Let the Heart Do the Talking (Preview)

Chapter One

Mary stood by the window, looking out over the work being done on the ranch by the young men her late husband had hired.

There was still more than enough for them to do. She was grateful that Dirk Stubbs had been wise enough to hire such reliable men when he did.

But Mary needed to get their lunch ready, like she did every day. She was always at work in the kitchen, keeping them fed, until they went home at three o’clock in the afternoon and she could do the rest of the chores around the ranch.

Mary whirled her hair into a pin to get it up off of her neck. It made a thick, brown rope at the base of her head, threatening to come undone.

And with that, she was back to work.

Mary had never pictured herself running a ranch, but now that she was, she was determined to do her absolute best.

It was not going to be easy, but it was going to be worth it.

She threw the chopped potatoes into the pot of boiling water and stoked the flames underneath the stovetop. Mary always had a unique blend of spices that she used for her potatoes and the ranch hands loved it.

Especially Timothy, the youngest of them. He was even younger than Mary and she felt a sort of sisterly protection over him at times, always ensuring that he was eating enough.

But the ranch was doing well, as per usual, and she was glad that it meant she could give the men substantial food. Dirk had told her about days when the ranch had struggled and he could barely give them more than soup that was made by a girl in town he had hired to come and cook in the mornings, making enough food for the day.

As Mary thought about all of these things that had led up to that morning, she heard a call from the porch.
“Mary! It’s me, can I come in?”

“Please! I’m terribly bored,” she called back, stirring the pot in slow movements.

“Mmm, it smells amazing in here,” Danielle said.

“Thanks. I’m making my potatoes and I’m also trying a new blend of herbs for my buttered bread,” Mary said, turning back to look at her friend.

“Always with your cooking experiments,” Danielle laughed, shaking her head of thick, black hair.
“Well, I have to be useful around here,” Mary said.

“Useful? You do just about everything that a small woman could do and more!” Danielle exclaimed.

“Hardly. You see Timothy out there, moving those huge logs to repair the fence? And Arnold is logging a bale of hay with Glen. You think I could do those things?” Mary asked.

“No, but I also didn’t think you would be able to shovel so much hay into the stables and get the horses groomed and fill the trough for the pigs and all the other stuff you do around here. Trust me, Mary, you are carrying your weight,” Danielle said.

Mary shrugged. Her duties once the men left every day seemed endless, but she was proud to be able to take them on. It made her feel as though she was truly doing her part.

“Well, anyway, I just think it’s important that I provide food for these guys,” Mary said.

“And you do it well,” Danielle replied.

They grew quiet for a moment, but Mary sensed that Danielle was wanting desperately to ask her question. The same question that nearly everyone in town wanted to know the answer to.

“Go ahead,” Mary said, gently.

“Sorry,” Danielle replied, apologizing for having been so obvious.

“It’s all right. Ask your question,” Mary said.

“It’s just…I wanted to know what you plan to do now,” Danielle said.

“You mean now that the ranch is officially mine?” Mary asked.

“Yeah, that. I haven’t seen you since Mr. Atwater found Dirk’s brother. I don’t know the whole story,” Danielle said.

“It’s a simple story, really. Mr. Atwater was Dirk’s lawyer, now he’s mine, I guess. After Dirk died, he had to find Dirk’s brother to offer him the ranch. But his brother, Marlon, doesn’t want it – said that he’s a city boy now and that’s all there is to it. So, the ranch is mine…unquestionably,” Mary said.

Mary had been shocked to learn that Dirk’s brother didn’t want the ranch. But she was relieved. It had become home in the two years that she had been married to Dirk. And in the year since his passing, she had run it all on her own.

The fact that Marlon didn’t want it only meant that Mary was going to have a chance at ruling her own life for once. She would get to make her own decisions and have something that belonged only to her.

“You know that just about every rancher in town wants to buy this place,” Danielle said.

“Oh, I know. They have all made it clear. I had inquiries before all of this, men asking if Dirk’s brother would be willing to sell it and me telling them all that last I had heard, Marlon was in Boston and I had no idea whether or not he would want the ranch or not,” Mary said.

