The Rancher's Wager Read online

  “Cricket, I didn’t know you had a crush on me. But I’d venture to say that you might have a slightly better view of me than is realistic. I’m just who I am. I’m not a particularly bad man, but I’m not a really great one either.”

  “Why my ranch?”

  “I’m right next door. It just makes sense. If I want to expand...”

  “Why do you need to expand?”

  “It’s what people do.”

  “I mean, to what end? For more money?”

  “No,” he said. “For more of something that’s mine.”

  “Oh. Well, I mean I understand that. Wanting something that’s yours. But this ranch is mine. And you can’t have it. And I don’t really care how hard it’s going to be to make it work. It’s going to be mine. You underestimated me. You had no idea about everything that was going on in here.” She tapped her temple. “Honestly, it’s been a wasteland of horror for the past...six months at least. So, don’t go trying to scare me away.”

  “I’m going back to my place tonight. Let’s just...cool off.”

  She sputtered. “I don’t want to cool off.”

  “I need to.”

  She stared at him. “We had a deal,” she said. “And none of that’s changed because of what just happened tonight. Are you the kind of man who backs out of the deal?”

  “Things have...”

  “Changed for you. Because you were lying to me. But I was never lying. I was always being honest, and...”

  “Except for the part where you thought that I was your brother, and you figured that you needed to... I don’t know, what were you trying to do exactly?”

  “Get close to you, enough that I could say, ‘Do you suppose it’s possible your father cheated on your late mother, and he is perhaps my dad?’” He barely moved, but a muscle in his cheek flinched. “Yeah,” she said. “Exactly. It’s awful. And there’s really no good way to approach it. At least, not one I could think of. And believe me, I tried. I tried to think of something better than that. So yes, I guess I had ulterior motives too, but I also just want to run my ranch. And I need your help. And you promised me thirty days. Staying here. Free labor.”

  “You’re in my bed.”

  “So, you have a couple options. You get back in bed with me, you go to the bunkhouse with the spiders, or you go to my bed, where I may just end up.”

  He sighed heavily, then came back down onto the mattress. “You don’t know what you’re playing with here, little Cricket.”

  “There’s only one way I’m going to find out, though, isn’t there? By continuing to play.”

  She took a deep breath, focusing on the tenderness in her chest. “In all honesty, Jackson, I am just really sick to death of feeling like I’m fundamentally wrong. And this felt right. So...why don’t we just keep on?”

  “I lied to you,” he said.

  “Yeah. But so what? I mean, we’re not friends. You lost a bet. End of story. You’re not my family, so we don’t have some kind of mystical connection like I thought we might. We are not...anything. So what does it matter? Your plan would’ve only worked if you could have talked me out of my dream, and quite frankly, if you could have talked me out of it, I would’ve deserved what I got.”

  “Is that really what you think?”

  “Yes. As it is, you were never even close to making me second-guess it. Because you know what’s harder than figuring out how to do chores and work a ranch? Growing up in a mausoleum. An altar to your father, when you don’t even like or respect the man. Being made to feel like you have to fit in, when you don’t particularly want to, or see the benefit of it. Yeah. That’s hard. And, well... I decided not to do it. I decided to figure this out. So I did. So I took it upon myself to figure this out. A few early mornings weren’t going to scare me off.”

  “You’re a whole thing, aren’t you, Cricket?”

  “Not by choice. It just kind of seems to be the way I am.”

  He lay down next to her, and gathered her up against his body. She put her hand on his chest, tracing shapes over the broad expanse of muscle. “You seem like a man who might be able to handle a whole thing. And you kinda make me feel like less of one. Or at least like...this might be the place for it.”

  “Sure, if you want to play... You know I’m here to play. But playing is all I got.”

  “That’s okay. I’m trying to figure out my life. I’m trying to figure out what I want to be. Who I am. What it means... James is my father, most likely.”

  “Are you going to ask your mother directly about it?”

  She nodded. “I am. Because I need to know the truth. I’m afraid this is probably it.”

  “Sometimes, you have to contend with things you don’t like about your parents. And I grant you, your dad is a hell of a lot worse than mine.”

  “Your dad seems... Well, I mean, to me he really seems not bad at all.”

  “He’s not, I suppose. But his relationship with my mom... I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d cheated.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “None of it’s your fault.”

  “Well. I kind of put you in an awkward situation tonight.”

  He shrugged. “My dad’s own behavior actually put him in that situation.”

  “For what it’s worth... I used to look at your family and think... Well, I really wished that I could be part of it.”

  “I guess that’s the thing, then. I never wished that I was part of your family. I suppose that’s the difference.”

  “Yeah, there is imperfect, and there’s dysfunctional. Believe me, there’s kind of an important distinction between the two.”

  “We might be skirting the edge of dysfunctional, here,” he said.

  “Yeah, but I think we can both handle it. And we’re not dragging anyone else into it.”

  He huffed. “True.”

  “Might as well enjoy this. I have twenty-one days left of indentured servitude from you.”

