Then Came You ; Written with Love

by Kianna Alexander

  Troy stood in the opening, with the sunlight streaming in around his broad frame. He wore black jeans, a red-and-black-plaid shirt and tall black boots embossed with flames. The brim of his black Stetson obscured his eyes.

  She brushed away her tears. “Good morning, Troy.”

  “Morning, Robyn.” He entered the barn, using his curved forefinger to bump up the brim of his hat. His brown eyes held concern. “You all right?”

  She used her sleeve to wipe away the remaining moisture clinging to her cheeks. “I’m fine. I just get a little emotional sometimes during calving. The beginning of a new life and all that.” She didn’t relish lying to him, but she preferred a small fib to a very big, uncomfortable truth.

  He nodded, his long strides bringing him closer to the stall she sat in. “First calf of the season?”

  “Yes. You missed it by just over an hour.”

  “I’m not going to say I’m disappointed.” He stooped down next to her, giving the calf’s head a quick rub.

  She took a breath, amazed at how the refreshing, masculine scent of his cologne could overcome the stench that hung in the air inside the barn. He smells so good.

  He spoke, breaking the silence. “He’s a good-looking boy.”

  “That he is. I just wish Molly had taken to him better.” She gestured to his mother, still tucked into her corner of the stall.

  “It’s still early. Maybe she’ll come around.”

  She shrugged. “It’s possible. If not, one of the other cows may take him on and let him nurse. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll just bottle-feed him.”

  She watched him lift the calf’s hooves and inspect them. “I already examined him. He looks very healthy.”

  “I agree.” He smiled at her.

  She felt her insides melt down into her boots like hot butter. Troy’s smile had always done that to her. It was so open and sincere. It made her feel as if she was in on a secret, a special something shared just between the two of them.

  His expression changed then, the earlier concern returning. “Are you sure you’re okay, Robyn?”

  She nodded hastily, rising from the low stool. “Yes, I’m sure. I appreciate your concern, though.”

  “I’m always going to look out for you, Robyn. In that respect, nothing has changed between us.”

  She blinked a few times. “What do you mean?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t you remember? In sophomore year, when that guy smacked you on the butt with a ruler as a prank?”

  She thought back, and it took a moment to dredge up the memory. She snapped her fingers. “Oh, yes. Trevor Umstead. Class clown and all-around jerk. He thought snapping girls’ bras and that sort of thing was so hilarious. He spent that whole class period skipping class, so he could stand outside the girls’ bathroom and pop them on the behind as they passed him.”

  “I remember. But do you remember what Rick and I did to him after that?”

  She frowned, her gaze shifting up toward the hayloft. “Um, refresh my memory.”

  “We pretended to buddy up with him, just so we could make sure he got caught.”

  She laughed as the memory returned. “Right, I remember now! You guys left a confession note pinned to the back of his jacket, and he got a week of detention and had to write all the girls apology letters.”

  “See? And that was before we dated.” He stood then, towering over her at his full height. “I’ve always looked out for you, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”

  She swallowed, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. Sure, he’d had his moments of chivalry. But was his memory really that selective? Or was he teasing her? He can’t think I’ve forgotten about prom. “I don’t know if I’d say always, but you’ve had your moments.”

  He frowned. “I’m not perfect, never have been.”

  She shook her head. I’m not getting into this with him. Not now. “I’m going out to see how the fence mending is going.”

  Without waiting for him to respond, she turned and walked out of the barn.

  * * *

  Troy spent the next few hours traveling between the main barn and the southern section of the ranch, which was to be his domain. Mary Ellen, the ranch manager who’d hired him, had given him the keys to a company golf cart for getting around the property. There had been stock to weigh and evaluate, feed stations to monitor and fill and many more tasks to attend to. By lunchtime, he was both tired and hungry. Making his way to the main office building, which housed a small café for ranch employees, he heard his stomach rumble. Once he’d parked the golf cart among the row of them on the side of the building, he climbed out and joined the other employees headed inside.

  He’d just entered the lobby when he heard the buzz of conversation increase in volume. He glanced around, looking for the source of the commotion, and his eyes landed on the man himself.

  Dressed in black slacks, a blue button-down CCE shirt and black boots, Cooper Chance paused to straighten his silver-tipped bolo tie as he smiled and shook hands with his employees. Troy watched the cattle baron move through the tangle of men and women, headed in his direction. He brushed a hand over his jeans, loosening some of the hay and bramble he’d attracted over the course of the morning.

  Cooper approached him and stopped, grinning broadly. His dark skin, twinkling gray eyes and thick black mustache remained unchanged from years ago, save for a few gray hairs. “Well, Troy. Welcome to the Chance family. Good to see you again.”

  He returned his new boss’s hearty handshake. “Likewise, Mr. Chance. Thanks for the opportunity.”

  He grinned. “Don’t mention it. You’re a son of this town, and you came highly recommended from the Roberts spread up in Durango.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” He’d worked on the Roberts family dairy farm for about eighteen months prior to applying for the job here at Chance.

