A Rancher’s Song

by Vivian Arend

  “You plan on sticking around long enough to take one of these ladies for a night on the town?” her father asked Walker, leaning the microphone toward him.

  “A date with one of these fine ladies? Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.” Walker offered a wink to the woman waving at him from the near side of the room.

  Ivy put a hand over her mouth to stop from snickering. That was such a Walker thing to say.

  Her father turned to the room and opened the bidding. He didn’t babble fast and furious like some true auctioneer. He took the time to name the bidders when he recognized them and add to the excitement of the event with a little teasing. But it was all in fun and for good cause, and it was exactly what Ivy needed to make her summer plans start with a bang.

  If things went well.

  The first minute passed, and the bids came slowly at first. Ivy watched with interest as two women in the same group bid at the same time then burst out laughing.

  Her father got into it. “Now, ladies. You’re going to have to do better than that. Two hundred dollars is barely enough to build a new sandbox. This fine bull rider deserves a few higher numbers than that. Do I hear two fifty?”

  “Two fifty,” came a call from behind the pie table, Tansy waving her hand in the air.

  Both of the men on the stage jerked in shock.

  Concern crossed Walker’s face before he schooled his features into a smile, but Malachi kept frowning even as he acknowledged the bid. “Two fifty from the young lady behind the pies, who might’ve consumed a little too many of her own wares and be on a sugar high at the moment.”

  “Two seventy-five,” came another shout, this time from the woman at the front table.

  “There we go. There’s a good solid bid.” Malachi twisted his body toward the nearby group, as if cutting Tansy out of all future bidding options.

  Her poor father. He was going to kill his daughters before this day was over.

  “Three hundred,” Tansy returned. “And I’ll throw in a cherry pie.”

  Walker’s lips twitched, but he still looked as if he’d swallowed a bug.

  “The bid stands at three hundred and one cherry pie.” Her father turned back to the table at the front and held his arms open. “Back in your corner, ladies. May I remind you we’re talking about Heart Falls’ finest. A bona fide rodeo champion.”

  “That means he’s good in the saddle,” one of the women teased.

  “Let’s keep it family friendly,” Malachi reminded them over the laughter. “Do I have another bid? I have it on good authority he also has the voice of an angel.”

  “Sing for us,” went up the cry.

  Walker held up a hand in protest, shaking his head. “Now’s not the time.”

  “Three fifty for a date, and the table next to me says if you’ll sing something this minute, they’ll donate one hundred to the fundraiser.” The woman at the front gestured over her shoulder where a group of older men grinned at Walker with amusement.

  Walker shrugged, glancing over his shoulder at the bachelors still waiting. “Sorry, guys, but you have to suffer a little longer. Easy money is easy money.”

  He accepted the microphone from Malachi, staring at the old timers for a moment as he patted a hand on his leg, heel tapping to get a rhythm started. Then he opened his mouth and let the words roll, strong and inviting, bringing smiles to the faces around them as he sang about the end of a long day on the ranch, finishing work, and heading out to have a good time.

  A verse and the chorus, not much more than a half-dozen lines, rang out a cappella—and it sounded great. Walker’s voice was rich and strong, and Ivy found herself moving in time to the simple words.

  He held the final note before cutting off with a bow, hat in hand. Walker pointed a finger at the old-timers, motioning them forward. Laughter and applause rose as he hammed it up for their benefit.

  One of the men came to the front and handed over a pile of twenties. Walker shook his hand enthusiastically before offering the money to Malachi.

  The room was still filled with noise when Tansy’s voice cut through the chaos. “One thousand dollars, and you have to promise to sing at the date.”

  That was the way to get a bunch of wild, enthusiastic people to calm down—not.

  The volume tripled, and once again Walker looked slightly sick to his stomach, his smile barely clinging in place.

  Malachi looked as if he was either going to join Walker or shoot his daughter. Especially when no amount of encouragement could get anyone else to up their bid.

  “Going once. Going twice… This is Walker Stone we’re talking about, ladies.”

