Chapter Four

I zzy moved into the Lohmen’s guesthouse and over the next couple of days settled in quite nicely. She cut flowers and put them in vases around the main room. Took walks to the pond. She even went to say hi to the horses when they were out in the pasture. Rosie, sweet-natured, light brown with a spotted white coat that meandered from her back end to the sides of her face, was her favorite.

All the while, she didn’t see hide nor hair of Nathan Lohmen. It was a head-scratcher because she kind of thought, as her landlord, he’d at least welcome her to the ranch, even if all he did was wave on the way by.

Even Jonas and Blake were absent, though she knew from Malorie that Blake was taking the week off to attend to book publishing business. Their newly minted, almost anyway, family had flown to New York City so he could meet with his publisher and then show Mal and the kids the town and take in a play before they came back.

Every morning Jonas left early, presumably to work on setting up his law practice in Strawberry Ridge. He didn’t return until long after dark. Before he left in the mornings, he put the horses out to pasture.

So why was she still here? Between the three brothers, if they each played their part, they could save the ranch. She was sure of it.

She was here because... well... she’d fallen hard for the Triple L. And not just professionally, though she had to keep her sights on the goal—stop the ranch’s financial bleeding and add a new success story to her résumé. But it was more than that. The ranch tugged at her heartstrings. The peacefulness of the mornings. The sounds of the birds. An occasional hoot of an owl. She felt that for the first time in a long time, she could breathe as she sat on the back porch, seeing the mountains jutting almost straight up from the ground in the distance.

Honestly? The best part of her job was moving from place to place so she could explore the country. Some days, rare though they were, if she didn’t stay busy enough, she got lonely. Silly, wasn’t it?

The ranch and its cranky part-owner chased that loneliness away.

Completely taken by surprise by the revelation, she decided no matter how much Nathan ignored her or told her no she couldn’t do... whatever, she was going to find a way to save the charming ranch. She just had to discover the key that would unlock the grumpy cowboy’s door.

Rosie ambled over for what had become her daily scratch.

“She likes you.” The deep male voice came from behind Izzy.

She didn’t turn. “I like her too. She’s beautiful.”

“I want to show you something.” Nathan leaned on the fence next to Izzy. He smelled like a warm summer breeze.

“What?” She finally looked at him and stumbled right into his deep, dark eyes. Clearing her throat, she eased back on her heels. “You’ve found a way to save the ranch without me?”

That sounded too pathetic. She straightened her shoulders and zipped her lips waiting for him to give her marching orders.

“Come with me.”

She patted Rosie’s neck. “See you later, girl. The boss wants me—” To go with him. For Pete’s sake.

That got her a side glance with a twist of his lips that she would qualify the same as an eye roll. Izzy bit back a gotcha smile as he led the way to the barn. He moved slowly, but he wasn’t using his cane and his steps seemed steady.

Apparently no marching orders. Yet.

What would he do if she refused to leave? She wouldn’t do that, but it would be fun to tease the contrary rancher with the idea that he had a renter whether he wanted one or not just to see what his serious, and sometimes annoyed, expression would do next.

The interior of the barn was cooler than outside in the direct sunlight. There was no time like the present to start presenting the plan she’d worked out since having nothing else to do after moving into the cottage. It would have to be done in small bites if she wanted to convince Nathan to get on board her train. “You have a lot of empty stalls. You could board horses and make some extra money that way.”

“We could, but it wouldn’t be enough.” He stopped at the tack room before he looked at her. The door was ajar.

That wasn’t a flat-out, no . In her book, a point in her favor. “So, you’ve thought about it?”

All she got in reply was a very manly shrug.

Not wanting him to see how much he challenged her, she looked around. A city girl, mostly, the barn smells should have put her off. They didn’t. “So, what am I supposed to see?”

A faint meow came from inside the room. He pushed the door open.

“Look in the bottom cubby in the corner. Mama was hiding them. I just moved them in here this morning.”

When she stepped into the room, she saw the kittens. Mama, a gray-and-black tabby lay on a clean blanket while four kittens of varying colors nursed. Two were the same color as their mom. Izzy squatted down. “Oh, my gosh. They’re so cute.”

