Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
JB chuckled. “He’s a good hand. Did he actually beat you outside this morning?”
“Nope.” Owen’s grin widened. “I’d already checked on them before he showed up. But he was pretty damn early.”
JB shook his head. “Do you ever sleep?”
“I go to bed early, so I get enough.” His smile disappeared. “I heard about the Jenkins herd. Do you think it’s connected?”
JB swallowed a weary sigh. It all came back to this poisoning and land offers no matter what. Not that he was surprised. He could see on everyone’s faces that they were worried about it. There was no use in avoiding it. Better to answer the questions as best he could rather than let rumors and gossip start.
“Seems like it would be, though I still need more information. They told me they lost half a herd, so their problems are much bigger.”
Owen flicked a hunk of dirt off one boot onto the floor. “It’s a real shame. There are rumors flying around that they plan to sell their place.”
JB nodded. “They’re trying to. Unfortunately, I think their sale is contingent on whether or not we agree to do the same.”
One dark eyebrow went up as Owen straightened in his seat in alarm. “Is that even a possibility? First I’ve heard.”
JB held up one hand, halting anything else that could fly out of Owen’s mouth. The man was usually calm and level-headed under the worst of circumstances, but this shit had everyone rattled. “No, definitely not,” JB reassured him. “And if you hear anyone else talking, you make sure you set them straight. Alexander Ranch ain’t being sold.”
Owen slumped in his seat, looking as if he were a partially melted snowman in the Texas summer sun. “Thank God,” he muttered under his breath.
“We’re not going anywhere. There’s a property development group after all the land around the lake. They want to build a big resort.”
Lines marred Owen’s smooth brow as he frowned at JB. “You think they have anything to do with the dead cattle?”
JB shrugged. “I’ve thought about that, of course. The timing certainly makes a person think so. But it could be something else. Delinquents. Asshole neighbor.” He was tempted to float Cole’s theories about Logan and the Robertses past Owen, but he held his tongue. They were still neighbors and had to get along with each other. Right now, JB had no solid proof. He didn’t want to risk gossip getting out or bad blood getting riled up with anyone if he could help it.
In the end, he could only sigh and toss the pencil onto the desk. “Until Cole gets some more information on the poison, we don’t have any real proof that will help us. We have to watch our backs and keep a close eye on the herd.”
Owen grunted and stared at the desktop for a moment, his frown still in place. His foreman wasn’t the talkative type, which was probably why JB had no problem adjusting to Cole’s quiet ass.
“I can smell your brain cookin’ over there,” JB teased. “What are you thinking so hard about?”
Owen rolled his eyes a little, a tiny smirk playing on his lips. “You seem to be spending a lot of time with Cole.” Owen tilted his head, his dark-brown eyes steady on JB. “Something there?”
He breathed a sigh because he did want to talk about this with someone, and Owen was perfect. He’d keep anything he learned to himself.
“Maybe.”
Owen made a noise. “Don’t try this coy shit with me. I can see you practically bustin’ a gut trying to keep from grinning like a fool over there.”
JB snorted. “Yeah, there’s something there, all right. I’ve gotten attached, and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I should be spending all my energy and worry fighting to keep this ranch going. Yet, when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about is that Cole is going to leave soon.”
“Want some advice?”
“I do.”
Owen put his leg down and leaned forward in his chair. “Fight for him. Chase him if you have to. The ranch will be fine, but love is hard to come by. If you let it go, you’ll regret it.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
Owen ran a hand over his jaw. “I am. I was in love and I screwed it up. Living with bad decisions and losing the love of your life isn’t worth it. He was everything to me and I let him slip away. Didn’t realize what I had until it was gone.”
This was the first time Owen had talked about his past like this. JB hadn’t even known the man was gay. Hoped a little at first, but then he’d let that go. Owen hadn’t dated anyone since he’d started working for the Alexander Ranch and had always seemed to have a look in his eyes that JB now realized was regret.