The door to the house was wide open. She cautiously approached not wanting to see Gunther but when she caught sight of Agnes, she calmed a bit.
“My dear, I’m so sorry about what happened. Everyone could tell you didn’t want to dance with that man. Gunther will come around.”
“I’m not even going to hope for such a miracle. The only man who never betrayed me was my father. I’m not believable or worthy of trust. My word counts for nothing. Sad but true. It’s time to move on. I need a new slate. Gunther had more than enough women willing to console him last night.” She let out a humorless laugh. “It’s funny, I’ve lived here all my life, and the only friends I have are his friends. It’s time to start my own life with my own friends and maybe someday I’ll have my own family.”
“Such brave words my courageous girl. My heart breaks for you. I can see the enormous amount of love you have for Gunther, and he feels the same for you.”
“Agnes I know you’re trying to help, but you’re making me feel worse.” A tear escaped and trailed down her cheek until she quickly wiped it away. “I’ll let you know where I am once I’m settled.”
“I’ll have your things shipped once you get settled. You take care of yourself.” They hugged, and Lee Ann didn’t want to let go but she had no choice. A horn sounded.
“I guess that’s for me.” She grabbed a small bag and took one last look at the house she’d grown up in before heading outside.
It was a day filled with sunshine. The type of day that a person wouldn’t expect anything bad to happen. She opened the truck door and got in. It was a great relief to see Woody behind the wheel. Then she closed the door and put her seatbelt on. Turning her head, she watched the scenery as they drove by. Her throat began to close and tears threatened but she bit the inside of her mouth and was able to stay the tears.
“Do you know where you’ll go? Do you need money?” His voice was full of concern.
“No and no.” She didn’t even look at him. Relief flowed through her when they pulled up to the bus station. She jumped out of the truck and went inside.
Chapter Eight
Four Months Later
Lee Ann smiled at the progress she’d made. She had found a family ranch in Oklahoma that needed someone experienced with horses. They wanted to build a horse breeding addition to their ranch but didn’t know much about horses.
She worked for a wonderful family, The Cheney’s. Elliot and Carol. They had twin four-year-olds, Constance and William. The pay wasn’t great, but she had a room over the barn and all she could eat. She was safe, and that was all that mattered. She just wished her broken heart would mend. There wasn’t a shortage of eligible cowboys around, but she just couldn’t bring herself to date. The downside was she had too much time to think about Gunther.
He’d probably moved on. Maybe he’d married Felicia and gotten his bit of land. She sent Agnes her address but she didn’t want her things sent; she just didn’t have the will to open them. No one else had tried to contact her, and while she was relieved it also made her bitter. She wished she could hate Gunther. It would have been so much easier. But he haunted dreams and even when she lay in bed trying to sleep, she replayed their kisses again and again.
He was probably with Felicia now. That would serve him right. A quick smile spread across her face. This was her life now. It was time to make some friends and make it feel like home.
A few days later, she was in the barn checking on some of the pregnant mares. It was all so peaceful except for the twins running around screaming, but even that made her smile. It had been such a struggle to get to this place where her heart wasn’t constantly breaking. Sometimes life had other plans for people, and even though it hurt, that was just the way it was.
Sometimes there just wasn’t no way to fix it. Her father often said those words. Now they filled her with strength and comfort. He was still watching over her, and he’d given her the tools to succeed in life. Work hard and work honest had been his advice. He’d been right; she was standing on her own two feet, working hard and honest, and she was enjoying that part of her life. One day at a time.
A piercing scream interrupted her thoughts and she ran toward it. To her dismay, William was on the ground writhing in pain. Constance ran to get her parents. His leg looked to be broken in more than one place. Glancing around, Lee Ann spotted the gopher hole. She immediately began to get his jeans off. She had no way of ripping them. William didn’t think much of the idea but she succeeded without causing too much further pain. A bone stuck out of his skin and she immediately felt his foot for a pulse. There wasn’t one.
She needed to reset the bones as best they could until the ambulance came and get blood going to his foot before he lost it. The pain on his face hurt her.
“This is going to hurt, but it needs to be done. She quickly found two small branches she could use as splints. She then ripped off her T-shirt and using her teeth she managed to make strips she could tie to make the splints stay.
She sat back on her heels. This was going to hurt like hell and she had no one to hold William down. Taking a deep breath, she put her foot in Williams arm pit and pulled with all her might. She’d never forget the scream of pain from William but then he was silent. She sat back up and checked him. He’d passed out. She sighed deeply and then immediately tended to his leg. She finally got it splinted and to her relief his foot was turning back to a natural color.
Carol came running with tears streaming down her face. “How is he?”
“I think he’ll be able to keep both his leg and foot. They’ll resplint him once the ambulance gets here. He was in a lot of pain. Thankfully, he passed out.”
Carol’s eyes widened as she stared at Lee Ann. “Do you have medical training?”
“No, but my father was a ranch foreman, and I tended to many of the hands.” This was not a tone of a grateful woman, and Lee Ann put her guard up.
“What did you mean by his foot? Are you claiming he might have lost it to a broken leg?” Carol cocked her brow. “Lee Ann, I think you’re taking this opportunity to overstate your importance.”