  “Say it, Papa. You can do it. Going three times,” Tansy encouraged.

  Another ripple of laughter.

  “Going three times…” Malachi looked around the room in vain. He brought his hand against his leg a little less enthusiastically than he had with previous auction winners, but still, he carried on determinedly. “Sold. To Tansy Fields, for one thousand dollars.”

  * * *

  This whole thing had been a bad idea from the start. But now, watching as Tansy Fields made her way out from behind the pie table and skipped toward the front of the room, Walker wasn’t sure he could keep his smile in place for much longer.

  His younger brother Dustin, who was still waiting in line to be bought and paid for, slipped to his side, leaning against him to murmur quietly, “That’s awkward.”

  It was more than awkward; it was wrong on so many levels. Tansy Fields was like a little sister to him, and watching her bounce forward like a female Tigger wasn’t doing anything to change his opinion.

  It might be for a good cause, the bachelor auction, and he might be home in Heart Falls, which meant he had to take part or come up with a damn good excuse why he couldn’t, but no way he was going to do anything with Tansy Fields.

  It wasn’t going to be a date by any stretch of the imagination. No way. Nothing date-like, especially not a good-night kiss. It was bad enough he’d had to sing—though, thank God, he’d gotten through without something terrible happening.

  Something terrible had happened. He was supposed to go on a date with Tansy.

  She stood at the front of the stage, grinning at him briefly before turning her smile on her father. “Boy, do you look grumpy.”

  Malachi shut off the microphone and folded his arms over his chest. He lowered his voice as he bent to speak to his daughter. “I’m sure you’ve got a reasonable explanation for your behaviour, yes?”

  She handed over a folded piece of paper. “I have a beautiful explanation. It’s all in there.”

  Walker wasn’t sure how any explanation was going to make this better. Heck, if came down to it, he’d refund her money, and they could eat a pizza with her whole family or something for their “date.”

  Only as he read the page she handed him, the tension drained out of Malachi like a plug had been pulled. The man flashed Walker a wide smile then held the paper aloft as if it were a winning lottery ticket.

  “I think in the interest of keeping things aboveboard and transparent, I’ll read this to you.”

  Walker tried not to tense, but something strange was afoot.

  “Bidding done by Tansy Fields with the purpose of winning one date with Walker Dynamite Stone, at a time, etc., of their reckoning, purchased by—wait, there’s been a small note added that says payment includes one cherry pie.”

  Laughter again, but people were leaning in, listening intently.

  “Purchased by—” Malachi hesitated, and Walker wondered if anyone had ever wanted to strangle an auctioneer as much as he did at this particular moment.

  Malachi lifted his eyes and looked across the room, a great deal of amusement in his voice. “—Ivy Fields.”

  Relief shot through Walker so hard his legs shook, and as applause burst from the crowd, heads pivoted from side to side. Suddenly, hands rose to point as Ivy stepped forward.

  It’d been a setup, and for one mo
ment Walker was absolutely overjoyed. But then reality kicked in, and he realized that it wasn’t eleven years earlier, and nothing was going to be simple. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from drinking her in as she made her way forward through the crowd.

  Her cheeks were rosy, probably flushed with embarrassment at the hoots and hollers. Her silver white hair hung in a braid pulled forward over her right shoulder, the delicate skin of her forearms and hands a sharp contrast with the powder blue blouse she wore.

  Her eyes sparkled at him, though, and she wore a smile brighter than he remembered seeing for a long time. Confident, and yet not. Bold, and yet with that core of vulnerability she’d had so many years ago.

  She’d changed. Hell, so had he, but one thing was the same. That same draw hovered between them even from half a room away.

  Walker stepped to the front of the stage and flipped himself off, landing solidly in the empty space at the front of the aisle that would bring them together.

  Another round of cheers went up, and then the shouting changed to words.

  Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her

  The locals knew their history—knew they’d been sweethearts back in the day. It made sense they’d be riled up and willing to tease. The crowd was helping to pull Ivy forward, and hands were at Walker’s back guiding him as well.

  As if he needed any encouragement.

  They met in the middle of the room, and the noise level hit a deafening volume as the chant continued.

  Kiss her. Kiss her.

  Walker held out a hand, and she placed her fingers in his with no hesitation. It wasn’t the crowd’s encouragement that made him do it. It was the need in his gut telling him to go ahead and take a bite.

  He pulled her against him, sliding a hand behind her back as he brought their bodies into contact, twisting and dipping her, bending forward until she had to arch back and rely on him to hold her safely.

  She didn’t fight him, not one bit. She just moved in unison as if it’d been yesterday and not years ago they’d been in each other’s arms. And when he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers, it was like coming home.

  Sweet heat. Hovering passion. They’d been children before, playing at love and testing their physical boundaries. He wasn’t a child anymore, and neither was she. And it was clear as he took her lips that if he let it, the fire between them would flare a whole hell of a lot hotter and wilder than it ever had before.

  The wolf whistles in the room were deafening, but the loudest thing was the hum of approval from Ivy’s lips as he brought her to vertical, swirling her in a circle as if they were finishing a turn on the dance floor.

  Yeah, kissing Ivy was like coming home—which was a whole hell of a lot of trouble considering his return to Heart Falls was only temporary.

  2

  Walker stared into her face as they separated enough for polite company. “You’re back,” he said stupidly.

  “I’m back,” Ivy agreed, peeking over his shoulder to the stage. “Are you okay with this?”

  He wasn’t sure what he felt at the moment other than sheer relief he didn’t have to deal with Tansy. “Of course.”

  Ivy nodded firmly then glanced at the people watching them with interest as Malachi opened the bidding on the next man. “I think you’re supposed to go back and cheer on your fellow bachelors so they don’t feel awkward.”

  God. Heading back on stage was the last thing Walker wanted, but she was right. “I remember. You got a number for me to call? To set up our date?”

  She handed over a business card then backed away, answering her sisters’ calls from the side of the room. “I’ll talk to you later, then.”

  “Later.”

  Ivy sashayed smoothly down the open aisle. Her hips swayed from side to side, and it was impossible to tear his gaze away or to refrain from imagining her naked, her long limbs…

  He shook himself, checking to see if anyone had caught him leering. No one close by—their attention had turned toward the stage. Unfortunately, when he glanced toward the pie table, Tansy and Rose were grinning at him like fools.

  He shook a finger at them.

  Rose stuck out her tongue. Tansy batted her lashes then turned to face the stage where Dustin was being hauled forward to be auctioned off.

  The good-natured teasing continued as Walker rejoined his crew at the front.

  Even his brother Caleb wore a satisfied expression when they bumped into each other on the way out of the hall.

  “I don’t understand why they’ve got the auction happening in the middle of the damn afternoon,” Walker muttered quietly as Caleb smacked a hand on his shoulder, pushing him aside to let his wife and girls walk ahead of them to the truck. “Doesn’t seem right, letting kids see guys get sold off like they’re breeding stock.”

  “Oh, worried about your reputation? That’s why you and—Ivy is it?—were in a killer lip-lock in the middle of a G-rated gathering?” his sister-in-law Tamara deadpanned.

  Walker didn’t think he blushed, but…

  He glanced at Tamara. “It was all in good fun.”

  “Exactly. That’s why the auction is part of the family event, so it doesn’t get dragged off into territory the town council wants to avoid.” Tamara opened the crew-cab door then helped her youngest daughter, Emma, climb onto the running board and into the back seat.

  Tamara examined Walker with great curiosity while Emma got settled. “Still, I have lots and lots of questions for you.”

  “Ivy and Walker were sweethearts in high school.” This matter-of-fact bit of data came from his second niece who had crawled in from the other side of the truck and was doing up her seatbelt. Sasha leaned forward and smartly informed Tamara, “Kelli says high school sweeties who stick together forever are movie fodder and not real.”

