Learnin' The Ropes

by Shanna Hatfield

  Clever, as long as Lexi didn’t get rid of the car, which Lex must have known she would never do.

  Ty gasped when he opened the bag, staring at stacks and stacks of hundred dollar bills. He’d never dreamed of seeing so much money in one place in his entire life. He wondered how Lex had acquired all that cash. It surely didn’t come from banks in Burns. Did the sick man drive to Bend to do his banking? He surely didn’t walk into one bank and tell them he wanted to cash half a million in checks. Even if he had it electronically deposited to his account, how did you go in and request half a million dollars in cash without raising suspicions?

  His palms began to sweat as he zipped the bag. The big question now was where to stash the money until Lexi returned home and he could hand it over to her. It needed to be somewhere secure. Somewhere no one would look. With the bag in one hand, he looked around the shop. Startled, he jumped when a warm presence bumped his leg.

  “Hey, Baby. What are you doing?” Absently, he rubbed her head. Baby sniffed the duffle bag and whined, staring up at Ty with big, sad eyes.

  “I know you miss him, Baby.” Ty patted her sides and stroked her head. “Where shall we hide this for Lexi? Where’s a good hiding spot, Baby?”

  The dog barked and looked in the direction of Ty’s tool chests. Of course! They locked, no one bothered them, and the money should be safe there until Lexi returned. He unlocked one and moved his tools around until he could get the bag inside, then locked it up.

  He’d barely returned the keys to his pocket when Swede walked in, whistling.

  “Look at thet. Yer really makin’ headway, dude.”

  “I’m trying.” Ty did his best to hide his nervousness. He didn’t know why, but finding the money and having it in his possession pushed him into a sense of panic. What if he lost it? What if something happened to it?

  He didn’t want to be responsible for all that money and wished Lexi would hurry up and come home.

  “Need any help?” Swede asked, looking at the seat that hung partway out the door.

  “Sure. I’m trying to get the seats out of the car so we can put new upholstery on them. It shouldn’t take long to do it if you have time to help me.”

  “Let’s git ‘er done,” Swede said, rolling up his shirtsleeves and grabbing one end of the seat.

  By lunch time, they finished the front seats and were nearly done with the back. Ty made sandwiches from the supplies he kept in the shop refrigerator then he and Swede took a break while Baby sat at their feet whining.

  “What’s wrong with the dog?” Swede asked, rubbing her back with the toe of his boot.

  “She’s been whining like that since she came in the shop. Maybe it’s the car. I’m sure she connects it with Mr. Ryan.” Ty didn’t know a lot about animals, but Baby seemed to have many of the same emotions as a human. He’d seen her happy, sad, pouting, teasing. It made sense that she would miss her master, too.

  “Yer probably right.” Swede finished his sandwich and dusted off his hands. “Let’s git back at this. We should be able to git the inside done before dinner time, don’t ya think?”

  “I do. And I appreciate your help. I know this doesn’t have anything to do with ranch work, but…”

  Swede didn’t let him finish. “It’ll make the boss happy and thet’s more important than anythin’. I’m as anxious as a pig at a bacon factory to git this thing done and back in the garage before the boss gits home,” Swede said as he and Ty returned to work.

  Early the next morning, Swede followed Ty into town to drop off the car to be painted. The shop owner couldn’t stop gaping at the car when they drove up.

  “Man, if you ever need a job, let me know,” the man said, taking the keys from Ty. “Ol’ Lex wasn’t sure he’d ever get this thing running again and you’ve got it purring like a kitten. I’ll make sure it gets painted exactly like he would have wanted.”

  “Thanks. We’ll pick it up tomorrow.” Ty slid into the ranch pickup with Swede. They stopped and picked up supplies at the feed store before heading back to the Rockin’ R.

  They repeated the trip the next morning. Ty couldn’t stop smiling when he saw the car sporting a new coat of black paint that matched the original color. He drove down the street to the tire store and put four new tires on the car, made a few other stops, and then drove it home.

