“Give it up, DuMaine. You’re not serious about George.”
This conversation was making less and less sense as it went on, but Hope bristled at the derision and the demand in Jake’s voice. She really hated it when somebody tried to tell her what she thought or felt. Whatever his problem was, she wasn’t going to allow Jake McBride to take it out on her or on George.
“Well, unlike some people, he’s always been extremely sweet to me,” she said.
Jake’s face turned an even darker red. His nostrils flared and his hands curled into fists. “That’s no reason to marry a man old enough to be your grandfather.”
“M-marry him?” Hope sputtered, looking from Jake to George and back to Jake. Good lord, what exactly had George said to him? She’d have to thrash it out with him later. “My plans are none of your business.”
Shaking his head, Jake grumbled something unintelligible, then stood up so fast his chair scraped the linoleum floor like a fingernail down a chalkboard. “I’ve gotta say, the two of you make quite a pair. I hope you’ll be damn happy together.”
With that, he left the room, slamming the back door behind him.
Hope turned on George. “What on earth was that all about?”
George cackled wickedly. “Aw, I was just havin’ a little fun with Jake. Sure gets pompous, don’t he?”
Her throat too tight to speak, Hope nodded.
“And imagine him thinkin’ you were after my money.” George chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll bet you could buy me a hundred times and not even feel a pinch in your pocketbook.”
“Why that…” Hope muttered as the truth of what George was saying sank into her brain. “He really thinks I’m a gold digger. Doesn’t he?”
“Yeah, that’s why he asked about your book sales,” George said. “Didn’t you get that?”
“No, it all happened so fast and I was too busy trying to figure what you were doing.” She smacked her palm against her forehead. “Oh, duh, DuMaine.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ve got him runnin’ scared. Serves him right for thinkin’ so poorly of you.”
Hope’s heart contracted painfully, then filled with a burning, righteous anger she knew only too well. George was right. Only Jake deserved worse than to be running scared. For thinking such awful things about her, he deserved to lose the Double Circle.
“As long as I fulfill your conditions are you still willing to sell me the Double Circle for fair market value?” she asked.
“Hell, yes.” George stuck out his hand. “Deal?”
She took his hand and shook it. “Deal.”
She’d needed a major life change for a long time, and now she was going to make it. She was going to get out of L.A. and move to Sunshine Gap. She was going to take a pen name and write historical novels. She was going to live a simpler, more meaningful life at a slower, saner pace. She was going to make real friends, be a part of a real community and have a real home. Dammit, she was going to belong here if she had to give up her fake fingernails and hair dye to do it.
And Jake McBride could take his low opinion of her and sit on it.
Chapter Three
Hot, tired and sweaty after an afternoon of mending fences, Jake packed his tools into his saddlebags, mounted his quarter horse gelding, and turned back toward the house. Spotting a flash of red near the road, Jake reined in, then wheeled Rebel around in a circle for a better look.
A jogger. Coming from the direction of the Double Circle. Only one person crazy enough to be out here running in the middle of August when the heat and the dust were at their worst.
Hope DuMaine.
Wasn’t that convenient? During the past month he’d seen her driving on the county road and a couple of times in town, but he hadn’t talked to her. Certainly not when she was half-naked and glowing with perspiration. His mouth watered. Hell.
Avoiding her had been so easy since that morning at George’s house, he figured she was avoiding him, as well. Much as he’d like to go right on avoiding her, today he had things he needed to say to her.
If he didn’t strangle her with his bare hands first.
Man, she was really moving. She must run on a regular basis in order to go so fast. Even though he thought she was nuts to do it, he had to admire her self-discipline.
When he hadn’t heard even a whisper of gossip about an engagement or a wedding in a couple of weeks, Jake had told himself George must’ve come to his senses. Or maybe Hope had come to hers. Or maybe they’d just been giving him a bad time all along and hadn’t ever planned to get married in the first place.
And while Jake had been thinking he had plenty of time to change George’s mind about selling, Hope DuMaine had gone and bought the Double Circle right out from under him. Dammit, she’d bought his ranch. The sneaky, conniving little witch had even paid cash for it. He didn’t know which galled him worse.
According to his source in the real estate office, she’d bought everything—the land, buildings, equipment and animals, which meant she’d had a couple of million dollars handy. Okay, so now he knew she hadn’t needed to marry George for his money. She’d still bought the one thing Jake had ever wanted for himself—the Double Circle Ranch. His sanctuary.
He’d never forgive her for that. Or George.
Hell, he’d have bettered any offer she made for the Double Circle. Of course, he couldn’t lay out so much cash all at once, but what the heck did George need with that kind of money? Once the taxes were paid, he’d probably lose money doing it Hope’s way.
When Jake thought of all the hours he’d spent helping that cantankerous old man over the years, it hurt to know his friendship meant so little to George. But, business was business. Right?
Dammit, it never would’ve happened if Hope hadn’t butted her nose in where it didn’t belong. If she’d just gone back to California…
Insides clenched tight against a hot wave of fury, Jake turned Rebel toward the fence line and kicked him into a ground-eating lope. When she saw him coming, Hope hesitated but kept on running until they met on opposite sides of the barbed wire. She wore skimpy running shorts with a red sports bra and a green baseball cap.
Her skin glistened with perspiration; her body radiated a healthy energy Jake found incredibly sexy in spite of his anger.
Maybe she really was a witch. He’d never met another woman who made him mad enough to eat nails and turned him on at the same time. The inconsistency in his own behavior added fuel to his anger.
Chest heaving, she tipped up the brim of her cap and gave him a bland smile. “Hello, Jake. How are you?”
He glared down at her for all he was worth. “How the hell do you think I am?”
Big blue eyes calm as if she were sipping tea with a close friend, Hope raised and lowered one shoulder in an I-really-don’t-care shrug. “Taking a wild guess, I’d say you’re upset about something.”
“Upset?” Cutting loose with an ugly laugh, Jake dismounted. “Honey, upset doesn’t even start to cover it.” He dropped the reins, squeezed himself through the strands of barbed wire and stalked right up to her. “Why did you do it?”
Her chin came up and she held her ground, as if daring him even to try to intimidate her. He had to give her full credit for gutsiness. “Why did I buy the Double Circle?”
“That’s right. You knew damn well I wanted it.”
“Too bad, McBride,”