Two to Wrangle Read Online Free PDF Page B

Vegas when Ty was at an all-time low and desperate to break the cycle he’d sworn never to fall into. But he had fallen, deeper and harder than even his old man ever had. Given time, his end would have been the same. The change of scenery had been a literal lifeline.
    Tom had agreed to rebuild the Hotel Rodeo right before his first stroke, but then Monica had come into the picture, with guns blazing and plans to sell. She’d given him no reason to believe Tom’s passing had changed her mind about that. If anything, she now had even more reason to get rid of the place. Maintaining any interest in the hotel would mean a continued connection with Ty. She’d made it pretty damned clear how she felt last night when she’d come to collect Tom’s ashes.
    Maybe she didn’t care about the hotel, but he did care. The people who worked there were like family. He was responsible for their livelihood as well as his own. Monica had given him the dubious courtesy of sixty days to buy her out before putting the place on the auction block, but he still needed fifty million dollars, and time was ticking away.
    He forced himself to face the hard reality that he might have to sell out. Problem was, without the hotel he’d have to return to one of the only other things he knew—ranching or rodeo. Losing the hotel would still leave him with half of his ranch in Oklahoma, but once again, that meant dealing with Delaney. She didn’t want him there any more than he wanted to go back. Delaney would buy him out in a heartbeat, but he had no intention of letting her have his ranch, and they sure as shit couldn’t work the place together.
    On the other hand, life on the rodeo circuit had almost killed him once. He was eight years older now and might not be so lucky the next time a fifteen-hundred-pound bull decided to plow him nose first across an arena.
    The only other option that sprang to mind was to maybe take over managing Tom’s place. The present foreman, ol’ Bart, had always liked him. He was also older than dirt and might be persuaded to retire if Ty wanted to take up the reins. Then again, Monica probably had plans to sell the ranch too. After closely considering every option, the only conclusion he’d come to was that his entire situation sucked big, hairy, donkey balls. Any way he looked at it, Ty was screwed.
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    â€œI’m afraid I’m not much of a cook.” Bob set a plate in front of Monica with an apologetic look. “Fortunately, I found some of Rosa’s tamales in the freezer. Maybe it’s not haute cuisine, but it’s better than the cowboy beans and son-of-a-bitch stew the crew’s been living on.”
    â€œSon-of-a-bitch stew? Did I hear you right?” Monica laughed.
    â€œYup,” Bob said. “That’s what they call it.”
    â€œWhat’s in it?” she asked.
    â€œDunno and probably don’t want to. All I can tell you is they’ve been a sorry lot of grumblers since Rosa’s been gone.”
    â€œDoes she do all the cooking?” Monica asked and took an appreciative bite. She wasn’t a big fan of Mexican cuisine, but the tamales were surprisingly good.
    â€œYup. She usually prepares all the meals for Tom and the ranch hands. Don’t know what they’re going to do if she leaves.”
    â€œDo you think she’ll want to?”
    â€œProbably,” Bob said. “She has grown kids in Houston, I think. With Tom gone, she’ll probably want to move closer to them. Unless, of course, she goes to work for Delaney. That’s a possibility. I think they’re still pretty tight.”
    â€œDelaney? Do you mean Ty’s ex-wife?”
    â€œYup. Rosa practically raised her. She followed Delaney out here and eventually came to work for Tom.”
    Monica digested that connection along with her food. They finished the rest of the meal in silence. Although Monica found Bob’s company