by Zoe York
“Over my dead body.”
Gabe gripped the handle of the arena door. “Don’t tempt me.”
“You don’t have the balls.”
Rolling his eyes, Gabe yanked the door open.
“You’re proving me right, Collins.”
“No, I’m refusing to lower myself to your level. Cody deserves a better example to follow, and you are not worth spoiling that.”
He stepped inside, bringing the conversation to an abrupt end when he jerked the door closed behind him. Thomas leaned against the metal gate separating the arena floor from the entryway, and Cody perched on the rails. One of the Grants’ other hands—Jim’s bunkmate, Cam, he thought—had a quartet of Belgian draft horses pulling a glossy red and white buckboard-style wagon around the arena at a trot. Their chestnut coats and flaxen manes and tails, recently groomed for a show, shimmered in the shafts of sunlight pouring through the skylights.
There was enough resemblance between Cody and Thomas that Gabe didn’t need the confirmation of a paternity test to know that Tom was indeed Cody’s father and Thomas his grandfather. At the moment, though, that resemblance was a source of satisfaction rather than consternation. When he was with Cody, Thomas’s entire countenance changed. Gone was the stubborn, cantankerous old rancher, and in his place was a doting grandfather. Gabe much preferred the latter and wished Tom had inherited more of it. Hell, any of it.
“Come on, Cody,” he announced. Despite his delight in this quiet moment between grandfather and grandson, his voice still held the edge from his chat with Tom. “It’s time to go.”
Thomas took one look at Gabe’s expression and swore. “What’d he do?”
“Was he ever serious about hiring me to wire the new guesthouse, or was that just an excuse to try to pick a fight with me?”
“Yes he was, but I assume that isn’t going to happen now.”
“No, it isn’t. Not this job and not any future job you might’ve wanted me to do. I will not work for Grant Ranch until either that son of a bitch is dead or he owns up to the hell he’s put Annie through. I know he’s your son, and I’m sorry to speak so crassly about him, but he’s earned it.” He gave Cody’s shoulder a squeeze. “Sorry for the language, squirt.”
“There’s no way I can change your mind?”
“I’m sorry, but there isn’t.”
Thomas sighed. “I was afraid of that. I didn’t want to have to hire Halverson or Gentry. Never had much use for either of them.”
“It’s still your ranch, isn’t it? Why are you letting him damage its reputation like this?” Gabe shook his head, remembering what Jim had told him that morning they’d loaded cows together. “Never mind. I guess I already know the answer to that.”
“I don’t know how I still have hope for him,” Thomas said quietly.
“I do. He’s your son.”
“That’s where Ginny and I went wrong. He’s the only child we were able to have, and we let that get in the way.” Thomas’s face lifted momentarily in a humorless smile. His expression warmed some as he ruffled Cody’s hair and turned his gaze on Gabe. “I’d tell you not to make the same mistake with this one, but I already know you won’t. Please tell the Garretts I say hello.”
“Will do.”
Gabe waited for Cody to give his grandfather a hug, then took his hand and led him out of the arena. He half expected Tom to be right outside waiting to sucker punch him, but there was no sign of Cody’s sire. Gabe let out a breath and helped Cody into his booster seat. As he drove down toward the main ranch road, he concentrated on his breathing, consciously subverting the fury still licking through him. He was proud of himself for not letting Tom get to him even as much as Sandy had all those weeks ago, especially now that he had far more reason to be angry.
“Well, that was a waste of time, wasn’t it?” he remarked. “I hope you had fun watching Cam work the Belgians.”
“Yeah. It’s so neat how he does it.”
“You think you’d want to train horses someday?”
“Maybe. But I want to be an electrician like you more.”
Gabe turned to Cody with a smile. “I can’t imagine a greater compliment, Cody. Thank you.”
The cloud of dust curling into the air behind the tractor caught Gabe’s attention, and the last of his anger fizzled. A devious plan took shape, and he grinned. Instead of turning toward Garrett Ranch, he stopped by the field where Jim was plowing. He told Cody to wait in the truck for a minute and jogged over to the tractor. Jim opened the door and leaned out.
