The outbuildings that housed the cowboys and staff necessary to run the big ranch were also kept in tip-top shape, from the cookhouse to the bunkhouses to the barns and sheds. The line shacks were all getting older, but they were still kept clean and in good repair.
Danielle wants to talk to you, his brother Caleb announced as he walked down the hallway from the kitchen at the back of the house, phone in hand.
I dont have anything more to add.
Caleb frowned. You cant let fifteen million dollars just sit in a bank account.
You can always take it back, Reed responded, squaring his shoulders. He still thought it was ridiculous that his brother had paid him for half the familys ranch.
Would you let me hand you half of Active Equipment for free? Caleb referred to the company hed spent the past ten years building in the Chicago area.
Dont be ridiculous.
Same difference. Caleb held out the phone. Talk to her. She has some ideas.
Danielle Marin was Calebs lawyer. Following the debacle of their late fathers will, shed drafted the papers that switched ownership of the Terrell ranch from Caleb to Reed. Then shed worked out the financial transaction where Caleb bought half of it back.
Reed wasnt exactly grateful to her for helping to put him in his current financial position, but he had to admit, the woman seemed to know what she was doing.
He took the phone. Hello?
As usual, Danielles tone was crisp, no-nonsense. Hi, Reed. I was wondering if youd had a chance to look over the package I emailed to you yesterday? Then her voice became muffled as she obviously spoke to someone at her end of the line in Chicago.
Not yet, he answered. He only opened his email about once a week. He didnt have a lot of technically inclined friends. Most of the people he knew still called on a landline or simply stopped by the ranch when they had something to say.
She sighed into the receiver. Youre losing both income and investment potential every day you wait.
Youve pointed that out.
Can you give me some general parameters? Do you want to keep your investments in the country? Go international? Blue chips? Emerging markets?
I was thinking about buying a sports car, he drawled, impatient with having to worry about the damn money. There were real problems requiring real solutions right here on the ranch.
Her voice instantly perked up. So, youre saying I should keep some ready cash for luxury purchases?
I was joking, Danielle. We dont have paved roads in Lyndon Valley.
You could always drive it on the highway. What appeals to you? Lamborghini? Ferrari?
It was a joke.
Stop joking.
It was Reeds turn to sigh. Fine. Keep the money in the country. He at least knew he wanted that much.
Right. So, maybe some blue chips? Or do you want to look at a percentage of a start-up? I can make some recommendations on sectors and states.
Reed didnt want to think about this right now. Quite frankly, all he wanted to do was to strip off his dusty clothes, take a hot shower, grill up a steak, and then picture Katrinas deep blue eyes for a while before he drifted off to sleep.
Ill let you know, he told Danielle.
Soon?
Yeah. Sure. Soon. See you. He handed the phone back to his brother.
Youre a pain in the ass, you know that? Caleb pointed out as he put the phone back to his ear. Then his expression faltered. No, not you, Danielle.
Reed chuckled at his brothers embarrassment, feeling better already.
He crossed through the living room, took the staircase to the second floor, took off his clothes and tossed them into the hamper before stepping into a steaming shower. As he rubbed in the spice-scented shampoo, he realized his hair was getting too long. He supposed he could find a few more reasons to make the drive into Lyndon and get it cut while he was there, or he could buzz it short with his razor again. Though the last time hed done that, Mandy had laughed at him for days.
Thoughts of Mandy took him to thoughts of Katrina. He switched the water to cold, finishing off with a brisk rinse before stepping out of the deep tub.
He changed into clean jeans and pulled a worn gray T-shirt over his head, running his fingers through his damp hair. He left his feet bare, padding down to the kitchen. The barbecue was out back on the deck, overlooking a bend in the Lyndon River. But it was a warm May day, and shoes were definitely not necessary.
He smelled steaks grilling and knew his brother had a head start on dinner. Hed learned that steaks were the only thing Caleb knew how to cook. Thinking about his brothers ineptitude in the kitchen made something warm settle deep into Reeds chest.
It had only been a few weeks since hed reconciled with his fraternal twin brother. Theyd been estranged and angry with each other since their mother had passed away ten years ago. Theyd both blamed their cruel, domineering father for her death from untreated pneumonia. But their reactions had been poles apart. Caleb had left home in anger. Reed had stayed behind to protect his mothers ranch heritage.
Reed heard a female voice through the screen door.
Mandy, obviously.
When Caleb had come home to settle problems with the will, the two had reconnected and fallen deeply in love. Reed smiled. Hed always thought of Mandy as a sister. It would be nice to have her officially become part of the family.
