Free The Rancher's Prospect by Callie Endicott Page B

THE remainder of the morning cleaning out the rest of the file cabinets and emptying cupboards of equipment that had nothing to do with office work. Most of it couldn’t have been used in decades, and she couldn’t even tell what some items were. She recognized spurs, of course, and rusted samples of barbed wire. The rest was pretty strange, reminiscent of medieval torture implements she’d seen in museums across Europe.
    She mentioned it when Walt came in and he chuckled. “The animals might have agreed. We’re a little more modern with our methods now, but I gotta admit that I still don’t enjoy branding time. If I’d ever found those sapphires in the mountains, I might have even given up on cattle ranching and stuck with horse breeding.”
    â€œSapphires?” Tara exclaimed, her imagination stirring. “I didn’t know they had any in Montana.”
    â€œThey do, and my grandpa used to say his dad once found some on the Boxing N. As a kid I searched plenty and finally gave up.”
    â€œA treasure hunt. Exciting.”
    â€œTrue. It was great fun.” The old man’s eyes gleamed with the memories.
    Walt had brought her more boxes, and when he’d left again she began filling them, taking digital photos of each item. If she could have identified everything with a name, she would have merely logged them, but this was the only way she knew how to keep track. Walt probably didn’t care, but in light of the contentious relationship he had with his grandson, she wanted to keep a record of everything she did in the office.
    At noon she tidied up and stepped out to the small porch, looking around for Walt. He wasn’t there, so she headed for the main house and knocked.
    â€œIs there something you need?” Josh’s voice came from behind, startling her.
    Tara turned. “Not exactly. I’m leaving and didn’t know whether the office should be locked.”
    â€œYou’re leaving? It’s only noon.”
    She gave him a tight smile. “I set my own hours. And need I remind you that it isn’t any of your business?”
    â€œI see.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter whether you see or not. Walt knows my hours will vary depending upon my sister’s schedule and my other commitments.”
    â€œYou don’t have to work here at all,” he offered quickly.
    â€œYeah, I understood that the first time you mentioned it,” she returned. “Now, should the office door be locked or not?”
    â€œI’ll lock it and have a key made for you.”
    â€œThank you.”
    To the left of where they stood, the porch was secluded, the view of the ranch obscured by a blooming vine that released a lovely scent, teasing Tara’s senses. She could see how it might be hard to find a private outdoor space, even out in the country, and this was the kind of quiet spot where a husband and wife could steal a moment together.
    Josh cocked his head. “What are you thinking about?” he asked, curiosity in his eyes.
    â€œOh.” She gestured at the corner of the porch. “I was just thinking how the vines must have given your grandparents a nice place to share a kiss in the middle of the day. You know, where no one else was likely to see.”
    She’d made the comment specific to his grandparents, uncomfortable with the thought that any couple might find it a pleasant place for intimacies. The scent of the flowers was evocative, making her mind conjure images that didn’t belong there. After all, she wasn’t good at physical intimacy. Or any form of intimacy, for that matter.
    â€œNice thought, but off base, I’m afraid,” Josh responded quietly. “My grandparents led somewhat separate lives. They had little in common. Grandma came from the city, and city girls don’t adjust well to Montana ranches. I’m sure they cared for each other, but I doubt their marriage would have lasted in