A Hero's Heart: Resolution Ranch (Flint Hills Military Heroes Book 2)

by Tessa Layne

  “Axe mentioned you’ve been having trouble with Bingo?”

  “It’s nothing. She’s just ornery.”

  “I trained Bingo. She’s not ornery. But she is particular. And mistrustful.” She eyed him critically. “How much time do you spend with her not riding?”

  “None.” He shifted uncomfortably. He’d been too busy helping make camp or taking his turn at meal prep. Besides, Bingo was just a horse.

  “Finish up your coffee and go spend ten minutes with her. Don’t touch her. And don’t look her directly in the eye. That’s a predatory move. Just stand there. Be with her. Get your breathing in sync with hers. And then talk to her. Can be about anything you want. Keep your voice soft and low. I’ll come check on you when you’re done.

  “That’s it? You want me to talk to my horse?”

  Hope flashed him a grin. “Or you could continue with your current struggle.” She shrugged. “Up to you.”

  Johnny was surely laughing down at him now.

  He gulped down his coffee and jammed his hands deep into his coat pockets, making his way to where the horses were corralled. Bingo stood on the end, next to Trixie. She swung her head his direction as she heard him approach. He stopped a little more than an arm’s length away. Her tail flicked, and she turned her head away, pawing the ground. Same as every morning. But this time he stood there, studying her, trying to sync his breathing to hers.

  After a minute or two, he caught it. All at once, his belly warmed. His awareness expanded. In the distance a songbird chirped. Behind him, he could hear the camp noises as Cash prepared breakfast. The smell of sausage drifted over. This was different than the adrenaline driven hyperawareness of a mission. This was… softer. Scarier.

  It hit him. He wasn’t in control. Fear and excitement pressed on his chest, squeezing his throat. He’d never felt so vulnerable… so exposed. After a minute she turned her head back toward him again. Like Bingo was looking right into his soul.

  “Hey, girl.” The words rose unbidden. “Did you rest okay? Ready for a big day?” He took a shuddering breath. “I didn’t sleep so well.”

  It felt so strange. Talking to a horse like little Sophie talked to her stuffed animals. But if she could do it, so could he.

  He started again. “So… I have a friend who died.” The air in his chest squeezed out. “I really miss him, and I’m having trouble figuring out my life. I’ll tell you, because you’re a horse and you’re not going to say anything, but I think I’m doing a piss-poor job of it right now. And I want to help other guys like us. And I don’t know how. And I’m cold and tired, and we still have two weeks left on this crazy Santa Fe Trail trek, and I can’t stop thinking about Emma.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Early February

  Emma turned onto the long drive of the Kincaid ranch. Resolution Ranch would take some getting used to, but she liked it. Liked the ring of it, and the images it conjured. She’d worked hard the last month, sketching ideas, floating possibilities to some of her best clients. She’d spent more late nights on this project than all her others combined. Prairie needed this ranch to be successful as much as Travis did.

  She settled a nervous flutter in her belly. Travis would be the first person in Prairie to see her work. Her brothers admired her success, but they weren’t interested in the details. They were just happy to see her when she came home.

  If Travis liked her ideas, it would give her the confidence to approach some of the other businesses in town. Maybe even start a mini business incubator as part of her help with the reconstruction efforts. There were so many talented people in Prairie who just needed a little help getting their businesses noticed. She might not be good at ranching, or teaching school, or running a diner, but she was great at bringing attention to people and causes.

  She came over the rise and hit the brakes, gasping at the beauty before her. It had been years since she’d been on the Kincaid property. She’d forgotten how sweet it was. The main house and barn stood nestled between two gently sloping hills dotted with trees. A new coat of red paint on the barn screamed Americana. The perfect image for a ranch committed to helping veterans, and the donors would fall in love with it. She’d have to return later in the month with a photographer and videographer to grab some good promo pictures for her print work and social media. And again, when the prairie bloomed later in the spring. She wouldn’t change a thing.

  Except maybe for Sterling’s presence. The nervous flutter in her belly grew to a full-fledged two-step. He’d surprised her New Year’s Eve, and she’d replayed their conversation over and over. Had he really changed? Or was he yanking her chain the way he always did?

