Winning Over the Rancher

by Mary Brady

  “So will you do it?” Becca asked as she leaned forward over her crossed legs, and put her palms on the floor, fingers in pointed supplication aimed at KayLee. “Will you help us?”

  “Will you?” Samantha and Lexie echoed in chorus.

  “Well, I—”

  KayLee knew she was being watched by more than the eager, pleading teenagers and shifted her gaze to take in the expanse of the room.

  Baylor lounged against the wall in the back of the gymnasium. The sight of him sucked the air out of the room as surely as if the gym had been launched into space. He was dressed in a shirt the color of his hair, jeans and—if she could see correctly from that distance—his good black boots. He held his good Stetson in his hands.

  “Well?” Lexie demanded.

  KayLee breathed and wondered if her whole body was blushing. If she was, the kids were thankfully self-absorbed enough not to notice.

  “I’d like to give it a try. Sorry, that was a half answer. I’ll do it.”

  Cheers went up from the group and a couple patted each other on the back. She was officially a stage director.

  “I’ll need a copy of the script.”

  A sheaf of dog-eared pages magically appeared under her nose.

  She took the well-loved copy of the play’s script and looked up at Baylor. He gave her a friendly grin that made her heartbeat jump.

  She huffed and gave her attention to the children.

  Baylor waited while she revved the kids up for starting a real practice tomorrow. By the time they were finished she was sure she’d have more boys, enough if she doubled up a couple of the roles.

  How could she have said no to such enthusiastic people?

  The kids ran out of the gym. “Hi, Mr. Doyle,” some called. Some giggled and one boy, who was obviously sweet on one of the girls giving Baylor attention, made a rude face.

  When they were alone she crossed the gym and when she closed in, he held his ground, but she got the feeling he wanted to step back so she wouldn’t get too close.

  “This is a surprise,” she said.

  “A good one?”

  “Congratulate me. I’ve been chosen by default to be the new director of the school play that will be put on in an impossibly short time frame.”

  The room had become deafeningly silent since the children left.

  “Going home?”

  “I am.”

  “I’ll give you a ride.”

  “I was going to walk home, but I’ll take that ride.”

  He held his hat out for her to precede him.

  He had driven a silver truck today and he held her hand as she stepped up onto the running board and slid onto the seat. She almost scooted all the way across the bench seat so he would have to press his body to hers when he got in. Almost.

  He held himself distant and she should be doing the same thing.

  Sitting across the cab of the truck, so close to him and so far away, was painful. It was a good thing they weren’t going far. She didn’t know how long she could keep her sanity when it came to Baylor.

  “Now what made you stop in at the school?” she asked as they began the short trip to her apartment.

  “Evvy wanted me to invite you to a celebration on Sunday afternoon.”

  “What are we celebrating?”

  “Trey came home today and she thought we should try to make up for the day you came to sign the papers and there was no fanfare.”

  “I understood.” Sheer joy at the thought of Seth and Amy bringing Trey home colored her world and she smiled.

  “Then you’ll understand why Evvy wants to make things right.”

  She did know. Evvy would always want to make things right. “How are Amy and Seth?”

  “Seth says he feels like he could sleep for a week.”

  “Yeah, I can see that happening. I am so happy for them.”

  “I could tell.” He shot a smile at her that she felt to her toes, although she was certain he meant it only as friendly. Though when he put his hand on the seat and reached out to her, she met him halfway with her own and squeezed when he closed his fingers around hers.

  She glanced at him from across the cab. “Me, too,” she said, of them not quite being able to completely let go of each other.

  The grin he gave her this time radiated heat with a touch of regret.

  In the driveway at Cora and Ethel’s house, he jumped out and came around the truck to help her step over what was left of the snow.

  He walked her to her door and then backed away.

  “You’re not coming in?” she asked.

  His expression resolute, he shook his head.

  “Thanks for the ride. Please, tell Amy and Seth I’m happy for them and tell Evvy I’d love to come to a celebration on Sunday. What time and can I bring anything?”

  He didn’t answer for a moment. “If you need anything, let somebody know. There are a lot of people here who care about you, KayLee.”

  “It is nice to know many of the townspeople have my back.”

  “Someone will pick you up at about two o’clock and if you bring anything more than a smile or an appetite, you’ll insult my mother.”

  “I can drive myself.”

  He ignored the comment and she forced herself not to stare longingly after him as he walked away. He didn’t have to extend the invitation in person.

  When the truck backed out, she waved and went upstairs.

  Maybe she could rest if she tried now.

  Maybe not.

  Abby Fairbanks, the helpful nurse from the clinic, lived right across the street, with her new husband and her sister’s son, Cora had said. Apparently the child’s mother was in the army overseas and the boy’s father was getting his life together.

  Abby had said they could discuss KayLee’s problems anytime, one of them being Baylor.

  Was Baylor a problem?

  There was a car in Abby’s driveway, so KayLee headed across the street and rang the doorbell of the small white house with the brand-new wooden porch. It was a nice porch, the kind where one might put up a swing in the summer.

  “Aunt Abby!” Inside the house she heard a child’s voice calling. “There’s the baby lady on the porch.”

