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Chapter 186: A Surprise Realization
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 187: Meet the Movie Star
Chapter 187: Meet the Movie StarChristopher picked up his glass of chardonnay and looked expectantly at Ross, who drummed his fingertips on the bar before he stood. "Fine," he sighed. "Let's go meet the movie star. Because this night couldn't get any more surreal."Ross and Christopher began making their way across the room. Anna tried to keep up, but with every step, she felt like she was walking on glass. "Slow down boys, I'm not moving so fast tonight."Turning, Ross frowned. "What's wrong?"Anna shrugged irritably. "Blisters."Together, the trio approached the booth where Angus stood and offered his right hand. "Hallo.""Angus McGregor, you already know Ross. Meet Christopher--" She looked at the tall blond man helplessly. "Baker," Ross and Christopher said simultaneously.Anna gave a satisfied nod. "Sorry. I forgot. Baker. They're going to join us." She grabbed her beer and slid into Angus's side of the booth.Angus gave a genuine smile as he shook both men's ha
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 188: Blisters
Chapter 188: BlistersTrue to Christopher's word, about a minute after they followed the red Mini-Cooper out of the Good Time Charlie's parking lot, they were pulling up behind Ross's black pick-up truck. It was parked on the street in front of a butter-yellow two-story Victorian house accented with white gingerbread trim crowning a wide wrap-around porch. An elegantly-lettered sign hung near the road proclaiming Christopher Baker, MD, General Practice in curled gold script.Christopher parked the Mini-Cooper beneath the carport beside the house, and he and Ross headed toward the front door."Can ye make it?" Angus asked as he opened Anna's door."Of course I can," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "You guys are all making too much out of this."Ross and Christopher were already inside by the time Anna and Angus reached the front door. They stepped into a neat parlor furnished in Victorian-era pieces. Heavy blue silk brocade drapes framed the tall windows and matched a pair of period
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 189: Big Dummy
Chapter 189: Big DummyAs Angus followed Christopher out of the exam room, Ross came back in, a solemn look on his face. Mentally, Anna rolled her eyes. It was late. By her estimation, it had to be at least 12:30, and she was tired. She was thankful the following day was Sunday. There would be no formal riding sessions. Following a quick continental breakfast, most of the guests would be going with Andy and Ross on an all-day excursion to Rustler's Gap, an old ghost town about an hour away. In thinking about the day, she was already making plans to become intimately reacquainted with her pillow and her goose-down comforter.Ross sat on the stool Christopher had vacated, rolling up to face her. "Hey, sis. How are you feeling?"Anna carefully swished her feet through the water and shrugged. "Alright, I guess. The water kind of stings and kind of feels good, all at the same time.""I can't get over Batman, though. I never in a million years thought…" He trailed off, running
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 190: Back to Sweetwater Ranch
Chapter 190: Back to Sweetwater RanchAngus gripped the steering wheel of the rented pick-up truck as they neared the turn-off for Sweetwater Ranch. Conversation during the 45-minute drive had been light, and Anna had seemed to relax a bit. But Angus's blood boiled at the notion that a man had lured her out under false pretenses and had quite possibly assaulted her. She must have been rattled to have walked as far as she had in shoes that hurt her feet, and he thought back to the amount of beer she'd consumed. That hadn't all been thirst.He watched her out of the corner of his eye. Elbow on the door's armrest, she gazed out at the passing dark scenery as she hummed along to the song on the radio. God, she was pretty. The fact that she had no idea how pretty she was made her all the more attractive. Tonight was the first time he'd seen her dressed for something other than the barn, and although he enjoyed seeing her in her work-worn blue jeans and t-shirts, tonight's white je
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 191: Trail Ride
Chapter 191: Trail RideAfter breakfast the following morning, Anna packed some sandwiches and a few bottles of water into a small backpack, then made her way to the barn just as families were loading into the huge Sweetwater Ranch van for a day of sightseeing at Rustlers' Gap. A glance down the path showed that Angus wasn't far behind her. She watched as he strode up to the barn with the midday sun reflecting in his dark red hair in tones of flame. He looked up to see her watching him, and he grinned broadly. "Hallo, Anna! How are you this lovely day?"Anna felt her smile match his. "I'm great, thanks. It's a perfect day for a ride.""Aye, it is," he agreed. "How are yer feet?" He nodded toward Anna's worn leather boots.She rolled her eyes. "They're fine." They weren't actually the precise definition of fine, they were still quite painful. She'd left them uncovered overnight and redressed them before breakfast, but she'd chew her arm off rather than admit that they both
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 192: Safe As Houses
Chapter 192: Safe As HousesAfter they finished eating, Angus wandered back over to the edge and sat with his feet dangling over the side. He held out his hand toward her. "Come sit with me." His tone was soft. Anna shook her head. "Nope. Un-uh, no way.""Come on," he encouraged softly with a roguish grin. Torn between her abject fear of heights and the desire she felt for him that she was only now beginning to acknowledge to herself, Anna debated what to do. Ultimately, Angus's bright blue eyes won out. On shaky legs, she made her way toward him, grasping his hand in hers as she sat on the rock and scooted the last couple of feet to the edge. When she was beside him, he wrapped a protective arm around her waist while she continued to clutch his other hand."Holy shit," she muttered."See, yer safe as houses."Anna laughed in spite of herself. "Safe as what?""Safe as houses," he repeated with the exaggerated brogue that tingled her nether regions. "I willna' let anythin
