“We should have yoga dates.”
“Definitely.” JC grabbed a bottle of water from a cup holder and lifted it in a cheers fashion. “And we need to sneak a girl’s lunch in too.”
Chloe handed off the dirty wipe, clapping her hands in approval.
“That sounds heavenly. I have a feeling I’m going to need to escape occasionally.”
“You’re going to be just fine.” JC’s brows raised in recollection. “I wanted to tell you that Reed was talking to his partner, Sam, and come to find out, he actually grew up next door to your ranch.”
“It’s not my ranch,” Ember corrected.
“I hate to remind you, but it is indeed your ranch now. What you decide to do with it is another story. I mean, that’s why you’re here, right?”
JC’s blunt honesty hit Ember with a giant dose of reality. Again.
“Yeah. I get the full details this afternoon, but basically, he requested that I stay at the ranch for at least four months before making any decisions to sell.” Ember continued inquisitively, “Did Sam know him?”
“He did. Sam told Reed he was a typical Texan, tough as nails, opinionated, and ornery, but he also mentioned that it’s a huge ranch.”
“Mr. Montgomery, the ranch’s operator, said it was over one hundred thousand acres. I was in so much shock that I really can’t remember all of our conversation, but I think he said ten thousand head of cattle.” A nervous shiver chinked up her spine, the staggering size reaching far beyond her comprehension of understanding.
“Let’s be real. There’s no way I’m keeping the ranch, but out of respect, I agreed to stay the four months. I’ll probably last two weeks.”
JC snickered, all the seriousness dropped from her expression, replaced with a naughty grin. “Just imagine how many cowboys it takes to wrangle all those cattle. You might enjoy this more than you think.”
A matching grin plumped the apples of her cheeks. “You should’ve seen the—” Avoiding the word ass, Ember wiggled her bottom in the seat. “—on the guy this morning.”
“Told you. There’s just something about a hard-working man in a pair of tight jeans. I almost feel sorry for Reed when we’re here, I can hardly keep my hands off him.” She released a theatrical sigh of delight for good measure.
“This guy was a double whammy. He was dressed in a suit, but the way he hopped right up on that horse…definitely a cowboy in there somewhere.” Another layer of color burnished her cheeks.
“Ha! Look at you! In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you blush. He must’ve been very nice.”
“He had the most gorgeous eyes I’d ever seen. I wouldn’t say he was overly friendly, but we definitely shared a look…some sort of connection.” Regret bowed her lips south. “Everything happened so fast. I wish I would’ve gotten his name. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing him again.”
“You’re so intuitive,” JC noted, a hint of envy riddled her tone. “Ever since my career in modeling took off, I have such a difficult time trusting people. It’s hard to know who’s a true friend, but I remember being so drawn to you the first time we met. It was if we’d been best friends in another lifetime. You have such a great spirit.”
“I think we talked for two hours after class that day.”
JC looked off into the distance, seemingly gathering her thoughts. “You were there when I needed a friend, and now I get to be here for you. So, when you need someone to talk to, I expect you to call me. You got that?” JC flashed her index finger in a scolding fashion, securing the sincerity of her words.
“Yeah, Emer. You got dat?” Chloe mimicked in the same chiding tone as her mother.
“Yes ma’am.”
A knock at the window startled her, causing all of them to jump in their seats. A police officer stood outside the car. Ember rolled down her window.
“They said you were on the patio when the cattle came through. If you wouldn’t mind coming inside, I’d like to get your statement. I’m sure it won’t take long and then you can be on your way.”
“Sure, I’ll be right in,” JC assured before rolling up the window, blocking out the heat. Chloe’s bottom lip protruded, expressing her disapproval.
“Give Ember a hug goodbye, sweetie. We’ll see her in a few days.”
Her big green eyes glistened with wetness. Chloe palmed the side of Ember’s face and rubbed their noses together. “Eskimo.”
Ember batted her lashes against Chloe’s. “Butterfly.”
She finished their well-rehearsed goodbye and exited the Rover. JC rolled down the window as Ember walked away. “If I happen to see a hot cowboy in a suit, I’ll be sure to stop and get his name and number for you.”
Ember laughed out loud, turning back for a moment. “Yeah, you do that. Take a photo from behind for me too.”
JC flipped her two thumbs and a giddy grin up before rolling up the window.
Chapter 4
Ember
An hour later, Ember exited the highway, navigating her Toyota beneath the large, elongated sign cut from metal reading Walker Ranch. Nerves gathered in the pit of her stomach wondering how many generations of Walkers had driven beyond the gates. Though she didn’t consider herself to be a Walker, she’d always wondered about the other half of her heritage.
Foot barely pressing the gas pedal, she continued at a crawl, making her way past a dozen or so mature burr oak trees flanking the roughly paved road. The drive seemed to go on forever, allowing plenty of time for feelings of inadequacy to creep into her mindset. The idea of taking ownership of a cattle ranch pushed her responsibilities and concerns of inadequacy far beyond her comfort zone.
Ember had always been inspired by different ideas, attitudes, and experiences, never backing down from a challenge. No matter what the job or task, she rolled up her sleeves and tackled it. However, ranching was completely foreign to her. Hell, she’d only been on a horse twice in her life.
The estate appeared in the distance. Ember gripped the wheel, inching forward in her seat to get a better look at the sprawling single story ranch. She’d grown up in a three-bedroom home in the heart of Austin, walking distance from her mother’s yoga studio. June always preferred to use the word quaint instead of small when describing their home, however in comparison, her mother’s home was small enough to fit inside the garage of this house with plenty of room to spare.
“What was I thinking? What the hell am I doing here?” she whispered out loud.
The house looked far more expansive than she’d ever imagined, yet the uncluttered exterior added a firm distinction of simplicity verses opulence.
Stone-wrapped columns holding up the large portico offered a more modern, updated look, however the long, ground-hugging profile gave hints of a much older structure.
She drove around a broad grassy planter dotted with a few tall trees and a ring of low-growing shrubs in the center of the circular drive. Parking beneath the portico, she exited the car, and retrieved one of several suitcases shoved in the trunk.
Ember was greeted by an American flag waving proudly in the hot breeze as she approached the limestone porch which encircled the home offering protection from the blazing sunshine. Four ancient old rocking chairs, made of wood and painted white, seemed to serve as more of a necessity than decoration. Noticing the worn decking beneath the chairs, she couldn’t help to wonder if her father sat there every evening to watch the sky darken after a hard day’s work.