A FAKE MARRIAGE FOR THE GRUMPY COWBOY

ROLSTON RANCH BROTHERS

HANNA HART

Copyright(c) 2022 by Hanna Hart - All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

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About the Author

CHAPTER 1

August liked how alien the gleaming silver Airstream trailer looked in the midst of the low, dry scrub brush. The striped blue and white awning flapped in a lazy breeze as if shooing people away from the narrow door. A dull, weather-worn wrought iron table stood between four empty mismatched chairs, looking equally uninviting. The only splash of color was a bright, red-tipped surfboard leaning against the shining trailer like a forlorn tourist.

The only other structure underneath this particular stretch of infinite Texas sky was an old shelter in an abandoned corral. The rusty tin roof stood on four former tree trunks, now stripped white by the sun and wind, that seemed strangely impervious to the weather. August wished he felt the same; if the weather got any hotter, he was considering filling the stock tub and soaking himself in it.

Despite the heat and remote setting, August sighed happily. Since moving out of his brother’s fancy ranch house, he had found new peace and inspiration. Life in Isabel, Texas was nothing like the world he had left behind on the West Coast, but when August was alone, he could finally admit he liked it. He didn’t miss the bustle of San Francisco, the people trying to show each other who was better, or the busy cafe where he worked. Yes, his small hometown lacked the big city amenities like major museums, concert venues, and hot spots, but it was full of genuine people. Now it was time for August to find his genuine self, but it was difficult for him to balance the values and lifestyle he embraced in California with his past and present in Texas.

His thoughts were interrupted by the impatient nickering of a dusty white horse. It shook its black mane as it clomped through the scrub brush and pierced August with an ornery look.

“You’re in the wrong place, my friend,” August told the horse.

August didn’t deal with livestock. It was one of the reasons he had left Texas in the first place. He disliked seeing living things used as machinery, tools, or food. And it was easy to hate the smell of manure, the flies, and the backbreaking work that came along with caring for large animals.

Still, the horse stared at him and August could immediately tell what it wanted. He groaned, giving in, and went to the old well head near the corral fence. “You know you’ll have to go inside the fence to drink, right?”

The fence was falling down but still intact, and the horse had a wild look about it. Now that he was closer, August could see it was an ombré color fading between white and light gray. It had black markings on its legs, a black mane, and a black streak that ran down its head to its black muzzle. Somehow the facial markings only emphasized the sense that the horse was frowning right back at him.

August entered the old corral and tried to coax the horse inside. It reared back and shook its mane. On closer inspection, August could see the horse was well-groomed and most likely belonged to a neighbor. He had no choice but to contain it and try to find its owner. Small town life dictated you couldn’t ignore what your neighbor needed.

“You couldn’t just do it the easy way?” August asked. The gate was wide open but the horse refused to come inside. He unhooked a rope he’d found the day before and hung up in the shelter. “We’re both going to regret this, you know.”

He had thrown the rope, captured the horse, and was wrestling it down onto all four hooves when his brother, Drake, arrived. August was glad that his roping skills had not been completely lost during his West Coast years because his younger brother was one of the best horsemen in Isabel. As much as August hated dealing with livestock, he loved seeing Drake in his element. Neither were things the brothers talked about, so August just nodded and scowled as his brother laughed.

“And here I thought you were living like a tourist!” Drake sauntered up to the struggling pair. “Wait until our brothers hear I found you roping a horse like your old cowboy self!”

“Gossiping is the best help you can offer?” August grunted. The horse was down on all four hooves but pulling back hard.

“Why do you always make everything so difficult?” Drake approached the horse slowly, making a low clucking sound. It seemed to calm the horse enough for Drake to get close. Thirty seconds later, it nuzzled Drake’s open hand then tried to nip him. Drake pulled back quickly.

“I’m not a cowboy and I have no desire to be one,” August snapped. He tugged on the rope in frustration and was surprised when the horse moved towards him. He walked backwards into the corral until Drake was able to close the gate. “This thing just wandered onto my property. How do I get rid of it?”

Drake leaned back against the fence and watched as the horse drank deeply. “He must like you to come up to you like that.”

August snorted. “He was thirsty.”

“Far as I’ve seen, Eddie would rather die of thirst than go near someone he doesn’t like,” Drake said. The horse finished drinking and glared at them.

August followed Drake up and over the fence as the horse started trotting around the old corral and kicking out his back legs. “You know this beast?”

Drake nodded and pulled out his cell phone. “Your new neighbor was probably relieved to find him gone, but I better call her anyway.”

Eddie cantered up to where August was standing at the fence and snorted at him. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the apple he’d been planning to eat for his own snack, and handed it to the demanding horse. Eddie took it delicately, crunched it down in seconds, then galloped to the far side of the corral.

Drake muttered under his breath, “once a cowboy always a cowboy.”

“I’m not—”

Drake cut his brother off as he chatted with August’s neighbor. Then he hung up his phone and informed August, “she’ll be here in a few. You may have to help her get Eddie into the trailer.”

“I’m not the horse rancher, you are,” August snarled.

“I’m not the one able to feed that mean thing by hand,” Drake pointed out.

Drake illustrated his point by strolling around the corral towards the horse. Eddie thumped a fence post with one back foot as soon as he got too close. Then the horse cantered around towards August. There he slowed and started to nip at the neglected grass near August’s feet.

“See? He likes you, and Eddie doesn’t like anyone,” Drake said.

“Not even his owner?” August asked. A pickup truck was kicking up dust along the road to his Airstream.

Drake nodded. “Or her niece.”

When August saw the young woman jump out of the truck, he figured she was the niece Drake mentioned. Then his mind went blank. All he could do was take in her gleaming hair and petite figure. The bright sun made her hair shine like brass, and August was mesmerized as she stomped over to the old corral. He noted her cowboy boots were newer, and he wondered how long she had been in town.

“Morning, Belle.” Drake said.

Belle nodded. “Morning. How on earth did you get Eddie inside that fence?”

Drake smirked. “My brother, August, over there has a way with animals.”

August frowned but the stern expression slipped as Belle’s bright green eyes swept towards him. She appeared guarded but calm, quiet like him, and he was instantly attracted to her. He couldn’t help but think her slim waist would fit perfectly inside his hands as he helped her into her saddle. They could ride side by side between his land and her aunt’s and enjoy the sunsets together.

Was he thinking about horseback riding? August shook himself. He refused to let all the Texas cliches reclaim him so quickly. Individuality meant more to him than slipping back into old, despised customs from his childhood.

Belle was thinking along the same lines as she took in his shaggy dark blond hair, Hawaiian shorts, and O’Neil t-shirt. He looked more like a surfer than a cowboy, so she asked, “you really roped him and got him corralled?”

August nodded, then shrugged. “I’m not much for livestock, but I could try to help you load him in your trailer, if you want.”

Drake shot him an eyebrows-up look, wondering why his older brother sounded so goofy. August quickly shuttered his eyes, but not before Drake caught the way he glanced at Belle.

“Or you could just leave the stubborn thing where he is and give Starla a night off,” Drake suggested. “I’ve got plenty of feed and bedding in the back of my truck and could set Eddie up.”

That made Belle smile, and the expression stole August’s breath. She told them, “Aunt Starla is on her way and she is going to love this.”

Eddie leaned over the fence and gently nudged August’s shoulder. He was so distracted by Belle that he patted the horse on the head without thinking. Then he saw both Drake and Belle drop their jaws. Clearly, they had never seen Eddie settle his black muzzle over someone’s shoulder and accept an ear-scratching.

Drake chuckled, “I’ll get the supplies from my truck.”

August shoved the horse away and tried to capture Belle’s attention before she followed his brother. “Can I offer you something to drink? A snack?”

She tipped her head, studied him for a moment, then shrugged. “I like your trailer. I’ve only ever seen those things in movies.”

“How about a tour?” August led her to his shining Airstream. “It’s a little messy, hope you can forgive a bachelor for his poor housekeeping skills.”

She smiled. “I’m not much for housekeeping myself. I’d rather be working.”

August held open the narrow door for her, then rummaged through his kitchenette while she looked around. He poured a bowl of trail mix, another of dried fruit, then pulled a plate of cold watermelon slices out of his small refrigerator. “Do you like iced coffee?”

Belle looked surprised but nodded, then helped carry the pitcher back outside to the wrought iron table. She sat in the light blue chair and surveyed the snacks. “Are you vegetarian?”

August liked the lack of judgment in her voice. He was used to people scoffing at his food choices, then wondering about how he survived. His brothers were constantly questioning how he got enough protein and whether or not he was hungry all the time. Belle, on the other hand, took a handful of trail mix and waited for him to answer.

“Actually, I’m a vegan,” August said. He normally avoided that distinction but felt it was important to be honest with her right away.

“I bet that was easier in California,” Belle commented, her tone continuing to be neutral and non-judgmental.

“You know I’m from California?” August asked, surprised.

She shook her head. “My Aunt was born and raised here, and I think a certain amount of gossip is necessary for her to live. She said you were born here but lived in California for a while.”

August nodded, then sighed. “I bet she had a lot to say about my family too.”

“The Rolstons?” Belle asked as if unsure she had the name right. “All she told me was that there are six brothers.”

“And August is smack in the middle,” Drake told her as he joined them. He grabbed a watermelon slice and then gestured with it. “There’s your aunt now.”

They all watched the plume of dust billow up behind her little blue car. Country music poured out of the open windows as she pulled up and waved. Starla Danson was a spry woman in her sixties with dyed platinum hair that she kept out of her eyes with a bright bandana.

“What’d I miss?” She called as she jumped out of her car.

“Belle was just admitting she doesn’t know anything about us Rolstons,” Drake told her with a smile.

Starla smiled at Drake, gave him a quick hug, then turned to August and her niece. She immediately liked the two of them sitting so comfortably together and grinned when she caught August glancing over at Belle. “I’ve known the Rolstons since these two were barefoot babies, but I won’t say another word.”

August smiled as Aunt Starla winked at him. “Would you like some iced coffee?”

“So that’s how they drink it on the West Coast?” Aunt Starla looked around curiously then shrugged. “Best have something before I deal with Eddie.”

The horse heard its name and gave a derogatory snort. It started circling the corral again, looking for a way out.

Belle watched him and told August, “I’m sorry to say I didn’t mind finding him gone. He likes to nip when I feed him, and he’s torn at least four of my shirts so far.”

Starla sighed. “An ex-boyfriend saddled me with that ornery thing, and I just haven’t had the heart to sell him off. People don’t treat cranky horses well so we’ve just been suffering through the best we can.”

They all watched Eddie smash at a rotten fence section with his front legs. He was about to jump over and canter off again when August stood up.

“You came here, remember?” August called as he marched over to the corral. “You wanted water, and I filled up the stock tank, so how about you don’t wreck the place?”

Eddie whinnied but turned away from the fence and trotted over to August. They scowled at each other for a few seconds, then the horse bobbed his head up and down and pawed the ground.

“Well, that settles it,” Starla declared. “Eddie has decided he wants to stay here. Consider him a welcome home present.”

August shook his head, but he could see everyone else nodding along with the ornery horse. “You can’t just give him away,” he protested.

Belle laughed. “Then consider it a favor to me. You’re saving my shoulders and my wardrobe from Eddie’s horrid nips.”

Starla grinned. “Don’t worry, he won’t scare her off. I’ll make sure she acts neighborly and comes to visit you both.”

Drake slapped his hat against his thigh. “Well, that settles it. I told you a Rolston without a horse was just wrong.”

August glared at his brother but couldn’t reject the horse. Not only did he like the surly-looking thing, but Belle had asked him for a personal favor. As much as August loved to do whatever his brothers declared was ‘wrong,’ he couldn’t deny the beautiful woman a favor.

“You’ll come visit?” August asked Belle.

She nodded with a shy smile. “I’ll even bring the plums Eddie is so fond of. You might like them too.”

August couldn’t think of anything sweeter except seeing her smile again.

CHAPTER 2

Belle woke up early, glad to escape her dreams. Bad memories pricked her like thorns, and her sleep was never quite restful. So, she opted for coffee and the quiet joy of the sunrise. Her aunt always had a full pot ready for her, having herself already poured a Thermos. Starla was out the door as early as a farmer every day, taking care of her chickens and tending her garden. Then she would drive off to help her elderly neighbors with early morning chores. Her aunt only asked for gossip in return and always returned full of good stories.

It wasn’t until Belle was already in her boots that she remembered Eddie was no longer pacing the back paddock. He was an impatient beast, and she wasn’t going to miss his scolding nips. Eddie always had an opinion about when and how Belle should serve him; she had the torn shirts to prove it.

She took her coffee to the back deck and smiled, wondering how August was handing the surly horse. Despite his shaggy blond hair and colorful shorts, Belle had a feeling August could handle the animal. He seemed to have a gentle yet commanding way about him. Belle liked the way he’d glared right back at Eddie as if maybe he would bite too.

Belle’s smile faded as she sipped her coffee and surveyed her aunt’s land. The Texas landscape didn’t seem quite right without a horse grazing, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Born a city kid, Belle never thought she would cherish the open horizon, farmers’ fields, and stretching fence lines the way she did. She took a deep breath and sighed relief at having left her former views behind.

Houston was as different from Isabel as a foreign land. The skyline and circling highways, the glint of the glass-windowed buildings, and the constant hum of hundreds of thousands of people were a whole other world. When she was young, Belle thrived in the flow of humans. All through school and then on to college, Belle had been in a rush and loving every second of it. Life in the city swirled from one social engagement to another, with the city as a vast and changing shoreline to her adventures. Then, somehow, she had gotten caught in a backwater, and everything changed.

Belle pushed the memories away, focusing on work instead. In college, her escape had been the campus greenhouse where the biology, botany, and agriculture students worked. She could still picture the steamy windows and almost smell the tropical air. As an engineering student, she should have been the odd woman out, but Belle’s focus was on the inner workings that supported the plants, and her innovations were always welcomed.

From there, she graduated with honors and gone on to land a facilities job in a fancy floral greenhouse. The growers provided hothouse flowers to the brides of Houston, and there was a pressure and buzz to the job that Belle loved.

The systems she installed and mastered there were her best achievements, yet her mind shied away from those scenes. Again, there were thorns amongst her memories, and Belle withdrew before they drew blood.

It was harder to fight off the painful thoughts when her mind had been so close to the time it all happened. Not that it happened all at once. It had been a gradual drying up of everything she loved. Like a long, hot Texas drought. Belle sipped her coffee with a shaking hand and jumped when her aunt hailed her from the side yard.

“Oh, I’m sorry, darling; I didn’t mean to startle you.” Starla’s sharp eyes studied Belle. “Need something to do?”

Belle’s aunt could always tell when her thoughts had strayed to darker places, and she had determined that sunshine and hard work would heal her. She wasn’t wrong. Belle joined her aunt in the garden, and ten minutes of pulling weeds already put her thoughts in a better place.

“Well,” Aunt Starla said, taking a rare break, “I have to admit I miss the cranky old coot.”

“Eddie?” Belle had to laugh. “Aren’t those his teeth marks on your arm?”

Starla chuckled. “Yeah, well, who else was going to take care of him despite his grouchy ways?”

Belle remembered August casually handing the horse an apple from his pocket. “You should have seen him yesterday; I think he met a soul mate.”

“Those Rolstons do have a grumpy reputation,” Starla mentioned, then smiled, “though that August sure didn’t seem too surly with you around.”

“We’re not going there, Auntie, remember?” Belle warned her.

Starla sighed, not agreeing at all. “Flirting with a handsome man never hurt anyone. In fact, I find it good for the soul. Otherwise, why would God make them so attractive?”

“I’m not the least bit tempted,” Belle declared.

“Liar.” Her aunt laughed out loud. “You were looking at him same as he was looking at you. And I loved it!”

Belle bit her lip, then gave in and asked, “so, what is the Rolston story?”

Starla grinned. “I thought you would never ask. The Rolstons have been here since before Isabel was a town. Their ranches are some of the finest Texas has to offer. Rolston Senior was a stern man but fair, and he worked harder than anyone.”

Coming from Starla, that said a lot. Belle returned to weeding her garden row as her aunt continued telling her about August’s family. Belle was an only child, so it fascinated her to hear about a large, generational clan.

“There are six Rolston boys, and Senior had to be more than strict to keep those buggers in line.” Starla laughed. “I bet those boys don’t know it was them that caused their father to get so grumpy! Then they all went and learned his surly ways.”

“Six boys. Yikes,” Belle commented.

“Exactly. So, it wasn’t really a surprise when they started leaving town. Of course, Dean and Theo, who are the eldest, stayed to keep up the ranch work. Topher left first, then August. . .”

Starla’s story trailed off for a moment. Belle could sense his story had a rough patch, and the similarity to her life made her like him even more.

“Drake got married to his high school sweetheart, who was anything but sweet, and Sutton jumped into a social circle a few towns over just to spend time with his best friend, Bethany,” Starla continued.

“What brought them all back?” Belle asked.

Starla wiped her brow with her forearm. “Rolston Senior passed away. A loss for the town, and especially for those boys. But, the old coot made sure they had to come back and settle here. Otherwise, they wouldn’t get their inheritance. At least that’s how the rumor has it.”

“So, I met August and Drake,” Belle said.

“Drake is divorced and thankfully remarried to one of my favorite women in town,” Starla told her. “And, August may be a bit of a misfit, but he came back to help out his brother Topher, and a man that does that can’t be all bad.”

Belle couldn’t imagine August being bad at all - what happened between him and his family?

Starla caught her thinking instead of weeding. “You know, I hear that August is single. He’s new back to town, you’re new to town; maybe you two would get along.”

Belle shook her head and glared at her aunt. “No. No, thank you. I’m not ready for flirting, much less for going on a date.”

“Well, what’s it going to take to get you ready?” Starla asked.

Belle stood up and swiped the dirt from her pants. “For one, I should probably find my own place so I can stop living with my nosy aunt. But, that would require me to be able to pay rent, so I guess a steady job comes first.”

Starla waved away those practicalities. “All you really need is your self-confidence to be at full strength. I know you have it in you. God gave you real talent, the way you can create machinery out of nothing and fix everything that needs it. Until then, you’re welcome here.”

“And you’ll stop messing around in my personal life?” Belle asked.

“Never.”

The women grinned at each other until Starla’s watch chimed at her. “Perfect timing,” she told Belle. “Why don’t you go to the house and clean up, then check on your greenhouse?”

“You mean your greenhouse,” Belle reminded her.

Starla scoffed. “I hardly did anything. I would never have imagined putting a greenhouse out in the hot sun of Texas, but the way you have it all automated and watered makes it a miracle. That’s why I intend to have you show it off.”

Belle groaned. “Not another tour. How many nosy neighbors do you have?”

“Plenty, but this isn’t one.” Starla shooed Belle towards the house to clean up. “This one is a potential client. He’s talking about a grand greenhouse, something that could supply a fancy restaurant. You want to knock his socks off, trust me.”

Her aunt and a stomach full of nervous butterflies chased Belle into the house to clean up and change clothes. Somehow, in the middle of small-town Texas, her aunt found her a major opportunity. Belle specialized in automated greenhouses that controlled their own temperatures no matter the outside conditions. She had also been honing her expertise in hydroponics in order to bring more food production to places that often saw drought conditions. Suppose she could help build another example of what she could do, one on a commercial scale. In that case, Belle could make herself a portfolio and be on her way to the career of her dreams.

Fifteen minutes later, Belle was surprised to see August walking across her aunt’s yard. She turned to Starla, “August Rolston is the client you invited over?!”

Her aunt shot her an innocent glance. “Shortly after he moved to the property, he inquired about the greenhouse. He really is interested in starting a commercial production. He’s legit. He and one of the best bakers in town started a pop-up restaurant last year that blew everyone away.”

August arrived on the patio and gave them both a serious look. “I didn’t think to mention my interest in the greenhouse yesterday. Sorry, I let it slip my mind.”

Starla waved away his apology. “Eddie always has a way of stealing the show. How is the ornery old coot?”

A glimmer of humor reached August’s eyes, though his stern expression remained. “He got me up early by kicking down a loose fence post. I got it fixed and left him thinking about the fact that such behavior just means I’m going to have to exercise him later.”

“You’re going to ride him?” Belle blurted out.

August’s smile broke through. “That’ll teach him to mess around with the corral fencing.”

“Well, you’ll have to tell me all about that after Belle gives you a tour of her greenhouse,” Starla said. She patted Belle’s arm and started to walk away.

“Your greenhouse?” August asked.

Starla turned around, never missing a chance to brag. “Belle here is an engineering major, and her specialty is greenhouse systems. Everything that works about this place is due to her hard work.”

August nodded, back to serious. “Sounds like a solid reference from a satisfied customer.”

“Five stars!” Starla called over her shoulder as she retreated to her house.

Once they were alone, Belle felt the butterflies in her stomach take flight again. It had been so long since she had flirted with a man that she had no idea where to start. Was she really wanting to flirt with August Rolston?

Today he seemed to reflect more of his family’s grumpy reputation. His shaggy hair was tucked tight behind his ears, and his deep blue eyes were carefully assessing everything he saw. Belle had to remind herself he was more a client than a handsome neighbor, and she had better treat him as such.

“Why don’t we walk around while you tell me about your plans?” Belle said.

August nodded. He outlined his plan to create one or two large greenhouses that could supply fresh salad greens, edible flowers, and vegetables. “The idea is farm-to-table, specifically to a cafe that focuses on raw and vegan offerings.”

Belle nodded, switching into work mode. She showed August the vertical growing wall she had created for her aunt’s favorite herbs. There were also towers, hanging planters, as well as traditional long tables.

“My aunt’s greenhouse has drip irrigation as well as misters set on timers,” Belle explained. “Though, for the scale you want, I would suggest hydroponics. It would handle the mass production better than regular soil mixes.”

“Sounds sort of ‘new-fandangled.’” August said.

Belle smiled. “The Aztecs supposedly had floating gardens in the 10th century, while the Chinese developed rice patties in the 13th century.”

August caught himself scratching his chin and cleared his throat. Belle liked the way he wavered between old-school cowboy and New Age surfer. He noticed her attention and gave her a small smile. She especially liked that he did not try to hide unfinished edges.

“That was a word my father used way too much,” he admitted. “I like the idea of hydroponics. Anything that is efficient and better for the environment works for me.”

Belle felt more than butterflies. It was as if they had fanned a small fire in her chest. She gestured for August to explore the greenhouse on his own as she tried to recover her composure. She couldn’t be attracted to anyone, much less feel a spark of genuine interest. The warmth spreading inside was a strange sensation, something she had never felt before, and it made her nervous.

Work. Work would save her as it had saved her before. Belle took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She needed this job, this client, and she couldn’t let anything else get in the way.

As if sensing her inner struggle, August turned around and frowned. “Second-guessing whether or not you could work with me?” He asked.

She decided to be honest. “I’m hoping to start my own business as a greenhouse designer, so I need more jobs I can display in my portfolio. Yours would be the first commercial project I completed.”

“It’s important to you,” August’s frown deepened.

Did he feel the same attraction? The heat inside Belle burned brighter. Perhaps August was hesitating because he also felt there could be more between them. Signing a contract would constrain them to a working relationship only.

A working relationship was definitely safer. There was no danger there of her losing her perspective, her identity, her sense of self.

“Very important,” Belle confirmed.

August nodded curtly and held out his hand for her to shake. “You’re hired.”

CHAPTER 3

August tangled both hands in his shaggy hair and tried not to rip it out. The simplest of suggestions had again turned into a ten-minute debate, and he was on the losing end. After years of running his own award-winning kitchen, August was not accustomed to employees that talked back, much less told him he was wrong.

“It makes absolutely no sense. You can see that, right?” Belle jabbed a delicate finger at the sketched plans again to reiterate her point. “Salad greens would wilt on this side of the greenhouse due to the full-sun exposure and putting them on the other side reverses the position needed for the drip irrigation.”

He scowled. “Yet it makes the most sense to have the ‘pick your own greens’ section near the door, where the counter and register should be.”

Belle glared back at him. “So, change where the counter and register are.”

Change everything. Again. That seemed to be the theme of his work relationship with Belle. Since day one, she had turned everything he wanted upside down, and she wasn’t done yet.

The worst of it was how, despite the roiling frustration she made him feel, he was still undeniably attracted to her. Belle’s petal-pink lips were set in a perpetual frown, and her green eyes were as hard as agates, yet August could not take his eyes off her. It was enough to turn the sweetest man sour, and August had never been called sweet.

“What you’re suggesting means the counter cannot be attached to the end of the raised garden beds, and that means more reclaimed lumber. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find reclaimed barn wood? Or how expensive it is?” He asked.

Belle raised one eyebrow at him. “I’m not the one making it difficult by sourcing hard-to-find materials. I’m in charge of creating the most efficient system I can for the greenhouse, and I’m telling you, this is it.”

She was impossible. Worse than impossible, incorrigible. He hated how logically she was right and how confidently she gave her opinion. August also disliked how she ignored his grand schemes and made him streamline everything.

He grumbled, “the world doesn’t need more new builds, it needs more reusing.”

Belle rolled up the plans she had boldly revised with a permanent red pen and handed them to him. “Then you better ask around again and hope someone has more cast-off barnwood.”

She ignored his long-suffering sigh and headed for her truck. It had been a long day at the build-site, and August noticed it was almost sunset. Belle had stayed long past her regularly scheduled hours again. Too bad they couldn’t enjoy the gorgeous colors of the Texas sky together. Despite constantly butting heads, August reluctantly waved goodbye as she drove off in a trail of dust.

Then August turned to the only other creature that had stuck it out that long, Eddie. The horse glared at him and snorted. He had spent the day alternating pawing at the temporary fence surrounding him and whining for water or treats. He’d even managed to nip Belle’s shirt when she walked by.

“She’ll probably add a new shirt to her budget because of you,” August complained to his horse.

Eddie seemed to like that idea and nodded his head up and down.

Distracted by the idea of buying Belle a new shirt, August slipped a bridle back on Eddie and saddled him with long-dormant skills. When his mind was on other things, August’s body turned comfortably cowboy. He swung into the saddle while wondering if Belle would like a rose or sage colored shirt. Either would compliment her hair and eyes.

Annoyed with himself for forgetting that Belle was by far his most contentious employee, August rode Eddie hard back to his trailer. It didn’t help his mood any when his brother, Topher, caught him cantering over the scrub brush like a seasoned cowboy. Topher’s broad smile was always irritating, but now it was insufferable.

“So glad to see you settling in,” Topher called. “Back to your old ways! Looks good on you.”

August was about to tell his brother just how wrong he was when he noticed Sophia and her daughter, Anna. “Here, you deal with this beast. I have guests to welcome,” he told Topher.

It cheered him up when Eddie immediately fought Topher and caused a ruckus on the way to his corral. Topher was an excellent horseman, in fact, he trained some of the country’s best jump racers, but the ornery horse made him look like a fool. While Topher wrangled Eddie, swallowing cuss words so Anna didn’t hear, August went to say hello to the ladies.

“I’d say it was nice to see you, but I have a feeling you’re checking up on me,” August told Sophia.

She smiled, unrepentant. “Someone has to keep an eye on you.”

August fought back a smile. “That’s what I have Eddie for.”

“Only you would find the most mule-like monster of a horse in all of Texas,” Topher spluttered as he joined them. He brushed dust off himself. “Why do I feel like you did that on purpose?”

“He found me. Didn’t Drake tell you the story?” August asked, biting his cheek not to smile as his brother stomped over to the trailer.

“All Drake told me was how you haven’t forgotten your horsemanship. Kinda surprising, seeing as you turned into such a city boy.” Topher flopped into one of the mismatched chairs in the shade.

His comment made August scowl. His family would never forgive him for leaving Texas and living in San Francisco. It irritated him no end how the Rolston brothers were all meant to fit a certain mold. So, August stomped into his trailer and deliberately changed into a tee-shirt and bright Bermuda-style shorts. He even slipped on flip-flops.

The look on Topher’s face was worth it.

Topher tore his gaze off his brother’s decidedly in-cowboy clothing and scanned August’s little homestead. “You can never make anything easy on yourself, can you?” He asked. “No windbreak, too much dust, and—“

“Peace and quiet,” August told him.

Sophia interjected before the brothers could argue. “And nice neighbors, from what I hear.”

If Sophia thought she was touching on a nice subject, she soon found out she was wrong. August groaned, “don’t get me started on my neighbors. First, they dump that ungrateful creature on me, then I get convinced to hire the niece. She’s by far the most difficult employee I’ve ever had.”

Topher snorted. “Compared to the surfer bros that worked part-time in your cafe? Yeah, I bet Belle’s a real beast.”

Sophia kicked Topher’s foot as she sat down, reminding him to behave. “I don’t know anything about Belle. Her aunt may be the biggest gossip in all of Isabel, but she is very guarded when it comes to talking about her niece.”

“What have you heard about her?” August asked, unable to contain his own curiosity. Despite working with her every day, he knew very little about Belle.

“She’s from Houston, has a fancy engineering degree, and moved in with her aunt about six months ago. I’m not sure what prompted the big change from the city to Isabel. Has she told you anything?” Sophia asked.

August shook his head and slumped into his own chair. “She mostly just tells me how wrong my ideas are and how I have to compromise on everything in order to do it her way.”

That made Topher laugh out loud. “I like her already.”

The dark look August gave Topher was followed by a gruff question. “As much as you liked Sophia changing all your plans at the ranch?”

Topher raised an eyebrow, interested in the comparison. “In the end, Sophia’s input made everything better, including my life. Perhaps you should listen more to Belle’s suggestions. Bet she’d get you out of this tin can and into a more suitable home.”

August snarled. “I happen to love my trailer, and I don’t need to cater to anyone else’s opinions like you did. If Belle doesn’t like where I live, she doesn’t have to visit and the same goes for you.”

“Does Belle come visit?” Sophia asked, again interrupting the dueling brothers.

“Only when she has changes and demands she doesn’t think can wait,” August grumbled. “She was here just after breakfast yesterday, in the evening the day before, and at lunch on the day before that.”

“So, every day this week?” Sophia asked, shooting Topher a quick smile.

Topher sat forward. “Please tell me you have more than twigs and berries to offer her when she visits.”

August scowled. “Belle doesn’t mind my diet. Though I wished she minded how much she invades my privacy!”

He shoved his chair back, annoyed at the conversation, and went inside to prepare his guests a snack tray. Good hosting was bred into him, but August also wanted to prove to Topher how great vegan food could be. He took any opportunity he could to show Topher he was wrong.

Anna clapped her hands in delight when August came back outside. “I love kale chips!”

It was Topher’s turn to frown. “That may be the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Anna waggled a green chip at Topher while she munched. “Try them. You’ll like them. Uncle Augie makes them the best.”

August’s irritation faded as he watched his niece enjoy the snacks. He, like all of the Rolston brothers, had been overjoyed to learn the precocious little girl was truly Topher’s daughter. Sophia had kept it secret for so long, but the lost time made no difference to Anna’s uncles. They all adored her and savored every second with her.

Anna forced more vegan snacks into Topher’s hands while telling him, “I like that Uncle Augie lives in a spaceship. I like that he has a surfboard even though there’s no water. I like his cranky horse. And I like that he’s going to grow green things for a living.”

Topher relented and admitted to his daughter, “only your uncle can make green things taste this good.”

Sophia laughed. “He doesn’t live in a spaceship!”

Anna stood back and looked at August’s silver Airstream trailer. “Looks like a spaceship to me. Are your greenhouses going to look like that too?”

“Or are they going to look like the homes of little green men?” Topher joked.

August sighed. “I suppose you want a tour.”

He rounded up the snack tray, tossed Eddie a few scraps, and took his family out to see the build site. It was farther across his property, nearer a major county road, and the foundations had already been poured. Timber framing was already up in most corners, and the outline of the buildings was becoming obvious against the skyline. Wide boards of reclaimed wood lay around the outside, ready to clad the lower half of the buildings and make them blend with the Texas landscape.

“More ranch than spaceship,” Anna remarked, clearly disappointed.

Topher, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised. “I like the barn wood siding idea. It already has a real cowboy style.”

August reluctantly walked them around and talked them through the different spaces. He planned to produce salad greens and vegetables for local restaurants but also for farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture. A large, drive-through area that resembled a paddock would allow local buyers to swing through and pick up monthly boxes of produce.

He was just explaining that idea when Belle arrived. She hopped out of her truck, already shaking her head. After a quick hello wave and introduction, she launched right into her opposition to the idea.

“What August doesn’t seem to understand is that he will have a finite amount of space, and CSA production needs room to expand,” Belle said.

August scowled. “And I said I would be happy to expand in the future.”

“With another engineer willing to undo all her hard work and recalibrate everything?” Belle shot back.

“Exactly.” He glared at her, forgetting his family.

Topher decided to intercede. “If you two manage to make this a success, August will have plenty of capital to invest in further expansions.”

Belle turned to him with a questioning look. Behind her back, August cut his hands across his throat, trying to signal to his brother to cut out the talk about their inheritance.

Sophia stepped in. “Topher is a bit of a gambler, but he has great instincts. And, I agree, this plan sounds like something the town of Isabel needs. Everyone is going to love it.”

Belle nodded. “Which is exactly why he should listen to me about the configuration so I can plan ahead for further expansions. Knowing where to leave potential system hook-ups would save August a lot of money.”

August snorted. “Like you’ve been worried about my budget.”

She bristled. “I understand you don’t have unlimited funds, and I thought you would want to do things right the first time.”

Fuming, August blurted out. “I want things done my way. If I’m stuck in this town trying to get my inheritance, the least I can have is the set-up I envisioned.”

“Your inheritance?” Belle asked. She stepped back and looked from August to Topher and back again. “You’re stuck here waiting to get your inheritance?”

“It’s a long story,” Topher said. “The gist of it is that my big brother here has to deal with a partnership with me in order for us to fulfill the requirements of our father’s will. Let’s just say the money will make up for any present difficulties and cover any future expansions.”

August gritted his teeth, irritated that he had let the private information slip. Why did she drive him so crazy? He felt he had to explain, “and my brother was kind enough to allow me some room on my end of the partnership to do things my way.”