  And then suddenly she found herself pinned to the mattress, his large body over hers, his eyes glittering. “Might as well,” he growled.

  And then, they were done talking for the rest of the night.

  Seven

  Jackson felt like an ass. He should have left last night when he’d said that he would, but Cricket had looked at him like she was a wounded puppy, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Still, there hadn’t been much of an excuse to stay. Except that he was weak. And human, and basically just a man. And she had presented a temptation he couldn’t turn away from.

  Though it wasn’t just being a man, that was the thing, because if it was, then it would’ve been about her just being a woman, and fundamentally, he could have turned down any other woman. It was Cricket that was the problem. Cricket was a damn problem.

  He was marinating on that as he drove into town for more lumber the next day. She had been up early, at the crack of dawn, without so much as a complaint, while he had been the one who’d had a hell of a time getting his ass out of bed. He was driving back out toward Cricket’s spread when he noticed his brother’s truck in the oncoming traffic lane. Creed waved his hand, and Jackson found the nearest turnaround and followed his brother, both of them parking by the side of the road. It wasn’t extraordinarily unusual to randomly run into his brother about town. Gold Valley was a small enough place. And they were off running similar errands, considering they were both ranchers. They had the same haunts, the same basic routines.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” he said.

  “Likewise,” Creed said. “I was figuring on coming out to see you today anyway.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah. My wife has been after me to check in on you.”

  “Why?” Jackson asked.

  “Just to make sure nothing untoward is happening between you and her little sister.”

&n
bsp; Jackson kept his face flat and immovable as stone. “Is that so?”

  “Yeah. She told me that Cricket called her the other night inquiring about how to make steak. Because she was cooking for you. And that got Wren stirred up.”

  “I fail to see what your wife’s feelings have to do with me.”

  “Well, the funny thing is, then I went by the winery this morning, and I talked to Dad, he said that you and Cricket stormed the place last night, and she demanded to know if he was her father.”

  “Oh.”

  “And that you said it was really important to know for sure.”

  “Look, she had a valid suspicion.”

  “Why? Dad was crazy about Mom. He would never have cheated on her.”

  Jackson’s frustration finally boiled over. Maybe it was Cricket and all the nonsense with her, or just the vast unfairness of his brother’s complete and total obliviousness over something Jackson had borne the weight of for years. Whatever the reason, he was at the end of his patience.

  “Are you blind, Creed? Dad was not crazy about Mom.”

  “The hell you talking about? He’s been deep in the throes of grief for her for...five years. Completely messed up. Not right at all. You can’t tell me that’s a man who was not crazy about his wife.”

  “He’s a man who was crazy with guilt.” Jackson let out a harsh breath. “Look, I was closer to Mom than you.”

  “I...feel bad about that. But I was pretty deep in some of my own stuff there for a while.”

  “I know. It wasn’t a criticism. I’m just saying... Believe me, what Cricket thought was valid enough. Did you ever wonder why Dad hated James Maxfield so much? Not just because he’s a prick.”

  “Yeah, I mean it crossed my mind a time or two.”

  “Dad was in love with his wife. Always. And I think, whatever he felt for Mom never overshadowed what he felt for her. It wasn’t... It was never fair. Ever. It’s not just grief that has Dad a mess. He has a mountain of regret. And he should.”

  Creed huffed out a breath. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would Mom... Why would she be with him?”

  “Why do you think? They stayed together for the kids.” He looked at his brother. “That would be us.”

  “Why did they get married in the first place?”

  Jackson sighed and shifted his weight. “Me. She was pregnant with me. Haven’t you ever done that math? I have. And anyway, I don’t have to rely on math. She told me. I thought... Damn, you know, I thought we had this great, happy family. And then I found out... Not so much. A forced family, and then they tried to... Honey was their attempt at making things better. But that doesn’t work. Or at least, it rarely does. Anyway. That’s what everything was about with Cricket. She suspected, given that she, like our sister, is a late in life baby... That maybe she was the product of an affair. An affair her mother had always wanted to have. But no. Dad said no.”

  “Oh. Well, that is entirely different from what Wren was afraid was going on. And I can’t say I could really figure out what I thought was happening...” Creed stared past him, off at the thick grove of pine trees that lined the highway. “I don’t know what to make of any of this. I... I didn’t know that Mom and Dad...”

  “They didn’t want us to know.”

  “Why did Mom tell you?” Creed sounded hurt. Jackson didn’t have the capacity to deal with his brother’s hurt. Not now.

  “She had to tell someone. She was lonely. And...”

  “Dad was there for her though. He was. He didn’t leave. And if he didn’t have an affair...”

  “You’re a married man, Creed, don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel a difference between being the love of your wife’s life, or knowing there was someone else out there that she wanted first.”

  “Right. But you know...” Creed chuckled. “Wren and I got married because of her pregnancy.”

  “Given your background, I understand that.”

  He nodded. “But it’s not why we stayed together.”

