by Cat Schield
Tomorrow when she took Maggie to the barn to visit Liam, she needed to keep a handle on her emotions. Liam was a persuasive salesman. He would have her butt in a saddle before she knew what was happening. Hadley shook her head, bemused and unable to comprehend why he was so determined to revive her interest in horses.
Could it be that his own passion was so strong that he wanted everyone to share in what he enjoyed? Hadley made a mental note to feel Candace out on the subject tomorrow. That settled, she picked up the book she’d been reading and settled back into the story.
A half hour later, Liam appeared in the doorway. He’d donned a warm jacket and was holding his hat.
“I have to head back to the barn. One of the yearlings got cut up in the paddock today and I need to go check on him.” Liam’s bright green gaze swept over her before settling on Maggie snuggled in her arms. “You two going to be okay in the house by yourselves?”
Hadley had to smile at his earnest concern. “I think we’ll be fine.”
“It occurs to me that I’ve been taking advantage of you.” His words recalled their early morning encounter, and Hadley’s pulse accelerated.
“How so?” she replied, as calmly as her jittery nerves allowed.
“You haven’t had any time off since that first night, and I don’t think you were gone more than five hours today.”
“I don’t mind. Maggie isn’t a lot of trouble when she’s sleeping, and she does a lot of that. I’ve been catching up on my reading. I don’t have a lot of time for that when I’m in school. Although, I do have my last candle-making class at Priceless tomorrow. We’re working with molds. I’d like to make it to that.”
“Of course.”
Almost as soon as Liam left the old Victorian, Hadley wished him back. Swaddled tight in a blanket, Maggie slept contentedly while Hadley paced from parlor to den to library to kitchen and listened to the wind howl outside. The mournful wail made her shiver, but she was too restless to snuggle on the couch in the den and let the television drown out the forlorn sounds.
Although she hadn’t shared an apartment in five years, she never thought of herself as lonely. Something about living in town and knowing there was a coffee shop, library or restaurant within walking distance of her apartment was reassuring. Out here, half an hour from town, being on her own in this big old house wasn’t the least bit comfortable.
Or maybe she just wanted Liam to come back.
Five
Promptly at ten o’clock the next morning, Hadley parked her SUV in front of the barn’s grand entrance and shut off the engine. She’d presumed the Wade Ranch setup would be impressive, but she’d underestimated the cleverness of whoever had designed the entry. During warmer months, the grass on either side of the flagstone walkway would be a welcoming green. Large pots filled with Christmas boughs flanked the glass double doors. If Hadley hadn’t been told she was about to enter a barn, she would have mistaken her destination for a showcase mansion.
Icy wind probed beneath the hem of Hadley’s warm coat and pinched her cheeks when she emerged from the vehicle’s warmth and fetched Maggie from the backseat. Secure in her carrier, a blanket over the retractable hood to protect her from the elements, the infant wouldn’t feel the effects of the chilly air, but Hadley rushed to the barn anyway.
Slipping through the door, Hadley found herself in a forty-foot-long rectangular room with windows running the length of the space on both sides. To her right she glimpsed an indoor arena, empty at the moment. On her left, the windows overlooked a stretch of grass broken up into three paddock areas where a half-dozen horses grazed. That side of the room held a wet bar, a refrigerator and a few bar stools.
On the far end of the lounge, a brown leather couch flanked by two matching chairs formed a seating area in front of the floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace. Beside it was a doorway that Hadley guessed led to the ranch offices.
Her rubber-soled shoes made no sound on the dark wood floor, and she was glad. The room’s peaked ceiling magnified even the slightest noise. She imagined when a group gathered here the volume could rattle the windows.
A woman in her early fifties appeared while Hadley was gawking at the wrought iron chandeliers. They had a Western feel without being cliché. In fact, the whole room was masculine, rugged, but at the same time had an expensive vibe that Hadley knew would appeal to a clientele accustomed to the finer things.
“Hello. You must be Hadley.” The woman extended her hand and Hadley grasped it. “I’m Ivy. Liam told me you’d be coming today.”
“Nice to meet you.” Hadley set the baby carrier on the table in the center of the room and swept the blanket away. “And this is Maggie.”
“She’s beautiful.” Ivy peered at the baby, who yawned expansively. “Liam talks about her nonstop.”
“I imagine he does. Having her around has been a huge change for him.” Hadley unfastened the straps holding the baby in the carrier and lifted her out. Maggie screwed up her face and made the cranky sounds that were a warm-up for all-out wailing. “She didn’t eat very well this morning, so she’s probably hungry. Would you hold her for me while I get her bottle ready?”
“I’d be happy to.” Ivy didn’t hesitate to snuggle Maggie despite the infant’s increasing distress. “Liam has been worthless since this little one appeared on his doorstep.”
Hadley had filled a bottle with premeasured powdered formula and now added warm water from the thermos she carried. “I think discovering he’s a father has thrown him for a loop, but he’s doing a fantastic job with Maggie.”
“You think he’s Maggie’s father?”
Something about Ivy’s neutral voice and the way she asked her question caught Hadley’s attention. “Of course. Why else would Maggie’s grandmother have brought her here?” She shook Maggie’s bottle to mix the formula and water.
