A Rancher's Redemption

She didn’t expect a comment, so Nick just nodded.

“I’ve done tons of research on steps we could take to increase our business,” she continued. “But no, she finds something wrong with every one of my ideas. I even suggested she watch Restaurant: Impossible, the Food Network show about saving restaurants from going under, so that she could see what other restaurants are trying. She claims she doesn’t have time for that.”

Dani’s lips pursed in irritation. She was definitely in a tough situation.

“Maybe I can help,” Nick offered. “Big Mama’s crazy about me.” She always had been. As a teenager, he’d spent more nights at her dinner table than his own mother’s. “Let me talk to her.”

“No, thanks. I’ll handle this myself. Besides, she’s so stubborn that not even your Kelly charm could budge her on this. It’s enough that you’re letting me whine.”

Dani had always been an independent female—except when it came to men. She fell in love fast, and tried way too hard to please whoever she was with.

Nick didn’t do love, period. What was the point of falling for a woman when love would ruin a man’s life? Because sooner or later, the relationship was bound to end. Women were fickle and not to be trusted—Dani excepted.

“Big Mama started her business forty years ago,” he said. “Anyone would have difficulty letting go.”

“And I get that, but it doesn’t make my working life any easier. I want her to trust me, Nick.” Dani needed her mother’s trust. Owning and running a restaurant wasn’t easy, and Big Mama wasn’t getting any younger. She deserved to retire and let Dani take over. “Okay, I’m through complaining—for now.” She switched gears. “Let’s watch a movie so that I can forget about work and Jeter.”

“Soon,” Nick said. “But first, ice cream with hot fudge sauce, if you have any. Let’s eat in front of the tube.”

Her eyes lit up. They were an unusual silvery-blue, the same color as Sly’s and those of their brother, Seth, whom Nick had met a few times when he and Dani had first become friends. But then Seth had left town, and Dani and Sly hadn’t seen or heard from him in years. They had no idea where he was.

“I like the way you think, Mr. Kelly. And yes, I happen to have bought a fresh jar of hot fudge sauce on my way home today—just for you.”

Nick had been to her apartment so often, he knew where she stored everything. In the pine cabinet to the right of the sink, he found the bowls. The drawer next to the stove yielded the ice cream scoop. Dani opened the jar of fudge sauce and heated it in the microwave. By the time he piled ice cream into the bowls the fudge sauce was nice and hot.

“I want first crack at that sauce,” Dani said with a teasing twinkle in her eyes. “Otherwise, you’ll eat the whole thing.”

Nick gave her a look of mock hurt. “I’d never do that.”

“Ha. Your sweet tooth is so big that mine dims by comparison. But you never gain an ounce, you lucky man.” She sighed. “I wish I could eat whatever I wanted and not put on weight. That’s the one good thing about my breakup with Jeter. I won’t have to diet anymore.”

Jeter had ridden Dani’s case about her weight but Nick thought he was nuts. “What do you care about some Neanderthal’s opinion?” he said. “You’re perfect the way you are.”

And she was. Curvy in all the right places. With pretty eyes and a plump mouth made for kissing, she could attract any man she wanted. Plus, she was warm and friendly, with a heart as big as the Montana sky.

Nick was crazy about her, but not in a sexual sense. As attractive as Dani was, he considered her a cross between sister and best friend. That was the whole reason they’d stayed close all these years. Sex would just mess up their relationship.

Dani finished drizzling a stream of hot fudge sauce over her rocky road. “Have at it.” She handed Nick the jar of sauce, but kept the chocolate-coated spoon for herself.

After slathering his ice cream with enough chocolate to satisfy his sweet tooth, he stuck his finger in the jar and scraped it clean.

Dani laughed. “Sure you got enough?”

Her smile was contagious, and Nick grinned. “For now. Let’s go watch a movie.”

They headed for the living room. “What DVDs did you bring?” Dani asked.

“Only the first two James Bond movies ever made—Dr. No and From Russia with Love.”

“James Bond?” She stuck out her lower lip. “Come on, Nick, my heart is broken. You know that when I’m sad my preference is for three-hanky love stories.” She brightened. “I haven’t watched The Holiday since last Christmas. I could put it on.”

