The Cowboy Billionaire

by Lorana Hoopes

  Soda Spurs had seemed like the perfect town to set down roots and raise a family when it had been her and Ethan out to conquer the world. Small, welcoming, and close-knit, the town’s atmosphere had sucked her in, and she’d agreed to taking over his father’s ranch to continue the Keller legacy. As she’d looked across the land, she’d imagined their future children running across the sprawling land and showing animals through the 4H club. And so, even though she’d known nothing about farming or ranching at the time, she’d agreed to learn. It had proven challenging at first, but over time, she’d enjoyed learning how to care for the animals and even how to manage the business side of things.

  When Cody had come along, she’d worried about injuring herself while working and she’d worried about Ethan having to work harder when she no longer could, but she hadn’t worried much about the size of the town. In fact, even as she’d decorated the nursery, she’d imagined Cody’s future and been excited about the prospect of small classes and lifelong friends for him. And he did have two very close friends. Or at least he had until last year when Ethan was killed. Then Cody had turned from an energetic seven year old into a moody, reserved eight year old who rarely hung out with his friends.

  Now, the quaint town felt entirely too small, with nothing to distract Cody from his tortuous thoughts, and the sprawling ranch felt too big with most of the work falling on Daisy’s shoulders. Add the mounting bills to that, and Daisy wished she could just pull the blanket back over her head and spend the day in bed. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible, so she took a deep breath and pushed her blanket back.

  As she stepped out of bed, the smell of pancakes met her nose. She didn’t know how many times she’d told Fanny that she didn’t need to make breakfast everyday, but the woman insisted, and today, Daisy was grateful. Pancakes were Cody’s favorite breakfast, and though they wouldn’t stave his sadness for the whole day, perhaps they could for a time.

  Fanny was Ethan’s aunt, and she’d been a part of Daisy’s life since the day she’d met Ethan. The woman was definitely getting older, as her gray hair and wrinkles attested to, but spunky was still the best word to describe her, and she had offered to come and live at the ranch to help take care of Cody when Ethan died. Daisy had been more than happy to accept the help and stated Fanny needn’t go out of her way with anything other than helping Cody, but Fanny insisted on helping out around the house as well. Probably to prove she was still capable.

  Daisy couldn’t say that she minded. With most of her time spent making sure the ranch kept running, she no longer had the time she once did to deal with dishes and keeping the house in order. She had never expected to be a single parent and certainly hadn’t been prepared for how hard it was.

  Padding to her closet, she marveled at how different it looked from just ten years ago. Before she’d met Ethan, she’d loved the city and thought she would remain there forever. Her closet then had been filled with designer suits and dresses, but there was no need for those in Soda Spurs, Texas. No, jeans and t-shirts were more suitable here. She grabbed her favorite pair of jeans - a little impractical with the beaded design on the back pocket - and pulled them on. No doubt Fanny would lecture her once again about the unnecessary bedazzling, but Daisy couldn’t help it. She might not have a man any longer, but she did still have the desire to feel pretty.

  After adding a comfy tee that read ‘Coffee perks me up, but Jesus makes me smile,’ she brushed her teeth and pulled her long blonde hair into a loose ponytail. Though she couldn’t wear it up long, due to the headaches that ensued, it was definitely easier to do her chores without it flying in her face. The Texas wind could be brutal at times with few trees to slow down its fierce gusting.

  “Ah, you’re just in time,” Fanny said with a smile as Daisy entered the kitchen. Her gray hair was pulled up in a tidy bun and a brightly colored apron covered her long dress. Cody, in a complete opposite presentation to her mood, sat at the table, his chin propped on his hands and a scowl on his face.

  Daisy’s brows lifted at the mound of pancakes Fanny carried in her arms. Why on earth had she made so many? “Am I? That looks like more than we can eat. Are we inviting the town for breakfast?”

  “That’s what I said when I asked her if I could eat ten minutes ago,” Cody grumbled. “She said I had to wait.”

