“You’re right, I’m sorry. It’s just that it’s too awkward to be around...” She glanced over at her daughter to be sure she was asleep. “You-know-who, when he believes that I misrepresented myself.”
“Honey, don’t you get it? You-know-who loves you. He feels like the ground shifted beneath him and he doesn’t know the rules anymore. That’s why he lashed out.”
“I can’t fix this, Rue.” Hannah dipped her tea bag into the water. “The next move is his, and until he works things out in his head, there’s nothing I can do.”
“He’s a man, so, unfortunately, that may take a little longer. They tend to be as confused as a cow in a parking lot when it comes to women.”
“I don’t have the kind of time required for him to figure things out,” Hannah said. “I’m not even sure I want him to figure things out.”
“Oh, the way I see it, you have all the time in the world.” She sipped her tea. “Why, this is about the prettiest season in Oklahoma. Although Emma would argue it was Christmas.” She glanced outside where the redbud had begun to change to color, their royal reddish-purple leaves shimmering in the breeze.
“I’ve lived many places. They’re all pretty.”
“Not as pretty as Big Heart Ranch.” Rue smiled her trademark serene smile. “There is no place on God’s earth like Big Heart Ranch, dear.”
Hannah didn’t know what to say to that because deep in her heart she suspected that Rue was right.
“You know, Clementine is counting on enrolling in kindergarten at the Christian school in Timber, just like her hero, Dub.”
“Yes. I’m aware.” Another hurdle they’d have to overcome. Convincing Clementine there were other heroes in the world.
“Look, how about if Clementine spends the night with me? She and I will go check on the chickens, and then we’ll eat cupcakes, watch some very G-rated movies and paint our nails. A girls’ night.”
Hannah leaned closer. “You’re going to bake?”
“I said eat cupcakes. I bought packaged ones.”
“I don’t know, Rue, Clementine spent yesterday with you.”
“So what? Don’t even think about denying me time with my honorary grandchild. Especially when you’re telling me you’re going to leave.” She shot Hannah a stern look. “Besides, you need some alone time to think and maybe she needs a break, too. This is a lot for a five-year-old to try to process.”
“Rue.”
“Don’t Rue me. I’ll let her get a nap in and then I’ll be back around dinnertime to borrow her for the night.”
“Thank you.”
“No thank-you needed. Now tell me about the finals in Fort Worth.”
“Oh, Tripp and Jane were amazing. Never in a million years would anyone guess that Jane had been a wild horse one hundred days ago.”
“Calamity Jane won.” Rue released a sigh. “Imagine that.”
“You should have seen them in the arena. Tripp rode bareback in the finals freestyle round.” Hannah pulled out her phone and scrolled through the pictures.
“Look at that!” Rue exclaimed. “Amazing.”
Hannah nodded.
“Success with wild mustangs is based on the relationship and Tripp understands that. Relationships are based on trust, consistency and respect. Always those three.”
“Yes, and that’s the same with human relationships, isn’t it?” Hannah asked.
“But our Tripp hasn’t had much experience with relationships. Personal ones. Like a man and a woman.”
“Surely he’s dated before. I mean he’s how old?”
“Thirty-four, I believe. Maybe he has. But not much. In the eight years here on the ranch, he’s never dated.”
“What? I don’t understand. Why not?”
“I suspect it has something to do with his past and I also believe our Tripp sees his scar as a disfigurement.” Rue offered a wry smile. “Of course, I’m a family practitioner, not a psychiatrist. So what do I know?”
“Not dating. That doesn’t make any sense. He’s a very handsome man, and he has so much to offer a woman.” Hannah blinked. “Why, he cooks, too.”
“I didn’t say it made any sense. I’m simply telling you how I see the situation.”
Hannah sipped her tea and then met her friend’s gaze. “And why is it you’re telling me this?”
“Because I’m hoping you’ll find it in your heart to give him a second chance.”
“Oh, Rue, that was low.”
“I’m willing to stoop low if you’ll rethink this leaving idea.” She put her hand on Hannah’s. “You and Clementine are far too dear to me to let you go without a bit of a fight. Especially when I can clearly see your happiness is close enough to pluck from the tree.”
“If only it was that easy.”
“It is that easy. Pray about it, would you?”
Hannah walked Rue out when she left and then sank into the rocker with her tea in hand. The trees rustled with the wind and for a moment, Hannah imagined she heard Jane. A slow tear slipped from her eye and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. Tears were a waste of time. She’d learned that a long time ago. She’d trust in God and put one foot in front of the other.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
* * *
“What have I learned from all this?” Tripp leaned on the rake and caught his breath. “Don’t want things you can’t have.” He wiped the sweat from his face with his shirtsleeve and shook his head.
“Are you talking to yourself?”
Tripp jumped and turned around to face Travis Maxwell. The pretty-faced cowboy had a smile on his face. Why was he so happy?
As far as Tripp could tell, things were exceptionally lousy in the world.
“Did you need something?” he grumbled.
