A Broken Cowboy (BWWM Interracial Romance) (2 page)

“Not at all!” she answered proudly before turning deadly serious. “But that’s why I’m doing it. Jim, taking this vacation to your ranch was the craziest thing I’ve ever done, and you’re right, it was so crazy that I couldn’t even sign up without bringing along someone for moral support. That right there is the reason I have to do this.

“I’ve lived my whole life playing it safe, afraid to take risks. You wouldn’t believe how many people thought I’d gone off the deep end just for saying I was coming out here with my one week of vacation time. They’re probably all still taking bets on whether or not I’ve got some weird medical condition and that I’m out here to complete my bucket list. But you see, that’s why I have to do this. I’m tired of living scared, and of watching from the sidelines while other people get to live. It’s time I do a few things for myself, and if that means making some monumental mistakes, then I’ll own up to those, too.”

Jim sat back in his chair, looking out the window for a minute before speaking. “I’m gonna make you a deal. I’ve known that place was for sale and thought about buying it because it borders my property, but I’ve just never really put any effort into looking at it other than just to let it rest in the back of my mind. You buy your ranch, and if it doesn’t work out for you, I’ll buy it from you, but only by taking over payments. Whatever you’ve already sunk into it is gone, but at least you’ll be out from under it. Does that sound fair?”

“Hardly,” Mimi laughed. “I’m no realtor, but don’t people usually come out ahead when they sell land?” In the back of her mind, she had to wonder if there wasn’t some trick to this. Maybe Jim had wanted this property all along, but had to wait for some other sucker to buy it first? Maybe there were tax liens against it, or improvements that had to be made under the law? Then after the right greenhorn came along and blew all that money, Jim could swoop down like a cattle baron from the Old West days and rob her blind. She could just see it now…

“Precisely,” he answered smugly, but something about the look on his kind, weathered old face made her think again. “Mimi, I want you to go for it. I want you to get your ranch and make something of it, but most of all, I want you to be happy. That’s why I’m willing to be a safety net, but what I won’t do is become a way out. Because if you knew the whole time that you could just get your money back and head home without any losses, you wouldn’t have any reason to tough it out. If you don’t want to lose everything that you’ve sunk into it, then you’re going to have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when times get tough and forge ahead, no excuses.”

Mimi thought about what he said and decided he was right. The only way she wouldn’t chicken out was if she knew she had a lot at stake. And certainly losing her down payment plus whatever payments she’d made for the time she’d been there would be a huge incentive not to tuck her tail and run if things didn’t work out exactly the way she wanted.

“It’s a deal, Jim, and now that you explain it that way, I guess it makes a lot of sense. If I don’t want to lose out, then I’m going to have to be a big girl and push on through.” She shook his hand, taking the piece of paper with the banker’s name on it and sliding it into her pocket. “I appreciate your willingness to even offer, by the way. A lot of people back home would have told me I’m being stupid and impulsive.”

“Oh, I never said I didn’t think this was stupid and impulsive,” he said with a smile that made his wrinkled old face even more creased, still holding onto her hand. “But everyone deserves a chance to try something new and make a fresh start. And if you fail, it won’t be because you didn’t try. No matter how it works out for you with the ranch, you’ll be a stronger, wiser person for doing it, and I want to support that.”

They walked out of his office and back outside, into the sunshine that had first shone on Mimi when she arrived on the charter bus from the airport along with a dozen other would-be cowboys. She looked around the faces of the other vacationers and wondered for the first time what their situations were like, what things had taken shape in their own lives that had made them step out on faith and head out West. Whatever things were going on in their lives, Mimi knew one thing for certain: things were going to change for her, starting now.

CHAPTER TWO

“Ms. Thompson, I’d be happy to take you on a tour of the ranch if you’d like. It’d be a good idea before we finalized any of the arrangements,” the banker, Mr. Munroe, offered when she met with him in his small office. “Your paperwork is in order and your credit score is impeccable, but I hate the thought of you buying the property sight unseen. I have to say it, the former owner got so sick and in such a short time, he kind of let it go downhill. The old place needs a little work.”

Mimi was undeterred. “I’m happy to take that tour, but I’m not letting this property slip through my fingers. I have always done the sensible, tax accountant-type decision making, and I’ve looked back on more than a few situations and wished I’d acted just a pinch more impulsively. I want this ranch.” She eyed him squarely, daring him to tell her that she couldn’t buy the old place.

“I completely understand, I just don’t want you to be back in my office three months from now, screaming about how there’s no heat at the old place, and how you didn’t know you were going to have to chop firewood.”

“I know where heat comes from, Mr. Munroe,” Mimi said with a determined smile. “I did go to college, and I have a degree in US studies. I know what our founding fathers went through to make it in this country.”

“I’m sure you did,” he conceded. “Let me get the papers finalized and I’ll deliver them to you myself. Will you be staying on at the Circle Round Ranch until you’re able to take ownership of The Watering Hole?”

“Yes, I’ve paid for an additional week of lodging, not the vacation package, mind you, just the dormitory and meals. After that week is up, I’ll need to move into my new home.” Mimi smiled, pleased with her decision and at how this transaction was coming along.

“Fine. I’ll let the property caretaker know to expect you in a week,” Mr. Munroe said, placing copies of her papers in a large manila folder and sliding them across his desk for her.

“Caretaker?” she asked, confused. Sarah hadn’t mentioned that someone already lived on the property. For just a second, the former sensible, Do-the-Right-Thing Mimi appeared, chastising her silently for kicking someone out of his home, even if it was temporary. What if he needed more than a week to find a place to live and move out?  She hoped this was the only surprise about her new home.

