That alone was worth a little innocent misdirection.
Chapter Six
Ryan drove Julie to the Beaver Creek Bridge and parked as close as Rusty Zidek’s hunter-orange-vested crew would permit. Circling the truck, he helped her down and followed as she made her way toward the rusted iron span.
“This is the old bridge your town plans to refurbish?”
She nodded. “Some of us hope to. My brother Cord is on the town council committee to raise money for repairs so we can eventually reopen it to vehicle traffic.”
“You sound as if you’re not sure that will happen.”
“It would help if my dad wasn’t so determined to slow down progress. Considering all the other things he’s done for the benefit of Jasper Gulch, it’s hard to understand what his problem is with fixing up the bridge.”
“Maybe it’s about the cost.”
“That’s part of it, of course. Lots of people think the legend of Lucy Shaw should be played up more, too. You know, for tourist appeal.”
“That’s a new one on me,” Ryan said. “Who’s Lucy Shaw, a relative of yours?”
“My great-great-aunt. She was killed when she drove off this very bridge in her daddy’s Model T, landed in the creek and drowned.”
“That’s pretty sad, if you ask me. Why do you think it’s so interesting?”
“A couple of reasons. One, it happened in 1926, so it’s ancient history. And two, Lucy’s body was never recovered. Since she was the daughter of the town founder, Ezra Shaw, everybody and his brother turned out to search for her.”
“Surely they would have found her, then.”
“Not necessarily. It had been raining heavily for days and the creek was flooding over its banks. There were rapids for miles instead of the ripples that we can see from here. Plus, this country was a lot wilder at that time. Predators could have destroyed any sign of her before rescuers had time to travel far enough.”
“I suppose that’s plausible.”
“It’s the accepted theory. Anyway, old Ezra was never the same after losing his daughter. He shunned the bridge, so almost everybody else did, too. It’s been painted occasionally and has had some other basic maintenance done, but nowhere near the depth of work that needs to be finished before we can legally open it to normal traffic. My brother Cord has all the specs and knows what to do, but getting a firm promise of funding has been impossible.”
“So he’s using this centennial celebration as an added motivation?”
Julie nodded. “Yes. We’re hoping that when the holdouts like Dad see the benefits of tourism, they’ll change their minds and not try to keep the modern world at bay. That’s what Ezra ended up doing, even if he didn’t look at it that way.”
“Oh, I don’t know. He bought a Model T.”
“Exactly. And he blamed the car for Lucy’s death, too. From then on he refused to have anything to do with new inventions. He drove a horse and buggy for the rest of his life. Wouldn’t set foot in another motor vehicle.”
“That’s incredible.” Ryan was delighted to see her smile again.
“I know. There are always folks who hate progress. Take my wool customers, for example. They wouldn’t have to spin their own yarn, but I’m in business because enough serious hobbyists insist on doing it by hand.”
“There’s a difference,” Ryan said. “They do it because they choose to, not because they have scarred memories like Ezra did.”
As soon as that statement was out of his mouth, Ryan realized how well it could apply to him, to his basic reasons for living a life on the road.
I’m different, he argued, wishing he could get through just one day without feeling pangs of guilt over his only brother’s death. I was just a kid. Kirk was older and should have known better.
And I should have told Mom what he’d been doing, Ryan countered silently. If I had, he might still be alive.
A gentle tap on his arm brought his thoughts back to the present. Julie was studying him intently.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “I hope my story about Lucy didn’t depress you?”
“Not at all.” He shook off his private memories and took her hand. “C’mon. We need to go stake out a good spot on the bridge to watch the fireworks. And to be seen by your family while we snuggle.”
Even in the lower light from the setting sun he could see that her cheeks had reddened again. A young woman who blushed was a rarity in his experience and he found that trait endearing.
“You don’t have to overdo it,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean…”
He chuckled. “I know. I was just kidding. If you get chilly, you can always borrow one of the jackets I keep in the truck for emergencies.”
When she answered with a disheartened-sounding “Oh,” Ryan laughed even more heartily. Since he clearly didn’t understand women, this one in particular, he figured he may as well just roll with the changes in her mood the way he let a bucking horse or bull influence his countermoves. That way, when their time together was up and he moved on, he’d still be in one piece.
The last thing he wanted to do, would allow himself to do, was let down his guard and leave a piece of his heart behind in Jasper Gulch.
* * *
Julie led the way onto the bridge and chose a spot far from the section where her family always gathered. The actual span wasn’t that long, perhaps the length of a football field or two. There was plenty of room for spectators as long as they didn’t mind being a little crowded.
A surprising shiver tickled her spine and made her fingers and toes tingle. She sensed Ryan’s nearness, felt his arm come to rest across her shoulders as he asked, “Are you cold?”
“No. I’m fine.” Although it was her intention to lean away from him, she found herself held tight. “Really. I’m not a bit chilly.”
