The Cowboy Billionaire

by Lorana Hoopes

  “I’ll let you three finish then,” the elderly woman said. Though Hunter wasn’t sure, he thought he caught a hint of humor in her voice and a tiny smile on her lips before she turned and walked into the house.

  Daisy walked back toward the chicken coop. “So, this is a chicken coop.” She pointed to the large, wired contraption that resembled a jail cell. In it, Hunter could see ten to twelve chickens tilting their heads and staring at him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen a grown chicken in real life, and they were slightly terrifying. Most of them had large red combs and some red dangly bit underneath their beak, but it was their feet that bothered him the most. Long and scaly, they looked more like the claws of velociraptors from Jurassic Park than peaceful barnyard animals.

  “I know what a coop is,” Hunter said, with a hint of derision. He might not have seen one in person, but the contraption could clearly be nothing else.

  Daisy shrugged. “Just making sure. I know city dwellers rarely have time to learn about chickens.”

  He turned to regard her. “That seems to be a hasty generalization. What would you know about city dwellers?”

  The teasing smile slid from her face. “More than you’d think.” Her words were soft, but heavy with emotion. “Anyway, chickens are fairly easy to take care of. I check their food and water each day, grab any eggs they’ve laid, and let them have some free range time. Cody will be taking that part over soon.”

  “Aw, man,” Cody said, kicking at the ground with his shoes.

  Ignoring him, Daisy continued, “Once a week or so, I move the coop and clean it out.” Her eyes roamed his outfit - Gucci jeans, a designer shirt, and his loafers. “I had planned to do that today, but as you’re clearly not dressed for it, I’ll save that for tomorrow. You might want to wear something you don’t mind getting dirty in when you come tomorrow.”

  Hunter hadn’t brought anything like that as getting his hands dirty hadn’t been in the plan, but he assumed the town had a store where he could pick something up. “Fair enough.”

  Daisy issued a swift nod. “Okay, well let’s move. The first thing you need to do is open the coop to get the containers.”

  “I can do it,” Cody said, stepping toward the door.

  Daisy caught him by the shoulders and held him in place. “I know you can do it. Let’s see if Mr. Goldsby can.”

  Her insinuation of his incompetence bugged Hunter, and he stepped toward her, determined to prove her wrong. As he peered into the coop, an unpleasant odor assaulted him. Though not the same smell as manure, it certainly wasn’t a smell he would enjoy filling his nose every day. The chickens fluttered and clucked at him as he peered into their home, and he resisted the urge to jump back. Somehow, the very way they moved was so strange and unnatural.

  His eyes flicked away from the birds and to the cage itself. Small silver latches dotted the outside of the cage, appearing to hold different doors closed. He reached for the first clasp and tried to ignore the trepidation that passed through him as the chickens made strange noises and tilted their heads at him. It was a small door, but he had not counted on how fast chickens were. Within seconds of the door opening, they rushed at him in a clucking cacophony of feathers, flapping wings, and beaks. A sound way too close to a scream escaped his lips as he fell backward onto the ground.

  He watched in dismay as chickens fluttered past him, and that dismay grew when he lifted his hand to reveal a slimy white smear across his palm. Though he couldn’t be certain, he had a strong hunch he’d just stuck his hand in chicken poop. His stomach bunched in disgust as he wiped his hand in the grass.

  “You fell in poop,” the boy said before his laughter overtook him.

  Hunter looked up to see Cody bent over and shaking with laughter. Daisy was a little more composed, but the fist against her mouth combined with the slight shaking of her shoulders let him know she was laughing at him too. “You sure you still want to do this story? My life is definitely not glamorous.”

  A part of Hunter wanted to throw in the towel, to tell her who he was and just offer her more money. He didn’t enjoy being laughed at. But another, more primal, part of him wanted to prove that he could do this. He wanted to prove it to her, but perhaps even more, he wanted to prove it to himself.