Nick had seen the chick flick with her so many times he’d memorized most of the lines. He made a face. “After every one of your breakups, we watch movies that make you cry. You’ve cried too much over Jeter.”

Within weeks after they’d started dating, Jeter had hurt her by sticking her with their dinner tab at a restaurant and taking off with his friends. Nick had wanted to deck the loser and teach him some manners, but that would have infuriated Dani. Instead, he’d encouraged her to quit trying to make the bum happy when he wasn’t doing a thing to make her happy. He’d also suggested she break off with him. But she’d already been in love and Nick’s words had fallen on deaf ears. It was a relief to know that next time she’d choose a different kind of man.

“Why don’t we mix it up and try a spy film. How about it?” He tugged on a lock of her pretty brown hair, which she wore straight and almost to her shoulders, then picked up the two DVDs. “Trust me, either of these classic Bond flicks will take your mind completely off your broken heart and your bad day. But hey, if you’d rather cry instead and waste another box of tissues...”

“You’re right.” She squared her shoulders. “Okay, I’ll give Dr. No a try. But if I can’t get into it, we switch to The Holiday. Deal?”

“Fair enough.”

Dessert in hand, they shoved the four colorful throw pillows—Dani was big into bright colors—to one end of the couch and then sat down.

Looking hopefully at Dani’s bowl, the ridiculously named Fluff jumped up between her and Nick. “No,” she said in a stern voice. “The vet put you on a diet, remember? Besides, this stuff is bad for you.” She shooed the cat away.

Undaunted, he jumped onto the floor and then butted Nick’s shin, his yellow eyes pleading. Nick was unmoved. “You heard the lady. This sundae is all mine.”

Tail high, the offended tom stalked off.

Nick slid Dr. No into the DVD player, then dug into his sundae. With any luck the combination of the sugar jolt and the action would keep him awake for a few hours.

Within moments Dani was totally engrossed in the film to the point that her ice cream melted. It was obvious she wasn’t thinking about Jeter or the restaurant now.

Mission accomplished. Nick smiled to himself.

He watched the film for a while, but not long after he finished his sundae, his eyelids grew too heavy to stay open. He set the bowl on the coffee table. It was the last thing he remembered.

Chapter Two

Dani opened her eyes. As entertaining and exciting as Dr. No was—and it was so dated that it was both—she’d fallen asleep in the middle of the action. Now she was snuggled against Nick’s side, with her head on his chest. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her close.

When had that happened?

By the steady rise and fall of his rib cage, he’d also fallen asleep. Poor guy was exhausted, and yet he’d come over tonight so that they could cheer each other up. Although he’d done most of the cheerleading.

Tenderness flooded her. She loved him dearly, but cuddling with him stretched the bonds of their platonic relationship.

Doing her best not to disturb him, she gently began to untangle herself from his grasp. Not so easy, as he was holding on tight. Without meaning to, she woke him. His sleepy, sexy smile stole her breath. She was marveling at the power of that smile when he lowered his head and kissed her. On the mouth. He’d never done that before.

As startled as Dani was, she liked the solid feel of his arms anchoring her close. Liked his lips brushing warmly over hers. Dear God in heaven, he could kiss. Without knowing how it happened, she melted into his hard body and kissed him back.

He tasted of chocolate and ice cream and something subtle that she recognized as uniquely him. His big palms slid up her sides, dangerously close to her suddenly tingling breasts.

Okay, this was getting out of hand. Dani stiffened and pushed him away. “Don’t, Nick.”

“Jeezus.” He released her as if she’d burned him. “What are we doing?”

She touched her lips with her fingers, noting that his gaze followed and settled on her mouth.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “All I know is that sometime during the movie we both fell asleep. And then—”

“We were making out. Wow.” Nick scrubbed his hand over his face. “Sorry about that.”

Dani should be, too. Only she wasn’t.

No wonder the women Nick dated went nuts over him. Not only was he sexy and funny with good manners, he also knew how to kiss. Fan-yourself-go-soft-inside kisses that emptied the mind of all common sense.

Dani sensed that he could also do a lot of other equally wonderful things with his mouth. Blushing furiously, she leaned forward and stacked their bowls.

She almost wished...

