“What are you thinking?” Ed asked, eying him.
Colt pulled out a scoop of the grains and set it on the shelf next to the stall. “Dump this whole bin. Wash it out with soap and water real good before you put new food in it. Change over Rocco to nothing but oats and rice bran. Change out his water every two hours. Bag up some fresh manure and urine if you can collect it. Call the vet. I think someone poisoned Rocco and the other horses who got sick.”
“You don’t think it’s just some illness or a bad batch of grain?”
“That’s why I want the vet to check the stool, urine, and take some blood from Rocco. I want it all tested for poison. I’m going to send the food to the sheriff and have them test it, too.”
“Man, I suspected this was something more than an illness that needed to run its course, but I blew it off because I didn’t want to believe they’d hurt the animals. I mean, what does that change? Nothing. It’s senseless.”
“Just goes to show whoever did this has no conscience.” Colt shook his head, stared in at Rocco, read the discomfort and pain in the horse’s sad eyes, and swore. “We’ll get you better, buddy.” He turned back to Ed. “Throw out any food that’s open. Send someone to buy new stuff if any of the bags of grain even look like they’ve been opened or tampered with. I’ll call Deputy Foster and let him know we’re sending in a sample of the grain. Have one of the guys drive it down there.”
“On it.” Ed’s gaze fell to his boots. He shuffled his feet, then looked back up. “I’m sorry, Colt. I should have tossed out the food the minute I even suspected it caused the horses to get sick.”
“You thought they caught a bug. We all did. Maybe that’s what it is and I’m just being overly wary. Until we know for sure, we side with caution. Get Rocco started on that rice bran. Let’s see if we can’t clear his system. If you can’t get him to eat, see if you can entice him with some apples.” Colt studied the inside of the stables. “Until this is over and settled with the Travers family, let’s get someone to stay overnight in the stables and watch over the horses. I don’t want anyone sneaking in here, contaminating the food again.”
“On it.”
“I’m headed back up to the house to tell Luna about what we suspect. Let me know when the vet arrives. I’d like to be here while he examines Rocco. If Rocco gets any worse, I want to know about it.”
“You will. Please tell Luna I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about, Ed. You take real good care of these animals. Not your fault someone might have tried to hurt them.”
“Still, I don’t like all this seedy, underhanded business.”
“Neither do I.” Colt vowed to put a stop to it.
Chapter 24
Colt walked in the front door and shouted, “Luna!”
“In here,” she called from the office.
He turned right and walked through the entry and stood in the open office doorway, staring at the beautiful woman sitting behind the desk, a huge window behind her, the light making her dark hair shine. She held the phone to her ear with one hand and pecked at the laptop keyboard with the other.
“Okay, got it. Do you see that on your end?”
Colt moved closer, standing at the side of the desk. He looked down at the screen. The cursor moved and someone typed in several lines of code that looked completely alien to him. “Did you let someone into your computer?”
“Hold on,” Luna said to the person on her phone. “Hey, how’s Rocco?”
“I called the vet. You were right, he’s not getting better fast enough. I also ordered the guys to throw out all the open grains.”
“Why?”
“That’s all Ed’s been feeding Rocco.”
“You think the food is spoiled?”
“Tainted might be more accurate.”
Luna drew her lips into a tight line, anger flashing in her eyes. “I wouldn’t doubt it.”
He couldn’t believe she agreed so easily.
“Did you keep some of the food? I’d like to send it to be tested. There must be a lab or something that can tell us if someone put something in the food.”
“I kept a small amount. One of the guys will take it to the sheriff’s office and see if they can help us out.”
“Great. I’m almost done here.”
“What are you doing?”
Luna sighed. “Giving in to my suspicious nature.”
That didn’t really answer his question.
“Yes, Amal? Are we all set?” Luna listened, watching Amal type in several more lines of code, run it, and close out the screen. “Thank you. You’ll let me know if anything comes of this.”
Luna said her goodbye to Amal, her bank’s IT girl, who’d just put an alarm on Luna’s accounts, and stared up at him. “Why do you look like you’ve just run a mile?”
He swiped his hand across his brow. “Because I had to jack up my truck and change the tire.”
“What? Did you run over something?”
“One might think I ran over the nail and it started a slow leak. Judging by the angle, I’d say someone hammered it into the tire, but that’s just my guess, my own suspicious nature.”
“Probably Josh. He’s a menace.”
“I peg Simon for poisoning the horses.”
“I’ve got one or both of them for the rotten food, ruined carpet, and the load of horse shit.”
“But which of them is responsible for the dead rats? That’s the guy we need to worry about, because whoever would do something like that is dangerous.”
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me about that.” Luna tried to guess who did what, but really any one of them could have done any one thing. She didn’t believe only one person was responsible for all of it. It seemed they were all involved, even if they weren’t working together. “I think Aunt Bea is hiding something.”
“Yeah? You think Aunt Bea is hiding a mean streak and might pull a knife out of her overpriced handbag and go all gangland slaying on you?”
