He opened the fridge and grabbed a beer. The date on the scenic calendar caught his eye. Today marked his one-month wedding anniversary with Allie. That cemented his decision. He’d go talk to Cook and arrange for a nice meal to be made. Of course, he’d have to play up that it was a surprise for Allie in order for him to agree. He’d cook himself, but his skills were limited and he wanted this to be a special occasion. Plus, he’d have to find a way to tear her away from the main lodge for the evening. Which meant he’d have to seek out Lexie and ask her help. Anything for Allie.
His stomach growled loudly. Pulling out a plastic package of deli meat from the fridge, he made a quick sandwich. He guzzled down his beer, before it got warm, then made his way over to the main lodge. If Allie asked why he was here, he’d just pass it off that he stopped in to see her. Which would be an added benefit of stopping by the lodge.
First stop, however, was dropping by his parent’s to check on Cody. His nephew had been a trooper during this ordeal and had even talked some of the ranch hands into competing in wheelchair races down the ramp with him. Cody still held the record for the fastest time, something no one was willing to take away from him.
“Uncle Jase, look at this new trick I just learned!” exclaimed Cody, wheeling down the ramp backwards at Mach ten speed.
“Awesome,” Jase responded back. “Next you need to learn how to go down the ramp while spinning in that chair,” he goaded. “But, of course, that would be dangerous, so don’t listen to your Uncle,” he added with mock seriousness when Lanie walked out the door and gave him the evil eye.
“Don’t teach my son your recklessness, Jase Michael Callahan.” Her words were firm but she smiled at him anyway. “What brings you over this way? We haven’t seen you much lately.”
“Just taking care of some business,” he answered before grabbing the handles of the wheelchair and spinning Cody around, flashing a devil grin when Lanie gave a disapproving look.
“How’d the doctor’s visit go?” he asked his sister.
“Good. They think the full cast should be able to come off by the next trip and he should be moving around on crutches most of the time.”
“You’ll be good as new by the time summer is over, won’t you?” he directed toward Cody.
“I’m just as good as I was,” Cody answered definitively, crossing his arms and puffing his chest.
“That’s the spirit,” Jase said, smiling. “And as soon as the doctor gives you the okay for riding again, we’ll take that trail to our special spot for some fishing, okay?”
“Yahoo!”
“I’ll see you later, buddy.”
“Bye, Uncle Jase.”
He walked away amused and proud of his nephew. Cody had pluck- he’d give him that. Jeremy was an idiot for not seeing the gift he’d been ignoring. His fists balled like they did every time he thought of Cody’s dad. If he ever had children, wild horses couldn’t keep him from being involved with them.
Guests and staff, alike, were milling around outside the front of the main lodge, soaking in the sun while it lasted. Shorty leaned against a porch rail, his hat pulled down, partially covering his closed eyes and weather beaten face that was contorted into a physical display of irritation. The old cowpoke had worked at Whispering Winds as long as Jase could remember; left from the days when cattle ranching was their primary focus, before transitioning to horse-breeding. As far as he knew, Shorty had no family;at least not that he ever mentioned. He lived in a small cabin on the north side of the property and was in charge of all the ranch hands. Respected by all, his word was golden. Well almost.
“What’s going on?” Jase questioned. If Shorty wasn’t happy, it would soon trickle down to the entire group of ranch hands.
“That new assistant your wife has,” Shorty grumbled, shaking his head.
“Lexie?”
“Yes; the fool girl told me I had to check the weather on that computer in the office.”
Jase tried very hard to stifle a laugh, not wanting to upset him further. Shorty and technology went together as well as a saddle on a mustang. “Did she give you a reason?”
“I told her the rain wasn’t due back until next week and to tell the guests tonight’s overnight trip is still on if they can deal with a bit of mud.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“In all my seventy years, I’ve never been wrong about the weather,” Shorty professed, his eyes narrowing into tiny squints.
“Lexie is new and unfamiliar with how some things work around here. She’s just trying to do her job, but I’ll talk to her,” Jase assured him.
“I’m going to get the tack ready,” the old man said.
Jase sighed when Shorty walked away. He walked inside, relieved to find Lexie behind the desk so he wouldn’t have to go in search of her.
“Is Allie around?” he asked.
“No, she took some of the kids out on a scavenger hunt. They were heading to the south pasture. You could probably catch up to them; they left about fifteen minutes ago.”
“That’s okay, it’s you I need to talk to.”
“Oh,” she replied, squirming in her seat. Her eyes wouldn’t meet his and she picked up a pile of papers, shuffling them.
“Can you work tonight and convince her not to? I want to do something special for her, but she’ll stay here all evening trying to make all the guests happy.”
“I can try, but I don’t know if she’ll listen.”
“Around six, tell her a guest spotted something suspicious out by my cabin. She’ll want to check it out herself, and I can take care of it from there.”
“I can do that,” Lexie said, still appearing uncomfortable in his presence. He wasn’t exactly at ease in hers either.
