The Maverick Cowboy

by Kate Pearce

  She pushed open the screen door and went inside, relishing the cool air and the shade.

  “Hey, Ruth.”

  “Morning, Jenna. I thought you were coming out here after morning surgery?” Ruth wiped her hands on her apron and put her rolling pin down.

  “Dave ended up doing that, so I was free to come earlier.”

  Ruth pointed at a chair. “Take a seat. I’ll get you a nice glass of iced tea.”

  “It’s okay, I can get it.”

  “Sit.”

  Jenna did what she was told.

  “I’m making you pancakes, so settle in.”

  Eventually even Ruth finished feeding her and took the chair opposite while they both sipped at their coffee.

  “So Meg says Dave did the surgery because someone objected to you doing it.”

  There was no point in asking how Ruth knew this so fast. She knew everything.

  “Yeah. Adam Breton. He’s not the first either.” She sighed. “Maybe I should talk to Chase about letting Dave do the work up here instead of me. Maybe I should go home.”

  “To Los Angeles? To do what?”

  “Go back to school and work with toy breeds and pampered pooches?” She groaned. “That would suck so hard.”

  “My, you are feeling sorry for yourself today.”

  Jenna raised an eyebrow. “Is that your idea of a sympathetic and motivational remark?”

  Ruth held her stare. “You’re letting three crabby old ranchers derail your plans?”

  “It’s more than that. I don’t want to damage the practice’s reputation. Faith is coming back next year anyway, and they probably won’t need me.”

  “What about the job Chase offered you up here?”

  Jenna had nothing to say to that.

  “What about BB?”

  “He’s not talking to me right now.”

  “And whose fault is that?” Ruth shook her head. “Actually, that one is probably on him. He has a tendency to run off his mouth like a fool.”

  “It was me.” Jenna cleared her throat. “I owe him an apology.”

  Ruth sat back. “Well, wonders will never cease. If he accepts your apology—and he will—will you reconsider your options?”

  “It’s not about him, Ruth. It’s about me. I have to work out what I want and whether there still is a place here for me as a vet. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.”

  “One thing I’ve learned in life is that you can’t please everyone.” Ruth reached across the table and took Jenna’s hand. “Have faith in yourself. If you want this life—with or without my grandson in it—then maybe it’s time for you to fight for it.”

  * * *

  Blue pulled up in front of the barn and smiled. The sun was setting behind the Sierras, plunging everything into complex shadows. Lights shone in the house, and from the barn came the sound of happy, settled horses. His new life. Now all he had to do was persuade a certain female veterinarian to share it with him. He’d had lots of time to think on the way home.

  Jenna was a strong woman. She’d already made choices that had run contrary to her family’s wishes, and she was still dealing with the fallout. He had to give her time and resist the temptation to set her straight. It was his worst sin. Just because he thought he was right about everything didn’t mean that he was. Who would’ve thought he’d slip up and have a ten-year-old daughter? Not the old BB. He would’ve been quick to condemn anyone in that situation. The new one was learning to allow for some gray areas in between those blacks and whites.

  He got out of the truck and stretched out the kinks in his spine. Chase’s F-450 sat between January’s and Roy’s trucks, dwarfing them. And Ry was apparently still here, which was an unexpected bonus. Maybe tonight would be a good time to talk about the future. Ry seemed interested in what they were doing and had simply fit right back in, taking on his share of the chores without a word.

  Blue opened the screen door and called out, “Honey, I’m home!”

  The heavenly scent of Ruth’s beef stew tantalized his nostrils. The whole family—including Roy, Maria, and Billy—sat around the kitchen table smiling a welcome at him. It was just like one of the dreams he’d had while overseas, far away from those he loved and in a constant state of alertness.

  He threw his arms wide. “I’m free!”

  “Awesome.” Chase grinned at him. “And about time, too.”

  “Come and sit down. I’ll get you a plate.” Ruth got another plate down from the cupboard and passed it across to him. “We only just said grace. You always did have a good nose on you.”

