Claiming Her Cowboy. Tina Radcliffe
scent of his aunt’s lavender perfume carried him back years. “I miss him, too, Aunt Meri,” he whispered.
His father’s words from when Jack left New York raced through his thoughts. When we lost your brother and your mother left, your aunt was there for both of us. This is an opportunity for you to be there for her. She won’t ask, but Meri needs help.
He swallowed hard as he stared at his brother’s smiling face. “I’ll go to the ranch, Aunt Meredith.”
Jack grimaced when he realized that the words had actually slipped from his lips. When his aunt’s face lit up, he knew that it was much too late to take them back.
“Oh, Jackson, I knew I could count on you to do the right thing. I’ll call Lucy immediately.”
The right thing.
For a moment, he’d let his guard down and sentiment had strong-armed him. Jack took a deep breath. He suspected his orderly life was about to be blown wide-open, and he placed the blame squarely at the feet of Little Lucy Sunshine, the director of Big Heart Ranch.
“I need a favor.” Lucy stood in the doorway of the children’s therapist and child care director of the Big Heart Ranch office. It belonged to her sister, Emma.
“Good morning to you,” Emma said. She tidied the bookshelf in her already immaculate office and turned to Lucy. “What sort of favor?”
“Can you handle my calls for a couple of hours? I have to start a new volunteer.”
“Sure. Only because then I can remind you that you need to hire an assistant.”
“Not going to happen.”
Lucy glanced at a platter of chocolate muffins artfully arranged on a table. “You made muffins? Like you don’t have enough to do?” She nodded toward the portable cribs set up in the back of the huge room. Inside, her twelve-month-old twin nieces slumbered, thumbs in mouth and bottoms in the air.
Emma shrugged. “So tell me what happened at the Brisbane Foundation yesterday.”
Lucy grabbed a muffin and peeled back the paper. “Meredith said to tell you hello.”
“Was that before or after she handed you a sizable donation check?”
“Things didn’t exactly work out that way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Meredith has a new attorney who hasn’t approved the funding. I’m sure everything will be taken care of soon.”
Emma sank into a chair and nervously fingered her braid. “Lucy, we need to finalize our budget. I don’t understand what the holdup is. She sent us preliminary numbers weeks ago.”
Lucy met her sister’s worried gaze. “The attorney is doing things differently.”
“Is Travis aware?” Emma asked quietly.
“Yes. But you know Travis. All he cares about is the cows.”
Emma glanced at the calendar and cringed. “This puts everything on hold.”
“I know. Which brings me to the other news.” Lucy dusted off her hands. “Leo quit.”
“What? Why? He’s our best ranch hand.”
“He was offered more money at a ranch in Driscoll. I simply can’t match the offer.”
“So we’ll hire someone else.”
“I’m not going to hire anyone until the budget situation is resolved. In fact, I may have to lay off staff if we don’t get the Brisbane Foundation backing by the end of summer.” She met Emma’s gaze. “All expenditures outside of the day-to-day ranch maintenance are on hold.”
“What about the gala? I’ve already placed deposits for caterers, waitstaff and flowers. Not to mention the entertainment. Meredith always funds the gala.”
“The gala is low on my worry list. Let’s try to focus on what’s really important. The kids.”
Emma nodded.
“The Lord has been the financial backing for Big Heart Ranch since day one,” she said. “This is His ranch. These are His children. He will continue to provide more than we can ask or imagine. Right?”
“Right,” Emma said. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Lucy took a bite of the muffin and glanced toward the parking lot.
“Was there something else?”
“Yes.”
Travis stuck his head in the door. “That new volunteer is here, asking for you, Lucy.” He offered her a conspiratorial wink.
“Thanks, Travis. I’ll be right out.”
“What was that all about?” Emma asked. “And who’s this new volunteer?”
“Jackson Harris.”
“Who is Jackson Harris?”
“Meredith’s nephew and her new attorney.”
“What?”
“Perfect timing, isn’t it? He’ll replace Leo.”
“No one can replace Leo. He did the work of three ranch hands.” Emma stood and walked to the window.
“All the same, we should be grateful to have the help for the summer.”
“I’m confused. Why would Meredith’s nephew agree to volunteer on the ranch when it sounds like he’s opposed to giving us the funding?”
“His aunt is very persuasive.” She turned to Emma. “No one is to know that he’s from the Brisbane Foundation.”
“Why does Travis know?”
“He was here last night when the call came through from Meredith.”
“Why the secrecy?”
“Mr. Harris is vetting us. I want his experience here to be positive. He needs to know we have nothing to hide. It’s the only chance we have that he’ll change his mind.”
“Is that him?” Emma asked.
Lucy peeked over her sister’s shoulder at the tall attorney whose back was to them as he talked to Travis.
“Yes. That’s Jackson Harris.”
Emma chuckled. “Look at him, all shiny and new in his designer jeans, Italian leather shoes and that dry-cleaner-starched shirt. Lucy, why would you take on a city slicker?”
“I’m not in a position to be choosy.”
“Can he even ride a horse?”
“Meredith says he can.”
Lucy edged closer to the window. When Jackson Harris turned around, she caught her breath.
“Oh, my,” Emma said, her face lighting up. “Well, I suppose you could do worse.”
Lucy turned to her sister. “What do you mean, I could do worse?”
“The man is mighty fine-looking, that’s for sure. And you’ll be working closely with him all summer, dear sister.”
“Don’t get any ideas. If I was looking for a man in my life, it certainly would not be another temporary cowboy.” She shook her head. “I have most definitely already been there and done that. And I have an empty house in the woods to prove it.”
“Just remember that sometimes the Lord brings us what we need, not what we want.”
Lucy tossed the muffin liner in the