Diamond in the Dust (Second Chances Time Travel Romance Book 3)

by Peggy L Henderson

  “We came here so you could learn how to ride. What are all your friends at home going to say when I tell them that you were afraid to get on a horse?”

  “That kid doesn’t want to ride, and his mother is pushing him. She’s making Cookie nervous, which is making everything even worse.” Abby leaned her head through the fence and whispered.

  “Don’t seem right of the mother to shame him into doing something he’s afraid to do,” Gabe muttered.

  How often had Cora tossed him out onto the street, telling him to toughen up when the town bullies wouldn’t leave him alone? It hadn’t mattered that he’d told her he was afraid, or that they outnumbered him five to one and were years older than he.

  “Gabe McFarlain, if I’m to raise you up to be a man, you can’t be afraid of a bunch of kids. If you sit in a corner, crying, you’ll only give them reason to come after you. You have to be tougher than that. Don’t throw the first punch if you don’t have to, but make sure you always throw the last.”

  Gabe glanced over at the boy and his mother. He mentally shook his head. His solitary ride was going to have to wait.

  * * * * *

  Morgan bounced Logan on her hip, heading down the road toward the barns and horse corrals. She’d just passed Jake at the house, who’d winked at her and, with a wide grin on his face, had said, “If you hurry, you might catch him. He’s about to go out on a ride.” Without waiting for a response, he’d continued to the kitchen.

  She didn’t have to ask to whom he was referring. Obviously, it was written all over her face that she missed Gabe. She’d asked Jake about him on several occasions, casually wondering how he’d been getting along. Jake had told her that Gabe knew his way around horses and was fitting in well. It was about time that she found out for herself. He’d been avoiding her long enough.

  Giving Gabe time to find his feet was the better strategy than if she pestered him constantly. At least it’s what she’d told herself over the last few days. He’d only push her away more if she nagged him. She had first-hand knowledge of that. The more her mother had pushed her, the more Morgan had rebelled. Maybe over the course of the last few days, Gabe had found time to think about her more, too. Absence made the heart grow fonder, right? It certainly had for her.

  Thoughts of his calloused hand caressing her cheek, and then that kiss before he’d told her it didn’t change anything, kept her awake at night. She chuckled softly. Silly guy. Of course it changed things. That he’d even followed her, and then told her about himself, even if it was just a small glimpse, proved that he had feelings for her, didn’t it?

  He was such a strong, proud, and confident man, except for when it came to himself. He’d come from a troubled past, raised by a single mother who was a . . . she didn’t want to use the word he’d used, and hadn’t even known his father. Gabe McFarlain was deeply afraid of being rejected again, but there was also something else gnawing at him. It’s why he’d built such a solid wall around himself. He believed he wasn’t worthy of love, but never knowing his father couldn’t be the only reason for that. She’d do whatever it took to convince him otherwise.

  Several people stood outside a circular pen when she approached the barns. Two of the cowgirls, Lisa and Abby, stood close together, one holding a small horse, or more likely, a pony. Another woman stood with them. Morgan glanced at the activity inside the pen, and her eyes widened.

  Gabe stood in the center of the pen, a young boy by his side. A big horse was running around in a circle along the fence around them.

  Morgan walked up to the cowgirls. “What’s Gabe doing?”

  The shorter of the two, Abby, kicked her toe into the dirt, stirring up dust, while next to her, Lisa chuckled.

  “He thinks he can get Aaron to overcome his fear of horses. I’ve been trying to get that kid on Cookie for half an hour, then Gabe comes along and asks the boy if he knows how to speak horse.”

  “Speak horse?” Morgan’s forehead wrinkled.

  “He said something to Aaron about needing to understand things a man was afraid of, and asked him if he would like to learn how to talk to the horse.”

  “Really?” Morgan mentally shook her head. Gabe might know how to talk to horses, but maybe he needed to take his own advice when it came to communicating with her.

  “I still don’t understand what chasing that big horse around in a circle has to do with riding,” the woman, presumably Aaron’s mother standing next to them, said. “That cowboy even took off the horse’s saddle. Won’t that make things harder?”

