“I didn’t say anything other than what we talked about, that I would be business manager and she and I would have a cottage on the property,” Lauren explained. “At first, she was excited about living here, but then she leaped to conclusions about our relationship. I think the loss of her father hit all over again.” She knew her voice had a note of panic in it.
“She was so happy last night that her leg was better and she could walk without the brace,” Lauren continued. “I really thought she would be excited about living here.”
“I’m so damn sorry,” he said. “It was probably way too soon to even propose it. It just seemed so right at the time. The last thing I wanted to do was create problems between mother and daughter.”
“I shouldn’t have mentioned the possibility yet. I should have waited but I really thought she would love the idea of living on the ranch.”
Lauren broke off the conversation so he could call Sally, then went to the kitchen. Sally was in there already on the phone with Reese. She hung up. “I’ll go down to the stable. Julie’s probably with Snowflake. Our kids get really attached to their horses while they’re here and confide all kinds of secrets and hurts to them.”
“Shouldn’t I go with you?” Lauren asked anxiously.
“I don’t think so,” Sally said softly. “Not if she’s as angry as you think. A friend is probably more likely to get her to talk.” She hesitated, then added, “I’m a hundred percent behind Reese’s offer.” Then she was off to the stable, leaving Lauren in a panic.
Lauren stayed at the window as Sally disappeared into the stables. A few minutes later, her phone rang. “She’s gone,” Sally said, “and Snowflake with her. Heath was there and said she just threw a saddle on Snowflake without the blanket and galloped out.”
“She’s still learning to ride,” Lauren said. “If she acted that quickly, she probably didn’t check the cinch.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. I called Reese just before you. He’s on his way. One of the hands is saddling Max for him and a horse for me, and another hand is rounding up other riders.”
“I want to help search,” Lauren said.
“And you may go in an entirely different direction than Julie and get yourself lost,” Sally said gently. “The best thing you can do is stay at the stables and organize things. You’re really good at that. Keep track of where our people are going. And call our county emergency services. Tell them we’ve lost one of our Junior Ranchers.”
“All right,” she said reluctantly.
“My horse is saddled, and Reese and other riders are on the way. Any idea where she might go?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, don’t worry. We’ll find her.” The phone clicked off.
Lauren called emergency services and told them her daughter, a Junior Rancher, had taken off on a horse and may be in trouble. The responder said they were on the way with an ambulance.
As Lauren headed for the stables, the yard was filling up with more ranch hands headed into the building. She saw Reese give them each an assignment, then stride over to her.
He gave her a sheet of paper. “These are riders and the trails or directions they’re taking,” he said. “I’m going toward the Roost. As more join us, have them scan the list and find an empty spot. Okay?”
She nodded, trying to keep tears at bay.
“We’ll find her,” he said as he mounted Max.
Her heart hammered. Being unable to do more to help was an agony she’d known too well during the months her daughter was in the hospital. Why hadn’t she concentrated on Julie?
An ambulance roared up and Jeff Henley, Chet’s assistant, went out to meet it. She went running toward it, as well.
Jeff turned to her. “They’re asking for medical information.”
“Has she been found?”
“No, ma’am,” the paramedic said, “We’re just being cautious. You’re Mrs. MacInnes?”
She nodded.
“Can you give us information about your daughter? Blood type?”
She could barely answer. All the images of the first time she saw Julie in the hospital sixteen months ago flashed through her head.
She tried to remember everything. Blood type of course and all the injuries Julie had incurred.
Betty came out of the kitchen and sat with her, holding her hand. Lauren was barely aware of it. Tears blinded her eyes.
An hour went by. She knew because she was clutching her cell phone in her hand. Jeff’s phone went off. He talked for a moment, then reported.
“They found Snowflake. Her saddle had slipped. She’s acting peculiar, doesn’t want to leave. Reese thinks Julie must be close. They’re searching that area now. He’s asking for a stretcher on the trail to the Roost.”
Fifteen minutes later, Lauren’s cell rang and she heard Reese’s voice. “We found her. We’re bringing her in on the stretcher. I don’t think there’s any major injuries.”
Fifteen minutes later four men rolling a stretcher trotted toward the ambulance. Reese rode behind them on Max and leading Snowflake.
Lauren ran over to the stretcher and leaned down. Julie’s face was scratched and there were bruises and cuts. She reached out and grabbed Lauren’s hand. The brace wasn’t on her leg, but the paramedics said she’d known how to fall to protect it when the saddle came loose.
They said she would probably be in pain for a few days but there didn’t seem to be major injuries. She would be x-rayed, though, at the county hospital.
