temporary plan, including the fact that “improvements,” as May called them, were allowed.
“I don’t get it,” Charlie said. “Why would May Stryker want to pay for stuff at a ranch she might not own?”
“I think she’s pretty confident in the outcome,” Heidi admitted, trying not to wince as she thought about losing her home. “I tell myself the good news is May is a sweetie, and at least Glen isn’t in jail.”
“Why is she so hot for the ranch?” Annabelle asked. “Why not buy something somewhere else?”
“They used to live here,” Nevada told them. “It was a long time ago. I was a kid, and I don’t think any of the Stryker boys were in my class. I think the youngest boy, Clay, was a year older.” She wrinkled her forehead in thought. “There’s a baby sister, too. I don’t remember much about her. What I do remember is that the family was dirt poor. I mean going-without-food poor. My mom wanted to send over clothes my brothers had worn, but by the time they’d worked their way through all three of them, there wasn’t much left in them. She did take over food, though. And toys. The town kind of adopted the family.”
Heidi couldn’t imagine the very proud Rafe accepting charity from anyone. “That must have been difficult for all of them. In court, they said that the old man who owned the ranch promised it to May when he died. But he left it to distant relatives instead. Now she’s been cheated out of the place twice.”
Nevada gave Heidi a quick hug. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Glen did. I know he was trying to help a friend, but now you’ve put yourself on the line for him. You’ll get through this and we’ll be right here with you. Tell us how we can help.”
Heidi appreciated the assumption that they would simply do what had to be done and the problem would be fixed. It was one of the many reasons she loved Fool’s Gold and why she would fight for her home. The fact that Rafe and his mother had more resources wasn’t going to matter. She had heart on her side.
“My attorney wants me to sleep with him,” she admitted, then downed her extra shot. The tequila burned a pleasant path to her stomach. When she swallowed, she saw all three women staring at her.
“Did she say why?” Charlie asked.
“She thought it would soften him up toward me.”
Charlie raised her eyebrows. “If you’re softening him up, you’re doing it wrong.”
The four women looked at each other and then burst into laughter.
When she’d caught her breath, Annabelle sagged back in her seat. “You must be really good. I can’t see anyone paying two hundred fifty thousand dollars to have sex with me.”
“Do you have a price you’re comfortable with?” Charlie asked Annabelle.
“I don’t know. Maybe a couple of thousand. Of course, if you started an affair, and added up the number of times you did it…” She stopped talking. “What?”
Nevada cleared her throat. “I think Heidi’s attorney was speaking in more metaphorical terms. That if Heidi slept with Rafe, he might forgive the debt. I doubt she was suggesting a sexual installment plan.”
“Oh.” Annabelle flushed. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine,” Heidi said, grinning. “But Charlie’s right. You have it bad. You need to find a man.”
“Show me a good one who’s interested and I’m so there. Or not. It probably wouldn’t go well. But back to the issue at hand. Maybe we should find Rafe a woman. Distract him. He would be so busy falling in love that he would forget to be mean to Heidi.”
“It’s not a bad idea,” Charlie murmured.
Jo returned with plates of food. Heidi was already feeling a pleasant buzz. But she knew the danger of drinking on an empty stomach, so she picked up a chip and dug it into the guacamole.
“Who are you thinking of sacrificing?” Nevada asked, reaching for the nachos.
“You make the most sense,” Charlie said.
Heidi paused in the act of dipping a second chip into salsa, then realized Charlie was looking at her. In fact, they all were.
“What? No. Not me.”
“You’re there,” Nevada pointed out. “The two of you will be spending time together on the ranch.”
“He hates me. He looks at me with contempt. He’s some big-city rich guy. I loathe that type. He thinks he’s better than everyone else.”
“Maybe on the surface,” Annabelle said, “but if he grew up poor, it may just be a facade. Maybe you could find out about the real man lurking beneath.”
“You make him sound like a sea monster.”
Annabelle grinned. “I’m saying it’s worth a shot. What have you got to lose? The guy is hot.”
“Okay, sure. Ruggedly handsome with broad shoulders,” Heidi said.
“Don’t forget his ass,” Charlie told her. “I’ve seen him walking around town. Very nice.”
“It would be for a good cause,” Nevada added.
“Sleeping with the enemy? Wasn’t that a movie and didn’t it end badly?” Heidi asked.
Annabelle grinned. “Only for the guy. He’ll be overwhelmed by your charms.”
“I don’t have any charms. If I did, they got lost in the move. Rafe isn’t going to fall for me. I’m not his type. He’s certainly not mine. I just need to get through this transition without making things worse. And coming on to him would definitely be worse.”
She also needed to figure out how to earn two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to pay May back, but that wasn’t anything she was going to discuss with her friends. Comfort was one thing, pity was another.
“You really could seduce him if you wanted,” Annabelle said. Nevada and Charlie both nodded in agreement.
Heidi clutched her margarita in both hands and laughed. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, however misplaced.” She raised her glass. “To the best friends ever.”
* * *
THANKS TO SEVERAL GLASSES of water, aspirin and her grandfather’s secret remedy, Heidi woke the next morning feeling perfectly fine. No headache, no upset stomach. Maybe she should forget about goat cheese and sell his formula instead.
After working her way through her usual chores, she headed for the barn. Last night, Charlie had mentioned she wouldn’t be able to make it to the ranch for a couple of days. That meant Mason, Charlie’s big gelding, would need to be exercised. Hardly a chore, Heidi thought, anticipating a ride in the cool but sunny April day. She could take Mason out for a couple of hours and still be home in time for lunch. Later, she would take Kermit, their other boarder, on his ride.
“Hard work but someone has to do it,” she murmured happily to herself as she pulled on riding boots. She slathered on sunscreen, picked up a cowboy
