The Cowboy Lassos a Bride(4)

She was excited to see Jake Matheson, too. As foolish as that was.

Rounding a barn, the split rail fence of the pasture came into view,  along with the unmistakably large, dark shape of Gladys grazing on grass  not far off. Her heart warmed. She wasn't sure why she loved the large,  shaggy beast so much. She'd only seen her for the first time a few  weeks back. Something about the animal called to her-Gladys was so  prehistoric looking, so different from your run-of-the-mill cow. Maybe  she was special because she stood for something in Hannah's mind. The  need to stand up for herself. The need to be true to herself-to do  something more than hitch her wagon to someone else's life. The day she  saved Gladys was the day she proclaimed to the world she would do  whatever it took to live authentically. Each time she visited Gladys, it  reminded her that her dream to be a vet was important. It was worth the  trouble to make it happen. It warmed her heart that Jake was just as  interested in the bison as she was. More even, since he wanted to start a  herd.

Speaking of Jake …  Hannah scanned the area as she made her way to the  pasture fence, but Jake was nowhere to be seen. She checked her watch.  She had a few minutes. Maybe if she lingered for a while, the handsome  cowboy would show up.

She knew she shouldn't wait for him. Knew she shouldn't encourage him if  he was interested. She'd made some important decisions since dumping  Cody. She'd set her life in a whole new direction-one that didn't allow  time for a serious relationship. Her acceptance to Montana State  University had come. In two months she'd be starting classes, and if all  went well she'd head off to veterinary school in Colorado next fall.  But in the past few weeks Jake had been very attentive to her, and she'd  begun to wonder if she'd misinterpreted his exchange with Tracey at the  wedding. In fact, she'd heard the other day Tracey was seeing a cowboy  from out near Bozeman, so whatever little flirtation the two of them had  must not have worked out.

Would Jake have acted differently if she'd been available when they'd  hooked up at Bella's wedding? She thought the answer might be yes. Now  that her relationship with Cody was over and she'd moved into the Cruz  ranch Big House, a sort of charged friendship had arisen between her and  Jake. He hadn't tried to kiss her again, but every morning when she  came to see Gladys, he was there, waiting for her. Each day they stood  at her fence and talked. About Gladys, about the ranch in general, about  sustainable ranching, a subject he seemed passionately interested in.  Hannah liked that he asked her opinion about things, as if she had any  knowledge of the subject. She didn't. She could ride a horse, but that  was it. She'd grown up in a little house in town.                       
       
           



       

While she enjoyed this budding friendship with Jake, she longed for  more. She still felt his mouth on hers and his arms around her when she  closed her eyes at night. No man she'd ever met could compete with him  as far as her body was concerned.

She wanted Jake. No matter if it was stupid, or the wrong time, or impossible.

If only he wanted her the same way.

Holt squared off against Jake in the loft, his face like thunder. "You  think you're so smart? I'm sick of your guff and I'm tired of your  inability to follow orders."

"I'm tired of you giving me them!"

"Are you saying you're ready to leave?"

"No."

"I'm not sure I want you to stay."

"Dad-"

"Don't Dad me." Holt put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "I've had it. It's time for you to grow up."

"I am grown up."

"Prove it. You turn thirty-four one month from today. I'm going to give  you one last chance-get married before your birthday or get out."

"What?" Jake cocked his hat back. His father had to be joking.

But the old man looked dead serious. "Do you need me to write it down so you can read it?"

Jake wanted to kick himself. Teasing his father and Ned about their  dyslexia was a low blow at the best of times. Today he'd stirred up a  hornet's nest. "Are you insane? I can't get married in the next month."

"If you're man enough to give me lip, then you're man enough to settle  down and start your family, and I expect you to do just that. You've  dillydallied enough time away acting like an alley cat. I put you in  charge of the herd because I thought you had what it took to the do the  job. But you can't even move the damn cattle when I tell you to do it."

"If I'm in charge of the herd, then I'm in charge of when to move them."

"You won't be in charge of nothing if you don't marry by your  thirty-fourth birthday. I had four sons by the time I was your age!"

"You can't tell me when to marry!"

Holt turned to Ned. "You ready to take on some more responsibility?"

"Damn straight." It was obvious Ned was loving this turn of events.  Jake, however, felt like the ground had tilted beneath his feet. He'd  begun to think of marriage in the last few weeks-in an abstract way as  something he and Hannah would do in the future. In the far, far future.  Now Holt wanted him to marry within the month?

"I'm the one in charge of the herd." Jake knew he was losing ground  fast. Why the hell did he have to throw his father's dyslexia in his  face today of all days? Most of the time he was on board with the  family's campaign to keep that information private. Holt had quit school  young over it. Ned, suffering the same problem, barely lasted longer.  Mentioning their affliction was like setting flame to a powder keg.

"For now." Holt brushed past him. "You've got until December  twenty-first to bring your wife to the altar-a proper wedding, too. None  of this justice of the peace crap. If you're still single on the  twenty-second, Ned takes over." He clambered back down the ladder and  disappeared from sight.

Ned clapped him on the back. "Don't worry, when I'm in charge I won't  boss you around. Much." He followed Holt down the ladder, laughing.

Jake stood motionless, the leak forgotten. Thirty days to get married? Or leave the ranch?

Well, why the hell not. Maybe his father was right. Maybe it was high  time to get married. If Hannah was the one, then she was the one. A  smile curved one corner of his mouth. He bet Holt hadn't figured on him  already picking a bride. Now he just needed to fast-forward his timeline  to snare her for his wife.

Hannah Ashton had better watch out.

Hannah was just about to give up when she spotted Jake exiting the big  barn. He stood for a moment in the dim light and scanned the yard as if  he was looking for something. When he spotted her, he immediately strode  over.

"Morning, Jake," she said when he was close enough to hear. She hoped  her voice didn't betray how glad she was to see him. If she was honest  she came almost as much for the chance to chat with him as to see Gladys  these days.

More, maybe.

"Morning," he said. He leaned on the fence. Something was different  about him today. Usually Jake could be depended on for a smile and a  laugh, but now his mouth was set in a hard line. She wondered what had  happened. "I think she likes it here." He nodded at Gladys.

"I know she likes it here. What's not to like?" Hannah smiled at Jake,  then bit her lip, hoping that hadn't sounded too flirtatious. "I wish  your father wasn't so set against her."                       
       
           



       

"Don't worry about him." Jake shifted closer, the sleeve of his rugged  winter work coat brushing hers. She wished he would put his arm around  her shoulder and kiss her again like he had at the wedding.

He tapped his fingers on the top rail a few times, still gazing out  toward Gladys. Then he nodded once like he'd come to a decision. He  touched her gloved hand and her breath hitched. He'd never done that  before. He turned to face her. "I like these morning visits."

Hannah fought for composure as her pulse kicked up a notch. What did his  touch mean? Was it just a friendly gesture or an intimation that he was  still interested in her?

"I like them, too." Did she sound as nervous as a teenager? She sure felt that way.

He leaned closer. "Maybe we could … "

"Jake! What's the holdup? I said to move those cattle!"

Jake muttered a curse before raising his voice to call, "I'll be right there."

"Time's a wasting!" Holt trudged toward them. Jake sighed and turned back to her.

"Are you going to be at Ethan's tonight?" His low voice sent shivers  down her spine. Jake was so masculine. So much sexier than Cody had ever  been.

"Yes."

"Good. We'll talk there." Jake went to meet his father. Not for the  first time, Hannah felt like strangling the old man. Why couldn't he  have waited another five minutes? Jake might have asked her out.