I’m going to like your place.”
“I hope so, son.”
* * *
After his father left him at the cabin, a rustic, wood-beamed, fully state-of-the-art three-bedroom dwelling that would sell for a million bucks in the suburbs of Chicago, Brooks walked his luggage into the master suite and began putting away his belongings in a dark oak dresser. Lifting out the shirt Ruby had worn just this morning, Brooks brought the collar to his nose and breathed in. The shirt smelled of her still, a wildly exotic scent that had lured him into his best fantasy to date.
He’d hold on to that memory for a long time, but now he was about to make new ones with his father and his family. Brooks walked the rooms, getting familiar with his new home—for the next few weeks, anyway—and found he was antsy to learn more, to see more.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, noting that Beau Preston didn’t do things halfway. The fridge was filled with everything Brooks might possibly need during his stay here. If Beau wanted him to feel welcome, he’d succeeded.
Locking the cabin door with the key his dad had given him, he headed toward the stables to explore. What he knew about horses and ranching could fit in his right hand, and it was about time to change that. Brooks didn’t want to admit to his father he’d seen the saddle side of a horse only once or twice. What did a city kid from Chicago know about riding?
Not much.
Huddled in a windbreaker jacket fit for a crisp December day in Texas, his boots kicking up dust, he came upon a set of corrals first. Beautiful animals frolicked, their groomed manes gently bouncing off their shoulders as they played a game of equine tag. They nipped at each other, teased and snorted and then stormed off, only to return to play again. They were beauties. His father’s horses.
The land behind the corrals was rich with tall grazing grass, strong oaks and mesquite trees dotting the squat hills. It was unfamiliar territory and remote, uniquely different from what Brooks had ever known.
He ducked into one of the stables. Shadows split the sunshine inside, and a long row of stalls on either side led to a tack room. The stable was empty but for a dozen or so horses. Beau had told him to check out Misty, an eight-year-old mare with a sweet nature. He spotted her quickly, a golden palomino with blond locks, not too different in color from his own.
“Hey, girl, are you and I going to get along?” The horse’s ears perked up, and she sauntered over to hang her head over the split door. “That’s a girl.” He stroked the horse’s nose and looked into her big brown eyes. “Hang on a sec,” he said and walked over to the tack area. The place smelled of leather and dust, but it was about as clean and tidy as a five-star hotel.
That told him something about his father.
“Can I help you?” A man walked out of the tack room and eyed him cautiously. “I’m Sam Braddox, the foreman.”
Brooks put out his hand. “I’m Brooks Newport. Nice to meet you.”
The man’s expression changed to a quick smile. “You’re one of Beau’s boys.”
“Yes, I am. I just got here a little while ago.”
“Well, welcome. I see the resemblance. You have your daddy’s eyes. And Beau only just this morning filled the crew in on the news you’d be arriving.”
“Thanks. I’m... I’m just trying to get acquainted with the place. Learn a little about horses.” He scratched his head and then shrugged. “I’m no horseman, but Beau wants to take me out riding one day.”
Sam studied him. “How about a quick lesson?”
“Sure.”
“C’mon. I’ll show you how to saddle up.” He led Misty out of her stall and into an open area.
“Misty’s a fine girl. She’s sweet, but she can get testy if you don’t show her who’s boss from the get-go.”
“Okay.”
The foreman grabbed a worked-in saddle and horse blanket and walked over to Brooks. “Here we go.”
Sam tossed the blanket over the horse just as one of the crew dashed in. “Hey, Boss. Looks like Candy is ready to foal. She’s having a struggle. Brian sent me to get you.”
“Okay.” Sam sighed. “I’ll be right there.” He gave Brooks a glance and set the saddle on the ground. “Sorry about this. Candy has had a hard pregnancy. I’d better get right to it.”
“No problem at all. I’ll see you later, Sam.”
“You okay here?”
“I’m gonna try my hand at it. I’ll Google how to saddle a horse.”
Sam gave him a queer look. “All right.” Then he strode out like his pants were on fire.
“How hard can this be?” Brooks said to himself.
He fixed the blanket over the horse’s shoulders, sheepskin side down, and then lifted the saddle. The darn thing weighed at least fifty pounds. He set it onto the horse and grabbed the cinch from underneath the horse’s belly.
“You’re doing it all wrong.” The female voice stopped him short. What in hell? He whipped around, uneasy about where his thoughts were heading. Sure enough, there was Ruby of his fantasies coming forward. His mouth could’ve dropped open, but he kept his teeth clamped as he tried to make sense of it. He’d just left Ruby a few hours ago, and now here she was in the flesh, appearing unfazed at seeing him again. He, for sure, wasn’t unaffected.
“Ruby?”
“Hello, Brooks.”
She practically ignored him as she went about removing the saddle like a pro—a saddle that weighed probably half her body weight—and shoving it into his arms. “The blanket has to be even on both sides. You put it on closer to Misty’s shoulders and then slide it into the natural channel of her body. Make sure it’s not too far down on her hips, either. It’s the best protection the horse has for—”
“Ruby?” He took hold of her arm gently.
She didn’t budge, didn’t face him. “I work here. I’m Look Away Ranch’s head wrangler and horse trainer.”
As if that explained it all. “Did you know who I was last night?”
Her eyes snapped up. “God, no.” She shook her head, and the sheet of beautiful raven hair shimmered. “Beau told us about you only this morning. He wanted to make sure you were really coming before he shared his news. Welcome to the family, Brooks.”
His heart just about stopped. “The family?”
She nodded. “Beau’s like a father to me.”
Brooks released the breath he’d been holding. She’d had him scared for a second that they could be related in some way. “Like a father? What does that mean?”
“My father worked for Beau all of his life, until he died ten years ago. I was sixteen at the time. It was hard
