Which is why I don’t remember seeing anything about the cattle.”
“Not exactly up your alley, city girl.”
“No. It’s not. Small appliances make up the major portion of the company. Dad dabbled in other ventures. Farm equipment. Manufacturing machines. He pretty much had his hand in a lot of mechanical things. He liked to tinker.”
“Like the puzzle sculpture.”
“Exactly. Mechanics was his kind of fun. Lela and I recently diversified the business and added a botanical cosmetics line.”
“I don’t know anything about makeup.” Gabe shook his head. “I do know you guys make a killer combine and rototiller.”
“Do you own one of ours?”
“I wish. I guess I won’t need either, or the field topper for that matter. My small tractor is enough for my property. I don’t have the Wolf land.”
“Yes, I guess it would take a great deal of equipment to run cattle on the ranch again.”
Gabe nodded and got this far-off look on his face, thinking about all he’d lost. All the dreams her uncle made him believe in.
“I’m sorry, Gabe. I’ll make it right.”
He took her hand the way he seemed to do so easily and squeezed her fingers. “Not your fault, city girl. I should have seen the lie. No deal that good can be true.”
“I was thinking the same thing about you.”
“What?”
“You can’t be real. No guys are as nice as you are and look like that.” She held out her hand and swept it up and down to indicate his strong, toned frame and that gorgeous, rugged face. She loved the way he cocked back one side of his mouth and laughed under his breath, dismissing her words. He had to know women drooled over him, but he didn’t use his looks to his advantage. Comfortably easy with who he was, he didn’t need to do anything but be himself to disarm strangers and make them feel relaxed with him.
“I’m far from perfect, honey. Ask my brothers.”
She sighed, and the grief threatened to drag her under when she thought of her sister and what she’d say about Ella riding around with a virtual stranger, confronting gun-toting wannabe cowboys, and trying to take down their uncle by herself.
“How many do you have?”
“Three.”
“Wow. No sisters?”
“Just us boys.”
“I always wanted a brother.”
“I imagine having an identical twin was a lot of fun. You two must have spent your schooldays fooling your friends and teachers, making them think you were the other one, like you did with me.”
“All the time, but not anymore.” She leaned her head against the side window and stared off into space.
“I’m sorry. You must miss her a lot.”
“More than my heart can take.” She sucked back the tears and held tight to Gabe’s strong hand. They pulled into the yard, and Gabe stopped the truck in front of the house. She stared at the simple wood two-bedroom structure. Dark brown, cream trim, a small covered deck off the front. She liked the stone path. The snow from the night before clung to the ground and tops of bare branches on the trees and plants. The roof held a thick coating, making the house seem cozy and inviting beneath the white blanket. “How did I end up staying with you?”
“Because when you’re left on your own in Montana, you piss off cowboys, who dump you on your ass in the snow, you pull shotguns from the same idiot cowboy with no regard for getting shot, and though you haven’t said it, sticking with me is a hell of lot safer than confronting your murderous uncle.”
“I see your point,” she said, hiding a smile.
“You really scared the hell out of me, pulling that gun from Travis like that.”
“He didn’t have his finger on the trigger. He’s all bluster.”
“Yeah, well, next time someone’s got a gun on you, do me a favor, don’t rush them and grab it.”
“What would you have me do, stand there and get shot?”
“Stay away from people with guns,” he ordered, getting disgruntled.
“Is that possible in Montana?” she asked, checking
“Not exactly up your alley, city girl.”
“No. It’s not. Small appliances make up the major portion of the company. Dad dabbled in other ventures. Farm equipment. Manufacturing machines. He pretty much had his hand in a lot of mechanical things. He liked to tinker.”
“Like the puzzle sculpture.”
“Exactly. Mechanics was his kind of fun. Lela and I recently diversified the business and added a botanical cosmetics line.”
“I don’t know anything about makeup.” Gabe shook his head. “I do know you guys make a killer combine and rototiller.”
“Do you own one of ours?”
“I wish. I guess I won’t need either, or the field topper for that matter. My small tractor is enough for my property. I don’t have the Wolf land.”
“Yes, I guess it would take a great deal of equipment to run cattle on the ranch again.”
Gabe nodded and got this far-off look on his face, thinking about all he’d lost. All the dreams her uncle made him believe in.
“I’m sorry, Gabe. I’ll make it right.”
He took her hand the way he seemed to do so easily and squeezed her fingers. “Not your fault, city girl. I should have seen the lie. No deal that good can be true.”
“I was thinking the same thing about you.”
“What?”
“You can’t be real. No guys are as nice as you are and look like that.” She held out her hand and swept it up and down to indicate his strong, toned frame and that gorgeous, rugged face. She loved the way he cocked back one side of his mouth and laughed under his breath, dismissing her words. He had to know women drooled over him, but he didn’t use his looks to his advantage. Comfortably easy with who he was, he didn’t need to do anything but be himself to disarm strangers and make them feel relaxed with him.
“I’m far from perfect, honey. Ask my brothers.”
She sighed, and the grief threatened to drag her under when she thought of her sister and what she’d say about Ella riding around with a virtual stranger, confronting gun-toting wannabe cowboys, and trying to take down their uncle by herself.
“How many do you have?”
“Three.”
“Wow. No sisters?”
“Just us boys.”
“I always wanted a brother.”
“I imagine having an identical twin was a lot of fun. You two must have spent your schooldays fooling your friends and teachers, making them think you were the other one, like you did with me.”
“All the time, but not anymore.” She leaned her head against the side window and stared off into space.
“I’m sorry. You must miss her a lot.”
“More than my heart can take.” She sucked back the tears and held tight to Gabe’s strong hand. They pulled into the yard, and Gabe stopped the truck in front of the house. She stared at the simple wood two-bedroom structure. Dark brown, cream trim, a small covered deck off the front. She liked the stone path. The snow from the night before clung to the ground and tops of bare branches on the trees and plants. The roof held a thick coating, making the house seem cozy and inviting beneath the white blanket. “How did I end up staying with you?”
“Because when you’re left on your own in Montana, you piss off cowboys, who dump you on your ass in the snow, you pull shotguns from the same idiot cowboy with no regard for getting shot, and though you haven’t said it, sticking with me is a hell of lot safer than confronting your murderous uncle.”
“I see your point,” she said, hiding a smile.
“You really scared the hell out of me, pulling that gun from Travis like that.”
“He didn’t have his finger on the trigger. He’s all bluster.”
“Yeah, well, next time someone’s got a gun on you, do me a favor, don’t rush them and grab it.”
“What would you have me do, stand there and get shot?”
“Stay away from people with guns,” he ordered, getting disgruntled.
“Is that possible in Montana?” she asked, checking
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