“Your way,” Belle echoed. She took another step back. “And a big inheritance.”

August stepped towards her, not liking the distant look in her eyes. Belle seemed transported to darker thoughts, and he tried to lighten the situation. “Just because I have a particular vision doesn’t mean I don’t value your input. I’ve taken all of your suggestions, haven’t I?”

Belle nodded, her thoughts still far away. “You made room in your partnership so you could have your own space, and I came along and trampled all over it. Sorry. I’ll get out of your way and, um, see you tomorrow.”

Sophia and Anna walked her to her truck as August turned on Topher. “You had to tell her all that about our inheritance? Did you see her face when you mentioned the money? What were you thinking?”

Topher shrugged. “I told her the truth. Why is that such a problem? Maybe now she won’t bother you so much about the configuration because she knows you’ll be able to afford the changes you may need in the future.”

”I like her bugging me!” August blurted out.

Topher looked from the retreating truck to his brother and smiled. “I can see why. Drake did say you made an interesting pair.”

August glowered. “You know I don’t have to stay here at all, right? I don’t need the inheritance. I never wanted anything from Father anyway! What do you think is keeping me here?”

Topher’s smile widened. “I don’t know, but you’ll figure it out.”

August ended the tour by giving his niece a tight squeeze and telling Sophia he’d see her soon; Topher, he ignored completely. He’d already had enough interference from his brothers, and only two had stopped by his new home and project so far. August dreaded seeing the others. It was easy to remember why he went all the way to the West Coast to live his own life.

Still, when he arrived back at his trailer and was greeted by Eddie, August had to admit it was starting to feel like home. He may have threatened to leave, but, like Topher, August didn’t really believe he could. Something about Texas had caught him, and August wasn’t sure he wanted to break free.

CHAPTER 4

Somehow everything Starla talked about came back to couples. She thrived on news of first dates and impending weddings, and she informed Belle of every single romance she heard about. So, when she heard that Belle had met Topher and Sophia, she was more interested in retelling the story of their love than in Belle’s concerns.

“I was so focused on work and telling August about the needed changes. I think I made a really bad impression on Sophia,” Belle told her aunt.

Starla sighed and continued her own train of thought. “She kept little Anna a secret because she didn’t want to tie Topher down; she wanted him to lead his best life. That’s love.”

Belle stubbornly continued, “and Sophia seems really nice. I could use some girlfriends here in Isabel!”

Her sad wail finally snapped her aunt out of her romantic haze. “I’m sure Sophia understands. I mean, she loves a Rolston, after all. The whole family is known for getting under a woman’s skin with their surly ways.”

“Well, August certainly was grumpy when I showed up with more suggestions.” Belle wrung her hands.

Starla smiled. “Did he try to feed you any more of his dried veggie diet?”

“He’s a vegan, Aunt Starla. And August happens to make very good food,” Belle told her. “He must be a talented chef because no matter how outside the box he thinks, people are still willing to invest in his restaurant ideas.”

“You don’t find him insufferably stubborn?” Starla asked.

Belle shook her head. “His first instinct is to fight conformity, so he always opposes any new idea until he has thought it through. I can respect that. It’s nice to have a client that doesn’t just jump on the newest trend.”

Starla marveled at her niece. “I think that is the nicest thing I’ve ever heard about August Rolston. Around here, he is known as quite the black sheep, and his radical thinking does nothing but riles up his brothers.”

It was hard not to keep talking about August, but Belle caught herself. Why could she not keep her boss out of her conversation or her thoughts? Over the past year, Belle had made work her priority. Focusing on her job helped clear her mind, but now it seemed the highlight of her work was antagonizing August. Belle was beginning to worry that she enjoyed sparring with her boss a bit too much. Not only was it unlike her, but it was totally inappropriate. She had to focus!

She promised herself she would quiet down and simply concentrate on her part of August’s project, but that only lasted an hour into the next workday. When Belle heard August choosing outrageous and clashing colors for the interior, she had to speak up.

“You’re only picking those colors because your brother praised the ranch-style look of the greenhouses,” she pointed out.

August gave her his now customary scowl. “Color stimulates the senses and could inspire my customers.”

“It could,” Belle said, “or it could offend their eyes.”

Starla found them fighting over a table’s worth of paint samples, flinging some aside and some at each other. She grinned broadly, “so fun to see a creative team at work.”

Belle immediately left the table and went to shoo her aunt back outside the foundation and framing. “The site is not ready for visitors.”

“Neighbors aren’t visitors, and they are always welcome,” August called out in a gruff voice.

Belle appreciated his Texan hospitality while scowling at his habit of always taking the opposite stance to her own. “What brings you out here, Aunt Starla?”

“I thought I would see how that ornery creature was getting on without me, but he wasn’t in the old corral. I can’t believe you actually get a saddle on that thing,” Starla turned to talk to August.

He lifted one corner of his mouth in an almost-smile. “He needs the exercise, and I need a lift to work. Neither of us has a choice.”

Starla smiled and nodded. “Horses do tend to know what people need.”

“And I need a bunch of ripped sleeves?” Belle asked.

“Maybe Eddie’s telling you to loosen up,” August said.

Starla laughed out loud and clapped her hands. “Perfect! This is all so great, and I’m glad that Eddie has landed himself a kindred spirit.”

“Perfect?” Belle hissed as she caught her aunt’s elbow and escorted her back to her truck. “Are you out of your mind?”

“I’m not the one having a flirty paint-sample fight with my boss,” Starla pointed out. “Perhaps you two would do better on a date than at the work site.”

“For the hundredth time, I’m not going on any dates!” Belle said. She glanced back, hoping August had not heard. He, thankfully, was busy shoveling all the paint samples back into a brown paper bag. Lucky for him, he’d left a neutral palate still on the table, and Belle approved, even at a distance.

“Well, you better find something to do tonight,” Starla told her niece as she was shoved into her truck. “I have a date myself, and I don’t want you moping around my place all on your lonesome.”

The rest of the afternoon, Belle tried to think of something to do that evening, but she was at a complete loss. Even August had plans, taking his niece to see a drive-in movie. Belle tried not to think how August would probably smile at the cartoon cats that starred in the movie, but he never smiled at her. Why did she want to see that?

With the movie eliminated, Belle wandered down Main Street and finally ducked inside The Tack and Feed. The manager, Alessa Jones, was a touchstone of the community, and if anyone knew something for a single woman to do on a Friday night, it would be her.

Alessa nodded immediately, understanding Belle’s plight. “You don’t want to go to the roadhouse because it’ll be all couples on the dance floor and making googly eyes over the tables. The steak house is out because it is fancy date central. The Bluebird Cafe is only open for a few more hours, and that’s for cute families getting ice cream. Your best bet is to stay here and join Freddie Rolston’s dance class. It starts in about ten minutes.”

“Dance?” Belle asked, horrified.

Alessa laughed. “Let me describe it another way: a small bunch of women moving around in any way that makes them smile. And afterwards there is a gossip session and treats.”

Belle couldn’t help but smile. “That sounds like something I could handle, but I’m definitely not dressed for a dance class.”

“Third rack on the back wall has women’s fitness clothes. I’ll put them on your tab,” Alessa told her with a wink. “Just join us, I promise you’ll have fun.”

It wasn’t until Belle was changing into a new pair of capri-length yoga pants, a soft sports bra, and a swirling tie-dyed tank top that she realized the dance class was going to be led by a Rolston. She had come into town to get August off her mind; it was wildly inappropriate to think about her boss so much, even for someone as work-obsessed as Belle. Who was Freddie, and would she tell August all about her awkward new student?

Freddie Rolston, formerly Dover, immediately put Belle’s mind at ease. She was bubbly, welcoming, and a clearly talented dancer. Despite her expertise, Freddie eased the class into moves and sequences that everyone could do, and more importantly, everyone felt good doing. Soon, Belle was enjoying herself.

Only then did her mind slip back to the Pilates classes she had been forced to take. Pilates was the best workout for her time allotment; private, and full of precise and exacting moves. Her instructor was practically devoid of personality, or had she been warned not to talk too much to her client? Belle hated the required sessions and suffered through them in silence.

There was nothing silent about dance class with Freddie.

“Time to cool down. When you feel this next stretch, let me know,” Freddie called out.

Alessa let out a groan that caused giggles, and even Belle found herself vocalizing how much she felt the last moves of the dance class in her hamstrings. Everyone was loose, smiling, and open. So, when Sophia appeared with a tray of baked treats, Belle found it easy to stay and visit.

“I’m sorry if I was a little work focused the last time we met,” Belle told Sophia as she took a delectable lemon bar.

Sophia smiled and shook her head. “No problem. As someone who has worked with two Rolstons at once, I completely understand. And, to be honest, August is by far the surliest of the bunch. Why he has to make everything so difficult is completely beyond me.”

“Maybe he’ll relax after he inherits,” Freddie offered. She licked brownie frosting off her finger. “I know Drake did.”

Alessa snorted. “Drake only relaxed after you finally agreed to be his wife. The money means very little to them.”

Sophia explained to Belle, “the money is such an astronomical amount that the brothers tend to ignore it. I think it’s a form of self-preservation. It must be hard to remain normal when you’re a billionaire.”

“Billionaire?” Belle choked, and powdered sugar flew up in a little cloud around her mouth.

Alessa saw her discomfort and immediately dispelled it. “I wouldn’t think about it, especially when it comes to August. He’s always been determined to go his own way and make his own money. Odds are he and Topher will never fulfill their full year of a successful partnership. No offense, Sophia.”

Sophia, Topher’s wife, laughed. “None taken. I’d be surprised if those two could get through a day of a successful partnership. They definitely love each other, but it’s best that August is trying this new side-business.”

“So, the greenhouse won’t help him gain his inheritance?” Belle asked.

Freddie shrugged. “Dean, he’s the oldest, is determined for them all to get their shares. Between him and their lawyer, Mr. Penn, they’ll make the dots connect. Besides, August providing fresh produce for the restaurant and catering that Topher woos his clients with seems like a partnership to me.”

Belle finished her lemon bar and thought that over. Was August choosing clashing colors and causing trouble with the plans because he didn’t want his father’s money? Or was she the only thing standing between him and the money that would make the rest of his life easy?

As fun and freeing as the dance class had been, August was back on the top of Belle’s mind, and his money was foremost when Starla asked her about her night.

“Did you know the Rolstons are all set to be billionaires?” She asked her aunt.

Starla shrugged. “Money has never been the defining trait of that family.”

Belle still couldn’t dismiss it. “They must be the richest family in Isabel. Isn’t that a big deal in a small town?”

“Rolston Senior was a successful rancher and businessman. All anyone in this town cared about was that he kept his family invested in Isabel. He was never flashy, unlike the Grant family,” Starla told her.

“So they’ve just quietly grown up ultra-rich?”

Starla laughed. “The brothers never got out of hard work, if that’s what you mean. Rolston Senior was a hard taskmaster, and not a single one of his sons grew up spoiled.”

Belle wrung her hands, the money still on her mind. It was obvious something was worrying her about it, and finally, her aunt sighed.

“What is it? Why would August’s possible inheritance worry you?”

Belle sighed and searched her thoughts. She had grown up in an affluent family, and money had never been a concern. It sounded like August’s upbringing was very similar to her own despite his family’s fortune. Why would the idea of such a large inheritance bother her?

Starla started to answer that question for her, “you know, not everyone lets money change them.”

“How can it not?” Belle countered. She didn’t want to think about how money turned someone close to her into a totally different, totally controlling monster.

“Some people are more steady, to begin with,” Starla pointed out. “They have a more solid support system, a bigger family, and more understanding for those around them.”

Was August that person? Belle wondered. She had seen him handle Eddie with stern compassion. She had heard the grumpy sparring yet closeness between him and his brothers. He did seem steady and, despite his tendency to disagree immediately, August was understanding.

Could she trust him?

Unfortunately, all those uncertainties came out even more at work the next day. Belle couldn’t help but push him on the budget and insist that he think about paying for permanent systems. It bothered her how often he was willing to just start with something and accept that he may have to change it in the future.

“Why not do it right in the first place?” She asked.

August scowled. “Why not let me choose what I want and deal with any changes that come, if they come, in the future?”

Belle put her hands on her hips. “When I create a system for a greenhouse, I am trying to mimic an ecosystem. You can’t just assume an ecosystem can be changed in the future. It should be built right and left to run successfully.”

He brushed his hands through his dark blond hair, a gesture Belle was becoming intimately familiar with as a sign of his frustration. “I’d like to see my vision realized as much as I want it to have a functioning system. Can’t you follow the ‘customer is always right’ mantra that everyone else does in business?”

“Not everyone else has unlimited funds,” Belle shot back.

August’s dark blue eyes pierced hers. “People have been talking about my inheritance again, haven’t they?”

Belle was taken aback by the fierceness she saw in his expression, but she stuck to her guns. “Just because you’ll have the money to make changes later, doesn’t mean I’ll put this place together all willy-nilly.”

He stepped closer to her, letting his size add to the gravity of what he was trying to tell her. “I want to make this my own. My ideas, my vision, my investment. This has nothing to do with my father’s money or my family’s push for inheriting. Can you respect that?”

Belle stood her ground, rooted by the force she felt behind his words. August was determined to create the greenhouses and his produce business whether or not he inherited. There was something about that money that he didn’t trust either, and it was that sense that made Belle nod her head. They were both suspicious of how much large amounts of money could change things.

“I can respect you, I mean, that,” Belle told him.

She was rewarded with a quick smile from August, and it was her body’s warm response to his expression that planted the seed of trust between them.

CHAPTER 5

August was supposed to be plotting his first crops. Instead, he was rehashing his last debate with Belle. Then he was marveling at her insights. Then he remembered how softly her hair fell to her shoulders when she pulled it out of its ponytail. The seed catalog was open, ignored, as he contemplated just what color best described her green eyes.

He shook himself. Thankfully, no one was around the build site yet. August could pretend he was contemplating the best plants to grow, but he felt it was obvious where his interest really lay. He stood up and paced; a boss could not be thinking about an employee the way he always had Belle on his mind.

Relief turned his thoughts to more practical things as he heard a truck on the gravel drive, but it was her. Of course, Belle was always early to work. She was the first to arrive and the last to leave, and August had to believe it was just because she was dedicated. He told himself to call it obsessive, turn it into a fault somehow; otherwise, he would hope she had other reasons for lingering around his property.

“We need to talk about the extra irrigation,” Belle called out as she joined him in the open framing.

August frowned, already shaking his head in the negative. “It’s not extra. I want drip irrigation running to the gazebo, so the flowers there can take the full sun.”

The construction crew arrived, unloaded, and started to work, but Belle did not take her eyes off August. She sighed with exasperation and tried again. “You could use lattice or any other form of shade for the totally unnecessary gazebo. Running irrigation out there is a waste of water and puts a strain on the system.”

He crossed his arms and refused to give in. “The gazebo is part of the business plan, and I intend for it to be covered with greenery and blossoms. The ‘extra’ irrigation stays.”

“Pretty seating is part of your business plan?” Belle scoffed. “Why?”

August shoved his hands in his pockets and explained in gruff tones, “the gazebo will be a beautiful focal point. The kind of place that couples will want pictures taken, proposals may happen there, we could even host weddings.”

“How romantic,” Sophia interrupted with a smile. She brandished a basket of baked goods as her excuse. “Couples in Isabel are always looking for creative photo opportunities. I just wish Topher and I had had the option when we were having our engagement photos taken; I can just imagine what the sunset will be like behind it.”

Embarrassed by all the talk of romance and couples, August grumbled. “Why all the treats?”

Sophia looked from his gruff face to Belle’s light blush and grinned, then she answered his question. “I need taste-testers.”

“I better get some work done first,” Belle said and quickly escaped.

August watched her go. “Seems like money, romance, and baked goods all make her uncomfortable.”

Sophia laughed out loud. “‘Or it could just be you staring at her like that.”

He gave his sister-in-law a pained glance. “Do I stare?”

“Not in a bad way. You just tend to stand back and study people that interest you,” Sophia told him in a diplomatic tone.

“Belle is interesting,” August admitted as his gaze found her again. He watched Belle waving her hands around as she explained the next steps to a small team of construction workers.

“Both of you are,” Sophia said.

August gave her a sideways glare. “In what way? I’m her boss, she’s an interesting employee. That’s all there is to it.”

Sophia gave an exaggerated nod, not agreeing at all. Then she changed the obviously touchy subject. “Why don’t you hand these new brownie bars out to your construction crew? Being the sweet boss instead of surly may suit you.”

August felt ridiculous taking the big basket, but Sophia would not take it back. “They’ll probably think I’m trying to give them caffeine or something to speed up their work progress,” he complained. “Maybe Belle should do it; they all like her better.”

He glanced around and scowled when he caught sight of her with a now-larger group of workers. They were all interested in her new system, and she was happy to show them how it worked. August secretly thought the men just wanted to spend extra time close to her. It was irritating how many of the crew members tripped over each other to help out Ms. Belle.

He marched over and interrupted by holding out the big basket of treats. August got the men to tear their interest off Belle, Sophia got good feedback on the new recipe, and the construction workers got a surprise treat. It was a win-win, and August tried to remind them of that the next day when they complained he had returned the rented skid steer.

“It was eating up the budget, and all the big patches have been leveled. Now we can work with shovels and save money,” he explained to the foreman.

“A bunch of brownies is not going to help my mens’ aching backs,” the foreman pointed out.

August gritted his teeth. “Belle keeps pointing out how the budget is getting out of control, so I am trying to rein it in.”

“Ms. Belle doesn’t expect us to go without necessary tools,” the foreman retorted. “We’re also down a generator, meaning the men have to paint by hand instead of using the sprayer.”

“I only cut a few of the conveniences,” August explained with a scowl. “Do you still have everything you need to finish the job?”

The foreman nodded curtly, annoyed that his crew would have to take longer and do more by hand. August returned his sharp nod, not caring that his reputation as a gruff and grinch-like boss was growing by the day.

“Making friends, I see,” Belle commented as she caught up to him on the other side of the greenhouse site.

August scowled. “I’m the boss, remember? As much as I want to be your friend and, um, never mind. I’m stuck being the boss. And you’re the one that keeps reminding me someone has to watch the budget.”

He couldn’t believe how often his tongue wanted to slip up around Belle. What was he going to tell her? That he wanted to be her friend, her neighbor, more? He couldn’t trust himself to speak, and his jaw was aching from gritting his teeth so much.

“You want them to level all the walking paths without a skid steer?” Belle asked, still firmly on the crew’s side.

August snatched up a shovel and got to work himself. He needed something to help him burn off the extra frustration he was feeling at work lately. “The paths are not wide, certainly not as wide as a skid steer. See? I’m only expecting them to do what I’m doing myself.”

The crew worked slowly, and August outpaced them all. It didn’t help that he could feel Belle’s eyes on him. The Texas sun was blazing, and he eventually had to pull off his shirt to deal with the heat. He even gave in and put on a cowboy hat to shade his face. The only blessing was his brothers were not around to see him working like a real Rolston.

Unfortunately, the back-breaking work did not stop August from noticing Belle. She was busy checking and double-checking the pipes that would run water through the greenhouses. The crew helped her with shovels and ladders and whatever else she needed. August knew the burning in his chest wasn’t the heat or the work; he was jealous. Belle smiled at the construction workers, thanked them, and even joked with them. She was avoiding him like the plague.

“Boss, got a minute?” The foreman was the lone person to approach August towards the end of the day.

August groaned. “I know, I know, I’ll get some of the equipment back.”

The foreman nodded his gratitude but then sighed. “This is more about the timeline than the budget.”

August knew when he hired them that another job was coming up. He had agreed that they would take his project as far as they could, and he would handle the rest. Just like a stubbornly self-reliant Rolston would, August thought bitterly. Since when had he so thoroughly reconnected with his roots?

“Besides leveling the walking paths and adding gravel, there’s really only the windows and vents to install,” the foreman pointed out.

August had no choice but to nod. “All I need is three or four guys to help with that.”

“The rest is interior design,” the foreman said. “Ms. Belle has a handle on the rest of the installations.”

The familiar and affectionate tone of the foreman made August scowl again. “Belle assured me she would handle her own business, so I have to assume she has.”

“Good luck, Mr. Rolston.”

August mopped the sweat off his brow and watched the construction crew pack up. It reminded him of the first pop-up restaurant he had tried. Along the way, a customer became more than a fan of his food. He had not wanted a relationship at the time, so August started screwing things up at work. Classic self-sabotage.

Was that what he was doing now?

He moved to the shade and surveyed the greenhouse site. The foundations were laid and level, the drainage and water pumps all in place, the walls were up, and the framing for the greenhouse windows were all in place. The crew had gotten him far along, and August could easily finish with a little help from his brothers. So, why was he worried he was messing everything up?

Belle appeared at the far end of the first greenhouse, her head tipped back as she studied the water pipe above. She had waved goodbye to the crew and gotten right back to work.

August realized his biggest worry was whether or not he had made things more difficult for Belle. What if she got fed up and left the project?

He slung his shirt back on and buttoned it up as he strode across the greenhouse. August needed to apologize, and he needed to check in with her. It felt vital that Belle be part of his project, and he couldn’t imagine losing her.

“I think there’s something wrong with the water pipes in this section,” Belle said, all business as usual.

“I’m sorry,” August blurted out.

She tore her gaze off the pipes along the ceiling, only to raise an eyebrow as she noticed the majority of his shirt buttons were still undone. “Sorry about the pipes?” She asked.

August had not thought through what he needed to say, so he gaped at her. Feeling her eyes on his bare chest caused his mind to go blank, and he fumbled with the buttons as he tried to formulate his apology. “Sorry if the crew leaving is going to be a problem.”

Belle dragged her gaze up his chest and met his eyes. Before she could respond, a high-pressure hiss sounded above them. The water pipe burst, and a deluge dropped on them all at once. Gallons soaked them in an instant and left them in a huge puddle as more poured from the ceiling onto their heads.

In their panic to get out from under the spewing water, August and Belle bumped into each other, then slipped on the slick cement floor. He clamped his arms around her and steadied them, then turned the direction she pointed. They spun out of the water and landed with a bump against the first row of raised garden beds.

Still in August’s arms and spluttering water, all Belle could say was, “where’d my bandana go?”

“Your bandana?” August reluctantly let her go to swipe the water out of his eyes. “What about the water?”

Belle surprised him by laughing. It was a hearty, felt from the ground up, kind of laugh. “You’re right! The water main!”

August ran where she pointed with Belle hot on his heels. Together they yanked the lever to stop the flow of water, then turned to survey the damage.

“Are you cold?” He asked, noticing that her shoulders shook.

“Are you kidding?” Belle turned to him, shaking with laughter. “I’m not saying I wanted to get soaked, but it sure helps beat the heat.”

His jaw dropped as he watched her double over in laughter. Belle was different from any woman he had ever spent time with. She worked harder, focused more acutely, and drove herself farther than anyone he knew. And when she came undone with laughter, it was absolutely glorious.

August started laughing too, and they bumped together, unsteady with hilarity, as they walked back to the flood zone. There she leaned against him as she tried to catch her breath and calm her giggles.

“You should have seen your face,” Belle hooted.

“Me?” August chuckled. “Your eyes were the size of dinner plates!”

Belle’s gaze caught his, and she finally stopped laughing. A soft smile played around her mouth as she sighed. “Guess we better start mopping it up.”

August nodded and got serious again too. How was he ever going to forget the Belle he just saw? Loose, laughing, and completely open, August wasn’t sure he could stand seeing her go back to her diligent employee self.

It was even harder as he noticed how well they worked side by side. August gritted his teeth again and resigned himself to the fact that this was the only way he’d have Belle by his side.

CHAPTER 6

“I’ve got the plans uploaded, plus photos of the build site, and I think it looks pretty good,” Belle said. She leaned back in her chair and beamed at her aunt.

Starla nodded as she ran around looking for her purse. “I’m sure it’s perfect. You’ve been working on it long enough.”

Belle pouted. “It’s my first time building an online portfolio. Of course, I want it to be perfect.”

Her aunt rushed over and kissed the top of her head. “I know, darling, and I’m proud of you. I just thought we agreed you would take a break from work for breakfast. It’s Saturday.”

Starla’s voice was gentle and coaxing, but Belle could hear the worry underneath. She had spent the last few days of the work-week obsessed with the idea of creating an online portfolio. It would help her secure more work contracts in the future, but really it was just an excuse to bury her thoughts in work. After helping August fix the busted water pipe, it was hard to keep herself from replaying the hilarious and somehow exhilarating moment on a loop in her head.

She had spoken about nothing except work for days until her aunt made her promise they would have a weekend breakfast with no work talk. Belle sighed and closed down her computer. She was counting on the final photographs of August’s greenhouse to complete the polished and professional look of her work, but that would have to wait for another day.

“Where are we going?” Belle asked her aunt.

Starla grinned and grabbed her purse. “The Bluebird Cafe, where else?”

Belle smiled but felt a pit form in her stomach. The Bluebird Cafe was on Main Street and frequented by everyone in town. Outside of The Tack and Feed, the cafe saw most of the Isabel residents on a regular basis. Most people would like the idea of visiting the small-town hub, but Belle fretted. She always felt uncomfortable with all the natural attention people gave each other at The Bluebird.

There were two upsides though: Starla loved all the attention, and the food was phenomenal.

Belle ordered a fruit-ladened waffle and a fluffy egg-white omelet stuffed with sinfully good bacon. The coffee was strong, and the cream was real and fresh. At their small window table, Belle bowed her head for a moment and thanked God for such a wonderful breakfast.

“See?” Starla beamed. “It’s not so bad taking time off of work.”

Belle took a bite of her waffle and smiled back at her aunt as she licked whipped cream off her lip. “You’re right as usual.”

Her aunt was about to take that opening to begin discussing other aspects of Belle’s life when she spotted a newcomer to the cafe headed their way. “Who’s that?”

Belle swiped her mouth with her napkin. “That’s the foreman of the construction crew. He’s a great general contractor and is really keeping the build on track.”

The foreman smiled as he reached their table. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“No problem,” Starla said with a bold smile. She liked the foreman’s obvious strength and ease and was always ready to flirt.

Belle quickly said, “it’s good to see you. Did Mr. Rolston tell you about the broken water pipe? We tried to clean it all up, but I hope we didn’t leave you a mess to deal with on Monday.”

The foreman’s smile slipped. “Didn’t he tell you?”

Belle immediately started to worry. “Tell me what?”

The foreman cleared his throat. “We were always on a tight schedule, but our next job offered us more to start early. August was nice enough to let us go.”

Her head spun. Just as August was slashing the budget, the construction crew decided to move on to another job? The foreman made it sound like it had nothing to do with August’s management of the build-site, but Belle couldn’t help thinking differently. Her boss was difficult at best and had been pushing the crew for weeks. Why did he always have to make everything harder on himself?

“He assured me he had the necessary help to finish the job. Your work won’t be compromised at all, I hope. I just wanted to say goodbye and good luck.”

Belle thanked the foreman and shook his hand, even securing a great recommendation for her online portfolio, but she had completely lost her appetite by the time she turned back to the table. August Rolston’s surly management style and stubborn ways could cost her. What if he screwed up the rest of the build and left her with nothing to show for all her hard work?

Starla tried her best to distract her. “See? Everyone notices what an excellent engineer and worker you are. And the whole town is curious about you.”

“Are people staring at me again?” Belle whispered across the table.

Starla flipped her hair. “Only because we are two of the most beautiful women in this place.”

Her aunt loved the attention, but Belle cringed. Curiosity meant that people would ask questions. The local residents of Isabel couldn’t help but wonder why she had abandoned her life in Houston and crash-landed in their small town. There had to be rumors about her bad breakup, and that would lead to speculation about her past relationship. Belle’s heart froze; she wanted nothing more than for her past to be buried and forgotten. The more time she spent in the public eye of the small town, the more people would pry into her history.

How long until they found all the ugliness she had fought to leave behind?

Luckily, Starla’s bright and easy conversation soothed Belle back into being able to eat her delicious breakfast. She forced herself to stay present and smile at all Starla’s interesting tidbits and stories about fellow locals until her good mood was real again.

In fact, Belle was feeling so much better that she was delighted to run into Alessa on Main Street. Her new friend grinned and introduced her to Hetty Rolston.

“I know, I know, another Rolston. The last thing you want,” Hetty said.

Belle smiled shyly. “I haven’t found a single thing wrong with the Rolston women,” she assured Hetty.

That made the lean and beautiful cowgirl laugh out loud. “My sisters-in-law told me you were great, and that observation is definitely a good start. Now how is it that you can put up with the surliest Rolston man?”

“Surly but handsome,” Starla interjected as she came out of the cafe. “I have to go get the car, but you all remember that August is not all bad.”

Belle snorted as soon as her aunt was out of earshot. “It’s not the grumpiness that bothers me.”

“The stubbornness?” Alessa asked.

“The bossiness,” Hetty guessed.

Belle had to laugh. “Yes, but the thing that bothers me most is that August Rolston has to take the hardest course at every turn. Every. Single. Time.”

Both women laughed.

“Theo calls him contrary; that’s the nicest thing he says about him,” Hetty said.

Alessa was a bit more serious. “There is something about him that constantly leans towards self-destruction. I wonder what that’s all about.”

“It’s all about making my job harder,” Belle joked.

The women laughed again, and Alessa made sure to invite her back to their dance class. Hetty reluctantly agreed to join too though she much preferred to be riding the range. They parted as fast friends, and Belle marveled at how great that felt.

Her old friends had been ostracized, almost surgically removed from her old life, and she had never managed to get them back. So, Belle assured her new friends she would not miss another dance class, especially not if Sophia was bringing treats.

Belle was happily thinking of her new friends while she danced around to her aunt’s favorite album. Post-breakfast was cleaning time, and the two were splitting chores around Starla’s house. Belle was on dusting duty, while Starla swept the kitchen floor. Neither of them heard the doorbell, but finally a heavy-handed knocking broke through the loud music.

“I’ll get it,” Belle called. She danced to the door and was shocked to see August standing on the front steps.

The music made it impossible to hear what he was saying, so Belle was forced to join him in Starla’s front garden. She led him down the curving path of crazy mosaic stepping stones until they reached the dead end by the hardy flowering shrubs.

“Are you having a party?” August asked.

Belle snorted and looked down at her jean shorts and dusty t-shirt. “More like a cleaning party. I’m helping my aunt with chores.”

It was hard for her to remember she was mad at August. He looked decidedly out of place in Starla’s arid yet flowering garden. It was even harder to focus on what separated them as he gazed at her.

August shook himself, remembering why he was there and dug in his pocket. “I found your bandana. I don’t have a washing machine, so its hand washed, but I think it turned out alright.”

Belle took the bandana and breathed in the light scent of soap and the sunshine smell of clothes that had dried on a line in the fresh air. She fought the urge to bury her face in it and breathe deep. The scent was intoxicating.

She had to sternly remind herself that he was her boss and not a very good one at that. The new, unfortunate development with the construction crew could cost her a polished project, and Belle couldn’t lose her focus now.

“Thank you,” she said curtly.

August winced at her tone. “I’m guessing you heard about the crew.”

“What exactly is the plan?” Belle asked.

“What is the plan with that?” August countered. He pointed at a pile of metal panels and her aunt’s rickety ladder.

“I finally convinced my aunt that a metal roof would be good for her cottage. It will deflect the heat and last twice as long as a regular roof,” Belle told him.

“And you expect Starla to put up a metal roof on her own?” August frowned.

“She expects she can put it up on her own,” Belle said. She tried to steer the conversation back to work. “Like you plan to put the rest of the greenhouses together on your own?”

“Seems you and Starla did pretty good with that one,” August jutted his stubborn chin towards their greenhouse. “Maybe I should hire you two as builders as well as my hydroponics expert.”

“We’re busy,” Belle snapped.

August nodded and hitched up his jeans. “You go ahead and get back to your cleaning dance-party. I’ll take care of these.”

He was on the roof before Belle could protest, and her aunt insisted she could handle the housework while Belle helped him. The metal sheets were light but unwieldy, but as soon as she aimed them at August’s hands, he handled them with ease. It was impossible not to admire his skills as he screwed each piece into place. Like a true Texan, August didn’t let the blazing afternoon stop him, and the cottage had a snug new roof by the end of the afternoon.

By that time, Starla had the grill fired up and insisted that August stay for dinner. She brought out a tray of specially marinated pork chops and handmade burger patties, and Belle saw her only opportunity to send her boss home.

“Too bad we didn’t prepare for a Vegan guest. Maybe next time,” she told August as she tried to shoo him to the gate.

“Nonsense,” Starla called from the patio. “That greenhouse system of yours has made everything grow like crazy. Let him pick whatever he wants.”

“I’d love to see your greenhouse again,” August said. “It’ll be good inspiration for what needs to be done at our build site.”

“Your build site,” Belle muttered. “My build site would still have a full crew.”

“No doubt,” August said. “You obviously can charm anyone into staying.”

Starla laughed from the patio, still able to hear them. “She sure sounds charming to me! August, if she’s rude, you just pick what you want and come eat with me. I’m the one saying thank you for the roof, after all.”

August actually smiled at her aunt and then raised an obnoxious eyebrow at Belle. She had no choice but to lead the way to the greenhouse. All the windows were tipped open to allow the hot Texan air to circulate. One section was shaded by dark green tarps Belle had ingeniously hung from hooks. Inside was warm but shady, and it smelled deliciously of watered dirt and fresh vegetables.

It was impossible not to notice the look of happiness on August’s face. His lips still held a stern line, but dark blue eyes twinkled in the shade. During the roof work, August had raked his shaggy blond hair back, but now the sweat was drying, and it was falling back across his forehead. It made him look boyish despite the strong cut of his jaw and the scrape of blond stubble Belle spotted along his cheeks.

He caught her looking, held her gaze, and then glanced away shyly. “Do you have a favorite veggie dish?” He asked.

Belle swallowed hard, realizing how thirsty she was and hungry. She was starving. “Tomato salad?” She suggested.

