Chapter One

Pushing open the door, Chelsea stepped into the lingerie shop and made her way to the counter.

“Welcome to Paige’s,” a young woman greeted her.

“Hi, is Paige here?” Chelsea inquired.

“She’s in her office. Are you expected?” the woman asked.

“No, but it’s fine.” Chelsea headed toward the hallway.

“Excuse me, please let me inform her that you’re here. I’m new here and I don’t want to get in trouble,” the woman pleaded.

As the door chimed, both women turned toward it and Chelsea smiled.

“Hi, Nick.”

“Hey, Chels.” He grinned. “How’s Eli?”

“He’s doing great.”

“Is Paige around?” Nick asked as he glanced around.

“She’s in her office. This lovely lady was going to tell her I’m here. Should she announce your arrival as well?” Chelsea raised an eyebrow, noticing Nick trying not to grin.

“Nope. We’ll just go back there ourselves. Come on,” Nick replied.

“Wait, I don’t want to lose my job,” the woman insisted.

“You won’t. We promise.” Nick motioned for Chelsea to lead the way as they walked toward Paige’s office. He knocked on the door.

Paige opened it with a smile. “Two of my favorite people,” she said as she gestured for them to come inside. Then she leaned in and kissed Nick, her husband.

“I can wait outside. With you two, this could take a while,” Chelsea joked.

Nick lifted his head, glanced at Chelsea with a grin, then gazed into his wife’s eyes. “I stopped by to see if you wanted to have lunch.”

“I’d love to. Why don’t you grab us a booth and I’ll be there in a few minutes?” Paige smiled at him.

“Can’t wait, darlin’.” He glanced at Chelsea. “Have a good day, Chels.”

After giving Paige a quick kiss, he touched the brim of his hat and left. Chelsea turned to look at Paige, who was still staring after him.

“That man is head over heels for you. Lucky bitch.”

Paige chuckled. “I am a lucky bitch.” She tilted her head. “What’s going on with you? Oh, I hope you weren’t counting on having lunch together. No offense, but my husband takes priority.”

Chelsea laughed. “Hell, I’d choose your husband over me too. No, I wanted to show you something.” She reached into her purse, pulled out a sheet of paper, unfolded it, and handed it to Paige. Paige’s eyes scanned the paper, then she looked back at Chelsea.

“You found one. Did you buy it yet?” Paige asked.

“Not yet. I’m really anxious about it though.”

“You didn’t mention anything about it.”

“I wanted to be sure, Paige. You know how long I’ve been wanting this.”

“I do, but as I’ve said before, Chels, it’s not easy, especially since you already have the coffee shop.”

“I might sell the shop, since sales have been good. If I have to fix up the house, and I could sell the shop, I could use that money. I don’t know. I love my coffee shop, though. It was the first thing I got on my own after the divorce.”

“I know. Is the house in bad shape?”

“It’s still standing, but it needs a lot of work on the inside.”

“That means hiring someone. Nick and I will help when we can, but we can’t be there all the time.”

“I’ll check the bulletin board at the Feed Store for job listings. I’ll need someone who knows about horses too.” She smiled. “I’m excited to finally fulfill my dream of owning a boarding stable.”

“You’ll not only need help with the horses, but also someone to keep the barns clean. Are there already ranch hands?” Paige frowned.

“No. Everyone is gone from there. I suppose I’ll need to hire a manager as well.” She nervously chewed her bottom lip.

“That’s right. It’s important to run this place as a business, so you may want to consider hiring someone for accounting or management duties. You can’t do both, and whoever you hire won’t be able to either.” Paige tilted her head. “Are you sure this is what you really want?”

“Paige, you know I’ve always dreamed of running my own boarding stable. I understand that it comes with managing employees, and I have experience with that, but I still plan on helping out with the horses whenever I can.”

Paige grinned. “I know this has been your goal for years, and you’re capable of running a successful business.” She shook her head. “I don’t know why I’m even asking. Of course, this is what you want, and I am genuinely happy for you. But should you be buying a place that you have to fix up? I mean, Nick and I will support you however we can, and Eli and Lorna will too.”

