Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 99583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Richard Dunning has it all: private school education, an exquisite designer wardrobe, a last name that ensures he’s invited to all the best parties, and a skincare regimen that’s to die for.
The only thing he doesn’t have is… well, a job. Or a home. Or money in the bank. Not since his dad cut him off.
So when his best frenemy approaches him with a bet—spend a month working as a cowhand on some godforsaken Wyoming ranch in exchange for his dream job—he’s a little too proud and a lot too desperate to say no.
But from the moment Richard and his rhinestone cowboy hat show up at the Silver Fork Ranch, nothing is as expected.
Not the beautiful vistas, not the terrifying horses, not the friendly people, not the epic quantities of cow manure, and definitely not Boone Hammond, the rugged rancher whose eyes are a little too intense, whose expectations are a little too high, and whose kisses are… a lot too tempting.
But when his month on the ranch comes to a close, Richard must choose: return to the safe, luxurious life he thought he wanted… or risk everything for the love he’s been IN SEARCH OF all along.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
BOONE
I watched the beat-up truck fishtail, spitting up gravel before peeling off down the ranch drive toward the highway.
“Well, shit,” I muttered, turning to Jed. “There goes another one.” Even my dog seemed to let out a sigh.
My foreman wasn’t too happy with me, as evidenced by the firm set of his grizzled jaw. “Third one in as many months. When you gonna stop hiring people who have ambition? And what the hell kind of cowhand expects a promotion after three months?” He spit on the dirt. “Idiot.”
I threw up my hands. “How was I supposed to know? I hired him as a hand. I paid him good money for the work. Why the hell did he take the job if he didn’t want it, huh? Tell me that. Now I’ve got a hundred head of cattle, and I’m going to be shorthanded.”
Jed stared at the shrinking dust cloud. “Mm.”
“Fuck,” I cursed, pulling off my hat and running a frustrated hand through my hair. I blew out a breath as I propped a foot on the fence circling the horse ring and glanced toward the mountains in the distance. Most days, I loved working this ranch, but other days, I wanted nothing more than to saddle my horse and ride for the horizon, never looking back.
Today was one of those days.
I twisted my head to the side in an effort to ease the tightness along my shoulders. “Find me another hand,” I told Jed. “Hell, find me three more hands if you can. Damned Walt Hosser keeps snapping up all the good ones now he’s got those three daughters of his coming of age.” I shook my head and reached down to ruffle the fur on Birdie’s head. “Those cowboys all think they’re going to convince one of the girls to fall in love with them and they’ll inherit a cattle ranch. Stupid fuckers.”
Jed joined me at the fence, a sly smile on his face. “You can’t tell me Miranda Hosser isn’t a pretty little thing. Takes after her mama. Don’t know about the other two because I can’t hardly see past that red hair.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You always did have a thing for Walt’s wife.”
Jed squinted over toward the machine shed, which was the direction of the Hosser Ranch. “Kissed her once. That woman’s as cold as a fish, but god a’mighty, she’s something to look at.”
“Well, maybe their girls are just as cold, and those cowboys will be looking for another place to pull a paycheck,” I muttered.
“Oh, I doubt that,” Jed said. “Rumor is that Walt’s promising some pretty hefty bonuses this year. Where he’s gettin’ the money from, lord only knows.”
I shook my head. “He’s gonna run that place into the ground if he isn’t careful.”
Jed shrugged. “Would that be so bad? Then you’d be able to buy the place up and double the size of your ranch.”
I snorted. “And have Walt accuse me of stealing the rest of his land? No, thank you.” To say there was bad blood between Walt and me was an understatement. Years back, he’d gotten into financial trouble and approached me about buying some of his acreage so he could pay off his debts. It had seemed like an easy, straightforward deal until Walt started accusing me of dirty dealing and stealing what was rightfully his.
Usually I just ignored him, but these days, it was impossible to ignore the shortage of hands available to work or that it was Walt who was causing the shortage. It was hard not to see it as an intentional ploy to cause me problems.
I kicked off the fence and tugged my hat back onto my head. “Meanwhile, I’m going to get my stuff packed,” I said, nodding toward the main house. “Get Victory saddled if you don’t mind. I’d better get an earlier start than I’d planned if I’m going by myself.”
Jed reached for my shoulder and clapped a rough hand on it. “I’ll come with.”
I shook my head, not at all surprised by the offer. “Nah. You go on to the wedding. I’ll be okay. I’ll take Hiram with me. Let him know, will you? The two of us should be able to handle it fine. It’ll just mean more work when we get back.”
“We ain’t afraid of hard work,” Jed said in his lazy drawl.
“Lucky for me,” I told him. It was the truth. Jed was one of a dying breed, an old-school cowboy who’d been born and raised to work a ranch. He could have retired years ago, and I’d offered to carve off a small piece of my land for him to settle on, but he’d refused. Said he didn’t know what he’d do with himself without a full day’s hard work.
“Be sure to kiss your niece for me and wish her well,” I added, starting back toward the main house. Birdie padded along behind me. “And tell your sister not to be a stranger,” I called over my shoulder. “She promised me a visit this year.”