Turning to leave he stopped, remembering what else he was supposed to do. Spinning around to face her again, he told her about Shorty. “Since you’re new, you couldn’t know, but don’t ask Shorty to check the weather again. He might seem crazy at times, but he does have knack for knowing the weather.”
“I can’t just take his word for it; we have guests to consider,” Lexie defended herself.
“Shorty doesn’t know how to use the internet. If you think the weather is questionable, check it yourself, but don’t let Shorty know. That’s what we’ve done around here for years to keep the peace.”
“And what if the weather contradicts what he says?” Lexie asked, looking perplexed by this conversation.
“Trust Shorty,” he answered, then left before she could voice her concerns. That conversation could go in circles all day to an outsider who didn’t understand the dynamics.
Fortunately, the encounter with Cook was much simpler. To his astonishment, Cook readily agreed to his plan, promising to send someone over with a full, romantic meal Allie was sure to love. Jase offered to pick the food up himself, but Cook rejected that idea, saying he couldn’t risk Allie discovering the surprise.
Tonight, everything between them would change, bringing their relationship full circle to where it was meant to be. Whistling an old tune, he went back to his cabin. He only had a few hours to prepare. There wasn’t time to drive into town for a card, but he had his own idea for one. A love song strummed out on his guitar would mean more to her than a store bought card. Hell, he’d even clean the place up all on his own. That alone should show her how much she meant to him.
The afternoon passed too quickly. He’d cleaned up the place then went outside and found some wildflowers sprinkled throughout the grass to place in a Mason jar vase. In his ideal plan, they’d saddle up and ride to a secluded area, enjoying a romantic picnic dinner. After they ate, he’d tell her how he loves her, that she’s always been the one for him. They’d join their bodies and make love under the shining stars. Damn the rain.
He’d barely gotten out of the shower when there was a knock at the door. Not taking the time to button his shirt, he went to answer it. One of Cook’s helpers was there, holding a box of fragrant food.
“Thanks, Rhett,” Jase told the boy. “Tell Cook I really appreciate this.”
“Will do,” the cook’s assistant confirmed.
Kicking the door shut, he carried the box to the table. Cook went all out, sending place mats, candles and champagne in an ice bucket. The scent of braised beef wafted up from the china plates. Jase set the table, trying his best to remember what his mom taught him about proper place settings. Lastly, he lit the candles and placed the jar of wildflowers on the table’s center. Satisfied he’d created a romantic scene, he buttoned his shirt and tucked it into his best jeans. He polished his boots and combed his hair, thinking he should’ve gotten a haircut recently, but there hadn’t been time. To complete the outfit, he pulled his belt through the loops, using the buckle Allie had given him for Christmas last year.
A noise outside caught his attention. He looked at his watch. Five forty-five. That should be her. He rushed outside to find her before she had a chance to come in. Casually, he leaned one shoulder against the porch rail. He should feel nervous or something; but instead, he completely calm. Maybe because he knew this was right. A lazy smile formed as he watched Allie poke around for anything suspicious. So intent on her task, she didn’t even notice him watching her. Her dedication to her job was a turn on and he could only hope that, soon, she’d show him that same level of commitment.
“Looking for something, sweetheart?” He announced himself in a slow drawl.
“Jase?” She jumped back at the sound of his voice. “Have you seen anything strange? A guest reported seeing something suspicious out here.”
“Nothing that I’m aware of,” he answered without missing a beat.
“I should probably get back then. There are lots of activities going on tonight.”
“You’ve been working hard.” Her typically creamy complexion did look pale and tired. “Have dinner with me first. You need to eat, right?”
“Dinner sounds good. Lexie is still there and I’m sure she’ll be fine ‘til I get back,” she said, walking up to the cabin.
“You have to close your eyes,” Jase instructed.
She cocked her head to the side. “Why?”
“Just trust me,” he said. Obeying, she closed her eyes, and Jase led her up to the steps into their home. “Stay right here a second, but keep your eyes closed.”
“Okay.”
He ran to the CD player, hitting the play button for a collection of country love songs. Across the room, he saw Allie bend her head, turning an ear to the music. A smile lit her face.
“What’s going on?” she pressed softly.
In three long steps, he was back at her side. His hands sought hers, clasping them both in his.
“Happy one month anniversary. Open your eyes now,” he spoke in low hushed tones.
Her gaze scanned the room, before coming back to him. “You planned all this?” she asked incredulously.
“It’s a special occasion. It deserves to be celebrated, don’t you think?”
Surprising him, she threw her arms around him, nuzzling her head into his neck. “Thank you,” he thought he heard her say. She let go of him and he wanted to pull her back. His arms ached with the need to feel her again.
“Dinner is on the table. Cook prepared your favorites,” he said. “After dinner we’ll talk.”
She nodded her head in understanding. Her eyes reflected what he wanted and needed to know. They were ready. Finally, they were on the same page. He walked her to the table and pulled out her chair, sliding it back in as she sat. After removing the covers from the plates, he took his own seat. The champagne still sat in the ice.
“Would you care for a drink?” he asked.
Allie didn’t respond. Looking at her closely, she seemed to be holding her breath. Was it the candlelight or did she look a little green?
