Rancher For The Holidays (Love Inspired)

by Myra Johnson

  While he stowed two more bags in her trunk, she stretched and groaned.

  “Not sorry I talked you into a horseback ride, I hope?” Ben opened her car door for her, taking a moment to appreciate the scent of herbal shampoo mixed with horse smells and fresh air.

  “It was great. And I’ll never be able to thank you enough for coming up with the trail-ride suggestion.” Her brown eyes still sparkled with enthusiasm. “You should come to our next Spirit Outreach meeting and gives us your thoughts about publicity.”

  He backed off a step. “I might have come on a little strong about that. I mean, I’m glad to do what I can while I’m in town, but...”

  “But you don’t know when a new job will come through.” Marley nodded. “I get it, really.”

  Just then, Ben’s cell phone rang. He doubted it was a job offer on a Sunday evening but figured he’d better check anyway. It was his father, calling from Houston. “Don’t leave yet,” he told Marley. “This’ll just take a sec.”

  He strode across the circle drive to the grassy area beyond. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Hey, son. How’s it going? You having a good visit with Steve and Jane?”

  “Yeah, great.” He glanced back at Marley and shot her a quick smile.

  “Nothing new on the job front?”

  “Nada.” Ben grimaced. “But any day now, I’m sure.”

  “Paula and I keep you in our prayers.” A pause, which Ben chose not to fill. Prayer wasn’t his thing, at least not since Mom died. “Guess it’s too early to know whether you’ll be back in Houston for Thanksgiving?”

  “That’s two months away. Anything could happen.”

  “Right. Well...” Dad’s attempt to keep the conversation going wore thin.

  “I should go. We’ve got company.”

  “Think about Thanksgiving, though.”

  Ben promised he would and ended the call. He stifled a sigh and walked back to Marley. “Sorry, it was my dad.”

  She looked down briefly through lowered lids. “Fathers. Yep, can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.”

  “You say that like you know something about dysfunctional families.”

  “Every family has problems of one kind or another.” She rested her chin on the open door, a warm smile lighting her face. “But this Candelaria outreach has a way of giving you a whole new outlook. It isn’t about crying over what you don’t have, but being thankful and making the most of what you’ve got.”

  Ben ran a palm over the back of his head. “Guess that’s one skill I haven’t mastered.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up,” Marley said with a chuckle. “I’m still working on it, too.”

  “And obviously doing a lot better job of it than I am.” Ben knew he was stalling, but he hated to see the afternoon come to an end. “You sure made Aunt Jane and Uncle Steve’s day today. Thanks for doing this.”

  “The pleasure was all mine. They’re great people.” Marley straightened. “I should get going.”

  Ben noticed she didn’t seem in any more of a hurry than he was. “You have plans for this evening?”

  “I should start going through all these photos, and then...” Her voice trailing off, she gave an apologetic shrug. “Actually, just putting my feet up in front of the TV.”

  “Sounds exciting.” He moved closer, resting his hand solidly on the roof of the car to keep from twining his fingers in her ponytail. “Aunt Jane always cooks for an army. She wouldn’t mind if you stayed for supper.”

  Marley studied him for several long moments. Her mouth firmed. “Tempting as your offer may be, I don’t relish being used as a distraction.”

  “Distraction?” Ben blinked.

  “Distraction, dalliance, diversion—pick your D word.” Her expression softened, along with her tone. “What I’m trying to say is, I’m here in Alpine for the long haul, and—”

  “And I’m not.” Guilt seared Ben’s chest. Allowing this attraction to grow any stronger wasn’t fair to either one of them, and yet he couldn’t stop himself. “But I enjoy spending time with you, Marley. Can’t we just take it day by day and see what happens?”

  As she gazed off into the distance, he could see the struggle behind her eyes. Then, when he’d grown certain she was about to call an end to this...whatever it was between them, she stepped away from her car. “Okay, I’ll stay. It’s just supper with friends, right? And since when have you known me to turn down a free meal?”

