Page 15 of Cowboy Jeopardy

“End of subject. I’ll only haul your butt back.” He shoved his door open. “You’ve got men with guns here…not to mention your mother.” He smiled.

She tried to return the smile but failed. “It would be best for everyone if I were alone.”

“No, it wouldn’t.” His smile faded, and he slammed his door. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. I don’t want the boys to know.” He sighed. “They like you, Dani. It’s hard to find a nanny they don’t send screaming into the night.”

“Fine.” She closed her door. “Whatever happens is on you.” She marched to the house, determined to do everything in her power to keep trouble away from the Rocking W. First, she needed to speak to her mother before she heard the news from Delly. She found her wiping the downstairs bathroom counter. “Got a minute?”

“Sure do.” Her mother set the rag on the sink. “What’s up?” She listened while Dani told her about the text messages. When she’d finished, her mother held out her hand. “Let me see them.”

Dani dropped her phone into her mother’s palm. “I went to the sheriff this morning. He’s going to send someone to work undercover on the ranch.”

“Good. That was the right decision you made.”

She kept the news that it was Dylan’s idea to herself.

“What’s the plan?”

Dani shrugged. “I don’t have one. We don’t really know anything. Maybe these are idle threats.”

“Nothing is ever that simple.” Her mother picked up the cleaning rag. “Keep the boys close and stay on the ranch unless surrounded by cowboys packing guns.”

Despite the severity of the situation, Dani laughed. “Not even a cowboy can stop a bullet.”

“Maybe not, but you’ll have something nice to look at before the bullet hits.” Her mother grinned, then sobered. “In all seriousness, Danica, we’ll be all right. We always are. Stay vigilant.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’m going to see what the boys are up to.” She headed upstairs and peeked in their room.

Their backpacks sat in the middle of their beds, but the boys were nowhere in sight. She closed their door and headed downstairs. Hopefully they were still having their after-school snack. When she didn’t find them in the kitchen, her heart flew to her throat.

Shouts drifted through the kitchen screen door. Her heart rate returned to normal as she peered out to see the boys cheering on one of the cowboys perched in the saddle of a bucking horse. She’d never understood the excitement of the bone-jarring activity.

“Go on.” Mrs. White stepped from the pantry. “I’m sure the boys would love to explain to you the fine points of bronc busting.”

“Not interested.” She grinned. “Since they are my responsibility, I’ll pretend to be.”

“Good girl. Heard we’re getting a new cowboy by suppertime.”

Dani glanced at the clock. “That isn’t very long from now, but yes, I heard the same.” If Dylan wanted the cook to know about the undercover cowboy, he could tell her. She pushed open the door and stepped onto the back deck.

“Howdy.”

Dani gasped and jumped back, letting the screen door slam shut behind her. “You scared me, Willy. Why are you skulking around?”

He laughed. “Getting the empty bunk ready for the new guy. Boss told me the ladies would have clean bedding.”

She gave a mock bow. “Please enter and see.” Smiling, she straightened and headed for the corral.

“You should watch this, Dani.” Eric glanced over his shoulder. “Dad is the best at staying in the saddle. He even won a belt buckle once.”

“Wow. A belt buckle.” Which meant nothing to her, but she got the impression she should be impressed.

“Yeah. That means he’s good.”

She hadn’t noticed it was Dylan on the back of the horse when she’d glanced out the window, but now that his cowboy hat lay in the dirt, she could see his handsome face set in determination. One gloved hand held the thingy on the saddle, and the other waved in the air. “How long will he stay on?”

“Until the horse stops bucking,” Derrick said. “You don’t know anything about ranching, do you?”

“Not really.” She folded her arms on the top rail of the paddock. “Guess you two have all summer to teach me.”

---