LITMIR.BIZ

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one wants that useless mare. ’Bout all she’s good for is being led around on a rope. Even then, the creature is better off being put out to pasture. But since Bobby’s little girl won a bunch of buckles on her barrel racing, he’s sure someone’s going to be willing to pay a lot of money for her.”

      An image of the little boys next door came to mind. Shane hadn’t been back since he met them last week. He’d wanted to give them time, but he also wasn’t sure how to approach them since Leah had made it clear she didn’t want him there.

      He’d promised the boys he’d teach them the rules about horses, and then they could ride. But none of his mounts were suitable for children, especially the little one. Natalie had taken her horse when she and Gina had left.

      “There’s nothing wrong with my horse,” Bobby said, joining the conversation. “Belle is a great mare, and she’d be perfect for someone with kids. She won a lot of buckles for my Sara.”

      Just then, a lightbulb went off. The problem was, Leah didn’t want him butting into her life. But if she did warm up to the idea of having him around for the sake of the boys...

      “How much do you want for her?” Shane asked.

      Bobby grinned. “I told Frank I wouldn’t take less than five grand. But for you, I’d take two and a half.”

      Was he seriously considering spending twenty-five hundred dollars on a horse for a couple of kids he wasn’t even sure would get to ride it?

      He hesitated.

      “Now, Shane, that’s a good deal, and you know it.”

      Arnold snorted. “You just offered that mare to Jimmy Ball for two grand last week.”

      “And he’s real interested, so you better make it quick.”

      The last thing he needed was another animal to feed. Not with things so uncertain now that he wasn’t sure if the women would let him graze his cattle at Helen’s ranch. He’d intended to ask them, but as firm as Leah had been in sending him away, he was having his lawyer draw up an agreement, so everything was in writing. He and Helen hadn’t needed one, but the women seemed like they would want it.

      “I’m not interested,” Shane said. “I was just curious what you were asking, in case I run into someone in need of a retired barrel-racing horse.”

      At the word retired, Arnold snickered. Bobby glared at him and started to speak, but before Shane could figure out what he was saying, a familiar voice rang out.

      “I’m here to buy some cows.”

      Leah.

      At least now he knew they intended to work the land themselves, so they probably wouldn’t be interested in leasing him the land for grazing. Good thing he hadn’t jumped on the horse offer, since now he’d be figuring out a new financial plan.

      “I ain’t seen her around before,” Bobby said. “Look at that. There’s two of ’em.”

      Three, actually, but Shane wasn’t going to correct him.

      Arnold got out of his chair. “I wonder if those are the girls who inherited the old Wanamaker place. Helen was making noises about leaving it to her ex’s kids. Don’t know why. It’s not like they’re family or anything. I figured they’d probably sell the place and move on.”

      As Arnold chattered on about what he thought of the situation, Shane walked over to Leah.

      “Nice to see you again,” he said, approaching her.

      “Likewise.” She didn’t sound like she meant it. “I believe you know my sister Erin.”

      Shane tipped his hat to her. “Ma’am.” Then he looked around. “Where are the boys?”

      Leah gave him the same irritated look she’d given him when he’d asked her questions the day they’d met. Maybe she just looked irritated all the time. Which would be a shame because, other than the angry lines on her face, she was downright pretty. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, pink lips...what was he doing?

      “They’re not lost, if that’s what you’re implying,” Leah said. “They’re home with our sister Nicole, who has a degree in early childhood education.”

      Great. He was trying to be polite, and she took it as an insult. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was asking after them, so I could say hi.”

      Erin leaned in to say something to Leah, who nodded. Leah turned her attention back to him. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood. I’m a little sensitive where my kids are concerned.”

      A little? Shane was tempted to say something, but Leah already looked like she was hankering for a fight.

      “No harm done,” Shane said instead. “What brings you to the sale barn today? I heard you asking about cows. I have a herd of my own. I could help if you want.”

      Most people didn’t look like they wanted to bite his head off when he was trying to be neighborly. Maybe his original theory of Leah always looking cranky wasn’t too far off the mark.

      “We’re going to turn it back into a working ranch,” Erin said, sounding way more cheerful than her sister. “We’ve decided to call it Three Sisters Ranch, and it’s our fresh start. I’ve been studying brands, and I think I’ve come up with the perfect one. So now, all we need are some cows.”

      And a lick of common sense. But at least Erin seemed excited about the plan. Whereas Leah...

      Leah just looked weary. Like the last place on earth she wanted to be was at the sale barn, picking out cows for their new ranch adventure. Did they have any idea what they were getting into?

      “How many cows are you thinking of getting?”

      Maybe the best way to handle the situation was to ask them questions so that they would realize that there was more to ranching than buying cows.

      Erin’s face lit up. She was pretty, too, but not in the same way as Leah. Erin naturally seemed like the sort to smile a lot and be happy, which should have made her more attractive. But it was Leah who drew him. Of course he would be attracted to the difficult one. Why make it easy on himself?

      “Oh, I don’t know,” Erin said. “I’d like some of those cute black-and-white ones, and Nicole wants us to see if we can find some Highland cows. She fell in love with them when she went to Scotland, and now that we have a ranch, we’re going to get her some.”

      How did you explain to someone that their idea was completely crazy when they were so clearly excited?

      “You know the cute black-and-white ones are dairy cows, right?”

      He hoped he didn’t sound too condescending, because that was sure to set Leah off. But the ranch wasn’t set up for a dairy operation. If they bought dairy cows, they’d be throwing their money away.

      “We don’t know anything about cows,” Leah said slowly. Then she muttered, “I knew this was too good to be true.”

      Erin nudged her. “Stop being the little black rain cloud. That’s what the internet is for. We’ve also got books in Helen’s library. She must’ve owned every book ever written about ranching.”

      He hadn’t expected the lump that formed in his throat at her words. Helen had loved books, and in the early days of his ranch, she’d often lent him the ones she thought he’d find most helpful. Before she’d passed, she’d given him a few of her most treasured books.

      “She did love her books,” Shane said, hoping they didn’t hear the catch in his voice. “She gave me a few of her favorites when she got sick, if you’d like to look at them.”

      At the mention of Helen, the women exchanged another set of looks, communicating something he couldn’t understand, yet, for some reason, he wanted to.

      “I didn’t realize she was sick,” Leah said quietly.

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