love what an active part you two have been taking in the family business. Especially with it growing like it has, there may be a future there for one of you.”
My chest tightened. Living in this corner of the world, under the leadership of my parents, was the last thing on my list of hopes and dreams. UCLA was just the start. I wanted to have a full life, one that included a career I loved and a guy I couldn’t get enough of, and maybe someday a family of my own, where I could show my children that I loved them as more than an extension of myself. That I loved them enough to let them learn on their own.
The next morning, Ray waited by our parking spots.
“Man, he fills out the uniform,” Cori said as I pulled in.
I smirked. “You should see him in Wranglers.”
Her mouth fell open, and she grinned. “Take a picture. Please.”
Laughing, I put the car in park. “Maybe, but I wouldn’t give it to you.”
“Boo.” She pouted.
“Yeah, yeah.” I turned off the car and got out. Being greeted with Ray’s smile every morning wasn’t the worst thing to happen this year.
“Good morning, Ray,” Cori said sweetly.
He tipped his head. “Mornin’.”
She grinned way too big as she walked toward the school. My cheeks felt hot, like Ray could somehow hear what we’d been talking about moments before. He extended his hand for my bag, and I gave it to him.
We walked quietly for a moment, sans leers and mean words from boys. “Thanks for this,” I said. It was actually kind of nice, not having to worry about it every morning. Nice to feel his presence beside me.
“You know one of the things my dad taught me was that if you see a lady in distress, you do what you can to help.”
A smile touched my lips—whether at his old-fashioned language or the fact that he’d helped me, I didn’t know. I just knew I wanted to hear more. “What else did your dad teach you?”
“Lots of things... Never leave your boots outside at a party, always finish what you start, some things are not for sale, and if you’re going to ask a girl on a date, you need to ask her father first.”
I blanched, sputtered, “What? That’s arcane. A woman should be able to decide on her own whether or not she wants to go.”
“I agree.” He chuckled quietly and turned his smile on me. “What would you think of that, Ginger Nash?”
If I’d been speechless before, I was even more mute now. And not for a lack of thoughts racing through my mind. But once they came out, they just kept flowing. “Don’t you think my dad’s the next antichrist?”
“I think he has one hell of a daughter,” Ray answered easily.
“And what about the ranch?”
“I can take a Saturday night off here and there.”
“But what about the—”
“Ginger.” He stopped at the sidewalk, his hands on my shoulders. “Do you want to go out with me or don’t you?”
I glanced down at his large fingers spread over my shoulders, the warmth that filtered through them and the excitement that flooded my body at the simple touch. But more than that, he excited me. I’d never met someone like Ray—so principled and commanding yet tender and caring. Biting my bottom lip, I nodded. “I do.”
The grin on his face lit my soul. He turned away for a moment, then nodded back to me. “Well then. I’ll let you know what he says.”
I suppressed my smile and cocked an eyebrow. “Good luck with my dad.”
“Do I need it?”
I laughed. “You’ll need more than that. He’s a little...”
“Prickly?”
“Protective.” I started up the stairs. “Make sure you bring your knight’s sword and a suit of armor.”
Ray snorted, matching my pace. “Is he a father or a fire-breathing dragon?”
“Same difference.”
We topped the stairs, and I glanced over at him. Instead of seeming deterred, he looked that much more determined.
“You’re not scared, are you?” It wasn’t a question, but an observation.
“Hey,” he said, “some girls are worth fighting for.”
Thirty
I didn’t tell anyone about Ray saying he’d talk to my dad about a date. Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of it myself. Was the whole ask-my-father’s-hand thing outdated or sweet? What did I think about dating Ray? Considering the fact my dad would likely turn him down, worrying probably wasn’t worth the time. Still, he’d said some girls were worth fighting for. I was worth fighting for.
“Why are