Missing Out: A Chandler County Novel

By Trish Edmisten

Will she lose her ranch along with her heart?

Viola Belle doesn’t have time for love. Ever since her father’s death, Viola’s been doing everything she can to keep her family’s thoroughbred breeding business afloat. It hasn’t been easy, especially not when her biggest competition, Steele Horses, is stronger than ever. As much as Viola hates to admit it, Barron Steele, the cocky cowboy who owns Steele Horses, is as good at horse breeding as he is handsome. Barron’s good looks aside, Viola has no intention of falling for him. When it becomes obvious that someone’s trying to sabotage her struggling ranch, Viola has to consider the possibility that the man she would never admit that she wants may have something to do with it. Will the culprit be caught in time, or will Viola lose her ranch as well as her heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trish Edmisten
• Release date: Nov 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370788248

Trish Edmisten

Author of YA and contemporary romance.

Book preview

MISSING OUT

A Chandler County Novel

by

Trish Edmisten

Copyright © 2017 by Trish Edmisten

All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Covert art provided by Wes Edmisten

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

About The Author

Look for these titles by Trish Edmisten

For everyone I left in Oklahoma. Who would have thought we’d make it this far?

Acknowledgments

First, I have to thank PJ Fiala and Stephany Tullis. Besides being damn good authors, these two welcomed me into this world. They encouraged me, inspired me and kept me going when I thought I should throw in the towel.

I also have to say thank you to the rest of the Chandler County authors. You shared your characters, locations and stories with me and you have made my story better.

And of course, I have to thank my husband, Wes Edmisten. Not only does he provide me with constant moral support by being both my sounding board and my biggest cheerleader, but he is my graphic artist. Every time I contemplated quitting, I looked at his latest amazing cover and knew I owed it to him to keep going.

Chapter One

Viola didn’t know what pissed her off more; that Barron Steele’s ass looked so good in his tight Wranglers or that he’d outbid her at the auction. Or maybe it was the fact that the man’s name was Barron Steele.

Barron Steele! It sounded like something out of a cheesy romance novel, though it did bring her some measure of comfort that his initials were B.S. That was more than fitting.

The name irked her as did the man attached to it, but that wasn’t what had her so riled. Not today. Today, she was pissed about the auction. Every horse she’d bid on, he was there bidding alongside her and eventually driving the price so high she had no choice but to concede defeat.

Viola didn’t just want to buy a few horses. She needed to. If their ranch was going to stay in business for another year, they needed some good broodmares. As it was, they’d already resorted to some desperate measures to keep the ranch solvent, including their trainer taking a pay cut after they’d let two of their hands go.

Eli and Kent hadn’t been happy about losing their jobs, but they’d understood. Truthfully, Viola had been lucky to keep them on as long as she had. At least they’d been able to find work elsewhere. Eli had anyway, having picked up a job at Barron’s stables. As much as that irritated Viola, she was glad he hadn’t stayed jobless for long.

Viola wasn’t sure about Kent. The man had packed his gear and said he was going to head a little further west, but she had no doubt he would find work wherever it was to be had. Kent was a good hand, knew his business and had a way with horses that even she envied sometimes.

Losing two experienced hands had been a blow, but she’d managed to hang on to their trainer. Lucky for her, their trainer was her best friend, Nora Hicks. Anyone else would have resigned when faced with the prospect of losing so much money. Not Nora. She’d accepted it with a sunny smile and a promise to help Viola turn the ranch around.

The breeding auction was supposed to be their first step to making Belle Family Farms great again. Instead, she was walking away empty handed, courtesy of the man who’d been smiling at her as they’d fought for the same horses. Smiling as though there was nothing wrong with the fact that he’d stolen every decent horse from her.

Technically, he hadn’t stolen them. He’d just come out with the winning bids, thanks to the deep pockets of Steele Horses. At one time, Steele Horses had been their biggest competition. Now, they probably didn’t even remember that Belle Family Farms still existed.

That is just not fair, Nora said.

I know. I really wanted to take a horse home today.

Me too, but that’s not what I was talking about.

Then what were you talking about?

It’s not fair that the best looking men in the county are also the biggest asses, Nora explained with a nod in Barron’s direction.

It was at that moment that the bastard turned to face them.

No luck today, huh, Vi?

Viola scowled as she came to a sudden stop. Barron knew she hadn’t had any luck today, and he was the reason. Not that she would ever give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.

I didn’t see anything I liked, Viola lied.

No? Barron grinned. I would have sworn I saw your paddle going up every time mine did.

That doesn’t mean I was actually interested in buying.

What were you doing then?

Before Viola could answer, Barron’s foreman, Dustin Halstead, jumped into the conversation, I hope you weren’t ghost bidding to drive up the prices. That ain’t legal.

Of course not. Viola glared at him. I was actually interested in bidding at first, but I changed my mind.

Barron frowned as he cocked his head to the side, and Viola had the urge to tell the man he looked like a confused dog.

Why’d you do that? Dustin asked.

When I realized y’all were bidding, I knew it was time to step back, Viola explained.

Why’s that? Barron asked.

Probably ’cause she knew there was no way she could compete with us, Dustin said. Isn’t that right, little lady?

Little lady? Nora echoed, sounding as incensed as Viola felt.

Viola took a deep breath and silently counted to ten to talk herself down from the ledge. As much as she wanted to smack the smug smile off Dustin’s smarmy face, she could not go to jail. There wasn’t enough money in her bank account to cover her bail.

