Robbie couldn't contain himself. His face beaming, he grabbed a tearful Sylvia and spun her about in celebration.
"He did it! He's doin' it!" he cried jubilantly. Then he paused for a quick check. "He shook hands with ya, did he?"
"He did," Cassie confirmed.
Robbie did a little jig on his own before falling back into his chair, winded but still grinning.
"I can't believe it," Sylvia said, tears of joy flowing. She hugged Will and drew Cassie into the hug as well. "Thank you," she said close to Cassie's ear. "Thank you. I kept hoping, but I didn't believe it would happen. I thought— I thought—" Overcome, she couldn't finish.
In the three-way hug Cassie's side was pressed against Will. She held herself stiffly until Sylvia released her. Then she stepped away, avoiding Will's gaze.
"What caused him to change his mind?" Will asked.
"Yes," Sylvia agreed, "what?"
"Ray, Jr." Cassie's answer was simple.
~~~~
WILL COULDN'T GET her to look at him. It was as if, for whatever reason, Cassie had pulled back inside herself. Barely an hour earlier, she'd been anything but distant, reaching out to kiss him when it was the last thing he'd expected, and in a way that convinced him they had a future together. But just now there'd been no yield in her taut flesh.
Cassie continued, "Ray, Jr. said some things that got his father thinking, made him realize—" Her eyes flitted to Will, silently acknowledging the veracity of his suggestion that Ray, Jr. could help. "In the end, Ray agreed to sign as long as Mr. Michaels added a clause that prohibits him from selling the land to any kind of large discount-store operation in the future. Mr. Michaels agreed." She shrugged, minimizing her part in the negotiation, then addressed Sylvia. "I hope it's all right. Jimmy—Mr. Michaels—is bringing the new contracts himself tomorrow morning, and I mentioned that you might be willing to cook a meal for him. He plans to be here around eleven."
Sylvia's expression brightened even more. "I'll cook him a meal he won't forget in a long time, that's for sure! Maybe barbecue some steaks. What do you think, Will?"
His mother was so happy, as was his granddad. It was inconceivable to Will that he take away from their joy because his love life was unsettled.
His love life… Was that what it was? He'd had quite a few "in likes" in his younger years and one or two "in likes a lot," but never—
"Will?" His mother repeated. She was looking at him oddly, as if sensing that he wasn't as happy and enthusiastic about the family's good fortune as she and his granddad were.
He was happy. He was enthusiastic. The money from the sale would make all the difference in the world for them. It was just...with her job finished, Cassie would soon be leaving.
His mother tilted her head, a frown forming on her brow. For a moment, Will couldn't remembered what it was she'd asked him. He ran it down. Cassie's boss was coming to the ranch, Cassie had said something about a meal—
"Sure, yeah, steaks sound fine," he said. And was relieved when his mother seemed satisfied with both his answer and his faked good spirits.
"I'll call Ray and Ray, Jr. and tell them to bring along June and Lisa Ann, too," his mother decided, delighted to make the meal a family occasion by including the wives as well. "Might as well sign everything at one time, don't you think?" Then, not wanting to rock any boats, Sylvia checked with Cassie, "That should be all right, shouldn't it? It won't cause any problems?"
"Not that I can see," Cassie said. "Maybe we should sign first and eat afterward, though. To help everyone's digestion."
"Good idea." Sylvia grinned.
"An' I'm thinkin' I'd like to have a little coffee right now to celebrate!" Robbie proposed. "How 'bout the rest 'a ya?" He winked at Will. "I told ya this little gal would keep after 'im till he changed his mind! Stubborn ol' fool!"
Sylvia broke in, half teasing, half serious. "Are we gonna need to put a muzzle on you tomorrow, Dad?"
"Naw, I'll be good. I'll put on my Sunday manners and everythin'." Then the reality behind what they were celebrating hit him and he sobered a bit. "Can't say it won't be hard to sign on that dotted line, though. Hope ol' Nelson and Ida won't be too mad at me for doin' what I'm gonna do." He smiled again. "Like you said before, Will. They could be cheering me on!"
