Up the Creek Without a Saddle (Bandit Creek Book 31)

by Sandy Kelly

  Lily felt herself relax a bit as she sat at the large table and watched the older woman pour the coffee into two large mugs. It was such a bright and cheery kitchen, so full of life. Lily accepted the mug with a smile.

  “It’s nice to be here again,” she said truthfully.

  “Well, it’s nice to have you back,” Peggy replied easily. “Did you have any trouble finding the farm? These gravel roads can be confusing if you’re not used to them.”

  The two chatted comfortably as they sipped their tea. Peg stood up from time to time to check something she was baking in the oven. Lily felt the warmth creep from the open door and inhaled deeply of the sweet fragrance that accompanied it. This was a kitchen…a home…a family where she felt safe and cared for somehow. It was something she couldn’t really put into words, but she hadn’t felt that kind of solid nurturing since she was a young girl. Before corporate goals took priority. She breathed deeply, enjoying this delightful feeling of being nurtured and safe.

  She soon felt as ready as she ever would be to face Jayce. Peggy told her how to find the workshop and fixed a thermos of tea for Jayce and Dan.

  “Would you like me to go with you?” Peggy asked as she handed it to Lily.

  “No, that’s fine. I’ll find it alright by myself,” Lily replied quickly. Not wanting to seem rude, she simply thought a quiet and solitary walk would help prepare her for the certain wrath that awaited her.

  “Alright then…go north!” Peggy said with humor, as she opened the front door and pointed the direction.

  Lily strode quickly through the lane toward the workshop in the distance, determined to just get the task done. Birds erupted from the bushes on either side of her as she passed, their sudden burst into the sky unnerving her even more. She listened distractedly to their noisy chatter as they circled in the sky above, waiting for a safe moment to return to the bushes.

  When they were still once again, Lily realized there was no other sound. Beyond the wild bushes and the rows of tall trees, the land stretched unbroken and flat until it reached the mountains in the far distance. The silence immediately calmed her. This was why she wanted to have this conversation on the farm. Not only would Jayce likely be more comfortable, but she was, as well.

  Lily saw the workshop behind the thick glen of trees, just as Peggy had described. She approached the dwelling slowly, knowing Jayce was just beyond.

  Gathering her last little grain of courage, Lily rounded the structure to the large opening at the front. There was Jayce, hunched over an outdated piece of machinery. His full concentration was focused on the details under the hood. She stood silent and still, beguiled by his strong masculinity. She loved watching him when he wasn’t aware she was there. He had such a gentle innocence about him.

  “Good morning,” a small voice said softly from the other side of the machine. Lily was surprised to see Dan standing there. His slight frame had made him all but disappear next to his strapping son. Jayce, also startled by his dad’s greeting, looked quickly up to the older man and then turned as quickly to the direction his dad was looking.

  “Good morning,” Lily said hesitantly to both men. Dan quickly made some excuse about checking on Peggy so that the two could be left alone.

  “Good morning,” Jayce replied, obviously happy to see her. He smiled as he wiped the grease from his hands onto the rag that had been tucked into the large pocket of his work overalls. Even covered in grime, Jayce was the most beautiful man Lily had ever seen.

  “You busy?” she asked softly, venturing into the workshop and feeling the weight of the reason for her visit. A heavy smell of oil-soaked wood wafted from floor planks. But this was followed quickly by a delicious scent of the muskiness that comes from hard work, as Jayce came close to greet Lily. His light kiss on her cheek was unexpected and Lily turned away shyly.

  “So you saw Mom,” Jayce said as she handed him the tea. They spoke of the beautiful day, the progress of his repair job, the polite small talk of two people trying to cover the depth of their longing. They had been circling around each other long enough, Lily thought. Soon the moment would pass and she might lose her nerve. Again.

  She embraced all the courage she could muster, reminding herself of the feeling of the ground solid and firm under her feet as she ventured forward with the truth. It would remain solid after she delivered her blowing news. The earth wouldn’t shatter underneath her. Everything would be fine. Right?