“It’s not like Liam to be so careless. May I?” Ivy indicated the bottle Hadley held. “With someone as good-looking and wealthy as Liam, if he wasn’t careful, a girl would have figured out how to trap him before this.”
“You think Kyle is Maggie’s father?”
“That would be my guess.”
“But I thought he was based on the East Coast and never came home. Candace told me Maggie’s mom was from San Antonio.”
Hadley was uncomfortable gossiping about her employer, but reminded herself that Ivy was his family and she’d asked a direct question.
Ivy smiled down at the baby. “She’s Kyle’s daughter. I’m sure of it.”
Any further comment Hadley might have made was forestalled by Liam’s arrival. His cheeks were reddened by cold, and he carried a chill on his clothes. Hadley’s pulse tripped as his penetrating gaze slid over her. The brief look was far from sexual, yet her body awakened as if he’d caressed her.
“Here are my girls,” he said, stopping between Ivy and Hadley. After greeting Maggie with a knuckle to her soft cheek, he shifted his attention to Hadley. “Sorry I wasn’t here to greet you, but I was delayed on a call. What do you think of the place so far?”
“Impressive.” Warmth poured through her at the inconsequential brush of his arm against hers. “I never expected a ranch to have a barn like this.” She indicated the stone fireplace and the windows that overlooked the arena. Staring around the large lounge kept her gaze from lingering on Liam’s infectious grin and admiring the breadth of his shoulders encased in a rugged brown work jacket.
“It’s been a work in progress for a while.” He winked at Ivy, who rolled her eyes at him.
The obvious affection between the cousins didn’t surprise Hadley. Liam had an easy charisma that tranquilized those around him. She’d wager that Liam had never once had to enforce an order he’d given. Why bully when charm got the job done faster and easier?
“I imagine a setup like this takes years
to build.”
“And a lot of convincing the old man,” Ivy put in. “Calvin was old-school when it came to horses. He bred and sold quality horses for ranch work. And then this one came along with his love of reining and his big ideas about turning Wade Ranch into a breeding farm.”
Liam tossed one of Maggie’s burp rags on his shoulder and eased the infant out of Ivy’s arms. “And it worked out pretty well,” he said, setting the baby on his shoulder. “Come on, let’s go introduce this little lady around.”
With Liam leading the way through the offices, his smile broad, every inch the proud parent, he introduced Hadley to two sales associates, the breeding coordinator, the barn manager and a girl who helped Ivy three mornings a week.
Hadley expected that her role as Maggie’s nanny would relegate her to the background, but Liam made her an active part of the conversation. He further startled her by bringing up her former successes at barrel racing and in the show ring. She’d forgotten how small the horse business could be when one of the salespeople, Poppy Gertz, confessed to rejoicing when Hadley had retired.
“Do you still compete?” Hadley questioned, already anticipating what the answer would be.
“Every chance I get.” The brunette was in her midthirties with the steady eye and swagger of a winner. “Thinking about getting back into the game?”
At Hadley’s head shake, Poppy’s posture relaxed.
“We’re going to get her into reining,” Liam said, shifting Maggie so she faced forward.
Hadley shook her head. “I’m going to finish getting my masters and find a job as a guidance counselor.” She reached out for the infant, but Liam turned away.
“Maggie and I are going to check out some horses.” His easy smile was meant to lure her after them. “Why don’t you join us.” It was a command pitched as a suggestion.
Dutifully she did as he wanted. And in truth, it wasn’t a hardship. In fact, her heartbeat increased at the opportunity to see what Wade Ranch had to offer. She’d done a little reading up about Liam and the ranch on the internet and wasn’t surprised at the quality of the horses coming out of Liam’s program.
They started with the stallions, since their barn was right outside the barn lounge. While Liam spoke in depth about each horse, Hadley let her thoughts drift. She’d already done her research and was far more interested in the way her body resonated with the deep, rich tone of Liam’s voice. He paused in front of one stall and opened the door.
“This is WR Dakota Blue.” Pride shone in Liam’s voice and body language.
“He’s beautiful,” Hadley murmured.
The stallion stepped up to the door and nuzzled Liam’s arm, nostrils flaring as he caught Maggie’s scent. An infant her age couldn’t clearly see objects more than eight to ten inches away, so Hadley had to wonder what Maggie made of the stallion.
“She isn’t crying,” Liam said as the horse lipped at Maggie’s blanket. “I guess that’s a good sign.”
“I don’t think she knows what to make of him.”
“He likes her.”
The stallion’s gentleness and curiosity reminded her a lot of how Liam had first approached Maggie. Watching horse and owner interact with the infant, something unlocked inside Hadley. The abrupt release of the constriction left her reeling. How long had she been binding her emotions? Probably since she’d shouldered a portion of responsibility for Anna’s accident.
“Hadley?” Liam’s low voice brought her back to the present. He’d closed the door to the stallion’s stall and stood regarding her with concern. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I was just thinking how lucky Maggie is to grow up in this world of horses.” And she meant that with all her heart. As a kid Hadley had been such a nut about horses. She would have moved into the barn if her parents let her.
