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“That’s understandable.” Mike turned away to set the tray on a table and sip his drink. He set the glass back on the tray.
“If you’re ready now, I’ll call Slade and see if he’s ready to meet you.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
While she talked on her phone, he glanced around. The desk at one side of the room looked French and a sofa covered in antique blue velvet faced the fireplace. One wall was almost floor-to-ceiling glass and overlooked a fenced yard with neat beds of red roses, a flowering crab apple tree and spirea and hyacinth in bloom. His gaze flicked back to Vivian. Her clothes didn’t reveal her figure or her legs, but one of the pictures Thane had carried was of both of them on a beach and Mike had total recall of her long legs and fabulous curves and a smile that could melt ice.
She turned to Mike. “Slade said he’s ready, so shall we go? It’s a short walk.”
“Sure,” he said, watching her cross the room and joining her, catching the faintest scent of an exotic perfume. He held the library door for her and then fell into step beside her as they walked down a wide hall that held potted palms and an elegant arrangement of chairs and loveseats. A splashing fountain was built into one of the walls and marble statuary and oils in gilt frames lined each side.
“Is this your art?”
She laughed, a melodic, cheerful sound that made him want to get her to laugh again. “Not all of it. Some of them. I specialize in Western art and portraits. One of the horse paintings is mine.” She pointed to the nearest painting. “The black horse.”
“Very nice,” he said. As he commented, he thought what a pity that Thane’s wife wasn’t older, less attractive, less appealing and less friendly because then she would definitely be less tempting.
Outside, they followed a stone path bordered by beds of blooming yellow jonquils and purple irises to a gate that he opened and held for her.
“Thank you,” she said as she walked through and he followed, closing the gate. “I really know so little about this ranch other than that we raise Hereford cattle. I do ride because we had a family farm that we went to occasionally and I had a horse, but that farm was nothing like this ranch and I didn’t spend much time with my horse. And I don’t here. I’m really not a ranch person. Also, I think the farm was more of a place for my father to relax.”
Mike saw barns, corrals and garages for the various cars, trucks and the one limo. In another direction there were houses and fenced yards. They approached a single-story building with lots of glass and wood.
“Here’s the foreman’s office. And here comes Slade,” she said as a door opened and a tall, slender man came out. He was in boots, jeans and a long-sleeved denim shirt. In spite of the protection of his broad-brimmed Western hat, his skin was brown, wrinkled and weathered. His gray hair was long at the back of his neck.
“Slade, meet Mike Moretti, Thane’s ranger friend. Mike, this is Slade Jackson, our foreman.”
As Mike shook hands, he looked into gray eyes that stared intently at him. “I’ve heard about you from Thane, Mr. Jackson, and what a great job you’ve always done.”
“Call me Slade. Hate to step down, but the time has come. This is a family ranch and it’s been here through seven generations of Warners. It goes way back. I understand you’ve worked on a ranch.”
Vivian took a step forward. “Before you answer Slade, I’ll tell you two goodbye,” she said to the two men. “I enjoyed meeting you, Mike, and we’ll talk some more. You and Slade can come to some decisions.”
He gazed into her eyes and the thought crossed his mind that he could look at her for hours. Instantly, he thought about her from a few minutes earlier, crying over Thane, the man she once loved. And still loved. Mike knew he hadn’t imagined his reaction to touching her and he was equally certain that she had felt something, too. Why did they have the slightest chemistry between them when neither one wanted it? Was it really going to help for him to take her to dinner a couple of times to drive away a bothersome neighbor? Or would an evening together complicate both their lives?
Two (#ue39685f1-fddb-5a40-9801-9e12baeed87b)
Vivian walked back to the house with her emotions churning. Mike Moretti was the kind of man she had expected from Thane’s glowing description. What she hadn’t expected was the flash of awareness whenever they made physical contact. They didn’t know each other, so it wasn’t because she liked him. And she missed Thane every hour of every day. She missed him, she hurt and she didn’t want to go out with another man. Asking Mike to take her to dinner had been purely to get Clint to stop bothering her.