  Lexi was due to be back late that afternoon and he had more than one surprise planned for her.

  He was closing the garage door after parking the car when Lexi sent him a text message.

  “Buckaroo, miss you! Can’t wait to see you.”

  Thrilled to hear from her, Ty texted her back.

  “Miss you, too. Call me when you’re an hour out.”

  “Okay! Love you!”

  Ty glanced at his watch and noted a need to hurry through his list of duties for the day if he wanted to have everything ready by the time Lexi arrived home.

  Lesson Nineteen

  Ask and Ye Shall Receive

  “Ya want somethin’, ya can’t pussyfoot around it.

  Ask for what ya want from the git-go.”

  Ty inhaled a calming breath and glanced around Lexi’s kitchen. He hoped she wouldn’t mind him invading her home and making dinner. By the time the evening was through, he was pretty sure she wouldn’t care at all.

  Earlier in the afternoon, he prepped what he could of the meal, putting together a green salad and whipping up a batch of fudge brownies. He set the table and made sure his surprises were in place for the evening ahead.

  When Lexi called to say she was almost to Burns, Ty hustled to the bunkhouse. He took a quick shower and shaved, then returned to Lexi’s where he made spaghetti carbonara and tried to calm his nerves.

  Since Lexi would probably want a shower when she got home, he planned to have the food ready to eat about thirty minutes after her arrival.

  Lexi drove up in her pickup as he wiped down the counters and convinced himself everything looked perfect. He smiled as he remembered her saying it wouldn’t do at all to show up to a meeting of good ol’ boys and cattlemen driving her little sports car.

  Hastily drying his hands, he waited for her to step inside. She walked in dragging her suitcase behind her. Dressed in a business suit with her hair piled into a French twist on her head, she looked tired and overheated – and nothing like his wild cowgirl.

  The table set for dinner caught her by surprise. She turned with a surprised smile as she noticed Ty standing in the kitchen.

  “Welcome home, Lexi Jo,” he said opening his arms to her. It was all the invitation she needed to drop her purse and step into the warmth and wonder that was Ty.

  “I missed you, buckaroo.” Lexi kissed his cheek and breathed deeply of his fresh, clean scent. She could also smell something delicious cooking and raised an eyebrow at him. “Did you make dinner for me?”

  “Yeah. I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want to have to share you this evening,” Ty said, nodding toward the stove. “It won’t be ready for a few minutes. I thought you might like a little time to freshen up before we eat.”

  “You read my mind.” The kiss she gave him let him know just how much she had missed him. “I’ll be right back.”

  Hurriedly lugging her suitcase upstairs, Lexi was giddy at the idea of spending the evening alone with Ty.

  The past few weeks had been the happiest of her life. Although they didn’t have much time for dating, she and Ty managed to do something together every day. Even if it was only riding out to check fences or her handing him tools in the shop as he made equipment repairs, they made a point of spending time with one another.

  Without a doubt, she loved Ty and wanted him to be a permanent part of her life.

  Lexi rushed through a fast shower and washed her hair. She towel dried her raven tresses, letting the waves and curls do what they willed. Applying mascara, lip gloss, and a few strategic touches of perfume, she slipped on a cotton summer dress and wedge sandals before going downstairs.

&
nbsp; “I hope you made plenty. I’m half starved, buckaroo,” Lexi called as she moved down the last steps and returned to the kitchen.

  Ty had drawn the shades and darkened the room so the candles flickering on the table created a warm, romantic glow. Two plates piled with pasta, bowls filled with green salad, and a basket with warm bread waited at two place settings.

  “I made more than enough,” Ty said, turning from where he poured sparkling lemonade into two flute glasses. The glasses nearly slipped from his hands when he took in her appearance. She looked so fresh and pretty in her light yellow dress, especially with the way it contrasted against her bronzed skin. “Wow, Lexi! You look incredible,” he said, handing her one of the glasses.

  “Thank you, kind sir.” She threaded her arm around his as they walked to the table. He pulled out her chair and waited for her to take her seat before he sat beside her. She waved her arm around the table. “What is all this for? What are we celebrating?”

