Dirty Proof (Novak Springs) Read online

  “Absolutely. He has believed in your idea from the start, so he should be willing to assist you with getting everything set.”

  “Awesomeness. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you two as brothers. I hope you know that. I appreciate everything that you do for me.” Emma’s smile grew into a huge grin.

  “It’s only ’cause we have you for a sister. You’re the devilish imp that keeps things interesting.”

  Emma let out a little chuckle. “All right, should I call Wes?”

  “I will let him know that it’s a go, and I’ll make sure he calls you soon. He’s a customer service genius and might be able to help with your marketing ideas too.”

  Wes was a great asset, and Dallas hoped she took advantage of his skills. The ranch wouldn’t have been financially successful without his key insight. He had been instrumental in branching off and marketing the ranch in a different, more lucrative venture. Perhaps he could also make Emma’s Cowgirl Yoga plan just as successful.

  “I’m sure he will have a lot of helpful ideas. Have him call me when he is free to go over everything with me. In the meantime, I’m going to begin setting up the social media sites and give Ginnifer Zeiss a call. I need to confirm she’ll be able to attend for the two weeks in September.”

  “You mean there’s a chance she might not be able to come for your opening weekend?” he asked.

  “Well I couldn’t tell her to come when I hadn’t gotten your permission to run the program yet. I had some details to iron out first. I will call her and see if she’s still available. She seemed pretty excited about coming, though, so I don’t foresee any problems.”

  Dallas gathered all of her paperwork together, placed it into a manila folder, and handed it to Emma. “All right, looks like everything is settled here. I have other matters to attend to unless you have something else you wanna talk ’bout?”

  Emma grabbed the folder and stood up. “No, that’s all I needed. I’ve lots to do, so I’ll leave you alone now. Bubbye, big brother.”

  Emma turned on her heel and strolled out of the office. At least the meeting had gone relatively well. He believed he had been able to give her something to look forward to. She needed something to throw all of her energy into so she could forget her useless ex-boyfriend.

  Dallas continued to stare at his office door after his sister left. Did he make a mistake in letting her try this latest idea of hers? He sure hoped not, but regardless of his reservations, he was still going to let her try it. Emma had wanted to try something new for a while now. The ranch was in a good place financially, and if Emma was going to experiment, this was the best time to let her try.

  He let out a sigh and ran his hands through his chestnut hair in frustration. It was hard to be the oldest sibling. Sometimes he wished he didn’t have so much responsibility. He had been the head of the family since their parents died in the car crash five years ago. Dallas barely reached the ripe old age of twenty-four when he found himself saddled with the responsibility of the family ranch, Novak Springs. The life he planned changed with the death of his parents. He barely graduated college before he had to take over Novak Springs in central Washington. The town of Dillon grieved the loss of their parents alongside of them.

  He grieved far more than the loss of his parents. Dallas also lost the life he had been planning with his then fiancée, Melody. She was everything that he thought he wanted in a lifelong partner. She was beautiful, smart, and tenacious. No other female had ever come close to meaning anything to him. As soon as they met, she became an important part of his life. They had made so many plans together, but they all came tumbling down when his parents died. Melody had not wanted to come with him to run the ranch. That wasn’t in her plans. She wanted more out of life than to be holed up in a kitchen and taking care of their family. When Melody told him that she couldn’t marry him, his heart shattered into a million pieces. His parents had never gotten a chance to meet her. The plan had been to bring her home the very week they died. In the span of a short time, he lost more than any normal person could handle. Dallas was a shell of himself from that point on. The only two people that mattered to him were his brother and sister. Melody was no longer important; she couldn’t be. His heart hardened at any thought of her. It still baffled him that he could allow someone in his life who would abandon him when he needed her most. He vowed he would never give another woman that kind of control over him again.