“I know,” he drawled. “But we seem to be the object of interest to so many people, I hate to disappoint them.”
“My family? Can you see them?”
“If your dad wears a black felt hat and your mom and sister like straw the way you do, then yes, I think I do. What convinced me is the stir we caused over there when I started to try to keep you warm.”
“I’m plenty warm right now, thank you,” she said with a nervous giggle. “I’m sure it’s still in the high seventies.”
“Meaning, I should stop hugging you?”
“That’s probably for the best,” Julie admitted wryly. “I don’t want Mom picking out long white dresses and bridal bouquets just yet.”
“Now, that’s a scary thought,” Ryan whispered in her ear before releasing his hold and easing away.
“I know. I’ll be glad when some of my siblings give up and find mates so our parents can relax.”
“I saw your dad and mom on the stage at the bandstand. Were the others all related to you, too?”
“No. Some were dignitaries Dad invited. I have three brothers. Cord is thirty-four, Austin is thirty-two and you met Adam when he was helping me with my sheep. He’s the youngest brother. Twenty-nine.”
“That’s right. He called you Little Bo—”
Her elbow nudged him in the ribs. “You’ll forget you heard that nickname if you know what’s good for you.”
“Yes, ma’am. What about your sister? Is she older than you are?”
“Yes. Faith is twenty-seven.”
“Please tell me you’re over eighteen,” Ryan begged, acting a bit uneasy.
Julie had to laugh. “I’m twenty-four.”
“You don’t look it.”
“I guess you mean that as a compliment, so I’ll take it that way. Faith keeps telling me I need makeup to cover my freckles, and fancier clothes, but I’m comfortable in Western wear. Besides, it’s a lot more practical on the ranch.”
“Hey, I like cowgirls.”
“Especially barrel racers?”
“Nah. They’re too fast for me.”
It took Julie a couple of heartbeats to realize he was teasing her again. She grinned up at him. “Clever.”
“I thought so.”
She couldn’t help but appreciate his exaggerated self-confidence. His dark eyes twinkled in the fading light and the tiny scar in the cleft of his chin gave him a roguish appearance.
When she said, “I have no doubt you did,” her reward was the sound of the cowboy’s sincere laughter.
* * *
It had been years since Ryan had lingered anywhere to watch fireworks. Pyrotechnics were often used to excite the crowds at rodeos, especially as a preliminary to special bull-riding events, but that was nothing compared to the show this little town was putting on.
There were static displays along the creek banks that alternated with aerial explosions, sending glittering, burning, colored bits in all directions. Some actually rained down from the sky like showers of falling stars.
“Oh, wow!” Julie exclaimed again and again between contented sighs and bouts of applause. “So beautiful.”
“Certainly is.” He knew she meant the fireworks. And he could have kept his personal opinions to himself. Probably should have, he decided, when she whirled and stared up at him. Although he had not made any specific reference to her, she seemed to sense his double meaning.
Smiling, he tilted the brim of her hat back with one finger to better gaze into her eyes. There was no retracting his statement now. Not considering the way she was already responding. “It’s fun watching you enjoy yourself so much. I’d forgotten how great small towns can be at times like these.”
“Right. Okay, then. As long as you’re not forgetting our deal.”
Ryan bent to speak softly, privately, removing his hat to facilitate the closeness. “I remember you wanted me to convince your father that I was your boyfriend. Am I not living up to our bargain?”
Instead of replying, Julie pivoted back to concentrate on the fireworks display as the finale launched with a crescendo. Shell after shell exploded over the creek. The air was electric with excitement, filled with the odor of gunpowder propellant that left clouds of smoke in its wake.
Ryan felt a shiver of unexplained elation himself, quickly dismissing it as nothing more than shared enthusiasm radiating from the crowd.
And from Julie, he reminded himself. Especially from her. That was the problem. In the past few hours he had felt more and more of his protective shell cracking, more of his total control slipping away, as if being with Julie was opening his eyes to possibilities he had never before considered.
That was patently ridiculous, of course. He knew exactly who he was and what he was doing with his life. He was happy. Well, contented at least. He hadn’t missed out on anything by riding in rodeos. On the contrary, there were thousands of erstwhile cowboys who would give anything to be in his boots. He was competing all over the country, standing near the top of the point charts and winning regularly enough to live comfortably, send money home to help his single mother, Carla, and still build up a decent savings account.
So what’s my problem? Ryan asked himself.
He didn’t like the answer he got because it came in the form of an urge to put his arms all the way around Julie, lean forward and start to whisper in her ear once more, then go ahead and kiss her.
You want to. You know you do, his conscience insisted.
And that’s the perfect way to make her tell me to get lost, he countered. He could use that as an excuse if he truly did want to stay away from her. Or, he could back off, behave himself and spend a lot more time with her.
He wished he could have credited himself with totally noble motives, but he could not. Yes, he would continue to behave like a gentleman because he was one. But that didn’t mean he was doing it for the right reasons. Truth to tell, he yearned to spend time with this special young woman and would have done almost anything to keep from upsetting her.