  Blue dug in, and for a while there was no conversation. Working outside meant they needed a lot of calories to keep going. Eventually Maria was yawning, and Blue handed her his napkin to wipe the peach juice off her chin.

  “Time for bed, young lady,” Ruth said. “BB, will you take her up and make sure she’s settled?”

  “Sure.” Blue smiled down at Maria. “Come on, then. Race you.”

  She was off like a whippet and Blue followed a lot more slowly, considering the load of food he’d eaten. When she was all set and tucked up in bed, Blue sat on the quilt beside her.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes. Billy took me swimming in the hot springs today. It was awesome. You should come next time.”

  “I will. How are the kittens?”

  “They are getting bigger every day. Roy thinks they’ll be good rat catchers ’cause their mama is.”

  “Awesome. I’m done with the military now, so I’ll be here full-time. Maybe we can do more stuff together?”

  “I’d like that.” Her smile faded. “Although I suppose I’ll have to go somewhere else soon.”

  He tensed. “Why would you think that?”

  She scrunched the sheet in her fingers and wouldn’t look at him. “I heard Ruth talking on the phone. They want to take me into the foster care system or something. Do you think we could do that DNA thing now?”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “I’d like to try. Billy says whatever happens, I’ll still have a place here.”

  “Billy’s right.” He held her gaze. “I have the DNA kits. Do you want to do it right now?”

  She raised her chin. “Yes.”

  “Then give me a minute to fetch them.”

  He returned with the kits, his heart thumping hard. “It’s not difficult to do or anything. We just gently swab the inside of our cheeks to collect our buccal cells and send the swabs off to the lab to be analyzed.”

  She was far calmer than he was as they did the tests and sealed the results up in the bag Chase had given him.

  “How long will it take?” Maria asked.

  “About a week.”

  “That’s good.” She nodded and patted his knee. “It’s okay.”

  Blue kissed the top of her head. “Then we’re good. You get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning, okay? We’ll go for a ride or something.”

  “Night, then.”

  “Night, Maria.”

  It was only when he was on his way downstairs that it occurred to him that she never called him anything. Everyone had a name but him. Either she didn’t like the name Blue, or she was afraid to slip up and call him Dad. He kind of understood that. He tended to avoid calling Billy Dad as well.

  Walking through into the kitchen, he held up the bag to Chase.

  “We did the tests. Maria wanted to.”

  Chase picked up his cell. “Then I’ll contact the company and arrange for pickup.”

  Blue sat at the table. “I think they can go in the regular mail.”

  “No, let’s make sure they get there in the best condition possible.” Chase glanced back at his cell. “Someone will be here to pick them up in the morning.”

  “Fast work, bro,” Ry commented.

  Blue grinned at him. “Our oldest brother is a very well-connected man.”

  “So Maria might be your kid, BB?”

  “Yeah. I only found out she exis
ted a few weeks ago. We’ve been keeping her here while we try to work out what’s going on.”

  “Did the mother finally contact you?”

  “Nope. And before you start expressing your opinion about that, you should also know she died about six months ago. It was the guy Maria thought was her dad who suddenly kicked her out.”

  “Damn,” Ry said quietly. “Poor Maria.”

  Blue let his gaze roam around the assembled faces. “I’d like to put something on the table. Even if Maria isn’t officially my daughter, if she agrees, I think we should try and keep her with us.”

  Billy was the first to nod. “I’d certainly like that. She’s a good kid.”

  Blue turned to his father. “And you’ve been awesome with her. I might not have said that to you before, but I certainly should have.”

  “She’s easy to love.”

  “Yeah, but you really put yourself out there for her and . . .” Blue braced himself. “I didn’t really expect you to do that seeing as I’ve been nothing but a complete ass to you since you came back here.”

  “You’re still my son, BB, and it was a way to help out without getting in your face, you know?”

