by Cora Seton
When she peered down the large staircase, she saw Lisa poking her head through the door. Uh oh, this could get ugly, she thought, but descended the stairs anyway. No matter what happened, she and Rob were getting married, and Lisa would be her mother-in-law.
"Oh, honey," Lisa said when she spotted her. "I'm so sorry my husband's being a royal pain in the ass."
Morgan blinked. That wasn't what she'd been expecting at all.
"These men," Lisa went on. "It's all pissing and marking their territory, I swear. With five of them around the place it sure gets ugly sometimes. Don't you fret about it. I'm working on Holt and we'll simmer all of this down and get your wedding off the ground. You hear? But if you don't mind, could we put off our trip to Ellie's Bridals until Wednesday? Turns out I need to go help out an old friend this morning."
"Um…okay," Morgan said. "I'm free after two. I'll be helping Autumn in the morning."
"That's sweet of you. Poor girl is working her fingers to the bone. In the meantime, I'll keep looking into flowers and catering and everything else. You leave it all up to me! I'll see you on Wednesday at the shop."
Morgan waved good-bye, wondering if there was any hope that Lisa could actually patch things up between Rob and his father. From what she'd seen, she doubted it, but Lisa had been married to Holt for over thirty years. She must know a thing or two about how to handle the man.
When Rob arrived back at the bunkhouse later that afternoon, she was eager to tell him about his mother's visit, but before she could, he swept her off her feet and into an embrace.
"It's settled. Ethan's selling us 150 acres of land and I'll work off the cost over time. I'll help out with the guest ranch business and teach rodeo riding to local kids and visitors. I'll also team up with Jamie on his horse-breeding business, and I'll get your vineyard up and running for you."
Morgan tried to keep up. "What land?"
"The parcel next to Jamie's! We'll live right here with the rest of our friends."
"Really?" Morgan lit up. "You think we can afford it? Where will we get the money to start the winery?"
"I'll earn it, I swear I will. I already told Ethan I need to take on extra work." He hugged her again, then slid his hands lower and gave her ass a squeeze. "It'll all work out, so don't worry about a thing."
"I got a job, too – helping Autumn – so we'll both be earning money."
Rob kissed her until she got weak in the knees. "The wedding is on," he said firmly when they split apart. "I asked Ethan and he said we'll hold it here if my Dad doesn't back down."
"Autumn said the same thing." She grinned. "But your mom stopped by and said she's working on Holt. She thinks he'll change his mind."
Rob shrugged. "Doesn't matter if he does, really. Our future is secure either way." He stopped and took her hands in his. "You know that, right, Morgan? I'm going to keep my promises to you, and make you my wife, whatever anyone throws at us. I'll make damn sure you have a winery to run, too."
Looking into his eyes, she could see he meant it. All the doubts she'd harbored slipped away and she stepped into his embrace again.
CHAPTER TWELVE
When Morgan made her way back to the bunkhouse the following afternoon, after spending most of the day helping Autumn with her guests, she was surprised to find Rob waiting for her.
"Come on – you and I have an errand to run."
"Now?"
"You have something better to do?"
"Let me grab my purse."
Twenty minutes later they arrived at the Chance Creek Pet Clinic, a small, neat building near the center of town. Morgan turned to Rob in surprise. "What are we doing here?"
"Visiting a friend of mine." He got out and came to open the door for her. She smiled at the gentlemanly gesture, and followed him to the entrance.
"It's closed," she said, pointing to the sign in the door.
"It's never closed," he said. "You'll see." He knocked and called out, "Bella? You in there?"
The door opened a moment later and a young woman appeared, her blonde hair piled atop her head in a mass of wild curls.
"Rob! I haven't seen you in ages," she said. "Come on in."
Morgan fought down a surge of jealousy at the pleased tone in her voice. She was pretty, curvy, and obviously happy to see Rob.
