Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(51)

of her office chair.


Ben ditched his gloves and dug his cell phone from his front pocket after it rang for

the third time. “Hello?”


“Thank God you’re home. I need a huge favor.”


He set aside his ax. “Sure, Rielle. What do you need?”


“My car has a flat tire. When I went to change it I discovered the spare is flat too.

I have a meeting at the new bank in fifteen minutes. Is there any way you can pick me

up and take me to town?”


Ben dusted off his Wranglers, scraped the muck from his boots and grabbed his keys from

the workbench. “Hopping in my truck now.”


Rielle’s place was up the road three miles. The top half of her one hundred and

forty-six acres bordered Casper McKay’s land and Ben’s portion of the McKay Ranch.

According to family gossip, thirty years ago both Charlie and Casper had wanted that

section. They’d fought over it to the point the original owner had sold the parcel to

the Wetzlers, a family from California.


Ben never put much faith in local speculation that the Wetzler’s were dope-selling

hippies, but they were an odd bunch. Their housing setup had a commune-like vibe—from

the individual cabins spread out from the new main structure, to the acres of gardens,

the chicken coops, the animal pens, the dairy cows, the bee hives and the fruit trees.


No one knew how many people had squatted on the land with the Wetzlers’ blessing. But

in the two years since the deaths of her parents, Rielle Wetzler had built the Sage

Creek Bed and Breakfast to supplement her income from her organic farm. Even with all

the improvements, there was still much to be done. And those improvements didn’t come

cheap.


Rielle stopped pacing on the porch and bounded down the steps when he pulled up.


The willowy blonde strode toward his truck with an air of gracefulness. Although Ben

knew how strong and capable Rielle was, her waif-like appearance didn’t appeal to him.

Despite his family’s teasing, she never hinted about them becoming romantically

involved—a first in Ben’s life when it came to dealing with a single woman. So their

friendship meant a lot to him.


She gathered her long, tie-dyed skirt and slammed the door. “You are a lifesaver, Ben

McKay.”


“Happy to help.” He didn’t speak until they were zipping along the blacktop toward

town. “So why you goin’ to the bank?”


“Because it’s new. They won’t know my family history and wonder if I’m asking for a

loan for new grow lights to increase my secret crop of marijuana.”


Ben laughed.


“Seriously. I’m hoping they’ll loan me money to pay off some debts. Like what I owe

you.”


“I told you not to worry about that.”


“I do worry.” She smoothed her palm from the top of her scalp down to the ends,

trying to tame her baby-fine hair. “I’m so nervous.”


“You shouldn’t be. Them bankers usually have their minds made up before you even walk

in the door. Bunch of controlling bastards. Least, that’s been my experience.”


“I thought all the McKays had more money than they knew what to do with and didn’t