Luna wanted to laugh it off, but shook in her seat with a fake shiver instead. “It seems implausible that dignified, designer Aunt Bea would get her hands dirty, but she seems angry enough to push Simon and Josh to do these things.”
Colt didn’t look the least convinced. “I don’t know if we’ll ever know who did what. The cops can’t seem to pin anything on any of them.” He pinched the front of his shirt and pulled it out, peeling it from his wet skin. “We have to stay here for dinner. I’m all sweaty. I need a shower and a change of clothes, which I don’t have here.”
“Yes, you do.” She leaned over to check out his legs. “The jeans are clean. You’ll find that black thermal you left here the other night hanging in the closet along with a Led Zeppelin T-shirt you left on the bathroom floor the other morning. I washed both.”
“You did?”
“Now what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t pick up after my man and wash his clothes?” The irony in her voice made Colt smile.
“Well, since you did, that makes you the best girlfriend I’ve ever had.”
“Well, at least I stand out against the many.”
Colt didn’t miss the wry tone. He spun her chair so she faced him, then planted his hands on the armrests and leaned down close as she sank back into the chair and stared up at him. “You don’t compare to anyone, because I’ve never met anyone like you. Until you called yourself my girlfriend a moment ago, I never thought of you as that.”
“I’m sorry. That was presumptuous.”
“No it wasn’t. We’ve been sleeping together for weeks, sharing our lives together.” He pressed down on his hands then back up again, shaking her chair, frustrated she didn’t get it, and in fact had backtracked on the status of their relationship.
“I haven’t labeled you my girlfriend because you mean more to me than that. It doesn’t seem enough. Do you understand what I mean?” He really needed her to get it, because he was having a hard time putting it into words.
&nb
sp; Her hand came up and rested on his cheek. “Yes. I understand. We’ve woven our lives together so easily.” She held up her hand, palm up. He pressed his palm to hers and they linked fingers. She squeezed his hand. “Our lives have come together just like this. It works without us having to really try. I like being with you.”
“I like being here with you.” He stood in front of her, pulled a box out of his back pocket with his free hand, let loose the hand he held, and turned it over. He set the box on her palm. “I meant to give you this tonight at dinner, but it only seems right I give it to you right now.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “You bought me a present?”
“I’m not great at the present thing. Ask my brothers. But I saw this in a shop in town and thought of you.” He’d never bought a gift for a woman. Sure, he’d sent flowers, or bought them at the store and given them to a date. But a real gift. That meant something.
His gut tightened and his heart thrashed in his chest with anticipation of her opening the box. He wished she’d hurry up. He watched her face, hoping she’d like it.
The tears spilled over her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She pulled a bracelet from the box and held it up, draped over her fingers. The light blue stones sparkled in the light.
“They’re aquamarines. The same color as your eyes.”
“Colt, it’s beautiful. The butterflies are perfect.”
Each blue stone was separated by a sterling silver disk with a butterfly stamped into the metal.
“You like them, right? You’ve got the tattoo.”
“I love them. I love this. Thank you.”
“Okay, then stop crying.” He didn’t know what to do to make her stop. He hated seeing the tears even if she did seem happy about the gift.
He slipped the bracelet from her fingers, unhooked the catch, wrapped it around her wrist, and secured the clasp again. “You may think I have a wild, reckless heart, maybe I do, but all I know is, it belongs to you.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it.
Luna’s eyes shined and filled with emotion. She stood and walked past him, pulling him around to follow her by his hand. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a sexy grin. “You know we’re not going to dinner, right?”
“We’re not?”
“No. I have to thank you properly for my gift and those sweet words.”
“Oh, well, if you insist.”
She turned, grabbed him by the front of the shirt, kept walking backward, that sweet, seductive smile on her lips, dragging him down the hall to their room. “I do.”
He smiled back at her, enjoying seeing her this carefree and happy. If it took her mind off everything weighing her down, he’d bring her a gift every damn day.
“You still owe me that beer, you know?”
“I’ll pay up one day. Swear.”
“You keep saying that.”
They entered the bedroom. She backed up until her legs hit the bed. She fell backward, pulling him down on top of her by his shirt. They bounced on the mattress. She wrapped one arm around his neck. Her other hand rested on his face. She smiled up at him lying atop her. “First things first.” Her lips pressed to his, her tongue sliding along his bottom lip before slipping inside to slide along his. He kissed her back and lost himself in her flowery scent and sweet taste. By the time they tossed aside the last of their clothes, he was desperate to have her. Cradled between her thighs, he stared down into her sparkling blue eyes and thrust into her. Her body gripped his, and it was all he could do not to lose himself in her right then and there, but he held back the need gnawing at his insides and gave himself over to loving her as the sun sank outside and his heart brightened with the light she lit in him.
Her eyes fell closed as his body moved over hers and her nails bit into his back. Her face softened. The sigh she let loose when her body tightened around his rippled through him, calling him to join her in that blissful high. He followed eagerly, thrusting deep and letting go of everything but one thought. She’s mine.
