by BA Tortuga
“Yes, ma’am.” He followed her to the kitchen, allowing himself a little happy dance when she wasn’t looking. Okay, he didn’t have the job, but damn it, he was doing better than those other hundred, he’d bet.
Kindness first, right? Even if she chose someone else, she’d remember that he wasn’t a dick.
“Have a sit, son. Do you want coffee or a Coke? I have Sprite, Coke Zero, and Dr Pepper. Oh, and iced tea.”
“Coffee please, ma’am. What can I do to help?”
“There’s a plate of cookies on top of the fridge. I have Great Danes, so I have to keep them high.”
“Oh? I didn’t see any dogs. Such pretty animals, Danes.”
“They’re just babies. Eighteen months old. A pair of harlequins.”
“Oh wow. I’m guessing they’re kenneled today?” He pulled down the cookies, which had a towel on them that he didn’t want to lift off and get in trouble.
“Yes. I didn’t want them cooped up all day while I was dealing with this for my nephew.”
He blinked. “Can you tell me a little about who owns the ranch?” He thought that was a real diplomatic way to ask. He’d watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to do interviews.
“My sister married an Italian count and gave her part of the ranch to her son. He comes in to play cowboy now and again, but I need someone to run the day-to-day operations. Livestock, haying—what have you.”
“Oh, I see.” He didn’t. Bonner couldn’t imagine having that kind of life. He’d had a spring break thing with a European guy once—hot and kinky and wonderful in Padre—but that was the closest he’d come.
His cheeks heated just remembering, and he was glad Miz Webb was making coffee.
“So. I have your resume. Tell me about some of your ranch experience.” She was filling cups and putting out sugar and cream.
Come on, man. Fake it ’til you can make it. “I grew up working different ranches—everything from horses to cattle to pigs and chicken. Then I moved to rodeoing.”
“So you’ve been mostly a rodeo man?” She fastened a sharp look on him, and he had a feeling she knew all his secrets, like how he’d wildly exaggerated his skills without actually lying.
“Lately, yes. Not as many jobs for a working cowboy these days.”
“Rumor is you have a young lady staying with you. A Brianna Fannin?”
“You have a fine network, ma’am.”
“Your wife is fixin’ to have a baby?”
Wife? What?
Oh, wait. Wait, this could be good. If they thought Bri was his wife, he’d maybe get single housing instead of a bunkhouse or something.
“Brianna’s having twins.” He couldn’t call her his wife.
“Oh. Oh! Twins. Aren’t you lucky?”
Right. Lucky. That’s what he was. Fucking lucky duck asshole Fannin.
He bared his teeth. “Yes, ma’am.”
She sat down at the kitchen island with him, sliding a cup of coffee across at him. She stirred cream and sugar into hers, but he kept his black just to keep him alert.
Miz Webb picked up a cookie, then pointed it at him. “All right, Bonner, I’ll tell you what. I think you don’t have the experience to run a ranch this size. Not at all. I also think you’re a little desperate to find a steady, not-rodeo job before the little woman pops out twins.”
“Fair enough. Give me a week to prove myself. You don’t like my work, I’ll leave and you can keep my paycheck.” He managed not to gag around the words.
She nodded slowly, biting off a chunk of cookie, then chewed before she spoke. “Deal. I like you. You’re not a bit smarmy, and you don’t treat me like a doddering granny or a silly woman.”
“No, ma’am. That’s not in my makeup.” He wasn’t a woman hater. Maybe a sister hater sometimes….
“Good. As long as you’re good to the animals and organized, we can get along. I’ll ride you hard until you learn all you need to know.”
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t let you down. You have my word.”
“We’ll see. Now, shake my hand and have a cookie before I show you to the foreman’s house.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He held a hand out to shake. “Let’s do this.”
She shook his hand, which sent a pure wave of hope and relief through him. He could do this, and Bri would have a safe, stable place to have babies.
He’d done his job and, well, gotten a job. Go him.
Chapter Seven
JERILYN WAS waiting for Gianni when he got to the ranch. He’d brought Alison, Greg, and Luis with him as part of his countly entourage. The rest of the guys were moving into the bunkhouse this afternoon.