Nathan squatted beside her. Izzy didn’t miss his wince but figured he wouldn’t tolerate any sympathy. “The mama is Zelda—”

“After your mom?” She grabbed the flat step stool within reach and gave it to Nathan. When he got comfortable, she sat on the floor next to him. “Can I hold one?”

He nodded and reached over and scratched Mom between the ears. She purred, the cat, not Izzy, though she was tempted. “Hi, Zelda. This nice lady wants to hold one of your babies.”

He thought she was nice? Little did he know. “How old are they?”

“Two weeks.” Picking up the orange kitten, he handed it to Izzy. “When she’s old enough to leave Mom, this one’s yours. What are you going name her?”

He’d paid attention to her parting shot when she’d said goodbye the last time. Izzy grinned at the crazy man as she tucked the little one under her chin, her fur soft, and cuddled her close. “Um, how about Cookie?”

“She looks like a Cookie?” His brows shot up as he watched her closely. His cranky face had disappeared entirely.

Izzy held her in both hands and took a good look at the kitten’s sweet face. Dark eyes blinked back at her as the baby cat mewed. “Yup. She’s cute and yummy looking.”

“Cookie it is then.” He reached for one of the gray kittens and held it next to his chest.

Izzy’s breath caught. Who would have thought that the man who could be so easily irritated had a soft spot for the babies of this world? “Does that one have a name?”

“Boss.” Nathan held him up, showing Izzy the kitten’s face. “Right, little man? You’re the boss.” He looked at her, all the tension he usually carried around with him banked. “He’s always pushing the others around. I almost named him Jonas because he reminds me so much of my brother.”

Izzy laughed. “I’ll bet Jonas would be happy to have a cat named after him.”

“I didn’t want to test my luck, which is why this guy got Boss.” He pointed at the kittens who’d stopped nursing but were bumping their noses as they explored close to their mother. “What are you going to name those two?”

“Boy, girl?” She gently rubbed Cookie between the ears.

“The black and white one with swirls on both sides of his body is a boy. The other one is a girl.”

“Hmmm. How about Desi and Lucy.” At his surprised look, she said. “My mom’s a fan of I Love Lucy reruns.” While Nathan went all soft over the cats, and her heart took an unexpected little tumble, Izzy changed directions and chanced a question that would probably chase this surprising version of the rancher away. “What do you do for a living?”

As she expected, his frown returned. “Why?”

“Just curious, mostly, but also, I need to find out if you have any skills we can take advantage of.” That sounded innocent enough, didn’t it? There was no point in telling Nathan that saving the ranch wasn’t her only motivation.

He stood and put Boss back with his mother and siblings. “I train horses and riders for barrel racing.”

The underlying deep timber of his voice that said she was getting too close to guarded territory didn’t bother Izzy in the slightest. In fact—

She put Cookie next to her sister and brothers. As the kittens stumbled into one another, all she could think was how fun it would have been to have a brother and sister. Then she remembered her first encounter with the Lohmen brothers and she nearly changed her mind. They didn’t seem to like each other much. “Would you take me on as a student?”

“Maybe. Depending on how much riding experience you’ve had.” He stuck his hands in his front pockets. “But don’t get any ideas about paying for lessons. You can’t single-handedly pay to save the ranch.” He had her number, that was for sure. How did he know that after seeing the Triple L for the first time, she’d thought about offering to become an investor in the ranch? “If I give you lessons, we’ll include them as part of your rent.” He obviously expected her to object, which she would eventually. “Now what?” He gave her a stern look. “You have that look on your face. Like you’re scheming up something.”

The man was too sharp. She wiped the excitement from her face. “What look? Usually, a guy tells a girl she’s pretty, not that she’s a no-good schemer.”

“I didn’t say no good,” Nathan said, keeping an I’m-not-fooled eye on her. “Do you know how to ride?”

She tried not to smile. “Yup. Had lessons and everything. I don’t suppose you’d take a loan from me.” She had some money tucked away and was more than ever convinced the Triple L could be a good investment.

As she expected, he spun and headed for the door. “Don’t even think about it.”

She followed him, a tiny skip in her steps, which he noticed. He stopped at the stalls and faced her. “You’re kidding me, right? About the loan?”