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 193: Thoughtful
Chapter 193: ThoughtfulJust as Angus and Anna returned the horses to their stalls, Anna's mother came zipping up to the barn in the electric cart. "Oh, thank heavens you're back," Teresa said. "The cooler's on the blink again, and we need to move everything. Ross and Andy are still on the ghost town outing and your dad's up in the north forty seeing to the herd. And I absolutely won't have Simone trying to move the heavy crates of produce and meat.""Do y' need help?" Angus asked."No thanks, dear," Teresa replied, resting a hand on his forearm. "Anna and I can manage. You just enjoy the rest of your day. Did you have a good ride?""Aye, we did at that. Ye have a beautiful ranch."Teresa smiled proudly. "Why, thank you! We're quite fond of it ourselves." She looked at Anna. "Come on, hon, let's go clear out that old cooler before everything spoils. I'll have someone out tomorrow to see whether we can save it, or if we'll have to bite the bullet and get a new one."As Ann
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 194: Campfire Glances
Chapter 194: Campfire GlancesAcross the campfire, Angus stared into Anna's eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly as though he entertained private thoughts. Anna wondered if they were anything like her own thoughts, and she figured it was a good bet that they were.All evening, from dinner onward, they'd stolen an odd moment here and there, a lingering look, a casual touch, but from where Anna sat, she felt the heat intensifying. A glance to her left showed that her mother was watching the pair intently, so Anna stalked moodily back to the snack table."Anna, can I make another s'more?" Mildly surprised, Anna looked down to see Ariel peering up at her, her nose pink from being outside in the sun all afternoon. "If your mom says it's okay, it's fine with me," she told the little girl."Mom, please?"Janine Hilliard smiled indulgently. "Alright, one more, and that's it," she told her daughter."Yippee!" Ariel shouted, jumping up and down.Anna was busy sliding a giant
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 220: Epilogue
Chapter 220: Epilogue"And the award for best picture of the year goes to…The King of Iron Rise!" Anna's heart momentarily stopped, and the world around her shifted into slow motion. She turned to her left where Angus beamed at her, his azure eyes sparkling, before he pressed a warm kiss to her lips. "We did it, love."Through ears that pounded in rhythm with her pulse, all sound was muffled as she watched him step into the aisle, button his black tuxedo jacket, and make his way up the steps to the stage where a woman in a glittery silver gown stood holding a golden statuette. The woman handed the award to Angus and murmured words of congratulations before stepping back out of the spotlight that illuminated the lone microphone in the center of the stage. As the applause died down, Angus gazed down at the trophy in his hands and shook his head in disbelief. "Och, aye, and it's a hell of a thing," he sighed, and applause broke out again. Anna clapped too as a tear ran down her
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 219: Near Aspen
Chapter 219: Near AspenRight arm resting on the back of the low tan leather couch, Angus glanced over his shoulder and out the window of the Gulfstream 100. Heading west, they were chasing the sunset, and far below, the agricultural land of the plains states spread out like a patchwork quilt in the late afternoon light. Anna's soft sigh drew his attention back inside the cabin of the leased private jet Cooper had procured for Angus's trip to Florida. The pilot had been more than happy to wait at the airport in Orlando. Because either way, Angus would be returning to Colorado.He looked down at Anna, fast asleep with her head resting on a pillow in his lap. When she'd crashed nearly as soon as the jet was in the air, the lone flight attendant had helpfully produced the pillow and a blanket. Since then, Anna hadn't so much as stirred.She must have been done in, he mused, thinking of his own emotional exhaustion over the past weeks since they'd been apart.Angus closed his eyes a
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 218: Unexpected Guest
Chapter 218: Unexpected GuestA week and a half after the beach fiasco, Anna was grateful for a set routine. If she wasn't happy, exactly, at least she felt settled. She'd decided she'd try to fly home to Wyoming for Thanksgiving, and while the holiday was still weeks away, she wanted to touch base with Janine to give her plenty of notice. Being able to cross off the days on her calendar until she went home to visit lifted her spirits somewhat.It was mid-afternoon when she finished leading her final session for the day, so she decided to pop in to have a chat with Janine. On her way into the ranch office, she passed a shiny black SUV parked in front.Maybe Janine has found a big donor, Anna thought hopefully. The ranch can use so many upgrades.She pushed open the door and entered the empty office. Janine wasn't at her desk, but the door that led to the rest of the house was ajar, and Anna heard low voices.She rapped on the doorframe. "Hello? Janine?""Anna?" came Janine's vo
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 217: Fight For Her
