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“How long have you been in love with her?”

“Ma’alance slid past her “Ty and Jessy are headed this way It looks like they’re ready to leave for headquarters”

“I wouldn’t rush,” Tara said when he started to turn away “It will only look suspicious” Confident that Ballard would re pair “There you two are I was just having theconversation with Mr Ballard here”

“Really” With an unusual aloofness, Ty briefly nodded an acknowledg you about his latest suggestion that Jessy just passed on to me”

“Which one is that?” Tara asked to cover her ignorance

“About getting an ad agency on board right away”

The wisdoestion struck Tara first, then surprise that it should come from an ordinary cowboy But she was careful not to let it show

“I know I’htly, then turned to Ballard, her conviction growing that he was far fros, Mr Ballard”

“It couess—that, and a natural curiosity Over the years I’ve been around a goodauction events, and I just naturally nosed around to find what all went on behind the scenes to put one of these things together” With that, Ballard du coffee froettin’ back to work” He touched his hat to Jessy and Tara, and moved off

Tara watched hiht you would have soht be wise to involve him more in the auction, Ty His input could prove to be valuable”

“Jessy just suggested the sa,” Ty informed her

“Then there are already two votes for Mr Ballard,” Tara declared “You ht as well make it unanimous, Ty Heaven knows, there will be hundreds of details to be handled And with the ranch to run, you already have enough on your plate You will need to delegate responsibility to someone Maybe that will prove to be Mr Ballard”

“Maybe” But the prospect didn’t appeal to Ty He just couldn’t seem to shake his dislike of the man

Chapter Eight

On a la in late March, Ty stood with his father outside the old ti and brutally cold winter with the te near the zero mark for days on end, the last patches of snow had finally rass With the therree ht balmy