“Not really,” she said, then got serious. “Listen, I respect your right to turn me down. I also will pay for the rent and any riding lessons you give me. I may even buy a horse and board her here.” When he started to shake his head, she said just as firmly as he had earlier, “With the ranch in trouble, you can’t afford to turn down a paying customer, Nathan. Even if the payment comes from me.”

“Fine. You can ride Rosie for your lessons. She’s the youngest and I was planning to train her to barrel race anyway.” He scowled at her, but there was a glint in his eyes. He wasn’t as irritated as he sounded.

“All right. It’s a deal.”

Grabbing a hay fork, Nathan began cleaning the nearest stall. He was moving better, but she could tell he was tired.

Pleased with her progress, first renting the guesthouse so she could immerse herself in the Triple L’s culture and then getting Nathan to see her as a potential client, she said, “Let me help. I’m a good helper.”

When he handed her the fork and got one for himself, she knew she’d won.

Letting her finish the stall he’d started he went on to the next one. Before long he came back to inspect her work. “Don’t you have research or whatever it is you do to keep you busy?”

“I’m doing it.” She stepped back so he could see how well she’d prepped the stall for the horse that would come back to it that evening and caught sight of the placard that had Rosie etched into the wood. Fate spoke in mysterious ways.

Nathan snorted, giving her jeans and shirt a glance. Probably to see if she’d gotten dirty. She looked down. Except for her runners and a few smudges on her jeans, she wasn’t wearing too much of the stalls’ debris. The shoes she’d have to replace.

“If you’re going to do the work of a ranch hand, I’ll have to pay you ranch hand wages.”

“I don’t want you to do that,” she said quietly, a suspicious feeling that Nathan was about to turn the tables on her. His dark brows went up, and she knew this was one test of wills she wasn’t going to win. “Okay, fine. Where do I clock in?”

“There’s a clipboard in the tack room. You can keep track of your time there.” The skin at the corner of his eyes crinkled.

Yup, the man was not an easy one to negotiate with, but that didn’t mean she’d let him have it all his way. When he came to know her better, he would figure out she could be just as stubborn as he was. “I’m making bean soup and biscuits for dinner. Why don’t you join me? I have a few things I’d like to go over with you.”

“I like bean soup.” He was so serious, but a twitch of his lip, the corners turning up slightly, gave him away.

Nathan was more charming than he knew. “Good. Let’s finish up here and—”

“You’re bossy, you know that?” he said. It wasn’t the compliment Izzy was suddenly hoping for.

Just like Jonas. He didn’t say it, but the implication was there.

“I’ve been told that once or twice.” Laughing, she moved on to the next stall. They finished in silence, and when she was done, she sent him a jaunty wave, left him in the barn, and went straight to the shower.

She was just pulling the biscuits out of the oven when there was a soft knock on the door. The table was set, and the soup waited in a covered ceramic bowl with cherry blossoms painted on the sides that she’d found in one of the cupboards. She liked her recipe because it wasn’t hard and didn’t take long to make.

Leaving the biscuit pan on top of the stove, she went to answer the door and found Nathan holding a bottle of red wine.

Didn’t he look delicious in his jeans and dark charcoal button-down shirt? Izzy quickly brushed the thought aside and thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t said the delicious part out loud. “Come in.”

“I hope you like wine.” He followed her to the kitchen.

She could feel his gaze on her back. She’d changed into a summer dress after her shower and left her feet bare. She loved the feel of the hardwood floor but hoped she wasn’t sending the wrong message. It wasn’t often that she slowed down and took the time to enjoy her surroundings or the company of a handsome man.

Keep it casual, Izzy Payton.

“I do.” She put the biscuits in a napkin-lined bowl on the table while Nathan found glasses and poured them each a glass. Settling into the chair across from her, he waited while she filled her bowl. The silence stretched out until it got too quiet. She blurted, “Tell me about yourself.”

“How did you get involved in rescuing businesses?” Nathan asked at the same time.

Why was she so nervous? “You, first.”

“There’s not much to tell.” Nathan broke a biscuit and let it drop into his soup. “I was adopted when I was three months old. And I’ve lived on the ranch my whole life.”

“You train horses and riders to barrel race,” she added.

“Yup.”

“You love the ranch.” She was going to get him to smile again if it killed her. “I’m guessing you’ll do whatever it takes to keep from having to sell the Triple L.”

