Love Inspired September 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: Her Montana Twins\Small-Town Billionaire\Stranded with the Rancher (31 page)

Chapter Eight

R
yan got the approval he needed from the board to go ahead with the PR committee's recommended changes for charitable contributions, which included adding the Women's Lighthouse at the church in Thailand to the groups supported by Brooks International. In fact, the money would have already been put into the organization's account and available for helping the women in Nadia's birth country. He'd kept an eye out for the campers returning to the barn from their trail ride so he could tell Nadia, but he hadn't seen them yet.

At a little past three, he went to the barn to see if anyone was there and knew when the group would head back. His knee was still getting used to the additional weight incurred without the crutches, but even Ryan could tell that he was doing pretty well, like Dr. Aldredge had said. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if he finished his therapy earlier than the six weeks that the doctor had anticipated.

That thought both excited him, because he'd be able to return to all of his regular physical activities and work, and disheartened him, because he'd be leaving Claremont—and a certain brunette beauty that he couldn't get off his mind. Seeing Maribeth earlier made him realize how much he'd missed her over the past few days and how much he enjoyed being around the intriguing lady. She seemed so genuine, very real in her thoughts and actions. And she didn't seem like the type that'd be able to fake those qualities.

Neither had Nannette, he realized. But Ryan had started to wonder if he wanted to give up on the prospect of love completely just because of one woman who hadn't been what she'd seemed, who'd only wanted Ryan's status and income. Maribeth certainly didn't seem to care about either of those things; she didn't even want her business to expand beyond the Claremont town limit. Wasn't that a sure sign that she didn't care about money? And when they were together, Ryan didn't think he was the only one dealing with a powerful attraction.

He'd wanted to kiss her today. The desire to hold her, protect her, was nearly overpowering. Protect her. Why did he feel that she needed protecting? She hadn't said anything, but still, Ryan could tell that she was guarded, as if she'd allow him to see the surface of her emotions but nothing more. And he wanted to know more about Maribeth.

Ryan had been watching for the group so he could tell Nadia his news, but he'd also been watching so he'd get another chance to talk to Maribeth.

“You're not all that bad.”

Hardly a compliment, but coming from Maribeth, it'd made his pulse jump.

Memories of Nannette, and the way her compliments had meant the world to him because he'd thought she'd truly meant every word and didn't care about his title or his money, filled him, and he grimaced not only because of the pain in his knee but also from the smarting of her betrayal. He'd been so certain she truly cared about him. Could he trust his judgment to ever know whether a woman, like Maribeth, really did?

He reached the barn to find that the group hadn't returned from the trail ride, and only one farmhand working inside, carrying fifty-pound feed sacks from the bed of a pickup to the feed room.

The guy dropped a bag on top of his current stack and then started back toward the truck. He saw Ryan, wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm and said, “Oh, Mr. Brooks. Hi.”

“Hello,” Ryan said, entering the barn. A month ago, he'd have started helping the guy out with the feed sacks, but even though he'd ditched his crutches today, he wasn't ready for hauling the fifty-pound bags.

“Heard about Onyx throwing you,” he said, then pointed to Ryan's leg. “Looks like you're doing better. That's good.”

“I am, and thanks.”

He stuck out a hand. “I'm Cory, by the way, Cory Shields. I help out at the farm. I guess you can see that,” he added with a grin. “Actually, I work at all of the farms around here. Just fill in wherever I can to keep the work steady, you know.”

Ryan nodded. At first he'd thought Cory was a teen, maybe a senior baseball player or something, with his tall muscled build, but now that he was up close, he could see that Cory was older. Probably early twenties. “It's commendable to see someone that dedicated to their work,” Ryan said.

Cory touched his cowboy hat and rolled his lips in as though wondering how to respond. Then he let out a low grunt and said, “I didn't exactly have the best work ethic to start with, and that's kind of why I'm working farm to farm.” He shrugged. “But I learned my lesson, or that's what my dad says, and I'm trying to start over.”