August nodded and started picking plump, red tomatoes. Belle watched his rough and sure hands grip the soft vegetables with a gentle touch, and she shivered despite the heat. She had to tear her glance away and forced herself to find a few fresh cucumbers. Together, they added handfuls of fresh basil to their haul.

“There are fingerling potatoes too, you should let Starla grill some for you,” Belle said. The potato bin was behind August and she had to lean close to show him. Even after a day of hard labor, the man still smelled good. It reminded her of the sunshine fresh bandana he had hand-washed and returned to her.

“Thanks, by the way,” she said.

August turned, bumping closer to her again. He looked down, his stern mouth softening as he asked, “for what?”

“Returning my silly bandana, helping my aunt, putting up with my rudeness.”

His lips parted with a soft laugh. “Your rudeness?”

Belle didn’t know why, but she had to tell him. “I focus too much on work, and always take it too seriously. It helps me keep my thoughts off, um, stuff from my past.”

August nodded. “Work is always a good way forward.”

Belle snapped herself back from the depthless blue of his gaze. She grabbed the potatoes from his hands and quickly added them to the basket they had filled. Clearing her throat, she said, “I just hope you have a way forward without a construction crew.”

August’s frown returned. “You still don’t think I can handle a little hard labor?”

“It’s important to me the job is done right,” Belle told him.

He nodded and took the basket from her hands. “Luckily, we work well as a team.”

The reminder also felt like a compliment, and it glowed in Belle’s heart hotter than Starla’s grill. Her aunt’s effortless chatting made dinner sail by easier than a fluffy cloud in the Texas sky, and Belle soon found herself sad to see August go.

“No wonder you concentrate on work so much,” her aunt joked at the end of the night.

Belle laughed it off, but Starla was right. Her plan to use work as a shield against all other aspects of life was falling apart. How else could she keep August from getting too close?

CHAPTER 7

August woke up in a bad mood on Sunday. He was stiff and sore from helping Belle with her aunt’s roof, but that wasn’t the cause of his crankiness. Despite his best efforts, Belle still only saw him as an employer, and the biggest problem was she was right. August hated thinking that his arrogant, know-it-all, beautiful employee was right, but there was no doubt in his mind.

They worked well together, and that was the only way he would ever be close to Belle.

His bad mood did not improve when he discovered Eddie had kicked down a section of fence around the old corral. On top of all the work he had created at the build site, August had no time for the ornery old horse to wreck his only home.

“I don’t know why you ever left Starla’s, you horrid beast,” August told Eddie. “I bet you had it made there with those two ladies looking after you. Why did you have to go and make everything harder on you and me?”

The horse snorted at August as if to say exactly the same thing back at him.

August scowled. “No need for that. I hear it all the time.”

His mood further deteriorated when he spotted Topher driving up to his trailer. August considered letting Eddie loose just to give his brother a distraction, but the stubborn horse strolled to the far end of the corral to roll in the dust.

“Looking more like a cowboy every day!” Topher called as he jumped out of his truck.

August looked down at his faded surfer t-shirt. Below the California logo, he was wearing jeans and cowboy boots. He hated when his brother was right too.

“Whatever you want, the answer is no,” August told Topher.

His younger brother just laughed. “I know for a fact that you need my help, so you may want to rethink that statement.”

August ground his teeth, hating how quickly gossip traveled through a small town. “So, you heard about my construction crew.”

Topher shrugged. “You, me, maybe Drake. We’ll have the greenhouse windows installed in under a week. No problem.”

“The problem is you want something in return,” August grumbled.

“Just a simple ask from my business partner,” Topher said. “We’re having an event at the ranch, and I need someone to cater the luncheon.”

“Your clients don’t want Vegan,” August reminded him.

Again, Topher shrugged. “They may not be Vegan, but they are trend-lovers. Besides, Sophia long ago forced me to admit your food is good. So, we have a deal?”

August had no choice but to shake hands with his brother. Belle had made it clear that she also had a lot riding on his greenhouse project, and he couldn’t bear the idea of letting his best and only employee down.

“Just one more thing,” Topher said.

“No.” August crossed his arms over his chest.

“Bring a date. Sophia and Anna insist.”

August scowled. “You’re trying to use my niece against me?”

“Of course I am.” Topher grinned. “But don’t worry, I already have a few suitable women in mind. It would be fun to play matchmaker.”

“No.” August clenched his arms tighter. “Caterers don’t need dates.”

Topher frowned. “But my business partner does. You don’t get to hide out in the kitchen the whole time, and a date will make sure you mingle.”

They argued for ten minutes straight until Topher started describing the women he had lined up as potential dates. August quickly dismissed each and every one until his brother was livid.

“Fine! Then, who do you suggest?” Topher barked at his older brother.

“Belle.” August said her name before he could stop himself.

He wasn’t surprised because she was always at the top of his mind, but he was shocked by his own suggestion that Belle could be his date. It was totally inappropriate for a boss to lean on his employee in such a social instance, but Topher seemed delighted.

“I think Sophia was secretly hoping you’d say that. She keeps talking about how great Belle is and how we have to lure her out more often,” Topher said.

August frowned. Belle was obviously shy, not that he blamed her for avoiding the gossip mill of their small town. Was he making a huge mistake?

Topher seemed to read his mind. “Bringing your greenhouse expert is a great idea; the ranch will be full of potential investors. There’s nothing wrong with a little networking.”

August could tell Belle it was a business opportunity, though everyone knew full-well he did not want outside investors. She, on the other hand, was trying to start a business and could use the chance to get her name out there. All he had to do was convince her it wasn’t a date.

After Topher left triumphant, August delayed asking Belle as long as possible. He thought about waiting until they were both back at work, but that seemed like too much of a business transaction. He couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to spend more time with her outside of the build site. So, he finally decided to head to her aunt’s again and ask Belle in person. He rode Eddie just to disguise it as more of a neighborly visit.

Starla grinned broadly when she saw August ride up. “Good to see you again, neighbor!” She called. “Don’t worry, I don’t have any work for you today. I do have sun-tea, though.”

August nodded as the older woman brandished the tall jar of golden-brown liquid. “Sounds delicious.”

“It’s not exactly sweet tea, but with a squeeze of lemon, it is definitely the most refreshing.” Starla put the jar in the shade and came down the steps to pat Eddie on the nose. “And I might even get an apple for you, old friend.”

The ornery horse chomped at his bit, but with August on his back, he behaved. In fact, he seemed glad to see Starla, though Eddie made it clear he was only there for a visit and wouldn’t go another step towards the pasture.

Starla gave Eddie one more pat, then told August. “I’ll let Belle know you’re here.”

He immediately cleared his throat. “I was just out for a ride and thought I should say hello. That’s all.”

“Sure,” Starla responded, not at all convinced. She scooped up the sun tea and disappeared inside her cottage.

Moments later, Starla held the door open for Belle, who carried a tray with tall glasses of ice. She balanced it on the railing of the front porch and concentrated on pouring the drinks while her aunt chatted. Drinks in hand, the women settled on the front steps, while August leaned on the railing, and Eddie nipped weeds along the edge of the driveway.

“Did I see your brother drive by this morning?” Starla asked, keeping the conversation going.

August nodded and took the opening. “Yes. He came to recruit my catering for a ranch event, and I, um, was hoping that Belle could assist us as well.”

“I’m no cook,” Belle said shortly.

Starla waved a dismissive hand at her niece. “Though she does have a bountiful harvest of vegetables to share, more than the two of us could ever eat.”

Belle gave her aunt a pained look. “I suppose I could drop some off.”

“And maybe stay to lend a hand?” August asked, his throat tight. He knew it sounded like he needed her to work more than he needed her as a date, but he figured it was the only way to convince her.

“How great is that?” Starla said with upbeat finality. “You’ll get to see Topher’s ranch, and all your friends will be there, won’t they?”

August knew the older woman was trying to help him, so he took her lead and nodded his head. “Sophia would love to see you. Freddie, Hetty, and Alessa have also promised to show up.”

“What should I wear?” Belle asked, nervous but interested.

“Cocktail dress,” August told her.

“I have just the thing!” Starla clapped her hands in delight. “It’s a date!”

Both August and Belle blanched at the word, but it was decided: Belle would come to Topher’s luncheon event to help August. He felt bad for not telling her it was more of a social event than a work shift, but August was too elated to care. He downplayed the event all through the work week and quickly changed the subject any time Belle asked what he needed her to do there.

Despite his efforts throughout the week, Belle looked nervous as he drove her up the long, elegant driveway to Topher’s ranch house. She clutched the basket of fresh vegetables August had requested, and he could hear her breath catching in her throat. She looked so anxious; it wasn’t easy for him to ignore how stunningly beautiful she looked in a sleek black cocktail dress that was edged with a thin, white Art Deco line that accentuated her curves.

“We can just leave those on the back porch and take a tour, if you want,” August told her. He didn’t have the heart to admit he’d already been cooking for two days straight and didn’t need a single vegetable.

Belle eyed the busy decorators buzzing around the ranch’s wide porch with fresh flowers and nodded. “A tour would be nice. I hear his stables are very impressive.”

August walked her back down the driveway and into the shade of the large stable building. He immediately regretted his decision when Jameson met them. Instantly, the large and lovable man set Belle at ease. Every time Jameson’s good-natured chatter made her smile, August’s scowl got deeper. Now he understood how conflicted his brother felt about the stable manager. Jameson was the best worker at the ranch, but he was also impossibly good-looking and charmed everyone around him.

He rushed Belle back towards the ranch house and ran right into his brother on the front steps. Topher was in host mode and happily rushed over to greet her.

“I’m so glad you agreed to be August’s date. He’ll be much more charming with you at his side!” Topher declared.

Belle stepped back and glared at August. “Your date?”

August caught her hand and pulled her along to the corner of the wide porch, out of the way of the other guests. He tried to explain as quickly as he could. “My brother made me do it.”

“What are you, twelve?” Belle asked.

August clutched her other hand and held them both tightly. “I knew you wouldn’t come unless you thought it was for work, but I couldn’t stand the idea of bringing anyone else. Don’t be mad; it really is a good opportunity for you to tell people about what you do.”

“As long as I stand next to you while I tell them?” Belle was livid. “As long as I smile and look pretty like I’m some sort of accessory?”

August was shocked. “Not at all. I just didn’t know anyone else who hates social gatherings as much as I do, and I hoped we could stick it out together.”

Belle appeared to lose some of her steam, but she still snapped, “and I’m your employee, not your date!”

“Nobody cares about that here. We work together. When anyone asks us how we met, that’s all we have to say,” August told her. “Unless you want me to take you home right now. I will, no problem.”

Belle bit her lip and looked around. Waiters in white coats were delivering delicious appetizers of his own making, and he could see the food tempted her. Finally, she sighed. “Starla would give me the third degree if I came home early, so we might as well eat.”

Relieved, August actually smiled. He then led her through the open French doors and through the other guests, straight to the kitchen. “Luckily, I have a free pass to invade the kitchen and pick out all the best foods.”

She looked less irritated as he loaded up a plate just for her. August felt the food slip as he realized just how beautiful Belle looked. Her brassy hair was swept up into an elegant bun, and elongated gold hoops hung from her ears. She had brushed on a small amount of makeup that made her jade-green eyes look even more jewel-like, and her tanned skin was the color of honey against the classic black of her dress. Belle was so beautiful; August almost lost his balance and spilled the whole plate.

Sophia found them in the kitchen and broke the spell before August could say or do something truly stupid.

“There you are! Everyone is delighted you came, Belle. They all want to know how Isabel stacks up against the good life in Houston. I hear you used to be the talk of the town there until you pulled a disappearing act.”

Belle choked on a canapé. “It was more like I got pulled into the wrong place than I disappeared.”

Realizing she had struck a bad chord; Sophia changed the subject quickly. “Well, Alessa, Freddie, and Hetty are definitely glad you are here. They think I’m trying to torture them with dresses and small talk. Will you go save them?”

Her expression cleared, and Belle nodded. She went to find her friends, but not before she refilled her plate with August’s carefully prepared food. Both Sophia and August watched her go.

“I’m sorry,” Sophia told him. “I’ve been getting the impression that she has a murky past, but I didn’t think it was so serious. I never would have brought it up otherwise.”

August forgave his sister-in-law but still frowned. “She doesn’t like talking about Houston at all. What do you think happened?”

Sophia didn’t like to gossip, but she could see August’s concern. “I think she had a bad relationship or something.”

He couldn’t imagine anyone treating Belle badly, and the more August thought about it, the more irate he became. Sophia was pulled back into the party, and he quickly moved through the guests to find his date. He needed to see that she was doing okay. The way she had talked made August wonder if some man had made her feel like nothing more than an accessory, and the idea burned a deep scowl across his features as he searched the crowd for her.

“Keeping a close eye on your employee?” Drake asked as he joined his older brother.

August was not pleased to see him. “Where’s your wife?”

Drake arched an amused eyebrow and nodded over to the front parlor. His wife, Freddie, stood with Hetty and Belle. August breathed a sigh of relief. She looked comfortable talking to the women.

“I get it,” Drake remarked. “I don’t like sharing Freddie for a minute, even when she’s with our sisters-in-law.”

“Belle doesn’t belong to me,” August grumbled. “We just work together.”

Drake snorted. “Keep telling yourself that, brother. I know I did. Now, look where the truth got me.”

After that annoying bit of wisdom, August watched his younger brother saunter across the room and join the women. He kissed Freddie on the cheek and flashed August a smile. August decided to ignore him, but he couldn’t help but wonder what truth Drake was talking about.

CHAPTER 8

Belle enjoyed talking to her new friends, but she couldn’t get comfortable. Discovering the work event was actually a social outing was enough to throw her off, but August was her date! She hadn’t been on a date in over two years, and the idea of going on one with August made Belle’s cheeks burn.

The fact that August’s eyes had not left her once made it hard for Belle’s blush to cool. His gaze followed her from room to room of the luxurious ranch house. She wondered why August had left such a comfortable home to live in a trailer but, then again, he was always making everything harder than it should be.

Why hadn’t he just asked her to be his date?

Belle met his eyes and realized in a flash that he felt just as awkward about their work relationship as she did. Was August as attracted to her as she was to him?

She shook off the impossible thought and sneaked through the dining room to slip back into the kitchen. There she found Sophia plating her scrumptious desserts.

“Oh, good! I need a taste-tester,” Sophia said.

Belle laughed. “You do not. Everyone knows everything you bake is the best.”

Sophia shook her head. “Not according to my daughter. I swear, she’s going to make the best critic when she grows up.”

They chatted comfortably for a few minutes as Belle munched on a broken lemon bar, and Sophia fretted over three more platters. Then, her friend could no longer hold back her curiosity.

“I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have brought up Houston. I know I’m doing it again, but if you ever want to talk about it, I’m a good listener,” Sophia told Belle.

It was a kind and sincere offer. Belle longed to tell her everything, but the party was still buzzing all around them. She settled for the stiff summary she told herself a few times a day.

“I got involved with the wrong guy, and he turned out to be very controlling. Then we broke up, and I decided to move here and start over,” Belle recited.

Sophia noticed the robotic response but also seemed to understand it was almost a protective mantra. “Controlling sounds awful.”

Belle blinked back sudden hot tears. “It was worse than that, but I’m fine now.”

Her friend swept around the kitchen island, hugged her, then handed her another dessert bar to try. “So, you made it all this way for a chance to recover, and you end up with a nosy friend and a grumpy boss. We’re the worst!”

A bubble of laughter popped the tension, and Belle smiled as she devoured the heavenly brownie. “You’re quite literally the sweetest friend I’ve ever had.”

“And what about August?” Sophia asked.

Belle stopped chewing, but the smile stayed in place. “He’s really not that bad,” she finally admitted.

August chose that moment to burst into the kitchen, and the look of relief on his face was enough to make both women laugh. That caused him to grumble, “you don’t know what it’s like out there. If one more person asks me why I’m not seeking Michelin stars in some city or another, I’m going to scream.”

“Have a brownie,” Sophia said.

Belle giggled as he gulped down the dessert as if it was an antidote. “And I thought I hated parties.”

“I don’t blame you for staying in the kitchen the rest of the time,” August told her with a serious and repentant look.

Belle found she wasn’t mad anymore. What had she been so upset about? Her employer thought highly enough of her that he invited her to a fancy party where she was surrounded by new but already dear friends. She was actually having a good time. August, on the other hand, looked like a hunted man who wanted nothing more than to dive under the kitchen island and hide.

“I’d love to hear your response when people suggest New York,” Belle said. “Or what about Boston? Has anyone suggested Boston yet?”

August gave her a pleading look. “Will you come with me? I think I could make it to the front door if I had you with me.”

Belle agreed and actually allowed August to take her arm in his. He escorted her into the dining room, but her memories spilled over as soon as she saw the crystal chandelier. Her ex had always insisted she practice smiling until she could make her expression sparkle like a chandelier. If she gave anything but a glittering expression, if she was tired or nervous or not feeling well, he would lecture her for hours on how she had made him look bad.

August noticed her dragging and patted her hand softly. “I’ve already told everyone that I convinced my hydroponics expert to come with me today, because I can barely explain what wonderful things you’ve installed in my new greenhouses. People are very curious about this ‘new-fandangled’ idea. No one thinks we’re a couple.”

“I’m sorry,” Belle told him breathlessly. “I’m not sure I can smile. Am I smiling? Do I look unfriendly?”

Belle’s head spun as August led her through the dining room and into the front room. Should she tell him what was wrong? Would he be able to understand about her ex-boyfriend, or would he think she was a weak, foolish woman for ever letting anyone get into her head like that?

August positioned her near the open French doors so she could get some fresh air. “Don’t worry about that either. I always look unfriendly, don’t I?”

He tipped Belle’s face up, and she looked at him. He was frowning again, but all she saw was the deep concern in his dark blue eyes. Suddenly, she snapped back to the present and realized August was softly caressing her face.

She stepped back and took a deep breath. “You can see why I didn’t want to be your date or anyone’s date. I’m terrible at it.”

August snorted and dropped his hand. “Dating is the worst. Anyone telling you differently is trying to set you up.”

That made her laugh, but then her expression froze. “Oh my god, why?”

August looked around and saw a well-dressed man with slick hair coming their way. “Who is that?” He asked.

“He went to school with my ex-boyfriend,” Belle whispered, her throat tightening around every word.

“Belle Danson! I thought that was you. Wow, it has been a long time.” He held out a hand to shake August’s. “Riley O’Connor. I run in the same circles with someone Belle used to, um, date. Whatever happened with that? You two were the perfect couple, and now he never talks about you. Did you break his heart?”

Belle swallowed hard and tried not to be ill. It had taken every ounce of strength she had to break up with her ex-boyfriend. He had fought her, followed her, and threatened her until she was certain he never had a heart in the first place. Now, just being in close proximity with someone who still knew him made her feel sick.

“His loss,” August said with a hard tone.

Riley raised both eyebrows. “Tom Conway doesn’t lose.”

“Tom Conway?” A nearby partygoer turned at the well-recognized name. The majority of Texas and most of the United States knew the name of the miracle surgeon. He was touted in all circles as being amazingly talented, life-savingly generous, and dashingly handsome.

“How do you know Dr. Conway?” another partygoer asked Belle.

Belle shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “We knew each other in Houston.”

It seemed like everyone in the room was curious. Belle could see dozens of eyes turning in her direction, and the walls seemed to be bending in to smother her. Within seconds, they would think she was a horrible, fickle, and stupid woman for letting such a catch go. No one would believe her or even listen to what he had been like behind closed doors.

August sensed her growing discomfort and took charge of the situation. Belle was just relieved he didn’t do it in the high-handed, imperious manner her ex always used, but rather in his own grumpy fashion.

“There’s my brother, Topher. Finally.” August dared the partygoers to deny his brother was the reason they came, a reason much more important than gossip.

He then fumbled for Belle’s hand. Tom Conway had never held her hand. It was too juvenile, too casual, and too intimate. August, though, finally caught her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before he led her out of the knot of people.

“Topher! You better start showing your guests the charms of your ranch, or the talk will turn back to Houston,” August called to his brother.

Topher, full of instant and irresistible charm, took charge of the front room and gave them the space they needed to escape. August snaked through the partygoers and waiters, then dodged through a side door and led Belle into the back. There the hallway opened up into a beautiful ballroom, and she felt like she could finally breathe again.

“I’m sorry I was such a mess,” Belle started to babble, tugging on August’s hand. “And here you wanted me to be your date so I could give you a break from explaining the intricacies of the greenhouses. I screwed everything up!”

August turned to her and folded her hand between both of his, then he brought it to his lips. “You haven’t screwed anything up. It’s my fault for bringing you here under false pretenses. Forgive me?”

Belle blinked, again snapping into the present. August was standing in front of her, his blue eyes heavy with concern, with her hand tight between his own. “Forgive you for living through the worst date ever?”

The hint of a smile played around his lips, and he lowered her hand, letting it go with a sigh of relief. “Well, we’re not out of the woods yet, as they say.”

Together, they looked around the ballroom and realized there were more people in that room than had been up front. Topher had done his best to invite every horse enthusiast and wealthy race fan from the entire state. It was a whirlwind of high society people just hoping they could outdo or impress each other. They were also the ones that bought Topher’s beautiful, highly skilled horses. And they were fans of August’s surprising menus.

Within minutes, Belle noticed that August hated polite gatherings as much as she now dreaded them. Everyone they passed had a comment on his cooking, the request for a recipe, or a silly, dumbfounded remark about how shockingly good actual vegetables could taste. She realized he must owe his brother a favor because her cranky boss bowed, nodded, and thanked everyone except a few trailing people from the front room who appeared to again ask Belle about her ex-boyfriend. The expression on August’s face scared that conversation completely out of people’s minds, and by the end of the afternoon, Belle had a whole new appreciation for his surly attitude.

When they finally escaped out to the back porch and found themselves alone, Belle was brave enough to ask August a question about himself. She needed to feel like they were back on even ground, so she asked, “When you first got back did everyone ask you about why you left?”

He glared at the horizon but did not deny her an answer. “They already knew why. My family has always been very apparent in this town, and I grew up feeling like my whole life was open to judgment. It was when that judgment came from my eldest brothers that I realized I couldn’t deal with it anymore.”

“And now?” Belle asked.

August’s eyes swept over her head as another door to the back porch opened. “And now it seems like I’m going to have to deal with that judgment head-on if I want to stay in Isabel.”

She turned around to see her friend Hetty dragging her husband over. Theo, the second eldest of the Rolston brothers, looked just as eager as August for a reunion. The two glowered at each other.

Hetty ignored them completely. “So, I hear the gossip mill of Isabel ground away at you this afternoon. Don’t worry, I literally hid out from it for years before this one dragged me back into everyone’s eye.”

Theo tipped his black hat at Belle. “Whatever she tells you, just remember my intentions were good,” he said.

Belle wanted to smile at him, but she felt a pull of loyalty towards August and said, “I’m not one to judge.”

Both Rolston men raised an eyebrow in exactly the same expression. Belle and Hetty noticed, exchanged looks, and burst out laughing.

Hetty shook her head as the brothers scowled. “For two men who claim to be completely opposite in every way, you look and act exactly the same.”

Belle then found herself fascinated with Theo. He had the same surly countenance as his brother, but it changed the second he glanced at his wife. Hetty brought a light to his eyes and a curve to his lips that left Belle breathless with longing. It was clear the elder Rolston was head-over-heels in love with her friend, and Belle found herself wishing someone would look at her that way. It had been so long since she had wished for something so romantic that she felt as if her heart was melting after a long ice age.

August, on the other hand, still looked sourly at his brother. Then he turned to Belle and apologized. “Awkward family drama is the cherry on top of the worst date ever, isn’t it?”

“Date?” Theo asked.

Hetty shoved him back inside the ranch house before he could say another word. “See you at dance class, Belle!” She called as she firmly shut the door.

Belle found herself grinning as she turned to August and let him escort her back to his truck. “Worst date ever,” she agreed.

They rode in silence until they reached Starla’s driveway. There, August let out a low, frustrated growl. “That horse!”

Eddie stood in the center of the road, casually nipping at weeds. When the truck got close enough, he raised his head and regarded them with a stony look.

“Let me guess,” Belle laughed. “It’s near to his feeding time?”

August strangled his steering wheel. “God, give me patience! That is the most ornery creature I have ever come across.”

“What tops a cherry?” Belle asked with barely contained humor.

August fought off a smile. “Me riding an ornery beast bareback to my trailer and leaving you to drive my truck to work on Monday?”

“Sounds like a plan, boss,” Belle said. Then she surprised them both by leaning over and giving August a kiss on the cheek.

Then she watched as the handsomely dressed Rolston caught Eddie’s harness and swung onto his back in one smooth motion. If the West Coast Vegan was also such a true-bred cowboy, then was the surly man also a soft-hearted romantic? Belle couldn’t help but think of his love-struck brother and feel the flutter of hope in her chest as she watched August ride off across the field.

CHAPTER 9

August turned the schematic around again and fought the urge to crumple it into his fists. “I think you need to turn that panel sideways,” he told his brothers.

Topher and Drake groaned in unison. They hefted the panel sideways, and there was a collective sigh of relief when it fit into place. August then hurried up the ladder and screwed it securely into place.

“There’s one done,” Drake muttered.

Topher groaned again. “This is definitely not an even exchange for you catering that luncheon. You certainly weren’t sweating like this!”

Drake chuckled. “Though he did look pretty uncomfortable in a sports coat, even with Belle at his side.”

August hushed his brother with a glare as Belle arrived on the build site. She noticed them balanced precariously on the roof framing and shook her head. They all watched her head into the second greenhouse section and began laying out the PVC pipe work that would become the next drip irrigation system.

“I’m not sure your sole employee has a lot of faith in our work abilities,” Topher joked.

Belle was especially not impressed twenty minutes later when the three brothers were forced to recruit her to interpret the complicated greenhouse schematic. With ease, she reoriented the plans and then ordered them to reorganize the stacks of panels. Her intelligence was appreciated, but August bristled at her superior tone. Yes, her installation system worked better, but he was still the boss.

“Thanks,” he grumbled.

Seconds after Belle returned to her own work, his brothers started to tease August. They mimicked his grumbling and impersonated his bossy remarks until he sincerely hoped one or the other would slip and fall off the roof.

That’s why August was not relieved when another of his brothers, the youngest, arrived to help. His eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep as he and his wife Bethany had just brought home a baby girl. All the Rolstons were waiting to meet her, but Sutton and Bethany were adjusting to parent-life first.

Drake, already a father, laughed at the sight of their disheveled brother. “Enjoying those overnight feedings?”

Sutton rolled his sleepless-shadowed eyes. “Does every parent crack the same joke? Don’t you remember how hard it was when Teddy was a baby?”

“I definitely do; that’s why it’s so funny,” Drake told him.

Sutton decided to ignore him and turn to August, “so, what have I missed?”

Topher was quick to supply a recap. “August has this new idea for year-round farm-to-table produce even in the heat and storms of Texas. He’s recruited a brilliant co-worker that outshines him in every way, alienated his construction crew, and forced us to help him finish the greenhouses.”

“Don’t forget he and Theo have started their feud all over again,” Drake added.

August ground his teeth. “We’re almost done with the windows; they’re just complaining.”

“Did I hear your brilliant employee is also your pretty neighbor?” Sutton asked. Lucky for him, he started helping as he talked, so August resisted the urge to whack him on the back of the head.

“Starla Danson’s niece,” Drake said.

That made Sutton smile even as he hefted the next heavy panel. “I love Starla. She’s one of our best regulars at the hotel restaurant. Always has a new date, always leaves a good tip. Didn’t she try to sell you a horse once?” He asked Drake.

Drake laughed out loud. “That cranky beast found his way to August’s old corral and made himself at home there. You should see them together - quite the pair!”

If August didn’t already regret losing his construction crew, he hated himself for it by the end of the day. His brothers helped him considerably, but the teasing, gossip, and unasked-for advice was enough to drive him to the edge of rage.

Even worse, Belle seemed absolutely entertained by the Rolston crew and overheard way too many things that August wished she hadn’t. By the time the last greenhouse panel was in place, he worried she had eavesdropped on every embarrassing moment of his childhood.

Strangely, all his irritation and embarrassment disappeared the first day they were left alone at the build site. She needed him to help install the brackets that held the water pipes and drip lines in place, and they again worked well side-by-side. Belle didn’t tease him once, and August found himself looking forward to the easy rhythm of their workdays together.

He also missed her every evening.

Every night he berated Eddie for leaving such an amazing woman while the ornery horse chewed him out for the lack of extra treats. Every morning August found himself preparing special lunches for them both to share. And all day, he fought the urge to ask her to join him for dinner. In between, his head was filled with daydreams that focused on him and Belle spending time together outside of work.

“Are you really going to plant all those rows on your own?” Belle asked, interrupting his thoughts.

August blinked, then tightened his jaw and nodded. “A lot of people find gardening soothing.”

Belle raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that August had no choice but to plant the greenhouse produce on his own. He refused to hire any more crews and was stubbornly checking off the rest of the interior to-do list on his own.

She decided not to comment and surprised him with a compliment instead. “These are the best lettuce wraps I’ve ever had. You should use that back corner as space for a dehydrator, then you could make this filling yourself.”

August shrugged, but Belle launched into a whole idea about him creating a line of dried spices and meat-substitutes. All he could think about was asking her to dinner. Finally, he broke down, and the words burst out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

“Would you like to come over for dinner Saturday night?” August asked.

Belle’s eyes went wide, and she stammered. “At your trailer?”

He grimaced, thinking of the trailer’s tight interior. “We’ll sit outside. I’ve got a great sunset view.”

She hesitated just long enough for August to wish he could catch his words back, then Belle told him, “I’m sorry. I would love to have dinner with you, but my friends invited me out. I’ve only been to the cafe in town, and I figure I should try some of the other restaurants too.”

“Have a good weekend,” August replied abruptly. He turned his attention back to the last of the high-tech sensors on the greenhouse windows and kept struggling with them until Belle finally went home.

As he drove back to his trailer alone, August berated himself. Of course, she didn’t want to come to his overheated tin can for dinner. Belle grew up in Houston, and she was used to the night life of a big city. Isabel probably couldn’t compete, but at least she had been invited to an actual restaurant. Arriving home, August lost his appetite, spent the evening arguing with Eddie, and went to bed early.

His mood had not improved on Saturday, so he was gruff when he answered Sutton’s phone call. “What?”

Sutton laughed. “You sound like you got as much sleep as me.”

August ground his teeth. “I got too much. What do you need, Sutton?”

“I need you to come and meet your new niece. Bethany finally feels well enough to have everyone come for dinner at the hotel tonight at 7pm.”

There was no way August could say no. His youngest brother was possibly the nicest of the Rolston brothers, and his wife Bethany was a complete delight. Plus, underneath his rough exterior, August loved babies and couldn’t wait to meet his newest niece.

“Just dinner?” He asked Sutton.

“Just dinner. And don’t worry, the hotel chef already knows all about your diet, and he’s been hoping for a chance to wow you with his Vegan dishes,” Sutton assured him. “And it’s casual. Feel free to wear your California shorts.”

August was out of excuses and agreed, but that didn’t mean he was happy when he pulled up to Sutton’s hospitality ranch. He was especially cranky when Topher was the one to greet him on the front porch of the hotel.

“What? No date?” Topher called.

August glowered at him. “I thought this was family only.”

“Family and friends,” Topher told him with a grin. “Alessa’s here. Diego came with Hetty and Theo. Ben Summers and his wife, Cheryl—“

“If Ben tries to set me up, I’m leaving,” August growled.

“Believe me, we all felt that way at one time or another,” Topher told him. “But you really shouldn’t be so opposed to finding someone to date.”

August stomped up the porch steps and scowled at his brother. “I think we all know that I am the worst possible partner for any woman. I’m contrary, surly, I never smile, I boss everyone around, I have a ridiculous diet, and—“

“You look like a surfing cowboy?” Belle added.

August’s mouth dropped, then he pulled it back into a frown. “I was going to wear shorts, but all those days wearing jeans at the build site have messed up my tan. What are you doing here?”

“My friends wanted me to meet their other sister-in-law,” Belle said. She smiled fondly over her shoulder where Freddie, Hetty, and Sophia were ringed around Bethany and the baby. “And your new niece.”

“I better go and meet her,” August said gruffly. He wasn’t sure if he felt lucky that Belle was there or mortified. She’d already seen his grumpy entrance, and his brothers were sure to bring out the worst in him.

“By the way,” Belle said as he passed her, “I’ve seen you smile, and I like your ‘ridiculous’ diet.”

August started smiling before he even got into the room with his new niece, but soon his whole expression was enraptured by the tiny pink bundle with the big blue eyes. “I’m named after a month too, May. We have to stick together, us months.”

“Just like Teddy is named after me, right?” Theo said as he joined August.

August looked up at his elder brother but couldn’t summon the energy to scowl. What was their feud about? It certainly wasn’t about the precious little girl he was cradling in his arms.

“Teddy was not named after you,” Drake snapped for what had to be the millionth time. It was an ongoing way for Theo to annoy him, but he could never avoid taking the bait.

August’s brothers were about to start arguing over who got to hold May next, when Dean arrived and asserted his privileges as the eldest Rolston. “Come on, my little spring bud, let’s leave these boys to their bickering.”

It was hard to hate Dean when he was holding their niece, his stony expression gone completely soft. August stared at him, again unsure what their long-standing animosity was about, and wondering why Dean had yet to become a father himself. He held baby May expertly and cooed her into waving her little fists in delight.

“There’s quite a pair,” Topher remarked as he joined them. “Speaking of pairs, have you noticed your perfect date is right here in this very room?”

August considered punching Topher but refrained for his baby niece’s sake. “I think Isabel has enough matchmakers with Ben running around.”

“Someone need a matchmaker?” Ben joined the brothers and grinned. He loved his reputation as the town matchmaker despite having bungled a few potential relationships for his friends in the past.

Topher grinned, driving August to silently mouth a very explicit threat, then laughed. “Most of us are happily married, Ben, including yourself. Sorry, but you’ll have to look elsewhere.”

