"Until he comes riding in on Ferdinand, dressed like a clown," Genie said. "Ferdinand might be a teddy bear of a bull, but before the week is over Josh will be in practice pens with bad-tempered bulls, while trying to get them to chase him."
It came to her that after Abby's party, maybe she should return to Portland to make her decision about her job. She'd still have a week to make up her mind, although she'd miss seeing Josh at the rodeo, but at least in Portland she wouldn't be distracted by a man who had her constantly trying to justify things that were not in her best interest, or Abby's.
But then, if she stayed through the rodeo, she'd still have two days before she'd have to let the hospital know of her decision, and maybe after the rodeo, the choice would be more clear.
***
Josh glanced around the bunkhouse and decided it looked okay. He'd asked Genie to bring Abby there early the morning of her birthday so she could open her presents before the pony arrived, but he also wanted Genie to see how he lived. The bunkhouse was all his since the only other wranglers who worked at the ranch lived in town, and he wanted Genie to know he wasn't a scumbag, that he picked up his clothes and kept the place clean. He even hung a few things on the walls to make it a little homier.
He looked at Abby's presents, both wrapped in rodeo posters because he had no birthday paper, but he'd tied them with baling twine and even made baling twine bows, so they weren't half bad. Late yesterday afternoon he'd managed to get to Pine Grove Farm and Ranch before it closed and pick up a pair of kid-sized boots and a pint-sized western hat, both in pink. He wasn't sure about the pink, but the sales woman convinced him that little cowgirls always wanted pink. He wanted to be ready with everything when Fancy arrived, so he bought the gifts with the idea of making this a birthday Abby would remember.
It crossed his mind that maybe he was trying to one-up her absentee father, who gave her gifts that popped out of a top hat, but Sebastian the Illusionist couldn't pop a pony out of a hat, and being an urban dude, and an entertainer as well, he wouldn't think to get Abby a cowboy hat and boots. It bothered him some that he was in a kind of undeclared competition with the man, but that's the way it was, even if he couldn't explain it to himself.
Glancing out the window, he saw Genie and Abby coming, so he opened the front door and stepped back. Abby, spotting him, raced ahead, and with her arms open for him to pick her up, said in an excited voice, "It's my birfday and I'm four. Is my pony here?"
Josh scooped her up in his arms, and replied, "She'll be here soon."
"What color is she?" Abby asked.
"Mostly black but with some white."
After setting Abby down, he looked at Genie, who was standing in the doorway, eyeing him with expectation, like she wanted to kiss him but wouldn't because Abby was there, so he took away her indecision by giving her a short, sweet kiss, having decided that Abby needed to get used to seeing it happen since the day would come when they'd be a family, though he had less than a week to convince Genie of that fact.
She was still staring at him wide-eyed, like she wasn't sure whether to chew him out for what he'd just done, or throw her arms around him and kiss him the way he wanted, when Abby rushed over to the coffee table, and seeing the wrapped gifts, said in an excited voice, "Can I open my Birfday pwesents?"
"You sure can," Josh replied. "They're waiting to be opened."
Abby reached for the box on top and started to rip off the paper when Genie rushed over and grabbed her hand. "Sweetie, you need to look at the wrapping paper first," she said. "Josh painted all the pictures on it. Here, I'll unwrap it for you."
Genie took the present from Abby and sat on the couch and carefully removed the sections of tape, which touched a soft spot in Josh because he knew she cared enough to preserve the poster. But when she flattened the paper against the top of the box and studied the image of the bull and rider, her expression hardened, a reminder of what she thought of his career.
"Can I open the box now?" Abby asked, when Genie sat immobilized, with the poster flattened against the box lid and her eyes fixed on it.
"Oh, yes, of course," Genie replied. She set the paper aside and Abby whisked off the lid to the box then slapped both hands to her cheeks, and said, "It's a weal cowboy hat!"
Josh laughed and took the hat from the box. Setting it on Abby's head, he turned her around so her back was to him and lifted her up in front of a mirror that was set into an old leather draft horse collar. "Do you see a cowgirl in the mirror?" he asked.
Abby stared at herself for a moment, then smiled a wide, bright smile, and said, "It's me."
