NINE
Zack took to ridinga horse like he took to money – exceptionally well.
After he and Joe and some other men pulled the car out of the mud, Joe took him and showed him the ranch. Thelove of his lifestayed back with Gladys. Before Zack left the house this morning, Whitney whispered in his ear, reminding him of their playacting.
He chuckled. In other words, she hadn’t wanted him to let her stepfather know he was a billionaire... or running for his life. Zack would do this for her. He rather liked it here. The fall weather was upon them, and along with the crisper weather, the trees were changing colors, making the ranch a glorious canvas of reds, yellows, and burnt oranges.
As Zack rode the horse, helping Joe round up some cattle, a contented smile tugged on his mouth. He really needed to buy himself a ranch. This was the life – being one with nature... as long as he didn’t come across any bears or moose.
The sun was bright today. So where were the clouds that had covered the moon last night? He adjusted his sunglasses. Out of the corner of his eye, Joe shook his head, chuckling.
“Zack, it’s quite obvious you’re a city boy, but out here on the ranch, it’s probably best to wear a hat.” Joe tilted his black felt cowboy hat.
“Thanks, but I don’t like hats.”
Joe shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
Zack’s horse walked slowly in rhythm with Joe’s animal. The stench from the cattle didn’t bother Zack as much as it had first thing this morning. He could definitely become used to this life.
“How did you meet my Whitney?” Joe asked.
“We actually met at the airport.” Zack grinned, remembering that moment. “She thought I was someone else. But we hit it off right away.”
Joe chuckled. “She’s a woman who knows what she’s after. Nothing stops her.”
“How well do you know her?” Zack wondered. All joking aside, he really wanted to know what made her tick. “I mean, I know you were married to her mother, but how well do you know her as an adult?”
The other man frowned. “Not as well as I’d like to. It took Whitney until she was twenty before she contacted me again after the divorce. We’ve kept in touch, but not closely. I’ve always thought of her as the daughter I’ve never had.”
“Did you talk to her before she became an FBI agent?”
“Yes, of course. Why?”
Sighing, Zack smiled, but it wasn’t fully. “I wonder if she really likes her job.”
Joe tugged his horse to a stop, and so Zack followed.
