The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page B

What's that got to do with us?"
    "It's too close for comfort," Dallas said.
"If Jessie's leased the rights on her place, what's to keep her
from leasing them on ours?"
    "She promised she wouldn't," Ruth reminded
him.
    Dallas handed Cameron his drink and sat back
down. "I don't trust her."
    Cameron looked at his brother. "Are you
telling me, Jessie owns the mineral rights on the Diamondback
Ranch? How did that happen?"
    Dallas sipped his drink. "She owns one
hundred percent of the mineral rights--"
    "On the whole ranch?" Cameron asked.
    "No, of course not," Ruth said. "Only on the
sections of land near the Devine place. She inherited them from
TR."
    "How did the Devines end up with mineral
rights on the Diamondback anyway?" Cameron wanted to know. "Did I
miss something there?"
    "You never did take much interest in the
ranch," Ruth said.
    "Aw, Mom, don't start that--"
    "All right, I won't. Anyway, Grandpa McCade
sold the rights to TR's grandfather forty years ago. The money
helped buy the Gordon place and increase the size of the
Diamondback."
    Dallas got up and paced back and forth
across the kitchen. "I probably don't need to worry," he said.
"Copper River Oil won't want to drill there anyway. There's no oil.
Grandpa leased the rights way back when, and they didn't find
anything then. But if Jessie decides to lease, there's no way we
can keep Copper River off our property. And with all the new
technology, they may want to try again." He stopped in front of the
table. "I don't want strangers on the ranch, tearing up the land.
I'd have no control whatsoever."
    "Jessie knows how we feel," Ruth said. "She
promised not to lease and I believe her."
    "I don't believe her. I want those mineral
rights, damn it." Dallas sat back down.
    Cameron swirled the brandy in his glass.
"Have you offered to buy them from her?"
    "Hell yes, I've offered. She refuses to even
talk about it."
    Ruth picked up Cameron's plate and walked
over to the sink. "Jessie told me she couldn't sell them. She made
a promise to TR on his deathbed." She dropped the plate in the sink
with a clatter and snapped her fingers. "Wait a minute! I just
thought of the perfect solution. Cameron can persuade Jessie
to sell them to us."
    "Me?" He jumped up, almost knocking over his
chair, and stared at his mother, not liking the odd gleam in her
eyes.
    "Sure," Ruth said. "Jessie always asks about
you when I stop by the garage. I think she's still sweet on you.
And she's been alone for a long time. She hasn't dated much since
TR died."
    Cameron turned toward Dallas. "Help me out
here."
    His brother shook his head. "Don't look at
me. You know how Mom is once she's on a roll."
    Ruth frowned at her oldest son, then gazed
at Cameron again. "It's very simple," she continued. "All you have
to do is ask her out and use your irresistible charm on her."
    "What irresistible charm?" Dallas said with
a snort.
    Ruth wiped the table with a damp cloth. "The
irresistible McCade charm, of course. All of you boys have it. Tori
has it, too," she said proudly. "All Cam needs to do is turn it
Jessie's way, and I'm sure she would agree to sell the mineral
rights to us."
    Cameron sat down again. "Damn, Mom. Why
don't I just ask her to marry me? That would bring the mineral
rights back into the family and save Dallas time and money."
    Ruth clapped her hands in delight. "What a
wonderful idea! I'd love to have Jessie for a daughter-in-law. I
already think of her as a daughter. And if you married her, that
would make it even better. But do you think she'd accept? She likes
you and all, but marriage? I don't know . . ."
    "Mom, I was joking," Cameron said. "Look,
I've already decided I want to ask Jessie out while I'm home. If
she accepts, I promise I'll talk to her about the mineral rights.
That's all I'm willing to do, though."
    "But Cam, I'm sure Jessie would marry you,"
Ruth said. "She likes you a lot."
    "Lord, help us from matchmaking mothers,"
Dallas muttered into his glass.
    Ruth swatted him with the