Page 74 of The Rancher’s One and Only

She blinked rapidly. He gestured toward the truck, and Ernestine tumbled out the passenger side.

Ernestine, with her glossy honey-colored hair, and wide eyes. Her adorable smile, and her freckled cheeks. She made his heart lift.

“Dr. Boesch,” Ernestine said, her voice clipped.

“Dr. Martin,” Haley returned, a wide smile on her face. “What a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know that you were here.”

Ernestine frowned. “Really?”

And this was where he knew Ernestine wasn’t going to be able to play along. Ernestine, with her unfailing honesty, was never going to play this game. And he could see that Dr. Boesch was made entirely of games. She didn’t want unpleasantness, not openly. She wanted to slip around in the shadows and play games. She didn’t want to have any accountability or outward conflict.

“No. It’s a coincidence. I had done some research that suggested I should be digging here.”

“Who is giving you information?” Ernestine asked, looking genuinely upset and hurt. “Because the only reason you’re here is that you must have found out that I was here. Which you would know because I was submitting reports back to the museum. I’m sure that Candy Johnson isn’t feeding you information, but I would like to know who is.”

“That’s a very ugly thing to accuse someone of, Dr. Martin. I have my own extremely elevated career. And I’ve been doing it since before you showed up.”

Oh, he was wrong; it was going to get a little bit spicy.

“But this, and the last grant that you stole out from under me, that isn’t a coincidence. I know it isn’t. You can keep saying whatever you want, but it doesn’t change what I know. I don’t lie. Ever. But you do. You can stand there smiling at me, but we both know that we’re in the middle of a bone war.”

Haley looked at him, trying to look placating, and he realized that she hadn’t read the situation between him and Ernestine correctly. She thought that he was still a prize that could be won. Interesting.

“I have an agreement with Dr. Martin,” he said. “Ironclad. No one else is digging on this property. Only she has the right to do that.”

“I don’t believe that’s true.”

“It is.”

“I’d like to see the contract.”

“It’s a verbal agreement. And anything else wouldn’t matter, because it’s my land, and I don’t want you on it.”

“Don’t you have co-owners?”

“They’ll say the same. We’re a team. A family here, and Ernestine has become part of that family. That’s the way that it is. She’s the only person who gets to lead a dig here. Maybe if you’re lucky someday you’ll get to work under her. But you would be very lucky to be able to do that. And you know, I doubt she’d hire you.”

And then, Ernestine did something entirely unexpected. She closed the distance between them, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Thank you, darling.” Then she stretched up on her toes and kissed him on the mouth. He could hear the shocked gasp come from Haley.

“You…slept with him for exclusive rights to his ranch?”

“Yes,” said Ernestine, smiling. “And he thought it was a good bargain.”

He took her hand, and led her toward the porch. “Anything else?” he asked tightly.

She was the color of a fresh strawberry, though less appetizing. “No. That will be all. Though, I might need to make a report about misconduct to your museum.”

“What would that be exactly? That I slept with a private citizen on his private land, and he has no affiliation with any real workplace of mine? I would be careful with that.”

Ernestine paused for a moment. “Though, feel free, because frankly…no one would believe you.”

And then, she let him lead her into the house.

“And why did you do that?” he asked as soon as the door was closed behind them.

She looked shamefaced. “I’m sorry. Did that bother you?”

“Oh, it didn’t bother me, but I’m surprised that you would let her think you got this with anything other than your intellectual prowess.”