His brows arched. “Like what?”

She knew she was pushing hard but she kept going. “I have several suggestions. A couple you might have already considered and rejected. Malorie told me your dad raised a breed of horse called the Colorado Ranger. I did some research and found several ranchers still have breeding programs and often lease stud services.”

“You’re thinking we could lease Duke out.” When she nodded, Nathan crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. “To do that we need his pedigree documents. Dad had his breeder’s certificate and kept meticulous records. I haven’t been able to find them. Without them, it’s not impossible, but it would take more time than we have to prove his lineage.”

Izzy leaned toward him. “All right, then. I understand horse training and riding lessons are the most profitable. Trail riding on horses and dirt bikes appears to be popular.”

“True.” He didn’t move a muscle. “We can do it, but it’ll take time to build up a steady roster of students. Riding dirt bikes on the trails is a no-go. They tear up the terrain too much. Whatever we do has to preserve the land and the beauty of the ranch.” Nathan went back to his soup. “This is good. So, how did you get involved in rescuing businesses?”

Okay, if that’s how he wanted it.

“When I was in college my mom got sick. It took a while to figure out what was wrong with her, and she got a lot sicker before they diagnosed her.”

“But they figured it out?” He’d stopped eating. Jim had never paid much attention to her concerns or worries, so she’d learned to keep them to herself. It was a little disconcerting to have Nathan actually listening.

“She has an autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis. She was so active before that and at first, I was scared to death I was going to lose her. But there wasn’t anything I could do to make her better. RA isn’t something you cure. You just learn how to mitigate the symptoms. Mom didn’t want me hovering and wouldn’t let me quit college, so I put all my energies into graduating in a field where I could make a difference. It was a happy coincidence that my college courses and my passion for helping failing businesses aligned.”

Why had she never told Jim that? When he didn’t ask many personal questions that explored her past and deeper plans, it should have been a strong clue that he wasn’t interested enough to last the long haul.

“So, kind of like taking the worst house on the block and making it livable again.” He finished his soup and nudged the bowl aside.

“Exactly.” She nodded. “You like the remodel shows?”

“I got stuck on them during my convalescence.”

Ah, there was his smile, brief though it was. He took his bowl to the sink.

She stood to help clear the table, but Nathan waved her back. “Enjoy your wine. I’ll take care of the cleanup. What is your mom doing now?”

This man definitely wasn’t Jim. She was pretty sure if Nathan asked a girl to marry him, he wouldn’t leave her standing at the altar dressed in all her white finery and her somethings blue while he packed his bags and then called to tell her he was leaving on a world walking tour with another woman.

That Nathan wasn’t leaving dinner clean up to her added another point to her would-love-to-find-an-amazing-man list. Someday. Not now. Sternly, she reminded herself that Nathan was almost a client, not some Joe Johnson she might have met at a coffee shop and agreed to go on a date with. Still, she wouldn’t mind being the one who listened to Nathan when he needed someone to talk to.

“She’s on a Mississippi River cruise with her best friends. She says life is too short. I agree with her, and since I can’t slow her down, I try not to worry when she’s off on her adventures.”

“It sounds like you and your mother are a lot alike.” Nathan followed her to the couch. They took their wine with them.

She sat and raised her glass to Nathan, a silent thank you for putting away their meal. “I think you would like my mom.”

Which meant he should like her, too, and trust that she knew what she was talking about when she made recommendations for the ranch. But he’d have to figure that out on his own.

“Do you have siblings?”

“No. It’s just Mom and me.” She sipped her wine, watching his thin face, black hair brushed across his forehead. His beard and mustache were cut close to his face. It was a sexy look. He really could be charming if he wasn’t at odds with his brothers. If she had brothers, she’d do her best to keep them close. “So, what are your plans for the ranch? Especially now that Malorie, Andee, Reece, and Timmy are part of your family and planning to live here?”

“I’m still working that out,” he said quietly, setting aside his empty wine glass.

She put her glass beside his. “Maybe—we can work it out together.”

Her mom would love the Triple L, but more than that, the former counselor in her mom would understand Nathan Lohman.

Izzy could do that—be there and offer a shoulder for him to lean on, but nothing more serious than that.

She let go of her breath when he finally agreed, “Maybe we could.”