The Cowgirl's Sacrifice

by Tina Radcliffe

  “I said we could stop for lunch. No more donut powder all over my seats, if you don’t mind.”

  “It’s a truck.”

  “Yeah. A truck I’m still paying for.”

  She was silent, staring out the window, ignoring him as they entered the city limits of Plume, Oklahoma, a town that boasted a population of five thousand. A shiny silver police cruiser waited for them as they approached the twenty-five-miles-an-hour speed limit sign somewhat obstructed by a large maple tree.

  Fortunately, Jess was familiar with this particular speed trap. Plume would not be taking his money today. He’d already slowed down long before the sign appeared.

  “Oh, look,” Kate said as a billboard came into view. “Catfish special. I love catfish. Don’t you?”

  “Not really. They’re bottom feeders.”

  “So are halibut, flounder, cod and sole.” She shook her head. “I suppose you have something against fried okra and hushpuppies too?”

  “Not a fan, as a matter of fact.”

  She huffed and shook her head. “And you call yourself an Okie?”

  “Actually, up until two months ago, I called myself a Montanan.”

  “What do they have in Montana that’s so great?”

  “Peace and quiet.”

  Kate opened her mouth and closed it. She reached for the plastic grocery bag at her feet, rustling wrappers as she examined the contents.

  “They say you really get to know someone when you take a road trip,” Jess murmured.

  “Are you about to insult me?” Kate asked.

  He glanced at the plastic bag. “I’ve never seen anyone eat so much.”

  “I have a good metabolism.” She shot him a lethal glare. “And it wasn’t that much.”

  “A banana. An apple. Two granola bars. Trail mix and peanut butter crackers.”

  “It was a long ride.”

  “Not that long.”

  “Are you trying to be disagreeable?” she asked. “Because you’re doing a great job.”

  Jess laughed in spite of himself. “I guess I just remembered you differently.”

  She straightened in her seat. “Pull over. Just pull over. I want catfish, and if you keep talking, I’m really going to get mad and say something you’ll regret, and then I might not get my lunch, which would be a real shame.”

  “Hold your horses. We’re there.” Jess pulled the truck into a spot in front of Lucy-Mae’s Café and removed his seat belt. Kate was out of the truck in a heartbeat and struggling to pull open the heavy glass door with one arm before his boots hit the asphalt.

  “Hang on a minute, would you?” he asked. She was silent as he held the door.

  “Welcome, folks. I’m Lucy-Mae. Would you like a booth or a table?” A middle-aged woman with red glasses, rolled-up blue jeans and a Gailard Sartain T-shirt greeted them. She waved a hand around the busy room.

  “Booth, please,” Jess said.

  Lucy-Mae led them to a booth with a window view. A frown crossed her face as she assessed Kate’s cast and then glared at Jess. “Honey, how did you manage to break your arm?”

  “She wrestled a bull,” Jess said. “Ask her.”

  The woman assessed Kate, and her eyes widened. “Are you that female rodeo clown that sits in those barrels?” She cocked her head. “I do believe you are. I pack up my dogs and my husband and point the RV in the direction of Tucson every winter. We always go to the rodeo. I saw you in the arena in February.” The grin that lit up her face was as wide as her hips. “What are the odds? A real live hero in my café.”

  “I was just doing my job,” Kate murmured. Pink crept from her neck to her face as she picked up the plastic menu.

  “Sweetie, you saved Beau Connor’s life. You’re a hero. A real hero.”

  Kate looked at him and then away as Lucy-Mae whipped out an order pad and pulled a pen from her bosom.

  “What’ll you have? It’s on the house.”

  At the mention of food, Kate smiled and pointed to the chalkboard on the wall. “The catfish special, please. With slaw, hush puppies, baked beans, corn bread and extra fried okra.”

  “See, I knew you were a sharp gal the moment I laid eyes on you.” She turned to Jess. “And what’ll your boyfriend have?”

  Kate sputtered. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my boss.”

