Made For The Rancher. Rebecca Winters

see Mr. Clayton. Is he here?”

      “He’s just leaving. Did you have an appointment?”

      “No.”

      “May I tell him who’s calling?”

      “Jasmine Telford.”

      “Come in.” Jasmine followed her through the entry hall to the living room. “Wait here. I’ll get him.”

      Jasmine looked around the beautifully decorated room. It was straight out of the pages of True West magazine.

      “Ms. Telford?”

      Wymon’s deep voice set her heart racing before she turned around to see the handsome rancher enter the room, wearing his cowboy hat. She’d been told she’d caught him on his way out. It was pure luck that he was still there.

      “I know I’m the last person you ever expected to see again, and I don’t want to hold you up. But I was just released from the hospital and wanted to thank you again before I left for Philipsburg. This is for you,” she said, handing him the gift.

      He took it from her. “You shouldn’t be giving me anything.”

      She smiled. “Let’s agree not to argue about it. You and I both know what you did. Please, accept this with my heartfelt gratitude.”

      Their eyes held for a moment before he took off the wrapping. When he let the blanket unfold, she knew she’d picked the right one for him. She could see the pleasure in his silvery eyes.

      “You have excellent taste. Thank you.”

      “You’re welcome. Well, I’d better be going.”

      He studied her face. “Give Mr. Farnsworth my best. I’m sure you’ll both be happy to get home and put that plane crash behind you.”

      It already was behind her. She’d hoped Mr. Clayton would want to talk to her for a few more minutes, but he was on his way out with other things on his mind. Worse, he assumed she and Rob were still a couple.

      Mr. Clayton didn’t know anything about her relationship with Rob. At this point she didn’t dare blurt out that they wouldn’t be seeing each other anymore. As if Mr. Clayton cared...

      “Thanks again,” she said and gave him a wave before exiting the door. Once in the car she told her parents she’d given him the gift. “He’s a busy man and was on his way out. That’s why I didn’t invite you in to meet him.”

      Her mom smiled at her. “I’m sure he appreciated the gift.”

      “I think he did. Thanks for bringing me here.”

      On the way back to Philipsburg she unloaded about Rob. “Right before the crash he asked me to marry him, but I had to turn him down. Right after I told him that, the hawk hit the propeller. It was awful!”

      Her emotions got the best of her, and tears started running down her cheeks.

      “Oh, darling,” her mother said sympathetically, turning around in her seat.

      “Sorry. I really don’t want to think about it anymore. As for Rob, I do like him a lot, but I’m not in love with him. I know he’ll meet someone someday who wants the same things in life and will jump at the chance to be his wife. I’m just not that person.”

      “It’s better you found out now, honey,” her mother said.

      “I didn’t know how strongly I felt until we took off in his new plane. He couldn’t stop talking about his work. I thought we were going on a mini vacation to get away from his deadlines, but he told me he had business in Seattle. That’s when I realized his work is like an obsession with him.”

      “Some people are made that way,” her father stated.

      “Some people aren’t! I’m afraid I’m one of those.” Her dad laughed and she continued, “All I know is, I can’t live with his energy and won’t be attending his rally. He’s hoping I’ll change my mind, but I won’t. I know you two like him a lot and are probably disappointed.”

      Her mother looked back at her. “You’re the one who has to live with him. If he isn’t your be-all, end-all, then the last thing we’d want is to condemn you to an unhappy marriage. One day the right man will show up when you least expect it.”

      With that statement, Jasmine felt chills run up and down her spine.

      * * *

      WYMON STOOD THERE holding the blanket in his hands. How he wished Jasmine Telford hadn’t come by the ranch house just now! If he hadn’t stopped to eat breakfast first, he would have missed her. To see her again this soon hadn’t given him enough time to get over his feelings for her. Now this!

      He examined the elegant blanket she’d handpicked for him. His gut told him this hadn’t been Representative Farnsworth’s idea.

      Wymon figured the other man didn’t have a clue that she’d bought him a present, certainly not one that suited him so perfectly. Her parents must have driven her to the ranch before taking her home because her boyfriend was still in the hospital recovering from his concussion.

      After wadding up the wrapping paper, Wymon left through the front door and headed for his truck. He put the blanket and paper on the seat next to him and drove to the pasture to join the stockmen. But the whole way there he was haunted by the woman who’d come to mean so much to him in such a short time. He could feel the depth of her gratitude down to his bones. Damn, damn, damn.

      For the rest of the week he divided his time between ranch work and his talks with various members of the coalition. To his chagrin, no matter how hard he worked, Jasmine Telford kept invading his thoughts until he was just about driven out of his mind.

      A big mistake was putting the new blanket on Titus. Now there was a connection with her he could feel every time he mounted his horse. It reminded him of putting one of his blankets around her at the crash site. Had that been the reason she’d chosen this particular gift for him? Somehow he had to throw this off, but heaven help him, he didn’t know how.

      * * *

      THE DAY OF the rodeo, Wymon had ranch business in Missoula and was going to be late if he didn’t hurry. When he got in his truck, he reached behind the visor before realizing the really good sunglasses he used for driving long distances weren’t there.

      Where had they gone?

      He didn’t have time to stop in town for another pair and would have to purchase new ones later.

      After the morning meeting with the president of the Cattlemen’s Association, he swung by the veterinary hospital. Roce was waiting for him so they could drive together for the hour-and-a-half trip to Philipsburg to meet up with Toly for the rodeo.

      “What happened at the meeting?”

      “The committee wants to put up my name as president elect of the association.”

      “Congratulations, bro.”

      “Save it, Roce. I told them no.”

      “Why? You’d be a breath of fresh air.”

      He shook his head. “Since the grizzly decision was put off a month, I need this time to rally more support and donors before our next meeting with the governor. I don’t have time to think about the Cattlemen’s Association right now.”