After their refreshing run, Morgan reined Sadie into a walk, stopping beside a gurgling creek to give the horses a chance to drink. Lucy began browsing the nearby trees for a snack, and Morgan clucked at her in disapproval. “Lucy, you know better than that. Craig, you need to get her head up or she’ll munch all day.”
“It’s not a big deal,” he said, reaching down to pat her gleaming neck. “She hasn’t even tried to throw me, so I’d say she’s earned a treat for being so nice to the city slicker.”
Morgan shrugged, figuring there was no harm in it, and if the mare’s habit didn’t bother him, then she wasn’t going to press the issue. When she noticed Ty staring off into the distance, she twisted in her saddle to follow his line of sight and frowned when she noticed a chromed-out 4x4 parked in a stand of trees.
“Who’s that?” she asked.
“No idea. One of the neighbors get a new car?”
She snorted at the suggestion. “Folks around here don’t have money for a flashy car like that.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Ty said absently, his eyes meeting hers in a somber look. “I was also thinking he’s set himself up on that public land you’ve been using for your wild ponies.”
“He could be from Cartwright Energy,” Craig suggested. “Surveying, maybe.”
Morgan was impressed that someone as busy as him could recall the name of a single development firm from among the dozens of petitions he must receive every week. Unfortunately, his curious tone didn’t sit right with her, and she glared at him. “You make it sound like it’s not something we should be worried about.”
“Surveying public land isn’t a crime,” he reminded her in a calm, legalistic manner that made her want to scream. “I don’t see any excavating or drilling equipment around, so if he’s just taking measurements or collecting surface samples, there’s not a problem.”
“For you, maybe,” Morgan spat, quickly losing patience with her handsome guest. “I have a big problem with it. That’s how these things start, looking all innocent and aboveboard. Then, before the locals know it, they’re living in the middle of a deconstruction zone.”
“Give ’em an inch, they take a mile,” Ty agreed, frowning in disapproval. “You know how businesses like these work, Craig. You must’ve seen every trick in the book by now.”
“Not every one, but enough to know you’ve both got a point.”
“That’s enough nonsense,” Morgan announced, lifting Sadie’s head and pointing her nose in the right direction. “Let’s go have a little chat with our visitor.”
Craig responded with a shake of his head. “Sorry, but I’ll have to beg off on that one. I might be dealing with this guy later, and it wouldn’t be good for me to give anyone the impression that I’m taking sides.”
Seriously? Morgan wanted to ask, then thought better of it. He was the politician, not her, and she had no idea how Washington worked. She had to trust that Craig knew what he was doing and that him staying out of this particular fray would prove to be beneficial to their cause later on. Turning to Ty, she gave him the I-dare-you look that had worked on him since they were kids. “How ’bout you?”
That earned her one of his wide-open country boy grins. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Possibly not the smartest approach, she acknowledged as they moved toward the intruder, but she had to give him credit for stepping up. He hadn’t hesitated even the tiniest bit when she all but challenged him to come along. Dad would groan that they were both crazy, but at least it was the same brand of crazy. In spite of their rocky personal history, it was comforting to know that Ty wasn’t going to just stand by and let her confront this unwelcome stranger on her own.
Not that it mattered all that much, she amended grimly. She would’ve done it one way or the other.
As she and Ty approached their squatting visitor, he glanced up from his tablet with an annoyed expression. By the time they reined the horses to stand, he’d closed down whatever he was working on and stood up tall. “May I help you?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Morgan replied in the fake-polite tone she used on phone solicitors.
“I’m fine. Thanks.”
Well, that wasn’t helpful, she groused silently as he turned his back and strode away. So much for manners, she decided, spurring Sadie into a jog that easily overtook him. Careful to avoid crowding him, the horse stopped and spun, facing him head-on in the cutting horse stance that came naturally to her. Sadie had never tipped a barrel or lost the attention of any calf she’d ever faced, and this greenhorn was no match for her.