She walked right up to him and poked him in the chest. Hard. “I expected you yesterday.”
“Ow.” He rubbed the offended spot. “Good to see you too, Zia.”
“Pussy.” She rolled her eyes and dragged him into a hard hug. It was vaguely like being mauled by a bear wearing Estée Lauder.
She left a huge lipstick kiss on his cheek, and he laughed while he picked her up as much as he could, making her squeal. “Oh, I missed you, Auntie.”
“I missed you, baby boy. Alison, gorgeous girl. How have you been?”
He watched with fiendish glee as Alison was engulfed next. Alison wasn’t a hugger, so she stood there like a pit bull who was supposed to be lifted onto the vet table—stiff and wide-eyed. He grinned, knowing he had to have what Alison called his evil clown face on. “Zia, this is Greg and Luis. They’re driving and pretending to protect my gorgeous ass.”
“Oh, pleased to meet you, boys.” She pumped first Luis’s hand, then Greg’s. “Oh, good grip, son. I like it.”
“I offered to be your pool boy,” Greg said, winking at Jerilyn.
“Yeah, Miss Alison here is more my type, but I can admire the male form, especially when it’s working.”
Greg hooted. “I like an honest lady. We need to have a meeting, Caesar?”
“Yeah. Is there coffee, Zia?”
“Always. I made peanut butter cookies too.”
“Oh man, I could murder a cookie,” Luis said. “Did you know this man does not stop to pee, eat, or get Starbucks?”
“Jesus Christ, Gonzales,” Alison snapped. “You aren’t a pregnant broad. Suck it up. It was a two-hour drive.”
“Oh, speaking of pregnant broads….” Jerilyn handed over the plate of cookies and started pulling out mugs. “I found you the perfect foreman. Young, totally out of his league, wife pregnant with twins—he’ll do anything to keep this job, and he won’t ask questions.”
“Good deal. I’ll have to meet him tomorrow morning.” Gianni wanted a day to settle in and get his lord-of-the-manor attitude in place.
“In the meantime, ma’am, the bathroom is….”
“There’s a powder room down here,” Jerilyn said, pointing back out to the main room. The second door to the right of the front door.”
Luis fled. “He should have gone before we left,” Greg murmured. “He’s obviously not from here. That’s okay, neither is Gianni, right? Mr. Lord of the Manor.”
Jerilyn laid out cups of coffee, cream and sugar. “Ta-da. Am I in on this meeting?”
“For part of it, yes.” Gianni softened that with a smile. “Some of it is above your pay grade.”
She clapped her hands. “I get paid?”
“Oh, I like her.” Greg grinned wide. “I would totally be your pool boy, ma’am.”
“Mmm. You can water my plants too. Shirtless.” Greg did that flexing thing again. The maneuver made Alison’s eyes bug out every time. Fascinating. She really, really needed to let herself go once in a while.
Luis returned, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry. I was up doing reports for my last case all night, sucking down coffee to stay awake.”
“You want some water instead?” Jerilyn asked.
“He’s a fed, Zia. He only knows paperwork and coffee.” Gianni winked at Luis, who flipped him off.
“You gotta fill in for Jewel, man
?”
Gianni grinned wider. Kody did ride Luis like a prize pony. It was glorious. “Yeah, I promised him I’d keep you primed.”
“Fuckers.” Luis settled in on a stool. “Oh, those cookies smell good, ma’am.”
“Thank you, honey. I like to bake.”
“Well, you can bake your heart out, Zia. These guys can eat.”
“Kody is the size of a house,” Alison said.
When Jerilyn raised her eyebrows, Gianni snorted. “He’s the size of a bulldogger.”
“Who’s he work for?”
“Rangers.”
“Very impressive. I like it when a man can ride.”
“Kody, Harrison, and Four-Fingers will be staying at the bunkhouse, huh? These guys here can’t pass as cowboys.”
Greg sniffed. “I’ll have you know I was on the rodeo team in high school. I just like my amenities.”
“Me and horses aren’t friends,” Luis muttered. “They bite.”
“So do I.” Alison bared her teeth.