  “I usually sit in on initial meetings, but I was all booked up during yours. My apologies.” He gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder. “You’re still welcome to come by my office if you have any problems that Mary Ellen or my daughter can’t handle.”

  Troy thought on that. He didn’t know much about Mary Ellen, but from what he knew of Robyn, she was capable of just about anything she set her mind on doing. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Well, I’ve got a lunch meeting, so I’m headed out. We’ll talk more soon, Troy.”

  “Great. Have a good day, sir.”

  Cooper shook his head. “None of that ‘sir’ stuff, now. Call me Coop. Everybody does around these parts.” He put on his dark blue Resistol felt hat, tipped it and disappeared outside through the glass doors.

  Troy moved into the café and got in line. After he’d helped himself to the buffet lunch of fajitas, rice and beans, he got a paper cup of lemonade and took his plate to an empty table near the windows.

  As he went to take his seat, he saw Robyn walk by with a tray of her own.

  He called her name, taking care to be heard, but not being too loud.

  Her head swiveled his way, and she stopped midstride.

  He gestured to the empty chair across from him. “Care to join me?”

  A soft smile lifted her lips and she nodded while walking toward him. Once at the table, she set down her tray and slid into the chair. “Thanks.”

  “So, how are Molly and the calf? Has she warmed up to him yet?”

  She shook her head. “No. Right now, we just wait and see.” She picked up the fork from her tray and began mixing the steak, onions, peppers and rice in her bowl. “How have things gone for you so far?”

  “Good, but busy. There’s a lot to do around here.”

  She chuckled. “Now you know why we hired you on. There’s never a shortage of things that need to get done.”

  They began eating and as he watched her, he noted th
e delicate way she filled her fork and lifted it to her lips. She seemed a little more relaxed than she did earlier. He wasn’t one to press a person about their personal business, but he could have sworn she’d been crying when he’d come into the barn this morning. She’d covered nicely with that story about being moved by calving, but even though she was a vet, he wasn’t buying it. Something was definitely on her mind, though he saw no trace of it at the moment.

  “Oh, I meant to ask you. How is your grandmother? I heard she wasn’t feeling well.”

  Small-town life strikes again. He wasn’t at all surprised that Robyn had heard about his grandmother’s health issues. “She’s stable. I’m going over to see her when I get off work today.”

  “Mrs. Monroe is such a sweetheart. Tell her I said hi, and that I hope she feels better.”

  “I will.” He thought about asking her to come with him to visit and give Mama Jeannie the message in person. But knowing Mama Jeannie, she’d declare them a couple and start naming her great-grandchildren before they even sat down.

  They spent a short time consuming their lunch in friendly silence, and he wondered what she was thinking about. Finally, he said, “Rick came by yesterday to look at the faucet.” They’d all been schoolmates years ago, and Rick had always been Troy’s main running partner.

  “Oh? I haven’t seen him in a while. How’s he doing?”

  “He’s good. His handyman business is thriving, especially since he doesn’t have any real competition here in Grandeza.” He chuckled then, thinking back on the declarations Rick had made while wedged inside the kitchen cabinet. “Rick’s still crazy. You know he said you hired me on here to make me pay for standing you up for junior prom? I don’t know where he gets this stuff.”

  She set down her fork, and something flashed in her eyes, something he couldn’t read. “Rick’s always been like that, hasn’t he?”

  “Yes. I just shook my head.”

  “He’s half-right. I remember being stood up. I don’t know any girl who wouldn’t remember such a thing.”

  He paused, watching her.

  Her expression, flat and unreadable, revealed nothing.

  “You know there was a reason I didn’t show up that night, don’t you? It was completely out of my control, Robyn. I would never have...”

  She held up her hand. “It’s ancient history.”

  He snapped his mouth shut, wondering if Rick had been right. Was this about making him pay for what he’d done all those years ago?

  She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m not looking for revenge, either. I’ve moved on from it.” She slid back from the table and stood, grabbing her tray. “We’re not kids anymore, Troy. I don’t believe in playing those kinds of childish games. And, besides, I wasn’t the one who hired you. I didn’t even know we’d taken you on until you showed up. So your little ego trip has been wasted. I simply haven’t thought that much about you since all those years ago.”

  “Fair enough.” He looked up, meeting her gaze. “But do you believe in second chances?”

  She narrowed her eyes as if studying him to test his sincerity. “Only when the situation warrants it.” She turned and carried her tray to the return point. Once she’d deposited her dishes in the proper place, she strode out of the café without a single backward glance.

  Alone at the table, Troy slid his tray away from him.

  Now, the question is whether I warrant a second chance.

  True, he’d returned home to look after his grandmother. But being here in Grandeza seemed to hold another benefit, one he hadn’t expected. Robyn was still here, and they would be working together. Perhaps fate was giving him the second chance Robyn seemed hesitant to give herself. A chance to right the wrongs of his past, and to prove to her how much he’d grown.

  He wasn’t the type of man who ran away from a good woman. And if she’d let him, he planned on showing her that.