The man’s irritated look was back, but it quickly faded when Clyde came up on his other side, effectively cutting him off from his fancy rental SUV. Ty caught her eye and gave her a slight nod, as if to say that whatever happened next was totally up to her.
And Morgan wasn’t too proud to admit—at least to herself—that she liked it.
Swinging down from the saddle, she strolled up to the stranger and decided on a softer approach. She took off one of her gloves and extended her hand. “I think we got off on the wrong foot here. I’m Morgan Whittaker.”
“I know perfectly well who you are,” he informed her testily. His tone got Sadie’s attention, and she took a single step closer, pressing up against Morgan’s shoulder in a protective gesture so typical of the intelligent creatures Morgan was fighting to save. The man’s expression softened a bit, and his face cracked into something akin to a smile. “You have a beautiful horse.”
Morgan knew she couldn’t really take credit for that. The gorgeous palomino was God’s handiwork, but she appreciated the effort he’d made and forced a smile. “Thank you, Mr.—?”
“Nelson. Bill Nelson.” This time, he took her hand for a tentative shake. “I’m an assayer for Cartwright Energy. But I’m guessing you already knew that.”
“Not the specifics, but I figured you were associated with them. This spread—” she indicated the expansive property they were standing in the middle of “—is pretty close to my family’s ranch. I thought Cartwright was interested in the Bridger Mountain slopes farther up. What are you doing this far south?”
“Covering all the bases,” he replied cryptically, obviously making an attempt to keep his mission as vague as possible.
He wasn’t exactly trespassing, but having anyone this close to her beloved mustangs made her uneasy, to say the least. While Morgan was hunting for a way to extend their conversation and find out a bit more about his purpose, Ty swung down to stand beside her. When Bill got a closer look at the former bull rider, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
“You’re Ty Wilkins.”
“Last time I checked,” Ty joked, offering one of his scarred hands with a disarming grin that still seemed to fool everyone but Morgan.
“I’m a huge rodeo fan, and I’ve seen you compete at least a dozen times,” Bill gushed in an excited voice. “My friends and I were convinced you must’ve been superglued to those bulls.”
“Not quite, but thanks.”
“What are you doing here? I mean, not that it’s any of my business, but I haven’t seen you on the circuit this year. You’re not thinking of retiring, are you?”
A twinge of sorrow clouded those hazel eyes, but it quickly vanished behind the friendly twinkle that normally warmed the gold accents. “Not sure yet. For now, I’m working with Morgan and the Mustang Ridge Conservancy. Since we’re against the prospecting your company is suggesting, you can see why we’d be interested in what you’re doing out here.”
“I can,” Bill conceded with a frown. “But I’m not allowed to discuss my assignment with anyone other than my boss. I’m sure you understand.”
Ty cocked his head in a display of thinking that one over, and Morgan had to swallow a laugh. He might drive her completely bonkers on a regular basis, but she had to admit that he had a real knack for dealing with people.
“Not really,” the tall cowboy finally said, adding yet another lazy grin. “But I’m a quick study. Why don’t you explain it to me?”
Bill hesitated, and Morgan couldn’t believe that he might actually disregard his orders and confide in Ty. Then the professional shutters came down, and he slowly shook his head. “I can’t do that. I’m aware of the property lines that are in place out here, and I’ll stay well clear of the Whittaker boundaries,” he added, aiming the comment Morgan’s way. “That’s all I’m legally required to do.”
His reference to the law got Morgan’s back up. Unfortunately for him, it also got her mind spinning in a different direction. “Who gave Cartwright the idea to come digging out here in the first place?”
“I wouldn’t know that.”
“But even if you did,” she pressed in growing dislike of his I’m-just-following-orders attitude, “you wouldn’t tell us. Right?”
Bill gave Ty an unmistakable guy’s look. “Let me guess. She’s the brains?”
