The house was bigger than the one at Longhorn Canyon but wasn’t laid out a whole lot different. A huge living area opened off a foyer. Open doors on the other end probably led into a dining room and kitchen, but Marie took him to the end of a long hallway with doors opening on either side into bedrooms that looked unused.
“Miz Opal says you are to use this room.” Marie tucked a strand of red hair back into a ponytail. “Have a little rest. The family will be home soon. If you are still sleeping, I’ll knock on the door a little after five and wake you.”
“Thank you,” Justin said.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Miz Opal says to tell you that she’s sorry the family couldn’t be here. A neighbor died and they’re at a funeral,” Marie said.
“I understand,” Justin said.
Marie shut the door behind her, and he dropped his suitcase on the floor. Thank goodness he’d brought a decent shirt and a pair of freshly ironed jeans. Hopefully, the family didn’t get dressed up beyond that for supper.
He checked his messages and found one from Emily that was only a picture of a heart-shaped lollipop. He replied with one of a cupid shooting an arrow before he took a quick shower. He had half an hour before he was supposed to be in the den for drinks, so he stretched out on the bed and pulled a quilt up over his naked body. He only meant to close his eyes for a few minutes, but he fell into a deep sleep and dreamed about Emily. She’d taken the job as counselor for the girls, and she’d slipped away to meet him in the tack room for a bout of hot sex. They were curled up in each other’s arms when someone knocked on the door.
He didn’t give a damn about who was there. The door was locked, and they still had time to cuddle before she had to go back to the bunkhouse.
“Mr. Justin, are you awake?” Marie’s voice brought him out of the dream and to full attention.
“Yes, ma’am.” He raised his voice. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
He hurriedly jerked on his clothes, ran a comb through his hair, and followed the buzz of conversation to the den. Smaller and much cozier than the huge living room he’d gotten a glance at earlier, it was filled with people. The guys all had beers, but the three ladies were drinking wine.
An older lady looped her arm in his and said, “Hello, I’m Opal Bennington. Come and meet everyone.” Almost as tall as Justin, she had clear blue eyes and gray hair that she tied back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. She took a few steps and stopped in front of a red-haired woman with the same crystal clear blue eyes that reminded him so much of Emily’s.
“This is my daughter, Anne, and her husband, Frank.”
Frank stuck out a hand. “Welcome to the Big Sky. What’d you think of Old Glory?”
“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Old Glory looks like a fantastic bull to me.”
“I’ll show you all the papers later.” Opal pulled Justin away and took him to the other side of the room. “These three are my grandsons: Matthew, Taggart, and Hudson. Tag and Hudson are twins but not identical in looks or actions.”
Justin shook hands with all three of them and then it hit him. This was Emily’s family! She was from the Big Sky Ranch! He looked over Tag’s shoulder and saw a family picture of all four kids sitting on the fireplace mantel.
“So you’re from out around Bowie,” Tag said. “Our sister lives in that town. She works at a senior citizens’ place, so I doubt that y’all ever crossed paths.”
“What’s her name?” Justin asked.
“Emily Baker,” Hudson said.
He avoided the question. “I thought this was the Bennington Ranch.”
“We’ve always run a Rocking B brand,” Opal said. “But the owners have changed down through the ages.”
“It was a big joke when we got married.” Frank chuckled. “It started out in the Barrett family, then went to the Blackburn, and to the Bennington, and everyone told Anne she had to marry a man with a B initial.”
“But you don’t have to worry about that now, since I’m a Baker and I’ll be takin’ over someday in the far, far future,” Matthew said.
Justin’s eyes kept darting back to that family picture. There was no doubt that the girl was his Emily, but he just couldn’t believe that she’d never mentioned she was from the wealthiest ranch in Texas. All three brothers were about the same height as Justin. They all had the same blue eyes, and it wasn’t difficult to see that they shared DNA with Emily. Tag and Hudson were the twins she’d talked about—evidently fraternal, because like Miz Opal had said, they sure weren’t identical.