  “When do you find all this time to talk to Kelli?” Tamara asked, obviously puzzled. “She works in the barns, and you’re at school all day.”

  “Not anymore,” Sasha pointed out, ignoring the question. “Summer holidays started. Kelli says—”

  “We’ll just wait on what Kelli says until we’re on the way home, okay, pumpkin?” Caleb offered Tamara a head shake before turning to Walker. “Come for supper.”

  “Can’t. Things to do.”

  Caleb raised a brow, and Walker gave in. He’d only gotten back to the ranch a day earlier, and he hadn’t spent much time with anyone. “Fine. I’ll wash up then join you.”

  “I’ll invite Dustin,” Tamara offered. “If that’s okay with you.”

  “Who you asking, me or Walker?” Caleb gave Tamara a pointed look. “Because it seems Dustin is at our table more often than not these days.”

  She raised a brow back. “I’m not about to tell him to go away, Caleb. He’s family.”

  Walker wondered what the hell was up, but before he could ask for details, they were on the road and headed back to Silver Stone.

  He followed his brother’s truck at a distance, his gaze lingering on the familiar rolling hills that slowly opened up to reveal the long, low ranch house perched between the barns and the shining surface of Big Sky Lake.

  Home. He’d been born here and had grown up roaming these hills, working chores after school then full-time once he’d graduated. This was where he’d learned to ride and rope.

  Where he’d stolen his first kiss—from Ivy Fields, no less. The Snow Princess she’d been back then, and memories swirled around him, hard and fast.

  He shoved them away and focused on the here and now, turning into the ranch and parking by the bunkhouse.

  He changed out of his dress-up stuff into clean work clothes then made his way to the ranch house, letting himself in the back door. Tasty scents filled the air, and as he hung his hat on one of the hooks in the mudroom, it was clear the place was the same, yet subtly changed since he’d left earlier that year.

  New curtains hung at the windows, and he noticed new shelves in the mudroom. Tamara’s touch, no doubt. Over the shelves were hand-
drawn name tags for Emma and Sasha, pink and purple with glitter. Tamara’s feminine touch and his nieces’ presence were noticeable everywhere around the house, more so than ever before.

  Laughter rang from the main room, and Walker stepped toward it eagerly. This was why he’d come back. A touch of home—maybe it would cure what was ailing him.

  Sasha spotted him, jumping up and down. “Uncle Walker sits by me,” she shouted.

  But Emma had snuck up to his side and slid her hand into his, tugging lightly to get his attention. “I saved you a seat,” she told him softly.

  His throat thickened. His littlest niece had never been a big talker, so it was good to have her sharing so much more smoothly than he remembered. “How about I sit between you two? Or will you steal things from my plate? I hope not, ’cause I’m hungry.”

  “Mama cooked lots,” Emma assured him, tugging him to the table, the words so much more important because they came easily to her lips.

  Tamara certainly had cooked enough, and the food went down just fine. Dustin had showed up as well, ruffling Sasha’s hair before hurrying to help carry a platter to the table. Then he’d taken his dose of teasing over the woman who’d bought him at the bachelor auction.

  “I’m taking her out next Friday,” he said, a flush on his cheeks, but he was happy.

  “It’s not the same one as last year, is it?” Walker asked. “Because didn’t she get a little stalkerish on you?”

  “Dustin’s previous admirer was not around for this year’s auction,” Tamara informed him as she helped Emma deal with her plate.

  Dustin grinned. “I don’t know how you managed that, but thank you.”

  “No problem. I’m sure she’s having a good time purchasing stock in Calgary this weekend.” Tamara looked thoughtful, glancing up at Walker. “Calgary Stampede starts this weekend. I thought you’d qualified.”

  He’d qualified, but competing was out of the question. “I’m taking a little time off,” he told her. “I need to do some training before I go back in the arena.”

  Thankfully, no one asked any more questions, so he sat back and enjoyed the family time and the food.