"Yep, it's you," Josh replied, "but a real cowgirl needs boots too." He set Abby on the floor and picked up the other box. Abby looked up at him, and when he saw the anticipation on her face, along with the expectation in her eyes that maybe there could be boots in the box, he understood what his brothers had been going on about with their own kids, that once you become a husband and father your whole life changes, and keeping your wife and kids safe and healthy and happy becomes your number one goal…
"Can I open it?" Abby asked, when he stood with the package sandwiched between his hands while making no move to give it to her.
"I'll do it," Genie said. When she went to take the package, Josh said, "Let Abby enjoy her day. There are a stack of posters in the back room."
"But she'll want this poster for a souvenir," Genie insisted, as she slowly peeled off the tape, while Abby hovered over her in eager expectation, a scene that brought a smile to Josh's lips, the two females so completely engrossed in something as simple as unwrapping a box.
"There you go," Genie said, as she set the box on the floor.
Abby again whisked off the lid. "Weal cowgirl boots!" she exclaimed. Flopping down on the floor, she grabbed a boot and tried to shove her foot into it but her foot got stuck midway.
"Here," Josh said. "I'll show you how it's done." Moving to an overstuffed chair, he lifted Abby onto his lap then grabbed a boot, and tucking her toes into it, showed her the loops on the sides, and said, while slipping his index fingers into the loops, "Use these to pull on your boots. After you've worn them some they'll be easy to get on, which is important when a cowgirl has to mount her horse fast."
Abby giggled and shoved her foot into the boot. After both boots were on her feet, she leaned back against Josh and stretched out her legs on his knees, and bumped the toes of her boots together, and said in a contemplative, "I have weal cowboy boots now."
Josh looked toward the opened door to the bunkhouse when he heard a vehicle pulling up and saw Adam's truck with a horse trailer behind it. "Are you ready to meet Fancy?" he asked.
Abby sucked in a quick breath and said, in an excited voice, "She's weally here?"
"Come see." Lifting himself and Abby together, Josh stood, and with Abby hanging onto him with her arms around his neck and her booted feet wrapped around his waist, he grabbed her new pink hat and plopped it on her head, and winking at Genie, said to her, "Come on, babe, you can meet the best little pony in Oregon."
They headed out the door and walked over toward the truck that was pulling up to the stable.
Adam got out and strolled over to meet them, then shifting his gaze to Abby, who was still wrapped around Josh, he said, "So you're the birthday girl."
Abby giggled, and replied, "I'm four and I'm a cowgirl."
"So you are." Adam's gaze shifted between Josh and Abby, then darted to Genie, who was standing with her shoulder pressed against Josh's chest, and said, "Nice to see you again. You rushed off so fast after Ryan and Annie's wedding, none of us had a chance to talk to you. I hope there wasn't an emergency."
Genie glanced up at Josh, like she didn't know how to respond, so Josh shrugged and said, "There was. Genie thought she was going to get stuck with a bullfighter for the rest of the evening. She's thinking it's not such a bad idea now, right babe?"
Genie gave a little shrug. "For the time being."
Josh caught the look of surprise on
Adam's face and decided he might as well know what was going on because the day would come when Genie would be his sister-in-law.
"Okay then," Adam said. "Let's get on with unloading Fancy."
"Yeah!" Abby exclaimed, and clapped her hands.
Josh set Abby on the ground, and while Adam unloaded the small, black and white pony, Jesse got out of the truck and stood staring at Abby, who stood staring back. Josh, seeing the silent meeting, said to Jesse, who at age six, was accustomed to leading the pony around for kids, back at the ranch, "I'll put Abby up on Fancy and you can lead them to the stable just ahead." Both kids giggled then waited excitedly while Josh clipped a lead line onto Fancy's halter and lifted Abby onto the pony's bare back, where Abby grabbed onto Fancy's mane.
Genie trailed along with Josh and Adam, but when they got to the stable, she said, "I'd better go help Ruth with the cake, and we have lots of balloons to blow up."
After Genie left, Adam said to Josh, "So what's the story with you and Genie?"
