"Not Old Man Sims, he didn't want anyone to have anything to do with his daughter. He truly thought we corrupted her. According to him, we were no accounts, me and my brother. We were orphaned when I was ten and my brother brought me up. I owed him. He was more a daddy to me than a brother, and I've missed him since he went away, but at least I was grown. In a small town, people talk about people. It's natural, but when I was put on probation, I decided I wanted to get out of the small town. I needed a job, and to try to undo all the bad."
There was a long silence then he glanced over at her. "But Melody was kind of wild to begin with, a side of herself she never showed her father, I guess. That's why Jim was her favorite; he had a wild streak too. The two of them got into a lot of mischief in those days. And I usually covered for Jim. Three years' probation and you'd think I would learn. But I'm still a sucker for a hard luck story, or a woman in trouble."
Wendy nodded as her mouth flew open in surprise.
"But you still come to the rescue, don't you?" She smiled at him.
"Old habits die hard. Got a soft spot for women, I guess."
"Have you seen Melody since?" Wendy asked, curious.
"No, that actually happened a year ago, so I only have two years left on probation. But I left not long after that. Melody had never been interested in me except to find Jim. Which she never did. Since I began looking for work, and there wasn't much to offer around where we lived, the judge let me move to the metropolis to find work. Naturally, my parole officer will keep in touch with him and let him know how I'm doing."
"I'm sorry for you…" Wendy began. "Sounds like you got a pretty raw deal."
"No need to be, I got over Melody. I don't think I really loved her, I just felt so sorry for her getting mixed up with my brother. It was sort of a crush I had on her. But Jim and her…they seemed to really be in love. Until she got pregnant. He just couldn't handle raising another kid, I guess. I realized that I overstepped my bounds, that Melody never loved me, and that I deserved better than that."
Wendy glanced at Sam. "Well, it may not look it, but I'm over Wade too. Or getting over him. Fast. He's getting awfully pushy lately."
"Are you sure? About being over him?"
"When I look back on it, I realize that it was just a crush, too. He never dated me, kissed me, or gave me reason to think he cared for me, except as the boss' daughter. It was me that made it more than it was. I can see that now. I was a fool. I just didn't want to look like one."
"Then why was he so overbearing about us going out?" Sam asked, pulling into the restaurant parking lot.
"Another thing I realized after all these years; it's just Wade being Wade. He thinks he runs everything on the ranch. It's almost as though he's taken over the property and us girls. I think he has put himself in my father's shoes, and doesn't know it. But Wade has to grow up too. He's the ranch foreman, that's all he is."
Sam nodded, and opened the door for her. They made eye contact. Wendy saw him as the man he was, a caring strange creature that she definitely wanted to get to know better, she decided.
They ordered steak, and Wendy wondered how the cowboy could afford it. She didn't ask though. She had only eaten here a few times as the prices were too high.
"You know, I'd hate to be in your shoes." Sam shook his head.
"Why? What do you mean?" Wendy took a drink of her water and glanced at him with interest as they waited for their meal.
"Coming into all that money, a lot of men are gonna be knockin' on your door." He grinned.
"I suppose so. Although, Wade has kept them at bay so far."
"I guess he thinks I'm after your money too."
"Probably." Wendy stared at him for a moment as he glanced about the place, taking in the cowboy atmosphere.
"I'm not after your money, Wendy."
"I don't really care about the money. In fact, it's creating problems, not solving them. I know that sounds strange, but I'm happy where I am, doing what I do every day, working with our stock, tending to the ranch. I know it's not a career, but it makes me happy. I'm a happy person. Especially since my sisters have all come home, found good partners and settled down close. I never thought that would happen. I doubt seriously if any of us will end up inheriting the money everyone is speculating about. There were stipulations and I'm not sure any of us have lived up to it," Wendy confessed. "None of us feel it is ours. Dad earned it."
