I Choose You: A sizzling Hollywood Western romance. Kristina O'Grady

creeping into his voice.

      That brought his dad’s head up.

      “Your mom? No son, she’s fine…it’s the ranch that’s struggling.” His dad kept his eyes locked on him while he spoke. “The last few years have taken their toll on us. Normally we could ride out this rough patch but with the extra bills we had while Rachel was sick, we’re finding it tough to make ends meet.’

      Benjamin shook his head in wonder at his father.

      “Why didn’t you say something sooner? I would have come back long before now.”

      “We didn’t want to ask. Your mother and I know what a tough time you’ve had in the last few years, what with Rachel and then Jenna. Well, we wanted you to be able to come back on your own accord, when you were ready. You just took longer than we expected, is all.” His dad grinned at him. “We had to ask you back in fear you’d never come on your own.”

      It was Ben’s turn to avoid his gaze. He looked out across the pasture instead. He didn’t want to think about how he’d run away.

      “How bad is it?” he asked.

      “Pretty bad, but I’ve got something up my sleeve. I’ll show you the books when we get home. Come on, we’ll check the rest of the herd and then I’ll show you.”

      Benjamin watched his dad ride down the steep slope and head towards the dugout to check the last of the cows. Calving was just getting started and the cows needed to be checked frequently. Ben found it hard to turn and ride in the opposite direction to check the far end of the pasture; all he wanted to do was head for home and take a look at those books.

      Damn, he knew he shouldn’t have stayed away so long.

      Ben watched two more cows give birth. Thankfully his assistance wasn’t required with either of them. Then he and his dad arrived at the gate home within minutes of each other.

      “Come on, son, your mom will have some lemon squares to have with our coffee.”

      Benjamin couldn’t help but laugh at the wistful look on his dad’s face. He had a sweet tooth and enjoyed his wife’s baking.

      Drawing to a halt at the barn door, Benjamin jumped down from the saddle and led Thunder into the cool dark building. With saddle and bridle removed he cut him loose out into the pasture so he could roll in the dirt. Ben watched from the fence, a smile sliding onto his face. It was good to be home.

      ***

      Fresh from the shower, Ben sat down at the kitchen table and helped himself to his mom’s baking.

      “These lemon squares are delicious, Mom. I’ve sure missed your baking,” Ben said around a mouthful of tarty sweetness.

      “And I’ve missed you.” His mom kissed his check and dusted powdered sugar off his chin. “I’m glad you’re home.”

      “Me too,” he replied.

      Country music played from the radio on the shelf next to the sink. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the room. Benjamin was in heaven. He took another bite from the lemon square, barely suppressing a moan of pleasure.

      His mother belied her cooking ability. For all of Ben’s twenty-eight years she had been lean, toned and gorgeous. He was proud of how his mom kept her appearance a priority and how she went for a five mile run every morning at sunrise to start her day before helping out on the ranch. Beth told him that since Rachel died she’d started doing yoga to find peace. Consequently her body was lean and toned as a result.

      But she was starting to show her age. Ben had been surprised at the change he had seen in her when he’d arrived yesterday. Her hair was now peppered with grey and although cut in an attractive pixie cut, it showed off the wrinkles on her face. And there was no hiding the dark circles under her eyes. His dad was right; the stress was getting to her. Somehow in the last two years, his mom had shrunk into a shadow of her former self. Ben found it hard to look away from her. He kept expecting her to wash the wrinkles away as though they were Halloween make-up and return to her former glory.

      “Come with me, Benjamin.” His father pushed himself up from the table and headed towards the back of the house and his office.

      Ben grabbed two more squares and refilled his coffee cup from the pot on the counter before following his dad.

      The office was the same as it always had been. The papers piled on the desk didn’t look like they’d been moved for over a decade and the dust on the shelves confirmed that his mom still wasn’t allowed in to clean. He remembered from his childhood that his dad once accused his mother of moving some important papers and as a result had never let her into his sanctuary since. At least not with a broom or duster.

      “How do you find anything in this mess?” Ben asked, looking for a place to put down his coffee cup.

      “Everything has its place, boy, don’t you worry. Here, grab a seat.” His dad pushed a chair towards him.

      Ben carefully set his coffee cup onto a stack of unopened envelopes on the desk, moved the old newspapers off the chair and sat down.

      “Dad.” Ben leaned forward and looked his dad in the eye as his old man sat down in the swivel office chair. “Tell me the truth, are we going to be able to save the ranch?” His breath stilled in his chest as he waited for his dad’s answer, a knot tight in his gut.

      His dad shuffled some papers and a small cloud of dust rose above the desk.

      “With your help, I think we have a shot. I would never have asked you to quit your job and come back here if I thought otherwise. But this place is for you and Beth. I won’t see it go under when there is still a possibility we can turn it around. As you know, your sister has moved into the Old House and she is just about ready to start up her bed and breakfast. She already has a booking for next month.” Lance took a slow sip of coffee. Ben had an idea that his father wasn’t telling him everything yet.

      “And…?”

      A grin spread across his dad’s face. “We are in a good position at the moment, but I need you help and co-operation.’

      “You know you have it.” Ben wished he’d just get to the point.

      “I’ve had a phone call last week, and well, we’ve been offered an opportunity we can’t afford to let it pass us by.” His dad took a long drink of his coffee and then stuffed a whole lemon square into his mouth.

      Ben could barely contain his frustration.

      “Dad! Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

      Lance smiled through the icing sugar sticking to the stubble covering his face.

      “A movie producer called. They want to shoot a film here, on the ranch.”

      “Say what?” Surely he hadn’t heard right.

      “Brian Hargrave called last week.”

      “What? Wait a minute, the Brian Hargrave?”

      “The very one! He found the ranch through your sister’s website. You know the one about her bed and breakfast? Well, he found it and he said it was exactly what they’re looking for and he also wants to hire our stock and horses. The amount they have offered us for the duration of the filming is phenomenal. It will be the end of all our troubles. We just have to stay afloat until their first payment.”

      “When is that? And more importantly, how much?”

      Ben had a tendency to fidget when he was agitated and nervous. Right now he was both. He stood to pace the room but the office was so full of papers there wasn’t much room to move. The ranch must be in a bad way for his dad to hire it out. Ben didn’t want to be beholden to anyone, let alone a big movie corporation.

      His dad fished around his desk for a scrap piece of paper and for a pen that worked. After trying several he finally wrote a figure onto the paper and slid it across to Ben.

      It