Page 56 of Wyoming Bodyguard
He grabbed his phone and found the photo he’d shown his father then passed the device to Dax. “Lily and I found these hidden in her bunkhouse today. Tremont Ranch is bleeding money right now. Finances are a mess. We’re wondering if someone turned to cattle rustling to help pay the bills.”
Dax slid his fingers along the screen to zoom in on the picture. “I’ve seen this tag before.”
Madden straightened. “When? Where?”
“This is the cattle tag used at the Williamson Ranch. That’s where I’ve been training horses.”
Shock reverberated through Madden’s system. A single conversation had not only helped build a bridge between him and his brother, but had opened the door to a new lead.
Chapter 21
Lily stepped out of the claw-foot tub and wrapped herself in a large, fluffy towel. Even though she’d rather be in her own home with her own things, at least she could partake in a few indulgences. As much as she hated that Dax had interrupted her and Madden’s conversation before he could answer her question, she hoped they’d had an open and honest discussion that would help them both.
And she’d made sure to soak in a hot, relaxing bath long enough to give Madden and his brother plenty of time to talk.
Once dried, she strolled into the charming guest room. A white four-post bed sat in the middle of the room with what she assumed was a handmade quilt on top. Eyelet cases covered the pillows, and a chunky knit throw was tossed over the thicker blanket. A cream-colored dresser stood tall in one corner, pulling double duty as a television stand. A rocking chair finished off the space, making her want to grab the blanket and a book and curl up for the rest of the night.
Crossing over the plush rug covering a large chunk of the hardwood floors, she glanced in the closet for something to wear. Madden’s plan to stay at his dad’s might make sense for her safety, but he clearly hadn’t thought far enough ahead to provide pajamas.
Finding nothing, she checked the dresser draws. “Bingo,” she said, pulling out a button-down flannel shirt. She let the soft towel fall to the floor in a puddle and threaded her arms through the shirt’s sleeves. She buttoned the front and shoved up the sleeves before gathering the discarded clothing she’d left in the bathroom.
Ding.
The email notification on her phone had her digging in the back pockets of her jeans for her phone. As she pulled up the message, she walked back into the bedroom and placed her folded clothes on top of the chair.
Reading the message, she sucked in a sharp breath and sank onto the soft mattress.
A gentle rap on the door sounded before Madden called, “Can I come in?”
“Of course,” she said, her focus still on the phone. A beat of excitement pulsed through her veins, edging out the terror and worry of the last few days.
But a different kind of fear crept in. One based on insecurities and doubts.
“What’s wrong?” Madden asked, frowning.
She shook her head, at a loss for words so she simply handed him her phone.
He crossed to her side and sat. A slow smile spread across his handsome face. “This is what most people would call a sign.”
“Yeah?” Unsure, she scrunched her nose. “I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Especially now.”
Setting the phone down, Madden gripped her shoulders and made her face him. “Someone told you they want to get married at your ranch. They want you to put on a beautiful wedding for their friends and family at a place that means so much to you. You just said this was your dream. Something you imagined doing to keep your land. This is amazing.”
The words of the email ran through her mind. “But what about everything that’s happened? It’s as if the ranch is cursed. Hell, we haven’t had a guest in weeks and now the vandalism, drugs and death. I can’t host a wedding there.”
“You’ve been dealt a shit hand. Not just the last couple of days, but the last few years. Things happened you had no control over, and the fallout’s been tough. But you have a chance to do something different, to create a new dream that could be more fulfilling than you’d ever imagined.”
His encouragement gave her something she hadn’t had in a long time.
Hope.
“It’s hard to wrap my mind around changing the ranch’s entire business model, and then there’s getting my dad to agree. And I can’t forget the fact I don’t know anything about throwing a wedding. I mean, really, this idea is crazy.”
The more she played it through, the more she doubted her ability to do this. Just because a bride-to-be’s venue unexpectedly closed, and she was frantically searching for an outdoor space with majestic views to throw something together, didn’t mean Tremont Ranch was the right place.
No, it was too much with too little time. She’d write the woman back and offer a few suggestions in the surrounding area.
“No.” She shook her head, and beads of water flew from the ends of her wet hair. “This can’t be done.”
