Page 37 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

“She’s our only other sister.” She wondered how Jordan felt at the prospect of meeting someone who knew the father he hadn’t.

If he felt anything now, he gave no clue, but she was feeling something. Concern. Maya had something Jordan would never have—firsthand knowledge of his father. That had to sting, and she realized she didn’t want Jordan to hurt.

“Does she know what’s been going on?” Jordan asked.

Meg gave a snort. “Her bedroom’s not ready, so no.”

“She’d be here on the next flight,” Lil affirmed.

Jordan set down his cup. “The only person I know of who has any interest in getting you guys to leave is Connery and his client.” His mouth tightened. “I think I took care of that this morning.”

“Do you think we’re in the clear?” Lil asked doubtfully.

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“How long are you going to stay here?” Meg asked, fiddling with the handle of her cup.

“Let’s play that by ear,” he said. “I won’t get in your way.”

“What about Dakota?” Lil hated that their ranch hand might lose his much-needed income due to things out of her control.

Jordan considered for a moment. “He’s taking my place on the Tree Fork, so I’ll take his place here. I’ll see to it that he keeps working on the Tree Fork.”

“I’ve always wanted to boss my landlord,” Meg murmured.

Jordan flashed his easy smile, the one that warmed Lil from the inside even when she didn’t want to be warmed, and she wondered what it would have been like to have met him under different, less confounding, circumstances.

“What do we do about Aubrey coming out?” Meg asked suddenly.

“Let’s meet her in town.” Lil turned her attention to Jordan. “She was planning to visit tomorrow. Check the garden that we’re ignoring.”

“I’m watering it today,” Meg mumbled.

Indeed, the garden was the least of their worries.

“A town meet-up sounds like a better alternative,” Jordan agreed.

“We can cancel.”

He shook his head. “I can keep an eye on things while you’re gone and maybe look at the electrical in the barn.”

“I thought you were getting an electrician for that.”

“I thought I was, before I called around.”

“Booked solid?”

“We’d be lucky to get someone before Thanksgiving.”

*

The calls to the horse owners were as awful and awkward as Lil had anticipated. She left the house feeling defeated despite the fact that she’d, for the most part, been successful in explaining the mishap on the property and getting permission to temporarily move her operation, and thus their horses, to the Tree Fork Ranch. She was okay for now, but what did the future hold?

“I think I’ve just killed my side gig,” she told Jordan, who was chasing down wires in the barn, testing for the short.

“Or you look like a responsible person who cares about the welfare of the animals in her care.” He focused on the screws he was removing as he spoke.

She took a few slow paces past Jordan while he removed a steel outlet plate. “I hate that our current plan is wait and see. That’s what I had to do when my dad was sick, and when the family ranch was sinking in debt.”