CHAPTER 1

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY:
SILENT PARTNER NEEDED FOR HORSEBACK RIDING STABLE.
APPLY IN PERSON AT TRIPLE H TRAIL RIDES
77 EAST DAIRY ROAD, FLAMINGO SPRINGS, FL

Kim Ford reread the Orlando Sentinel ad, then glanced around the ranch. Her excitement grew by the minute. This could be just what she'd been looking for! The buildings and fences needed minor repairs and sprucing up, but the location was perfect! She knew the land alone should be valuable, and then there were the horses…

Raised voices and sounds of a scuffle drew her attention to the barn entrance. The newspaper in her hand fluttered to the ground. What in the world had she walked in on?

A tall man in a cowboy hat appeared, dragging a slightly shorter, but huskier man. He hurled the obvious loser of the dispute to the dirt, then stood over him, hands on hips.

The fallen man struggled warily to his feet. As though fleeing for his life, he scurried into a truck, jumped in and peeled away in a cloud of dust.

Kim stood frozen in place. She watched as the lean but well-muscled victor brushed his hands together with a satisfied nod. Catching sight of her, he grinned and said, "Guess that snake won't be giving me any more trouble."

He came forward with a slow easy stride. When he reached her, he tipped his hat and nodded politely. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

His drawl sounded deep and sexy. Her cheeks warmed as a flicker of approval smoldered in the depths of the dark-haired cowboy's sensitive, yet somehow disturbing, chocolate-colored eyes.

Kim hesitated. From his hat to his boots, this man matched her image of a rancher. He appeared younger than she'd expected, though, probably under thirty. Could he be one of the employees? "I…came about the ad," she explained.

He wiped his hand on his jeans before extending it to grasp hers. His palm was rough and callused, but warm and solid. "I'm J.D. Hudson, owner of the Triple H. Are you interested in my Quarterhorse filly?"

Kim swallowed down her uneasiness and gave him her most confident smile. "No," she said. "I'm Kim Ford, and I'd like to apply for business partner. I think I can help you run this stable."

His grin faded as his eyes narrowed. "Guess I should've known you didn't come to look at a horse. Not in those city-slicker clothes. But you don't look much like a rancher, either."

She glanced down at her navy power suit and matching high heels. "I suppose I am a bit over-dressed for the position. I planned to apply for an office job. Then I saw your ad, and it sounded so much more enticing…"

His expression didn't change. "The ad said 'silent partner.' I need funds, not an assistant."

"I know. I have the money. But I want to work here, too."

He shook his head, and his gaze raked over her again. "Why would you want to invest in a riding stable?"

She ignored his suspicious tone. "I've always loved horses. I took English riding lessons at a very prominent stable in Ohio for several years. I'm working on a business degree, and I think you have the potential to succeed here. Your location is great! It's just close enough to the city to attract tourists, but far enough away to feel like the country. All you need is the right management."

"Management isn't the problem. I'd be doing just fine now if…" He gazed off in the distance and removed his bandanna to mop his forehead before meeting her eyes again. "All I need is some cash to pay off the bills and avoid foreclosure." His bitter tone made her wonder at the source of his frustration.

"I have a trust fund my grandparents left me to invest in a business," she said. "I'd like to spend it on something I love. But I want to be involved as a full partner, to put my degree to use."

"What can you do besides handle the books?"

"Everything. Whatever I don't know about the daily care of horses, you can teach me."

"Uh-huh." He sounded as if he wanted to laugh out loud. "And how much experience have you actually had on a ranch?"

"Not a lot. But I'm willing to learn."

He stared at her a moment, then tugged at the brim of his hat and gave her another assessment. She wondered if he was stalling for time.

Before he could voice another objection, she asked, "Can you at least show me the property?"

He shrugged. "I was planning to mend some fence. Want to come along?"

"Okay."

When the rancher abruptly turned and strode away, Kim followed, feeling like a puppy tagging behind its master. "How big is the ranch?" she asked, half-jogging to keep up.

"Just over fifty acres," he said over his shoulder. "My dad raised cattle here on three hundred acres for twenty years. But he had trouble making a profit and sold off most of the land years ago. We liked horses better than cows anyway, so we converted the rest to a riding stable. When he died three months ago, he left it to me."

Copyright © 2003 by Sandi Haddad