  Fanny set the pancakes in the middle of the table, ignoring Cody and turned to Daisy. “Don’t be ridiculous. This isn’t enough to feed the town.”

  “But it’s certainly more than we need, Aunt Fanny.” Daisy grabbed the butter from the fridge and the syrup from the pantry and placed them on the table before patting Cody on the head and pulling out a chair for herself. Fanny had already set plates, utensils, and drinks on the table. “Why did you make so many?”

  Fanny sighed as she sat down. “I guess I’m still used to cooking for a big family. I had eight children, remember, and even after they left, I still cooked on occasion for you and Ethan before…”

  Her voice trailed off, but Daisy knew what she meant. Before Ethan had been killed in a car accident. That’s when life had changed. For all of them. Daisy shot a quick glance at Cody, but his gaze remained focused on his plate.

  Anyway,” Fanny said with a shake of her head, “they make good leftovers. Besides, I figured we could make sure the men had a good breakfast today. Some of them are starting to look too skinny.”

  Though Fanny had meant it as a joke, her words sobered Daisy. Ethan had always employed at least ten men when he ran the ranch, but Daisy wasn’t sure how. When the lawyer went over the will with her, she’d figured there was money from his life insurance to continue running the farm, but evidently Ethan had taken out a few loans for equipment. Once they were paid and the funeral was covered, there wasn’t much left. As much as she hadn’t wanted to, she’d been forced to let a few of the men go. Now there were only three, and they lived in a bunkhouse out back which had its own kitchen. They did most of their own cooking and they didn’t look famished, but there would be no convincing Aunt Fanny.

  Daisy was certain Fanny just enjoyed being useful again. After raising eight children, she’d been on her own for the last several years. She’d visited often before Ethan had been killed, but she’d kept her own small house on the other side of town. Rocking and knitting had filled most of her time, but she must have been lonely because she’d jumped at the opportunity to help out when Daisy had made the offer last year. “Well, I’m sure they will appreciate the food, Aunt Fanny.”

  Fanny tsked as she lowered her head to pray, but Daisy did not miss the slight pink that colored her cheeks. “I’m no Norma, but homecooked food is homecooked food.”

  “Yes, it is.” Norma owned one of the local restaurants, and while Daisy wasn’t as fond of her food as Fanny was, she certainly couldn’t argue that homecooked food was better than eating out everyday. She had rarely had homecooked food in the city, and, having grown up there, she wasn’t much of a cook herself. She’d learned enough to get by, but Fanny’s food was definitely better. Her wardrobe even agreed as she’d managed to shed twenty pounds in the last year, even though she hadn’t stepped in a gym. Whether that was Fanny’s cooking, grief, or her new extra work on the ranch, she wasn’t sure, but she would take it. If only she could find a way to make the ranch profitable again. A company hoping to buy the land had already come calling, but Daisy wasn’t willing to give up yet. Not without a fight.

  Her stomach rumbled, and she closed her eyes to pray so she could eat. No way would she dare touch her food before she’d prayed. At least not in front of Fanny. The first day she had eaten with Fanny and reached for the food before praying, Fanny had smacked her hand with her fork and lectured her on always giving thanks to God first, but Daisy appreciated the woman’s conviction and traditional ways.

  When the prayer ended, Daisy echoed her “amen” and nudged Cody to do the same when he remained silent. She wished she had words to make him feel better, but this was new territory for her as w
ell. “Cody, why don’t you see if David or Gabe can come over today? I could probably take you all riding this afternoon.”

  Cody shrugged and stabbed a bite of pancake with his fork. “David’s out of town visiting his grandma.”

  “Okay, what about Gabe?”

  He offered another noncommittal shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t really feel like riding.” Talking to him was like pulling teeth lately.

  “Well, I need to make a run to the general store,” Fanny said, catching Daisy’s hint. “You want to come with me? I’ll let you pick a carton of ice cream for after dinner tonight.”

  Cody glanced up, and for a second, Daisy thought he might agree, but a moment later, a sigh slipped past his lips, and he dropped his head again. “Naw, that’s okay. I think I’ll just play on my computer and read a little.”

