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Chapter 72: Control
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 73: Nice Work
Chapter 73: Nice Work"So what do you think about a race car theme for Everybody Rides next weekend?" Jenny glanced up at the hayloft in the direction of Cole's voice. "Race cars?""Yeah. We can hang banners with numbers over the horses, and I can pick up some little plastic trophies at the dollar store. I think the kids will love it." Cole swung himself down the loft ladder and looked at Jenny expectantly.She shrugged slightly. "I could come up with some kind of race car cupcakes. I'll look online for some ideas."Cole grinned at her. "Perfect! It's a plan, then."Jenny frowned slightly. A thought had been swirling around in her mind, but she was nervous to bring it up to Cole."Um, I was thinking about something," she began.He stopped what he was doing and watched her expectantly."I was wondering, actually…"Cole quirked an eyebrow and waited, curiosity twinkling in his dark eyes.She exhaled sharply. "I wondered if maybe you would teach me how to use a gun." She felt
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 74: The Fire in Her Eyes
Chapter 74: The Fire in Her Eyes Arms straight in front of her, Jenny closed her left eye and looked down the barrel of the black Glock pistol, aiming at the target Cole had set up a hundred yards away. "Good," he encouraged softly. "Now when you're ready, exhale and squeeze the trigger."With the orange foam earplugs in her ears, he sounded far away, but Jenny knew he was right behind her. Not for the first time that morning, she questioned whether she was ready to try to shoot a gun. While they'd performed their morning chores in the barn, she'd considered telling Cole never mind. Ultimately, determination won out. Her days of being afraid of everything were coming to an end.She inhaled slowly, then as she released the breath, she squeezed the trigger. The report was louder than she'd expected, and the gun kicked her arms up slightly. She exhaled sharply, and to her own surprise, she began to cry.Cole chuckled softly, took the gun out of her hands, and pulled her to himse
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 75: A New Client
Chapter 75: A New ClientIn his office after dinner, Cole tapped out an email to the Everybody Rides families, confirming the date and time of the event the following weekend. His finger hovered over Send as he considered the way things might unfold when Beth returned from vacation and went back to work with Jenny's video statement.The fact that Jennifer Stone from Boulder was no longer missing would be big news. Cole sighed deeply, wondering if Jenny had any idea how crazy things might get, with interviews with law enforcement and requests from the media. More than anything, he wanted to protect her, to shield her from anything that would make her nervous or uncomfortable. Whatever happens, we're in this together, he concluded. We'll ride out the storm and get back to our lives. He thought back over the day and a gentle smile played across his lips. Jenny had been beyond brave learning to shoot. She'd pushed aside her fear and had actually done well for someone who'd never
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 76: Moving the Kittens
Chapter 76: Moving the KittensThe next morning, Cole and Jenny were working together in the barn to complete their morning chores. "Sorry about the kittens' stall," he told her. "I'm going to need it for the new horse, assuming the owner and I come to an agreement.Jenny smiled. "I don't mind moving them into the house.""I'm not sure Blue will be as thrilled," Cole laughed. "We'll bring them out Saturday at the riding event. I don't imagine we'll have any problem finding takers for them.""Except for Arabella," Jenny reminded him. "We're keeping Arabella."Cole nodded. "Except for Arabella. She's already spoken for.""And Stormy?" Jenny raised her eyebrows in question."You want to keep the mama too?""Please?" The hope in her eyes melted Cole's heart.He sighed dramatically. "Alright, and Stormy too. I'm hard-pressed to tell you no about anything."Jenny giggled. "Good. And thank you." In the stall, she scooped up the kittens and placed them in the box. "Come on, Sto
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 77: Blindsided
Chapter 77: BlindsidedAfter he'd worked the clients' horses one at a time and sent them out to join Apollo, he headed into the barn to get the kittens' stall ready for his potential new client. Finding the hay stall nearly empty, he climbed up into the loft and began lugging bales to the edge, dropping each one with a dusty thud onto the floor below.He was just hooking a third bale when he thought he heard gravel crunching in the drive. Momentarily distracted, he accidentally dropped the hay hook with the bale. He peered over the edge of the loft and saw the steel hook glinting in the light down below."Son of a…" he muttered to himself.Hearing the rumble of a large engine, he made a mental note to pick up the hook later and climbed down the ladder to greet his guest.As Cole walked out of the barn, he saw what had to be a brand-new black F-350 with a new state-of-the-art horse trailer in tow. The image of his own battered vintage trailer popped into his head and he had to smile
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 78: Hello, Pet
Chapter 78: Hello, Pet"Wake up, Mr. Caldwell. We have business to discuss."The words floated to Cole as though through a fog. He breathed in deeply, suddenly aware of an intense throbbing in his jaw. Mustering all the effort he could, he opened his eyes. He was in the barn, and everything was sideways, his battered face pressed against the cold concrete floor. Not far from the entrance stood the man in the expensive grey suit.Mentally bracing himself, Cole groaned and pushed himself up into a sitting position, grateful to lean against the tack room wall."There you are. I thought we'd lost you for a moment." He gave a strangely cold smile that reminded Cole of the sharks he'd seen on the Discovery Channel."Your friend sucker punched me." He looked around again. "Where did Mr. Brown go anyway?"Again, the other man grimaced in that odd smile. "I'm sure he'll be along shortly."A scuffling sound outside drew Cole's attention. Mr. Brown appeared in the doorway of the barn h
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 79: You Don't Own Me
Chapter 79: You Don't Own MeWith a leering grin at Jenny, Victor aimed at Cole and pulled the trigger, hitting the rancher in the shoulder. Cole's body lurched on the floor and he cried out as a bloody patch bloomed on his blue shirt."NO!" Jenny screamed. Pulling against Slater's iron grip, she leaned forward then straightened fast, swinging her head back into his face, feeling his nose shatter against the back of her skull. He roared in pain and let go. Jenny dived across the floor and scrambled toward Cole."Cole, are you okay?"Breathing against the searing pain in his shoulder, Cole nodded. The truth was, he felt faint. But he had to protect Jenny if that was the last thing he did.Sorkin looked over his shoulder and gave a withering look at Slater, who knelt on the barn floor holding his bleeding face."You are utterly useless," Victor growled. He turned back to Cole. "On your feet." He gripped Cole by the front of his shirt and stood him up. Using that momentum, Col
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 80: Mountain Haven
Chapter 80: Mountain HavenCole leaned on his left elbow to peer out the window of the 737, grimacing at the twinge in his shoulder that reminded him that two months later, he was still healing from a gunshot wound.Below, the city of Missoula, Montana grew as the plane descended toward the small international airport. Dark mountains in the distance provided a backdrop to the suburban sprawl.Touchdown was uneventful, and once the seatbelt sign was turned off, Cole reached beneath the seat in front of him to retrieve a small backpack. Opening the overhead compartment, he removed his own brown leather duffel and a black rolling bag for the older woman who'd been seated beside him.Once inside the airport, he made his way to the car rental agency to claim the white GMC Acadia he'd reserved before he'd left the ranch. He tossed his bags into the passenger seat and cued up the GPS on his phone. From the airport in Missoula, he still had nearly an hour's drive to the tiny town of Elk Ri
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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