“So? What will you do? You weren’t a rancher before Dirk. You don’t have to be one now,” Danielle said.
Mary shrugged. She had married young and this was the only life that she had known since leaving her father’s home.

“I am going to keep the ranch. I know that no one expects it of a woman, but I am perfectly capable of running it and, to be frank with you, I enjoy the work,” Mary said.

“Really? You like being so busy all the time? And dirty? How are you meant to shovel hay in a dress?” Danielle asked.

“The same as I would in trousers. Perhaps the problem is that we are so often told what we cannot do that we never even try. We prove right those who would suggest that we are incapable,” Mary said.
A dent formed in Danielle’s forehead as she considered this.

“I suppose that is true. That’s how things have always been. But even if you are more than capable of running the ranch, are you certain that you really want to?” Danielle asked.

“Yes, I am certain. This is my home, Danielle. Why would I do anything different?” Mary asked.

“You could return to live with your mother and father and you could marry again. You are so young,” Danielle said.

“I know that, but there is no one I am looking to marry right now anyway. This is where I belong,” Mary said.

“You know, even my brother wants to buy your ranch. Obviously I am not going to get on the side of either of you, but I do want you to know that he would take good care of the ranch if you did sell,” Danielle said.

“It isn’t going to happen. I am capable of running this place on my own,” Mary said, straightening her back and sliding the thickly sliced ham into the oven.

“You are more than capable of running the ranch. But you need to watch out. The other ranchers in town don’t just want to buy your ranch, they want to see you fail if you don’t sell,” Danielle warned her.

“Then I suppose I had better not fail,” Mary said in a clipped tone, turning to Danielle and smiling without warmth.

Danielle laughed.

“I suppose you had better not,” Danielle said.

“Now, would you like to try my bread?” Mary asked, tearing away a chunk and melting butter into it.

“I would come here to see you any time, but I am sure you know by now that my real hope is to get some food out of you,” Danielle giggled.

“I thought as much,” Mary replied, handing her the chunk.

Danielle took a bite and her eyes lit up.

“I don’t think your hands would let you sell to anyone else anyway. They wouldn’t be without this amazing food,” Danielle said.

“I’m glad you like it. It really wasn’t all that hard to come up with the blend of spices,” Mary said.

“Can I get you to bake a loaf for me and my brothers?” Danielle asked.

“I already baked you a loaf. It’s there in the basket. If you can stay a little longer, I will add some potatoes and ham, although I won’t have enough to spare too much,” she said with an apology.

“I think we’ll be all right even with just a little,” Danielle said.

“How is Richard?” Mary asked, changing the subject.“Oh, he is doing wonderfully. I can hardly believe that we are only a few weeks away from being married,” Danielle sighed.

“I am sure that you will be happy together for the rest of your days,” Mary said, excited for her friend.
“Yes, I hope so. He is going to be a dream of a husband,” Danielle said.

Mary thought about her own late husband and the life that they’d had together.

They had not chosen one another. Dirk Stubbs had been looking for a wife and he had become a friend of her father’s as a successful young rancher who sold meat to her father for the inn that he ran. By the time Mary was old enough to get married, her father was perfectly happy to see her wed to Dirk.

But at the early age of thirty-two, Dirk passed away after two weeks of influenza. It had been difficult to see him suffer under the fever; nearly as difficult as suddenly finding herself unmarried and alone.

“So, tell me the truth. Do you think you will ever marry again?” Danielle asked.

Mary shrugged.

“I know you said that there is no one who interests you right now, but would you like to marry again one day? You have barely two decades to your name. Surely you won’t spend the rest of your days on your own,” Danielle said.

At only twenty-one years of age, Mary agreed that she did not want to be alone forever. But she was tired of talking about all of that.

“Maybe, but for now, I would rather focus on running the ranch and enjoying the life that I have built for myself here. You know as well as I do that it takes a whole lot of time and energy to run something like this,” Mary said.

“It sure does. And the men in town are going to use that as an excuse. If you’re serious about keeping the ranch, you will have to do a whole lot of work to prove to them that you’re as capable as we both know you are,” Danielle said.

“Probably so. But I will. I’m not afraid of them,” Mary replied.

