The Rancher Wore Suits

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“Are you ready for the meeting today?”

Jessica took a calming breath. She was as ready as she would ever be. “Yes. I have all my information together.”

“I hope you can make this work. If we don’t get an answer in two weeks, the plans for the new wing will be dropped. We’ve already gone through all the charity funds for this year.” He hesitated, the sound of a pen clicking breaking the silence as he said good-bye.

Jessica hung up, thinking about the silent message behind his phone conversation. There were just too many families in need.

God, she ached for one of her own.

But if she didn’t swing this deal with Dex Montgomery, all the families who needed assistance for the remainder of the year would be left without.

And their needs far outweighed her own.

TY HAD SHOWERED and shaved when George knocked at the bathroom door. Ty barely managed to wrap a towel around him before the door squeaked open.

“I took the liberty of calling your barber, sir.” George poked his head in and tssked again, then pointed to Ty’s neckline. “I noticed your hair has gotten a little unruly while you were away.”

He was probably thinking it wasn’t the only thing that had gotten unruly, Ty thought. “Thanks. When do I go?”

George’s eyes narrowed. “Your stylist is waiting for you in your suite, sir, as usual. He’ll give you a trim before you go to the office.”

Ty nodded and waited until George left, then yanked on the velour robe hanging over the door handle. He didn’t know if he’d ever be comfortable having a man’s man in his life, much less in his bathroom.

He grimaced. He was going to blow this if he didn’t get his act together.

A few minutes later, he stared at the mirror in stunned silence. He had known he looked like his brother, but with his new haircut, he realized they were truly identical.

He wouldn’t have known the difference between Dex and himself if he didn’t know he was Ty.

But he was Ty, a Cooper, he reminded himself. A man who had always known exactly who he was and where he was going. A fifth-generation rancher who lived off the land.

Until he’d met his brother.

And learned about the Montgomerys.

Now, dressed in Dex’s fancy suit and ties, he wondered if he would ever be that same man again.

JESSICA GRIMACED as she hurriedly gathered her notes. The morning had been wild. Five ear infections, a four-year-old who’d stuffed a candy up his nose and a baby she’d had to put in the hospital for dehydration. Unfortunately, the three-month old had lost the last of its fluids on her lab jacket. Thankfully, the formula hadn’t soaked through to the suit she’d worn beneath, but the sour milk smell lingered.

Dex Montgomery would not appreciate her new perfume. It wasn’t exactly the two-hundred-dollar a bottle type he probably bought for his lady friends.

Her beeper chirped just as she reached the car. A moment of fear hit her when she read the hospital number. But she quickly jumped into Nellie and phoned the hospital.

“Dr. Stovall here.”

“Yes, this is Dr. Blankenship. You wanted me to call about Donny?”

Jessica’s breath caught. “Yes?”

“He’s through surgery and holding his own for now. The next twenty-four hours will tell.”

Jessica thanked Dr. Blankenship then hung up. She closed her eyes and said a prayer, then shifted Nellie into gear and headed toward the hospital for the board meeting. She’d stop by to see Donny and his mother after the meeting. Maybe she’d have some good news to tell them, that Donny’s bill would be taken care of by some extra funds coming in, and that Donny’s mother wouldn’t have to lose her house to pay for her little boy’s surgery.

Now all she had to do was convince Dex Montgomery and that barracuda business associate of his to help her.

TY STARED at his grandfather across the boardroom table, emotions churning through him. He’d hoped Grandfather Montgomery would embrace him when he’d met him at the car and he’d worried the older man would recognize him as an impostor, but his grandfather had simply nodded good morning, started his Cadillac and driven to the office. He’d barely even looked at Ty, much less noticed the difference. Ty should have been relieved, but he wondered if Dex and Grandfather Montgomery ever hugged or really talked about personal things. Who had Dex turned to with questions when he was growing up?

Then Ty had noticed the pipe on the seat and made his first mistake; he’d asked his grandfather what kind of tobacco he smoked. Grandfather Montgomery had frowned and replied that Dex knew he’d given up smoking thirty years ago.

Was that the only thing he had in common with this grandfather? The fact that they’d both smoked at one time?

No, he and Dex had his dark eyes, as had their father. He remembered the photo album at home. Grandfather Montgomery had probably had thick dark hair, too, but now slivers of gray were threaded through the dark brown, and it had thinned slightly on top. He was a tall man with a commanding presence and a voice that spoke with authority.

Ty felt no real connection and it bothered him immensely. Inside, something twisted. He wanted to impress the man, to get his attention and prove he was worthy of being a Montgomery. He fought the insecurities, yet he had felt the same way in those damn meetings in Chicago. And when he’d gone to the bank for the loan back home.

