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Chapter 90: It's a Cattle Ranch
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 91: Ambition
Chapter 91: AmbitionGlancing in the rearview mirror, Poppy could see the rancher still standing where she'd left him. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel and willed her pulse to slow down. Overall, she felt that her presentation had gone well. She'd remembered the talking points she'd rehearsed all the way from New York. And her technology had performed glitch-free, thank the heavens. In her black and white pencil skirt and blouse ensemble, she'd felt confident and professional.Stepping in cow shit, though. Poppy rolled her eyes. Fuck! If she could just take back that moment…He hadn't seemed too perturbed by it, or by her potty mouth, either, although she couldn't shake the notion he found her amusing. Turning out onto the highway in the direction of the town of McFall, she pondered her first impression of Hunter McFall. For some reason, she'd expected him to be older. But he hadn't been, had he? He was what, maybe early thirties, tops. And tall and fit, with b
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 92: The North Star
Chapter 92: The North StarJust outside the North Star Bar & Grill, Poppy hefted the strap of her leather bag higher on her shoulder and pulled the door open. Stepping inside, she scanned the room, which was about half-full on a Monday night. Customer seating was arranged in a handful of tables and booths close to the front door, and at the dark wood bar that dominated the space. Beyond the bar were a pair of pool tables, currently in use by a quartet of men who seemed to take their games seriously.A couple of tables were available, but she made her way to the far end of the bar, where no one else was seated. I just want a quick bite, she thought, then I want to sleep for a week.A female bartender with dirty-blonde hair pulled into a ponytail approached. As the woman got closer, it was clear that she was younger than she appeared."Hi, what can I get you?""Do you have a Marlborough Sauvignon blanc?"The woman blinked. "A what?""From New Zealand?" She smiled at the woman help
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 93: What P.K Stands For
Chapter 93: What P.K Stands ForPoppy watched as he went to the bar and placed their order, noticing the way his jeans hugged his shapely behind. He'd changed out of the blue chambray shirt he'd been wearing earlier. Now he had on a crisp white western-style shirt that fastened with pearlescent snaps. The long sleeves had been rolled up to reveal muscular forearms flecked with dark hair.As he returned, her eyes snapped up to his, and again she saw amusement there. She drew her cardigan around herself once again."Did you have a chance to look over the prospectus?" she asked. "I think you'll find that it's a great deal for you, Mr. McFall."He gave a sharp shake of his head. "I don't want to talk about business.""Oh." She blinked hard. "Oh. Alright then. I suppose we can speak about it later in the week.""Also, you have to drop the Mr. McFall stuff. I'm Hunter."She nodded slowly and reached out to shake his offered hand."And I'd like to know what I can call you. Ms. Cha
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 94: Chivalry Is Alive and Well
Chapter 94: Chivalry Is Alive and WellBy the time they finished eating and paid their tabs, Hunter was positive Poppy had to be feeling the effects of the alcohol. But she seemed determined to press forward independently.Together, they made their way to the door of the bar. With all the noise and music inside, they had been blissfully unaware that a spring storm had rolled in. Rain pouring down in buckets was punctuated by jagged flashes of lightning and the percussion of thunder rolling through the valley.He'd already decided that he'd be making sure she got back to her room safely. The storm just clinched the deal. He could barely make out the lighted walkway of the motel through the torrents blowing across the highway in waves. Beside him, she stared out into the storm. "Well, shit!"He rested a hand on the small of her back. "Don't worry. I'll take you back to the motel." He took a couple of steps. "Stay right here. I'll get the truck." With that, he dashed out into
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 95: Reflections on an Interesting Day
Chapter 95: Reflections on an Interesting DayFrom the covered porch of the ranch house, Hunter listened to the steady drumming of the rain on the roof. Leaning back in his chair, he stretched his boots in front of him and crossed them at the ankles as he sipped his glass of Jim Beam.She prefers Irish whiskey, he mused, swirling the Kentucky bourbon around with his tongue. She. Poppy. If it hasn't been the damnedest day…He'd ditched work to meet with a fancy New York City lawyer who had turned out to be a gorgeous, red-haired spitfire. He pictured her power-walking in her fancy designer high heels, launching into her talking points about the infernal resort he'd be damned if he'd accommodate with a single inch of McFall land. After she'd left the ranch, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Hell, her perfume filled his office. Not that she'd worn too much. But it had been a long time since a woman had graced his home. Her scent, her presence, lingered. As did the feeling he
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 96: Regrets and Cow Poo Shoes
Chapter 96: Regrets and Cow Poo ShoesElectronic chimes roused Poppy out of a dead sleep. With the side of her face mashed into a pillow, she eased open her available eye and blinked. Wherever she was, it was pitch dark. The chimes repeated their pattern, louder this time. She reached out with her left arm, clumsily pawing at a bedside table until her hand landed on the offending device. Pushing herself over created a wave of pain in her head that would have been blinding had the room not been dark to begin with. She held the phone at various distances until she could see it, then swiped off the alarm before it could begin a third cycle. 5:30am. At least we've established the time. Now where… Oh, yeah. Idaho. She dropped the phone and held her forehead with the heels of both hands in an attempt to prevent her head from blowing apart. Snippets of memories from the previous day floated randomly through her mind like a bizarre parade. Her black Jimmy Choo in the middle of a
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 97: Apologies
Chapter 97: Apologies Forty-five minutes later, her busy-work finished, she considered calling Hunter but opted to get dressed and head out to pick up a few groceries first. The better to put off the inevitable, she thought. Anyway, he's probably out…riding the range, or whatever it is cowboys do. She slipped on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a long white V-neck t-shirt, topping it with a dusty green canvas vest and a long gold chain. Bypassing the Jimmy Choos as well as the suede booties she'd worn the previous night, she laced up her favorite white low-top Chucks.Leather bag over her shoulder, her hand was on the doorknob when her phone rang again. She glanced at the screen. This time, Hunter was calling. "Shit." Dropping her bag on the small table fronting the window, she swiped on the phone. "Hunter! Hi!" Even to herself, she sounded artificially cheery."Hello! How are you this fine morning?" She hadn't noticed the day before, and maybe it was because she hadn't ki
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 98: A Breath of Fresh Air
Chapter 98: A Breath of Fresh AirHunter disconnected, a slight smile playing across his lips. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. He could tell himself he wasn't attracted to the woman. But he'd be lying. And he figured lying to oneself was the biggest kind of stupid there was.It had been a long time, though. In truth, sometimes Tara's face seemed to fade in his memory, and it made him feel guilty as hell. But five years was a long time. It was a long time to be alone, a long time to hold onto the memory of a life he no longer had.Following the funeral, he'd been worthless as shit. His mother and his grandfather had tried to help him see sense. But it had been old Rolly who'd given him the kick in the behind he'd needed to start moving forward again."You think she'd be proud of you, all curled up and feeling sorry for yourself? Think she'd be proud if you lose this ranch that your daddy and granddaddy worked at so hard to make a going concern? Get off your ass and get bac
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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
