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There was no shortage of people claiming expertise on some area of technology or other. Some actually were experts; many, many more had simply learned a bit of HTML, built a few websites, or even created games.
But it was the photo with the blue vase that had hooked Ethan, and he knew it. The thought of some socially challenged horny young male having access to that image and whatever others Carrie might have tucked away made him squirm.
He was helping her, he told himself, to protect her from the vast army of creeps out there.
He chuckled at himself. Who’d have thought a New York software and security king would end up here, acting like a gentleman-farmer-cowboy ready to defend a young lady’s honor?
The whole scenario was a stretch, him raising a handful of Black Angus cattle for the fun of it, with a rag-tag herd of horses, retired, like him, and some laying hens that seemed to think they were retired.
He laughed aloud and the cows flicked their tails in annoyance.
Some gentleman.
His smile faded. Some king.
He ought to do Carrie Logan a favor and direct her to someone who didn’t have the potential to damage her by association.
“Come on, boys.” The dogs followed Ethan to the barn, where the horses were awaiting their daily treats. While the initial introductions had been a little touchy, the animals all accepted each other now, which was good because in Montana, dogs that chased livestock rarely lived to do it twice.
“Freeloaders.” He moved from one horse to the next, rubbing muzzles and patting necks. “It’s summer. You’ve got the best graze land around, and still, you’re not happy.”
He didn’t regret the choice to take responsibility for his younger brother’s mistakes. Vincent had never denied dipping his fingers into the company pot, but he’d never explained it, either, which made Ethan think he’d been in more trouble than anyone knew.
Investors, however, didn’t care about extenuating circumstances. They had demanded a fall guy and rather than see Vincent destroyed, Ethan stepped up. He was financially set, after all. It was the perfect opportunity to start over, start fresh. And aside from Vince, he had no one to keep him in New York.
Scandal had a way of scattering friends. Not to mention fiancées.
Though it had hurt at the time, ultimately he’d been spared a ruinous divorce, so in his mind, he’d come out ahead.
Most importantly, Vincent seemed to be making good use of his second chance. Brothers had to stick together. Even if they were on opposite sides of the country.
A set of whiskery lips tugged on his shirt sleeve.
“All right, all right.” He held out a handful of carrots, divvying them out equally. One went to the big, pushy draft horse who’d once stood for months at a time with a catheter attached to her bladder.
One went to the pretty thoroughbred he’d picked up at a sale, rather than see her go for slaughter. The unsightly scar on her front leg had made her invisible to the pleasure-riding crowd, but her personality was sweet and gentle as anyone could want.
Maybe someone would be able to use her for trail rides. Wasn’t there a woman running a summer camp, somewhere? He could offer to let her use the mare as a show of goodwill?
As Ethan tossed a couple of carrots to the twitchy mustangs who still wouldn’t let him touch them, he wondered if maybe he could offer Carrie a similar deal. She was already concerned about his fee – as she should be – but what if she agreed to be something of an ambassador for him.
She might even be able to put in a good word with the local business association so they’d finally allow him to join.
Feeling buoyed by the idea, he approached the ancient, grumpy Shetland pony who’d come with the property.
“I haven’t forgotten you, Shandy,” he said, holding the carrot out. “Now. Behave yourself.”
The old gelding put his ears back, shook his head, and snapped yellow teeth at Ethan’s fingers.
“Uh, uh, uh,” he scolded mildly, withholding the carrot. “Try again.”
Shandy had belonged to the tenants who’d been on the ranch when he’d bought it. The pony had been their daughter’s, but the animal was too old and too cranky to start over with another child. Ethan had promised them that it could stay on the ranch and live out his time in peace, never expecting him to last the first winter, let alone four more after that.
