The Reluctant Rancher~Badlands (Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense) Page 2

  Jenna crossed her arms over her chest and snorted. “Probably one of those fancy-smancy places I see on television.”

  “Yes, I do believe the services were televised.”

  She snorted again, as though the idea of televised church services was the work of the devil.

  “And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?”

  “I was on my way here to start inoculating your herd when you tried to run me off the highway.”

  “He gazed down at her quizzically. “Inoculate the herd? And what do they need inoculating against? Measles?” He chuckled a little at his own joke, but she was having none of it.

  She rolled her eyes and made for the truck. “Where is Leon, your foreman? I need to talk to someone with brain matter between his ears.”

  E.J. shrugged as she slammed the door and drove off toward the barns and out-buildings.

  One more reason he needed to get back to civilization. Where women were women, and looked like women and smelled like women and talked like women. He cast one last glance at the pick-up truck that was obscured by a cloud of dust. Silly female. He turned and climbed the stairs and entered the mansion that he supposed would one day be his.

  ~*~

  Celeste Pigeon strolled out of the doctor’s clinic, walked to her car and climbed inside. She had witnessed the scene when E.J. Kincaid tossed a hundred-dollar bill at Loretta, the doctor’s receptionist and departed.

  Celeste had a little stir of lust when the tall, handsome man first emerged from the examination room. He’s such a babe. And rich as all get-out.

  His daddy was so filthy rich he owned a big hunk of land with lots of cattle on it. Celeste grinned as she slammed the door and started her car. Perhaps she could think of some reason to call on the gorgeous bachelor. Perhaps she could find a way to at least get his attention. First, he had to notice her, and then she could win his heart and then she could be Mrs. E.J. Kincaid and live in the big mansion with the stately columns on the porch. It looked as she had always imagined Tara would look, at least if Tara was located in north Texas. She pulled out of the parking lot and into the street. She could imagine herself driving his Jaguar. Maybe he would buy her a matching Jag in a different color. Maybe white, or baby blue to match her eyes…

  Celeste drove to her house and pulled into the driveway. She turned off the motor and sat gazing at her small home. The single car garage at the end of her drive yawned open since the door was somehow off track and she couldn’t get it to close. She sighed and climbed out. Her yard needed to be mowed and edged and the shrubs trimmed back. Perhaps, if she played her cards right, she might be able to hit the lottery with the handsome prince at the end of her rainbow.

  She followed the front walk and climbed the steps to her door. No way she was going to be able to make the needed home repairs on her salary…but maybe she wouldn’t have to.

  She walked inside and gazed around at her house. She tried so hard to keep it looking like a page out of Country Home magazine. Her lace curtains and the chintz slipcovers could be featured on the glossy magazine pages. And she had a collection of pink Depression glass and pink and white transfer ware that would rival any major collector. She sighed.

  Why hadn’t she been born under that lucky star? Why had she married big Randall Conway, the lineman on the high school football team? He had told her he was going places and would take her with him. But the only place he had taken her was to the tavern over in Greenville, which was his favorite watering hole. They had purchased this small place as their “starter” home just before Randall enlisted. After his hitch in the Army and tour of duty, he had returned home a slightly different man. Maybe it wasn’t so much that he had changed, but rather, that she had. She had used the intervening years to further her education and graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock with a degree in elementary education and a teacher’s certificate. When he’d come back, Randall had been in no hurry to find a job. He’d spent his days watching sports on television and drinking beer. Soon, she realized she had made a terrible mistake and that, no matter how much she wished it, Randall Conway was never going to be anything more than Randall Conway.

  She’d hired Breckenridge T. Ryan to represent her in a divorce action. And all she got for her troubles was this small property. Well, it was something anyway. She had thought that she might be able to snag Breck, but they hadn’t dated since high school and when Cami Carmichael, her snarky little doctor came to town, well Celeste was out of luck because Breck was over the moon for Cami at first sight.

