The easiest decision of her life would be to walk away from the ranch and move on a wealthy woman. Selling the estate would afford luxuries she’d never imagined and the ability to make every dream she’d ever dreamed come true. Opportunities of travel, opening her own yoga studio, owning a home, the prospects were endless. Ambitions that had always been out of reach now hovered over the palm of her hand.
It seemed so simple.
All she had to do was sign on the dotted line.
Yet, when she gazed out over the expansive property, the characterization of her dreams began to bleed around the edges like the colors of a Texas sunrise. The future was anything but clear. Her inner dialogue stuck in a tug-of-war between steadfast determination and self-criticism. No amount of mediation quieted the tiny voice in the back of her mind.
Days began to run together, the difference between Mondays and Saturdays, undistinguishable. A text from JC, inviting her to a Friday night backyard bonfire, a clear indication that the weekend was quickly approaching.
And it couldn’t get there fast enough.
After making the forty-five-minute drive to JC and Reed’s, she parked her car alongside a dozen others. Ember opted to wear her hair long, letting the waves cascade down the middle of her back. Lace trim around the neckline and hem added the perfect mix of femininity and comfort, along with the jewel embellished straps on her sandals. It felt good to put on a little makeup and slip into something other than jeans and boots. The fact that she didn’t smell like animals or manure was an added perk.
The hem of her teal dress brushed against her thighs as she strolled toward the house. A chuckle of frustration shook her chest, reading a note taped to the door. Come around to the back.
“God, what I wouldn’t do for some of that,” she mused under her breath, making her way through the house to the backyard.
Ember moseyed beyond the patio and gated pool surrounded by pristine landscape of greenery and boulders, following the music toward the glow of the fire in the distance.
What she expected to be an intimate gathering of JC and Reed’s friends turned out to be more of a party. Thirty or so people gathered around a teardrop aluminum camper that had been renovated into a mobile mini bar, complete with bartender, and a large fire pit surrounded by log benches and lawn chairs.
She spotted Chloe playing with a handful of kids, each straddling a different colored stick horse, galloping in the grass.
“Ember!” she squealed with delight, trotting toward her.
“Hey! Nice job, sweetie! You said my name perfectly!” She offered a high five before placing a kiss to the top of her curly dark locks. Chloe beamed in response. “What’s your horse’s name?”
The little girl curled an arm around Ember’s leg, giving it a long squeeze. “This is Beauty. Isn’t she pretty?” she asked, stroking its dark brown head with her little fingers.
“I’d say you gave her the perfect name. She’s beautiful. Did you know that I have a real horsey now?” The little girl’s eyes popped wide showering her with a beam of excitement that only a three-year-old could exude. “Yep, I have a real horse now and its name is Storm.”
“Is she here? Did you ride over to my house on your horsey?”
Ember grinned. “No. Storm is a boy horse and he’s at home sleeping in his stall.”
Her mouth shaped into a big O. “When he wakes up will you take me for a ride on him?”
“Sure.” Two more kids pulled up on their stick horses. A little boy and girl, both a few years older than Chloe. “Who are your friends?”
JC entered the conversation. “These are Sam and Jenny’s twins, Annie and Andrew.”
The blonde-haired little boy and girl gave a quick wave before collecting Chloe and galloping off into the darkness.
“I’m so glad you made it.” JC wrapped an arm over her shoulder, giving her a squeeze hello.
“Me too,” Ember agreed.
“I know it’s a long drive. If you want to have a few drinks, you can crash in our guestroom.”
“I’ll probably only have one, but thanks,” she said. “By the way, I considered stealing the note off your door and taping it to my chest.”
JC’s hand flew to her mouth, she coughed and sputtered, struggling to keep from spraying a mouth full of her drink in Ember’s face. Eyes as big as saucers, she roared with laughter, “I didn’t realize you were so adventurous.”
“No! I wasn’t referring to back-door action! You know, just some straight up bend me over the couch sex.”
After containing her abrupt choking, JC stuck her bottom lip out, showering Ember with a look of empathy. “That’s hysterical. I mean, I know, it’s not really funny, but you crack me up. I guess being around all those cowboys must be a blessing and a curse. Any of them worth taking for a spin?”
Ember let out a short laugh and shook her head. “Nah. I think most of them are either too old, too young, or married. Plus, it’s probably not a good idea to jump an employee.”
JC wiggle her brows. “Got anybody else in mind?”
“Don’t even go there with me. That man—” Ember scowled and shook her head. “—he’s only interested in the ranch. I don’t even want to talk about him.”
“Talk about who?” Reed questioned inquisitively, giving Ember a brotherly hug hello. “Somebody giving you a hard time? You just tell me who and—”
“No, no, nothing like that.”
“She’s talking about Nash,” JC chimed, flashing a grin at her husband.
“What about Nash? He’s a pretty good guy.”
Ember’s eyes bulged. “Obviously, I must be missing something. Sure, he seems decent half the time, but the other half he’s a jerk. I feel like he’s trying to bamboozle me.”
“It’s nothing personal, honey. That’s just business.”
“How on earth do you differentiate the two? I fully admit that I’m probably a bit more sensitive because of my situation, but I feel like that man is trying to steal the ranch out from under my feet, just so he can punch a pipe in the ground and drill for oil.”
“Oh, I get it, hon’. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of doing business with some tough men, Nash included, but you’ve got to know your circle. It’s stressful, but your best reaction is to stay calm in the middle of the chaos.”
“You’ve worked with him?” Her eyes widened. She wasn’t sure why, but that information surprised her.
“Sure. Sam and I collaborated with him on the Harris Towers project downtown. Of course, that was before his exploration company took off.”
“The Harris Towers? Nash built those?”
“Sure did. We did all the architecture and engineering.”
“I thought…I just assumed those buildings were built by his father. How’d he go from that to the oil business?”
“I imagine that Nash, Sam too for that matter, initially went into building to make their old man happy but working with family isn’t easy. Especially Mr. Harris. He’s a tough son-of-a-bitch and there was no leniency given because they had a privileged upbringing. In fact, it was probably the exact opposite.”
“They don’t get along?” Inquisitiveness dripped from every word. “I saw Nash with his father at the boot store and they seemed okay together, plus he’s staying with him, taking care of him after his knee replacement.”