How to Rope a McCoy (Hell Yeah!) Read Free

needed a change of scenery, much like we did.
Painful memories, I guess. There was a dispute over ownership with a former
partner and they had trouble.” The old man rubbed his face. “Anyway, my father
sold Highlands, our family’s legacy, and since your mother passed, I’ve been
working to buy it back. And I think I’ve made a deal. I’m negotiating with the
current owner, Al Hollings. He’s been running cattle on the property and I’m
offering him top dollar. The man is in ill health and wants to liquidate his
holdings to form a trust for his only child, a daughter. Highlands Ranch has
been waiting for the McCoy family to come home. And if all goes well, that’s
where we’ll be going.”
    “Why
didn’t I know anything about this?” Heath asked, feeling funny about not
knowing all of his family’s history.
    “The
whole divorce thing between your grandparents was a sore spot. I was raised to
never talk about it. Ignoring our past became a habit. My father changed.
Losing a spouse is always hard.” He drifted off, deep in thought, as if what
he’d said explained everything.     
    “So,
the McCoys are originally from Texas? Yeehaw !” Ryder tried to tease, wanting to snap her dad out
of his doldrums.    
    “We
are, and it’s time we reclaimed our heritage.” Christian wiped his eyes and
smiled gently at his beautiful daughter.   
    From
that moment, the family seemed to come alive. Montana was beautiful, but they
had no roots, no connection to anything or anyone there. It wasn’t overnight,
but the family made the transition, flying down and finalizing the transaction.
They set up housekeeping in the old homestead until a new house could be built,
a replication of Belle Chasse to honor their mother.
    The
family moved on.
    Philip
finished his degree and spent time overseas on an archaeological dig before
coming home to teach at the University of Texas. He still went on adventures
when requested. Jaxson jokingly called him their own Indiana Jones. But he was
never gone long. The Highlands seemed to call him back.
    Jaxson
worked the ranch along with Heath, but he also rode the rodeo circuit, becoming
a National Championship bull rider. Tennessee fulfilled a lifelong dream and
formed a tracking company, spending a couple of weeks a month on the road
performing rescues and assisting in wilderness searches. He also married—too
quickly. But Molly wasn’t the person Tennessee thought she was. The old saying
‘marry in haste, repent at leisure’ was something he well understood.
    Ryder
and Pepper grew up to be beautiful women, but taking care of their father and
their brothers robbed them of the freedom many girls their age enjoyed. It also
didn’t help being female and the babies of the family in an all-alpha-male
household. To say they were sheltered was an understatement. So Ryder and
Pepper began pushing the envelope, testing their wings and giving their
brothers fits. The girls looked upon it as an adventure.
    All
of them settled in, they made friends. Heath bought Canyon of the Eagles resort
and began oil and gas exploration at Highlands. More importantly, he met a
woman…
    During
the negotiations to buy Highlands from Al Hollings, Heath had been introduced
to his daughter, Amy. At the time, she’d been young, just out of high school.
But Heath had noticed her. Hollings had died and they’d lost touch, but when
she graduated from college, Amy returned home. He ran into her at the country
club and from the moment he saw her, Heath knew she was meant to be his.
    Amy
was petite, cultured, and a perfect lady. Blonde, blue-eyed and perfectly
coiffed, she was quickly able to twist Heath around her little finger. Heath
fell hard and fast, proposing within a month of their first date and Amy
accepted. The only fly in the ointment had been a man who’d worked for her
father, Jack Arness . Later, Heath would find out Jack
had been his grandfather Isaac’s former partner. But at the time,