by Danni Roan
Trace smiled. “Yeah, I know Michelle,” he said. “Kade’s an old friend of my brother. He got me this job. I’m Trace,” he finished, offering his hand.
Marissa reached out shaking the man’s warm, calloused hand and felt a jolt of heat race through her.
“That must have been just after my last visit,” Marissa said. “I came out for the week of spring break. I’m a teacher and try to get out of town during the holidays.”
Trace nodded seeing her point. “There are plenty of kids around here this summer,” he said with a smile. “I hope they won’t bug you too much.”
“Fortunately, they aren’t my students, so I don’t care. I’m not responsible for them,” Marissa said retrieving her hand and reaching out to stroke the mare’s nose. “How old is she?”
“She’s only two but she’s coming along well. Another year and we’ll start her under saddle. She is one of the earliest fillies born on the ranch.”
“And she’ll work here on the ranch?”
“Probably, Chase tends to keep the quieter stock for trail horses and sells off some of the others for show or breeding stock. It seems to be a pretty good balance overall, a little cash from sales and good dependable riding horse for the Broken J.”
Marissa looked up meeting the man’s hazel green gaze for the first time. If she had been in the mood to be impressed by men, she would have to admit he was a good-looking cowboy. Not the lean sleek kind she saw so often, but a little more fleshed out like he wasn’t ashamed of his body and was comfortable in his own skin.
Based on her own five-foot-six inches, she guessed he wasn’t more than five-ten, but he was broad across the shoulders and chest. She smiled as the thoughts sprang into the brain.
“That’s a nice change,” Trace said nodding at her grin. “You looked rather pensive earlier.”
Marissa shook her head. “Just a lot on my mind,” she said. “It’s been a long year and I’m worn out.”
Trace noted the unconscious slip of her hands to her middle. “Long school year?”
“Long year, period,” Marissa admitted dropping her eyes.
“I’ll pray it gets better,” Trace replied easily.
Marissa looked up at the handsome cowboy. “Is that everyone’s answer for everything around here?” she asked her voice sharp.
Trace shrugged running the nylon line through his hands. “Seems to work,” he said studying the toes of his boots.
“I don’t need prayer,” she said. “I’m a modern-day woman, and I can do this on my own.” Her voice tasted bitter in her mouth, but she wouldn’t take the words back. “I don’t need some Santa in the Sky looking out for me.”
“I suppose that’s true,” Trace said calmly. “But you shouldn’t have to if you don’t want to. We’re put on this earth to do our best and to help each other,” he looked up his thoughtful eyes full of some unknown fire. “You ever need help, just whistle,” he added slipping a card from his pocket and into her hand before turning to lead the little red mare toward the barn.
Marissa shoved the card into her pocket. She wanted to toss it on the ground and storm away, but littering was bad. Instead, she spun on her heel marching toward Kade and Michelle’s house on the far side of the ranch yard near the stream.
She was going to slip into a hot bath and read a book until the rest of the crazy, annoying, and infuriating world disappeared.
Chapter 3
Marissa sank up to her nose in the big claw-foot tub closing her eyes as the warm water engulfed her shutting out the rest of the world.
Michelle and Kadence were down at the print-shop, Kade was out doing cowboy things, and she had the old house to herself.
For a moment she wondered about the history of the Ballard’s two-story home. She knew more about the main ranch house than she did about Michelle’s place, partly because Phil had framed and posted old photos and letters from the original family of the Broken J all along the hall of the main house, and they told the tale of years of hard work, dedication, friendship, and love.
Pulling herself upright Marissa pulled the teak reading stand that lay across the tub, toward her and looked down at her book, but she couldn’t focus.
No matter what she tried to do her mind kept coming back to the house and the families who had grown up here.
She knew that Kade’s great grandfather, Eric, had taken over the house from his parents, and that Eric’s adopted mother had been one of the original cattleman’s daughters. She also knew that Eric had married a mail-order bride, and together he and his wife Joan had at least five children, most of whom had left the ranch, eventually.
The echoes of children’s laughter must have filled the sturdy house all those years ago, and it made her question her own choices once again.
She wasn’t ready for this. She had thought she was. She had a good job, a solid relationship. This is what life was about, wasn’t it?
Splashing water onto her face she tried to clear her mind of the mental circles that made her head spin. Today she was going to forget everything and just relax.
Adjusting her book again, she tried to focus on the words but it was no good, and now she simply felt too warm, so she dragged herself from the depths of the tub and grabbed a towel.
Everything was happening too fast. She needed to get her life under control and do it before she found herself in a situation she couldn’t get out of.
Heading back to the room she used when visiting the Broken J, Marissa climbed into comfy clothes before placing her dirty items in the laundry. As she lifted her jeans, the card the cowboy had given her dropped to the floor where she retrieved it flipping it in her fingers to read the heading.
