Page 23 of The Rancher's Heart

“You don’t want to talk about it,” she said gently. He didn’t respond. “I understand.”

He put his knife and fork down. “I only recently found out—” Jonas stared off at the mountains before he finally shifted to look at her. “A month before he died, Dad sold half the ranch and Duke’s sire to pay off a gambling debt. And then he closed down his breeding program and destroyed all his records, including withdrawing the record that was at the association. We have to do DNA testing on Duke to get him registered as Duke’s Pride’s progeny. He wasn’t the great guy you remember.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. He was always kind to me.” She leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “Who’s reinstating your dad’s breeding program?”

“I will, with Nathan’s help. We’re entering Duke and Rosie in the Strawberry Ridge Rodeo barrel racing category. If they do well, it will go a long way toward introducing our Rangerbreds to the breeding community.”

“So, you’re going to put the Triple L back on the map?” She knew about the ranch’s financial crash because Strawberry Ridge was a small town.

“That’s the plan.” He raised his beer bottle to Sloane. “We still have the breeding shed that Dad built that we can use.”

She raised her beer. “Here’s to success. It would be very sad not to have the Lohmen brothers on the Triple L. If there’s anything else I can do to help—”

“I’ll let you know.”

Sloane knew he wouldn’t accept, but she had to ask anyway. Dragging her feet, she helped Jonas clean up the dishes. Just about to leave, Sloane faced her friend, staring straight into his shuttered eyes. She wondered if he felt like he’d revealed too much, but she was glad he had.

“I have some money put away. You could pay me back when you’re able—”

“No, Sloane.” Jonas stood too close. He ran his knuckles gently down the side of her face. “It’s very sweet of you to offer, my friend, but we can’t take your money.”

Friend.

She narrowed her eyes at the man. Refusing her help was dumb. Especially when the future of the family and the ranch were at stake. “Why not?”

“I just can’t.” He kissed her temple, then stepped back. “Text me when you get home.”

Fine.“I will.”

Screw Jonas and his kiss on her temple. If she was a woman whose temper flared hot when she got frustrated, she would have stomped every step to her truck. But she didn’t. She had other ways to take out her annoyance.

When she got home and after she let Jonas know—only because he’d insisted she text—that she’d made it without any trouble, she deliberately texted Ken to see if the more accommodating guy would like to have dinner at his restaurant.

He responded immediately.“How about tomorrow afternoon? I’ll make you a special meal.”

“That sounds wonderful,”she texted back. If it was so wonderful, then why was she still irritated with Jonas? Because he didn’t want her help financially? That was his prerogative.

After sleeping only in fits and starts, Sloane got out of bed the next morning, knowing she couldn’t keep dating Ken. It wasn’t his fault. She just had to be honest with herself and face the fact that he wasn’t Jonas. One day she would find her ideal guy. But for now, she would stay on course.

Later, dressed in her favorite summer dress and comfortable flats for courage, her hair pulled into a high ponytail, and a bit of gloss on her lips, Sloane found her way to the Starry Night Grille in downtown Durango, a picturesque town that she loved to visit. If she didn’t already have deep roots in Strawberry Ridge, she could live here.

Inside the restaurant, the tables were half-filled. She told the hostess who she was and that she was meeting with the head chef. The older woman led her to a table set back under a built-in canopy on the side of the room. The place was fancy, with its leather seats, wood spindles, chair rails, and stained-glass windows that divided the main seating area. It probably hadn’t changed much from its frontier beginnings.

“I hope you like trout,” Ken said as he joined her. Waiters followed with their food on large round trays.

She drank in the delicious smell of freshly grilled fish. “I love it. Thank you.”

Ken talked about the Starry Night and the cuisine he specialized in, as if they were his babies. Sloane was glad for his enthusiasm—more than he’d shown her on their previous dates—but she struggled to find an opportunity to tell him that she wouldn’t be seeing him anymore and why.

Jonas didn’t want to date her. She didn’t want to date Ken, a man who checked most of her boxes.

Before she could bring the subject up, Sloane heard her name.

“Sloane! What a surprise.” Julieann was looking at Sloane.

“Hi, Julieann.” Durango was a long way from Denver. “Ken, this is Julieann Vincent. Ken’s the head chef here.” Sloane made the introductions, finally asking, “Do you want to join us?”

“That’s okay. I’m meeting someone.” Julieann flashed Ken a smile. “It was nice meeting you.”

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