Page 15 of Bronco
“What interview?”
“Well, the auction caught the eye of a reporter from The State Daily. I need to let him know that the event has been canceled.” Her chin wobbles.
Anyone else and I would think I was being manipulated. Not Lauren though. I’ve never once seen her try to manipulate someone. She’s as good and honest as they come. Just like her brother.
I fight the urge to reach for her, to take her hand in mine the way I did last night. But it’s not good for me to touch her like that. It fills a cowboy’s head with all sorts of longings that he shouldn’t have. “Tell me why this matters so much to you.”
She swallows, and I watch her throat bob. See the way she fights to regain her composure. “He left when I was eight. Do you know what he told me then? He said he’d always come back to the community center. He said it was home.”
We had the memorial service. She hosted it. In fact, she was the one who insisted on it. She was determined it would give all of us closure, a sense of peace about what had happened. But despite all of her talk, here she is, caught somewhere between hope and heartbreak. Same as me.
I swear, a habit I do far too often when she’s around. “OK, you got yourself a deal. You can auction any man on Valor Ranch that’s willing.”
She looks up at me then, her eyes still filled with tears. “Does that mean you’re mine?”
Chapter 6
Lauren
Does that mean you’re mine? The question keeps bouncing around inside my head. I shouldn’t have asked him that. I shouldn’t have liked it when he nodded and gruffly stood from the stool and stomped across the kitchen and started cleaning the sink.
Now, I’m standing on the front porch of Bronco’s place and watching the reporter’s car pull up the long driveway. Reed Samson.
I spent this morning researching him. By researching him, I mean I looked over his employment profile online and read the last six months of articles he’s published. He’s a good reporter with a keen eye for detail, but it’s also pretty obvious that he doesn’t enjoy stories that he doesn’t find hard-hitting. He can be a bit harsh with those. Agreeing to this interview may have been a horrible idea.
As if he’s reading my mind, Bronco says quietly, “Don’t worry.”
He’s sitting on a rocking chair on his front porch. He’s whittling wood and looking as relaxed as if it’s just another day here, as if the whole future doesn’t hinge on this single interview.
What if I say something stupid? What if I botch it by doing something embarrassing?
“You’ll be fine,” Bronco says as if he’s reading my thoughts. He always seems to have that ability. If it were anyone else, I would find it annoying, but from him it’s just oddly comforting.
Reed gets out of his car. I notice instantly that it doesn’t fit in with the other vehicles around here. For one, it’s too shiny and new, too clean. The vehicles on the ranch are all covered in a fine layer of pollen and mud, driven by men who aren’t afraid to get dirty and stay dirty.
Reed joins us on the front porch in just a few quick strides. Like Bronco, he has a full, thick, bushy beard. He’s even wearing cowboy boots and blue jeans. But there are too many giveaways that he’s not a true country boy.
His hands are soft when he reaches to shake mine. His eyebrows are perfectly groomed, and he reeks of overpowering cologne to the point it’s almost migraine-inducing. It strikes me then that he’s a faux cowboy. Maybe that’s why he took this assignment.
I give him my best smile, suddenly aware that Bronco is closer to me. He’s moved from the rocking chair. He’s now standing behind me, his big body crowding my space. He’s protecting my back, as if we have something to fear from this city slicker playing dress-up. Even though this wannabe isn’t a threat, there’s still no one I’d rather have my back than Bronco.
Reed takes my hand and mutters some pleasantries, but I can’t concentrate with Bronco so close to me. It’s always this way. It’s hard to focus on anything when I have this sexy cowboy beside me.
He holds my hand for a bit too long, but then his gaze drifts to Bronco, and he pales slightly. He drops my hand quickly and swallows.
Bronco holds out his hand in introduction and welcomes Reed to the Valor Ranch, although his tone doesn’t sound all that welcoming. He sounds a little bit menacing, a note in his voice I’ve never quite heard before.
“Are you ready for your tour?” I beam at Reed, doing my best to be a gracious host.
“Yep,” Bronco says. “We can’t wait to show you around.”
As soon as he says the words, I frown. The deal was that I would show Reed around the farm, but it’s obvious that Bronco has changed the plan. But I’m not upset. There’s no one who knows more about this farm, or who could better sell it, than Bronco.
The moment we’re in the barn, Cord and Flint show up. It’s not long before Flint has started joking and putting everyone at ease. From there, the rest of the morning just flows. The guys introduce Reed to the animals, answering all of his ranching questions, and even tell him he can come back next week for a horse ride.
When he’s gone, I turn to the three men and breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank you! You guys were wonderful, really. Especially you, Flint.”
“Happy to help.” He gives me a nod before he and Cord move to the south pasture where they mentioned they have fences to mend. The picturesque farm scenes in paintings never show the sheer amount of work that goes into keeping a place like this running.
