Chasing Morgan(3)

Again, she thought of Tyler and pushed his face out of her mind.

“It won’t be long now before you have a new baby. Your wife is well.”

Your wife is well. Not a question, a statement. Something about this woman wasn’t quite right. Jack felt like he knew her, but he’d never seen her before in his life. Unforgettable, he’d never forget her.

“Yeah, she’s fine. We’re excited about the baby. Our boys are looking forward to it.”

“I bet they are. They’re the spitting image of you and your twin brother. That little Sam was named appropriately. He’s just like his uncle. Matt. Now, he’s the serious one. He’ll take after you. He has a deep love for animals, especially the horses. He’ll carry on the tradition your wife set up for the ranch. He and your nephew, Jacob, will tend the ranch much like you and Caleb tend it now. You’ve made a good life for your family. It’s something to be proud of.”

How did she know about his family?

“Have we met before? Are you friends with my wife?”

“No and no,” she said with a smile. “I moved in almost a year ago. I pretty much keep to myself. I like it here. It’s quiet and beautiful. You can’t beat the trees and the blue sky. I like the land and the expanse of it. You know what I mean.”

Rambling, it had been a long time since she’d had someone to talk to. She needed to remember that while Jack and everyone else in Tyler’s family were like old friends to her now, they’d never met her.

Jack took another long sip of his tea and tried to figure out how she knew so much about him and his family. You know what I mean. Again, not a question.

She looked normal. She didn’t seem like some kind of psychotic stalker. Maybe she knew about Jenna’s wealth and that she ran Merrick International. Maybe she had some plot to get money from Jenna.

She chuckled. “I’m not after Jenna, or her money. You can rest easy, Jack. I mean you no harm.”

Surprised and confused, had he spoken his thoughts out loud and not realized it?

She turned the conversation and his thoughts. “You came to see me for a reason. It’s quite a ride over from your ranch. What can I do for you, Jack?”

He shook his head and stared down at her. Unexpected in every way. He felt like he stood on quicksand, sinking fast. Like she knew the joke and the punch line, and the joke was on him. He didn’t like the feeling.

“I came to ask if I could work out some sort of agreement with you to use your land.”

“Yes.”

He kept talking right over her. “I’ve expanded my breeding program, and I have a lot of horses I need to spread out. I have enough pastureland, but your land isn’t being used for any animals. I thought maybe I could rotate the horses from my acreage to yours, leaving mine to recuperate between switches.”

“Yes,” she repeated.

“I’d pay you for the use of your land. We can negotiate a price.”

“Okay.”

“My men or I will have to come and check on the horses and bring them feed. I’ll be sure to set up a water source. Basically, you won’t have to do anything. I’ll take care of everything the horses need. You aren’t using the land, and I don’t believe they’ll bother you.”

“You said that already. And, I said yes. Go ahead. Bring them over.”

“You’re sure?” he asked, surprised she’d agree so easily.

“I’d love the company. I hope you won’t mind if I spoil them by giving them apples and carrots once in a while.”

“No. That’s, yes. You can give them some treats. Are you sure?”

“Yes. It’s no problem. It gets lonely out here sometimes. The curse of living in the boondocks. It’s my own fault really. I don’t do well around people. Too many emotions flying around,” she said and waved her hands in the air like a whirlwind. “I like it here though. When the property came up for sale, I couldn’t resist,” she said with a secretive smile. “I’m meant to be here.”

“It’s a great place,” he agreed.

The three-bedroom house was in great shape. The last owners had updated the kitchen and bathrooms and added on a wide wraparound porch that stretched from the front of the house around to the back into a deck that looked out over a wide expanse of lawn and lush gardens. From the front of the house, Jack saw the roses blooming in a profusion of colors. This woman took care of her home and land. He had no doubt the horses would be safe here with her.

“Why don’t you like other people?”

“I like them fine,” she answered with a shrug and scratched Blue’s nose. “I just have a hard time coping around strangers. You’re the first person I’ve had here, since I moved in. It’s nice to have company, especially a nice man like you. You have good energy.”