Anne, Emily’s mother, moved across the room to stand beside him. “That was taken the year that Hudson and Tag graduated from high school. We really should have a new one made. We’re having a family reunion in a few weeks. Maybe we’ll make time for one while Emily is home.”
“She’s beautiful,” Justin whispered.
“I always thought so. Where’s my manners? What can I get you to drink?”
“Beer is fine,” he answered.
“Hey, if we was to make a trip over to Bowie to see our sister, do you think it’d be all right for us to come out to your place and say hi to Old Glory? I’ve raised him from a calf so I’m going to miss him,” Hudson said.
“Sure thing. Come anytime. You can even stay at the ranch,” Justin answered.
“We’d stay with Emily, but thanks for the offer. Let’s ride our cycles out there, Hud, and surprise our sister,” Tag said and then turned his attention back to Justin. “You got a good place to do some dancin’ and drinkin’?”
“Yep, it’s called the Rusty Spur.” Justin managed a smile, but it felt unnatural.
“You’re from the Longhorn Canyon, right?” Hudson asked.
“That’s right,” Justin said.
That Tag and Hudson were brothers was obvious, but no one would ever mistake them for each other. Justin wondered if their dispositions were as different as their looks.
“Emily took her senior residents out to a ranch somewhere near Bowie for a week. I guess they about ran her ragged while they were there. She said that keeping up with them was worse than herding cats.” Anne laughed. “We sure do miss her. Not just because she was a good ranch hand but also because she’s so much fun to be around.”
“I’m sure you do.” Justin chose his words carefully. “While y’all are in Bowie, I’ll be glad to show you around.”
“I just want to see the Rusty Spur.” Tag chuckled. “That and get some of Emily’s fried chicken. Nobody here can make it like she can.”
I can believe that. Justin remembered eating chicken and drinking Jack while they were skinny-dipping in the bathtub.
When he was back in his room that evening, he started to call her, but this wasn’t something that they should discuss on the phone. He couldn’t even make himself reply to her text telling him that Nikki was staying at her place for another night.
The next morning right after breakfast he loaded up Old Glory and didn’t even make a coffee stop. He glanced over at the senior center as he passed it, but the clouds were gathering for the second day. The bull needed to be in the barn before the first clap of thunder rattled the stock trailer.
After he’d unloaded his things in the house, he grabbed a leftover biscuit and stuffed it full of ham. He was on the way out the door when his parents pulled their truck up beside his.
“Bull delivered in good condition?” Vernon called out as he got out of his vehicle.
Justin nodded.
“Seen Emily yet?” his mother asked.
He shook his head.
“You look like you could chew up nails.” She hurried over to his side.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now,” he said.
“Did you and Emily break up?” She looked so happy.
“Ever heard of Big Sky Ranch?” he asked.
Vernon leaned against the fender of Justin’s truck. “Of course we have. That’s where you got the new bull.”
“It’s just the biggest damn ranch in Texas. It’s probably bigger than some third world countries and the folks who own it are richer than Midas. What’s that got to do with Emily or why you’re in such a pissy mood?” Gloria asked.
“So you’ve heard of Anne Bennington Baker?” he asked.
“Of course,” Gloria answered. “I still don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“Tell me one more time why you are so set against me dating Emily?”
“I think she’s a gold digger. She’s not your type at all, and if things get serious, I’m going to insist on a prenup. Then she’ll drop you like a hot potato. Your heart will be broken like Cade’s was with Julie.”
“Gloria!” Vernon raised his voice slightly. “Son, you need to be sure before you continue to really date her. Your mother might be right, even if she shouldn’t call Emily that name. I understand the girl does have some education.”
“She’s got a social services degree,” Justin said. “And her mother is Anne Baker of Big Sky Ranch. I don’t think she’d be marryin’ me for my money.” He got into his truck and drove away, leaving Gloria with her mouth hanging open.
“Dammit!” He slapped the steering wheel and checked the time. It was more than three more hours before Emily got off work. He headed for the tack room and started cleaning it to pass the time.