Ty gave a single nod, leaving his head at an angle that left the brim of his hat shading his eyes. The stance reminded her of a lone-wolf character in an old Western, and she had to fight off a grin. He really was good at this.
“Look,” Bill went on, including both of them in an apologetic glance. “I’ve heard a little about what’s going on here, and I can honestly say I sympathize with your position. But I have a family to support, and as a geologist, this is the best position I’ve ever had. No matter what my personal opinion on this issue might be, I can’t do anything that might get me fired.”
“That I understand,” Ty commented, adding a heavy sigh. “We’ve all got a job to do, right?”
“Right.”
Recognizing that even Ty’s considerable personal charms weren’t going to get them anywhere this time, Morgan conceded defeat. At least for now. “Well, I have a family legacy to protect, not to mention the environment that your company seems to have so little respect for. If you ever decide to switch sides, let me know. We could use a good geologist in our corner.”
She’d learned never to leave the house without a few business cards, and she slid one from the rear pocket of her jeans and handed it to him. Then, because there was nothing more to say, she turned and walked back to where Sadie was quietly grazing within sight of the herd that her mother had been part of years ago.
The two men had a quick exchange, and then Ty fell in beside her again as they rode back toward where they’d left their guest. Even from a distance, she could see that Craig was lounging in the shade of a gnarled elm, thumbing through screens on his phone, while Lucy munched on daisies.
“What did Bill say to you?” Morgan asked without thinking. It was really none of her business, but she had to admit that Ty’s ease with people both frustrated and fascinated her. She didn’t share that particular talent, and she couldn’t help wondering how it worked.
To her aggravation, Ty chuckled. “He was impressed that even out in the middle of nowhere, you had a business card.”
The comment only irked her more. “What? He thinks I’m an empty-headed blonde who doesn’t know how to run a nonprofit organization?”
“Well, now, he didn’t exactly say it like that,” Ty drawled, sending her one of those infernal grins.
“But he was thinking it, I’m sure.” Blowing out an exasperated breath, she went on seething. “How come folks have such a hard time viewing me seriously, but they immediately take to the rodeo star?”
Ty’s grin evaporated, and he glanced down at his hands, fiddling with Clyde’s reins in a rare show of discomfort. When he lifted his gaze to hers, the lighthearted twinkle was gone. “Got me. But I’d imagine it won’t be too long before I find out how people are gonna react to plain old Ty Wilkins.”
Morgan hadn’t considered how difficult that transition might be for him. Always at home in the spotlight, being a regular person was a real comedown for him. And, because she appreciated him backing her up with Bill Nelson, she decided to be nice.
“There’s nothing plain or old about you, cowboy,” she said, astonished by how easily the compliment rolled off her tongue. “Folks around here like you because of who you are, not what kind of trophies you’ve won.”
That seemed to lift his spirits, and he gave her a grateful smile. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I decided to come home.”
Morgan found herself smiling back at him. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with you.”
For some reason, he pulled out his phone and aimed the camera in her direction. “Would you mind repeating that? No one’s gonna believe it unless I have a video.”
In response, Morgan stuck her tongue out at him and spurred Sadie into a lope that left him eating her dust. That was where he belonged, in the past that she’d been trying to put behind her for so long. But somehow, he’d popped up in her life again, and sooner or later she’d have to figure out what that meant.
But that would have to wait. Right now, she had a congressman to dazzle.
“So, Craig,” Jessie said while passing the mashed potatoes, “what do you like best about Washington?”
After chewing thoughtfully for a few moments, he swallowed and replied, “The weather.”
JD sat back and chuckled. “An honest politician? I didn’t think they made those anymore.”
“There’s a few of us left,” Craig assured him with an easygoing grin. “More than you might assume, based on the news that comes out of the Beltway. Lots of us are there to represent the interests of the folks who elected us, and we do our best for them every day. It’s not easy, but when you get it right, there’s no better feeling.”