But no. Nick was exactly the kind of guy she’d just sworn off of, a man who moved from woman to woman and kept his heart under close guard. Besides, he was her best friend. His friendship was important to her, and she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize it.

Nick lifted the dishes right out of her hands, then stood. “It’s late, and tomorrow will be a long day for both of us. I should go,” he said, taking the words straight from her kiss-addled brain.

Dani wanted him to leave so that she could recover from a colossal mistake. She also rose. While Nick deposited the bowls in the kitchen, she fluffed the throw pillows and repositioned them along the couch.

When he returned, he shrugged into his jacket, which only accentuated his flat belly and broad shoulders.

“I’ll, uh, talk to you later.” He grabbed hold of the doorknob as if he couldn’t get out of her apartment fast enough.

Normally when they parted he kissed her on the cheek. Now that she was tingly and hot everywhere, even the most chaste kiss would be dangerous.

Fluff came running. Why couldn’t he have fallen asleep between them and prevented what had happened? Dani scooped him up and held him to her chest like a shield, poor cat. She opened the door and stood well out of reach until Nick moved through it and strode rapidly down the hall, away from her. After shutting the door, she let Fluff down. She didn’t draw in a normal breath until she heard the elevator close behind Nick.

* * *

NICK WAS UP at the crack of dawn Monday morning, relishing the busy day ahead. After a hearty breakfast he pulled on wool socks and entered the mudroom, where he tugged on boots and donned a heavy jacket. He stepped onto the back porch, his breath puffing from his lips like smoke. It was a cloudy March morning and chilly, but not quite cold enough to snow. Instead, heavy rain was predicted. Not the best working conditions for installing an irrigation system.

As always, the sight of the rolling fields filled him with pride and made him think of his father, a man who had died way too soon. Nick Senior had taught Nick that land was the most important thing a man could own, but his actions had jeopardized everything.

Kelly Ranch had belonged to the family for generations, until Nick’s parents had fallen on hard times—thanks partly to the vagaries of Montana weather, but mostly because of his father’s lavish spending habits. Nick remembered the jewelry, fancy appliances and high-end new car his father had bought his mother. He’d been so wrapped up in keeping her in luxury that he’d neglected the ranch. Neglect that had cost them all in the worst way possible.

Before long, unable to keep up with the mortgage and credit card debt, the family had been forced to sell. Nick’s parents had moved with him and his older sister, Jamie, to the east side of Prosperity. The poor side of town.

Both his parents had soon found jobs that paid regularly and provided a much-needed steady income that helped stave off the bill collectors. But no one had liked living in the city. Nick’s parents had fought constantly, and his mother started working late. She’d taken up with a man at work, someone else’s husband. The affair had ended, but not before it destroyed both marriages and broke up two families.

Breathing in the crisp air, Nick started down the back steps. He’d always wondered what his life would have been like if his parents had managed their debt better and had held on to the ranch. Would they have stayed together? If they had, his life would have been totally different.

But playing the what-if game was an endless circle of unanswerables. Nick didn’t want to remember that time, or the bitterness that had clung to his father like a shroud afterward and until the day he’d died.

He headed across the yard toward the shed where he stored tractors and other large ranching equipment, the cold earth crunching under his boots. The only positive thing to come out of his dad’s untimely death was the insurance policy he’d left Nick. Thanks to that unexpected gift, Nick had suddenly had the funds for a down payment on the family ranch, which had just happened to be on the market. It was rundown and had come dirt-cheap, and he’d been able to put down a decent amount. Using what remained of his inheritance, he was slowly making much-needed improvements.

Unfortunately, the cost of the new irrigation would eat up the last of the money. And there was so much yet to do before Kelly Ranch finally turned a profit. Several outbuildings still required repairs, and the ranch needed a new hay baler. Nick also wanted to add more cattle to his herd. While those things would have to wait, Nick was proud of the fact that the ranch should be fully restored and profitable within in the next two years—as long as he kept his eye on his goal. He wouldn’t slip up like his father, who’d lost everything. All for a woman who’d ended up leaving him, anyway.

At least the land was back in the family, where it belonged.

From the direction of the trailers that housed his ranch crew, a rooster crowed as if in approval. Nick had three permanent ranch hands. Two were married, and their wives raised chickens.

