“Now, you listen to me, girl,” her uncle blustered. “I don’t like that tone of voice.”
“Get. Out.” If she had to use a gun, she would. Uncle or no, he had no right to bad-mouth her father, God rest his soul.
“So be it.” Her uncle stalked across the room and turned when he reached the door. He jabbed a finger at her. “You’re going to run this place into the ground. You mark my words.”
“Maybe so, but it’s my place to run into the ground, not yours.”
“This land has been in the Grainger family for over one hundred years and should have stayed in the family. You’re nothin’ but a girl. You don’t stand a chance. When it goes up in smoke, don’t expect me to bail you out.”
REED OPENED the screen for Mona’s uncle, his brows high on his forehead. “You were leaving?”
“Don’t get smart with me, young man. You’ll be out of work within a week and I can guarantee you won’t find another job in this county.”
With a smile plastered to his face, Reed waved toward the open door, refusing to rise to the man’s threat.
Once Mona’s uncle left, Reed turned to the sheriff, his anger rising. A useless excuse for law enforcement, Parker Lee wouldn’t survive a day on the Chicago police force. He’d be shot in the back by one of his own men. Then again, he’d never have been hired. Lee didn’t have what it took—integrity.
“You shouldn’t be so hard on your uncle. He’s right, you know.” Sheriff Lee turned a sneering glance at Reed. “I’m surprised Mona hired you. Especially since you can’t seem to hold a job.”
To Reed’s surprise, Mona’s face softened into a sensual smile. “Who said I hired him?” She walked across the floor and hooked an arm around Reed’s waist. “Reed lives here.”
With supreme effort, Reed forced his expression to be casual, calm, not flat-out shocked. He pulled her close against him and dropped a kiss to the top of her hair. No perfumes clogged his senses, just the simple smell of soap and herbal shampoo rose up to greet him. She fit against him like she was meant to be there. He kinda liked it. “Do we need to spell it out for you?” He stared across the wooden floor at Parker Lee.
A muscle in the sheriff’s jaw twitched before he responded. “Just remember, she was mine before she even knew you.”
Mona’s body tensed against Reed’s. “I was never yours. Any relationship we might have had is in the past. And, trust me, I’ll always remember it as a huge lapse in my judgment.”
The man’s face burned a mottled red before he turned on his heel and marched through the door. Without another word, he climbed into the custom SUV with Sheriff painted in bold letters on each side and spun out of the gravel driveway.
“I don’t suppose he’ll be of much help finding the cattle rustlers, do you?” Mona stared after the sheriff, still standing in the curve of Reed’s arm. Then as if she remembered where she was, she stepped away, her face coloring a pretty shade of rosy pink beneath her natural tan. “I’m sorry. I just put you on the spot.” A smile curved her lips, humor adding a twinkle to her deep brown-black eyes. “Thanks for going along with my little ruse.”
“So, you and Sheriff Lee were an item?”
“Over five months ago. And we only went out for a month. I wouldn’t call us an item.”
“Still, he thinks he has squatting rights.”
“Some men don’t get the hint, even when it’s flung square in their faces. Parker Lee considers me one of his conquests and he doesn’t like to lose.” She shrugged. “I’m afraid I’ve made you a powerful enemy in this county.”
“I’m not sweating it. I’ve seen how the sheriff operates.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I don’t remember seeing you on the police force.”
“I worked nights.”
“Why’d you quit?”
“I had my reasons.”
She nodded. “I get it. Don’t ask.”
“Do you have any regrets knowing I quit the sheriff’s department?”
“No. In fact it makes me even more certain I hired the right man. Since I opened my mouth to Parker, you’d better move your gear from the bunkhouse into the main house. Rosa!”
The small Hispanic woman stood framed in the doorway as if she’d anticipated Mona’s call. “Sí, hija.”
“Mr. Bryson will be staying in the house. Would you mind putting fresh sheets on the guest bed?”
The older woman shot Reed a penetrating look. “Are you sure he can be trusted?”
Mona tipped her head to the side and stared at Reed. “Can you?”
With her looking at him with a spark in her dark eyes, Reed wasn’t so sure himself. She was beautiful in both an earthy and exotic way, with no need for makeup or fancy clothing. At that moment, he wanted to leave before he did something stupid like develop a hankerin’ for this woman who insisted on waging a battle against all odds. But to leave her now didn’t sit right in Reed’s book. She was one woman trying to do it all.
“I’m a man of my word.” He shifted his hat to his other hand. “Now let me get this straight. My job is to help find your cattle rustlers?”
“That’s right.”
“What about Parker Lee?”
“If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you’d continue playing the part of my live-in to keep him off my back.”
Not that he wanted anything out of her but his paycheck, but Reed couldn’t help asking, “What’s in it for me?”
“You get to eat Rosa’s good cooking instead of fending for yourself with the boys in the bunkhouse.”
Reed’s mouth twisted. “Having had the opportunity to taste their cooking, I’d be honored to pretend to be your boyfriend.”
Rosa crossed her arms over her chest. “Just remember, there are three people in this house besides you. Don’t try anything with Miss Mona, or you’ll have to answer to me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He turned to Mona. “Is there anything else I should know?”
Mona chewed her lip for a moment before shaking her head. “No.”
“Yes, there is.” Rosa moved forward to stand beside Mona. “Tell him.”
“No.” Mona’s face flushed and a thin sheen of perspiration coated her skin. “It’s none of his business.”
Curious now, Reed waited.
“If he’s to help protect you and Rancho Linda, he needs to know everything.”
“That’s right.” Reed didn’t like the way Mona fidgeted. What else was she hiding?
“No.” She wrapped an arm around her belly, her face turning a sickly shade of gray-green. “None of the hands know and the fewer people who do know the better.”
Rosa grabbed Mona’s arms. “You can’t continue to ignore the fact and, if you’re not careful, you’ll hurt yourself and…others. Look at you. You can’t even keep food down.”
“It doesn’t change anything. I still have a job to do and I will find the cattle rustlers.”
“You need to tell him.”
“No.” Tears welled in her eyes and she shot a panicked look at Reed. “Ah hell.” Mona clamped a hand to her mouth and ran from the room.