6. Ryan

Who the hell did he think he was?

I didn’t think I’d ever been so angry. My teeth ground together as I stomped off the creaky wooden porch and climbed into my car. I tossed the plate of cookies onto the passenger seat and slammed my hand against the steering wheel a few times, wishing it was Maddox’s face. Had he always been such a complete tool, or was that something he’d developed now that he was some big shot rock star?

For a second, I thought I’d seen a flicker of something warm and inviting in his eyes, but it was gone so quick I must’ve imagined it. The engine turned over, and I put the car into gear, spinning the tires as I pressed down on the gas a little harder than necessary.

A couple of minutes later, I pulled into my driveway and got out of the car, slamming my door shut. I still fumed from my interaction with the boy next door. Had he really changed that much from the boy I once knew and loved? The boy who saved me, protected me, and became my best friend?

Quinn jumped down off of Daisy, his eyes searching my face and then narrowing in the Everleigh Ranch direction. “What’d that asshat do?”

I blew out a frustrated breath, my sweaty hair barely lifting off my forehead as the warm air wooshed past. I clenched my fists until my nails bit into my palms. “Oh, you know, nothing except refuse the cookies I baked him and slam the door in my face after looking at me like I was a piece of meat,” I recounted. I kept to myself how much it actually hurt that Maddox looked me over but deemed me not even worthy of a second glance.

I knew he had access to the most beautiful women in the world and took advantage of that fact often. I wasn’t blind or immune. I may not be as obsessive about following his career as I once was, but I wasn’t naive. I’ve read the headlines. I just never thought he’d look at me as not enough . I never had self-esteem issues when it came to my looks. I knew I was pretty, and even Maddox’s lack of interest in me wouldn’t change my mind.

But damn if it didn’t sting.

Rather than let the stinging in my eyes turn into tears, I reached into the passenger side of my car and snatched up the plate of cookies. I handed one to Quinn before dumping them on the ground and stomping them into the dust, growling my frustration with every strike of my heel.

“Damn, Ry. I could’ve eaten at least another two or three of those,” Quinn lamented, staring longingly at the pile of crumbled cookies now spread across the ground at my feet.

“Sorry, not sorry, Quinn. But you know what?” I asked, looking up into the hazel eyes of my best friend.

“What?”

“Screw Maddox Everleigh. I deserve better,” I declared, dusting off my hands.

Quinn wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me into his chest. “Yes, you do. And I won’t let you forget it. Now c’mon, that hay’s not going to move itself.”

I chuckled before casting one last glare at the small house on the hill and turning my back on it. Maybe it was time I finally let go of my childhood love once and for all.

Groaning, I rolled over in bed and slapped at my phone until it fell off the nightstand, the blaring alarm grating against my last nerve. Leaning far over the bed, I brushed my fingertips along the rough carpet before hitting my phone under the bed. “Ugh!” I growled, sliding off the mattress and falling onto the floor in a heap. Finally retrieving it, I shut off the beeping with a sigh.

Today was already starting off on the wrong foot, and I’d barely stepped out of bed yet. Fallen was more like it. Hauling myself up off the floor, I stepped into the bathroom and started prepping for the long day ahead.

An hour later, I met Quinn in the kitchen, filling a mug with black, steamy goodness. I wrapped my hands around the cup and inhaled the bitter scent.

“Look at you all dressed up. Where’re you off to today?” Quinn asked, looking me up and down appreciatively.

Sighing, I took another sip of my coffee before squaring my shoulders. “I’m driving into Dallas. I have an appointment at the bank this morning.”

Quinn’s eyebrows shot up. “What are you going to do?”

“Beg for a loan.”

He eyed me warily. “Do you think that’s going to help?”

“Probably not, but I have to try. I don’t have any other ideas, but I do have this presentation I stayed up putting together last night.” I patted the laptop bag I’d set on the counter next to me.

Quinn perked up. “Are you going to tell them about your ideas for streamlining the feed?”

Nodding, I finished my coffee and turned to rinse the mug. “Yep. I outlined it all in a quick PowerPoint. Hopefully, I’ll get them to listen,” I explained.

“Hopefully,” he agreed. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I appreciated how Quinn was always there for me, but I had to do this on my own. Shaking my head, I reached up and patted him on his broad shoulder before giving it a squeeze. “Thank you, but no. I’ve got to do this on my own. Besides, who’s going to start clearing out the pasture so we can put this plan in place if you come with me?”

He scoffed. “You know that can wait until tomorrow, Ry.”

