Billionaire Cowboy (Book 1 of Richland Series)

**COMPLETED** The Billionaire Cowboy is a fictional story that is created from the imagination of the author, SeaK. All rights are copyrighted. All characters and events are not based on real events. Copy or use of these characters or events is not permitted without the author's permission. RETURNING HOME Watching the trees fade into the background, as her truck entered a long stretch of highway, doctoral candidate, Ashley Richland, breathed a sigh of relief as she progressed into the next phase of her life. Having submitted her dissertation, her life was finally at a standstill. No more deadlines, no more professors to placate and no reason to stay in Bozeman, Montana. Taking a moment for herself, she looked forward to returning home, to her family and the ranch that had inspired her passion. Growing up in a large extended family, there was always someone around. However, going off to college forced Ashley to be self-reliant. Traveling the four-hour drive by herself with sketchy cell service, she relied on her playlist for company. A song by Luke Bryan, Huntin, Fishin and Lovin Everyday, brought memories of her high school days. From a young age, she loved to learn and studied a lot but, always found time to enjoy the outdoors. As her high school's valedictorian, she was among an elite bunch of brainiacs who had also completed advanced programs at the local community college, earning herself a high school diploma and an Associate’s of Arts Degree in Chemistry. Growing up on a ranch, everyone learned to care for the animals. But Ashley chose to take it a step further by learning how to evaluate livestock. Learning from Grandpop, who had never attended college, his knowledge and experience with animals was invaluable and created a desire in Ashley to discover alternatives for livestock medical preventions. Healthy livestock guarantees the future of a ranch. A smile broke across her face as the song changed to Fever by Garth Brooks, bringing up memories of time spent at rodeos. Her brother Darren and cousin Jim are team ropers, her cousins Mary Anne and Trish are barrel racers and her brother Luke is following in their father’s footsteps, breeding bulls. There was a time when Ashley loved competing as a barrel racer, but an accident destroyed her childhood dreams. Because of her love of the rodeo environment, she chose to be behind the scenes evaluating animals. The song changed to an Alabama hit, If you’re going to play in Texas (you gotta have a fiddle in the band), and she chanted along with the song like a pro. Memories flooded her mind of Grandpop sitting on the porch with his fiddle entertaining anyone willing to listen. At a young age, she learned playing the fiddle was a talent all on its own, and one that she did not have. Wiping a tear because she was missing her family, Ashley’s mood improved when Meant to Be by Florida Georgoa Line and Bebe Rexha brought memories of her seven-year relationship with Steve Baxter. He was her anchor. She laughed, remembering how Steve tried for over a year to ask her out, before her brothers allowed Steve to take her on a date. Steve was her first date, first kiss, first boyfriend and first love. For the past five years, they mostly spent apart, while she was off at college, but their relationship always seemed to endure. Even though their nightly phone calls drifted away, he always supported her goals and talked about their future together. An emotional feeling clouded Ashley's thoughts until Save a Horse by Big & Rich blared out the speakers, causing her to laugh. She remembered the first time her cousins sang the chorus. Poor little innocent Ashley thought it was a song about getting piggyback rides. Boy, was she mistaken! She was book smart but a bit naïve when it came to s****l experiences. Ashley laughed again, remembering her cousins’ constant teasing and detailed descriptions of what it meant to "ride a cowboy." Yesterday, after saying goodbye to Mrs. Eastman, her favorite professor and mentor, Ashley returned to her apartment and packed her truck, feeling relieved that her long educational journey in Bozeman had finally come to an end. Sure, last night, she questioned her decisions in her dissertation. It was a downside to having an OCD brain that continued to process thoughts and search for solutions, even during the middle of the night. But as the sun rose the next morning, her mind let the past stay behind her and focused on her accomplishments. She was proud of her work and the countless hours she had spent researching plants to discover their effects on livestock indigestion. Eventually, she created and trademarked an oil supplement giving animals natural nutrients to fight diseases and avoid expensive processed medicines. THE PHONE CALL Ashley’s thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing. Before she could say hello, her best friend Kyle asked, “Ash, how you doing?” His energetic voice usually put a smile on Ashley's face, but this time his tone was somber. She replied, “Hey Kyle, I miss you!” He quietly asked her to pull over so they could talk, which was never a good sign. They have been best friends since elementary school. Even the over-protective Richland males accepted and treated Kyle like a family member because there were many instances where he stood by her side. Kyle took care of Ashley when she got the chicken pox, when she broke her arm falling out of a tree and when she lost her horse. One of the many things she cherished about Kyle was how he never beat around the bush and always got straight to the point. There was a pause in their conversation. “Ok, what’s up?” Ashley asked. He cleared his throat then said, “Ash, Steve has a girlfriend, he’s been cheating on you.” Ashley gasped covering her mouth with her hand as tears flooded her vision. Stunned and speechless she remembered Steve’s visit three weeks ago when he talked about them moving in together. Did he lose his job again? He said she was his soulmate. Who says that? She remembered his late-night calls hiding in her dorm bathroom. Who was he talking to? If it was his family, he had no reason to hide. Why didn't she ask him about it? Venom spewed from Her mouth, “That piece of s**t, I hate him! You know he said he loved me. He said I was the one. He talked about getting married Kyle!’ She paused catching her breath before continuing her rant, “I can’t believe I fell for his crap. Remember how he cheated on Ally freshman year? I actually felt sorry for her. Well, once a cheater, always a cheater!” Kyle was quiet, he had more to share. Ashley demanded, “Kyle, what’s up?” He spoke with gritted teeth, “You know I’ve always hated the guy. I have nothing nice to say about him." She could tell he was stalling. He took a deep breath then said, "Ash, he’s been dating Ally for the past couple months and she’s pregnant.” Ashley screamed, “What a w***e!" She paused wiping her nose then continued, "All those times I returned home, and he acted like we were something special.” She took a deep breath trying to control her anger. Her eyes closed tight from humiliation, as she gripped the steering wheel her heart rate spiked. How could this happen? Did she ignore the red flags because she wanted her own love story? The call went silent. She wanted to know the extent of her embarrassment whispering, “How many people know?” Kyle spoke with control, “Not many, I don’t think his family knows yet.” She mumbled, “I’m such an idiot.” She felt lost and hopeless. She wanted to pretend they never dated. Looking down as her phone dropped to her lap, she discovered it had two bars on LTE. Kyle said, "Ash." She put the phone back to her ear and softly said, "Yeah?" He whispered, "Block his number." He paused then continued, "Everyone loves you Ash, you need to distance yourself from him. He's nothing without you." She agreed shaking then dropping her head in defeat. Thinking about Kyle's last words, she logged onto her social media accounts, changed her status to single, updated her profile pictures to her baby bull Bryson then blocked Steve's number. She let out a breath, she didn't know she was holding onto, suddenly feeling a bit of freedom.