  Dusting off his backside, he stood and pulled his shoulders back. “I can do this.” He turned his attention to the boy. “A little poop never hurt anyone, am I right?”

  The boy giggled and shook his head.

  Daisy’s laughter subsided. “Okay, I usually feed them while they have free range time.”

  Hunter glanced around, but he didn’t see anything that looked like food for a chicken. What did they even eat? “And you keep that where?” She was obviously having a little fun toying with him.

  “In the barn.” She nodded to the large red structure behind them.

  “Let’s go.”

  The dense darkness of the barn surrounded him as Daisy opened the door, and, even though it was still early, heat rolled over him like an oppressive blanket. Daisy reached down and placed a large rock in front of the open door. Though it allowed light to enter, it wasn’t much, and Hunter still found himself blinking as he tried to adjust to the dimness of the barn.

  “I’ll have to go in here by myself everyday?” Cody asked, fear filling his voice.

  “Don’t worry, there’s nothing to be afraid of in the barn,” Daisy said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

  Hunter felt sorry for the kid. He’d been afraid of the dark when he was young too, so he knew exactly how he felt. “Besides, Cody, I think I’ll be doing this for the next week with you.”

  The boy shot him a grateful look, sucked in a big breath, and nodded.

  Daisy led the way toward a back wall, and Hunter followed, breathing shallow breaths to keep from inhaling the ripe smell of manure. He wondered if cleaning up in here would be part of his crash course or if she would spare him. Somehow, he doubted it.

  When they reached the back, Daisy stepped aside, and Hunter glanced down at the four bags stacked against the wall. All were white, but none sported a label. How on earth was he supposed to know which bag was for the chickens? “Which one is it?”

  “Sometimes, the bags will come labeled, but the supplier I buy from saves money by not using a logo. That means, you either mark them when they come in or you learn to distinguish the food quickly. A pig might eat chicken feed, but chickens won’t eat pig feed.”

  She pointed to the smallest bag. “I like to stay organized, so I arrange the bags according to the size of the animals. Chickens, pigs, goats, horses.”

  “Makes sense.”

  Daisy nodded. “You’ll find on a farm or ranch, you want to simplify life. There are not enough hours in the day to spend it hunting down things or having to distinguish between them. Grab the bag and we’ll get the chickens fed.”

  Hunter lifted the bag and followed Daisy back, but her words bounced around in his head. Did she work all day? And if so, did she expect him to? What exactly had he gotten himself into?

  6

  Daisy

  As Daisy watched Hunter work, she wondered what his angle was. He’d said he was from the city, which was obvious from the way he was dressed, but she wasn’t sure he was really a reporter. Not that she’d met many, but she had expected him to take notes or snap pictures or something. If he were really writing a story, wouldn’t he do that? Perhaps this was part of his method acting, but she wasn’t sure.

  A niggling at the back of her mind wondered if he could be from the company trying to buy her farm, but then why pretend to be doing a story? Why not just show up and offer her more money or try to sweet talk her? Hunter was a good looking man with his dark brown hair and soulful brown eyes. Not that she was looking for a relationship. Though she didn’t want to remain alone for the rest of her life, she wasn’t sure she was ready to try again yet. Nor would Hunter be staying. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.

&
nbsp; “What’s next?” Hunter asked. His shoulders were not nearly as rigid now as they had been when he’d first arrived, and the exhaustion bled through his voice. It wasn’t surprising as she’d taken him through feeding the pigs, goats, and horses after the chickens. Even Cody, who’d mainly just been watching, looked exhausted.

  “Now, we eat lunch.” The sun was high overhead, and the rumblings of hunger had already begun in Daisy’s stomach. She had no idea if Hunter had eaten, but he was bound to be famished either way.

  “Oh, I don’t want to intrude on your lunch. Should I come back later? Or just tomorrow?”

  The hint of hopefulness in his voice did not go unnoticed, but Daisy wasn’t letting him off that easy. “Nonsense, Aunt Fanny always makes plenty of food, and I’m sure she already has a plate ready for you.”

