Page 131 of The Guy Who Stole My Ranch

“I’m running my dad’s ranch.” She paused. “For now, anyway.”

Adam shook his head, and for the first time, I noticed his gaze roaming over Brooke’s body. “You’re depriving the legal world of your brilliance.”

I squeezed Brooke’s hand and addressed Adam. “Adam, it was nice to see you, but I promised Brooke a tour of the gardens.”

“Of course.” He stepped out of our way and waved us forward. “I’ll catch you later, Brooke.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” she muttered so softly that I barely heard.

Once we were away from him, I whispered, “Is that the man you told me about at breakfast?”

“It is.” Brooke looked up at me. “He works for you?”

I took a breath. “He’s the head of our legal department. I feel like I need to march back there and fire him.”

“It’s fine,” Brooke said. “All that was a long time ago, and he is a good lawyer.”

“Still, I’ll make sure you don’t have to interact with him again.”

“That’s very sweet of you, darlin’, but I can handle Adam Fowler.”

I met her gaze and said, “The fingernail marks that are going to be in my arm for the next hour tell me otherwise.”

Brook jerked her hand away. “Sorry.”

I slipped my arm around her shoulders and drew her to my side. “Are you still up for food?”

“When am I not up for food?”

We negotiated several turns of the hedge maze until we found an empty table in a small clearing. I moved a chair, indicated that Brooke should sit, then scooted her in. I waved to a server who scurried off to bring the spread of offerings.

Brooke set her champaign glass down and glanced around. “I figured someone from your family would have ambushed us by now.”

“They’re biding their time. We should enjoy ourselves until they strike.” Every moment I spent not touching her felt as if she were half a world away, so I held my hand out and grinned when she took it.

The server returned, and Brooke stared at the gourmet items on the plate. “Is that caviar?” She pointed.

“Yes.”

“I think I recognize the others, but I’m not going to lie, I’m totally stopping for a burger on the way back to Jessica’s.”

I chuckled. “Understandable.” I started with the caviar.

Brooke waved her hand. “You must have felt like you were roughing it out in Whitehill.”

That was the second time she’d alluded to the fact that she came from a lesser world than I did. “Not at all. While the mechanics of our lives are different, most things are the same everywhere.”

Brooke traced a small crease in the pink tablecloth before she spoke again. “Would you run the ranch full time if you could?”

“Yes,” I said. “Horses are my passion. I’m going to be there as much as possible.” Now was as good a moment as any to see if she was willing to stay on, so I took her hand again and looked into her eyes. “Brooke, I—”

“There you are.” A booming voice shook the air.

I gritted my teeth.

“Isn’t this the guy from outside Lorenzo’s?” Brooke asked as she gazed over my shoulder at the approaching storm.

“It is.” I shot her an apologetic smile. “I’m going to have to speak with him.”

---