“Yes, there’s a state appointed caretaker who lives on the property. It’s a state law given that the farm is a protected land and is home to a number of protected species, is registered with the state historic society, and due to the fact that the property has been abandoned. Don’t worry, his salary is covered under state funding, but he’ll remain on the property to ensure that no harm comes to it.”

“I see,” Mimi said, hoping this was the only major surprise. She didn’t realize she’d have to share her farm with a caretaker. “Is there a way I can petition to become the caretaker of that farm?” The mind of a tax accountant was always at work on the numbers, and if there was state funding set aside earmarked for the protection of that property, that would go a long way towards offsetting some of her property taxes, homesteading tax, and more. Plus, it would guarantee that some stranger wasn’t living on her ranch with her.

Mimi immediately felt the weirdness that came with not wanting to have the caretaker there. She had shared office space with fifty other tax agents on her floor alone, and lived in a building with thirty other families, most of them with at least a couple of kids running around. None of it had ever bothered her before because that was just the life she’d always known. But now that she had tasted the wide open plain, the thought of someone living elsewhere on her five hundred acres made her skin crawl a little bit.

“Of course,” Mr. Munroe said, his face falling ever so slightly as he chose his words very carefully. “But if you don’t mind me butting in here, I think you’ll find that keeping the current caretaker is a good idea. He would serve as another human presence out there in case of any trouble, and…please forgive me for saying this…he’s a man. Now don’t go getting mad at me, I’m just saying that you’re not accustomed to living out here, and you might find it comforting to know that there’s a man somewhere on the property if, say, a sudden freeze set in or a mountain lion started nosing around.”

Mimi was too alarmed to be offended. “Mountain lion?” Surprise number two.

“Yes, we have those in this area. And even though they’re usually more afraid of us than we are of them, there have been reports of hikers and mountain bikers being attacked in the past, especially during certain times of the year when their natural food source is more scarce. So you see, you might find that you’re more comfortable and that you sleep a little easier knowing there’s someone else nearby, man or otherwise.”

Mimi nodded. She’d let the insinuation that she couldn’t take care of herself slide for the time being, since he was just trying to be supportive. Still, the idea that she couldn’t take care of herself was a little unsettling. Did she really give people that impression, people she’d actually just met?
I’d love to seek the look on this man’s face as he walks in downtown DC after dark…let’s see who wants to go running to a big, strong male for protection then!

But she was smart enough to know there were a lot of things she didn’t know. Mimi knew better than to expect to just land herself out on her farm and have it made. A caretaker could offer advice and teach her plenty, she was sure of it. Down the road, if she needed the financial assistance and felt confident standing on her own two ranching feet, she could always take over as caretaker then.

“Fine. How do I get in touch with this caretaker?” she asked, pointing to her paper with her pen in hand and ready to write down his information. “I’m sure I’ll have some questions, and he’ll want to know about my plans for the ranch.”

“Well, that’s another issue. We don’t exactly have a way to contact him. There’s no phone service out at The Watering Hole.”

“Oh?” No phone. Surprise number three. She thought very carefully before asking her next question, literally afraid of Mr. Munroe’s answer. “I assume there’s electricity, correct?”

“Oh yes, that was put in by the previous owner.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Mimi joked, covering up her very real fear of not having any way to run even the smallest of kitchen appliances. “So where does this caretaker stay? I’ll stop by and see him.”

Mr. Munroe shifted uneasily in his seat. “That’s actually another issue. The caretaker chooses to live outside.”

“Outside?”

“Yes. Year round, even. He’s very much into the old pioneer ways, a true cowboy at heart. Don’t worry, he’ll show up at your cabin once he realizes you’ve moved in. Just show him the piece of paper so he knows you’re entitled to be there, otherwise, he might take offense and think you just arrived and moved yourself in. Be sure to give him the paper immediately, in fact.”

Mimi watched Mr. Munroe’s face for any sign that this was a joke. Instead, he met her gaze with an even stare of his own, a forced smile fixed in place for her benefit.

“Welcome to ranching, Ms. Thompson. Good luck.”

CHAPTER THREE

Mimi stepped out of Sarah’s truck parked outside the strip mall. She looked around, amazed to be back in civilization after only two hours or so of bouncing along on the old two-lane highway.

“Come on, we’ll start in this store,” Sarah said, pointing to the first place Mimi would need to go in order to buy some supplies. She had been very eager to help Mimi get set up for living at The Watering Hole, and even offered to take her into town to get supplies.

For her part, Mimi still hadn’t seen the inside of the cabin, so she wasn’t sure what items were still in place. Anything from cooking utensils to bed linens could all still be sitting there, for all she knew. Still, there were things Mimi was definitely going to need, like a satellite phone that Sarah had suggested and—as much as she disliked the thought—a gun.

“I’ve lived for almost all of my life in the heart of one of the worst crime cities in the country,” Mimi argued when Sarah said she would take her to the store then teach her how to shoot. “I didn’t need a gun then, and I certainly don’t want one now.”

“Well, the police aren’t going to come running when a coyote is trying to drag down your horse with you on it. It’s just too dangerous to leave things to chance. Let’s at least get you something effective but easy, and then hope you never need it, okay?”

If it had been anyone else but Sarah, Mimi would have kept fighting. But there was something about the younger girl’s manner that made you want to be accommodating. Maybe it was her easy going personality or her very obvious and genuine love of living on the ranch, but either way, the younger girl was giving up an entire day to help Mimi get what she needed for country life. Why ask someone for advice if you don’t plan to listen to it?

They left the hunting shop with a bolt-action .22 rifle for Mimi. It was easy to load, easy to secure, and didn’t have too much of a kick when fired. Sure, it wasn’t going to bring down any rhinos, but it would certainly make a coyote or a mountain lion think twice about coming any further. Sarah had pointed to some practice targets and grabbed those for Mimi’s basket, urging her to tack them to a tree stump and practice in her spare time.