Ben, always cheerful, grinned as he looked around the room. “What about your stable manager? Jameson, right? Bet you want that handsome hunk married off, so he stops tempting the women that visit your ranch.”

“Good plan,” August said out loud before he realized it. He was busy thinking of how Jameson had made Belle smile, and he could still feel the sting of jealousy.

Luckily, Ben went to talk with Jameson, and August’s brothers fell into an argument about Dean’s parenting potential. Only, Theo heard what he had said.

“Sounds like you wouldn’t mind if the singles pool got drained a little. Got your eye on someone?” Theo asked.

August decided it was best to walk away without saying anything. He’d gone years without speaking to Theo; why start now?

Despite his best efforts to hide his interest in Belle, his brothers still conspired to make him sit next to her at dinner. From there, it was difficult to hide how well they got along as she managed to make him smile not once but twice. And Belle even asked to try some of the Vegan food from his plate before giving high compliments to the chef for August’s food.

“So, Belle, now that August’s greenhouse project is almost complete, are you happy with how it’s turning out?” Dean asked her across the large dining table.

Belle nodded. “It’s been a bit of a struggle, but August has allowed me to showcase some of my more innovative projects.”

Topher added, “she’s even suggested multiple revenue streams. Isn’t that your favorite thing to hear, Dean?”

Dean ignored Topher, missed August’s scowl, and continued to speak to Belle. “I’d love to hear your suggestions.”

“I just told him about how easy it would be to install a dehydrator.”

“Isn’t that the opposite of hydroponics?” Theo joked.

Belle smiled. “Actually, I’ve been devising a way to use water as the heating element in the dehydrator. It would provide a more even heat and hold the temperature steady longer.”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of this,” August grumped to her.

“We talked about it the other day. You could create your own dried spices and rubs,” Belle told everyone. “Personally, it would be a challenge for me and a nice way to round out my portfolio.”

The last thing August could stand was his business being discussed in detail with his overbearing and nosy brothers. He especially disliked having ideas he had not agreed to being presented for everyone else’s approval. He liked Belle, but August could not stand when people tried to work around him to get what they wanted.

“See?” Topher chimed in. “Between me attracting potential investors to our last luncheon and Belle coming up with golden ideas like that, we’ll get August to turn the best profits the Rolstons have seen yet.”

“How kind of you to tear the soul out of my project before I even get the first seed planted,” August growled. “I’m not building it for the profits.”

“But it’s a good idea,” Belle argued.

He glared at her. “A good idea that has to be approved by me, and I’m telling you there is no need for anymore fancy side projects. It’s supposed to be simple, farm-to-table, that’s it.”

Belle turned back to her dessert without another word, and the rest of the evening went smoothly, but August could tell by her stiff back that he had once again made an enemy of his employee.

CHAPTER 10

Belle tried taking the day off to disconnect from her boss. His grouchy declaration that her new ideas were not approved still rang in her ears, and Belle fumed every time she thought of it. She didn’t care that his brothers probably pushed him into a bad mood or that he felt awkward with her at his side like they were on a date. Belle was sick of August’s contrary attitude. His first answer for everything was no, and Belle didn’t need that in her new life!

She spent the morning tinkering with her aunt’s greenhouse hydroponics, but the system was in perfect balance, and there wasn’t enough to do. By 10am, Belle had checked every tray and pruned every perfectly healthy plant. There was another big harvest available, but the only person she could think to share with was August.

“For goodness sake, girl. Most people flop around the couch and soak up daytime television when they have a day off,” Starla complained when Belle re-entered the house.

“Don’t you want some help with the household chores?” Belle asked, desperate for a task to distract her from her own thoughts.

“No,” Starla said firmly. “What I want is for you to relax. What has you so wound up? Did something happen between you and August?”

Her aunt’s tone implied Starla was hoping for something more along the lines of an embrace rather than an argument. Belle decided that was her cue to get out of the house before her aunt speculated any further in the wrong direction.

Not knowing how else to be productive, Belle drove straight to The Tack and Feed to buy toilet paper and other essentials. Instead, she ended up leaning against the counter and chatting with Alessa as business was slow.

“I bet your aunt wanted you out of the house so her wild new boyfriend could come over,” Alessa teased.

Belle shook her head but smiled. “All I know is he drives a Harley. Starla says it’s always good to have a reason to wear black leather.”

Alessa laughed out loud. “I really need to take dating lessons from her. I haven’t been out with anyone fun, much less wild, in way too long.”

“That’s better than being set-up, don’t you think?” Belle asked her friend.

Alessa’s expression turned mischievous. “Like the Rolston brothers are trying to set up you and August?”

“My boss?” Belle emphasized the biggest reason she and August would never happen. “They must be desperate. He is honestly the most stubborn man I’ve ever met. Say the sky is blue, and he’d find a reason to disagree.”

“And yet all you can think about is getting back to work,” Alessa pointed out. By now, she knew her friend’s habits and could see where her thoughts strayed.

“I need to put in the chemical mix, so the grow trays are ready for planting,” Belle said in defense of her one-track mind.

“And what is your boss doing today?” Alessa asked.

Belle didn’t want to answer, knowing it was suspect how closely she knew August’s schedule, but she blurted out. “He’s finishing and sealing the concrete floors he poured.”

“Lucky he’s not waiting for them to set because it is supposed to rain today,” Alessa pointed out.

Belle took the approaching dark clouds as her excuse to head back to Starla’s, but on the way, she just had to double check she had ordered the right amount of solution for the hydroponics. Why did her stomach flutter when she saw August’s truck? She tried to convince herself she was just bracing for another confrontation, and her whole body stopped.

Why was she not afraid of confrontation with August?

Her ex-boyfriend had made her walk around on eggshells, concerned at every moment that she could upset him. Belle had cringed at the thought of facing a conflict for nearly a year after they broke up. Luckily, Starla’s forthright attitude had helped Belle get back into the practice of standing up for herself. But August was a man, a tall and brooding, often scowling, man. Why was she never afraid of him?

Belle was shocked and wondered if it was possible she trusted August. That felt entirely too intimate, and Belle decided it was because he was always creating such constant conflict that she had gotten used to it almost immediately. Either way, Belle decided the silent treatment would be best.

It appeared August was not in the mood to talk either. He was struggling to install the fancy sensors that controlled the greenhouse’s automatic windows and vents. Belle could hear him muttering, “why does everything have to have a microchip? Are people not smart enough to notice the temperature and open the windows themselves?”

Belle tried to stop herself from understanding how much August appreciated the personal touch. He appreciated things that were made with care and effort, and he fully intended to do the same with his produce. Still, the sensors would allow him to concentrate on other things.

The one thing neither of them concentrated on was the weather. Dark clouds rolled across the Texas landscape, bundling close together and building higher into the sky. The automatic grow lights came on, allowing Belle and August to continue their separate projects in distant corners of separate greenhouses. She was just beginning to wonder if the light bulbs were faulty and flickering when Belle heard the first thunderclap. It rattled more than the windows, and she could feel the strength of the storm all the way to her toes.

It was too late to realize a greenhouse was the worst possible shelter during a monstrous thunderstorm, but there she was. Belle quickly glanced around for her best option, then threw her hands over her head as another sky-rending thunderclap frightened her. Then the hail started.

“Belle! Are you okay?” August’s voice brought a welcome rush of relief just as the percussive hail hit a frenzied tempo.

She was speechless, not that he could have heard her voice over the racket of the storm. August took her hands and tugged, yelling, “there’s a cellar under the checkout counter, remember?”

They ran hand-in-hand to the center section of the greenhouse, down between the main rows, and skidded behind the checkout counter. August lifted open the cellar door, jumped down, and reached both hands up to steady Belle as she rushed down the steps. The wind outside was roaring so hard that the hail was flung sideways and hit the walls of the greenhouse in an unsettling crescendo.

August pulled the cellar door closed, and suddenly the storm was muffled. The outside world was far away, and it was just the two of them in the sparse light of the cellar’s single lantern.

Behind Belle’s wave of relief came a flash flood of anger. Why didn’t August let people see his real self? His artistic sensibilities and the way he cared for everything around him was easily missed under his gruff exterior. She shivered, and the man who pushed everyone away pulled her into his arms.

She pressed her cheek to his chest. “You don’t think there’ll be a tornado, do you?” She asked, trying to focus on their situation, not how well she fit against him.

“Just a quick storm. It’ll pass. I think the hail is already stopping,” August reassured her.

The lights flickered, and Belle tucked tighter against August. Though it was dim in the small cellar, one thing was clear to her: the only person she wanted beside her was August. It was the same on sunny, bright mornings and dark, starry nights, but especially when the weather was rough. Belle could easily imagine how strong and safe she would feel if August was beside her when life itself got rough.

“I’m sorry,” she told him, twisting just enough to see his dark blue eyes.

August leaned down. “For what? You’re in charge of weather systems now?”

Belle almost rolled her eyes, but she had to get her feelings across. “I’m sorry that I said no to dinner with you and your trailer. I wasn’t trying to be snobby; I just didn’t want to miss a night with my new friends. I don’t really like going out, and I prefer home-cooked dinners and sunset views 100% more.”

He looked down into her eyes for a long time. Long enough for Belle to feel the warmth of his strong arms around her. Long enough for her to realize the heat building between them. Long enough for her breath to catch in her throat and for a dizzy feeling of anticipation to come over her. They were alone and so, so close.

“Sounds like the storm has stopped,” August said. He loosened his arms.

Belle cleared her throat and stepped out of his reach, brushing her clothes back into place. “We better go and see if there’s any damage to the greenhouses.”

They stuck with short, polite conversation for the next few days. There was no more arguing about new ideas or rejected plans but an awkward and quiet truce. August got all the sensors installed with desperately whispered prayers. Belle filled all the hydroponic grow trays and tested the solution until it was perfect. The interior touches were in place, and the drip irrigation worked perfectly. Everything was as it should be except for the normal open and energetic exchanges between them.

Belle wondered if the investors would notice when they came for a tour, but she had to remind herself that most boss and employee relationships were somewhat stilted and polite. Topher seemed to notice, but, for once, he said nothing.

“We’ll use a combination of hydroponics and traditional planter boxes in order to ensure the best growing situation for all the produce,” August told the small tour. “Though the vegetables planted in dirt will be watered through drip irrigation, and the amount carefully controlled.”

“An oasis in an area prone to drought,” Topher pointed out proudly.

Belle was proud as well and happily answered all the questions directed her way. She knew the projected water usage and already had a monitoring system in place that could send the data directly to August’s phone. She knew he hated that, but with the touch of a finger, he could send that information along to his investors.

“Potential investors,” he stressed to her as they fell behind the tour and let the group wander where they liked. He caught her arm, and for a moment, Belle thought he was going to bring up whatever had been sizzling between them in the cellar. “Is that your phone?” He asked.

Belle blushed. “Sorry, I should have turned it off for the tour!”

August frowned, but he saw the number and said, “I think you better get that.”

It was the county hospital. “We are calling on behalf of Starla Danson. She has you listed as her emergency contact,” the nurse told Belle.

“Yes, I am. Is she okay?” Belle reached out and clutched August’s arm.

“She’s been in a motorcycle accident. Luckily, she was wearing a helmet, but we would still like to keep her under observation,” the nurse said.

“Broken bones?” Belle asked breathlessly.

“No. Just bruises and some fairly serious road rash. She will need someone to pick her up.”

“I’ll drive,” August said. He wrapped her hand around his arm and led her through the greenhouse.

Belle listened to the nurse as August signaled his brother to make their excuses to the investors. He then bundled her into the truck, put her seatbelt on, and jumped into the driver’s seat just as she hung up the phone.

“You don’t have to do this,” Belle said, though her voice trembled. “She’s fine.”

August shook his head and started driving. “She’s in the hospital, and you’re worried. I’m not letting you drive there alone.”

He then proceeded to tell her all about the last time he had visited the county hospital, after Drake had gotten thrown off an unruly horse. His younger brother was fourteen at the time and still certain he could saddle-break the animal with a broken arm. It had taken August and Topher to get him into the car and he complained the entire ride there.

By the time August’s story was finished, Belle had relaxed enough to tear her eyes off her phone screen. She kept worrying the hospital would call back and tell her everything was worse. Her phone stayed silent, so she glanced up at August as he scoffed at his younger brother’s stubbornness.

“Thank you,” she told him.

“Thank me after we argue about what radio station to listen to,” August joked.

Belle laughed. “You mean you don’t listen to country and nothing but country?”

August raised an eyebrow at her and flipped on the first station. It was country, and he knew all the words to the song currently playing.

“I’m shocked!” She admitted over the catchy chorus. “I thought for certain you would only like completely obscure and impressive bands.”

“No one needs to know,” he told her with a serious glance.

Belle relaxed a little further into her seat. Then she sat up again. “What if they find internal bleeding?”

“Starla Danson is squarely in God’s hands like she has always been,” August said firmly. “The good lord must love a flirt because she is one of the luckiest women in all of Isabel.”

“You really believe that?” Belle asked, amazed.

August nodded, never taking his eyes off the road. “I pray every day.”

Belle had unfairly pegged August as someone who meditated but shied away from anything spiritual. Now she found great comfort in leaning on his obviously strong faith. “So, you believe God has a path for each of us?”

August snorted. “I’m not very good at taking directions, so I’m not the one to ask about that. What I believe is that your aunt will be fine, and you’ll see her soon.”

A feeling of peace settled over Belle, and she was able to patiently watch the Texas countryside fly by until they reached the county hospital. When August turned into the driveway and pulled right up to the door, she felt a wave of regret. Their time together was over.

She meant to simply tell him how grateful she was for the ride and the words of comfort, but somehow, she leaned over and kissed him instead.

August froze for a split second, then returned her kiss with a surge of feeling that left Belle overwhelmed. Then he pulled back and looked her right in the eyes.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” he said, ignoring her attempt to take the blame. “Maybe it was just a simple kiss, but there are complications. I’m your boss, you’re my employee, and I never want you to feel like I took advantage of you. I respect you, Belle, more than respect. Whatever you want to say or do next, I’ll follow your lead.”

She touched the side of his face, stopping his words in an instant. The fact that he immediately launched into frank and open communication about what passed between them only made Belle trust him more, and she wanted him to feel that.

So, she kissed him lightly one more time, then said, “thank you.”

Then Belle hopped out of August’s truck and ran into the hospital to find her aunt.

CHAPTER 11

August couldn’t leave the hospital driveway until long after Belle had disappeared inside. Finally, a security officer strolled out the doors and nodded at the ‘no parking’ sign, but he had no idea what had just happened. August could still feel the soft press of Belle’s lips, and his head was spinning. He managed to start his truck up again and drove straight into the parking ramp. There was no way he could leave.

He found a nice nurse who could not tell him where Starla was but did reassure him that a pretty young woman had just passed by. She was headed to the second floor waiting room, and August was allowed to join her there. The waiting room was empty, so he paced back and forth to calm his nerves.

Starla was hurt, she was in the hospital. It didn’t seem serious, but it was serious enough, August reminded himself over and over as he paced. The welfare of Belle’s aunt was much more important than a casual thank you kiss.

That was all it was, right?

It didn’t feel that way to August, but he tried to keep his mind on the priority. When Belle reappeared through a set of white double-doors, August tried to stay focused. “How is she? I couldn’t leave without knowing.”

Belle’s shoulders sagged with relief when she saw him. She easily accepted his half-true excuse for staying. “She has a painful scrap along her entire left leg, what they call ‘road rash,’ but the scans came back clear. No internal bleeding. We’re waiting for the doctor to rule out the possibility of a concussion now.”

August nodded. “So, we wait. What do you want? Coffee, soda, candy—“

“You’re suggesting vending machine snacks? Not very Vegan of you,” Belle teased. She found a seat in the waiting room and slumped into it.

August sat down right next to her. “Speaking of Vegan, I’ve been thinking about your idea for the dehydrator. I think it would be interesting to see your version in action. What do you say?”

“I say you’re being nice and trying to distract me, but I’m not going to accept pity permission for a project,” Belle said.

“I’m sorry this happened to your aunt. I know you two are really close,” he said, wanting to reach for her hand.

Belle took a deep, shaky breath. “She’s all I have,” she admitted.

August was mildly surprised. “You don’t have family in Houston?”

“Not anymore,” Belle told him quietly. “I lost my father when I was really young. My mother was wonderful, and we were really close, but we, ah, drifted apart when I was done with graduate school. She didn’t approve of my boyfriend, and I didn’t really get to see her much. Then she got sick, and it all happened quickly.”

August did take her hand and squeezed it. “Thank God Starla is okay.”

Belle smiled; glad he was helping her focus on the blessings of the present. “Starla is the toughest person I know. She’s back there already smiling and flirting with doctors.”

They waited together for an hour, talking about anything except the kiss, and finally, August could not stand it any longer. “I’m going to go find a nurse,” he told Belle. She trailed after him, not wanting to be a bother.

“Hi. Sorry, but we haven’t heard anything about Starla Danson for an hour, and her niece here would really like a report,” August told the nurse sternly.

The nurse took a tired breath, and Belle interrupted. “An hour really isn’t that long of a time to wait. Let’s let her get back to work.”

She tugged August away despite his gritted jaw and planted feet. Finally, the nurse let out an amused sigh. “You two are cute together. Let me guess, high school sweethearts? Don’t worry, I’ll check on your aunt.”

August cleared his throat. “We, ah, met at work,” he told her.

Belle laughed. “He means thank you.”

Did Belle not mind people thinking they were a couple? August’s mind jumped immediately back to the kiss they had shared. It caused a strange, exciting warmth in his chest, and it took a few long, deep breaths to get his mind focused again.

The nurse returned and smiled broadly. “She was just moved to a recovery room, and Ms. Danson would love to see you both.”

“She thought you two were just the most adorable couple,” Starla told them as soon as the nurse had left and shut the door behind her.

“August told her we met at work,” Belle said. “We’re co-workers, remember?”

Starla raised a bruised eyebrow. “It’s just a contract job, and contracts have end dates.”

August saw Belle’s bright green eyes slide in his direction, and he felt a jolt in his stomach. Then she sighed and said, “why don’t you tell us about the crash?”

Starla groaned. “He was trying to show off for me, of course.”

“Is he okay?” Belle asked.

“He’s fine. A few stitches and a load of guilt,” Starla said. “I told him not to worry because I had another ride home.”

Had she known that August would volunteer to drive her niece? Starla was a notoriously observant woman. August was worried because his truck only comfortably fit two.

Starla reassured him. “The nurse you met gave me the number of a car rental place just up the road. I already arranged for one; all Belle has to do is go sign the papers, and we’re on our way.”

“After the doctors say you’re in the clear,” Belle reminded her aunt.

“Don’t I look fine?” Starla joked, flipping her hair.

Despite the bruise above her eye, another on her arm, and a long sterile wrap around her scraped leg, she looked amazingly well. August was relieved that Belle still had her fiery and flirty aunt and watched happily as the two embraced. He then said his goodbyes quickly and slipped out the room.

It was a long drive home, longer without Belle’s company, and August did his best to keep his mind off their kiss. He told himself it was just a simple gesture, a thank you, from a woman who was overly emotional at the time. There was nothing he could read into it.

Instead, his mind focused on the fact that Starla was right. Belle’s employment was on a contract basis, and that contract would be fulfilled soon. Then what? She would no longer be his employee, and he would no longer be her boss. Could he ask her out? Was she serious when she said she wanted to come to his trailer for dinner, or was she just being nice?

August had never been good at reading women’s thoughts or intentions. His past relationships had been rocky between his focus on work, his stern way of expressing himself, and his inability to connect fully with his partner. One woman he dated for two years told him she had never seen him smile. That was when he first arrived in San Francisco. He was trying to find his footing, and she was exaggerating, but August worried it could have been true. No woman had been able to see past his gruff exterior or pull out his emotions.

Until Belle.

As he pulled into his driveway, August remembered the minute they met. As soon as she jumped out of her aunt’s old truck, he felt like there was a balloon in his chest lifting him up. She’d made him smile despite himself, especially when she spoke of Eddie.

“What is it about Belle?” August asked the ornery horse as he fed him and freshened his water. Eddie knickered as if he knew but wasn’t about to tell.

Topher arrived a few minutes later, and for once, August wasn’t opposed to his company. It beat talking to the grumpy old horse. Though, it was hard to stomach Topher’s immediate grin. He looked like a cat that caught a songbird and was about to burst out singing himself.

“What is with your good mood?” August grumbled.

“I had to drive over to tell you the good news in person,” Topher said.

August snorted. “That means you have to convince me that something is actually good news. Go on, spit it out.”

Topher refused to let his older brother’s bad attitude get to him. “The investors were happy with your tour, even though we had to cut it short.”

“Belle’s aunt is fine, by the way,” August snapped.

Topher did pause and nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. No one can imagine Isabel without Starla Danson running around and keeping the gossip mill turning.”

They walked together to August’s trailer, where he begrudgingly got out a few bottles of beer to share. Topher made himself comfortable at the outdoor table and raised his bottle in a toast.

“Here is to your new investors! It turns out they think you are the perfect match,” Topher told him.

August rolled his eyes but tapped his bottle against Topher’s. The words ‘perfect match’ brought Belle to the forefront of his mind again, and the lightning-fast connection took his breath away. If Topher was so busy trying to set him up, it was too bad it turned out to be with investors instead of her.

“Come on,” Topher complained, putting down his beer. “You have to be happy.”

August was just happy his gruff exterior covered up his surprising thoughts about Belle and being set up. He told his younger brother, “I’m glad my greenhouse project looks good to investors; I’m just not sure I need them.”

“The investors will give you a chance to take your good idea and make it big. Imagine installing these growing systems in all sorts of food deserts,” Topher marveled at the potential profits. “Farm-to-table no matter how far you are from an actual farm. It’s brilliant.”

“I’m not opening a franchise,” August said with a deep scowl.

Topher tried to convince him otherwise. “Imagine if you did, you would make enough money that your inheritance wouldn’t have to mean a thing. You could donate all of Rolston Senior’s money and finally be free of any paternal obligation. You would be a self-made man.”

August snarled, “I am already. And money doesn’t make a man.”

“Money helps a man,” Topher reminded him. “Especially if that man wants a family or perhaps a house that doesn’t have wheels.”

August was glad to see his brother go but was irritated at how his words stuck with him the rest of the night. He was grumpy in the morning, assuming he wouldn’t see Belle for days, and was pleasantly surprised to see her already at the greenhouses.

“You have the day off,” he told her, not ready to face the feelings her beautiful face pulled to the surface.

Belle raised an eyebrow at him. “Does nursing Starla Danson sound like a day off to you?”

August almost chuckled but swallowed it. “Everything is still in tip-top shape from yesterday’s tour. What are you possibly finding to do?”

She frowned at his gruff tone but explained, “I’m taking pictures for my portfolio. Now that everything is complete and all the systems are in place, I can really show future clients what I am able to accomplish.”

“Future clients,” August muttered. He was split between excitement at their awkward boss/employee relationship coming to an end and jealousy at whatever client would pull her away from him.

Belle put her hands on her hips and faced August. “Yes, future clients. I don’t think you realize how important this job has been for me.”

He couldn’t help thinking it was important to her in all the wrong ways. Instead of counting it as the way they were able to spend time together and grow closer, she only saw it as a stepping stone to something else.

“I’m trying to start a business from scratch, and unlike yours, mine is a specialty market. It is not going to be easy for me to find work in and around Isabel unless I can show everyone what a success this place is. Therefore, I need to be here and get good pictures for my portfolio,” she told him.

August sighed. It was time to share the supposed good news. “What if I told you that Topher’s investors are interested? They want to recreate this system all over and turn it into some sort of franchise.”

Belle blinked, then her face lit up. “Really?”

“I haven’t decided yet—“

“Oh, August, just imagine! I could have built-in contracts consulting for all the other build sites. And the exposure! I bet the investors are going to talk it up in the media and even advertise. This could really launch my career!” Belle was giddy.

August, on the other hand, felt his mood sinking. “Not to mention the money you would be making,” he grumbled.

“Oh, my goodness, the money!” Belle clapped her hands with excitement. “I could make an actual salary. A real salary! The kind of money that could buy me a car or become the down payment on a house. I could even think about saving for a vacation!”

He watched her glowing expression, but a loud, buzzing thought in his head drowned out her words. Belle was excited about the money. She wanted a fancy car, a big house, and beach vacations. August wondered if that is always what she had meant by her career - the means to escape Isabel and get back to the flashy life she must have liked in Houston.

The thought of their time together being nothing but a layover for her turned his stomach sour. Belle’s aunt was in Isabel, so she would always visit, but making enough money meant she could live anywhere and fly in when she had to. Not only was Belle’s contract with him ending, but she was excited to move on to bigger and better things.

August’s shoulders slumped. He despaired of ever finding anyone who enjoyed the simple life like he did. Growing up a Rolston meant he was all too familiar with people who wanted nothing more than money. They hung around his family like flies. After college, August had considered reconciling with his brothers so he could stay in their hometown, but there were too many people interested in his money. The whole town knew the Rolston brothers would inherit one day, and August had been hit up by investors posing as friends since he was old enough to have his own savings account. He couldn’t bear it, so he left.

“You don’t like the idea of providing fresh produce to more people?” Belle asked.

The question broke through his thoughts and made him scowl. August snarled, “I don’t like people disguising their greed under the banner of making life better for other people. My idea was meant for here and now, my town, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting things to be kept simple and straightforward.”

Belle blinked, and her face paled. “So, you aren’t going to accept the investors?”

August’s chest ached. He couldn’t stand the other side of Belle he thought he had seen, but he couldn’t disappoint her either. After all, she had done good work, and she deserved a chance to make the best of it. He didn’t want to be the one that stood in her way.

“I’ll tell Topher we’re interested,” August said as he turned away.

CHAPTER 12

Belle decided to take August’s advice and take the next few days to nurse her aunt back to health and work on her online portfolio. Starla’s scraped leg needed to stay clean, dry, and loosely wrapped as it healed. Her aunt was also supposed to stay off her feet, but that was nearly impossible. So was concentrating when she was around because Starla always had something to say.

“I just can’t believe that August is going to sign on with investors,” she told Belle one morning. “Going big like that doesn’t seem at all like the August I know.”

Belle sipped her coffee and tried not to worry that her aunt was right. She remembered his initial reaction to her idea for the dehydrator. August was not mad at her idea, but at how everyone immediately wanted to make it into a big production.

“He’s always been the only Rolston that wanted things kept small and simple,” Starla informed her.

“The sustainable greenhouse is a great idea. Maybe he just wants to share it with as many other people as possible,” Belle suggested.

Starla snorted. “I’m not saying August doesn’t like to share. He’d be all for other people taking the idea and running with it. I just think he wanted this to be a small and special addition to our little town.”

Belle knew her aunt was closer to the truth than she cared to admit. “Then, why would August tell me he was giving the investors the go-ahead?” She asked.

“August Rolston wants you to be happy. If you haven’t noticed that yet, then you are as blind as a bat,” Starla told her.

“I was excited about the idea of expanding. The additional contracts and the real chance to get into consulting would be great for me, but I don’t think that’s why he would do it,” Belle said, doubtful.

“At least you didn’t get excited about the money. That’s one thing I know for certain that August Rolston can’t tolerate,” Starla said. She tried to get up for another cup of coffee.

Belle jumped up to serve her aunt and to hide the sudden tears in her eyes. Had she come across as a fortune-hunter? Of course, August would be extra-sensitive to that as he had grown up trying to fight it off.

“I just never had the chance for financial freedom,” Belle said.

Starla nodded, remembering what happened with her niece. “Your ex got his clutches into you right out of graduate school, and he wasn’t about to share you with a career. It’s no wonder you are so driven to succeed on your own, but August doesn’t know that, does he?”

“No,” Belle said in a small voice. She wished her past mistakes could just stay buried, but she knew they’d come to light sooner or later.

“Does he know about your trust fund?” Starla asked.

Belle groaned. “Why would I tell my boss that I have a trust fund available as soon as I am legally married? It’s ridiculous. It sounds old-fashioned, like I have a dowry or something.”

Starla pursed her lips. “Your mother was very wise to set that money aside. It is supposed to secure the future of her possible grandchildren. I’m just glad your ex never found out about that.”

Belle shuddered at the idea. If Tom Conway had known there was money involved, he would have kept tighter control of her and forced a marriage. She never would have been able to escape.

“My trust fund does not exactly spell out financial freedom,” she pointed out to her aunt. “So, yes, I want the greenhouse project to be a success, but I don’t want August to compromise on my account.”

Starla chuckled. “Good. Then you tell him exactly what you want him to do. I’m mighty curious how that’ll turn out.”

Belle decided to go back to work the next day, despite not having anything specific to do. She found August knee-deep in newly delivered plants and took pity on him. “Want some help with the planting?” She asked.

He nodded curtly. “I may have underestimated how many plants it would be.”

“Too many for just one person to plant,” Belle observed.

August took her comment as another jab against his loss of the crew, and it made him grit his teeth for nearly twenty minutes. After that, he spoke when spoken to but was still strangely withdrawn. Belle, who prided herself on not being put off by his surly attitude, was at a loss for how to talk to him.

“Is everything okay?” She finally asked.

August glared at her. “It will be as long as I get all these plants in place by the time the reporters arrive.”

“Reporters?” Belle asked. She felt a tightness in her chest.

August had obviously gone ahead with his brother’s investor scheme, and it was making him more grumpy than usual. Belle sensed there was more to it than just that, but there was enough work to be done to distract from her worries.

All her worries came back ten-fold when the reporters arrived later in the week. August led the tour himself, and he was unnaturally patient and verbose. Anyone who knew him, including Topher, cringed at August’s forced smile and charming responses to questions, but the reporters loved it.

“As you can see, the combination of hydroponics and traditional planting has allowed us to create the best growing conditions for a wide variety of produce. With that in mind, we concentrated on drip irrigation and special sensors in order to control and monitor water usage. Water is also treated on site and reused,” August told the group of enraptured reporters.

Topher leaned over to Belle as they stood in the back, “what has gotten into him? I swear every time he smiles, I think his face is going to crack.”

Belle twisted her hands nervously. “Did he really want to do this?” She asked.

“No,” Topher answered honestly. “And I know for sure he didn’t do it just for my sake.”

“What do you really think he wanted this project to become?” Belle asked.

Topher frowned, his expression a familiar reflection of his older brother’s. “He wanted this place to become a local gem, one of those good ol’ cornerstones of the community where he could sit back and give all his neighbors a grim nod without them hating him.”

Belle could see it. August constantly at work up and down the rows. When he wasn’t there, he would be delivering produce or creating a pop-up restaurant wherever the need arose. He wanted to be a quiet but integral part of his community, and that was it. Becoming part of a larger movement, or worse a trend was never in his plans.

“This is just the type of forward-thinking and fresh cooking that the nation is looking for,” one of the reporters told August.

He gritted his teeth and forced a nod, clearly horrified at the notion of his simple idea going nationwide. “I’m glad other people can see the potential.”

In the back, Belle gripped her hands until her knuckles were white. “Why do you think he’s doing this?” She asked Topher.

Topher looked at her, his gaze serious. “I’m not sure it’s my place to guess.”

He suspected it too. Belle was suddenly in agony. August was doing all this, going against what he really wanted, all for her.

Things got busier, and Belle never had a chance to talk to August. What would she say if she did? He would never admit he was accepting the investors and dealing with all the hype just because she wanted a boost for her business. Still, Belle knew they needed to have a conversation and was increasingly worried she wouldn’t find an opening.

Before she knew about it, August planned a dinner at the greenhouses. She arrived one morning to check on the watering systems and found him stringing solar lights from corner to corner of the main greenhouse.

“Can I help?” Belle called up to him.

August frowned down from the highest step on the ladder. “Almost done,” he told her curtly.

“What about the tables? I can help set them up and put out the chairs,” Belle suggested.

August climbed down and shook his head. “Those will be easy enough.”

She decided to ignore him and help anyway, just like she decided to ignore the out he gave her for that night’s event. “If I’m going to benefit from tonight’s dinner, then I should be involved,” she told August firmly.

The greenhouses looked like a glittering wonderland at night, and all the guests were enraptured by the leafy and lush setting. August was dressed in sandals, khaki shorts, and a white linen shirt, looking every inch the Californian restaurateur. He mingled with guests, shared his Vegan recipes, and even made toasts. Belle looked on with an aching chest and missed the August she had grown to know.

Unable to take the distance between them any longer, Belle finally made the trek out to August’s trailer one evening. She found him busy at his small grill, trying out a new recipe from the greenhouse produce.

“Smells delicious,” she told him cautiously.

August was surprised to see her. “Is everything okay?”

Belle swallowed hard. How could she tell her boss she missed him? Had August completely forgotten about how close they had become? Was their kiss nowhere in his mind?

“I just thought I would come by and see how Eddie is treating you,” she said, using the old horse as a convenient excuse.

August snorted. “He’s treating me like his personal servant, though I think he is enjoying our morning rides more and more.”

Belle felt wistful. “It must be nice to wake up and be able to ride a horse.”

“Not something you’re gonna find in the city,” August said.

Did he think she was trying to make money to escape Isabel? Belle edged closer to the grill and to August. “There are so many things I like here. There’s no comparison with the city. I’d take this part of Texas any day,” she told him.

August blinked, again surprised. Then he softened slightly. “I suppose you’re just in time to be my taste-tester.”

Belle’s heart thumped. This is what she could have had: the panoramic setting, the sunset, and August all to herself. The food smelled delicious, but Belle had to admit she had really come for him and only him.

“I’d love to,” she said and stepped even closer.

She didn’t want to break the quiet spell between them. August shared tidbits of the new recipe, and it was a masterpiece. Belle enjoyed every second and couldn’t bear the idea of bringing up work and ruining the moment. Instead, she savored every moment with August and went home, wishing she had found the courage for another kiss.

When she saw her aunt on the front steps, she was sure that Starla was going to tease her over that very idea, then she saw the look on her face. “Are you okay? Does your leg hurt?” Belle rushed up to her.