Deciding to lay it out to Adam, Josh replied, "I'm going to marry her but we have some issues that need to be worked out first. She has a problem with my being a bullfighter and she needs time to adjust to that."
"Annie had a problem with Ryan riding bulls and he gave it up for her," Adam pointed out. "If you're really serious, you might consider doing that."
"I am really serious, but I'm not going to let a woman run my life," Josh said. "If Genie wants to marry me she'll have to adjust."
Adam let out a short guffaw. "Your problem is you want everything on your terms. Even if she did adjust, how do you expect to work a nurse into your life? She has to live near a hospital and you plan to follow rodeos around the country."
"She's thinking about quitting nursing."
"For you?"
"For a lot of reasons, but I don't want to get into them now."
"So what's the deal with her little sister? You told me when you called that her father wasn't involved in her life."
"He isn't much since he's always booked with shows, so Genie's raising Abby. I'm good with kids and Abby likes me, so I figure I could get her interested in barrel racing and we'd do the things Dad did with Maddy. Then if I start raising bucking bulls I'd make enough money so Genie wouldn't have to work at all and she could stay home with the kids, like Mom did, and yeah, maybe I'd be gone some for rodeos, but Genie would come to terms with that."
"What I've heard so far is it's all about Josh Hansen," Adam said. "Genie's giving up the nursing job which to you means she'll be willing to trailer around to rodeos with you when she adjusts to your being a bullfighter, and you'll fit her little sister into your life by making her a barrel racer so she'll want to track around with you too, but I'm not hearing anything about you making any concessions."
"Look, I don't want to talk about this right now," Josh said, feeling irritated with Adam, who didn't understand the situation.
"Fine, have it your way then," Adam replied. "But let me give you a little piece of advice. When you find a woman who's willing to give it all up for you, you be the one with the balls and give it all up for her. That way you'll have a woman who'll be with you for the long haul."
The exchange ended when the sight of a large black bus approaching caught their attention. It pulled to a halt in a graveled parking area near the campgrounds, and moments later, the door folded open and a tall, impressive man with graying hair stepped from the bus.
"Daddy!" Abby called out. In an instant, she was off the pony and running toward the man, who caught her up in his arms.
And Josh realized his place in Abby's heart had just been filled by Sebastian the Illusionist.
CHAPTER 13
Genie was shocked to find her father standing on the porch with Abby in his arms. When she finally found her voice, she said, "What are you doing here, Dad?"
Sebastian Matthias bent over and placed a kiss on Genie's cheek. "There was a minor fire in the hotel where I was performing and the place is shut down for a couple of weeks. My agent booked us in a club in Portland and we're on our way there, which gives me a chance to be with Abbycadabby on her fourth birthday." He smiled at Abby, who tightened her arms around him.
Genie looked beyond her father and saw Josh looking their way. He had Abby's cowboy hat in his hand, which she suspected Abby lost in her rush to see their father. Josh looked downcast, which was understandable. He'd planned a party for a little girl who'd captured his heart, and he'd bought her a hat and boots to go with her pony, and now his clown act with Ferdinand would be overshadowed by, she wasn't sure what, but Sebastian Matthias never did anything halfway.
"What are your plans now?" she asked. "Have you talked to Ruth and Matt Kincaid?"
Sebastian raised his eyes from Genie and looked beyond her. His expression sobered, as he said, "Hello Ruth. You're looking well."
Genie turned to see Ruth standing not far behind.
It was some moments before Ruth replied, "Hello, Sebastian."
After a stretch of awkward silence, Sebastian said, "I had a cancellation and thought I could see Abby on her birthday. I would have called ahead but I misplaced the ranch number."
"That's okay," Ruth said, but in a way that led Genie to believe it really wasn't okay, which it wasn't, but her father was used to having things his way so showing up unannounced wasn't so much of a surprise. "We have no vacancies in the campground, otherwise you'd be welcome to stay," Ruth added.
"We have to get to Portland so we're only here for a couple of hours," Sebastian replied. "My road crew and I have a little show planned for Abby. If it's okay with you we can set up where the bus is parked so your ranch guests can see it too."
"That's fine, but we also have something planned for Abby," Ruth countered, in a tone that held a hint of testiness. "A clown and balloons."