“What if they absolutely refuse to back down?” Danielle asked.

Mary grinned and turned to her.

“Then so will I,” she replied.

“Are you ready for a battle like that?” Danielle asked.

“I am more than ready. I’ll teach those men to question whether or not a woman can run a ranch. I’m more than just a cook. I have been running this ranch for over a year now and we are every bit as successful as we were when Dirk was still around. Don’t worry, Danielle. I’m going to show them,” Mary said, putting her hands on her hips and leaning against the washbasin.

“Well, goodness, Mary. I think they are about to learn the true meaning of womanhood,” Danielle laughed.

“They don’t need to learn that. They need to learn what it really means to run a ranch. Men and women aside, they are going to see that this has nothing to do with that. It’s about me. And I am a rancher now, whether they like it or not,” she said.

Somehow, saying it aloud for the first time, Mary felt more confident than she ever had before.

Chapter Two

“You’re certain? Dirk’s brother doesn’t want the ranch? It now, undisputedly, belongs to Mary?” Tobias asked his brother, Conner.

“Undisputedly. Mrs. Stubbs now owns the ranch, through and through,” Conner said.

“Mr. Atwater determined it?” Tobias asked, just to be sure.

“One-hundred percent. It’s hers now and she can sell it to whomever she wants,” Conner said.

A wide smile of victory spread across Tobias’s face. If Mary was now the owner of the ranch then it meant that the ranch would be up for sale soon. He was going to be able to finally purchase Stubbs Ranch.

Like every other rancher in town, he had been wanting it for years. Dirk was never the kind of man to give in and sell, even when everyone knew that he was more passionate about the idea of running a business in town. But Dirk ran that ranch diligently and he made it into something special.

Now, Mary was the one in charge. She would be looking for an alternative, to be sure. That meant that he would have to get there first and convince her to sell to him before anyone else made a bid for the property.

Tobias Wheeler was a born and bred rancher. Raised along with his brother, Conner, and his sister, Danielle, he had worked hard for his father before inheriting this ranch when his father had retired from his work.

And now? Now, he was going to expand.

“You know what I’m planning, don’t you?” Tobias asked Conner.

Conner smiled at him, excited about the plan. But he held back and simply asked, “Want to tell me again?”

“I am going to buy that there ranch and run it as best I can. And this land will go to none other than my brother who deserves his own chance at running the show,” Tobias said.

Conner looked like he had when they’d been children and he found out that he was getting his own axe and wouldn’t have to share with Tobias anymore.

“Still happy with the plan?” Tobias asked.

“Brother, I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am with that plan,” Conner said.

“Great! So we should probably get our bid together. We can chat with Danielle when she comes home and see what she thinks we should offer as our starting point,” Tobias said.

“Dirk always said that she was a reasonable woman,” Conner said.

“Well, I’ve never really known either of them, so I can’t say as all that, but what I do know is that we can’t let Ben Reynolds get to the ranch before we do,” Tobias said and Conner nodded in agreement.

“Danielle is likely to be a little while longer and I’m sure no one is going to get to Mary today anyway, so what say you we head into town for a bite?” Conner asked.

“I say that’s a fine idea,” Tobias replied, before jaunting over to grab his hat from the hook by the door.
Along with Conner, Tobias headed in to town and they went into Saddler’s Old Homestead, their favorite place to get a meal and spend time with the other gentlemen around town.

“Ah, the Wheelers. What are you two lads up to?” Mr. Saddler asked, greeting them from behind the bar.

“Just finding ourselves craving one of your fine steak and tater plates,” Conner said.

“Well, we have got more than enough to go around. You might want to have a seat with the boys over there. Sounds like something’s up. Something mighty exciting,” Mr. Saddler said.

Tobias and Conner looked at one another, worried that the other ranchers had heard the same news that they had.

“How’s it going, boys?” Tobias asked, sauntering over with his chest out and shoulders back, the confident walk of a man known for getting things done and doing them right.

“Howdy, Tobias. Trust you heard the good news?” Donald Chalmers asked.

“What news might that be?” Tobias asked, rather coolly.

“Ha! You think we don’t know that you’ve been after that ranch for years? Sure you’ve already heard about it,” Donald said.