"Why wouldn't you, it's rightfully yours, isn't it?" Sam asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin and looking at her now with those dark probing eyes.
"One of the stipulations of the will was that we come home and stay a year on the ranch. Well, everyone did come home, but Julie got married pretty soon, then Letty and Sandy had a double wedding, none of them are living on the ranch, so I don't know how particular Dad's will is, but none of them have lived there the entire year."
Sam nodded. "Why do you think he put a stipulation on the will?"
"I don't know. I mean, not for sure. I think he wanted us all home, even though he wouldn't be here, he wanted us here," Wendy explained.
"Don't make much sense, unless he's still alive?" Sam said off-handedly.
"Alive? Oh no, we buried him," Wendy corrected.
"Did you have an open casket?" Sam asked.
"N-no…but…" Wendy let those questions ferment in her mind. "It's impossible."
Sam didn't argue.
"Well, looks like your still on the property so you should inherit," Sam encouraged.
"I don't have a need for his money. In fact, me and my sisters have talked it over and none of us have a real need of it. To me, it would seem a better thing to just invest it all back into the ranch and its running. Maybe give some to charities. I'm rather fond of giving to St. Jude Hospital myself. He could have put the ranch in all our names and left it to us to decide what to do with it."
"Well now, that is an intelligent statement if I ever heard one. But I gotta admit I've never heard of anyone willing to give up a fortune like the bunch of you. It says something about your character. All of you. Looks like you McKay girls are pretty special people."
"In my opinion, it could help Julie and Cade out with their Special Needs program. They work on the ranch with handicapped children. And Hank and Letty with less income than the rest, I would think they would get some of that money. And then Sandy…I don't know; Mike makes a pretty fantastic salary for himself, he's a photographer, so maybe they don't need it either. And me…I've got what I want; living on the ranch, and knowing it's partly mine, for the rest of my life. I don't feel like I deserve the money Dad made. And you are right, there's a bunch wanting to take the advantage. That part kind of worries me, too."
"You know, I gotta admit, you surprise the heck out of me."
"In what way?" Wendy frowned.
"Lots of ways. I figured you girls would be so stuck up no one could talk to you. The fact that you are so young, and yet so satisfied with your life. So content. You've somehow managed to do what so many others have never done. Be happy. I didn't think rich people were happy."
"Just this very morning, I thought Wade was the man of my dreams. I had such fantasies. But his little announcement of engagement forced me to look at things differently. And I learn fast. But I'm saying, basically, I'm happy."
There was a long silence.
"Are you happy, Sam?"
He shrugged. "I gotta job; I only have two more years of reporting to a probation officer, and I'll be free. I guess I am. But there's something missing and until I find that, I won't know what happiness is."
"What are you missing?"
"A woman…I want to get married, have a family," he admitted. "A big family…like the one I never had."
Wendy almost dropped her fork and spit her wine.
Chapter Three
"Do you think he's a fortune hunter?" Julie asked the next morning when she came over with Cade. Wendy had sat down at the kitchen table to discuss the new man on the ranch and have some cof
fee before she started her chores.
She shook her head. "No…for some reason I don't. I'm not sure why I feel he isn't. He's pretty forthright and honest about what he wants and expects out of life. I was shocked to see him at the door though. And he took me to The Rusty Nail. We ate steak and he paid for them. I didn't know if he had the money to afford it or not, but he did. I didn't want to ask, afraid I'd embarrass him."
"Do you believe his story?" Julie asked as Wendy got up and poured her a cup of coffee too.
"I don't know. But when he spoke of the girl, he did seem a little emotional. So maybe. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I guess what re-enforced the things he told me was when he brought me home. He didn't try to kiss me. He was a perfect gentleman, walked me to the door, spoke sweet words to me, but he didn't even try to kiss me. And oddly, I liked that. We're going out again tonight."
Wendy finished her coffee and then got up and cleaned the kitchen and turned to look at her sister. She took some pinto beans out of the cupboard and began to pick through them, to put on the stove for supper.