“How much would it take to convince you to come work for Annie full time?” Gabe asked.
“Well, about as much as I make working for the Grants, I suppose.”
“Why don’t you and I get together on your next day off and talk about it?”
“I’m off Monday. First thing in the morning good for you?”
“Perfect. See you then if not before.”
Part one started. He trotted back to his truck and smiled at Cody. “Mind if we take another detour before we head home?”
“Where to?”
“You said the Garrett Ranch road—the one out that’ll take you directly out to the highway—washed out, right?”
“Yeah.”
“We’re going to go see how much it’ll take to fix it.”
“Mom already called about it after it happened, and she said it’s way too expensive.”
“I have a way around that. But first, I need to see how bad it is.”
“Gabe?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you love my mom?”
He glanced sharply at the kid, startled though he probably shouldn’t be. He started to say he wasn’t sure yet, but it was a lie. “Yes, I do.”
“And… me, too?”
“You bet I love you, too.”
“Does that mean you’d want to be my dad if you marry my mom?”
“Absolutely. You’re a great kid, Cody. One any man would be proud to call his son.”
“Tom isn’t.”
“That’s because Tom is an idiot. I know that’s not nice to say, but if he can’t see how wonderful you are, it’s his loss, and I’ll be happy to pick up the slack. But that’s all up to your mom. She may not want to marry me. And there’s the question of whether or not you want me to marry her.”
Cody nodded shyly. “You make her happy. And then we’d all be a family for real. Like Caleb and his mom and his new dad Tad.”
“I hope so, and yes we would.”
Satisfied with the way the conversation had gone, Cody turned his attention to their detour and tried to pry information out of him all the way to the boundary of Garrett Ranch, but Gabe wasn’t about to give anything up. The little boy would undoubtedly try his best to keep the secret, but he was young enough that it might slip out anyhow, and this was one part of his plan Gabe didn’t want Annie to have any idea about until he was ready to reveal it. He didn’t think being skinned alive would be a pleasant experience, and if she found out ahead of time that he was spending more money on her—not exactly true, in this case—he was certain she’d give it a try.
He passed the turn to the cabin, continuing along the track toward the highway. As Cody had said, the road was completely washed out about halfway between the cabin and the highway where—if he had to guess—a flash flood had turned the tiny trickle coursing down the gully into a force of erosion the too-small culvert hadn’t been able to handle. Rushing water had carved a canyon that went from three feet deep on one side of the road to six feet deep on the other and pushed the culvert out of its original position. Road construction wasn’t his area of expertise, but it looked to him like this trickle was prone to flash floods. Debris in varying stages of decay littered the narrow gully, and the shoulders of the road bore the traces of long-dried runoff. A bridge would probably be the most effective fix, though not the cheapest. So long as there was no more damage to the road elsewhere, the favor he was owed should cover the repair.
&nbs
p; “All right, squirt. We’d best get back to the house before your grandparents show up. If they haven’t already.”
As it turned out, Bill and Judy Garrett were just stepping out of their Suburban when Gabe and Cody reached the cabin. After asking where Annie was, neither of them seemed at all surprised that Gabe had picked Cody up from school. But they wouldn’t let him shrug it off when he tried.
“It may not seem like a big deal to you,” Judy remarked as Gabe unlocked the door and let everyone in. “But it is. For her to have someone she trusts with her son…. That’s an incredible burden lifted.”
Bill asked Cody to help him bring in their bags from the Suburban, and while the little boy was busy, Gabe turned to Judy.
“Speaking of burdens,” he said, “there’s another one I need to take care of. If you’ll excuse me, I need to call in a favor.”
She eyed him with one brow lifted and her lips quirked but didn’t ask for details.
Gabe picked up the cordless and dialed his friend’s shop.
“Tomlinson Construction, this is Darren.”
“Darren, it’s Gabe.”
“Hey, man. What can I do for you?”
“I’m calling in that favor you owe me.”
