“Why did you vanish with only a text?”
“My mother was in the hospital. She had to have surgery, and my dad wouldn’t leave her side, so I needed to be there. First for my mama. Then to support my daddy because he was scared he would lose her. And last to run the company while they were both away. After she was able to come back to work, I was sent to the panhandle to evaluate land.”
“And they do not have phone service up there?” he almost barked.
“Yes, and I picked up the phone to call you every day, but I couldn’t do it. I only learned this morning that you are notBubba Jones.” She could feel the chill in her words when they were out there in the air.
“Like I said, I planned to come clean on that Friday night,” he said. “I liked being Bubba, and being around you was so simple that I forgot all about being a player. Women I’ve dated in the past seemed to be more interested in what my money could buy rather than who I really am. I could be myself when I was with you. I could pick wildflowers, have a beer while we watched the sunsets, and enjoy getting sand between our toes, even rescuing those puppies. Which I have to admit, Elijah loved from the time he met them. He’s been feeding them and …” He paused. “Dammit, Lula Ann, what I saw in you and felt when I was around you had nothing to do with money.”
Turbo’s ears shot up, and he growled down deep in his throat. Elvis the donkey threw back his head and brayed, and then stomped the ground.
“They must smell a coyote,” Miles said.
Turbo left Holly’s side. Elvis came closer, lowered his head, and began to stomp on the ground like he was breakdancing. Turbo ran over and started biting the grass. That’s when Miles came up from his seated position, picked Holly up, and carried her to the fence row.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Saving you,” he panted.
“So, you are my knight in shining sweat?” she asked.
“Maybe, but that rattlesnake was only a few feet from you. I left my pistol at home, or I’d shoot it, but …” He stopped midsentence and set her down on the ground.
“Donkeys kill snakes?” she asked.
“Yep, and Turbo hates them. All of our vehicles have anti-venom shots ready in case anyone gets bitten, including the dog or the donkey. We depend on both of them too much to lose them to a damned old rattlesnake.”
Holly watched, mesmerized, as Elvis stomped the snake to death, and then Turbo picked it up by the tail and slung it over the fence. “I guess he doesn’t even want a dead one on your ranch. Speaking of which, you told me you were a hired hand.”
“I was at the time. I was on my dad’s payroll. I lived in the bunkhouse with the other hired hands. Now, I’m the boss and live in the ranch house. Does that make a difference to you?”
“No, it does not,” Holly answered.
The time had come for her to own up to her own lies. Her knees were weak at the idea, so she backed up to his four-wheeler and hiked a hip on the seat. “But it will be hard to build anything on a foundation of lies.”
“Only my name was a lie. Everything else was real,” Miles protested.
Holly took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I’m not just talking aboutyourlie. I am not Lula Ann Smith. I am Holly McLean. My father is Fletcher McLean, and my family owns Wild Texas Oil Company,” she blurted out before she lost her nerve.
She tried to read his expression, but it was blank for several seconds before a slight twinkle started to appear, then a deep chuckle turned into laughter. He wiped away sweat mingled with tears away with the tail of his shirt.
“What’s so funny?” she snapped. “I worried myself sick about telling you that last night, but I was working up the courage to do so, and then Daddy came to the house to take me to the hospital, and it seemed like the universe had spoken. Like I said, how can we build a relationship of any kind on a foundation of lies?”
Miles folded his arms over his chest. “Does your heart care what my name is?”
“Does your heart care if I’m not Lula Ann?”
“Not really, but I liked that woman a lot. What’s different about Holly McLean and Lula Ann?” he asked.
“They’ve both got a fiery temper, but Lula Ann isn’t as wary of the intentions of people as Holly is,” she answered. “Lula Ann wanted to answer your texts, but Holly talked her out of it. She said that Bubba Jones would never forgive her for not telling him who she really was or about her rich family. Now it’s your turn. What’s different about Miles and Bubba?”
“Nothing much. They both love the ranching business. Bubba loved picking wildflowers for his new girlfriend, Lula Ann, and spending time with her. Miles was so jealous of him and wanted his life that week,” Miles replied.
“Well, darlin’, Holly sure wanted Lula Ann’s life and has every day since she met you.”
“Does this mean that there might be a chance to start all over again?” Miles asked.
She stuck out her hand. “Hello, I’m Holly McLean. We have five minutes to see if either of us will mark yes.”
