The Cowboy’s Sacrifice

by Danica Favorite

  He pulled her in close and kissed the side of her head. “I have business in town. Besides, I’d like to have some time alone with you.”

  Wow.

  For the first time she could sense deep within that she wasn’t a burden. All her life she’d wanted someone who didn’t see her as an obligation, someone who truly wanted her.

  Surely, if God could answer such big prayers for things she’d desired her whole life but been afraid to express, He would find a way to let her live.

  “I’d like that, too,” Rachel said, snuggling into him and breathing in his warm scent.

  They talked the entire drive, and while none of their conversation seemed significant, what was significant was how Rachel’s feeling of being fully accepted by Ty had grown. When they arrived in town, they still had an hour and a half before her appointment.

  “Since we have time, could we stop by my office?” Rachel asked. “I don’t have any pressing business, but it would be nice to say hi to everyone.”

  “Sure,” Ty said. “I was going to suggest having a late breakfast or early lunch, but I’m not that hungry.”

  She wasn’t hungry, either. The joy that filled her heart was better than any meal.

  He turned off the highway and onto the road leading to her office.

  “How did you know where to turn?” she asked. “I don’t remember you coming down here before.”

  He shrugged. “I know the address.”

  It felt like he was hiding something from her. But that was probably a remnant of her past speaking, and the old fear of not being loved.

  When they entered the building, Ty gestured at the coffee shop on the main floor. “I’ll just be in there while you get your business done. Don’t rush on my account. As long as we get to your appointment in time, I don’t mind waiting here.”

  As they started to separate, Allison, one of the admins in the office, approached them.

  “Rachel. So nice to see you. I didn’t know you were coming back today.”

  She smiled at the surprised but friendly greeting. “I had a little extra time, so I thought I would come say hi. And if Dan has a few minutes to spare, I’ll check in with him, as well.”

  Allison looked over at Ty. “And who is this cowboy?”

  They didn’t get many men in the office wearing a hat and cowboy boots. Most of the men they encountered were all in suits, so she could see where Allison might be a little curious.

  Ty held out his hand. “Ty Warner, head counsel for the Double R Ranch. And you are?”

  Giggling like a schoolgirl, Allison said, “Allison Sargent. I work with Rachel. I’ve heard a lot about the Double R, but I think you are the first real cowboy I’ve ever met. So many wannabes here in Denver, it’s a pleasure to see the real deal.”

  Was Allison flirting? And was it wrong for Rachel to want to punch the girl in the face for doing so?

  But Ty gave Rachel a look like he found Allison’s commentary annoying. “You’d be surprised at what a real cowboy does or doesn’t do. There are a lot of stereotypes, and not all of them are true. For example, not all cowboys wear a cowboy hat. A lot of the hands on our ranch simply wear ball caps.”

  He sounded like he was doing a commercial for the Double R, which he probably was. Rachel couldn’t help smiling at how Ty was always so focused on promoting the place he loved so much.

  Allison giggled again. “Maybe I should come out to that ranch of yours and find out. Are any of your hands single?”

  “We have a strict policy against our hands fraternizing with guests,” Ty said.

  With a pout, Allison said, “Oh, well. I need to hurry and find out what happened to the refreshment order for a meeting in an hour. They were supposed to have delivered the pastries by now, and they aren’t answering their phone.”

  With that, Allison rushed into the coffee shop.

  Rachel said, “I’m sorry about that. Allison’s a little boy crazy.”

  Ty shrugged. “You go say hi to your folks, and I’ll relax for a bit.”

  As she walked to the elevator, she saw Ty get in line behind Allison, and Allison turned to talk to him again. But this time she wasn’t jealous, not with Ty’s reassurances.

  In fact, she felt light enough that she could have floated right up to the office without any help from technology.

  Even though they’d agreed to hold off on any romantic talk because Rachel’s health was a priority, spending time with Ty on the way here was making her think that maybe they should make the most of what time they had together. Hopefully, God would answer her prayers and give them more time than what she feared they had. In the meantime, she’d do everything she could to enjoy whatever she had left.

  Chapter Ten

  Though it had been a few weeks since Rachel had made her decision to make the most of her time with Ty, part of her was already regretting it.

  Time was running out, and while Rachel had been moved up higher on the transplant list, she knew that statistically speaking, more people died while waiting for a transplant than received a kidney.

  As she cleaned the equipment in preparation for her next treatment, she glanced out the window to see Ty swinging Katie in his arms. A lump clogged her throat. She’d done the right thing in asking him to be there for Katie if something happened to her, but she hated that she wouldn’t be there with them to enjoy it.

  Putting the remainder of her equipment away, Rachel took a deep breath, trying to calm the frustration boiling up inside. Janie had told her that she liked to pray during those moments, when you had to face someone or something you didn’t want to. So Rachel closed her eyes and said a quick prayer.

  Though she didn’t feel like there was an immediate answer, she did feel slightly better knowing that she didn’t have to have any of the answers. It was enough to share her troubles with God.