Will nodded agreement, then straightening said, "I'll pass on the coffee. Tomorrow's shapin' up to be a pretty big day, so I'd better get some extra chores done while I can."
"Me, too," Cassie said quickly. "I'm going to pass as well. I'm a little tired what with...everything."
Sylvia swirled the coffee remaining in the carafe. "Want me to make some fresh, Dad? There's probably enough for two cups, but..." She shrugged.
Will didn't hear his granddad's response. Just before Cassie stepped into the hall, she looked back at him. His first instinct was to follow her, but what could he do? Tell her he didn't want her to leave? Yeah, then watch her disappear in a cloud of dust as soon as she could tomorrow afternoon? Maybe it was all in his mind. As he'd said to her once: he was male, she was female. It was natural that there'd be an attraction. It didn't have to mean anything.
He returned to the workshop and took up where he'd left off— beating out a replacement metal strap for the trailer. Only he continued to beat on it for a lot longer than it needed, the bang and clang somehow satisfying. He was still beating on it when he became aware of his mother's presence.
Sheepishly, he set the hammer aside and released the now misshapen strap from the vice's grip.
"Is somethin' wrong, Will?" she asked. "Earlier, you seemed a little...off."
"Nothin's wrong, Mom."
Her concerned eyes searched his face. She knew he wasn't telling the truth. "Is it Cassie?" she asked.
How could he deny it? "Yeah."
"You have feelings for her?"
"Yeah."
"I always thought she was a sweet little thing even when no one could get a word out of her. She seems to have grown into a good woman, too." When he made no reply, she continued, "Some people say it takes a long time for a person to decide if another person is the right one for them. I knew I was goin' to marry your daddy the first time I laid eyes on him. He came out to our farm in Watson County, visitin' with a friend of your Uncle Dan's—" she named her brother "—and I knew. Right then and there, I knew. Took him longer to decide. But he kept visitin' a lot more than he needed to, probably neglecting his work around here, and after a little while—" she smiled at the memory "—he came around to my way of thinkin'."
"Did you ever worry he might not?"
Sylvia laughed. "I had a few bad moments. Days, actually. Times when he didn't drop by like I thought he was goin' to." She shook her head. "A fine torture. I heard somebody describe it that way once. And it was…and it is."
She hugged him. "Don't push too hard, Will, but don't stop pushin'," she advised. Then, grinning like the girl his father had fallen in love with, she said, "I wouldn't mind havin' grandbabies with dark hair and dark eyes."
~~~~
CASSIE DIDN'T VENTURE downstairs until it was time for supper. She didn't want to chance running into Will. But for all her worry, Will and Robbie were both absent, leaving only Sylvia and herself to share the big tureen of hearty vegetable soup.
"I packed them off with sandwiches," Sylvia said. "So much has been goin' on! Thanks to you, it'll all be a lot easier soon, at least pressure-wise. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not dreamin'." She demonstrated by giving her arm a light pinch. "I know it's not what some folks consider a fortune, but to us, it is. The bank's gonna get most of it, but the ranch needs a few things. And—" she grinned "—I might get that dishwasher. Dad says he wants a new recliner chair, too. And it's all thanks to you."
Cassie was warmed by the words, but she had to keep the record straight. "It wasn't just me. Ray, Jr.'s the one who made it happen."
"Junior," Sylvia mused. "I know you told us he stood up to his daddy, but I'm still havin' a h
ard time picturin' it. Good for him that he did, though. He's needed to do it for a long time. Let his daddy know he has a spine. He's a good man. He's just been a little too soft where his daddy's concerned." She eyed Cassie as Cassie took another spoonful of the delicious soup. "Did you have a chance to talk with your mother today?"
Cassie nodded.
"And did she answer your questions?"
At Cassie's second nod, Sylvia said, "Good," and took another spoonful of soup herself.
They finished the meal in companionable silence. It was only when Cassie stood to carry her empty bowl to the sink that Sylvia asked, "Are you happy to be goin' back to Houston tomorrow?"
