Page 296 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

She cocked her head, doing the math. “Let’s see … about thirty-seven years. Sylvia brought us on shortly after she and Luther got married, and we’ve been here ever since.”

“That’s a long time.”

“A lifetime. In fact, this place is our life.” She gave Brooke an appreciative smile. “You just don’t know what you coming here means to all of us.”

This was starting to sound like a rerun of her conversation with Luther. Irritation popped like measles over her. “Because of the money.” The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. Why did everything always go back to the money?

Myrna looked her in the eye. “Yes.”

The frankness in her tone took Brooke back for a second. “Well, at least you’re honest about it.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound harsh, but the bottom line is that we need help. The ranch has been struggling for several years. In the beginning, it was owned jointly by Luther and his brother, Clark. Clark never had any interest in the ranch and wanted to sell his half to investors, but Luther wanted to keep it in the family. So, he mortgaged everything to the hilt in order to buy Clark out. That’s when the trouble started. And then when the downturn in the economy hit a few years back, things got even tighter.”

“How big is the ranch?”

“Seventy-five thousand acres … give or take. We raise a little over five thousand head of cattle. We’ve tried to economize asmuch as we can by converting the hay land into pastures for grazing, in order to reduce the feed cost. We’ve been running a skeleton crew of five workers, when we really need double that. A couple of years back, Luther took out a loan to help with our cash flow problem, until calves could be sold in the fall. Unfortunately we didn’t earn as much as we’d hoped, and he couldn’t pay off the full amount, so we’re still paying on the note.”

Brooke was struck by Myrna’s terminology. She kept sayingwe, as if the ranch were partly hers. She felt a little envious of the strong familial ties that these simple, hardworking people shared. Then she felt guilty, thinking about the exorbitant cost of her wedding dress and how she’d been ready to cut herself out of it because of a momentary frustration. The money had always been there whenever she needed it, so she’d taken it for granted.

“Luther does the best he can, but his health isn’t good. He gets out and works like he’s twenty, but I’m not sure how much longer he can do it. Nash does everything he can to help and has been using his winnings in the bull riding circuit to help pay the bills.” A shadow crossed her features. “But I worry myself sick every time he goes to ride. Last year, he broke three ribs and dislocated his shoulder.” She shuddered. “And he’s one of the lucky ones.”

The alarm that pulsed over Brooke caught her off guard. Just because Nash acted invincible didn’t mean that he was. Something really bad could happen to him. Bull riding was a dangerous sport. Her fear must’ve shown on her face because Myrna offered a comforting smile.

“Don’t mind me. Carlos is always accusing me of being a worry wart.” Her eyes grew soft around the edges. “I’ve been praying and praying for a miracle, and now you’re here. I’m so grateful for that.”

Brooke’s eyes went round. The last thing she needed right now was the added pressure of being the hero, sweeping in on a white horse to save everyone. “I’m not the answer to your prayers,” she said, feeling disheartened. “The only reason I’m here is because my daddy promised to give me access to my trust fund, if I stick it out for eighteen months.” She cringed as the words left her mouth, not wanting Myrna to think poorly of her, but it also felt good to speak the truth.

Myrna was not affected in the least by the admission. On the contrary, she seemed amused as she gave Brooke a perceptive look. “And you have absolutely no feelings whatsoever for Nash.”

She had the impression of the walls closing in around her as she began blinking rapidly. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at,” she countered testily.

A smile twitched on Myrna’s lips. “If I were a betting woman, I’d wager that you not only care a great deal about Nash, but that you’re in love with him.”

The confidently spoken words were like a battering ram, pounding her flat before she could formulate a defense.

“You fell head over heels when y’all were together, and you’ve never gotten over him. That’s the real reason you’ve been floundering for the past couple of years. Once you face up to your feelings, things will start to become clear.”

She forced a nervous laugh, not appreciating that her daddy had been blabbing her business to the world. Even the hired help knew she was floundering. “You have quite the imagination.”

“No, I really don’t,” she said in a pragmatic tone that left no room for argument. She winked. “But don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.”

Chapter 13

The wind ruffled lightly through Brooke’s hair as she walked onto the front porch. She stood, looking at the never-ending space around her that looked lonely and desolate. After the unsettling conversation with Myrna, she called her mother and ranted and raved about her situation until she finally convinced her to send someone with her car first thing in the morning. At least then she wouldn’t be stuck out here day after day, twiddling her thumbs, with only the crickets to keep her company. Myrna had informed her that the family would be having dinner together at 6:00 p.m. sharp in the dining room. According to her, family dinners were a nightly ritual that everyone was expected to attend. “It’s a great opportunity to show them all what you’re made of,” she said. “You’re an official member of the family, and you need to start acting like it.”

Myrna’s open and confident manner had given Brooke the jolt of courage she needed to get through her first full day on the ranch, although she wasn’t feeling nearly as confident now as she had a half hour ago. It was just now a quarter after eleven. The entire day stretched out before her, and she didn’t have a clue how to spend it. Nash was nowhere to be found.So much for spending four hours a day together!She thrust out her lower lipin a pout, feeling sorry for herself, and then she heard whooping and yelling. She walked over to the side of the porch and leaned over the railing, craning her neck to see what all the commotion was about. About two-football field lengths away, a group of men were gathered around a metal fence attached to an outbuilding. From this distance, she couldn’t tell what was happening, but her curiosity was piqued. She debated for a few minutes about whether or not she should go back there. Finally, she decided that anything would be better than staying out here, alone, on the front porch.

As Brooke neared the group, she counted four men. They turned and openly gawked. Her cheeks went flush with embarrassment as she felt their eyes trailing over her denim shirt that was tucked into a pair of snug-fitting, designer jeans and chocolate-leather cowboy boots. When she heard the wolf call, her first inclination was to turn and run back to the porch. Thankfully, before she could make a complete fool of herself, a lifetime of training took over, and she gave them her trademark haughty smirk that let them know they were lower than the dirt beneath her boots. She met their gazes full on with an arched eyebrow, knowing instinctively that if she let them intimidate her today, she’d be done for. The air grew tense enough to cut, but she wasn’t about to back down. One by one, the men began dropping like flies as they looked away. Two even started nervously shuffling their feet around in the dirt. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a forty-something-year-old man with black hair and a thick mustache stepped forward and extended his hand. “Howdy, ma’am,” he uttered in a deep baritone voice. “The name’s Crew.”

She grasped his hand, making sure to give him a firm handshake while looking him in the eye. “Brooke,” she said in a no-nonsense tone.

He nodded and let go of her hand and began pointing out the other men. “This is Charlie, Gunner, and Raul.”

One guy tipped his cowboy hat, and the other two nodded.

“Hey.” She stepped up to the gate, trying her best to act like she was in control of the situation. “I heard the hollering. What’s going on?”

Crew’s coal black eyes sparked like she’d said something funny. “Your man’s about to ride.”

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