CHAPTER THREE

      JACK ROLLED INTO the Garrett ranch just after nine. He’d finished seeing to his horses earlier and was ready to ambush Kate with coffee and a plan. It was her day off, and he knew she wasn’t still in bed lying low while the sun rose high. It wasn’t her way. Which meant he would have to track her down on the vast property.

      But that was fine with him. He didn’t have much else happening today.

      His equine operation had gotten to the point that it was running so smoothly he often felt as if he didn’t have enough to do. He had people who worked on the ranch seeing to all of the horses’ needs and a housekeeper who took care of all of his needs. He was forging great connections in competitive worlds. Both the Western riding community and dressage. And he was very close to signing a lucrative deal to breed one of his stallions to a champion hunter jumper, Jazzy Lady.

      Now that all that was falling into place and he wasn’t traveling with the rodeo, he was left with a lot of free time.

      His mother had said idle hands were the devil’s workshop, usually before she booted his ass outside so he’d stay out of her hair. But then, he’d never had much use for worrying about things like that. In part because he never worried all that much about the devil. He’d gone to church once when he was a boy with a friend from his first-grade class. The pastor had said something about Joshua the son of Nun. And after the service the boy who had been his friend when they’d walked into the building had decided Jack the son of Nun was a fitting nickname for him since he didn’t have a daddy.

      Jack had punched that little son of a bitch in the face and had never darkened the doors of any holy institution from there on after. He hadn’t stayed friends with the kid, either. In fact, the only people he had stayed friends with were the Garretts and Liss. He’d raised too much hell over the years to keep many other connections.

      Hell, he’d taken to it as if it was his job. And when he’d transitioned from causing trouble in town to bull riding, it had just been a more legitimate method.

      And another way for him to try to get his old man to take some notice. To make his mother look at him for more than thirty seconds.

      It hadn’t worked. His success hadn’t changed that, either.

      But he had Eli and Connor.

      Together they’d knit a strange and dysfunctional group that continued on to this day. He liked to think they were all a little more functional now. Well, the rest of them more than him, he supposed.

      Though he had some stability now with his ranch. He might not be married and procreating like his friends, but he wasn’t a total lost cause.

      And he knew that in and of itself was a big surprise to most people in Copper Ridge. Oh, sure, they were all polite enough, but he knew for a fact no one wanted him dating their daughter or their sister.

      Though now they were happy to have him spending money at their establishments.

      He killed his truck’s engine and got out, grabbing hold of the big metal thermos he always carried with him during the workday and two tin mugs.

      This was a peacemaking mission, which meant he had come prepared. He shoved his truck keys into his jeans pocket and crossed the gravel lot, heading toward the newly built barn, Connor’s pride and joy, with the exception of his wife and unborn child.

      Just then Connor walked out of the alley doors and Jack called out to get his attention. “Morning,” he said.

      “You brought me coffee,” Connor said, flashing him the kind of smile that up until a few months ago had been absent from his friend’s face.

      “Sorry. You’re out of luck. The coffee isn’t for you.”

      “I’m hurt,” Connor said, putting his hand on his chest. “You’re bringing coffee to another man, Monaghan?”

      “Nope. It’s for Katie.”

      Connor’s brows shot up. “Uh-oh. What did you do?”

      “Nothing. But I do need to convince her to help me out planning this charity rodeo day. I can use some contacts with the pro association. I’ve been in touch with a few people since I stopped competing. But she’s in a better position with the locals.”

      “You could probably seduce help out of Lydia. Or just ask.”

      Jack thought of the pretty dark-haired president of the chamber of commerce. Yeah, Lydia would be into it, no seduction required. The charity event, not sleeping with him. He let his brain linger on that thought for a moment, if only because it had been a while since he’d seduced anyone or been seduced in return.

      “Sure,” he responded.

      “You don’t sound enthused.”

      “I’m not unenthused.”

      “Yes, you are.”

      Jack shrugged. “Not interested, I guess.”

      “Are you sick? Because she’s female, so she’s your type.”

      Jack couldn’t argue with that. “I don’t need to seduce her into helping. It’s a good idea. You make it sound like women only want to listen to me because of my body,” he said, arching a brow. “I’m more than just a pretty face.”

      “I want to say something right now...but I have a feeling I could dig myself into a hole I’ll never get out of.”

      “You probably shouldn’t say it,” Jack said. “However, if you were thinking that I’m also a very sexy ass, you would be correct.”

      “You better wash your mouth out with soap before you bring that coffee to Kate. Or she’ll probably end up throwing it in your face.”

      “She’s not my biggest fan.”

      Connor offered him a skeptical smile. “Actually, I think she’s a pretty big fan of yours.” Jack puzzled over the words for a second before Connor continued. “You’re like another brother to her. Which is why she gives you hell.”

      Jack let out a hard breath. “Lucky me. Do you have any idea where the little she-demon is?”

      “She took Roo out for a ride. But she should be back in soon.”

      “Which way does she normally go?”

      “She rides out through the main pasture toward the base of Copper,” Connor said, talking about the mountain that the town was named after. “And she comes back around behind the horse barn.”

      “Thanks. I’ll head that way.”

      Jack turned away from his friend and started walking down a dirt path that would lead him toward the horse barn and hopefully bring him into line with Kate.

      The cloud cover hadn’t burned off yet, gray mist hanging low over the pine trees, pressing the sky down to the earth. The air was