  Now, she decided it was time to set her sights a little higher. She might wind up snagging a big old cowboy with lots of ranch land and a southern-style mansion instead. And if it didn’t work out, she might be able to trade up for the mansion with her next divorce.

  ~*~

  CHAPTER TWO

  Cami finished with her last patient and peeled out of her white lab coat with her name embroidered on the left side of the chest. The crisply starched jacket still said Camryn Carmichael, M.D. and the name of the hospital where she had performed her residency, but this was because she had only been married a couple of months and the coat was still serviceable.

  Although her great aunt had scads of money and property and had provided for Cami’s education, it was a no frills ride. She had learned to live frugally without expectations of more than she needed. When she inherited the sprawling ranch complete with horses, cattle, cowboys and miles of grassland and pastures under tillage, she had been less than enthusiastic.

  Only her conviction that her aunt had been murdered had kept her in Langston, Texas. But that was before Breckenridge T. Ryan wooed her with his many charms. He had managed to work his way into her heart in spite of the fact that she had a fiancé waiting for her in Houston, as well as the promise of a fellowship to do medical research, which had been her dream.

  She had fallen in love, not only with Breck, but also with the small town and its inhabitants. She was content with her practice and felt a great sense of responsibility to the townsfolk and those living in the outlying area. They depended on her for their well-being. Since she began to practice in town, old Doc Parker had ostensibly retired and was enjoying his passion for fly-fishing. But he still came in half a day every week to keep up with some of his long-time and very devoted patients.

  Cami closed the door to her office and went to the front reception area where Reba, her nurse was conversing with Loretta. They seemed to be in deep conversation. When Cami stepped into view, both women stopped talking abruptly. Loretta busied herself with shuffling papers and Reba stepped back, folded her arms across her chest and sighed.

  “Am I interrupting something?” Cami asked.

  “No—No, we were just…” Loretta began.

  “Oh, heck. You caught us.” Reba shrugged. “We were gossiping about E.J. Kincaid and his father…Just wondering if the kid was going to carry on in his dad’s footsteps and change into a land-grabbing bastard…or if there was a chance he might turn out to be an asset to the community.” She heaved another huge sigh. “I’m thinking that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. E.J. is a big, good-looking peacock like his dad.”

  Loretta looked up from her papers, her face flushed. “But that just doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of good kids from bad families and I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  Cami nodded. “E.J. has never been anything but nice to me, so I’m with Loretta. Let’s not lump him together with Eldon just because his last name is Kincaid.”

  Loretta smiled brightly. “That’s right. Give him a chance to prove himself.”

  Reba raised her eyebrows. “Not convinced. He was probably just buttering you up so he could get his grubby paws on your property. The Kincaids are like that. If you’ve got land, they want to it.” She shot a dark glance at Cami. “After all, didn’t Eldon murder Silky so he could get her property?”

  Cami shook her head and side-stepped the question. “W
ho knows?” She turned to Loretta and asked, “What time is my first appointment tomorrow?”

  “Eight-thirty. Sara Beth Jessup is bringing the baby in for a checkup…and you’re busy until lunch time. Then you and Reba can trek out to old man Forster’s place to check on him and the missus.”

  Cami grinned. Only in Langston did the doctor actually make house calls with a little black bag and a rough and ready nurse by her side. “See you ladies tomorrow morning. Cut E.J. some slack, Reba. He’s not such a bad guy.”

  She pushed out through the door before Reba could make a come-back. Cami knew far too much about E.J. Kincaid. Perhaps more than he knew about himself, and she was sworn to keep his secrets. She climbed into her car and experienced a twinge of guilt, knowing that she kept this secret from her own husband. But Breck, being an attorney and an officer of the court would be bound to turn her information over to the proper authorities…and it would serve no good purpose. She had used her knowledge to leverage Eldon into making a confession to her Aunt Silky’s murder and at the time, that was all she'd cared about.

