His reunion with Chet had been the most difficult. Too many angry words had passed between them during the years they had both hired out their guns. Nearly everything that was really important had been left unsaid. Seeing Chet again was like finding the other half of himself, the part of him he'd struggled so hard to deny, the part without which he could only exist.
Luke felt like he'd missed half his life.
"I talked to Zeke and Hawk," Valeria said. "They agreed to take the horses to the ranch and run it until we decide what we're going to do."
"I'll see about making sure your new ranch gets started right," Jake volunteered.
"I don't want you to have that extra work shoved on you," Luke said.
"It won't be extra," Isabelle said. "He's bored with a ranch that doesn't need him to fight off rustlers or mountain lions."
"Chet has made everything too scientific," Jake complained. "It's not half as much fun anymore."
"Then you can help Zeke and Hawk run my ranch," Valeria volunteered. "You'll find more than enough fun in Arizona."
Everyone had enjoyed Valeria's description of her trip with Luke. He thought a few of his brothers actually felt nostalgic for some of the adventure of the old days.
"If you're not going to Arizona and you won't stay here," Isabelle said to Valeria, "what are you going to do?"
"Go with Luke."
"No, you're not," Luke said.
"I hope they give him interesting jobs, something like chasing bank robbers or going into Mexico after rustlers."
"You're definitely not going into Mexico after rustlers," Luke said.
"You told me I had to buy some good stock to cross with my thoroughbreds. Jake says South Texas is the best place to look."
Isabelle started shooing people out of the room. "I suggest we leave them to fight this one on their own."
"I won't let you go looking for breeding stock all over South Texas," Luke said.
"And I won't stay cooped up here waiting until you're done playing cops and robbers."
"You could get hurt."
"You could get killed."
"You forget my fearsome reputation. Once the rustlers hear my name, they'll get religion and vow never to steal again."
A spurt of laughter escaped Valeria. "It didn't work on Soderman."
"I was so worried about you, I forgot to tell him who I was."
Her smile vanished. "I'm not leaving you. I couldn't forgive myself if anything happened to you and I wasn't there. Besides, I'm determined to have two little boys just like Melody."
"I was thinking about a couple of girls, dusky-haired gypsies like their mother."
"Maybe we can have one of each."
Luke put his arms around Valeria. "You'll have to promise to come back here the minute you're pregnant."
She made a face. Then unexpectedly she pulled away, gave him an arch look, and laughed. "I know. We can have separate beds."
"The hell we will," Luke said, grabbing her and pulling her close. "I plan on getting you pregnant as soon as possible."
"Is that a threat?"
He kissed her soundly. "It's a promise. And you know, I always keep my promises."
Cowboys 08 - Luke Page 33
