Skylar Belle hated being ignored, especially by a man.
Especially by him.
The padded chair squeaked against the hardwood floor as she
moved uneasily due to her infuriated thoughts. But she
wasn't going to put up with his blatant rudeness one more day.
"The ex-con has to go." She said the words loudly and
clearly, with an angry undertone, determined to snare her
sister's attention. What she got was silence.
Damn freakin' silence.
Her oldest sister, Caitlyn, sat transfixed with her hand on
her stomach, a goofy expression Sky had never seen before
plastered on her face. The look seemed out of place on her
responsible, bossy sister. Finding out you're pregnant could
do that to a woman, though. Skylar knew that.
Her other sister, Madison, held her four-month-old daughter
on her shoulder, burping her and occasionally kissing the
baby's cheek. Maddie was enraptured and totally oblivious to
everyone else in the room.
Neither sister had heard a word she'd said.
She might need a cannon or a bomb to break into their thoughts.
"She's asleep," Maddie whispered, gingerly getting
to her feet. "I'll put her down and then we can talk. I know
you said something, Sky."
"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you two could focus." They
were in the study, having their monthly meeting to discuss
the High Five ranch. Or trying to have the meeting, was more
accurate.
As Maddie left, Cait rubbed her flat belly. "I can hardly
believe a little person is growing in here."
Sky leaned back, studying her sister with the black hair and
Belle blue eyes. The ranch had always been Cait's top
priority, but now Sky couldn't even get her attention to
discuss it. "I never thought you'd be this sappy."
Cait looked up, her eyes as bright as the May sun peeping
through the study windows. "Judd and I are so happy."
"And I'm happy for you, but could we please talk about High
Five?"
"Of course, but we have to wait for Maddie. She's busy with
the baby." Cait crossed her legs, that goofy expression
still intact. "We thought Maddie would never have children,
and now she has three. That's so wonderful. No one deserves
it more than our sister."
"Yes." Sky picked up a crystal paperweight and the scent of
vanilla drifted to her from the candle sitting beside it—one
of Maddie's touches to the study.
Her sweet, loving sister had been diagnosed with ovarian
cancer when she was twenty-eight, and was unable to have
children. But then she'd met Walker, a man with three kids
who needed a woman in his life. They fell deeply in love.
Maddie deserved her happily-ever-after, but Sky knew that
type of relationship wasn't for her.
Cait was the responsible one, Maddie the sweet one and Sky
was known as the wild one. Their three different mothers had
all been married at one time to Dane Belle. Sky's mother had
married five times, so Sky never had a stable environment,
except when she visited her father, grandmother and sisters
on the High Five ranch in Texas. Now her dad was gone and
the ranch he loved had been left to his daughters. Their
goal was to keep it going.
Since Cait's mother had died in childbirth, she'd been
raised on the ranch. Sky had thought her sister would never
leave the place of her birth. Then a neighboring rancher,
Judd Calhoun, had wooed her away. Now the responsibility for
High Five was on Sky's shoulders, and she didn't take that
lightly. She had to make her sisters understand her point of
view.
Clearing her throat, she said, "We're all dealing with
motherhood, but we still have to run this ranch."
Cait lifted an eyebrow. "Is bitchy getting responsible?"
Sky groaned at the nickname, but she had to admit she could
be a bitch if the occasion arose.
"I've always been responsible." She tried to keep a straight
face.
"Yeah…"
Maddie slipped back into the room. "Sorry that took so long,
but Georgie had the baby's blanket tied around his neck,
preparing to jump off the back of the sofa as Spider-Man.
Kira was right behind him."
Sky was immediately on her feet. Her child was her life. "Is
she—"
"She's fine." Maddie motioned for her to sit down. "I had a
talk with Georgie, and he won't do it again."
"Your talks are not exactly stern. I'd better—"
"Georgie won't disobey," Maddie said on a firm note. "Gran
and Etta are watching them. So what do you want to talk about?"
This was it. She had their attention.
"Oh, darn." Maddie glanced sideways at her shoulder. "I have
milk all over me."
Sky felt like bumping her head against the desk in
frustration. Instead, she opened a drawer and threw her a
box of tissues. "You smell great, too."
Maddie made a face and caught the box. "Sour milk is my
perfume these days. Walker loves it, so we're both happy."
Losing patience, Sky clapped her hands. "Listen up. We need
to talk about High Five."
"I've been here thirty minutes and nothing's been said."