“I’m sorry, Mom. Snowflake wanted to go back to the barn. I...think she knew something was wrong. Then the saddle slipped and I tumbled into some bushes. She wouldn’t leave. I told her to go home. But she wouldn’t.
“Then I heard some horses and my name called. I tried to yell, but it didn’t sound very loud. It was Snowflake who brought them to me.”
“We’re going to the hospital now for X-rays,” the driver interrupted.
Jeff stepped up. “I’ll drive you, ma’am.”
* * *
Lauren and Julie stayed at the hospital overnight. The X-rays didn’t show any broken bones but she had some nasty bruises and several deep cuts from broken branches.
Jeff, Chet, Betty and Sally all came by late that day. Betty brought some soup, of course. Sally brought some wildflowers. Chet brought some candy.
When they were alone, Lauren took Julie’s hand. “Until you have a child,” she said, “you will never know how terrified I was for you. Please don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry. Really sorry. I don’t even know why I did what I did. I could have injured Snowflake and killed myself. You never would have gotten over it.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” Lauren said. “I haven’t gotten over Dane’s death. I never will. He’ll always be one of the best parts of my life and he’s why I’m who I am today. Just as I hope he would feel the same way if I’d died and he’d lived.
“He loved you so much,” she added. “He’s probably up there in the sky wondering why you took so little care with your own life.”
Julie bit her lip and tears appeared in her eyes.
“I love you with all my heart, Julie. It would have broken again if anything happened to you and I was, in some way, responsible.” She paused. She knew what she wanted to say but the words came hard. “I’m falling in love with Reese, but I’m not going to rush into anything.
“What I feel for him doesn’t dismiss or demean Dane. It honors him because he showed me what love meant and how important it is. He always told me that he would be in the cheering section if I married again. He would know then he did a good job.”
Tears flowed down both their cheeks and they held hands.
“I’m so sorry, Mom. I was afraid his memories would disappear.” Tears hovered in her eyes.
“They could never do that,
baby. He’s engraved in our hearts. Nothing will take those memories away.”
“I really do like Reese. I knew he would find me.” Julie swallowed hard. “And I would like to stay here.”
“Will you tell him that?”
“I will.”
“Well, he’s outside with a friend.”
Lauren went over and opened the door. Reese came in, holding a vase full of columbines, the state flower of Colorado.
Leo galloped in ahead, put his two feet up on the bed and licked her.
Reese took one look at the two of them smiling and he grinned, as well. “I think Leo is trying to tell you what we all feel at Eagles’ Roost. ‘Welcome to our Colorado ranch.’”
Chapter 15
Julie graduated two weeks later with the other three participants in the program. Lauren watched proudly as the students first showed off their skills. They cantered, trotted, jumped, then each left their riding horse and eagerly led their mustang around the ring.
They didn’t ride them. The mustangs were too newly trained and a sudden noise might startle them. Instead, the kids led their new friend with no mishaps other than an affectionate nip on Heath.
Not only were their parents in attendance but half of the community was there, too. Lauren watched with them as Reese proudly presented certificates and a sculpted horse to each one.
They were invited to return anytime. After they left the ring, all the ranch hands who had worked with them gave them a cowboy hooray.
There were long, sad goodbyes as they left. Jenny was in tears. The boys wore proud grins. Julie hugged each one with promises to keep in touch through text messages and Facebook as one after the other left.
She was limping as she walked over to Lauren and Reese. “I’ll miss them,” she said.
“You’ll make a lot of new friends at school and you’ll keep in contact with the others,” Reese promised as he pulled on her ponytail. “They’re welcome here anytime.” Leo barked his agreement.
Lauren had moved into the cottage previously occupied by Chet and his wife. The ranch had bought the couple a new home in the nearby community of Paw Ridge. His former cottage would be too small with the baby coming, but it was just right as a temporary home for Lauren, who was now officially the business manager. Julie would move in today.
It was getting dark when the last visitor left. Sally retired to her rooms; Betty went to spend some badly needed time with her husband. Julie went with Nathan to feed the mustangs. Mistake tailed behind, braying for attention.
“Want to go to the Roost?” Reese asked Lauren.
It had become their favorite place in the past few days. Julie had accepted their relationship after the talk in the hospital, had even seemed excited about staying at Eagles’ Roost. She and Snowflake had bonded during that afternoon on the path.
And tomorrow Lauren would drive to Otis’s air station. They had explored possibilities, and he had checked with the high school. There was, indeed, a demand now that his faculty was expanded to include a former air force fighter pilot. The interest was higher among girls. She would commute, driving there Friday morning and giving lessons Friday and Saturday. She would stay at the inn Friday night but drive back to Eagles’ Roost Saturday afternoon.