He meant it in so many ways. His woman. His partner. The woman he wanted beside him to live and laugh and work and play.
They headed for the shower, where he took his time worshipping all those curves, which led them back to the bed, where he made love to her slow and easy into the night. They missed dinner and didn’t eat until they shared an omelet and coffee at the breakfast table, watching the sun come up over the trees.
“I gotta get back, but I’ll see you later tonight.”
“You better.”
He leaned down and kissed her long and soft, lingering over her lips, taking his time saying goodbye because he didn’t want to leave her.
She reached up and held her hand to his rough jaw. “Thank you, Colt. For my gift. Last night. You being here with me.”
The sweet sentiment in her eyes touched him. “I love being here with you.” He took her hand and kissed her palm, then held her hand to his chest over his heart. “Let’s talk tonight about me, you, this place, my place, and the fact I hate leaving you each morning.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“Me either. I’d like to apply for Toby’s job if one of the others hasn’t already talked to you about taking his place.”
“They all talk about you taking his place.”
“What?” Surprised, he stood and held her hand in front of him. “You’re serious.”
“You are the most qualified. You’ve been running a ranch since you were a kid.”
“Rory runs that place.”
She tilted her head and eyed him.
“Okay, well, we run it together,” he amended.
“You could run that place on your own with your eyes closed. You three are interchangeable at that place. You each have your strengths, but you can do anything on that spread.”
“I guess. But doesn’t Rich or Artie or Ed want to move up into Toby’s position?”
“I talked to each of them about it privately. They’re all happy doing what they’re doing and don’t want the responsibility of taking on overseeing the whole operation. It’s a big job. While they’re all experts at their own areas, none of them knows enough about all the ranch businesses to oversee it the way Toby has all these years with Wayne. So, if you’re interested, I can give you a glowing recommendation to the owner. Toby will back you, too. She’s tough though. She wants the right person. Someone who’s in it for the long haul.”
“So, a lifetime kind of thing, is that it?”
All joking aside, she turned serious. “Think about it, Colt. I’m not playing around with this place. It’s not a phase, or some hobby. I’m dedicated to being the caretaker of this ranch for the rest of my life. It’s business. I’m learning, but I need someone I can rely on and trust. Someone who wants to build their life here, too. Our relationship may complicate your decision and whether you really want to work here or not. I don’t need someone for a few months or a couple of years. I need someone who’s in it for the long haul, good times and bad.
“If things don’t work out for us . . . working together may not be wise if you’re not sure.”
“I just don’t want to be one more person in your life who you think only wants something from you.”
“I don’t believe that’s true. Not at all.” Her gaze fell away, but she mustered her courage and looked back at him. “I am concerned that while this place will always appeal to you, I may not.”
He tried to reassure her, but she held up a hand to stop him before he said a word.
“Things are great right now, but let’s face it, you’ve never had a meaningful long-term relationship. Neither have I really, if you consider that my relationship with Billy was built on a lot of wishful thinking and not a lot of reality.
“Take your time to think about what I’m offering, considering the fact there’s a lot at stake. It’s a big change for you, leaving your family ranch to work here, taking on a hell of a lot more responsibility.”
“If you do
n’t think I’m up to it—”
“I think you’d be fantastic at it. I think you want it but you’re afraid to ask for it. Maybe you even think it’s more than you can handle. I don’t believe that. I believe in you. I trust you. I guess you have to decide if you’re ready to change your whole life to take it.”
Chapter 25
Colt stood on the porch of Sadie’s old house next to her and Rory. Their grandfather stood next to him. Ford should arrive any moment for his surprise, but all Colt thought about was the conversation he had with Luna. Like everything in life, he felt as if he stood at a fork in the road. Make one decision, his life went one way. Make another and it went down the other path. Which one did he want?
“You got home a little later than usual this morning,” Sadie commented, breaking up the silence.
“Luna and I got caught up in a talk about something.” Their conversation played on repeat in his head.
“Everything all right?” His grandfather turned to him.
“Fine. She offered me the ranch manager job. Toby’s leaving next month.”
“What?” Rory eyed him, giving Colt no sense of how he really felt about the news. “You didn’t tell me you were thinking of leaving the ranch to work for her.”
The guilt rose up in Colt. He hated to betray his brother and all he’d done for Colt since their parents died.
“When she inherited the ranch and I found out Toby wanted to retire, I considered it, but dismissed it when things between Luna and me got more serious, complicating things.”
“Well, I’d say it’s damn serious if you’re thinking of working for her,” Rory commented.
Sadie remained conspicuously quiet.
Colt sucked it up and spit out the truth, because he owed that much to Rory and a hell of a lot more he couldn’t repay. He could at least be straight and hope Rory understood. “I’m not thinking about it—I’m taking the job. I hope I figure out a way to keep it and her, because I wouldn’t be able to work there and see her, knowing I fucked it all up.”
Her Renegade Rancher EPB Page 22
