“I guess that would be fine.” She sighed, she didn’t have many options at this point. “Violet seems nice. Has she been here long?”
“Long as I can remember. Growing up here, Violet’s has always been the center of this town. She and her late husband, Stan, ran their place for years. I believe he passed away about the same time as my mom. It’s just been Violet since then. When my mom was first gone, I don’t think my brother and I would have survived without Violet. It took a while for my dad to learn to cook. We ate at the café pretty much every night for quite some time. Eventually, though Dad acquired enough cooking skills to at least keep us alive.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Luke maneuvered the pickup up a winding, even smaller dirt road. June bounced in the seat as dust blew in the open window. She experienced a growing knot of frustration as she massaged the muscles tightening in her neck. Things weren’t going as planned. She felt helpless, which was not a feeling she relished. She was totally at the mercy of strangers, making her uncomfortable, even when they appeared to be very nice strangers. Maybe she wasn’t really that adventurous after all.
She consciously willed her shoulders to relax and took a long, slow deep breath. After all, she wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, except that Paul was expecting her. And she did love these Colorado mountains. How could she not be thrilled by the chance to spend a couple of days at a guest ranch? When she had decided to drive rather than fly, she had hoped for adventure. Well, here it was. She must remember to be careful what she wished for.
They rounded a bend on the narrow road and entered a gate with a huge welcome sign swinging in the breeze overhead. The meadow below was gorgeous, stretching as far as she could see. There were numerous ranch buildings—all with red roofs—clumped together along a small stream. Luke wound the truck down into the valley and pulled up in front of a large log building with a small sign pointing to the office. As June looked around, she felt her shoulders finally relax and a sense of peace engulf her.
Luke held open the main door of the building for June to enter. His father had definitely raised him right. A lady, who June guessed to be about her age, smiled looking up from her desk. “Howdy! Well, Luke Walker! What brings you up here? It’s been way too long since we’ve seen you.” She walked around the counter and gave him a big hug.
“Molly Peyton, this is June Meyers and her best friend, Laddie. I found her having some car troubles down by Apple Creek. Howard is off fishing today, so I was wondering if by any chance you had an extra room that she could use for a day or two until we can track him down and get her car going again?”
“You’re in luck. We had a guest who had to leave early this week for a family emergency, so I have one of our rooms in the main lodge open until Sunday. It’s yours for the next two nights if you need it. We usually rent only by the week during the summer months—Sunday to Sunday—but I would be happy to prorate a couple of nights for you. Don’t usually allow dogs either. However in your case, I think we can make an exception.”
“Thank you so much! Laddie is really well-behaved. I promise he won’t cause any problems.” As if on cue, Laddie sat down and looked up at Molly innocently.
Molly laughed. “Okay then. Here’s a copy of the daily schedule of activities, and Luke can show you to your room. He knows his way around this place. Most of our guests are out on a ride right now. We have a real good group here this week. I’m sure you will enjoy meeting them at dinner.”
June remembered she needed to call Paul and let him know there had been a delay—that she was safe and sound. She pulled out her cell phone.
“That won’t do you any good up here. No reception. There’s a pay phone in the lodge you can use.”
Luke drove her to the nearby lodge, and despite her protests, carried her suitcase up to her room. “If you want to leave me your car keys, I’ll get them to Howard as soon as he returns and drive back up here and let you know what’s going on with your car.”
“Thank you so much for everything, Luke. I’m sure you had better things to do today than driving me around. Just tell Howard to fix whatever is wrong and I’ll pay him. I haven’t been here long, but I feel as though I can trust you people already.”
“It’s been a pleasure, ma’am. Here’s my phone number at my ranch if you need anything else. The staff here will take good care of you, and the food is almost as good as Violet’s. Enjoy your stay.” He jumped back in his truck and was off in yet another cloud of dust. June smiled—oh, to be younger.
She walked back into the lodge. Had she just given that young man the keys to her car? She’d better leave that part out when she talked to Paul. What if she never saw her car again? Don’t be silly, she silently scolded herself. Violet and Molly sure seemed to know and trust him. That was good enough for her.
June made her way to the pay phone and dialed Paul’s number. Paul’s lovely wife Cindy answered.
“Hi honey, its Mom. I wanted to call and let you guys know that there has been a short delay in my plans to get to San Diego.”
“Oh no. Are you okay?”
“Yes, darling, I’m fine. I had a little car trouble in Colorado and it’s going to take a few days to get fixed.”
“Where are you? This is why Paul wanted you to fly. Do you need help?”
June laughed. When had her kids become her caretakers? “No. Actually, it’s a long story, but I’m staying at this beautiful guest ranch in the mountains for a couple of days. Going to do some horseback riding. Just wanted to let you guys know, so you didn’t worry. I’m at Peaktop Guest Ranch near Peakview, Colorado. Here’s the phone number if you need to reach me. It’s my luck to get stranded somewhere with no cell phone reception. Let Paul know that I will still be there sometime next week. I’ll call you guys once I’m on the road again.”
“Okay, if you are sure you don’t need anything. You have fun. Love you!”
“I will. Love you too!”
