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)
Unfortunately, JB needed only to see the red pickup parked near the massive two-story main house to know that his day wasn’t destined to get on track. A sinking feeling weighed on his stomach, and he couldn’t quite swallow the groan of frustration.
“Problem?”
“Yeah. Neighbor. A real pain in the ass.”
As JB drove up, Logan Bishop jumped out of the cab, dragging another groan from JB. Yes, of course, they would arrive at the house at the same time. It was better if he dealt with it now rather than letting the man rant at his father. His parents were supposed to be “retiring” and handing all the operations over to JB. That was made all the more difficult when people like Bishop remained determined to take every bitch and moan to his dad.
“I’m gonna need to take care of this. Shouldn’t take but a minute, and then I’ll take you to the guest house.”
JB pulled the SUV onto the circled drive behind Logan’s pickup and threw it into park. He left the car running so that Cole could remain in the comfortable air conditioning. It was still early in the day, but the mercury was already creeping toward ninety. Screw spring in Texas; Mother Nature was heading straight into summer this year.
Grabbing his hat, JB hopped out of the cab and slammed the door behind him, catching Logan’s attention so the man turned from the house and stomped toward JB. Logan had been a pain in his ass since high school. It was like he had it stuck in his pea brain that they were in constant competition. Not helping matters was that Logan’s younger sister, Teresa, was slightly obsessed with him. Naturally, that drove Logan insane.
The guy was what would have been referred to as a tall drink of water with long legs, long torso, and broad shoulders. His black Stetson was pulled low on his brow, but it did nothing to hide the scowl that seemed to perpetually twist up what probably would have been handsome features. Not that JB ever got to see him smile. And not that Logan would have ever welcomed advances from JB.
“Bishop,” JB ground out between his molars. “What can I do for you?”
“I don’t know what the hell your daddy was thinking in letting you manage the ranch, because you’re running this old place straight into the ground,” Logan started belligerently.
“And what exactly has your panties in such a twist this time? Lose another ranch hand and come sniffin’ over here to see if he’s workin’ for me now?”
A bright flush painted his cheeks, and he sucked in an audible breath. Yeah, JB had zero interest in de-escalating the situation. He really was bad at dealing with Logan’s shit, and he should know better with Cole waiting in the SUV for him. Okay, maybe he needed to act like an adult since Logan was clearly incapable of doing so.
“No, this time I’m talking about your lazy ranch hands,” Logan growled, getting right in JB’s face. “Your damn cows have broken the fence again, and they’ve started to wander onto my property. If I see them on my land again, I’m gonna start shootin’. Ya hear me?”
JB forced a wide grin. “I appreciate you bringin’ this to my attention, Bishop. You can be sure to tell your daddy that I’ll have a talk with my men. We’ll get right out to the fence line and get it repaired so my cows aren’t tromping through his weeds.”
Yeah, that wasn’t exactly adult behavior. Another point of contention between Logan and JB was that JB’s father had already announced to all and sundry that he’d handed the operation of the cattle ranch over to JB. Logan’s father was still holding tight to the reins of the Bishop ranch and planned to cling to them until they had to pry them from his cold, dead fingers. Logan was barely regarded as a foreman on his own family’s ranch.
“Alexander, I—”
Whatever he was about to say was cut off by the slamming of a car door. They jerked apart to see Cole standing on the other side of the SUV, his thick arms folded over his chest as he glared right at Logan. The man never said a word. Just stared in this piercing, cold way.
Logan finally cracked under the weight of the silence and took what he probably thought was a menacing step toward Cole. At least, it might have been if Cole wasn’t at least four inches taller and fifty pounds heavier than him.
“What are you staring at? You got a problem?”
“That’s my guest, Cole McCord. He flew in this morning and he’s going to be staying at the ranch for a while,” JB quickly said, drawing Logan’s ire to him. He could not get rid of Logan fast enough, but at least Cole had offered him a clear out. “Now, if you’ll run along home. I need to get Cole settled so I can see that the fence is fixed for you.”