  “Well, thanks.” Blue reached over and covered Billy’s hand with his own. “I appreciate it, Dad.”

  For a moment there was silence and then Billy squeezed Blue’s fingers. “Thanks, son.”

  Ry cleared his throat. “Damn, I think I’m going to cry.”

  Blue glared at him and then turned to his older brother. “What do you and January feel about Maria staying on regardless?”

  “Fine by me,” Chase said and January nodded. “The person you need to run it by is Ruth. It’s her ranch.”

  Blue turned to his grandma, who had been listening quietly. “Ruth?”

  “I’d love her to stay. I don’t know quite how we’re going to manage it if she isn’t your daughter, BB, but I’m sure we’ll find a way.”

  “Chase will.” January poked her fiancé in the ribs. “He’s good at getting things done and he has the best lawyers.”

  “Then that’s settled. I’ll have to talk to Daniel Lester again, but I’ll wait until we hear back about the DNA.” Blue straightened in his seat. “Now what else do we need to talk about?”

  “Well, there is the matter of what Ry’s planning on doing with his life.” Chase directed his gaze at their younger brother. “Are you set on returning to the rodeo?”

  “I think I’m done. I’m getting too old.”

  “Thank God for that,” Blue muttered. “So come back here and work with us. Roy could do with a good second-in-command.”

  “I could.” Roy settled his hands over his round stomach and rocked back in his chair. “And Ry is easy to work with. He keeps his mouth shut. I appreciate that.”

  “Then if you want to come back, there’s a place for you here, and a regular paycheck,” Chase said. “And the offer applies to HW as well.”

  “I’ll ask him.” Ry looked from Chase to Blue. “Can’t guarantee what he’ll say, mind.”

  “That’s okay.” Blue looked around the table. “Anything else?”

  “Jenna.”

  He brought his attention back to Ruth. “What about her?”

  “I’m worried she won’t take the job Chase offered her.”

  “Why not?” Blue sat up straight. “Hell, this isn’t about me, is it?”

  Ruth sighed. “Not everything is about you, BB. Since Mark Lymond started going around telling everyone she was incompetent, some of the veterinary clients have refused to let her treat their animals.”

  “What?” Blue just about managed not to curse. “When did that happen?”

  “This last week when you were away. Meg told me. Jenna’s starting to think she’s bringing her uncle’s practice down. Which is nonsense, of course, but—”

  “Jenna would think that,” Blue said slowly. “She always feels like an outsider.”

  January blinked at him. “You get that, too? Like she’s always worried that she hasn’t really been invited to the party?”

  Blue nodded.

  Just like Maria, as well. No wonder Jenna got along so well with her.

  “Jenna’s thinking that with Faith coming back next year, she should leave before they lose any more clients.”

  “Leave?” Blue almost shouted. “She’s not leaving. She’s going to take the job here!”

  “She wasn’t the last time I talked to her. But maybe you and Chase can change her mind. I’d really like her to work up here with us. She’s really good with the animals.”

  “Agreed.” Roy finished his coffee. “Maybe if you boys talk to her and offer her a decent salary, she’ll step up.”

  Chase caught Blue’s eye. “We’ll both go and see her tomorrow, okay? Now can we talk about one last thing?”

  “What’s that?” Blue wasn’t really in the mood to discuss anything else. He wanted to be out that door and driving as fast as he could over to Jenna’s place to ask her what the hell was going on.

  “Big Mike.”

  “Who’s he?” Ry asked.

  “The man we think helped Mom get away from the ranch twenty years ago.”

  Ry’s jaw dropped. “You think Mom and Rachel are still alive?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out. I’ve arranged to meet Big Mike next week in San Diego. I want you to come with me, BB.”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll get Daizee to add the details to our shared calendar and book the flights and everything, okay?”

  “Sure. Thanks.”

  Chase sighed. “You’re welcome.”

  “I have to go out.” Blue stood up.