“I can’t find a place, Paige. I just happened to see this on the computer. I’d love to find a place already established that won’t cost me to fix it up. And I’ll have to find someone with experience in managing a ranch, they’ll know what to look for when hiring help.”

“How many horses do you plan on housing at once?”

“I need to inspect the stalls and see their condition. But with the Cotton family selling their property, I’m hoping to attract some of their clients.”

“Maybe you should buy their place. You know Mr. Cotton.” Paige smiled. “Unless they’ve let everyone go since they put it up for sale, you could have workers there, plus a manager. That way, you’ll have someone experienced helping out.”

“It’s probably more than I want to pay, but it wouldn’t hurt to check it out. I’ll head out there now.” Chelsea grinned. “I’ll let you know how it goes. Now go enjoy lunch with your gorgeous husband.”

Paige chuckled. “He drives me crazy, and not always in a good way, but I love him.”

“Yes, you do. Even though you fought it all the way.”

“I did, but he wore me down. Anyway, I should get going before Nick gets impatient.”

“I’ll walk out with you.”

They entered the front of the store to see it packed with customers.

“Your shop is always so busy, Paige.”

“Thank you. I love it too.” Paige turned to her employee. “Alice, I’ll be back in an hour, call me if things get hectic.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Alice, we’ve talked about this. Just call me Paige.”

“I’ll try to remember.” Alice smiled.

Chelsea followed Paige outside.

“Ma’am?” Chelsea couldn’t hold back a laugh.

Paige shook her head. “She’s only twenty and when I asked her to drop the ‘ma’am’ she told me her mother taught her to respect her elders and use proper titles like ma’am and sir for people older than her.”

Chelsea stopped walking, causing Paige to stop as well.

“I’m sorry, but did you say... elders?”

Paige laughed. “Yes, that’s what she said. Nick found it amusing as well.”

They crossed the street and paused in front of the diner.

“Enjoy your lunch. We’ll talk soon. I’ll let you know how it goes with the Cottons. I hope it hasn’t sold yet. It’s a great place.”

“Yes, it is. Call me when you have time. Go talk with the Cottons.”

“I’m going there now.” Chelsea hugged her friend. “Love you. Talk to you soon.”

Paige hugged her back before heading into the diner to meet Nick. Chelsea let out a sigh. She wished she had a good man like Nick Richards who adored his wife and children. Instead, she had married a man who thought it was acceptable to cheat on her with any willing woman. Thank God she finally had enough and divorced him.

With a heavy heart, she got into her SUV and drove to the Cotton ranch. She knew its location from working there as a teenager during the summers.

Horses had been her passion since childhood, and she couldn’t imagine a life without them. She kept two of her horses at her parents’ place, along with her brother Eli’s horses. They were both skilled riders, and Chelsea’s ultimate dream was to own a boarding stable.

Some people might find this an odd goal, but not Chelsea. Money and material possessions didn’t matter to her; she just wanted to be surrounded by horses and share that love with others in the area who needed a place to board their animals.

As she approached the Cotton ranch, she slowed down and turned onto the driveway leading up to the main house. It was a stunning property, with a large white farmhouse standing proudly and blue shutters adorning the windows, along with flower boxes filled with marigolds. To the right, three spacious red barns could be seen.

Parking beside the porch, Chelsea stepped out of her vehicle, shielding her eyes from the bright sun as she scanned the surroundings. She spotted a tall man standing in the doorway of one of the barns, his intense gaze fixed on her even from a distance. There was something familiar about him, but before she could figure it out, he raised his hand to his hat and touched the brim in greeting before disappearing into the barn.

Chelsea let out a sigh before making her way up the steps and across the porch. She knocked on the back door, eagerly anticipating seeing the Cottons again.

As soon as the door opened, Chelsea smiled at the sight of Mrs. Tricia Cotton. It took the older woman a few seconds, but when Mrs. Cotton smiled and greeted her with open arms, Chelsea laughed.

