Wild Dream (Wildhorse Ranch Brothers Book 3) by Leslie North

Author:Leslie North [North, Leslie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

9

MARIANNE

Marianne sat at her thrift store kitchen table, picking at the cracks in its cheap plastic surface. She couldn’t look at Trent. Couldn’t catch her breath.

“Can I get you some water? Or something stronger?”

She let out a harsh sound, almost a laugh. “There’s sweet tea in the fridge. Maybe grab us both a glass.”

Trent poured two tall glasses of sweet tea, and Marianne drained half of hers in one gulp. She took a deep, steadying breath and met Trent’s eyes at last. The warmth she read there helped her find her voice.

“It’s my ex-husband,” she said. “We ran a brewpub together, back in Denver. It was great for a while, or so I thought—ecstatic Yelp reviews, a feature in Bon Appétit—but Simon took out all these loans behind my back. Signed my name for me, even, not that I could prove that. He ruined my credit, and we lost everything—the house, the business, all we had, except…” Marianne laughed, a bitter sound. “He still has our equipment, our fermenters, our bottlers, label printers, everything. If I won that contest, I could buy it back, but…”

“But you’d have to deal with him.” Trent’s tone was grim. “Couldn’t you get all that stuff somewhere else?”

Marianne shook her head. “I couldn’t afford that. Buying it back from Simon, I’d only have to buy out his half. That’s why he’s held onto it, to hold over my head.”

Trent gave a thoughtful nod. “And I take it he’s bad news?”

“Bad enough I’d rather he doesn’t know where I live. He’s a petty man—nasty, and he holds a grudge.”

Trent slid his hand across the table until it almost touched hers. Marianne took it gratefully and gripped it tight.

“The Honky-Tonk was my port in a storm,” she said. “I sank all I had left into it, thinking maybe…I thought if it took off, I could build from there. But I see now it can’t take off, not as it is.”

Trent ran his thumb over Marianne’s tense knuckles. “So, what will you do?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll enter the contest—I could use that prize money, whatever comes next. But as for the Honky-Tonk…the Tin Horseshoe’s got the bar-and-grill market cornered. A full sit-down restaurant, I’m not set up for that, but maybe I could be, with a cash infusion. Or I could call Simon, try and work something out…” She shuddered involuntarily, and Trent moved closer. He let her hand go and slid his arm around her. Marianne stiffened, then she melted against him, glad for his warmth and his reassuring strength. Would he protect her if Simon came calling? The thought annoyed her and thrilled her at once: she didn’t need any man to fight her battles. But the thought of having one did things to her heart, set her blood racing and her body tingling all over.

“Lockhart Bend has changed,” said Trent. “But we’re still a small town. We still rally round to keep our own safe. And you’re one of us, Marianne Stanton.” Trent’s tone was fierce, deep and gravelly in his chest.

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