  The women exchanged glances across the table. Daisy didn’t like for Cody to stay inside all day, but she didn’t have the energy to fight the battle today. She figured she could give him this day to wallow in his grief. Starting tomorrow, she’d start taking him out with her. He was young, but there were jobs he could do - like feeding the animals and checking the stalls.

  When breakfast was finished, Cody slipped out of the kitchen as Daisy helped Fanny clear the table and set the dishes in the sink.

  “Something has to be done about that boy,” Fanny said, as she began rinsing the dishes.

  Daisy sighed. “I know. I just wish I knew what. Give him today to grieve though. I’ll take him out with me tomorrow. Maybe one of the men can take him under their wing.” She hated to ask that of one of her employees - they already did so much for her - but she was desperate.

  Fanny placed a hand on Daisy’s arm. “God will figure something out. Just keep praying about it.”

  Daisy nodded, and though she had been praying, her faith was no longer as strong as Fanny’s. It felt like she’d been praying forever with no answer in sight. She needed help now.

  The sun was already shining brightly when Daisy headed out to the barn. It wasn’t expected to be a scorcher today, but the Texas sun always felt warm and the barn would feel at least ten degrees hotter. She gazed longingly at her horse, Mina, before continuing to the food troughs. Riding Mina was her favorite part of her day, but she needed to make sure the animals were fed first.

  After feeding the horses, the pigs, and the cows and gathering the eggs from the chickens, Daisy brushed down the horses, ending with Mina. Then, she saddled her up and led her out of the barn.

  A smile spread across Daisy’s freckled face as she tilted her head up slightly to let the sun caress her with its warmth. This was the best part of her day - well one of them. Out here, away from the stress of chores, money, and what to do about Cody, she could relax and pretend to be carefree again like she had been when Ethan was alive. She had always enjoyed riding with Ethan, and she missed having him by her side, but she was glad she still had this. The freedom, the land, the time. If only she could find a way to mend hers and Cody’s heart and save the ranch.

  As Daisy led Mina toward the perimeter of the property, her eyes scanned the fence for any broken posts or sagging places, but as usual, her employees had it well under control. If she ever made it out of the red, she would find a way to thank them because she knew they were working harder now that the staff was fewer.

  Up ahead, she saw Carlos repairing a batch of wire. Carlos had emigrated from Mexico in the last few months and was working hard to send money back to his family until they could afford to come over as well.

  Daisy pulled the mare to a stop and dismounted. She pushed her hat back slightly with one hand. “Morning, Carlos, how’s it going today?”

  A wide smile spread across Carlos’s face. His smile was charming, but his teeth could desperately use some help. It was clear that he hadn’t seen a dentist in a long time, if ever. One day, she hoped to have enough money to send him to see one. Unfortunately, at the moment, she didn’t even have enough money to see one herself. She pushed the negative thought away and pasted a smile on her face. He had his own stress and didn’t need to be worrying about hers as well.

  “Morning, Miss Daisy. I can’t complain much. The sun’s not too hot today, and the animals are behaving.”

  Carlos was right about that. The Texas sun normally burned much brighter by this time in June, but for some reason, they were experiencing slightly cooler temperatures this week. Daisy wouldn’t complain though. Cooler temperatures meant less stress on the animals and her water bill. Plus, she had never enjoyed the feeling of sweat trickling down her spine and pooling at her waist.

  “Enjoy it while you can, Carlos. I heard the temperature is supposed to go up again next week.”

  “Oh, I will, Miss Daisy. God’s been too good to me for me not to enjoy each day given to me.”

  This was the other reason she loved Carlos. He, like Fanny, helped her keep perspective. Though his family was far away, he still greeted each day with a smile and gave one hundred and ten percent of himself on the job. Whenever Daisy began to miss Ethan and the way her life used to be, she would think about Carlos and remember that she still had Cody and that she would see Ethan again. Even with him gone, she had more than some people. “That’s a wonderful perspective, Carlos. I’ll let you get back to work, but let me know if you need anything else.”