Rob gave Bella a quick hug and the ugly feeling grew. Had he brought her here to show her how attractive he was to other women? To give her a quick reminder that he had other options? The certainty she'd felt since his declarations last night began to slip away.
"How's your family?" Bella asked him.
Rob grimaced. "As ornery and controlling as ever. How's the business?"
Bella mirrored his expression. "Same as usual."
"In other words, you're still housing every stray animal for miles around?"
"Yeah." Her face fell, but then she brightened again. "You know, I think the number of strays is dropping. I haven't had as many brought in these past few weeks."
As she turned to adjust something on her counter, Rob rubbed a hand across his face. Morgan suspected he was trying to rub off the disbelieving smile that was lingering there. What was that all about?
"We've actually come to take one off your hands," was all he said.
Bella spun around. "Really?" Now her face was as bright as the sun with happiness. This woman really wore her feelings on her sleeve, Morgan thought. It made it hard to dislike her.
It got harder as Bella led them into the back of the clinic to an adjoining building that housed the animal shelter she also ran. It was the biggest facility Morgan had ever seen, with cages and cages of dogs and cats and a large exercise yard for them behind it all. Bella explained how local students volunteered and helped her exercise the animals and keep them acclimated to humans.
"How on earth do you feed them all?" Morgan asked.
Bella's face fell again. "It's hard," she admitted. "Somehow we manage."
"Well, you'll have to manage with one less animal," Rob said. "We're looking for a kitten."
"I've got kittens," Bella said. She led the way to one corner where indeed she had several mother cats with litters of kittens. "If you want to take one home today, these guys are your best bet." She took them past several cages in which the kittens were little more than piles of fluff huddled next to their mothers to one in which the kittens were noticeably older. They were alert, pouncing and playing. The mother cat was nowhere to be seen.
"These little guys are ten weeks. Ready for their own homes and families." Bella leaned over and opened the door. "What do you think?"
Five little gray faces turned toward them. Morgan melted at the sight of their big eyes and still-fluffy bodies. She'd never had a pet. Her grandparents wouldn't think of it, and her apartment building didn't allow them. "Can I hold one?"
"Of course." Bella beamed. "Put your hand in the door and see who comes looking. The best pets are the ones who pick you."
"Oh, it's not for me," Morgan said, but she did what she was told. A kitten with a white front paw scampered right over and nosed her fingers. She felt the rasp of its tiny tongue on her palm and shivered with delight. "It's so cute." When it climbed right into her hand, she pulled it out and cradled it to her chest, rubbing her chin over its soft fur. It licked her on the nose.
"That's it – she's chosen you," Bella said. "Now you have to take her."
"Who are you getting her for?" Morgan asked Rob.
"You, dummy. Who'd you think I was getting it for?"
Morgan lowered her hands. "But..."
"You're getting a pet," he insisted. "The minute I saw how you were living in Victoria, I promised myself I would get you one when I convinced you to move back here. People have to have pets. Anyway, we need a cat for the ranch. In fact, Ethan and Autumn don't have a cat yet, so we need two," he told Bella, then scanned the large room with all its cages. "Actually, make that five."
Bella beamed as she went off to find a cardboard box to carry them in.<
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"Five?" Morgan asked when she was gone.
"There's plenty of room for them," he said. "They'll keep the rat population down. I'll let Ethan and Autumn have a couple, keep one for Claire and Jamie, and we'll take the rest. "
"There are so many animals here," Morgan said, daunted by the noise of them in their pens.
"She doesn't put them down – the strays, I mean. Most shelters have a time limit before they get rid of unwanted animals. Bella doesn't. She's going to bankrupt herself if she keeps on like this."
"She said the population of strays has gone down, though."
Rob laughed. "Seriously? You believed that? Most likely people are taking pity on her and bringing the strays to her brother, instead. He's a livestock vet – he doesn't do pets, but he's a realist. He takes care of the problem."
"That's awful!"
