“What do you mean, joining forces?” I asked.
He looked back down into his mug. “They had a plan. Make the two places into a larger ranch, with the individual specialties benefiting both.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. But now that I’m in this position, and see the numbers on a regular basis, I get it. It makes sense. They were thinking way ahead of themselves, but I’m willing to bet it would have worked.”
“It’s crazy,” I said under my breath. I had to be insane to even entertain the idea.
“Something to think about,” he said.
“To think about?” I echoed, standing and wrapping my blanket tighter around my body. “Just yesterday, we hadn’t spoken in five years, Ben. Now we’re—”
I stopped and swallowed. Hard. He looked up at me with a mixture of the old and new in his expression. The fiery young man who had loved me so fiercely. Or had claimed to anyway. And the present-day ranch owner and father who just looked tired and sad. Who had kissed me into oblivion less than an hour earlier.
“What are we, Josie?” he asked softly.
Malcolm cleared his throat, and we both blinked quickly, remembering we had an audience.
I ran a hand over my face and moved to massage my neck. My hair was tied up on top of my head, and tendrils fell loose over my hand.
“I can’t—I can’t do that, Ben,” I said.
I felt the collective disappointment in the room, and the weight pressed in.
“What else are you going to do?” he said. “Marry Martin LaDeen and be Josephine LaDeen?” Lila snorted, and I cut a look in her direction. “He’s in oil, Josie. He’s going to put big oil rigs on your land and milk it for all its worth.”
I frowned. “He never said such a thing.”
“He doesn’t have to,” Ben said. “All he has to do is get the place in his name and he can do whatever he wants. Why bother you with those pesky little details now?”
I narrowed my eyes. “That’s rude.”
“That’s real,” he said. “Forget the cattle. They’ll be sold, mark my words. He didn’t like them when he worked here.”
I was pacing and I stopped and turned back. “Worked here? What are you talking about?”
Ben’s brows furrowed. “He—was a senior ranch hand when I first came on.”
“What?” I stared at him, “No.”
His expression grew more serious. “He didn’t mention it?”
“No, and I would remember. I’ve known every man who worked here.” I raised a brow. “I brought the water every day, remember?”
“Well, he never did anything,” Ben said. “Never worked any of the outdoor jobs, and found things to sit, stand, or lean on while everyone else worked their asses off. Guys called him Heavy Lean Deen.”
I gasped. “Oh my God, I remember that. Or—indirectly anyway. I remember hearing you all talk about him—”
“I do, too,” Malcolm said. “I didn’t remember his real name, but I remember the nickname.”
“You do?” I asked.
Malcolm nodded. “One of only two men I’ve ever fired in my life.”
“You fired him from the Lucky B?” I said, widening my eyes. “When? Why?”
“Right after . . . Mr. Mason left,” Malcolm said, pointing awkwardly at Ben. “Caught him stealing tools. Sacking them away in his horse’s saddlebags. I had a feeling it wasn’t the first time.”
I thought of what Ben had told me about their theft suspicions, which, sadly, just helped to confirm all he’d said.
“So, he was the one,” Ben said. “He was the only one down there who knew who I was. How convenient. He works for an oil company out of Houston now.”
“God, the whole world is crooked,” I breathed, closing my eyes. “I can’t trust anything.”
I heard a sharp release of breath, and I opened my eyes to see Ben drop his blanket and grab his nearly dry shirt.
My throat went just as dry, and Lila turned around and busied herself as Ben made the inappropriate movement of being shirtless in mixed company. But that was the thing with him. It wasn’t inappropriate in his world; it was just life. He and I were much alike in that regard, not giving a damn about etiquette, albeit easier for him. Men could get away with that line of thinking, while I sat there not looking away, soaking up every inch of skin and wanting to lick every muscle. His back was even better, but I didn’t see much of it as he yanked on his shirt and whirled on me.
“I have to go check on Abigail,” he said tightly.
“O—okay,” I stuttered, not quite understanding the crisp coldness coming from him. I stood. “I need to go check on the herd myself.”
“I’ll do that,” Malcolm said, pushing to his feet. “The storm let up. Might even turn to some flurries, as cold as it’s getting out there.”
“No, Malcolm, I’ve got it—”
“Let him go, Josie,” Ben said, his voice booming. I stopped, stone still, as did Malcolm and Lila.
Chapter 11
1904
Ben
I couldn’t listen to another word about how she couldn’t trust anyone. To hell with it all. I had enough to deal with in my life, with Abigail and the ranch and all the little details of both that kept me running. I didn’t need Josie Bancroft’s drama.
Not even when I could still taste her sweetness on my tongue.
I didn’t mean to raise my voice, but damn it—the constant need to do everything herself made me want to shake her till her teeth rattled. Or until I could shut her up again with my mouth. Which if we were alone, I would do in a heartbeat.
“He’s offering to help,” I said, pointing at Malcolm.
“But—”
“But nothing,” I growled.
