Free THE TEXAS WILDCATTER'S BABY by CATHY GILLEN THACKER

Rand, deriving comfort from his muscular warmth despite herself. She slipped her arm around his waist and looked up at her new husband adoringly. “You ready to go, sweetheart?”
    Taking her hint, Rand smiled. “I sure am, honeybunch.” Still holding Ginger protectively close, he pivoted and gave Ginger’s ex a two-fingered salute. “Nice to meet you, Profitt.”
    They walked off, arm in arm, only to be stopped again several steps later. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to talk about their newly married state. More questions and congratulations followed. Finally they made their way to the rows of cars and trucks parked along the lane that led to the ranch house.
    To Ginger’s chagrin, Josie McCabe was waiting next to her pickup, her manner all business. Ginger sighed. The last thing she wanted to discuss with her new mother-in-law was the cutthroat competition ahead.
    Rand paused beside Josie’s canary-yellow truck. He looked as tense and irritable as Ginger felt, although for more complicated familial reasons. “Since when have you been interested in drilling in Summit County?” he asked his mother.
    Josie sent her youngest son a look of reproach. “Since they came out with the massive improvements in horizontal drilling technology last fall. I knew there had been problems in the past when that method of oil recovery was tried here. I also knew, with the amount of oil beneath the ground, that it would be only a matter of time before it commenced again, safely this time.” She turned slightly, leveling them both with her sturdy gaze. “I’ve always intended to be in on the ground floor of the boom in Summit County.”
    And yet her son remained unconvinced. “I’ve never seen you here, going ranch to ranch, like everyone else,” Rand said.
    Josie shrugged. “I came down last summer, ahead of everyone else, and made my connections then.”
    Of course, Ginger thought. A lady wildcatter as successful as Josie McCabe would not let an opportunity like this one go unexplored. “Which is why you were invited to hear the Boernes’ stipulations on the bid process for their ranch.” Because Josie had already laid the groundwork.
    Josie nodded. “Luckily, I’d heard the rumors the moratorium was about to be lifted. So I was already here.”
    “And yet you didn’t say anything, when you saw us yesterday, about coming back to Summit,” Rand persisted, clearly unhappy. “Even when you knew that Ginger and I were returning today.”
    Josie’s gaze narrowed with maternal rebuke. “I didn’t want you to think I planned to interfere in your marriage. Because I don’t. And I didn’t think it was a good idea for us to be arguing business on your wedding day.”
    “It’s not a good idea for family to be arguing, period,” Ginger put in.
    Never mind hovering around each other, under difficult circumstances, such as these.
    “I agree.” Josie straightened, her manner brisk. “That is why I think you should recuse yourself, Rand. Let some other environmental impact engineer advise the residents of Summit County.”
    Ginger looked at Josie, surprised and relieved to find them so like-minded. “That’s exactly what I told him,” she blurted.
    Although that still left her and her new mother-in-law angling for the very same work, which wasn’t a good situation, either.
    Rand harrumphed. “I’m not bowing out unless both of you also remove yourselves from the bidding process. And I don’t see that happening.” He paused, giving Ginger and Josie a hard, assessing look. “Do you?”
    * * *
    R AND EXPECTED G INGER to give him the silent treatment once they settled in his pickup. Instead she turned to him and asked, “Do you know what is in the fridge back at the cottage? I didn’t have a chance to look.”
    He sighed. “Condiments and beverages, mostly.”
    She glanced at her watch. “The grocery store in Summit is open until ten. Do you mind if we stop there before we head back to Red Sage?”
    Rand’s mood