  A moment later, Abby opened the door. She had a kitchen towel in her hand and a smudge of flour on her black turtleneck sweater.

  “KayLee, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. I’m fine.” KayLee tugged at the tails of her sweater.

  “I can’t turn the nurse off. It’s good to see you. Come in.” Abby stepped back and let her into a small foyer.

  “I don’t want to be a bother.”

  Abby motioned her in. “No bother. My husband should be in any minute. He flies out most weeks, and the day he comes home, nothing bothers me.”

  “Hi.” Behind Abby, a small boy, six years old or so, with curling blond hair clutched a big yellow dump truck to his chest and looked up at her with curiosity.

  “There you are,” Abby said and smiled broadly at him. “KayLee, this is my nephew Kyle.”

  The boy grinned at her. She suspected he’d be a shy child for, oh, about the first ten seconds.

  “I was going to bring a meal over to you this weekend. Sort of a welcome to the neighborhood,” Abby said.

  “Can she stay for dinner tonight?” the child asked eagerly.

  Okay, shy for five seconds. It made her wonder what her child would be like.

  Abby looked between KayLee and the boy. “She could if she likes hot dogs in blankets. Kyle got to choose what we’re having for dinner tonight.”

  “Thank you for thinking of me, Kyle, and I love hot dogs in blankets—the big ones, right, not the little ones.”

  He nodded enthusiastically. “Yep, I like big ones better.”

  “Me, too, but I already have a dinner Cora and Ethel made for me.” And she’d better eat it before her landladies found out she hadn’t already done so.

  “Okay.” He spun around and ran away
carrying his truck. Life should be that easy for all wee ones, but she bet even that little boy had a story.

  Abby smiled appreciatively at her. “So what’s up?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Come in. I’ll make tea.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Things were complicated between Reed and I when we first met, so we have experience with such things in this house.”

  “Good. I was hoping you wouldn’t think I was too crazy.”

  Abby chuckled and led her into a small tidy kitchen.

  “Sit. Be comfortable.”

  Steam was already wafting up from the mustard-colored teakettle on the stove, so all that was left to do was for KayLee to choose a tea from the basket in the middle of the table. She picked a soothing ginger spice and dunked the bag into the steaming cup of water Abby poured for her.

  Abby sat down across from her with her own cup of tea.

  “Okay, spill.”

  “No bush-beating here. I love the frankness in this town.”

  Abby laughed. “That’s good because there’s a lot of it.”

  “You already know my husband died several months ago.”

  Abby nodded and sipped her tea.

  “Well, there wasn’t much left of our marriage when he crashed his boat.”

  Abby sipped more tea without passing judgment and KayLee continued.

  “He left a lot of debt behind, and my attorney and I got the creditors to divide almost all of what Chad and I had left and agree not to pursue me anymore. I thought things would start to get better. When I came here…”

  “Things started to get complicated again?”

  “And then some. Being pregnant doesn’t help. My attorney called and told me Chad’s attorney has a letter from Chad.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “Yeah. I don’t even want to imagine what’s in it.”

  “Bring it to me when it gets here. I’ll open it first to see if there is anything you need to know and bury it until you’re ready to know the rest.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  Abby covered KayLee’s hand with hers. “I’m a nurse, KayLee. I can take a lot.”

  KayLee knew it must be true. The clinic was the only medical facility in over a hundred miles and so they must see a broad range of illness and injury.

  “I’m—um—I’ve not had much in the way of backup the past few months.” KayLee shrugged. “If it was just me, I’d just—I don’t know, survive. But I feel like I need to do so much more.”

  “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

  KayLee looked up from her tea.

  “There are birthing classes going on at the clinic and I wondered if you could use a birthing partner. If you don’t already have a coach, that is.”

  KayLee straightened in her chair. “Abby, that’s a wonderful offer. Are you sure?”

  Abby nodded. “The classes are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at ten o’clock at the clinic.”

  “I’d love to have you as my coach.”

  “Dr. DeVane says you plan to use the clinic birthing room. It’s great. You’ll love it. I’ll arrange my work so someone will take my shifts for as long as necessary when you’re in labor and for the first twenty-four hours afterward.”

  “But what about Kyle if your husband isn’t here?”

  “My mother will gladly babysit. You saw her at the diner. DeLanna Fairbanks, the auburn-haired vixen.” Abby shrugged and grinned. “She would have been with Kenny Fuller.”

  “The man in the three-piece suit.”

  “That would be him.”

  “They looked like a hot couple.”

  “My mom has chosen a winner this time. Kenny and his son, Travis, are great guys and together they own the funeral home here in town.” Abby held up crossed fingers.

  The side door opened and a dark-haired, very handsome man in a well-filled business suit stepped into the house carrying a laptop bag.

  Abby’s face burst into a huge smile and she sauntered to the man.

  “Uncle Reed!” Kyle flew into the room sans truck.

  Uncle Reed set aside his laptop case and picked up his nephew, then he scooped his wife into his other arm, planting a kiss with promise in it on her lips.

  “Honey, our new neighbor is here,” Abby said and half turned. “KayLee Morgan, this is Reed Maxwell, my husband.”