“Chelsea Hawkins,” the woman said as she pulled Chelsea into a hug.

“Mrs. Cotton,” she exclaimed, returning the hug warmly. “It’s so good to see you again, and it’s Kennedy now,” Chelsea continued, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Oh, honey, come inside where it’s cooler,” Mrs. Cotton said, gesturing for Chelsea to come inside.

Chelsea stepped into the familiar kitchen and her heart swelled with nostalgia as she saw two trays of homemade sugar cookies on the counter.

“They smell amazing,” she commented with a smile.

“Help yourself. I just felt like baking today,” Mrs. Cotton replied kindly. “Have a seat, dear. Would you like something to drink? I have some freshly squeezed lemonade.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you,” Chelsea accepted gratefully. “I don’t want any cookies right now, but would it be alright if I took some home with me?”

“Of course, dear,” Mrs. Cotton agreed with a warm smile as she set a glass of lemonade in front of Chelsea.

Chelsea took a sip and couldn’t help but moan in delight at how refreshing and delicious it tasted.

“So good,” she sighed happily. “Thank you again.”

Mrs. Cotton pulled out a chair and sat down across from Chelsea.

“Now, what brings you here?” she asked curiously.

Chelsea explained that she was looking into buying a property to start her own horse boarding business.

“That’s always been my dream. I loved working here when I was younger,” Chelsea shared enthusiastically.

“We know how much you loved it here,” Mrs. Cotton commented with a fond smile.

“Where are you moving to?” she asked.

“Georgia. We’re going to live near Walt’s brother,” Mrs. Cotton replied with a hint of sadness. “I know Walt isn’t looking forward to leaving, but it’s for the best. We’re getting too old to manage this place anymore.”

“Has the house sold yet?”

“No, not yet. It seems like most people want more land, and we only have eighty acres,” Mrs. Cotton explained. “But we’re moving next month regardless of whether it sells or not. Luckily, we don’t owe anything on the mortgage so we can leave whenever. I just hate the thought of this beautiful house sitting empty,” Mrs. Cotton said with a sigh.

“If you don’t mind, what’s the asking price?” Chelsea asked curiously.

When Mrs. Cotton told her, Chelsea couldn’t help but smile.

“I want to buy it,” she declared.

“What? Are you sure?” Mrs. Cotton asked in disbelief.

“Absolutely certain. I know this place inside and out,” Chelsea replied with determination. She reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on Mrs. Cotton’s arm. “And I promise you, I will take care of it with the utmost love and respect.”

Mrs. Cotton smiled at her reassuringly. “I have no doubt about that. And it does have everything you need, right?”

“Oh, yes! I adore this house, and I could even keep the ranch hands employed if they wanted to stay. Is there a manager currently?” Chelsea asked.

“Yes, Colt Monroe has been managing the ranch for many years now,” Mrs. Cotton confirmed with a nod.

Chelsea gasped. “Colt is still here?”

“Oh, yes. He’s been here a long time. Do you remember him?”

Remember him? She fell in love with him when she was fourteen, and she hoped he never knew. Hissing in a breath, she wondered if that had been Colt standing at the barn when she arrived.

“I do remember him.” Chelsea smiled before turning toward the door as it opened. She smiled as Mr. Cotton entered the kitchen, removed his hat, and greeted her with a big smile.

“Chelsea Hawkins,” he exclaimed, pulling her into a hug.

“It’s Kennedy now. It’s so great to see you again, Mr. Cotton,” Chelsea replied happily.

“You too, sweetheart. What brings you by?” he inquired.

Chelsea looked at Mrs. Cotton and smiled before telling him that she wanted to buy the property. He was initially taken aback but quickly recovered and pulled out a chair, and the three of them discussed it in detail.

****

Colt secured the lead to the horse’s halter and pulled him out of the stall. He was supposed to clean out the stalls, but he was running behind schedule. As he looked back at the barn door, he wondered who the woman was. Maybe she was a potential buyer for the ranch. Colt let out a sigh, thinking about losing his job at his age. He had been working on the Cotton ranch since he was seventeen, which made it roughly twenty-six years now. He wasn’t sure where he would find work after this place shut down, as he knew that eventually all the boarders would move their horses elsewhere. He also wasn’t sure if the new owner would want to keep it as a boarding stable or not.

