Betting on Texas by Amanda Renee Page B

all. Okay, so, there were a few animals to take care of. Two horses
were already leaving. This would be easy.
    So what was the catch? “I’ve got news for you, cowboy. I’m not
going anywhere.” Miranda held out her hand. “You have yourself a deal.”
    Jesse led the horse through the gate and closed out any space
between her and the rest of the world. He took her hand in his and shook it
firmly. The heat of his hand caused her to try to pull away.
    “This is a working ranch, Miranda.” Jesse ignored her attempt
to break free. “It may not look like much, but there is a viable business
here.”
    “Face facts, Jesse. You aren’t staying long and I can’t manage
this place by myself. Once your little bet is over, the livestock goes.”
    “This is a ranch—those animals belong here.” Jesse released her
hand and led the horse toward the stables. “If you win, and you won’t, but if
you did, you could at least hire a foreman.”
    “With what money? You seem to think I am rolling in it.”
    “You’re rolling in something.” Jesse smirked.
    Miranda ignored the comment and continued.
    “What makes you so certain I’m loaded?” Miranda placed her
hands on her hips and tapped an impatient foot.
    “Look at you! All decked out in your fancy clothes. Those sure
didn’t come off the rack at Walmart.”
    “You’re right. They came from Neiman Marcus.”
    “And you say you’re not rich.” Jesse dismissed her with the
wave of his hand and sauntered toward the stables. “I bet you don’t even know
the meaning of an honest day’s pay.”
    “You just lost your first bet,” Miranda yelled to his back. “I
was a sales associate.”
    “A sales associate?” Jesse stood where he was and stared
blankly at Miranda.
    “That’s right, Jesse. Just about all the clothes I own are
sales items which I never would have been able to afford if it wasn’t for my
employee discount.”
    “You mean you worked?” Jesse’s tone softened.
    “Of course I worked. I plan to work again once I get this place
in order. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, despite what you
think.”
    “And the truck and the boots?”
    “All things I bought to fit in better around here. Only it
seems to have the opposite effect when it comes to you.”
    “A sales girl at the mall doesn’t make that kind of money.
There’s more to it than that.”
    Miranda opened her mouth to tell him about the lottery when the
full force of his words hit her.
    “I was a bit more than a sales girl at the mall, and even if I
wasn’t, what is so wrong with being a sales girl, Mr. Earn an Honest
Living?”
    “I don’t know what to say.”
    “You’ve said enough to last a lifetime.” Miranda marched toward
the main house. “My money is none of your concern.”
    “I leave with the horses first thing in the morning,” Jesse
called after her. Now he was the one trying to keep up with her.
    “Where is this Blueford?” Miranda asked from the top step of
the porch.
    “Albany.”
    “Albany, New York?” Talk about one heck of a drive trailering
two horses.
    “Albany, Texas. About a four-and-half-hour drive north of
here.”
    “Oh.” Miranda felt so ignorant about the state. Where can I buy Texas for Dummies or at least a bigger map? “When do we leave?”
    “We? What’s this ‘we’?”
    Miranda cocked an eyebrow as she folded her arms in front of
her.
    “You certainly don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight, now
do you? I don’t trust you. Not with the ranch on the line.”
    “Whatever.” Jesse rolled his eyes. “You want to come, fine.
Stay out of my way, though. We’ll head out tomorrow.”
    “What time?”
    “Sunup. If you’re not out here by then, I’m leaving without
you.”

Chapter Five
    “Damn roosters!” Miranda sat upright in her sleeping
bag. Who needs an alarm clock with those blasted things
around?
    Still unable to reach Jonathan, she’d sent him an email last
night demanding answers and outlining the