  “Well, looks like Aaron’s doing what Gabe’s asking him to do. That’s more than he did with me,” Abby said.

  Next to her, Lisa sniggered. “Maybe Gabe can give us all some lessons.”

  Morgan cleared her throat. “I’ll be first in line,” she said with a bright smile, and adjusted Logan on her other hip.

  Both cowgirls laughed.

  “Better rope that man soon, Morgan. Judy’s been trying, but she’s struck out so far,” Lisa said.

  Morgan focused her attention on Gabe. It had crossed her mind that maybe he’d be more open to women with whom he shared common interests, but Lisa’s comment spoke to the contrary.

  Inside the pen, Gabe was talking to the boy, handing him some leather lines, and motioning with his body. The boy followed his actions, and it soon became apparent that the horse, completely free of any restraints, was doing what the boy was asking, speeding up and slowing down, and even turning to run in the other direction. Minutes passed, and Logan squirmed in her arms. Morgan shushed him, fascinated by watching this side of Gabe, the way he communicated with the animal and the child.

  Another ten minutes passed, and the horse had been running in both directions in the circle, when it suddenly stopped and looked toward the man and boy standing in the center. Rather than turn toward the horse, Gabe motioned for the boy to stand with his shoulder to the side. Without apparent prompting, the horse walked toward the two. Gabe and the boy walked away, and the horse followed. They stopped, and the horse stopped and lowered its head. Hesitating only slightly, the boy reached up and touched the horse between the eyes.

  “That was amazing,” Morgan whispered. There was no question in her mind that Gabe and the boy had been communicating with the horse.

  “Well, I’ll be damned.” Abby said quietly, still holding the pony. “I’ve seen demonstrations like this, I just ain’t never thought to try it myself.”

  Gabe leaned forward, his hands resting on his thighs, talking to the boy. Slowly, the child nodded, and followed Gabe to the side of the horse. Gabe lifted him onto the animal’s tall back. The boy’s mother gasped.

  “Don’t say anything,” Lisa warned.

  Morgan stood speechless with the other women as Gabe put the bridle on the horse, and handed the reins to the boy, talking to him in hushed tones. He backed away, and the boy grabbed hold of some of the horse’s mane when it followed Gabe. He headed for the gate, opened it, and walked through. The horse followed.

  “That was . . . how did you do that?” the woman sputtered, and rushed up to the horse and her son.

  “I did it, Mom! I’m riding.” The boy’s face widened in a bright grin.

  “I guess I’d best get Cookie back to the barn,” Abby grumbled, and turned to leave. Lisa laughed, and followed her.

  “Can we do that again, Gabe?” the boy asked, the enthusiasm clear in his voice.

  Gabe’s head turned, and he looked directly at Morgan, who was the only one still standing there. Her heart jumped to her throat, which constricted painfully. Had he been aware of her this entire time? He’d given no prior indication that he’d even noticed her until now. He adjusted his hat on his head before focusing on the boy again, but that brief moment of eye contact sent an electric current through the air that left her rooted to the spot on tingling legs.

  Logan squirmed and fussed in her arms. His patience at being held so long had run out. If she wanted to talk to Gabe, she’d need to make
it quick.

  “Best talk to Miss Bartlett over there,” Gabe said. “She’ll arrange for your next ride.” He raised his arms, and helped the boy slide off the horse’s back.

  This was her opportunity. Morgan approached.

  “Let me find out what Gabe’s schedule is, and I’ll get another lesson set up.” She smiled from the boy to his mother. The woman thanked Gabe for helping her son to overcome his fear of horses.

  Gabe nodded politely, then turned back to his horse when the two finally left. Leading the animal to the fence, he reached for a saddle that hung over the rail, and swung it onto the animal’s back.

  “That was an amazing thing you did for that kid,” Morgan said, coming up beside him.

  Gabe looped the leather straps through the saddle girth, and pulled it tight, working quickly and efficiently. He didn’t look at her.

  “I felt sorry for him. His mother was making things worse, shaming him into doing something he wasn’t ready for,” he grumbled.

