LITMIR.BIZ

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      Locking the cabin door with the key his dad had given him, he headed toward the stables to explore. What he knew about horses and ranching could fit in his right hand, and it was about time to change that. Brooks didn’t want to admit to his father he’d seen the saddle side of a horse only once or twice. What did a city kid from Chicago know about riding?

      Not much.

      Huddled in a windbreaker jacket fit for a crisp December day in Texas, his boots kicking up dust, he came upon a set of corrals first. Beautiful animals frolicked, their groomed manes gently bouncing off their shoulders as they played a game of equine tag. They nipped at each other, teased and snorted and then stormed off, only to return to play again. They were beauties. His father’s horses.

      The land behind the corrals was rich with tall grazing grass, strong oaks and mesquite trees dotting the squat hills. It was unfamiliar territory and remote, uniquely different from what Brooks had ever known.

      He ducked into one of the stables. Shadows split the sunshine inside, and a long row of stalls on either side led to a tack room. The stable was empty but for a dozen or so horses. Beau had told him to check out Misty, an eight-year-old mare with a sweet nature. He spotted her quickly, a golden palomino with blond locks, not too different in color from his own.

      “Hey, girl, are you and I going to get along?” The horse’s ears perked up, and she sauntered over to hang her head over the split door. “That’s a girl.” He stroked the horse’s nose and looked into her big brown eyes. “Hang on a sec,” he said and walked over to the tack area. The place smelled of leather and dust, but it was about as clean and tidy as a five-star hotel.

      That told him something about his father.

      “Can I help you?” A man walked out of the tack room and eyed him cautiously. “I’m Sam Braddox, the foreman.”

      Brooks put out his hand. “I’m Brooks Newport. Nice to meet you.”

      The man’s expression changed to a quick smile. “You’re one of Beau’s boys.”

      “Yes, I am. I just got here a little while ago.”

      “Well, welcome. I see the resemblance. You have your daddy’s eyes. And Beau only just this morning filled the crew in on the news you’d be arriving.”

      “Thanks. I’m... I’m just trying to get acquainted with the place. Learn a little about horses.” He scratched his head and then shrugged. “I’m no horseman, but Beau wants to take me out riding one day.”

      Sam studied him. “How about a quick lesson?”

      “Sure.”

      “C’mon. I’ll show you how to saddle up.” He led Misty out of her stall and into an open area.

      “Misty’s a fine girl. She’s sweet, but she can get testy if you don’t show her who’s boss from the get-go.”

      “Okay.”

      The foreman grabbed a worked-in saddle and horse blanket and walked over to Brooks. “Here we go.”

      Sam tossed the blanket over the horse just as one of the crew dashed in. “Hey, Boss. Looks like Candy is ready to foal. She’s having a struggle. Brian sent me to get you.”

      “Okay.” Sam sighed. “I’ll be right there.” He gave Brooks a glance and set the saddle on the ground. “Sorry about this. Candy has had a hard pregnancy. I’d better get right to it.”

      “No problem at all. I’ll see you later, Sam.”

      “You okay here?”

      “I’m gonna try my hand at it. I’ll Google how to saddle a horse.”

      Sam gave him a queer look. “All right.” Then he strode out like his pants were on fire.

      “How hard can this be?” Brooks said to himself.

      He fixed the blanket over the horse’s shoulders, sheepskin side down, and then lifted the saddle. The darn thing weighed at least fifty pounds. He set it onto the horse and grabbed the cinch from underneath the horse’s belly.

      “You’re doing it all wrong.” The female voice stopped him short. What in hell? He whipped around, uneasy about where his thoughts were heading. Sure enough, there was Ruby of his fantasies coming forward. His mouth could’ve dropped open, but he kept his teeth clamped as he tried to make sense of it. He’d just left Ruby a few hours ago, and now here she was in the flesh, appearing unfazed at seeing him again. He, for sure, wasn’t unaffected.

      “Ruby?”

      “Hello, Brooks.”

      She practically ignored him as she went about removing the saddle like a pro—a saddle that weighed probably half her body weight—and shoving it into his arms. “The blanket has to be even on both sides. You put it on closer to Misty’s shoulders and then slide it into the natural channel of her body. Make sure it’s not too far down on her hips, either. It’s the best protection the horse has for—”

      “Ruby?” He took hold of her arm gently.

      She didn’t budge, didn’t face him. “I work here. I’m Look Away Ranch’s head wrangler and horse trainer.”

      As if that explained it all. “Did you know who I was last night?”

      Her eyes snapped up. “God, no.” She shook her head, and the sheet of beautiful raven hair shimmered. “Beau told us about you only this morning. He wanted to make sure you were really coming before he shared his news. Welcome to the family, Brooks.”

      His heart just about stopped. “The family?”

      She nodded. “Beau’s like a father to me.”

      Brooks released the breath he’d been holding. She’d had him scared for a second that they could be related in some way. “Like a father? What does that mean?”

      “My father worked for Beau all of his life, until he died ten years ago. I was sixteen at the time. It was hard on me. I, uh...it almost broke me. My dad was special to me. We both loved horses, the land and everything about Look Away, so when he passed, I couldn’t imagine my life without him. But Beau and his boys were right by my side the entire time. Beau never let a day go by without letting me know I was welcome and wanted here. He took me in and I worked at Look Away, making my way up to head wrangler.”

      “You live here?”

      “I have an apartment in town, but often I stay in the old groundskeeper’s cottage, especially during the holidays. It’s where my dad lived out the last years of his life. It’s home to me, too, and Beau’s family is now my family.”

      Brooks nodded at this new wrinkle in his life. “What about your mother?”

      “Mom died when I was very young. I don’t remember too much about her.”

      “I’m sorry.” He put his hands on his hips. “So, what do we do now?”

      “Now?” Her brows knit together. “What do you mean?”

      “About us?”

      Her olive skin turned bright pink, and her embarrassment surprised him. The Ruby he’d met yesterday had been fearless and uninhibited. “Oh, that. Well, it’d be best if we didn’t discuss what happened between us last night. Beau wouldn’t approve. It was really nice, Brooks. But not to be repeated.”

      “I see.”

      “Glad you do,” she said, dismissing the subject with a flip of her hair. “You want to learn how to saddle this horse correctly?”

      Dumbfounded, he began nodding, not so much because he gave a damn about saddling, but because Ruby living on his father’s ranch blew his mind. “Uh, sure.”

      “Okay, so the blanket has to be even and protecting the horse from the saddle.” Next this petite five-foot-something

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