With an eye to cutting costs, he’d commandeered two of the men to help with the grunt work on the irrigation system.

They were waiting for him at the shed. Nick nodded at Palmer, the foreman who’d agreed to stay on when he’d bought the ranch, and Clip, a brawny twenty-five-year-old who wasn’t afraid of hard work. Jerome, the third member of the crew, was tackling the regular chores today.

“Morning,” he greeted them. “Kenny Tripp, the irrigation specialist I hired to install our new system, should be here soon.”

While they waited, they stood around, sipping coffee from thermoses and talking about their weekends.

“Hey, how’s Dani doing?” Clip asked.

She occasionally visited the ranch, and the crew knew that Nick had gone to her place Saturday evening, to console her after her breakup.

Unsure how to best answer Clip’s question, and preferring not to discuss about what had happened between him and Dani, Nick took a long pull on his coffee. He wasn’t often confused by his own actions, but kissing her...

What the hell had gotten into him?

Yeah, he’d been half-asleep when it happened, but that was no excuse. Over the years they’d fallen asleep beside each other plenty of times without him ever making a move on her. She meant too much to him to wreck their relationship by getting physical.

But then, he’d never guessed that kissing her would be so mind-numbingly powerful or that she’d get under his skin the way she had. The feel of her lips under his, the sweet press of her breasts against his chest...

“She’s doing okay,” he said gruffly.

He drained the last of his mug, screwed the cap on the thermos and gave himself a mental kick in the butt. Dani was his best friend. Kissing her or anything beyond that was off-limits. He’d had no business pulling her as close as he could, and no business wanting to strip her naked and get even closer.

At the mere thought, his body tightened. Turning away from Palmer’s narrow-eyed scrutiny, he set his empty thermos on a shelf near the door. Tonight he would call Dani and assure her he wouldn’t be crossing the line with her ever again.

Clip grinned. “Now that she’s single again, I just might ask her out.”

The bachelor cowboy was full of himself.

Nick gave him a warning look. “I wouldn’t.”

“Why not? She’s available.”

“Because she deserves a man who’ll stick around and build a life with her.”

“Heck, I’ll stick to her.” Clip chuckled at his joke until Nick glared at him. The cowboy sobered right up. “Chill out, Nick, I’m only funnin’ around.”

The sound of a truck rumbling toward the shed drew Nick’s attention. “That must be Tripp now. Let’s go.”

He opened the door and Palmer and Clip followed him out.

* * *

ON MONDAYS, BIG MAMA’S CAFÉ was closed. As much as Dani loved going in to work, a day off was always a welcome relief. A chance to relax, read the newspaper from cover to cover and sleep in....

Scratch sleeping in. She’d been getting up before dawn since high school, and the habit was hard to break. Plus, she had a lot on her mind, first and foremost the meeting at Big Mama’s house this morning. Her mother didn’t handle change well, but today, Dani was determined to persuade her that making needed alterations was critical to the restaurant’s survival.

The very thought of that conversation gave her hives.

Then there was Fluff, who expected his breakfast no later than five-thirty. Sitting on her chest, all twenty pounds of him, he batted her chin with his paw and meowed. Loudly and plaintively. “Oh, all right, Mr. Alarm Clock,” she muttered, moving him aside so that she could flip on the reading lamp on the beside table. Yawning and stretching, she fell back against the pillow again.

She’d spent a long, restless night, and not just because she was stressing over the upcoming conversation with Big Mama. Nick Kelly had played a big roll in the tossing and turning.

They didn’t get together all that often, but they touched base frequently, either by phone, text or email. But since Saturday night, Nick hadn’t called or texted her once. Dani hadn’t contacted him, either. Their friendship was hugely important to her, and she hoped those unforgettable kisses hadn’t made things between them all wonky.

Key word: unforgettable. A man didn’t kiss a woman as thoroughly as Nick had kissed her without making a huge impact. And what an impact it had been. Dani wanted more of the same. A lot more.

Which was just too bad, because she wasn’t about to kiss Nick like that again. Ever. The smartest thing to do was to forget the other night had ever happened.

Fluff amped up his cries to earsplitting level. “Will you stop?” she snapped in a sharp tone that caused the cat to grow quiet.

He fixed her with an accusing look that caused an instant case of the guilts. None of this was his fault.