This was what he’d liked about the young congressman when they first met at one of his campaign events a few years ago, Ty recalled fondly. Not many politicians treated voters to barbecue and corn bread under a tent at a rodeo. Actually, he couldn’t think of another one, and that made Craig’s down-to-earth approach stand out all the more.
“Do you think you can help us fight Cartwright?” Morgan asked in her usual direct way. Ty much preferred it to her flirting with the guy, but the relief he felt seemed out of proportion to the situation. Shoving that thought aside, he waited to hear what their potential champion had to say.
“Managing the local issues will be up to you,” he responded in an overly careful tone that clearly riled his hostess.
“Meaning there’s nothing you can do,” she retorted in an accusing tone. When her scathing glare moved from Craig to land on Ty, he fought the urge to squirm.
“I didn’t say that,” Craig reminded her patiently, pulling her attention back to him. Ty was insanely grateful for the reprieve, and he sent his friend a thankful look.
“Then what are you saying?” JD growled, scowling like a grizzly who’d been awakened a month too early. “’Cause what I’m hearing is some fancy lawyer’s double-talk.”
Craig met that with a half smile. “It’s true that I’m a lawyer by trade, but I’m hardly a fancy one. What I meant is that I’ll do what I can in DC, but I can’t handle the job all on my own. The efforts of you and the others involved in the conservancy will be crucial to whether or not Mustang Ridge succeeds where so many other resource-rich areas have failed.”
Ty caught a whiff of what he was trying not to say and filled in the blank. “You’re talking about the locals who don’t support the development, right?”
“In part. From what you and Morgan have told me, the town’s split pretty much down the middle on this issue. Development brings jobs and money into an area, and that’s tempting for a lot of residents.”
“But even if they find what they’re looking for, when the resource they were after is gone, what then?” Morgan asked, skepticism sparking in her eyes. “Cartwright will head off to their next project, and we’ll be left with a huge mess and no way to clean it up.”
She’d always been smart as a whip, able to look beyond the obvious to whatever was lurking beneath the surface. Ty had no trouble imagining her starting this fight on her own, gradually pulling in others who shared her feelings but weren’t aware of the dangers the energy company’s exploration posed.
Craig slid him a bemused look. “Forget about you coming to DC to talk to the Natural Resources Committee. We should bring Morgan in to tell them all what-for. No one in their right mind could ignore all that passion.”
Morgan’s eyes dropped on Ty like a hawk, and again he fought the urge to squirm. “You’re going to testify in front of Congress?”
“We talked about it,” he hedged, silently chiding his friend for selling him out this way. “Nothing’s been decided, though.”
Fortunately, Craig jumped in to help. “It was my idea. I thought Ty’s name recognition might help your cause. Sometimes when ordinary folks come in, they get a little tongue-tied and—”
The Whittakers all burst out laughing, and Ty had to grin. Leaning toward their guest, he murmured, “Not a problem for Morgan.”
Craig took the ribbing in stride and held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, you got me. But here’s an idea.” Pausing, he glanced from Morgan at the foot of the table to Ty. “Why don’t you both come as my guests? That gets you double the exposure, and it just might make the difference between your petition receiving immediate attention and getting set on the pile for later review.”
“We don’t have time for ‘later review,’” Morgan pointed out, air-quoting the last two words with a derisive expression. “According to Bill Nelson, Cartwright’s planning to bring in their drilling equipment within a couple months.”
“So much for community involvement,” Ryan grumbled. “That meeting was nothing but a sham to make folks think they had a say in what’d be happening here.”
“At work, I heard the company just leased an office in our building,” Jessie chimed in. “I asked the main lobby receptionist about it, and she heard they signed up for three years.”
Ben scowled at that. “That means they’re planning on sticking around at least that long.”
“Even if they don’t, that expense is just chicken feed to a big firm like that,” Morgan added in disgust. “And if they find what they’re looking for, they’ll be around even longer.”
“Business owners would like that, even if the ranchers don’t,” Ty commented, beginning to see the dilemma his quaint hometown was facing.