His faced softened. "It is awful, honey, but it's life. Unneutered cats breed like bunnies. There's no way to keep up with them all. Bella would have to be a millionaire to take in every last one."
"I guess." Morgan hugged the kitten in her hands tighter. This one was safe, at least.
"What're you going to name her?"
"Button." She nuzzled the kitten again. "My little Button."
Rob rolled his eyes. "Gunsmoke would be better."
"Button's a darling name," Bella said, returning with the box. "Let's load them up and get you guys out of here. It's past dinner time, and I'm starving, and I've still got a lot to do."
"Are you looking for any more volunteers?" Morgan asked her.
"Are you kidding? How often can you come?"
"I’m not sure, but I'll try for once a week to start. I've never had pets," she confided to Bella.
"Then you need to make up for lost time, and this is certainly the place to do it," Bella said.
"Come on," Rob nudged her toward the door.
"I'm hungry, too," Morgan said as they returned to the car with their box of squirming, fluffy kittens. She looked back at the clinic, though, as Rob backed out of the parking lot and swung the truck toward home. It would be fun to go back and spend time with all of those animals.
"Let's pick up some cat food, grab some takeout, and get these critters home."
* * * * *
An hour later, Rob joined Ethan on the back porch of the bunkhouse to plan the following day's work, dropping one of the kittens into Ethan's lap.
"Here, I got you a present."
"Huh." Ethan lifted the kitten and rubbed its fur against his face. "Nice. I didn't even know I needed one of these."
"But you kinda do now, don't you?" Rob said.
"Matter of fact, I think I do." He nuzzled it again. "Gunsmoke. That's your name," he told the kitten.
Rob turned to him. "That's exactly what I said to Morgan. She didn't like it."
"Yeah? What did she name yours?"
"Button," Rob mumbled.
"Man, that's rough." Ethan chucked and settled the kitten in his lap, petting it while they talked over their plans.
Rob found it hard to concentrate, though. The question of how to earn the money he'd promised Morgan was preying on his mind.
"Rob?" Ethan asked him. Rob realized he'd missed something.
"Huh?"
"You're a million miles away. Something wrong?"
"I've really got to find some extra work. Not that I don't appreciate what you've done," he hastened to say when he caught Ethan's eye. "It's a far sight better to buy the land from you than to have my father looking over my shoulder and bossing me around the rest of my days. It's just, I don't want to start my life together with Morgan by breaking a promise."
"Yeah, I get it." Ethan stared out over the landscape. "You know where most business deals get done, don't you?"
Rob raised an eyebrow at him.
"The feed store, horse auctions, and the bar. Try Rafters. Someone might know something."
"You think?"
Ethan shrugged. "Worth a shot. Twenty thousand dollars is a hell of a lot of money, though. Might need to go to North Dakota and work on one of those oil wells."
Rob looked thoughtful. "I could look into that."
"Start closer to home," Ethan advised him, standing up, still cradling the kitten. "You'll want to get going now – before all the old geezers with money get too drunk to spend it."
* * * * *
"What are you doing?"
Morgan glanced up as Ethan entered the living room. She was sitting on the couch, notepad in hand, writing down every expense she could think of for starting the vineyard and winery. They were adding up fast. Four kittens were exploring the room, climbing the furniture and playing with the curtains.
She put the notepad down. "Talking myself out of starting a winery."
"Why? I think it's a fantastic idea. A few years from now it will be a great partner to the guest ranch business. You can take our guests on tours – get them out of our hair for a few hours – and we can serve your wines at dinner."
"That's more than a few years away. We have to purchase rootstock, grow the grapes, erect a distillery and tasting room, buy the machinery…and even once we bottle some wine, it still needs to age."
Ethan sat down next to her. "So, every step you take is one step closer to your goal."
"I barely know Rob." She hadn't meant to say that out loud, but now that she had, she pushed forward, voicing the doubts that had crept back into her mind. She pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and sighed. "What if he turns out to be a lousy business partner?" What if he's a lousy husband?
