Page 13 of The Texas Cowboy's Lady

“No one was trying to kill anyone. Your boyfriend wanted to ride a horse, so I was teaching him how to saddle one and then ride. But he wasn’t quite quick enough for Jinx and his habit of taking off when he feels pressure in the stirrup. There’s no harm done, except to his fancy duds.”

“I’m fine, Laurel,” Sean spoke up. “Nothing a little soak in a hot tub won’t make better. Along with a change of clothes. I’ll take a rain check today but will be ready for another lesson tomorrow, Jaxson. I appreciate your time and your help today.”

“I’ve got to meet the surveyor and his crew at the site, but I won’t be long. Get some rest and I’ll be back soon.” Laurel waited until he was out of earshot and through the exit to the outside. She rounded on Jaxson, hands on hips, ready to hand him a piece of her mind. But he was ahead of her.

“The truck is outside, so no use wasting time or breath on the same old subject. You don’t want to be late for your meeting.” He was already steps ahead of her.

Once outside, she slowed as she watched him open her passenger door and then move around the front of the vehicle to slide in behind the steering wheel.

“I know how to drive a pickup. I don’t need a driver. You forget, I know every inch of this ranch, the same as you do.”

“I have to check in at the base camp, which is in the same direction, so climb in, and let’s stop wasting daylight.”

“How could I possibly ignore such a warm invitation to spend more time in your pleasant company?” The sarcasm dripped from her words, along with the fake smile she added as she slid into the seat and shut the door beside her, none too gently.

“Pleasant is certainly the word for the day,” he had to add as he stepped on the gas.

Neither felt an overwhelming need to make conversation on the way to the destination, and Laurel was happy to focus on the natural beauty of the land outside her open window.

“There is definitely something to be said for peace and quiet. Makes for a relaxing—”

“Do you think he’ll leave the ranch because you put him on a rank horse and roughed him up? Is that your plan? Well, it failed.”

Jaxson shook his head and gritted his teeth, which only set his jaw in a harder line. The woman could push his buttons faster than anything. “Whether he leaves or not is your problem, not mine. I don’t have time to play games during my workday. He wanted a horse. I wanted to make certain he knew what he was doing. So he wouldn’t hurt himself or the horse.”

“Is that all?”

“And just maybe he might look like he fit in a little better as your fiancé. But he’ll need more help along those lines than I can give him. There’s your welcoming party waiting for you.” He pulled to a stop for her to exit. She did so, and he put the truck back into gear. “I’ll be here to pick you up after I finish at the camp.” And that was that.

Darn woman. He hadn’t meant to add the last tidbit about trying to help her. But what did it matter anyway? The sooner they were gone from the ranch, the better. And that thought made him even madder at himself. What happened to the days when he could wake up, get a good day’s work in, and maybe have a relaxing evening with pleasant company? Arabella was already feeling neglected after he’d had to beg off twice from meeting her because of their guests.

Women.

Chapter Six

If she worriedabout having Jaxson’s presence around the whole time she was conducting her business with the surveyors, then she had worried for nothing. He dropped her off and said he’d be back after he finished his business at the cow camp. That was fine with her. It would give her time to deal with the fact that she had overreacted to what she thought was going on in the barn between Jaxson and Sean. In his own cowboy way, Jaxson was taking the time to do something he clearly would not ordinarily have done during his workday, and he thought he was helping her. She needed to figure out how she felt about that turn of events. But first things first.

Laurel became focused on the business at hand. Every once in a while, she would give herself a mental shake. The dream she had only dared to think about over the last few years, the crazy idea that kept popping in and out of her thoughts every day until she could not ignore it any longer, had become a realizable dream, and now it was morphing into a reality before her eyes. She felt like she was poised on top of a roller-coaster drop, and any moment, the wildest ride of her life would begin. And she was ready for it.

She walked the lines and saw the stakes—all proof it was happening. The contractor and some of his crew arrived, and she okayed a few of their minor changes and gave approval to moving in the equipment a week earlier than expected. And when Big John Magee, the chief contractor, handed over the bright-blue hard hat with her initials painted in white lettering on the front, she placed it on her head and said those incredible words, “Let’s get moving, gentlemen. Daylight’s burning.”

It was amid the laughter and banter that she spied Jaxson leaning against the front grillwork of his truck, arms folded across his broad chest, legs folded over each other in much the same manner. Those indomitable dark glasses kept her from seeing anything resembling his true thoughts. Was he still upset with her? She excused herself from the group and walked to where he stood.

“That’s certainly a different addition to your usual wardrobe. Wear it in Hollywood, maybe add a few sparkles here and there, and it might start a new trend.”

Laurel took the hat off, shaking her head a bit to free her hair. The man was not going to ruin her mood. “It could just do that. But they won’t see it because I won’t be there. I will be wearing it right here, in my own backyard. Finish your business? I’m thinking lunch should be ready by now, and I have a great appetite.” She beat him inside the truck.

“Your attitude has certainly changed since I last saw you a couple of hours ago,” he observed, heading them back to the ranch.

“Yes, it has. There’s something about taking that long walk off a short pier, and then finding that you didn’t drown, and you just might enjoy the swim. Guess you don’t know what I’m talking about, but I do and that’s fine.”

“I’d say that once in a while, the rest of us mortals might have made such an acquaintance with a dream or goal falling in our favor. I’d think, though, that what with your awards for your screen work, that you’d be a bit morejadedmaybe? For want of a better description.”

“Jaded? Never do I take anything for granted and certainly not in the land of make-believe and huge egos. No, this today was different. We beat the odds and are following our guts. And it seems to be the right path. I know there will be those days to come when I will think why in the world did I ever get myself into all of this, but I also know that they will pass, and the end will be worth every headache, every glitch, every dime of overage. Grandmother always said that the best day is when you realize that you have grabbed hold of the one thing you were meant to do, and you hang onto it as if your life depends on it, because life won’t mean the same without it. Funny, I hadn’t thought of those words until now.”

“When they would mean the most,” Jaxson countered, his glance meeting hers for a moment. And Laurel forgot to be on guard with him for a few moments. But that peace offering was forgotten as the truck swerved, and Jaxson applied the brakes along with some choice and colorful words as he gripped the steering wheel.

When Laurel looked up, she saw the animal in the middle of the road that they had almost hit with the truck.

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