Harlequin Romance Bundle: Crowns and Cowboys

by Judy Christenberry

  And he did love Rosie.

  With a longing glance up the stairs, he left the ranch house. Losing the Bar G didn’t bother him anymore. The prospect of losing Rosie did.

  Pulling down on his hat, he rode away, towing his horse trailer. His fate rested in Wes’s hands.

  Rosemary slowly came down the stairs. It was almost nine o’clock. She couldn’t believe she’d slept so late. Was Jason still here? Would he be sitting at the kitchen table with Wes and Sara Beth? She couldn’t decide what she wished for.

  The choice was taken out of her hands when she opened the kitchen door and Sara Beth was the only person in sight. She swallowed the disappointment and cheerfully said, “Good morning.”

  Sara Beth spun around. “Rosie, are you feeling all right?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry I slept so late. Where’s…Wes?”

  “Oh, he’s down visiting with the cowboys, of course. He wanted to hear all about the roundup after he left. He said it looks like you brought back about two hundred and thirty head. That was a good job.”

  As she talked, Sara Beth had filled a mug of hot coffee for Rosemary and set it in front of her.

  “Oh. Didn’t Jason fill him in?” Since Sara Beth hadn’t mentioned Jason, she would. Maybe she’d get more information. After Jason’s care of her, and his reckless promise, she’d hoped—

  “Of course, but he wanted to hear from the men, too. Besides, I think he wanted to sneak some more breakfast from Cookie!” Sara Beth said, her hands on her hips.

  “Didn’t he have breakfast here?”

  “Of course. And then he shared some of Jason’s before they went to look at the cows. But his appetite has increased instead of decreased since he broke his ankle.”

  “Oh, is Jason with Wes?” She worked hard to keep her voice even, as if it didn’t matter either way.

  “No, after they checked out the cattle, Jason loaded up his horses and headed for Denver.” Sara Beth broke some eggs to scramble. “He said to tell you goodbye.”

  Rosemary felt as if she’d been hit broadside by a two-ton steer. All the breath whooshed out of her. She put her head down, staring into her coffee as if it was worthy of intense interest. She said nothing. What could she say? That Jason had kissed her, promised her more when they returned? But he’d also told her they’d had to present a united front out on the roundup….

  It all came clear to her now. Jason was pretending. The kisses she’d taken as real were nothing but a pretense, a ruse to make her go along with his plan to dupe the cowboys.

  She should have known. For a man like Jason Barton, who had women dropping at his feet—women like the one she’d met back in Denver—a few kisses and a promise meant nothing. He could get whatever he wanted from any of a hundred gorgeous, leggy, busty women back home.

  Well, she scoffed, they were welcome to him!

  Sara Beth sounded concerned when she said, “Anything wrong, Rosie?”

  She looked up, a fake smile pasted on her face.

  “No, of course not.” What could be wrong? She’d fallen for a millionaire who had left her as soon as his responsibility had ended. Just what she should’ve expected.

  After a moment of silence, Sara Beth said, “That Jason is one handsome guy, isn’t he? You did notice, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, I noticed.” She pretended disinterest. “But he’s a millionaire and I suspect he’s not hurting for company in Denver.”

  Sara Beth brought over Rosie’s breakfast. Then she poured herself another mug of coffee and sat down at the table with Rosie.

  “You fell for him, didn’t you?” Sara Beth asked softly.

  There was no use denying it. Sara Beth had always had the ability to see right through Rosie, ever since she was a little girl with a big problem on her mind.

  Rosemary nodded but said nothing. She was afraid she’d start crying if she spoke.

  “He seemed concerned about you,” Sara Beth said.

  After swallowing hard, she finally said, “Yes, he was very intent on the roundup, once Wes left. He mostly took over and tried to order me around!” That wasn’t exactly accurate, but she had to work up some anger to keep her composure.

  Sara Beth patted her hand. “Eat your breakfast, honey.”

  Rosie took a bite of scrambled egg, but she wasn’t enthusiastic.

  “Was that why you said he had earned the ranch?”

