by Brenda Gayle
“I need to go to the ranch. I thought you might like to come along. We could go for a ride.”
“A ride? Do you mean on a horse? Horseback riding?” She heard the squeal of excitement in her voice and wasn’t surprised to see his eyebrows rise quizzically.
“Let me guess: as a little girl you always wanted a horse,” he said.
“Close. As a little girl, I always wanted to go horseback riding. I’d have been happy with that.”
“You’ve never ridden?” He seemed incredulous. “How could you have grown up in this part of the country and never ridden a horse?”
She shrugged, forcing away the memory of another of her many childhood disappointments. One visit there today was enough.
“Then it’s settled,” he said. “Tomorrow we’ll go to Tres Hermanos and I’ll give you your first horseback riding lesson.”
“Don’t you have to be at the restaurant?”
“No. I generally take Sundays off. Tomorrow I’m all yours.”
She could feel her heart racing with anticipation for morning to come. It’s merely the prospect of going horseback riding, she told herself. It has to be.
Chapter 12
“Are you all right?” Hunter switched off the car’s engine and turned to Nora. “You haven’t said a word since we drove through the gate.”
Nora looked away from the side window to stare at him. She was overwhelmed. Rancho Tres Hermanos wasn’t anything at all what she’d expected. She’d assumed it would be like the ranches she’d seen in movies—a rustic house and barn set against a panorama of cattle moving across acres and acres of barren land.
Instead, they had followed a long, tree-lined paved roadway up to a cul-de-sac where three large, modern-looking homes stood. Through the trees to her right she could see a two-story red brick structure that resembled an apartment building with balconies, and further beyond were several wood and stone buildings, and fenced paddocks.
“That’s quite the driveway.” It was the first thing that popped into her head. “How long is it?”
“Three-quarters of a mile—one thousand, nine hundred and eighty-one paces, depending on the length of your stride.” Hunter laughed.
“How do you know that?”
“I had a lot of opportunities to count it. I walked it twice a day, to and from the school bus, from the time I was five years old.”
“You walked all that way? When you were five?”
“Yup. The old men didn’t believe in pampering us kids.”
“The old men?”
“My father and two uncles. I’m sure Mrs. Wilkinson, the bus driver, would have been happy to drive to the house to pick us up, but she was afraid to cross the old men and so we walked.”
“That seems a bit excessive.”
Hunter shrugged.
Nora turned back to the window. Hunter had parked in front of the second of the three houses. They were all of the same two-story stone architecture. The difference lay in the coloring of the trim and the landscaping.
“My grandparents emigrated from Scotland in 1928. My grandmother was pregnant with my Uncle Abraham and he was born shortly after they docked in New York. They bought a small parcel of land here and began ranching.” Hunter’s voice was a quiet monotone, as if he was repeating a story he had heard many times, but had no attachment to.
“The others, my Uncle Isaac and my father, Benjamin, were born here, on the ranch. Their original homestead is about three miles from here. They arrived just in time for the Great Depression.”
She watched him, reluctant to say anything that might interrupt his story.
“But they were tough and they were hard-working. Slowly, through sacrifice and sheer stubbornness, they built their herd. As their neighbors failed, they bought up their land. By the time my grandparents died, in the 1960s, the ranch had grown into one of the three largest and most profitable cattle operations in the state.
“Rancho Tres Hermanos was born when their three sons formally took it over. They were equally tough and equally hard-working, and continued to expand the ranch with the plan of leaving it to their three sons, thus continuing the tradition.”
Nora waited. She’d read a little on the Internet but wanted to hear the story from Hunter’s perspective. When he didn’t continue she prompted, “But that didn’t happen.”
He turned to her, the corners of his mouth raised in a half-hearted smile. “No, much to their dismay, that didn’t happen.” He turned his head back to stare out the front windshield. “Uncle Abraham married Aunt Betty and had a son, Michael. It became obvious very early on that Michael wasn’t meant for ranch life. He prefers to experience life through books. And he’s terrified of horses.” Hunter’s soft chuckle was more ironic than humorous.