“That’s the problem,” Morgan acknowledged, glancing into the living room, where Allie and Hannah were stretched out on a braided rug building a log cabin village. “If we let them in and then change our minds about what they’re doing, there’s no telling how long it might take to get rid of them.”
“Legally, it’s almost impossible,” Craig confirmed in a somber voice. “Once the land is sold and the leases and land-use documents have been signed, you’ll have no legal recourse to stop the activity. Your best chance is to prevent the exploration altogether. I’ve seen cases where a company doesn’t find what they anticipated but stumbled on some other resource and mined that instead to minimize their losses.”
After some more grim back-and-forth, JD put an end to the conversation by sliding his chair back and standing. “That’s enough doom and gloom for me. I’m going for a ride.”
“I hope I’m not the reason you’re leaving your own table,” Craig said apologetically as he stood.
“Not a bit. We need to know what we’re up against, and thanks to you, we’ve got a much better idea of how tough this fight is gonna be.” The weathered rancher extended his hand with a smile. “But that won’t scare us off, so don’t you worry.”
“That’s good to know.” After JD had left, the young politician remained standing. “I’ve got a few dozen emails to get through, so I’ll call it a night. Thanks so much for the home cooking and the great company. Nights like this remind me of why I do what I do,” he added, sending a smile Morgan’s way.
She returned it, all memory of their earlier spat apparently gone. “I’ll walk you and Ty out.”
Feeling like a tagalong little brother, Ty wished everyone a good night and followed them to the front door. After they said their goodbyes, he and Craig strolled toward the common fence line and stepped through to the Wilkins side.
“So,” Craig began in a casual tone that made Ty suspicious for some reason. “You really have to tell me—why did you break up with that incredible woman in there?”
“We were together awhile. It didn’t work out, but we’re still friends.” At least, he hoped they were. He had to admit that even for him, sometimes it was hard to tell.
“She’s an amazing woman, and she strikes me as the type who could cut a guy off at the knees anytime she wanted. I pity anyone foolish enough to go up against her on something that’s really important to her.”
“Like saving Mustang Ridge?” When Craig nodded, Ty stopped and turned to face him. “Be straight with me, Craig. Do we have a chance?”
After considering that for a few moments, he nodded. “Yes, but you have to get it right the first time. There will be a hundred other petitions just like yours, just as important, and just as prickly for the committee to deal with. This country needs to find and develop its own resources so we don’t have to import as much as we’re currently doing. That brings oil and fuel prices down, and that benefits everyone from young families to senior citizens living on fixed incomes.”
“Okay, I get that. Now that you’ve heard our plans, what do you need from me?”
“I really think you and Morgan would make a great one-two punch in front of the committee.” After a long pause, he went on. “I’m happy to sponsor you and make the introductions, but I think it’s best if I stay out of the process for the most part.”
“Why?”
Craig gave him a knowing look that made Ty feel transparent. “I saw how you reacted whenever I talked to Morgan. It’s pretty obvious there’s something going on there, and I’m not willing to lose a friend over a woman. Not even one as incredible as her.”
“You’re crazy,” Ty chided with a laugh. “I told you, she and I are just friends.”
“I heard you. I just don’t believe you.”
Craig began walking again, leaving Ty standing in the middle of the pasture staring after him. Clyde was grazing nearby, and when he noticed Ty was alone, he came ambling over to sniff his pockets in search of a treat.
“Nothing tonight, buddy,” he said, offering a quick jaw scratch instead. The powerful gelding accepted that gladly enough, then head-butted him so hard, Ty nearly fell down. Regaining his balance, he laughed. “All right, you win. Let’s go.”
As they made their way toward the barn, he puzzled over Craig’s errant comments about Morgan. For all his instincts about people, it was weird that the congressman would so completely miss the mark when it came to something like that.
Oh, well, Ty thought with a mental shrug. Even a sharp-minded lawyer could be wrong once in a while.