The question pierced Cassie's heart. "Mmm. I—I suppose." Then, hearing the uncertainty in her voice, added more forcefully, "But I've certainly enjoyed my stay at the Circle Bar-T. I'll tell my friends. That is, if you're still going to be open to guests?"
"Oh, I think I am. At least for the time being. I kinda enjoy meetin' all the new folks, hearin' what their lives are like, and watchin' them enjoy the ranch." She gave Cassie a long look. "We'll miss you, you know. You can come back any time you want. Not as a paying guest, either. You're one of us now, Cassie, even if you're off in Houston."
Cassie's throat tightened. She had spent her life wanting to belong; looking through that window, with her nose pressed to the glass, desperate for what others had and took for granted. "Sylvia—" she began.
"No strings attached," Sylvia stated. "You're one of us."
Cassie lowered her chin, not wanting the other woman to see the moisture that had sprung into her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered tightly. "I'll always remember that. And you."
Sylvia took the bowl from Cassie's hands and transferred it to the counter, then, spreading her arms wide, invited, "C'mere and give me a hug."
Cassie went willingly into the motherly embrace.
~~~~
SINCE THIS WAS going to be her last evening on the ranch for probably forever, Cassie spent it on the wide front porch, in one of the rockers, with the Duchess hopping on and off her lap according to feline whim. Sylvia kept her company for a long period, the two women commenting on general things, but nothing of the personal. It was as if both wanted to avoid tender spots.
Just before dusk Sylvia announced, "I'm gonna go take a look at a few of those catalogues the stores keep sendin' us, to see what kind of dishwasher I want." She grinned as she stood up. "I still can't believe we can afford one."
The Duchess disappeared as well, off to start a night's hunt for small prey. But Cassie remained in place. The last sparks of the setting sun had brought a smearing of clouds to life in shades of pink and purple and gold. She watched as the colors gradually intensified, then slowly started to fade.
Boots clumped through the house and stopped at the screen door. After a pause, the door opened. Cassie didn't need to turn to know it was Will.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
WILL WALKED TO the railing without saying a word, propped a hand against a support and squinted off into the distance.
Cassie sat frozen in the chair. She knew she should get up and walk away, escape to safety inside the house...but she couldn't do it. She couldn't make herself move.
Her gaze absorbed everything about him from the top of his golden head down to the scuffed and worn boots that encased his feet. His long, lean-muscled body had been hardened and sculpted by the work he did; his profile honed by nature to be arresting. But it wasn't just his masculine good looks. It was Will himself, the sort of man he was—devoted to his family and the land they loved, a kind man, strong on the inside as well as out.
She thought back to how quiet he'd been when she'd told the others about the success of the sale. She'd expected him to be as exultant as they were…but he wasn't.
She moved uneasily, making the rocking chair squeak. The sound caught his attention.
"Nice evenin'," he said, turning slightly to look at her.
Cassie swallowed. "Yes, I've been enjoying it."
He took a moment, seemingly in no hurry to move the conversation forward. Until, at last, "So, you got what you wanted. Congratuations."
Cassie wanted to squirm again, but held still. "The congratulations go to you, too."
"Yep, the money's gonna help." He came to sit in the ladder-back chair nearest Cassie, and immediately rocked it back against the wood siding of the house, balancing on its two rear legs. The toe of one boot kept him steady. "How'd you finally end up doin' it?" he asked.
"As I said, Ray, Jr. did most of it. He told his dad that people in town weren't going to like it when they heard he had a part in the three of you losing the ranch. Then he told him the way he's been acting was beneath him." She paused, remembering the tension-filled moments. "It was pretty strong. Ray got upset."
Will laughed grimly. "I'll bet he did."
"Then he told us what's been behind it all along. I'm still sure part of it was getting back at Robbie, but the biggest part was his fear that Jimmy—Mr. Michaels—would sell the land to one of those big discount operations. He was worried about Love and its small businesses…what having a big discount store so close by would do to them."
"He has a few of those small businesses himself."
"Yes, but he was really more worried for the town. It's almost as if it's a child to him. One he has to take care of, protect. To his mind, a chain store would kill it."
