by Leigh Bale
Ted Mortensen intercepted her.
“Hi, Lily! It’s been a long time.” Ted leaned close, his eyes all over her as she backed up against the wall.
“Hello, Ted.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her arms slightly, which were filled with the files Clara had just given her. The documents blocked her round stomach from view.
“Where have you been these past years?” Ted asked.
“Oh, here and there.”
A flash of panic filled her eyes and she stared at Ted’s shoulders, looking tense as a wound top. Nate didn’t think before taking a step toward her.
Ted leaned into her and she cringed. “Maybe we could get together sometime. You free tomorrow night?”
“Sorry, Ted. She’s already got plans.” Nate tugged on Ted’s arm to pull him away from Lily.
Ted pivoted on his boot heels, his mouth open in surprise. At the same time, Lily heaved a sigh of relief and moved to Nate’s side.
Ted’s forehead crinkled with repugnance and his gaze swerved to Lily. He jerked a thumb toward Nate, his voice filled with revulsion. “Ain’t the ranger a bit old for you, Lily?”
Her jaw hardened. “It’s none of your business.”
She set the files on the table before smoothing a hand over her rounding stomach. Ted’s gaze lowered and his eyes widened. The big fool.
Without another word, Lily picked up the files and headed toward the door, tossing an icy glare over her shoulder at the two men.
Determined to work with Lily for the good of the rodeo, Nate hurried to catch up. Ted stared after them, shaking his head in disgust.
“Hey, Lily, looks like you and I will be working together,” Nate called.
“Yeah. I didn’t know you’d be here, too.”
What did that mean? Would she have refused to serve on the committee if she’d known he would be working with her?
She kept walking, her long hair swaying with her brisk stride.
“Maybe we could meet to go over a few things before we pull our committees together.” He thought the suggestion was a good idea. He longed to show her that he meant no harm.
“Maybe,” she responded, her gaze darting to the door as if she longed to escape.
“When would be a good time for you?”
She jerked a shoulder. “Um, I’d have to check with Dad. Next week sometime.”
“Okay, how about if I give you a call tomorrow and we can set something up?” He smiled, hoping to alleviate her fears.
“Yeah, but just remember, it’s business only. Nothing more.”
He opened the door for her and she stepped past him out into the parking lot. He stood there watching her go. She waddled slightly and he found the sight endearing. It made him feel even more protective of her.
Standing beside her father’s truck, she dug through her purse to find her keys. When she jerked open the door and got inside, she tossed him a frosty glare. She had spunk, that was for sure.
Deciding to ignore her bad humor, he waved and smiled. He wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship with any woman. So why had Ted made him so angry? Frankly, Nate had his career to keep him busy. He didn’t want someone to tie him down, and hadn’t found someone who made his heart feel all warm and fuzzy every time he saw her.
Until now.
Just his luck. The first woman to make Nate think of raising a family of his own seemed to hate his guts.
Chapter Ten
Lily tightened her fingers around the steering wheel and stared out the windshield of her father’s rusty old truck. Sitting in the parking lot of the Forest Service office in town, she gazed at the white frame building. Two yellow daffodils bloomed in a planter box beside the front door. The urge to turn on the ignition and drive away almost overwhelmed her, but she fought it off. She had to do this. She had no other choice.
She hadn’t made a conscious decision to drive here. But she had. On autopilot. Half-dazed by the news Dr. Kenner had given her twenty minutes earlier following her prenatal appointment.
Hypertensive heart disease and a serious case of emphysema. That’s what Dad had. Doc Kenner hadn’t given her details, but he’d told her enough to understand her father’s ailment was serious. Doc Kenner figured Lily should know because she was living at the ranch again.
“Maybe you can do something about his eating habits,” the doctor had suggested.
Lily thought about the bacon sandwiches they’d eaten for lunch several days ago and she hardened her jaw. That was going to change first thing. Thank goodness Dad had given up smoking the day he found out about his condition. A disease that caused fatigue, shortness of breath and a persistent cough.
And death. Unless taken seriously and dealt with accordingly.
Lily’s entire body trembled when she thought of losing her father. She’d taken him for granted all her life. Even during the years she’d been gone, he’d been here in the back of her mind. She’d thought he’d always be here. Waiting.
Now Dad was sick. As her pregnancy continued to advance, Lily wouldn’t be able to feed and care for the horses.
Not without help.
Gripping the handle, she opened the door and stepped out of the truck. She still needed to buy groceries before returning home. Dad would be furious if he knew she’d talked to Doc Kenner. But she was furious he hadn’t told her the truth.
Dad was dying. If he took good care of himself, he could undo some of the damage to his heart. But not his lungs. If he didn’t change his habits, he’d die.
She couldn’t think about that. It was too upsetting. Too painful. Instead, she’d decided to take steps to ensure Dad lived.
She’d better make this visit to the forest ranger short and sweet. Eating crow wasn’t going to taste good, but neither would bankruptcy and losing Dad. Once more, she needed Nate’s help. And after the way she’d treated him, she wouldn’t be surprised if he showed her the door with the pointed tip of his leather cowboy boots.