* * *
Dinner that night was delightful. June met several of the other guests, all from different parts of the country. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and she didn’t want to be the exception. She’d have a vacation within a vacation.
Returning to her room after all of the adventures of the day, she slumped into a chair and tried to will herself the energy to get ready for bed. The high altitude and fresh mountain air had only served to intensify her fatigue. Had it really only been a little more than twelve hours since she left the Fort Collins motel? So much had happened, and she’d met so many helpful people. Maybe there was a life for her outside of Hayville.
The next 24 hours passed in a fun-packed blur. When the wrangler asked her about horseback riding, June had opted for the intermediate ride, which included a significant amount of trotting and loping. Although she thoroughly enjoyed all five hours on her horse, Sunshine, her back throbbed when she slid gingerly off of the saddle late that afternoon. As she stretched her legs and started walking toward the lodge, she could feel every muscle in her body screaming in protest. Wow, she was definitely feeling her age! There was a time when she could jump on a horse and ride all day without any ill effects. She should have known better. Fortunately, after a long soak in the jetted tub in her room and several ibuprofen, she was able to hobble down to dinner and even enjoy the after dinner square dance, before falling into a deep slumber as soon as she hit the bed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jeff settled uncomfortably onto the bed in the small motel in Salina, Kansas. He absently flipped on the television. He never watched much TV at home. Why would you waste your time watching a small screen when you were surrounded by the beauty of nature? Most evenings, he simply headed out to the porch swing after dinner and watched the sun set over the mountains. There was nothing in this world more beautiful than a Colorado sunset. He didn’t stay outside for long, heading upstairs shortly after darkness set in—morning came early on a working ranch. How Susan had loved to sit on that porch swing and listen to his reca
p of the day’s work. If he bored her, she had never let on. Companionship--he felt an ache when he thought about how much he had missed out on the closeness of a wife for the past eight years. Sure Luke was good company, but not in the same way…. He had learned to accept the cruel blow that life had dealt him, but sometimes he still felt hallow inside. He wiped away a small tear that trickled down his cheek uninvited. He lay back on the unfamiliar pillow, nothing on the small screen in front of him capturing his attention.
The phone on the nightstand rang loudly jolting him from his memories.
“Hello?”
“Is this Jeff Walker? This is Bob, out at the Lazy K ranch. I got your message. You make it to Salina?”
“Yep. I’m here at the Day’s Inn. Looking forward to seeing those colts tomorrow. What time works best for you?”
“Is 8 a.m. okay?”
“Perfect. See you then.”
Jeff hung up the phone and flipped off the annoying noise of the TV. Early was good. He didn’t want to spend any more time away from the ranch than he had to. If all worked out, he would be headed back before noon.
* * *
June took advantage of the chance to sleep in on Sunday morning. It being the ranch’s regular change over day, there were no horseback rides scheduled. What a relief to her aching body. After finishing a leisurely breakfast, she decided to head up to her room to get Luke’s phone number so she could check on her car. After all, she needed to vacate her room by noon. As she stood up, Luke walked into the dining room, looking a little more polished than the last time she’d seen him.
“Hey Luke. I was going to call you.”
“Sorry, I just got out of church, or else I would have been here sooner. I have good and bad news. Howard looked at your car, and it’s the fuel pump. Says it’s a pretty easy fix, but he doesn’t have one in stock. He’ll have to get one from Fort Collins tomorrow. He should have you on the road again by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.”
June frowned, “I have to be out of here by noon since they have a full house this coming week. Any suggestions on what I can do for the next couple of days?”
“Well, there’s a motel in another town about 30 miles down the road, but I was thinking it would be easier and more convenient for you to come out to our ranch and stay with me until your car’s ready to go.”
“Thanks for the kind offer, but I wouldn’t want to impose on you any more than I already have.”
“Honestly, it wouldn’t be an imposition. My dad is out of town on a horse buying trip, and I clank around in our big ranch house by myself. I would enjoy the company. We have a nice guest room, and a horse or two you can ride. I can’t guarantee any great meals. I’m not much of a cook, but you probably won’t starve. There’s plenty of food in the pantry.”
What a nice, generous offer. But was she crazy to consider staying on an isolated ranch, with a man she barely knew? Was this even safe? She laughed silently at herself. June, you are old enough to be his mother or almost his grandmother. Probably the most intimate thing he will do for you is get you a rocking chair and an afghan!
“Okay, as long as you are sure I won’t be in your way.”
June headed to the front desk to check out. She noticed some beautiful postcards of the ranch on the desk and quickly scribbled ones off to Alexis, Mary, and Paul. They would be so jealous when they saw where she’d been. She stuck them in the mail pile with a smile. This had already been a good vacation.
“Thank you for everything,” June said as Molly walked up with her paperwork. “I had a wonderful time!”
“We’re sorry we didn’t have room for you to stay longer, but we’ll get you on our mailing list for our special offers and hope to see you back here real soon!”
“I’d love that!”
Why had she and Ed never brought the kids to a place like this for vacation? Probably because he was too busy coaching all summer—every summer. Would their marriage have been stronger if they had taken more time to relax with each other? How had she let their life become so routine?