  “Yesterday, she made like a hundred pancakes for just the three of us,” Cody piped up. The mention of food seemed to invigorate his spirit again.

  Hunter opened his mouth to protest further, but after a moment, he closed it and nodded. “Okay. Lunch sounds good then. My stomach has been informing me of its displeasure for a while now.”

  Daisy led the way into the house and pointed out the bathroom for him, so he could clean up. His clothes were going to need a good washing tonight, but she had nothing for him to change into here, so she wasn’t offering that service up. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Hunter appeared to be about the same size Ethan was, and there were a few of his clothes still packed in a box under her bed, but they were going to remain exactly where they were.

  “I assume Mr. Goldsby is joining us for lunch?” Fanny asked as she set four plates down on the table.

  “I figured you already had food for him,” Daisy said, as she washed her own hands in the kitchen sink.

  “Of course I did. It is rude to eat in front of people without feeding them, and I assumed you weren’t letting him off with a half day of work.” Fanny smiled up at Daisy as she grabbed four cups from the counter.

  Daisy shook her head and dried off her hands. “Definitely not.” She turned her attention to Cody for a minute. “Cody, be sure to wash your hands too.”

  “But, Mom, I didn’t do anything.”

  “That doesn’t matter. You always wash your hands before you eat.” Daisy turned her attention back to Fanny. “Did you find anything else out about our guest?”

  Fanny tilted her head and blinked. “Was I supposed to be looking?”

  A small sigh billowed from Daisy’s lips. “Maybe not. I just wonder if he’s who he says he is. A part of me thinks he’s not really a writer.”

  Fanny pursed her lips for a moment, “Well, whoever he is, God sent him here for a reason. We will be friendly until we have a reason not to.”

  Daisy nodded. She wished she had the faith of her aunt. Fanny firmly believed that everything happened for a reason, and she seemed to trust with an unwavering faith that God was always in control. Daisy was a believer, but she wasn’t sure if she bought that God had a purpose for everything. Was there really a purpose if she tripped feeding the chickens one day and skinned up her knees?

  “I like him,” Cody spoke up as he turned off the water and dried his hands. “He’s funny.”

  Daisy wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On one hand, she liked that Cody was smiling for the first time in a while, but what would happen when Hunter left? Would he sink even lower? Before she could say anything further, Hunter rejoined them. He’d washed the dirt from his hands and face, but Daisy thought that both were a little pinker than they had been this morning. She’d have to remember to offer him a hat or sunscreen after lunch.

  “Something sure smells good,” Hunter said with an appreciative smile.

  “That would be my meatballs,” Fanny returned with a smug grin. “I start them simmering in the morning and by lunchtime, they are full of flavor. You can eat them alone, or, if you prefer, I’ve cut up some bread for meatball sandwiches. Take a seat.” She indicated to the table to let him know that he could choose his chair first.

  When they were all seated, Hunter reached for his bread, but, true to form, Fanny smacked his hand before he could touch his food. “I don’t know about you, but we pray here before we eat.”

  “Don’t worry, I get smacked at least once a week,” Cody said with a smile.

  Hunter glanced at Daisy, as if to see if Fanny was serious. Daisy mashed her lips together to fight a smile. She too had earned a few smacks over the years. “Oh, all right then.”

  Hunter closed his eyes and Cody and Daisy followed suit. Fanny said a quick grace, and then they dove into the delicious fare.

  “I can’t remember the last time I had a lunch that good,” Hunter said as he pushed his plate forward and leaned back. “Do you eat like this every day?”

  Daisy nodded and smiled at the older woman. “Aunt Fanny is an amazing cook, and since she can’t do much of the farm work, she makes the meals instead.”

  Hunter looked from one woman to the next. “So, you eat every meal together?”

  “Of course,” Fanny said as her forehead furrowed, and she lifted one brow. “Don’t you?”

  Hunter shrugged and dropped his gaze to the table. “My mom left when I was young and my dad died a few months ago. It’s just been me most nights.”