Gentling her voice, she rubbed behind his head. He promptly forgave her and began to purr. What a pushover. “You’re such a sweet boy,” she crooned. “Let me stop in the bathroom on my way to the kitchen. Then I’ll feed you.”

By the time she threw on a robe and padded into the kitchen a few minutes later, the cat was pacing anxiously in front of his food dish. Her heart went out to him. Roughly two years ago she’d adopted him from a cat shelter, not long after he’d been found abandoned and starving. He still worried about his food, and if she didn’t feed him first thing in the morning, he tended to get upset.

Dani needed coffee, but it would have to wait. “You know how I am before my morning dose of caffeine,” she said. “But just this once, I’ll give you breakfast before I put the coffee on.” She filled his bowl. “There you go. This just proves how much I care about you.”

Busy scarfing down his meal, Fluff ignored her. Wasn’t that just like a male? Once you gave him what he wanted, he didn’t spare you a second thought.

“Story of my life,” she murmured.

Twenty minutes later she felt human again. Sipping her second cup of coffee, she read most of the Prosperity Daily News instead of skimming it, an indulgence she had time for only on Mondays.

After a leisurely shower she dressed in jeans and a pullover sweater, then grabbed her purse and a coat, and blew the cat a kiss. “Bye, handsome. Behave yourself while I’m gone.”

When she pulled out of her parking space in the apartment complex, ominous clouds filled the sky. Dani groaned. Not more rain.

Big Mama lived in the same two-story bungalow where Dani had grown up. When she arrived at the house some ten minutes later, rain was coming down hard and the wipers were working overtime.

Jewel Sellers’s old Lincoln Continental was parked behind Big Mama’s SUV, which was in the carport. Jewel was her mother’s best friend and they often palled around. Dani hoped the woman wasn’t planning on staying. She and her mom were supposed to talk about the restaurant.

She parked beside the Lincoln. At the Pattersons’ house next door, Gumbo, a ten-year-old mixed chow female, dashed down the steps from the covered porch, barking a hello. The Pattersons were both at work, and Gumbo was obviously lonesome.

Dani pulled the hood on her coat over her head and stopped at the chain-link fence. Hunkering down, she stuck her fingers through to pat the wet dog, who she swore grinned at her despite the driving rain. “Hey there, Gumbo. You should stay up on the porch, where it’s dry.”

Ignoring her advice, the dog licked her fingers. “Aw, I love you, too,” Dani said. “I wish I could stay and visit with you, but it’s too wet and cold. Besides, Big Mama’s expecting me. When Jewel leaves, we’re having a ‘meeting.’” She pantomimed sticking her thumb down her throat, then lowered her voice. “If you can figure out a way to make Big Mama accept even some of my ideas and trust me enough to quit micromanaging me on weekends, I’d love to hear them. There’ll be a doggie treat in it for you. Gotta run now.”

She raced up the steps of the covered porch. The front door was unlocked, and once she removed her wet shoes and shook the rain water from her coat, she let herself in. After the damp cold outside, the house felt snug and dry. The familiar aromas of lemon oil furniture polish and freshly baked treats that smelled out of this world flooded her nostrils. Salivating, she hung her coat in the closet.

“Hey, it’s me,” she called out, just as she always had.

Her mother bustled in from the kitchen, her gait a little slower than it once had been, but still brisk. Dressed in her trademark off-white blouse and dark pants, bifocals propped on her head, she greeted Dani with a warm smile.

Jewel followed, as petite and trim as Big Mama was large.

“I was hoping to see you before I left.” Jewel tsked in sympathy. “I’m sorry about your breakup.”

“Thanks.” It was no surprise that she’d heard about that. Big Mama kept her well-informed. Still, Dani wasn’t about to discuss the details. “It’s nasty out there, so be careful,” she said.

Her mother peered out the little window in the door. “What a storm we’re having. The weather people are warning about a three-dayer. Lordy, I hope they’re wrong. Be safe, Jewel. I’ll see you Friday night.”

The woman nodded. “Six o’clock, dinner out and cards here.” She patted her large handbag. “Thanks for the cinnamon roll. It will go well with my afternoon coffee. You’re in for a yummy snack, Dani.”