Walking up the graveled path, she forced herself to breathe evenly. Her steps slowed as she reached the front double glass doors and she paused. She couldn’t deny she liked Nate. Very much. And that was a big part of the problem. Liking him didn’t mean she trusted him. Or any man, for that matter. Asking Nate for help went against every grain of common sense she still had in her body.
But she’d sacrifice her pride to help her father.
Opening the front door, she stepped into a tidy reception room that smelled of coffee and pine needles. An older woman with short, graying hair sat behind a high desk and smiled pleasantly at her.
“May I help you?”
“Yes, um, I’m here to see the ranger.”
“Do you have an appointment with Mr. Coates?” The woman eyed Lily from head to toe, smiling at her baby tummy.
Lily shook her head, feeling awkward in her worn maternity jeans, scuffed cowboy boots and pregnancy blouse. She should have changed into clean clothes before coming into town, but she’d been in such a hurry. Too much work to do back at the ranch. “I’m afraid not. If he’s not here, I can come back later.”
Lily almost bolted for the door, but the receptionist stopped her. “What’s your name and I’ll tell him you’re here?”
“Oh! Um, Lily Hansen.” She whirled back around, feeling dizzy and unsure of what she was about to do. What if Nate told her no?
“Just one moment.” The woman stood and disappeared down a long hallway.
Lily’s heart pounded and she took several steps toward the outside door. She didn’t want to do this.
Reaching out her hand, she clutched the door railing like a lifeline. Released it. Gripped it again, pushed against it and…
“Lil!”
She turned. Nate stood beside the reception desk wearing his Forest Service uniform. He looked just as she remembered him. Tall, handsome and confident.
“This is a pleasant surprise.” He stepped toward her, his right hand extended.
Lifting her head, Lily gazed into hi
s startling brown eyes as she shook his hand. His long, warm fingers engulfed hers, the feel of his calloused palm sending shock waves up her arm. His silky voice soaked into every fiber of her being and her senses of him as a man roared into awareness.
Again, an odd familiarity swept her. Like a downy soft blanket from her childhood. She couldn’t remember the color of the blanket or where she’d gotten it, but she knew she liked being wrapped up inside of it. Cuddled in its folds, she could pretend she was warm and safe. That’s exactly how Nate made her feel. But she knew the feeling was an illusion. It wasn’t real or lasting.
She shook her head, trying to clear her odd thoughts. “Hi, Nate. Do you have a minute to speak with me privately?”
“Sure! Come into my office.”
He turned and let her precede him down a long hall. The clicking sounds of someone typing on a keyboard and business chatter in one of the offices filtered through the air.
Now what? She wasn’t sure how to broach what was on her mind. Sharing her concerns and failings with this seemingly kind man wouldn’t come easy, but desperation did crazy things to people. Needing this man’s help rubbed her nerves raw. She prayed, silently inside her heart, that Nate would find it within himself to agree to her proposition.
Inside his comfy office, he pointed at a leather chair, his gaze lowering briefly to her tummy. “Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”
She shook her head. As she sat, she looked around, gaining insight into this man from the paintings of mule deer, beautiful forest panoramas and a grizzly bear hanging on the walls. A woman’s picture sat on his desk in a burnished frame and Lily wondered who the lady was. The subject wore outdated clothes and looked too old to be a sweetheart of Nate. His mother, perhaps?
He sat on a corner of his cluttered desk. One long leg dangled over the side as he crossed his arms, looking at her with eagle-sharp eyes. “So what can I do for you, Lil?”
The way he said her name seemed odd, but she kind of liked it.
Here it was. No more stalling.
“I…I’ve thought things over and want to ask if you might reconsider working evenings and weekends out at the ranch.” She watched Nate closely, to read his expression. Searching for any sign that he might refuse.
He tilted his head, his brows drawing together in a quizzical frown. “I thought you were planning to leave as soon as you had your baby. Why this change of heart?”
She hadn’t planned to offer an explanation and decided honesty would work best. She’d promised God no more lies. “Let’s just say I’m caught between a rock and a hard case.”
He laughed. “I take it Hank is the hard case?”
She nodded. “Dad told me you refused to help out and I figured I might be the reason. I haven’t been very nice to you, considering you saved my life. So I thought if I asked you nicely, then you might agree.”
His expressive eyes narrowed. As if he could see right through to her spine and discover every one of her flaws. “You don’t have any other reason for asking me?”
A surge of heat blazed up the back of her neck. He sure wasn’t making this easy for her.
“Frankly, I just came from Dr. Kenner’s office.” Her voice wobbled as she spoke and she coughed to clear her throat.
“Is that right?” His mouth tightened just a bit.
“Yes, and he told me that Dad’s been feeling rather poorly for some time now. Stress and heavy work could make his condition worse.”
No reaction from Nate.
“So, I…I thought things over and wanted to ask if you…if you might reconsider working for us.”
He rested his palms along the edge of the desk and shook his head, his gaze pinned on her. “I don’t understand. You’ve made it clear you want nothing to do with me.”
