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fingertips, like a shiny gift. “I’m sorry.” She got to her feet when Willa rounded on her. “It’s not fair to you. It’s not right. I don’t know why he did this, but I’ll stay. When the year’s over, I’ll sell you my share for whatever you say is fair and right. It’s a beautiful ranch,” she added, trying to smile as Willa only continued to stare at her. “Everyone here knows it’s already yours. It’s only a year, after all.”
    â€œThat’s very sweet,” Tess spoke up. “But I’m damned if I’m staying here for a year. I’m going back to LA in the morning.”
    With her mind whirling, Willa sent her a considering look. However much she wanted both of them gone, she wanted the ranch more. Much more. “Nate, what happens if one of the three of us dies suddenly?”
    â€œFunny.” Tess picked up her brandy again. “Is that Montana humor?”
    â€œIn the event one of the beneficiaries dies within the transitory year, the remaining beneficiaries will be granted half shares of Mercy Ranch, under the same conditions.”
    â€œSo what are you going to do, kill me in my sleep? Bury me on the prairie?” Tess flicked her fingers in dismissal. “You can’t threaten me into staying here, living like this.”
    Maybe not, Willa thought, but money talked to certain types of people. “I don’t want you here. I don’t want either one of you, but I’ll do what has to be done to keep this ranch. Miss Hollywood might be interested to know just how much her dusty acres are worth, Nate.”
    â€œAt an estimate, current market value for the land and buildings alone, not including stock . . . between eighteen and twenty million.”
    Brandy slopped toward the rim of the snifter as Tess’s hand jerked. “Jesus Christ.”
    The outburst earned Tess a hiss from Bess and a sneer from Willa. “I thought that would get through,” Willa murmured. “When’s the last time you earned six million in a year . . . sis?”
    â€œCould I have some water?” Lily managed, and drew Willa’s gaze.
    â€œSit down before you fall down.” She gave Lily a careless nudge into a chair as she began to pace. “I’m going to want you to read the document word for word after all, Nate. I want to get this all straight in my head.” She went to a lacquered liquor cabinet and did something she’d never done when her father had been alive. She opened his whiskey and drank it.
    She drank quietly, letting the slow burn move down her throat as she listened to Nate’s recital. And she forced herself not to think of all the years she had struggled so hard to earn her father’s love, much less his respect. His trust.
    In the end, he had lumped her in with the daughters he’d never known. Because in the end, she thought, none of them had really mattered to him.
    A name Nate mumbled had her ears burning. “Hold it. Hold just a damn minute. Did you say Ben McKinnon?”
    Nate shifted, cleared his throat. He’d been hoping to slide that one by her, for the time being. She’d had enough shocks for one day. “Your father designated myself and Ben to supervise the running of the ranch during the probationary year.”
    â€œThat chicken hawk’s going to be looking over my shoulder for a goddamn year?”
    â€œDon’t you swear in this house, Will,” Bess piped up.
    â€œI’ll swear the damn house down if I want. Why the hell did he pick McKinnon?”
    â€œYour father considered Three Rocks second only to Mercy. He wanted someone who knows the ins and outs of the business.”
    McKinnon can be mean as a snake, Nate rememberedMercy saying. And he won’t take any shit off a damn woman.
    â€œNeither of us will be looking over your shoulder,” Nate soothed. “We have our own ranches to run. This