Cort said. He smiled. “If I can get Odalie to marry me, I promise you, I’ll have it.”
King started to speak, but thought better of it. “I’ve got some book work to do.”
“I’ve got a new video game I’m dying to try.” Cort chuckled. “It’s been a long day.”
“I appreciate you going over to talk to Maddie.”
“No problem. She just needed a few pointers.”
“She’s no cattlewoman,” King said worriedly. “She’s swimming upstream. She doesn’t even like cattle. She likes chickens.”
“Don’t say chickens,” Cort pleaded with a groan.
“Your problem isn’t with chickens, it’s with a rooster.”
“I’d dearly love to help him have a fatal heart attack,” Cort said irritably.
“He’ll die of old age one day.” His dad laughed.
“Maddie said that developer had been putting pressure on her to sell,” King added solemnly. “I’ve put on some extra help to keep an eye over that way, just to make sure her breeding stock doesn’t start dying mysteriously.”
“What?” Cort asked, shocked. “She didn’t say anything about that.”
“Probably wouldn’t, to you. It smacks of weakness to mention such things to the enemy.”
“I’m not the enemy.”
King smiled. “Aren’t you?”
He left his son sitting at the table, deep in thought.
Maddie was working in the yard when the developer drove up a week later. She leaned on the pitchfork she was using to put hay into a trough, and waited, miserable, for him to get out of his car and talk to her.
“I won’t sell,” she said when he came up to her. “And in case you feel like high pressure tactics, my neighbor has mounted cameras all over the ranch.” She flushed at his fury.
“Well, how about that?” he drawled, and his eyes were blazing with anger. He forced a smile. “You did know that cameras can be disabled?” he asked.
“The cameras also have listening devices that can pick up a whisper.”
He actually seemed to go pale. He looked at the poles that contained the outside lighting and mumbled a curse under his breath. There was some sort of electronic device up there.
“I’ll come back again one day and ask you the same question,” he promised, but he smiled and his voice was pleasant. “Maybe you’ll change your mind.”
“We also have cowboys in the line cabins on the borders of this ranch. Mr. Brannt is very protective of me since my father died. He buys many of our young breeding bulls,” she added for good measure.
He was very still. “King Brannt?”
“Yes. You’ve heard of him, I gather.”
He didn’t reply. He turned on his heel and marched back to his car. But this time he didn’t spin his wheels.
Maddie almost fell over with relief.
Just as the developer left, another car drove up, a sleek Jaguar, black with silver trim. Maddie didn’t recognize it. Oh, dear, didn’t some hit men drive fancy cars…?
The door opened and big John Everett climbed out of the low-slung luxury car, holding on to his white Stetson so that it wouldn’t be dislodged from his thick head of blond hair. Maddie almost laughed with relief.
John grinned as he approached her. He had pale blue eyes, almost silver-colored, like his dad’s, and he was a real dish. He and Odalie both had their mother’s blond fairness, instead of Cole Everett’s dark hair and olive complexion.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” he drawled. “Black cars make you twitchy or something?”
“I think hit men drive them, is all.”
He burst out laughing. “I’ve never shot one single person. A deer or two, maybe, in season.” He moved toward her and stopped, towering over her. His pale eyes were dancing on her flushed face. “I ran into King Brannt at a cattlemen’s association meeting last night. He said you were having some problems trying to work out your father’s breeding program. He said Cort explained it to you.”
“Uh, well, yes, sort of.” It was hard to admit that even taking notes, she hadn’t understood much of what Cort had told her.
“Cort tried to tutor me in biology in high school. I got a D on the test. He’s good at genetics, lousy at trying to explain them.” He shoved his hat back on his head and grinned. “So I thought, maybe I’ll come over and have a try at helping you understand it.”
“You’re a nice guy, John,” she said gently. And he was. At the height of his sister’s intimidation, John had been on Maddie’s side.
He shrugged. “I’m the flower of my family.” His face hardened. “Even if she is my sister, Odalie makes me ashamed sometimes. I haven’t forgotten the things she did to you.”
“We all make mistakes when we’re young,” she faltered, trying to be fair.
“You have a gentle nature,” he observed. “Like Cort’s mother. And mine,” he added with a smile. “Mom can’t bear to see anything hurt. She cried for days when your father’s lawyer came over and told her and Dad what Odalie had done to you.”
“I know. She called me. Your dad did, too. They’re good people.”
“Odalie might be a better person if she had a few disadvantages,” John said coldly. “As things stand, she’ll give in to Cort’s persuasion one day and marry him. He’ll be in hell for the rest of his life. The only person she’s ever really loved is herself.”
“That’s harsh, John,” she chided gently.
“It’s the truth, Maddie.” He swung his pointing finger at her nose. “You’re like my mother…she’d find one nice thing to say about the devil.” He smiled. “I’m in the mood to do some tutoring today. But I require payment. Your great-aunt makes a mean cup of coffee, and I’m partial to French vanilla.”
“That’s my favorite.”
He chuckled. “Mine, too.” He went back to the car, opened the passenger seat, took out a big box and a bag. “So since I drink a lot of it, I brought my own.”
She caught her breath. It was one of those European coffee machines that used pods. Maddie had always wanted one, but the price was prohibitive.
“Sad thing is it only brews one cup at a time, but we’ll compensate.” He grinned. “So lead the way to the kitchen and I’ll show you how to use it.”
Two cups of mouthwatering coffee later, they were sitting in Maddie’s