  Does a leopard change its spots?

  She would have to do her best to resist him when he turned on the charm. She’d come entirely too close to kissing him New Year’s Eve. Her lips still tingled at the thought of it. But if this ranch was like her family’s, she might not see him at all. They were most likely out checking fences and doing a myriad of other things necessary to keep the ranch running smoothly. She could be in and out with Travis and back on her way without Sterling being the wiser. And that would be for the best.

  Grabbing her laptop and portfolio, she practically skipped up the porch to knock at the door. She was met by a woman who looked strangely familiar. Emma racked her brain. Normally, she never forgot a face. The woman was a few years younger than her, so they didn’t know each other from school. And she didn’t have the coloring of a Hansen or a Grace. Maybe 4-H? Perhaps they’d met at the county fair the year she was Miss Rodeo Princess. “Do I know you?”

  The woman’s eyes grew wide and fearful and she shook her head vehemently.

  Huh. Not the reaction she was expecting. “Are you all right? I’m looking for Travis.”

  She nodded solemnly. And stepped aside, motioning for her to enter.

  “I’m Emma. Travis is expecting me?”

  She was an odd bird, not talking, and just staring. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  The woman nodded and pointed to her throat, giving a helpless shrug.

  “Do you have laryngitis?” Emma swallowed, a sympathetic ache rising in her own throat.

  Nodding, the woman scurried to the table and scrawled on a notepad. She ripped off a piece of paper, slapping it on the table, and continued to scribble furiously on the next page. Emma followed her and grabbed the first page.

  They tried to reach you, but no phone… Emma glanced at her phone. Damn. There was a voicemail. The call must have come in when she’d been driving through one of the no-service areas. Lord knew, there were plenty outside of Prairie.

  She handed Emma the second piece of paper.

  He’s with the foreman. They’re running late. There’s a fence broken in the north pasture.

  I’m Kate.

  She looked up. “Nice to meet you, Kate. I feel like we’ve met before. You’re not from Prairie, are you?”

  Kate shook her head.

  “Well, I hope you feel better soon. Do you mind if I do some work while I wait?”

  Kate gestured to the table.

  Emma set her portfolio on the table and pulled out her laptop. With the resources she had at her fingertips at Royal Fountain Media, she could put something extraordinary together for Travis. Even garner the ranch national attention, which is what it needed. Veteran’s issues affected every community in the country. Prairie was a prime example. The VFW was as crowded as the Trading Post on any Thursday night. She lost herself in the magic of her ideas, fingers flying across the keyboard.

  The door swung open on a gust of wind and Travis blew in, a blast of cold air swirling into the room. Another man was with him. Tall, bearded, and broad. “Sterling?” Her voice squeaked at the end. She couldn’t help it. She barely recognized the ruggedly handsome man in front of her. He looked… hot.

  He grinned, teeth glowing white against the dark scruff of his beard. “Nice to see you too, Goldilocks.”

  She couldn’t get ove
r it. There was something different about him. And it was more than the beard. She didn’t normally go for facial hair, but she had to admit, he wore a beard like a champ.

  Travis removed his jacket and came to the fireplace, stretching out his hands. “We hired Sterling to be our foreman. With my Navy connections and his Army connections, we should have a pipeline of folks we can bring on in the coming months.”

  “Fantastic,” she murmured, rapidly rearranging both her campaign and her schedule. She’d planned to spend significant time at the ranch getting to know the staff and finalizing her promotional plans. She should rethink that. Maybe she needed to have another colleague take over the fundraiser. That might be the best thing for the ranch.

  Sterling joined Travis in front of the fireplace. Emma dug into her portfolio, avoiding his sharp gaze. She’d have to sneak another peek at him when he wasn’t staring at her.

  “I see you’ve met Kate.” Travis motioned to the young woman shrugging into her coat. “Elaine hired her while we were on the pack trip. She’ll be helping with the horses. Cash is our only other ranch hand at the moment. He’s putting up the horses, but we hope to have a full crew by the end of the summer.”

