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Chapter 201: Right Now
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 202: Ghost Town
Chapter 202: Ghost TownThe next morning, following an enormous cowboy breakfast prepared over an open fire, the group made their way back down to the ranch, where the guests gathered up their belongings and prepared to leave. Final photos were taken, and last-minute souvenirs were purchased in the gift shop before the Graves family and Angus McGregor gathered on the lodge's front porch to wave goodbye to everyone. As the last vehicle disappeared down the winding drive, Anna sighed deeply. "That was a good group," she observed as the family turned to head inside, knowing that she said that every time.Teresa Graves smiled. "Yes, it was. They're good people. The Hilliards and the Forsters have already booked again for next summer.""Alrighty," Anna sighed again, "I guess it's time to get busy cleaning up for tomorrow's check-ins."Her mother draped an arm around her shoulders. "We've got this, hon. Why don't you take Angus out to Rustler's Gap?" She looked past Anna to Angus.
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 203: Picnic and Dessert
Chapter 203: Picnic and DessertOn their way back to the ranch, Anna had Angus take a different turnoff, and they ended up at a broad, flat meadow lodged in the crook of a handful of low tree-covered hills. Through the middle of the meadow, a narrow stream drifted lazily over water-worn granite rocks. Flashing Angus a smile, Anna grabbed the picnic cooler and swung open her door, and he followed her into the meadow. Near the edge of the water, she stopped and opened the basket, removing a thin plaid throw. She spread it on the ground and sat down, patting the space beside her. "How's this?"Angus stood over her, hands on his hips. "It's fine, except ye have the plaid of me clan's sworn enemy, the Campbells." He raised an angry eyebrow, and Anna's heart skipped a beat."Holy shit! I had no idea, I'm so sorry!" She jumped up and snatched up the blanket.Angus doubled over with laughter. "Och, Anna," he gasped when he caught his breath. "Yer a pip, you are!""Haha, very funny,
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 204: Danger
Chapter 204: Danger"Everything is delicious, Mrs. Graves," Christopher said earnestly, using his napkin to swipe at a dribble of gravy in the corner of his mouth. "I love a good pot roast.""Oh, it's nothing special," the woman protested, suppressing a pleased smile. "And I keep reminding you, please call me Teresa."Christopher's smile was self-deprecating. "Teresa," he nodded. "And thank you again for having me here."Across the table in the family dining room, Anna watched Ross, who appeared lighter than he'd seemed in as long as she could remember. Harboring his secret alone had taken a toll, and it was good to see him looking open and free. Her parents really seemed to like Christopher, too, as she'd known they would. What's not to like? He's smart, handsome, charming, and he's a doctor. That's a jackpot in any parent's book."Well, it's good to have you, young man," Tom responded as he slightly pushed back from the table. "Mother's pot roast is the best in town, I alwa
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 205: Emergency Evacuation
Chapter 205: Emergency EvacuationHer heart pounding, Anna glanced to her right at Simone in the front passenger seat of the enormous fifteen-passenger van. Simone's jaw was tight, and her eyes were squeezed shut as she exhaled slowly and deliberately. Beyond Simone out the window, the dark night sky was marred by an eerie reddish-orange glow. Thankfully, the flames were still far from the road, but Anna couldn't bring herself to think about what might be happening at the ranch. One crisis at a time, she thought to herself, as behind her, the guests murmured in hushed tones, no doubt seeing the same scene she did. Anna caught worried eyes in the rearview mirror. "No worries, folks, evacuating is really just a precaution. We'll definitely be safe and sound in Eagleton, and we'll wait and see what the daylight brings. In the meantime, we'll rustle up some snacks and drinks while we wait for word from the emergency officials."In the fairgrounds parking lot, Anna pulled alongsid
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 206: What Family Does
Chapter 206: What Family DoesIn the dim light that filtered through the stained glass shade of an antique banker's lamp, the golden retriever lay beside the empty fireplace, resting its head on its paws and watching with casual curiosity as Angus paced the length of the waiting room. Through the closed door, he heard low murmurs occasionally punctuated by Simone's cries of pain, and he cringed uncomfortably.Mentally, Angus willed his thoughts back to the last couple of hours in which he'd been awakened by Ross's knocking on the window, then plunged into the drama of rounding up a dozen agitated horses and loading them into a large trailer for evacuation. Truthfully, he'd been relieved that Anna had gone ahead with the other guests, the better to have her out of harm's way, should the worst eventuality happen, and the ranch becomes consumed by the raging wildfire. While Ross was driving them through the ranch gate and onto the highway, Angus had watched as flames raced down the
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 207: A Serious Conversation
Chapter 207: A Serious ConversationSeated on a blanket on the floor of the open barn, Angus leaned back against a stack of boxes and gently hugged Anna to his side. With her head resting on his shoulder, she'd fallen asleep almost as soon as they'd settled down. By the time they'd arrived back at the fairgrounds and checked in with the ranch guests, all the cots had been taken, but they'd been afforded a pair of blankets, one of which was currently wrapped around Anna while they sat on the other.Listening to her light, steady breathing, Angus thought of how proud he was of Anna, of how she'd stepped up to the challenge of Simone's unexpected labor without wavering. Now, for all she knew, the only home she'd ever known was being reduced to ash, but her sense of duty to family and to the ranch's guests overrode any other concerns.He looked up to see Tom Graves making his way toward them through the dimly lit pavilion. Teresa was nowhere in sight, and Angus imagined she'd probably
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 208: A Familiar Face
Chapter 208: A Familiar FaceFriday dawned with grey clouds overhead, and a smoky haze filled the air. Outside the pavilion, a light drizzle fell. Anna awoke in a sitting position leaning against Angus, whose eyes blinked open as she shifted slightly."Good morning, beautiful," he murmured sleepily."Shh, go back to sleep. It was a rough night. I need to go find the 'facilities,' then I'll see about making sure all the guests get breakfast."After a quick trip to the ladies' room, Anna headed to the tables where trays of eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits were being set out over cans of Sterno. Her father was already there, a cup of coffee in hand.""Good morning, little girl," he smiled."Hi, Daddy. Have you heard from Momma yet?""I have," he nodded. "She called to say that everyone is just fine. Andy's going to drive her back here in the next hour or so. Simone and the baby will stay in the hospital for another day or two just to make sure everything's okay, but your mother
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 209: Stray Thoughts
Chapter 209: Stray Thoughts"There's no place like home," lisped a pint-sized Dorothy on horseback, much to the delight of the audience of parents who chuckled from their seats beside the riding ring. Anna's beginners' group was performing their program flawlessly, but she found it difficult to focus.Seated with the families in the stands, Angus fixed her with his cerulean gaze. Apparently, he wasn't paying attention to the play either. Anna's thoughts swirled back to the previous afternoon when she'd driven the vanload of guests back to the ranch. While she'd heard that there was little damage to the property and no damage at all to the structures, she'd been beyond relieved when she'd seen it with her own eyes. The pasture would recover in no time, and by next summer, you'd hardly be able to tell that the Loop Trail had burned.Once they arrived back at the ranch, Anna had pasted on a smile and put one foot in front of the other, reassuring the guests that their vacations were
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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