  Morgan placed a hand on his arm. “I know how it feels to be pushed around by my mother . . . did your mother make you do things you were afraid of?”

  Gabe tensed. Slowly, his head turned, and he glanced down at her. Logan nearly flung himself out of her grasp to touch the horse.

  “Maybe you need to follow the advice you gave that boy.”

  Gabe stared at her, his eyes roaming her face. Uncertainty mixed with his stubborn determination.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Maybe if you learned more about the things you’re so afraid of, they might not be so scary.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Oh, yeah? And what am I afraid of?”

  Morgan smiled. That she’d gotten a reaction out of him was a good sign that she’d hit the mark.

  “You’re afraid of letting someone . . . me . . . get close to you, because for some reason that you haven’t told me yet, you’re worried you’re going to get hurt, or perhaps you think you’ll hurt me.”

  Gabe’s jaw muscles tightened.

  “Finding dirt on me ain’t too hard, Morgan,” he said solemnly.

  “Well, you haven’t given me a chance to dig for any,” she retorted. Her lips widened in a grin. “Who knows, I think I may have found a diamond in the dust, even if you only see yourself as a lump of coal.”

  His eyes locked on hers for what seemed like an eternity. If he thought she’d look away first, he could think again. If only she could read his mind at that moment. Like so many times before, a multitude of emotions passed through those dark eyes. Confusion and disbelief, followed by admiration and something more. She dared not move, or say anything. He was waging a war inside his mind, and she wasn’t going to interrupt. If she pressed any more right now, she’d lose.

  For a split second, it looked as if he was going to say something. Her cell phone rang in her back jeans pocket. Morgan gnashed her teeth, and cursed silently.

  Gabe abruptly turned to his horse, and swung up into the saddle. The ease and relaxed manner in which he sat on the animal made him look like he was part of the horse. He was truly in his element. Morgan expelled the breath she’d been holding. If the stupid phone wasn’t ringing, would he have opened up to her?

  “I’ve got work waitin’.” He tipped his hat to her, and nudged his horse in the side.

  Morgan groaned in frustration, and shifted Logan to her other hip. He started crying when Gabe rode off.

  “He’s a tough nut to crack, but I think we’re getting closer,” she said, kissing her son’s cheek. She headed back in the direction of the house, and fumbled in her back pocket for her phone.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Morgan drove down the well-traveled gravel road that led to the sprawling ranch house in the distance. She’d passed through the main gate at least a mile back. Pasture fences lined both sides of road, and horses dotted the landscape. Stands of pine trees, aspen, and cottonwoods were sprinkled across the hills.

  The hour-long drive to reach Bryce’s ranch had given her plenty of time to think about all that had happened over the last weeks. Bryce had surprised her with his phone call. Rather annoyed with the untimely call, Morgan had hastily agreed to meet him when he announced that he would be in Montana in a few days, and that he’d like to see her. She’d been sure that Gabe would have opened up to her and told her more about himself if not for her darn phone ringing. It was even more irritating that the caller had been Bryce.

  She had no doubt as to why he wanted to talk to her, but when he’d also asked to see Logan, she couldn’t tell him no. Bryce was his father, after all, and he had a right to see his son. Not that any of that mattered. If Bryce thought he could sway her into coming back to him by pretending to be a caring father, he could think again.

  The mustangs would be arriving at the Trails End Ranch tomorrow, and getting her visit with Bryce over with was best accomplished today. She didn’t want any distractions when the horses arrived. Mr. Banks, the owner of the sanctuary, had been more than elated when she’d told him that she’d found a temporary home for them. She’d assured him that she’d help him look for, and secure, a permanent location for the animals. Jake hadn’t given her a deadline as to how long the horses could stay, but she didn’t want to take advantage of him, either.

  After her nearly-successful attempt to get Gabe to divulge more about himself the other day, she hadn’t had another chance to talk to him in private. It was more than obvious that he was avoiding her. She’d seen him briefly during meals, but preparing and serving food to the guests and workers had prevented her from having another conversation with him, other than a quick “hello, how are you?” He usually ate in haste, and then disappeared again.