  Carlos tipped his wide-brimmed hat. “I will. Thank you, Miss Daisy.” As he returned to his work, Daisy re-mounted her mare and continued her tour of the perimeter. Carlos’s words rang in her head. She was glad for all that God had given her. She’d had a wonderful ten-year marriage with Ethan, she had a handsome son because of that marriage, and Fanny was a blessing. She should be thanking her lucky stars and trusting God to provide for tomorrow. But that was so much harder now that she held the fate of people’s jobs in her hands. If only she could find a way to keep it all going.

  3

  Hunter

  Hunter’s jaw dropped as he passed the city limit sign for Soda Spurs. This was it? This was where his father had wanted to build a dude ranch? Why? There was nothing here. Okay, there was a town, if you could call it that, but it left a lot to be desired.

  No building was higher than three stories and few trees dotted the landscape. He passed one grocery store, a general store, and a post office. No coffee joints, no gyms, no malls. What would people even do in this town? He supposed if they were coming to a dude ranch, it was more to get away from the city than for the comforts the city offered, and they would certainly get that here. He would be hard pressed to find any of the comforts he was used to.

  As the buildings turned into homes, he realized he had passed out of the main downtown area and into the residential area without even seeing a hotel. He should have asked Goldman where he was supposed to stay. There had been a hotel in the last city, but that was nearly an hour behind him. Would he really have to make that drive everyday? And what on earth was he supposed to do in this town all day while he looked for Daisy Keller?

  He needed a story - something he could tell the townspeople that gave him a reason to be looking for Daisy - but what? He certainly couldn’t come out and say he was here to buy her land.

  As he turned the car around and headed back toward the main part of town, he passed a building with a small sign that read ‘Soda Spurs Gazette’ and inspiration struck. That was it. He could pretend to be a reporter of some kind doing a story on small town life. Interviewing a ranch owner would certainly make sense in a situation like that. Now, if he could just find a place to stay.

  Surely there was some hotel or inn or bed and breakfast around here. As he turned down one of the side streets, a wooden sign that said Soda Spurs Inn caught his attention. He glanced at the house behind it. Though not as big as he was used to, the house appeared to be in decent condition, and at least it would mean he wouldn’t have to drive back and forth everyday. Assuming they had vacancies. Of course he couldn’t fathom there was ever a day they were full.

 
; Parking in the small driveway, he turned off the engine of the truck he’d borrowed from the company after Goldman had insisted his Ferrari would be too flashy and walked up the crunchy gravel to the porch.

  The house was a two-story ranch style home painted a creamy yellow color with brown trimmings that Hunter associated more with a cake than a house. A bell above the door announced his arrival, and a woman with short curly brown hair and black cat-eye glasses looked up from the desk.

  “Welcome to the Soda Spurs Inn, can I help you?”

  Though her smile was wide, the slight lifting of her brows along with it led him to believe it was more out of flirtation than recognition. Relief flooded him that she didn’t appear to know who he was. As a real estate mogul, he didn’t grace the news or magazines as often as actors or athletes, but he had been on a few covers when they profiled young, single billionaires. Altering his voice slightly, he jumped into the cover story he had devised on his drive down here. “Yes, I was hoping to rent a room for a few days, maybe a week.” He wasn’t sure how long it might take to convince Daisy to sell, but he couldn’t imagine he would need more than a week.

  “You’re in luck,” the woman said as she clicked a few buttons on the computer next to her. “The fourth of July festival is in a few days and we are normally booked solid, but I just had a cancellation. Are you here for the festival?”

  Booked solid? How many rooms did this place have and what was so amazing about this festival? “I wasn’t, but that sounds like fun. Perhaps I’ll have to extend my stay.” He flashed his most charming smile and watched the woman melt underneath it.

  A sigh spilled from her lips as she rested her chin on her hand. “You should. It’s a ton of fun, and I’d be happy to accompany you to any festivities if you stayed.”