  Rosemary kept her head down, stirring the scrambled eggs, as if she were cooking them. “I realized…I’m not cut out to be a ranch owner. Even if I made enough to pay him back his down payment, I’m not sure I can come up with the money for the payroll for the winter.” She sniffed several times, still not raising her head.

  “Oh, honey, we don’t want you to lose the ranch.”

  “I can’t make it work,” Rosie said, her voice rising with emotion. Then she broke into tears and lay her head on her folded arms, shoving her breakfast aside.

  Sara Beth jumped up and circled the table to take Rosemary in her arms. “Shh, honey, don’t cry. We’ll work something out.”

  Rosemary sobbed even more, knowing the dream she’d had of keeping her home had ended. She couldn’t put everyone connected with the ranch in danger of not receiving their wages. In the beginning, she’d thought they could pay back Jason’s down payment and maybe make it until spring. But with snow already on the ground, she wouldn’t be able to even buy the hay to make it through the winter, let alone make payroll. She might not even be able to buy the groceries to make it until spring.

  And she was tired.

  Out on the roundup, she’d realized she didn’t have the strength to lead her men. They were great, and Wes was strong, as he should be, but she had failed the test of strength.

  When Wes had gone down, Jason had stepped in. She’d only been a figurehead.

  Rosemary had tried to equal the men in her determination and strength, but she hadn’t succeeded.

  When Wes came in fifteen minutes later, Sara Beth had mopped up the tears and encouraged Rosie to eat more of her breakfast.

  “Well, there’s our Sleeping Beauty,” Wes said jovially, smiling at Rosie.

  “Good morning, Wes,” she replied quietly. “How are the men?”

  “They’re all fine and singing your praises to the sky.”

  Rosemary stared at him. “Me?”

  “A ‘course, you. They said you made them all feel weak and lazy. You rode herd all night even though you were throwing up.

  They’d all gone down at the first hint of a sick stomach.”

  “That’s because men don’t have to experience childbearing!” Sara Beth said with a sniff.

  “I guess you’re right, sweetheart. But Rosie did us proud!”

  “No, I didn’t. I wasn’t nearly as strong as anyone. And it was Jason who brought the herd home and kept an eye on me, too. I don’t deserve anyone’s praise!” And she jumped up and ran from the room.

  Wes stared at the door as it swung to. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “Obviously,” his wife responded. “Rosie is feeling she let everyone down and that she’s not strong enough to handle running the ranch.”

  “But I’m here to help her! I never thought she should run the ranch all by herself.”

  “I think she needs more rest. I’ll go see if she’s gone back to bed.” Sara Beth slipped up the stairs and rapped softly on Rosie’s door. When there was no answer, she quietly opened the door and saw Rosie sleeping on her bed. Sara Beth pulled the cover over Rosie and tiptoed out of the room.

  “Wes? It’s Jason. How’s Rosie?”

  “Well, hi there, Jason. You get to Denver all right?”

  “Yeah, Wes, but I need to know how Rosie is doing.”

  “She’s doing better. Sara Beth is taking care of her. I got the herd sent off to market. She should get a check soon. Then you can clear up the question of the ranch.”

  “I’m not worried about that, Wes.”

  “I know, boy, but it’s better to keep
business and emotion separate.”

  “May I speak to Rosie?”

  “She’s taking a nap, Jason. She still hasn’t recovered from the roundup yet.”

  “Wes, it’s been over a week. Maybe she should see a doctor.”

  “I’ll talk to Sara Beth about it. She seems to think that Rosie was making it on nerves before the roundup even started, what with her dad dying and all, and she really over-extended herself. But we’ll talk about it.”

  “Will you tell Rosie I called to see how she’s doing?”

  “Sure thing. I’ll do that.”

  “All right. Thanks, Wes.”

  “No problem. Thanks for calling.”

  “Hey, Rosie, the check came for the sale of the herd you brought back,” Wes said as Rosemary entered the kitchen a few days later.

  He handed the envelope to her and she slowly opened it. Rosemary stared at the check. The amount was a few thousand over the required fifty thousand dollars to Jason back. She slid it across the table so Wes could see it.

