The Rancher's Surrender Read online

  She felt as though she were on an emotional roller coaster ride, one she was completely unequipped for. She knew nothing of these matters, she'd avoided exactly this kind of attachment most of her life.

  Walking away would be so easy, but she had no choice. For her sisters, she had to do this. And really, just how bad could pride taste, anyway? "We figured we could fix up the barn," she said. "The cabins on the edge of the property aren't needed right now, so they can stay the way they are."

  "We've discussed this."

  "There's more."

  He crossed his arms, his legs spread and steady. An aggressive male stance that screamed dangerously annoyed, tired male. She spoke quickly. "Then maybe we could get some animals, you know. Nothing too complicated at first. Maybe start out with some chickens."

  "Uh-huh."

  "And a cow or something."

  No response. And agonized over what she had to ask, Zoe held her breath. "Only we need some…"

  "Some…?" he repeated, ever so helpfully.

  She sighed loudly. "We need some help, dammit. Okay?"

  He looked disbelieving. "To handle a single cow and a few chickens?"

  "I want more than that. Ty … I'm trying to ask you for help."

  "Why is it so hard?"

  "I don't know."

  He didn't soften in the least, keeping his arms crossed over the still-bare, still-magnificent chest she was trying her best to ignore.

  "For the record," he asked finally, "are we talking technical help or financial help?"

  "Technical."

  "I'm already—"

  "Yes, yes, I know. Manager," Zoe said, finishing for him impatiently. "This is different. I need more than a general manager. I need to be taught everything."

  He didn't comment on the fact they'd be working together, closely. "Where is the money going to come from?" he asked instead.

  "I'm going to get a loan."

  "You?"

  "Yes, me." Zoe forced herself to relax or she was going to split in two. "Delia has a … well, let's just say she got in trouble with credit cards and shopping a few years back."

  "Bad credit, huh?" he asked, showing his first signs of sympathy.

  For her sister! She was baring her guts here and he felt sorry for Delia.

  "Maddie can't get a loan, either. She's never established any credit at all." And she tended to get suckered by every male she met as well, Zoe thought with a burst of worry that never faded, but she kept that to herself. "So that leaves me."

  He looked unimpressed. "You have any credit?"

  "Sure." Maybe.

  He studied her seriously, his face impassive, his eyes still that startling ice.

  It frightened her, this distant Ty, as nothing else could have. But why, when it was what she'd wanted all along? "We're … we're helpless without you," she said quietly.

  "You're many things, Zoe," he said dryly. "But helpless is not one of them."

  She was positive that was not a compliment. "I'm thinking of Maddie and Delia." Here was the swallowing-pride part. "I want this badly," she said with as much dignity as she could muster. "Will you do it?"

  "I must be an idiot," he said wearily. "But yes. I'll help you. For Maddie and Delia, I'll help."

  It was an effort to keep her voice even. "But not for me."

  His eyes held hers, and for one moment they warmed and showed her a glimpse of what she'd seen before. Then it was gone, replaced by that frightening chilliness she'd caused. "How you'd resent that," he said softly. "If I dared do anything to help the independent Zoe Martin."

  With that cryptic statement, he turned on his heels and walked away.

  And this time, she let him go.

  * * *

  It was dessert time when Cliff showed up and asked if they needed anything done.

  "Where's Ty?" Zoe asked casually as she let Cliff in. Usually Ty would be here sniffing out the goods.

  Cliff smiled and removed his hat. "He went mountain climbing."

  "Mountain climbing."

  Cliff looked surprised at her shocked tone. "He always goes, especially when he's mad or unsettled." Cliff grinned and shrugged. "Which happens a lot with Ty. He's a dark sort of guy."

  "Mountain climbing is dangerous."

  "Especially the way he does it."

  Zoe schooled her face into impassivity, but still Cliff's grin faded slowly. "Anyway…" He cleared his throat. "He takes off for a day here and there when he can. He loves it, though you wouldn't catch me dead doing half of the crazy climbs he does."

  Zoe's stomach dropped. She pictured Ty hanging off an edge of a cliff, reaching for another, and because of his state of mind—the state of mind she'd put him in—imagined him missing and falling.

  Imagined his body broken and bleeding on the valley floor.

  Ty Jackson was a big boy, she reminded herself all that night and into the dawn. He could take care of himself, he'd been doing just that for a long time.

  She could take care of herself, too. And would.

  * * *

  The next morning, Zoe made excuses to her sisters and got into one of the ancient trucks.

  She drove the long, windy road into the closest town. Lewiston. She was going to get a loan, it was the only way. All of Ty's expertise wouldn't help if she couldn't get the money.

  She knew Ty would have loaned her money, but she had no intention of doing any such thing. It was bad enough she needed him at all. She'd been reading her library books late at night, soaking up the information she needed on ranching. But even Zoe wasn't that stubborn.

  She still needed Ty.

  And the money. But five minutes later, she was miserable.

  Mr. Jacobs was everything Zoe imagined a loan officer being—impersonal expression and impossibly disapproving. He'd listened with polite disinterest, quickly becoming more disinterested, adamantly refusing to consider a loan. "It's out of the question," he repeated. With a deliberate movement, he pushed his glasses up on his nose and looked down its long, thin length at her. He spoke through his nose. "It's a bad investment."

  He might as well have said "You're the bad investment," that's how personally she took his statement.

  All her life she'd been told no. All her life she'd been struggling against feeling inferior. It should have been an easy swallow, but it wasn't. "I haven't even filled out a single form," she said calmly, though her heart raced and her palms were damp. She wiped them on the cotton pants she'd changed into for the occasion, when she'd stupidly believed she could dress for this part.

  Truth was, it didn't matter what she wore, she had Poor stamped across her forehead. The bank officer had probably taken one look at her when she'd walked in and had decided before she'd even opened her mouth.

  "Not necessary to fill out forms in this case." Mr. Jacobs looked past her, clearly hoping his next client was waiting. "Giving money to three women to start a ranch, when not one of you has ever even worked on one before, would be a grave error in judgment."

  Zoe refused to be dismissed so easily. "We're hard workers, we won't give up. This can work."

  Just as stubborn, Mr. Jacobs shook his head, completely without remorse. "Sorry, no can do. The ranch is not a good bet. Good day." He picked up his pencil, bent his head and proceeded to start on another project, rudely ignoring her.

  Head high as she could manage, Zoe left the bank, her stomach burning with shame and fury. She managed to make it home on autopilot, only to be ambushed by Delia at the door of Triple M.

  Her sister took one look at her face and called for Maddie. The two of them promptly dragged Zoe into the kitchen, where Maddie plied her with iced tea and homemade chocolate truffles.

  Maddie nodded to Delia, and they each sat on either side of her, faces worried and serious. They waited until she was full before attacking.

  "Spill it," Delia demanded.

  Zoe put down her tea slowly. How to tell them? She honestly didn't know. Thinking she had to protect them, she forced a