Catching the Cowboy: A Royal Brothers Novel (Grape Seed Falls Romance Book 6)

by Liz Isaacson

  Dylan’s own worries surfaced, and he wasn’t sure if he should play it off as something he hadn’t thought about or own it. “I guess that would depend on who I’m marrying. Where they live, that kind of thing.”

  Hazel’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and then she nodded. “Fair enough. When’s lunch?”

  Dylan leaned into the doorway and grinned. “Well, that depends on how fast you can go through the data you brought with you.”

  “We have to work first?”

  “Didn’t you eat breakfast? I told you to eat breakfast.”

  “I had to stop by my office,” she said, and he tried to imagine what her desk would look like. Probably piled with folders and papers and old soda cans, if what he’d seen at her house was any indication. “What are we eating for breakfast tomorrow?”

  “Bagels.” He backed up a step as she started to emerge from the bedroom. “I’m sure you can have one right now, if you’re starving.”

  He was starving too, but not for a bagel. His fingers stumbled over hers before aligning. “You just took me by surprise,” he said. “I didn’t realize we were onto serious topics like marriage and all that.”

  “I called you my boyfriend last night.”

  “There’s a big jump from boyfriend to fiancé,” he said, lifting both his eyebrows.

  “I suppose that’s true.” She sat down on the couch next to her dogs, nowhere near gathering her paperwork to go over with him. “It was just…something I was thinking about. I shouldn’t have let it slip out.”

  Dylan crouched in front of her, playing with her fingers, his eyes on them instead of her eyes. “I think you should be able to talk about what you’re thinking about.” He looked up at her, those gold eyes captivating him and adding courage to his next words. “Especially with me. Since you’re my girlfriend and all.” A smile touched his mouth at the word girlfriend. Wow, he hadn’t had one of those in a really long time.

  Her lips curved upward too. “Say that again.”

  “Which part?” he asked, though he knew exactly what she wanted him to repeat.

  She pushed against his shoulder, unbalancing him and causing him to laugh. He sobered quickly, knelt in front of her, and took her face in his hands mere moments before kissing her. “Girlfriend,” he murmured in the brief second he removed his lips from her. “You’re my girlfriend.”

  The twenty-four hours spent out at the cabin passed very quickly. Dylan learned more than he ever wanted to know about how wildlife trackers worked. Both of her dogs had slept with him, because he “was soft” and allowed them to snooze on the cot with him. Hazel, apparently, didn’t allow Monty or Milo in her bed.

  “They’re so warm,” he said. “I really liked having them nearby.” Dylan seriously needed to get a dog of his own. There was something about having a constant companion that he craved. How he’d made it this long in his life without one, he wasn’t sure.

  He pulled up to his cabin to relative silence on the ranch and Hazel climbed out of the side-by-side. “Great weekend,” she said, giving him a sly look out of the corner of her eye. She shouldered her backpack and came around the front of the vehicle. “So you’ll meet me in town tomorrow after work?”

  “Yep. Animal shelter closes at seven. I should be able to get away tomorrow any time.”

  “Just come to my place then,” she said. “I’m done at five. We can go, say, five-thirty or later?”

  Dylan wrapped both arms around her and brought her close to his chest. “I’ll be there.” He leaned down and kissed her again, quicker and without quite as much passion as he’d done out at the cabin. After all, anyone could be watching here. Heck, Austin was probably peering through the window right now.

  He pulled back at the thought and let Hazel step out of his arms. “Okay, so I’ll call you later?”

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  Before he could answer, the back door on the cabin opened and both of his brothers spilled out. Dylan held Hazel’s eye for one long moment as if to say, See? I knew they were watching.

  “There you are,” Austin said, skipping several steps on the way down. “It’s about time.”

  “We’re back early,” Dylan said, frowning.

  “We’ve got something to talk to you about.” Shane came down to the lawn more slowly, but definitely about ten times more animated than he normally was.

  Dylan faced them, a certain excitement growing in his chest that he didn’t quite understand. “All right. What’s the big deal?”