  Lily stepped closer to Jayce, wanting to ensure she had his full attention. She kicked herself while trying to gather her wits, realizing that at that very moment she was stunned at how clean he smelled. Despite the oil on his strong fingertips and the dirt that smudged his coveralls, Jayce continued to smell like fresh laundry. Trying to focus her mind on the vital task at hand, Lily cleared her throat and began her explanation.

  “You don’t know me very well.” Drat… that wasn’t at all how she wanted to begin.

  “No,” Jayce replied, turning to face the seriousness of her voice. “But I’d very much like to get to know you better.”

  “I don’t know, you might not,” she responded, still not able to formulate her thoughts adequately and stay on track.

  “I think I’m the best judge of that and I know I’d like to get to know you better,” Jayce proclaimed, still seeming to believe her hesitation was some sort of shyness.

  “That’s not what I mean,” Lily stammered, although she found herself toying with the idea of letting him lead her down that safer path. She could simply veer off this confession and let him think she was nervous because she was shy to tell him she wanted to be closer to him, like a bashful schoolgirl.

  But that was really how this tale had been woven all along, she realized. She had attempted to reveal her true self, but she had been so hesitant that he continually misunderstood and filled in the blanks himself. She simply hadn’t wanted to let anything complicate such a wonderful time. But she needed to set things straight. Right this minute. She took a determined step forward and made her voice strong and purposeful.

  “You have gotten the wrong impression of me. I’m not at all the person you think I am,” she said, watching a glimmer of concern cross his eyes. “My family background is entirely the opposite of what you’ve come to believe,” she continued quickly, realizing the fearful thoughts he must be having by this time were likely much worse than the truth. Maybe he thought she was going to confess to being a thief or a murderer. The truth, suddenly, sounded quite unremarkable.

  “I’m rich.”

  “I see,” he responded quietly. Lily strained forward, peering intently into his face trying to decipher any hint as to his emotion. “Rich,” he repeated oddly, as if he was rolling the word around his tongue to get a taste of it. As if he had never uttered the word before and was trying it on for size. As if he was trying to determine what it meant.

  Lily stood facing him quietly, waiting for him to fully comprehend this revelation.

  “You’re rich,” he said again, sounding confused by the word. “Is that bad?” he asked finally.

  “Well…only if you don’t like money,” Lily replied, making them both laugh at the nonsensical way this conversation was going. It was as if they were discussing some sort of rare condition.

  “I’ve never had a problem with money,” he said with a smile in his voice, “although I’ve never ever had enough to consider it a bother.”

  “Well, I have a lot,” she said again. “My family is very rich.”

  “I see.” They both stood silently for a few minutes. “Why were you trying to hide it?” he asked, finally seeming to comprehend the level of deceit in their interactions up to this point. This was where Lily had to tread very carefully.

  “I didn’t mean to lie about it. I was kind of…taking a break from it,” was all she managed by way of explanation. “My grandparents started a dynasty – a line of clothing and a trucking fleet and a bunch of other things that everyone else in my family simply melded into
without question. I needed to find out if being absorbed into the family corporation was really what I wanted to do.”

  “So you came here?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “To Bandit Creek?” he asked.

  “Sounds kind of odd doesn’t it,” she laughed hesitantly. “I don’t know,” Lily’s voice trailed off, her words sounding like a futile explanation. “It was like I might get a glimpse of a simpler time somehow, a time before growth and greed got hold of everyone.”

  “That makes sense,” Jayce said, straining so hard to understand Lily that he had bent his face very close to hers. “This is hard for you,” he said, gently placing his hands on her shoulders and looking purposefully into her eyes.

  “The money has confused and ruled me my entire life,” Lily said, her words laced with sadness. “But I didn’t mean to mislead you, I really didn’t,” she quickly added, seeing concern streaming from the vivid green of his eyes. “I’m sorry,” she concluded with such sincerity that she thought she might begin to cry.

