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Wasn’t that convenient? During the past month he’d seen her driving on the county road and a couple of times in town, but he hadn’t talked to her. Certainly not when she was half-naked and glowing with perspiration. His mouth watered. Hell.
Avoiding her had been so easy since that morning at George’s house, he figured she was avoiding him, as well. Much as he’d like to go right on avoiding her, today he had things he needed to say to her.
If he didn’t strangle her with his bare hands first.
Man, she was really moving. She must run on a regular basis in order to go so fast. Even though he thought she was nuts to do it, he had to admire her self-discipline.
When he hadn’t heard even a whisper of gossip about an engagement or a wedding in a couple of weeks, Jake had told himself George must’ve come to his senses. Or maybe Hope had come to hers. Or maybe they’d just been giving him a bad time all along and hadn’t ever planned to get married in the first place.
And while Jake had been thinking he had plenty of time to change George’s mind about selling, Hope DuMaine had gone and bought the Double Circle right out from under him. Dammit, she’d bought his ranch. The sneaky, conniving little witch had even paid cash for it. He didn’t know which galled him worse.
According to his source in the real estate office, she’d bought everything—the land, buildings, equipment and animals, which meant she’d had a couple of million dollars handy. Okay, so now he knew she hadn’t needed to marry George for his money. She’d still bought the one thing Jake had ever wanted for himself—the Double Circle Ranch. His sanctuary.
He’d never forgive her for that. Or George.
Hell, he’d have bettered any offer she made for the Double Circle. Of course, he couldn’t lay out so much cash all at once, but what the heck did George need with that kind of money? Once the taxes were paid, he’d probably lose money doing it Hope’s way.
When Jake thought of all the hours he’d spent helping that cantankerous old man over the years, it hurt to know his friendship meant so little to George. But, business was business. Right?
Dammit, it never would’ve happened if Hope hadn’t butted her nose in where it didn’t belong. If she’d just gone back to California…
Insides clenched tight against a hot wave of fury, Jake turned Rebel toward the fence line and kicked him into a ground-eating lope. When she saw him coming, Hope hesitated but kept on running until they met on opposite sides of the barbed wire. She wore skimpy running shorts with a red sports bra and a green baseball cap.
Her skin glistened with perspiration; her body radiated a healthy energy Jake found incredibly sexy in spite of his anger.
Maybe she really was a witch. He’d never met another woman who made him mad enough to eat nails and turned him on at the same time. The inconsistency in his own behavior added fuel to his anger.
Chest heaving, she tipped up the brim of her cap and gave him a bland smile. “Hello, Jake. How are you?”
He glared down at her for all he was worth. “How the hell do you think I am?”
Big blue eyes calm as if she were sipping tea with a close friend, Hope raised and lowered one shoulder in an I-really-don’t-care shrug. “Taking a wild guess, I’d say you’re upset about something.”
“Upset?” Cutting loose with an ugly laugh, Jake dismounted. “Honey, upset doesn’t even start to cover it.” He dropped the reins, squeezed himself through the strands of barbed wire and stalked right up to her. “Why did you do it?”
Her chin came up and she held her ground, as if daring him even to try to intimidate her. He had to give her full credit for gutsiness. “Why did I buy the Double Circle?”
“That’s right. You knew damn well I wanted it.”
“Too bad, McBride,” she said, her voice holding no detectable sympathy. “So did I, and I learned a long time ago to go after what I want, not stand around—”
“Why did you want it?” he interrupted. “Just to get back at me for not jumping on your stupid flirting? One of those ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ things?”
Her eyes flashed, but her voice remained cool. “Don’t flatter yourself. I intend to live at the Double Circle.”
He snorted in disbelief. “For how long? Until you get bored with life in the slow lane?”
“Indefinitely.”
“Hell, you don’t belong in Sunshine Gap and you never will. Once the novelty wears off, the isolation will drive you nuts, and when winter sets in, you won’t believe how bleak and unforgiving this place can be. You’ll hate it.”
She spread her feet wider apart and propped her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed like a gunfighter’s. “I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”
“You’re dead wrong,” Jake said. “Everything that goes on at the Double Circle concerns me.”
“And you believe that because?”