“You mean the Stubbs Ranch? Well, now, you should have been more specific. Yes, I did hear about that. And, of course, I’m awfully interested in what it might look like to own a bit of land that pretty. But, like any one of you, I’ll just have to wait and see what Mrs. Stubbs has to say about who she’s wanting to sell it to,” Tobias said.

“If only…” came a low voice from behind him.

Tobias turned around to see none other than Ben Reynolds standing there.

“Ah, howdy, Mr. Reynolds. Didn’t fancy I’d be seeing you here. And just what do you mean by, ‘if only’?” Tobias asked.

Ben stared at him with those ratty, black eyes of his, the greasy goatee on his face a mockery of manhood. There was nothing but the long and gnarled scar on his arm to betray any sense of a man who might be tough enough to get into trouble and get himself out of it again.

“I mean that it would be wonderful if Miss Stubbs would sell,” he replied, emphasizing the fact that Mary Stubbs was no longer married.

“Ha! And why wouldn’t she sell?” Tobias asked, laughing with Charlie.

“Well, you might just have to go and ask her. After all, it is her decision,” Ben said.

Tobias stopped, no longer amused.

“I don’t rightly understand. What do you mean she isn’t selling?” Tobias asked.

“I mean that Mary Stubbs has decided that she wants to run the ranch on her own,” Ben said, the bitter glare in his eyes undeniable.

Tobias was quiet for a moment, along with the other men sitting at the table. But, realizing that this had to be utter nonsense, he slapped the table loudly and gave a sharp laugh, eliciting laughter from the rest of the men as well until they were all howling at the hilarity of the idea.

“Mary Stubbs? Running the ranch on her own? Well, isn’t that just about the most ludicrous rumor I’ve ever heard! You might want to check your sources there, Mr. Reynolds, because that’s quite a far cry from any woman I’ve ever heard of,” Tobias said.

But Ben was not moved, and his dark eyes simply waited until the laughter ceased before speaking up again.

“Mr. Wheeler, I trust that you have had enough of your amusement?” he asked.

Tobias knew it was an insult but he didn’t give in, didn’t show that he was irritated by being openly mocked like that.

“Now, I am sorry to say it, but I speak the truth. Miss Stubbs has decided that she is going to run the ranch on her own. She believes herself capable of doing so and has decided not to sell. And if she had decided differently, I believe that she would have seen reason and understood that I was the right man to take on such a charge,” Ben said.

Tobias leaned against the table and crossed his legs in a laid-back position.

“Oh, you think that now, do you?” Tobias asked.

“What? You thought that she would sell it to you?” Ben asked.

“I do, in fact. And we’re going to find out. Because not one man here is foolish enough to believe that Mrs. Stubbs is planning on keeping that ranch. You can try all you want to scare us off, to make us think that she’s not selling so you can swoop in and place your bid. But you’re wrong,” Tobias said.

A few of the men nodded, but when Tobias looked at the ranchers at the table, there were some who were clearly intimidated by Ben.

Ben was always intimidating people. No one really knew how to stand up to him. It was only Tobias who had the gall and enough arrogance to confront a man like that.

“It is too bad that you think I am lying,” Ben sighed. “But I suppose you will just have to find out for yourself. I am sure that she will be kind to you when you waltz up to Miss Stubbs and tell her that she is incapable of running the ranch on her own and that she should let you buy it.”

Tobias shook his head and rolled his eyes. He was hardly stupid enough to approach it in that way. He knew how to speak to a lady as a gentleman and he was going to have tact with Mrs. Stubbs.

“Whatever you say, Mr. Reynolds,” he replied.

Just then, none other than Mr. Atwater, Mrs. Stubbs’s lawyer, entered. He took one look at all the ranchers, ending with a glance at Ben, before pulling his hat low and walking to a quiet corner table.

“Mr. Atwater!” Tobias called.

“I-I-I’m just here for the chicken. I don’t want to discuss anything else,” he said.

“Then you probably shouldn’t have come to a saloon full of ranchers. Come on, Mr. Atwater, you know what we’re all wondering. Is Mrs. Stubbs planning to sell anytime soon?” Tobias asked.