  She’d never even considered pursuing a guy before, but she was hopelessly in love with Gabe, for whatever baffling reason. There was no denying that she’d been drawn to him from the start, and his stubbornness to admit that he had feelings for her only made her more determined. If he had been disinterested in her, she would have had no choice but to give up. She wasn’t unrealistic, after all. He did have feelings for her, though, and at some point he’d crack and tell her so. The key was to bide her time, let him know she cared for him without being pushy, and give him space.

  She’d talked to the cowgirls a few times, and through them had found out that Gabe kept to himself, rather than go out socially with them, whenever they and the other wranglers met at the local pub for a beer after work. He talked with the guys, played cards with them during breaks, and seemed fairly at ease around them.

  “Judy here’s been laying the charm on him, but he’s not so easily charmed,” Lisa had told her with a wide grin, boxing her friend in the arm.

  Judy had glanced at Morgan while rubbing her arm, then said, “For what it’s worth, when you show up at the barn, he can’t take his eyes off you.” She sighed dramatically, and stared dreamily off into space. “Wish a guy would look at me that way. He thinks no one sees it, but we’ve all got bets going on how long he’s gonna hold out before he comes and asks you out.” She’d looked from Abby to Lisa, then back to Morgan, and added, “I was saying just the other day that he looked like he wanted to strangle Daniel when he saw the two of you together, talking over by the arena.” She’d smiled conspiratorially.

  “Maybe you need to play hard to get, like Morgan, rather than chase after every guy you see,” Abby had suggested.

  Morgan had laughed. “I’m not playing hard to get. I think he’s got a pretty good idea how I feel about him.”

  “Well, we could knock him over the head with a two by four,” Lisa had suggested. “Maybe then a lightbulb would go off. Or, arrange for a horse to kick some sense into him.”

  Morgan had waved them off. “He needs time to realize what he wants. I’m in no hurry, but thanks for the offer.”

  Morgan smiled at the memory of that conversation. Deciding to move to Montana had been the best decision she’d ever made. She loved being away from the city, mingling with people who
were friendly and down-to-earth. She’d known Jake and Rachel from the last time she’d been here, but they’d become good friends to her now, and even the cowgirls didn’t treat her like some city slicker. If only she could break down Gabe’s walls, life would be perfect.

  She slowed her truck when she approached the ranch. The house was nestled against a gently sloping hill covered in pine trees. It wasn’t quite as modern or large as the Owens’ home, but its rustic style blended perfectly with the surroundings.

  Two older barns that looked as if they could have been built a hundred or more years ago, but looked to be well maintained, stood off in the distance. Three more barns, definitely modern in style, had been built on the opposite side of the small valley that housed the main ranch buildings. Horses mingled in several of the corrals, and an irrigation system sprayed water on a nearby field. This place definitely had more of a private feel to it than the hustle and bustle of the dude ranch.

  Morgan parked the truck in front of the house. She unbuckled Logan from his car seat, grabbed his diaper bag, and headed up the steps of the wide wrap-around porch. The door opened the instant she knocked, and a woman in a maid’s uniform greeted her with an indifferent smile.

  “I’m here to see Bryce--”

  “Morgan!” Bryce emerged from behind the woman, that charming smile of his reminding her of a toothpaste commercial.

  The maid stepped aside, and quickly disappeared through the large entry and down the hall. Bryce reached for Morgan’s arm, leaned forward and kissed her cheek, and ushered her inside. This wasn’t the first time she’d been in this home. Bryce had brought her here the night she both regretted, but wouldn’t change for anything. She hugged Logan close to her.

  “I’m surprised you came to Montana,” Morgan said, and followed Bryce into the large living room. A massive river-rock fireplace took up nearly half the wall. A large oil painting of a brown horse standing over a windswept ridge, hanging over the mantle, caught her eye. The walls were decorated with more paintings and photographs of horses posing with handlers. In one corner stood a wooden cabinet with large glass doors that displayed numerous awards and trophies in the form of silver or gold plates and cups. She obviously hadn’t paid close attention to these things a couple of years ago.