Chapter 14

When Luke came through the door, Leon and Raina were sitting at the table waiting for him to come in to eat. Leon scoffed at his baby brother's appearance. Luke ignored him as he made his way to his bedroom to change clothes. Anger and annoyance began to sweep over him. It never failed. Every time he felt like he could win over Raina's heart, there was his older brother the night in shining armor that he was. Luke tossed his wet jeans toward the empty basket on the floor. Empty... the basket had been full earlier in the day. Leon must have taken them out again. When was he going to stop treating Luke like a child. Luke ran his hands through his hair. He then made his way out to the kitchen to see Leon and Raina starting to eat. He sat down in between them. Raina shot him a smile, and Leon was also looking at him. Luke gave a questioning look to them both.

"I was talking to Leon, course he thinks I'm crazy, but I was thinking of hiring you as foreman on the ranch? Since my parents passed, most of the workers have moved on to other jobs since they expected me to sell. I think it's a win-win for the both of us..." Raina asked all giddy. Luke tried to hide his excitement at the thought, but it was also muddled with thoughts and questions.

"Well... Raina, that's a wonderful thought, but... hiring someone means paying someone, and how do you..." Luke began but was immediately cut off by Raina. Who was looking down at her plate.

"See... you said you weren't on the same page as Asher, but that just sounded like him. You automatically assumed something that you know nothing about..." Raina said with a sigh. "Just know that you'll be paid and taken care of... and that being the foreman means that you also get the cottage to live in... can you do that?" Raina added. Luke sat for a minute, still confused as to how Raina expected to be able to pay him, but now another thought came to mind.

"And what about when I leave in the fall?" Luke asked her. Raina shook her head as she took a bite of her pizza.

"See the way I figure this gives us all summer to find and either whip someone in shape to be your replacement or find someone who's already a vet... who knows, maybe some loyals will come back after they hear I ain't selling. I have quite a few ideas for the ranch. We'll just see how everything pans out. Hopefully, it will all go off without a hitch." Raina said, still eating. Luke was not completely satisfied with that answer. He did not know what he expected to hear. Was he expecting her to beg him to stay?? Luke looked at Leon, trying to get a read off him, but he was just eating his food. He then looked back at Raina, who still sat there, grinning from ear to ear. Her blue eyes seemed to have a shine to them, and that smile again. How could anyone tell her no? It was beyond his imagination. He began to nod.

"Well, Raina, I guess you have yourself a new foreman!" he answered. It was hard to hide his excitement now. He still did not understand how it was going to work out, but he was excited that it could. Raina clapped her hands together. She seemed like she could barely contain her excitement as well.

After dinner, while Raina was clearing the table, Luke went out onto the back porch to find Leon sitting there reading. The sun had set hours ago, and now the moon and stars took its place. Luke let out a sigh as he sat down beside his brother.

"I can't believe she offered me a job... how could she even pay me?" Luke said, rubbing his hand through his hair. Leon glanced over at his brother, realizing he was looking to him for reassurance. Leon sighed.

"Brother, what you and Asher fail to realize is how much Raina's family really has..." Leon said as he folded up his paper. "You know the state park that butts up against the back of the ranch?" Leon asked Luke. Luke gave a nod. "Well, all that land belonged to the Haven Ranch... then, in a sense, the state made a deal with the devil." Leon continued.

"Raina's dad?" Luke asked. He had never heard of this deal nor anyone ever referring to Mr. Hayden as a devil. Leon shook his head.

"No, Charles was a good man and a good cowboy, but it was his old man who was the businessman. James Hayden could smooth talk someone into selling their own and then convince that person it was their own idea to do it. And that's exactly what he pulled over on the state. Instead of being paid out in a lump sum, he somehow convinced the state that as long as the Haven Ranch remained in his family's possession that they were losing annually by selling the land. So, they instead should be compensated annually and would increase with inflation. If the family did sell the land, they would have to pay the state back the portion of the annual amount if they sold it before that year was up. "

"Why would the state agree to that when they could have just gone through the process and eventually won the land anyway?" Luke asked. Leon pointed his finger out.

"Because James had everyone believing at that time that the Ranch was failing anyway and would have to be sold off within the year. So, the state saw it as an opportunity to grab the prime land they wanted for way less than the land was assessed at and what they offered him for it." Leon explained.

"Smoothed talked the state into believing that it was their own idea... damn." Luke whispered. Leon nodded. "And there's no way for the state to weasel out of it?"

"Wouldn't matter if they did. The Hayden family has been smart about it since the land was sold over 30 years ago. On top of that, Raina has made herself enough money over the last couple of years with her music as well. So don't worry about her being able to pay ya. I think she's a fool to hire ya... even if it is just a couple of months." Leon said as he stood up to walk away.

"How do you even know all this? And why is she a fool for hiring me?" Luke asked. Leon turned towards Luke.

"Charles told me about it. He was feeling sentimental a couple of months before her graduation. Worried whether she would come back to run the ranch or not after her music took off. And a fool to hire you because you might be able to clean stables fast, boy, but you're only 19. You aren't ready to be in charge of anything, let alone a whole goddamn ranch." Leon answered, then opened the door to the house. He paused for a moment and turned back to Luke. "And don't go running your mouth off about Raina's family's business. Do you got me?" Leon asked, pointing at Luke. Luke just gave a short nod, and with that, Leon went inside. Luke looked back out into the night at the stars. There was no better view than this. Suddenly the door creaked open and there was Raina coming out.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought yall went to bed." Raina said politely as she turned to go back inside.

"Where ya going? You don't gotta run back inside just cause I'm out here." Luke said as he stared at her. She looked as if she was dragging her bed outside. Her pillow was under her arm, and her blanket was in her other above her head. She was not wearing a whole lot. If Luke had not seen the tips of her shorts and a bit of her tank top through the hoodie, he could have thought she only had on the hoodie. Raina had no knowledge of her beauty. Either that or was still naive of the thoughts of men. That hoodie... it looked strangely familiar.

"Luke?!" Raina asked. Luke shook his head and stood up, grabbing her pillow and blanket from her. He started heading down the stairs.

"Well, come on! You came to fall asleep close to nature, right?" Luke asked. Raina quickly nodded and then followed him out into the backyard. Luke stopped and stretched out the blanket and then sat her pillow on it. They both laid on their backs and started talking about the crazy day. Then about the foreman job. "What made you choose me?"

"You're fast, and I trust you. You'll be great! I know you will. So what if you're young, like Leon said. I'm younger and have to figure this all out. We can do it together!" Raina answered with a smile. That smile again! God help him!

"And what will you do if I like it so much I quit school?? How will you take responsibility for that? Will you marry me?" Luke asked seriously. Raina turned quiet. Marriage?? Luke started laughing at her. "Got ya!!" Luke laughed. Raina started laughing and smacked his arm. Luke rubbed his arm, not from pain in his arm but from awkwardness. He could not believe he said that out loud.

"We should do this more often! It really helps clear my head." Raina said quietly. Luke tried to see her face, and even though it was dark, he could see a tear going down her cheek. He quickly wiped it.

"Anytime..." He answered.