Tangled in Divine(Divine Creek Ranch 14)(141)

Wilbur whistled and Tutti’s ears pricked for a moment. “You have no idea, Gwen.”

“The last two months with her have been good months. She already had a solid foundation that I could work with. Her main issue, in the beginning, was accepting that if we were a ‘herd of two’—just she and I—then I was going to be the one in control. She’s a good follower. She just prefers strong leadership from someone she trusts. And you were right. She needs—wants to be ridden every day.”

Wilbur scratched his chin and said, “That’s understandable. Me with this bum knee,” he said, patting his knee. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

Gwen grinned at his persuasive tone. There was nothing at all wrong with his knee. He was just matchmaking. “I hope to hear something soon about Zephyr, and I promise to let you know when I do. Chris tells me that he and Julián are considering your place. They both know what they’re doing where horses are concerned, and I know they’d take good care of her if you sold Tutti along with the ranch.” They both know what they’re doing where a lot of things are concerned.

“Any chance you might consider staying on too?” he asked gently.

“That phone call I’m waiting on will determine a lot of things.”

“Well, I guess I’d better get my luggage in and settle up your pay with you.”

While he took care of what he needed to do, Gwen carried her luggage from her bedroom down to her truck and loaded everything. Her horse trailer and all of her personal belongings were already stored in the barn at the Cooks’ ranch. Julián and Chris had convinced her to leave everything in the area set aside for their storage space in the barn until she was settled and finally had a place of her own for everything.

She walked out to the barn and picked up Tutti’s body brush again, wondering for the hundredth time why Roger hadn’t called, and angered because he’d made it patently clear that she was to wait for his call.

Tutti shifted suddenly, a little spooked, and Gwen chided herself on bringing those feelings in the paddock with her. She spoke soothingly to the horse and tied off her lead rope before she began brushing her again, just for something to do. Tutti enjoyed the attention, and that was where Wilbur found her several minutes later.

He handed her the final paycheck, which included a hefty bonus for her hard work and what she’d accomplished with Tutti. Gwen was so thrilled she hugged him and then blushed.

“Thank you, Wilbur. Every bit will help.”

“You’re welcome. And you let me know about Tutti.”

“I will. I’m heading next door now.”

“All righty then.”

Unsettling emotion welled inside her as she took Tutti’s halter and lead rope off, patted her, and went back in through her stall to the tack room and put everything up. She might very well be walking away from Tutti for the last time. She would be leaving the two men she adored for a year that seemed like forever, and might well turn out to be. There was no way she could look forward to it now, even if it meant getting the ranch back, which brought Roger to mind again.

Anger filled her as she fished the keys from her jeans pocket and climbed into the driver’s seat of her truck. The dusty scent of it. The worn palm prints in the steering wheel. The faded decal on the shifter. It was all so familiar to her but what she faced was a wide, gaping void of unknown. She drove the short distance next door and took her phone out of her pocket as she walked in the house Chris and Julián shared. She wasn’t going to be put off any longer.

She smiled as she looked around and realized Chris had spent time cleaning that morning. Everything smelled fresh and it didn’t look quite as much like bachelor heaven, except for the gigantic eighty-inch flat-screen television hanging on the wall in the living room.

She swiped at Roger’s number on the screen of her phone to call him as she noticed the heart-shaped note Chris had left on the bar. She saw the scissors on the bar and realized he’d cut it that way on purpose. What a romantic man.



Hey Elmer,

Gone to the store for groceries. I’m making you my specialty tonight.

Love, your woobie



She crushed the note to her chest with a smile. How could any woman not love him? And her stomach was happy about his note too. She’d discovered that Chris had quite a repertoire of gourmet Italian cuisine that he’d plied her with regularly during her stay. He was making his Grannie’s sausage and spinach ravioli in sage butter. Just the thought made her mouth water.

The call connected and she was jerked back to the present moment with sudden clarity. The reminder of the conversation she was about to have, if he answered, was enough to snuff out her warm fuzzy. She slid the note in her back pocket.