It was the same way he’d felt when Paula had published that stupid article about him. He’d met her when he was giving riding lessons at a nearby dude ranch when he was twenty-five. He’d fallen for her hard, only to find out later she’d been using him. Paula had returned to New York City and written an article for her journalism school, which had received an award and been published in a local magazine, complete with pictures, making him look like a clod with a run-down ranch. He’d not only been hurt but humiliated.

Did Dex feel this need to prove himself all the time? As if he had to win Grandfather Montgomery’s respect?

Could Ty have inherited his drive to want more from the Montgomerys? Could that ambitious need be the reason Ty had always wanted to expand the ranch?

Had Pa Cooper recognized Ty’s ambition as a Montgomery trait—was that the reason he was so strongly against it? Because he didn’t want Ty to become like the Montgomerys?

Grandfather Montgomery stood. “I believe our meeting is over, gentlemen.”

Bridget, Dex’s financial advisor curled slender, manicured fingers over his and smiled. Ty had immediately recognized her from Dex’s description. Only, Dex had described her as efficient, brilliant, organized and attractive, while Ty’s impression differed. She was a waif-thin woman with steel-gray eyes, short brown hair that resembled a man’s cut, and a voice that hinted of arrogance. He had no idea what his brother found attractive about her; she was so skinny a good stiff Montana wind would blow her over.

Had she and Dex been involved personally?

And why had his brother never mentioned Dr. Stovall?

“Thank you for coming,” Bridget said, nudging Ty to stand. She shook each of the men’s hands and he followed suit. The two Japanese men owned a small medical building which M3I had just purchased for a million dollars. He had listened to his grandfather crunch numbers, Bridget present flow charts, and he’d simply nodded, grateful they had things under control.

He had no idea what they had just said.

Was he ignorant compared to Dex? Uneducated—

“That was a steal,” Bridget whispered.

For a million, the foundation must be built of gold, Ty thought.

“Dex, we have another meeting.” Bridget’s sharp high heels clicked on the floor. “The hospital board at Bethesda.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t take long,” Grandfather Montgomery added.

“Nos never do,” Bridget said with a laugh. “I just hope that Jessica Stovall doesn’t get emotional the way I’ve heard she can do.”

Jessica…yeah, he liked that name. He could imagine her getting emotional, passionate. Whispering his name in the dark…

“Dex can handle her,” Grandfather Montgomery said. “Can’t you?”

Ty nodded curtly, stifling the ridiculous fantasy.

“Come on, Dex,” Bridget leaned over and whispered in his ear. “We’ll ride over together and have some time alone.”

A seed of worry sprouted inside Ty. What the hell did she mean—time alone? Were they involved? If not, did Dex want them to be?

“Uh, I’m riding with Grandfather. There’s something I need to discuss with him,” Ty improvised.

“We’ll all ride together,” his grandfather said in a commanding voice. On the way to the car, Ty struggled for something to say, and prayed he wouldn’t reveal himself on the ride over.

THE MINUTE Jessica walked into the boardroom, her gaze latched onto Dex Montgomery. His dark eyes raked over her, a subtle look of hunger flashing in their depths. Seconds later, his financial advisor slipped so close to him a pencil couldn’t be wedged between them.

Jessica shook her head. She must have imagined his reaction to her.

He was obviously involved with the barracuda.

Telling herself it didn’t matter, she jerked her attention back to the hospital board, greeted each one in turn, shook Charles Montgomery’s hand, Bridget’s, then Dex’s and pulled out her reports.

“We’ll get right to the point,” Dr. Sheffield, head of the board, said. “Dr. Stovall is here to present information regarding the new children’s wing that has been proposed.” He gestured toward Jessica.

Picture Dex Montgomery naked, picture him naked, Jessica silently reminded herself. Then you won’t be nervous.

She stared directly at him and saw his clothes disappear, his big, dark, broad shoulders being unveiled. Dark hair would taper down to his flat stomach, then V downward…

She shook the image away, disgusted with herself.

That image did nothing to calm her nerves. Picturing the sexy man naked only sent her blood pressure skyrocketing.

Chapter Five

As the board meeting heated up, Ty jerked at Dex’s boxer shorts which had been riding up inside his pants leg. Thankfully on the way to the hospital Grandfather Montgomery had received a call on his cell phone and had lapsed into a business conversation the entire ride, saving Ty from conversation. He’d experienced relief at first, but by the time they arrived at the small hospital, annoyance had kicked in.

Pa Cooper had always been there to sit on the porch and talk to, listening to whatever problem Ty had faced throughout the day.

Everything except the subject of his father, he realized.

