Free Rodeo Sweetheart by Betsy St. Amant Page B

eyes like periwinkle wildflowers.
    “Don’t be ridiculous.” Jeffrey’s harsh laugh jerked Ethan back to the conversation. “If I wanted someone to romance the girl, I’d ask Daniel.” He scoffed and Ethan tried to ignore the way the barb pierced the same, worn dent in his emotional armor. “Maybe you can find proof that the ranch is failing, specific proof. If she has to sell, she won’t worry as much about her daughter’s feelings.”
    “What if there isn’t any?” Ethan adjusted his stance to mirror his dad’s.
    “Then make some.”
    Ethan flinched.
    “Keep on befriending the girl. She needs to trust you.” Jeffrey looked over his shoulder and lowered his gruff voice to a near whisper. “But in the meantime, look for ways to sabotage the property. Cut fences. Destroy feed. Poison it, for all I care. We need Angie to accept our offer, and we need her to do it now.”
    Ethan’s stomach twisted. He could never purposefully hurt any of the horses, or Sam. Besides, Ethan wanted to be near her—and not just because he was ordered to for his job. He opened his mouth to object.
    Jeffrey caught Ethan’s shoulder in one large hand and bent down to his level. “Do it, or I’ll get your cousin to handle things for you.” He straightened, lowering his hand to his side, but the weight of it continued to rest on Ethan’s shoulders. “It’s your choice.”
    Jeffrey turned and strode back to his cabin, his back ramrod straight in the lengthening shadows. Ethan trudged in the opposite direction toward the north paddock, the excitement of seeing Sam suddenly ruined. He spun his father’s words over and over in his mind, the meaning striking with new clarity at each rotation. It’s your choice.
    None of this was Ethan’s choice. That was the whole problem in the first place. Ethan didn’t get to choose his career. He didn’t get to choose how he did his job, or which bank to use or even which college to attend. He had no choices at all. But there was no way he’d allow his father or Daniel to sabotage Sam’s ranch.
    Ethan’s eyes narrowed at Jeffrey’s retreating form, growing smaller the more distance he put between them. He’d show his father about choices, all right.
    Starting with Sam.

Chapter Nine
    T he next morning, Sam jerked the cinch strap and adjusted the saddle pad on Diego’s back. Then she looped the reins over the fence post, grabbed Piper’s blanket from the top paddock rail and moved toward the gelding waiting on the other side of Diego. At least the chestnut’s ankle had finally completely healed.
    She blew an annoying strand of hair out of her eyes as she slid the checkered blanket over Piper’s sweaty back. It seemed like every guest on the ranch had showed up for the Tuesday morning ride and was waiting impatiently for a horse—even the honeymoon couple. She and Cole had their hands full trying to get the animals ready, and the sun already shone hot on Sam’s head. A fly buzzed by Piper’s mane and she swatted it. Thankfully, the wind was blowing, a welcome respite from the July heat.
    “Miss Priss is ready.” Cole patted the mare’s cheek as he ducked under her neck. “I’ll start helping the riders mount.”
    “Thanks, Cole.” Sam yawned and noted the matching fatigue shadowing Cole’s face. She pushed aside a wave of guilt. She might owe Cole for helping her practice in the middle of the night, but the end result would benefit the generous stable hand, too. They’d both be free from the guests, the endless questions, and the commercialization of the only home they’d known—although at this point, they were also both in danger of falling asleep in the saddle.
    “Mornin’, partner.” Ethan’s exaggerated cowboy drawl sounded over Sam’s shoulder and she couldn’t help but smile. Ethan had watched her practice session last night on the steer, and she didn’t know what was more amusing—her own efforts to stay on Lucy’s back or the look on Ethan’s face