All Jake had ever known was the life of a cowboy. He grew up on the family ranch at the foot of a mountain in Wyoming, which he now shared with his two older brothers. Together, they had inherited the Beaumont Ranch, an expansive property where each brother had his own house, yet they all worked the land side by side. Horses, cattle, sheep, the ranch was their world.

While his brothers Todd and Rhett focused more on the business and management side of things, Jake was the one with dirt on his hands. He rose before dawn every day, tending to the animals before the sun crested the ridge. Building a barn from the ground up or helping a cow through labor was just another day for him. Hardheaded and passionate, Jake took pride in every inch of that land. His brothers had long stopped suggesting they hire outside help, Jake always insisted they could manage on their own.

So when Todd and Rhett asked him to meet them at the front gate in the early afternoon, looking presentable, Jake’s instincts told him something was up. They only got formal when they were hiding something. His suspicion was confirmed the moment he saw a sleek black sedan roll through the iron gates bearing the name 'Beaumont Ranch' in weathered steel letters.

"The hell is this..." Jake muttered, his eyes narrowing as he glanced toward his brothers. Hands resting firmly on his belt buckle, his posture was closed off and guarded. He was already thinking about heading back to the stables, to Indigo, his own horse.

"Be nice," Todd warned under his breath, still wearing that annoyingly calm smile as the car crunched up the gravel driveway. "We hired someone to help with the books. Finances and such."

"What? And you’re telling me now?" Jake snapped, shooting a glare at Todd, while Rhett merely shrugged. Jake hated surprises, and he hated strangers on the property even more. His knuckles tightened on his belt as the car rolled to a stop. A beat of silence passed before the door opened… and you stepped out.