A cold chill slid down her middle as she read the bold lines.
THE PREGNANCY COUNSELING COLLECTION
Looking around the room and wondering why the cowboy had given it to her she slipped the card into the nightstand and walked away. Why had he given her that card? Had someone spoken to him, a complete stranger? Anger, confusion, worry, all raced through her heart as the pressing problem slammed into her again.
Dropping onto the bed Marissa buried her face in her pillow and cried herself to sleep wishing that someone would take this whole problem away.
***
Trace slipped a halter over the head of the four-year-old gelding he had been working with and headed for the hitching post, as his mind drifted back to the pretty young woman he had seen earlier that day.
He had seen plenty of young women and girls like her make their way through his sister’s organization.
Daisy had never truly recovered from the terrible decision their own mother had taken so many years ago, but she had turned her own tragedy into hope for others. As Daisy’s big brother Trace had never stopped looking out for his little sister, a miracle child and he did all he could to help out when times were hard. His job at the Broken J had come at the perfect time, allowing him to earn extra income, so he could continue to support Daisy and her work.
“God, I’m just a simple man trying to make a living and do what I can to help others,” Trace prayed. “I don’t know what your plans are, but I’m willing to do whatever it is you want me to do. Look after that girl that was here earlier and help her find her way. Amen,” he finished heading to the corral to saddle horses for an evening ride.
“Trace, what are you still doing here?” Chase Haven sauntered toward him with the easy-rolling gait of a bronc rider. “I was sure you’d be headed home by now.”
“Red asked if I could take an extra shift,” Trace said grinning at his boss who looked happy but tired. “He and Nan are heading out to see Josie ride and help Jackson with the horses tonight.”
Chase Haven shook his head of longish blond hair and covered a yawn. “I completely forgot,” he said. “I appreciate you stepping in.”
“I’m happy to do it,” Trace said. “You look like you could use a few more hours sleep though,” he teased.
“Sweet Meg is the
most precious baby in the world,” Chase beamed. “She can’t seem to sort out her days and night though,” he finished. “I’ve gone on short sleep before,” the former champion bronc rider said, “I’ll survive.”
“Maybe what you two need is a night out on your own,” Trace mused. “Get a baby sitter and just get away from home.”
Chase ran a hand under his unshaved chin. “That might be nice,” he agreed catching up a couple of horses and leading them to the hitching post. “Even a nice dinner out with no one around could be good for Phil.”
Trace smiled seeing the gears working in his bosses head. Babies were a blessing but a load of work too.
“You workin’ Saturday?” Chase asked his blue eyes still distant.
“No, but I’m not babysitting.”
“I’m not asking you to babysit,” Chase chuckled, “I was wondering if you’d cover for me that evening and I’ll take Phil out to dinner or something.”
“Sure,” Trace said, “that’d work for me. Besides I could use the overtime.”
“Overtime,” Chase chuckled. “We’re all on overtime. Philomena is thinking of adding more cabins and even an RV park if we can get the permits. At this rate, I’ll be hiring ten more wranglers.
Trace nodded understanding. Since Phil had taken over her ancestral ranch more than three years ago, things had really changed.
By turning the place into a dude ranch, the onetime marketing guru had managed to draw people from all walks of life in to experience what it was like to live on a ranch.
There were hayrides, chuck wagon excursions, trail rides, and just about anything else you could imagine to do on a ranch. There were even quilting parties, campfire-cooking lessons, and many other crafting skill displays.
The talented Philomena had seen potential in the rundown ranch and had quickly converted the large old ranch house and the surrounding homes and cabins into rentals then hired Chase to wrangle horses. She never guessed at the time her inheritance would have brought so much more.
Along with her cousin Kade, now a partner of the Broken J proper and not just the owner of Ballard land, the place had been turned around and given a fresh start just like Phil’s heart.
Together Trace and Chase worked saddling horses in quiet companionship for a while guest meandered the yard simply gazing at the horses in the fields or looking in at the smithy where Cole was busy fashioning some new form of iron art.
“What about the young lady talking to Phil earlier today?” Trace mused her pretty face, and dark hair coming back to haunt him.
“What?” Chance asked glancing toward the house. “When was that?”
“Earlier today,” Trace said, “She came over and met Sherri earlier while I was working. I got the impression that Phil knew her well. She might be a good babysitter.”
“You mean Marissa,” Chase replied tying off a latigo and moving to heft another saddle. “That’s Michelle’s sister, apparently not everyone in Michelle’s family is five-foot nothing,” he replied checking the cinches one more time before heading for the wheeled mounting block. “You’d think Kade might have married someone a little bigger,” the boss man added. “Seeing how he’s about as big as one can get.”