  Wesley, a year younger than he was, deferred his last year of college in order to help Dallas run Novak Springs. Emmaline was their baby sister, scarcely twenty-two years old now. They had to take over guardianship of her when their parents died in her senior year of high school. The vivacious teenager became sullen and withdrawn. Dallas was aware that she believed she was a burden to them, but it wasn’t further from the truth. She was the glue that had held them together while they struggled to make a profit from the failing ranch. Wesley’s ideas to run a dude ranch during the spring and into the late summer months had been what saved them from ruin. They not only got help doing all of their chores, but people actually paid for the privilege of learning how a real ranch worked. It was a win-win situation all around. They still had some regular ranch hands for running the day-to-day operations of the ranch. Mrs. Henly, the housemaid, came in four days a week to clean the house and occasionally cook meals. She stocked a lot of casseroles in the freezer for them so they didn’t starve. Mrs. Henly was a kind, older woman who had been hired by their parents before they passed away.

  Originally Emma had been adamant she was not going to go away to college after high school graduation. So it was Wes who convinced her that she needed to go away and earn her degree. He was able to make her see she could help them with sustaining the ranch if she got the right education. She wanted to help them run the ranch. Once she was there, she blossomed and had started to flourish into that cheerful girl again. The happiness bubbled out of her whenever she visited. She began dating a football player and couldn’t have been happier with her life. Emma brought the guy home often on breaks until they broke up a couple weeks before her college graduation. Some of the happy energy left her, but it wasn’t the same as when their parents died. This was something entirely different. It was her first heartbreak, and it was in this new project of hers that she found a way to channel any restless energy. It was one of the reasons Wes had given Dallas to make sure he let her try it out. Wes was more tuned into her emotions. He could see the pain in her eyes more clearly. They were both desperate to see a smile on her face and were willing to try anything to make it happen. Dallas understood heartbreak, and he hated that his little sister was experiencing it.

  Wes was the charming and charismatic one and could talk anyone into anything. He was the golden boy in more ways than one, inheriting buttery-blond hair and hazel eyes from their mother. It was his skills at talking to people that got the dude ranch going and the money flowing. Even with his happy-go-lucky attitude, it was obvious he held himself back from the world. He put up walls and only allowed people to see a small part of who he was. Appearances could be deceiving, something Dallas knew too well. He didn’t push Wes into telling him what his demons were. If Wes wanted him to know, he’d tell him when he was ready. They were a close family, but even tight-knit families had secrets from each other.

  Dallas did the paperwork and accounting; he kept the business side of things running so they could continue to run the ranch. He had a degree in business administration, and he utilized every shred of knowledge he learned to keep the ranch in the black. He was often envious of his younger brother’s apparent easy charm and natural charisma. Dallas looked over at his cell phone and geared himself for the conversation with his brother. He had tried to tell him to give Emma’s idea a chance, but Dallas didn’t think it was a sound business venture. After talking to Emma and seeing everything Wes had pointed out, it was clear to him there was only one choice he could make. It should have been clear long before seeing her that it didn�
�t matter how sound it was, they at least needed to let her try. Wes saw it before he did, and he needed to eat crow, let him know he was right.

  Dallas picked up the phone and pressed his brother’s name in his contact list. The call was answered immediately as he heard a hello on the other end. He took a deep breath before saying, “I gave her the okay to do it. She’s expecting your call to help her set it up. I’m trusting you to guide her in every step.”

  “What made you change your mind?” Wes asked.

  “The look on her face, she was so eager to prove herself. I still have doubts it’ll be successful, but you’re right—she needs to try.”

  A shout of laughter came through the connection. “Haven’t you learned by now I’m always right?”

  “No, because you rarely are. Your ego is too big for the state of Washington. You should branch off east a bit and let the residents of Idaho and Montana enjoy the experience of all that is Wes Novak.”

  Wes chuckled at his brother’s response. “You’re just jealous that everyone loves me.”

  “Not at all,” Dallas said smoothly, “I’m just more selective than you are.”

  “Of course you are. More like you can’t find a woman to put up with your crap.”

