Page 23 of Cowboy Dreams

“Are you sure, Syl? I thought the ranch might have difficult memories for you.”

I couldn’t deny a few. I’d walked into my grandfather’s study and been hit by the scent of books and cigars and Old Spice, and the echo of him yelling at me. I’d decided the parlor made a good office, and I could turn the study into a library for guests. I’d stock books and games and DVDs in case of bad weather and lost internet. They wouldn’t care that the room was haunted by the ghost of a bitter old man.Probably not literally haunted.

“I had so many good memories, too, Mom. I was young enough not to notice the tension, and I’d bet you shielded me from a lot of Grandpa’s anger. I mostly remember the horses and the barn cats and snow in the fields and a pair of hawks up high in the summer sun. Cut grass and drying hay and the scent of the wild roses growing up the arbor.”

“I’m glad.” Mom sighed. “I wish that was what I remembered.”

“Hey,” Cassie said faintly in the background. “Remember me acting like a knight in shining armor and taking you away from there.”

“My hero,” Mom called back and her tone had warmed.

I said, “Are you sad I’m keeping the place. Should I have sold this ranch and bought new somewhere else.”

“No!” Mom’s reply came immediately. “I want you happy and if the Circle K does that for you, then I’m glad.”

I wanted to ask if she would ever visit, but that was getting way out ahead of myself. I’d hired a cleaning service to spiff the place up the day after I arrived, and they cleaned for me weekly, but there was a lot to be done before I could house guests, even family. “There’s still a bunch of work to do but yeah, I’m happy.”

Joe came in when I said that and my gaze automatically rose to his. He gave me a phone sign and thumbs up to show he’d noticed I was on a call, but instead of leaving he stayed in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe in a pose that emphasized his long legs. I wasn’t sure if that was on purpose or not. A month in, and I still didn’t have a good handle on when Joe was being sexy on purpose and when it was just the natural hotness of the man.

I told Mom, “I’m sorry to miss Christmas, but we can video call and I’ll show you the changes I’ve made.”

“I’d like that,” she said. “Good luck with the meeting today.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you know how it goes.” Tapping out of the call, I turned to Joe. “Good ride?”

“Not bad. Had a fox cross my path in pasture four, bold as you like with a pheasant in its mouth.”

“What did Donner think of that?”

Joe’s lips twitched. “Not much.” From which I gathered Donner had shied or bucked and Joe had sat his antics just fine. Joe was an amazing horseman.

Getting ridden only on the weekends wasn’t ideal for Donner, so Joe had arranged for a local teen, a shy, gangling kid by the name of Molly, to come over and ride him around the pasture Tuesdays and Thursdays. He didn’t want me on Donner, and I admit, as beautiful as the gelding was, I had no big ambitions to try him. I’d seen Donner give Molly some attitude and she could handle him, although not with the easy competence Joe had. She was a skilled rider, way better than me, but Joe and his horse were like one being melded together, like they were made to work as a team. I got hard in my jeans, sometimes, watching my cowboy ride.

“I’m gonna go clean up,” Joe said. “Get ready for the meeting. Don’t want to be late. If you’re sure you still want me there. I’m not really anybody.” He turned his hat in his hands.

I had to get up, go over, and hold him steady for a hard kiss. “I need you there. You’re definitely somebody. You’re vital. What if they ask me about the ranch parts? You want me to look like a fool in front of all the county commissioners?”

“Nah. Only I get to see you act like a fool.” He turned to go and I smacked the dusty denim over his ass.

He threw me a heated look. “On the other hand, maybe we can be a bit late.”

“Get cleaned up, cowboy, and let’s go make a good impression.”

I downloaded what I needed on my tablet, closed the computer, and headed up to get dressed myself. We met in the entry and wow, Joe cleaned up nice. Just slacks and a buttondown with a blue tie and his shearling jacket slung over one shoulder, but he could’ve been a cologne ad for some expensive brand, something with woodsy and musky notes. I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

“Let’s take the SUV,” I suggested. “Prosperous but not too flashy and out of place.”

“Suits me.” He followed me out to the Highlander and got in the passenger side. I handed him the tablet to hold onto and put the SUV in gear.

County Hall turned out to be a long, low brick building probably built fifty years ago. A bunch of cars sat in the parking lot, although how many were there for the planning meeting was anyone’s guess. The place was modern enough to have video screens in the lobby listing the events and locations. We were apparently in Meeting Hall One. A building map on the wall directed us left through the inner doors.

When we arrived, about fifteen people were scattered across a bank of chairs that could probably hold fifty. They all turned to stare at us as we came in. Bored, no doubt, since we were ten minutes early. Most of them sat either at the front or way back of the room, so I led Joe to a couple of seats partway down along the center aisle and waved him in before me.

I wanted to ask Joe if he knew any of these people. A couple of them seemed to be giving us the stink-eye, mostly a heavy-set white guy down front who looked vaguely familiar. But the room was quiet enough people might hear, so I sat beside Joe and flipped through my presentation slides.

Over the next ten minutes the audience straggled in, perhaps doubling in size. The council guys— and I sayguysadvisedly, because they were all middle-aged to old white men— filed in and took their seats at a table for five at the front of the room. The last guy looked at the video screen that showed the time, just turning ten, and said, “We’ll give folks a couple more minutes and then get started. We’ve got a lot on the agenda today.”

A few people hustled in over the next minute, then the council guy tapped a microphone in front of him, causing a loud click that quieted the audience. “This meeting of the Vickston County Council is now in session. You being here in this room means you consent to having anything you say recorded and preserved in public files. There will be opportunities for audience comments, but wait till you’re called on. Anyone causing a disturbance will be removed. Right, first item on the agenda is widening the bridge over Malfin Creek.”

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