  “You.” Ty rubbed a thumb over her high cheekbone before giving her a soft, gentle kiss. He tipped his glass to hers in a toast.

  Lexi’s eyelids lowered as she savored his touch. “Why me?”

  “Why not?” Ty shot her a teasing smile. “Come on and eat my feast before it gets cold,” he said, taking her hand and offering grace for the meal.

  Ty asked about her conference, how Bertie and Linc were doing, and anything interesting she saw while she was gone. She asked him about what he’d done while she was out of town and things about the ranch that Ty was sure Swede had already told her.

  After finishing up their meal, Lexi leaned back in the chair, full and happy. Unable to keep her gaze from Ty’s bright blue eyes, she studied his hair. He’d had it trimmed since she left. His eyes glittered with warmth and love while a smile played around the corners of his mouth.

  He wore jeans and the blue-striped western shirt that was her favorite because it brought out the color of his eyes. Boots, polished to an impressive shine, completed the all-too enticing package that was Ty.

  Expecting him to be in a T-shirt, shorts, and flip flops, Lexi wouldn’t complain at all about Ty’s current attire. She loved it when he dressed in cowboy mode, as he called it. If Wrangler ever ran out of models for their jeans, Ty would do a great job representing them.

  “Lexi Jo,” Ty rumbled, staring into her gold-flecked green eyes and falling into the inviting depths. He wanted to show her exactly how much he missed her when she was gone, but decided to behave himself. For now.

  Drawn to him by a force she couldn’t explain, she leaned toward him until their lips connected. Explosions of fire and ice burst around them. She didn’t know how it happened, but her next thought was that she liked being on Ty’s lap, closely wrapped up in his arms as he kissed her face and neck before returning his focus to her mouth.

  Suddenly, he pulled back, burying his face against her neck. He said something she couldn’t hear so she lifted his head up and looked into his eyes, ablaze with fire and longing.

  “I couldn’t hear you,” she said, kissing him again.

  Gently nipping at her bottom lip, he took another kiss from her before setting her on her feet, standing, and taking her hand.

  “Let’s do these dishes then I might have a surprise or two for you.” Ty carried plates to the sink.

  “You mean this fantastic dinner wasn’t my surprise?” Lexi asked as she helped place dishes in the dishwasher and put away leftovers.

  “No, ma’am. That was just a prelude to the real surprises.” The mischievous grin on his face made him seem young and boyish.

  “That was an awesome prelude,” Lexi said as they finished the dishes and dried their hands. “You can cook for me anytime, buckaroo.”

  “I have a very limited collection of recipes, so don’t get any crazy ideas about my cooking abilities.” He took her hand in his and escorted her back to the kitchen table where the candles still flickered. Softly kissing her cheek, he smiled. “Now cover your eyes and you can have your first surprise.”

  “How many surprises are there?” Lexi asked, wondering what had gotten into Ty. She’d never seen him act like this before. He seemed excited, nervous, and happy all at once.

  “Three.” Ty picked up the duffle bag stuffed with the money from the pantry where he’d hid it when he came in to cook dinner. He set it down on the table in front of Lexi. “Okay, open your eyes.”

  Confused, she looked from the duffle bag to Ty and back again.

  “Just open the top,” he said, fighting the urge to unzip the bag for her.

  “Ty, what could you…” She asked as she tugged on the zipper then gasped as she realized it was a bag full of money. Her dad’s hidden money. Bright eyes twinkled at Ty. “You did it! You found the money!”

  Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him tightly before turning her attention back to the money. “Where did you find it? How did you find it? Does anyone else know?”

  Ty laughed at her excitement and gave her a moment to get used to the idea of having half a million dollars on the table in front of her before he said anything.

  “No one else knows about it. Beth said something that finally helped all the clues make sense and it didn’t take long after that to find it.” Ty pulled Lexi to her feet before blowing out the candles on the table. “Where I found it has something to do with your second surprise. Would you like to see?”

