The Cowboy Next Door: Includes a bonus novella (Montana Strong Book 2)

by R. C. Ryan

  Penny was grateful for the distraction. “You need to go.”

  He closed a hand over hers. “If you climb that hill over there, you’ll have a clear view of the roundup from a safe vantage point.”

  “I will. Stay safe, Sam.”

  “Don’t I always?” He winked before sprinting to his waiting horse.

  Penny’s heart leapt to her throat and seemed lodged there for the next hour as she and Otis cleared the table and stored the pans and containers in the small, cramped galley kitchen of the cabin before hurrying to the hill to observe the action.

  The wranglers had already moved out, forming a loose circle as they fanned out behind the herd. And then the land was black with cattle and men on horseback as they began their downward trek.

  It was an amazing sight, and one Penny knew she would never forget.

  “Otis.” Breathless, she grabbed the old man’s arm.

  “I know what you mean, Miss Penny. Isn’t it a pretty sight?”

  As far as the eye could see was a steady stream of cattle undulating like a great black wave moving over vast hills and valleys, on their way down the mountain.

  Sam and the others were astride their horses, whistling, shouting, waving lariats as they kept the herd moving.

  The melting snow was soon churned into mud by the thousands of hooves.

  Whenever a cow made a break for freedom, a wrangler and his horse became a team, turning on a dime, racing ahead, keeping order. The men, unshaven from their time in the hills, were constantly swinging lariats and whistling or cursing as they drove the errant strays back to the herd. It was a blur of sight and sound and mind-boggling activity.

  And in the midst, working harder than any of them, Sam seemed to be everywhere, as though anticipating every need, whether fetching a wandering cow, or helping another wrangler turn back a group of strays.

  As he passed the spot where Penny and Otis were watching from the safety of a snow-covered knoll, he lifted his hat in the air and sent them a smile that had Penny’s heart swelling with sudden emotion.

  Otis grinned at her. “Sam’s in his element. He surely does look forward to this drive every year.”

  “Why does he love it so much?”

  “Just look at him. In the thick of everything, where he loves to be.” The old man shrugged. “Roundup is a chance to release all the tension of making a ranch a successful operation. After all, ranching isn’t just a way of life for these men. It’s a business, and one that fails as often as it succeeds. For a man like Sam, who grew up without an anchor, he can see that long line of cattle and know he had a hand in making it all happen. Though he wasn’t born to it, he took to ranching like a duck to water. The first time he saw a calf being born, he jumped in without any fear. Now when it comes to assisting in birthing calves, he’s one of the best. And then there’s the fact that it’s just a man and his horse. Here on the Monroe ranch, there are no cattle haulers, or trucks, or all-terrain vehicles used at roundup. Just nature, the way it’s been for hundreds of years.”

  As the long line of men and cattle swooped past, Otis turned toward the truck. “We may as well get started back to the ranch.”

  “What about all those pots and pans?”

  “I need to get down to the ranch and out to the meadow before the herd gets there. But the pots and pans will be here tomorrow when Mac sends someone up here to get the range shack ready for winter. Once the roundup is over, there’s all the time in the world.”

  Penny climbed into the passenger side before turning for a final glimpse of Sam and the others.

  They looked, as Otis had said, like pictures in books depicting cowboys in the Old West. The very sight of them had her heart drumming in her chest.

  She didn’t want to admit to herself that seeing Sam had anything to do with the crazy way her heart was behaving. But the sight of him in the saddle, doing the thing he most loved, had touched her in a special way.

  Doing the thing he most loved.

  Now that she’d experienced roundup firsthand, she could understand why ranching meant so much to him.

  She found herself wondering why her own goal of being a teacher had become less important to her than being near Sam.

  She glanced shyly toward Otis, his concentration fixed on the snowy, muddy trail before them.

  “After visiting so many places, how did you know the Monroe ranch was where you wanted to stay?”