“I’m fine. I’m just glad you got home safe,” Starla said. She was strangely quiet as she ushered her niece inside and locked the door.

Belle’s aunt was equally uneasy the next morning but would not share her concerns with her. Instead, Starla insisted on Belle accompanying her to town. “There’s nothing wrong with me wanting help with errands, is there?”

There was, Belle thought. Her aunt liked nothing more than to flirt her way around town, and Belle was not the best wingman. “Is everything okay?” She asked again and again.

“Why would anything be wrong?” Starla asked, uncharacteristically avoiding the question.

When she led Belle through the back alley from the grocery store to The Tack and Feed, Belle knew something was definitely wrong. She stopped at the back door and crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me what is going on,” she insisted.

Starla tried to wave off the question. “Nothing, nothing. Maybe I weaned myself off those painkillers too soon.”

“You’re acting paranoid,” Belle pointed out. “Has someone been bothering you?”

“Me? No.” Starla refused to say anymore and shoved Belle into The Tack and Feed. She was trying to bundle her niece down the back aisle and into Alessa’s office when a man stepped in front of them.

“There you are, Belle. I’ve been hoping to run into you.”

Belle’s heart stopped. Tom Conway stood in front of them, smiling his most charming smile, but she could easily see the hard glint in his almost black eyes. He looked her up and down and crinkled his nose in disapproval. He despised denim and dismissed it as the clothing of the poor or working class. He also loathed her lack of jewelry, her loose hair, and her almost non-existent makeup. Belle felt her stomach twist in knots as he sized her up and found her wanting.

“What are you doing here?” She managed to squeak.

“He was just leaving,” Starla said, stepping in front of her niece.

Tom Conway took her aunt by the shoulders and firmly set her aside. “I came here to talk to you,” he said, expecting his word to be law.

“About what?” Belle asked.

He smiled a snakelike smile. “About all this garish exposure you’ve been getting lately.”

Belle felt sick. Her ex had seen the media hype about the greenhouse project, and it had brought him to Isabel. But why? “It has nothing to do with you. We have nothing to do with you,” Belle reminded him bravely.

“You owe me, remember?” Tom’s face hardened as did his words.

Belle stepped back, bumping into her aunt who stood solidly behind her. “For what?”

“What?” Tom scoffed. “The roof over your head, your clothes, your makeup, all the fancy meals at restaurants, your whole entire life in Houston.”

Starla spoke up fiercely. “She broke up with you and owes you nothing.”

Tom ignored her. “We were together your senior year of college and all through graduate school, plus the years after. That makes seven altogether, and Texas recognizes common law marriages. You owe me.”

Belle gaped. He was serious. And Tom never made a claim he couldn’t back up with all the force of his social standing and lawyers. “I don’t have anything.”

“Not yet,” Tom said, returning in a flash to his charming, accommodating public persona. “According to all the hype, you will soon. I’ll take that, or we could always get married.”

He knew. Belle’s heart stopped. Somehow her ex had found out about her trust fund. She could tell by the cruel set of his jaw that he wouldn’t stop until he wrung every penny from her. He wanted revenge because she broke free because she had escaped his control. Tom Conway wanted her or wanted to see her destroyed, and there was nothing Belle could do to stop him.

CHAPTER 13

August wanted to enjoy the early morning horseback ride, but it was impossible with his brother, Drake, marveling at the fact he was on a horse at all. Out of all his brothers, Drake was supposed to be the most reticent, but apparently married life had made him chatty. Every fifteen minutes or so, he just had to comment on how great it was that August still remembered how to saddle a horse, adjust a bit, deal with an ornery animal, or coax his mount into a canter. August felt like spurring poor old Eddie into a gallop and riding back to his trailer where he could slam the door on Drake’s face.

“Come on, August, you aren’t glad to be back here doing this?” Drake asked.

August ground his teeth. “What? Listen to you chatter incessantly?”

Drake chuckled. “Riding again. Wearing real boots instead of sandals. Getting in touch with your roots.”

“What I really wanted was to enjoy a little peace and quiet,” August snapped.

The biting tone didn’t deter Drake at all. “All I’m saying is it is nice to have you back,” he said.

August sighed. “Thanks,” he grumbled.

Drake nudged his horse in front of August’s and stopped Eddie. “All right. What is with you? Why are you so unhappy?”

“I’m not unhappy, just surly. Isn’t that what everyone calls us Rolstons?” August soothed Eddie before he bit Drake’s mount.

“There’s surly, and there’s miserable. Just tell me what’s bothering you,” Drake insisted.

August expertly steered Eddie around him and continued down the trail. Soon it would loop around the edge of his property and return them to the trailer. He was longing for a cup of coffee. “Nothing is bothering me but you,” August said over his shoulder.

“Is it Topher?” Drake asked. It was always a safe bet that Topher, August’s business partner, had made him mad.

“No,” August grunted.

“Theo?” Drake asked, bringing his horse back side-by-side with Eddie.

August’s lips almost twisted into a smile. Part of him was glad to have Drake chirping around him like the annoying little brother he always had been. It felt good to have people who cared enough to annoy him. It was especially nice to have someone in his life who automatically knew the most likely things that upset him.

“Nah,” August finally admitted. “I think I might like Hetty too much to let our feud go on.”

Drake beamed. “Theo feels the same.”

August faked a retching sound. “Sorry, I’m physically unused to agreeing with Theo on any topic.”

Drake laughed. “Funny, because the two of you used to be the closest.”

August wasn’t ready to rehash his childhood alliances or arguments and again tried to ride around Drake. Unfortunately, his younger brother was still not done with his irritating line of inquiry.

“So, if it’s not Topher and it’s not Theo, then it must be work?” Drake guessed.

“Wrong again.” At this rate, August despaired of ever getting a cup of coffee.

“Woman troubles,” Drake decided.

This time it was August that wheeled his mount around and blocked his brother. “What makes you say that?”

Drake raised a triumphant eyebrow. “The only thing that would make any of us put up with a Topher plan is a woman. Ask Sutton. Topher practically destroyed his hotel, and Sutton didn’t even notice because he was so busy trying to convince Bethany to love him.”

“You think Topher has a bad plan for my side of our business?” August asked.

“I think he’s constantly pushing to make everything bigger and better and grab a wider audience. That doesn’t sound like you or anything that you would want.” Drake gave his brother a serious look. “I don’t want Topher’s whims to drive you back out of Texas.”

“So, you actually want me to stay?” August was genuinely shocked and pleased.

Drake snorted. “As long as you get rid of that ridiculous surfboard outside your trailer. I’m embarrassed to tell people you’re my brother.”

August actually laughed at that. He nudged Eddie to start walking again.

“And as long as you tell me what’s actually bothering you,” Drake added.

August sighed. He had been bursting to tell someone for weeks. It felt as if he didn’t discuss the kiss, it would fade into a memory he wasn’t sure had really happened. He sighed and gave in to his brother, “Belle.”

Drake hooted, “I knew it! I knew it was woman trouble!”

August gritted his teeth. “I didn’t say it was trouble; it’s just, um, uncertain.”

“Oh, man, does that mean something happened? Did you kiss her?” Drake was practically standing in his saddle, anxious to know more.

“She kissed me,” August corrected him. He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation, but he needed to say it out loud. “She kissed me; it might just have been a thank you for driving her to the hospital. I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it since.”

Drake settled back into his saddle, and they rode on aways. “Head to The Tack and Feed. If anyone can read another woman and give you solid advice, it’s Alessa Jones.”

After settling Eddie back in his corral and drinking two strong cups of coffee, August decided to follow Drake’s advice. He wasn’t fond of gossip, but a conversation with Alessa was more like asking wisdom from an oracle. She knew everyone’s business in town, and if anyone could tell her how Belle felt, it would be her. Luckily, he found her during a downtime at the store.

Alessa immediately knew he’d come for advice because she leaned on the counter and smiled. “August Rolston, how can I help you today?”

He frowned. “Now, you don’t need to make a big deal out of this, but I need some advice. Have you spent any time with Belle lately?”

Alessa’s smile faded. “No, not really. She didn’t make it to last night’s dance class. Come to think of it, I saw Starla this morning, and she was acting odd too.”

“Odd how?” August asked, concerned.

“She seemed worried, and Starla Danson is the last person I expect to let life get her on the ropes,” Alessa told him.

It seemed like ominous news and not at all the advice he had hoped for. August thanked Alessa, bought a few necessities, and then hurried to the greenhouses in the hopes of seeing Belle himself. Her work was officially done, and he hoped they would finally be able to end their boss/employee relationship and move on.

Belle was there ahead of him, but she seemed to have the opposite on her mind. “August, is there any way I can talk to you about our contract?”

He nodded and led the way to the checkout counter. It felt odd to be the one leaning on it like Alessa, but August tried to make himself look as approachable as their friend. “What about our contract? Everything seems to be working great. You angling for a bonus?”

She bit her lip and shook her head. “No, not a bonus. I was just hoping we could extend it a bit. Maybe two weeks? I’d be more comfortable if I was here long enough to make sure everything really is working smoothly. That way, I can help check the chemical balance and show you how to keep it at the right levels.”

August tried to see the bright side: Belle would be around every day for another two weeks. He didn’t like that their work relationship would still be an obstacle to anything more, but he was glad she wasn’t disappearing. The biggest part that bothered him was the fact they couldn’t talk honestly about that kiss for another two weeks without the boss/employee awkwardness still being present.

Then, August began to notice more worrying things. Belle was much quieter than normal. She seemed happier than him to avoid the curious locals that stopped by or to help customers. The word ‘timid’ kept coming to August’s mind when he saw her moving softly around the greenhouses, and he didn’t like it one bit.

Belle was also jumpy. She was startled any time they heard a car or truck pull into the driveway, and she would watch it all the way into the parking lot. On top of that, Starla had taken to dropping her off and picking her up. Belle’s normally vivacious aunt would wave from the car but no longer strolled in for whatever gossip she could squeeze out of August.

He was mulling it over, his concern growing as he counted up Belle’s nervous incidents and was so worried that he did not notice an early visitor the next day. The man stood in the doorway and cleared his throat a second time.

“Is this a private greenhouse, or can I look around?” He asked August.

August gritted his teeth, wishing he could be alone to compose what he wanted to say to Belle, but he said, “please come on in. Would you like a tour?”

“Thanks. I’d love a tour.” The man smiled, a too-bright and too-pleasant expression that immediately put August on edge. He hated fakers, and this man didn’t appear to have a sincere bone in his body.

“Just passing through?” August asked.

“Yes, sir. Thought I’d take the backroads,” the man said.

August showed him around and gave his practiced spiel about the hydroponics and the drip irrigation, giving credit to Belle as he always did.

“A woman put this all together?” The man asked. “I thought this was the corner of the country where women still stuck to the home and fulfilled their God-given roles.”

August’s patience ran out. He didn’t know a single Texan who would put up with derogatory words being said about any women, especially Texan women. “That’s all for the tour. Good luck on the back roads.”

The man looked annoyed at being dismissed. He sized August up, then scoffed as if he wasn’t worth his time. “Thanks,” he snapped sarcastically and left.

As he watched him leave, August wished he had asked the man’s name. He seriously considered creating an 86’d list for the greenhouse, recording exactly who management had decided to kick out on a permanent basis. Something about that man really rubbed him the wrong way.

He was still rankled from the outsider’s visit when Belle called. “Everything okay?” August immediately asked. He could hear something off in her voice.

“Fine. Everything’s fine. I just, um, need to help Starla out,” Belle said.

“How’s her leg healing up?” August asked.

Belle’s breathing was quick, as if she was agitated, but she faked a laugh and told him, “she’ll be back to mini-skirts in no time.”

August could tell something was definitely wrong. Was Belle scared? He was about to ask her more, but the greenhouse door jangled. Belle heard it through the phone and said her goodbye quickly. August turned to the new customer and spotted his eldest brother, Dean.

“I know, I know. I’m the last person you want to see. Trust me, I’m the last person who wants to be running Topher’s errands, but I happened to be at Mr. Penn’s office this morning, and he told me these contracts are for you,” Dean said.

“Great. Thanks,” August said.

Dean, Topher, the family lawyer, and contracts from the investors were the last things that August wanted to concentrate on. He was doubly worried about Belle now that he had heard her voice, and he was busy trying to think of a legitimate reason to go visit her at her aunt’s house.

Dean squared his jaw. “Still sticking to our feud?” He asked.

August snapped back to the present and stared at Dean. “Our feud?”

“Remember? It all started that time you decided to denounce everything our family was built on, then you left and didn’t speak to us for years,” Dean growled.

“There’s more to it than that,” August retorted.

“Like what?” Dean demanded.

August forced himself to take a deep breath. Then he carefully calmed his words and told his eldest brother, “I know we need to work through this, especially since I want to stay in Isabel, but I have other concerns today.”

“You want to stay in Isabel?” Dean’s whole countenance changed. Instead of a squared-off bull, he looked at his younger brother with wide, sky-blue eyes.

Irritated, August gestured at the greenhouse around them. “You haven’t noticed I’m trying to build a life of my own here?”

“I noticed,” Dean said, his tone softening. “I just wasn’t sure what it meant. Would you really consider staying?”

“Would you really consider not bothering me every second? I have my mind on bigger concerns.” August snapped.

The corners of Dean’s mouth curled up in what threatened to be one of his rare smiles. “Only if you consider that you have brothers here to help you with any concern you may have.”

August groaned, defeated. It felt nice having brothers who were willing to help, but their help was just so irritating. “Fine. Maybe you can read minds and tell me what is bothering Belle Danson so much that she just extended her contract two weeks, but couldn’t make it into work today. Does she need more money?”

Dean chewed his lip, trying to tame down another attempt at smiling. “You’re worried about Belle?”

“What do you know about her?” August asked. “I know she has something unsavory in her past, but I didn’t really want to pry into her exes.”

“Seeing as you’re her boss,” Dean pointed out.

August glared at his eldest brother. “Her boss for two more weeks.”

“Duly noted,” Dean said, forcing himself to be stern. “And you think this messiness with her past has left her with financial problems?”

“I don’t know,” August admitted. “Do you think it’s me?”

Dean shifted his feet, clearly uncomfortable with what was increasingly seeming to be a need for relationship advice. “Why not ask Starla?”

August grumbled. “Didn’t you hear about her motorcycle accident? Do you think it’s appropriate for me to swing by, pull Starla aside, and ask her what’s going on with her niece?”

“Starla has always managed her finances like some sort of whiz kid,” Dean said. “You should hear Mr. Penn talk about her strategies for risk and reward. I swear, that old shark might have a crush on her.”

“Could you ask the lawyer?” August asked. “I don’t need particulars; I just need to know if Belle needs money or if all her worry is coming from somewhere else.”

Dean hesitated. It was an awkward favor to ask.

“I know, I know,” August said. “I really just want to know how to approach her.”

Dean held up his hand, not able to handle any more relationship talk. “I’ll ask Mr. Penn,” he promised. “By the way, you don’t have to sign those contracts, but don’t lose them.”

August shoved the investor contracts into the cash drawer of the greenhouse and headed home for the night. It was just after dinner when Dean called.

“I can’t tell you much because Mr. Penn couldn’t say much, but I can tell you that Belle Danson’s family left her a trust. Her problems don’t appear to be financial.”

August thanked his brother. He was relieved. She wasn’t hanging around waiting for ways to ask him for money. That left August with the uneasy question of why else would Belle look so nervous? Was she scared of something he didn’t see?

CHAPTER 14

“We’ll just pack up. Trust me, Motorcycle Man owes me a favor. We can hide out at his house for a while,” Starla said. She was serious about wanting to get Belle as far from Isabel as possible.

“He really came here?” Belle asked her aunt.

Starla nodded, looking pale. “He didn’t come to the door or anything, but he pulled into the driveway and just sat there. I recognized him when I came out onto the front steps. When he saw me, he didn’t drive away. He just sat there staring at me.”

Both women shivered, but Belle knew she couldn’t give into the fear clawing at the inside of her belly. If she let herself be scared of Tom Conway, she would slip right back into his manipulative world and lose herself again.

“I can’t leave, but you should,” Belle told Starla.

“No way. That’s not happening. I’m here for you, Belle. Always.”

Belle rushed into her aunt’s arms, and they hugged for a long, tearful time. Finally, Belle felt her aunt take a deep breath and then take charge again.

“We’ll go see my old friend, Mr. Penn,” she announced to Belle.

“The lawyer?”

Starla nodded. “If anyone will know what to do, it’s him.”

Mr. Penn seemed unsurprised to see them and quickly ushered them into his office. “What brings you my way, Ms. Starla? Another risky investment you will no doubt turn into gold?”

Starla smiled at him, but it lacked her normal luster. “Actually, it’s Belle. She has a problem with a person from her past making threats.”

The silver-haired man bristled. “What kind of threats? Should I call the sheriff? We can have a restraining order on him by tonight.”

As much as the restraining order appealed to Belle, she knew it would just add fuel to her ex’s already cruel fire. “Financial threats. He claims that I owe him living expenses and more from our time together. We were a couple for seven years, and he is saying that equates to a common law marriage.”

Mr. Penn looked no less angry as he considered the problem. “He caught wind of your potential success with the greenhouses and decided to squeeze a payday out of you?”

“Exactly,” Starla said.

Belle cleared her throat. “Unfortunately, there’s more. Since he is claiming we had a common law marriage, he is vying to unlock my trust fund for himself.”

The lawyer cleared his throat. “I am familiar with the requirements of your trust fund. Your mother was familiar with my work on Rolston Senior’s will and asked me to create a trust fund that would directly benefit her future grandchildren.”

“So you know that the money is mine as soon as I am married,” Belle asked.

He nodded, looking grimmer. “And apparently, your ex knows this as well. If he can prove you are married under Texas common law, then he will be one step closer to extracting a payday from you.”

“Honestly, I’d pay almost anything to get him out of my Belle’s life,” Starla admitted.

“I’m not letting you give him a dime,” Belle protested.

“Needless to say, I am on your side,” Mr. Penn assured them. “And, just for good measure, I’m going to let my dear friend the sheriff know we have a visitor in Isabel bent on stirring up trouble.”

“Please,” Belle begged. “Let’s not provoke him.”

“We can be discreet,” Mr. Penn told her. “Even in Texas.”

They left the lawyer’s office feeling marginally better until Belle noticed people on the street giving her sideways glances. “Are people looking at me funny?” She asked her aunt.

Starla would normally claim the attention for herself, but she saw this was different. One couple even crossed the street to avoid Belle. “What on earth is that all about?” She wondered.

“Belle!” Alessa dodged out of The Tack and Feed and caught up to them on the sidewalk. “I’m so glad to see you. There are some crazy rumors flying around about you.”

Belle saw little flecks of starry light in the corners of her eyes. Feeling faint, she leaned on the nearest building and tried to catch her breath. Subtle rumors were one of the first tactics her ex had used on her in Houston. Soon, he had created enough doubt in her friends’ minds that they started pulling away. He wanted her alone, isolated, so he could manipulate her to his personal advantage.

Starla hugged her niece and turned to Alessa. “The rumors don’t matter; what matters is if you’ve seen a handsome stranger around. Has he been asking about Belle?”

Alessa gasped. “Your ex?”

Belle nodded. “He’s here, trying to get some kind of revenge on me.” She didn’t have the strength to elaborate.

“I thought you said his name was Tom Conway,” Alessa said. “The man who asked all about the greenhouses told me his name was Connor Thompson.”

“He must have figured I tried to make friends, and he didn’t want his real name to tip anyone off,” Belle said. Hot tears burned her eyes.

“You did make friends,” Alessa assured her.

Belle couldn’t hear her over the buzzing in her head. Memories assaulted her. First was when her former college roommate confronted her about shoplifting. Tom had hinted Belle shoplifted little gifts for herself on a regular basis. He implied it showed how low her morals really were. The woman she had shared so many college memories with soon didn’t trust her at all.

“Why would he tell me something like that if it wasn’t true?” She had asked Belle.

At the time, Belle was too naive to even guess why Tom would make up such a story. In fact, she accused her former roommate of making the entire exchange up. “You’re just jealous. You’ve always had a crush on him, and you want us to break up.”

She lost another friend when Tom claimed Belle had faked an injury just to get back at Tom for an imagined insult. The truth was, Tom had knocked her down the back steps, whether or not it was an accident still haunted Belle to this day. She had twisted her ankle and had to wear a brace, but her friend didn’t believe her.

“You just want Tom to suffer, and now you can’t do the fun run we planned. How am I going to explain that to the charity? You’ve embarrassed me in front of the entire committee.” Her friend never spoke to her again.

He had even tried to turn Starla against her, intercepting phone calls and letting her aunt think she was avoiding her on purpose. Luckily, Tom had not counted on Starla’s upfront personality, and her aunt had shown up on the doorstep to confront her niece in person. That was when everything began to unravel.

Tom got more controlling, and Belle became desperate to escape.

“Come on, honey. Belle, darling, please come back to us,” Starla pleaded.

Starla and Alessa frantically tried to snap Belle out of her glazed look until finally, Belle focused on them and the present again. Starla hugged her tight and reassured her that her ex would never, ever get to her again.

Alessa took Belle’s hand and squeezed it tight.

Belle cried. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“No. No apologies,” Alessa cried alongside her. “I completely understand why you left it all buried. I’m not upset with you, Belle. I never will be.”

Belle struggled to get her breathing under control before she sobbed. The two women helped her stand up and started to walk her to Starla’s truck. Her aunt’s head was on a swivel, on the lookout for her ex. Alessa concentrated on supporting Belle, whose knees were weak after the flood of bad memories.

At the truck, Alessa took both her hands and met Belle’s tear-filled eyes. “I believe you, Belle. All of it. And you have made friends here in Isabel. Good friends who will stick by you. And we’re a lot stronger than your ex gives women credit for. We’ll get him out of your life.”

“Please. Please don’t confront him. He lives for retribution. I don’t want you hurt,” Belle pleaded. Then she gasped.

“What? What is it?” Starla asked, alarmed.

“August,” Belle squeaked. “What if he knows about August?”

It went unsaid, but both women understood why Belle was so concerned. If her ex caught wind she was interested in a new man, he would be a target for malice for certain.

Alessa paled. “He asked for directions to the greenhouse, and I gave them to him.”

Starla tried to reassure them all. “If anyone can see right through that slimeball and wipe him off his shoes, it’ll be August Rolston.”

“Actually,” Alessa almost smiled. “It’ll be all the Rolstons. I don’t think your ex has any idea how many brothers there are or how quickly they come together.”

Belle whimpered, worried her past was clawing at all the people she loved the most. “What are we going to do?”

Starla finally straightened up, encouraged by Alessa. “We’re going to do what every good Texan does: keep faith and keep on.”

It was decided they would act normal until Belle’s ex had made his next move. Alessa would quietly dispel the rumors, but she would tell no one else about the liar in the midst. The more people knew, the more likely someone was to provoke him. Belle felt tied in knots until she got to work the next day. She was certain August knew something was wrong, but he was grumpy enough to let it alone until she brought it up.

“Did I miss anything?” She tried to ask innocently.

August shrugged. “Just some obnoxious city slicker asking for a tour. I swear he looked at everything as if he thought it was covered in slime. I’ve never seen a more disagreeable face on a man.”

Belle pushed her luck and joked, “I suppose that means he was handsome.”

August scoffed. “Yeah, I guess, but I wasn’t impressed.”

“Did you argue with him?” She asked.

“Nah. He tried to rile me up with some derogatory remarks about women, but I did what I do best,” August told her.

She looked at him, hoping he couldn’t see the concern in her eyes. “And what is it that you do best?”

August stared at her with his face stony.

Belle let out a relieved laugh. “You stonewalled him. Good.”

“Are you all right?” August had not taken his eyes off her face.

“Yes, I, uh, just didn’t feel well last night.” Belle said. The lie hurt, but she remembered the plan: act normal until her ex did something else. Then the truth would come out on its own accord. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t check the pH levels in the hydroponics.”

August frowned at her and seemed to keep the same stern, speculative expression for the next few days. Still, Belle found herself creating more and more work for herself and staying later each night. She decided to drain two whole rows of hydroponics and rebalance the mix just because the leaves were browning on the edges of the mint. She reconfigured the drip irrigation so August would not have to duck when he moved into the last row by the far wall. And she even created a small fountain near the checkout, so the customers would hear the soothing sound of water as they paid.

It was clear August was suspicious, but he did not question Belle. He refrained from comments about her long hours or new-found projects. August even suggested a few things she could help with and allowed them to work side-by-side in near silence.

“If you don’t mind, could you change out the lightbulb in the cellar?” He asked her one day. “I remember it was a bit too dim for my liking.”

She was glad to keep moving and hefted open the cellar door. Once Belle climbed down the steps, the quiet of the cellar enveloped her. She remembered the hailstorm, their rushing retreat to the safe haven, and August’s arms around her. For the first time in nearly a week, Belle felt her muscles unwind. She felt safe.

That, more than her refusal to hide out in Starla’s house, was the reason Belle came to work every day. It was a risk, as her ex clearly knew it was the biggest part of her routine, but she still came every day. And now Belle knew why.

August made her feel safe. It wasn’t the cellar that relaxed her tense muscles; it was the memory of August’s strong, protective arms.

He made her feel like she could face her past. August had never once pushed her to answer questions, but all along, she had felt she had his support. He might frown at her, scowl, or always speak in stern tones, but Belle knew she could trust him. She knew, without a doubt, that she could handle anything with August at her side.

Later that afternoon, Belle was still reveling in how August made her feel when he called out, “looks like a late customer.”

Belle immediately froze. Instead of a truck, it was a dark sedan. No one she knew in Texas drove a shiny, black sedan. Her eyes widened with fear as she watched it wind its way slowly into the parking lot. First, it stopped by the front door, and Belle had to reason with her frantic mind. Perhaps they were just reading the greenhouse hours that were printed on the door. Then, the car pulled into a parking spot facing the greenhouse and left the engine running for a full minute.

“Are you okay?” August asked.

She jumped when she realized he had come up behind her. “Yes, sorry, it’s just, do you think that car is acting weird?”

“It’s too shiny,” August said. “What’s got you so on edge about a sedan?”

Belle wanted to tell him, but the thought immediately sunk her heart. How could she burden August with her horrible past? He didn’t need her problems. He was the kind of man who always solved problems on his own. Belle had to do the same.

Still, she watched in horror, wondering if her ex was staring at them maliciously from the interior of the strange car. Then a man in a suit got out, and August laughed.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about the contracts again. It’s just the investors’ lawyer trying to remind me he needs my signature,” August explained.

Belle’s heart rate slowly returned to normal, but the heavy feeling in her chest remained. She loved August too much to tell him her problems, and she had no idea what would happen when he found out the truth.

CHAPTER 15

August had plenty to do around his trailer, Eddie’s corral, and his own acreage, but he found himself staring at the horizon in Belle’s direction. He knew she was worried about something, and it rankled him that she would not confide in him. August knew it was ridiculous, he was just her boss, but he had thought they were closer than that.

Their closeness bothered August as well. How could his connection be so strong with a woman he had met a short time ago?

He could still remember the day they met with absolute clarity. The feeling he had in his chest, that heavy thump of regret, was still as fresh as the day he’d realized she was to be his employee. That ache of possibilities closed off and still followed him, and August wondered if that was what made him feel like their time together was longer.

It felt as if he’d known Belle for years. Somehow, she knew more about his quirks and preferences than anyone else. Being separated from his brothers meant August had people who remembered his childhood but not his recent past. Belle knew more about how California had shaped him than his own family. And she understood. How could he not love her?

August scuffed the ground with the toe of his boot. He couldn’t possibly be in love with Belle. He had spent so much time being contrary and cautious that August found it impossible to reconcile his own thoughts and feelings. She was his employee, one with a shaded past and encroaching worries, and there were plenty of things to keep them apart. Yet all he wanted to do was go see her.

Instead, he finished his chores and headed to Sutton’s hospitality ranch to spend some time with his baby niece. Sutton had married his long-time friend, and Bethany’s polished manners made her easy to be around. And his niece was an absolute delight.

“You really have a way with babies,” Sutton marveled. He slumped into an armchair across from his brother and baby. “I still don’t know how to swaddle her the right way.”

August held the precious girl comfortably as she snuggled and slept. “You’re always so worried about doing things the proper way. Sometimes a blanket is just a blanket, and you use it to make her comfortable.”

Sutton sighed. “Easy for an uncle who’s had a good night’s sleep to say.”

“Who says I’ve been sleeping well?” August countered.

Sutton clearly wanted to ask about what was keeping his elder brother up at night, but he opted for brotherly gossip instead. “So, Dean is in a great mood these days. I feel like it’s a stretch of good weather, and we better enjoy it while we can.”

August didn’t move his glance off his baby niece’s sweet face. “What’s gotten into him?”

Sutton laughed. “You! He’s gone all cheerful ever since you told him you planned on staying in Isabel.”

“Who told you that?” August growled. He hated having his business shared so quickly between brothers.

“Not Dean,” Sutton admitted. “DeeDee came by to see the baby and told me how happy she is that you two are heading towards reconciliation.”

DeeDee was Dean’s long-time cook and housekeeper. Really, she was more of a life manager and a foundation footing for the Rolston brothers. She’d been part of their lives since Dean first started working his own ranch, and none of them could imagine a family gathering or even a simple week without her.

“Now there’s someone I bet can swaddle a baby the right way,” August pointed out.

“Being able to live with Dean proves that women can do anything,” Sutton agreed. “So, you better get ready because DeeDee has decided you and our older brothers are going to kiss and make up.”

August was about to berate his brother when Bethany joined them. Little May woke up, and Bethany reluctantly plucked her from August’s hold for a feeding. Sutton jumped up to kiss his wife’s cheek, and together they leaned over their daughter and cooed. August watched them smiling, standing so close, and he loved how happy the young family was together.

His mind immediately jumped back to Belle. August was ready to reconcile with his brothers. He was done with his contentious past, done with his time in California, and ready to plan his future. The only problem was that he always saw his future with Belle.

He needed to see her.

August made his excuses to Sutton and Bethany and dropped one more kiss on sweet May’s forehead. Then he left their private suite and headed into the hotel’s main foyer. There his determined thoughts were interrupted by a rude man arguing with the front desk staff.

“You’re telling me the chef is not on call? I’m a VIP guest, and I’m not about to eat cold, premade sandwiches for lunch,” the man complained.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Thompson, the chef takes time between the Saturday brunch and dinner to go to the local farmer’s markets. We are known for our Sunday midday meal, and he always uses the freshest produce for it,” the front desk clerk tried to explain.

“So that means the guests have to suffer on Saturday?” The man railed.

“Most guests take the cold sandwiches and picnic fare to go as they explore the town or countryside. We have lots of outdoor recreational options.”

The irate guest swatted the front desk clerk’s hand as he tried to gesture to the wide array of pamphlets displayed next to him. “Fresh produce? Like they grow in those big, unsightly greenhouses outside of town?”

The clerk gaped at him, unsure what to say.

“Actually, I think I know someone who works there. She’s my age, strawberry-blonde hair, though it’s a bit darker these days. I heard she had dinner here the other night. Does she have a connection to the hotel?”

August’s whole body iced over. Was the man asking about Belle? Why would he care if she had a connection to the hotel?

No matter the man’s reasons, August did not like his tone or his manners. He decided to linger on the hotel’s front porch and ‘run into’ the curious tourist again. He positioned himself near the front railing so he could pretend he was walking to the front door as soon as he saw him. Moments later, the man marched out in a huff, and it was easy for August to intercept him with a stiff shoulder.

“Excuse me,” August said.

“Watch where you’re going,” the man snarled, then seemed to recognize August. He sized him up again.

August stared back at him. “Aren’t you the guy that toured my greenhouses the other day? You didn’t keep on passing through?”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “I’m no ‘guy’, and what business is it of yours if I decide to stay or not?”

“Seems like our nice little town doesn’t suit you,” August pointed out. “Maybe I can suggest some other tourist spots you might like better.”

Angry now, the man stepped closer to August. “You some kind of tour guide, or just a man sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong?”

August didn’t move back an inch. In fact, he leaned forward and loomed over the shorter man. “Just trying to help a stranger find his way out of my town.”

“Your town?” The man scoffed.

So, the city slicker was asking around but had yet to hear about August and his brothers. That meant he had specific business in town, and August worried that it had to do with Belle. He remembered overhearing her ex-boyfriend’s name, but it wasn’t Thompson. Maybe he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but the man rubbed him the wrong way, and August wanted him gone.

“I have family here,” August told him. “How about you? Do you know anyone in town?”

The man who called himself Thompson was frustrated that he could not intimidate August. He raised his stiff chin and glared up at him. “I’m here to reclaim what is rightfully mine.”

“Property dispute?” August guessed.

The man gave an unsettling chuckle. “You could say that.”

“I thought you city-folk used fancy lawyers and such to do your dirty work. Why don’t you go on home.” It was a directive, not a suggestion.

“I’m not going anywhere while I see someone trying to take something that’s mine. You hear me?” The man jabbed August in the chest. “You shouldn’t go around wanting something that belongs to another.”

August got the nasty feeling the man was referring to a person. Could he possibly be talking about Belle? “What did you say your name was again?”

“I didn’t,” the man snapped, then he couldn’t resist baiting August again. “But you can tell all your friends that it was Connor Thompson that taught you a lesson.”

Connor Thompson. Tom Conway. August wondered if the names’ similarities were more than a coincidence. The possibility that Belle’s awful ex, the one she had to sacrifice so much to escape, was in town and bullying the locals under an assumed name connected a lot of the dots. It would explain why she and Starla were acting strange and getting so worried. It would also answer why the supposed tourist was so interested in a woman fitting Belle’s description.

August decided to call him out. “Liar with bad manners don’t find their welcome lasts long in Isabel. You really should think about passing on through.”

The man smoothed down his expensive shirt and pasted on a charming smile. August could see why people around town had opened up to him and answered his questions. If he didn’t lose his temper, the man had a polished mask in place, but August saw right through him. He couldn’t prove who he was, but that didn’t really matter; the man was a nuisance and August wanted him gone.

