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Freed from her father’s stifling influence, Lauren Prescott had turned out to be a pleasant surprise. She was smart, spunky, and opinionated, with a razor-edged wit. Beau, who’d had mixed feelings about entertaining the congressman’s daughter, found himself actually enjoying her.
“Will you be staying long?” he asked as they strolled across the yard toward the barn.
“That depends.” She sidestepped around some horse droppings. “I have a brand-new business and accounting degree from the University of Maryland, and I’m anxious to put it to use. The trouble is, the places where I’ve applied all want experience.”
“Can’t the congressman help you out, maybe pull a few strings?”
“Oh, please!” She shot him a disgusted glance. “It’s not that he hasn’t offered. But I want to make it on my own, not because I’m Garn Prescott’s baby girl. It was my idea to come here and work in the ranch’s main office for a few months, just to have something to put on my résumé.”
“I’m guessing that was fine with your father.”
“Oh, Daddy was glad to have me come. But now that I’m here, he wants to put me on display and auction me off to the highest bidder.”
“Since slavery was outlawed after the Civil War, I take it you’re talking about an advantageous marriage. Yes?”
She tossed her coppery hair. “Yes—advantageous for him, at least. Why do you think he brought me here tonight—and pushed you into taking me for a stroll? He’s got two rich, handsome, unmarried ranchers right here—one of whom might even help him get reelected! Bang the gavel! Who wants to start the bidding?”
Beau studied the stubborn set of her jaw. What she was suggesting was outrageous. But Garn Prescott was a man who used people at every turn. Why should he stop at using his own daughter?
He masked his dismay with a laugh. “Lauren Prescott, you’re terrible!”
“No, just honest.”
He steered her toward the barn where the mares and foals were kept. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re safe here. Will’s almost old enough to be your father, and I’m not t
hat far behind. As for being rich, our wealth is in the land, not in the bank. Like most of the family ranchers in these parts, we’re struggling to hang on to what we’ve got.” He paused as a sudden thought struck him. “But I do have a proposition for you, if you’ll hear me out.”
“A proposition?” She threw him a hoydenish look. “Now that sounds interesting!”
“Not that interesting, I’m afraid. But if you’d like to add another line to your résumé, I could use your part-time help setting up an online spreadsheet for our ranch.”
She made a little musing sound. “Tell me more.”
Beau dramatized a groan. “Where do I begin? The records were a mess when I took them over from Will. I’ve done my best to get them caught up on the computer, but I need some kind of system to make the job easier going forward. Trouble is, with Will recovering and Sky off scouting new colts—”
“Sky?” She stopped, as if the name had caught her off guard.
“Our resident horse whisperer. You’ll meet him if you spend anytime here.”
“He sounds interesting. Maybe he can teach me a thing or two about horses.”
“Maybe. Are you a rider?”
“Not Western. Growing up in Maryland, I competed in dressage and jumping.”
They were walking once more, their shadows long across the moonlit yard. A nightjar zigzagged low in its search for insects, its wings slicing the darkness.
“So what about my offer?” Beau asked.
“How soon would you need me?”
“Yesterday, if possible. But I’ve managed to blunder along so far. It can wait if you need time to settle in to your real job.”
“I’ll give it some thought,” she said. “For the first couple of weeks, I’ll need to focus on the work at our ranch. But after that, if I have time and need a break—”
“You will need a break, I’m betting. And when you do, the welcome mat will be out.” Beau opened the stable door. “Come meet the ranch’s new little superstar.”
Switching on the low light, he ushered her down the row of roomy stalls toward the one that housed Lupita and Tesoro. The barn had been cleaned, but not well. Wisps of dirty straw littered the floor, and the air smelled of stale manure. Beau swore silently. Lute again. He was going to have to come down hard on him or even kick his lazy butt off the ranch.