  “So you’re going to return the down payment?”

  She slowly shook her head. “It wouldn’t leave enough to make it through the winter, Wes. You know that. I’m going to let the sale go through. You and Sara Beth will be okay, and the rest of the staff. They’re all good.”

  “Yes, they are, but they want you back. As much as they enjoyed working with Jason, they’re loyal to you.”

  Rosemary let her head hang down. “I don’t deserve their loyalty.”

  “That’s not true, Rosie,” Wes said. “You got sick, like everyone else, but you kept going. I think they feel guilty that they left it all up to you.”

  Rosemary stood and began pacing the kitchen. “I can’t keep the ranch, Wes. Jason will have the money to keep it going even if he has a bad year. I would be on such a tight budget that even if I worked nonstop, it would only take one crisis to send me under. You know that.”

  “So you’re just going to walk away?” Wes asked.

  She nodded her head.

  “You going to call Jason and tell him?”

  “No. I’ll send him a letter. He can reinstate the closing and let me know.”

  Wes exchanged a worried frown with his wife, but he said nothing else.

  That night, after Rosemary and Sara Beth had retired for the night, Wes called Jason at home. “Jason, it’s Wes.”

  “Is everything all right?” Jason asked urgently.

  “Yeah, but Rosie got the check today.”

  “Was it enough to pay me back?”

  “Yeah, but she said she’s going to write you a letter that she can’t make the payment and that the sale can go through.”

  “Why?”

  “She says she wouldn’t have enough funds to make it through the winter. She knows you can keep the ranch going. She thinks she’s doing us all a favor by giving up the ranch.”

  “I’ll be there tomorrow,” Jason said. “Ask Sara Beth if I can stay for a day or two, until we get this straightened out.”

  “I’ll ask her, but I know she’ll say it’s okay. Come on ahead.”

  “Thanks, Wes. I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch.”

  Because Rosie still wasn’t making it down to breakfast early in the morning, Wes could inform his wife about his phone call to Jason after she’d gone to bed last night.

  “Of course he can stay as long as he wants,” Sara Beth said. “What did Rosie say about it?”

  Wes concentrated on his breakfast, but his wife prodded him. “Well?”

  “Uh, I haven’t told Rosie yet.”

  “Wes! What do you mean? You’re going to tell her, aren’t you?”

  “Well, now, Sara Beth, I think it might be good to take Rosie by surprise. You know, not give her time to prepare a speech.”

  “Shame on you, Wes. Rosie doesn’t make up things. She always faces what comes and gives her best.”

  “Yeah, but I think Jason wants to talk to her about more than the ranch. It’s better if we don’t tell her.”

  Sara Beth wagged a finger at him. “You’d better be right. I don’t want Rosie upset.”

  “So, what are we having for lunch?” Wes asked, knowing his best option was to get his wife thinking about what she’d prepare instead of thinking about Rosie.

  Just then Rosie came downstairs, carrying a letter in her hand. “Will you mail this for me, Wes?”

  “Sure, I’ll take care of it. It’s addressed to Jason? You’re letting him know he can have the ranch?”

  “Yes.”

  “Here’s your breakfast, honey,” Sara Beth said, setting a full plate in front of Rosemary.

  “Oh, Sara Beth, I don’t think I can eat all of this.”

  “Just try, Rosie. You have to start eating more. You’re losing weight, and you’re getting too thin.”

  “In the city, they say you can never be too thin,” Rosie said listlessly.

  “But you live here, on the ranch, and right now a strong wind would blow you away,” Sara Beth pointed out.

  Raising sad eyes to look at Sara Beth, Rosemary said, “But I won’t be living here much longer, you know.”

  “Oh, honey,” Sara Beth crooned and reached out to hug the only child she’d ever had to worry over.

  “I’m okay, Sara Beth, I promise. It will just take a little adjustment.”

  “But surely it will take some time, won’t it?”

  “Yes, a few weeks, but I need to find a job.”

  “You’ll go back to Cheyenne?”

  “That’s the closest place for me to work and…and maybe be able to visit you occasionally.”