  “That sounds great. I know this is going to be a huge success.” Emma swiveled her laptop around. “Would you like to see what I’ve worked up so far?”

  Travis looked to Sterling, then back at her. “Actually, I’m going to stay pretty hands off this project. We’re obviously looking to raise as much capital as possible by summer. And we’re rolling out in phases, so even if we don’t raise much our first year, we’ve got contingency plans in place to stay operational.” He rubbed his hands together vigorously. “But as you know, Sterling’s pretty gifted with numbers and logistics. Since we won’t have much of a crew for him to manage until the outbuildings are constructed and the cow-calf pairs are purchased, I figured he could be your point man on this project. That would free me up to be the spokesperson for the ranch and not get mired down in the details.”

  Her stomach pitched. At the same time she fumed. This had Sterling’s fingerprints all over it. He must have been trying to butter her up New Year’s Eve, knowing Travis had asked for her help.

  So. Typical.

  She shot a glance his direction, pushing down the wave of hurt that swept through her. Sure enough. He looked as smug as a cat in front of an empty bowl of cream. He raised his eyebrows, gray eyes twinkling. He had no business looking so damned rakish when he was pulling the rug out from under her. “To be clear.” She directed her question to Travis. “You want me to run all the details by Sterling?”

  Travis nodded. “Everything.”

  “That okay, Goldilocks?” he had the audacity to wink at her. “I assured Travis we’ll get along just fine.”

  The nerve of him. She should walk away right now. Hand the project to a colleague. She’d had enough of Sterling’s shenanigans to last a lifetime. But something in his eyes prodded at her. He expected her to fold. She straightened her spine, keeping her eyes lasered on his. She wouldn’t let him beat her again. Or show her up. She’d promised herself that years ago. He might be Prairie’s Golden Boy, but she was at the top of her game. On the fast-track to becoming the youngest VP in the history of Royal Fountain Media. No way was Sterling going to jeopardize that.

  She shot him a saccharine sweet smile. “So long as you stop calling me Goldilocks.”

  “We already discussed that, sweetheart. No can do.”

  Just ignore him. Don’t take the bait.

  She turned to Travis and forced her face to relax. “I’m happy to work with Sterling. I want this fundraiser to be everything you’ve dreamed of and then some.”

  Travis shrugged into his shearling and jammed on his Stetson. “Great. I really appreciate you jumping in to help us, Em. Cash and I are going to see to repairing one of the water pumps, so I’ll leave you two to it.”

  Emma stood, glaring at Sterling as the door snicked shut. “Is this your idea of a joke? Because if so, you’ve gone too far.”

  CHAPTER 6

  A shot of awareness ricocheted through Sterling. How could he resist teasing her when she looked so spectacular all riled up and fierce like a prairie chicken? His breath caught. She exuded vitality, bright eyes snapping as color flooded her cheeks.

  “No joke, sweetheart. Just the best choice for the ranch.” And him, too. He couldn’t deny it. She drew him like a moth to flame. She always had. “Travis doesn’t really have a head for numbers and budgets. That’s more his wife’s realm.”

  “Then why didn’t you suggest I work with her?”

  She had a point. But the idea had sounded brilliant when he’d suggested he become point man. He probably wouldn’t have offered except that Travis had mentioned Emma was leading their fundraising efforts. He flat out couldn’t resist the opportunity to spend more time around her. Maybe needle her and challenge her, but only enough to see the spark in her eyes. To be honest, he’d missed it. He’d never met anyone who revved him up like she had.

  He shrugged. “She’s got her hands full with Dax and community college. And she’s expecting a baby this summer.”

  Her eyes widened at that little tidbit. “Really?” It was sweet, the excitement in her voice.

  He opened his arms. “Seems like you’re stuck with me. Hope I’m pretty enough company for you.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “If you think this is an opportunity to steamroll me, you’re quite mistaken.”

  A laugh rumbled out of him and he grinned at her. “Calm down. No one’s going to steamroll you.” Although he couldn’t promise no pushback. It was too damned fun setting her off.