  At least that was how she justified her actions in her own mind. She started the car and headed out of town, toward the ranch she shared with her husband. After their marriage, Breck had moved into the Victorian home Cami’s great-aunt had left her. Breck’s father was a semi-invalid and had a live-in caretaker who kept the Ryan household and him in tip-top shape. Breck visited every day to make sure they had everything they needed, but he had moved into Cami’s place so she could continue her work to restore the house to its former glory.

  Cami drove by the church where she was now a regular attendee, thanks to Breck's encouragement. She passed the bank and Tiny's Diner, and waved to Greta Olmstead who was just getting into her car.

  Leaving town, she pulled onto the long stretch of highway that led past some of the smaller spreads on the way to the land she shared with her new husband.

  When she turned into the circle drive, she always experienced a sense of home. This is my home. I have a home.

  A warm feeling spread through her chest. I have a husband.

  She got out and closed the door of her Lincoln, noting that Breck’s truck was not parked out front. No surprise. He could be at his law office in Langston or at the county court house in the neighboring town. Or he could be anywhere on the many thousands of combined acreage of the Ryan and Carmichael ranches. Anxious to talk to him about E.J.’s visit, she considered calling him on his cell, but thought better of it. She wasn’t really certain she wanted to go to a prison to visit a man she abhorred, but she was absolutely sure she didn’t want to be told she couldn’t go by her macho husband.

  Breck hadn’t been a fan of the Kincaids before she had come to Langston, but since E.J. had made a determined effort to pursue her, Breck absolutely loathed E.J. even more. She tried to convince him that she and E.J. had never been anything more than friends, but Breck continued to consider him a serious romantic rival.

  “Hey, Miz Cami!” Her ranch foreman, T-Bone Mullins called out to her. He had been the foreman here for a long time. When he was a much younger man he had come on board to work for her great aunt, Silky. He was intensely loyal and swore he would do anything to serve Cami’s interests with the same fierce devotion with which he had labored on Silky’s behalf. He had mixed feelings about the joining of the two huge ranches with the marriage of Cami to Breck, but, so far, the Carmichael and the Ryan ranches were functioning independently and that was fine with him. He made no secret of his feelings that the ranches should remain separate.

  Cami smiled and waved, well aware that her aunt’s old foreman wanted to remain the top hand on Moon Shadows Ranch. For the moment, she was content to let things remain the same, as long as she didn’t have to be involved in the day-to-day decisions pertaining to the ranch. When it came to a choice, she knew the men went to Breck for his judgment. What do I know about ranching and cattle, anyway? I’m a doctor, after all.

  She visualized her Aunt Silky, who had inherited this ranch from her parents. She’d managed to run it efficiently until the day of her untimely death. And she had trusted that Cami would be able to run it just as efficiently in her stead.

  Cami walked up onto the porch and turned around. As far as she could see in all directions, this land belonged to her, or her husband. The thought that they possessed so much was rather humbling. The only other ranch in the area that was near the size of the Carmichael and Ryan ranches was the Kincaid spread. She drew in a deep breath and blew it out. Best not to think of Eldon Kincaid and her near-fatal encounter with him. Best not to mention his name in Breck's presence, and best not to mention her get-together today with Eldon's handsome son, E.J. Not if she wanted to enjoy a peaceful evening with her new hubby.

  ~*~

  Jenna Lewis climbed into her truck and slammed the door. What a day! First, she had almost been run off the road by E.J. Kincaid. She muttered a mild oath. And then, his foreman, Leon Harwell, hadn’t been prepared so she’d had to wait while he got ready. My time is valuable. Trust me, Mr. High and Mighty Kincaid--This is going to show up on your bill.

  She started up the vehicle and revved the motor, taking out her frustrations on the gas pedal. Drawing in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. No point in letting one bad encounter spoil an otherwise beautiful day. It was Friday and there was a live band at the Eagle’s Hall. She had every intention of burning a hole in her boots tonight.

  Since Breckenridge T. Ryan had fallen for Silky Carmichael’s great-niece, there weren’t any men worth dancing with, but still…she remained hopeful. Sometimes cowboys from neighboring towns drove over for the live bands. She wished there would be just one with an education and some manners.

