“The sexy ranch owner wouldn’t have anything to do with your vote, would it?” Sara teased.
“No, but I can’t say that I’d mind getting caught in the rain—or anywhere else with him. He is hot.”
“Not to mention rich and single,” Sara said.
“Better than all that, he seems like a really nice guy,” Mildred said. “They’re hard to come by.”
It was one of the few times Mildred had joined the conversation since they left Austin. She had asked Carolina not to mention their run-in with Thad to the others, and Carolina had agreed that was for the best. Mildred didn’t need a lot of questions thrown at her about her past experiences with her ex.
“How old do you think Jake is?” Peg asked.
“Maybe early fifties,” Sara said. “What do you think, Carolina?”
“I’d say that’s probably about right.”
“I don’t know,” Peg said. “Those are not the biceps or butt of a middle-aged man.”
“Good grief,” Sara exclaimed. “What does age have to do with it? George Clooney, Kevin Costner, Colin Firth. My husband, Jess. All hunks past fifty.”
“Doesn’t just apply to men,” Mildred added. “Case in point: Carolina. Remember the magazine article last year that declared her one of Texas’s most beautiful and altruistic women?”
“A major exaggeration,” Carolina said, as the others gave her a wahoo. “And for the record, I don’t plan to spend a second of my time trying to impress Jake Dalton.”
“Guess that leaves him to you and me, Mildred,” Peg said, likely only half joking.
“Then he’s all yours,” Mildred said. “I like the single life.”
Carolina turned at the entrance of the Silver Spur. The double gate of entwined metal links incorporated the images of two life-size rearing horses and the name of the ranch.
Sara stretched her neck to see more. “Wow. Impressive.”
Carolina lowered her car window, pressed the call button that was mounted on a metal stand and looked into the lens of a security camera.
A few seconds later, a friendly female voice responded. “Hello. Welcome to the Silver Spur.”
“Thanks. I’m Carolina Lambert, with the Saddle-Up project.”
“Carolina Lambert,” a female voice repeated, followed by a few seconds of silence. “The real Carolina Lambert?”
“I’m not sure who you’re expecting, but I am real.”
“I recognize you now. You know, from the pictures I see of you in the newspaper. Just last month you hosted that big fund-raiser for the children’s hospital in Dallas.”
“Yes, and thanks to a lot of very generous Texas donors, we surpassed our expectations. We’re here to tour the ranch,” she said. “Mr. Dalton said you’d be expecting us.”
“He just said some ladies were driving out from Austin. He didn’t say it was you. And I’m just blabbering on. Sorry. I’m Edna, Jake Dalton’s housekeeper. You ladies just follow the main road back to the house and we’ll have some proper introductions. I’ll put the coffee on.”
“Please don’t go to any trouble for us.”
“Coffee’s no trouble. Can’t miss the main house. Two story. White. Dark green shutters. Big covered porch.”
“Is Mr. Dalton here this afternoon?”
“He’s not back from the city yet, but Tilson can show you around. He’s young, but one of the nicest wranglers you’ll ever meet and he knows the spread like the back of his hand.”
“I’m sure Tilson will be more than adequate.”
The gate clicked, then swung open. Carolina shifted the gearshift into Drive and eased over the bumpy cattle gap. The gate creaked slightly as it automatically closed and locked behind them.
“Nice setup,” Sara said. “I can’t wait to see the house.”
“Only thing missing is the boss man himself,” Peg added. “Bummer.”
So far, so good, Carolina decided as she stared at rolling pastures and the wooded areas that bordered them. The Silver Spur without Jake Dalton would work just fine.
* * *
“A SEVERE WEATHER watch will be in effect for Travis, Hays and Blanco counties from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Be on the lookout for heavy rain and flash flooding in low-lying areas.”
Jake turned down the volume on his truck radio and used the hands-free Bluetooth connection to call Lizzie. Weather anxiety skirted the other issues of the day as he waited for his daughter to answer her phone. When she didn’t, he left a message.
“Storm is rolling in fast. I should be back to the ranch in about fifteen minutes. Hopefully you’re there, as well, or at least somewhere safe. Call me as soon as you get this message.”
When he broke the connection, he called his house. Edna answered on the fourth ring. After a quick hello he asked if the Saddle-Up team had defied the threatening storm and actually driven out to the ranch that afternoon.
“Yes, a couple of hours ago. I nearly passed out when I looked to see who was at the gate and Carolina Lambert was staring back at me.”
He knew the feeling, only he hadn’t been looking at a camera image. “I take it you pulled yourself together enough to let them in.”
“Of course, but I can’t believe you didn’t tell me she was the Saddle-Up leader.”
“I didn’t know you were a Carolina Lambert groupie.”
“Pshaw. I’m too old to be a groupie. But she’s famous. She attended a party at the White House once. I read that online.”
“Guess that makes her a celebrity.”
“She’s not a bit stuck-up. All that money, and I swear she showed up here in a pair of Wranglers, worn cowboy boots and an ordinary white T-shirt. Just like regular people.”
At least she’d changed out of that skirt that had inched up her thighs before she toured the ranch. He needed his wranglers working, not ogling.
“I hope the women left the ranch in time to make it back to Austin before the storm hits full force.”
“They haven’t left. They’re still out with Tilson.”
He swallowed a curse. Just what he needed. Carolina stuck at his house waiting out a storm. If they made it back to the house before it hit. “Did Tilson take them in one of the pickup trucks?”
“No. They wanted to go on horseback. I’m starting to worry about them, though. I haven’t seen any lightning yet, but the thunder is sure rumbling and clouds are getting dark.”
“Do you know where Lizzie is?”
“She’s with Tilson and the ladies.”
That did not sound like his daughter. “How did that happen?”
“Mrs. Lambert started asking her about the horses and the next thing I knew, Lizzie was headed to the horse barn with them. I haven’t seen her since, so she must have decided to stay with the group.”
Inspiring Lizzie to do anything that didn’t include social media, texting or hanging out with her friends was a major accomplishment. If Lizzie was actually with them and hadn’t slipped away from the ranch without mentioning it to Edna.
“I’ll be home in a few minutes,” he said. “Take care and stay inside. If you see Lizzie, tell her I said not to leave the house again.”