could make her love
him. And he could break her heart.
He tucked the candy back into the ashtray and smiled fondly.
“Miss Jack got me started on these things when I was a sprout. Can’t seem to
give them up.”
Haley savored the drop. “Coulda took up worse habits.”
“That’s the truth of it.” She glanced at him out of the
corner of her eye. “So, tell me about this breeding and training business you
wanna set up. You got a business plan in place?”
Haley shifted in her seat so she could look at him. “Well,
it ain’t a formal business plan but I got a bunch of stuff written down in a
notebook. How many horses per acre, the facilities I’ll need—you know, the main
barn, an arena, storage for feed and hay, an equipment building with a shop to
work on tractors and such. Worked up a feed budget.”
Wyatt nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “Sounds like a
good start. You should put it all on a computer. I’ve got a couple of good
software programs to help track expenses. You got a computer?”
“Ugh. No. Don’t know that much about them.”
“Felt the same way myself when I first started using the
dang things. Couldn’t do without it now. What say we go on into Kerrville after
I’m done with immunizations and get you fixed up with everything you’ll need to
set up a business office? You’re gonna need a cell phone, too. And I got a gal
can get a website up for you. Then you’ll have to meet with Harlan to get the
incorporation paperwork rolling—that’ll save plenty on taxes.”
“Shoot…didn’t know it was gonna be that complicated.”
He took his eyes off the road for a second and grinned at
her. “Seems like it when you first start out but once you get the hang of it,
it’ll be like you been doing it your whole life.”
Haley sighed, wondering what the catch was to all this help
and advice.
“How come you’re being so nice to me? You got plenty to do
to keep your own place going. Is it just so you can get me in bed?”
He laughed, tickled by her forthrightness. “You don’t mince
words, do ya?”
“Never seen the need to.”
Wyatt took off his hat, scratched his head and put it back
on. “Well, I won’t lie and say it ain’t crossed my mind. You’re a good-looking
woman but that ain’t the main reason. Fact is, I like you. I think you’re a
hell of a woman, and I loved your aunt like she was my own ma. I reckon she
knew the kind of life you had with your pa. I expect that’s why she left you
the ranch. Figure she’d want me to do all I could to help you sink some roots
and make a life for yourself. Question is…you gonna let me?”
Overwhelmed, Haley stared out the passenger window, swiped
away a tear or two. If she was going to make a new life for herself, she needed
to learn to trust someone, didn’t she? And Wyatt seemed like a good bet, if she
could manage to keep things on a strictly friendship level. She took a deep
breath and nodded to herself.
Wyatt cleared his throat. “Got it settled in your mind?”
She looked at him and smiled. “Yeah. I’d appreciate any help
you’re willing to give.”
Wyatt turned on his blinker and started up the road to her
place. “Then I’ll give you a call when we’re done and we’ll ride into Best Buy
and get you set up.” He pulled up next to the barn, set the parking brake and
cut the engine. “Bring your checkbook and prepare yourself. It ain’t gonna be
cheap.”
She unclipped her seat belt. “Oh lord. And me tight enough
to make a penny scream when I pinch it.”
* * * * *
Wyatt was still laughing when he walked around and opened
her door. “There ain’t no women in the world like Texas women,” he declared,
and pulled her from the truck into his arms. When her hands went to his chest,
he thought she might push him away. Instead, she hesitated a couple of seconds
and fisted them in his shirt. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across
hers. “I swear, woman, if you don’t beat all.” Then he
him. And he could break her heart.
He tucked the candy back into the ashtray and smiled fondly.
“Miss Jack got me started on these things when I was a sprout. Can’t seem to
give them up.”
Haley savored the drop. “Coulda took up worse habits.”
“That’s the truth of it.” She glanced at him out of the
corner of her eye. “So, tell me about this breeding and training business you
wanna set up. You got a business plan in place?”
Haley shifted in her seat so she could look at him. “Well,
it ain’t a formal business plan but I got a bunch of stuff written down in a
notebook. How many horses per acre, the facilities I’ll need—you know, the main
barn, an arena, storage for feed and hay, an equipment building with a shop to
work on tractors and such. Worked up a feed budget.”
Wyatt nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “Sounds like a
good start. You should put it all on a computer. I’ve got a couple of good
software programs to help track expenses. You got a computer?”
“Ugh. No. Don’t know that much about them.”
“Felt the same way myself when I first started using the
dang things. Couldn’t do without it now. What say we go on into Kerrville after
I’m done with immunizations and get you fixed up with everything you’ll need to
set up a business office? You’re gonna need a cell phone, too. And I got a gal
can get a website up for you. Then you’ll have to meet with Harlan to get the
incorporation paperwork rolling—that’ll save plenty on taxes.”
“Shoot…didn’t know it was gonna be that complicated.”
He took his eyes off the road for a second and grinned at
her. “Seems like it when you first start out but once you get the hang of it,
it’ll be like you been doing it your whole life.”
Haley sighed, wondering what the catch was to all this help
and advice.
“How come you’re being so nice to me? You got plenty to do
to keep your own place going. Is it just so you can get me in bed?”
He laughed, tickled by her forthrightness. “You don’t mince
words, do ya?”
“Never seen the need to.”
Wyatt took off his hat, scratched his head and put it back
on. “Well, I won’t lie and say it ain’t crossed my mind. You’re a good-looking
woman but that ain’t the main reason. Fact is, I like you. I think you’re a
hell of a woman, and I loved your aunt like she was my own ma. I reckon she
knew the kind of life you had with your pa. I expect that’s why she left you
the ranch. Figure she’d want me to do all I could to help you sink some roots
and make a life for yourself. Question is…you gonna let me?”
Overwhelmed, Haley stared out the passenger window, swiped
away a tear or two. If she was going to make a new life for herself, she needed
to learn to trust someone, didn’t she? And Wyatt seemed like a good bet, if she
could manage to keep things on a strictly friendship level. She took a deep
breath and nodded to herself.
Wyatt cleared his throat. “Got it settled in your mind?”
She looked at him and smiled. “Yeah. I’d appreciate any help
you’re willing to give.”
Wyatt turned on his blinker and started up the road to her
place. “Then I’ll give you a call when we’re done and we’ll ride into Best Buy
and get you set up.” He pulled up next to the barn, set the parking brake and
cut the engine. “Bring your checkbook and prepare yourself. It ain’t gonna be
cheap.”
She unclipped her seat belt. “Oh lord. And me tight enough
to make a penny scream when I pinch it.”
* * * * *
Wyatt was still laughing when he walked around and opened
her door. “There ain’t no women in the world like Texas women,” he declared,
and pulled her from the truck into his arms. When her hands went to his chest,
he thought she might push him away. Instead, she hesitated a couple of seconds
and fisted them in his shirt. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across
hers. “I swear, woman, if you don’t beat all.” Then he
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