“You’re the one standing in my way,” he pointed out to August.

August thought of Belle. If this was her biggest worry, the bad wolf that chased her from her past, then the last thing she would want was August starting a fight with him. As much as August wanted to rile the man up even more and really see the petty cruelty behind his mask, he would not for her sake. He let him go.

All day, August fought the urge to ask around about Connor Thompson. It was entirely possible he was using the man’s irritating manners and strange questions as a distraction from his feelings for Belle. There was nothing solid that proved the rude man was connected to Belle, and August knew his curiosity was misplaced. Until Belle came to him with her problems, he needed to try to keep his nose out of other people’s affairs.

He kept himself and Eddie busy all day on his property but still couldn’t sleep well that night. There seemed to be too many obstacles between him and the increasingly clear future he pictured with Belle.

It was a relief when the sunrise finally came and he could get ready for work. Sometime in the night, it had occurred to August that if he ended Belle’s contract, he could force her to explain her reticence to go and eliminate the biggest obstacle to them being together. He knew it was a caustic boss move, but the rude man had really spun August’s head around. It was time for the truth to come out, whether he had to force it or not.

August left Belle an early message, asking if they could have a meeting before work. Then he drove to the greenhouse to rehearse what he was going to say. He was so distracted by the idea of trying to tell Belle how he really felt that he didn’t notice the destruction until he drove over broken glass. The sickening crunching sound brought his focus back to the greenhouses.

Dozens of windows had been smashed.

He was still standing, dumbfounded in front of the ruined greenhouses when Drake sped up and parked nearby. “August, are you all right?”

August gestured at the destruction and couldn’t find any words.

Drake marched over and led the way across the broken glass. They had to survey the extent of the damage. “A local rancher called me as soon as he spotted this. You’re lucky he was out checking his cattle nearby.”

“Lucky?” August asked. The word seemed wildly out of place.

“Lucky because you don’t have to face this alone.” Drake nodded back towards the driveway.

Three more trucks ground to a halt in the parking lot. Dean and Theo had driven separately, torn from their busy mornings. Topher and Sutton arrived together, looking tired and unused to such early scheduling. All five of August’s brothers had arrived well before the sheriff.

Ten minutes later, the sheriff arrived, and they were able to give him a full report. One-third of all the windows on both greenhouses had been smashed. The culprit must have broken in, then used the pots inside to hurl at the windows because most of the glass was on the exterior. As if the person responsible wanted to ensure he doubled the damage by wrecking what he threw as well as his target.

“In all your fancy systems, you didn’t think to install security cameras?” The sheriff asked.

August gritted his teeth. “We’re a small town, Sheriff. I didn’t think they would be necessary. This must have been the work of a stranger.”

“Someone passing through has a big enough beef with you to cause all this damage?” The sheriff asked. It sounded unlikely in his mind.

Dean spoke up. “The only feuds we have going on are in-house.”

All the Rolstons nodded.

August was about to suggest his theory about Connor Thompson when Belle arrived, and her dismay could be heard all the way from the parking lot. He rushed to comfort her. By the time they joined his brothers, the Rolstons had come up with a list of potential culprits, or at least people who would know more about it.

Belle interrupted their reactive planning. “I know who did this. It’s all my fault.”

“You hefted huge planters and smashed all these windows?” The sheriff asked, clearly hoping to tease her out of her obvious misery.

Belle didn’t smile; she hung her head and explained. “I’ve known for a while that my vindictive ex is in town. He’s just the sort of man who would do this. I know.”

Having to take in all perspectives, the sheriff balanced her certainty with a suggestion. “Most jobs like this are about insurance, perpetrated by the owner.”

All the Rolstons protested, but Belle was the loudest. “August is the most honest and trustworthy man I know, Sheriff. Please believe me. I know who did this.”

The sheriff eased towards her. “How do you know that Ms. Belle.”

“He’s an abuser. Not physical but psychological, and I have the therapy files to prove it. This is just the kind of passive-aggressive thing he would do to get back at me for escaping.”

Escaping. The word stabbed August straight through the heart. Belle needed to escape her past, a cruel past, and here he had been about to force her to tell him all about it. He promised himself he would not be forceful with her ever again. The windows were one thing, but August would never let his own impatience smash the trust Belle had come to place in him.

CHAPTER 16

Belle could hardly sleep that night. Her skittish mind leaped between fear at what her ex may do next and worry over what August thought of her. She had brought chaos and destruction into August’s life. Worse than that, she knew her ex was in town, and she said nothing. Now, August’s big investment, the one thing he’d sunk the rest of his own, hard-earned money into was wrecked.

She knew his brothers had pledged to help him, but August did not want charity from anyone. In his struggle to stand out from his family’s fortune and reputation, he made his own money by relying on his own talent as a chef and his own hard work. Belle respected the independence that drove August, just as she was sure he was horrified to hear how she had lost hers.

Her ex-boyfriend had been a looming fear for so long now that Belle could function through her terror. The thing that was really keeping her awake was how she had to explain everything to August.

August had been young when he cut ties with his family and headed to a whole new state. Belle had been equally young when she met Tom Conway and was fooled by his charm. August had worked hard, studying the restaurant industry from the inside out as a dishwasher, server, line cook, and finally, struggling chef. Instead of striking out on her own, Belle continued into graduate school, then moved in with her ex. While August was making something of himself, she was letting someone else tear her down.

That’s what her ex did. He isolated and alienated her from her friends, then started to manipulate her anxieties so she would rely solely on him. From there, he was free to dictate exactly what she did, and he reserved the right to be angry when she did not do things the way he wanted. Very angry. He never hit her, but he lectured, ranted, yelled, and told her she was useless and unlovable.

His cruel, cruel words still haunted her, and Belle had to fight to untangle herself from those memories. Concentrating on August helped pull her back to the present. As soon as the sunrise peeked through her window, she shot out of bed and got ready. She had to see August and try to tell him everything.

August was a steady, trustworthy man. He had not kicked or thrown things at the wreckage of the greenhouses. When another may have yelled, sworn, and thrown a cathartic fit, August simply surveyed the damage and thought through his next steps. His brothers were riled up and ready to confront the culprit, but August calmly listened to the sheriff and took his advice.

She could talk to August, and he would listen. Belle just didn’t know how much he would respect her when he heard the full story. How could a man like him respect her for showing such weakness?

Her aunt was still asleep, so Belle quickly scribbled her a note. Starla had been just as frightened as Belle when she heard about the smashed windows, and the last thing Belle wanted was to worry her aunt anymore. In the end, Starla was all Belle had left, and the only person she could really count on.

Unless she could count on August.

Hope, undeterred by any obstacle, rose in her heart. Belle held on to that feeling as she jumped in Starla’s old truck and headed out to August’s property. It was still very early in the morning, but somehow, she knew he had slept just as badly as her. August would be awake, and she prayed they could talk over coffee before the rest of the world interrupted them.

She had barely pulled onto the main road when another suddenly flared its lights in her rearview mirror. It was not unusual for farmers and ranchers to be up so early, but it was strange to see them along the county road near Starla’s. Belle had the uneasy feeling the truck had been waiting for her to appear. She tried to tell herself that was just paranoia, then she tried to convince herself the sheriff had assigned a deputy to watch over her.

Then she got scared.

The truck suddenly sped up and drove closer and closer to the bumper of Starla’s truck. Belle gripped the steering wheel and tried to sort out her fearful thoughts. Logically, she had to assume it was just someone in a hurry. She edged onto the hard shoulder, slowed down, and motioned for the truck to pass her. Instead, it revved up and pulled close enough that its headlights aimed directly into her rearview mirror. The bright light was disorienting, but then the honking started.

Belle tried again to indicate the truck should just drive around her. There was no reason for it not to pass her and continue on its way. She was certain she had done nothing to provoke any road rage, and her heart pounded as she thought of the other possible reasons a driver might harass her.

Suddenly as it had sped up, the truck slowed down and backed off. Belle was shaking, her knuckles white around the steering wheel. She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. It was over.

She reached to dig her phone out of her purse, and that’s why she heard the roaring engine before she saw the truck speeding up behind her again.

Belle fumbled for her phone and cried out as it slipped to the floor on the passenger side. She had planned to call August and let him know she was coming, but now she wished she could reach her phone to call the sheriff. The idea of slowing down so she could lunge for her phone was impossible, as the truck behind actually tapped into her bumper. It took both hands on the steering wheel for Belle to keep her vehicle on the road.

Then the truck backed off again, but before Belle could take a breath, it revved up again and this time, swerved into the oncoming traffic lane. No one else was on the long stretch of county road, and the truck soon pulled up side-by-side with her. She didn’t want to look but had to, and she saw her ex grinning at her.

Now she wished she had the phone so she could tell the sheriff with certainty that it was Tom Conway harassing her. He had smashed the windows of August’s greenhouses just to get to her, and now Belle could prove it.

Tom blew her a kiss, sped up even more, and pulled his truck across both lanes, blocking Belle’s way past. She slammed on the brakes and narrowly missed t-boning him.

She was too shaken to move. The steering wheel swam before her eyes as she tried to get a handle on the heavy mix of fear and adrenaline pumping through her system. When she finally looked up, Belle saw Tom marching down the road, already berating her.

It was all her fault; she’d forced him to do this. How dare she behave so badly that he had to do things like this just to get her back under control?

Belle kept her hands on the steering wheel and forced her shoulders out of a frightened slump. She refused to show her ex that she still cowered. He had no control over her life anymore. Frantically employing an anxiety technique her therapist taught her, Belle focused on things that strengthened her. There was a fraying rainbow patch hanging from Starla’s rearview mirror, a remnant of her aunt’s hippie days and a reminder that even storms could bring beauty into the world. A sun-bleached sticker on the passenger side of the windshield reminded people not to mess with Texas. And Belle could see the road sign that pointed towards August’s place just 500 yards up the road.

“You brought this on yourself,” Tom yelled through the window. He pounded on it when Belle refused to acknowledge him. “Now I have to talk to that man you’ve been getting close to and tell him the truth about you. Tell me where he lives!”

It took everything Belle had not to curl into a frightened ball. She kept her eyes on the road sign leading to August’s property and pretended her ex wasn’t there. He threatened to break the window with a tire-iron, but she managed to not even blink. Belle thought of August’s stern face and stayed strong.

“He needs to know what a lying waste of space you are. No one wants you here, Belle. I’ll be doing the whole town a favor by taking you back home. You’re lucky I’m still willing to have you,” Tom yelled.

She wished she could film him with her phone. Just fifteen seconds of his feverish eyes and verbal abuse would be enough to prove to everyone just what she had suffered during her years with him.

That was a breakthrough!

Belle realized with a swell of pride that a few years ago, she never would have had the self-esteem to think that way. She didn’t blame herself for her ex’s behavior, and she didn’t believe a single word he was hurling at her through the truck window. He was there, at his absolute worst, and he held no sway over her.

She couldn’t turn her head, but Belle slipped her eyes sideways and looked at him. Tom Conway’s face was contorted with anger. There was white froth around his mouth. He was raging at her, but he couldn’t get through.

Before he knew what was happening, Belle shifted the truck into reverse and floored the gas pedal. She shot backward down the county road until he appeared to be smaller and smaller. Then Belle slowed, turned around, and took off the way she had come. He was so shocked that he hadn’t held her attention that he ran after her down the road, then realized he needed to run back to the truck he had rented.

By the time he got in, she was down a gravel road and onto another. There she found the farmer’s tracks in a cornfield that angled off from the road. They were impossible to see from the gravel tract unless you were traveling in the other direction, but Belle had driven that way at least two dozen times. She pulled in, asked the farmer to forgive her, and drove from the tracks into his standing corn to hide.

From her shaded spot, Belle could still see the dust from the gravel road rising up. She knew her ex had used the dust to follow her onto the first and second gravel roads. Then she slid across the seats and looked out the passenger side window. She watched a cloud of dust continue on down the road and knew she was in the clear. By the time he turned around again, she would be on Main Street.

Belle grabbed her phone and dialed as she inched along the gravel roads, careful not to stir up any dust behind her. “August?”

“Oh my god, Belle? What’s the matter?” He could hear the trauma in her voice.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” she cried. “He’s totally out of control. He kept yelling at me about needing to talk with you, and he wanted your address.”

“Where are you?” August asked. “Where is he? Are you safe?”

“I’m fine. I’m heading into town now. Can you meet me at The Tack and Feed?” Belle pleaded. “I have to tell you everything.”

August didn’t hesitate, and he didn’t hang up. He kept talking to her, assuring her that she wasn’t alone as he jumped into his truck and started driving. “Pull around back, and Alessa will let us into her office. Then you can tell me whatever you think I need to know.”

Alessa answered the back door of The Tack and Feed on the second knock. She took one look at Belle and ushered her and August straight into her office. “Your hellish ex is causing trouble again. Oh, Belle, I’m so sorry.”

Belle was grateful for the hug, even more grateful when August took her hands and let her tell him everything she could. He listened to how her ex had charmed her, impressed all her friends, made everyone love him, and then manipulated her, isolated her, and broke her down.

“He doesn’t think anyone will believe me over him. He’s the miracle surgeon, supports numerous charities, and has the perfect public face,” Belle sobbed. “And instead of moving on, he wants to ruin me.”

August listened to everything quietly. Alessa struggled to control her outrage as she listened, but August stayed steady. His only thoughts were for Belle, and he focused on comforting her.

“How does he figure he can ruin you?” August asked.

“He’s trying to prove that we are in a common law marriage. Then I’ll be granted my trust fund, and he’ll take it from me,” Belle said. She explained the requirements her mother added to ensure Belle’s future family.

Alessa was angry on her friend’s behalf. “I’m calling Mr. Penn, or should I call the sheriff first?”

“How about you take care of your customers and let us know if Tom Conway shows his face,” August suggested.

She hugged Belle again and took August’s advice. Belle then told him Mr. Penn was already checking into what could be done, but the law was murky.

“Unless you are officially married,” August said.

Belle curled her fingers into fists. “He thinks he’s already won. He thinks he still has total control of me no matter what, but I showed him today. I drove away. I got away!”

“Belle, you are the bravest woman I know,” August told her. He eased her fingers loose again and held her hands. “You’re the smartest, hardest working, and most determined woman I’ve ever met.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Belle whispered. “You don’t have to build me up.”

“Build you up?” August laughed softly. “Honestly, I was just stalling before I tell you my solution, and you shoot me down.”

“Solution?” She raised her eyes and gazed into his.

August nodded. “What if your ex thinks he’s already lost? If you’re married, officially married, then he will never be able to get your trust fund or harass you again. And he’ll have to bring an official lawsuit to court in order to claim any compensation for the time you lived together.”

“What are you saying?” Belle asked, confused.

“I’m asking you to marry me.”

It would be a fake marriage, meant only to last until her ex had given up and disappeared, but Belle’s heart soared. There was only one answer to give the man she trusted more than anyone, and it was:

“Yes.”

CHAPTER 17

Mr. Penn was surprised. August had known him long enough to read the expression in the slight tip of his head. The lawyer was icy and logical, but he almost smiled as he asked, “so, congratulations are in order?”

“Yes, thank you,” August said.

“And when are you hoping to get married?” Mr. Penn asked.

It still felt strange to think about, even stranger, as their family lawyer asked for specifics. August was out early that morning, planning his wedding to Belle Danson. The realization gave him a thrill that he could hardly tamp down with reality. He had offered his hand in marriage in order to get her out of a frightening situation, and she had accepted. Still, the end result was that Belle would be his bride.

“Today,” August told Mr. Penn firmly.

Now the lawyer raised an eyebrow. It got worse when he cleared his throat.

August interrupted him before the question he knew was coming, “no, my brothers do not know. It’s going to be a surprise.”

Mr. Penn’s normally serious, always bordering on sour, expression returned. “Then I feel it necessary to speak on behalf of your family. Are you certain? Ms. Danson is charming, but you have only known her for a short time as her boss.”

August grumbled. “Her contract ran out last week.”

That was only one of the lies they intended to tell people over the next few days. August reminded himself it was all temporary until her horrible ex gave up and left them alone, but the dishonesty still bothered him.

“And you are sure you two are compatible?” Mr. Penn asked.

“Look. I know you know about her trust fund, and you certainly know about my inheritance, so this clearly is not a gold-digger situation. We are two consenting adults who have decided to join our lives together in marriage. Is that so hard to accept, just because we’ve only known each other a few months?”

Mr. Penn’s expression took on some of Dean’s bullish qualities. “The timing does seem, shall we say, interesting?”

“How about necessary,” August snapped. “I won’t have anyone threatening or harassing Belle.”

“And her ex will have no claim on her trust fund if she is properly married,” Mr. Penn finished for him.

August had to give him credit. The older man was sharp; it was no wonder everyone referred to him as a shark. He obviously had doubts about the honesty behind August’s marriage proposal, but he could not find any real faults.

“Once we’re married, both Belle and I can settle down in Isabel and build our futures,” August asserted. He left off ‘together,’ though he couldn’t imagine not knowing her after everything they had already been through.

“I know a judge who can waive the 72-hour waiting period on your wedding license,” Mr. Penn told him.

It turned out the same judge was also available for an early lunch break and was happy to perform the ceremony. August just had enough time to buy flowers. He paced the foyer of the courthouse and tried not to think about what a monumental thing he was doing for all the wrong reasons.

Starla was the first to arrive, as she had already been in town. She ran into the courthouse building, saw August, and started crying. “I can’t believe it!”

August’s heart stopped. He wasn’t at all sure he could pull off a fake marriage. What had he been thinking? He wanted to help Belle and protect her, but he was a terrible liar.

“It’s so wonderful!” Starla continued, and she hugged him tightly.

Alessa was next, and she met August with a smack on his shoulder. “You couldn’t tell me last night? I had to find out over text message?!”

“It was spontaneous,” August grumbled.

Then Belle arrived. He stopped breathing. The reasons, the hurry, and the lie at the heart of their engagement were all forgotten. There was the woman who had filled his senses from the first moment he saw her. She was still the smart and difficult, maddening, and endearing woman that he had longed after for months. Belle was no longer his employee, and she was soon to be his bride. No matter what brought them together, August was suddenly over the moon with joy.

“Am I overdressed?” Belle asked, seeing how he was staring.

He laughed. “You look beautiful, like a bride on her wedding day.”

Belle blushed and took his hand with light, shy fingers. August could not help but spin her around, admiring her from all angles as their friends grinned. They had agreed to dress up but still keep it light. He was in a light gray suit with a white shirt and no tie. She had chosen a spaghetti-strap sundress made of an impossible light, frothy material. It was folded closely across the top, like the dress a Greek goddess would wear, cinched close high at her waist with a small line of glittering clear beads, then dropped in floating lines to just below her knees.

August realized then and there that the biggest lie he would have to tell was that he didn’t want their marriage to be real. Biting his tongue over that, he handed her the overflowing bouquet of baby’s breath that surrounded three pure white roses.

They proceeded to the judge’s chambers, but August heard nothing of their witnesses’ excited chatter or Belle’s shy responses. He didn’t hear his boots tapping on the courthouse floor or the secretary cooing over what a beautiful couple they made. His thoughts buzzed too loudly.

There were good reasons for their marriage. August had the best of intentions. But it only occurred to him now that he might be breaking his own heart. They would be married, have to sell the lie, he would enjoy it, and then they would go their separate ways.

Or was he tricking Belle? The sheriff, a restraining order, and a shark lawyer like Mr. Penn could also protect her. August had only suggested it so he could get a ring on her finger. As if she could possibly love their fake marriage enough to stay on after the danger had passed.

August took a deep breath. They were at the door, and he had to decide. He looked at Belle, she glanced up, and he saw a mixture of worry and giddiness in her eyes. His decision was simple. They would get married because it was the best thing he could do for her in an impossible situation.

At least they would be in it together.

The judge welcomed them. “And how did you two meet?”

“Over an ornery horse,” August said.

Belle laughed. “I almost forgot! That’s much better than telling people we met at work.”

August was happy to have that obstacle behind them. He nudged her and reminded her. “We met on my driveway, and you liked my food.”

“And my ornery horse liked you.” Starla smiled and wiped a tear away.

The judge beamed. “Shall we?”

The ceremony was quick, and the kiss was sweet and telling. August’s lips lingered, and Belle didn’t pull away. Their witnesses crooned their approval until it crescendoed into a burst of joyous laughter.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

Belle clung to his arm as everyone showered them with congratulations. He saw in her shy, confused gaze that the lie was a problem for her too. One of the things he admired most about Belle was her unwillingness to hide her true thoughts. It used to border on annoying, August remembered, but now it would be closer to upsetting. The people who surrounded and supported them did not deserve to celebrate a fake marriage; it was just another added layer of security against Belle’s unstable past.

Moments later, August was reminded again they were doing the right thing. They were halfway down the courthouse steps when Tom Conway appeared. He had obviously followed Starla’s truck and was lurking around in the parking lot. Now he centered himself on the sidewalk and glared up at them.

“Whatever you tried won’t work,” he told them in lieu of a greeting. “My lawyers can run circles around these rural yahoos. I’ll get what’s mine.”

Belle held on tighter to August, but she did not shrink away. He knew that took an amazing amount of strength given what her ex had put her through, and August’s heart swelled with pride.

“Unless you’re here to offer us congratulations, I suggest you leave,” August growled. “My wife and I have no room in our wedding plans for your nonsense.”

“Wife?” The harsh shock in Tom’s voice was a warning. The narcissistic man could not imagine he would not get his own way in everything.

The small wedding party stood on the courthouse steps and did not move as he paced back and forth in front of them like a predator. August had no intention of wasting more breath on Belle’s ex, and she seemed to feel the same. They just waited for him to make his scene and move out of the way.

“What a sham! A circus!” He snarled at them finally. “This isn’t even legal. We’re already married in the eyes of the law.”

“You’ll have to prove that in court.” Mr. Penn appeared and moved to stand in front of the group.

“Done,” Tom snapped. He stared at Belle as if he could still make her bend to his will.

“Doubtful,” Mr. Penn retorted. “Discrediting Ms. Danson’s opinion on the matter and the powerful personal and professional witnesses on her side will be next to impossible.”

Her ex scoffed. “But I’m the wealthier partner; no one will believe I’m choosing to share half my earnings with her for anything but the truth.”

Mr. Penn sighed. “Of course, you are underestimating these rural yahoos who have been witness to your financial demands and threats. And there is the small matter of this completely legal and binding wedding certificate. It makes any insubstantial evidence you may think you have completely moot.”

Livid, Tom Conway had no choice but to pull out his cell phone, make a show of calling his legal team, and walk away. August turned to thank Mr. Penn but immediately rescinded his gratitude as he saw his brothers arriving en masse.

“You told them?” August groaned.

“Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea,” Belle said quietly.

August looked down, and she nodded down the sidewalk. Her ex was still yelling into his phone, but he turned around and headed their way again. His harsh words and heavy gait distracted August’s brothers, and all five of them changed direction to intercept him.

Faced with the majority of the Rolston brothers dominating the narrow sidewalk, Tom Conway had little choice but to slow down, then stop. He hurled some frustrated declaration at them, then turned around and finally left.

Hetty, shoved to the back of the bristling male group, was the first to arrive on the courthouse steps. She hugged Belle and beamed at them both. “Don’t listen to a word your brothers say. I think it is wonderfully romantic that you got married on the spur of the moment!”

Bethany was next, unable to hide her smile under a pretend pout. “Congratulations, you two! I’m just sad you didn’t let me host your wedding.”

“Freddie is still at work, same with Sophia. They will be over the moon when they hear your news!” Hetty told Belle. Then she sighed. “Brace yourself; your brothers-in-law are here.”

Seeing the sharp look on Hetty’s face, each brother first offered Belle gentle and sincere congratulations, then they turned on their brother.

“You couldn’t call or even text?” Dean grumbled.

Theo snorted. “He could have dropped hints and let the Isabel gossip train deliver the news!”

Topher laughed. “I get it, brother, but I wish you would have at least told me. You know I love an event.”

“Congrats and good luck having to hear about this for the rest of your life,” Drake said, rolling his eyes at the others.

Sutton chucked August on the shoulder. “We built and run an entire wedding venue, and you get married at the courthouse!”

August was annoyed at how his brothers jostled him and Belle around on the courthouse steps. It wasn’t enough that her ex had appeared and continued his threats; now his brothers had to overwhelm her? He put a protective arm around her and cleared the men out of the way. Down the steps, August pulled her aside and checked to see how Belle was handling everything.

“They’re too much, I know,” he told her. “How are you holding up?”

Belle’s gaze was radiant as she marveled, “I finally have the law on my side, he can’t get to me anymore, and we’re surrounded by family. I mean, your family. I’ve never felt safer in my entire life.”

His brothers surrounded them again, good-naturedly demanding a wedding reception. August found himself nodding though he couldn’t take his eyes off Belle. She fit into the Rolstons so perfectly; did it have to be under false pretenses? It was impossible for August not to notice this was the future he had daydreamed for himself.

“There’s the steakhouse,” Dean suggested.

Belle corrected him instantly, “that doesn’t work for Vegans.”

“Well, the Bluebird Cafe is already packed, and I don’t think we want to wait for tables,” Drake pointed out.

“Perhaps the happy couple wants to spend some time alone,” Starla teased.

Mr. Penn agreed, winking at Starla. “I know I would.”

“A reception sounds fun.”

“I could eat.”

Belle and August spoke at the same time, smiling even as they tried to cover the fact theirs was simply a marriage of convenience. They were just now realizing that there were awkward details they had yet to think through and agree upon.

“August can grill vegetables, can’t he?” Dean grumbled.

Theo nodded. “Now you’re thinking. Can we tell him our surprise yet? I mean, we did sweat all morning for the brat while he was off enjoying a courthouse wedding.”

“What surprise?” August asked. He was still genuinely shocked his brothers rallied around him so naturally despite his long absence.

Drake grinned. “We headed out to the greenhouses this morning and cleaned up all the glass. The jagged panels are gone, and all the spills are cleaned up. On a day like today, it’s a big airy cathedral just waiting for a grill out and party.”

It was quickly decided, and the brothers split up again to gather what was needed. August took Belle’s hand and pulled her to his truck. She seemed dazed yet happily reluctant to leave the loud, busy knot of his family.

Then she looked at him, realizing they were finally alone, and her face fell. “I’m so sorry you have to lie to your family for me, August. I never meant to bring such trouble into your life.”

“You’re safe, Belle. That’s all that matters. Everyone deserves that, no matter what,” August assured her.

Now all he had to do was convince her she also deserved to be happy with him. For the rest of their lives.

CHAPTER 18

The only evidence left of her ex’s attack on the greenhouses were the open window panels. While the weather was warm and clear, the absent glass actually created a comfortable circulation of air, and the checkerboard appearance of the walls was actually quite charming. August’s brothers had also cleaned up all the damaged rows, and besides a few missing plants, the entire atmosphere of the greenhouses was back to growth potential.

Belle happily toured the rows with August while the others set up tables in the main section. Sophia arrived with trays of sweet treats, lamenting the fact she had not been commissioned to bake a wedding cake. Anna was pouting because she wanted to be a bridesmaid, but her smile returned when Freddie arrived with a local DJ. Working in the school, Freddie knew how to coordinate a dance, and Anna was delighted to help create a small dance floor and pick out her favorite tunes.

DeeDee arrived next with armfuls of decorations and, within a quarter of an hour, turned the greenhouses into a wonderland of white tulle, crystal suncatchers, and twinkle lights for after sunset.

Ben Summers and his wife brought a full array of grills, and soon the food was cooking, the music playing, and everyone was smiling from ear to ear.

By the time the sun touched the horizon, Belle felt like a hundred photos had been taken, but they lined up for more in the rosy light. It was hard not to cringe at the idea of revealing the fakery behind their nuptials, but she also found herself swept away by the group’s joy.

Was this meant to be?

Belle sipped tentatively at a glass of champagne as she watched her faux husband jostle with his brothers around the grill. August looked happy, not at all like someone who made an awkward sacrifice to save a near stranger. He looked at her from across the clean-swept entryway, and Belle could see the smile in his eyes.

She longed to make it reach his lips. Then, she blushed hotly as she remembered their second shared kiss at the courthouse. Belle could still feel the electricity of it from her hair to her toes.

Had August felt it too?

The rosy light faded to darkness, and DeeDee’s graceful webs of twinkle lights came on, creating an enchanting world inside the greenhouses. Now the crystal suncatchers reflected all the tiny lights, and the entire party seemed to glitter and glow. It was so beautiful, every inch Belle would have dreamed of in a wedding, that she suddenly felt tears fill her eyes.

August noticed in a flash and came to her side. “Are you okay?” He asked for the hundredth time that day.

Belle nodded. How could she tell him their lie was everything she had dreamed of and more? “I just need a little air, I think,” she told him.

He gently escorted her outside and waited in patient quiet as Belle sucked in big, calming breaths of the cool night. When she shivered, he slipped his gray suit coat around her shoulders and offered his arm. She wrapped her arms around it and pressed her cheek to his shoulder.

Realizing she had to balance the intimacy of their position with a dose of reality, Belle whispered, “we haven’t talked about where we are staying tonight.”

August chuckled; she could feel it. “We were so busy making all this look good and convincing, we didn’t factor in the wedding night. What do you want to do?”

She grew serious, drawing away far enough to look up at him. “I don’t know if we should stay at your trailer. It’s far from town, and I’m sure my ex has figured out your address by now.”

August frowned but nodded. “Plus, my family would be horrified if I made my new bride spend her wedding night in what they call a tin can.”

Belle giggled, but her mirth was interrupted by a strange sound out in the dark. There was a shuffling out in the scrub brush that surrounded the greenhouses, and it immediately sent goosebumps all up and down her arms.

“It could be a rabbit or a coyote,” August tried to reassure her, but his own tone was cautious and suspicious.

They listened again, and the shuffling turned to rhythmic thumps, like something trotting away just outside their field of vision. A shadow moved far off, but it could have just been a trick of the eye. Then headlights appeared far off in the distance, and they watched as a truck drove away in the night.

August quickly escorted Belle back into the party. Luckily their absence had sparked romantic speculation, and a loud cheer pushed their fears back out into the dark. Glasses chimed and clanked until they had no choice but to kiss.

“Now, I know you two are not spending the night at my place, so what’s the plan? Sleeping out under the stars?” Starla teased.

Belle couldn’t help but let one big worry bubble to the surface. “I don’t like the idea of you being alone,” she told her aunt.

Starla tried to wave off her niece’s concern, but she paled slightly as she said, “no need worrying about me. Tonight is your night!”

Unfortunately, there was a need to worry. Belle’s ex was still in town, even angrier than when he had arrived. Niece and aunt both remembered the fear he had caused simply by sitting in his sedan in Starla’s driveway. Now, after the events of the day, what extreme measures would he take to make his displeasure known?

“This is all my fault,” Belle said. She went to her aunt and hugged her. “I can’t possibly leave you alone and be happy!”

It may have been the easiest way out of an awkward night for Belle and August, but believing they were truly and happily married, Starla would have none of it. “Hush now and enjoy the last dance of your wedding. The DJ is still young enough to have a curfew and must go home soon.”

She and August danced to a country song that would be indelibly marked forevermore in Belle’s heart. Especially when she looked up and saw her faux husband mouthing the words he appeared to know so well. Belle dared to kiss him lightly, feeling the surprise run through his entire body as all their guests cheered again. It was only natural that a real married couple would do that, and Belle justified her temptation by how well they were playing their parts.

After the dance and the DJ’s exit, the party wound down quickly. DeeDee, always organized and easily in charge, had the place cleaned up and the trucks packed in record time. Belle was hugging her sisters-in-law goodbye when she overheard August talking with Sutton.

“Is he really still staying at the hotel?” August asked his youngest brother.

Sutton nodded. “I have no legal reason to kick him out, and the last thing any of us want to do is provoke him more. Besides, this way, the staff can help us keep an eye on him.”

“Is he in for the night?” August asked. His eyes darted to the darkness where they had seen the truck headlights.

Sutton checked his phone and nodded. “The front desk clerk texted that he just got back.”

Belle closed her eyes and squeezed them tight. Every single person was there that night because of her. She hated how far she had put everyone out, and they didn’t even know that her marriage was just a sham to fool her ex into leaving!

Now everyone was getting further involved with her ex, and she knew the results would be disastrous. Tom Conway was becoming increasingly out of control as he fought for what he believed was his. There was no reasoning with his narcissistic ideas, and Belle knew everyone connected to her was a threat to his self-image. He would try to get to each and every one of them, and it was her fault.

Belle swore she would do or say nothing else to worry the people who surrounded her. They deserved better than her problems. She had just promised herself that when Alessa walked up with her phone.

One look at her friend’s pale and drawn face, and Belle knew she wouldn’t be able to keep her promise. “What is it?” She asked Alessa.

“He messaged you. It’s an unknown number, but it has to be him,” Alessa said. She reluctantly held out Belle’s phone.

“You paid for the Balfor’s party, and you’ll pay for this,” August read out loud over her shoulder.

Belle shrank back from the phone and covered her hands with her eyes. She had contradicted her ex publicly at his important friends’ party, and she had paid for it later. In a rage, Tom locked her in the pantry and told her if she was going to act like a rat, she had to live like one. He then told the household staff she was ill, and they could take the weekend off in order for him to nurse her in private. He released her on Monday, after 48 hours, and told the staff she was still feverish so no one would believe her even if she dared tell.

“You’re staying in the ranch house, and that’s that,” Topher announced.

August bristled at his younger brother’s high-handed tone. “What makes you think we want to share our night with you?”

Topher smirked at August and informed him, “we are living in Sophia’s cottage. “Because of that, I had a fancy security system installed at the ranch house, not to mention the wrought-iron gates at the end of the driveway have working locks.”

Belle was about to tell him thank you, but she couldn’t leave Starla when Sophia intuited her problem and said, “there is plenty of room for your aunt. She can take her pick of two other floors. I just suggest that you and August take the master suite on the second floor. It’s the closest thing to a honeymoon suite that we have.”