  He took his time answering. “I guess I’ve seen just about every big city and small town from Chicago to Bozeman. Folks are pretty much the same, no matter where you stop. Some friendly”—he shrugged—“some not so much. But there was a special feeling here. At first I thought it was because of Miss Rachel.” He looked over. “You would have liked her. Mac’s wife was a good woman. But after she and her son, Robbie, were killed in that terrible accident, I realized her goodness lived on in all of us. And especially in Mac. He was in shock for a long time, and we all worried about him. Then those three hell-raisers came along.”

  “Ben, Sam, and Finn. Becca told me they were pretty angry when they broke into Mac’s house looking for food and warm clothes.”

  “Angry doesn’t even come close to describing them, Miss Penny. Those three swore like sailors, were ready to beg, steal, or borrow to stay together, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder ready to fight anybody or anything that threatened any one of them.”

  “How could they possibly help a man locked in grief?”

  He chuckled. “Heaven only knows. Maybe their needs were so great, Mac didn’t have time to think about his own. He became a man on a mission. He made them do extra chores if he caught them swearing. He taught them to use their brains instead of their fists. And most of all, Mac taught them how to become good men.” Otis shook his head. “Don’t tell him this, but while Mac was busy saving them, those three juvenile delinquents were saving him.”

  As they continued along the snowy trail, Penny sat back, trying to picture the three men she knew—a sheriff, a rancher, and a lawyer—as those angry, defiant boys Otis had just described. It simply wasn’t possible.

  “I guess Mac did a good job.”

  “That he did.” Otis chuckled again, a long rumble of laughter. “But every now and then I get a glimpse of the boys they used to be. Especially Sam. He still has a lot of those rough edges. He and his brothers surely did stir up a whole lot of trouble. Life here was never the same after they joined the family.”

  Otis swung around the barn and drove through puddles of melted snow streaming from the roof before coming to a halt at the back porch.

  Once inside, Penny shed her boots and parka in the mudroom before stepping into the kitchen.

  Home.

  The feeling washed over her like a giant ocean wave.

  As Otis headed toward the barn and the chores awaiting him there, she began moving about the kitchen, setting everything in order before beginning the next round of cooking and baking.

  She couldn’t wait to prepare a feast for the men who’d been in the hills for a week.

  In truth, she couldn’t wait to feed Sam. To see a light in his eyes as he bit into tender roast beef and devoured her creamy mashed potatoes. To hear his hum of pleasure as he spooned whipped cream over the chocolate layer cake she was planning.

  To have him tug her hair and call her Money.

  And maybe, after the house grew quiet, he would kiss her again. A dangerous wish, she knew. But there it was.

  “Here you are.”

  At the sound of Becca’s voice, Penny’s head came up sharply.

  When she turned, Becca gave a little laugh before kneeling to release Archie from his leash. “I don’t know where you were just now, but you look like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.”

  “Sorry.” Penny actually blushed and dropped to her knees to pet the dog, grateful for the chance to duck her head. “I was thinking about Sam and the others, and how they looked rounding up the herd.”

  “Isn’t it an ama
zing sight?” Becca sighed. “Ben took me to the hills last fall to watch. But this year, with his position as sheriff, he couldn’t take the time off.” She chewed her lower lip. “I think he’s feeling a little guilty about leaving all the ranch work to Sam. He’s out in the barn right now with Otis. They’re saddling up a couple of horses so they can ride out and join the others on the final leg of the roundup.”

  “That’s nice. Does Ben miss the ranch chores?”

  Becca nodded. “I know he does. But he’s here often enough to get his fill of ranching when he needs a fix. The rest of the time I think he’s so busy with his sheriff duties, he doesn’t have time to think about it. But he has twinges of guilt about leaving it all for Sam and Mac.”

  Penny put a hand over Becca’s. “Tell Ben not to worry. Otis told me Sam’s in his glory up in the hills.” She turned toward the cupboard. “Now. Let’s get started. Those men are going to be starving by the time they get back here. Let’s give them a feast to remember.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Okay.” Becca followed Penny’s lead. “Where do you need me to start?”

