Page 3 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

He tips his hat again. "Think nothing of it. You tell your mama I said hello next time you see her, you hear?"

As he drives off, I take stock of my situation. My house is still on the outskirts of town, so I have a bit more traveling to do. But with people milling about and businesses still open, I know I'll be able to find another ride. First, I need something to drink, or I just may pass out.

"I hope I don't see that jerk from the road again," I mutter to myself, thinking of the gray-eyed man who had left me stranded earlier.

Chapter two

AUSTIN

A few hours earlier …

I hum an old familiar song, my head bobbing to the tune in my head.

The dry heat blows across my face, causing me to squint in the glare of the midday sun. I tip my hat lower, grateful for the shade it provides – but there is only so much it can do. Sighing, I turn my attention back to the present. Horses are neighing in the background, their sounds reminding me of why I am here.

Squeak!

The creaking sound of a stable door opening catches my attention, and I watch as they bring one of the horses to walk around in front of me.

Currently out of town on a horse ranch, I’m looking to buy some new stock for my property. The smell of hay and leather fills my nostrils, a scent I've grown accustomed to over the years. As the person leading the horse comes into view, I recognizeRussell, the owner of the ranch and a long-time business partner of mine.

"I just got some Appaloosas. What do you think about this?" Russell asks, stopping the horse in front of me. The animal is a beauty, its spotted coat well-groomed under the sunlight.

The man knows what he is doing.

I lean against the fence, taking in the sight. "How many do you have?" I ask.

Russell's face breaks into a wide grin. "It depends on how many you're buying." He lets out a hearty sound, his belly shaking with laughter.

I can't help but chuckle. "Well, I'm thinking about fifty," I say, watching his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"Fifty?" Russell whistles. "That's a mighty fine order. Let's talk numbers, shall we?"

"100,000."

"You might as well rob me up front, Austin," Russell replies, shaking his head. "Each of these goes for 6,000 each."

"No discounted price for bulk purchase?" I ask, raising a brow. His price seems fair, but the rule of the business is to get the best possible price.

"How about you buy a hundred?"

"Wasn't fifty a mighty fine order?" I repeat, throwing his earlier words at him.

"I'll be danged."

For the next half hour, we haggle back and forth, the conversation flowing easily between us. Russell is a shrewd businessman, but so am I. Finally, we shake hands, agreeing on a price that satisfies us both.

"I'll bring the horses to you on the weekend," Russell says, wiping sweat from his brow. "I'll need to vaccinate them all before then, but I'll make sure it's done."

I tip my hat towards him. "Appreciate it. Looking forward to adding these beauties to my stock."

As I’m about to leave, my phone rings. I frown as I see the name on the screen: Sebastian, the foreman I've employed to oversee the ranch hands when I'm not around. A call from him usually means trouble.

"Sebastian," I answer, my voice tense. "What's going on?"

His voice comes through, urgent and somewhat strained like he is talking from far away. "Boss, we've got a situation. There's a fire in one of the barns, and one of the ranch hands got injured while we were trying to put the fire out"

My stomach drops. "How bad is it?"

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