Relaxing because he’d come to a sensible decision, Ryan continued to watch the fireworks show. Later, if he deemed it necessary, he’d probe the reasons for his actions and try to figure them out.
For now, he was simply going to be himself—an itinerant rodeo rider who was there one day and gone the next. That way there would be no surprises. The only things he’d have to worry about were the bucking horses and bulls he was going to face in the coming weeks. That was the only part of his future that really mattered.
As the smoke drifted away and the crowd began to move, Julie lightly touched his sleeve. “Are you okay?”
Displaying his trademark grin, Ryan squared his hat on his head and nodded. “I’m fine.”
“Okay, you just seemed a little down.”
“Not me,” he vowed, taking her hand as they strolled off the bridge. “I’ve never felt better.”
The instant he spoke, he knew it wasn’t true. Part of him did feel wonderful, but there was also an inner turmoil he could not explain. Nor was he ready to probe any deeper into his thoughts. Some regrets were best left buried with the memories of the people who had caused them.
* * *
Julie had no desire to leave Ryan that evening. If she had not had chores to do at home and animals who counted on her, she would have lingered in town.
“Where can I drop you?” Ryan asked.
“I brought my truck back to town after Adam and I took my sheep home. It’s parked at the rodeo grounds.”
“Okay. How about a cup of coffee first?”
“Not if I hope to get to sleep tonight,” she replied.
“Decaf?”
Julie chuckled softly. “That seems rather pointless, doesn’t it? I drink the stuff for the caffeine.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
“Where are you staying while you’re competing?” She hoped he wasn’t going to tell her he was camped next to the barrel racer—not that she was a bit jealous.
“There were no rooms here in town. I thought I was going to have to bunk in my truck until that friend of yours—Hannah?—pointed me to a dude ranch that was renting out their bunkhouses.”
“Several ranches took in riders and livestock. We didn’t have enough pens at the fairgrounds to bed down all the animals. That’s another reason why I hauled my sheep home. It’s not really far to the ranch from here.”
“I’d like to see your operation sometime, if you feel like showing me.”
“You would? Dad has cattle, of course. And so do my brothers. But all I have is sheep.”
“That’s okay. I’ll cope.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t been teased about me and my sheep already.”
Ryan laughed. “Who says I haven’t?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry. I can take it. I have broad shoulders.”
She said, “I noticed” before she could stop herself. Instead of getting serious, he only laughed more, particularly when she buried her face in her hands.
“Glad to hear it,” he quipped. “I’d hate to have your family and friends feeling sorry for you because you’re hanging out with an ugly cowhand.”
“I think I’m safe there,” she said, thankful that he was in such an upbeat mood again. “You’re a big step up from the men my dad has been trying to get me interested in. I feel sorry for some of them, but not sorry enough to break down and date them. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to encourage a guy I’d never marry.”
“I suppose you could look at it that way,” he drawled. “How about just having a little fun, like we did tonight? That’s innocent enough, isn’t it?”
“I guess so.”
Julie bit her lip. She truly had intended her time with Ryan Travers to be ca
sual. The trouble was, her imagination had quickly moved from mere interest in friendship to thoughts of wanting more. Of wanting him to like her and Jasper Gulch enough to decide to hang around.
Yes, she was kidding herself. And yet, if the good Lord had brought them together, even for a short time, perhaps He had something in mind.
At this point, all Julie could do was take a deep breath, bide her time and continue to pray for Ryan as she’d promised. That she could do without feeling awkward. However, if her prayers began to drift into the area of their personal relationship, she was going to have to counteract them somehow.
That notion amused her. Here she was, supposedly trusting God with her current life as well as her future. Therefore, her prayers should be that His will be done and that she be aware of it so she didn’t make a mistake.
I think I already did, she admitted to herself. I like this cowboy way too much for my own good.
All she had to do was keep her cool if she wanted to find out where their pretend relationship might be headed. Considering that she already had a crush on the handsome rider, that was not going to be as easy as it sounded. Not even close.
Chapter Seven
By Sunday afternoon, many of the first week’s competitors had been eliminated. Ryan’s cumulative scores were among the top ten in all three of his events, so he’d qualified for the semifinals.
He should have been happy. And he was, with one exception. The whole morning had passed without his seeing Julie. By this time he was thinking of her far too much and missing her every moment they were apart, which really shook him up. How she had managed to get under his skin so completely in such a short time was not only amazing, it was clear scary.
When he spotted her coming toward him, he felt his heart speed the way it did every time the chute gate opened. “Ridiculous,” he muttered, grinning at her in spite of himself.
Julie waved and picked up her pace, so she was beside him quickly. “Hi. How’s it going?”
“Fine. I wondered what had happened to you.”
The puzzled look she gave him was short-lived. “Oh, I get it. Because I wasn’t here earlier?”
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