Jake stepped closer, intentionally invading her personal space. “I’ve been running that place for George for the past ten years. I know every inch of it, every cow, calf, steer and bull on it and where they go whenever a section of fence goes down. I know where to find every irrigation gate, every pump, every piece of equipment and spare part on that ranch. I’ve earned the right to buy it. You haven’t.”
“Did you have an option to buy it from George?” she demanded. “Or any other sort of legal agreement?”
Jake wanted to lie, but knew if he did, she’d make him produce proof he didn’t have. Because he’d been a trusting fool, dammit. Time to change the subject.
“You don’t know the first thing about ranching,” he said.
Her smile told him she knew exactly what he was trying to do and she wasn’t going to fall for it. “George will teach me whatever I need to know.”
“It takes years to learn everything you’re gonna need to know. I doubt he’ll live that long.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Hope’s tone was as dry as the dust on her shoes. “George is in terrific shape for a man his age.”
“I won’t help you the way I’ve helped him,” Jake said.
“I’ll hire whatever help I need.”
“It’s not that easy—”
She cut him off with a huff. “Give me a break. Ranching’s a lot of hard work, but it’s not rocket science. It’s a business, and even us flaky Californians have to conduct business sometimes. I’m not a complete idiot.”
“I never said you were,” he grumbled.
“Close enough. For your information, I have two full-time employees in California, so I know how to be a boss. I also serve on the boards of directors for several multi-million-dollar charitable foundations.”
“It’s not the same thing.” Hearing his own voice rising to a near-shout, Jake inhaled a deep breath, consciously trying to calm down. He’d never won an argument by losing his temper.
“Of course it’s not the same thing,” she said with an exaggerated patience that made Jake grit his teeth. “But I’m a quick study. With George’s help and advice, I can learn how to manage one small Wyoming ranch.”
“Small? You think the Double Circle is small?” In spite of his best efforts, his voice rose again. Rebel whinnied and stamped his feet as if the shouting was disturbing him.
Hope glanced at the horse, then looked back at Jake, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “It’s only one business. I can handle that much.”
“Don’t bet on it.” He doggedly ground the words out, desperately wishing she would listen, but not really expecting her to. “You’re playing with something you don’t understand.”
She rolled her eyes toward heaven and her grin widened into a cheesy, Hollywood smile. “Do try to be a good loser, darling. Since you won’t have to worry about the Double Circle, think of all the free time you’ll have. Maybe you should get a hobby.”
That did it. Jake’s temper snapped and he found himself shouting. “Dammit, lady, the Double Circle’s been a great ranch for over a hundred years, but you’ll run it into the ground inside of three months. Then you’re gonna come to me, begging for help. You don’t belong out here.”
“Get over yourself, McBride,” she said with an indignant huff. “It’s my ranch now. Whatever I do with it is no business of yours, and the devil will play ice hockey before I ask you for anything. You’ll have to excuse me.”
She turned away and jogged back toward the Double Circle without so much as a glance over her shoulder at him. Jake stood in the middle of the gravel road, watching until she rounded the curve by the big old cottonwood tree marking the boundary between the Flying M and the Double Circle.
His gut churned. His head ached. His chest felt…empty. As if somebody had scooped the heart right out of him and left only an empty carcass behind. He’d lost the Double Circle.
Most likely for good.
And for the first time in years he didn’t know what to do next. Hope was right. It really wasn’t any of his business what she did with her own ranch.
But he was right, too. She didn’t have a clue what a huge bite she’d just gnawed off. If there was any justice in this world, she’d choke on it. And he’d be damned if he’d do one blessed thing to make life any easier for her.
“Wretched man,” Hope muttered, dodging around an enormous pothole in the gravel road. “Who does he think he is? I belong here as much as anyone else. George said so.”
At the sound of a car coming up behind her, she moved to the side of the road. It wasn’t nearly as hot here as it was in L.A., but the elevation and lack of pavement made jogging in Sunshine Gap more of a challenge. She swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, then rubbed the muddy mixture of dust and perspiration down the side of her shorts.
“Hey, baby,” a familiar voice called from the vehicle, which had pulled up beside her. “What’s shakin’?”
