about her decision.
Cole had been listening to the exchange in silence.
He glanced up at Jenny, who stood proudly and defiantly next to him.
"Are you absolutely certain that you don't want to
sell out and go back East?"
"Why does everybody keep asking me if I want to
sell? I'm not going to run away from my responsibilities here."
"If things get tough, you're not going to just up
and disappear?" Cole pressed. He felt a bit of shame
over the satisfaction he got when he saw her flinch at
his words.
"I'm not going anywhere," she declared.
After a moment, Cole gave a terse nod. "If this is
what Jenny wants to do, then we'll do it."
"But, Cole-Paul was having one hell of a Excuse me, Jenny Paul was having a lot of trouble
making ends meet. If he couldn't keep things running
smoothly at the Lazy S, how is one woman going
to-"
Cole silenced him with a sharp look. "I'll work with Jenny to see that everything is handled properly,
and that all debts are paid in a timely manner."
"You are the executor of the estate, Cole. As such,
you're in charge. Whatever you say goes." Judge
Lawson then looked at Jenny and directed his next
comments to her. "You should report to Cole directly.
He is the authority on Lazy S business."
"If that's the way my father wanted it, then that
will be fine," she agreed with less than enthusiasm.
It bothered Jenny greatly that she was indebted to
Cole for the help he'd given her father. She'd had no
idea that Cole and her father had remained such good
friends after the canceled wedding. There was no
doubt that Cole had little use for her. Establishing and
maintaining any kind of relationship with him would
not be easy for her, and she was certain that he felt
the same way. She would have to do her best to keep
any contact with Cole to an absolute minimum.
"Good," Marsden stated.
"Things will remain as they are, then. If any problems arise, just notify me." Judge Lawson turned and
spoke directly to Cole next. "And, Cole, you will be
diligent in performing all the duties appointed to
you?"
"I will," he told the judge.
"I will expect a report from you regularly."
"Yes, sir."
"I guess we're finished here for now, unless you
have any more questions, Miss Sullivan?" Marsden
announced.
"I think everything is settled," she said.
As Lawson and Marsden walked with Stevens into
the outer office, Jenny and Cole were left alone.
Jenny felt victorious. She had stood her ground
against these men, refusing to sell to Cole when it
would have been the easy way out. She knew her
father would have been proud of her. The Lazy S was
too important to be cast aside. There was too much
of her father in the ranch. She loved it, and she was
going to bring it back to its former glory.
"Is there anything you need from me?" Jenny asked
Cole.
"Not a thing," he answered coldly, and he meant it
as he rose to leave. There had been a time when he
had needed and wanted a lot from her, but not anymore.
For some reason, Cole's response bothered Jenny,
but she wasn't about to let him know it. She nodded
and started from the office.
"Fine. I'll be going. I'll let you know if I incur any
major expenses. With Louie there to help me run
things, everything should be all right."
Cole watched her as she turned her back on him
and, without another word, walked away. Something
about the proud way she carried herself impressed
him, in spite of himself. He didn't want to be impressed by her. He didn't want to feel anything for
her, but he did begrudgingly admire her determination
to try to save the ranch.
His gaze shifted lower then, and he found himself watching the sway of her hips as she left the office.
When he realized what he was doing and the direction
of his thoughts, he gave a silent curse and tore his
gaze away.
She meant nothing to him!
She was pretty, but so were a lot of other women.
It was only when she'd finally gone from the outer
office that he went to join the
Cole had been listening to the exchange in silence.
He glanced up at Jenny, who stood proudly and defiantly next to him.
"Are you absolutely certain that you don't want to
sell out and go back East?"
"Why does everybody keep asking me if I want to
sell? I'm not going to run away from my responsibilities here."
"If things get tough, you're not going to just up
and disappear?" Cole pressed. He felt a bit of shame
over the satisfaction he got when he saw her flinch at
his words.
"I'm not going anywhere," she declared.
After a moment, Cole gave a terse nod. "If this is
what Jenny wants to do, then we'll do it."
"But, Cole-Paul was having one hell of a Excuse me, Jenny Paul was having a lot of trouble
making ends meet. If he couldn't keep things running
smoothly at the Lazy S, how is one woman going
to-"
Cole silenced him with a sharp look. "I'll work with Jenny to see that everything is handled properly,
and that all debts are paid in a timely manner."
"You are the executor of the estate, Cole. As such,
you're in charge. Whatever you say goes." Judge
Lawson then looked at Jenny and directed his next
comments to her. "You should report to Cole directly.
He is the authority on Lazy S business."
"If that's the way my father wanted it, then that
will be fine," she agreed with less than enthusiasm.
It bothered Jenny greatly that she was indebted to
Cole for the help he'd given her father. She'd had no
idea that Cole and her father had remained such good
friends after the canceled wedding. There was no
doubt that Cole had little use for her. Establishing and
maintaining any kind of relationship with him would
not be easy for her, and she was certain that he felt
the same way. She would have to do her best to keep
any contact with Cole to an absolute minimum.
"Good," Marsden stated.
"Things will remain as they are, then. If any problems arise, just notify me." Judge Lawson turned and
spoke directly to Cole next. "And, Cole, you will be
diligent in performing all the duties appointed to
you?"
"I will," he told the judge.
"I will expect a report from you regularly."
"Yes, sir."
"I guess we're finished here for now, unless you
have any more questions, Miss Sullivan?" Marsden
announced.
"I think everything is settled," she said.
As Lawson and Marsden walked with Stevens into
the outer office, Jenny and Cole were left alone.
Jenny felt victorious. She had stood her ground
against these men, refusing to sell to Cole when it
would have been the easy way out. She knew her
father would have been proud of her. The Lazy S was
too important to be cast aside. There was too much
of her father in the ranch. She loved it, and she was
going to bring it back to its former glory.
"Is there anything you need from me?" Jenny asked
Cole.
"Not a thing," he answered coldly, and he meant it
as he rose to leave. There had been a time when he
had needed and wanted a lot from her, but not anymore.
For some reason, Cole's response bothered Jenny,
but she wasn't about to let him know it. She nodded
and started from the office.
"Fine. I'll be going. I'll let you know if I incur any
major expenses. With Louie there to help me run
things, everything should be all right."
Cole watched her as she turned her back on him
and, without another word, walked away. Something
about the proud way she carried herself impressed
him, in spite of himself. He didn't want to be impressed by her. He didn't want to feel anything for
her, but he did begrudgingly admire her determination
to try to save the ranch.
His gaze shifted lower then, and he found himself watching the sway of her hips as she left the office.
When he realized what he was doing and the direction
of his thoughts, he gave a silent curse and tore his
gaze away.
She meant nothing to him!
She was pretty, but so were a lot of other women.
It was only when she'd finally gone from the outer
office that he went to join the
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