Cameron, Paige - The Billionaire Rancher Buys a Wife [Wives for the Western Billionaires 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) by Paige Cameron Page A

by on his way home. Janie fell off her horse. Yeah, she says so. Okay. Bye.”
    “You are overreacting, Drake, and stop calling me Janie. My name is Janice.”
    “I’m less worried now, seeing you can fuss at me.”
    “I want to ride my horse back. If I don’t get on her right away, I might not talk myself into riding ever again.”
    Drake stopped and helped her down. He handed her the mare’s reins and stayed close until she was on and settled. “You’re right. We all three overreact when any woman around us looks like she might be hurt.”
    Janice put her palm against his cheek. “I’m not used to having someone show such concern.”
    “Your parents didn’t?”
    “Stiff upper lip and all that.” She spoke in a light tone.
    Drake took a shortcut to the house. His mother waited in the yard, her hands clasped.
    They stopped, and Drake helped Janice dismount. “I’ll be back after I take care of the horses.”
    “Come in, dear. What you need is a good hot bath and a cup of tea. There’s a whirlpool tub in my bathroom. I’ll show you.”
    She led Janice around behind the stairwell to a hidden doorway. “This is Joe’s and my room.” She indicated for Janice to enter. “The bath is on the right.” Janice walked around the large bed and into a bright, blue bathroom. Mrs. Terrell turned on the water. “Here’s a towel and one of my robes you can wear to go upstairs to your room. I’ll bring the cup of tea there.”
    “Thank you. I don’t understand why Drake got so very upset. Actually, other than losing my breath for a moment, I didn’t hit hard, thanks to the thick grass.”
    Mrs. Terrell sat on a chair by the tub. “Obviously we’ve not completely recovered from our loss. Candice seemed so healthy. We were sure she’d be fine. She told Ty not to worry the day she went to the hospital. It promised to be a long delivery. She said for him to go home and rest.
    “When they called him, he didn’t get there in time. He’s never forgiven himself, and none of us can forget. Drake cares for you. Seeing you hurt must have brought back those other memories. Enjoy your bath. I’ll see you upstairs. By the way, I didn’t call the doctor.” She winked.
    Janice undressed and sank into the hot water. She leaned against the back of the tub. The heat soaked into sore muscles. Mrs. Terrell had thrown in some bath beads, and the fragrance of jasmine rose around her.
    She’d said Drake cared for her. He certainly portrayed a man who was deeply involved. All this talk of ranches, riding, and living on the land had begun to worry her. Her comment to him about buying a ranch hadn’t been serious. She tried to visualize herself living like Samantha and Jackson. She’d be leaving her career behind, moving from an exciting city to a place miles from town, and a small town at that.
    This ranch was forty miles from the nearest town. And did Drake want to live in Montana ? Her questions gave her a headache.
    What would she say if he’d taken her suggestions seriously? Did she love him enough to upset her whole life for what he wanted? She pulled the plug on the water that had grown cool and dried with a fluffy towel.
    His mother’s robe was the right color for her, a deep emerald green, but short. She hurried upstairs before she met any of the men. Holding the robe close around her, she stood at her window and stared across the prairie. A different world from hers.
     
    * * * *

    They prepared to leave after breakfast. Janice got hugs from Drake’s parents and Brent. She had to admit she was beginning to enjoy the warm, open affection they showed to each other and her.
    Ty came strolling into the farmhouse at the last minute carrying a box. More reticent than the other members of his family, Janice did not expect him to walk across the room, put the box on the table, and lean down to give her a gentle hug.
    “You have to come back and keep working on riding a horse.” His mouth quirked up at the corner in a half