"Hmm."
"I guess he feels about Love the way you and your granddad and your mom feel about the Circle Bar-T. I'm not sure he truly understood how bad things were for you all until after Ray, Jr. got him to see it."
"Sounds as if Junior's finally found his feet."
"Your mom said he's found his spine."
Will smiled dryly. "I can think of a couple other parts of the male anatomy that would fit even better."
Cassie smiled but quickly lost it. She looked away from Will, out into the deepening darkness. The safe topic concerning the day's events had been exhausted.
By tomorrow night she would be back in the heat and humidity of Houston. In her own bed, in her own apartment, with her few scraggly plants. She closed her eyes. It didn't compare to this.
"So you'll be leavin' us tomorrow," he said, again as if privy to her thoughts.
"Yes."
There was a slight pause. "What if I was to ask you not to go?" In the silence that followed he brought the chair back down on all four feet and leaned forward. "Or do you have someone back there waitin' for you?"
Cassie cast about for the right thing to say. Was he asking her not to go? And if so, for what reason? Mere attraction? "No. I—"
"Then why not stay for another couple of days? Let us have a chance to say a proper thanks."
Now he was asking for himself and his family. Maybe it was simple gratitude. She was glad she hadn't answered with her heart earlier.
"I— No, I should go back. Jimmy will probably have something else for me to do. Another…negotiation." She stood up. She needed to break this off. Kisses were one thing. So, even, might be a deeper dalliance. But she wanted more. She wanted—
"Cassie."
The way he said her name, softly, in his husky baritone, curled through her body like smoke. "Yes?"
"I'd like you to stay."
To hear him say that! But— Suddenly she was afraid. Too much had happened over too short a time. She'd learned things about herself, her mother, her father, the town. Big things. Important things. Things that were going to change her life forever. Things that had already changed her life. For her to have fallen in love with Will—if that was what this was—had the most life-changing potential of all! He was asking her to stay another couple of days. Which, if she did, and if he and she... No! She couldn't be intimate with him and then leave!
"No!" The refusal fell from her lips. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she stumbled to the screen door. Her throat was so tight she could barely force the words out.
He rose slowly, his expressi
on strained, but he didn't try to close the distance between them.
Cassie forced herself to go inside.
~~~~
SHE CRIED HERSELF to sleep that night, careful to keep her misery silent. But she didn't sleep soundly. Her rest was disturbed by dreams in which she was running both toward and away from the same threatening being. A presence she never saw, only felt.
When she awakened the next morning, having missed the rooster, it was already after nine. She felt like death warmed over, yet she couldn't stay in bed. Jimmy would arrive with the contracts in less than two hours.
She dragged herself from beneath the covers, wobbled her way down the hall to the bathroom, and finally came alive in the shower.
When she presented herself downstairs, Sylvia was already getting ready for the midday barbecue. The sauce was finished on the stove and various vegetables had been cleaned and readied for cutting.
Without a word, Sylvia filled a cup with coffee and held it out to her. Cassie accepted it and sat down.
"Have a hard night?" Sylvia asked.
"I didn't sleep very well."
"I don't think Will did either. He was off his feed this mornin', then he stomped out to see to the horses."
Just hearing Will's name made Cassie's nerves twang. To divert Sylvia from that subject, she asked with forced brightness, "What can I do to help?"
~~~~
THE NEXT HOUR and a half flew by, and almost before Cassie knew it, she was back in her room debating whether to change into one of her business suits for the signing. She decided against it. This was a ranch, and they were having a barbecue. Everyone would expect her to dress casually. Her only concession was to change into a crisp shirt that dressed her jeans up a little.
Back downstairs, Will was in the kitchen about to help his mother move the table outside under the shade tree. Cassie hurried to Sylvia's side, bearing part of the weight, while Robbie held the screen door open.
"Can't have your boss sittin' on a stump," Sylvia declared, laughing.
A car rolled up the driveway.
"It's Ray," Robbie reported after checking.
Love Me Some Cowboy Page 85
