Roping A Cowboy (Blazing Eagle Ranch Book 2) Read online

  Wade was prepared to go to war with his father.

  Jonah Brooks would not be getting on his horse today.

  “Four wheeler or nothing,” Wade sniffed, and slid his hands into his pockets. He could do this all day. It didn’t bother him.

  “Jonah Brooks!” Eliana turned in her chair and faced him. “You are better off doing what Wade is suggesting. What if you fall off the horse? You aren’t as young as you used to be, and I’m not taking care of you with broken bones.”

  Jonah looked as if he was going to put up a fuss, but the moment he met Eliana’s gaze, he did the unthinkable.

  “Okay, Wade. We’ll do it your way,” his father responded.

  Wade almost slid off the pillar in shock.

  Did Jonah just agree he was right?

  Hell had officially frozen over.

  There had only been one other woman who could get Jonah Brooks to do what she wanted, and she was buried out in the family plot.

  Was Jonah smitten with Eliana? What was going on here between the two?

  Wade grinned. He didn’t care. She was the best thing for his father right now, and he vowed he was going to do whatever he must to keep her around.

  “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be right back.” Wade pushed off and ran down the stairs. He couldn’t wait to share this new information with his brothers.

  Eliana took no shit from Jonah. Maybe that was what Jonah had been missing since his wife had died.

  The attention of a good woman.

  Hell, didn’t they all?

  The wind blew through Wade’s hair as he drove the small vehicle along the dirt road. His father sat next to him, appearing content at gazing out onto the land they owned.

  It had been a while since Wade had spent quality time alone with his father. It was quite difficult since he had been in the hospital, and then his short stint in rehab.

  Jonah Brooks was a difficult man, one who took some getting used to being around.

  Well, Wade had spent his entire life on this ranch, and his father, he could deal with.

  He pulled up to the edge of the road where it died off and became nothing but grass.

  “Here fine?” Wade asked.

  “Yeah,” Jonah muttered, already getting out of the roadster.

  Wade killed the engine and took the key out. He hopped out and walked around to where his father stood. “Beautiful day we’re having.”

  “That, it is.” His father balanced with his cane and took a few steps into the grass.

  “Wait up, Pop.” Wade joined him to walk alongside him. No matter what Jonah thought, he wasn’t as strong as he used to be. It was going to be a long road to recovery for him.

  If anyone searched the word stubborn, Jonah Brooks’ photograph would appear. That was the one thing each of the sons inherited from him.

  “I’m no baby. I can walk,” Jonah snapped. His eyes cut to Wade and narrowed on him.

  Wade didn’t offer him a hand or arm, because his father was bullheaded.

  “Y’all treat me like I’m a newborn calf. It was my heart that went out, not my legs or brain.”

  “If we don’t look out for you, then who will?” Wade challenged him. “You were so damn mean to the nursing staff, I’m sure you wouldn’t be accepted back.”

  “Didn’t need to be in no stinking nursing home anyway,” Jonah huffed.

  They came upon a stump from a tree that had been struck by lightning. They’d cut it down last summer and used it for firewood.

  Wade noted the way his father’s breathing pattern had changed. It was slightly labored, and there were tremors in his hands. Wade guided Jonah over to the stump and motioned for him to take a seat.

  For once, Jonah didn’t argue. He plopped down and sighed.

  “Carson worked on that new tractor I purchased from the auction. It’s running like it’s brand new,” Wade announced. He walked a few steps from Jonah and saw how high the grass was growing in the area. They would need to have one of the hands cut it.

  “You boys are good sons,” Jonah said.

  Wade slowly turned around and eyed his father. He wasn’t sure where he was going with this. Jonah Brooks never praised his sons for anything.

  At the moment, his father appeared every one of his sixty years.

  “If someone were to ask me about the one thing I was proud of in my life, I would say my boys.” Jonah’s gaze was locked on the rolling land before them. “All the money and land doesn’t compare to the feeling a father gets when he sees how his boys grew up to be good men.”

  “You have much more time ahead of you, Pop.” Wade walked toward his father. Worry filled him. He was speaking as if he wasn’t going to be around too much longer. “You’re doing your therapy, and Eliana is making sure you take your pills. By the looks of it, fattening you up too.”

  Jonah smirked, and it was the closest thing to a smile Wade had seen on the old man’s lips in a while.

  “That woman doesn’t take no for an answer. She just keeps cooking and baking,” Jonah grunted. “She acts as if she’s trying to feed an army.”

  “She seems to be sweet on you too.” Wade crossed his arms and stared at his father.

  “You need to get your eyes checked, boy.” Jonah glanced at him and shook his head.

  “Let her spoil you. It’s been a while since you’ve had the attention of a woman.” Wade grinned. He was sure Jonah still had that old Brooks charm. Their mother had seen something in him and fell in love, married him, and gave him three boys.

  His father waved his hand at him. “You boys don’t know anything. I haven’t been alone all these years, ya know.”

  Wade’s eyebrows rose high.

  “I’ve had a lady friend here and there. It took me a while, but loneliness won, and I…” He sighed.

