Page 5 of Ember Meadow
Holding out a hand for him to shake, I put on my best PR smile. “Hi, I’m–”
“I said, you’re trespassing,” he interrupts. My hand falls slowly back to my side. “This is Lone Pine Ranch property. There’s a sign on the road. This cabin isn’t for tourists.”
Okay, guess we are skipping pleasantries today.
“As I was saying, hi,” I start again. “I’m Katie. I’m here to renovate this cabin. My company just bought it a few months ago. This particular piece of land doesn’t belong to the ranch anymore, which technically meansyou’rethe one trespassing.” I grin wider, standing my ground. “Who are you?”
“I own this ranch, and yes, this is part of Lone Pine. I think I would know if someone bought the Old Cabin,” he says, holding my gaze. Alright, guess he’s not backing down. I’m stuck in place as he studies my face, looking like he’s trying to piece something out. A spark of recognition passes across his expression for just a second but it leaves as quickly as it came.
“I spoke to a man named Walter, he should have all of the details of the purchase and my arrival today. Do you know anyone by that name?” I ask.
For a second he doesn’t say anything. “Yes,” he sighs, “I know Walt.”
“Great,” I clap my hands together and plaster on another smile, “Then surely you can call him up and confirm I am, in fact, the owner of the cabin. Well, not me personally. MacPherson Enterprises owns it. But I represent them and I share the name, so it might as well be me.”
“Hold on just a sec– wait, what did you just say?” His eyebrows furrow as he searches my face.
“Walter. That’s the man I’ve spoken with. Can you call him?” I repeat and his eyes widen a bit.
“No, no. The name. What did you say your name was?” He asks, suddenly paling.
“Katie. MacPherson. Of MacPherson Enterprises. Walter should know who I am,” I say cautiously. This man looks like he’s seen a ghost. After a few long seconds of silence I try again, “Who are you?”
He clears his throat, looking away. A dry laugh escapes his throat as he shakes his head slowly back and forth.
“I’ll be damned,” he mutters under his breath. Turning back to me, our eyes lock and I swear I’ve seen those brown eyes before. I just can’t remember when.
“Miles. I’m Miles Autry.”
“Nice to meet you Mi–” It can’t be. Words fail me as I finally remember the last time I saw Miles. In a hotel in Salt Lake City over four years ago. The Wyoming cowboy from the bar. The one who never called. This can’t be him.
MyMiles was charming, funny, light-hearted, and smiled almost constantly. Yes, he worked at a ranch and they look alike, but there’s just no way this man is the same Miles. I can’t imagine Miles being gruff with anyone, much less me. It has to be a coincidence. Right? Unless…
“Oh my god,” I stagger backwards a step as the realization smacks me in the chest like a semi truck.
“What the hell are you doing on my ranch, Mac?”
Chapter 2
Too Dusty
“What do you mean,your ranch?” My voice comes out a little shakier than I’d like. Am I being punk’d? There’s absolutely no way my one night stand from my twenty-first birthday in Utah owns the ranch surrounding my new vacation rental property.
There’s a zero percent chance of this happening.
Okay, so maybe there’s, like, a twenty percent chance.
And he did say he worked on a ranch in Wyoming, so add another twenty percent.
And the universe generally hates me, so maybe add another twenty percent. But that’s only sixty percent. There’s still another whole forty unaccounted for.
I look a little closer at the cowboy standing before me. The beard is new. If he shaved, I could see the resemblance. Possibly. It isn’t until I catch his eyes again that recognition starts to creep into my bones.
“This can’t be your ranch. You don’t own a ranch. You’re, what, twenty-seven? Eight?” I croak, “This is Walter’s ranch,he’sas old as a ranch owner should be. Where is he? I’d like to talk to him.”
“Technically, yes, this is Walt’s ranch–” he starts.
“Hah!” I exclaim, pointing a finger at him.