  At twenty-seven, Jenna’s biological clock was ticking. She was ready to commit, ready to settle down and ready to make babies with her future husband. But, he had to have something to bring to the table.

  Jenna eased forward, skirted the pens and out buildings and drove past the pretentious “Beverly Hillbillies” style mansion the pretentious Eldon Kincaid had built as a monument to himself.

  Her gaze flicked over E.J.’s Jaguar and she snorted in disgust. “Jackass!”

  ~*~

  E.J. heard the truck pull away and glanced out the beveled glass insert in the front door in time to see Jenna driving by. He shook his head. The little red-haired veterinarian might be considered attractive if she wasn't always on her high horse hurling insults at him.

  He huffed out an impatient breath and turned away. He made his way to the ground floor office that his dad had used and now he had fallen heir to. It opened out onto the back deck and pool area.

  Even with his MBA, he couldn't seem to fathom his father's financials. E.J.'s title had been Chief Financial Officer when Eldon had been heading up the corporation, but he had been CFO in title only. In truth, Eldon had always played his cards close to the vest, not even trusting his own son with his secrets.

  E.J. knew that his dad was guilty of some underhanded dealings, but he couldn't imagine that he had murdered an elderly woman. Yet he confessed to the crime and would probably spend the rest of his days behind bars.

  Although he had spent the past few years rebelling against his father's rule, E.J. now found himself in the role of protector of the vast Kincaid fortune and land holdings.

  He logged onto his father's accounting file and opened it. He saw files labeled ranch and cattle and oil and rental property and another labeled miscellaneous. One by one, he opened each file and poured over them, searching for any clue as to what drove his father.

  First, there was the ranch. E.J. had no idea what it took to run a ranch, but thankfully, he left the day-to-day decisions to the foreman, Leon Harwell. He was a big tough cowboy who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Leon was probably just the kind of man to make little Jenna swoon.

  E.J. snorted in disgust. He shook off the notion that he even cared what would make a woman like Jenna swoon. Back to business..
.

  He saw entries noting the number of acres in the various holdings and what the land was being used for. He stared at the spreadsheets and noted the profits attributed to different parcels of land.

  After a couple of hours, E.J. pushed back from the computer and rubbed his eyes. He stepped out onto the front porch and filled his lungs with fresh air. He knew that, were his dad standing here, he would be waxing eloquent on the beauty of the countryside and magnificent vista. Yeah, right.

  "Hey, boss." Curly, one of his men, pulled up close to the porch in his truck. "Are you going to town tonight?"

  "Hadn't planned on it," he said.

  "Heck, you're missing out on all the fun. Big dance at the Eagles Hall." He ground the gear into idle. "Live band from Amarillo. People are driving in from all around. Ya' oughta go." He shifted gears again and roared off in a cloud of dust.

  E.J. recalled the time his dad had taken him along to the Eagles Hall last winter. That was where he had met the enigmatic Camryn Carmichael. Of course, Eldon had been counting on that. He had hoped that E.J. would sweep her off her feet and marry her, the result being Eldon's easy acquisition of the Carmichael property.

  He felt his jaw tighten. Daddy Dearest always had an angle.

  He blew out a huff of air. Not that he hadn't been attracted to Cami, but she wasn't interested in him. Only as a friend. He leaned against one of the big white pillars on the porch. Too bad. He had genuinely grown to care for her and hadn't expected her to fall in love with Breck Ryan. But that was old news. He hadn't seen any other women worth a second look...but maybe he hadn't been looking. Maybe he needed to take a look around...Maybe tonight.

  ~*~

  Sara Beth Jessup looked out the window of her consignment shop, checking both ways before she bundled her three month old daughter and turned out the lights. She stepped outside and locked the door before hurrying to her old car and fastening the infant into her car seat. She climbed inside as quickly as possible, locked the doors and secured her seat belt. The metallic click set her teeth on edge. She glanced in the back seat to make sure it hadn't wakened the baby, but she slept peacefully, unaware that her mother's nerves were frayed.