And their attitude was definitely more of buying it "for her" rather then buying it "together." Odd that. Well, maybe not. These people were family. She was the center of their unusual family. He was both comfortable and uncomfortable with that.
Again, he felt lower than snake scum for what he was doing to all of them. This was business, normal business for him. Not for them, though. This was someone coming in and taking away their livelihoods. Someone coming in and hurting a woman they all cared about.
Another blast of cold air hit him hard and made his teeth chatter. He'd have to think about the problem with the ranch later. Right now he needed to deal with this problem. He punched in the speed dial number that went directly to his head attorney.
* * *
Several hours after the men had left Shawna stood just inside Bessy's stall in the warm stable. She hadn't been able to spend another minute in her room, even in her small house, which she normally loved. It had taken nearly every last ounce of strength she had to get dressed and walk out here, but she'd done it. Her legs were weak. Her head felt fuzzy. But she'd gotten out of that darn prison-like sickroom.
Even though she knew her body would make her pay for this later, she was pleased with herself. She faced her usually high-spirited horse. Bessy was being very patient, although her nostrils kept twitching at the smell of the treat in Shawna's hand. Finally, Shawna held up an apple and her beloved horse quickly snagged it, making Shawna laugh as Bessy's nose tickled her palm. God, how long has it been since I've laughed? Easy. Since before Cade Calloway entered her life that fateful Thanksgiving less than two months back. Since before he'd announced the end of the world she knew.
Cade. The stubborn man had insisted on going with Scott out to the field from which the cattle had been rustled. He was a boardroom kind of man, not a cattleman. He wouldn't have a clue to what they would be looking for. Hell, he'd probably get in the way of her hands. Her hands? No. They were her friends, but they were Cade's ranch hands...just as he'd pointed out. The ranch belonged to him. The cattle and most of the horses were his. Not Bessy and not the personal horses belonging to her rodeo buddies. Still, most of everything she looked at every day belonged to a man she barely knew. A man, who in spite of that, made her tingle all over whenever he was anywhere nearby. Granted some of the "tingling" was often due to fury at something he said. But she wasn't naive. She knew most of the "tingling" had to do with the fact that she wanted him. How sad was she?
"We're in a real pickle here, Bessy." She stroked the velvety nose that bumped her shoulder. "We're going to lose our home. And there doesn't seem to be a dadblamed thing I can do about it."
She sniffled and blinked back the tears that seemed constantly ready to fall. She wasn't the kind of woman who cried easily. She'd faced terrible losses in her life: losing her mother before she could know her, losing her father, and recently breaking up with the rancher she'd thought she would marry. She'd made it through all of it okay, with internal bruises and heartaches. Somehow she'd handle this loss, too. But it hurt. A lot.
Bessy nuzzled her again, clearly wanting attention, and Shawna smiled. She lightly scratched the long nose. "I called the banker again before I came out here." She swallowed hard at the disheartening conversation they'd had. "He said even if I used my small inheritance from Dad, took money from Grandpa's trust fund, and..." She looked at Bessy through watery eyes, saying miserably. "And if I sold you..."
Her voice broke on a sob. "It still wouldn't add up to anything close enough for a downpayment to get the kind of loan I'd need." A loan that was staggering even to consider.
She glanced toward the stable filled with her rodeo buddies' horses. "The men can't come up with near enough, either. And I know they've all
Again, he felt lower than snake scum for what he was doing to all of them. This was business, normal business for him. Not for them, though. This was someone coming in and taking away their livelihoods. Someone coming in and hurting a woman they all cared about.
Another blast of cold air hit him hard and made his teeth chatter. He'd have to think about the problem with the ranch later. Right now he needed to deal with this problem. He punched in the speed dial number that went directly to his head attorney.
* * *
Several hours after the men had left Shawna stood just inside Bessy's stall in the warm stable. She hadn't been able to spend another minute in her room, even in her small house, which she normally loved. It had taken nearly every last ounce of strength she had to get dressed and walk out here, but she'd done it. Her legs were weak. Her head felt fuzzy. But she'd gotten out of that darn prison-like sickroom.
Even though she knew her body would make her pay for this later, she was pleased with herself. She faced her usually high-spirited horse. Bessy was being very patient, although her nostrils kept twitching at the smell of the treat in Shawna's hand. Finally, Shawna held up an apple and her beloved horse quickly snagged it, making Shawna laugh as Bessy's nose tickled her palm. God, how long has it been since I've laughed? Easy. Since before Cade Calloway entered her life that fateful Thanksgiving less than two months back. Since before he'd announced the end of the world she knew.
Cade. The stubborn man had insisted on going with Scott out to the field from which the cattle had been rustled. He was a boardroom kind of man, not a cattleman. He wouldn't have a clue to what they would be looking for. Hell, he'd probably get in the way of her hands. Her hands? No. They were her friends, but they were Cade's ranch hands...just as he'd pointed out. The ranch belonged to him. The cattle and most of the horses were his. Not Bessy and not the personal horses belonging to her rodeo buddies. Still, most of everything she looked at every day belonged to a man she barely knew. A man, who in spite of that, made her tingle all over whenever he was anywhere nearby. Granted some of the "tingling" was often due to fury at something he said. But she wasn't naive. She knew most of the "tingling" had to do with the fact that she wanted him. How sad was she?
"We're in a real pickle here, Bessy." She stroked the velvety nose that bumped her shoulder. "We're going to lose our home. And there doesn't seem to be a dadblamed thing I can do about it."
She sniffled and blinked back the tears that seemed constantly ready to fall. She wasn't the kind of woman who cried easily. She'd faced terrible losses in her life: losing her mother before she could know her, losing her father, and recently breaking up with the rancher she'd thought she would marry. She'd made it through all of it okay, with internal bruises and heartaches. Somehow she'd handle this loss, too. But it hurt. A lot.
Bessy nuzzled her again, clearly wanting attention, and Shawna smiled. She lightly scratched the long nose. "I called the banker again before I came out here." She swallowed hard at the disheartening conversation they'd had. "He said even if I used my small inheritance from Dad, took money from Grandpa's trust fund, and..." She looked at Bessy through watery eyes, saying miserably. "And if I sold you..."
Her voice broke on a sob. "It still wouldn't add up to anything close enough for a downpayment to get the kind of loan I'd need." A loan that was staggering even to consider.
She glanced toward the stable filled with her rodeo buddies' horses. "The men can't come up with near enough, either. And I know they've all
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