  “Really?” Chase rolled his eyes at January. “That’s a surprise. Are you sure you don’t want to wait until tomorrow when I can chaperone you?”

  “Nah.” Blue was already halfway out the door. “Some things are better said in private.”

  He only just caught Chase’s shouted reply as he opened the back door.

  “And don’t forget, some things are better left unsaid!”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Your boyfriend’s here,” Dave said in a singsong voice as he looked out of the kitchen window. “And he’s looking pretty damn determined.”

  “One, I don’t have a boyfriend; and two, if Blue Morgan is here it’s probably because there’s something up at the ranch and he needs a vet.” Jenna was quite proud of how calm she sounded.

  “Tell him to come in and have dinner with us,” Amy called from the kitchen. “I haven’t seen BB for ages.”

  “Will do.”

  Dave deftly body-checked Jenna out of the way and went to open the back door.

  “Hey, BB! Come on in. Ma wants to see you.”

  Jenna scuttled back to the safety of the kitchen and started laying the table. Blue came in and took off his Stetson, smoothing down his short brown hair.

  “Evening, all.”

  “BB!” Amy came to hug him. “I hear you’re back for good now. Ruth will be so happy.” She kissed his cheek and pointed at the table. “Now sit down and tell us all your news.”

  Blue looked over at Jenna, who gave him a quick smile and then avoided his gaze. Ron ambled in from his study and immediately started talking horses with Blue.

  “Here you go, Jenna, put this mac and cheese on the table while I dish up the real food.”

  Jenna went to help her aunt. She had to squeeze behind Blue’s chair, and just the sight of his strong tanned neck made her knees go weak. Which was both weird and wrong, considering he wasn’t talking to her.

  “Sorry, am I in your way?” Blue looked up and she just stared at him, forgetting everything but how pretty his eyes were and how lush the slight curve of his lower lip and...

  “Jenna?” Amy called her name and she jumped like a rabbit.

  “Coming.”

  Eventually, they were all seated and Amy and Ron talked to Blue, leaving Jenna to pick at her mac and cheese and Dave to stuff as m
uch in his face as he could before the others got around to having seconds. Blue answered all the questions easily, only fielding a couple about Maria and January and offering no real information. She admired his skill, which considering how blunt he preferred to be was commendable.

  She doubted he’d intended to come and have dinner with them, but he didn’t betray any impatience to talk ranch business. He didn’t even seem particularly anxious to talk to her, which served her right.

  “So why did you come over, BB?” Dave finally asked the question Jenna had been longing to ask all night. “Something up at the ranch?”

  Blue smiled. “Nope, it’s all good. I came to see Jenna.”

  “Jenna?” Ron and Amy gave each other one of those concerned looks Jenna had been seeing a lot of recently. “Is there something wrong with how she’s handling things up at your place?”

  Dave snorted with laughter. “It’s okay, parents. I don’t think BB’s come to say Jenna’s incompetent or anything.”

  “She’s an excellent vet,” Blue agreed. “I hope she’s going to stick around.”

  Jenna slowly met his gaze. “You do?”

  He smiled at her. “You want to come and take a walk in the moonlight with me and talk about that?”

  “Right now?”

  “No better time.” He rose to his feet and nodded at Amy. “I won’t keep her long.”

  Jenna automatically stood, too, and Dave scooted his chair out of her way. “Behave yourself, now.” He winked.

  “As well as you would, which gives me lots of scope.” Jenna narrowed her eyes at him. “No peeping, okay?”

  “Why, what you gonna do?”

  Ignoring her cousin, Jenna walked around to Blue’s side, and they exited the kitchen together. Even before they made it through the back door, Jenna heard an excited babble of voices and Dave whooping.

  Blue kept hold of her hand, and he started walking around the edge of the flower garden and artificial putting green Ron had insisted on placing on the flat side of the lot. Down below them, close to the creek, was the original homestead that now functioned as the veterinary hospital.