“Yeah, I’m trying to figure out why you’re mucking stalls. That’s not your job. You’re the equine manager,” Travis said.
“Mucking stalls is the best way that I know of to get thinking time in.”
He glanced behind Travis and noted Lucy and Emma bringing up the rear guard. “What is this?” he asked. “An intervention?”
“It may as well be,” Lucy said.
“Hannah is leaving,” Emma said. She pushed in front of Travis, crossed her arms over her pregnant abdomen and shot him her steely-eyed glare. “What are you going to do about it?”
The youngest Maxwell clearly had a burr under her saddle today. Tripp looked her up and down.
“How is Hannah leaving? She doesn’t even have a car. Does she think she can call an Uber or something?” He nearly laughed aloud. Then he realized they were serious.
“Dutch is taking her to the bus station in Pawhuska tomorrow,” Lucy said. “You know I’m completely against interfering in your business, Tripp, but you have to do something. You’re the only one who can make Hannah stay.”
Tripp stared at Lucy as his mind took off like a galloping horse.
Dutch? Why would he do that? Hannah and Clementine belong on Big Heart Ranch. He made a mental note to fire the old wrangler.
He glanced at his watch and handed the rake to Travis. “Here, you finish.” Tripp headed toward the exit. “Oh, and lock up my office when you’re done.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. I blame you for this.”
“What? Why?” Travis called.
“You hired Dutch.”
He strode out of the stables and across the yard to the bunkhouse he used in the summer months. It was a good thing he hadn’t moved back to his apartment in town yet because he was running out of time.
Fortunately, he had a plan. Trouble was he’d been pondering said plan since he got back from Fort Worth last night and so far he hadn’t found the courage to put it into motion.
It was now or never. Time to cowbo
y-up because you only got one chance at a second chance.
He had this. The horse was in the pen. The cake was on the counter and the check was in his wallet. All he had to do was shower and grovel.
He could do that. Right?
Tripp swallowed the fear edging in and walked faster.
It took him ten minutes to shower and dress, collect everything and head over to Hannah’s bunkhouse. He had to slow down some so the cake wouldn’t flip over and land in the dirt.
“You got this,” he repeated over and over. “Grovel and give it your best shot and the rest, well, it’s in the good Lord’s hands.”
His fingers trembled as he knocked on the door.
“Tripp?” Hannah blinked with confusion when she appeared at the screen. “Is there something—?”
“Yes. I brought your check.”
She opened the screen door and held it open. “You brought a cake, as well. Come on in.”
“Yeah, I was testing out a new recipe.” He thrust the cake, tucked neatly in a plastic carrier, into her hands.
“Thank you.” Hannah placed the cake on the table. She still looked confused but confused trumped hostile.
“It doesn’t sound like you’re still mad at me,” he said, then nearly slapped himself. What a stupid thing to say.
“I’m annoyed and irritated. Does that count?”
“I like a challenge,” he murmured.
“Excuse me?”
Tripp kept talking, counting on the fact that his feet were too big to get them both in at one time.
“I brought your check. Did I mention that yet?”
“My check? Oh, the check from the 100-Day Challenge. The seventy-thirty deal we shook on. The agreement that I broke.” She met his gaze. “That check.”
“Jane was trained by the time you quit and you only quit because I was a donkey.” He pulled the check from his wallet and handed it to her. “It’s yours fair and square.”
“Thank you.” She looked at him. “Do you mind if I sit down? Things have been a little overwhelming lately and my center of gravity is off, as well.”
“You all right?” He quickly pulled out a chair for her.
“Fine.” She eased into the chair.
“What about the cake?” he asked.
“Cake?” She started to rise. “You want cake now?”
“Sit down. I know where everything is.” He grabbed Hannah’s two mismatched china plates from the cupboard and opened the drawer for napkins, forks and a server. “Could you take off the cover for me?”
“Sure. I can do that. This must be a very special cake.” She depressed the tabs and lifted the cover. Then she released a small gasp. “Red velvet.”
“Yeah.” He sliced the cake and slid a piece over to her before cutting a sliver for himself. “Food love language,” he said.
“I remember.” Hannah bit her lip as a pained expression filled her eyes. “Tripp, I don’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing for you to say. I need to do the talking.”
Hannah nodded, and he wasn’t sure if she was going to cry or throw something at him.
“I was wrong, Hannah. Completely. I’ve been overprotective because every time I saw you around a horse I saw my past and how I couldn’t save my brother or my mother.”
“Oh, Tripp.”
He held up a hand. “No. I’m not here for your sympathy, empathy or pity. I’m here to apologize. Let me do that before my brain figures out what I’m doing and I run the other direction.”
She nodded.
“Hannah, you were right, I did judge you. I apologize for that, too. I was falling in love with you from day one. The more you made me feel, the more I backpedaled. After all, who was I to love you?”
He met her gaze, finding comfort in the warm brown eyes. “Once I found out you were an heiress, well, that blew everything out of the water.”
She sighed. “It’s more than a little disturbing that you think I am that shallow and that you think so little of yourself.”