"And Wade, you said he was downstairs giving Sam the third degree."
"Yes." Wendy frowned; she turned around to face her and shook her head. "Sam asked him if he was a relative, a father or brother or something. He wasn't intimidated by Wade at all. That kinda shocked me. Because I know Wade can be quite forceful when he wants to," Wendy admitted. "I think I like Sam. With me, he's very honest and up front. He doesn't act like a man hiding anything. He's like an open book."
"Just be careful, you never know sometimes," Julie warned. "But I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt if you are. You know the man better than I do. I was a little shocked he went along with your charade though."
"I know, and I liked that about him too. But his story kind of fits his personality," Wendy insisted. She related the story to Julie and Julie nodded.
"Sounds like he's used to coming to women's aid."
"Yeah, that's how I see him at least. And I don't think I have blinders on where he's concerned. I haven't known him long enough for that."
"That's kind of sad, don't you think? Doing a good deed and getting in trouble for it. Doesn't sound like a real hardboiled criminal to me. But if you continue to date him, be careful."
"I don't know why, but I’m not a bit afraid of Sam."
"Is he still involved with this Melody character?" she asked.
Wendy shrugged. "He says he isn't. But it doesn't matter. It's not like I’m about to fall for him or anything. He is fun to go out with. And he's not pushy. It's kind of nice not being so intense about a guy, for a change. You know Julie, it was my fault, about Wade I mean. He never did anything to encourage me. Never. But I guess you'd know that better than the others."
"Yeah, aside from Dad he's always been the man to turn to. I can almost forgive him for his actions because of that. I'm really glad it wasn't an intense relationship, Wendy. I never realized it until now, how level-headed you really are. As much as you cared about Wade, you didn't offer yourself to him, and that's to be admired. The way he's acting lately has me on edge. It's just such a complete turnaround. So unlike him. Okay, just keep me posted on how things are going, okay? I worry about you, little sister. So…how do you feel about Wade now?"
"Don't ask. Yesterday, I could have killed him. But…after I did some soul searching and thinking about it, I realized I deserved it. I mooned over him so long I should have known he wasn't interested. Anyone else would have," Wendy admitted. "It might have solved a lot of problems if he had just faced me with it and told me to my face. I'd have respected him for that."
"We are all glad you see that." Julie smiled sadly. "But it's also hard to see your little sister grow up, too. Do you think Wade is really engaged?"
"Oh yeah, he's engaged alright, and I think he's crazy about the girl. But you know, he has changed a lot in the past few weeks. He snaps at me more, and seems to be thinking about other things when I try to talk about the ranch, which really isn't like him at all. I guess that girl is responsible, but I can't say it was a change for the better. I have been noticing little things lately. He wasn't totally acting himself."
Julie frowned at her, her brow going up in question.
Wendy grabbed her and hugged her. "I'm just glad you are all home and close by. I've missed all of you, you know."
"I'm beginning to realize how much I missed all of you too," Julie admitted. "Well…I better run. Got to thaw something for supper. Unless you want to send some of those beans home with Cade."
"Nope, I'm not sharing, I'm gonna have beans and cornbread for supper. And eat on them for a couple of days, that way I won't have to cook again for a while."
"Beans and cornbread, don't you ever get tired of them?"
"Nope."
She laughed. "If you need me, call."
"Will do." Wendy waved her goodbye. It was wonderful being able to talk to her sisters like a pal or something. That had never happened before.
"No," Julie came up to her again and hugged her. "I mean it. Call me anytime."
Wendy nodded.
But as she walked her out the door, Wade came up to the house. He stood on the edge of the porch waiting until Julie pulled out of the front gate. Wendy didn't know if Julie saw him or not, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to him right now. He looked like a storm about to explode.
"I want to talk to you," he said throatily.
"Really, after all this time, you want to talk to me?" Wendy frowned.