  “We’re gonna buy a ranch!” Austin blurted.

  Dylan’s heart flat-out stopped. Just quit beating. He stared at Austin, and then switched his gaze to Shane, the older, wiser brother who would surely set everything straight. “What?” With the word, his heart did that marathon-thing again, sprinting in his chest like it could get out and run away.

  “Austin,” Shane chastised, and Dylan’s pulse slowed. He met his older brother’s eye. “It’s true that there’s a ranch going up for sale, and it’s true that there might be the possibility of us buying it. The three of us.” Shane’s eyes glimmered with hope, with possibilities, with the same passion Dylan had seen in him back when they used to have a family ranch outside of San Antonio.

  Dylan could hardly keep the lid on his insane hope, and he reached for Hazel’s hand to ground him. “Tell me more.” She squeezed his hand, but he couldn’t look away from Shane.

  “Triple Towers Ranch is to the west and northwest of Grape Seed,” Shane started, gently taking the folder Dylan hadn’t seen in Austin’s hand. “The ranch is not in great financial shape.” He glanced from folder to Dylan and back. “So that has to be discussed. We’d be going in under to begin with. It could take a couple of years to build it back up and start to actually make money.”

  “How did you find out about this?” Dylan asked. “And when?”

  “John Hatch is the current owner of the ranch,” Shane said. “He came to meet with Dwayne yesterday afternoon. Offered him the ranch, since it’s adjoining property. Thought maybe Dwayne would buy it and just incorporate it into Grape Seed.”

  Dylan started nodding before Shane finished speaking. “He should do that. He wouldn’t lose any money, because Grape Seed already does well.”

  “That’s what I told him.” Shane’s expression turned wistful. “He said he’d buy it—only if we didn’t want it.”

  “He’s willing to lose you as his co-foreman?”

  Shane’s eyes turned glassy, and Dylan felt like he’d been punched in the chest, hard. His older brother didn’t cry. Hardly showed any emotion, ever. He was too much like their father in that regard.

  “Dwayne’s the best man there is,” he said quietly. “He knows what we left behind to come here and work for him. He wants us to have the ranch—if we want it.”

  “I want it,” Austin said.

  Dylan looked from his youngest brother to his oldest, somehow feeling like the swing vote, though it was very clear Shane wanted the ranch too. He lifted his eyebrows in a silent question. You want it, right?

  “We have to be practical,” Shane said. “We have to meet with a financial planner and make sure we all understand the risks.”

  “So let’s do that,” Dylan said. “And then decide.” He looked around at everyone, employing some of Hazel’s tactics and adding in a sure voice, “Because I want it too.”

  “You haven’t even seen it,” Shane said with a smile, relief pinching in the lines around his eyes.

  “No matter what it looks like, we can fix it up,” Dylan said. “No one works harder than the three of us.” The very thought of having his own ranch, with somewhere to call home, made Dylan’s whole chest expand. Could it really happen?

  Please let this be the real deal, he prayed. Nothing too good to be true. Just something to call our own.

  “It comes with stipulations,” Shane said. “Employees, cattle, equipment, that kind of thing.”

  “When does it go on the market? Do we
have time to get all our ducks in a row?”

  “John said he wouldn’t put it up for sale until he knew if Dwayne wanted it or not.” Austin beamed at Dylan. “Dwayne said he needed time to think about it.”

  “Then he came straight to us,” Shane said. “I tried to radio you last night, but you didn’t call back.” His sharp eyes wanted to know why.

  Dylan cleared his throat, last night’s activities clearly playing through his mind. Had he heard the radio beep while he was kissing Hazel? He wasn’t sure. And he deliberately didn’t look at her so a flush wouldn’t stain his whole upper half.

  “Sorry,” he managed to say in a somewhat normal voice. “Maybe the reception was bad.”

  “Anyway,” Shane said, accepting but clearly not believing the excuse. “Dwayne said we could go into the bank tomorrow morning, if we wanted.” The question hung between them, and Dylan appreciated that Shane was actually asking him his opinion. Really asking.

