just stamped her approval. I think you need to get some control over your woman, Decker.”
Decker smiled. “Right. You go ahead and tell her that.”
“It’d help if she wasn’t so damn right all the time.” Cole sighed. “Now she’s got attitude.”
“She came with that.” He motioned Cole into the corral. “You want to take the pony for a bit? I need to get ready for that open house up at Boulder Creek.”
Decker might play a cowboy while he was working at the family ranch, but he was also an architect, and phase three of his new housing development on Whisper Creek’s western border was set to open this fall.
“Another fun afternoon sitting around a model home with your fancy suit and shoes on? God, I’m envious.”
Cole stepped into the corral and took the rope from Decker, ducking as Decker tried to cuff him in the head.
“Lot of ways to make a living, buddy. Lot of ways.”
Cole nodded. “Yup. I’m just glad my ways don’t involve suits.”
Decker shook his head. “I’d much rather be here this afternoon, believe me.”
“Sure.”
“I would.”
“It’s okay, Decker. I’ve got cowboy-duty nailed down. Even have my best Stetson on in case anybody shows up early. We’re covered.”
“Are you being an ass?”
“Nope. But if you start scheduling these open houses for every Sunday afternoon, I might turn into one.”
“Well, once we sell all the lots, we won’t need to do any more open houses, right?”
“Not till you start on phase four, anyway.” Cole tried to keep the bitter edge out of his voice, but he figured Decker heard it anyway.
They’d both been raised right here at Whisper Creek, but after their little sister’s death, Decker’d been kicked off the ranch by their despondent father, who’d needed to blame someone. He’d spent ten long years out in California honing his architect chops while Cole and Ma had struggled to keep the ranch from going under completely, but two years ago when Dad died, Decker had finally come back.
And at first, it had been great. He and Cole had poured buckets of sweat into reviving Whisper Creek. They’d worked together, cussed together, drunk beers at the end of the day together, got to know each other again.
But now? It’d been two years since Decker had driven back up the long driveway and into their lives, but they still hadn’t quite worked out the who-does-what equation yet, and Cole was getting itchy.
While he mucked stalls and led trail rides and fed those damn goats Kyla had insisted on, Decker spent half his time up at the new development, or at town council meetings, or glad-handing the guys who would be voting at the next council meeting.
Leaving Whisper Creek certainly hadn’t been Decker’s choice, but Cole just wished now that he was back, he’d be—back. Back in the stables, back on the trails, back in the corrals for more than a passing lesson or two before heading out in his truck for yet another meeting or business lunch.
Decker was working his ass off, no doubt about it. And the Boulder Creek development had been responsible for Whisper Creek’s bank account finally moving into the black, but there didn’t seem to be any end in sight, and Cole was getting a little tired of feeling like he was carrying the ranch on his shoulders.
Especially since he wasn’t one hundred percent sure he even wanted to play cowboy anymore.
He sighed and headed for the stables with the pony. Yep. To the outside world, Decker was saving the ranch with his money, his valedictorian brain, and his housing project, and Cole was—well, Cole was being asked to pose for the ranch calendar.
And that kind of said it all.
Chapter 2
Jess sat on the sticky cab seat staring down at the envelope at her feet, but she didn’t dare lean down to pick it up. The lights of the tunnel glared against the cab’s windows, trying desperately to make people forget they were actually traveling undersea. She tried to do one of the breathing exercises she taught her yoga students, but her body was having none of that nonsense.
“You okay back there? You’re not gonna hurl, are you?” The cabbie looked at her in the rearview mirror, his eyebrows drawn together.
“No. I’m not going to—hurl.” Jess pushed the button to open the window. It was suddenly really hot in the taxi.
She looked down at the envelope. The return address listed a town she’d left behind a lifetime ago, a street that housed only two things: a strip