Jeremiah (Stud Ranch 5)

Charlie smiled and waved hello while I stepped forward with my hand out.

“Hi,” I said. “So good to finally meet you in person.”

Xavier shook my hand, but he was not smiling. “I have to say, there were times last year when I couldn’t imagine ever standing here shaking your hand. You caused my lawyers no end of grief.”

I felt my cheeks heat even as his huge giant’s hand enveloped mine. “This land was hard to let go of.”

He nodded and didn’t seem angry. “That’s a sentiment I can understand. People don’t value their connection to land enough these days. It’s my opinion that connecting again to the land is the one thing that might be our salvation in these troubled times. So no, Miss Harshbarger, I don’t begrudge you trying to hold onto any part of your family’s land. I admire you, even. I hope my sons and daughters connect to the land as deeply as you have.”

“Oh,” I said, quite shocked that he’d taken my conniving in such an affable way. Jeremiah had tried to explain that his boss had different feelings about land and profits than most folks, but it was infinitely refreshing to see it here up close and personal.

“Now,” he smiled, finally letting go of my hand and turning to Charlie, “I hear there’s a lovely new young lady to be welcomed into the family.” He reached forward and clasped her hand in both of his. “I’m so happy to get to finally meet you and spend a little time with you this week. Reece and his brother have always been special to me. They came to my ranch when I’d barely begun to build it into what it is today.”

He grinned at Reece. “Which is why I’m honored to gift you Lightning and Sally Anne as wedding presents today.”

Reece’s mouth dropped open and his head spun to look at Jeremiah, who was also grinning at him. “You knew?”

Jeremiah shrugged and gave a modest nod.

“You son of a bitch!” he said, but then gave his brother a harsh, rough hug. He let go of him only to turn to Xavier and give him a similarly rough hug full of hard back pats on both sides. Masculine affection at its best.

But when Reece pulled back, his eyes were shining. “Lightning?” He looked at Xavier incredulously. “But he’s one of your top-dollar breeders.”

Xavier shrugged. “I’ve got others. And if I ever need him to sire, I expect you’ll lend a friend a hand.”

“Of course,” Reece said, his eyes still wide with shock at the generous present.

“And this way,” Jeremiah said, smiling big at his brother, “you can start our own horse breeding program here. To really get your family started on the right foot.”

Reece nodded, eyes getting wider and wider as he started to really realize the implications. They could breed and train horses, from what Jeremiah told me about the work they used to do in Montana. It would bring in even more streams of income for the ranch.

I kept my smile plastered on my face even as I glanced away, looking out on the land. The land I’d looked out my bedroom window at every day of my life. I’d always dreamed of running horses out of this place in addition to cattle. The original stables here had been for the hands ’cause back in the day all cowboying had been done from atop a horse and not on a four-by-four. But they’d also stabled Caramel here, the horse I’d ridden and jumped in competitions into high school when they’d had to sell her off to pay the bills.

Ahead, Xavier’s two boys had found some long sticks and they were sword-fighting with them. The little toddler girl had picked up a smaller one and was swinging it around, half stumbling and flailing as she did so.

Xavier’s wife had come around to us and gave a wave. “Hi, I’m Mel. This wild pack,” she gestured at the kids, “belongs to me.”

“Mel of Mel’s ranch?” Charlie asked, her face lighting up. “Oh my gosh, we’ve heard so much about you.”

“Reece has chatted my ear off about you too, honey,” Mel said, holding her arms out big toward Charlie. Charlie grinned and leaned in. The two shared a hug of the sisterhood and I wondered if there’d be a way for me and Charlie to sneak Mel off with our friend Olivia when I remembered, duh, bachelorette party!! We’d find someone to watch the kids. Pawn them off on the mother-in-law, ha! The plan was shaping up in my head better and better.

Why was I letting all this wedding planning get me so down and stressed out? Yeah, theoretically we were trying to make a good impression on Charlie’s mom, but I bet no matter what we did, it wasn’t going to impress that old hag, so we better make sure not to forget to have some good old-fashioned fun along the way.