Ethan leaned back and stretched his arms out along the top of the couch. "I think Rob's underrated. His family's never given him any real responsibility and everyone else thinks he's a playboy."
Her stomach contracted with unease at this reminder of the number of women Rob had dated over the years. Back before she'd gotten interested in him, Autumn had told her all about his checkered past. "You don't?"
"No. He's just been bored. Rob's smart, and no one gives him credit for that, either. Back in school he got all B's and a few A's."
"So?" That wasn't too impressive. She'd gotten good grades, herself.
"So, Rob never studied. Never did the homework, even though he loved school. His brothers would pick on him if he did. You have to understand Holt Matheson's all about work. He always said school was for sissies. He worked those boys to the bone and praised them to the hills when they carried their own weight, but if they brought home a report card they'd be lucky if he looked at it, let alone complimented them on their grades."
"That's too bad."
"Yeah. Rob could've been an engineer, or something like that. He should have gone to college."
This was a side of Rob she'd never thought about. "He seems like every other cowboy."
Ethan laughed. "Ignorant and oafish?"
She elbowed him. "More interested in horses than books."
He shrugged. "Leave some books around. See what he does." He got up. "The way I see it, you promised to marry him and he promised you a winery. Everyone has second thoughts when they make big decisions. Don't let your cold feet stop you from getting what you want."
He retreated to the kitchen, leaving her to think over his words. Before she could think over it too much, the front door banged open, making her jump.
"Sorry, it's just me," Rob said, coming into the room.
Morgan's heart gave the little hitch it always did when she saw him. "Hey, come sit with me."
"Can't. I'm getting changed and heading out again."
"Where?" Morgan asked, glancing at her watch. It was past eight. Wasn't he ready to pack it in for the evening?
"I'm going to head downtown, check out the Dancing Boot and Rafters – see if anyone knows of a job that needs doing."
"I'll come, too," Morgan said, delighted at the prospect of putting aside her calculations for now.
"Sorry, honey. I'll take you out for a night on the town real soon," Rob promised her and gave her
a peck on the cheek. "Tonight's going to be all business." He continued into the bedroom without waiting for her answer.
Morgan slumped down on the couch again. "All business at a bar?"
"A lot of business gets done at the bars around here," Ethan said, coming back into the living room. Rob reappeared, too, in a clean shirt.
"Don't wait up."
"Good luck," Morgan said as he headed for the door. A kitten struggled onto her lap and she petted it distractedly as Ethan sat on the other end of the couch and clicked on the television.
"Thanks. I'll need it."
* * * * *
The Dancing Boot was nearly dead on this weekday night, so Rob made his way over to Rafters, where the older cowboys and ranchers tended to congregate – men who wanted to sit and ruminate over past days or the price of cattle feed, rather than listen to music, or chase pretty girls. A quick scan of the bar from the doorway told him his father wasn't here. He didn't expect he would be – Holt saved his tame version of carousing for Friday and Saturday nights – but if he was, he'd turn around and go home.
Instead there were a handful of familiar faces, a couple he didn't know, and Carl Whitfield alone at a table in the corner.
Rob frowned. At least the man wasn't trying to buddy up with anyone, regaling them with how much money he made, like he had when he first arrived in town. Carl seemed different these days. A little more subdued. Rob stifled a chuckle. He guessed Lacey Taylor could do that to a man.
Lacey had dated Ethan for years, all through high school and beyond, and everyone assumed they were as good as married. When Lacey found out Ethan was having money problems after his parents died, however, she took off like a shot and left Ethan eating dirt. Pretty soon she hooked her carriage to Carl – self-made millionaire and wanna-be cowboy. People around here didn't like him much, since he bought his ranch for a song from a couple whose dreams had disappeared with their savings during the last recession. He hadn't thought the fellow would last long.
But here he was.
And of all the folks in the room, Carl was the one with money to spend. Rob tipped his hat to the men he knew as he walked by and made his way over to him.
