The Wrangler's Woman. Ruth Jean Dale

      2

      KEEPING JACK’S PICKUP in sight, Dani drove down dirt roads, through miniforests, over hills, until suddenly the Bar K Dude Ranch lay spread out before them.

      The ramshackle Bar K. A sudden silence fell, and then from the back seat of the Jeep, Toni uttered a faint, “Oh, dear.”

      A tight-lipped Dani braked in a large gravel parking lot in front of the ranch house. To the right lay several outbuildings and a barn; to the left a number of log cabins and a swimming pool, empty and sad in the March sunshine.

      The first word that leaped into her head was paint. The Bar K was in dire need of paint, preferably many coats of it. The house itself, although a pleasant sprawl with a wide front porch running the entire length of the building, looked shabby and unloved. The outbuildings were equally neglected and the barn was practically gothic.

      Granny cleared her throat. “You girls will be amazed at what a little elbow grease will do for this place,” she announced in a determinedly cheerful tone.

      “But the brochure…!” Niki wailed.

      Dani opened her car door. “It’ll look like the brochure again,” she said grimly. “I’m afraid it’ll take more than elbow grease, though.”

      “Whatever it takes,” Toni said, “we’ll see it gets it. We’re not afraid of a little hard work.”

      “Or a lot, for that matter.” Dani climbed out and stretched, trying not to give in to panic when she thought of the state of their bank account.

      The road from Elk Tooth, Montana, to Hard Knox, Texas, had been a long one. Without waiting for the rest of them, she hurried around to open the door to the trailer and back Sundance out. By the time that was accomplished, everyone had alighted and Jack had joined them.

      His expression, Dani thought, was evasive, to say the least.

      “So what do you think?” he inquired, his tone guarded.

      “Uhh…” Toni licked her lips. “It’s a little more…run-down than I expected.”

      He nodded. “That’s true, but the underlying structure is still strong. After Miss Elsie died, Wil did kind of let things go—” He stopped short. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound critical of your father.”

      “Feel free,” Dani invited. Tossing the rope lead over the horse’s neck, she grabbed a hunk of mane and swung up. After settling herself firmly on the bare speckled back, she turned the horse and tightened her knees to urge him forward.

      They took off toward the trees at a slow lope, Dani reveling in the rippling muscles between her thighs. All that pent-up power raised her spirits considerably.

      So did the landscape. All her life she’d heard about the Texas Hill Country, and she wasn’t disappointed. These rolling hills would be beautiful in the full flower of spring. So the buildings were not in the best of shape, the land was wonderful. What had she expected, the moon?

      Not exactly expected. More like wanted.

      Reining Sundance around, she supposed she’d been naive to believe that brochure. Still, the place was full of potential. It had been successful in the past and could be again. It all depended upon how badly they wanted it.

      Dani wanted it more than anything in the world.

      With a yell, she let out the tight rein she’d been holding on the Appaloosa’s halter and he shot forward in a dead run. Wind whipped Dani’s hair away from her face and she felt her spirits rise with every pounding hoofbeat.

      This would work. She’d make it work. Nothing would stand in her way, not even the dangerously appealing cowboy waiting beside the barn.

      DAMN, THE WOMAN COULD ride.

      Jack watched the spotted horse sit back on his haunches in a sliding stop. Even bareback and guided only by a halter rope, the animal was under perfect control.

      Dani jumped to the ground, her cheeks red and her eyes sparkling. He’d thought she was good-looking before, but he hadn’t seen anything. This was the real Dani Keene, he knew instinctively, not that suspicious woman who’d cut him off back in town.

      By the time she reached him, though, the joy had been replaced by caution. “This is beautiful country,” she said, glancing around. “Sure, the ranch itself needs work, but it’ll be worth it.”

      “I wondered if you’d see that.” He patted the nose of the curious Appaloosa. “You got a real nice horse here.”

      Her smile revealed genuine pleasure. “He sure is. I raised him from a colt and trained him myself. We suit each other just fine.”

      “The corral’s empty. You can put him in there.”

      She frowned. “Don’t we have any stock at all?”

      “Some. Dobe can tell us how much.”

      “Dobe?”

      “Dobe Whittaker. He’s kinda the caretaker, you could say. He’s around here some—”

      “I’m where I’m s’posed to be.” A man stepped from the deep shadows of the open barn door. Looking as old as the hills, he wore cowboy clothes softened by age. The stamp of the West was in far-seeing blue eyes and a lined, leathery face partially concealed by a snowy beard and trailing mustache.

      “Howdy, ma’am.” He doffed his hat. “I’m Dobe Whittaker. At the moment you got a dozen horses and a small herd of longhorns and that’s just about it.”

      “Dobe.” She smiled, genuinely pleased to meet him. “I’m Dani Keene. My sisters and grandmother are back at the house.”

      “Seen ’em go in.” Without waiting for a response, Dobe wheeled back into the shadows.

      Dani looked at Jack, her forehead furrowed. “Not very friendly, is he?”

      “Depends on who he’s dealin’ with.”

      “He doesn’t know me well enough to dislike me,” she pointed out.

      “He knew your dad.”

      She walked past him, leading the horse toward the corral. “If he disliked my father so much, why is he looking out for things?”

      “Because of loyalty to Miss Elsie.” Jack was still cautious about criticizing Wil Keene.

      “I see.” She said it so grimly that Jack thought maybe she did see.

      Opening the gate, she slipped off the halter, and Sundance trotted inside. Making straight for a patch of dirt stomped and mashed by a multitude of horses before him, he lowered himself and rolled.

      When she looked at the horse, her expression softened. Jack wished it would do the same when she looked at him, but so far that hadn’t happened.

      Squaring her shoulders, she faced him. “Will you bring Dobe up to the house to meet the rest of the family?”

      “I’ll try.” In actual fact, he wasn’t at all sure Dobe was interested in meeting any more Keenes.

      “Thank you.” She turned and walked away, covering the ground between barn and house with long, easy strides.

      He watched with admiration. She might be a foreigner, but she was no stranger to ranch life. If it was possible to make a go of this run-down dude ranch, Dani Keene was the woman who could do it. Although Jack’s father and grandfather were still determined to own this place, Jack would help her in every way he could.

      Or more accurately, in any way she’d let him.

      He turned toward the barn and hollered. “Dobe! Come on out here, you old reprobate.”

      Dobe shuffled out immediately, his grin sheepish. “Howdy, Jack. What you up to, comin’ in here with