  Chapter 5

  Robyn entered the café that evening and looked around, taking in all the decorations the office staff had hung. Amos had given thirty years of service to Chance Cattle Enterprises, and now that he was taking his well-earned retirement, everyone had agreed the occasion called for a party. Amos, being the practical person he was, would probably never have agreed to anyone making a fuss over him, so they’d worked on the party without his knowledge. Tonight, they’d finally get to see if their efforts had paid off. She walked to the buffet, where Mary Ellen stood. Wearing a knee-length black dress and matching boots, she was busy arranging paper plates and utensils for the partygoers.

  Mary Ellen glanced up from her task and smiled as she approached. “Hey, Robyn. How are ya?”

  She pursed her lips. “Don’t even try it, M.E. What do you mean by hiring Troy Monroe and keeping it from me?”

  “Remember how you said you were swamped dealing with the cows getting ready to calve, and not to bother you with stuff unless it was really important?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You know what I meant.”

  She shrugged. “It didn’t seem all that important to me, so I decided not to bother you with it.” A gleam of mischief flashed in her eyes.

  “I’m going to get you, M.E. When you least expect it.”

  She chuckled. “If you say so. Anyway, you look nice, Doc.”

  She looked down at the dark blue maxi dress she’d chosen for the party. “You know me. I’m not one for dressing up, but I do all right.”

  “You’re early, so why don’t you help us finish setting up?”

  “That’s why I’m here. What needs to be done?”

  She listened as Mary Ellen rattled off a few tasks. Stashing her purse and denim jacket by the reception desk, she got busy helping with the remaining setup.

  With that done, she eased into a seat at one of the tables by the window to await Amos’s arrival. Her father had been given the task of getting him there, because no one in Grandeza turned down a request from Cooper Chance. No one but her, she thought, once again feeling a pang of unease about the news she’d yet to share with her father and mother—that she was leaving. Soon, she reminded herself. Very soon. After a few hours’ work culling through résumés and reaching out to applicants, she had a good candidate on the hook now to be her replacement, and she knew there was money in the budget to bring him on, even with her still on the payroll.

  While she sat, watching the door, Troy walked in. He wore dark blue jeans, a bright red button-down shirt and black boots emblazoned with flames. Her gaze swept over his tall, broad frame. She appreciated the way the fabric of his clothes stretched to accommodate his muscles.

  He’s grown so much since high school. When she’d known him, he’d still been a boy in many ways. Not now. He was, most assuredly, a man. He had a confidence about him, and he wasn’t ashamed of the sensitive side she’d always admired. He didn’t rely on machismo and empty displays of so-called masculinity. He just strode into a space and owned it. Parts of her wanted to explore all the ways in which he’d grown...but she set aside those desires for now. Or at least she would try to, she thought, as he strode in her direction.

  She stood, and he entered her space, grasping her hand. “Evenin’, Robyn.”

  “Hey, Troy.”

  “You look really lovely.”

  She smiled, feeling the warmth touch her cheeks. “You’re not too shabby yourself, cowboy.”

  He grinned. “Thanks for inviting me to the party.”

  “It will be a great way for you to get to know the other folks who work here on the ranch.”

  He nodded. “I suppose it would—if I were interested.”

  Tilting her head to one side, she gave him a sidelong glance. “Pardon me?”

  “I’m just being honest. I’m sure they’re great folks. I’ll get to know them in time, I’m sure.” He squeezed her hand. “But right now, my interest is on you
.”

  She swallowed. “You already know me, Troy.”

  He shook his head. “I know who you were, who you used to be. I don’t know much about who you are now.”

  She looked down then, studying the toes of her low-heeled brown leather ankle boots. “People don’t change that much.”

  “You’d be surprised.” Using his free hand, he curled one long finger beneath her chin, raising it so their gazes could connect. “I’m not going to press you. But I’m making you aware. I want to know the woman you’ve become, Robyn.”

  She swallowed again, overcome by the masculine scent of his cologne, and by the seriousness she sensed in his words.

  “He’s coming!” someone shouted.

  The lights in the café flicked off, and she felt Troy step away from her in the darkness.

  Grateful for the reprieve, she held on to the table’s edge and crouched low.

  Moments later, the lights came back on, and she jumped up, joining the rest of those assembled as they all shouted, “Surprise!”

  Standing in the doorway with Cooper, Amos placed his hand over his chest. “Good gracious!”

  Laughter filled the room as the old rancher entered and began shaking hands and thanking the folks who’d come out to wish him a happy retirement.

  Robyn left her table and met up with the man of the hour, giving him a hearty hug. “Congratulations, Amos.”

  He chuckled as he returned her embrace. “I thought I told y’all I just wanted to go nice and quiet into retirement.”

  She laughed. “Come on, Amos. After thirty years? You know we couldn’t allow that.”

  Shaking his head, he thanked her and walked away to greet the other partygoers.

  The atmosphere was so festive, with Amos’s favorite bluegrass flowing from the speakers, she almost forgot about her encounter with Troy. Occasionally, she would glance around the room and spot him. Every time she saw him, she would find him watching her.

  “Robyn!”

  She swiveled her head, looking at Mary Ellen. “What is it?”

  “Didn’t you hear me calling you? What in the world are you thinking about so hard that you can’t hear?”