Cowboy Comes Back / The Cowboy's Convenient Bride: Cowboy Comes Back / The Cowboy's Convenient Bride

Several other people had suffered similar hits. The Wesley office was becoming a bureaucratic nightmare. Ellen’s work here was almost done. And no one would write a negative word on her supervisory evaluation because they all wanted the woman promoted and gone.

“Libby …”

Libby grimaced at the sound of Ellen’s voice, set her pencil down on her desk with extreme care and rose to her feet. She straightened her shirt, then followed Ellen down the hall to Ellen’s office. Her boss indicated a map laid out on the desk.

“I’ve noticed that you seem to be concentrating your herd-management efforts on these two areas.” She pointed. “Why is that?”

“One herd was affected by the recent range fires and the other is the one where we’re studying the effects of the contraceptive program.”

“I’m not so much interested in herds as in areas,” Ellen said.

Areas? “I don’t follow you.”

“The area that needs the most management is here.” Again Ellen pointed at a location on the map, making Libby wonder if they were speaking the same language.

“That herd is in fine shape. Not too big, not too small. The range is holding up well.” Which was why they had relocated the mustangs to that particular region after a devastating fire two years ago. It had turned out to be a wise decision.

“There’s some question about that.”

Libby raised her eyebrows. This was the first she’d heard of a problem with that range. She was about to say so when Ellen clipped out, “Those are all the questions I have. For now.”

“Fine.” Libby headed for the door. She had questions now, but she wasn’t going to ask them of Ellen. She would gather more information and find out what her boss was getting at first.

KADE HAD KNOWN better than to use his dad’s ancient Chevy truck when he made a dump run Friday afternoon, but it carried more trash than his own short-bed truck and he’d felt like driving the old beast again. Besides which, it needed the carbon blown out of the engine, and he was in a mood to do just that.

Unfortunately, on the way back from the dump, he blew more than carbon. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d just blown a rod.

Kade got out of the truck and lifted the heavy hood, propping it open as heat rolled off the engine. Crap. Now he had a walk ahead of him, because his phone was in the pocket of the jeans he’d changed out of prior to loading the trash. Even if he’d had his phone, however, who would he have called? He didn’t have anyone’s number—except for Libby’s landline, which he still knew by heart. Wouldn’t be calling Libby, that was for sure.

A rooster tail of dust appeared down the road where it hooked onto the paved state highway, and Kade felt a small surge of hope. Maybe he could catch a ride, take advantage of his status as a washed-up minor celebrity.

As the vehicle neared, though, he realized he’d have no such luck. It was Jason Ross.

After their exchange in the hardware store Kade fully expected Jason to drive on by, but instead he pulled to a stop on the opposite side of the road and rolled down his window.

“You appear to have a situation,” he said in a flat voice.

“What’s new?” Kade asked, irritated. He didn’t need people stopping by and pointing out the obvious. He was about to say words to that effect when Jason asked, “You want a lift?”

The words came out grudgingly, but Kade figured this was no time to resent the less-than-enthusiastic delivery of an invitation. Not unless he wanted to walk four miles in old cowboy boots. “I’d appreciate it.”

“Hop in.”

Kade got into the passenger side of Jason’s truck, something he’d done a couple of thousand times during high school. His old man had rarely let him drive the very truck he was now leaving by the side of the road, but Jason had always had wheels and been happy to share. Back then Libby was usually sitting between them wherever they went, whether it was to a party, on a hunting trip or to a rodeo. Probably a good thing she wasn’t there now, Kade reflected, since it would put the odds at two against one. When push came to shove, Jason would side with Lib.

“Are you going to call Menace?” Jason asked.

“I don’t think I’ll have it fixed. I may just tow it home, then sell it as is with the ranch.” Which brought another thought to mind. He cast Jason a sideways glance. “Cal Johnson told me your wife’s family is in ranch and farm real estate.”

Jason nodded without taking his eyes off the road. “Yeah, they are.”

“Would it be worth my while to call them? About my place, I mean.” Kade was probably pushing things, but he felt certain Jason would set him straight if he was. “I had Marvin look it over, but … he doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.”

Jason actually smiled. “Well, Marvin’s only had his shingle out for a few months now, and I don’t think he’s made too many sales.”

“So what about your in-laws?”

“They pretty much stick to big-money deals. And if they did buy your ranch, they’d probably chop it into lots. It’s the way they do business.”

Kade shrugged. “If they can sell the lots, more power to them. I don’t care what happens to the ranch once I’m gone.” No truer words had ever been spoken. Kade couldn’t wait to unload the place, along with the memories, to move on, start over.

“Maybe your neighbors care.”

“I’m not trying to screw my neighbors, but I’ve got to sell and I’ve got to get as much out of it as I can. I had some trouble with the IRS.”

“I heard.” Jason turned the corner into Kade’s driveway, then pulled to a stop next to the barn. He shifted in his seat to face Kade. “You, uh, might talk to Kira. My wife. She and her sister have their own real-estate business. Kira handles small ranch sales in Nevada and her sister takes care of those up in Idaho.”

“After talking to you in the hardware store, I didn’t think you wanted me hanging around your womenfolk.”

“Yeah.” There was a touch of chagrin in Jason’s expression. “I’ve been thinking. What happens between you and Libby isn’t any of my business. It’s just that … well, I don’t want to see her—” he hesitated “—like she was.”

“For that to happen, she’d probably have to stop hating me, and I don’t see that on the horizon.”

“Good point.”

“Yeah,” Kade said, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say. “So, do you think your wife could stop by and take a look at the ranch and give me some advice on how to make it most salable?”

“I’ll have her call you. There’s a pen in the console. Write your number on something.”

Kade wrote his cell number on the back of a receipt. “Thanks,” he said as he handed the paper to Jason.

“No problem.”

And it sounded as if he might actually mean it.

KADE HAD JUST entered the trailer when his cell phone rang. Maddie’s name appeared on the screen and he picked up immediately. School was barely out—Maddie never called this early, before her homework was done.

“Dad, Mom says that if I visit you, I can’t go to horse camp!” She sounded both angry and distressed.

Thanks, Jillian. “Honey—”

“Shandy gets to go, Dad, and we wanted to share a bunk bed and everything.”

“Maddie, we’ll work something out.” Riding horses with Dad wasn’t going to compete with riding horses and sharing a bunk bed with her best friend. “Could I talk to your mom?”

Maddie instantly yelled for Jillian, holding the phone close enough so that Kade winced at the volume.

“Well, I’m the bad guy,” he said as soon as his ex said hello, “which isn’t fair, Jill, because all I want is what I’m supposed to get according to our agreement. Thanks a lot.”