“About damned time. What do you need?”
“A bridge, I think. Not a big one, just enough to span a creek that’s usually less than a foot wide but seems prone to flooding.”
“No problem. Where?”
“The road to Garrett Ranch.”
Chapter 15
Gabe’s pickup and her parents’ Suburban were parked in front of her house, but the cabin was empty. She didn’t need too many guesses to figure out where they were, and she took the opportunity to change out of her work clothes and into something that was sure to shock them all—a form-fitting black dress with a hem a few inches above her knees that she’d picked up this week in anticipation of tonight. She freshened up her makeup, shook out her hair and brushed it until it gleamed, decided to leave it down, and stood back to inspect her reflection in the tall, narrow mirror on the back of the bathroom door.
It had been so long since she’d dressed up that the woman gazing back at her looked like a stranger. The neckline was low enough that she ought to put on a necklace, but she had just the one her parents had given her to commemorate Cody’s birth—an asymmetrical white-gold heart with five tiny rubies set into one side. Its chain was so delicate that she’d hardly worn it, too afraid it might break and she’d lose it. But tonight was a special occasion, and it was a way to bring Cody with her. Gabe would appreciate that sentiment.
A coy smile transformed her face, and for the first time, she thought she caught a glimpse of what Gabe found beautiful about her. Cody was her heart, and that Gabe both understood and embraced that was more than she’d allowed herself to hope she’d find in a man.
It’s time.
She slipped her feet into a pair of comfortable tennis shoes and grabbed her black strappy heels—the only dressy shoes she owned—and laughed at the thought that the additional couple inches they’d give her wouldn’t make her even noticeably closer to Gabe in height. She took the shoes and the overnight bag she’d packed last night out to Gabe’s truck then trotted down the road to the barn.
She slipped discreetly inside, and the sound of cherished voices greeted her as her family and Gabe discussed Angel’s somewhat miraculous arrival to the world. When her eyes adjusted, she spied her parents leaning against the gate of the stall where Gabe had helped Diamond Dot deliver her colt. Cody perched almost exactly where he’d sat that day, and Gabe was once again in the stall, stroking his hand down the paint mare’s neck. Angel nosed his free hand, demanding attention. Annemarie had to bite back a laugh so she didn’t alert them to her presence. She wasn’t quite ready to join them yet.
It felt like a lifetime ago since she had first met Gabe right here in this barn. He had become such a treasured fixture in her routine that it was difficult to recall what her life had been like without him in it. She had transformed into a new version of herself, one entwined with him, and even those many memories she’d made before she’d met him were viewed now through the eyes of this new Annemarie, with altered lenses.
She liked the new her. This Annemarie wasn’t scared and heartbroken. She was confident and hopeful.
She hadn’t made a sound or moved another inch, and yet Gabe lifted his gaze and met hers with a tender smile that quickly morphed into awestruck surprise as he took in the whole of her. She didn’t need the lopsided grin to know that he liked what he saw; his eyes said more than enough.
The jolt of familiar desire and connection zapped her, and her lips lifted to match. She couldn’t say if it was that first kiss that had shattered the last wall between them or if it was their Torrington road trip in general, but they were in sync now. That metaphorical dance she’d pictured them inching closer into? She wasn’t waiting and watching for the moment to slip into his arms anymore. She was fully there, moving with him through complex and dizzying steps.
“You are all so predictable,” she remarked at last, sauntering to the stall.
“Oh, Mom,” Cody sighed. “Wow. You’re…. Gabe, what’s the G word that means really, really pretty?”
“Gorgeous.”
“Yeah. You’re gorgeous, Mom.”
“Yes, she is,” Gabe murmured.
“Oh, sweetheart!” her mother cheered, hugging her tightly. “You look stunning. And you’re wearing your necklace. The one your dad and I bought you when Cody was born.”
She nodded, watching Gabe, who couldn’t tear his eyes away. At the moment, he was focused on her pendant, and when he met her gaze a moment later, his smile had softened. Without being told, he understood why she’d chosen to wear it, and gratitude for this incredible man swamped her.