  “I’m thinking comfort food. Roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, garden vegetables Otis picked and stored.”

  “All right.” Becca pulled an apron from a drawer. “I’ll handle the vegetables. Where are they?”

  “Before that snowstorm, Otis picked his garden clean and stored them in crates of dirt down in the fruit cellar.”

  “Why in dirt?”

  Seeing Becca’s frown, Penny laughed. “It keeps them from getting dried up and puckered. They think they’re still in the garden. You should be able to dig up carrots, beets, turnips, onions.”

  “Okay. I’m on it.” Becca walked to the mudroom and pulled open the little trapdoor in the floor that revealed steps leading to a cellar below the house.

  A short time later she returned with an armload of vegetables and proceeded to scrub them at the sink.

  Archie settled down in his favorite spot beneath the table.

  The two women worked in companionable silence until Becca casually remarked, “As hard as it was for Ben to walk away from the day to day life on this ranch, I think it would be impossible for Sam.”

  Penny paused in her work. “Otis said Sam is the most like Mac. A rancher to his core. He told me the minute Sam witnessed his first calving, he jumped right in and took to ranching like he was born to it.” She glanced over. “You said you knew the three brothers when they were young. Were they as tough as Otis said, or was he exaggerating?”

  Becca gave a short laugh. “If anything, they were worse than you can imagine. If one was threatened, then all three were threatened. I never saw them back away from a fight. But Ben…” She paused, and her voice took on a softness. “Ben was always my hero.” She put a hand to her mouth. “In truth, he still is.”

  “That’s sweet.” Penny floured a cutting board before uncovering a dough ball and setting to work kneading it. “I can still remember my mother thinking my father hung the moon.”

  Becca put a hand to her heart. “Oh, what a wonderful memory to carry in your heart.”

  “Yeah. Theirs was a real love match. My dad was devastated when my mother died. He…changed. Fell into some bad habits. He lived a few more years, but I’ve always thought he lost the will to go on the day he buried my mother. After that, he just went through the motions of living.”

  “It had to be hard on you and your brothers to lose both your parents so young. I can’t imagine being a teenager and raising three boys alone.”

  “My great-aunt Lucy saw to it I wasn’t alone. Even when she became so crippled up with pain she couldn’t lend a hand, it was a comfort having her with me.”

  “And a lot of extra work I bet.”

  Penny shook her head. “I didn’t mind. I did what I had to. But now I doubt I did a very good job of it. At least with Curtis.”

  Becca crossed the room to wrap her arms around her friend. “Don’t think like that, Penny. Your little brother will learn from his mistakes and make you proud. You’ll see.”

  “Oh, Becca, I hope you’re right.” Penny took in a deep breath. “Now let’s not dwell on anything unpleasant today. Let’s get this feast started.”

  The two young women shared childhood memories and were soon laughing together as they stirred, chopped, peeled, and baked.

  “Cooper was big for his age, and so good-looking.” Penny turned from the stove with a smile. “He was only fifteen when a high school senior asked him to be her date for the prom. He was so proud, I didn’t have the heart to tell him we couldn’t afford it. So there I was, racing to our town’s little thrift shop to find a suit and shirt and tie and proper dress shoes that would fit him. Then, just before she arrived to pick him up in her dad’s car, I realized I’d forgotten a corsage. I ran to a neighbor’s to ask if I could cut a couple of her roses. I taped them together and covered a wide rubber band with some old lace, and when Cooper placed it on her wrist, she nearly swooned and said it was the prettiest corsage she’d ever seen.”

  Becca put her hands on her hips. “I hope your little brother appreciated all you did for him.”

  “I don’t know.” Penny couldn’t help giggling. “When he got home that night, he said for the last hour of the dance he asked if she’d mind just sitting in the corner so he could hold her hand. When I asked why, he said the pants I’d bought him at the thrift shop split down the seat, and the only way he could hide what happened was to sit out the last dances.”