  “Yeah, but I think it was why Mom and Dad stayed together.”

  “Well, I just pulled you over to give you a hard time, I didn’t figure you’d give me this depressing as hell story.”

  “I’m just explaining the last twenty-four hours, which believe me, have been a little weird for me too.”

  “Well, be careful with her. Wren is really worried.”

  It was Jackson’s turn to stare at the trees.

  He could feel his brother’s eyes burning into the side of his face. “If you’re sleeping with my sister-in-law... I might have to punch you. I’d rather not.”

  “I’ll be careful with her.”

  “That’s not a denial.”

  “Can’t give you a denial.”

  “Really? Really. Really? Cricket. Really.”

  He shot his brother a look. “Say it one more time.”

  “So...she thought you were her half brother, and somehow you ended up... You know what. I don’t want to know.” Creed lifted his hands and took a step back. “The less I know the better, because I’m going to have to explain it to Wren. And I don’t want to be the keeper of that information, because God knows I love my wife, but she is the kind of woman to shoot the messenger. And I like all my body parts where they are.”

  “So do I.”

  “And really don’t let Holden find out.” Creed’s brother-in-law, married to Emerson, the middle Maxfield sister.

  “Why is that?”

  “My loyalty is torn. You’re my brother. Holden... Well, his loyalty is in one place firmly. And, also, I get the feeling he’s done some things.”

  “Look, nothing happened that Cricket didn’t want.”

  “I’m confident in that. I’m still confident it won’t matter to Wren.”

  “Just let us sort it out.”

  “I can’t keep secrets from her. But I can keep her busy.” Creed grinned.

  “Great. Do that. And keep this to yourself. What’s going on with me and Cricket is nobody’s business but ours.”

  “I just don’t get why. I mean, she’s cute enough, sure. But...”

  Jackson felt a violent surge of...protectiveness? He didn’t even know. Just something primal and overly irritable. He couldn’t explain what appealed about Cricket. It was not simple. But... She was special, and when he saw her as something other than an adversary to be defeated, he could truly see that. She was tough. And beautiful. Naive in some ways, sure, but in others... Like a person outside age or time. Not like anyone or anything he’d ever known. He came back to that vision he’d had of her the first time he’d rolled up to the ranch.

  When he thought of her as a feral pirate queen on the deck of her ship. And he should have known then. She wasn’t a woman to take prisoners, and neither would she be one to negotiate. She wasn’t going to give up on what she wanted half so easily as he had hoped. And now, he didn’t even want her to. Because somewhere in all of this, he’d begun to root for her. He wanted her to win. That vulnerable, delicate piece of herself only he’d seen was something he wanted to protect now, not exploit.

  “Don’t worry about me. And don’t worry about Cricket. She can more than handle herself.”

  And he was...well, dammit all, he was going to help her.

  * * *

  Jackson had been gone for most of the day, and it was probably for the best, Cricket had to concede. She wished he was in bed with her instead of seeing to ranch chores. But the ranch chores were important and all. It was kind of the whole point of having him on the property. But now she wanted the point to be more of him in her bed, and honestly, who could blame her? Having an orgasm was a lot more fun than doing chores.

  But...she also needed to do something other than chores today. Which was how she found herself driving to Maxfield Vineyards.

  She usually avoided the place as
much as humanly possible. But it was weird. Today, with a bit of distance from her family, from everything that they were, and all the pain and isolation she had experienced growing up here... She was not feeling trapped by it. It felt...better. She felt able to appreciate the beauty of it. The rolling vineyards, the vast, Tuscan-style villa. The elaborate pavilions and tasting rooms. It was a beautiful facility, when she wasn’t a prisoner.

  “Prisoner” wasn’t really fair. But she had felt trapped in her circumstances, that was for sure. And now that she had another place to be, now that she had...

  Honestly, had a night with Jackson changed her so much? She looked the same. She had checked herself over in the mirror this morning just to see if this change was visible, that shift that had taken place inside of her last night. But as far as she could tell it wasn’t. She took a breath, and put her car in Park, right in the circular drive just in front of the massive entry to her family home. A place that had never, ever felt like home to her. But she didn’t have the same knot of dread that she used to have when James was in residence, didn’t have the same feeling of discomfort. So there was that.

  She knocked, because she didn’t live here anymore, and when one of the members of the staff opened the door, she was led in as politely as if she were a guest.

  She stood in the foyer, waiting for her mother to appear.

  When she did, Cricket could only stare. Her mom was still every inch the lady of the manor, even though the circumstances at the manor had changed pretty drastically.

  “Cricket,” Lucinda said, smiling brightly. “What brings you by?”

  “I... I really need to talk to you. About...” She took a breath. “I spoke to Cash Cooper last night.”

  “Oh,” her mom said, faltering.

  “I asked him if he was... If he was my father.”

  “Cricket...”

  “I know that you are in love with him. And I know that he was in love with you. And I know you didn’t marry him because you chose money over love. I just thought that maybe...”