She really knew very little about Mike except what Thane had told her. She knew that her new foreman was one of Thane’s best buddies. She knew he was single, dependable, trustworthy, honest, strong, intelligent and understood ranching. Thane had mentioned all of those qualities, but as for actual facts about his life, Thane had said almost nothing and she hadn’t asked. She had always thought Thane would come home to her and she was still shocked over his death. She hated to ask Mike to take her out, especially on his first day here, but she wanted to be up front about it. She was becoming desperate to get Clint Woodson out of her life. He annoyed her like a fly steadily buzzing around her.
Any of her close friends would know when she went out with Mike that it didn’t really mean a thing to her. Clint, however, wouldn’t know that. She looked forward to the day when he was no longer bothering her and trying to get her to sell the ranch.
Her thoughts jumped back to Mike and her reaction to shaking his hand this morning. That stirring of awareness, that skitter up her spine, had shocked her and she couldn’t get it out of mind. She didn’t want to feel anything toward any other man. She loved her husband even if he wasn’t coming home to her. Was she making a mistake by going out with Mike?
She told herself she wasn’t. After all, she wasn’t interested in anything romantic and he didn’t act as if he was, either. She shrugged away her worries about going out with him, telling herself it would only be a polite evening with talk about the ranch and maybe good memories from Mike about Thane.
She entered her house and went to her room to change her clothes so she could paint. She didn’t expect to see Mike Moretti again until he moved in and worked for the Tumbling T.
* * *
Tuesday morning, Slade was showing Mike around the ranch. Everything was in good shape, even the garages where they stopped in for a tour of the vehicles.
Mike turned when Slade held out a set of keys to him.
“Thane wanted you to have his horse and his saddle and his truck.” Slade pointed out the newer vehicle to their right. “She’s all yours.”
“I think that’ll do nicely,” Mike said, shaking his head and silently thanking his friend. Leave it to Thane to have thought of everything.
After he looked over the truck, he turned to the foreman. “Looks like the Tumbling T is top notch. Is there anything this ranch needs that it doesn’t have?”
Slade laughed. “Just an owner. Vivian really doesn’t have her heart in this. She likes it out here, but she has no love for ranching, the horses, the land, not even that monster house he had built for her.”
Mike smiled. “It is a monster house. At least some people are living in it and enjoying it.”
“Yeah, they are. I think they like it more than she does.”
The two men walked over to the barn for a tour.
“Wait here and I’ll go get Thane’s horse,” Slade told him. “I can tell you that you’re going to like him. He’s a winner.”
Slade disappeared inside and came back out leading a black horse. Mike’s gaze ran over the horse and he smiled. “That is one fine horse.”
“He’s the best cutting horse on the place. He’s fast, fast enough to race. He’s the best and Thane loved him. Thane’s saddle has his initials on it and it’s the fanciest saddle in there. He has more than one, but you’ll see the one I’m talking about and you’ll like it.”
Mike led the horse into a corral and turned him loose, running his hands along his neck, feeling the muscles and the smooth hide, his coarse black mane.
“I think he’s waiting for something.”
“He likes apples,” Slade said.
“I’ll remember that next time I see him.”
He left, closing the gate and joining Slade on the remainder of the tour.
By the time Mike made it back to the guesthouse that night, he was ready to have a hot shower and to sit and think about all he had learned and seen of the ranch and the people he had met that day. It was dark when he finished his shower. He pulled on jeans and boots and a T-shirt, going outside to sit in a rocker and drink a beer. The guesthouse had a fenced yard and faced the back of the main house where a few lights burned on different floors. He wondered where Vivian’s room was and what she was doing.