  “Not likely. I’m not looking for a woman to put up with a darn thing.” Dallas visibly shuddered at the idea of allowing another woman the opportunity to shatter him again. No, he would never make that mistake again.

  “You can’t let what one woman did to you rule the rest of your life,” Wes said. “Someday you’ll find a woman that adores you, hell, they may even like you too.”

  “So generous of you. As I said, I don’t want or need one.”

  “Famous last words. I can’t wait for the right woman to come along and knock you for a loop,” Wes snickered.

  Even though Wes couldn’t see it, Dallas rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

  “She’s out there and she is going to turn you inside out. I’m gonna make sure I’ve got front row seats for the show.”

  Yeah, he already met a woman that turned him inside out. No thanks, he would pass on a repeat experience. “Now I know you’re delusional. I’m not letting a woman run my life. Ever.”

  All he could hear was laughing and decided the conversation was over. Dallas ended the call; Wes knew what he needed to do, anyway.

  Cowgirl Fever 2

  Ginnifer sat at her desk going through her workload for the week. She had a lot to get accomplished and not enough time in the day. Her schedule didn’t allow her a lot of free time. That didn’t bother her too much because she didn’t have anyone to go home to. So work gave her something to focus on. The only person around to give her any kind of companionship was her best friend, Vitoria. If not for Tori, she probably wouldn’t leave the office or home that much. Vitoria made sure she got out and even took an occasional vacation. That didn’t include her working vacations. She took at least four of those a year to review places for the magazine she worked at. It had been Tori’s idea to schedule a yearly vacation for just the two of them. Usually someplace warm with sandy beaches.

  Ginnifer looked down startled when her phone began to ring. Usually her personal line didn’t ring. She had an assistant to answer phones. It must be someone important for them to have her direct line. Well only one way to find out.

  She picked up her phone and answered it. “Ginnifer Zeiss, how can I help you?”

  “Hi this is Emmaline Novak; I spoke to you a few weeks ago about our Cowgirl Yoga program. I wanted to confirm you would still be able to attend the first two weeks in September.”

  “Hmm, let me check my calendar, the first two weeks of September you said? I do remember talking to you about attending. I thought we hadn’t nailed down a specific time.”

  “That’s correct. I was just getting things scheduled, and I realized we hadn’t touched base again. I hope you’re still willing to come out and review our program.”

  Ginnifer checked her calendar and looked over her schedule. Darn it, that’s the two weeks of her annual vacation with Vitoria. They had planned on going to the Virgin Islands for this trip. She hadn’t ever been there and she loved beaches. Not nearly as much as Vitoria, but it held a lot of appeal. Not as much appeal as spending a couple weeks on a ranch with cowboys. Something about a man in a cowboy hat always made her sit up and take notice. She had hoped to find a sexy cowboy to ogle at her heart’s content when she visited the ranch. Perhaps there could be a way to still make it work. Vitoria could be persuaded with the right incentive. She needed to let Emma know that it might not work, though.

  “Well I have those two weeks scheduled for a vacation, but I’m supposed to be going away with my best friend. We do it every year. I was afraid they would clash when you mentioned September. Is there any way I can come another time?” Ginnifer explained.

  “Oh that’s too bad. I was so hoping you would be able to come then. I don’t know when I can squeeze you in again,” Emma said with a small sigh. “There’s absolutely no way you can come during those two weeks?”

  Ginnifer tapped her desk with her fingers as she contemplated what she should do. She really did want to go to the ranch. She had always been slightly fascinated by cowboys and ranches. Perhaps she should just lay it all on the table for her to consider. Ultimately she would prefer to still have her vacation time with Vitoria. She might be able to persuade her to go. Tori knew how much she loved to look at cowboys. Of course she would point out she could do more than stare at them. Tori liked to touch and didn’t see why Ginnifer didn’t jump at the chance herself.

  “I was really looking forward to visiting your ranch. It’d be awful to miss out on the opportunity. Are you completely booked? Maybe I can talk Tori into coming along for it. She isn’t the roughing it type, but I’m sure she would at least enjoy the yoga and all of the other activities you’ve planned.”