“Yum.” Jerilyn winked when Alison gave her a horrified look. “Okay, honey, what do I need to know? I have a mani-pedi at one.”
“Basically I need your support with the locals. I need everyone to believe I’m the millionaire rancher.”
“Well, you are, aren’t you?”
He shook his head, imperceptibly. The fact that his role and his real life were totally intertwined here needed to be a nonissue. His folks had money; he was his own man. Mostly.
“I need them to think I’m as bad as Massimo,” he told her.
“No one is that bad.” Jerilyn waved a hand in the air. “I love your daddy, you know that, but he’s a gold-plated dickhead.”
“That’s what I’m going for. I want the focus on me so the team can work.” Everyone understood working for an asshole.
“Okay. Well, I’ll just think of your dad and grin.”
“That’s it. You know he adores you.”
“Like he adores a snake.” She flipped a wave at him. “I’ll set up a meeting with you and the foreman and let him know he’s got more wranglers coming in. I’ll be at my house if you need me. Maria is coming in to cook tonight, but you’re on your own until then.” She winked broadly. “Brisket, coleslaw, and beans in your fridge.”
“You rock, Zia. Thank you. Seriously.” Somehow they’d devoured the cookies.
“Not a problem. You need more for those bunkhouse boys, holler. I’ll stop by Outlaw’s on the way home.” She headed out, leaving Alison, Greg, and Luis staring after her.
“Man, she’s a force of nature,” Alison said. “I always forget.”
“She’s amazing.” He loved her dearly, and he was grateful he could count on her.
“Okay, so where do we start?” Luis asked, much more relaxed now that he’d had cookies and a bathroom break.
“I want everyone familiar with the house first and foremost. You’ll need to know all the ways in and out, all the access to internet and such. I have blueprints for everyone, as well as for the ranch and all the barns and houses, Jerilyn’s place.”
“Got it. You have servant’s quarters or something?”
He chuckled. “No. Maria lives in town. When Mamma and Papà come to stay, their driver stays in a guest apartment above the garage.”
“This place has eight fucking bedrooms, guys. Eight. Eleven bathrooms. Who the fuck needs eleven bathrooms?”
Luis looked from Alison to him. “Are any of them gold-plated?”
“No.” Gianni rolled his eyes. “Not even the master. Come on, let me show you where to stow your gear. Alison, you’re in the blue room.”
“Ooooh, whirlpool tub.”
“Been here a lot?” Greg asked.
“If you had a partner with a house like this, would you say no when you get a shot at it?”
“Nope.”
“She’s even been to my dad’s place in Basiglio.” His father’s villa was vast and in one of the richest areas of the Milanese metro. Alison had been kinda taken aback.
“Damn. How did you manage him for a partner?”
“I was terrible in a past life.”
Greg hooted, and even Luis smiled a little. They all humped their gear upstairs, Alison ducking into her room while he showed the guys where they could crash. Just out of pure perversity, he gave Luis the cream-and-gold bedroom with the dainty dressing table and the princess canopy. His cousins usually stayed there when they came in from Milan.
“It’s gorgeous, Gianni. Was this your room when you were little?”
He batted his eyelashes. “Only part-time.”
Greg hooted when he saw his room. “Oh man, look at all that manly forest green.”
“There’s a full-length mirror. You can flex at will.”
“Woo! I’ll have to jack off too.” He clapped Greg on the back, about to make another smartass comment, but his phone dinged. “Settle in. I’ll see y’all downstairs.”
“You got it. Hell of a nice place to work undercover, man.”
“Thanks.” He liked Greg already. Luis was a solid guy too, really. They may never see eye to eye, but this whole team was cherry, and he would tell Tom that on their next call.
Harrison and Kody were in the bunkhouse, apparently, and were headed for the barns.
Where the hell was Four-Fingers?
“Boo!” Speak of the devil, Colt jumped out at him when he hit the bottom of the stairs. Thank God he was wearing cowboy boots instead of his Gucci loafers, because his heels caught him when he sprang back, keeping him from slipping and going ass over teakettle on the slick floors.
“Jesus, you asshole!” He grabbed Colt, hugged the little bastard. “You made it without killing anyone?”