His eyes had adjusted to the dark and there was a lamp post with a light in the yard, one beyond it near the drive and one farther down along the ranch road. Houses were scattered around him and they all had yard lights. There was a big mulberry tree in the guesthouse yard with lights and there was a white picket fence around the yard. He saw something moving along the outside of the fence and realized it was a shaggy brown dog. Curious, he watched as the dog went to the gate, stood on its hind legs and opened the latch with its nose. It nudged the gate open, came inside and up to the porch, walking up to Mike with a wagging tail.
Mike had to laugh as he scratched the dog’s ears. “Smart fella. That deserves a treat, but I don’t have one tonight. I’ll get one, though, because I suspect you’ll be back. Were you Thane’s dog or are you the ranch dog and get scratches from everyone?”
As he petted the dog, it raised its head and wagged its tail faster. Out of the corner of his eye, Mike saw someone approaching. “We’re going to have company.”
The dog left him, trotting to the gate and wagging its tail expectantly.
“Mike?”
He stood as Vivian came through the gate. “Hey, if you wanted to see me, you could have called and I would have come by the house. Next time, send a text.”
“No. I was out walking and saw your light, so I thought I’d see if the guesthouse was okay.”
He smiled. “It’s more than okay. It’s a fully furnished house with two bedrooms, two and a half baths and a game room. And a dog must come with it because he knows how to open the gate. Come sit. Want a beer or pop or water or anything?”
“No, thanks. The dog is Sandy. He was Thane’s dog, but he’s friendly and likes everyone and everyone likes him, so he makes the rounds. Since Thane left, Sandy really prefers staying with Slade. Unless you object, when Slade leaves, I think you’ll have a dog.”
“That’s fine with me. This is a smart dog. Sandy opened the gate with ease.”
“Oh, yes. Sandy can open most of the gates, most of the doors. That dog really loved Thane. I think he likes you,” she said, looking at the dog standing beside Mike while he scratched Sandy’s back.
She sat beside him and he caught a whiff of perfume that smelled like wildflowers and he remembered her soft hand in his when he met her.
“I saw Thane’s horse that Slade said is now mine. Also his truck and his saddle.”
“They’re yours if you want them.”
“That’s a magnificent horse, the best of saddles and a new truck—of course I’d like them. Thank you.”
“Thane told Slade what to do with his things. He tried to take care of all of us.”
Mike thought of the packet of money Thane had left him. “That he did. He left me some money, which I put in the bank.”
“Whatever he gave you, he wanted you to have, so take it and enjoy it. I will treasure my diamond pendant always. I’m wearing it now.”
“I understand. I saw the horses Leon is trying to gentle and I’ve met Leon. He looked less than happy to meet me.”
“I think he’s out of my life. I shouldn’t have even told you about him.”
“Oh, yes, you should have. Whatever happens on the ranch, I should know about. At least that kind of thing.” He sipped his beer and they sat in silence. He looked at the main house with bright lights still on in a few windows. “Is your room on this side of the house?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. It’s on the second floor in the corner. I have a suite and there are windows all along the back. I have that balcony,” she said, pointing up at the mansion. “I have one light on in my study there, see? I have a small studio there, too. I’ll show you sometime soon.”
His eyes followed in the direction she pointed “When you sit on your balcony and I sit out here, I can wave to you and you’ll see me?”
“That’s right.”
“Interesting. Vivian, that house seems big by anyone’s standards. Did Thane want a giant home or did you?”
“Thane gave it to me as a gift. Actually, it’s way too big. We wanted to have a family but... Well, at least there are employees who live in it.”
“So that wasn’t your idea.”
“Heavens, no. I wanted a studio where I could paint. I wanted a place to hang my finished artwork. I don’t know what he had in mind. He had a lot of company and thought we’d have family. Well, that didn’t work out, so I’ve got this mansion to rattle around in.” Her voice was quiet and Mike had to admit it was nice to have her there.
Sandy sat at his side while he continued to scratch his head and Mike felt a streak of guilt. Thane should be home with her, sitting beside her on a nice spring night, before going to bed with his wife. Mike pulled his thoughts from that.
