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Chapter 24
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No Strings Attached Chapter 25
I recalled Bill's words about having to fend off every male for counties around to win his wife. Caitlin was every bit the prize that her mother was, at least in looks. I excused myself from the table and returned to my cabin. Mentally I wished the two guys luck. I did envy them though. If Caitlin turned out to be the woman her mother was, who ever won her affections would be a lucky man. The next day I took the pick up and rode the range. By the time I had made my rounds something didn't seem to add up. It was early enough that I went back and got Sam and we did a whirlwind tour of the ranch. There were a lot of cattle scattered over the ranch but he agreed that something didn't feel right. It just seemed like we were short a few head. We decided we would saddle up the next day and ride the hilly areas. We discussed it with Bill that night at supper and he agreed to our plan. It rained that night which would make finding tracks more difficult. The next morning we loaded our horses
No Strings Attached Chapter 26
Everyone dropped the subject and we hurriedly and ate. We still had to be up early in the morning. I left the kitchen for my cabin and was halfway there when Caitlin called out to me. I stopped and waited for her. "So, did you enjoy the view today," she snapped rudely at me. I guess it was too much to think she might actually be grateful. "Let's just say that I would be lying if I told you I didn't find it to be breathtaking." Caitlin just let out a "humpff" and turned on her heels to stomp off towards the house. I stood shaking my head. I guessed there was something about me that just pissed her off. The next day Bill had to go into to town to formally press charges against Wilson. It was going to be several days before we could drive the stolen cattle back to where they belonged. The prosecutor was going to have to document everything first. Sam and I spent the day putting a fresh coat of paint on some of the outbuildings. We ate lunch in the kitchen but Caitlin didn't join us whi
No Strings Attached Chapter 27
Just then the door opened and three men walked in. I recognized two of them as guys who had come calling on Caitlin. They made a beeline for our table and two of them took the seats on either side of the table while the third stood behind me. They ignored me and started talking to Caitlin. I stood up and told the third one to have a seat. I caught Caitlin's glare as I moved to the next table. I motioned the waitress over when she brought our food and had her put mine in front of me. I ate quickly, ignoring the conversation at Caitlin's table. I tossed some bills on the table to pay for our meals and stood up. Caitlin had hardly had time to eat and her plate was still full. "I'm going to run over to the hardware store. I can stop back by here later and see if you're ready to go," I said butting into the conversation. Caitlin pushed her plate back and stood up. "No, I'll go with you. It was nice seeing you guys again, but we have run," she said. The guys at the table tried to protest
No Strings Attached Chapter 28
I did find one way to be of assistance to Caitlin. She was trying to get a loan from the bank to buy the necessary equipment to start her veterinarian business. The bank did not want to make her an unsecured loan and the only way she get it was to ask her father put the ranch up as collateral. She didn't want to have him do that. I told her to give me a couple days that I might know of a way for her to get her loan. I contacted my offshore bank and had them set me up an account in the name of a fictitious loan company. I had Caitlin fill out a loan application on my computer and send it electronically. I had it set up so that it actually went to my e-mail. I waited a couple of days and sent her a notice that her loan had been approved and a wire transfer would be made to her account. Caitlin was ecstatic at the news but asked me why the loan only charged a two per cent annual percentage rate. I told her that they were a non-profit philanthropic group that made loans to people they be
No Strings Attached Chapter 29
"Relax honey. Wilson doesn't own this ranch anymore. Let's look around. I want to know what you think about the house." Caitlin stared at me and shook her head but let me lead her around the house. I took her upstairs and we walked through the bedrooms and then back downstairs. There was a large living room, a nice paneled den, two rooms set up to be home offices and finally the kitchen. I could tell by her face that she loved the new kitchen. There was only one room with furnishings and that was the one I was going to use for my office. The rest of the house waited for her to decide what she wanted. "What do you think of the house?" I asked her. "It's really nice," she said. "Do you think you could live here?" "Dammit, Carson. What the hell is going on?" I could see she was confused and getting upset. I dropped to one knee and put my hand into my jacket pocket. "Caitlin, Wilson no longer owns this ranch, I do. I am asking if you could live here. Could you live here as my wife?"
No Strings Attached Chapter 30: CHARITY BEGINS NEXT DOOR
Chapter Title: CHARITY BEGINS NEXT DOOR Introduction: =================== Life isn't fair. So when you fight back, fight dirty. =================== Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I married young, and had two perfect daughters, but my marriage was far from perfect. We had been young and in love. I was entering the community college and Denise was starting her senior year when we decided to tie the knot. Her family's ready acceptance of me was a huge factor - the family I'd never had, making me feel like a real member of theirs. I can admit it now; I probably loved being a part of the family as much as I loved Denise. Our split up was inevitable, two teenagers who knew nothing about life thinking their infatuation with each other would make everything else workout. I wasn't an all-star, super jock, Rhodes Scholar with a 12" swinging dick. I was just your average student, A's and B's, spending some bench time on the football team to get my letter, and losing m
No Strings Attached Chapter 31
"Life is hard. Life's a bitch and then you die. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When God closes a door he opens a window. If I hear one more God-damned cliché I swear I'll kill something," I growled. "Alex, you got a raw deal. You had two perfect little girls, and now they're gone. Your past is shattered. Your little bit of immortality is lost. And as bad as you've got it, I'd remind you others have it worse, and they just press on. You need to as well," Cathy told me, kneeling beside me and holding my hands. The woman barely knew me. A middle-aged mother of three with grown kids, and a workaholic husband. Her life was her home, keeping it immaculate and decorated for every holiday and season. Now it seemed I was her newest project. Why should I matter that much to her? Couldn't she see I didn't want her help? "Sure, starving Ethiopians, children in Nigeria dying of aids, Tibetan monks martyred, it's a tough world. Boo hoo." "You don't have to look as far as Ethiopia or
No Strings Attached Chapter 32
"Just thought I'd fix your fence, before it falls down. I hope you don't mind." She just shook her head. She stood there watching me, and I felt ill at ease. I was a stranger. She shouldn't be talking to me. I should probably leave. "I'm just going to clean up here and head back home. I can finish up later when your mother's home." I straightened up my clothing a bit, wiping my hands on my pants. "I'm Alex Reed. I live across the alley," I explained, pointing down a few houses. She nodded. She reminded me so much of my own daughter, right around that age. Her hair was the same length, blonde, but not quite as light as Allora's. Allora. My perfect little Allora. I closed my eyes, seeing her in that hospital bed, bruised and bandaged, fighting for her life. Her hair tucked under the bandages, the few strands that stuck out dark from sweat. Her body so small in that antiseptic white bed. My Allora. Gone. It felt like somebody had wrapped a band around my chest, and pulled it tigh
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