for you.”
He looked up. “Ma’am?”
“My name is Jamie, by the way. Are there any other dude ranches in the area?”
“Nope. This is the first. Only been open a week so we haven’t seen many visitors yet. Heard they’re taking on people clear through the fall, though.”
From behind her, Avery muttered a curse.
Jamie jumped because she hadn’t realized he’d been standing near the compact’s bumper.
“Don’t mind him. He just don’t like strangers.” Billy shot the man a look of disgust. “Pretty sorry thing when I gotta remind my elder to mind his manners.”
“No good is gonna come of that dude ranch business, I tell ya,” Avery grumbled. “This is cattle country. Always was, always will be. We’ve had hard times before and we rode it out. You youngsters are too damn impatient.” He spat again and then ambled toward a dusty dark green pickup.
Shaking his head, Billy pulled the nozzle out of the tank and returned it to the pump. “He’s not the only one upset with the McAllisters.” He took a rag from his back pocket and wiped his hands. “That’ll be nine dollars even.”
“Why?” Jamie passed him a ten, motioned for him to keep the change.
He blinked, not looking eager to volunteer more information. Finally shrugging, he said, “Some folks feel like Avery. They don’t want outsiders poking around. The other half hopes it’ll bring business to the town and no more stores will have to shut down.”
She gave him a reassuring smile. “Everyone is having problems. I travel for a living and it’s not pretty out there.”
“Yeah, I know, but the McAllisters … they’re like … let’s just say everyone was kinda shocked when Cole had to turn away help.” Billy chuckled. “Though not as shocked as when they found out Rachel had talked him into the dude ranch.”
“Rachel … the sister, right?”
Billy’s smile faded, and he flushed. “I shouldn’t be talkin’ about the McAllisters,” he mumbled. “They’re good people. The best.” He backed away. “You have a nice time over there.”
“I will.” She smiled, then pulled back onto the highway.
She found the sign to Blackfoot Falls with no problem and turned onto the road, which after a couple of miles went from rutting pavement to rough gravel. Obviously the dude ranch idea was a recent one or they might have done something about this road. She didn’t care, though, especially when she saw the overhead iron sign strung between two poles, announcing the Sundance.
Jamie turned onto yet another gravel road, and the spectacular view of the Rockies in the background nearly stole her breath. Knowing she was on the right track, she looked her fill. Within minutes she saw a group of buildings, several trucks … As she got closer, she noticed three women, one of them wearing a pink sundress, laughing with a couple of cowboys.
She squinted to see if she recognized any of the brothers, but it was dusty and her gaze got caught on the sprawling house itself. It was beautiful, huge and looked exactly like the pictures in the online brochure. But it was the tall, lean cowboy standing near the porch that had her heart doing a cartwheel.
3
“I THINK IT’S HER because everyone else booked in pairs,” Rachel said, trying to look casual as the small red Ford nosed its way toward the house. She elbowed Cole in the ribs. “So don’t be rude.”
Cole glanced at his sister. “When have you ever known me to be rude?”
“At the harvest dance five years ago when Maggie Johnson pinched your ass.”
“That was self-defense.”
Rachel chuckled. “She thought she was going to marry you.”
“Where the hell did she get that idea?” He tugged down the rim of his hat so he could look without the lady knowing he was eyeing her. No sense her getting any wrong ideas right out of the chute. Only natural he was curious. Quite an assortment of young ladies had been parading around the ranch for the past week. Some real pretty, but most of them kind of silly.
“Mmm, might have been me.”
He turned from watching the Daniels woman park her car and stared at his sister. “You better be joking.”
“We were fourteen when I told her that. She should’ve gotten over it by then and married Paul Haas,” Rachel muttered, and walked toward the car.
Cole stayed where he was, able to get only a vague glimpse of the new guest through her car’s tinted-glass windows. The driver’s door opened, and she climbed out, the sun catching the gold in her tawny hair, which was pulled back into a ponytail.
The open door blocked a good part of his view as she shook hands with Rachel. She matched his sister’s height of about five-five, and he could see the woman had a pleasing profile and the good sense to wear jeans. Boots, too, worn ones—not the impractical high-heeled pointy kind so many of the guests had shown up wearing.
Rachel indicated the parking area on the east side of the barn, and the woman lifted her hand to shade her eyes. No flash of some god-awful color on her fingernails. Already she’d risen in his esteem, but that didn’t mean he’d offer more than this meet-and-greet. He’d made it clear from the get-go. The dude ranch was Rachel’s baby. He had better things to do.
Stepping away from the car, Rachel waved him over. His reluctance ebbed when she motioned to the trunk and he realized she wanted his help carrying in luggage. Adjusting his hat, he strolled over, wishing he’d changed his dusty blue work shirt. He almost stumbled at the errant thought. Hell, he’d insisted Rachel advertise the place as a working ranch and since he seemed to be the only person at the Sundance paying more attention to the cattle than the females, he wasn’t about to put on airs.
“Jamie, this is my brother, Cole. He’s the oldest, a bit ornery and stubborn, but a real nice guy when you get to know him.”
Cole tightened his jaw, did his fair best not to react. But he and sis needed to have another little talk. Though Rachel’s light laugh said she already knew she’d irritated him.
Their new guest laughed, too. “I don’t have any brothers but I’m guessing you just earned yourself an earful.” She offered him her hand just as she had done with Rachel. “I’m Jamie Daniels, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you, Cole McAllister.”
That wouldn’t happen. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” He touched the brim of his hat, then pressed his palm to hers, which was soft and small while his was rough and callused.
She held on a few seconds longer than he expected. “Did you know that in ancient times men shook hands to show they weren’t hiding a weapon?” Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. She let go, lifted her hands, palms out, and glanced down at herself. “Not carrying, promise, no need to call me ma’am.”
Cole blinked; that was the best he could do to keep from staring at the tempting swell of her breasts, the small waist, flat belly, the way her hips curved out enough
