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Chapter 41: No Secrets
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 42: Quality Control
Chapter 42: Quality ControlJenny gazed unseeing out the kitchen window as she beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Her thoughts strayed back to Saturday when she and Cole had ridden up the ridge overlooking the ranch. Looking back, she'd known there was something going on, something he'd been holding onto. Heightened radar was a survival skill she'd mastered over the last couple of years, one that, to her way of thinking, had kept her alive.She couldn't have foreseen, however, that Cole knew about that day. It was her own damn fault, though. Leaving her search in his History like she had. What a stupid, careless thing to do.Hearing him say her full name, Jennifer Stone, had been a gut-punch. Reliving the moment now, her stomach churned with shame. She liked Cole, really liked him. She hated that he knew her dark and dirty secrets. She could have predicted the return of the nightmares. It seemed Cole had seen them coming too, because when she'd tiptoed into his room in
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 43: Deliveries and Pick-Ups
Chapter 43: Deliveries and Pick-UpsThe following morning, Cole drove to Alida and Jason Nicholson's house to drop off Jenny's masterpiece. On a parchment-covered cake board, she'd arranged the blue-swirl-topped cupcakes in the shape of a baby buggy, adding frosting and candy details to complete the effect. It looked magical, and Alida was beyond pleased."Does she have business cards? Because I know people will ask."Cole shook his head, smiling. "You can just have them call me. I know she'd be happy to get more orders.""Hi, Cole!" A blond boy clumsily made his way into the kitchen using a red posterior walker."Hey there, Charlie. How are you this fine morning?""I'm good. I'm ready to go riding again." "Good deal! Taco was just saying how he misses you."The boy laughed. "Horses don't talk.""They do," Cole grinned. "You just have to know how to listen. We'll see you next time?""You bet!"After Cole left the Nicholson's, he headed over to the saddle shop with somethi
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 44: Birthday Surprises
Chapter 44: Birthday SurprisesOn the morning of Jenny's birthday, Cole got up early, pleased to see that the cot was empty. Passing her bedroom, he saw that she was curled up and sleeping soundly. From his spot on the rug beside the bed, Blue lifted his head in greeting, then rested it on his paws once again.Downstairs in the kitchen, Cole made a few preparations, then whipped up a batch of chocolate chip pancakes. Stacking some on a plate, he stuck a sparkly purple birthday candle in the center. Then he grabbed a lighter and carried the plate upstairs. Rays of early morning sunlight shone on Jenny's red locks splayed across her pillow, making it look like her hair was on fire. Not for the first time, Cole thought about how pretty she was.He flicked the lighter and lit the candle before launching into a loud, off-key rendition of the birthday song. Jenny shifted and blinked her eyes open. Her mouth formed an O in surprise as she pushed herself up.Cole finished his song and
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 45: A Birthday Ride
Chapter 45: A Birthday RideAt the barn, they worked to turn out the horses into the pasture, saving Dahlia and Apollo for last."What do you say, Jenny? Are you up for a birthday ride today?"Grinning, she nodded, loving that her hat stayed put."Good. Let's get Apollo and Dahlia groomed and saddled."Happy anticipation thrumming through her veins, Jenny worked to groom Dahlia. Glancing over at Cole, she saw that he was working more slowly, and she wondered if her excitement had made her move too quickly. Mentally, she retraced her steps; no, she hadn't forgotten anything. As Cole worked Apollo's sleek black coat with the soft brush, he whistled the birthday song, and Jenny giggled. He looked up at her and winked.She dropped the finishing brush into the basket and scribbled a message on her board. Beat you! Cole pushed his hat back on his head and straightened up. "Well you did, didn't you?" He arched a dark eyebrow. "Did you remember to use the face brush?"Jenny nodded
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 46: Terrified and Excited
As they drove northeast on Highway 198, Cole watched Jenny out of the corner of his eye. Back at the ranch, she'd crossed her arms and stiffly watched as he'd filled two royal blue nylon hay bags and hung them in the trailer before he loaded first Dahlia and then Apollo into their stalls. Then she'd reluctantly climbed into the cab of the truck. He hadn't missed the way she swiped her palms on the thighs of her jeans before protectively crossing her arms.At the end of the gravel drive, he'd gotten out to open the gate. Inside the truck, Jenny had sunk as low as her seatbelt would allow, her hat tilted down over her brow and her purple sunglasses shielding her eyes.Now, though she sat up curiously watching the passing scenery as they drew closer to the Sierra foothills. She seemed to have relaxed a little and occasionally, she sipped a bottle of Dr. Pepper he'd packed in the cooler that rested on the rear floorboard. Country music played softly, and now and then Cole sang
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 47: Giant Sequoias
Chapter 47: Giant SequoiasHalf an hour later, Cole backed Dahlia out of the trailer and handed the reins to Jenny. The horse stomped nervously, and Jenny nuzzled her huge jaw while gently caressing her nose. Once outside, Apollo pranced, anxious to be on his way anywhere that wasn't inside the trailer.Cole checked to make sure their cinches were tightened, and he helped Jenny up before he climbed onto the tall black stallion. Together they followed a trail leading from the mostly empty lot where they were leaving the truck and trailer. A few hundred yards into the forest, the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. Jenny was glad of the jacket tied around her waist. She might need to put it on before long.Inhaling deeply, she reveled in the earthy scents of pine straw and moss. The trail turned, following alongside a shallow stream that rushed over smooth-worn rocks, adding to the soundtrack of the breeze in the treetops and the occasional call of birds, all punctuated by the
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 48: There's a Lot of Healing in the Forest
Chapter 48: There's a Lot of Healing in the ForestFollowing their stop in the sequoia grove, Jenny followed Cole up a trail that led them higher into the foothills. Eventually, they came to a clearing with rocky outcropping overlooking the forest valley below. Again, they dismounted, and Cole loosely tethered both horses in the shade where they could graze on mountain grasses. Then he scrambled to the top of the rocks, holding out his hand for Jenny to follow.Carefully, she picked her way up to where he stood. Covered with pine-green forests, the valley spread out before them. Cole gazed out over the scene and sighed."This was always one of my favorite places." He smiled down at Jenny. "On a weekday like today, the crowd's not too bad, but the park can be really busy on the weekend. Most of the tourists stick around the sequoias, though. Not too many of them bother to come up this far."He sank onto the rock, hanging his feet over the edge. Leery of getting too close to t
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 49: A Beautiful Soul
Chapter 49: A Beautiful SoulHeart still racing, Jenny stared after him. She could still feel his kiss, the tenderness of his lips on hers, the grit of his five-o'clock shadow on her skin. She also felt a sense of panic. He doesn't feel the same way about me. He thinks I'm dirty."I'm so sorry, Jenny." He didn't look her way, staring off into the distance instead. "I didn't mean for that to happen." He took another few steps further away and scuffed softly at the ground. "Dammit," he swore softly.Her pulse pounded in her ears and she pressed her palms into her thighs in an attempt to stop them from shaking. This was it. She had to try."C-Cole?" Her own voice sounded strange to her.Slowly, Cole turned toward her, eyes wide.Emboldened, she tried again. "Cole?""Jenny." He returned to where she still sat, sinking down beside her. "You're talking."She nodded. "I—I've been thinking I'm ready to try." Frowning, "Are you mad at me?""Mad at you? Jenny, I…" He took her
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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
