Maisie took the piece of paper from her pocket. For the first time, she didn’t feel foolish for not having a business plan like Clara would. She handed Megan her drawing. “I’ve got the décor.”
“Wow,” Megan said, awe in her voice. “Maybe you could make this a monthly thing at the brewery. Or even host wedding receptions and things like that.” Her gaze met Maisie’s. “This is really beautiful, Maisie. Truly.”
Maisie’s heart swelled a hundred sizes bigger. “Thanks.” And for the first time, she felt like she was finally getting something right.
Hayes pushed away the documents on his desk and cursed. The case was going nowhere, and the day had already been long, even though it was only midafternoon. He’d continued to watch the surveillance videos from every angle the amusement park offered up, but he’d hit dead end after dead end. Hayes doubted the theft was by chance. Even though he spotted the guy who broke into his truck, dressed in a dark hoody, the thief clearly knew where the security cameras were and avoided being recognized. He also hadn’t slowly walked up the truck. He strode toward it with purpose, and had gotten inside fast, signifying to Hayes he already knew the truck and trailer were there. That he’d already scoped it out, meaning he had to have already been at the amusement park. Hayes stayed on this footage, watching every single person who came to the amusement park, feeling like the clue he needed to find another way to identify the criminal was right there. Hayes studied the lanky guy’s mannerisms. He had a subtle limp in his right leg. While Detective Stewart had seen this video too, Hayes still felt compelled to stay there to watch.
On top of that, thoughts of Maisie kept distracting him. He felt edgy, restless…uncomfortable. For a long time, she’d made all that go away. Determined to take the break he needed, and after a quick call to Nash’s brother, Shep Blackshaw, Hayes texted Maisie: Can you meet me at Blackshaw Cattle Guest Ranch?
What time?
An hour.
See ya there.
Wear jeans.
This sounds very PG rated.
Hayes chuckled. Will you be disappointed if it is?
I’ll let you know when I get there. See you soonish.
Hayes heaved a long sigh down at the papers strewn out on his desk. The answer was right there in front of him. He could nearly taste it. Frustrated, he checked his email once more, but Neil hadn’t sent anything along to indicate he was any further ahead in the investigation. The bigger problem? Time was running out. His father was being lenient by letting Hayes work this case. If nothing developed soon, the case would be considered cold and shoved aside. Hayes couldn’t allow that to happen. He needed this solved. For Maisie.
He left the station and drove the twenty minutes to the cattle ranch. When he arrived at the big gates, he headed past the wrought iron sign that read: BLACKSHAW CATTLE CO. AND GUEST RANCH. For years, the Blackshaw family had owned the largest cattle ranch in Colorado, but when their company faced hardship after Nash’s father died, they’d turned business into a working dude ranch. They’d found success there.
Hayes worked his way up the long driveway with mature evergreen trees hugging the lane. The narrow path soon opened to the guest ranch. Straight ahead was a stone farmhouse, where Nash grew up with his older brothers. On the right were twelve log cabins where the guests from the dude ranch stayed. In the middle was a large limestone fire pit and Adirondack chairs.
As he slowed his rental truck, he spotted Shep, Nash’s older brother, exiting the barn with two tacked up horses at his side. His eyes were a silvery blue, his hair dark brown, and there was nothing fancy about him. He was a homegrown country man, with a dark-brown cowboy hat, plaid button-down, worn blue jeans, and scuffed brown boots. Hayes quickly parked and got out of his truck. “Can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” Hayes said by way of greeting. He needed a ride. The freedom. The quiet. And the dude ranch had well-trained horses.
Shep gave an easy smile. “It’s not a problem. These two could use a good ride out anyway.” He offered Hayes the reins. “Tie ’em back up at the corral when you’re done. Some of the boys are out on a ride with our newest guests. They’ll put them away when they get back.”
“Will do.”
Shep looked like he was fighting a smile. “Try not to fall off these ones.”
“Ha,” Hayes said with a snort. “These ones are sane. Unlike the horses at your brother’s place.”
“Yeah, but you are the one that rides them,” Shep shot over his shoulder as he walked away.
Hayes shook his head and chuckled.
The crunch of gravel sounded behind him. Hayes turned to find Maisie’s MINI coming up the driveway. The heavy weight on his chest slowly lessened.
After she parked next to his truck, she jumped out of her car. “Ah-ha, I knew it. We’re going for a ride, aren’t we?”
Hayes noted her cowboy boots and her tan cowboy hat sitting atop her wavy hair. She wore a flowered blouse and tight jeans that made focusing on anything but her killer body difficult. He cleared his throat and nodded. “I needed a break from the case and thought you could use one too.”
She smiled when she reached him. “A break is good.” Boldly, she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him like it was the most natural thing she’d ever done.
Up until this moment, he never realized how much he liked that about Maisie. Everything with Maisie was easy. Like a breath of fresh air. Her soft lips brushed sweetly and perfectly against his, making him want to deepen the kiss until they were both breathless and sweaty. He forced himself to back away. He hadn’t invited her here for that, no matter what his body wanted. He gestured at the smaller horse. “Up you go.” She sidled up to the horse, took hold of the reins, and grabbed the horn of the saddle. He took her knee, and she bounced once on her foot before he hoisted her up. He adjusted the stirrups to her size. “How long has it been since you’ve ridden?”
“Years, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be okay.” She winked at him. “As long as you can catch me.” She spun the horse, gave the mare a kick and cantered off toward the hill at the back of the house that led to the vast Colorado meadows.
Hayes laughed, shoved his foot in the stirrup, which was close enough to his height to be comfortable and he clicked his tongue. The chestnut horse cantered off easily, and once Hayes passed the house, he gave the horse a slight squeezing and opened him up to a gallop. The scent of warm earth carried along the breeze, the sun set over the snowy, peaked mountains, and the grasses blew in the wind as Hayes rushed by.
When he caught up to Maisie, she laughed, slowing the mare to a walk. “Dammit, I should have gone faster.”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “Trying to show me up, huh?”
“Always.” Her eyes warmed under the beams of sunlight before she turned to glance out in front of her.
Hayes followed her gaze, discovering the reason. Deer grazed off in the distance. Shadows drifted over the meadow as clouds passed overhead. The air always smelled cleaner out here. Fresher. Comfortable silence fell between them as Hayes led them through a trail cut out in the thick forest and then up another small hill. They moved closer to the mountains until they reached the stream bubbling across the meadow. “Let’s hang here for a bit,” he said.