Lena Matthews
“Fine.” Taking a deep drink, Ty turned to look at his worried friend. “Everything is fine. Did you get them off my land?”
“Yeah, much to the dismay of Dean. He’ll be kicking his father’s ass all the way back to Sacramento.”
“A man after my own heart.”
“Is Charlotte okay?” He repeated his question.
“She’s just fine. She should be down in a bit, bags in hand.” Russell eyes widened in surprise. “She can’t blame you.” Ty chuckled harshly. ”Oh, no, she doesn’t blame me. See, she’s too busy saving me.”
“From?”
“The world.” Tightening his grip on the glass, Ty could feel himself getting angrier by the second. “Charlotte’s under the impression that because of her, my livelihood will go to hell in a handbasket.”
“Do you think that?”
“Of course not,” Ty thundered, surprised his friend would even ask. Without her his life would be hell. It had only been five minutes and he was already feeling the fires beckoning from below. Charlotte was wrong.
Russell slapped his hand on the bar, breaking the silence. “Ty, are you going to sit in here pouting while she leaves?”
That brought Ty’s head up. Was he? Hell, no, he wasn’t.
Pushing the glass into Russell’s hand, Ty turned on his heel and stormed across the room. He was almost out of the door when Russell called out to him. “Where are you going?” With his hand on the door, Ty looked over his shoulder at his friend and a devilish smile stretched across his face. If Charlotte thought he was going to lie down and take this, Spurs & Mistletoe: For Love’s Sake Only
79
she had another think coming, like the flat of his hand on her luscious ass. “To make that hardheaded woman listen to reason. Even if I have to lasso her ass to me to accomplish it.” 80 Lena Matthews
Chapter Eight
Charlotte had gotten outside and down the front steps before she realized what a humongous mistake she was making. Why the hell was she allowing a small-minded man to determine the fate of her future? She was never one to let other people influence her decisions, so why was she listening to them now?
Because you’re afraid, her mind chided.
Like she didn’t know that. But now, instead of just being afraid of what the future would hold, she was afraid she had pushed Ty away. Setting her hastily packed bag on the front porch, Charlotte stared out into the vast green pastures she’d already begun to think of as home and wanted to cry anew.
Her heart was in the right place, but whether Ty would see that or not was a completely different story. She had done it all for his sake, for the ranch’s sake, for everything but love’s sake.
But she didn’t want to lose him. Damn it all to hell.
“Fuck!” She yelled to the heavens, accidentally startling Ida who was walking up the steps.
“Wow. What did I miss?”
Spurs & Mistletoe: For Love’s Sake Only
81
Embarrassed about her outburst, Charlotte flushed. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Ida merely smiled. “I’ve had days like those myself, honey. Don’t even worry about it.
Is the meeting over already?”
“Over, and then some.” Sighing, Charlotte ran her hands through her short hair in frustration. What was she going to do? She’d reacted without thinking, and now everything was a giant mess.
Ida stepped up on the porch, her smile slowly sliding from her weathered face when she spied Charlotte’s bag on the ground. “Is everything okay?” There weren’t enough words in the English language to explain the cluster-fuck that was her life. “Not by a long shot.”
“What ...”
Charlotte walked away, not sure what else to say. She didn’t mean to be rude, but short of saying I’m a big stupid loser, which left a lot to be desired, nothing came to mind.
Walking aimlessly around the grounds, Charlotte went over her options again. There were only two that truly seemed viable. She could either try to kiss and make up, or try to hide
“Fine.” Taking a deep drink, Ty turned to look at his worried friend. “Everything is fine. Did you get them off my land?”
“Yeah, much to the dismay of Dean. He’ll be kicking his father’s ass all the way back to Sacramento.”
“A man after my own heart.”
“Is Charlotte okay?” He repeated his question.
“She’s just fine. She should be down in a bit, bags in hand.” Russell eyes widened in surprise. “She can’t blame you.” Ty chuckled harshly. ”Oh, no, she doesn’t blame me. See, she’s too busy saving me.”
“From?”
“The world.” Tightening his grip on the glass, Ty could feel himself getting angrier by the second. “Charlotte’s under the impression that because of her, my livelihood will go to hell in a handbasket.”
“Do you think that?”
“Of course not,” Ty thundered, surprised his friend would even ask. Without her his life would be hell. It had only been five minutes and he was already feeling the fires beckoning from below. Charlotte was wrong.
Russell slapped his hand on the bar, breaking the silence. “Ty, are you going to sit in here pouting while she leaves?”
That brought Ty’s head up. Was he? Hell, no, he wasn’t.
Pushing the glass into Russell’s hand, Ty turned on his heel and stormed across the room. He was almost out of the door when Russell called out to him. “Where are you going?” With his hand on the door, Ty looked over his shoulder at his friend and a devilish smile stretched across his face. If Charlotte thought he was going to lie down and take this, Spurs & Mistletoe: For Love’s Sake Only
79
she had another think coming, like the flat of his hand on her luscious ass. “To make that hardheaded woman listen to reason. Even if I have to lasso her ass to me to accomplish it.” 80 Lena Matthews
Chapter Eight
Charlotte had gotten outside and down the front steps before she realized what a humongous mistake she was making. Why the hell was she allowing a small-minded man to determine the fate of her future? She was never one to let other people influence her decisions, so why was she listening to them now?
Because you’re afraid, her mind chided.
Like she didn’t know that. But now, instead of just being afraid of what the future would hold, she was afraid she had pushed Ty away. Setting her hastily packed bag on the front porch, Charlotte stared out into the vast green pastures she’d already begun to think of as home and wanted to cry anew.
Her heart was in the right place, but whether Ty would see that or not was a completely different story. She had done it all for his sake, for the ranch’s sake, for everything but love’s sake.
But she didn’t want to lose him. Damn it all to hell.
“Fuck!” She yelled to the heavens, accidentally startling Ida who was walking up the steps.
“Wow. What did I miss?”
Spurs & Mistletoe: For Love’s Sake Only
81
Embarrassed about her outburst, Charlotte flushed. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Ida merely smiled. “I’ve had days like those myself, honey. Don’t even worry about it.
Is the meeting over already?”
“Over, and then some.” Sighing, Charlotte ran her hands through her short hair in frustration. What was she going to do? She’d reacted without thinking, and now everything was a giant mess.
Ida stepped up on the porch, her smile slowly sliding from her weathered face when she spied Charlotte’s bag on the ground. “Is everything okay?” There weren’t enough words in the English language to explain the cluster-fuck that was her life. “Not by a long shot.”
“What ...”
Charlotte walked away, not sure what else to say. She didn’t mean to be rude, but short of saying I’m a big stupid loser, which left a lot to be desired, nothing came to mind.
Walking aimlessly around the grounds, Charlotte went over her options again. There were only two that truly seemed viable. She could either try to kiss and make up, or try to hide
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