Before she or her aunt could protest such generosity, Starla’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and it was not hard to tell she had also received a threatening message from Belle’s ex. Her aunt refused to share the message, but the fact it had been received was enough to make the entire party insist they take Topher’s offer.

The partygoers even drove them to the gate, making sure the couple arrived safely and waving as the gates locked behind them. Topher gave them a quick run-down of the security systems, then pointed the way through the garden to Sophia’s cottage if they needed him. Starla chose a guest room in the corner of the first floor, so she could hear trouble at the front gates but nothing from the master suite. She winked at them and went to bed.

“I haven’t been in here since that fancy luncheon you catered,” Belle exclaimed. She walked around the elegant ranch home’s front parlor in awe.

“I stayed here with Topher when I first came back to Texas, so I promise I won’t let you get lost,” August joked. He tugged at his open collar nervously. “Late night snack? Late night TV? Hot shower, um, some privacy? What do you want to do?” He asked.

Belle smiled. “First, I want to thank you. Then I’m going to spend a lifetime thinking of how I can thank your family. What bride gets such a beautiful reception and then an entire ranch house as her honeymoon suite?!”

“You deserve it, Belle. You really do,” August told her.

She wished she believed him, but Belle still thought of herself as the useless, unlovable person her ex had tried to make her be. Her heart was heavy with doubt and guilt, so Belle opted to unpack and shower while August claimed he had to catch up on the news. He showed her to the master suite, and she waited shyly until she heard the television flip on downstairs.

Starla brought an overnight bag to the courthouse, unsure how the rest of their elopement was going to work, and Belle carefully unpacked it in the luxurious master suite. A wide four-poster bed was centered in the airy room, facing an equally wide fireplace inlaid with dozens of white candles. There was a loveseat and two chairs flanking the fireplace with enough room at the end of the bed for a large Chesterfield-style bench. A polished wood wardrobe and matching dresser stood on one wall, while the other was crowned by French doors that opened onto a slim, private balcony.

It was beautiful, and for the thousandth time that day, Belle could not believe her luck. She said a quick prayer to her mother’s soul and the guardian angels she was sure were looking out for her. How else would she have landed in such a safe and wonderful place?

She just wished it was all for real.

Feeling that she was putting August out, Belle showered quickly and shyly invited him up to the suite. He looked equally awkward as he came inside, but his expression quickly turned to a frown when she sat down on the loveseat.

“You are not sleeping there,” he said.

Belle had made up the small sofa with the extra pillows and blankets she had found in the walk-in closet. “I fit perfectly. Don’t worry about it.”

August’s expression turned thunderous. “No Rolston bride is about to sleep on a tiny sofa on her wedding night.”

Belle held her chin up. “Well, no Rolston is either.”

“We can’t have your aunt peeking in here and discovering one or the other of us has slept on the loveseat,” August argued. “We need everyone to help us keep up the image that this is real, so your ex doesn’t have a leg to stand on in court.”

“I know, but I’m not going to make you uncomfortable just because my aunt may or may not get nosy,” Belle told him.

August frowned. “I’ll be uncomfortable if you’re sleeping on that tiny sofa.”

“And I’ll be uncomfortable if you try to play the martyr and sleep on the floor!”

“Fine,” August barked. “It’s agreed. We’ll both share the bed.”

Their eyes widened at the same time. It was a king-sized bed, so it wasn’t a completely outlandish idea, but it made their situation all the more intimate. To prove they could make it work, August immediately gathered up an armful of pillows and created a wall down the center of the bed.

It still felt strange to crawl under the covers with him so close.

Belle was glad the lights were out as she blushed, but then August fell asleep, and she realized how deeply comforting it was to have him beside her. She drifted into a safe and comfortable sleep, knowing he was with her, temporary or not.

CHAPTER 19

Having to work on the greenhouse project again was the most normal thing August and Belle could ask for in the days that followed their surprise wedding. It put them back on familiar footing, and they were soon working side-by-side as well as they always did. The only difference came in the form of sleek turquoise and silver wedding bands they both wore.

“Turquoise represents protection,” Starla had told them when she presented them with her gift. “I noticed you weren’t exchanging rings at the ceremony, so I chose silver because I assumed you wouldn’t accept anything too fancy.”

Starla was right; neither he nor Belle could have lived with themselves if her aunt had blown a fortune on rings for a marriage that wasn’t real. She was also right in her choice of turquoise because it helped August remember the reason he had proposed the fake marriage in the first place. He found himself looking at his ring often, and it helped him keep Belle’s protection foremost in his mind.

That reminded him of the other big change at the greenhouses. A small posse of intimidating cowboys rode the perimeter of the property as a wedding gift from Theo. He and Hetty had recruited the sharpest shooters and toughest brawlers from their ranch workers and assigned them as temporary guards. Despite their rough appearance, they tipped their hats whenever they saw Belle, and August knew they had a healthy fear of displeasing their boss; Hetty would not take lightly to them upsetting her friend.

So, August and Belle rose together every morning, drove together to the greenhouses, were greeted by the guard posse, and got to work repairing the windows and planting the new crops. The first few days fell into an easy rhythm, and August found himself enjoying the new pace of his life.

After work, they harvested their own dinner, and August cooked in the large chef’s kitchen at the ranch house. Belle always sat on a stool at the kitchen island as if she was watching a cooking show and delighted in the things he thought to cook. August was grateful to have found someone who enjoyed Vegan cuisine and was an adventurous eater as well. Starla, preferring a carnivorous diet, gave them their privacy, and the newly married couple created their own peaceful world.

August wondered if a real marriage to Belle would be so idyllic. He couldn’t help imagining them continuing on as they were for years. Belle also seemed to enjoy their respite as she started to relax and smile more. She even started pestering August about new and complicated projects.

His reticence to her ideas may have been their only source of arguments until August found the letter. “When were you going to tell me about this?” He demanded one morning over coffee.

Belle looked pained as she saw the letter he was talking about, but she drew her eyebrows together angrily and hissed, “I don’t actually have to tell you everything, remember?”

“So, he’s got his lawyers demanding payment, and you don’t think it has anything to do with our deal?” August answered in an equally angry whisper.

“Why is this making you angry?” Belle asked. “Are you really surprised he’s trying a different angle?”

August scowled. “What I’m surprised about is your complete lack of trust in me.”

Belle blinked, her mouth forming a perfect O. “You don’t think I trust you? I married you!”

“You know what I mean,” August retorted, realizing their voices were getting louder and Starla might hear.

“And do you know that marrying you meant you also have access to my trust fund?” Belle continued. “Do you understand how much trust I had to feel in order to go ahead and let that happen? It could have been jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire!”

August held up both hands, trying to calm her back down. “I get it. You’re right.”

But Belle’s emotions were already up, and she couldn’t stop. “Maybe I should just use my stupid trust fund to pay him off and get rid of him for good.”

August snapped, “absolutely not. You cannot under any circumstances let him win. You will not pay Tom Conway one cent.”

Belle narrowed her eyes and gave him the same arrogant, stubborn look she used to when she was his employee. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

He used to always remind her he was her boss, but now August barked, “I’m your husband. That’s who!”

The irony of his argument struck them both, and Belle spluttered into giggles. She raised an eyebrow at him and asked, “How’s that working out for you?”

August groaned. “I sound like my father. Is that what marriage is going to do to me? Turn me into Rolston Senior?”

“From what I remember him saying about Mother, she would have gone straight for her bullwhip if he had said something along those lines.” Drake stood in the door smirking at his brother. He took off his hat for Belle and told her, “for the record, I’m with August and think you shouldn’t pay that man a single cent.”

August was relieved his younger brother had not heard any more than that. Still, he frowned at him. “What brings you over here unannounced?”

“A wedding gift,” Drake said.

He led them outside, and Belle laughed out loud. Tied to the back of Drake’s horse trailer was Eddie, glaring at them. He neighed angrily when he saw August.

“I come out and feed you and give you treats every day, don’t give me that,” August yelled from the front porch. “Bringing Eddie for a vacation in Topher’s fancy stables is not exactly my idea of a wedding present, Drake. Thanks a lot.”

Drake snorted. “The present is for Belle.”

He sauntered down the steps, around Eddie, and led a beautiful charcoal gray mare out from behind the trailer. She had a white mane where Eddie’s was black, and her coloring faded in the same ombré shading just in the opposite colors. Dark gray faded down her legs to a dove color and then into pure white socks on every leg. As she passed the older horse, she bared her teeth, and Drake chuckled.

“She matches ol’ Eddie in spirit but far surpasses him in beauty,” he told Belle.

August watched Belle run down the steps and coo over the horse. “What’s her name?”

“That’s for you to decide,” Drake said. He left Belle with her new mare and joined his brother on the front porch.

“That’s too generous,” August said.

“Not at all,” Drake disagreed immediately.

August was crushed thinking how attached Belle would get to the horse, and how hard it would be to return when they finally revealed the temporary nature of their union. “Us getting married shouldn’t be that big of a thing,” he told August.

“You trying to martyr yourself again?” Drake asked. His acute gaze studied his brother. “Are you planning to break up our family again, just when the elders are finally warming up to you?”

Drake could tell something was off with August. He had always been the best brother at sniffing out inconsistencies and lies. August needed to distract him with something; otherwise, he’d figure out the reason behind their quick marriage.

“I’m not a martyr. I’m just worried about Belle,” August admitted, trading one truth to cover up another. “He had his lawyers send a demand for compensation. She thinks maybe paying him will be the easiest way to get him off our backs.”

Drake flexed his jaw, not quite believing his brother but taking the bait. “Why don’t you let us take care of the payment? Mr. Penn can make sure it’s ironclad, and the Rolston family can easily cover the cost.”

August slashed his hands in front of him, cutting off that idea. “If Belle found out we paid it, she would insist on paying it back. That would mean she’d end up using her trust fund money on that creep anyway! I can’t let that happen.”

“Why would she feel the need to pay back her husband?” Drake asked.

After that slip-up, August needed a bigger distraction, so he called down to Belle. “Have you decided on a name yet?”

Belle grinned up at them. “How about Chrissy?”

“How about we take Eddie and Chrissy for a ride?” August asked. He marched down the steps and joined Belle with her new horse. He kissed her cheek, hoping his brother saw it all as perfectly normal for a married couple.

Belle blushed, still not used to the expected affection. “Will you ride with us?” She asked Drake.

He nodded. “I’ll borrow one of Topher’s horses. Then I can tell you all about how I found Eddie’s perfect match.”

To August’s dismay, Drake and Freddie, along with Alessa’s help, had chosen the perfect saddle and bridle for Belle’s new horse. The wedding present was perfect, but he worried about the expense and how they would feel when they found out the truth. By then, horse and rider would be bonded, and his brother would just take the loss rather than divide them.

They rode out together along one of Topher’s many groomed trails. Knowing that he and Belle had to make a good show of being married, August nudged his horse alongside hers. “Drake, will you ride back and make sure I shut the front gate?”

While his brother was gone, August quickly explained. “I think Drake is suspicious about how quickly we got married. We have to convince him we’re in love.”

Belle blushed but nodded, and when she saw Drake returning along the trail, she laid a hand lovingly on August’s cheek. “Don’t worry,” she whispered with an endearing smile for his brother’s benefit. “We can do this.”

It was easy to get into their roles as the ride was picturesque. Eddie and Chrissy were a good match and bumped along side-by-side, not wanting the other to get ahead but not minding being so close either. He and Belle held hands, shared smiles, and teased each other with little inside jokes they had gathered over the last few days of living together so closely.

“Can we ride along the road and see Sophia’s cottage?” Belle asked, obviously enjoying her present.

The men agreed, and August jumped down to open the gate. When he came back to mount Eddie, he glanced up at Belle and found her smiling down at him. It seemed so natural and so easy to lean in for a kiss. The moment her lips touched his, August felt as if electricity flowed straight through him and out the heels of his boots. Every time they touched, he felt the same shock of connection and desire.

Drake recognized it too, and chuckled. “Get going, love birds, I have a wife and kid to get home to, you know.”

August shot his brother a surly look, glad he was convinced while annoyed that he had interrupted. What would he do when he and Belle ended their temporary union? August knew he would always long to be this close to her again.

His dreamy thoughts were short-lived as they moved off the groomed trail and onto the road. Sophia’s cottage was not far, and the country road was seldom used, but they could all hear the rattle of an approaching truck. Still scared after the truck incident with her ex, Belle looked around with wide eyes.

“It can’t be,” she said in dismay.

None of them could see the driver behind the glint of the windshield, but it seemed likely it was her vindictive ex when the truck sped up.

“Get those old fence posts, drag them into the road,” Drake yelled. “That’ll slow him down.”

August leaped off Eddie, calling over his shoulder. “Get Belle back on the trail where he can’t follow. I’ll deal with him!”

August was glad his brother was there, despite his close inspection of their marriage, because Drake was an expert horseman. He caught the reins of Belle’s horse and urged them into a gallop. Seeing a low point in the fence line that separated the road from Topher’s property, Drake encouraged her to hang on. They made the jump easily and disappeared into the underbrush.

The truck barreled down the road, just barely stopping before it crashed over the haphazardly stacked fence posts. August was breathing hard but yelled, “get out of your truck and face me like a man, Conway!”

Belle’s ex blared his horn and scared Eddie away up the street. Then he laughed and cranked the truck into reverse. If he planned to ram August, he miscalculated how easy it was for August to jump the fence and put a barrier in between them.

Over the fence, August yelled at him again, “this ends here!”

Tom Conway put his truck into park, unwound the window, and laughed at August. “Said like a true fool. You know she’s not worth it. Damaged goods, if you know what I mean. Didn’t she tell you how many times she cheated on me? She could barely contain herself in Houston. Belle didn’t deserve my discretion, just like she doesn’t deserve your misplaced affection.”

August knew the manipulative man would try to turn him against Belle, but his words were so distasteful they made him sick. “Take your lies and get out of town,” August told him, stone-faced.

Annoyed that he couldn’t get a rise out of August, Tom tried again. “Maybe you don’t mind sharing such an unchristian woman. Is that how you like them out here in the middle-of-nowhere Texas? Well, good luck. Just watch your wallet and your valuables. Bet she already told you about her shoplifting problem, didn’t she?”

“You’re the problem,” August pointed out.

Tom gave a nasty laugh. “She makes you believe that doesn’t she?”

August was aware of what gaslighting was, and it sickened him how Tom thought he could use it on anyone. He could hardly stand the idea of Belle surviving his constant barrage of lies. Balling his hands into fists, August tried again. “Get out of town before you find out just how unwelcome you are.”

“I’ll leave when I get what’s mine,” Tom snarled.

A gunshot puffed the dirt up at Toms feet. August didn’t even flinch. “How about now? You ready to leave yet?”

Jameson appeared on the road, having heard Belle’s distress as he was working in Topher’s barn. He raised the rifle to his shoulder again and waited for a sign from August.

Tom looked from August to Jameson, then back. He had no choice but to spit more lies at August as he climbed back into his truck. Finally, he drove away, and Belle appeared from the bushes behind Jameson.

“Thank God!” She flew down the road just as August jumped over the fence to meet her.

Their roles as a caring couple came naturally as Belle flung herself into August’s waiting arms. They hugged tightly enough to convince the most suspicious spectator that their love was real.

CHAPTER 20

Belle was not surprised when the Rolston brothers arrived at the ranch house to go over the latest incident with her ex. It was hard for them not to immediately want to march into town and confront him, but they were respecting her wishes and not provoking him.

“Besides,” Theo pointed out, “it’d be too easy to provoke him, and where’s the fun in that?”

“Where’s the fun in their honeymoon?” Topher asked. He had been suggesting exotic locations all week. From what Belle gathered, he was an expert on jet-setting around the globe. “My friend’s villa in Spain is still open.”

It was tempting, but Belle was relieved when Sutton offered a simple solution. “How about a staycation?”

“What on earth is that?” August growled.

Belle laughed, trying to head off his natural instinct to oppose all new ideas. “It’s a vacation where you purposely stay put and enjoy where you are.”

Drake snorted. “I can see him now: reading romance novels on the front porch, taking a bubble bath, and not going stir crazy at all.”

August frowned at him and surprised everyone. “Actually, that sounds like a great idea. A staycation honeymoon. By the way, do people bring their families on staycation honeymoons?”

“No,” Drake said.

“Good. Then get out.”

So, it was settled that August and Belle would stick to the ranch house, and everyone would give them space for their honeymoon. Starla could easily stay out of their way as she had created her own oasis, complete with a grill, on the back porch outside her room. She could come and go from there and only pop in when she needed supplies from the refrigerator.

It meant Belle and August had to keep sharing a room to keep up their pretense, but they could lay low in peace. No one mentioned the reason for such an idea was that everyone hoped her ex would calm down and give up.

If only Tom Conway would let the lawyers fight it out, especially since Mr. Penn was clearly winning the letter war. Starla called him regularly to check on his progress and happily passed along the frustrated yet futile responses he invoked.

“Doesn’t your ex have a fancy job in Houston?” Dean asked as he allowed August to shoo him out the door.

Belle nodded but sighed. “He’s a surgeon, which means he can schedule his own patients and take as much time off as he wants.”

After everyone left, Belle and August fell into another comfortable rhythm. August would get up early to check in with his new employees at the greenhouses and pace the front porch, but he always brought Belle a cup of coffee first. She let him range around while on the phone as she took Drake’s advice and sat on their balcony and read a romance novel. Then she would join August for a late breakfast.

The majority of their day was spent in the huge, gourmet chef’s kitchen. August would get inspired after breakfast and start plotting a new menu. He would gather ingredients and explain his plans as Belle helped out where she could. They decided they would go for a horseback ride around the inside of the property, then return for a simple lunch.

In the lead-up to August’s sumptuous dinners, Belle took to bringing her laptop into the kitchen so she could work as well. She tinkered with her online portfolio and finally launched it as its own website.

August was concocting a new filling for lettuce wraps when Belle discovered her website had been hacked. “All of the links open a pop-up window that calls me a bad name,” she cried.

They would never be able to prove it, but it was clearly the work of her ex. He must have hired someone to mess up the site, and they even managed to delete all her uploaded photos and plans. Her portfolio and her window for finding new work were totally ruined.

“Don’t let him get to you,” August told her. “Just start over. You have to show him you can’t be beaten.”

“Who knows how much he paid the hackers or how long they’ll get paid for trashing my work,” Belle said. She refused to cry, but her voice shook.

Hearing her distress, August came around the kitchen island and embraced her tightly. “Then we’ll get you more work without a website. You know what this place really needs?”

Belle glanced around the top-end kitchen and couldn’t imagine a single thing was missing. “What?” She asked.

“A greenhouse,” August declared.

He made Belle laugh, and she started to feel better. Maybe it was his suggestion or simply the feel of his arms, warm and protective, around her. “Shouldn’t you check with Topher?” She asked.

“No,” August said, “but I’m definitely going to make him pay for it. Your work is expensive.”

The next day, he skipped his front porch pacing and brought Belle her coffee in a to-go mug. “I’ve got food all packed. Let’s ride out and find the perfect place for your new project.”

Eddie was ornery at the change of schedule but couldn’t let Chrissy go without him, so the horses rode along side-by-side again. Topher had already told them the story of Anna’s butterfly garden and how it had brought him and Sophia back together, so August led them out the back of the property.

“It shouldn’t be too far from the house if it’s going to be practical,” Belle told him. “Maybe just over that hill so his fancy guests can’t see it from the ballroom.”

Starla couldn’t see them either, but Belle and August continued their roles as newlyweds. August helped her down from her horse and held her waist just a little too long. Belle reached for his arm as they tramped through the long grass. And they sat close together on the blanket Belle spread out as August spread out a picnic feast. They didn’t return to the ranch house until it was almost dinner time.

Starla was in the kitchen when they arrived. “I have to say I didn’t think you two workaholics were going to be able to pull off a staycation, but you seem to be enjoying yourselves.”

Belle blushed. “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

“Oh, no. Thank you.” Starla grinned. “I’m just glad to see you two getting so close.”

The next morning, Belle realized they were getting too close. She woke up from a delicious dream to find herself lying half on top of August. He was still asleep on his back, one arm curled gently around her. Belle was snuggled in with her cheek against her chest, and though she knew it was wrong, she couldn’t help but linger just a minute longer.

Then, August woke with a start, realized their position, and started apologizing profusely. He leaped out of bed and rushed down the hall to use the bathroom and get dressed. Belle buried her face in her pillow, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Had she forced August to take things too far? He seemed so uncomfortable to find her in his arms. Belle had to remind herself he was just faking the marriage in order to protect her. That didn’t mean he was attracted to her. She imagined he was a gallant enough man that he would do the same thing for any number of women. That sent the burning from her cheeks to her chest.

Was she such a fool to have fallen in love with a lie?

By the time she got downstairs for breakfast, August was apologizing again. “I have to go into town and meet my brothers. I’ll let you know what Mr. Penn says and what Sutton has to say about where your ex has gone.”

“He’s not at the hotel anymore?” Belle asked.

August frowned and shook his head. “Everyone thinks he’s still in town, but we don’t know where. That’s why you’re staying here today.”

“I can’t go with you?” Belle was insulted. “You can’t keep me locked up like I’m Rapunzel in a tower.”

“I’m not, but your aunt is also gone, and I need someone to deal with the delivery that should arrive in about an hour,” August said. Since no one was around, he skipped kissing her and left without another word.

Belle drank coffee and tried not to let herself think about the dead end her relationship with August had hit. She almost wished they could go back to boss and employee just so she had a chance. Now, there was a definite wall between them as they struggled to keep up the lie she had forced on him.

Luckily, the delivery turned out to be a porch full of women. Her sisters-in-law surprised Belle with a huge guilty-pleasure lunch of hamburgers and cheese curds. There were sodas and candy bars and all the smiling faces of her friends. Sophia brought her daughter Anna, and Bethany even brought baby May.

They cheered her up immensely, and it was hard to be unhappy with the chatter and chaos. Belle held the baby, let Anna braid her hair, heard all about Freddie’s new idea for a dance fitness class, and tried Sophia’s new fudge recipe. Hetty asked all about her horse, and Bethany brought her samples of new fancy beauty products.

When Hetty asked where the downstairs powder room was, Belle was unsure. She laughed and admitted, “I really only spend time in the bedroom, the kitchen, and the barn.”

The women hooted with laughter.

“Sounds like a good honeymoon to me!” Freddie laughed.

Belle longed to tell them how close she and August had become, but she held her tongue. It wasn’t fair for her to make them think their marriage was a success when it was only a temporary fix to her problem.

It didn’t matter that she and August had discovered a mutual love for mystery novellas; they now loved reading them aloud together and trying to solve the mystery before the main characters. She couldn’t gush about the afternoon a package arrived, and it was a mystery board game. August presented it to her, and they ripped it open like children.

The marriage wasn’t real, and soon the truth would come out. When that happened, she would lose her wonderful sisters-in-law. Would they ever speak to her again? And worse, would she ever see August after they annulled the marriage?

As if her thoughts had conjured him, August appeared in the doorway with Topher and Sutton on his heels. They were greeted merrily by the roomful of women, and it took a while for August to make his way through to Belle’s side. She expected him to be as disconnected as he had been that morning, but he slipped his hand around hers. Belle tried to tell herself it was only because there were other people present, but her entire body thrilled at the contact.

“Did you find where he disappeared to?” Bethany asked.

Sophia sighed. “I wished he would just go back to Houston, though then I’ll feel bad for the women of Houston.”

Topher frowned. “The postmaster said someone had been asking where my home was, but they refused to give out the information.”

“And we asked around town, but no one has seen him since yesterday,” August told Belle, disappointed. “Mr. Penn hasn’t received any more demands, so at least there’s that good news.”

If that was what passed for good news in Belle’s life, she was glad August would soon be free of her. Who needed someone whose life was so full of problems?

She was still thinking such melancholy thoughts when she heard August kicking everyone out. “You had your visit. You ate hamburgers all over the front parlor. Now it’s time for you to move on, ladies.”

His sisters-in-law all smiled, completely immune to the Rolston grumpiness. They took their turns saying goodbye to Belle and making future plans with her. Dance class with Freddie, breakfast with Bethany the baby, Sophia’s day date for Anna’s recital, and horseback riding with Hetty,

August waved them out the door and shut it behind him. Then he turned and caught Belle just as she burst into tears. “Whoa, wait! What’s the matter? You want me to invite them back?”

“No, they’re too nice. They are the most wonderful friends I’ve ever had,” Belle sobbed.

“What’s wrong with that?” August caught her hands and pulled her close.

“They’ll hate me when they find out this was all just a lie to trick my ex. Our marriage is just an awful sham to save my pathetic self from an awful past, and now it’s ruining my future.”

She hadn’t meant to cry in front of August or tell him even the smallest sliver of her woes. He was such a good man. He was already hugging her and trying to come up with solutions. Belle pushed him away.

“I don’t think I can do this anymore; it’s too hard,” she told him.

August nodded. “No one thought you’d be able to put up with me this long.”

“I’m not kidding!” She cried. “I can’t keep lying.”

He gathered her back against his chest. “They’ll understand, Belle. They all want you to be safe too. We’re doing this so you can stay in Isabel and have a future here.”

Belle shook her head and turned away again. “It’ll never be the same. The problem is that I want a family like yours. I grew up an only child. I was always so shy and unsure. Your family is full of life and energy. And I. . . No. Nevermind.”

August took her gently by the shoulders and made her face him. “What? You can tell me, Belle. What is it?”

“The truth is I want a marriage like this one. I want an easy routine and working together in the same room and reading mystery novels and everything,” her shoulders slumped in his hands.

August chewed his lip, totally uncertain what to say, so she slipped from his hands again and walked to the door. “Why can’t you have this marriage?” He croaked.

Belle scoffed. “Why not? You only proposed to me out of pity and to save me from a horrible ex. You were my boss, never my boyfriend. We never even dated! The truth is you were never interested in me until I needed protecting, and you thought it was your duty to help. Marriages should be built on love, not heroics, and I don’t want to always be the damsel in distress.”

With that, Belle shut the den door between them, and spent the night alone.

CHAPTER 21

August spent the entire night wondering where he had gone wrong. Maybe he shouldn’t have dictated that Belle stay home, but how else was he supposed to keep her safe? He berated himself for taking too surly of a tone with her. August knew how he appeared to other people, stoic and prone to scowling, and now he wondered if that was all that Belle saw.

Who would want to be married to that?

After meeting her ex-boyfriend and piecing together the way he had leveled her life, August wished for Belle to find someone better. Much better. Even better than a grumpy, vegan boss who tricked her into marrying him without actually expressing how much he cared for her. Belle deserved to be with someone who laughed easily and cherished her with every warm, smiling glance.

Instead, she had leaned on someone who was stuck in his ways, resistant to new ideas, and completely wrong for her.

No. August reminded himself he could protect her. Between him and his brothers, they would rid her and Isabel of the horrible Tom Conway. She would be free. Even of August. He would admit the plan to Mr. Penn and get annulment papers so Belle did not have to feel beholden to another man.

August was glad he had prepared himself because the next morning, it appeared Belle had made similar decisions. She was reserved when they ran into each other over the coffee maker, and it was clear she wasn’t ready to talk. He worried that she would sink into self-doubt, fear, or any other number of terrible ruts her ex had carved into her memory; Belle instead seemed to be collecting herself.

He was sad when she did not join him for lunch or sit at the kitchen island and chat with him as he concocted new things for their dinner. August still made her dinner, a simmering vegetable stew, and left it for her to serve up herself. When she did not appear, he ventured into the rest of the house and found her in the den, working on her computer.

She was starting over.

It was the best thing she could do for herself, and August felt a strange tug of sorrow and love in his chest. Belle was rebuilding her life on her terms, and he loved that she had the safety and space to do that. He was just mourning the fact that he was not involved.

That night, Belle gently moved out of the master suite and chose a room down the hallway. She didn’t have to explain, but August did hear her whisper, “I’m sorry.” He tried to hold on to those words all night.

He couldn’t sleep without her by his side.

The next day August was pleasantly shocked to discover Belle by the coffeemaker, waiting to talk to him. “Good morning,” he said, not nearly as hopefully as he felt.

“Can I get a ride with you to the greenhouses?” She asked, handing him a mug of coffee.

He accepted the coffee but couldn’t help shaking his head at her suggestion. “We don’t know where your ex has gone. So far, the greenhouses were his biggest target. It doesn’t seem like a good idea for you to go there of all places.”

Belle scowled, and August realized she was mirroring his regular expression. “I let fear dominate my life for too long. I have a meeting at the greenhouses, and I’m not about to miss it.”

August knew he should be softer with her, but his teeth were gritted tight. He was losing Belle, but he wasn’t about to fail in his vow to protect her. Even if she was the one making it nearly impossible. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Then get your own ride,” Belle snapped. She snatched up his truck keys from the kitchen island and took off for the door.

August was so surprised he spilled his coffee. Then he grinned. Belle’s unexpected show of strength made his heart sing, and he didn’t mind running to catch a ride with her.

Belle, on the other hand, glared at him from the driver’s seat. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, August, but I need to take care of things myself,” she told him as she drove.

August shrugged, “and I just needed a ride to work.”

His good mood faded when they arrived at the greenhouses, and August saw who Belle was meeting. Topher stood in the doorway and waved at them with a wide grin. He greeted them with a box of Sophia’s donuts, but powdered sugar did not soften August’s frown.

“Why him?” He grumbled to Belle.

She smiled at his familiar surliness. “I liked your idea of a greenhouse at the ranch house. After all, a lot of your showcase catering happens there; why not show off how you get such fresh produce?”

“And advertise your own business as well,” August added.

Belle raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that a problem?”

It wasn’t. In fact, August decided it was a good sign. Building her next project in his brother’s backyard meant that, no matter what happened with them, Belle planned to stay in Isabel. It also meant she was not planning to sever all ties with his family once the truth came out about their false marriage.

“Only if you expect me to take orders from Topher,” August told her.

Belle laughed, and August felt it like a shockwave. How was it she was able to smile and laugh when he was at his surliest? Was it possible she saw past his crusty exterior like he had once hoped?

Topher also laughed. “Good. It’s all decided. We’ll take orders from Belle and ignore each other. Works for me.”

August watched as Belle spread her new sketches over the checkout counter and discussed her plans with Topher. He had orders to get ready for the Bluebird Cafe and the steakhouse in town, but he lingered, hoping the new project meant Belle still wanted him on the fringes of her new life.

When they were done, Topher demanded August walk him to his truck. “I need a little big brother’s advice.”

Not fooled at all, August reluctantly followed him outside. “What now? Did you hear something about Tom Conway?”

Topher sighed. “Not yet, but we will. You need to stop fixating on him and start focusing on your marriage. It seems like the honeymoon is over?”

August narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you and Belle seem distant. Is everything okay?” Topher asked.

He should have just told him the truth, but August took the opportunity to get free love advice based on his brother's assumption. “Belle’s worst fears have manifested and taken their best shots at her. She’s rebuilding her life, and I’m just not sure she needs another man overshadowing her growth.”

“You’re worried she doesn’t really want you around?” Topher whacked his shoulder in sympathy. “I hear that. About five times a day I wonder why Sophia puts up with me.”

That made August feel marginally better. “So, what do you do?”

“I just make it clear that I want to be with her, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work,” Topher admitted.

Topher swung another sympathetic whack August’s way but he sidestepped it. “Thanks. Now get out of here, I’m busy.”

Luckily, August really was busy filing the orders and helping load the trucks with fresh produce. It was the only way to work off his anger without letting Belle see how upset he was. Why hadn’t he just told her how he felt?

Belle had been standing in front of him, crying about the things she wanted but thought she would never have, and he had said nothing. If he had spoken up, and told her that he wanted the same things with her, would she have stayed in the master suite? August knew it was ridiculous, but he had daydreamed they would just come together and make their marriage real. There wouldn’t be any need to tell people they had lied; they would just start living the truth.

August knew it didn’t work that way. Marriages couldn’t be built on a public lie, especially not Belle’s. She deserved to live openly and happily, and once she got her ex out of her life for good, August intended to give her space to do just that.

In his distracted work, August accidentally knocked over a metal step ladder. It crashed to the floor, extracting a shocked gasp from Belle. When he looked up from the ladder, August could see Belle had gone whiter than snow. Her eyes darted to the windows, the parking lot, then him. Clearly, she had jumped right to the conclusion that her ex had made another petty attack.

“I’m sorry,” August rushed to her side.

“You don’t have to apologize for clumsiness. Accidents happen,” Belle told him, but she struggled to get her panicked breaths back under control.

“No,” August told her. “I’m sorry I put it in your head that this wasn’t a safe place. You were right about not living in fear. I’m the one that put that worry on you. I got you into this situation so I could protect you, but all I’m doing is making things worse.”

Belle put a hand on his arm as she gathered another breath and finally let it out in a controlled, calming sigh. “I asked for your help, August, and you’ve been more than generous to me. It’s just I should have taken care of this by myself from the start.”

He knew she was right, and he was glad to see her bravery. Belle would get past her ex on her own terms and she would be stronger for it. August knew all he could offer her now was space.

“I know you’ll move on,” August told her. “I know you’ll be rid of him soon, and you’re already rebuilding. So, I’m going to get the annulment papers from Mr. Penn.”

Belle’s hand fluttered against his shoulder. “Are you sure? What about your family?” She asked.

August knew it was wrong, but he took the opening. “I need to tell them in my own way. Is that okay?”

Belle nodded. “Of course.”

“Can you give me a few more days to figure out how to tell them quietly? We need the public side of our union to keep appearing strong so that your ex doesn’t have any opportunities to make a case,” August said.

She nodded again, drawing her hand slowly off his arm. “You marrying me gave me the space I needed to gather my strength. I don’t know how to thank you for that, so please, take the time you need with your family. Just leave the mess with my ex to me.”

August knew his biggest fear now. If Belle didn’t need him to conquer her ex, then would she need him at all?

It gnawed at him, but August still took the next few days to enjoy what time he had left with Belle. They enjoyed a few workdays like they used to, sharing coffee in the morning, working until well past lunch, eating together in the back greenhouse as they discussed plans for Topher’s new project, and driving home late to unwind over the kitchen island.