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath.

After settling the horse into the indoor corral, Colt headed back toward a stall to get another horse when Walt Cotton and the unknown woman entered the barn. He took a deep breath and walked over to greet them.

“Walt? Is there something you need?” Colt asked politely.

“Colt, this is Chelsea—”

“Hawkins,” he interjected.

“It’s Kennedy now,” Chelsea corrected him.

“I see you remember her, Colt. She’s grown up and married.” Walt turned to look at her. “You’re not a little girl anymore, are you?”

“No, sir,” she replied with a smile.

“Anyway, Chelsea is going to buy the ranch and continue with the boarding business.”

“Is that so?” Colt raised an eyebrow as his gaze met hers.

“Yes, that’s so,” she said.

He almost smirked as she lifted her chin in defiance.

“Is your husband with you?” Colt glanced over her shoulder before returning his gaze to her. He knew she was alone.

“No. We’re divorced.” Chelsea’s tone became slightly defensive.

Colt raised his eyebrows. “So, you plan on running this place all by yourself?”

She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “All by myself? You think I can’t handle it because I’m a woman?”

“I didn’t say that. But as you well know, it’s not easy to manage a place like this. No matter how well you treat the horses, there will always be owners who disagree with your methods.”

“My barn, my rules,” Chelsea stated firmly.

Colt couldn’t hide his amusement as he ran a hand over his mouth.

“Well, good luck with that. While that may be true, people will still try to push back against your rules.”

“Maybe you could help me with that, as my manager.” Chelsea looked at him expectantly.

Colt stared at her in surprise. “I don’t know about that.”

“What? Why not?” she asked, clearly taken aback.

“Let’s face it, Mrs. Kennedy. We never got along in the past. We clashed all the time,” he said firmly as he stepped closer to her.

“Because you insisted on treating me like a child,” she snapped as she stepped forward.

“You were a child,” he said between clenched teeth.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere.” Walt sighed, breaking up their exchange. “Look, Colt, do you really want to start looking for another job at your age?”

“Yeah, Colt. Do you really want to start looking for another job... at your age?” Chelsea echoed mockingly.

Walt let out a resigned sigh. “You two need to work this out. It’s too hot in here for an argument. I’ll be inside.” He turned and walked away, saying over his shoulder: “I hope you don’t change your mind, Chelsea. And Colt? Stop being so damn stubborn.”

Colt sighed and watched Walt leave the barn. He turned to face Chelsea once again.

“At my age?” he repeated with a scoff.

“Well, let’s see. You’re on the wrong side of forty now...” Chelsea jabbed at him.

“Hold on, if I recall correctly, you’re not that much younger than I am,” Colt retorted.

“You’re seven years older than me.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “Since we… clash, I’ll take a look at the job postings on the Feed Store bulletin board for a new manager.” She strode down the aisle of the barn toward the doors. “Have a good day. And just so you know, once I purchase this property, you’ll have two weeks to pack up and leave, if you haven’t already,” she added as an afterthought, then continued walking outside.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.

As he strode along the dusty aisle of the barn, memories flooded his mind. He couldn’t help but think back to when she had first arrived here, a young and eager girl ready to work. Back then, he never paid her any mind; after all, she was just fourteen while he was a young man of twenty-one. But as they worked side by side day after day, he could see her developing a crush on him. He knew he had to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand. She was too young and naive for anything to ever come of their relationship.

So, he never gave her any slack in her chores, even when she would get tears in her eyes from his harsh treatment. He felt guilty, but it was for her own good. Being cruel

to be kind was the only way he could protect her from getting hurt.

She wasn’t the only one with a crush on him among the girls who worked at the barn. But he treated them all the same, determined not to lead any of them on.

