Freddy felt like a dope.Of course Eb was trying to discourage Ry with all this talk of the ranch’s curse.In his typical heavy-handed way, he was trying to help.And she would prefer that Eb buy the place, wouldn’t she?
Manny returned to the table.“Excuse me, but there’s a call for Mr.McGuinnes.”
Ry looked up, his expression alight with anticipation.He turned to Freddy.“Where can I take it?”
“You can go in my office.Just head straight across the main room.The door’s open.”
After Ry left, Eb heaved a sigh.“I do hate city slickers.I’m surprised he didn’t whip out one of those cellular jobs.”
“Eb, I thought you just bought one of those things?”
Eb looked uncomfortable.“Okay, I did, but it’s just to take out on the range.You should get one, too.It used to be safe for women to ride around this country alone, but not anymore...”He peered in the direction Ry had taken.“Any type of idiot could be out there.”
“He’s turned out to have spunk, Eb,” Freddy said.“I know he’s a greenhorn, but he took that trail ride like a man.”
Eb gave her a sharp look.“You changing your mind about city guys buying the place?”
“No, not really.Westridge was bad enough, but at least they left me in charge.I have the distinct impression these men wouldn’t do that.”
“Bet your bottom dollar on it.This McGuinnes is a real wheeler-dealer.He—” Eb didn’t finish the sentence as Ry came back into the dining room.
His walk was still a little bowed, and he still grimaced as he sat down, but his blue eyes glowed as he looked at Freddy.“Good news.My third partner is definitely in.”
The leap of excitement in her chest caught her totally by surprise.
“And just what does that mean?”Eb asked.
Ry looked across the table at him.“That it’s a done deal, neighbor.”
For the rest of the meal, Freddy felt like a referee at a sporting event.Eb paraded his knowledge about ranching and Ry parried the rancher’s boasting with thrusts of razor-sharp wit.By the time Eb said his goodbyes and drove away in his king-cab dual-wheel pickup, she would gladly have carried him to his ranch on her back.
“Lovely evening,” Ry said as he stood next to her on the porch.
She shot him a sideways glance.“I suppose you enjoyed yourself.”
“You bet.”
“Men,” she muttered, lifting her gaze heavenward.“By the way, what are these two partners of yours like?”
He shoved his hands into his pockets.“You know, this is the craziest deal I’ve ever put together, with the most unlikely characters.A trucker, a New York City cop and me.Can you imagine a stranger combination than that?”
She was unwillingly intrigued.“How did you ever link up with them?”
“We were all in the same elevator accident.”
Her stomach pitched.“Were you hurt?”she asked before she could stop herself, before the betraying note of concern could be banished from her question.
He gazed at her, a smile of irony making a brief appearance.“A minor concussion, which is nothing compared to the way I’ve been battered since I arrived here.”
Freddy avoided his gaze.“What about the other two?”
“My briefcase went flying and gashed open the cop’s chin, and he also broke his arm.The trucker hurt his back, which put his trucking career in jeopardy but gave him a nice settlement.The cop’s quitting the force and sinking his pension into the ranch.”
She stared at him in disbelief.“You’re using an insurance settlement and someone’s retirement fund to buy the ranch?”
“Along with every asset of mine I could liquefy.”
“Doesn’t that worry you, risking people’s nest eggs?”