  “Oh, poor Cooper.”

  Becca and Penny were convulsed with laughter.

  “Yeah. But he figured he got away with it because a week later the girl picked him up again in her father’s car and took him to the movies.”

  “Young love…” Becca managed between giggles.

  “Can even overcome the humiliation of ripped pants,” Penny finished for her before the two young women nearly fell down they were laughing so hard.

  Penny and Becca looked up at a sound that rolled through the house like thunder.

  “That’s the herd. They’re coming.” Becca caught Penny’s hand. “Come on. If we hurry to the meadow behind the barn, we’ll be able to watch them bring the cattle down.”

  The two young women untied their aprons and raced out the back door, leaving Archie barking frantically at being left behind.

  Minutes later they stood watching from a perch on a tractor as Otis and Ben opened the gates of a narrow pathway. Becca explained that each cow had to pass through to be counted before being turned into a meadow divided into two sections with a temporary fence. One side was designated for those that would be sold, and the other for the rest of the herd that would winter in this sheltered area.

  A convoy of cattle-hauling trucks was idling alongside the meadow. When the last cow had been tallied, the cowboys herded the cattle that had been sold into the vehicles that would take them away. The fence between the two meadows was removed, and the herd was able to spread out.

  Their jobs done, the wranglers headed toward a corral, where they unsaddled their mounts and turned them loose.

  Ben strolled up to wrap an arm around Becca’s shoulders. “Another successful roundup. Another profitable year.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m going over to join Dad and Sam. I’m thinking those tired wranglers are ready for a cold longneck and a hot meal.”

  “They’ll get both,” she said, turning to Penny.

  The two women raced back to the house.

  After washing up in the bunkhouse, the men gathered around the back porch, helping themselves to longnecks or bottles of soda or water in a tub of ice.

  Penny and Becca carried out platters of sliced turkey, three kinds of salads and vegetables, bowls of mashed potatoes, and assorted baskets of breads, an apple pie, a cherry pie, and a chocolate layer cake mounded with whipped cream in the middle and rich buttercream frosting on top. Everything was placed on the big log table under a giant oak, and the men were soon piling their pl
ates high with food.

  A huge carafe of coffee stood at the end of the table, along with an assortment of mugs, cream, and sugar.

  Midway through the meal Ben found Becca and leaned close. “Sorry, babe. I just got a call from town. We have to leave.”

  “Oh, Ben. I can’t leave Penny to deal with all this alone.”

  Penny put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so grateful for all your help, Becca. I couldn’t have done it without you.” She leaned close to press a kiss on her friend’s cheek. “But don’t worry about cleaning up. I’ll be fine.”

  With handshakes all around, Ben fastened Archie’s leash before taking Becca’s hand and leading her to their truck.

  Becca turned to wave as they left in a swirl of mud and melting snow.

  After much talk and laughter, Penny glanced around. There wasn’t a thing left on the table except empty plates.

  Mac stepped out of the house, where he’d completed his payroll, and walked among the men, many of whom were good friends and neighbors, and handed out envelopes.

  In a loud voice he called, “I know these weren’t the best working conditions. Unseasonably cold. A ton of snow to navigate. But you did it. On behalf of all of us here at the Monroe ranch, we’re beholden to all of you. We couldn’t have accomplished this on such short notice without your hard work. We thank you.”

  The men were smiling as they tucked away their paychecks and shook hands with Mac, Sam, Otis, and Roscoe.

  Several of the men took the time to thank Penny for the fine meals she’d provided.

  Caught by surprise, she accepted their compliments. “I’m just glad I could do my small part.”

  “Not so small, ma’am,” a bewhiskered wrangler said. “Your supper made the day’s work seem a whole lot easier.”

  “And the nights,” another chimed in. “There’s nothing better than sleeping on a full stomach after a satisfying supper.”

  Seeing Sam watching and listening, she blushed clear to her toes before turning away to begin clearing the table.