Everything came crashing down the day she showed up in short shorts that barely covered anything. He saw red and immediately snapped at her to go home and change into jeans. When she protested, he reminded her that if she wanted to continue working there, she needed to abide by his rules.

He felt awful as tears streamed down her cheeks, but she needed to understand that nothing could ever happen between them. No matter how much she tried to get his attention, it would never work.

With a parting shout of “I hate you,” she ran from the barn and left him standing there feeling conflicted.

But now, years later, she was a beautiful woman who held all the power; because she had just fired him. Was this payback for his past actions? He couldn’t be sure, but the thought of starting over somewhere else ignited a fiery anger within him as he made his way to his office, determined to figure everything out.

****

Chelsea walked across the yard, trying to steady her trembling hands by clasping them together. She had always dreaded confrontations, yet it seemed like that was all she and Colt ever did. And she couldn’t help but wonder if that was because he knew she had a crush on him back then. But it wasn’t just a crush, she had been completely in love with him. As much as a young girl could be and her heart had been broken by how he ignored her.

The problem was, when they first met, he was already a man, and she was just a fourteen-year-old girl. And she wasn’t the only one who was drawn to him; there were three other girls who worked alongside her who also couldn’t help but gush over him. With his tall stature of well over six feet, jet black hair, and dark, dark eyes, Colt Monroe was undeniably handsome. And whenever he flashed his rare grin, every woman in the vicinity would let out a collective sigh. It was no wonder he had such a large following among the female employees. If only he wasn’t such a prick. A gorgeous prick, but a prick, nonetheless.

Chelsea ascended the steps and was about to knock when Mr. Cotton swung open the door, waving her inside.

“You and Colt didn’t come to blows, did you?” he joked.

Chelsea chuckled. “No, actually we never did, but I’ve grown up and won’t let him treat me like a child anymore.”

“Good for you, sweetie.” Mrs. Cotton beamed at her. “I packed some cookies in a bag for you, so whenever you’re ready to leave, they’re right here.”

“Thank you. I should go now. I want to contact the real estate agent and tell them I’m interested in buying this place.” Chelsea cocked her head. “Who’s the agent?”

“Lydia Griffin. Let me give you her number. She’s a lovely woman.” Mrs. Cotton reached for her purse and told Chelsea the phone number, and she put it into her phone.

“I’ll call her when I leave here. I’m really excited about buying this place. I hope I can keep the clientele.”

“Of course, you will, honey. Most people like keeping their horses at a place the horses are familiar with.” Mr. Cotton frowned. “Did that make a lick of sense?”

Chelsea laughed. “Yes, it did. Well, thank you both so much. I hope this goes well for all of us.”

“I’m sure we’ll know after you speak to Lydia.” Mrs. Cotton smiled at her.

“I’ll talk to you soon.” Chelsea walked out the door, pulled it closed behind her, jogged down the steps, and walked to her car. As she opened the door, she looked toward the barn and saw Colt standing there, watching her. Shaking her head, she got into her vehicle, started it, and drove to town.

****

Colt clenched his jaw as he watched her car disappear down the long driveway. The scowl on his face deepened as he realized he would probably have to find another job.

“Fucking hell,” he muttered, kicking at a loose piece of hay on the ground. With a heavy sigh, he turned and headed back into the barn, his boots echoing against the concrete floor.

As he strode down the aisle, he could hear the soft whinnies and nickers of the horses in their stalls. A few people were riding out of the barn on their horses, but Colt paid them no mind. Instead, he focused on his task, cleaning the empty stalls.

It was a never-ending chore, but one that was necessary for the health and well-being of the horses. Standing in wet bedding or puddles could weaken a horse’s hooves and lead to lameness problems.

With three barns to maintain, it took more than one person to keep them clean. Two of the barns housed boarded horses while the third was reserved for the owner’s personal horses.

However, all the stalls required daily cleaning and care. In some cases, if a horse had to be kept inside for an extended time, Colt would have the stalls cleaned twice in one day to ensure their comfort and health.

Colt turned to see one of the ranch hands, Brian, standing in the doorway.

“Hey, boss,” Brian greeted him.

