“Fair enough. Let’s go.” I’m used to being obeyed once I issue an order, so I turn and walk out. I’m at the door when I realize no one but my cousin Cane is following.
I give Cane a frown. “Where is everyone?”
We turn back to see Ladybird Rodgers and her dark-haired associate standing next to her. They’re both staring at us in disbelief as if they’ve never seen a man in boots and a hat before. This is Dallas, though, where boots and hats can be seen from the bar rooms to the boardrooms. Maybe it’s me. I probably don’t look like a Justice. There’s real dirt on the bottom of my boots and dust on my hat. My hands are callused from the rope and the reins that I’ve held for thirty some years of my life. I’ve been out in the sun, and even with my hat, my skin is tanned dark. I guess I look scary to them.
“Is there a problem?” I ask.
“Let’s go where?” Birdie asks. “I don’t even know you.” She turns to the man next to her. “Should we send out a new casting call?”
“Sure. We can do that, but what about…” He jerks his head in our direction. “Shouldn’t we do something?” He wiggles his eyebrows. I’m not sure if he’s trying to be discreet. It’s not working.
Cane breaks away from my side and approaches Birdie. “Ma’am, I’m Cane Justice, and Earl was my uncle. Over there, the big lug is Calder. He’s the head Justice in charge now. We’re just here to deliver a bequest.”
Birdie drags her hands down the sides of her cheeks. “I can’t deal with this right now. I’m trying to get my first capsule collection to market and my mom and I—” She breaks off.
It’s not something she needs to explain. It’s obvious the two weren’t close, and there’s no shame in that. Sometimes blood isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.
“It’s not a life sentence. You just come down to the ranch and sign a few papers, get your jewelry, and decide what to do with the Vail property,” Cane cajoles. He puts on a big smile, the kind that has Texas women dropping their panties, and I’m not saying that in a metaphorical sense. We’ve had mail that has packages of underwear sent to the ranch in his name. I watch with interest as Birdie doesn’t show any reaction to the smile. I guess she could like girls, which would be a fucking shame.
“Why don’t you go, Birdie? It’ll give me time to get a new set of models that are more aligned with your vision. You’re having some styling blocks too, and a new scene might inspire you. Maybe something like Ranch Couture can be the backdrop of the collection,” the man enthuses.
Suddenly I like this guy.
“I suppose. I just don’t want—you know,” she tries to send a silent message to her friend.
“God, I don’t,” he laments. “You don’t want to leave the city? You don’t want to have a chicken salad sandwich? You don’t want to be in close proximity with these hunks?”
Cane bursts out laughing. “Maybe you oughta come too, my friend. You seem like a hoot and a half.”
“I’m not a half of anything,” the man says, hands on his hips. “I’m the whole package.” He waves a hand down his thin frame.
“You should come. Please.” Birdie puts her hands together.
“I can’t, darling. I have the new puppy at home—besides, I can’t do a casting from Dudesville.”
“It’s Justice Ranch,” I interject.
“Like I said, I’m not cut out for Dudesville,” the man continues as if I didn’t speak. “You go on and see your mama. It’d be good to connect with her.”
Birdie looks like she’d rather jump off the Plaza roof than see her mother.
“You don’t have to connect with anyone,” I tell her. “The lawyer will come to the ranch. You sign and the ‘copter will bring you back to Dallas when we’ve wrapped everything up.”
“Vail, you said?” She turns to her friend. “A Vail setting might be good. What kind of property is it?”
“A forty million dollar one,” Cane says.
Birdie’s eyes nearly drop out of her eyes. “Forty—"
“Did you say four or forty?” the friend cries.
“Forty,” Cane affirms.
“Okay,” she agrees. Her eyes are still wide as she nods her head, willing to come along now.
I brush aside the disappointment at her avarice. It’s not like I was going to marry her. I just wanted to fuck her. You don’t have to be in love to fuck. It’s better this way. If a Justice man loves a woman, she ends up in an early grave. I’ll take this girl to the ranch, fuck her blind, and send her on her way.
Chapter Four
Birdie
I hate that I’m a bit excited about seeing the Vail property and getting to use it as a possible location for a photoshoot. I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit that it hurt that my mother never invited me out to visit. I told myself I wouldn’t have gone anyway, but it still stung when the holidays would come and go. I was lucky to have Frederick's family to fill that void for me.