  Daisy felt her heart tighten, and it ached even more when Cody placed a hand on Hunter’s arm and spoke up. “I’m sorry. My dad died a year ago too. It’s hard not having a dad.”

  Hunter glanced at Daisy before nodding at Cody. “It is. I’m sorry you lost your dad.”

  “Me too,” Cody said with a sigh.

  Hunter looked back to Daisy. “This was his farm.” He said the words as if realizing it rather than asking a question.

  Daisy nodded. “It was. His parents owned it before he did and their parents before then. This ranch has been in Ethan’s family for close to a hundred years. I, on the other hand, came from the city and thought it had everything until I came out here.”

  “But now you know better,” Fanny interjected as she placed a hand on Daisy’s arm.

  Daisy returned the smile. “Yes, now I know better.” She shook her head as memories and regrets surfaced vying for her attention. “Now, I just hope I get to stay here.”

  Hunter nodded, but there was something in his expression that sent that niggling thought in her brain strumming again. Did he know something she didn’t know? But how could he if he was who he said he was.

  Fanny patted her hand once more. “God will provide and even if He doesn’t, Ethan will understand.” As if the conversation was over, Fanny picked up the plates and carried them over to the sink. “I’m sure you three have a few more chores to do, so I’ll get to washing these dishes. Will you be joining us for supper, Hunter?”

  “I appreciate the offer, but if it’s okay with you, I need to stop by the store and see about some new clothes before tomorrow. Plus, these are going to need a good washing.”

  “I’ll let you leave early then,” Daisy said, scooting her chair back. “The general store closes at seven and you’ll want to make sure you’re there before closing time.”

  Hunter’s eyes widened. “Seven? Why so early?”

  Daisy chuckled. “You’ll find that in a small town family is important. The owner has kids and wants to be able to eat dinner with them every night too. It takes a little getting used to, but after awhile, you appreciate the time to unwind.”

  Hunter didn’t look convinced, but Daisy hadn’t been either at first. Once she’d moved here and embraced the small town life though, she began to see it’s charm. She opened the backdoor and led the way back toward the barn. Though she didn’t normally check the perimeter after lunch, it was cool enough today she thought the horses could handle it, and she wanted Hunter to see the employees if possible. He should definitely include stories like Carlos’s in his article.

  7

  Hunter

  Hunter was still so busy processing lunch and the con
versations after it that he didn’t realize they were back at the barn until Daisy threw open the door. “We have more to do in the barn?” They’d fed all the animals so unless they got a second feeding, he feared their return to the barn meant cleaning out the stalls. He wasn’t sure exactly what that entailed, but he was sure it would be dirty, and he had hoped she would save that for tomorrow when he had less expensive clothing on.

  Daisy shook her head. “I thought we’d take a break from work for a bit and ride around the property so you could see the whole place and maybe meet the few people who still work here.”

  He blinked at her. “People work here?”

  She chuckled. “Of course, you didn’t think I ran this whole ranch on my own, did you? It’s small as ranches in Texas go, but it’s still too big for one person.”

  Actually, he hadn’t really thought about how the ranch was run. He probably should have, but thinking about people was his least favorite part of this job, so he usually avoided it.

  “Do I get to go too?” Cody asked.

  “Of course. We’ll saddle Saide for you after I get Hunter set up.”

  Hunter was struck by how much he didn’t know about this place. How many people did she employ and would they be out of work if his company bought the land? He knew people losing their jobs sometimes went with the business, which was why he preferred purchasing empty land or established resorts where most of the staff could stay put. Even when the company had purchased other companies - ones they’d had to restructure in order to turn them profitable - his father had always tried to keep as many of the original employees as he could. Would her people even want to work on a dude ranch though? And what about Daisy herself? What would she, Cody, and Fanny do?

  “How many people do you employ?” he finally asked, knowing that he would have to think through all the questions racing around in his head when he got back to the inn tonight.