"The more the merrier," Sebastian replied. "Is Anne here?"
"Anne?"
"My daughter."
"You mean Annie," Ruth corrected, in a voice showing clearly her pique at Sebastian's sudden arrival. "Yes she's here. You really should have sent word in advance or written to her before just showing up."
"I'm sorry, and of course you're right," Sebastian said. "If she doesn't want to see me I understand, but when she came to Las Vegas three years ago I was prepared to spend time with her and her husband, but she never came to my dressing room so I presumed she decided she was better off not knowing me."
"She probably is," Ruth replied. "I'll tell her you're here and she can decide what she wants to do about it. I'll also tell my husband since he'll be wondering about your bus. You really should have called in advance. Our ranch is listed in the phone book."
"Yes, I suppose I should have," Sebastian said, in a sober voice.
Genie could tell from the look of uncertainty on her father's face that he was only just beginning to understand that he wasn't exactly welcome, which was unusual. Everywhere Sebastian the Illusionist appeared the red carpet rolled out. Hotel attendants bent over backwards to make sure he had everything he needed, restaurant managers scrambled to give him the best table in the place, crowds parted when he arrived. Even his road crew were dedicated men whose purpose was to make sure life unfolded the way Sebastian Matthias would like. It wasn't that her father was demanding in any way, only that he was a man people wanted to please.
The tense moment was interrupted when Abby leaned back from her father so she could look at him, and said, "Daddy, my birfday cake has pwetty flowers on it. You can come see it in the kitchen. Gwamma Ruff baked it for me."
"Grandma Ruth?"
Abby bobbed her head. "Genie said Gwamma Ruff's special so she's my gwamma now."
Sebastian glanced at Ruth, and his eyes looked troubled, like he was perceiving the fact that as Abby's father, he was a generation older than he should be, and the woman staring back at him, who gave birth to his love child, was also of that older generation.
"Daddy, I have a pony," Abby said. "Come see her. Her name i
s Fancy."
Sebastian smiled, but it was a feigned smile to get around another awkward moment. "Well, of course we'll have to take a look at your pony," he said.
Abby wiggled around until Sebastian set her down, then she grabbed his hand and tugged him across the porch and said, while pointing, "Fancy's wight over there. Josh got her for me and he got me these boots—" she kicked out a foot "—and a cowgirl hat—" she put her hand on her head then looked at Genie in dismay.
"It's okay, honey, Josh has your hat," Genie said. "You lost it when you jumped off Fancy."
Abby smiled in relief and looked toward Josh, then said to her father, "I can wide Fancy. Come watch me."
Sebastian glanced back at Ruth, and said, "If my being here is a problem, I have a driver so I can take Abby in the bus with me and we can visit that way."
"That isn't necessary," Ruth said, "my husband will understand, and your bus is fine where it is. I'm sure the guests will enjoy the show. I'll also tell Annie you're here. If she wants to see you she can come to your bus, or maybe watch the show and meet you afterwards, which would probably be best."
Sebastian nodded vaguely and pressed his mouth into a smile the way he sometimes did when greeting a crowd he suspected was unfriendly. But then the smile settled into a real one when he said to Abby, "Okay, Abbycadabby, let's take a look at your pony, and after that I'll set up so you can see the illusion of the orange tree. I promised I'd show it to you."
"With weal oranges on the tree?" Abby asked.
"Of course, and you'll get to watch them grow," Sebastian said.
"Yeah! I want to go tell Josh!" Abby released her father's hand and skipped on ahead.
"I'd better go with you," Genie said. "Josh needs to know the change of plans since he's to be the clown at the party."
"Then I don't want to interrupt that," Sebastian said. "I'll plan my show for afterwards."
Genie silently agreed because any entertainment following her father's act would seem lackluster, even a clown riding a trained Brahma bull.
As Genie walked with her father, she said, "You also have a grandson. His name is Cody and he's eight months old. This is very awkward what you're doing, Dad. Why didn't you at least contact me first? I have a cell phone and you have my number."
Dancing With Danger: Book 8: Dancing Moon Ranch Series Page 15