"Because you're not listening," Sky shouted at Cait. "You're
in la-la land."
Both sisters stared at her, and she leaped right in with
what she had to say. "After the destruction of the hurricane
and the fire, High Five is finally making a turn for the
better. I think that's what Dad wanted for us—to realize the
importance of our heritage and to work together to secure
it. That's why he put that ridiculous clause in his will
that the ranch had to be sold to Judd if it wasn't showing a
profit in six months."
"Dad knew I'd fight that like a hellcat and call y'all home
to help, especially since I'd jilted Judd fourteen years
before and considered him my archenemy." Cait's voice
softened. "He also knew that if he pitted Judd and me
against each other, we'd fall in love all over again."
"He had a plan and it worked," Maddie said, wiping at her
blouse. "Even though he'd left the ranch in dire straits
because of his gambling debts, he knew we'd pull together to
save High Five. He wanted us to feel the same pride he had
in home and family."
Cait's eyes grew wistful. "It's ironic that Dad, who was the
king of spoiling and pampering and who repeatedly told us we
needed husbands to take care of us, took the biggest gamble
of his life when he bet those same daughters would rescue
High Five."
There was silence for a moment as they each thought about
their father. Sky knew they were getting sidetracked, and
she had to bring the discussion back to her problem.
"As I said, the ranch is finally showing a profit and I want
to keep it that way." She gripped the paperweight. "I can't
do that with Cooper Yates as foreman. He has to go. I've put
up with his insolent attitude long enough."
Maddie's head shot up. "I don't understand why you can't get
along with Cooper."
"Why do I have to? I own this ranch."
"You're a part owner," Cait reminded her.
She gritted her teeth. "When Maddie got married, I agreed to
take over running the place, but I can't do that with
someone who ignores me and my orders."
Maddie and Cait shared a glance, and it irritated Sky when
they did that. She was always the odd one out.
Cait got to her feet. "Bottom line, Sky, this ranch won't
survive without Cooper's expertise. He puts in fourteen- to
sixteen-hour days without any overtime pay. He's dedicated
to High Five, so I suggest you learn to get along, because
Cooper stays."
Sky rose to her feet, ready for battle. "You don't get to
make that decision alone."
"I vote with Cait." Maddie placed the tissues on the desk.
"Cooper stays."
Sky tucked her naturally curly red hair behind her ears. "I
have a child and I thought you'd be more considerate of
Kira. I don't want her around an ex-con."
"You know Cooper was framed for killing those horses, and
all the charges were dropped." Cait reached for her purse on
the floor. "What else is bothering you?"
Sky had to be honest. "Not all the charges were dropped. He
almost beat to death the man who framed him, and he's still
on probation for the assault. I don't want a man with that
kind of temper around my daughter."
Maddie picked up her diaper bag. "I'd trust Coop with my
kids any day of the week. I've worked with him and I know
he's a good man who's had some bad breaks. Just cut him some
slack."
"I can't believe you two." Sky flung up her hands. "I ask
for your help and you're telling me to deal with him."
"That's it." Cait glanced at her watch. "I've got to run.
Judd has a decorator coming to give ideas on a nursery." She
slung her purse strap over her shoulder. "As if I need
ideas, but I'll cooperate because I'm such a good wife."
Sky's patience snapped. "If High Five needs Cooper Yates so
badly, then I might as well not be here. I'll pack my things
and leave." She glared at her older sister. "That's my
bottom line."
"That's just like you, Sky," Cait shot back, just as Sky
knew she would. Their relationship had always been volatile
because they were so alike in their fiery temperament. "It's
your way or nothing."
"It's not about having my way. I can't work with the man."
"All right," Cait shouted. "I'll take over running High Five."
"Cait!" Maddie was quick to come to her defense. "You can't
do that. You're going to have a baby."
"With Sky being so stubborn, I don't see any other way. I'll
have to come back."
Sky felt like a fifth grader, being mean for no reason.
Except she had a reason.
"Cait…" Maddie trailed off as Gran walked into the room.
Their grandmother's hair was beautifully white and curled
into a knot at her nape. In slacks, a multicolored blouse
and sensible shoes, Dorthea Belle looked much younger than
her seventy-seven years. Sky had often thought she had an
ageless beauty, with a softness and a fragility that was
very striking. Even in slacks Gran wore her pearls.
Southern manners had been instilled into her, and she tried
her best to impress those views on her granddaughters.