"Yes, and you aren't going to like what I'm about to say. So sit down, shut up and listen."
Wendy visibly bristled.
Wade's expression was serious, and she could almost bet what he had to say. But suddenly, the way he bossed her around set her on edge.
Wade confirmed it. "Stay away from Sam Jamison."
Wendy sat down at the kitchen table, turning her coffee cup around so she could drink it. She gulped down a big swallow and looked at Wade. She wished she had the calm that Sam displayed, but she felt out of her depth.
"I knew this was coming. And believe me Wade, if you were my daddy I'd listen and respect what you are saying. But you aren't. And I…"
"Look, I'm not your father. But if I was I'd sit you down and have a long talk about the birds and the bees, and what not to do around men. But I'm trying to run this ranch the way your father wanted. He sort of entrusted me with your care. You being the youngest and the only one that hung around. So I'm responsible for your butt. Understand?"
"I'm beginning to understand a lot of things, Wade."
Wendy eyed him, never believing she would have such a moment with Wade, but it was happening. She needed to respond to this, but she had to get her temper under control first. She sipped her coffee again. Calm, that's what she needed.
"Perhaps if you could give me a good enough reason to not date him, I'd listen, as I respect your opinion greatly. But I see nothing to stop me, right now."
"Are you out of your mind, he's on probation, what more is there…prison," Wade blew up and threw his hat on the table. "Isn't that enough?"
"No, it's not. I know he's on probation, so what? We all know that, thanks to you. But I also know why he's on probation. And it isn't as serious as you'd like to make it out to be. He's a nice person and deserves a fair break."
"Wendy," Wade took her by the shoulders and lightly shook her, staring deep into her eyes. "I'm only thinking of you, and what your father would think about this kind of thing."
"Maybe you should concentrate on your girlfriend instead. I'm old enough to take care of myself, now." Wendy moved away from him, not liking the way he put his hands on her. All this time she had been so moony-eyed over him, he'd never touched her, never really looked at her, and now he was shaking her in the kitchen, like he had every right to do so. She was livid on the inside, but she controlled that. She remembered how Sam had acted and tried to do the same.
The power to control was calm. Her d
addy had said it many times, now she believed him.
"I'm warning you Wendy, don't push it." Wade glared at her.
"And I don't like warnings, Wade. They sound too much like threats to me," she finished and started moving toward the door.
"Honey, I'm only looking after you…" he began, coming toward her.
She pushed the screen door open. "Well honey, I don't need looking after."
"You're just a kid…you don't know what you are doing."
The glare from his eyes seemed to spit at her. And something dark passed between them. This wasn't the man she used to know at all. He really had changed. His whole demeanor was different. The Wade she had known would never shake her and glare at her like this. What had happened to him? Why was he acting this way?
She marched down to the barn, tears were threatening to fall. Her legs were shaking so bad she nearly fell. She had to get control. She had to think, and be reasonable.
What was that about? Wade had never acted that way. Why now?
She went inside the barn and found Caleb working on one of the horses.
~*~
"Morning," she said weakly.
Caleb jumped and turned around to stare at her. "Here now, what's all this about?"
Caleb saw the tears and how upset she looked and went to her side. "You alright, Miss Wendy?"
"Oh sure…I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"It's nothing, really, Caleb," she reassured him.
"I don't think I've ever seen you cry, Miss Wendy." He smiled down into her face. "You're the one that smiles all the time. It must be something."
"I'm fine. Just needed to get away from the house for a bit."
"Cabin fever is what I call that," Caleb said. "But that ain't why you are cryin'. You know, you can talk to me, anytime."
"Caleb, do you know Sam Jamison?"
"Jamison…oh yeah, Cade just hired him on the other day. Seen him around. Why?"
"Wade doesn't like him."
"He got a reason?" Caleb twisted his head in question.
Stand By Me (Book 4 of the McKay's) Page 3