He still couldn’t sleep well without her next to him, but August was slowly resigning himself to what life would be like. If he ended up just Belle’s friend and colleague, then he would count himself lucky.

August also counted himself lucky that Belle was willing to continue their ruse, because later that week, Dean asked them to come over for dinner. Getting invited to the Double R was a big deal because Dean did not often host. He was too busy running a cattle empire. The other reason it was such an undeniable invitation was the fact that DeeDee was hands down the best hostess in Texas, and people reveled in a chance to spend an evening under her care.

“Shouldn’t we just tell him?” Belle asked when August first asked her to go.

August was in agony. He knew the lie was hurting Belle, especially as she was growing closer to her friends and truly finding her footing in Isabel. He didn’t want to ruin that for her, but he didn’t want to face his eldest brother alone either. He and Dean still needed to reconcile, and Belle wasn’t the only one who needed support.

“Dean already thinks of me as the black sheep and outcast of the Rolston family. How else would a purebred cattleman feel when his younger brother calls him a mass murderer and throws his vegan morals in his face?” August asked.

Belle had never seen him sweat, but she was still concerned. “And throwing our false marriage in his face is the best way to reconcile with him?”

“I don’t know,” August admitted with a frustrated growl. “All I know is that when Dean says jump, we don’t have much choice.”

“He dictates when you get your inheritance?” Belle guessed.

August stopped his pacing. He hadn’t thought about the money in months. Belle never mentioned it, not after she tested whether he was going to run off and be a rich kid once he inherited it. Had August stepped out from under his biggest shadow without ever noticing?

“No. That’s really more Mr. Penn’s doing as he was my father’s lawyer,” August told her.

Belle gave a soft laugh. “I forgot how much you and I have in common.”

Those words bolstered August, as did the fact that Belle walked arm-in-arm with him into Dean’s magnificent home. He was certain his brother would call him out for his lies and run him out of Texas again, but Dean was surprisingly welcoming.

“I’m glad to see you both, but this is really all DeeDee’s doing. She says if we don’t get a greenhouse, then she’ll leave, and I will clearly die of a heart attack from not eating anything healthy ever,” Dean said. He glanced up at his housekeeper. “Is that about the gist of it?”

“I make one comment about the man eating a few more green salads and now this,” DeeDee told Belle. She kissed August’s cheek, then offered them both beverages and appetizers. “Don’t worry, the whole menu is vegan. I’ve been practicing.”

“DeeDee is good at anything she tries,” August told Belle.

They both agreed as they savored her delicious canapés.

Dean got a call and waved for DeeDee to take care of his guests. She shot him a withering look, then turned back to August. “He wants to make sure you know there are no more hard feelings, but he doesn’t have a clue how to do it.”

“Neither does he,” Belle laughed.

DeeDee smiled. “These Rolston men, I swear.”

“I’m sitting right here,” August griped.

“Dean also wants to make sure you two are happy. Ever since you all moved back into town, he has been near obsessed with seeing each of you happily married and settled down,” DeeDee told August.

August grumbled the one truth he knew for certain, “I am happy when I am with Belle.”

When and if August thought to himself, and he wished again he could make their lie into a truth.

CHAPTER 22

Belle’s aunt cornered her in the den as soon as she and August returned to the ranch house. “Tell me all about the Double R,” she demanded.

“It’s grand,” Belle said with a laugh. Her aunt had an insatiable appetite for gossip and the interior designs of others.

“I went to a party there once when I was in high school, and I remember it being almost Gothic. Like walking into a castle,” Starla said. “Is it still like that?”

Belle shook her head. “Goodness, no! It’s all light and airy and very elegant.”

Starla pulled her to the sofa and demanded, “tell me more!”

“Dark hardwood floors with handwoven, Southwestern style rugs scattered around. White stucco walls and high, dark beams in the ceiling. Very ranch, yet very royal,” Belle told her.

Starla sighed in delight, then leaned forward again. “And what did you think of DeeDee and Dean?”

“He’s lucky to have a housekeeper like her,” Belle said.

Her aunt slapped her knee and laughed. “Everyone says that, but I swear there is more to those two than even they know!”

Belle wanted to ask more about Starla’s theory, but her aunt turned serious, and Belle braced herself. “What? What is that look for?”

“I feel like there is more to you and August too,” Starla admitted. “What is going on with you lately?”

She knew. Belle had figured it was just a matter of time before her observant aunt realized their marriage wasn’t quite right. She thought about how August had pleaded for time to tell his family in his own way, but Starla was her family. Her only family. Belle couldn’t lie to her anymore.

“The morning Tom almost drove me off the road,” August proposed. It was the best way he knew to protect me and get rid of my ex. I didn’t know what else to do, so I accepted his proposal, and we got married,” Belle confessed.

Starla just nodded but gave her niece a pained look. “And you couldn’t tell me the truth from the get-go?”

Belle grabbed her hands. “I know, I’m sorry, but the whole point of us getting married was for it to be real. We needed everyone to believe so that Tom wouldn’t have any possible case against me.”

“You know your marriage seems very real, don’t you?” Starla asked.

Belle leaned back. “What do you mean? It was supposed to. It was the only way to get Tom to back off, but even that hasn’t gotten rid of him.”

“So, what changed?” Her aunt asked.

All of Belle’s worries came pouring out, “the lie is hurting August’s chances of making amends with his family. He got into this mess to protect me, but now he’s the one who’s at risk.”

Starla shook her head, dismissing Belle’s fears firmly. “The Rolstons don’t need amends. Those brothers will always stick together no matter what. I think the biggest problem is that August offered you protection, and it didn’t completely work. If your ex was out of the way, you could go about exploring this whole marriage thing a little more.”

“It’s not a real marriage!!” Belle cried.

“I don’t think August Rolston would have proposed if there wasn’t some real foundation under it all,” Starla insisted.

That hurt Belle more than she was ready for. Tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. She swiped them away and squared her shoulders. “August deserves more in a wife than a broken woman. He should be with someone strong and independent, with no strings attached.”

“So, you do love him?” Starla asked.

“What?” Belle wondered if she was speaking a foreign language.

Her aunt patted her hand. “You wouldn’t be worried about what he deserves if you did not actually love him, dear.”

Belle slumped into the sofa. “As soon as my ex is gone for good, we’re getting the marriage annulled.”

Undeterred, Starla beamed. “Good. Then we can have another wedding! So, what’s the plan?”

Belle wished she could be as hopeful as her aunt. She just couldn’t see past the huge obstacle of her past. How could she shut the door on her ex once and for all and move on? And would August even be interested once she was and no longer needed his protection?

“I don’t know,” Belle confessed. “How am I going to prove to my ex that he can no longer get to me? We don’t even know where he’s gone or what he is plotting next?”

It seemed impossible, but inspiration struck the next day.

Sophia came over to use the ranch house kitchen in order to fill a cupcake order one of the neighboring churches placed. “They’re picking up the order at the farmers market tomorrow, so I needed the bigger oven,” she explained.

Belle was happy to invite her inside while sadly aware their closeness would come to an end soon. “How do you handle orders as well as the farmers market?”

“I’ve got two pies in the cottage oven right now,” Sophia confessed. “I need to put these in and run back to check on them before they burn.”

“At least you’re getting your exercise?” Belle offered.

Sophia laughed. “All the running around does balance out these sweet treats, but it really is exhausting. Oh well, that’s the price I pay for success.”

That word struck a chord inside Belle. All through her relationship with Tom Conway, he harped on how his success was paramount to them both. The word became his biggest excuse for treating Belle badly. She hated that word, but Sophia made her see it in a different light.

Sophia was a self-made success, and she worked hard for it every day. That was exactly the kind of woman Belle was striving to be. Success suddenly meant something for her, not just for her ex. Then, Belle realized that her success was the key to her plan.

News of her innovative designs at the greenhouses had drawn her ex to the small town. He may never have thought of her again if it wasn’t for seeing her work touted in the media. And, after he thought she was safely married and out of his grasp, his last endeavor was to hack her website and ruin her professional prospects.

Belle’s success would draw out Tom Conway and let her get rid of him once and for all.

When Sophia returned from checking on her pies, Belle lent her a hand and asked, “how hard is it to get a booth at the farmers market?”

“There’s still space available. I bet if you talk to Alessa, she could help you with a last-minute entry. I think the man in charge of the set-up may be sweet on her,” Sophia said.

Belle took a chance, and one of Sophia’s phenomenal cupcakes, into town to see Alessa. She caught her at a lucky time when there were few customers in the store.

“Belle! I’m so glad you’re here, but are you sure you should be out alone?” Alessa asked, with concern for her friend plain on her face.

“I can’t be cooped up or hide anymore,” Belle asserted. “Besides, I need a favor from you if I’m going to find out where that slimeball ex of mine is hiding. It’s time he and I ended things completely.”

Alessa raised an eyebrow but happily accepted the cupcake bribe. “What can I do to help?”

She explained her whole plan, including her need for a farmers market booth and a good printer. Alessa agreed to help but had one condition. “If any of the Rolston brothers ask, I’m going to tell them what you have planned. I know you need to do this on your own, but that doesn’t mean we can’t provide back-up.”

Belle understood. Alessa couldn’t and wouldn’t lie anymore. She hugged her friend and hoped Alessa would forgive her when the truth came out about her and August. “Well, I do need someone to help set up,” Belle joked.

Alessa beamed. “I’ll be there.”

Early Saturday morning, Belle sneaked out of the house and caught a ride to the farmers market with Sophia. Her sister-in-law noticed she had not told August, and she started to worry about what Belle had planned. Belle sketched out her idea quickly and tried to explain why she needed to do it on her own.

“This is my problem. I can’t start a relationship with August when he’s busy shouldering all the problems of my past,” Belle said.

Sophia nodded but spent the rest of the drive in quiet speculation. When they arrived at the farmers’ market, Sophia hugged her tight. “I understand what you’re trying to do, and I love you for it. But I’m keeping the sheriff on speed dial, just in case,” she told Belle.

Alessa was there as promised, and together they set up a booth advertising the benefits of hydroponics. Her friend had also sweet-talked the local printer into creating large-scale posters of Belle’s work. Starla’s greenhouse stood in a frame on the table near a flier on how Belle got her credentials and her start. The work she did on August’s greenhouses hung from the front of the canopy and drew people in from up and down the aisles. Belle also had small-scale versions of her hydroponics systems. People were fascinated seeing how the plant roots spread happily into the carefully balanced solution.

Soon, Belle had a small crowd around her booth, and people were asking all sorts of questions. She felt a wild elation at all the interest. Many of the market-goers had also gone to August’s greenhouses, and they loved knowing more about how everything worked.

Her elation flattened when she saw August and Topher talking on the edge of the farmers’ market. Was he telling him the truth about their fake marriage? Was today the day that everything ended?

Belle had to stay focused. August had to tell his family eventually, and Belle would have to deal with the fallout when that happened. Now she had to showcase her good work, maybe drum up some new clients, and see if her success brought her vindictive ex out of hiding.

How would Tom try to destroy her, and how would Belle finally stand up to him? She scanned the crowds nervously, wondering if her plan was actually a disaster waiting to happen.

“So, you created the filters that also allow the hydroponics to water the regular plants through drip irrigation?” A woman asked. She held Belle’s pamphlet and was very interested in the small-scale models.

“Of course, she told you that,” a voice scoffed. “That’s why she had to move out of Houston. She stole a colleague’s designs and is trying to peddle them as her own. Belle Danson is what you might call a pathological liar.”

The woman looked between Belle and Tom Conway, then quickly left. Satisfied that his first damaging rumor of the day was already in play, Tom stepped forward and swiped the rest of her pamphlets to the ground.

“It’s also disgusting how you used all the money I gave you, money that supported you during graduate school and spent it on this farce,” Tom said loudly enough for the neighboring booths to hear. “Take my money, break my heart, and then move on? My lawyers sure don’t think it should happen that way.”

Belle felt her chest go still, then icy. Fear slipped down her spine and froze her feet in place. How many times had her ex discredited her in public and made her feel powerless? She fought hard to breathe and to face him.

On the edges of the farmers’ market, she saw August struggling to get to her. Topher held him back, and Sophia rushed to join her husband. Belle’s friend must have convinced him she needed to face this demon on her own because she finally saw him stop fighting to get through.

Their eyes met, and August pressed a hand over his heart.

He was there for her, but he believed she was strong enough to stand on her own. That thought warmed Belle all over, and she faced Tom with squared shoulders.

“You know what I just remembered?” She asked her ex in a calm, even tone.

Tom was startled. This was not the normal, shrinking Belle he had expected. “What? I mean, with all the lies you keep up, I would assume you have to have a good memory.”

Belle waited until his potshot fell flat, then continued. “I remembered how during graduate school, you used to tell everyone we lived together, but I had a roommate.”

“So what?” Tom snorted. His eyes skittered back and forth, trying to figure out how to keep the facade of their common law marriage from crumbling. “We were living our day-to-day lives as if we were married.”

She ignored him. “And that roommate had a boyfriend in the same pre-med classes as you.”

Tom went very still, his eyes growing small and beady. “Who?”

Belle grew stronger with every word. “His name was Brady Pearson, and he used to come back to our dorm room and complain that you were buying your grades. You bought test answers from older students, and paid others to write your papers, and you even bribed a professor.”

“Lies,” Tom hissed.

“Brady Pearson even submitted a complaint to the college review board,” Belle remembered. “Isn’t that a funny thing that popped into my head as you were trying to convince people I was the one that stole other people’s work?”

“What’s your point,” Tom tried to scoff. “It’s your word against mine, and no one is going to believe you. I remember your roommate, and you drifted apart.”

Belle winced but would not let him get to her. “You may have driven my friends away, but that complaint is still on file. Along with others at the hospital where you work. They aren’t available to the public, but I’m sure my lawyer could gain access as a testament to your character.”

That was it, the sticking point that Tom had not thought of. He raised a vicious finger at her and hissed. “You’re nothing, Belle. Nothing. Just look at you begging these small town folks to love you.”

“Careful, Tom. You’re showing everyone just how unlovable you are,” Belle said loud and clear.

He went pale as she hit on the hard truth that drove his cruelty. Then Tom pulled his mask back into place, smoothed down his shirt, and told her, “you’re not worth it.”

Belle watched him walk away and felt her whole body sag with relief. Tom Conway would never look back, and she was finally free.

CHAPTER 23

August forced himself to stay put on the edges of the farmers’ market. Belle had made it clear she wanted to deal with her ex in her own way. It appeared her idea was correct, and any hint of her own success drew Tom Conway out of hiding. August hurt while he watched her face off with her greatest fear alone, but Belle conquered it, and her ex walked away.

“You can go over there now,” Topher pointed out quietly. It was his wife that convinced August to back off and let Belle get the victory she needed.

“Looks like her friends got there first,” August said gravely.

Now that Belle had firmly shut the door on her past, August was very unsure of his own future. Looking back on their time together, he worried he had only been a troublesome boss, then a means of protection. What else could he be to her?

Finally, he could not stand it any longer and made his way across the farmers’ market to Belle’s booth. There he overheard Belle telling Alessa the truth about everything, including him.

“I thought something was strange because you two decided to get hitched so quickly,” Alessa admitted, “and the romantic in me really just wanted it to be true.”

Belle wrung her hands and confessed more. “I think the marriage was really just a crutch for me. I needed the legal protection, but I also needed the built-in support until I could stand on my own. I should have handled it on my own from the start.”

August stopped and turned around before Belle noticed him in the crowd. So, he was only a crutch? Well, Belle was now solidly on her own feet and didn’t need him anymore. As he watched her again from the fringes of the farmers’ market, it was also clear that Belle did not need the work he provided either. Her private drama had not destroyed the public interest in her skills, and she was busy cultivating all sorts of new clients.

Unable to see her without showing his hurt, August kept to himself for the next few days. He claimed he had neglected his trailer for long enough and escaped back to the desolate acres he called his own. His pity party was short, though, as he planned to throw Belle an open house party at the greenhouses.

She called when she received the invitation. “You’re throwing a party?” She asked, clearly not ready to talk about anything else but the present moment.

August cleared his throat and explained. “It’s so you can mingle with all your new clients and show off your work in the best possible light. Don’t worry; I’ll get free advertising for my produce and my catering, so it’s a win-win.”

He longed to point out that their marriage had been a win-win as well, but August couldn’t bear burdening her with anything else. Belle wanted to be independent, and he wanted her to be happy. He had to leave it at that.

“August, you don’t have to do this. I’m the one that owes you,” Belle started.

He interrupted her. “Consider it a present. No strings attached. Well, just one big string. I’m planning to tell my brothers about what I did.”

“What you did?” Belle asked.

“How I came up with the idea of marriage in order to protect you legally. We could have included them all in the plan, but I always like to do things the hard way. Don’t worry, no one will be mad at you when they have me to blame.”

Belle tried to tell him something else, but August could not bear to be on the phone any longer. He promised to see her at the greenhouses that night and ended the call. August wished he could have told her she was the only one he wanted to see at the greenhouses, but they were too far beyond that now.

Unfortunately, the first person he actually saw at the greenhouses was the family lawyer, Mr. Penn. He came directly over to August and then pulled him aside. In his hands was a thick envelope and his eyes were sterner than usual.

“You didn’t tell me that Ms. Danson was unaware of the annulment proceedings,” Mr. Penn scolded him.

“She was aware. Why? Was she upset?” August searched the lawyer’s inscrutable face.

Mr. Penn studied August’s near-desperate concern and sighed. “How about we discuss the good news first.”

August frowned. “What good news?”

“The sheriff witnessed Tom Conway confronting Belle at the farmers’ market and spilling her pamphlets on the ground. Based on what he saw and what all of us have suspected, the sheriff signed a restraining order against him. The good news is that her ex had already left town and returned to Houston. I doubt very much we will ever see him again.”

“Great.” August was busy scanning the room while he talked to the lawyer. When his eyes settled on Belle, busy with new potential clients, he sighed. “I’m glad it’s all over.”

Mr. Penn cleared his throat. “The other good news is that she still cares for you.”

“What?” August swiveled his eyes back to the lawyer. “Why would you say that? We got married just as a formality.”

The older man laid a hand on his shoulder. “People say I’m good with details, and I’m telling you the details show that Belle Danson cares for you.”

August fidgeted nervously, unfolding the papers the lawyer had handed him. “Enough to sign the annulment papers,” he pointed out.

“She wanted to free you from what she thought you considered a ruse. Was it?” Mr. Penn asked.

August admitted, “It was, though I may have wished otherwise.”

“It takes two signatures to annul a marriage,” Mr. Penn pointed out. Then he left before August could do or say anything else.

He watched Belle for a few more minutes. She had always been strong and independent; she just never realized it herself. Now that she has met new people and built a good foundation for her future business, she seems to realize she has it in her. There was a light about her that was new, and the idea of not being close to it hurt August more than he could believe.

In such a short time, they had gone from being colleagues to married, and now what? What exactly did people do with old crutches?

Drake was the first to approach him in his agony. “Are you going to go talk to her or what?”

“What,” August said stubbornly.

“Look, I know you don’t like other people in your business, but everyone knows you and Belle have been distant these past couple of days,” Drake told him. “I figure you got all surly and are now throwing her this party as an apology. It won’t work if you just stand over here and scowl at her.”

Was that what Belle saw when she looked at him? Was he just scowling away at her happiness as she tried to rebuild her life?

August gritted his teeth. “Don’t you have your own relationship to worry about?”

“Let me guess, he’s not admitting anything is wrong.” Topher joined them and spoke to Drake.

“Nope. You know you can’t give August any advice about how to live his life,” Drake said.

Topher gave a dramatic sigh. “You know the ranch house has a cleaning lady, right?” He asked his brother.

August arched an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Well, she may have mentioned that you and your wife were in separate rooms until you suddenly had to spend some time out fixing your old trailer,” Topher told him. “So, you may as well admit you need marriage advice from us.”

“From who?” August asked. “The man who fell in love with his employee before he got upset and fired her? Or the man who went jet-setting around the world before admitting what he really wanted was here all along?”

“Hey, maybe you want to take advice from that jet-setter and try a real honeymoon,” Sutton suggested. “I know Drake’s brilliant ‘staycation’ idea was nice and all, but it doesn’t really replace a true honeymoon.”

Drake took offense. “And I suppose you think he should take marriage advice from you?”

“Why not?” Sutton asked.

“How about because you spent nearly a decade not telling your best friend that you were in love with her and then failed to notice when she was in love with you?” Drake asked.

The two brothers squared off, and August seriously considered slipping out the side door of the greenhouse. All he really wanted to do was return alone to his trailer and stare into the darkness. He knew that running away would not solve any of his problems, he’d tried that before, but it was impossible to think with his brothers bickering in front of him.

Just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, Theo appeared at his side. “Now, this is my kind of party.”

He watched Drake and Sutton bicker for a minute while August continued to sulk, then Theo nudged the brother closest in age to his own. “Too peaceful to enjoy a little sparring?” He asked August.

August nudged him back with a sharp elbow. “Being vegan is not the same as being a pacifist.”

Theo nudged him again. “Then I guess it’s your strength as a person that kept you from tearing that Tom Conway limb from limb. I’m not sure I could have done the same.”

“Are you calling me weak?” August snarled.

Theo, clearly enjoying getting a rise out of him, replied, “I think you may actually be a better man than me. Tell anyone and I’ll remind you how your older cattle-murdering brothers also use bullwhips.”

August glanced up at his taller brother. “I’m sorry; what did you say?”

Theo hooted. “Was that an apology I heard? Guess what, boys, the black sheep here just apologized to me!”

August glowered at Theo’s cheerful twisting of the situation. His older brother winked at him even as the rest of their brothers laughed.

Then Theo sighed and grew serious. “Now, I’m enjoying this party, and I’ll even admit I’m enjoying the veggie food, but how am I supposed to have fun when you are so miserable?”

“Now, Theo is definitely not the one to take marriage advice from,” Drake said, still jostling with Sutton.

Sutton agreed. “He fell in love after accidentally overtaking her entire life’s work. I’m still surprised Hetty lets him on her ranch.”

Dean joined them before Theo could set his youngest brothers straight. “Just tell us what is going on before us Rolstons make a bigger scene,” he demanded.

August was surrounded and knew he had to tell them the truth. One more glance at Belle convinced him there was no other way. She was counting on him to sign the annulment and give her the fresh start she deserved. It was his own fault she didn’t know he wished she would start a real life with him.

“Belle and I are annulling our marriage. It was just temporary so that her ex had no legal case against her. This way, he wasn’t able to prove they had a common law marriage, and he wasn’t able to touch her trust fund. We lied to everyone just to make sure it worked,” August confessed.

Dean gave a heavy sigh. “Great. I owe DeeDee a hundred dollars.”

“You bet on August’s marriage?” All his younger brothers turned on Dean.

He shrugged. “I bet that August was in love, and she bet he proposed just to protect her.”

“DeeDee didn’t believe I was in love?” August was hurt.

Dean’s lips quirked up. “Please. We all know you’re in love. DeeDee just knew you two would never settle for a courthouse marriage of convenience. And now we do too.”

August glowered as all his brothers grinned. “Fine. I give in. I’m in love with Belle, but I have no idea what to do.”

“For goodness sake, kid, just go kiss her.” Romance advice coming from Dean was a shock, but all the Rolston brothers agreed he was right.

CHAPTER 24

Belle couldn’t take her eyes off August. The last few days of distance between them had hurt her more than she cared to admit. How could she be the strong, independent woman that August deserved when all she wanted to do was to run into his arms?

She also reminded herself that she should be angry with him. August didn’t come see her after she was finally free of her ex. He gave her space, but all that did was leave a big gaping hole of doubt in her mind. Had he not felt any real connection while they were together? Then he made her hopeful by throwing her a party at the greenhouses, only to have his family lawyer present the annulment papers for her to sign. Belle alternately gazed and glared at August throughout the rest of the evening.

Then she saw him surrounded by his brothers, and she knew he was finally telling them the truth about their fake marriage.

Belle assumed when he marched straight across the party to her that he was going to tell her about how it went, but August surprised her once again.

“Here, I’ve signed the annulment papers too. You are officially free,” he said. “There’s just one more thing I have to do.”

Belle raised an eyebrow, then both, then her eyes went wide as he caught both her hands and gently coaxed her closer. The look in his dark blue eyes was mesmerizing, the same combination of fear and hope she had been feeling for days. Then, August Rolston kissed her.

Cheers went up from all around the party. Belle tried to remind herself that people thought they were already married, and only a few people knew the actual truth. Slowly, still in the warm circle of August’s arms, his lips still tenderly pressing hers, Belle realized the truth was in their kiss.

Finally, he pulled back and looked deep into her eyes. “I want you to be happy, Belle, no matter what. I’m glad you’re getting a fresh start, wherever it may take you.”

“You signed the papers?” Belle squeaked. It was all she could think about.

Her connection to August was unraveling by the second. She was no longer his employee, and soon she wouldn’t even be his fake wife. How was she going to keep August in her life?

He frowned at her. “Yes. The papers are signed, and you are free.”

Then he turned around, disappeared through the crowd, and went into the back greenhouse. Belle watched his stiff back and got the sense he would walk all the way back to his lonely trailer if his brothers would let him.

So that was it?

Belle’s head was still swimming from the kiss. No more working side-by-side? She had never enjoyed her work so much or seen the possibilities so clearly as she had with August. No more watching him chop, concoct, and create while she worked on her computer? Belle had never been more content than she was sitting at the kitchen island with him. No more sitting together as they read mystery novels and discussed different theories until they were too tired to think?

She started across the floor towards where August had disappeared. Strong and independent meant she had to live her own truth, but what if he was her truth?

Her eyes swam with sudden tears. How could she have gained so much and lost the one thing she really wanted?

Freddie and Alessa swam into focus, but her friend and former sister-in-law only made the tears well up faster. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Alessa looked at Freddie, and they both reached for Belle. “Now, none of that.”

“Belle!” Freddie cried. “How could you think we’d hate you? Did you really think we’d judge you for doing what you needed to do?”

“She knows, Belle. The brothers all know, and not a single one is mad at you,” Alessa told her.

Belle didn’t believe her. How could she? In graduate school, Belle had learned how fickle the truth could sound and how quickly friends could come and go. Everyone she thought knew her ended up believing her ex, and Belle had been left alone. Now, having to face everyone, she had never felt more alone.

“She doesn’t believe us, Sophia,” Freddie told her sister-in-law. “She thinks we’re going to ghost her because she and August faked their marriage.”

Sophia stepped in front of Belle and waited until their eyes met. “That’s not all, is it? Your connection with August sure didn’t look fake to me.”

“We lied,” Belle said, miserable. Who would be friends with a liar?

Hetty snorted as she joined the group. “You were cunning. There’s nothing wrong with that. And I, for one, appreciate you not making liars out of us too. I know for a fact these ladies are terrible liars.”

“So am I,” Belle cried.

“Now that I believe,” Bethany said as she closed the tight circle around their friend. “And what you need to remember, Belle is that every single one of us struggled at the beginning of our love stories too. You are definitely not alone there.”

Belle blinked hard and focused on the lovely women around her. Instead of letting her messy past and mistakes push them away, they were standing close beside her. “I don’t have a love story; I have a disaster,” she told them.

The women laughed.

“The real disaster is how I didn’t realize Drake was more upset at the immorality of loving an employee when he fired me,” Freddie said. “We almost missed each other’s heart completely.”

“And I almost let Theo hand me over everything and ride away before I realized he was everything I wanted,” Hetty admitted.

“You forgot the part where you almost drove him off your ranch,” Freddie added. The sisters-in-law all laughed.

“True. My ranch team and I did spend a lot of time trying to make Theo feel unwelcome at Thirsty River Ranch,” Hetty said. “Luckily, he stuck it out.”

“Speaking of sticking it out, has Bethany ever told you how she strung Sutton along for years?” Sophia told Belle.

Belle was dizzy from all the smiles and spun around on unsteady feet to face Bethany. “But you two are so in sync with each other!”

Bethany smiled. “Well, I went nearly a decade before realizing my best friend was the only man I wanted in my life. Then I almost let my family get in the way!”

“See, Belle?” Sophia asked. “No one has a smooth love story, and you shouldn’t expect you will either.”

“Whoa, wait, are we totally going to ignore the fact that you drove Topher into world travel just because you didn’t want him to feel tied down?” Bethany asked.

Sophia held up both hands to quiet her. “Belle doesn’t want to hear all the silly details, now does she?”

“She might,” Belle joked.

Sophia smiled. “Then I will tell you all about it some other time. Tonight, it seems like you have unfinished business with August.”

Just hearing his name felt like a kick to her chest. “We already signed the annulment papers. It’s over.”

“Then start it up again,” DeeDee said. She shooed all the other women back from Belle and pointed over to the other greenhouse. “August has gone over there to pick and chop more vegetables and make more of that fabulous dip he makes. Sound like anyone you know?”

Belle blinked. “August works when he’s upset, just like me.”

“It also appears you both want the other to be happy,” DeeDee said. Then she added, “What would make you happy, Belle?”

“I love seeing how happy you and August are when you are riding horses together,” Hetty pointed out.

“And August comes up with some truly inspired recipes while you are with him in the ranch house kitchen,” Sophia said.

“Speaking of the man himself.” Alessa pointed to where August had returned with a tray of fresh produce and was busying himself at the appetizer tables.

Belle looked at him. How well did she know that stony expression and those stiff shoulders? He was clearly unhappy.

“Do you really think he liked being fake married to me?” She asked.

“We’ve never seen him happier,” Alessa told her.

“How can you tell?” Belle joked, her heart aching for her stone-faced love.

The other women chuckled, fully aware of how surly the Rolston men could be, but not a single one of them was fooled by the grumpy expression on August’s face. “I bet you a hundred dollars he loves you,” DeeDee said.

“Don’t gamble with DeeDee,” Hetty warned Belle. “She has an uncanny knack for knowing everything.”

“Except one thing,” Alessa joked, but the other women quickly hushed her.

Belle didn’t notice as she watched August move through the greenhouse. He had done all this for her. He was the one that let his simple idea get blown up to a large scale by her ambition. He was the one that invited everyone there that night to celebrate her work.

“I think I owe August Rolston a grand gesture,” Belle said.

Her friends cheered, and she used that encouragement to conquer her fear and head for the DJ’s table. Nerves buzzing, she asked to use the microphone and soon had the attention of the entire party.

“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Belle began nervously. “I am so glad you are all interested in my work and were willing to visit in order to see it all in action. What you may not know, though, is that none of this would have been built if it was not for August Rolston.”

Honesty, people in the crowd were surprised. August still had the reputation of being a surly loner who made delicious food but bad decisions. No one was more surprised than August himself. He gestured for Belle to cut herself off. He didn’t want any of the attention or praise.

Knowing he might leave before she got to the most important part, Belle hurried up her toast. “First, I’d like to propose a toast to the man who gave me the room to grow.”

Glasses were raised all around the greenhouse, and cheers went up from the corner where his brothers stood. August glared in their direction, then brought his eyes back to Belle.

“And I would also like to propose to you, August Rolston. Would you marry me?” Belle asked in front of everyone.

His normally gruff expression dropped into shock, and everyone laughed before they started to cheer him on. It took friendly encouragement and hearty shoves from everyone around August to move him towards the DJ stand where Belle stood waiting. Finally, he arrived, but August took one look at the microphone and shook his head.

Belle put it down and breathed deeply. Whatever August said next, whether he broke her heart or not, would be for her ears only. She was overcome with a wave of fear about the worst outcome when he reached out and took her hand.

Feeling the room steady around her, Belle told him. “I know you probably hate me for doing this so publicly, but I’m serious, August. We got married once and kept our reasons secret. Now I want everyone to know why. I love you.”

For a man of few words, August said it all as he gathered Belle in his arms and kissed her again for all to see.

EPILOGUE

“How many times are you two going to do that?” Joked Theo as August kissed his bride.

The Rolston brothers all laughed and cheered them on. They stood in a long row next to August with their wives lined up behind Belle, begging them to behave just a few minutes more.

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the minister said, one white eyebrow raised at the unruly groomsmen.

The ceremony was formal in words only, and as soon as it was done, the whole wedding party erupted in loud cheers. Out next to August’s trailer, it didn’t matter how loud they hollered; there was only the wide horizon and a beautiful Texas sunset to hear them. The bridesmaids and groomsmen threw flower petals at the happy couple as they kissed again just for good measure.

“You had to have a hippie wedding?” Dean asked as he was the first to shake August’s hand. He picked flower petals off his hat with his other hand.

“There was a minister,” August pointed out. He waited for his brother to make other judgmental comments, but Dean just smiled.

“Congratulations again, brother.”

This time, the wedding was big and the reception even bigger. An enormous tent was set up facing the sunset with seats for nearly everyone in town. A live band struck up as the happy couple walked down a white carpet straight to the dance floor, and it wasn’t long before everyone joined them.

They danced until the stars came out, then ate and toasted the happy couple long into the night. But Belle and August missed the sights and sounds of the glorious wedding because they only had eyes for each other.

* * *

Enjoying the Grumpy Rolstons? Make sure you, too, start from the beginning of this brooding cowboy billionaire series with book 1 “A Nanny for the Grumpy Cowboy.” Drake Rolston is a grumpy single dad with a chip on his shoulder larger than Texas. When his long-time nanny quits, he is in desperate need of a new one. Carefree dreamer Freddie Dover seems like the last girl on earth that he would pick. Will the unlikely pair end up together? Or end in an unhappily ever after? CLICK HERE to get your copy now!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hanna Hart is a passionate, sweet clean contemporary romance author who has found a love for writing since the age of 6.

Hanna lives in the beautiful Santa Cruz California, with her loving husband, two children, and dog Milo. Other than dreaming up extremely sweet and romantic stories, Hanna enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, cooking great food, traveling the world, and getting a lot of exercise.

Hanna’s purpose is to deliver very sweet romantic stories to her readers that will touch their hearts in a very meaningful way, taking them to another place that will positively impact their life.

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