  “There, there,” he said, as if speaking to a small child. He suddenly gathered her protectively in his massive arms. “You came here to sort things out and I’ve gone and made everything more complicated for you. This is my fault,” he stated.

  “Your fault?” she repeated, pulling herself away and looking up at him with a smile. “You’re right, it’s all your fault that I’d rather be spending time with you than digging around in a little town, trying to discover if I really want to be rich.”

  Both began laughing and Jayce held her tighter once again. It appeared nothing had transpired that they couldn’t get past, after all. Here they were laughing comfortably in each other’s arms…what a relief!

  “Except there’s more,” Lily pulled away, determined to get the truth out in the open in its entirety.

  “More?” he sounded scared again.

  “A large part of my family’s wealth came at a cost to people just like you and your family,” she said sadly. “My grandparents ran people off their own land just like the banks did to you.”

  “Oh, I see,” Jayce’s voice was beginning to sound sad now, as well.

  “All for the sake of money.” Lily sounded dejected now.

  “I see,” he repeated. They both stood looking at the ground for a moment, each dissecting this truth that lay unfurling between them.

  “I guess wealth comes at a cost,” he said finally.

  “You must hate me,” Lily said sadly.

  “Hate you?” Jayce sounded confused. He stood tall in front of her once again and lifted her chin so her eyes met his. “Did you take those people’s land?”

  “No,” she replied softly.

  “Were you even present when any of this happened?”

  “No,” she said again.

  “Yup, sounds like it was all your fault,” he said, playfully taking up her hands and dancing her in a small circle. They laughed together with relief that each layer of truth was being disregarded as unimportant to their joy.

  “But if I continued on the path my father wants me to, that kind of business transaction would be next on my agenda,” Lily stated.

  This insight stopped Jayce for a brief moment. “And are you going down that path?” he asked quietly.

  “No, I’m not, Jayce,” Lily said emphatically. “Coming out here was supposed to help me sort out what direction I wanted to go, and meeting you gave me my answer.”

  “I’m glad…I’m very glad,” he said emphatically. “But now it’s my turn,” Jayce stopped his happy dance, his expression serious and scared again. He turned away from the fear he saw spring up in her eyes.

  “Your…turn?” Lily said hesitantly.

  “Look if we’re going to be perfectly honest with each other, then I want everything on the table,” Jayce sighed heavily. “I’ve never told anyone this before.”

  His shoulders slumped as he continued speaking with his back turned to her, as if he couldn’t bear to face her directly with the confession he was about to make.

  “What is it,” she prompted, truly scared now at what he was about to confess. “What is it,” she repeated, hearing the fear in her own voice. Was he a thief, she wondered.

  “I’m not very proud of it,” he said.

  Or a murderer, she thought.

  “I’m a vegetarian,” he stated, swinging around to face her fully with the truth.

  “Good heavens,” was all Lily could manage between her giggles. Try as she might to share the seriousness of his disclosure, she could only see the humor. “I’m sure you’re the first vegetarian cattle rancher I’ve ever met.”

  “That’s the problem,” he said, seeming to also soften a little. “Everybody in my family bought into the lifestyle, just like yours bought into theirs. Everybody just fed them and bred them and sold them and ate them, not giving it a moment’s thought that one of us might not actually like to. I petted them and named them and I even lived in the barn with them at one point when I was a teenager. I found ways to hide the pieces of steak and roast somehow or other, usually behind a big mound of potatoes as you noticed. I’ve deceived everyone around me for years. Not just my family, but this entire area. They consider me a leader in this industry,” he concluded, regret evident in his voice.

  “Yes, I can see that would be an issue around here,” Lily said, remembering the high regard Jayce seemed to receive from his neighbors in town. “I guess when you’re an active part of this type of enterprise, people simply expect you to be in one hundred per cent.”