“Fortunately, Uncle Ike and Aunt Ginny had Chad. Chad is a couple of years younger than Michael, but he’s strong and fearless. There’s nothing he can’t, or won’t, do if he wants to.”
“Where is he now?” Nora asked.
“The Middle East. He’s a reservist and should be back next month some time. Chad’s a thrill-seeker and he certainly isn’t going to settle down on the ranch. But he’s smart, too. He’s got a medical degree and normally gets his adrenalin fix working in the ER at Albuquerque Presbyterian.”
“So that leaves you…the final son.”
“Yeah. Chad and Michael are both quite a bit older than Anna and me. Anna is Michael’s sister.” Hunter’s knuckles had turned white as his grip tightened on the steering wheel.
“I get the sense you don’t want the ranch, either,” Nora said carefully. She was fascinated by his family and wanted to know more, but she was sensitive to pushing him into territory that was too personal.
“It’s more complicated than that. For Michael and Chad the break was clean and complete. Michael’s off making his name in academia and Chad’s a doctor and a soldier. Both have honorable professions, both have nothing to do with Tres Hermanos anymore.” Hunter turned to her. “I don’t want to sever my ties with the ranch or my family. I just don’t want to live here and be responsible for its day-to-day operations.”
“Then Prime is perfect for you,” Nora said. “You can have your own life and, by showcasing their beef, you’re still involved with the ranch.”
“Perfect for me. Perfect for Anna. Not perfect for the old men.”
“What about Anna? Is she interested in the ranch?”
“That’s all she’s interested in,” he said, his face brightening. “When it became obvious that Michael wasn’t going to carry on the family tradition of ranching, Uncle Abe and Aunt Betty—probably mostly Uncle Abe—decided to have another son.”
“But they had Anna, instead.”
“Yes. Don’t get me wrong; everyone was thrilled to have a girl in the family. She was spoiled like you wouldn’t believe.” Hunter laughed and shook his head, remembering. “She had the old men wrapped around her baby finger.”
“So what’s the problem? If she wants the ranch, they’ve got their successor.”
“Nora, are you really that naive?” His voice was a combination of pity and contempt. “Anna can’t take over the ranch.”
“Why not?” Nora was fairly certain she knew the answer. Her own fists had balled in sympathy for Hunter’s frustration, and she found herself strongly disliking the old men before she’d even met them. “Because she’s a woman?”
“Because she’s not a son,” he clarified.
“But if she’s the only one who wants to ranch, they have no choice but to…” Nora began in indignation and then stopped when she saw a guilty look cross Hunter’s face. “You haven’t told them that you don’t want the ranch, have you?”
“Not directly, no.”
“Why not? Do you think you’ll change your mind?”
“No. There’s no chance of that. The lifestyle, the responsibility for so many people, it would drive me crazy.”
He had turned away from her and was looking out the front windshie
ld again. She stared at his profile trying to figure him out. His secret obviously pained him and, given his apparent affection for Anna, Nora was sure part of his guilt was due to the uncertainty he was creating for her future. “I don’t understand why you don’t just tell them. Get it settled.”
“I could lose everything if I tell them.”
A sharp knock on her window made Nora jump. She turned to gaze into the pale blue eyes of an attractive young woman with a billowing mane of golden brown curls. The girl in the photo she’d seen in Hunter’s suite.
“Are you two going to sit there all day? It’s almost noon.” Her voice was muted through the glass. “Mom’s got coffee ready, and she’s baked a Dundee cake, which will be stone cold if you dawdle much longer.”
****
“What’s a Dundee cake?” Nora whispered to Hunter as they followed Anna into the house.
“Only the most decadent piece of heaven you can possibly imagine,” he said, his mouth watering in anticipation. “It’s fruit and toasted almonds and, if we’re lucky, a generous splash of whiskey. She only makes it for special occasions.”