  “Wes said he mentioned it to Jason and he said you could visit whenever you wanted. That was generous of him.”

  “Yes,” Rosemary agreed, wondering if she’d be capable of visiting without breaking her heart every time. She felt so silly, mooning around about a man who had had no difficulty leaving her. He hadn’t even bothered to write her a note.

  Rosemary had held out hope that Jason had come to feel something other than responsibility for her. But as the days passed, she knew that wasn’t true. She’d come to realize even hoping to impress Jason had been a ridiculous thought.

  She’d lost her family ranch…and she’d lost her heart.

  And now she needed to get on with her life.

  “I’ve been sorting through my wardrobe, Sara Beth. I have a lot of clothes to give to charity. Do you know anyone in the area in need of clothes?”

  “Yes, the church tries to keep donated clothes on hand, but they have used most of what they had. But are you sure—”

  “Yes, I’m sure. Can you look at my pile of clothes to see what you think they can use?”

  “Yes, I can do that after lunch. But I’m sure you can leave what you don’t need in the city here for when you come back.”

  “No. Jason will probably bring friends here to visit frequently. After all, I’m sure he’ll have a lot of people wanting to spend time with him.” She managed a smile. “And it won’t be my home any longer.”

  After Rosemary left the kitchen, Sara Beth returned to her cooking. She wanted to please Jason, but she felt loyal to Rosie. If only Jason could come to care about Rosie. Then she could have her love and her ranch.

  Sara Beth had thought about talking to her husband about Rosie’s love for Jason, but her husband didn’t put much emphasis on a woman’s emotions. So she’d been keeping Rosie’s secret ever since her return.

  Wes and Sara Beth were in the kitchen when they heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. They exchanged a glance and Sara Beth hurried to the window.

  “It’s him. Oh, no!” Sara Beth exclaimed.

  “What’s wrong?” Wes demanded, reaching for his crutches.

  “He—he’s brought a woman with him!”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  SARA BETH spun around and clapped a hand over her mouth.

  Wes coughed. “Uh, I think we’ve got visitors.”

  Rosemary asked, “Who is it?�
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  But neither replied by the time Rosie heard a knock on the back door.

  “I guess I’ll find out,” she said as she moved to the door.

  She’d expected someone from Blue Ridge, the small town near them. Maybe one of Sara Beth’s church friends. She never expected Jason.

  And he was with a woman. A beautiful young woman. And another man. She felt like running to her room and slamming the door, but instead, she pasted a smile on her face.

  “Come in. Jason, I didn’t know you were coming.”

  He shot a tenuous look at Wes. “Uh, yeah, I talked to Wes yesterday and he invited me to drop in for lunch whenever.”

  “I see,” Rosemary said when she really didn’t. One didn’t just pop in from Denver, about six hours away. Why was he here? “And you brought friends?”

  “Yes, this is Marion and Doug Lock. They’re friends of mine from Denver.”

  “How do you do? Won’t you come in? I think Sara Beth has lunch ready.” Amazing timing, was all Rosemary could think. It certainly didn’t improve her appetite.

  “Thank you,” Marion replied. “We appreciate your hospitality.”

  Rosemary led them in and made the introductions, trying hard not to let her emotions get the best of her. When she went to add three places at the table, she noticed that the table was already set for four. She frowned, realizing Sara Beth had already planned for Jason for lunch.

  Obviously he hadn’t gotten her letter already. And why would he come even if he had? Did he want to move in early? She turned to look at Sara Beth, but the woman kept her gaze on the platters she was setting on the tables.

  “May I help?” Marion asked, appearing at Sara Beth’s side.

  She turned to the woman. Tall, rail thin and blond, Marion flashed a white-toothed smile that had no doubt been chemically enhanced. Despite the long drive, her wool suit looked fresh and new. Rosie wanted to hate her on sight, but she had to admit the woman seemed friendly enough.

  “Why, thank you, Marion. Here, you can take this platter to the table.”

  Rosemary still didn’t understand why the threesome was there. Throughout lunch she kept waiting for Jason to explain it, but he seemed to be concentrating on his meal.