He grabbed himself a cold bottle of beer from the fridge, flipped the cap into the trash can and headed outside. There, he stopped short, seeing Katrina sitting at the table. Hearing his footsteps, she turned toward him.
A glass of red wine dangled between delicate fingers tipped with sculpted nails. And she was laughing at something Mandy had said. Her jewel-blue eyes were alight in the evening sunshine. The slanting rays glinted off her shimmering blouse where it clung to softly rounded breasts. As a professional dancer, her body had a perfect shape and symmetry that kick-started his libido.
As she took in his expression, her smile faltered, and the glow left her blue eyes. Hello, Reed. She paused. Something wrong?
He realized he was scowling. She was Mandys sister. He shouldnt be secretly fantasizing about her. She might not spend much time in Lyndon Valley, but he was going to have to make this work.
Nothings wrong, he insisted, striding forward. Im hungry. He forced himself to focus on Caleb who was wielding a spatula over the grill.
About ten minutes, Caleb offered.
Since dishes, salads and bread were already set out on the rectangular table, Reed chose one of the low-slung wooden Adirondack chairs, parked his body and took a swig of his beer.
Mandy moved to the barbecue beside Caleb, placing her hand lightly on his shoulder, their backs to Reed and Katrina.
Did you have a nice flight in? Reed asked Katrina, keeping his tone polite and even.
It was good. She nodded, her tone even in return. Very comfortable. She swiveled to perch herself backward on the bench seat at the table, fully facing him.
In his peripheral vision, he saw Mandy playfully kiss his brothers cheek and whisper something in his ear.
First class? he asked Katrina.
Why?
He caught the narrowing of her eyes. No reason.
You think Im a princess?
Ill take that as a yes. Truth was, he was thinking that nobody had a very comfortable flight in coach. He was also thinking that first-class seating was a waste on somebody as petite as her.
Their gazes clashed for several seconds.
Staying long? he tried, wondering if shed turn that into an insult, as well.
But her expression faltered, and she didnt answer for a moment. A week. Maybe two.
Still dancing? He didnt know anything about her life in New York City, except that she was some kind of important ballerina, and Mandy was anxious to go see her perform.
Still dancing, she confirmed, with a quirk of a smile. Youre still ranching?
Still ranching. He nodded. You must be here on vacation?
Yes, she replied, the barest hint of sarcasm in her tone.
What? he probed.
What? she responded, concentrating on taking a sip of her wine.
Its not a vacation? he guessed.
She glanced sideways at her sister for a split second. Then she shrugged. No pool deck or palm trees. But I guess you could call it a vacation.
Princess, he muttered through a smile.
A girls got to keep up her tan.
He gave a pointed glance to his deeply browned forearms. Not a problem around these parts.
I bet youve got those farmer-tan lines at the short-sleeve mark.
He couldnt seem to stop his smirk. I bet youve got those princess tan lines at the bikini mark.
She didnt miss a beat. Much more attractive.
To that, he gave her a mock toast. No argument from me.
Then, to his surprise, she leaned forward and lowered her voice. Truth is, I twisted my ankle.
He leaned forward to meet her, lowering his own voice to match. Is that a secret?
She shook her head. Then she shrugged her slim shoulders. Not exactly, I just Her red lips pursed together, and he couldnt help thinking about kissing her.
Her cheeks flushed a light rose.
Was she thinking about kissing him back?
As quickly as it formed, he banished the thought. It was a ridiculous assumption.
Are you embarrassed about hurting yourself? He settled on a much more likely explanation.
It was a silly accident, she confessed. Im usually really careful about my shoes, but-
Rare, medium or well? Mandy called to them.
Reed didnt take his gaze off Katrina. Rare.
Medium, she put in. And nothing too big, please.
Reed felt a smile grow. Youre not up for a cowboy twelve-ouncer?
Her hand moved to rest on her flat stomach. My dance partner has to be able to lift me.
Maybe you need a stronger partner.
What I need is to lose two pounds.
You look perfect to me. The soft words were out before he could censor them.
A slow blink camouflaged her reaction. Then she brought her teeth down on her bottom lip and determinedly turned her attention to Caleb, who was carrying the platter of steaks to the table.
Reed had said something wrong. He wasnt sure what it was, but shed abruptly shut him out.
Katrina didnt know why shed told Reed about her ankle last night. It was a foolish slip of her tongue. It compromised her ongoing efforts to keep her two worlds apart, and this morning she vowed to do better.