“I hate what those bastards are doin’,” I cut in gently.
“You do?” She blinks, surprised.
I’m a stranger to these parts. An outsider. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about the land or the people.
“I bought my land to keep them off it.” And paid more than I should to outbid them when the Wright’s put the property up for sale. “Didn’t move up here to see the mountain sold piece by piece.”
Her expression softens. “You could’ve led with that,” she says, smirking.
“With you talkin’ so fast, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise,” I chuckle.
Her feminine laugh wraps around me like a big ole hug. She rests an elbow on the bar and leans in with her chin resting on her palm.
“So?” she asks. “Do we have a deal?”
“Yeah,” I say. “We’ve got a deal.”
“And the one condition?”
Her eyes shine as she grins. It’s damn near flirtatious, and I can’t resist teasing her a little. I know what I want, and I’m not too good to use my land as a bargaining chip to get it.
“You’re part of the deal.”
“Me?”
“Sure. I can pay my own tab, and I don’t care much for peanuts and cherry bombs.” I wink as a flush of pink rises from her neck to her cheeks. “Don’t worry, darlin’. Hays far too scratchy for your delicate skin.”
5
COCO
The long,winding road to Beau’s property is where GPS signals come to die. Pine trees crowd the gravel drive, their snow-dusted branches bowing low as if whispering a warning to turn back while I can.
Too late for that.
I park near the split-rail fence and step out, boots sinking into the fresh powder that accumulated overnight. My breath puffs into the cold air as I take in the wide stretch of land—rolling hills in the distance and a barn big enough for half the mountain. It’s breathtaking, rustic perfection—exactly what the town council’s looking for.
“Morning, darlin’.”
I spin, heart leaping into my throat. Beau rides up on his horse, quiet as a ninja, the snow muffling the beast’s steps. He tips his hat like he’s in a Western movie.
“Morning,” I manage, instinctively taking a step back. Duke snorts, and my stomach clenches.
Beau swings down from the saddle, landing beside me. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, and entirely too attractive the way he fillsout those jeans. He pats Duke’s neck, then turns to me, eyes bright with—I dare say—mischief.
“Barn’s a good place to start,” he says, nodding toward the structure. “You can take a look around while I get Duke settled.” His mouth twitches with the faintest hint of a smirk. “Unless you wanna give me a hand.”
My laugh comes too sharp. “Yeah, no. I don’t do horses.”
“Don’tdohorses?” He raises an eyebrow.
“Nope. Not since one tried to kill me.”
His smile fades. “Bad accident?”
“Bad enough,” I wave a hand, forcing a shrug. “Long time ago. Not looking to relive it.”
He studies me a second longer, then nods. “Fair enough.”