“Do you walk often in the evening?” he finally asked her.
“Not really. Thane and I did, but I don’t by myself. It was a pretty night and I thought I’d see if you needed anything. It’s dark now and I think I’ll go back.”
He stood. “I’ll walk with you.”
She smiled. “You don’t have to. There’s plenty of light.”
“I don’t mind. I’ll get to know the boss.”
She nodded, accepting his company as he fell in step beside her, Sandy following them. At the porch steps he took her arm and heard her quick intake of breath and felt a tingle at the contact. As soon as she was off the steps, he released her arm.
They walked across the yard and Mike held the gate. He was aware of Vivian at his side and he wondered if she was lonesome or had simply come to see if he needed anything as she had said.
“Do you miss Dallas?” he asked her.
“Not really. I loved it here when Thane was home. Honestly, it’s empty and lonely now. I’d be just as lonely in Dallas, maybe more so. I have a condo there, but I can’t see living in it all the time and I don’t paint there. This has become home.”
When they reached her yard, he held the gate open and they walked up to the patio where she turned to him. “Thanks for walking me home. Now you can take Sandy back with you. Sandy doesn’t ever stay with me. He’s a man’s dog.”
“If I don’t see you sooner, I’ll see you next Friday night at the charity dinner.”
“Mike, thanks for agreeing to go with me. I really appreciate it.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be a difficult task,” he said with a grin and she laughed.
“I hope not.”
“C’mon, Sandy,” he said, turning, and the dog walked beside him to the gate where Mike stopped and waved to her because she still stood on the porch watching them.
When she went inside, he looked down at the dog. “What a job this is going to be, boy. You and I both have lost the anchor in our lives—the boss I thought I’d work with for years and your owner. But don’t get attached to me, dog,” he warned. “I’ll be gone in three months.”
* * *
The first Friday that Mike Moretti was in her employ, late in the afternoon, Vivian heard a motor and glanced out of her studio window to see Mike get out of a pickup, toss his hat in the window and head to the back door. He’d made an appointment to see her and she went to the door to greet him.
“Hi. You look as if you’ve had a hard day’s work,” she said, wondering what he had done because he was muddy and they hadn’t had any rain. His black hair was tousled. She couldn’t control the jump in her heartbeat at the sight of him and figured it was because she hadn’t seen any male except Henry for the past week as she’d been holed up in the house painting.
“Sorry, I didn’t stop to clean up first. We had a water leak and we’ll need to replace a waterline.” He glanced down at his muddy clothes and shrugged. “Didn’t want to be late for our appointment. I wanted to report in about my first week.”
“Want a cold drink—pop, tea, beer? Francie baked cookies, or I have some chips and salsa and we can sit on the patio.”
“Only if I can clean up a little first.”
“Of course you can. C’mon. I’ll show you. Henry is around some place, but he’s getting ready to go out tonight.” She led him through the entryway and pointed to an open door. “There’s a bathroom and I’ll be in the kitchen. When you come out, go straight ahead and turn left at the first door.”
She went to the kitchen where Francie was putting away the last of some clean dishes from the dishwasher. The tall red-haired cook smiled at Vivian. “I was finishing up before I leave. I put the last batch of cookies on that platter and the others are in the cookie jar. Your dinner is cooked and all you’ll have to do is reheat it in the microwave. There’s a roast that’s done and in the fridge for the weekend, plus other food.”
“Thank you. Mike Moretti is here. He’s the man who will replace Slade. I came to get him a beer and myself a glass of water. I don’t think he’ll want cookies with his beer, but I’ll take the platter to the patio, plus some chips and salsa.”
“I have a batch of homemade salsa I can take out and—” She stopped and smiled. Vivian glanced around as Mike entered the kitchen.
“Mike, meet Francie Ellison. Francie, this is Mike Moretti.”
