Page 30 of My Billionaire Cowboy Protector

“Where did you and Taylor meet?” she asked.

“We’re both into ranching,” Lane said.

“What do her parents do? Are they ranchers, too?”

“No,” Lane said. “Her mother owns a diner and her father owns a garage.”

“Oh,” his mother said.

Lane wanted to laugh because he could see his mother trying to process the idea that Taylor wasn’t a part of their social circle.

“I’m sure they’re nice people,” his mother finally said. “I’ll need Taylor’s mom’s information. I’ll have to get with her so we can plan the wedding. We’ll have to decide on a venue, the colors, food, and everything.”

“Don’t you think Taylor might like a say in all that?” Lane asked.

“Taylor seems like a very nice woman. I’ll have to take her shopping and get to know her a little better,” Caroline said.

“Taylor isn’t the type of person who likes to go shopping,” Lane said.

“She isn’t? Well, what kind of person is she?”

Lane grinned. “She likes getting her hands dirty and working on the ranch. Taylor is a physically active person.”

“Oh. I see,” Caroline said, the disappointment evident in her voice. “I need to talk to Mildred about our next charity event. We’ll talk more later.”

Colton laughed. “Are you sure that lying to Mom was worth it? It seems to me that she is just as overwhelming as she would be if you came alone.”

Lane groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. “Don’t I know it?”

He went inside to use the bathroom and wash his hands. “What in the world did you get yourself into?” he asked the man in the mirror.

When he walked back outside, he panicked. Rachel was talking to Taylor.

“This can’t be good,” he muttered.

Chapter 12: Taylor

Taylor heaved a huge sigh of relief as she walked away from the crowd.

“Lane, Colton, and Willow can deal with all of that. They’re used to it,” Taylor said to herself.

It was hard to believe that she was in the middle of New York. There wasn’t all of the traffic noise that she had imagined there would be. Roses, peonies, and other bushes had many different colored blooms, and the air was sweet with the scent of the flowers.

She stopped in front of a gazebo that was covered in winding vines with multicolored blooms. Four gargoyles sat atop the structure. Gargoyle fountains were on either side of the gazebo, spouting water. A strobe light at the base of the fountain changed the color of the water.

“I love gargoyles. I’m going to have to get some when I get the ranch back,” Taylor told herself. “I will definitely have to figure out how to do a fountain like this.”

Taylor thought about sitting down inside the gazebo and hanging out but was afraid that Lane wouldn’t be able to find her.

Everyone loves a good game of hide and go seek, right?

She was startled by three sharp pokes in the center of her back. Taylor turned around to see a woman standing there with a nasty look on her face. Her platinum blond hair was perfectly curled and she wore more makeup than Taylor had in her entire lifetime. Taylor was sure that the diamonds that gleamed from the woman’s body would pay for her ranch. As a matter of fact, the cost of her tailor-made clothes would almost cover the cost.

“I’m Rachel,” she said, looking down her nose at Taylor.

“I’m…”

“I know who you are, Taylor,” the woman said.

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