After providing her contact information and saying goodbye, June started out the door and as an afterthought turned around and said, “Luke has generously offered to let me stay at their ranch until my car is ready.” It was good for at least one person to know where she was headed in case she was never heard from again! Oh June, you’ve been reading way too many murder mysteries.
June loaded Laddie and her belongings into Luke’s pickup once again, and Luke wound the vehicle along yet another small dirt road that climbed a nearby peak before descending into the most gorgeous mountain valley she’d ever seen. Acres of green fields stretched out like a Christmas tree skirt to the mountains on the other side. Right in the middle sat a sprawling ranch house surrounded by barns and out buildings and miles of fences. All of the building had red roofs like those at Peaktop.
“Is that your place? It’s beautiful!”
“Yep, welcome to the Walker spread,” Luke said as he shifted into low and headed down the long lane.
They pulled up in front of the magnificent log home, with a wraparound porch hugging it on all sides. An older Border Collie wandered out of the nearest barn, letting out a couple of feeble barks before lying down in the sun.
“Laddie, meet Shep. He’s almost as old as I am. I can’t remember when he wasn’t here guarding the ranch.” Laddie bounded out of the car and after sniffing Shep for a few brief seconds, began running around and around in the huge open area. “Wow, I think he likes it here,” Luke laughed.
“Definitely. He hasn’t had the chance to run around for a few days. Since he wasn’t even supposed to be at Peaktop, I kept him on his leash wherever we went.”
“No need for a leash here. There’s nothing he can hurt for miles. He’s welcome to make himself at home.”
June followed Luke as he carried her bags across the rustic porch, through the expansive living room, and up the massive staircase to the guest bedroom. She could tell by the tasteful décor that a woman had been responsible for decorating this room. There were ruffled curtains at the large windows and antiques adorning the built-in shelves. The bedspread, pillows, and curtains were all matching in a cheery lavender flowered pattern.
“Make yourself at home,” Luke said. “There’s a private bathroom through that door. Should be clean towels. Let me know if you need anything else. I’m heading out to the barn to finish some chores. After you get settled, wander out if you’d like, and I’ll introduce you to some of our horses.”
“Thanks, I will.”
June glanced around the room. There were two large, dormer windows—one on either side of the bed—with the most spectacular view of the mountain range to the west. Looking out, it seemed like she could see for miles and miles. No other houses in sight. Maybe she should consider living somewhere with more open space. Peakview might be a nice place to settle down. But then again, what would she ever do for a living? There hadn’t appeared to be many businesses in the tiny town. She hadn’t even seen a library.
Still sore from yesterday’s horseback riding experience, June carefully made her way down the stairs, and explored the main level of the house. It was decorated in a rustic western style, with each room opening out onto the wrap-around porch. Although it was fairly tidy, it was clear that the house had only been occupied by men for the past several years. Decorations and knick knacks were scarce and dark colors prevailed. The kitchen was large and organized, with only a few dishes in the sink. Luke didn’t appear to be a slob. She paused in front of a large family portrait hanging over the fireplace in the living room.
The two boys in the picture, donning cowboy hats and boots, wore huge grins on their small faces and looked to be around five and three years old. She assumed Luke was the smaller one. Behind them stood their parents, also dressed in western garb. The father was extremely handsome. In fact, he looked a lot like the present-day Luke. The mom was a stunning petite blonde. As June wandered further, she noticed
several other family photos from the boys’ early years, but was struck by the absence of any recent ones. It was clear that Mom must have been the photographer in the family; either that or it had just been too painful to take pictures in the years since her death.
Having snooped enough to satisfy her curiosity, June called Laddie and headed outside and down to the nearest barn. She walked up behind Luke who was working in one of the stalls. “You’ve got a truly great place here.”
“Thanks, we like it. This here is Blaze; so named for the blaze down her forehead. We’re not always the most creative when it comes to naming our herd.” Luke indicated the sorrel horse standing next to him. “We’ve had her for years. She’s got to be at least twenty, but still has a few good years left in her. She’ll be perfect for you, if you want to ride while you’re here. She’s very gentle but spunky, and she can pick up the pace if you want. You won’t get lost on her since she always knows her way back home to her feed. I can show you where we keep her saddle and bridle. You do know how to saddle a horse, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. Thanks for asking. It’s been awhile, but I think I can manage.”
“Would you like to go for a ride today? I could saddle her up for you.”
“Thanks for the offer, but actually, I’m still pretty sore from riding yesterday. I think I’ll take today off. By tomorrow I’m sure I’ll be ready to get back in the saddle. Don’t worry about entertaining me. I have several books on my Kindle waiting to be read. I hear one of those comfy-looking chairs on your porch calling my name.”
“Enjoy yourself then. There’s probably some sandwich fixings in the fridge if you get hungry. There’s tea and coffee on the counter.”
She petted Blaze on the nose for a few more minutes, making sure the horse liked her. If she was going to get on her back tomorrow, she wanted to start out as friends. She wandered back to the house and after retrieving her electronic reader, settled down on the porch in a sunbeam, intending to spend an afternoon of enjoyable reading. She could get used to this life.
Colorado Sunset (Peakview Series Book 1) Page 4