“Dad trusts you. He says you’re the best horse trainer in the area and that’s what we need right now.”
He snorted. “And you really expect me to agree after everything you’ve said to me?”
Another layer of guilt settled over her and she looked away. “I’m sorry, Nate. I don’t mean to be rude. Truly I’m doing the best I can to hold everything together. I hope you’ll forgive me for being so blunt. I want you to work for us at the ranch if you won’t push me for more than that.”
He didn’t move, didn’t blink. Just stared at her with those piercing eyes that told her he was thinking this over but he didn’t like it. Not at all.
“No, I won’t work for you, but I’ll work with you.”
Her heart jerked. “What’s the difference?”
“Working for you, I’d receive a regular wage of some kind. Working with you, I get a share in the venture, just like your father proposed. A partnership of sorts.”
She eyed him carefully. If he thought he could take advantage of them, he was dead wrong. She’d die before letting this man milk them for all they had invested in their superior horses. “How much of a share do you want?”
His gaze dropped to the hardwood floor while he considered her question. “How about ten percent?”
“That amount is too low. We’ll agree to twenty percent, to be paid when we get paid.”
A wide grin burst across his face and lit up his expressive eyes. “I’ll agree to fifteen percent with one more provision.”
“And what’s that?”
“I don’t break horses. I gentle and train them. Without mental or physical abuse. Which means I take a bit longer, but the end result is unbelievable.”
A vision of Tommy gouging the sides of his horses with his sharp spurs while the animal bowed its neck and bucked filled Lily’s mind. He’d never trained a horse in his life. Instead, he preferred to break the animal’s spirit. And he never really did have a good horse because of it. “That suits me.”
“Okay, then. We have an agreement.” He nodded with approval.
The next thing she knew, he stood in front of her, reaching out to take her hand in his. He pulled her up while they shook hands to seal the deal. As she gazed up at him, she couldn’t help returning his smile. And something soft and warm shifted inside her chest. Like melting butter, only more remarkable because she thought her heart was encased in permafrost.
“I’ve already delegated some projects to my assistants,” he said. “I can be out at the ranch by around six o’clock tonight.”
“You mean you’d already planned to work for us?”
“No. Yes. I mean, kind of. I just want to help.”
She pulled her hand free and stepped back, feeling rather fuzzy to have gotten her way so easily. And that set off her radar. Because no man ever gave in to her wishes without having ulterior motives. “What’s the catch?”
“Catch?” His forehead creased in confusion.
“Let’s not pretend. Why would you agree to this so easily unless you have ulterior motives?”
He made a low sound, like deep, rolling thunder. “Some guy really did a number on you, Lily.”
Sudden defensiveness struck her and she squared her shoulders. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I can tell you have big trust issues.”
“That’s right,” she said. “So don’t do anything to betray my trust and we’ll get along fine.”
“I haven’t yet, but you still seem determined not to trust me anyway.”
What he said was true. When had she become so cynical? It had happened over the past years. Living a life of sin had made her evasive, guarded and apprehensive. And she didn’t want to be that way. Didn’t want to be so contemptuous of men in general. “I’ll tell you what. You do your job and I’ll…I’ll offer you my trust. Just don’t ever let me down.”
“Agreed. But is it really so hard for you to believe a man would want to help you just because he’s a nice guy?”
“No. I mean, yes.” She released a pensive sigh as a tweak of conscience pricked her heart. “People have to prove themselves to me first. I guess you did that by saving my life.” And yet, she still reserved final ju
dgment, not knowing what it would take for her to trust this man. She shook her head, unwilling to back down on this issue. At least not until she trusted her own judgment more.
“Do you ever pray?” The question had slipped out of her mouth before she could think better about it.
“Occasionally. They say prayer is the soul’s sincere desire. What have you prayed for recently?”
“That’s kind of personal, don’t you think?”
“You brought it up, Lil. If you don’t mind sharing, I’d honestly like to know.”
“I’ve prayed about a lot of things, including someone to save me from the flash flood. And then you showed up,” she said.
“Anything else?”
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Mostly that God will help me do the right things for my baby and keep Dad’s health strong.”
“And what about love?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
He took a step nearer, so close she could see the flecks of gold in his dark brown eyes. “I mean the love of a good man.”
“That doesn’t exist.”
“Oh, I guarantee it exists. But you have to take a chance to let it work.”
“No, definitely not.” She shook her head hard. “Another man is the last thing I want in my life.”
“Sounds pretty lonely to me.”
“Well, that’s the way I want it from now on.” Her voice quivered with emotion and she could have kicked herself.
“And what about your baby’s father? You don’t think he’ll come here looking for you?”
She snorted. “No way.”
“Why did he desert you when you needed him the most?”
“Now, that is definitely getting too personal.”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve gotten used to worrying about you. I wish you’d confide in me.”
What could she say to that? She couldn’t take a leap of faith, but maybe a little hop wouldn’t hurt.
“He won’t come here. He’s too busy explaining our relationship to his wife and children.”
Nate’s face darkened. “His wife?”