Mr. Atwater looked up as the ranchers made their way to crowd around his table and demand answers.“Please, I really do not want to get involved in all of this,” he said.

“We just want to know what’s going on,” Tobias said.

Mr. Atwater was quiet and swallowed before licking his lips and then biting them. The multiple motions along with the sweat upon his brow showed the vastness of his discomfort.

“Go on, Mr. Atwater. Tell them,” Ben said.

Tobias looked to Ben and then to Mr. Atwater, a sinking feeling in his gut.

“Well…as far as I know, Mrs. Stubbs is planning to keep the ranch,” he confirmed.

A rush of murmurs and groans sounded from the dozen or so men who were crowded around the lawyer. Tobias felt his eye twitch and a few of the men took a step or two back, their dreams coming to nothing.

“Tobias, what does that mean?” Conner asked, leaning in close.

“Means you aren’t getting your own ranch just yet,” Tobias replied.

“Will she not be swayed?” Moses Black asked.

“I do not believe so. As it happens, she is not a woman who is easily swayed by anything,” Mr. Atwater replied.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t try,” Abram said.

“That’s true. We can always try. And you know what? I’ll bet she can be swayed if she really trusts the man who puts in the bid for it,” Tobias said, still thinking that he and Conner could convince her.

After all, she was a friend of their sister’s. Not only that, but she had to be reasonable enough. And she was a good, Christian woman. Surely, she would see that she needed to help the community by letting someone strong and capable take on the tasks of the ranch.

It was what was best for everyone.

“So, Mr. Wheeler, it would seem that even a woman who has made up her mind is not enough to convince you to relent?” Ben asked.

“Not with something like this. I know that I can run that ranch better than anybody in town, Mr. Reynolds. If you think I’m planning to back down, you’ve got it all wrong,” Tobias said.

He disliked the way that Ben smiled at him, giving the faintest hint of a laugh, as though Tobias were a mere child.

But he didn’t plan to back down and let Ben Reynolds get something that didn’t belong to him, something he didn’t deserve. Ben was a bully; everybody in town knew that. And he had cheated his way to better cattle before.

This time, he wasn’t going to win. This time, if Mary Stubbs could be convinced to sell her ranch, Tobias was the one who would come out on top.

Chapter Three

“I’ll see you at home,” Conner said, leaving Tobias who had the business in town.

His best saw had just given in the day before and he needed to pick up something new at the general store.
He walked in, planning to pick up some jerky as well, when he saw none other than Mrs. Mary Stubbs.
She was beautiful with that that long, brown hair and those strangely light blue eyes. But as far as he could recall, they had never really spoken. Maybe they had greeted one another at church or some such thing, but he mainly knew her because she and Danielle had been friends for a number of years.

But Danielle usually went over to Mary’s place, even when she was still living with her mother and father before getting married to Dirk. Danielle would joke with him and Conner that she needed to get away from the menfolk for a while.

So, in that moment, Tobias was not entirely sure what he should say as he approached his sister’s friend. Should he apologize for the loss of her husband? No, that had happened over a year before. But he certainly couldn’t jump into asking to buy the ranch. That would make him look terrible.

Tobias eyed her for a moment before remembering himself. He could do this.

Sauntering in his usual fashion, Tobias maneuvered himself over to Mary and picked up a small bag of seeds, seeing that she had gotten some tomato and also a pouch of cucumber.

“Looking to start a vegetable garden?” he asked, striking up a conversation.

Mary turned and looked him up and down for a moment before turning back to the seeds, clearly unimpressed by Tobias.

“I’ve been working on the vegetable garden since I moved into my home three years ago. Before that, it was suffering,” she said, putting back the pouch of lemon seeds that she had been looking at.

“Really? I never would have thought Mr. Stubbs would let something like that fall by the wayside,” Tobias said.

“His eye was on the bigger picture and the money-makers of the ranch. My duty was the food, so it made sense that I start a small vegetable garden to provide specifically for that,” she said.

Tobias nodded, as though he cared very much to hear about her vegetable garden. In truth, all he wanted was to find out about the ranch and was itching to ask his questions.

“I’m sure he was glad that you took charge of it,” Tobias said.

