Read Online Have Cowboy, Need Cupid by Rita Herron - Free Book Online
Authors: Rita Herron
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grass sprouted wildflowers that dotted the ground with purple and yellow. A huge oak offered a sanctuary from the sun, its drooping branches shrouded with Spanish moss.
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you ever want a dog or a cat? Something to romp and play with in the yard.”
Suzanne shrugged. “I guess I never gave it much thought. Dad was so busy with work and…and we had activities.” She sighed and patted Blondie’s mane. “Besides, we moved around a lot.”
No place to call home. He let the silence lapse between them. He couldn’t imagine not having peace and quiet, the animals, the woods and trees and open spaces to run free. Had she been happy moving all over the place?
He had not brought her here to get to know her or wonder if she was happy, he reminded himself; he wanted her to understand the significance of his ranch to him.
The importance of preserving family memories and landscapes. Except he wanted to forget a few things…like his father’s betrayal.
Bitterness filled him at the thought of having to clean up the mess his father had left behind. And worse, having to lie to his mother.
It was a damn good thing that developer didn’t know about his money problems. He might try to use that weak spot against him.
A TWINGE OF UNEASE needled Suzanne at the questions Rafe had asked her, but she didn’t understand why. She’d never questioned the fact that she might have missed something growing up. She’d simply adapted, used her time with her father to help him out, playing hostess to his parties. She’d learned to do all the girl things girls did, like shopping and makeup and, of course, boys. Sports had taken up time, as well.
She hadn’t cared if she’d had a yard or a tree to climb or a dog. Then again, a faint memory surfaced. When she was little, shortly after her mother died, she’d hugged her stuffed kitty and wished he was real. Because she’d missed her mother.
“You let things go too easily,” Rafe had said.
Had she let her mother go too easily?
No, she’d simply grown tough to survive.
Rafe steered the horses to a shady place to graze, then dismounted, and she did the same, pushing the troubling thoughts away. They let the horses drink from the creek while Rafe regaled her with stories of ranch life. The cattle rides when he’d been young, the overnight camping trips where he slept beneath the stars and moon, the old-fashioned picnics and parades in the town. “The people in Sugar Hill care about each other. They may not be rich, but they still believe in helping out their neighbor.” He removed his Stetson, and ran his long, tanned fingers through his dark locks. “I bet you can’t say that where you live.”
Actually, she’d never even met her neighbors. “You’ve never wanted to travel, to see different parts of the world?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Maybe one day I will.” His gaze slid across the lush countryside. “But my heart would always be here.”
“What about your mother? Wouldn’t you like to find a nice new house for her, someplace that would offer assistance for her as she ages?”
“I would never put my mother in a home,” he said in a thunderous voice. “The McAllisters take care of their own.” He stood and brushed grass from his jeans. “Besides, my mother loves this place as much as I do. A rancher’s land is his pride. If he loses that, what’s left?”
Suzanne studied the intense look in his eyes, the rigid set to his mouth and broad shoulders, and saw a man filled with conviction. Admiration mushroomed inside her, although she had to remind herself he was the enemy.
He tucked his hat back on his head, his gaze piercing her. “We’d best get back now. I still have half a day’s work to do.”
Suzanne nodded, struggling over how to reply. She had work to do, too, but all of it involved convincing him to sell, looking over the plans for the development and design, and composing arguments to counteract any protest the town
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you ever want a dog or a cat? Something to romp and play with in the yard.”
Suzanne shrugged. “I guess I never gave it much thought. Dad was so busy with work and…and we had activities.” She sighed and patted Blondie’s mane. “Besides, we moved around a lot.”
No place to call home. He let the silence lapse between them. He couldn’t imagine not having peace and quiet, the animals, the woods and trees and open spaces to run free. Had she been happy moving all over the place?
He had not brought her here to get to know her or wonder if she was happy, he reminded himself; he wanted her to understand the significance of his ranch to him.
The importance of preserving family memories and landscapes. Except he wanted to forget a few things…like his father’s betrayal.
Bitterness filled him at the thought of having to clean up the mess his father had left behind. And worse, having to lie to his mother.
It was a damn good thing that developer didn’t know about his money problems. He might try to use that weak spot against him.
A TWINGE OF UNEASE needled Suzanne at the questions Rafe had asked her, but she didn’t understand why. She’d never questioned the fact that she might have missed something growing up. She’d simply adapted, used her time with her father to help him out, playing hostess to his parties. She’d learned to do all the girl things girls did, like shopping and makeup and, of course, boys. Sports had taken up time, as well.
She hadn’t cared if she’d had a yard or a tree to climb or a dog. Then again, a faint memory surfaced. When she was little, shortly after her mother died, she’d hugged her stuffed kitty and wished he was real. Because she’d missed her mother.
“You let things go too easily,” Rafe had said.
Had she let her mother go too easily?
No, she’d simply grown tough to survive.
Rafe steered the horses to a shady place to graze, then dismounted, and she did the same, pushing the troubling thoughts away. They let the horses drink from the creek while Rafe regaled her with stories of ranch life. The cattle rides when he’d been young, the overnight camping trips where he slept beneath the stars and moon, the old-fashioned picnics and parades in the town. “The people in Sugar Hill care about each other. They may not be rich, but they still believe in helping out their neighbor.” He removed his Stetson, and ran his long, tanned fingers through his dark locks. “I bet you can’t say that where you live.”
Actually, she’d never even met her neighbors. “You’ve never wanted to travel, to see different parts of the world?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Maybe one day I will.” His gaze slid across the lush countryside. “But my heart would always be here.”
“What about your mother? Wouldn’t you like to find a nice new house for her, someplace that would offer assistance for her as she ages?”
“I would never put my mother in a home,” he said in a thunderous voice. “The McAllisters take care of their own.” He stood and brushed grass from his jeans. “Besides, my mother loves this place as much as I do. A rancher’s land is his pride. If he loses that, what’s left?”
Suzanne studied the intense look in his eyes, the rigid set to his mouth and broad shoulders, and saw a man filled with conviction. Admiration mushroomed inside her, although she had to remind herself he was the enemy.
He tucked his hat back on his head, his gaze piercing her. “We’d best get back now. I still have half a day’s work to do.”
Suzanne nodded, struggling over how to reply. She had work to do, too, but all of it involved convincing him to sell, looking over the plans for the development and design, and composing arguments to counteract any protest the town
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