“Mind if we stop by my place so I can change into something a little nicer so I’m not so completely underdressed?” he asked.
“I don’t care about that. You’re just fine as you are.”
“I won’t have my lady’s ravishing beauty sullied by this wastrel’s rags.”
The playfully gallant turn of phrase caught her by surprise, and she laughed. “As you wish, good sir. Mom, Dad, Cody… have fun tonight.”
“We’ll try not to destroy the house,” Bill quipped.
“Oh, go ahead and destroy it. Just have a good time doing it.”
Annemarie snatched Gabe’s hand and dragged him out of the stall. She hugged her son, reminded him to be good for his grandparents, and rushed through thanking her parents and bidding them goodnight so she wasn’t tempted to linger. This would be her first night away from her son, and as much as she was looking forward to her time with Gabe, she hoped desperately that the separation anxiety wouldn’t ruin it.
On the ride into town, she tried to avoid the topic of missing her son by talking about anything but that, and it only made her more anxious. Finally, Gabe broached the subject, and she found that talking about it helped. A lot. So did admitting to the guilt she felt for being relieved to have the large chunk of time to be an adult and focus on herself. When he observed that taking care of herself for a few hours would probably allow her to take care of her son with a renewed energy, she let out a sigh and consciously let go of her guilt.
Gabe’s house was located in a quiet neighborhood on the southwest side of Cody, an early 1900s home with a finished room in the attic, she guessed, gazing up at the tall, narrow window upstairs. It had been remodeled in recent years, and instead of the plain white, horizontal siding she would’ve expected, it was sided with vertical rough-sawn planks. The trim around the roofline, door, and windows was stained a dark blue that allowed the wood’s grain to show through. Gabe parked in the long driveway that ended at the surprisingly large, newer garage in the back right corner of the oversized lot. Two quaking aspens flanked the walkway up to the enclosed front porch.
She recognized the house right next door as Terri’s. The veterinarian was
out in her yard weeding the flowerbed around one of the two towering spruce trees, and when Annemarie stepped out of Gabe’s truck—now wearing her strappy heels—she let out a whistle.
“You clean up nice, Garrett,” the vet called. “Hot date tonight, huh?”
“I hope so, but I’m not sure what the plan is yet.”
“We’re being spontaneous,” Gabe explained.
“You? Spontaneous? Since when, Sparky?”
“Since now.”
“Welcome to the wild side.”
“Thanks,” he chuckled and held the door for Annemarie.
The porch was adorned with a glass-topped wicker coffee table and a pair of matching wicker chairs that looked quite comfortable with their overstuffed cushions. An empty coffee mug sat on the table beside a well-worn paperback, and she guessed he spent a fair amount of his free time out here. She craned her neck to see what book he was reading. Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove—a fitting choice for a man born and bred for the cowboy way of life.
Gabe unlocked the door into the house and stepped aside so she could enter.
The interior had undergone a major remodel as well. It didn’t have the closed-off floor plan she had expected. Instead, the living room and dining room were open, separated from the kitchen by only an island. The stairs to the attic sat right in the middle of the house with the kitchen to the right and what appeared to be an office to the left. Sliding, glass-paneled doors separated it from the living area but didn’t give quite the same closed-off feeling solid doors would have. The downstairs bathroom was tucked away under the stairs and was larger than she expected, opening into some of the space she’d thought was all part of the office. At the rear of the house was a large bedroom, and the master suite took up the entire attic, he informed her, complete with its own bathroom that featured a Jacuzzi tub.
The walls were painted a warm reddish sand color that would make the place feel warm even on the coldest winter day, and the trim was all weathered barn wood. A wreath of rusted barbed wire hung on one wall in the living room, horseshoe lamps and art, and other artifacts from a ranch—Gabe’s family’s or someone else’s, she didn’t know—were scattered throughout the house, but there were very few personal touches. She spotted a few family photos, and there was a shelving unit full of books and photos and knickknacks, but otherwise, it looked more like a show house than a residence.