“I need to get a shirt.” She turned and walked to the barn. What had just happened? One minute she was part of their family, and the next it sounded like she’d better be ready to pack her bags. She went to her quarters and put a clean shirt on. Unsure if she should go back down or not she decided to go. Her concern for William was real. Carol was probably just upset.
The cold hard stare she got from Carol upon her return made her stomach churn. William was still on the ground and instead of stroking his head or holding his hand, Carol just stared at Lee Ann. Where was Elliot? Surely, Carol had called him.
“I suppose this is as good a time as any,” Carol said, her voice cold. “Your services are no longer needed. I’d appreciate it if you were off my property by the time we come back from the hospital.”
Lee Ann’s heart squeezed as her stomach dropped. “I’ll need my pay.”
Carol laughed. “I think Elliot serviced you enough. Think of that as your payment.”
“What are you talking about?”
Carol shrugged. “The same thing the whole town is talking about. The naked pictures of you. I wouldn’t have hired you if I had known you were a prostitute. Can you imagine my embarrassment when you and my husband are the subject de jour? Time for you to leave.”
Stunned, Lee Ann shook her head. “I don’t understand. I’ll pack my things, but I’ll need a ride.”
“Find your own ride! Just leave!”
Lee Ann ran to the barn. She’d admired Carol, but she’d been so wrong. Carol hardly looked at her son the whole time her son had laid there. With tears flowing, Lee Ann packed her meager belongings
What had Elliot said when he was confronted? Didn’t he deny anything happened? She only had two hundred and five dollars. It wouldn’t get her far. She needed to contact her father’s attorney. She’d never signed the papers for her inheritance. It had been to
o painful at first, and then she’d left Gunther’s ranch too quickly, but now she had no choice.
Could she slip into town and out again without Gunther knowing? She laughed bitterly. He wouldn’t care. It still boggled her mind how lies spread on the internet suddenly became truth. No one asked if it was true or asked what happened. It was more about hiding the pictures and her shame. But it wasn’t really her shame; she’d done nothing wrong. Yet this would follow her for the rest of her life, and it hurt unbearably.
She didn’t have a place to hole up and lick her wounds. She looked out the window at the sound of the ambulance and saw them load William into the back. By then Elliot was there holding Constance. Carol rode in the ambulance with their injured son.
Lee Ann sat at the window waiting for Elliot and his daughter to leave. He stood there for a long while staring at her window. Was that regret she saw on his face? It didn’t matter. As soon as the coast was clear, she called a cab.
Chapter Nine
Gunther sat on his front porch drinking his coffee in the predawn hours. He hadn’t slept a full night since Lee Ann had left. The saturated hues of orange and yellow filled the sky, and he wished she was there to share it with him. He felt like a first class heel. He’d jumped to conclusions in his anger and he said so much he wished he could take back. He’d been furious with Burns and it spilled over to her. He was also mad at himself for not protecting her from Burn’s attentions. He hadn’t thought anything out when he asked her to leave. He didn’t realize she’d take his heart with her.
He sighed. Lee Ann wanted nothing to do with him, and he didn’t blame her. She’d been through so much and he was supposed to have had her back; that was what friends did. He’d wanted more than friendship, but that was never going to happen. If he were her, he wouldn’t be forgiving either.
He’d been such a jerk. He had a permanent ache in his heart, and he knew it wouldn’t go away. His only consolation was that Agnes knew where Lee Ann was and had told him she was fine living with a nice family on a ranch. Still, he worried. She was vulnerable and hurt and alone. His jaw tensed. What if she wasn’t alone anymore?
He hadn’t realized how much he’d banked on seeing her again. He’d looked forward to spending time with her, walking, talking, riding. But he’d thrown it away, and his heart was lonely for her. It was his fault, but there was no fixing it.
The front door squeaked as it opened. Agnes walked outside, coffee in hand and sat down. “Another night of no sleep?”
He hated the worried look in her eyes. “I slept just fine. I woke a bit early is all.”
Her eyes narrowed before she nodded. He never could fool her.
“Life is full of curveballs, isn’t it, Agnes?”
“Sometimes the curveballs are good.” She took a sip of her coffee before she put her cup down on the wooden table. “I’m worried about her. She wrote to say she left her job and she’d let me know once she was settled but that was over a week ago. I know it’s not a very long time but…”
“Where was she? Agnes, before you even think about it, you are not breaking her trust. She might be in trouble. Heck, knowing Lee Ann she is in trouble.”
Agnes nodded and pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. “This is the last address I had for her. It’s a family ranch, and she was going to start a horse breeding program for them. I called asking about Lee Ann and if they knew where she went, but they just said she no longer worked there.”
“Thanks for this.” He stood and leaned over giving Agnes a kiss on her cheek. “You’re one in a million.” Her blush pleased him. “I’ll get right on this.” Determination replaced his smile as he walked to his office.
Lee Ann’s former employers weren’t very forthcoming on the phone until he threatened to go down there. He finally got Mrs. Cheney to tell him about an affair Lee Ann had with her husband and how she tried to harm her son William. Gunther didn’t say anything but he was steaming mad by the time he hung up.