  When she came downstairs, Ty was sitting at the bar in the kitchen next to Katie, who was dunking chocolate chip cookies in milk like any other self-respecting four-year-old.

  “Hi, Mom,” Katie said, turning to smile at her quickly, but then going right back to her cookie. “We’re only eating one cookie so we don’t spoil our supper.”

  Wanda entered the kitchen from the side. “Would you like one? I made a bunch for tonight’s barbecue, and there should be plenty.”

  She didn’t wait for Rachel’s answer and went over to the platter of cookies sitting on the counter. “I also made my famous coleslaw, which is in your kidney diet recipe book.” Puffing up her chest, Wanda added, “Well, not my recipe. That’s a secret that’s been handed down in our family for generations. But it’s similar enough to the one in the recipe book that it should be good for you.”

  The support she was receiving from people like Wanda made Rachel even more grateful she’d come to the Double R. She hadn’t just found a grandfather, but a whole family of people supporting her. Ty had been right. Family wasn’t just about blood, but about the loved ones surrounding you.

  It seemed wrong, somehow, that she’d only just found them and was already facing the possible end of her life.

  Ty laughed at something Katie was saying, reminding her why she couldn’t give up.

  Wanda handed her a cookie, which Rachel gratefully accepted. Maybe she didn’t have all the answers, but Wanda’s baked goods were about the closest to a cure for most things.

  If only a chocolate chip cookie could get her a new kidney.

  Still, as she bit into the deliciousness, feeling the chocolatey goodness melt in her mouth, her problems seemed a lot more manageable.

  “Mom! Hurry and finish so we can go play with Ty’s dog. Ty says Bella’s a cattle dog and has to learn to herd cattle, but playing fetch is good exercise for her.”

  “You should come,” Ty said, giving her a smile that melted her heart like the chips in the cookie. “Katie has bee
n having fun teaching Bella some tricks.”

  “Yes!” Katie jumped off the bar stool. “I’ll even let you give Bella a treat when she’s good.”

  Having just had a treatment, Rachel was feeling pretty good. Ty had been using working with Bella as a way to keep Katie occupied while Rachel had her treatments. They’d all agreed it was important to keep things as normal as possible during Rachel’s illness.

  The bonus of a dog to play with that Rachel didn’t have to take care of made it a lot easier. If Rachel got better—no, when she got better—she’d get Katie a dog of her own.

  “That sounds like fun,” Rachel said. “I’d love to watch you train Bella.”

  They walked the short distance to Ty’s cabin, and Katie flung open the door and called, “Bella!”

  Bella came bounding out, and Rachel wasn’t sure who looked more joyful, Katie or Bella.

  “Mom, watch!” Katie used some kind of contraption to toss the ball farther than her little arm could throw.

  While the ball was still in the air, Bella jumped and caught it, then landed perfectly before trotting back over to Katie.

  “That’s amazing,” Rachel said.

  Katie grinned, then tossed the ball again.

  Rachel looked back at Ty. “I hope this doesn’t take away from too much of your work. You used to always be so busy, and you’ve been traveling to Denver a lot.”

  “I remember what you said to me the night on the swing about priorities. I’d always rather be with you guys than anywhere else.” The look he gave her made her feel so loved, it hurt to think that she might be leaving them.

  “I’m glad we’re making the most of the short time we have together.”

  He glanced over at her, then back at Katie. “There will be more time. There has to be. She needs her mother. I need you.”

  His words created an ache in her stomach. It was her daily prayer, but that didn’t mean God would answer. And it didn’t mean Ty got to choose how it all went down.

  “But what if there isn’t? Can’t you see that I’m getting worse? Do you know how many people are on the waiting list for a kidney donor? How many people die while waiting?”

  He glared at her. “You don’t have to be one of those statistics.”

  She’d read about family members being in denial over the patient’s illness. It had just never occurred to her that she would be facing this dilemma. So maybe, rather than seeing this as Ty’s romantic rejection of her, it was more about his unwillingness to face her illness and the fact that they might not have any time.

  “Someone has to be,” she said. “Don’t you think all those other families pray for miracles? Why am I so much more deserving of healing than any one of them? All I ever cared about was making sure Katie would be okay. Watching you with her and Bella, I know she will be. If I die, I have no regrets.”

  The look on his face told her that he wasn’t going to accept her answer, but what other answer was there?

  But before he could reply, a man stepped into the clearing. Rachel recognized him as Hunter Hawkins, foreman of the Double R.

  “What’s up?” Ty called out.

  “Sorry to disturb you, but that call you were waiting on just came through to the main lodge. Sarah said you weren’t answering your cell.”

  Ty reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, then looked at it, a concerned expression on his face. “Thanks. I appreciate you coming out all this way.”

  Hunter gave a tug on the oversize backpack he was wearing, which was when Rachel noticed the little girl on his back. She hadn’t socialized much with the single dad, who spent every free moment he had with his two-year-old daughter.

  “Not a problem. We were just going on a hike to check the fencing on the north side anyway. You’re on the way, and Sarah didn’t have anyone free.”

