The Maverick Meets His Match (Hearts of Wyoming Book 2)(8)

Mandy gasped. “That’s prime land. We have barns and corrals on that land. It’s Prescott land.”

“You and Tucker would still have over 30,000 of deeded and leased acres if you decide to hold on to it,” Brian noted.

“But he’d be living in my grandfather’s house. That belongs in the family.”

“I guess he hoped you two would marry so it would indeed remain in the family. If you marry, the ranch house is a wedding present to Mandy, so if you choose the marriage option, regardless of what happened after you married, that house would be yours, Mandy.”

Mandy’s green eyes shot fire in his direction. Too bad all the passion was anger.

Hadn’t been that way ten years ago. Not that time at the creek.

Not that she didn’t have good reason to be worked up about this will. If it was a surprise to him, it must have been a shock to her—a damn unpleasant one.

How many times had he told JM how much he loved his house, wanted one just like it, never dreaming of such generosity, never expecting it? JM had apparently divined the truth. Ty hungered after a place where he could have a few horses, despite his decade-long aversion to anything having to do with his family’s ranch. But he never mentioned those things with a thought that JM would or should do something about it. Ty was more than financially capable of providing a house and land for himself. That he hadn’t was another matter.

Still, he had questions. “So as long as the marriage lasts a minimum of six months, I wouldn’t get the house, but I would still get shares equal to fifteen percent of the company, even if we divorced after that time period?”

“Yes,” Brian said with a reassuring nod.

Mandy shook her head. “How can you even conceive of such a sham of a marriage?”

“I’m just trying to understand the options. If I had an interested buyer, I might be able to complete the analysis and sale of the rodeo company, if warranted, within six months. So, Brian, why the marriage provision, since the six months timing wouldn’t necessarily prevent the sale of the business? Course it would get me out of Mandy’s hair faster, and, Mandy, you’d be able to keep closer tabs on me.” He couldn’t quite keep the smile off his face.

Mandy stared at him. He could see the pulsing of her clenched jaw, no doubt from grinding teeth.

“I absolutely refuse to consider such a thing. End of story.” Mandy wrapped her arms around her trim waist in a hug. She probably could use one right about now. “The company is profitable. I’ll stake my future on that.”

Ty didn’t think it was the time to remind her that his mandate wasn’t to determine if the business was profitable but whether it was likely to provide enough profit, under Mandy’s leadership, to sustain the family, meaning Sheila, Tucker, and Mandy, for the next twenty years or longer. JM was worried about his family’s future, not their present.

“I’m just trying to understand his motivation for making such a strange provision. You have to admit it’s a doozie.”

Brian nodded. “I wish I could shed light on what he was thinking. I asked him several times, but he wouldn’t answer. However, in studying this provision, I can only guess he was trying to play matchmaker.”

“Matchmaker?” He and Mandy spoke in unsettling unison.

“Whatever gave him the idea we were a match?” Mandy questioned, glaring at Ty with a look that could wither a steel rod. As if it was somehow his fault.

Ty searched his mind to see if he’d ever given the old man any ideas in that direction. He’d asked after Mandy whenever he’d see JM, but that was just being polite, as anyone would have been. He may have commented a time or two about what a pretty granddaughter JM had, again just being nice, making talk. He certainly never admitted he was physically attracted to Mandy. That would have just been awkward. Ty might have added his two cents about her most recent boyfriend, Mitch Lockhart, not being worthy of someone like Mandy, but then he was just agreeing with what JM had already said. As to marriage, he’d always deflected any talk about marrying by saying he’d never find a woman who was beautiful, smart, and as driven as he was, someone who would understand and support his work ethic. Nope, he’d never given JM a hint he was in any way attracted to Mandy Prescott, much less interested in marrying her, because he wasn’t. Not Mandy, not any woman.

“I was wondering the same thing,” he added.

“You know it wasn’t my idea. I don’t even like you.” Mandy swung her attention back to Brian, leaving Ty to absorb that statement. Why did it feel like someone had just dropped an ice cube down his pants?

“This is ludicrous.” Mandy charged ahead. “How could you let him write such a thing—or believe we’d even consider it?”

“As I said, don’t blame the messenger. You have until Tuesday to think about it.”

“You have my answer now. It is no.” With that decision, Mandy rose and slung her large leather satchel over her shoulder. She brushed her hands down her jeans as if she could get rid of the whole discussion. “I’ve got a rodeo to put on this weekend, gentlemen. I’ll be seeing you.”

“Wait,” Ty said, also rising. No way could he let her leave without clarifying things. “Regardless of this provision, I’m heading up the company, at least for the time being. So I think the phrase is we’ve got a rodeo to put on this weekend.”