Dustin Halstead wasn’t any better than Barron. Yes, the man was good-looking with his dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes, but he was as self-absorbed as his boss. Probably because the pair had been thick as thieves since they were kids.

Actually, Viola said, forcing herself to smile at the pair of cocky cowboys, I quit bidding because I realized any stock you were bidding on would be substandard, and I didn’t want to get stuck with a bum horse.

Barron’s smirk returned full force while Dustin guffawed.

If that isn’t the biggest bunch of horse—

Barron nudged Dustin’s shoulder with his, and the man went silent.

I hope you’re not calling me a liar, Viola said, glaring daggers at Dustin.

We wouldn’t dream of it, Vi, Barron assured her.

The name’s Viola, not Vi.

"My apologies, Viola, Barron said with an easy smile as he tipped his black Stetson. You ladies enjoy the rest of your day."

You gentlemen do the same, Viola said.

Just because she loathed the man didn’t mean she was going to compromise her manners, no matter how much she wanted to. If she had, with her luck, it would get back to her mother. Then she would have to sit through another mind numbing lecture about what it meant to be a Belle.

Viola knew better than her mother what it meant. To her mother, it was lavish parties and box seats to the most prestigious races with the Kentucky Derby being at the top of that list. At one time that had been true. Not now. Now, being a Belle meant doing whatever it took to survive and keep the ranch afloat.

Even if that meant pissing off Barron Steele, especially if it meant that.

Barron couldn’t stop smiling as he and Dustin headed for the stables where their hands, Eli and Owen, should be waiting for them to load up the horses. Having just settled the bill, he was anxious to get a second look at the horses he would be taking home.

He hadn’t been sure how today’s auction would go. Unlike the Breeder’s Stock Auction, today’s event was a smaller venue, but Barron never passed up a chance to hit an auction. Some of his best horses had come out of auctions like this one.

Hoping to have a good day, Barron had brought two of his biggest horse trailers, along with Eli and Owen. And it had definitely been a good day. Besides walking away with three of the finest broodmares his money could buy, he’d had the pleasure of going up against Viola Belle.

Barron and Viola had known each other their entire lives, but they’d never been friends. With both the Steele and Belle families being thoroughbred breeders, they’d always been in competition. At one time, that competition had been pretty stiff. Growing up, Barron had heard his father cursing the Belle family name more than once, especially when their horses brought more money than his or won more races.

Now, Belle Family Farms was lucky to still be in business. Viola’s father, Joseph, had damn near ruined them with one bad business decision after another. Rumor was that he’d been trying to pay off some pretty heavy gambling debts, but Barron didn’t know if there was any truth to that. In their tiny town, people often had nothing better to do than gossip about their neighbors.

What Barron did know was that Joseph was dead, shot and killed in a hunting accident near five years ago, and Viola was running things now. After Joseph had died, Barron and his father had expected Belle Family Farms wouldn’t be far behind.

Much to his surprise, the ranch was still going, though Barron wouldn’t say it was going well. There hadn’t been much new stock coming into the place, and they’d recently let a few of their hands go. Eli was one of those hands Barron had been able to pick up thanks to their ever expanding operation. If the other guy had stuck around, Barron would have offered him a job too. According to Eli, the guy had lit off for parts unknown hoping to pick up work on another ranch.

Barron respected the hell out of Viola for not rolling over and going belly up. The woman was also beautiful as all get out with those stunning blue eyes highlighted by her long, golden brown hair.

He could still remember the exact moment he’d realized she was more than the daughter of his father’s rival. It had been at an auction, much like today. Her father had still been alive then.

That day, both of their fathers had come up with winning bids. In the stables, after the auction, the two men had stopped to talk shop. Despite being competitors, they weren’t out to ruin each other and could always trade pleasantries.

Barron, who’d been eighteen at the time, had stood at his father’s side waiting for him and Joseph to finish up so they could load the horses. About the time he was getting bored, Viola had shown up, all smiles in her tight jeans and scuffed boots, her long hair done up in a braid that hung down her back.

Though he’d seen her countless times over the years, he’d never really looked at her until that moment. The way the sun hit her hair had created some sort of halo effect that only added to the vision.

Barron had grinned at the sixteen-year-old girl, expecting her to get weak in the knees the way most of the girls in town did. Viola hadn’t been impressed. Instead of smiling back at him, she’d rolled her eyes and refused to look at him anymore after that. From that moment on, he’d been smitten.

If he didn’t know what her answer would be, he would have asked her out a long time ago. Barron had no doubt they would be amazing together, both in and out of the bedroom. One day, he hoped to soften her up and convince her to take a chance on him. If he could just get his foot in the door, he knew he could win her over. Barron smiled as he imagined Viola at his side.

It’s never going to happen, Dustin said.

Barron frowned. What’s never going to happen?

You and Viola.

What makes you think I’m interested in Viola?

Because I’ve known you your whole life and that stupid grin ain’t because you’re happy about the stock.

Barron shoulder checked his friend. Shut-up, ya fool.

Dustin cackled beside him. Barron grinned as he shook his head, but he couldn’t deny the truth of Dustin’s words. The two of them had been best friends since they were in diapers, and the man knew him as well as Barron knew himself.

Dustin’s mother had worked for them as one of the housekeeping staff and his father had been the ranch foreman, an honor that had recently been passed on to Dustin when his parents retired. The class lines had never mattered. From the moment they’d been old enough to take their first steps, they’d been best buds.

You think she’ll ever give up? Dustin asked.

Who?

Viola, Dustin explained. "You think she’ll ever accept