“That's commendable, too,” Ryan said.

“You know, I've been wanting to talk to you, ask you what you think of what I'm doing, because you're so successful in business and everything, but I didn't know if you'd like people asking you questions out of the blue. I'm guessing folks probably hit you up all the time for info on how to make it in the business world, and you probably get tired of it. So I'd made up my mind to let you be and not bother you.”

“Cory, if you've got a business question, I'd be happy to try to answer it,” Ryan said, impressed that he'd first tried to respect Ryan's privacy and then found the courage to state what was on his mind. He took an instant liking to the young man, whom he'd personally seen working diligently at the farm nearly every day. Whether he'd had a good work ethic in the past or not, he had one now, and that's what mattered in Ryan's book.

Cory removed his work gloves and slapped them together, then tossed them on a bale of hay nearby. “Okay then. I won't waste your time, and I'll just tell you the truth. I got a scholarship fresh out of high school to play baseball for Florida State.”

“Whoa,” Ryan said. “That's impressive.”

“Yeah, it would've been, if I'd kept myself out of the partying on campus, and if I'd opened a book every now and then to study, and if I'd shown up for more than fifty percent of my classes.”

“That's the previous work ethic you're talking about,” Ryan said.

“Yeah, work ethic, school ethic, whatever you call it. Basically no ethics, if you want to get right down to it. So I lost my scholarship after a year and ended up coming back home.”

“Which is how you got here, working on the farm?” Ryan asked.

“Pretty much. But the thing is, once I lost everything, the scholarship and the chance to play college ball, I realized that I'd missed my chance. That was my big break, my chance to get a degree paid for by the university. My folks told me they weren't going to pay for me to go to school, because I'd had my chance. They said if I want a degree, then I've got to save and pay my own way.”

“Is that what you're doing now, working all of these hours at multiple farms?”

“I've got half the money saved up so far, and if I keep working extra hours, I should have the rest by next summer, so I can start college again that fall semester.”

“Again, I'm impressed,” Ryan said truthfully. “But you said you had a business question for me.”

Cory tilted his hat. “I do. I want you to tell me the truth. If a guy like me came in for a job interview, and you saw that he totally blew that first year of school, took another two years off to regroup and then went back and did it right, studying and hopefully acing his classes and cutting out the partying, would you hire him? Or is the fact that I've already messed up once a reason not to? I'm just wondering...am I going to still have a chance at a decent job, or have I ruined that?”

Ryan had been impressed with everything he'd seen and heard from Cory Shields already, but his honesty magnified his impression. “The way I see it, you're showing a potential employer that you don't give up when you make a mistake and that you're willing to do whatever it takes and work however hard you have to in order to make it right. I honestly do not think it will do anything to hurt you in today's job market.”

“That's what I was hoping you'd say. Thanks, Mr. Brooks.” The smile that claimed Cory's face made Ryan grin in return.

“You're welcome.”

The sound of horses' hooves caused the two of them to turn and see three horses emerging from the wooded trails to cross the fields toward the barn. Nadia rode John's horse, Red, Jasmine rode Landon's horse, Samantha—“Sam”—and in between them, Maribeth rode Fallon. Apparently, their work day was over, and John and Dana, along with the chaperones who were spending the week camping with the kids, were leading the afternoon and evening activities.

Ryan and Cory peered at the approaching trio. The two younger girls were pretty and unique in their own right, but in Ryan's opinion, they were merely bookending the masterpiece of Maribeth in the center. Her long braid bounced against her back as she rode, the red ribbon woven through it a stark contrast to the dark locks.

Cory whistled low. “That right there should be a postcard or something.”

Ryan nodded his agreement with Cory's appreciation of the exquisite scene. “Or something,” he said.

They finally got to the barn, and with Red being no more than fourteen hands high, Nadia easily dismounted and took the horse to his stall. Maribeth also had no trouble with Fallon. But Sam was the tallest of the lot, and Jasmine didn't seem in any hurry to dismount.