She’d talked to Julie first. She’d told her about her first teacher and how he’d changed her life, and how safe it was. She didn’t say that it was safer than a car.
Julie could even be the first pupil if she wished. To her surprise, her daughter had nodded. “I want to be like you,” she said, and Lauren’s heart swelled.
After Julie and Nathan went into the mustangs’ stable, Lauren saddled Lady while Reese saddled Max.
It was a perfect evening. The sun was just reaching the mountains and the valley was flooded with nearly every shade of gold and scarlet and orange and red.
They rode silently to the Roost where the first Howard rested.
Then Reese dismounted and Lauren slipped down into his arms.
“Does this feel like home yet?” he asked.
“I think it did the day I arrived,” she replied.
“And I think that’s the day I fell in love with you.”
“I was...perturbed.”
“You were angry, and so damned pretty. I wanted to kiss you then.”
“You can do so now.”
He did, and it was long, and incredibly sexy, and they didn’t want to let go of one another.
As frissons of heat ran through her, she wasn’t sure she could wait a year for marriage. But she had promised her daughter when the subject was broached. Reese also wanted to wait. He wanted to be sure Lauren and Julie would be happy here, that the winter wouldn’t dim their love.
She knew it wouldn’t, but she understood.
Until then, they had this private part of the Roost. Now and, she knew, for their lifetime.
Epilogue
One year later:
The Paw County Truth Teller/Published since 1899
The wedding of the year recently took place in a columbine field near the Eagles’ Roost Ranch.
A sea of cowboy hats mixed with air force uniform caps was noted by witnesses of the nuptials of Colorado rancher Reese Howard and former air force major Lauren MacInnes.
Mr. Howard is owner of Paw County’s largest ranch, and the new Mrs. Howard is co-owner of the Davies/Howard Flight Academy.
The bride’s daughter, Julie, was maid of honor, and the groom’s nephew, Nathan Howard, was best man. They made a striking pair of young people. Mr. Howard’s ring bearer was his dog, Leo.
The wedding was attended by all the ranch personnel at the Eagles’ Roost Ranch, who came in trucks and on horses, and air force pilots who flew in on fixed wing aircraft. Also attending as special guests were past and present Junior Ranchers, graduates of the Eagles’ Roost Junior Rancher program. The groups meshed well because they were all made of the same right stuff: risk-takers. Bold. Tough. Convivial.
Since all reportedly appreciate brevity, the official service was short but the festivities long.
The kiss was, well, censored.
It was also reported by anonymous sources that eagles were invited but declined, preferring their centuries-old home on the cliffs surrounding the ranch.
* * *
Editor’s Note: A few local restaurants disagreed about the convivial description. However, the editor was present at the festivities and stands by his observation.
Editor’s Note 2: We do know that hats and caps don’t attend weddings on their own, but we liked the image.
Editor’s Note 3: The Truth Teller sends its heartiest congratulations to the county’s leading citizen and his new bride.
Keep reading for an excerpt from Home to Blue Stallion Ranch by Stella Bagwell.
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Home to Blue Stallion Ranch
by Stella Bagwell
Chapter One
Who the hell is that?
Holt Hollister pushed back the brim of his black cowboy hat and squinted at the feminine shape framed by the open barn door. He didn’t have the time or energy to deal with a woman this morning. Especially one who was pouting because he’d forgotten to call or send flowers.
Damn it!
Jerking off his gloves, he jammed them into the back pocket of his jeans and strode toward the shapely figure shaded by the overhang. Behind him the loud whinny of a randy stallion drowned out the sounds of nearby voices, rattling feed buckets, the whir of fans, and the muffled music from a radio.
As soon as the woman spotted his approach, she stepped forward and into a beam of sunlight slanting down from a skylight. The sight very nearly caused Holt to stumble. This wasn’t one of his girlfriends. This woman looked like she’d just stepped off an exotic beach and exchanged a bikini for some cowboy duds.
Petite, with white-blond hair that hung past her shoulders, she was dressed in a white shirt and tight blue jeans stuffed into a pair of black cowboy boots inlaid with turquoise and red thunderbirds. Everything about her said she didn’t belong in his horse barn.
Frustration eating at him, he forced himself to march onward until the distance between them narrowed down to a mere arm’s length and she was standing directly in front of him.
“Hello,” she greeted. “Do you work here?”
Holt might forget where he’d placed his truck keys or whether he’d eaten in the past ten hours, but he didn’t forget a woman. And he was quite certain he’d never laid eyes on this one before today. Even without a drop of makeup on her face, she was incredibly beautiful, with smooth, flawless skin, soft pink lips, and eyes that reminded him of blue velvet.
Home on the Ranch--Colorado Rancher Page 18