  “I want to,” Dylan said quietly. He had no idea what kind of credit or loan he and his brothers could get. But he had to hope it would be enough to buy a nearly bankrupt ranch.

  “Me too.” Austin said, stepping beside Dylan and looking at Shane for the final word.

  It seemed to take forever to come, but he finally said, “I do too.” He cut a glance at Hazel. “We can look at this later if you guys are—”

  “Oh, I’m leaving.” Hazel practically jumped away from Dylan, her fingers leaving his in a rush that left him breathless and cold at the same time. “You’ll call me later?”

  “Mm.” He watched her walk to her truck, commanding her dogs up and into the back of it before she dropped her backpack over the side right behind the cab.

  “I’d like Robin to come,” Shane said quietly, wrenching Dylan’s attention back to him.

  It took a few seconds before Dylan could make sense of what his brother had said. “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, of course. She’ll be directly impacted by the decision.” Dylan picked up his bag from the back of the side-by-side and started for the steps.

  “How serious are you and Hazel?” Shane asked. “Do you want to invite her?”

  The muscles in Dylan’s hands felt like they’d fail again, and he’d drop everything he was holding, just like he had at the cabin with Hazel’s unexpected question. He tightened his grip and kept a tight hold on everything.

  “Do you think I should?”

  “Depends on how serious you are.” Shane cast him a glance and they went up the stairs together.

  Dylan followed his brother inside, glad for the cool air conditioning in the cabin. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “We’ve put labels on things. She asked me if I saw myself getting married.”

  Shane’s eyebrows went sky high and he paused. “Really?”

  “Not to her, not really. But she wanted to know if I was the marrying type, I think because her last boyfriend who became her fiancé didn’t want to ever tie the knot. Not with her, and not with anyone.” Dylan dropped his bag at the bottom of the ladder leading up the loft, a sigh leaking from his body like he was tired. But he’d slept great last night with those two dogs down by his feet.

  “And she wanted to know where I’d live if I ever got married.” He locked eyes with Shane. “Sure would be nice to have somewhere to have a wife and family.”

  Shane’s gaze darted away, flitting around the kitchen as he tried to find something to land on. “Sure would.”

  “So.” Austin said, stepping between them. “Can we show him the ranch now?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Hazel half-expected Dylan to cancel their date to go to the animal shelter, so when her phone chimed at one-thirty, she wasn’t all that surprised.

  He’d talked her ear off last night about Triple Towers Ranch, and how the buildings could definitely use some work. But she’d seen his handiwork on the hardwood floors out at the cabin, and she knew if there were three men who could fix up a derelict and bankrupt ranch, it was the Royal brothers.

  She’d seen Dylan’s face when talking with Shane and Austin about that ranch, and she’d spent several seconds in her morning prayers on their behalf. Maybe a part of her wanted to live on that ranch with Dylan.

  A bigger part than you’re willing to admit, she thought, pushing one folder out of the way so she could find a report she needed to finish. Oh, and she needed to find her phone so she could tell Dylan it was fine, they’d go look for a dog another day.

  “You should clean that desk up.” Lesli put a cold can of Diet Pepsi on the corner of Hazel’s desk, and she picked it up and moved it so it wouldn’t get knocked off.

  “I know where everything is,” Hazel said, though she still couldn’t locate the report.

  “Byron commented on it.”

  Hazel looked at the mess covering every square inch of her workspace. “Fine. I’ll tidy it up.” She started the job, filing completed reports in her drawer and making a pile of cases she still needed to review. It was significantly shorter than before, and a weight lifted from her shoulders.

  She tossed her empty pop cans in the trash and had cleared a nice space in front of her when Byron came out of his office. “Hazel, I need that report on Johnson State Park.”

  “Comin’ up.” She lifted another stack of folders, sure the report she’d completed on the aviary at the State Park would be in it. Sure enough, she located the right folder and took it over to Byron. “Right here.”