  “Humph. His loss. I have a grandson I’d like you to meet.” She wagged a finger at Kate. “He’s out of town, but you tell me next time you pass through, you hear?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Jess studied the menu while ignoring the exchange. He was outnumbered here, and after annoying Kate in the truck, he’d keep his thoughts to himself. Later on, he’d think about why the idea of Lucy-Mae fixing Kate up with her grandson put a burr under his saddle.

  “Coffee with your lunch, young lady?” Lucy-Mae asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  “I’d like water,” Jess said.

  Lucy-Mae turned to leave.

  “Excuse me,” Jess called. “You didn’t get my order.”

  She swiveled on a sneaker and looked at him over the rim of her glasses. “What’ll it be, boss man?”

  “The Okie burger. Medium rare. With fries. Please.”

  Lucy-Mae laughed. “Cook is color-blind, so you get what you get. I recommend the catfish.”

  “I’ll take my chances with the burger. Thanks.”

  “Good to live dangerously.” She paused and looked through him to Kate. “I’ll be back in a jiffy with coffee, sweetie.”

  “She’s a character,” Kate said with a grin.

  “I’ll say. How come you never mentioned that Beau Connor was the bull rider that day?”

  “I wasn’t focused on the rider. The bull’s name was Despiadado.”

  “That’s impressive.”

  “The bull or the rider?”

  “Come on. Beau Connor? Even I know who he is.”

  Kate frowned and reached for the dessert menu propped up behind the hot sauce. “So I was foolhardy until you heard it was Beau Connor in the arena with me?”

  “No. I didn’t say that. I’m just surprised, that’s all. He’s a legend.”

  “It doesn’t matter to me who the rider is. I take my job very seriously.”

  Jess gave a slow shake of his head. “Man, I need to start wearing my old boots when I’m around you because it seems all I do is step in it left and right.”

  A minute later, Lucy-Mae was back with a carafe in one hand and two mugs dangling from her fingers. “Here you go. Cream and sugar are on the table.”

  He stared with surprise as their hostess retreated. “I guess I’m drinking coffee.” There was no response from Kate, who slowly stirred cream and sugar into her mug.

  Jess searched for something to engage her and get them over the awkward silence between them. “What do you think about taking over some of the equine duties?”

  She cocked her head. “You know I’m excited. Besides, have you seen my office? I hyperventilate every time the door accidentally closes. Since it used to be a closet, when the door closes, the lights turn off.”

  He tried not to laugh. “Won’t be too long before your cast is off.”

  “So you say. I feel like a five-year-old on a road trip. Are we there yet? I keep looking at the calendar, and it’s still weeks until my appointment.”

  “Mitch put together a manual for all the supervisory positions on the ranch. The one for the equine manager position is very comprehensive. I’ll get you a copy when we get back.”

  Kate smiled. “I am not surprised Mitch did that. He was the one who alphabetized the cans in our cupboard.”

  “Maybe you should use this time to figure out how you want to manage things once you take over.”

  “Manage things? What’s to figure out? You j
ust said that Mitch put together a bible. So what is there? Employee schedules. Vet visits. Guest training and safety. Ordering supplies. It’s not rocket science. Sounds simple enough.”

  “You’re looking at this all wrong.”

  “Am I?” She sipped her coffee and closed her eyes, savoring the brew. “That’s good coffee.”

  “Ah, yeah,” he said, momentarily distracted by the dreamy expression on her face. “What I mean is that you should ask yourself what you can offer the program at the ranch. How can you put your stamp on things? Make it your own?”

  She frowned and cocked her head. “Make it my own?”

  “You come from a distinctly unique background with experience that no one else on the ranch has. Put your touch on the equine program. Something that says Kate Rainbolt. Maybe something that Reece can put in that fancy color brochure or on the web page.”

  For a long minute, she simply stared at him. “Why are you telling me this?” She narrowed her eyes and leaned back against the booth. “I thought you wanted me as far from the stables as possible. Preferably in another county.”