“Yes, and let me just say that it’s a sad state of affairs for the Graham family that you coming to visit is now considered special,” Anna called back, laughing.
“Hey, if it gets us Dundee cake what’s the problem?” Hunter returned. “Think what we can get if I stay away even longer.”
“Don’t you dare!” Aunt Betty stepped out of the kitchen to greet them in the hallway. “You’ve stayed away too long as it is.” He wrapped his arms around his aunt’s generous body, breathing in the scent of home baking, and relishing the sensation of warmth and comfort it gave him.
“We thought we’d see a bit more of you when you moved back from New York. But you’ve been back what? Six months? And this is only the second time you’ve graced us with your presence.” Aunt Ginny stood with her hands on her hips, her expression fierce.
He released Betty and scooped Ginny off her feet, swinging her around in a circle. The action had the desired effect and she broke into girlish giggles. “Damn you, Hunter,” she said after he put her down and she had a chance to catch her breath. “I can’t even pretend to be upset with you.”
Hunter stared at his two aunts. They never changed. Aunt Betty, with her matronly figure and short silver hair, was dressed in her customary housedress and bib-apron.
Aunt Ginny was about the same height, although slimmer. Her short hair was always stylish, and dyed brown he figured, although he couldn’t say for certain since he’d never seen even a hint of silver in it. She wore dark slacks and a light cotton blouse.
Although they were his aunts, both were closer in age to his grandmother, Libby. The thought made his heart contract sharply for the woman missing from the scene. His mother, the youngest of the Tres Hermanos wives by more than fifteen years, shouldn’t have been the first to go.
“Would you like to introduce your, ah, friend?” Ginny said, arching her eyebrows at Nora.
Hunter made quick introductions, emphasizing Nora’s position as head of the Children’s Action Network. He hoped the information would clue the women into the fact that she wasn’t one of his girlfriends. He didn’t want them to embarrass Nora with a bunch of irrelevant personal questions.
He should have known he needn’t be concerned. His aunts were warm and welcoming, and if they wondered about the nature of his relationship with Nora, they kept it to themselves.
Nora, herself, seemed relaxed in the company of the women of his family—almost too relaxed, he thought as she joined in the gentle ribbing he had to endure being the only male in the room.
After about forty minutes, Anna rose to excuse herself, saying she had a couple of phone calls to make, but would be back shortly.
Hunter glanced at Nora. She was engaged in an animated conversation with Aunt Ginny about the dangers monkey bars posed to school-aged children. Ginny was fervently defending the play structures, saying that children today were far too protected and that society was raising a generation of sissies. Hunter wasn’t sure which of the two he’d bet on to win the argument, but he was quite sure Nora could hold her own. He excused himself and went to find Anna.
Anna’s office was a lot like her—organized chaos. There were stacks of invoices and breeding agreements covering every available surface. Books containing bloodlines and FDA regulations were piled on the floor. Despite the mess, Hunter knew she could put her hand on any document she required in a matter of seconds.
“I like her,” Anna said, looking up from her laptop. The familiar chime announced that the operating system was starting up.
“Don’t read anything into it,” Hunter said, removing a box of files from a chair so he could sit down. “She’s just a friend.”
“Of course,” Anna said, although her broad smile and the glint in her eyes told him she didn’t quite believe it.
Anna was stubborn. He could argue with her all he wanted, but she’d continue to believe whatever she chose.
He sighed. Might as well get it over with.
“Speaking of friends…” He paused, hoping she’d raise the subject of Callum Hart herself. When she didn’t respond, he squared his shoulders and plowed ahead. “I ran into Carmelina Hawke the other day. I wasn’t aware you two were friends.” Now she had to guess where he was going with this.
“Yeah?” She sounded surprised. “Santa Fe has a fairly limited social scene. We often end up at the same events. I really like her, but she’s going through a bit of a tough time now. She quit a career she loved to support her husband and raise their son.”