  “Yes, please.” Lexi watched as Ty zipped up the bag and returned it to the pantry. After searching for months to find the cash, she had a hard time grasping the notion that money had been located. And it was in a duffle bag. In her pantry.

  “No sense tempting anyone.” Ty closed the pantry door and led Lexi outside and around the house to the garage.

  Fortunately, none of the other men were out and about, so they made it to the side door without interruption. Ty had no doubt the ranch hands all sat in the bunkhouse, watching out the windows.

  “So my second surprise is in the garage?” she asked, wondering what could be in the garage. There wasn’t anything in there but her car and her dad’s rusty old mustang. “No one messed with my car, did they?”

  “No, nothing like that,” Ty assured her as they stepped inside. Carefully, Ty and Swede hid the freshly painted car with a new cover, instead of the raggedy one that had covered the mustang for way too long.

  “You bought a new cover for dad’s car,” Lexi said, immediately noticing the change.

  “Yes, I did, but that isn’t the surprise.” Ty struggled to keep from bursting with excitement.

  Lexi glanced around the building. “You found the money in here? In the garage?”

  “No,” Ty said, drawing out the suspense.

  “No? Then what are we doing in here?” Lexi wished Ty would just tell her where he found the money. She was dying to know and she wanted to get on with the rest of her surprises. It would take quite a big surprise to top finding the money, but she was game to let him try.

  “I found the money in your dad’s car. Think about the clues, especially the last one about not messing with the boss.” Ty walked Lexi over to the mustang. “It all made perfect sense once I figured out it was the car.”

  Lexi stared at him and shook her head. How had she missed what her dad had been saying all along? How had she missed finding the money in the car? She’d gone over it with a fine-tooth comb when she first started looking for the money and never found a thing.

  “Where was the money hidden?” she asked as she tugged on the car cover. She sucked in a gulp of air and her eyes grew wide in surprise as she took in the shiny black paint. She assumed the car looked just like it did when her dad drove it off the lot when it was brand new. No wonder he’d loved it.

  Ty yanked the cover all the way off the car so Lexi could get a good look at it. When her eyes filled with tears, he pulled her to his chest.

  “You like it?” Tenderly, he rubbed her back and shoulders.

  “Ty, when did you… how did you�
��?” She tried to speak around the lump in her throat. When had Ty found the time or money to restore the car her dad loved so much? It meant more to her than any gift he could possibly give her. Finally, she released a ragged breath. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, babe.” He kissed her forehead and turned so they both faced the car. It did look good. Really good. “Come on, you have to check it all out.” He opened the driver’s door so she could look inside.

  “Where did dad stash the money?” Lexi asked, sliding onto the smooth leather of the driver’s seat, inhaling the scents of new upholstery and carpet. She took in the new dash and door panels. Ty had even put in new lining along the roof, new rubber seals around the doors. Somehow, he’d managed to get all the goo off the gear shift that had accumulated there after years of use.

  “Under the passenger seat. He cut out some of the foam and stuffed the money in there. Unless you removed the seat, you would never have found it,” Ty said, leaning on the door and soaking in the pleasure lighting Lexi’s big green eyes. She grinned and wrapped her hands around the steering wheel.

  “We should take it for a spin. I want to see how good this mechanic is that worked on it. Everyone keeps bragging about his talents, but I want to see for myself,” Lexi teased as Ty winked at her and closed her door. He opened the garage doors and waited for her to back out before climbing in the passenger side.

  “You better buckle that seatbelt, buckaroo.” Lexi put the car in gear and gingerly drove down the driveway. She waited until they were out on the open road to put the car through its paces. She liked the way it handled every bit as much as her Nismo.

  They drove almost to Hines before Lexi turned around and headed home.

  “I can’t believe you did all this.” Lexi smiled at Ty with eyes full of emotion as they turned off on the ranch road. “It means so much to me.”

  He met her eyes with a hot blue light shining in his own. “I know, Lexi Jo.” Ty took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “Swede helped me, though, so he gets half the credit.”