He looked away for a moment. It took every bit of courage inside him to meet her gaze once again and allow her to see him raw and vulnerable. “I’m afraid, Hannah. I haven’t been this afraid since I was sixteen and walked away from home.”
“What are you saying?” Hannah asked. Her expression said that she needed to hear it all. That this was not the time to be economical with his words.
“I’m saying that I should have come to you to ask about your past.” He swallowed. “I don’t want to have a whatever-maybe relationship with you. I love you and I love Clementine.”
She ran a hand through her dark tresses, tangling them into an adorable mess as she most likely battled the same fears he had. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. I have so much baggage.”
“We both have a lot of baggage. I thought maybe we could use our winnings to find a little starter ranch that would have room for you and me and Clementine and the baby and all the baggage.”
Hannah laughed.
He reached out and touched her hand. When she didn’t pull away, he was buoyed with hope and continued. “I went after the 100-Day Challenge thanks to you. You made me dream a dream that I hadn’t even considered chasing. I thought dreams were for other people.”
“Tripp, there was never any doubt that you’d win.”
“Hannah, I’m nothing but doubts.” He stood and tugged her hand. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
“Where are we going?”
“Outside.” He led her across the yard and the gravel toward the old barn. The scent of hay being baled in the north pasture filled the air.
“What was that?” Hannah turned her head to listen.
As they rounded the corner, the circular pen came into view. Calamity Jane walked toward them, nickering in welcome.
“Jane,” Hannah breathed, her voice laced with wonder. “I’d run to that fence, but I’m afraid my running days are over for a few months.”
Tripp took her elbow and walked with her to the fence where the mare welcomed her.
“Jane, my sweet girl, it’s really you.”
“Go ahead, you can climb up on that rail. I’ll hold you. Jane wants some loving.”
“Thank you, Tripp.” She climbed to the first rung, and Tripp’s hands held her steady as she hugged Jane. For moments, she murmured endearments to the mare. When she got back on the ground her eyes were moist with unshed tears.
Hannah turned to face him. “Jane says I should marry you.”
“Aw, you don’t have to marry me because I brought Jane home.”
“Tripp Walker, look at me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He obeyed and prayed she couldn’t tell he was scared to death.
“I love you,” Hannah murmured. She lifted her hand and caressed his scar. “I’d love you even if you hadn’t brought Jane back to Big Heart Ranch. Now, I just love you more.”
Tripp bent his head and whispered, “I love you, too” against her lips, before he wrapped her in his arms for a long, lingering kiss.
Behind them, Jane nudged Tripp’s shoulder and nickered in complete agreement.
Epilogue
A year made all the difference in the world. A year ago she arrived at Big Heart Ranch.
Jane nickered and Hannah looked up to see Dutch lead Clementine around the circular pen on the mare’s back. Now six years old, almost seven, Clementine wore a pink riding helmet and pink cowboy boots, both birthday gifts from her new daddy, Tripp.
Nestled in Hannah’s arms, baby Anne scrunched up her little face and stirred.
Overhead, a robin’s egg blue sky was dotted with fluffy cotton clouds. Hannah inhaled when the warm spring breeze stirred the air, bringing with it the scent of Oklahoma red clay, grass and the fragrance of dozens of lilac trees th
at had been planted years ago on Big Heart Ranch.
Could life get any better than this?
She turned at the sound of boots crunching on gravel. Tripp.
Her husband was back from Tulsa, and she offered him a welcoming smile.
Tripp closed the distance between them, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close, his lips warm upon hers.
“I missed my girls,” he murmured.
“We missed you, too,” Hannah breathed.
“Daddy Tripp!” Clementine called out. “Look, I’m riding almost by myself.”
“You’ll be ready for the rodeo by summer,” he said.
Clementine beamed beneath his praise. “Did you bring me something?” she asked.
“Well, of course. I found those pink hair clips you wanted.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“Did you bring me something?” Dutch called.
“You bet. Twelve bags of feed. They’re still in the truck.”
“You’re just too generous, boss,” the wrangler grumbled as he helped Clementine down from the mare.
Tripp met his wife’s gaze and reached into his back pocket. “I brought you something, too.”
“What’s that?”
He pulled a neatly folded paper out of his back pocket and handed it to her.
Hannah’s hand shook as she unfolded the paper.
“They agreed to our offer,” Tripp said. “I got the call on my way home and stopped at the real estate office in Timber.”
“The ranch and the house?”
“Yeah. They’re expediting closing, so the Walker family can be in our new home in two weeks.”
Hannah’s breath caught, and she leaned against Tripp. “Our own place,” she said.
“So what do you think about heading down to Pauls Valley to get a horse for this year’s 100-Day Challenge?”
Her eyes widened.
“Fact is, there’s no reason why we can’t get two horses this year, right? One for each of us.”
She nearly gasped at the words. “Really? That’s a wonderful idea. I mean, as long as you don’t mind if I beat you in the competition.”
Tripp released a laugh, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. “Dream on, Mrs. Walker.”
Her Last Chance Cowboy Page 18