Together the two cowboys chuckled. They both had a great deal of respect for Kade, who had dedicated his whole life to keeping this place running. It was no wonder he had gone through a matchmaker to get a wife. How he managed to end up with his cousin’s best friend was either a mystery or a miracle.
“Looks like we’re ready to ride,” Chase said patting a big palomino on the neck. “I’ll start herding the guests your way if you’ll call the others.”
Chapter 4
Marissa rose from the warmth of the bed feeling somewhat better after her nap and headed to the window. Downstairs she could hear her older sister singing while she cooked.
Pushing the curtain aside Marissa looked out into the yard as a group of excited guests rode by on horseback headed out for the chuck wagon dinner and dance that night. On the leading edge of the group, she spotted the cowboy she had been talking to earlier that day.
The man sat tall and straight in the saddle, his movements confident and relaxed as he kept a watchful eye on those in his care. The rays of the setting sun caught the red in his light blonde hair sparking it to fire and Marissa caught her breath for a moment.
There was no denying that the cowboy was handsome, his strong jaw, and clean-cut look appealing after a few too many years of the bad boy look with her ex.
Was the cowboy actually what he seemed? Was he one of those admirable men like her sister had married, or even Phil’s husband Chase? For long moments she held the curtain aside while the riders passed, her eyes steady on the wide shoulders and easy movements of the cowboy.
As the ‘dudes and dudettes made their way across the shallow stream that separated the main ranch from the outer fields, the man pulled rein turning in his saddle to check that all the guests were in line then turned further gazing up at the window where Marissa stood.
With a start, Marissa dropped the curtain and stepped back as the light of the man’s blue eyes seemed to find her from her hidden spot, and she stepped back with a quiet gasp.
“Oh, you’re up,” Michelle called peering through her open door. “Supper will be ready soon if you’re hungry. I’m afraid it will be just the two of us and Kadence tonight since Kade has to work.”
Marissa smiled at her big sister, turning away from the window, as the image of the buff cowboy seemed to drift gently into her brain. “Sounds good,” she said. “Sorry I baled on you earlier.”
“You were tired,” Michelle said with a grin. “Last time I saw you right after school let out, I thought you were going to sleep for a week,”
Marissa laughed. The first real laugh in a long time as she followed Michelle down the stairs toward the kitchen, “I’d sleep for a month if I could,” she admitted. “You know what they say,” she added with a twinkle. “There’s no tired like end of the year teacher tired.”
“Misa,” Kadence called jiggling his spoon excitedly where he sat in his highchair. “Misa,” he crooned again making Marissa walk around the table to kiss him.
“There’s my little Boo,” she said sitting in the chair next to her nephew and grinning at his bright smile. “You have a spoon,” she finished.
“’poon,” Kadence said waving it more as his little legs kicked at his chair.
“I can’t believe how much he’s grown,” Marissa said, gently pinching his chubby cheeks.
“They do that,” Michelle said. “It doesn’t seem possible that he’s almost two years old.”
Marissa watched her sister as she placed spaghetti and meatballs on the table along with a salad and a crispy loaf of garlic bread. It was nice to see Michelle so comfortable and confident after so many years of putting up with her ex-boyfriend. Marissa wondered if she could ever actually have what Michelle and Kade had then shook her head pushing the silly thoughts away.
She had hoped that her news would have made Ray love her, but instead, it had pushed him away forcing her to realize that he had only been comfortable in their relationship, not committed.
“So what do you want to do tonight?” Michelle asked pulling Marissa away from her dark thoughts.
“I don’t know, maybe a movie and popcorn,” Michelle’s younger sister shrugged.
Michelle studied her sister knowing she had to tread lightly. Telling Marissa what to do usually meant she would do the exact opposite.
“That sounds nice,” she said with a smile. “Would you mind giving Kadence his bath while I clean up then we’ll put a movie on.”
Marissa reached for her nephew laughing at his spaghetti face as she lifted him from the old handmade high chair and setting him on her hip. “I’d rather give this little fella his bath than do the dishes, any day.”
Turning and heading up the stairs Marissa tickled Kadence on the belly. In a few minutes, giggles, bubbles, and splashes
emanated from the big tub, and Marissa found herself laughing at the little boy’s bath time fun, with his Winnie the Pooh tree house and friends toys floating in the warm suds.
The little boy’s laughter went straight to Marissa’s heart, and she wondered about what it would be like to have a baby of her own. Someone to love and call her own. She wanted that so badly, but she was afraid of having to try on her own.
Lifting Kadence from the tub, his little cheeks pink from laughter Marissa wrapped him in a towel and sighed as he laid his head on her shoulder and snuggled closer.
“You’re so sweet,” she said with a soft smile, even as she remembered Phil and her grumbling bundle from that very morning. Could she do this on her own? Did she even want to?
“All done?” Michelle asked walking into the bathroom. “We’ll get him settled in bed then have a girl’s night.”