“I make no promises. I’ve been here since yesterday.”
“Well, hide the bodies well. Met the new foreman yet?”
“No, he’s keeping his head down.” Colt slapped his butt, which made him laugh out loud. “I need to wire some shit. I need Auntie’s house code too.”
“You mean you can’t hack it? I’m disappointed.”
“I can, but your aunt scares me.”
Not much scared Colt, so that was high praise.
“Come on, I’ll get you the codes. You’re in the room above the garage, yes?”
“Yeah. I have a room in the bunkhouse, but I need way more room than that.”
“Well, this way your room there can seem all normal, and the apartment can be your headquarters.” There was a lot of equipment involved in what Colt did.
“Exactly. I have about a third of it here. The rest comes today and tomorrow. FedEx. Have your security guard deliver it upstairs.”
“Oh, he’ll love that.” He grinned, thinking how Luis would feel about fetch and carry.
“Exactly. So bets on how long the Ranger takes to peg him.”
Personally, Gianni thought Kody was hunting Colt, but whatever. He wasn’t one to say the guys, or gals, couldn’t fraternize on the job, as long as it didn’t compromise the mission. He preferred to get his end off on vacation. The kinds of games he liked to play were better left as speculation with the team.
“I’ll put a C-note that Luis resists.” Colt’s eyes were twinkling like mad. The little shit loved his wagers.
Gianni thought that seemed fair. “Huh. I’ll say Kody doesn’t go for him at all.” Why not? “Can I let Alison in on the pool?” That lady loved to gamble, the worse odds, the better.
Colt nodded, a wicked grin on his face. “Bring it on. Do you want backgrounds on the foreman and the locals you’re bringing in?”
“I do.” He hated to run checks on Chris and Xavvy, but he had no idea what they’d really been up to. The foreman was a new number in the equation, and now would be the time to know anything weird.
“Good deal. I assume you have a housekeeper, groundskeeper, someone to wipe your butt when you’re bored? I need a list.”
“Maria comes in to cook and clean. I’ll get the rest from Jerilyn.” He was j
ust never there.
“Good deal. She can just email you. I’ll get it.”
Fucker. “Yeah, yeah.” He wondered if Colt knew about his burn phones.
“It’s what I do. I keep tabs on my people.” An insane fire burned in that cowboy’s eyes.
“I’m glad I’m a friend and not an enemy, then.” He shared a grin with Colt. “Anything else?”
“Kody and Harrison are saddling up for a check on the back forty.” Colt rolled his eyes. “I think they’re excited.”
“I think they are. Tell me you don’t want in the roping pen.” He knew Colt.
“I’m having Dunny delivered to the stables tomorrow. I’m riding Saturday.” Suddenly Colt was a five-year-old boy with the promise of a pony from Santa Claus.
“There you go.” Gianni had to tamp down the sudden urge to go see who was still in his barn. His old mare, Marisol, had been gone a few years, but he thought he still had a gelding named Buck….
“You wanna come?” Colt asked, waving his mangled hand. “I promise to bring you home with all your fingers intact.”
“I do.” Gianni knew Colt would put him to shame as out of practice as he was, but it would be a good opportunity to see and be seen. “There’s got to be a nag in the stables that needs some exercise, right?”
“Excellent.” Did Colt just bounce? “We’ll fuck with the locals, show them how an Italian can ride.”
“That’s it.” That suited Gianni down to the bone, that Colt would be his ringer. Who knew, Kody and Harrison might be good too. “Okay, lunch will be at one—brisket and beans.”
“Yeah. I’ll be upstairs. Holler.”
Right, he’d not see Colt until Saturday.
He shook his head when Colt disappeared like smoke. Whoever went after that man would have a challenge on his hands. That was too much crazy for him. He needed less homicide, more slap and tickle.
“Nice digs,” Greg told him from the stairs. “You could wander here for days.”
“Right? It’s massive. And insane.” And he wasn’t sure if he loved it or not.
Still, it was his. The original house was a guest residence now, and there was the foreman’s house, bunkhouse, horse barn, tack shed, and medical barn. The courtyard, the outdoor kitchen, the pools, the gym—they were all bonuses.
