knees almost gave way as she lowered herself into a chair across the desk from him. A folder lay open on top. Even upside down she recognized the request-for-loan document she’d painstakingly filled out. Behind it would be her business plan and a personal plea. Her family’s business, Ryder Ranch, had been the bank’s first customer a hundred years ago. The relationship had held steady through the economic ups and downs of cattle ranching. That should mean something.
“So, you’re the last college graduate of your family. That’s quite an accomplishment,” Mr. Campbell said.
“Our parents were uncompromising,” she said with a smile.
“But you majored in farm management, even though the family business is cattle ranching.”
“There wouldn’t have been room for me at the ranch, not in any position of consequence.” She tried not to fidget but she really wanted to end the small talk and get on with her life.
“I can see how anxious you are,” Mr. Campbell said, “so I won’t make you wait. The loan committee denied your request. I’m sorry.”
She felt as if she’d plunged headlong into a wind tunnel. She saw his mouth moving but couldn’t hear the words over the roar in her head. Denied. She’d been counting on—
“I wish I could refer you to someone else, Jenny, but I doubt you’ll find a bank willing to give a novice a loan. Unless, of course, your father will cosign, but you indicated you didn’t want to ask him. Without collateral and a great deal of experience in the field, no one will want to take that kind of risk. You don’t even have an income.”
Technically she had collateral. She just couldn’t use it. “If I got the loan, I’d have a job,” she said, trying to smile. Keeping a tight rein on her emotions, she shook his hand before she escaped. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Campbell. I appreciate it.”
“Wish I had a different answer for you.”
“Me, too.”
Thirty seconds later she was headed out of town, going nowhere in particular. Just going.
* * *
Win Morgan had heard Jenny Ryder was coming home. He’d checked her college’s website for the date of her graduation ceremony—June eighth—and figured she’d be back this week, but he hadn’t expected to see her right away.
But there she was, almost burning rubber as she took the main road out of town in her fuel-efficient car, which stuck out like a sore thumb among the abundance of pickup trucks.
Win grimaced as she swerved to avoid a truck pulling away from the curb, but it didn’t slow her down. She was upset. Or mad.
Or afraid of something?
She’d always been a little high-strung and a lot stubborn, but four years of college should’ve settled her some, matured her.
Worried, he got into his truck and followed. He had something important to tell her, had already waited too long to do so. Now was as good a time as any—especially since calling on her at Ryder Ranch was impossible. He was a Morgan, after all, and therefore from the enemy camp, their families rival cattle ranchers for more than 150 years.
A light rain started splattering his windshield as Win scouted the land for signs of her. Hay fields claimed most of the area, except for a grove of trees way off in the distance, at river’s edge. Would she have gone there? It seemed unlikely, but there wasn’t anywhere else. She would’ve been kicking up dust if it hadn’t been sprinkling, which lessened his odds of tracking her.
As he neared the grove, he spotted her fire-engine-red car headfirst in a ditch. Panic struck, then he saw her pop up and start kicking a tire again and again. “I work hard,” she shouted. “Harder than any man.”
Her feet went out from under her. She landed with a thud, yelling “Ouch!” then adding a few expletives for good measure.
He made his way toward the ditch. If she’d seen him, she hadn’t given any indication of it. “You okay?”
Her eyes went wide. Then she curled her arms over her face and laughed, the tone more manic than humorous. “Great. This is just great. The worst moment of my life, and you’re the one who witnesses it. My luck runneth over.”
He crouched next to her, eyeing her for injuries. “Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride. And my car.” She waved a hand toward the offending vehicle.
Apparently she was blaming the car, not the operator, for the accident. “Why were you driving like a bat outta hell?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Her shoulders slumped.
He’d rather see her mad than defeated, so he strode away. He heard her scramble to her feet.
“Wait. Please, Win. What about my car?” She hurried after him.
“I’m sure any of your big brothers or your father will come to your rescue.” He turned and walked backward, then snapped his fingers. “Oh, yeah. No cell service out here. Well, good luck with that, princess.”
She plunked her fists on her hips. Good. He’d made her mad. She was back to being Jenny.
“You must own a satellite phone,” she said.
“Must I?” He hadn’t imagined wanting her still, not after all this time. The shock of it burst inside him, sending need and pain through every cell, every nerve. He had to fight the desire that had never died.
“Did you follow me?” she asked, narrowing her gaze at him, brushing the rain from her face.
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“About what?”
He hesitated. They were already taking one secret to their graves. He couldn’t hold tight to his bigger secret, one that affected her, too. Still, he didn’t know if he could tell her now. They were both too charged up, even if for different reasons....
Coward.
Damn straight.
“You cut your hair,” he said.
She touched it but said nothing as they faced each other like duelists. Then the rain stopped being just a sprinkle and turned into a torrent. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him to his truck. The same truck in which they’d slept together for the first time four years ago. How the hell was he supposed to chase that image away?
“Do you have a towel or something?” Jenny asked, shoving her dripping hair from her face and plucking at her white blouse.
A blue bandanna landed in her lap.
“That’s all I have. Sorry.”
Jenny used it on her face. It smelled like him. Even after all these years, she remembered how he smelled. Tasted. Felt. His brown eyes and hair might be considered ordinary, but there was nothing ordinary about him. He was drop-dead gorgeous, and all man.
And the attraction was