  “It’s not just a job here, you know, it’s an entire way of life. It’s a philosophy, really, a way of looking at the world and confirming your place in it every day. And the challenges are so great to begin with, but when you factor in your disinterest in the end product it weighs pretty heavily on you,” Jayce explained.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t move away like your brothers did,” Lily said, trying to better understand.

  “I’ve asked myself that a hundred times… a million times. It makes no sense, really, to continue fighting to get the land back because there’s often no money in this business. But when you’ve made a commitment to the land you stick it out. You rise in the good years and cope in the bad. It’s like a devoted husband… you stay with the marriage without question, because it’s what you said you would do.”

  Lily watched Jayce as he concluded his heartfelt explanation. She had watched the dimple that curved beside his full lips as he spoke with such earnest, and had seen his intense thoughts dazzle in his eyes as he tried his best to convey his deepest emotions. She had fallen in love with him at that moment, as he bravely bared his soul to her.

  “I love your devotion,” she said gently, knowing in her heart they were both ready to share that special word.

  “I love you,” he said at last, cupping her face in both of his hands and lifting her lips to meet his. She covered his strong hands with her own, and felt their warmth against her cheeks. She was surprised to discover something else on her cheek, as well…soft tears were winding through their entwined hands. Again she was crying unknowingly, but this time it was most definitely tears of joy.

  Jayce turned a gentle thumb to the base of a solitary tear and with a single stroke as light as a summer breeze, he wiped the tear away.

  “Are you doing okay?” he asked, his face still so very close to hers.

  “Well…” Lily began slowly, “…I’m in love with a vegetarian cattle rancher. How do you think I’m doing?” she concluded playfully.

  Jayce laughed heartily as he bent to lift her completely off the ground and spin her in a dance of love and celebration. Eventually he came to place her back on the ground, but kept his arms firmly wrapped around her slender body. Their kiss lingered as the streams of sun and whispers of distant life disappeared around them.

  “Fine pair we make, a poor rich person and a vegetarian cattle rancher,” Jayce said at last. “This will be one strange wedding to plan.”<
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  His words hung heavily in the air, breaking the spell and bringing both back to the present. They had never spoken of forever; they had just barely spoken of love. They had really just met. This was crazy.

  “Is that what you’d like?” Jayce finally asked politely. “Because I would really like to marry you,” he concluded bravely.

  “I think I want to marry you, too,” Lily said with some hesitation. “I know I want to marry you,” she said with emphasis, as fresh and happy tears welled up in her eyes.

  She knew without a doubt this magnificent man in her arms was the answer to her quest. She had conquered the great unknown outside her estate and ended up finding a new home. All the details of who they were fell away as she devoured Jayce with her kisses.

  “Then, my dear, I have the distinct pleasure of asking you to do me the honor of becoming my wife,” Jayce said with mock seriousness, breaking their embrace and bending down to one knee. The oil-soaked setting and his grimy attire were a far cry from how this scene was usually played out in the movies, Lily thought. She threw her head back and laughed happily at his humor and the innocent love in his eyes.

  “The honor, kind sir, would be all mine,” Lily responded in equal playfulness.

  Grasping his hand, Lily guided Jayce back to his feet and fell into his arms. It was the happiest moment of her entire life.

  “What will your dad think of me?” Jayce asked suddenly, the demands of the world beginning to creep into their oasis.

  “He’ll adore you,” Lily replied with conviction.

  “I don’t even own my land. How will I provide for you?” Jayce asked again, leaving Lily to believe he really didn’t understand the amount of money she was worth.

  “You don’t understand,” Lily began to explain again, her lips never straying more than an inch from his throughout the discussion. “My grandparents have provided for all of us. There’s enough money for everyone from here on in. Our children’s great-great-grandchildren will never even have to worry about…”

  She stopped in mid-sentence, realizing she had added another component to their relationship that hadn’t officially been discussed yet. Babies. She wanted children – she had always wanted children. But she had no idea what he thought of the concept. Here they both battled for years against assumptions made by their own families, and she was setting out plans based on assumptions again.