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Josh laughed. “Great cowboys aren’t defined by the size of their bank accounts like CEO’s, Bull. We out rode our competition, defied the odds, and conquered beasts that outweighed us ten-fold.”
Isabella felt a little thrill at Long’s words. It bothered her that Benedict Redford could not see his own worth. When they were married, she would be his partner and Bull would have no more monetary concerns. What she possessed would be his also.
“Nevertheless, get your Western suit pressed. We’ll be attending a party in our honor not too many moons from now.” Josh tipped his hat. “Good to see you, Miss Cortez. I know it’s a daunting task, but try and keep this guy out of trouble.”
“She enjoys my kind of trouble.” Bull kissed Isabella on her cheek. “Don’t you, sweetheart?”
“You’d best be grateful she does.” Josh tugged on the reins to turn his horse toward the pasture. “If you get into too much hot water, give me a call. I owe you one, Redford. I’ll always be in your debt.”
When he was out of earshot, Isabella couldn’t contain her curiosity. “What did he mean?”
Bull opened the heavy glass door so she could enter the building. “Oh, nothing. I got him out of a little scrape once. Before Emma, Josh Long was the Casanova of the rodeo circuit. They called him the cowgirl whisperer. Sometimes his dalliances with the lovely ladies would intersect and backfire on him.”
“May I help you?” a woman at the front desk asked.
Bull kept his hand on Isabella’s back. “Hey, we’re here to see Lance. I’m Bull Redford and this is Isabella Cortez.”
The receptionist gave Isabella a long look and Bull knew why. Gone was the ingenue and in her stead stood a sophisticated, exotic woman who looked like the millions she was worth.
“Welcome, please follow me. Lance and the big boss are expecting you.”
Isabella thought Tebow Ranch was an impressive place. She could tell the operation was run like the big business it was, a cooperation dealing not only in cattle, but also gas and oil. She’d watched enough reruns of Dallas to know the McCoys were the Ewings of Southfork come to life. Terra Dura was bigger, but it didn’t have the same energy as Tebow.
They followed the receptionist down a green-carpeted hall. The white walls were decorated with awards and candid shots of life on the ranch. She found herself smiling at one photo of several children about Luke’s age standing in front of a fence. They were all dressed in cowboy regalia with big smiles on their faces. Isabella knew she was looking at the next generation of McCoys. She couldn’t help but imagine little ones posed at the gate of Terra Dura, little vaqueros and vaqueras. Luke would need siblings. Many siblings.
“What are you grinning about? Do you see something funny?” Bull asked as he steered her into Lance’s office.
“No, I see the future and it’s wonderful.”
Bull let her mysterious comment go unanswered as he greeted Lance and Aron. “Gentleman. Thanks for seeing us. This is the woman I’ve been telling you about, Isabella Cortez of Terra Dura Ranch.”
Both men stood to shake Isabella’s hand. “It’s an honor, Miss Cortez. I’ve heard nothing but good things about your family’s operation.” Lance indicated a chair. “Please take a seat. You too, Bull. I’m glad you could stop by.”
“I hear congratulations are in order, Lance. I hope you and Tricia will be very happy,” Bull pointed to a picture of a bride on Lance’s desk. “This man just got married.”
“I’m a lucky fellow. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Isabella had to agree. “Yes, she is. Beautiful and very blonde.” She admired the bride’s long golden hair, her hand moving up to touch her own dark locks. Bull’s ex-wife was a blonde too.
Aron chuckled. “Tricia does stand out in our crowd.” He glanced at Lance. “I think every other Tebow wife or girlfriend has dark hair.”
“Well, Josh’s Emma is redheaded and so is Denver’s new girl, Bryn Harmon,” Lance interjected, completely serious. “Bowie’s Cassie is a blonde.”
“What is this?” Bull asked with a frown. “Are we going to start comparing nail polish colors next?”
Aron held up his hands. “Sorry. Tebow used to be an all-male bastion. Now, we have women and children everywhere. Things change.” He grinned. “And we like it.” Aron offered his hand to Isabella. “I’m Aron McCoy, Miss Cortez.”
Isabella found that she liked these two men very much. “Mr. McCoy, we have a previous association. You sculpted Toro Roca for my father.”
“Oh, I remember, very well. That piece was one of my first.” He walked to a credenza and picked up a coffee pot. “Anyone?” There were no takers, so he poured his own cup, ignoring the cream and sugar. “Your father was an inspiration.” He settled down across from Isabella. “One day while I was working up on that ridge, Romero told me of his dream to take mainstream bullfighting in a new direction.”
Isabella was a bit surprised that her father had confided in the American. “Thank you, I am doing my best to honor his memory.”
“Well, let’s get down to business, shall we?” Bull nudged the trio into a topic change. “Tebow Ranch is known for its superb cattle. I know you’re always looking for outstanding new bloodlines to introduce into your herd and there are no finer seed bulls in the world than those that come from Terra Dura.”
During the next little while, Isabella answered questions about the available stock and their pedigrees. Bull was impressed by her knowledge and her bearing. She was a consummate professional, sure of her standing and confident in the value of what she offered.
As the meeting neared its end, Lance requested some additional information and Aron expressed interest in flying down to see some of the stock firsthand. “I enjoy looking at colorful catalogs and websites, but nothing beats standing near enough to look an animal in the eye.”