  This was a side of Wade’s father he was unfamiliar with. There were many sides to Jonah Brooks, and vulnerability had never been one of them.

  “Are you telling me that you’ve—”

  “That’s none of your business, boy.” The twinkle in his eyes had Wade taking a step back and holding his hands up.

  Well, damn. Jonah still had it.

  “Good for you, Pop,” Wade said. He strode forward and rested a hand on Jonah’s shoulder. “No more talk as if you aren’t going to be here. There’s a new generation walking this land, and you’re needed.”

  Jonah nodded.

  There was no need for Wade to make it any clearer. Jonah had wanted his boys to ensure their legacy was secured. Parker was starting on his line; Tyler was the future. He was the first of many grandkids Wade was sure were to come for the patriarch of the Brooks family.

  One day, the ranch would be full of young Brooks running around, just like Wade and his brothers had.

  “Is it true?” Jonah asked.

  “What?” Wade released him. He moved over to the other side of the stump and took a seat next to Jonah. Wade was not in any rush to do anything else today. The last time he’d spoken this much with his father was when Jonah was laid up in the hospital, unconscious. The doctors and nurses had encouraged them to talk out loud or read to their father to help him. Wade wasn’t sure if it worked, or if Jonah had heard him, but Wade just sat in the hospital room next to Jonah’s bed and talked.

  “Parker and Maddy are expecting again?”

  The tension between Parker and Jonah was still there. Conversation between the two was usually focused only on the ranch and business dealings. His older brother was very protective of his woman and child.

  “Yeah, Pops.” Wade leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees. “We need you to make everything right with Parker and Maddy. Those grandkids are going to need you around to help teach them, just like you taught us.”

  4

  “There is plenty for everyone.” Joy laughed, throwing more of the feed onto the ground. The sun had just graced the sky with its presence, the warm rays comforting and peaceful. Though, the chickens milling around her w
ere impatient this morning. Usually, her mother fed them, but she wasn’t feeling well today.

  A summer cold was beating her mother down. One look at her, and Joy had tucked her back into bed with the promise that she’d take care of things. Georgina, or Georgy, Whitaker, wasn’t a woman who slacked at her work. Georgy had helped run the ranch from the second she’d married Joy’s father, Davis.

  But today, she relented and got back into bed.

  Joy wanted to finish her mother’s chores so she could go and help her father. He was currently using the dogs to move the livestock.

  The Whitakers were hard-working sheep farmers who raised and bred domestic sheep, providing meat, milk, and wool. It was an intense, but rewarding life career. Joy was proud of her family’s business. They had done it for generations, and she was sure their farm would be around for much longer.

  The sounds of the dogs barking in the distance grabbed her attention. It was different than their usual tone when herding the sheep.

  “What is going on?” She quickly finished tossing the feed to the impatient hens. She even had to step over a few of them as they dove around her for it. “Y’all are acting as if you haven’t been fed in a day.” The chickens were all fat and well-nourished. They were just being greedy.

  She walked over to the inside of the small shed where they kept the supplies for the chicks and hens to put the bucket up. She left and went in search of the dogs. It didn’t sound as if they were with her father anymore.

  One thing to know about raising sheep was that they were highly intelligent, and could even be taught to follow commands. A few orders, and the entire flock would obey Joy.

  The dogs were now in complete guard mode. Joy hurried on, following their yips and warnings. She finally came upon them on the other side of the large barn where they housed their machinery.

  She stopped and blew out a deep breath. The dogs had found a few rogue cows who had broken through the fence that separated Whitaker and the Brookses land.

  Lacy, Minnie, and Duke were barking their hearts out, trying to scare the stubborn cows who weren’t paying them any attention.

  The cattle just grazed as if the three dogs weren’t even there.

  Damn Brooks and their cows.

  They always broke through the fences and caused trouble for her. There was no reason for her to even check to see who owned them.

  She knew.

  Pulling her phone from her pocket, she searched for Wade Brooks. She could have chosen to call either of the brothers, but her heart did a little pitter-patter when she thought of him. His name appeared, and her breath caught in her throat as she hit the button and waited.

  She rolled her eyes while listening to it ring.

  “Hello?” he answered on the second ring. His deep, baritone voice sent a tremor down her spine.

  “Brooks, your cows are on my land,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  The cows ambled around without a care in the world, while the dogs were trying their best to push them back to where they’d come from. She took the phone away from her ear and sent a shrill whistle for the dogs. They instantly quit their yapping and came to her side.

  “Down,” she commanded.

  They took to the ground and sat at her feet, but their focus was still on the cows. They would obey her, but they were dying to get back to the cattle. They were good herding dogs, but they were also protective of the area. There were plenty of times they had chased off foxes and coyotes attempting to snatch a small lamb or chicken. They worked well as a team to protect the animals and the property.

  “Why do you have my cows?” he drawled when she got back on the line.

  Red clouded her vision.

  “I didn’t take your stinking cows. They broke through your cheap fences and are working my dogs to death,” she bit out through clenched teeth. How dare he insinuate she’d taken his animals.

  The dogs slowly sat up on their hind legs, itching to run back over to the cows. They growled low as they watched the cattle continue to stroll around and eat.

