Ambush Before Sunrise: Bonus Story (Cardwell Ranch Book12; Montana Legacy

had just needed to see him because she needed to vent and she knew that he’d listen. “I keep getting offers on the ranch even though it isn’t for sale. T.D. is determined to take half of whatever I could get for the place, even though we were married such a short time. He actually thinks he deserves half the ranch.”
Harvey shook his large gray head. “I’m sure you had your reasons for marrying him.”
Jinx laughed. “You know that you and Dad tried to warn me but I was in...love.” She practically spat the word out. “How could I have been so blind?”
“It happens, especially when it comes to love. T.D. can be quite charming, I’ve heard.”
“Not for long.” She took another long drink of her cola. “What does that leave me?” she asked, her voice sounding small and scared even to her. “I’m going to have to sell the ranch to get rid of him. My only other option is to—”
“You’re not going to shoot him.”
She smiled. “You sure about that?”
Harvey sighed. “I know things have been rough since Ray died. Maybe you should think about getting away for a while. Maybe take a trip somewhere. Give T.D. time to cool down.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Or maybe I should sell the cattle and take a loss and forget about driving them up into the mountains to summer range.” But that would be admitting defeat and she wasn’t good at that. When backed against a wall, her tendency was to come out fighting, not give up.
He said nothing for a moment. “What did your father want you to do?” he asked quietly.
Jinx felt the shock move through her and realized of course her father had told his best friend what he wanted her to do once he was gone. “I’m going to have to sell the ranch, aren’t I?”
“Sweetie, I know it’s not what you want. Are you that determined to keep ranching?”
“It’s all I know, but it’s more than that. That place has been my home since I was born. I don’t want to give it up just because of T.D.”
“That’s the real thorn in your side, isn’t it? T.D. has you against the ropes. But I can’t believe you’re not that set on ranching it alone. Then again, you’re so much like your father,” Harvey said, smiling across the desk at her. “Stubborn as the day is long and just as proud. But if you’re keeping the ranch to show T.D. or people in this town...”
“It isn’t right that T.D. should force me into this or worse, take half.”
“I agree. You hired yourself a good lawyer, right?”
She nodded. “He says T.D. can ask for half of what the ranch is worth on paper. No way can I come up with that kind of money. I don’t have a choice. In the meantime, T.D. has it where I can’t even find any wranglers to work for me.”
His expression softened. “I’m worried about you. If T.D. breaks the restraining order again, you call me. I can pick him up, maybe even keep him overnight.”
She shook her head, finished her cola and stood. “Thanks.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
Jinx smiled at the older man. “You listened and the cola tasted just like it did when I was a kid. I do feel better. Thanks.”
The sheriff rose, as well. As she started to take the empty bottle back to the break room, he said, “I’ll take that.” She handed it to him, their gazes meeting.
“I’m going to go have a talk with T.D.,” he said and rushed on before she could say it would be a waste of time. “He’s a cocky son of a bitch and I would love nothing better than to throw him behind bars—that’s just between you and me. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll take a swing at me.”
She laughed. “Good luck with that. In the meantime, somehow I’m going to get my cattle to summer range. I’m not going to let T.D. stop me even if it means taking the cattle up there by myself. Don’t worry, I’ve advertised out of state. Maybe I’ll get lucky. After that...” She shook her head. She had no idea.
Her hope was that T.D. would give up. Or his girlfriend would keep him busy and away from her. Her father used to believe time healed most things. But with a man like T. D. Sharp? She had her doubts.
“Jinx?” She turned at the door to look back at the sheriff. “Just be careful, okay?”
T. D. SHARP THREW his legs over the side of the bed and hung his head. A cool breeze dried the sweat on his naked body as he sat for a moment fighting his mounting regrets and frustration. At the feel of a warm hand on his bare back, he fought the urge to shake it off.
“Come on, baby,” Patty Conroe purred. “You don’t have to leave. You just got here.”
He reached for his underwear and jeans, anxious to escape. Coming here tonight had been a mistake. After his run-in with the sheriff earlier, he’d thought what he needed was a kind word and a soft, willing body. But it hadn’t worked tonight. His body had performed but his mind had been miles away—out on the Flying J Bar MC Ranch.
“I need to go out to the ranch and talk to my wife,” he said as he stood to pull on his jeans, foolishly voicing the thought that had been rattling around in his head. The sheriff thought he could threaten him? That old fool didn’t know who he was dealing with. If T.D. needed to go talk to Jinx, he damned sure would. She could take her restraining order and stuff it up her—
“She isn’t your wife,” Patty snapped. “She’s your ex.”
“Not yet.” He heard her sit up behind him. “We don’t sign the papers until the property settlement is finished and it sure ain’t finished. Which means she’s still my wife. And I can