“Not if we’re going to save this place, it can’t. We need to get it done.”

He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. “Good luck. Text me as soon as you know anything.”

“I will,” I promised. I’d need all the luck I could get if I had a chance in hell at saving my family’s legacy.

“Ryan Knight?” A middle-aged woman stood before me, a pleasant smile on her face. I imagined she was the secretary of the man I’d come here to meet with today, but I didn’t want to assume.

“That’s me,” I confirmed before I stood from the faux leather chair I’d been in for the last forty-five minutes, unsticking my legs from the material and smoothing down my skirt. I tried not to let the irritation at their lack of respect for my time show on my face. Lifting my laptop bag, I slung it over my shoulder and followed her toward a set of imposing heavy wooden doors.

“I’m sorry for the delay. Mr. Rutherford’s prior appointment ran late,” she explained, but it did nothing to calm my nerves or squash my irritation.

“I’m sure he’s swamped,” I replied, maybe a little bit more condescending than I should have, but this guy obviously thought his time was more important than mine. The secretary shot me a disapproving look before motioning for me to enter the office as she held open the heavy door. I mumbled a thank you under my breath before turning my attention to the man sitting behind the giant desk.

I blinked rapidly as I took in the man I’d be meeting with today, the man who held my family’s future in his overly soft hand. He was a lot younger than I’d been expecting, and a whole lot sexier, too.

His dirty blonde hair was longer on top, swept off his face, and a little to the side. He wore a button-down shirt that hugged his defined chest, and the sleeves were rolled up to show off his toned forearms. His tie matched his blue eyes and made them stand out, so the effect was striking. Based on the cocky smirk he wore, he knew it, too.

“Mrs. Knight?” he asked in a rich deep voice that dripped with a mix of professionalism and sexuality. It made me feel a little melty inside, which hadn’t happened since I’d heard a certain bassist sing to me as he played the guitar when we’d sneak off to the pond as kids.

I smiled brightly and stretched out my hand. “It’s Miss Knight.”

He brightened before sliding his soft palm into mine. I’d been right. His hand was so different from any man’s I’d ever touched before. I was used to leathery skin or calluses, but his hand was smoother than mine. I tried not to judge him too harshly for that.

“I’m Yates Rutherford. Please, have a seat,” he invited, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk. As I settled into the hard seat and reached down to retrieve my laptop bag, he moved behind his desk and sat down.

“So, Rutherford? Like…” I lifted my hand and gestured vaguely around my surroundings. This was the biggest bank in Texas, possibly beyond that, and it was called Rutherford Financial.

He laughed. “Yeah, guilty as charged. Someday my father expects me to take over, but for now, I’m here learning the ropes.” I was surprised by how casual and down to earth he seemed. He looked pretentious, but he didn’t act like it.

“I don’t normally meet with loan applicants personally, but your application intrigued me,” he admitted.

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” I wondered what made my application special enough that he felt he needed to personally meet with me.

Nodding, he absently typed into the laptop on his desk. I assumed he was bringing up my application or folder or whatever it was the bank kept on me and my parents. “We don’t deal with a lot of ranches anymore. Most are selling out to big corporations. From what I reviewed, it looks like your family is on the brink of having to sell. We don’t currently hold your mortgage, but from the looks of this, you need help now. Am I right?”

Straightening my back, I inhaled deeply, preparing to explain to him my entire sob story. I was trying to decide what was important to share and what I should leave out. “Yes, you’re correct. My dad had an accident a few years ago and wasn’t able to work the ranch anymore. I came home after I graduated from college, and I run the ranch now. My parents never let me know how much the medical bills were sucking out of the ranch, but here we are. I’m going to level with you, Mr. Rutherford.”

He held up his hand and flashed me his charming smile again. “Please, call me Yates.”

“Yates, things are bad right now. But I know I can turn it around. I only just found out because my dad is stubborn and thought he could handle it.” I reached over and patted my laptop. “I’ve got a quick presentation to show you my plan for digging us out of our hole. We just need help to get there,” I admitted, hating having to ask for help.

He leaned back in his chair, his finger rubbing his square jaw. “What kind of help were you thinking?”

My palms were clammy, and I tried to discreetly wipe them on my skirt before I answered. “I wasn’t sure what, if any, options I had. Either a second mortgage or maybe we could refinance our current loan with your bank.”

He sighed deeply as a little line appeared between his eyebrows. “Listen, miss Knight-”

“Please, call me Ryan,” I offered with a small smile, which he returned.