  * * *

  She shouldn’t have stayed. But how could Marley pass up Jane Whitlow’s delicious meal of bratwurst, sauerkraut, lima beans with bacon bits and German potato salad? And Dutch apple pie for dessert!

  As for spending more time with Ben, well, that was nice, too. So what if he didn’t plan to stick around Alpine? She wasn’t exactly in the market for a long-term relationship anyway. Not with a business to run and too many mistakes from her past she’d rather keep private, for her own sake as well as her father’s.

  As Ben walked her out to her car later, the first stars had twinkled into view, the western horizon bathed in shades of deep purple and magenta. His fingertips grazed her arm as he opened her car door, and she shivered. He stood so close she could smell the coffee and cinnamon-spiced apples on his breath.

  Here was the real reason she shouldn’t have stayed. If she stood here a moment longer, he would surely try to kiss her.

  And she would let him.

  “Ben...” One hand lightly touching his chest, she eased away. “I really need to go.”

  He stepped closer, his fingers encircling her wrist. “You doing anything tomorrow?”

  “I’ll be very busy, actually.” She tried to look occupied finding her car keys. “I have all these photos to process, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He grinned shyly and backed away. “Good night, Marley. It was a fun day.”

  She offered a weak smile as she climbed in behind the wheel. “Good night, Ben. Tell Jane thanks again for supper. It was fantastic.”

  The drive into town seemed endless. She tried hard to keep her thoughts on all the ideas they’d talked about for the trail ride, and when that didn’t work, she mentally ran through some of the better shots she’d captured of Jane and Steve.

  But she kept picturing the mischievous sparkle in Ben’s hazel eyes, and the cute way his messy, movie-star hair stood on end when he took off his baseball cap at the end of their horseback ride.

  You’ve got to stop this, Marley. She had her issues, he had his. It was best to keep things at the friendship level before someone got hurt.

  Wasn’t it?

  Chapter Six

  The following week kept Marley swamped with activity, which turned out to be a blessing. What with planning lessons and activities for the after-school photography class, wrapping up a travel magazine assignment and selecting the best proofs to show the Whitlows for their anniversary portrait, she had little time to think about Ben.

  When Steve and Jane dropped in on Friday, Marley was finishing a phone conversation with Pastor Chris about the ministry team that had just returned from Candelaria. As he described everything the team had accomplished, Marley suffered another twinge of envy that she hadn’t been able to go along. She took enough time off from the studio as it was, especially with budget worries mounting, so her next trip would have to wait until the Texas Tech students came down on their Christmas break.

  Marley showed the Whitlows to a round table at the back corner of the studio and brought up the proofs on a large computer screen. “I’m going to let you browse at your own pace while I check on something in the darkroom. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Jane was already exclaiming over the shots as Marley slipped down the back hallway. She smiled to herself, knowing the challenge her friends faced.

&nb
sp; By the time she rejoined them, they didn’t seem any closer to making a decision. Steve drew a hand across his mouth as he stared at the screen. “Wish we could have brought Ben along for his opinion. It’s his gift, after all.”

  The couple shared a look, and against her better judgment, Marley asked, “What’s Ben doing today? I admit, I’m surprised he didn’t come in with you.”

  Exhaling sharply, Steve shook his head. “Took off for El Paso early this morning for a job interview.”

  “That’s...good.” Marley swallowed. “Isn’t it?”

  Jane crossed her arms. “I’m praying he doesn’t get the job.”

  “Sweetheart!” Steve stared at his wife. “Much as we’d both like Ben to stay, we can’t go praying against our nephew’s success.”

  “We can if we don’t believe it’s right for him. He won’t be happy there. I know it in my bones.”

  Marley thought it best to stay out of the discussion. She pulled out a chair and sat next to Jane, then reached for the computer mouse. “Here’s one of my favorites from the wildflower ridge.”

