Free KIDNAPPED COWBOY by Lindsey Brookes Page B

She’s a little shy.” 
    His brother raked a gloved hand back through his dark hair and heaved a sigh.  “Damn it, Dalton, you’re thirty-two-years-old.  When are you gonna grow up and start acting responsibly?  My truck was almost plowed over the other night.  It took me two days to finally clear the roads enough to get my developer out here.  And then we find my brother shacked up with-”
    “Brother?” Caitlin cut in with a gasp.  “Your truck,” she said, replaying his earlier words.  “You’re Brandon Barnes?”
    “Last time I checked.”
    Dalton muttered a curse, Caitlin’s suddenly rigid posture clueing him in on her fury.  “Not now, Caitlin,” he said, hoping she would heed his warning.
    “Not now?” she snapped indignantly.  “Then when?  When your brother here finally learns how to operate his answering machine?”
    “What the hell does any of this have to do with my answering machine?”  
    Dalton ran his hand up and down her arm in a calming manner. “Caitlin is camp director here at Stoney Brook.”
    His brother looked her over.  “ She’s been running this place?  Hell, she’s not much older than the kids that come here.”
    “For your information, I’m twenty-eight,” she snapped back.  “And you would know who I was if you weren’t so busy avoiding me.  Too afraid to deal with me face to face?”
    Brandon looked at her like she was crazy.  “I’ve been avoiding you?”
    Dalton gave a confirming nod.  “She’s been trying to get in touch with you since she received your letter about your decision to shut down the retreat.”
    “Is that what she’s been telling you?”  He snorted.  “She’s been lying to you, Dalton.  I never got any messages from her.” 
    That brought another gasp from Caitlin.  “How can you live with yourself?  You know damn well I’ve been trying to reach you about your decision to shut this place down.  This camp is the closest thing to a family situation that a lotta these kids have and you wanna take that away?  For what?  Some hideaway playground for the rich and famous?”
    Dalton decided to let her speak.  She more than deserved the chance to state her case.  And by the look of things she wasn’t exactly a morning person.  He, for one, preferred to stay on her good side.  Then again, both of her sides looked pretty damn good to him.
    His brother remained his usual collected self.  “Call it what you like Miss...?”
    “Myers,” she promptly informed him.
    “Miss Myers,” he continued.  “But this place is costing me money.”
    “Aha!” she exclaimed.
    “Aha?” Both men replied in unison.
    “I knew it.”  She swung around to Dalton.  “Didn’t I tell you it was all about money?”
    She had, but he hadn’t wanted to believe it.  Dalton met his brother’s questioning gaze.  “Look, neither of us has gotten much sleep the past two nights.  What do you say we all go back to town and discuss this over dinner this evening?”
    Brandon shook his head.  “Can’t.  Got a cattlemen’s meeting to go to.  Besides, there’s nothing to talk about.  My mind’s made up as far as the retreat is concerned.  I’m sorry that’s not what you had hoped to hear, Miss Myers.”  That said he started for the door.
    “Wait!”  She ran over and grabbed the photo album from the table and carried it over to him.  “If you’ll just take a look at this, you’ll see why it’s so vital you allow the retreat to continue running.”  She held the picture laden book out to him.
    Brandon held up a hand, waving it away.  “I have business to attend to right now.  Then I need to get the plow truck back to the ranch.”  He turned to Dalton.  “You gonna need a lift?”
    Brandon shook his head, his anger with his brother evident.  “No.”
    “Suit yourself.”  With one final glance Caitlin’s direction, he shook his head, muttered something indiscernible, and then walked out.
    How he had ended up