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I rolled my eyes. “I meant about the lawsuit.”
“Oh, that.” He waved a hand in the air. “Next time I’m in town, I’ll ask around about lawyers. Until then, I’m not going to give it a second thought. It’s just Walt being Walt. No one’s going to take this very seriously.”
I couldn’t tell whether he actually believed that or if he was just saying it so I wouldn’t worry. It didn’t matter though. I was going to worry anyway. And I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been the one to set all of this in motion by making Boone hire Tyler in the first place.
He stepped closer and used the side of his finger to lift my chin. “Stop whatever you’re thinking right now.” He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss. “There’s history between me and Walt—”
“I know. Tyler said his dad was cranky about selling you off some land. But—”
“But nothing. This fight has been a long time coming. You did not cause this. Tyler did not cause this. Do you understand?”
I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure I agreed.
He pulled me against him. “Now, come here. If I recall, the first item on my to-do list involved some groping.”
“Kissing first,” I reminded him, and then I tilted my mouth up to his.
As much as Boone didn’t want me worrying about the lawsuit, I couldn’t help myself. It was time for me to mow the grass again, and since riding the mower didn’t take a ton of brainpower, I had plenty of time to think.
I worried Boone wasn’t taking this seriously enough. I knew Walt’s claims were bullshit, but I also knew lawsuits could cause problems, even if they were based on false accusations. Remembering how enraged Walt had been a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn’t put it past him to concoct some evidence to prove his claim. And while that evidence might not be enough to convince a judge, it might be enough to start rumors in Silverhollow.
I’d paid enough attention working for my father to know that reputations mattered. Walt was basically accusing Boone of being an unscrupulous and malicious cheat. No one wanted to do business with a person like that. At least no honest person would.
I couldn’t bear the idea of anyone ever thinking poorly of Boone, especially when he was one of the most genuine, hardworking, and caring men I knew. I knew Walt’s goal was to push Boone off his land and it would devastate Boone if something happened to cause him to lose the ranch.
I vowed I wouldn’t let that happen.
Which was how I found myself on a bench by a small creek just past the calving pasture, calling my ex-boyfriend.
James answered immediately, his voice warm. “Hey, stranger, are you tired of playing cowboy? Sawyer suggested I offer you a job here. Summer season is coming, and we could probably find some work for you next month. Surely being on the Cape this close to P-town would be ten times better than having to deal with stinky old cows.”
A couple of weeks ago, I’d have probably jumped at the offer. Now, I didn’t even find it tempting. “And sit around watching you two suck face all day? No, thank you.”
James laughed. “So if you’re not looking for an escape, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?”
I pressed the toe of my boot against the soft soil along the bank of the stream. “I need a lawyer.”
“Oh lord.” James sobered instantly. “What kind of trouble have you found yourself in this time?”
I rolled my eyes. Of course he would jump to the conclusion that I was the one in need of help. Not that he would be entirely wrong, given past circumstances. There had been a few times when I’d woken James up in the middle of the night needing legal help to get out of a scrape or two.
“Not me. It’s for a friend. My boss—you remember Boone, the rancher who knows Oscar?—well, he was served with a lawsuit today. He has some kind of long-standing feud with a neighboring rancher who’s a total fucking asshole. The guy made up this story about Boone intentionally trying to poison his cattle. It’s ridiculous.” I could feel my blood starting to boil just from talking about it.
James paused for a moment. “You know I have to ask… is there any chance your boss did what this guy is accusing him of?”
My jaw dropped. “Hell no! Boone’s a good guy. One of the best I know. He cares about animals. You should see the setup he has in the calving barn. Mercy told me most operations would just have bare bones, but Boone installed heaters and fans, and he changes the straw out daily to make the cows more comfortable. And Harrison says this is the best operation he’s ever worked for. That’s the kind of guy Boone is, James. He’d never intentionally harm another creature. Ever.”