  Good question. Why was he sharing with her as though they were friends? He shrugged and reached for the obvious response. One that didn’t involve thinking too hard about his motivation. “I don’t want to see you injured again.”

  She stared at him silently, as though measuring his words. He sensed the moment she put her shield down and relaxed, and he realized this was it—the opening he’d been waiting for. An opportunity to apologize. He found himself gun-shy, though, afraid she’d kick his apology back at him, as he’d been mulling for days and well-deserved.

  “And look, Kate, about Sunday. You were right. I was out of line.”

  She bit her lip and nodded, listening.

  “I’m dealing with my own issues and sometimes...” He shrugged. “Sometimes they get the upper hand. I wasn’t there for my mother when my father died.”

  “I thought it was sudden. A heart attack?” She cocked her head, eyes questioning. “Surely, you don’t blame yourself because you were in Montana.”

  He paused, not sure he was ready to voice aloud the guilt that he carried due to the infrequent visits home because of the rocky relationship between him and his father.

  “Look,” he finally said, “I just don’t want to let my mother down again. So maybe I’m a little overprotective.”

  “You think I’m going to let her down,” Kate said. She blinked, and her jaw sagged.

  Jess jerked back at her words. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “That’s what you said.”

  “I’ve got both boots in my mouth, and this isn’t coming out the way it should.”

  Lucy-Mae interrupted the discussion when she appeared with a large tray filled with their orders and dispensed the plates. “Here you go. Enjoy. We’ve got a great pecan pie when you’re done.”

  “Thank you,” Kate murmured.

  “Honey, you okay?” Lucy-Mae asked. She shot Jess a disapproving glance.

  “I’m fine.” Kate smiled down at the plate that was overflowing with catfish and sides. “This is wonderful. Thank you.”

  Jess picked up his knife as an awkward silence stretched between them. He cut his burger in half and grimaced at the chunk of leather that rested on a poppy seed bun.

  “Mind if I ask what your plans are?” Kate asked.

  “My plans?” He stared at his plate.

  “Are you going back to Montana when your mother is better?”

  “The only thing that’s going to make my mother better is a kidney transplant. She’s on the UNOS list, but wait times are longer for people over fifty.”

  “UNOS?”

  “United Network for Organ Sharing.”

  Kate nodded. “I assume you’ve considered donating a kidney yourself?”

  “Yeah, of course. Both Nicole and I were tested. But our physician recommends against the surgery because we’re both at high risk for kidney disease.”

  “We should pray about this,” Kate said. “Now, before my catfish gets cold.”

  He stiffened. “Do you think I haven’t been praying?”

  “Stand down, cowboy. I’m saying that the two of us praying together, well, there’s a little extra juice in those prayers.” She held out her free hand. “The Bible says so.”

  Jess took her hand though he doubted the wisdom of such an action. For a moment, he tumbled back in time to when they’d last held hands, and he had to work to focus on the final words of the sweet prayer Kate uttered.

  “Lord, You’ve got Your hands on this situation, and we thank You for taking care of Jess’s mom. Amen.”

  “Amen.”

  Kate pulled her hand free to grab a fork. “That burger looks terrible. Do you want to split my lunch?”

  “I’m fine. I went into this with my eyes open.” He reached for the steak sauce. “Thanks for praying.”

  “Anytime. I happen to like your mother. You, I only tolerate.”

  Jess chuckled. “There you go. That’s the Kate I know so well.”

  Chapter Six

  “Hey, boss, the horses are here.” Willard popped his head into Jess’s office.

  “Thanks. Where are they?” Grateful for the interruption, he lifted his head. Lately, his job had far more paperwork than he preferred.

  “Finn is doing a preliminary check in the corral.” Willard smiled. “They sure are pretty.”

  “Yeah, they are. Have you seen Kate anywhere?”

  “Nope. Then again, I only just got here.”

