Page 25

“Lucky me,” she grumbled. Despite her years of professionalism earned from running one of Texas’s most successful ranching equipment companies, she couldn’t find the strength to share that attitude with Bennett. There was so much he hadn’t said—about her father, his help. She turned the corner, desperate for space.

“You know, that cord won’t work on your dad’s equine bucket,” Bennett said.

“Are you following me?”

“No. I’m trying to save you a few dollars. Go back and get the red one on the end cap. It’ll latch onto the bucket your dad uses far better than the one you’ve got there.”

“Thanks, but I can handle it.”

“I know.”

That stopped her. He didn’t seem to anticipate his words having that effect, because he walked right into her backside, toppling her into her cart.

His hands steadied them both by settling low on her waist.

“Sorry about that,” he said. She wiggled out of his grasp, her skin warm beneath the fabric of her jeans where his arms had been. Her stomach flipped twice in quick succession.

“What did you mean by you know? You don’t know anything about me, Bennett.”

Off the ranch, he was just like any other Deer Creek resident, and she could pretend to be impervious to his charms. And meddling. “That’s true, except…”

“Except what?” she asked.

He shoved his hands in his jeans and his bushy brows drew into a curious arc. “Jax just told me you’re the brains behind Steel Born.”

She’d opened her mouth to respond but shut it again in confusion. “So?”

“So, I’m the CEO of MBE.”

The long, L-shape of the store had always seemed spacious to Maggie, but now the walls seemed cramped, too close together. Claustrophobia set in as Maggie desperately searched for a way out of the store. She took another step back toward the center aisle. Being this close to Bennett, his aftershave clogging her ability to think, was impossible.

“As in MB Enterprises?”

He nodded. “Yep. Marshall Brothers. I started the company when we branched out to three neighboring ranches and two partnering leases to farmland up north.”

“But that means, you’re the one who asked—”

“For exclusivity with the new line of Steel Born.”

“But that contract’s worth millions, Bennett.”

He chuckled as if any of this was in the least bit humorous.

“Believe me, I know.” He leaned against a pine railing, his arms languidly crossed over his chest like he made million-dollar deals every day.

“You have that much money?” Dammit. She mentally slapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry. I just never thought—”

“What? That I’d actually do it?” He rolled back on his heels and only then did Maggie register his clean pair of jeans and boots that looked barely worn in. The snug fit of his fern-green button-down brought out the bright jade color of his eyes. She swallowed decades of old emotions back into her stomach. “I promised I would, Maggie. And I’ve kept every promise I made to you. Every. Last. One.”

She shook her head. If that was true, she wouldn’t have left, no matter what her father had to say about it. So why did her heart lurch toward believing him after all this time?

“Why me and not Orin?” she asked, deflecting from his false claim. “They’re more established.”

“And half as personable. I like the way Steel Born customizes their products. I’m looking forward to talking to you more about it.”

“I-I have to go, Bennett. Thank you for the advice on the handle.”

With that, she paid, loaded up the supplies in the back of the truck and sped as fast as she could toward the outskirts of Deer Creek. Bennett Marshall was the CEO of the business she was hoping to partner with? Hope might be as far as that deal went, then. So much for making a fresh start with Steel Born.