What if he really had wanted to discuss something important with Grandfather Montgomery? Did he have to schedule a conversation the way they did their family dinners? Was this the way Dex’s life had always been, every minute thriving on mergers and acquisitions, with no time to talk about personal matters?

Jessica, no, Dr. Stovall, cleared her throat and he jerked his attention to her slender legs and curvy body. With an air of confidence, she lifted a chart and listed the various programs needing funding and the financial requirements necessary to make them work. The terms and astronomical figures Ty heard made his head roll.

Ty had allowed Dex’s financial advisor Bridget and his grandfather to bulldoze their way through the last meeting. He’d watched completely lost, as if he’d been dropped into a foreign country where everyone was speaking some strange tongue. He fully intended to let them do the same at the hospital board meeting as well. He could handle ornery bulls and the spring roundup of thousands of cattle, but the thought of making a decision about thousands, no millions of dollars, involving life-altering medical procedures scared the bejeezus out of him. At home, if a neighbor was in trouble, the surrounding ranchers pitched in to help. Here, they swooped in to take over the poor soul’s company at the lowest price possible so they could selfishly sell it at the highest.

But Dr. Stovall’s passion for her work intrigued him. He felt ashamed for the way he’d treated her yesterday. No wonder she’d been ticked when he’d dismissed her so curtly—he’d thought she intended to seduce him for selfish reasons, when she’d obviously wanted to plead with him to help sick kids, her kids she called them.

And although he’d never been a man who liked suits on women, her dark-green one brought out the green in her eyes, and hugged her body perfectly. He wanted to peel that suit right off. The jacket gaped open to reveal some lacy underthing that reminded him of the underwear he’d seen in a catalog Leanne had once received in the mail. He couldn’t imagine his tomboy neighbor buying it, but his body hardened at the way the lace stroked Jessica’s cleavage when she moved.

Forget it, Ty. She thinks you’re Dex. Besides, she’s not your type.

“These children need our help, gentlemen,” Jessica said, dragging him from his lusty thoughts. “Without it some of them may not receive medical treatment at all.”

His heart twisted at the agony in her eyes.

“There is funding in place,” Grandfather Montgomery interjected. “The Montgomerys contribute to several charities that work with these families as well.”

“It’s not enough.” Jessica’s honeyed voice rang with conviction, her breasts rising with her breath. “Bethesda Hospital is located in a low-income area and draws patients from transient families, immigrants and homes where most single mothers not only work at a minimum-paying job, but also have poor health insurance.”

“That is their choice,” Grandfather Montgomery stated. “We already provide one fund for those in need; we simply can’t give out free services to every one who comes crying.”

Ty sat up straighter, his pulse kicking in at his grandfather’s cold comment. Jessica Stovall’s Irish blood roiled within her. Fire and worry blazed from those fiery green eyes.

“Most of these people are not crying for handouts, Mr. Montgomery. They’re hardworking families who’ve fallen on hard times. Their children have been struck with diseases and illnesses that, unfortunately, require lengthy and sometimes extensive medical procedures which cost an exorbitant amount of money.”

“Dr. Stovall, we’re aware of the problems,” Bridget piped in, “but our company must also maintain a certain financial level in order to operate—”

“You’re operating fine,” Jessica snapped, sending a furious look at Bridget. “Your doctors drive fancy cars and play golf on Fridays while these children suffer.”

Jessica yanked out photographs and began to spread them on the table. “Just look at this little boy. Donny is three years old and has a congenital heart defect. He underwent open heart surgery just this morning.”

Ty saw the faces of his twin nephews in the pictures, and his gut clenched at the thought of one of them undergoing something so frightening. The medical costs would virtually wipe out the Coopers’ ranch.

“There’s a child with leukemia who needs chemotherapy, and this little girl named Ashley was burned and needs skin grafts. Her parents died in the fire that injured her, so she has no one to care for her except an aunt with several children and financial problems of her own.” Color darkened Jessica’s cheeks as she became more impassioned. “Do you want to deny children chemotherapy or surgery, deny them the possibility of seeing another birthday or force them to go through life severely scarred so you can pay your doctors more or put a little more profit in your wallets?”

“Dr. Stovall,” Grandfather Montgomery said sharply. “That is enough.”

Ty snapped, “Yes, it is.” He stood, placing both hands on the table, his eyes glazed as he stared at the precious children’s faces. Jessica had spread out a dozen more photos and he wondered what their stories were, but couldn’t bear to hear any more. He imagined how his family would feel if Angelica or the twins needed medical help they couldn’t afford and no one stepped up to offer assistance. “You’re right, these children are important. We’ll find a way to make it work, Dr. Stovall.”