teach kids to ride?”
Now it was Ethan’s turn to blink. It was like Jamie had read his mind and also remembered Claire as she used to be – crazy for riding and one of the best in the entire county at it. But as far as he knew Claire hadn’t been on a horse since she hightailed it to Billings years ago. She hated the ranch and everything about it; he just wished he knew why. Sure, she’d fought like cats and dogs with their mother during her teenage years, but that was water way under the bridge. Maybe it wasn’t for Claire, though. She hadn’t made up with her mother before their parents’ deaths.
“No thanks. I’m going to take the money and run,” Claire said. “If I were you, Ethan, I’d steer clear of Lacey for a long, long time. She’s going to be furious. She was really looking forward to rubbing your nose into the fact that she owned our ranch.”
“I can’t believe you would have sold it to her,” Ethan said.
“I can’t believe you don’t know how much I hate that place,” Claire said. “But then you never noticed much except for that land and those cattle, did you?”
Ethan frowned as she bent over the paperwork, and exchanged a confused glance behind her back with Jamie. Jamie seemed just as much in the dark as he was. Something had happened to Claire in those turbulent teenage years to turn her into a different person. Seeing his own troubled feelings echoed in Jamie’s worried look he felt a pang. This wasn’t the first time he’d wondered if his friend harbored feelings for his sister, and if Claire hadn’t turned into such a stick-in-the-mud city girl – 29 going on 45 – he’d welcome the match.
He shrugged at Jamie and turned back to Matt. During the next hour they negotiated the terms of Jamie’s purchase and Claire’s sale and it was with a huge sense of relief that he exited the building, Jamie and Claire in tow.
“How about we celebrate tonight at the Dancing Boot?” Jamie asked. “I know I’m sure in the mood for a few drinks and maybe a little dancing!”
“I’m in – I’m sure Autumn will be, too,” Ethan said.
“What about you, Claire?” Jamie asked. “Come on – you haven’t been out with us in ages!”
“When have I ever been out with you, Jamie?” she retorted. “I’m not going to drink and then drive all the way back to Billings. Besides I’ve got houses to decorate.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Go do your work, baby girl, then come on back and have dinner with me. We’ll meet everyone else at the bar and take it from there. If you’re too chicken to sleep on my couch I’m sure you can sleep on Ethan’s.”
“I’m way too old to sleep on anyone’s couch,” Claire said. “I’ll see you guys around.” She headed for her car, but Jamie took her arm and pulled her to a halt.
“Claire. Have dinner with me – I’m celebrating tonight and so is Ethan. This is a big deal to us.”
Ethan waited for her answer, curious to see how this would play out. There was no way she would agree, but then again, it was Jamie talking and he did have a way with the women.
She tapped her toe on the sidewalk, then sighed. “All right, I’ll meet you for dinner. I’m not staying out late, though. And I’m not sleeping on anyone’s couch!”
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Jamie said and winked at Ethan over Claire’s shoulder. Ethan supposed he should feel worried about his sister’s honor, but Claire could definitely take care of herself – even with Jamie.
He headed for his own truck, eager to tell Autumn his good news.
* * * * *
“Hey – anybody home?”
Autumn jumped when a man’s voice boomed through the bunkhouse. She was in the spare bedroom getting dressed for their night out on the town, and from the sound of things Ethan was still in the shower. He’d come home from the accountant’s office, swept her into his arms and kissed her before explaining about Jamie becoming a partner in the ranch and being able to buy Claire out.
She quickly zipped her jeans, pulled the shirt she’d laid out over her head, smoothed it down and poked her head out of the bedroom door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Rob – is Ethan here?”
She walked into the kitchen. “He’s in the shower. Can I help you?” She kept the length of the kitchen between them, still mindful of the gossip Rose had told her when she picked out her ring, about how he’d tried to film himself having sex with Rose’s friend’s cousin.
“Just came to see if you all wanted to join me for dinner before hitting the bar. I’m starved – man’s gotta fortify himself for the night to come and all that.”
“Uh …” Autumn tried to hide her disappointment. She was all set to take the pregnancy test just as soon as Ethan got out of the shower. She had pictured them waiting for the results together, hand in hand, and then celebrating afterward with a romantic dinner for two, but it turned out Ethan already invited Claire and Jamie along. Now Rob was joining them, too?
“Rob! Good to see you! You coming to dinner with us?” Ethan appeared, towel wrapped around his waist.
“I heard there was celebrating to be done – and I’m always up for a celebration! I heard you’re buying Claire out of her share of the ranch.”
“You heard right,” Ethan said.
“And Jamie’s going to be your new partner?”
“Yep.”
“Well, that beats everything. Who knew that little cheapskate was piling up his money in order to pull this off. You oughta be grateful you needed to sell now – a couple more years and he’d have bought the whole damn thing out from under you.”
“I’m hoping he sets his smarts to the business and makes me rich,” Ethan said.
“He just might.” Rob cocked his head. “And I hear the two of you are making a serious go at this getting married thing. Buying wedding gowns, making guest lists…”
“It’s only a week away,” Autumn said, taking Ethan’s arm. He gave her a squeeze and she tried smile, but she was still disappointed her dinner with Ethan was turning into such a crowd affair.
Rob scratched his head. “Who would’ve thought running a want ad on Youtube would end up with you finding the woman of your dreams?”
Ethan stiffened beside her and when he answered there was an edge to his voice. “Yeah, who would’ve thought? Let’s get going, I thought you were starving.”
“I am, buddy – I am.”
Autumn frowned. She had a feeling there was more to that interchange than she was comprehending. She turned to Ethan with an eyebrow raised. He evaded her gaze and headed back toward the bedroom.
“I just need a minute. You almost ready, Autumn?”
“Uh…I guess.”
“Let’s start at DelMonaco’s. I need a steak,” Rob proclaimed.
“Sounds good.”
“I need a minute, too.” Autumn followed Ethan back to the bedroom and shut the door behind her. The sight of him shucking off his towel and reaching for a fresh pair of jeans distracted her, but only for a moment. “Hey, I thought…I kind of hoped it’d be just the two of us at dinner tonight. Now we’re at five.”
Ethan turned toward her, and her stomach did another flip-flop at his muscular chest and flat belly, not to mention…
“Honey, I don’t think it’ll even be just the five of us for very long. When word gets out that I’m keeping the ranch and that Jamie’s my new business partner – our new business partner – we’ll have half the town celebrating with us.” He moved closer, jeans still dangling from one hand. “But we’ll have lots of time alone together later tonight. I promise.”
Autumn’s disappointment over not being able to take the pregnancy test soon melted away beneath his kisses. A few more hours wouldn’t make much of a difference. They’d come home, she’d take the test and then they’d go straight to bed. It could be worse. In an instant, she was in his arms, pressed up close against him, and they probably wouldn’t have made it out the door to dinner anytime soon if Rob hadn’t hollered from the kitchen, “Hurry up in there or I’m coming in after you! I’m starving!”
They broke apart, laughing, and Ethan quickly pulled on boxers and jeans. In another minute they’d rejoined Rob and were on their way.