Return To Marker Ranch

Jim’s face creased into a reassuring smile. “You’re doing just fine.”

“I don’t think so. The guys hate me. I swear they roll their eyes every time I ask them to do something.”

“They don’t hate you. But they are testing you.” Jim gripped his door handle with white knuckles when Lori navigated around a pothole so big it might have been a crater. “You’ve always been a spitfire, Lori. Don’t hold back on those guys just because you’re in charge now. If they give you grief, be a smartass and dish it straight back at ’em. When they see you giving as good as you get, they’ll settle down.”

“That’s not the management advice they gave me in college.”

“Well, maybe those college folks don’t know everything.”

“Maybe not. I’ll work on my smartassness.” She shot him a wink and he chuckled.

“I’ll look forward to it. Now park this damn truck before we hit another one of these bumps.”

They were at the end of the drive, where the dusty road widened into the dusty front yard. Lori put the truck into Park and stopped the engine. “You ready for this?”

“Let’s get it over with.” Jim shook his head. “Never did think I’d see the day when I came begging a Hoffman for water.”

As they stepped down from the truck and slammed the doors, Wade came toward them. “Hey, Lori” was all he said. She couldn’t read his expression. She’d never really been able to. Even when they were kids, he’d masked his feelings behind a wall of defiance and attitude—a magnet for her adolescent heart. And right now it was all back. Shielding him. Awakening all of that same ridiculous longing.

“Do you remember Jim Duncan?”

“Of course. Nice to see you again, Jim.”

Lori marveled at Wade’s polite tone, his calm, cordial voice. The military had certainly taught him good manners.

“Nice to have you back, Wade. I can see you’ve already made some improvements on the place.” Jim reached out and shook Wade’s hand.

Lori smiled at Jim, grateful that he was the one buttering Wade up. She knew bringing him with her was a good idea. He’d make sure she kept things professional.

Both men were looking at her expectantly.

She took a bracing breath. “Wade, I said some things the other day that I regret.”

Jim looked at her sharply. She hadn’t exactly filled him in on the details of her and Wade’s previous chat.

“Thank you,” Wade said carefully.

“Your new well had me really worried. It still does.”

“Is that what brings you out here?”

“I met with Bill Cooper about our water situation. He had an idea that might be beneficial to both of us.”

Wade leaned back against the sawhorse behind him and crossed his arms. “Okay,” he said, “shoot.”

Lori swallowed hard. She remembered Mandy’s advice. Humble pie. “He said that trying to drill deeper will only create new problems.” She readied herself for the hard part. “So Bill thought... I thought...maybe we could share the water from your well?”

Wade stared at some spot on the ground in front of his battered work boots. “I don’t know,” he finally answered.

“You don’t know?” It wasn’t what she’d expected, and her voice came out in a squeak.

Jim touched her arm in a silent command to calm down. “Son, it’s like this. The water in your well has been supporting the upper end of Lone Mountain Ranch for a long time. We’re gonna need some of it back.”

Wade nodded slowly. “With all due respect, Jim, I didn’t do anything wrong when I sunk a well on my property. And you don’t know for sure that my well is what caused yours to dry up.”

“But Bill Cooper said so!” Lori regretted the words the second they were out. She sounded like a four-year-old.

“Of course we’d compensate you for the use of your well,” Jim went on as if she hadn’t spoken. “Split any maintenance costs, for example.”

“And it would help us manage the existing water in the aquifer more carefully if we were working together,” Lori added. There. That sounded scientific and neutral.

“Look, I get that you guys are in a bind,” Wade said. “But as you know, I’m only just getting started, and this place has been neglected for a very long time. I’ve sunk all I have into this ranch, and my sister’s done the same.”

“I thought I saw Nora the other day,” Jim said. “But I figured my old eyes were playing tricks on me.”

Wade brightened a little at the mention of his sister. They’d always been close. “She’s working as a consultant on range management. But in her free time she’s been here, helping me out.”

“That’s really great,” Lori chimed in. “How nice that you’re working together to start up the ranch again.”

“Thanks.” Wade gave her a glance with eyebrows raised, obviously recognizing her chipper demeanor for what it truly was—desperation. He saw right through her—he always had. It was like he was born with a Lori Allen instruction manual and he’d memorized the whole thing. Back in high school, she’d tried to hide her crush on him, but he’d known the entire time.

“Lori, I want to help. I really do. But I’m new at this. I don’t know how much water I’m going to need, and I don’t want to take any big risks. I’ve got to turn a profit as fast as possible or I won’t be able to make it.”

“I understand that.” Lori tried to calm the anxiety rising inside. “But I need to make a profit, too, and with this drought, we’re on year three of loss. I’ve got cows and calves up in the mountains that I need to bring down, and I’ve been counting on my upper pastures for them. If I can’t irrigate that area, what am I supposed to do?”

Wade shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not saying no to your idea outright. But I’m definitely going to need a little time to crunch the numbers and see if it will work.”

“But it’s not your water.” Lori’s clenched her hands into fists, digging them into the sides of her thighs, trying to keep her temper in check. He held the fate of her ranch in his hands, and he couldn’t be bothered to give her an answer? How could he be so selfish? How could he not say yes?

“I’m sorry, Lori. I promise I’ll look the numbers over this week and get back to you.” Wade stood up a little straighter, as if letting them know the conversation was over.

There had to be a way to make him see reason. “Wade, if this is about the other day...”

“Hang on, Lori.” Jim set a warning hand on her arm. “We appreciate it, Wade. We really do. We’ll look forward to hearing from you.” Jim reached out and shook Wade’s hand and then took Lori firmly by the elbow, steering her to the truck.

Fury seethed inside. She hated this. Hated that Wade had only been on Marker Ranch for a few weeks and he was already causing her trouble. Once again he showed up in her life and destroyed it in one cool, detached move. She turned, ignoring Jim’s murmured warning.

“I take back that apology.”

“I figured you might.” Wade’s jaw was set and stubborn. “Just say your piece, Lori. Then we can both get on with our day.”

She’d heard the term seeing red before. Now she knew what it meant. Anger colored everything. Her, Wade and his damn ranch were all on fire. “What you’re doing is wrong. Wrong! You took our water!”

“I didn’t...”

She didn’t want to hear his excuses. About anything. “There’s a right way to ranch and a wrong way to ranch. And you don’t seem to know the difference. You should listen to people who do know right from wrong. Like Jim here!”

Jim put up a hand in protest, as if telling her to leave him out of her tirade. She was beyond caring.