“Excuse me,” she squeaked out and ran to the bathroom.
What just happened? Loud retching noises came from the bathroom. Jumping up, he went over and knocked on the door.
“Are you okay?” he questioned, concerned for her.
“I don’t…” She was interrupted by more vomiting. Several minutes went by with no more sound until Allie finally came out.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I don’t know what happened.”
“You look a little green around the gills. Maybe you should go lay down.”
“But dinner. And our talk.”
“It can wait, Allie Cat. You’re not looking so hot.”
“Gee, thanks,” she teased weakly. Her arm reached out to steady herself against the wall.
“That’s it. Let’s get you in bed. I heard there’s some bug going around in town and it looks like you may have caught it.”
“Okay, mother.”
His eyebrows rose. “Sweetheart, I promise that mothering is the last thing I want to be doing to you.” At least that quieted her protests. He took advantage of her stunned look and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to the bedroom.
“Really, I’m feeling better already,” she protested when he laid her on the bed.
“And that’s why you could barely stand on your own?” he countered.
“You don’t have be so domineering about it,” she pouted.
“Can’t you just let your husband take care of you?”
“Well, when you put it that way…” She trailed off, a smile coming back.
“Do you want some hot tea?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I’m afraid my stomach might revolt again.”
“Where are your pajamas?”
“I’ll get them in a minute.”
Jase went to the chest of drawers, which was half-filled with Allie’s clothes. Purposefully, he pulled out the drawers with her intimates. He looked back and saw her blush when he lifted a bra.
“Okay, okay; you win. They’re in the bottom drawer.”
She was so easy to tease. Goodness knows she’d done her fair share of it growing up. “Can you get dressed yourself or do you need help?”
“Good grief, I just threw up. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he told her.
In the kitchen, he gathered the plates and saved their food. So much for a romantic dinner, he thought ruefully. He was a little worried about Allie. The bug going around was pretty nasty, lasting for several weeks in some people who had it. And if Allie had caught it, they’d be in for it. What was that saying about- how a caged bird never sings? Because Allie’s being forced to rest for an extended period of time would send her into fits of screeching and hollering.
***
“Not again,” Allie groaned, cupping her mouth and running to the bathroom. What could she possible have left in her stomach?
At least she’d slept through the night. This was going to be a long day at work if her body didn’t start cooperating. She felt so dizzy she wasn’t sure even sure she could make it back to the bedroom. Maybe a hot shower would help. With what little energy she could muster, she turned on the water and let it run until it was scalding hot. By the time the water turned cold, she felt marginally better and was confident she’d at least make it back to her room.
Stepping out of the impromptu shower, she realized she didn’t have clean clothes with her. Her pajamas were balled up in the floor and, not until she went to put them back on, did she realize vomit had gotten on them. “Gross,” she muttered. She wrapped a towel around her and went back to the bedroom to get dressed for work. Her stomach was still nauseous, but it felt like this bout was passing. She brushed her hair and put it in a ponytail. Bending to put a pair of boots on almost sent her on another trip to the bathroom, but went away once she straightened up.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jase asked sternly when she walked into the kitchen.
“Work,” she answered, taking a seat at the table, apparently not doing as well as she thought. “I thought you’d be gone by now.”
“I stuck around to see how you were feeling.�
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“I’m doing better, thanks.”
Creased eyebrows told her he wasn’t buying it. “Sure you are. And that’s why you ran to the bathroom this morning. I called your mom and she’s going to take care of things this morning, until Lexie can get here. You’re taking a sick day.”
A sharp retort was on the edge of her tongue, but she stopped. From anyone else, she’d bite their head off for being so domineering and bossy; but this was Jase. Coming from him, it made her feel loved and cared for, even if she’d never taken a sick day in her life.
“I made you some toast and tea,” he said, setting a plate in front of her.
She nibbled at the overcooked toast. It was too dark and dry, but she made a good faith effort to eat it, as much for her stomach as for Jase who’d been so thoughtful. Across the table, Jase sat with his elbows resting on the table, staring at her, a foreign look in his face.
“Did I suddenly grow horns or something?” she joked.
He leaned back, crossing his arms and a smirk forming. “Nah, I was just thinking you must really be sick since you didn’t fight me on staying home.”
“What am I supposed to do? You already called mom. She’ll probably be here before noon with some soup and crackers.” The tea had cooled down and she attempted a sip. So far, her stomach seemed to be handling the toast, but she wasn’t going to push it.
“Do you think you’ll be okay by yourself this morning? I can take some time off this afternoon, but I can’t get out of this morning’s work.”
Now he was getting annoying. “I think I can manage. I’m a grown woman after all,” she responded with a harsh bite to the words.
“I know, I’m sorry. I’m just not used to seeing you sick.” He frowned, not looking happy.
“It happens to the best of us,” she answered flatly. The tea may have been too much. Jase needed to leave soon, before she needed to run to the bathroom again. “I appreciate your concern, but go on. I’ll be fine.” She flashed him a semi smile, attempting to mitigate the sharpness in her voice.
His Heart to Have (Cowboys of Whispering Winds) Page 10