“I hope she agrees with you. My brother doesn’t share my love of horses.” Liam turned from the stall, and they continued down the aisle. “You miss it, don’t you?”
What was the point in denying it? “I didn’t think I did until I came to Wade Ranch. Horses were everything until I went off to college. I was remembering how much I missed riding and what I did to cope.”
“What did you do?”
“I focused on the future, on the career I would have once I finished school.”
“I’m not sure I could give up what I do.”
Hadley shrugged. “You’ve never had to.” She considered his expression as he guided her through the doors that led into the arena and wondered what it would be like to be him, to never give up something because of circumstances. “Have you ever considered what would happen if you lost Wade Ranch?”
His grin was a cocky masterpiece. “I’d start over somewhere else.”
And that summed up the differences between them. Hadley let life’s disappointments batter her. Liam shrugged off the hits and lived to fight another day. Which is exactly what drew her to him. She admired his confidence. His swagger. What if she hadn’t let guilt overwhelm her after Anna’s accident? What if she’d stood up to her parents about selling Lolita and changed her major when she realized teaching wasn’t her cup of tea?
“I wish I’d gotten to know you better back when I was racing barrels,” she said, letting him guide her toward a narrow wooden observation deck that ran the length of the arena.
He handed over Maggie. “You could have if you hadn’t disappeared after my advice helped you win the sweepstakes. You were supposed to thank me by taking me to dinner.”
“I thought you were kidding about that.” Only she hadn’t. She’d been thrilled that he’d wanted to go out with her. But Anna’s accident had happened before she had the chance to find out if his interest in her was real. “Besides, I wasn’t your type.”
“What sort of type was that?”
She fussed with Maggie’s sweater and didn’t look at him. “Experienced.”
* * *
Liam took the hit without an outward flinch. Inside he raged with frustration. “I’m not sure any woman has a worse opinion of me than you do.” It was an effort to keep his voice neutral.
“My opinion isn’t bad. It’s realistic. And I don’t know why you’d care.”
Women didn’t usually judge him. He was the fun guy to have around. Uncomplicated. Charming. With expensive taste and a willing attitude. But Hadley wanted more than an amiable companion who took her to spendy restaurants and exclusive clubs. Glib phrases and seduction wouldn’t work on her. He’d have to demonstrate substance, and Liam wasn’t sure how to go about that.
“I care because I like you.” He paused a beat before adding, “And I want you to like me.”
Without waiting to see her reaction, he strode across the arena toward the horse being led in by one of the grooms. He’d selected four young horses to show Hadley in the hopes of enticing her to get back in the saddle. Why it was so important to see her ride again eluded him. As always he was just going with his gut.
Liam swung up into the saddle and walked the gelding toward the raised viewing deck. “This is a Blue son. Cielo is three. I think he has a great future in reining. At the moment I personally own eight horses and I need to pare that down to five. I’m going to put him and three others through their paces, and I want you to tell me which you think I should keep and which should go.”
Hadley looked appalled. “You can’t ask me to do that. I’m no judge.”
“When I’m done riding all four you will tell me what you think of each.” He bared his teeth at her in a challenging smile. “I value your opinion.”
He then spent ten minutes working Cielo through his paces all the while staying aware of Hadley’s body language and expression. With Maggie asleep in her arms, Hadley had never looked so beautiful, and Liam had a hard time concentrating on his mounts. After he rode all four horses, he ha
d a special one brought out.
“You might recognize Electric Slide from his video.”
Hadley’s color was high and her eyes were dancing with delight, but her smile dimmed as he approached with the colt her former mare had produced. “I can’t get over how much he looks like his mother.”
“Want to give him a try?”
She shook her head. “It’s been too long since I’ve ridden, and I’m not dressed for it.”
He recognized a lame excuse when he heard one. She’d worn jeans and boots to the barn and didn’t want to admit the real reason for her reluctance.
“Next time.” Liam swung into the saddle and pivoted the colt away.
Disappointment roared through him, unfamiliar and unpleasant. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d invested so much in a project only to have it fall flat. Was that because he didn’t throw himself wholly into anything, or because he rarely failed at things he did? His grandfather would say that if he was consistently successful, he wasn’t challenging himself.
Isn’t that why he’d quit dating a year ago and refocused on Wade Ranch? He’d grown complacent. The horse business was growing at a steady pace. He enjoyed the companionship of several beautiful women. And he was bored.
Liam’s mind was only half on what he was doing as he rode Electric Slide. The pleasure had gone out of the exhibition after Hadley turned down a chance to ride. After a little while, he handed the colt off and strode across the arena toward her.
“It’s almost noon,” he said. “Let’s go back to the house and you can tell me which horses I should keep over lunch.”
“Sure.”
* * *
As they ate bowls of beef stew and crusty French bread, Hadley spelled out her take on each of the horses he’d shown her.
“Cielo is a keeper. But I don’t think you’d part with him no matter what anyone said to you.”
“You’re probably right.” He missed talking horses with someone. Since his grandfather died, Liam hadn’t had anyone to share his passion with. “What did you think of the bay filly?”