Anna’s eyes narrowed and she glared at him. “Please, Hunter, don’t tell me you slept with her. She’s got enough trouble without you messing—”
“Whoa.” Hunter held up his hands in defense. “Just how low is your opinion of me? I only talked with the woman. She’s your friend.”
“Oh.” Anna sat back and had the decency to look embarrassed. “I just thought…well, you know.”
“Not really. No.” He stood up and paced the office. How did this become about him?
“She’s very beautiful and you do have a reputation,” Anna tried to clarify.
“That doesn’t mean I sleep with every beautiful woman that crosses my path. She’s married. She has a child. And yes, there are obviously troubles in her marriage. Give me some credit, Anna. I don’t take advantage of women. The women I sleep with know full well what they’re getting into.”
“Does that include Nora?”
“Nora? What does Nora have to do with this?”
“I’m just wondering if she knows what she’s getting into.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m not sleeping with Nora either. I told you, she’s just a friend.”
“Wow, you must be losing your touch, cuz. Two beautiful women enter your life and you’re not sleeping with either of them?” Anna raised her eyebrows, her disbelief evident.
Hunter leapt to his feet. He felt the urge to hit something—hard. He glanced around the office looking for an empty wall, but settled for kicking the box of records he had put on the floor. “I swear Anna, you are the most frustrating...”
He saw a small smile touch Anna’s lips before she looked down at her computer. She was doing this deliberately. She knew exactly where he had been going when he mentioned Carmelina, and she’d wanted to divert him from the subject.
“No, no, no, no.” He waved his finger at her as he sat back down in the chair. “Nice try, Anna-banana, but you’re not going to distract me. We were talking about Carmelina and you.”
“Oh come on, Hunter. I’m far more interested in knowing about what’s going on between you and Nora Cross. She’s not your usual type, but I have to tell you, I definitely feel some chemistry between the two of you.”
That made him pause. He had felt a sizzle of something with Nora, too. Did Anna actually feel it or was she stalling again? Well, it really didn’t matter. Nothing was
going to happen with Nora.
He had been honest with Anna. He didn’t take advantage of women. As much as he was certain he could get Nora into his bed—and as much as he liked the idea of that—he was equally certain she would hate herself afterward. She had made it clear she didn’t want a casual relationship and he wasn’t looking for anything but.
Hunter decided the best way to stop Anna’s delaying tactics was to be blunt. “Carmelina says you’re going to marry Cal Hart.”
It worked. Her face turned crimson and she stared down at her computer for several seconds before she raised her head to meet his gaze. “Maybe I am. So what?”
“I didn’t realize you were even seeing him.”
“You didn’t know about Carmelina, you don’t know about Callum. You were gone a long time, Hunter, and since you’ve been back you’ve hardly been around. So don’t be surprised if you don’t know everything about me anymore.”
Hunter sagged into the chair, suddenly very tired. It worried him that she was being so defensive. “Do you love him?”
“Why would I marry him if I didn’t?”
“Why wouldn’t you tell me you were seeing him?”
“It never came up.” She shrugged.
He waited for her to say something. Anna couldn’t stand silence and in the past had given away many secrets in her rush to fill the void. Now, however, the quiet extended, and Hunter was the one impatient to end it.
“Carmelina said you had a ring, but I don’t see it. I’m assuming that means you haven’t told your mother or anyone else here, either.”
Anna looked down at her hand. “Not yet.”
“Anna, what are you doing? This is so unlike you. If you really loved this guy, you’d be shouting it from the rooftops, not hiding it.”
“I’m not the same girl I was, Hunter. I do love Callum, and I am going to marry him. It’s what our fathers have wanted all along, isn’t it? To unite Tres Hermanos with the Hart ranch?”
Hunter was speechless. He couldn’t believe he was hearing this from Anna, of all people. She’d never been one to kowtow to family demands.