“What’s up, Brian?” Colt asked.

“I’m headed to the Cotton barn to clean out those stalls,” Brian said.

Colt grinned at the nickname they had given the barn to distinguish it from the others on the property.

“Sounds good. I was hoping to get them done while the horses were out. I already took care of the other ones earlier.”

“Okay, well if you need me, you know where to find me,” Brian replied.

Colt sensed that Brian wanted to say something and looked at him. “Was there something else?”

“I was just wondering if you heard anything about the ranch being sold yet,” Brian said with a worried expression.

Colt let out a sigh. “It’s possible that it has been sold.”

“Will we still have jobs then?” Brian asked.

“I honestly don’t know,” Colt admitted. “But I do know that if it is sold, the new owner plans on keeping it as a boarding stable. As for keeping the staff, I have no idea.”

Brian nodded and walked off. Colt leaned his rake against the wall and took off his gloves, placing them in his back pocket as he hung his head. What was he going to do now? At forty-three years old, he would have to find another job because of this sale. He couldn’t believe that she hated him so much that she would fire him like this. What did he ever do to her? Son of a bitch.

He thought back to when she first came to work here. She was fourteen and he was twenty-one; she may have had a crush on him, but he never saw her as anything more than a kid back then. But now, seeing her as a woman with stunning blue eyes full of anger and determination made him want to kiss her. He thought about pulling the band from her dark hair and watching it fall around her shoulders.

“Like that would ever happen,” he muttered to himself.

After finishing up the stalls, Colt headed to his office to work on payroll. He took over this task seven years ago when Walt said he didn’t want to deal with it anymore. Colt didn’t mind though, especially since he used Cas-Port software which made the process almost automatic. A program created by a friend of his, Cash Porter.

“Colt?”

He looked up to see Walt standing in the doorway. Colt pushed his chair back and stood.

“Is everything okay, Walt?”

“Yes, yes, sit down, son,” the older man said as he walked over to the chair in front of Colt’s desk. Colt sat back down, wondering why Walt was in his office as he never came in here.

“Walt—”

“No need to worry, Colt. I just wanted to know if you will be able to continue working with Chelsea.”

“She fired me,” Colt replied solemnly.

“What? Are you sure?” Walt’s face showed concern.

Colt couldn’t help but smirk at his boss’s shock.

“Well, after she told me that once she buys the property, I’ll have two weeks to pack up and leave if I haven’t already, sounds to me like she fired me.”

“She’s planning to keep this as a boarding stable, and she needs someone who knows what they’re doing to manage it. Someone like you, son,” Walt said.

“I’m not sure why she has an issue with me. We had some disagreements when she worked here years ago, but I was her boss,” Colt replied with a shrug.

“Well, son, I’ve lived for eighty years, and I still haven’t figured out how a woman’s mind works.”

“That’s not very reassuring.” Colt chuckled.

“The only thing I’ve learned is that Tricia is always right, even when she’s wrong.”

“I can see that.”

“So, do you want to stay here?”

Colt let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to start over somewhere else. I know forty-three isn’t old, but starting a new career is tough. I’d have to work my way up from the bottom again, unless there’s a job opening for a manager, but most ranchers already have someone in that role.”

“I understand. Not many ranch hands are in their forties when they begin.”

Colt mentally groaned. He was well aware of how hard ranch work was. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy it; he had worked his way up from the bottom to become manager of a successful business.

He had shown up at this ranch at seventeen, by accident and never left. He had dropped out of school, left home, and ended up here. Walt agreed to hire him on the condition that he obtained his high school diploma, which he did by taking night classes while working during the day.

By the age of twenty-five, he had become the manager and never looked back. When he found out the ranch was being sold, he worried about what would happen under new ownership. But now, he knew exactly what would happen.

Walt nodded thoughtfully. “I have an idea. I’m not sure if it’s feasible, but I’ll look into it and get back to you.”

“Yes, sir.” Colt watched him leave the room and shut the door behind him.

He had no idea what Walt had in mind, but if it meant keeping his job, he was willing to wait and find out.