  They eventually narrowed their selection to three poses, but Jane insisted she couldn’t possibly decide until Ben cast a vote. “He’ll be back late this evening,” Jane said. “Will you be in the studio tomorrow, Marley?”

  “What if I print out your favorites so you can take the proofs with you? No reason Ben needs to make a special trip into town.”

  Another curious look passed between Jane and her husband. Jane turned an engaging smile toward Marley. “We shouldn’t influence his choice. I’ll send him over in the morning first thing.”

  The Whitlows hurried on their way, as if to ensure Marley wouldn’t have the chance to argue.

  She needed to talk to Ben anyway to remind him about the next Spirit Outreach meeting, scheduled for Monday evening. They could definitely benefit from his advice about publicity, even if he did find a job and leave soon.

  And yet... El Paso was less than a four-hour drive away. Not unreasonable for maintaining a relationship.

  Not exactly convenient, either.

  Marley had to stop thinking like this! Too much stood between her and a romantic future, with Ben or anyone else.

  After lunch, Marley worked a while longer in the darkroom, then packaged up a set of color enlargements for the travel magazine editor. Deciding to close the studio early, she headed to the post office and the grocery store. A frozen lasagna entrée and salad were calling her name, along with a rented DVD. Nothing beat curling up on the sofa for a quiet evening at home.

  Yes, despite the opinions of her single friends, dating was highly overrated, not to mention stressful and exhausting. The Coutus, Pastor Chris and his wife and several other well-meaning church members had tried more than once to set up Marley with an eligible bachelor—someone who met their incredibly high standards, naturally. But Marley had yet to meet the guy she felt she could be fully herself with, much less spend the rest of their lives together.

  Besides, with the fund-raiser to think about now, she had all she could handle.

  When she opened the studio just before ten the next morning, she found Ben leaning against a parking meter out front. Her stomach did a tiny flip-flop as she pulled open the door. “Hi. Been waiting long?”

  “Just a couple minutes.” Thumbs hooked through the belt loops of his jeans, Ben ambled inside. “Aunt Jane sent me over to look at those proofs.”

  “Sure. I’ll bring them up on the computer for you.” She motioned him over to the table in the back corner. “So...how was El Paso?”

  Ben shrugged and sank into a chair. “Not promising. Probably a wasted trip.”

  “I’m sorry.” Marley hoped her words sounded sincere, because she couldn’t suppress a flutter of relief. Best change the subject and show Ben the photos so he could be on his way.

  After they’d scrolled through the Whitlows’ top three choices several times, Ben blew out a breath through pursed lips. “Aunt Jane isn’t sorry.”

  It took Marley a full five seconds to make the connection to her earlier remark about the job interview. “Did she actually say so?”

  “Didn’t have to. The four-egg Denver omelet she served me for breakfast said it all.”

  “Maybe she was just trying to cheer you up.”

  Ben snickered. “And did I mention she asked what color I’d like them to paint the guest room?”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “I wish!”

  Nothing subtle about Jane Whitlow. Turning her attention to the computer screen, Marley suppressed a grin. “It’s pretty clear she and your uncle would both love for you to stick around Alpine for a while.”

  “And I’ve done everything in my power to make it clear that Alpine doesn’t fit into my career plans.”

  Marley cringed inwardly at the finality in his tone. She subtly increased the space between their chairs, and for the next few minutes they silently reviewed the photos, until Ben reached up and tapped the screen. “This is the one.”

  “I agree. It’s been my favorite all along.” Marley sat back and admired the shot. It was among the last few she’d taken, a candid shot out on the wildflower ridge snapped when Steve and Jane had forgotten they were being photographed. Their horses side by side, Steve had reached for Jane’s hand, and she’d gazed across at him with a look of utter contentment. Marley had been so entranced by the love shining in their eyes that she’d almost missed the shot.

  Now, studying the picture, Marley’s eyes welled up. Dear God, let me know love like that someday.

