“The food was wonderful,” she said. “Thank you for checking on me.”
I could tell by the tension in her smile what she was really thinking. “But you’re leaving, anyway.”
“It’s honestly nothing personal. I just think it’s best if I go to Montana, as originally planned.” She knitted her hands together on her lap, toying with the wedding ring on her slim finger. “I’m probably more of a resort and spa person, really. I insist on paying for my week here, of course. It’s not your fault that a mistake was made on my end.”
I’d never seen anyone look so unhappy when they were about to embark on a week at a high-dollar spa. If she’d seemed excited about her trip, I would have let it go, but I couldn’t ignore the melancholy surrounding her decision, not when I knew the power of this place. I’d seen couples reignite their marriages at our ranch. I’d witnessed kids overcoming fears and building new confidence. We’d had families choose our ranch to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and even one celebration-of-life service. What I was about to tell her about Silver Sage wasn’t only in my self-interest, but in hers, too.
“May I sit down for a moment?” I asked.
She looked surprised but gestured to the seat across from her, and I took it. I measured my words carefully, as I always did with guests, but in this case, I was about to get more personal than usual.
“I don’t know you well, Lauren, but I know this place. Silver Sage is pretty special. We have a lot to offer in the way of life-changing experiences. I also think you’re underestimating yourself when you suggest you aren’t the type to enjoy a dude ranch. You can saddle up and get out there on the trails again, and—I hope I can say this without sounding arrogant—you’ll get more out of a week here than you would in two weeks at that fancy-pants spa.” I wasn’t sure if I’d gone too far, but she was listening intently. “And that has nothing to do with me. I’ve just seen some magical things happen for people at this ranch, and judging by the sadness in your eyes, I think this place could be what you need right now.”
A smile flickered on the edges of her mouth. “You make a compelling case for staying.”
“All I’m asking for is a couple of days. If you’re not enjoying ranch life, no hard feelings. I’ll drive you to the airport myself and wish you well at the resort in Montana.”
“It is beautiful here.” Her words unfolded slowly. “And my bed really is comfortable. Okay, I’ll give it two more days and see how I feel.”
“It’s decided then.” I clapped my hands together. “I think you’re going to fall in love with Wyoming. Most people do.”
CHAPTER5
LAUREN
“Freaking Sully,” Tori fumed when I called for the second time that evening about the botched booking. “What am I going to do with that girl?”
Sully, short for Sullivan, was a sweet young woman from Savannah and a recent hire who didn’t have the attention to detail necessary for a fast-paced administrative job. If we wanted to avoid firing her, Tori needed to find something else for her to do at the company.
My sister’s anger soothed my own. “I keep telling you it’s fine. This place isn’t bad. It’s just kind of…empty.”
“LikePsychoempty?” Her voice had gone up an octave, and I knew she was freaking out.
“No, like the ranch has seen better days kind of empty. It’s actually got a lot of charm though, and the landscape here is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve never seen so much blue sky in my life. The downside is that the facilities are a bit rundown and the staff is limited, from what I can tell.”
She clearly wasn’t listening to me. “I’m going to call the resort in Montana right now and reserve you a room there, and then we’ll figure out your flights. If they’re full, we’ll find you a different resort to stay at. You should be relaxing and pampering yourself.”
“I told the owner I’d stay at least a few days,” I said. “Let me see how it goes, and I’ll update you, okay?”
“How about I reserve a room and then, if you don’t want it, I’ll cancel?”
I sighed, knowing two things were true—I’d never win this argument, and she had a point. “Fine, make a reservation for me.”
“So what’s the deal with this ranch owner who convinced you to stay? A grown son running a vacant hotel in the middle of nowhere sounds veryPsychoto me.” Her wild imagination always cracked me up.
“There are other guests here, and Matthew has a cute daughter and seems totally normal. I really don’t get serial killer vibes from him. Also, I can’t face packing and traveling again, so it’s better if I stay put for a little while.”
“How old is this Matthew guy?” Oh no, I’d piqued her interest. The matchmaker in my sister smelled testosterone, and that wasn’t good.
“Probably around our age. I’m not sure.”
“Is he attractive?” I knew why she was asking this question. Did his gorgeous blue eyes and perfect forearms have anything to do with why I agreed to stay at the ranch? Possibly, but I would never admit it.
“He’s attractive, but I’m not interested in him that way.” I was such a liar. “My life is complicated enough right now. I don’t need to add sex with a ranch owner to it. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair involving someone else in my drama. What if the press found out?”
“Oh, please. You’re in Bumblefuck, Wyoming. No one is ever going to find out about what happens there.”
For some reason, I resented her flippant assessment of this place. “It’s actually magnificent out here. The air is so clean and fresh. It’s delightful, really.”