  “Well I could put her in a cabin with you. I was going to put you in your own accommodations anyway instead of making you share as the program dictates. If she is willing to come, I could give her a discounted rate. Of course your stay is completely comped like we discussed, but I can’t afford to let your friend stay for free. I hope you understand.”

  “I’ll run everything by her and get back to you by the end of the day tomorrow. She can be hard to pin down because she’s out of the office a lot, but I’ll leave a message, and she’ll get back to me. I should know something for sure when I call you back.”

  “Excellent. I’ll look forward to hearing from you then.”

  Ginnifer said good-bye and hit End on her phone. She set the phone down on her desk and picked up her to-do list. No need worrying about something she couldn’t change, there was plenty of stuff she needed to finish. She would discuss all of the possibilities with Vitoria later today. In the meantime she had some deadlines to meet before she could call it a day at the office. Ginnifer picked up her coffee and took a big drink. She could feel the warmth slide down her throat and settle in her stomach. Coffee was her favorite drink. Nothing compared to its lovely energy, and she couldn’t get through a day without it.

  ****

  “Excuse me, Ms. Zeiss, you have a phone call.”

  “Thanks, Alison,” Ginnifer said. “What is it regarding?”

  “It’s Mr. Tolliver from that beach resort on the Hawaiian islands you visited three months ago.”

  Ginnifer reached over and picked up the phone.

  “Hello, Mr. Tolliver. How can I help you?”

  “I wanted to call and thank you for the lovely review you gave us in your article. I just got done reading it. I’m glad you were able to enjoy your stay.”

  “Hawaii was lovely. Thank you for inviting me out. I don’t usually get to visit beach resorts unless it’s on my own dime.”

  “It must get to be expensive traveling all over the place to just write articles.”

  “It can be. I try to visit places that don’t have a vested interest in my visit. It makes my
articles more valid. I’m always honest, though. If there is some area that can be improved, I don’t hold back, as you could tell from my article.”

  “Yes. We are taking all of your suggestions to heart. We want to give all of our guests a stay worth remembering.”

  “I’m glad I could help. Overall it was one of the best places I’ve ever stayed. You did a good job of meeting my needs and making me want to come again. I hope to visit again sometime in the future,” she said.

  “We look forward to seeing you again. Have a wonderful day,” Mr. Tolliver said.

  “You too. Good-bye, Mr. Tolliver. It was lovely hearing from you.”

  Ginnifer hung up her phone and considered her options while braiding a lock of her wavy butterscotch-blonde hair out of habit. Her mind had wandered to the issue with the Cowgirl Yoga program. She really needed to talk to Tori and make a decision. Did the story mean as much to her as her relationship with her best friend? Ginnifer knew it really was more than that, though. She always wanted to visit a ranch, and this was a prime opportunity to get to scratch the experience off of her bucket list. She had to consider all angles and figure out how to make it work.

  Tori was looking forward to sunny beaches and sexy men. What mattered most to her were the sexy men, especially if they were long-haired blonds. The question was how to spin it so she wanted to go on this vacation more than lounge on a beach and ogle the hot guys that could stroll by. Ginnifer just wanted to get away, and if she could get her vacation free, even better. Add some possible cowboys to boot? Mmmm nothing sexier than that. Hell did it really matter? She’d approach Tori with the idea, but when push came to shove, she knew she was going to that ranch in September. It would be more fun if she could bring her best friend along for the ride, though. So she hoped Tori wouldn’t put up too much resistance to the idea.

  As if she knew that Ginnifer had been thinking about her, Tori breezed into her office like one of New York’s fashion models, her high heels clicking on the tile floor. Her long caramel-blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun with strands spilling over her face, blue eyes sparkling with mischief, she threw her purse on Ginnifer’s desk and sat in one of the chairs nearest to her. Tori scooted the chair up closer to the desk and brought her elbows up to the desk, folding her hands under her chin.