Page 73 of Take Me Please, Cowboy
“It crossed our mind that Rye could be the answer to the problem of Cold Canyon Ranch, and we’ve been running our ideas past him.”
Ansley’s jaw tightened.She didn’t appear reassured.“I’m in the dark here,” she said.“Someone, please fill me in.”
For being such big guys, they suddenly looked unsure, and no one rushed to speak.She looked at each of the five before focusing on Rye.“It looks like they’re being cowardly.Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Rye hesitated, not wanting to come between family, but he and Ansley had agreed no secrets.They had to talk.It was essential to communicate.“Your brothers think I should live here with you, and you could take care of your uncle while I run the ranch.”
“That wasn’t the suggestion,” Vander interjected.“We wouldn’t want Ansley to become Uncle Clyde’s nurse.Mom’s arranging for a professional caregiver to live in, but yes to running the ranch.He’s experienced and we thought he might enjoy working close to the Wyatts since he knows them from the circuit.”
Ansley’s eyes narrowed, her furious gaze sweeping the living room.“How dare you go behind my back and make plans for my life?Just because you don’t want to live here doesn’t mean I should have to live here.Mom knows I recommended selling the place after Uncle Clyde passes, and then you guys could divvy it up however you want.I don’t need it.I don’t want it.”
“But it’s a family property,” Knox said.“It’s been in the family for nearly a hundred years.”
“But if no one in the family is willing to come here and manage it, then let it go and stop trying to make decisions for me.Rye and I want our own path, and our own life, and it blows my mind that you thought it was okay to dangle this place in front of Rye as if he’s going to be grateful for the opportunity.This is not his place, and the Campbells aren’t his family—”
“Now hold on,” Duncan said.“You led us to believe that you wanted to marry him.You talked about the future, and if you get married Rye becomes a Campbell.He becomes one of us.”
“No!”Ansley practically shouted.“No, Duncan, that’s not how it works.He’s a Calhoun.If we marry, I become a Calhoun.Rye and I don’t do what’s best for the Campbells.We do what’s best for the Calhouns.”
Silence followed her speech.The brother by the fireplace shuffled his feet.The one on the couch stretched his legs out.
Temper still blazing, Ansley marched into the center of the room.“You disrespected me, and you disrespected Rye, and I’m ashamed of you.You should have come to me first.You should have asked me what I thought, and if I thought there was potential, I could have run it past Rye in private.Truthfully, I wouldn’t have run this idea past Rye as it’s insulting to even think he’d want to be here on this ranch, in this house.This isn’t his home.And it isn’t mine.”
“It’s a special piece of land,” Rye said, trying to soften her words.“I’m a big believer in family legacies.I’ve done my best to take care of my grandfather’s property in Eureka.I’ve taken over my dad’s roofing business.I’m very loyal to family, and I’m not insulted, but it doesn’t sound like this is the right move for Ansley.Ansley is not a country girl.She has dreams that are bigger than being a rancher’s wife—”
“That’s not it at all,” she interrupted, turning to face Rye.“I don’t care if I’m a rancher’s wife, a cowboy’s wife, a roofer’s wife.It’s not about your occupation.It’s about us—you and me—being respected.I can paint anywhere.I can paint here.I can paint in Eureka.I can paint in Bozeman if that’s what you wanted to do.I just want us to find the place that is our place, one that feels right for me and you.”She glanced at each of her brothers.“Now butt out and mind your own business.I won’t stand for your interference.”
*
Late that afternoon,following a very late and awkward lunch, Rye slipped out of the back of the house to go for a walk.He took the gravel road that wound to the high pastures up until it turned to dirt and kept walking.It was a significant climb, but he welcomed the exercise and the quiet.He could hear the birds as the sun began to set, sparrows, crows, and a circling hawk, which made the crows even more vocal.In the distance, he heard a cow low, and wondered if it was on the Wyatts’ property or if it was one of the cows the Wyatts were running on the Campbell ranch.
There was so much to like about Cold Canyon Ranch.There were intriguing possibilities in being in Park County.If he didn’t have to consider his family’s needs, he would jump at the opportunity to start a life here.This was a beautiful part of Montana, some of the best grazing land, as well.He could give up the roofing and focus on being a rancher, which was his first love.He could give up competing, too, which would give him more time to devote to Ansley and his family, and the family he and Ansley would have one day.
But he couldn’t just consider himself.He had to think of his family, and Jasper would do better here, and he would get better care in Marietta.There were outstanding doctors and specialists just thirty miles from the ranch.If there was an emergency, help would be close by.
If he and Ansley didn’t want to be on the ranch, they could find a place that suited them better, and just because he wasn’t working the Campbell ranch, it didn’t mean he couldn’t find a ranch hand position elsewhere.He’d have to prove himself, but he wasn’t worried about that.Rye was good with challenges, and like his mom, he was ready for something new.
He heard a motor and turned to look at the road.Ansley was riding a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle, charging up the road toward him.Rye stood in the middle of the road waiting for her to reach him.“Where did you get that from?”he asked.
“It’s Tommy Wyatt’s.He’s home for the weekend, and he came over to meet my brothers and, since they were all busy, I asked if I could borrow it to come find you.”
“You are very resourceful.”
She turned the ATV off but remained seated.“Mind some company?”
“Not if it’s yours.”
“Yeah, wasn’t about to bring any of the brothers.I’m still so mad at them.”
“Don’t be mad, Ansley.They thought they were doing something good.”
She huffed an indignant breath.“They should have talked to me.”
“I agree.”
“And if they had, I would have told them no way you’d be interested in moving here—”
“Actually, I wouldn’t mind living here, working here,” he said, crossing to where she sat and lifting off her goggles so he could see her eyes.“I like this area and you have the best neighbors next door.”