  “Thank you.” He gave her a pleasant smile and turned back to his office.

  Her phone drew her back to her desk, and she found it partially pushed under the tray. It was Dylan, but he hadn’t cancelled their plans for later that evening. She smiled as she tapped out a response to his latest question: Do you want to come out and see the ranch with me tomorrow night?

  Another message came in before she could finish and send hers.

  Robin is coming with Shane. I know they’re already engaged and all that, but I still want you to come.

  He hadn’t invited her to the bank that morning, not that she’d expected him to. He’d been right when he’d said it was a big jump from boyfriend to fiancée.

  Of course I’ll come. She added, What time? and sent the message off.

  Her phone chimed at the same time Byron appeared at her desk. “I need you or Lesli to go out to Sunshine Farms,” he said, looking back and forth between her and Lesli’s, whose desk sat across from Hazel’s.

  The other brunette met Hazel’s eyes. “What for?”

  “They’ve got a fox issue. Won’t stop calling.” He looked at a slip of paper in his hand. “A Thomas Adams.”

  Lesli jumped to her feet. “I’ll go.”

  Hazel grinned and reached for her purse. “I can go.”

  “No, you had to go all the way out to Grape Seed Ranch,” she said, her dark eyes throwing lightning Hazel’s way. “I can take Sunshine.”

  “If you’re sure….” She held back her laughter so Byron wouldn’t know what was really going on between the women.

  Lesli moved toward the exit, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. “I’m sure. I’ll check in later.”

  Hazel sat back down, her smile so wide it felt strange on her face. Byron moved away, and she went back to texting her boyfriend about their evening plans that night, and the next.

  When she pulled into her driveway at five-fifteen, Dylan’s truck was already parked on the curb. He sat with his head down, his cowboy hat obscuring that handsome face. When he didn’t look up, she approached his truck and knocked on the passenger window.

  He whipped his head toward the sound, softening when he saw her smiling through the glass. He pressed a button and the window slid down effortlessly. Though the truck wasn’t brand new, it was still nicer than hers, and she leaned against it, immediately jerking back at the heat searing into her skin.

  “Hey, there.”

  “Sorry I’m early,” he said. “Restless out on the ranch.”

  She nodded toward his phone,
still held in his palm. “You readin’?”

  “An email from my mom.” He put down his device, a slow, soft smile curving his mouth. “I can wait out here.”

  “Oh, come in and see the pups.” She pushed away from the truck and walked backward toward her house, finally pivoting when he reached for his door handle and got out of the truck.

  He followed her inside and immediately tended to her dogs, scrubbing them and getting them fresh water and food. She went into her bedroom and changed out of her drab, beige work clothes and into sensible denim shorts and a purple V-neck. She hadn’t had time to call the animal shelter like she’d planned, but even if they didn’t have a German shepherd, maybe Dylan would find another dog he liked just as well.

  She joined him in the kitchen, where he was loading her dishwasher. How he’d cleared her counter in only the time it took her to change, she didn’t know. She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water. “Want one?”

  “I’m good.” He touched her arm and she turned toward him. He wore a dozen emotions on his face, some of them coming and going so quickly she couldn’t identify them all.

  “Rough day?” she asked.

  “Roller coaster day,” he whispered.

  “How did it go at the bank?”

  “Good.” He nodded, though no smile graced his face. “They’ll give us the money, but we want to see everything in person before we decide.”

  “That’s smart.” She reached up and ran her fingers across his eyebrows. “Why do you look so troubled? This could be exactly what you want, Dylan.”

  He took her into his arms, and Hazel appreciated that he needed her in this moment. That she could be the strong one for him, while in the past, he’d been the rock for her. He buried his face in the hollow of her neck and whispered, his breath brushing her collarbone.

  “The hope can crush a man.”

  She didn’t know what to do with such truthful words, or the weight they carried. She held him tightly and said, “My mom once told me that it’s better to have something to hope for, than nothing to hold onto at all.”