“Well, what else is a woman to do with her time?” she asked, something in her tone sounding like this was a warning rather than a question.

Tobias said nothing right away, choosing his words carefully. If she was a snake ready to strike, he would have to be prepared to step back rather quickly.

“I am quite certain you use your time very well,” he finally said.

Mary Stubbs looked at him as though he was the biggest fool she had ever seen in all her life, but Tobias had no idea what to say or do next. He couldn’t figure what he had done wrong, either.

But there was something in her stunning, light brown eyes that captivated him more than he rightly cared to admit. She was like an illusion before him and it very nearly knocked Tobias out of his typically confident sphere.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Wheeler, but is there something I can help you with?” she asked him, rounding on him and staring at him with a coolness that far exceeded his own.

For a moment, Tobias was speechless and he spluttered.

“Oh, dear. It appears as though you are not quite sure what it is you wanted to say,” Mary said.
“I-it’s just that I wanted to…I wanted to offer you my assistance,” he said.

Mary Stubbs folded her arms across her chest but there was a gentle softening of her expression.

“Well, that is very kind of you. What sort of assistance do you believe that I am in need of?” she asked.

Tobias tried to interpret the way her body and face communicated, but they were entirely closed off from showing him what was really going on in her thoughts. He wasn’t sure if she was genuinely curious, grateful, or stubborn. He only wished that he could understand what she might have on her mind.

“I am not sure that you need any at all. But I know that you have had a whole lot to deal with over the past year and I felt bad that I never offered a hand. I guess we all just figured you had things covered or Mr. Stubbs’s brother would show up, but I am ashamed that I never assisted you in your efforts on the ranch,” Tobias said.

“How thoughtful,” she said, relaxing and giving him a faint smile.

At this, Tobias released some of the tension in his shoulders, relieved that she wasn’t angry at him. She was a very difficult woman to read and he had been starting to wonder if he had made a mistake or something.

“Well, I just don’t want you struggling out there on the ranch on your own,” Tobias said, trying to continue showing her what a nice gentleman he was and that he was more than happy to be of service.

“Don’t you worry, Mr. Wheeler. As it happens, I am doing just fine. I have four ranch hands, as you know.

And they are very good men. Each one as good as the other. Not only as men of honor, but they are also skilled and I must say that they know exactly what they are doing,” she said.

“That must be a relief to you,” Tobias said, his heart sinking.

He had hoped that if he was able to help her out a little bit, Mary might be more inclined to listen to him as he suggested that she was better off selling the ranch.

“You weren’t really born to this work, were you?” he asked.

“No, not a lick. But it turns out that I have a natural flair for it, for which I am relieved. I had two solid years of being trained quite well in the running of a ranch and that was followed by the past year of doing it all on my own,” she said.

It was sweet to hear her talk about all of this, as though she was confident in her work. Tobias realized that she must, indeed, have excellent ranch hands if they worked so hard that she was able to spend her time just cooking and tending to the garden.

Mary was a nice girl, but Tobias realized that she must not have any idea how much work was really going on around her. If she did, she would probably be a lot quicker to hand off her duties to someone like him who would be able to get things done.

“Wow. It sounds like you must really have a gift for this life if you managed to pick it up in just three years. I have been at this since boyhood, helping my father,” Tobias said.

“Then I am quite sure that you are far in advance of me,” she replied, laughing in a lovely, feminine way.
Tobias tried not to let himself be mesmerized by Mary. She was shockingly lovely and he was irritated at himself for noticing that so strongly when he ought to have been focusing on getting the ranch. That was his priority, of course.

But she was a magnificent woman, to be sure.

“Reverend Walker, good afternoon,” she said, turning slightly from Tobias for a moment and giving the reverend her full attention.

He nodded to her and smiled.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Stubbs. And you, Mr. Wheeler. I trust you are ready to give the reading this week?” Reverend Walker asked.

“Indeed, I am, Reverend,” Tobias replied.

He was always happy to do the Scripture reading at church and, this time it was one of his favorite passages. A section from Matthew, Chapter Eleven.

“Very well, I look forward to seeing you both,” the reverend said.