Somehow her teachings had missed the mark, but all three
sisters were aware of Gran's position on life, women and
their roles. They respected her enough never to hurt her.
"What's this I hear about leaving and coming back?"
Maddie hoisted the diaper bag higher on her shoulder and
walked forward. Linking her arm through Gran's, she asked,
"Have you been listening at the door?"
"Certainly not." Gran stiffened her shoulders. "A lady would
never do such a thing."
"Then how did you hear?" Maddie continued in her pleasant,
soothing way.
"Cait and Sky were shouting, my baby. That's how I heard."
Gran looked at Cait. "What's this nonsense about you coming
back to High Five?"
Cait stared at Sky, who wasn't sure how to explain this to
Gran. Damn Cooper Yates.
Gran patted Maddie's hand. "Since your sisters seem to be
tongue-tied, tell me what's going on."
As if it was the easiest thing in the world, Maddie started
to explain. "Sky has a problem working with Cooper."
"What? That's ridiculous. Cooper is a very nice and polite
young man."
"We were trying to explain that to Sky, but she feels
differently, and we have to respect her feelings. That's the
reason Cait offered to come back."
"Respect, my ass," Cait whispered under her breath.
"Cait's not coming back to High Five to work," Gran stated
firmly. "She has a husband, a home, a baby on the way, and
she doesn't belong here, running a ranch." Gran patted
Maddie's hand again. "Neither do you, so go home to your
husbands. Sky and I will sort this out. If worst comes to
worst, I can run the ranch."
A collective gasp echoed around the room. Cait mouthed at
Sky, I'm going to kill you.
"I can see you, Caitlyn," Gran stated.
"Gran…"
She held up a hand. "Go home, my baby. That's where you belong."
"But you can't run this ranch." Cait couldn't leave
well enough alone.
Their grandmother bristled. "You don't think I can."
"Cait didn't mean that." As usual, peacemaker Mad-die tried
to soothe the ruffled feathers.
"Good." Gran nodded. "Sky and I will talk about this. We'll
let you know how it turns out. Goodbye, my babies."
"I'm going to kill you," Cait muttered once again as she
walked out the door. Maddie looked anxious, but followed her.
Don't go. Don't go.
As upset as she was with her sisters, Sky did not want to
face her grandmother alone. Gran would pick away at her
emotions like a buzzard gnaws at a carcass, laying bare
every fear, every anxiety she kept hidden.
Gran took Maddie's seat, her back straight, her hands folded
in her lap. "Now, young lady, what's the problem?"
Oh, God. When Gran sat as a proper Southern woman and called
her "young lady," Sky knew she was in trouble. However, she
wasn't a little girl or a teenager anymore. She was now an
adult and able to handle her grandmother.
Yeah, a little voice mocked her, like when cows
can vote.
She pushed the nervousness away and decided to be honest.
"Gran…"
"Just so we're clear." Gran held up the forefinger on her
left hand, and Sky noticed her platinum-and-diamond wedding
rings. Sky had always loved them. When Cait married, Sky had
felt sure Gran would give them to her, but Judd had had his
own ideas for Cait's rings, as Walker had for Maddie's. Sky
was the only granddaughter left, and she would never wed.
She would never again open her heart to a scum like Todd
Spencer, who had shredded her emotions like confetti.
"You are not leaving High Five." Gran's declaration broke
through her musings. "Kira loves it here and you can't keep
uprooting her. She needs stability. It's time to stand up to
Todd's parents, but that's another discussion. Right now I
want to talk about Cooper."
For once Sky would rather talk about Cooper, too. Ever since
Todd's parents had found out about Kira, they'd wanted a
paternity test done, in hopes of gaining custody of their
only grandchild. Sky had been on the run since then. She
would fight with her last breath before she'd let the
wealthy Spencers take her child.
She forced Todd's parents out of her mind. "Cooper doesn't
like me and I'm not that crazy about him, either. I don't
see how we can continue to work together."
"How do you know he doesn't like you?"
"He won't speak to me and he avoids me. When I tell him to
do something, he ignores me."
"Well, that's just rude."
Sky blinked. Hot damn. Gran was on her side. She didn't
expect this.
"But, my baby, you've been rude to him, too. Cooper doesn't
even eat at the house anymore because of you and your
intolerance. I've taught you better than that. Being part
owner of this ranch gives you certain rights, but prejudice
isn't one of them."