Page 9 of Rowdy St. Nick

“How convenient.”

I shake my head with another low chuckle.

“Okay well if you go in there,” I point at the main house, “someone will get you something to eat and find you a phone to use. We have the landline here, so you don’t have to worry about not having any bars.”

I help her dismount and then turn Daisy to head to the barn. She calls out to me.

“Hey,” I turn my head to face her, “come on up to the club sometime. I’ll give you a proper thank you for helping me out.”

I have no idea what to say to that so I just wave and go back towards the barn. A BDSM training session? That sounds wild. But at the same time, it also sounds like exactly what I’ve needed to break the monotony of my peaceful life. Sometimes that’s necessary.

Chapter 4

Tess

Everyone here is so friendly! I guess I should expect that from a Dude Ranch. I honestly have never set foot in a Dude Ranch, and I don’t even know what it is. The place looks almost like a resort, kind of like how they’d set up a hotel restaurant, but at the same time it also looks like a rustic hometown kitchen.

They have a regular landline here. Like attached to a cord and everything. There’s a receptionist and a front desk. She brings the phone up from under the desk and hands me the receiver.

“Do you have the number you need?”

“Yeah,” I tell her. “I just don’t seem to ever have any service on this stretch.”

“That happens a lot. We have the landlines, and there are a bunch of boosters on the property for the guests to use the internet.”

“You don’t text or call each other around the property?”

“We have some internet programs for that but mostly we use walkie talkies.”

She shows me the one on the desk. What have I stepped into? I dial Lucas, and I’m grateful when he answers. He wouldn’t know the number.

“You okay, Tess?”

“I’m fine. I just lost service once we got down the road a bit.”

“We?” my brother quizzes.

“I was rescued.”

“Like a damsel in distress?”

“That’s so funny, it’s what he called me too,” I say with a mock laugh.

“He?”

“This guy, not important. I’m calling to tell you I’m safe and that I’m at the Lone Star Dude Ranch.”

“Oh, I know that place.”

“You do?”

“How could you not? I swear, Tess, you don’t know anything going on in this town.”

“I work a lot,” I throw back.

“You do.”

“Anyway, what’s going on with my car?”

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