Tobias gave him a smile in lieu of a goodbye, but the reverend then paused and turned to them again.
“Oh, and Mrs. Stubbs, I wanted to congratulate you on your news. I am sure that you are very happy to know that your property is undisputedly yours now,” he said.

Tobias watched the interchange with great curiosity. As Mary took in a deep, satisfied breath, it was clear that she was more than just happy.

“Thank you, Reverend Walker. I am looking forward to forging ahead, even after everything that we have been through at the ranch,” she said.

“The session will be praying for you,” he said, taking his leave from them.

“Well, it sounds like news really has gotten around,” Tobias said.

“You mean that the ranch is mine, officially?” she asked.

“Yes, about that. You must be happy,” he said.

“I am,” she replied.

“Like I said, I have been a rancher for many years. You know, I really mean it when I say that I would love to help you out. I can assist you in just about anything, any tasks that you might need help with,” he said, allowing his eagerness to show.

“I am grateful for your offer, but I am really not worried. I think I have proven my competence,” she said.
“Oh, certainly, for a year. I mean, one year being in charge of a ranch is impressive, but you should also know that there are never two years the same. You may have one year go great, but the next? It’s possible that everything will fall apart. You could have floods or droughts. You just never know what’s going to happen when you are a rancher,” Tobias said.

“Oh, really? Wow, I never thought of that,” she said, looking worried.

Tobias was thrilled. She was starting to doubt herself. She was starting to see that maybe she wasn’t cut out for this, after all.

“It’s true. You know, you really have to be prepared for any and every possible circumstance. If not, you might find yourself in a real predicament,” he said.

“I can’t imagine how difficult that would be. You mean even next year might not go as well as this year did?” she asked.

“It is possible. Always unpredictable,” he said.

“So, I should probably try to figure out what I would do in those types of situations. I really don’t want to find myself stuck in the middle of a tough situation for me and for my ranch hands. They’re good guys. I have to consider how all of this would affect them,” Mary said.

Her shoulders had begun to droop and Tobias felt bad. He hadn’t wanted her to be so discouraged, but he needed her to realize that the ranch should be run by someone like him, someone with experience. And since it was only a matter of time before she would decide to sell, he needed to show her fast.
“I mean, what do you think I should do?” Mary asked.

“Well, like I said, I am always happy to help. I know all that there is to know about ranching,” he said.

“Thank you. You’re too kind. I really felt confident with everything that I had learned over the past year,” she said.

“Well, now you are prepared for the things that might be different. But you know, a year just isn’t long enough to know everything. And if it doesn’t go as well from here on out, you can always make it easier on both of us,” he said.

“How so?” she asked with a shining hope in her eyes.

“You could let me buy your ranch,” Tobias said.

Mary smiled at him and then started to give a beautiful laugh. But the tone of the laugh changed into something rather more…sarcastic.

Like the flick of a horse tail, she went from her merriment to a face as blank and flat as anything he’d ever seen before.

“No,” Mary said.

And with that, she turned from him and walked away.

---

“Let the Heart Do the Talking” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

Mary Stubbs is a young widow that has inherited her late husband’s ranch. Her competition is strong, with the rest of the town’s ranchers being more than willing to do anything to take over her property. When everyone attempts to break her spirit and make her give up the land, Mary is more determined and strong-willed than ever. She will soon come to realize that she can’t trust anyone, not even her best friend’s brother, Tobias, who seemingly approaches her as her only ally. What is the true, hidden motivation behind her insistence on keeping this troubling ranch? Will she find a way out of the dangerous trap that is being set against her?

Tobias Wheeler has been yearning for the Stubbs ranch for as long as he can remember, hoping to expand the property his family owns. What he isn’t prepared for is the fact that Mary is too stubborn to give up the ranch, driven by her own guilt. When everyone seems to turn against Mary, Tobias will realize that there is more to the picture than he ever imagined. What will he ultimately choose? To follow his heart or his business plans? Will he manage to find a balance between his own dreams and happiness?

What Tobias and Mary would never expect is to find themselves falling for one another in the midst of a threat. Will they be strong enough to make the right choices? Or will they be pitted against each other in an angry battle for the ranch?

“Let the Heart Do the Talking” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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