  Ty walked over to Hunter and gave Hunter’s little girl a tickle under the chin. Her belly laugh warmed Rachel’s heart, and once again she thought about what a great father Ty would be.

  Katie also ran over to them. “Can Lynzee play with us?”

  Ruffling Katie’s hair, Ty said, “Not today. Her daddy needs to go check some fencing.”

  With a pang, Rachel realized just how much she’d already been missing out on in Katie’s life because of not feeling well. Every once in a while, Katie chattered about a little girl named Lynzee, but Rachel assumed she was a friend from day camp.

  “We could watch her,” Katie offered.

  Ty shook his head. “Sorry, but I need to return this call. It’s urgent.”

  He waved Hunter off, then turned to Rachel. “I’m really sorry to cut this short, and I know you were saying something important. I wanted to at least acknowledge that, but it’s all I can do for now.”

  As if this had happened before, Katie called out to Bella, who came bounding over. Katie gave Bella a pat, and the two of them walked to Ty’s house, where Katie opened the door, let Bella back in, then firmly closed the door behind the dog.

  “She’s really good with her,” Rachel said. “I somewhat regret not getting her a dog.”

  Ty shrugged. “She wasn’t at first. Katie is good with Bella because she’s learned how to be.”

  How could she be simultaneously angry with him for not addressing the issue at hand and yet have her heart melting at how much he’d invested in her daughter?

  “I’m sorry I have to go, but as I said, it really is an urgent matter.”

  Katie came back up to them and took his hand. “Can I help?”

  He smiled down at her, then shook his head. “It’s grown-up stuff and I’m going to be holed up in my office for a while. But since your mom seems to be feeling good right now, why don’t you take her to meet our new foal?”

  He definitely had the magic touch with Katie, because her face lit up like Christmas.

  Katie turned to her. “One of the horses just had a baby, and Ryan’s uncle Nando showed us a special spot where we can sit and watch it so we don’t spook its mother.”

  One more thing Rachel had been missing out on. Fernando Montoya was the ranch’s horse trainer, and he was married to Nicole, one of Janie’s good friends. Rachel had heard a lot about the Montoyas and had chatted with them briefly at church, but she hadn’t had much of a chance to get to know them.

  But as she watched Ty head toward the ranch house, the ache in her heart was more about the fear of not knowing how she was going to survive and Ty being completely in denial about it.

  * * *

  Ty couldn’t believe he’d missed the call from the kidney center. It was killing him not to say anything to her, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up. The doctors had warned him that because things could go wrong at any stage, it was best not to say anything to the recipient until go time.

  But this—this could be it. Rachel’s chance at a new kidney, and an improved life.

  As he raced to the main ranch house, where he could take the call in the privacy of his office and had all the paperwork at his desk, he couldn’t help thinking about Rachel’s disappointment at him not talking about her fears.

  But he couldn’t. Not when he was working so hard to save her life. Not only did he not want to get her hopes up, but he also didn’t want her to feel obligated to be in a relationship with him because of what he was doing. He still didn’t know how he was going to maneuver that once the transplant was complete, or how he was going to explain everything that had gone into this process.

  And then there was the call he’d been on last week. One more issue he was still trying to wrestle with. Putting Ricky’s information back on the DNA website had yielded more results. Twins. Also the product of an extramarital affair. This news, however, was not met with joy from the other parties. Apparently, they’d given the test to their parents as a gift to track their family heritage, not realizing that it provided proof
of an affair their mother had with a married man.

  Ty had reached out to the twins to see if they would be willing to donate a kidney to Rachel, as well as have a relationship with Ricky, which had resulted in a number of angry conversations, threats of lawsuits from the other parties and Ty’s throbbing head. He’d been choosing not to take any painkillers in case the need for his kidney became more dire and he had to be rushed to surgery, which meant he’d been spending more time away from everyone else dealing with his frustrations rather than taking it out on them.

  While he knew he needed to tell Ricky and Rachel about the twins, he was still working on gathering all the information so that he could present an accurate picture. They deserved to know that the twins existed, even if both men were insistent that they never hear from anyone associated with the Double R again.

  But that was a mess for another day.

  When he got into his office, he closed the door behind him and returned the call. His last tests had come back clear, which brought them one step closer to his being able to donate a kidney. Now they just needed to schedule him for his final psychological evaluation to give the whole transplant process the green light.

  As he pulled up his calendar to check his schedule, Katie came running into his office.

  “Mom’s real sick,” she said. “She fell down and hurt herself in the barn. She says she’s going to be fine, but Mr. Nando wants her to go see a doctor to get checked out. You have to come and make sure she’s going to be okay. Everyone listens to you.”

  Without looking at his calendar, Ty asked the woman on the phone, “When is your next available appointment?”

  “Tomorrow afternoon,” she said.

  “I’ll take it.”

  He quickly confirmed the details, then hung up the phone. Hopefully, he hadn’t wasted too much time on the call. By the time he got out the front door, Rachel was already walking to the porch, escorted by half a dozen of the cowboys who’d been gathered in the barn.