  “Wait, aren’t you supposed to be at Ballard Farm?”

  “Yes, sir, I’m here returning Baby.”

  “What? That cow isn’t supposed to get loose anymore. Those are new fences.”

  “I’ll tell Baby that right away.” Willard chuckled as he left.

  Jess stood and stretched, stepping away from the computer. He’d been working on the June schedule for the ranch wranglers for hours and was stiff. His staff would handle the trail rides and campouts, along with moving the cattle between grazing spaces. Everything that said “authentic Western experience” for the ranch guests.

  The bright spot the last two weeks had been working with Kate. Despite her jocular attitude, she was diligent about her duties. He hadn’t expected anything less, and her focus on the job also meant somewhat less awkwardness and animosity between them. It was a small step forward, and he’d take that over her avoiding him.

  He wasn’t sure what sort of relationship he wanted with Kate, didn’t dare to think about it, but maybe friendship was in their future.

  From the tack room, he heard Kate’s voice. It sounded like she was talking to Einstein. A few minutes later, the clanging of a feed bucket sounded, as though it had fallen on the ground, and the horse’s loud whinny of distress echoed through the building.

  Jess raced toward the sound and found Einstein’s stall door open. The horse whinnied again, clearly upset. Jess’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of Kate leaning against the stall slats with a hand to her head. “Kate. Are you okay?”

  “I think so.”

  “Did you fall?”

  “Not really. I got a little dizzy, that’s all.” She struggled to straighten, and when their eyes met, he saw fear in the depths of hers.

  Jess gently put his arm around her shoulders to assist, avoiding her casted arm. “Then you fell.”

  “Against the slats. Not on the ground. Relax.”

  “Relax? You could have passed out and been trampled.” He worked to calm down and tuck away the lecture he was ready to deliver until he was certain she was really all right. “Why isn’t Einstein turned out?”

  “He’s got a farrier appointment. Einstein has a long-toe issue. I like to keep his farrier visits a little more frequent than usual.”

&nb
sp; “That doesn’t explain why you’re in the stall.” His eyes were level with hers, and he refused to look away until he got an answer that might make his heart rate slow down.

  “I was pitching in. Someone called in sick.”

  “Kate Rainbolt, what am I going to do with you?”

  “Not a thing. I am not your responsibility.”

  “When you’re on the job, you are.” He released a frustrated breath. “You can’t keep on like this, Kate. You aren’t alone in this world. People care about you. You’re being selfish.”

  He’d promised himself he wasn’t going to do it, but after talking with Lucy-Mae at the diner, he’d ignored his own sound advice and had gone home and searched the internet for videos of Kate’s accident. The images were seared into his mind. Now he was more determined than ever that she would not get injured on his watch.

  “What did your doctor say about the dizzy spells?” The question came out more harshly than he’d intended.

  “She referred me to a neurologist.”

  “And?”

  “I haven’t been yet.” Once again, her gaze met his, but this time, she looked away. “Don’t say it.”

  “Seriously? Why not? Kate, you’ve been working at the ranch for how long now?”

  “I’ve been busy.” She ran a hand through her hair.

  He glanced at his watch. “As it happens, as a physician’s son, I know a lot of doctors and even a neurologist. Uncle Bobby works at the neurology clinic in Broken Arrow. I’m calling him now.”

  “Uncle Bobby? Please. That sounds like a cartoon character, not a neurologist.” She stroked Einstein’s flank and then his ears. “Sorry to scare you, baby.”

  “Uncle Bobby is an honorary uncle. Went to med school with my dad.”

  “I see.”

  “No, you don’t. But that’s okay. He’s a nice guy. You’ll like him.”

  Her head jerked toward him. “Wait. Wait. You aren’t calling him now, are you?”

  “I sure am. You stay right here and don’t move.”

  Jess stepped into his office to make the call and easily pulled in a favor. When he returned to Kate, she was sitting on a bale of hay, a frown on her face as he approached.