far away from her, including the house. Okay, he’d been busy. Did that mean he had to spend all his time at the bunkhouse? Then today he’d moved back into the foreman’s house.
She’d known it would happen sooner or later. What she didn’t expect was to miss him so much. It was more than missing him; she’d come to care about Vance. More than she wanted to admit. If she let herself, she could fall in love with him. She suspected it was already too late.
The phone rang, bringing Ana out of her daydream. “Lazy S Ranch,” she answered.
“You sound so official,” a familiar voice said.
“Josie?”
“Yes, it’s me,” her sister said. “You’re the only one who ever knew my voice from Tori’s. How are things in Montana?”
“Looking better every day, ” Ana fibbed a little.
There was a long pause, then Josie asked, “How is Colt doing?”
Ana had kept in touch with her sisters about everything going on. “I went to the rehab center yesterday. He’s doing well. The therapist says he’s improving every day. It won’t be long before he comes home.”
“That’s good,” Josie said, then asked, “How did the roundup go?”
Ana smiled. So her sister had been reading all the emails she’d sent. “The yearlings were shipped off to the feedlot.” She didn’t mention Garrett Temple’s help, knowing the twosome’s history. Not if she ever wanted Josie to return home.
Ana rushed on to say, “And we’re booked solid for fishing through the fall. Even the foreman’s house is rented the next two months.”
Josie finally rejoined the conversation, “That’s good, Ana, but as you say, we still need more income. Have you thought about expanding?”
“Expand how?” Ana asked, happy that one of her sisters, at least, cared.
“I’ve done several corporate events in the past few years. The most requested is to set up something in a different locale, where it’s quiet and restful, a sort of retreat. If you are serious about having another income for the ranch, there needs to be more housing for larger gatherings. Then the ranch could be rented out for corporate functions, for special fishing events, or even for small weddings.
“That sounds like an expensive undertaking,” Ana said, knowing they didn’t have the money for such a big venture. “How are we going to finance a project of that scale?”
“Tori and I are working on that,” Josie admitted.
Ana loved that the twins wanted to help, but how long it would take, and how much money, was a big worry. “Do you know someone with deep pockets?” she asked, half teasing.
“You might be surprised. Adding a silent partner could be an option.”
“Not sure about that,” Ana told her, then looked up and saw Vance standing in the doorway.
He leaned against the doorjamb, just watching her. She tried to focus on what her sister had to say, but the man’s presence was distracting her. When his dark gaze locked on hers, her heart began to race so fast she had trouble concentrating. “Why don’t you email me the information?”
Vance stood across the room. He knew he had acted like a jealous jerk, but he couldn’t stay away from Ana any longer. And since he’d talked with Garrett, he knew there had been nothing between the two. His friend admitted he’d cared about Josie.
So Vance needed to apologize. He also knew it was time to find out how Ana felt about him. From the second she’d returned to the ranch, all those long-ago feelings had been stirred up again. He had to know if he was wasting time. If Ana didn’t care about him at all, he needed to move on.
When she looked at him with her sapphire eyes, he couldn’t seem to think about much of anything, except how much he wanted her. Before he lost his nerve, he walked into the office and closed the door behind him, his gaze never leaving Ana’s.
She continued to talk to Josie, but if he had anything to do with it, the conversation was about to be cut off. He went around the
She’d known it would happen sooner or later. What she didn’t expect was to miss him so much. It was more than missing him; she’d come to care about Vance. More than she wanted to admit. If she let herself, she could fall in love with him. She suspected it was already too late.
The phone rang, bringing Ana out of her daydream. “Lazy S Ranch,” she answered.
“You sound so official,” a familiar voice said.
“Josie?”
“Yes, it’s me,” her sister said. “You’re the only one who ever knew my voice from Tori’s. How are things in Montana?”
“Looking better every day, ” Ana fibbed a little.
There was a long pause, then Josie asked, “How is Colt doing?”
Ana had kept in touch with her sisters about everything going on. “I went to the rehab center yesterday. He’s doing well. The therapist says he’s improving every day. It won’t be long before he comes home.”
“That’s good,” Josie said, then asked, “How did the roundup go?”
Ana smiled. So her sister had been reading all the emails she’d sent. “The yearlings were shipped off to the feedlot.” She didn’t mention Garrett Temple’s help, knowing the twosome’s history. Not if she ever wanted Josie to return home.
Ana rushed on to say, “And we’re booked solid for fishing through the fall. Even the foreman’s house is rented the next two months.”
Josie finally rejoined the conversation, “That’s good, Ana, but as you say, we still need more income. Have you thought about expanding?”
“Expand how?” Ana asked, happy that one of her sisters, at least, cared.
“I’ve done several corporate events in the past few years. The most requested is to set up something in a different locale, where it’s quiet and restful, a sort of retreat. If you are serious about having another income for the ranch, there needs to be more housing for larger gatherings. Then the ranch could be rented out for corporate functions, for special fishing events, or even for small weddings.
“That sounds like an expensive undertaking,” Ana said, knowing they didn’t have the money for such a big venture. “How are we going to finance a project of that scale?”
“Tori and I are working on that,” Josie admitted.
Ana loved that the twins wanted to help, but how long it would take, and how much money, was a big worry. “Do you know someone with deep pockets?” she asked, half teasing.
“You might be surprised. Adding a silent partner could be an option.”
“Not sure about that,” Ana told her, then looked up and saw Vance standing in the doorway.
He leaned against the doorjamb, just watching her. She tried to focus on what her sister had to say, but the man’s presence was distracting her. When his dark gaze locked on hers, her heart began to race so fast she had trouble concentrating. “Why don’t you email me the information?”
Vance stood across the room. He knew he had acted like a jealous jerk, but he couldn’t stay away from Ana any longer. And since he’d talked with Garrett, he knew there had been nothing between the two. His friend admitted he’d cared about Josie.
So Vance needed to apologize. He also knew it was time to find out how Ana felt about him. From the second she’d returned to the ranch, all those long-ago feelings had been stirred up again. He had to know if he was wasting time. If Ana didn’t care about him at all, he needed to move on.
When she looked at him with her sapphire eyes, he couldn’t seem to think about much of anything, except how much he wanted her. Before he lost his nerve, he walked into the office and closed the door behind him, his gaze never leaving Ana’s.
She continued to talk to Josie, but if he had anything to do with it, the conversation was about to be cut off. He went around the
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