  “I’m coming,” Wade announced in his usual calm manner. “Give me fifteen minutes, and don’t let any harm come to them.”

  “They better not harm my dogs—” She paused. The line had gone dead. “Did Wade hang up on me? How dare he,” she huffed. She couldn’t wait for him to arrive.

  Those damn Brooks brothers had no respect for anyone whose last name wasn’t Brooks.

  “Go!” She pointed toward the cattle. Maybe she and the dogs could get them back on his land. The dogs took off, barking and working together to try to round them up.

  One of the heifers walked away from the dogs and dropped a huge, steamy pile.

  “Oh, hell naw! Who is going to clean up this shit?” She stood with her hands on her hips, seething.

  Nothing she or the dogs did could get them to move back to their own property. They were just as stubborn as the Brooks men.

  Giving up, she called the dogs back and had them go to the barn. The cows seemed as if they weren’t going to go anywhere else at the moment. There was nothing around that would harm them.

  They were just content where they were.

  Joy glanced around, and decided to take a seat under a tree where there was some shade and wait for Wade to arrive. She pulled out her phone and brought up a game to play. There were a million other things she could be doing right now instead of waiting on Wade Brooks to arrive.

  She sat in the warm air, actually enjoying these few minutes of contentment while aligning the colorful balls to get a high score. Her body relaxed back as she continued to play the mindless game. She let out a squeal of excitement, having topped her last score.

  Joy looked up for a second to make sure the cattle had not wandered too far off before turning her attention back to her phone.

  An engine roared off in the distance. Joy tore her attention away from her silly game to see an ATV pull up on the other side of the fence.

  Wade shut off the engine and got out. He’d dressed in tight Levi’s, a button-down plaid shirt, and boots.

  He was too damn sexy for his own good. Joy scowled at the thought of him being sexy. Why couldn’t she push that thought aside? It would be helpful if God made him bald, missing teeth, and with a potbelly. It would be much easier to deal with him without holding back drool whenever she was around him.

  He walked through the broken fence, and it was then she realized why she couldn’t shake the idea.

  Because it was the truth.

  He shoved a hand through his hair, and she cursed. He was perfect. If there were a poster board for a hot rancher, Wade Brooks’ picture would be there.

  There was no doubt about it. Wade was hot as sin. The epitome of sexy cowboy, and she was taking notice of all his swagger and appeal.

  Wade strolled toward her with that irritating grin of his.

  “Howdy, neighbor,” he greeted.

  Joy narrowed her gaze on him. “Is that all you can say, Brooks? And who the hell is going to clean up the cow dung over there?”

  She pointed to the area where the cow had left its gift. Wade turned in the direction and let out a low whistle.

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get it all cleared up.”

  “See that you do.” Joy stood and put her phone in her back pocket before folding her arms.

  His eyes scanned her from head to toe. She tried not to fidget in place to show it bothered her, but deep inside, she wanted to know what he thought of her. It was always so hard to read him, but most of the time, he was too busy pissing her off.

  “How about for all the trouble, I take you out to dinner?”

  She froze in place, unsure if she had heard him correctly. Did he just say he would take her out to dinner? There had to be a catch. She glanced around, but didn’t see anyone else. So this wasn’t a joke? She half expected to find someone watching them.

  “Why? What else did you do?” she asked. Curiosity filled her. Had he hit his head before he ar
rived?

  He barked out a laugh and came over to stand closer to her. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. He was a big guy, and she always felt dainty when standing beside him.

  “Nothing, Joy. I just wanted to make up for the trouble. I’ll have some of the hands come fix the fence and clean up the mess. You won’t even be able to tell the cows had made their way onto your property.”

  Joy brushed her hands on her jeans. “That’s all I want. No need for dinner.”

  Her heart pounded at the thought of being alone with him—those gray eyes of his bore into hers as he took her in.

  Dammit, her body was betraying her. Whenever she was around Wade, and he looked at her with those stormy eyes, she instantly became aroused. It had been a long while since she’d been touched by the opposite sex.

  Not that she couldn’t have a man. It was just that the last relationship she had been in ended amicably. Since then, she’d poured all her focus into the ranch. Now that she thought about it, she and Jason had broken up two years ago.

  “I know I pissed you off the other day at the auction. Let me make it up to you.”

  Joy had to hand it to him. He was certainly one stubborn man. She chewed on her lip, trying to decide on what to do.

  “What makes you think you pissed me off?” She raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t thought he’d noticed she was pissed. He had been a grouch at the auction, and it wasn’t until they’d met again at the gas station that he’d acted like a gentleman.

  He shrugged. “I said some things, you said some things. We could smooth everything out between us over a good meal. After all, we are neighbors, and we should be cordial with one another.”

  She gnawed on her bottom lip and thought for a second.

  “When?” she asked.

  He moved closer, and his scent floated through the air. She breathed it in, and her walls weakened.

  Jesus. What cologne did he wear? It was like an aphrodisiac. Her body swayed toward him, needing to breathe more of it in.

  “Tonight,” his deep voice replied. “It will be just the two of us—as neighbors.”