Chapter 217: Fight For HerGlancing around the restaurant, Angus released a satisfied sigh. They'd done it. He'd done it. Filming was finished. All around him, the cast and crew celebrated the end of shooting, congratulating one another and laughing together at story after story, some tales old, others new to this project.When he'd asked his assistant Cooper to secure a restaurant for the get-together, the young man had raised an eyebrow, but to his credit, he'd carried out the task professionally and without question. It was costing Angus a pretty penny to rent out the high-end Aspen bistro for the evening but treating everyone to a wrap party was the right thing to do. They'd all worked hard, and most of the cast had done so without pay, agreeing to share in the profits from future ticket sales instead. Something that never failed to produce a pang in his stomach when he thought about it. Because suppose no one wanted to pay to watch his gamble? What then?"A toast to our
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 216: Devastated
Chapter 216: DevastatedBeneath the canopy that shaded the production equipment, Angus peered at the digital screen. His actors were in place, and the natural light of the early morning was just about to peak. Nodding with satisfaction, he called out, "Action!"He watched as the scene came to life, an almost exact replica of what he'd envisioned weeks ago in his cabin at Sweetwater Ranch. But even now, the thought of his time in Wyoming was a gut-punch. Shaking off the memory, he focused on what was happening on-camera. It was good, but even so, he had them do a second take before they lost the light.While he was busy working, Angus was able to push off his devastation at having lost Anna and all that he'd imagined for their future. In quiet moments, though, images came rushing back to him.Anna's grey eyes alight with laughter, her cheeks pinkened in an endearing blush, Anna naked in the moonlight, lovingly gazing down at him. Before he'd left the ranch early with a week to
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 215: Florida
Chapter 215: FloridaAlone in her new room, Anna listened again to the voicemail message Angus left. He said the baby wasn't his. She rolled her eyes. Well, of course, he said that. What else would he say? He wanted things to be just the way they'd been before he'd gone to Colorado. Only things hadn't really been the way she'd thought they were at all, had they?A glance at her bedside clock showed that it was 8:30pm. Which meant that at Sweetwater Ranch, it was only 6:30. Dinnertime. She wondered vaguely what they'd have that night. Probably steaks on the grill, she thought with a nagging sense of longing.Here at Horse Heaven, most of the employees lived in their own apartments away from the ranch. Only she and Janine, the owner of the facility, lived on the property, and after the first night, when her new boss had taken her to a local bar-be-que place for dinner, Anna was on her own for meals. She looked across the room at the tiny kitchenette. It was old and outdated
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 214: Angus Returns to Sweetwater Ranch
Chapter 214: Angus Returns to Sweetwater RanchA relaxed half-smile played across Angus's lips as he neared Sweetwater Ranch. He'd headed to Colorado to nail down the details of his film set, but he was coming back with so much more than that. He couldn't stop thinking about the elevated clearing. Perched on the hillside overlooking the valley, he'd defy anyone to find a more beautiful view. On his laptop, he had the initial plans and an artist's rendering of a beautiful, luxurious log home. But with the proceeds from the sale of his Malibu home, he'd be more than able to build anything he could imagine. Anything he and Anna could imagine. In his mind's eye, he didn't see himself living in that idyllic setting alone. The view reminded him of that first day she'd taken him riding, of the view of the ranch from the trail that overlooked the ranch. Everywhere Angus looked, he saw Anna, and he thought of how she'd love the valley and the foothills, and how not far from where he
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 213: Whirlwind
Chapter 213: WhirlwindThe following twenty-four hours were a whirlwind. After accepting the job at the ranch outside Orlando, Anna purchased a one-way ticket to Florida, then began packing what she thought she'd need for an extended stay in the Sunshine State, figuring that the work would be basically the same as she generally did at home. There's simply be a need for fewer coats and jackets.A few hours later, Andy, Simone, the baby, and the elder Graves returned to the ranch in a caravan, with Andy, for once in his life, driving below the speed limit, the better to care for his new family. Anna met them in the lobby. "There's my new nephew!" She stepped closer to Simone, who cradled the infant in her arms. "How ya doing, young Jacob? Welcome to the world."She smiled warmly at Simone. "He's absolutely beautiful.""I know," her sister-in-law sniffed. "I just can't believe he's ours.""Here," Teresa said, "Andy, carry the baby. We'll get all your things. Simone, hon, just
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 212: Nightmare
Chapter 212: NightmareAnna's mind raced. This is Alanna Powell. How did I not recognize her? Thinking back to what Angus had told her about his former fiancée, Anna realized he'd been generous in his description. The woman was a nightmare. "Well, I must. Again, you don't have a reservation. And Angus isn't even here. He left to check on the set for his movie. He won't be back until late tomorrow.""Perfect," the woman beamed. "I'll surprise him when he gets back."Shaking her head, Anna set down her basket on the counter. "I can't let you into his cabin. Besides," she put her hands on her hips, "Angus said that you're his former fiancée. He broke off the engagement months ago.""Well, that's what he would say, isn't it?" the woman snipped. She took a step closer to Anna."I recognize you, you know." Her tone shifted, her words as sharp as daggers. "I saw you with Angus on the news, with all that forest fire nonsense." She leaned toward Anna, her expression shifting f