“Ryan. I would love to be able to help you, but I’ve gone over all the financials you provided, and none of the options I have available would buy you the kind of time you’d need.”

My shoulders sagged, and my eyes stung, but I would not let Yates see me cry. I reached for my laptop, sliding it back into its bag before standing up. I straightened my skirt and held out my hand to him. “I’m sorry for wasting your time, Mr. Rutherford. Have a great day,” I said before turning and starting toward the door. My mind was racing because this had been my last best hope. I wasn’t sure where to go from here.

“Wait!” Yates called out, and I turned back around to see him striding across the room until he stopped in front of me. “I know this probably seems like horrible timing, but would you have dinner with me tonight? I have a proposal that I think might work for both of us, but I can’t discuss it here.”

I had to admit I was curious. I never really dated. And was this even a date? The way he’d phrased it, it sounded like maybe it was a business dinner. But what if it was a date?

My mind flashed to Maddox. His sexy smirk, chiseled jaw, and day-old stubble got him any woman he wanted. Based on the pictures I’d seen of him over the years, I knew he’d filled out, but seeing him here in person, he was so much broader and more defined than the sixteen-year-old boy that’d claimed my heart and refused to let go.

But he’d made it clear he had no interest in me. I couldn’t sit around and wait forever, so I’d accept this date, or not-date, with an open mind. Yates may not be my usual type. He wore custom suits that probably cost more than my car, and his face was clean-shaven. He was Maddox’s opposite in every way except one: They both looked like they spent a lot of time in the gym.

Yates filled out his suit in a way that most guys around here didn’t. I was so accustomed to seeing beer bellies that Yates and his clearly muscled body and likely six- to eight-pack of abs took me pleasantly by surprise. It wouldn’t be a hardship going out to dinner with him. Sure, I didn’t feel that spark the way I had with Maddox, but that had to be because I hadn’t fully moved on yet.

At least that’s what I was trying to convince myself.

Yates was hot, and he seemed nice, despite the fact he hadn’t approved my loan request. I couldn’t really fault him for it, though. He was just following bank policy, and he seemed really apologetic.

I looked up into his eyes, trying to read any sort of trickery or deception, but they sparkled back at me, hopeful and with a little heat in them.

“Okay,” I whispered.

The side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Really?”

I nodded. “Sure, but I’m only here for tonight.”

“That’s perfect. Can I have your number?” he asked, and I laughed.

“Isn’t it on the application?”

He reddened slightly. “Yes, but I thought it’d be a lot more polite and less unprofessional if I asked your permission.”

Yates had a point. I fished my cell phone out of my bag and handed it to him. “Here, put your number in and text yourself.”

He tapped at my screen before I heard a buzz over on his desk. He slid my phone back into my hand, his fingers lingering against mine for a moment longer than was necessary, but I didn’t mind.

“I’ll text you in a little while once I make a reservation. Does seven work for you?”

I bit my lip, my mind was already wondering what the hell I was going to wear to this dinner since I’d only packed this one cute outfit for the meeting. And now I’d need to get a hotel for the night since there was no way I was driving all the way back home after a date.

“Ryan?” Yates repeated. Shit, I hadn’t answered his question.

“Uh, sorry. Yes, seven works.” I hesitated. “Yates?”

“Yeah?”

“Is this a date?” I squirmed a little under the heat pooling in his gaze.

He took a step closer, and I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body through my clothes. “I’d like it to be, yes.” He lifted his hand and brushed a stray lock of hair off of my forehead with his fingertips. “Is that okay?”

“Mmhmm,” I mumbled, unable to form coherent words. What kind of sorcery was this? He’d managed to turn me into a jumble of nerves and lust. Only one other person had ever done that to me, but I refused to let him into my thoughts. It was time I moved on.

Yates stepped back and flashed me his bright white smile one more time. “Great, I’ll text you in a little while and pick you up at seven then. Wear something nice,” he added, turning back to his desk. I guess that meant I was dismissed. I bristled at the end of our interaction, but the rest had been great, so I let it go. I was sure he needed to get back to work.

“See you then,” I said and made my way out of the bank.

As the spell broke and the adrenaline of the meeting wore off, I wondered what the hell I’d been thinking. I was not even close to ready to date. And what was this proposal Yates had hinted at? A little bit of hope bloomed inside me at the idea that maybe he’d be willing to help me save the ranch outside of the bank’s rigid rules and policies.

Whatever happened, I had a feeling everything was about to change. I could only hope it’d be for the better.