Hope slowed to a walk and turned to find Marsh McBride grinning at her from the driver’s side of a black BMW convertible. The top was down, and his black hair was wild and windblown. Though there was a striking family resemblance among all of the McBride men, Marsh was the most classically handsome.
Even in Hollywood, where gorgeous men were as common as street signs, he was considered one of “the beautiful people.”
Hope had met him years ago in a screenwriting class at USC. Over endless drafts of screenplays that were never produced they’d become fast friends and writing buddies.
How odd was it that Marsh had never aroused a single spark of sexual attraction in her, but his obnoxious cousin Jake could make her heart pound with a look?
Which only went to prove there really was no accounting for taste. Or, perhaps, she simply was perverse. Or crazy.
Still, after that confrontation with Jake, the sight of a friendly face warmed her heart. “Marsh, darling, where have you been since the wedding?”
Leaning across the gearshift, he opened the passenger door for her. “Get in and I’ll tell you.”
“I should cool down first.” He stared at her deadpan, making her laugh. “Oh, all right. My run’s already been ruined anyway.” She climbed into the car and pointed straight ahead. “Take me home.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He drove off toward the Double Circle.
“So tell me. Where have you been?”
“In Reno.”
“What have you been doing there? Gambling?”
“More like drinking a lot and sulking at first,” he said. “Once I got tired of that, I started thinking.”
“About?” Hope prompted, though she didn’t need to be psychic to guess the answer. For as long as she’d known him, Marsh had been in love with his high-school and college girlfriend, Sandy Bishop.
“Sandy.” Marsh gave Hope a sad smile and shook his head. “What else? I’ve decided to come back to Sunshine Gap until we get this…whatever it is between us resolved.”
“I’m glad, Marsh,” Hope said. “It’s past time.”
“You’ve got that right. All these family weddings have been messing with my head big-time. One way or another, I’m going to marry her or get over her.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Not yet.” He shot her a grim smile. “I’m counting on you to help me come up with something.”
“I’ll do whatever I can,” Hope promised. “How did you know where to find me?”
“I stopped in at the main house and the Mamas said you were staying with George. They weren’t very happy about it.”
“Jake hasn’t told them yet?”
“Told them what?”
“I’ve bought the Double Circle.”
His mouth dropping open, Marsh stared at her while the car swerved toward the other lane. “You’re kidding.”
“Watch where you’re going.” Hope grabbed the steering wheel and got them back onto their own side of the road. “And I’m quite serious, Marsh. We closed on it yesterday.”
“But Jake’s wanted to buy it for years.”
“George chose to sell it to me,” she said, feeling oddly defensive. “I paid him a fair price. What’s the problem?”
“I just said it.” Marsh turned into the Double Circle’s drive and parked beside Hope’s car. “Jake’s wanted the Double Circle for years.”
Raising her eyebrows, Hope allowed an acid note to slip into her voice. “And does Jake always get everything he wants?”
Marsh considered that for a moment, then slowly nodded. “Yeah. Usually. Except for when Ellen died.”
“You mean his wife.”
“That’s right,” Marsh said, nodding again. “You knew she passed away about eight years ago, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but nobody ever mentioned what happened to her. Was it an accident?”
“An accident would’ve been kinder. It was cancer, but we don’t talk about it anymore.” A thoughtful frown creasing his forehead, Marsh shifted sideways in his seat, turning to face her more fully. “Are you prepared to face all the ramifications of buying this ranch?”
Ramifications? She didn’t like the way that sounded. “What do you mean?”
“Everybody knows how much work Jake’s put into the Double Circle over the years. Most folks assume there’s been some kind of an understanding between Jake and George.”
“I asked Jake if he had an option to buy the Double Circle and he changed the subject to how little I know about ranching.”
Marsh’s grin returned. “He’s got a point about that.”
Hope rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Believe me, he already lectured me on that subject. At length. But back up for a second. If Jake and George didn’t have any legal agreement, I have as much right to buy it as anyone else—including Jake. Right?”
Smiling wryly, Marsh shook his head. “Sometimes business is done a little differently around here. Jake’s made no secret he wanted to buy George’s place. If George didn’t plan to sell it to him, he shouldn’t have accepted so much help from Jake.”
“Are you saying people will think I’ve cheated Jake out of something that was promised to him?”