Cory moved quickly to her side. “Hey, Jaz, let me help you.” He held out a hand and she took it, blushing as she started to slide down. He caught her waist and placed her solidly on the ground.

“Thanks, Cory,” she said, then smiled and led the horse toward her stall.

Cory stood there for a moment, then cleared his throat and turned. Ryan, Maribeth and Nadia stood watching, and he knuckled his hat, then went to retrieve his gloves from the hay bale before continuing to unload the feed.

From the look on Maribeth's face, she'd detected the same thing Ryan did from watching the two: there were some feelings there, and they didn't look all that one-sided. But Ryan wasn't the matchmaking type, and he figured with the forwardness he'd experienced from Jasmine earlier today, if Cory waited too long to make his move, she'd probably make hers. So he turned to the first lady he needed to speak to.

“Nadia, I wanted to let you know the money was sent today. You can verify it with the church in Thailand, but the funds for the Women's Lighthouse ministry should be in their account by this evening or at the latest tomorrow morning.”

Ryan had expected her to be happy, but he hadn't expected the bear hug he received from the tiny girl.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Brooks. I can't tell you how much good your company's donation will do.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to help,” he said, accepting the hug and then smiling. “Really, I do.” He caught Maribeth wiping her cheeks.

She waited until Nadia turned toward Jasmine and started talking about going to the craft store and then she mouthed,
Not all that bad.

Ryan held his grin in check while the two girls said their goodbyes to Maribeth, Ryan and Cory so they could “hit the square” for some craft shopping. Cory hauled the last bag into the feed room and then returned Jasmine's wave as the girls left in Nadia's car. Then he looked to Ryan and Maribeth and said, “I'm done here, too, so I'm gonna head on over to the Sanders farm. Y'all have a good day.”

“You, too, Cory,” Maribeth said.

“And Mr. Brooks, thanks for the advice. I sure do appreciate it.”

“You're welcome,” Ryan said. “And if you keep working the way you are and follow that plan for getting your degree, I can guarantee an employer will be proud to have you.”

Cory smiled broadly. “That's what I'm counting on.” Then he climbed in his truck and left.

“You gave Cory advice?” Maribeth asked.

Ryan nodded. “I guess that's what he's calling it. Basically, he told me what he plans to do with his life and asked if I thought it would work, and I told him he's on the right track.”

“Coming from an ordinary person, that wouldn't be a big deal,” she said, “but coming from the guy who runs Brooks International, I imagine that simple affirmation took on a whole new meaning.” Fingers of the afternoon sun filtered through the barn roof and caused her to squint as she looked up at Ryan. “That was really nice of you, by the way.”

“From what I hear, I'm not all that bad.”

She laughed, a rich, full-bodied laugh that made his smile grow. He truly liked being around her, more than he'd liked being around anyone in a very long time.

“I guess the camp is done for the day?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Not really. But my part of the day is done. Since the kids are tent camping this week, they have activities that go well into the night. Right now, John and Dana are leading them on the supplies and vittles run.”

The horses moved around in their stalls, alternating from the water trough to the feed trough, where Cory had left each of them a scoop of sweet feed for an afternoon snack. The sounds of them eating, slurping and neighing mingled in the barn, and Ryan wasn't certain he'd understood Maribeth correctly. “Did you say something about a vittles run?”

She smiled, and he liked the way her cheeks lifted and her eyes danced with the action. “It's one of the trails that we take campers on each week. The trail leads from the ranch to the town square. When campers are spending the night, they can purchase additional camping supplies and snacks for the week in town. They usually pick up some souvenirs, clothes...things like that. Often I sell outfits to the campers, especially those from other cities since they don't have shops like Consigning Women in their hometowns.”

“We could do something to alleviate that,” Ryan said, and she'd already started shaking her head before he finished the sentence.

“I'll admit that I've thought about how nice it would be to have the opportunity to make a difference on a bigger scale,” she said, and when he opened his mouth to tell her he agreed, she waved a finger to stop him, “but I'm not talking about that with you right now.”