  KayLee chuckled when she realized Reed was seeing her for the first time since he entered the house. That’s the way a man should love his family. The world had been totally excluded until Reed Maxwell had greeted Kyle and Abby.

  “Nice to meet you, KayLee. Welcome to the neighborhood.”

  “Uncle Reed, come, come.” Kyle squirmed down and pulled on his uncle’s hand until the man followed.

  “Nice to meet you, too,” she called after them.

  When they were alone in the kitchen, Abby sat back down at the table and KayLee leaned forward lest she be overheard. “Let me apologize before I say this, but my hormones prompt me to say the strangest things.”

  Abby leaned her elbows on the table. “Okay, you’ve got my attention.”

  “That is one good-looking man.”

  Abby grinned and waggled her eyebrows. “And good-looking does as good-looking is. Speaking of good-looking. It might not be just your hormones. I have heard your name in tandem with Baylor Doyle’s.”

  “Yes, he’s in charge of the ranch revival project I’m working on.”

  “That project will bring long-term growth into the valley. We’re all looking forward to it.”

  “It’s kind of saving my butt, too.”

  “About Baylor.”

  “About Baylor,” KayLee repeated. Be nice to him? Don’t break his heart? He’s a nice guy leave him alone?

  “He’s had it rough.”

  Of all the things about Baylor she could imagine, that wasn’t one of them. “He doesn’t let on.”

  He wouldn’t.”

  “Has he told you he plans on leaving the valley as soon as he can?”

  “He did. He said he has a job outside of Denver.”

  KayLee wasn’t sure she liked the look on Abby’s face. She seemed worried.

  “Baylor and I have been friends since the day he stood up to the bullies for me in junior high.” She glanced up at KayLee. “He shouldn’t be leaving the valley. There will be a big hole for many of us if he does.”

  “He’s going out into the world so he can have new experiences. You know, live a fuller life.”

  “That’s what he tells himself.”

  “And what can I do?”

  “You can spend time with Baylor.”

  “But I—”

  “I’ve seen how he looks at you.”

  She nodded.

  “Help him see that whatever it is he thinks he’ll find out there in the world, it’s not there. You know, you’ve been there. Leaving behind everyone who loves him will not fix things.”

  “Have you tried to tell him?”

  “He thinks I’m too in love with this place to be objective. I left and came running back.”

  “Someday, I hope I get to hear that story.”

  “There are lots of great stories in this valley and I hope you stay long enough to make one of your own.”

  “That’s kind of you to say. And me, too. I’ll do what I can about Baylor.”

  “I’ll meet you at class on Tuesday at ten o’clock at the clinic.”

  Reed chose that moment to return to the kitchen.

  “I’ll see you Tuesday, Abby, and I gotta go. Reed, nice to meet you. I insist on seeing myself out.”

  “It was nice to meet you, KayLee,” Reed said.

  “Goodbye, Kyle,” KayLee called over her shoulder and detected a distant reply.

  “Your mother will be here in five minutes to pick up Kyle,” KayLee heard Reed say. “Says she needs him urgently for something.”

  Whatever Abby said must have been disrupted by lips meeting lips.

&n
bsp; KayLee headed down the steps and across the street.

  Spend time with Baylor, Abby had asked. She’d like that, if he didn’t run away at the sight of her.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  KAYLEE DIDN’T KNOW where all the energy came from early on Saturday morning, especially after the week she’d had—Kalispell, Baylor, signing a contract with Martin Homes, Baylor, becoming the director of a play, Baylor, gaining a birthing partner…

  It was a good thing she had so many distractions, like the rehearsal this morning. The kids had come so far on their own and with leadership, they would shine.

  She didn’t want to let herself need anything from Baylor Doyle except to work alongside him to get this project underway. No matter what Abby thought was best for him, he was leaving the valley. Her duty and her love had to go to her baby who would be born to a single parent. She needed roots, and she knew she could put them down here in St. Adelbert.

  She scooped oatmeal into a bowl from the pan on the stove, sliced banana onto it and covered it with milk. At the small kitchen table she filled her stomach with food that would nourish her and make her baby grow stronger. It felt good not to eat the junk she and Chad used to eat. In fact, it was amazing in the best sort of way to leave all that behind, the rubbing elbows with celebrities, the champagne on a whim, the all-night parties, the keeping up with every new trend.

  With all she had to do, she wouldn’t have time to think of Baylor and how he could… Never mind.

  She ate faster, concentrating on the food. When the clean dishes were back in the cupboard, she pulled on her lightweight coat, grabbed grocery bags full of apples, bananas and paper cups and started off down the street toward the school.

  With the first performance of the play only twenty-seven days away, they had a lot to accomplish. The kids had volunteered to meet at nine that morning and work all day if they had to. All day might be a little long, but the deli at the gas station had volunteered to donate sandwiches and pop. KayLee had turned down the pop, hence the fruit and cups for water.

  The day was warm. As she made her way down the street, she zigged and zagged to stay out of the puddles of meltwater. If the weather kept up, even the piles plowed up in parking lots would be nothing but low gray berms of ice in a couple of days.