  “So what’s next?” Ben’s question startled her out of her reverie.

  She flicked a bit of moisture off her cheek. “Now we need to talk about size, canvas, frame—” With a nervous laugh, she continued, “All the stuff you didn’t want to get into the first time we discussed doing a portrait.”

  “Ah. You mean the expensive part.” Ben leaned forward to tug his wallet from his back pocket. He slapped his American Express card on the table. “As far as I know, this thing still works. My aunt and uncle deserve the best.”

  “All right, then. I’ll get my catalogue and we can write up the order.”

  * * *

  By the time Ben made his selections, the cost of a simple anniversary portrait had skyrocketed. As Marley ran his credit card, he clenched his jaw and hoped he landed another job soon.

  He pocketed the receipt and thanked Marley again for helping him with the gift. “I can tell you cut me a deal on the sitting fee. Really appreciate it.”

  With a friendly laugh, she walked him to the door. “Who am I to take advantage of an out-of-work corporate exec?”

  “Didn’t stop you the day I took you for a steak dinner.”

  Marley flinched. “Are you ever going to let me forget?”

  Her pitiful pout pulled at his insides. A smile crept across his lips before he tore his gaze away and reached for the doorknob. “Let’s just call it even—a steak dinner for a portrait sitting.”

  “Sounds fair to me.” Marley followed him as far as the front sidewalk. “I guess you’re still sending out résumés?”

  Ben watched a mom push a baby stroller past. The dad carried a sippy cup and held an older child’s hand. The family looked happy to be out and about on a bright fall day. Must be nice to be so carefree.

  Must be nice to have a family.

  He returned his attention to Marley. “Résumés. Yeah, still working on those. But even if I snag another interview, hiring decisions take time. I should be around to help with the Candelaria fund-raiser for a few more weeks at least.”

  “That’s great. And trust me, you’ll gain a lot more from the experience than you give.”

  Ben mulled over her words for a moment, then narrowed one eye. “Is that a commentary on my value
to the committee?”

  “What? No! I just meant—”

  “I know what you meant.” Ben couldn’t help laughing at her sudden look of chagrin.

  And then he wasn’t laughing anymore because something about Marley Sanders made him all the more conscious of that empty space in his heart he’d been saving for the right woman to fill.

  “Pardon me.” A white-haired woman in a lime-green sweater came up beside Ben. “Is this your studio?”

  “Uh, no, it’s this young lady’s.” Ben nodded toward Marley as he stepped aside. “And believe me, she’s really good.”

  A faint blush crept up Marley’s cheeks. She offered her hand. “Hi, I’m Marley Sanders. Are you looking for a photographer?”

  “Actually, I’m interested in enrolling my grandson in your children’s class. Is it too late?”

  “Not at all. Give me one second and I’ll be right with you.” After showing the woman inside, Marley turned to Ben with a shy smile. “Good luck with the job hunt. Oh, before I forget, can you come to our next outreach committee meeting? It’s Monday night.”

  “Sure, I’ll be there. And since I’ve got all this time on my hands...” He angled her a hopeful glance. “Maybe you could use some help with your class next week?”

  Marley’s gaze turned doubtful. “You’re serious?”

  “Why not? I could be your gofer, or model, or—”

  She folded her arms and tapped her index fingers on the opposite elbows. The scheming look in her eyes made him nervous. “Okay, you’re on. We meet here at the studio Monday through Friday, three thirty to five.”

  As Ben strolled down the sidewalk to where he’d parked the Mustang, he found himself whistling. What had come over him, anyway? What business did he have volunteering to help with Marley’s class when he should be spending every spare minute looking for work?

  Because you’d rather spend time with her, and you’ll find any excuse to do so.

  If that was the case, he’d better make the most of what job-hunting time he had. He climbed in his car and drove several blocks to a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. Cappuccino in hand, he claimed a corner table and powered up his laptop.