Lee Ann wasn’t the affair type and she’d never harm a child. He hit his desk with his hand. If only he hadn’t accused her of being with Kevin Burns, she’d still be here. This was his fault.
Unfortunately, he’d been blinded by his temper. He played right into Kevin’s hands. He had to find her. Mrs. Cheney admitted she hadn’t paid her. Inexcusable!
Where to start looking? He hopped on the internet and by the time he was done, he wanted to vomit. There was plenty about Lee Ann and none of it nice or true.
Lee Ann collected her inheritance. It was much more than she expected but not enough for her to be set for life. Next, she looked at property. If she could get land with a small house she could afford a few horses, and in a couple years she might have a profitable ranch. Of course, she’d have to run some cattle too at first to make enough money to live on.
She looked everywhere near Fort Worth, but the price for land was too high. Finally, she bought a junker of a truck and began to ride the dirt roads out away from the city. Land became more reasonably priced the farther out she went.
She saw a sign for sale by owner and stopped her truck. The house was a beat up trailer but it was the land that interested her. Pastures were already fenced and water pumps could be seen near each. She got out of her truck and knocked on the door.
An older gentleman answered and invited her in. “Thanks, but I don’t know you. I really wanted to walk the land if that would be fine with you, sir.”
“The name is Longneck, just Longneck.”
“I’m Lee Ann.”
“Fine by me if you want to walk around. I don’t get out much anymore and I haven’t been able to tend to the place as I should.” He sighed. “I have a son in Oklahoma who wants me to come live with his family. I resisted but now I think it’s time. Stop on by when you’re done. I’ll put the coffee on.”
She had a good feeling about Longneck. “I’d like that.” She turned and began to walk the fence lines. He still owned at least a hundred head of cattle and nine horses. The grass was lush. The price would be too much even with the trailer falling apart. It would have been nice. She walked back and peeked into the barn. It was clean and well stocked with hay. His animals lived better than he did.
The door opened before she knocked. “Come on in, Lee Ann. Let’s haggle.” He held the door for her.
She climbed up the two rickety steps and walked inside. It was clean but beyond repair as far as she could tell. There were holes in the floor. She pretended nothing was wrong. After all, this was his home.
“Have a seat at the table. I’ll grab the coffee.” He grabbed two mugs and set them down on the table. “Sugar? I don’t have cream.”
“Black is just fine.” Lee Ann smiled at him.
He poured the coffee and sat down across from her. “Are you representing a corporation?”
She shook her head.
“How about a land company or builders?”
She shook her head again. “I grew up on a wonderful ranch. I made a mistake and thought city living would be more glamorous but it wasn’t. My dad is dead, and I just wanted to make a fresh start. I’ve been accused of things I haven’t done.”
“Stealing?”
She shook her head.
“Killin’?”
She shook her head. “It was nothing like that. It’s embarrassing actually. My employer in the city took pictures of me through my window and put them on the internet. Everywhere I go those pictures surface and I end up jobless.”
“Are you a woman of immoral character?”
“No, I’ve never…” Her face heated. “I really shouldn’t talk about it with you. It only brings me shame.” She stood. “Thank you for the coffee.”
“Where you going?” He gestured for her to sit back down.
“What would you do with the land if it was yours?” He leaned in as if the answer was of the highest importance.
She smiled. “I plan on breeding horses and raising some cattle. Ranching is in my blood. My father was a
ranch foreman, so I’ve learned a thing or two. I’m a hard worker and I never shirk my duties. If I have to work from sun up to sun down and then some, I’d do it. Owning land is a privilege that is getting too expensive for most people, including me. I’m only wasting your time. I’m just looking for a place to call home. A place no one can make me leave. I don’t want to be the girl with pictures on the internet. I want to be a well-respected rancher. I believe if you nurture the land and animals, they nurture you back. My goodness I’m talking your ear off.”
“No, not at all. I’ve had offers from land builders. Big money but I can’t have my ranch cut up into lots. My family fought for generations for this land, and I was so sorry when my son didn’t want to ranch. How much can you pay?”
“Not nearly as much as it’s worth.”
He squinted his right eye as though he was thinking. “Tell you what. I could lease you the land. A life lease for you and your children etc. If you ever sell, the money goes to my heirs. Lord knows I don’t need the money. I made a killing in the stock market plus the income from this place.”
She furrowed her brow. “But the house is…well, it needs work.”
Longneck laughed. “I have a nosey neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, who thinks she can tell me what to do. I keep this trailer here to annoy her. I have another ready to be delivered next week. She’ll be going north for the summer. I made the mistake in dating her for a while, and she tried to act like my mother. That was thirty years ago.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard of a life lease before.”
Longneck shrugged. “That’s for the lawyer to figure out. You can pay me one hundred dollars a month to start. I want you to put as much money as you have into this place. I knew my health was on a decline so I haven’t purchased more cattle in a few years. I have a good friend who stops by and gets hard work done for me. I’ll ask him to do the same for you.”
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