  She stared hard at him, as if weighing his words carefully. “Fine. Do you want to see what I’ve put together?”

  “How about over a bottle of wine at Gino’s tonight? Do a little planning, then catch up?” Give him an inch, he’d press for a mile.

  Something in the tilt of her head conveyed uncertainty. And for a split second, his hopes rose. But she shook her head. “Sorry. I have plans back in Kansas City.”

  Disappointment flashed through him followed by a jealous surge as he imagined her having dinner with someone else. He gave himself a mental shake. He had no business feeling jealous. Being out on the trail had reaffirmed his decision to stay away from emotional entanglements. He might be doing okay now, but if something were to happen… if he ended up like Johnny… Nope. He’d never bring a woman into his orbit.

  But still.

  Emma was different. They had a long history. And it wouldn’t be right to pass up an opportunity talk with her. Engage in a little verbal sparring. Or more. His eyes raked over her. She looked so fresh and sweet, blonde hair pulled back in a low ponytail, jeans hugging her curves in all the right places. Mouth plump and begging to be kissed. His throat went dry as awareness zinged through him. “I’ll take a raincheck then. When are you in town next?”

  She eyed him suspiciously. “Why not now?”

  It wasn’t Gino’s, but he’d take what he could get. He flashed her his most charming grin. “Sure thing, Goldilocks. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” He left the warmth of the fireplace and headed around the couch to the kitchen.

  She tried to hide it, but he caught the roll of her eyes and the way her mouth quirked as she turned to her laptop. As if she was trying not to smile. “Fine. With cream, no sugar.”

  He reached for two mugs. “Too sweet for sugar?”

  This time she giggled. The music of it lit something deep inside him and triggered a cascade of awareness skittering down his chest. He would definitely have to make her giggle again.

  She met his eyes over the coffee pot. The snap in her gaze was back. And the pink on her cheeks. “Sugar is for sissies.”

  “That so?” Raising his eyebrows, he dumped half the sugar bowl into his cup.

  Her eyes turned to saucers and she bit her lip, body shaking.

  He gave his cup a stir, and took a sip, forcing it do
wn without a grimace. Jesus, it was awful. He preferred his coffee black. This tasted like syrup. “So you saying I’m a sissy?”

  She shook her head accepting the steaming mug, made just as she’d asked. “Sit down. I don’t have all day.” The note of laughter in her voice belied her brusqueness. Another score for him.

  He sat next to her, draping an arm over the back of her chair. Her perfume mingled with the aroma of the coffee. A golden curl fell forward to her chin and he itched to return it to its proper spot behind her delicate ear. A vision of him fisting her hair and tugging on her ponytail ripped through him. Maybe Cody was right, she would always be the one who got away. The one who wormed her way under his skin and into his thoughts at every turn. Forcing his eyes away, he took another sip of his disgusting coffee and focused on her screen.

  The plan was good… except. “No.” He shook his head.

  “What do you mean, no?”

  “I mean no.” He gestured to her screen. “This is all wrong.”

  She scowled, looking hurt. “How so?”

  “You can’t do the fundraiser in Kansas City. And I refuse to let you parade our guys around like a bunch of poodles so your rich clients can pat themselves on the back and feel good about themselves.” He rocked back in the chair, crossing his arms emphatically. “No.”

  “And how exactly were you planning on raising money for the ranch Superboy?” she sputtered.

  Her tone of voice implied irritation, but her face had become animated. Expectant, even. His cock stirred to life.

  “Haven’t given it much thought until today, but definitely not that way.”

  She swiveled to face him head-on. So close he could see the dark navy rim of her irises. “So you’re steamrolling my ideas when you have none of your own?”

  He leaned in. It would be so easy to kiss her. Close the remaining distance between them in an instant. “I’m not steamrolling you. But I am telling you this is the wrong approach. We’re not a feel-good organization. This isn’t a place for veterans to come and sit around a campfire and sing kumbaya. We’re building a working ranch. This is a place for vets to rediscover their purpose and develop the skills necessary to lead healthy, productive, civilian lives. Your fundraiser should reflect that.”