“Really?” Abi said.
“Yes. There’s always a small country band and all sorts of things to do. They even have rodeo events in the one of the corrals.”
“You know,” Rod said. “I do some freelance work on the side. This might be a good opportunity to make some connections and add photos to my portfolio.”
“There you go. Besides, if nothing else, I can guarantee Mr. Elliott will cater in the best food in the entire valley. Patti Jo’s Café and Bakery supplies all the desserts.”
“I am so in.” Abi grinned.
“Me, too,” Rod said. “It was awfully nice of you to get us included. We haven’t exactly been candidates for employees of the month since we arrived. I’m pretty sure we’ve made your life much more challenging.”
“He’s right. Thank you, Rebecca,” Abi added.
“You’re welcome. Rod, you were right when you said we’re all in the same family. As for Julian, well, I was an intern myself once.”
“Please, no one in the history of interns was ever as wet behind the ears as Julian.” Rod chuckled. “However, I have to admit. The kid does kind of grow on you after a while.”
“He does,” Abi admitted. “Like moss.”
“The thing is, he means well. You only have a few more days to enjoy his company,” Rebecca said. “Monday will be your last day on the ranch. The weather forecast is for sunny skies, with no chance of precipitation. I’ve promised Mr. Gallagher you will be done by end of day, Monday. So let me know how I can facilitate what you need to complete the project. I intend to keep my word. That means everything must go smoothly on Monday.”
Rod shot her a mock salute. “Understood.”
“I’ve got all the background material necessary for my copy. All I need is around thirty minutes with Joe for the actual interview questions,” Abi said. “Everything else is gravy. Not that I’m not all about the gravy.”
“Rebecca, if you don’t mind my asking,” Rod said, “why aren’t we working today?”
“Um, well, Mr. Gallagher grounded me, due to the concussion. That means the three of you are grounded, too. Sorry about that.”
“Certainly not your fault,” Abi said.
“Speaking of Julian,” Rebecca said glancing around. “Where is our favorite tenderfoot?”
“I sent him to town to get reinforcements from Patti Jo’s,” Abi said. “We were out of cookies.”
“Was that wise? Setting him loose on a defenseless town?” Rod asked.
“He’ll be fine,” Abi returned with a wave of her hand. “I’d like to stress that I really needed a Patti Jo fix.”
Rebecca smiled at the exchange as she started toward the cottage.
“Hey, wait up,” Abi asked, jogging to catching up to her. “What about you?”
“Me?”
“You’re going to the barbecue?” Abi asked.
“Sure. I’m excited. I haven’t been in over a dozen years. It’ll be fun to show Casey the Elliott Ranch. I was pretty much raised there.”
“Is your mom going?”
“Mr. Elliott sent her a personal invitation.”
“Ooh! What’s going on there?”
Rebecca shook her head. “I’m not sure.”
“That sounds like a romance-tell to me.”
“What do you mean? Romance-tell?”
“You know, those little gestures a guy makes that show he cares when he doesn’t have the courage to actually say something. Like Joe does around you.”
“I’m going to ignore that. But I think you might be right about Hollis Elliott. Except that it’s my mother, so maybe I really don’t want to know.”
Abi stopped walking and her eyes rounded.
“What?” Rebecca asked.
“I just realized you said pretty much everyone will be there. Does that mean my favorite sheriff will be in attendance?”
“Eventually. He’s got his hands full on the fourth. There’s a big parade in downtown Paradise in the morning. The Paradise Sheriff’s Department consists of one full-time sheriff and deputy, and a few part-timers, plus the administrative assistant. They’ll be stretched pretty thin.”
“I imagine Casey would like to go to the parade. I’d be more than happy to take her. Of course you’d have to lend me your car.”
Rebecca chuckled. “We can all go.”
They both made their way back to the cottage. Rebecca peeked in the door to check on her mother and Casey before taking a seat on one of the wide steps outside.
They were silent for moments before Abi turned to her. “I assume the boss found you?”
“Yes.” Rebecca shook her head, remembering her conversation with Joe.
“You’ve got a lot riding on this whole project, don’t you?” Abi said quietly.
“I do.”
“I don’t mean just the bonus,” Abi said.
Rebecca’s head jerked back, and she met Abi’s gaze. “How do you know about the bonus?”
“I’m a writer. It’s my job to be a fly on the wall. I pay very close attention to details. Though in reality, I have to admit that I heard it around the office before I left.”
“You haven’t told anyone, have you?”
“Do I look indiscreet?”
She raised her brows. “I don’t know you well enough to make that call.”
“We all have our secrets, and I’ve learned the hard way that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a very good reason. If you’ll recall, when I first arrived I said that I’d read about you, yet I’ve never mentioned it.”
“That’s true and I appreciate that.”
“You can trust me, Rebecca—however, I’m guessing that if I know, Rod and Julian do, as well.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “But what does that matter? You deserve the bonus. OrthoBorne really wants Gallagher for this campaign, and you’re delivering the goods. It’s a no-brainer that you’ve earned it. You’re up before all of us. You finesse everyone’s needs before your own. This project will be a success because of you. Good grief, taming the lion alone deserves a bonus.”
“What lion?”
Abi chuckled. “You know. Grumpy Gallagher.”
“Is that what you call him?” Rebecca released a small gasp. “Oh, he’s not—”
“Oh, yes, he is. Though things have sort of changed. He hardly ever growls around you since you were thrown by that horse.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Surely you are aware that Joe Gallagher cares a great deal about you.”
“We have history. We were friends for a long time, Abi.”
Abi shook her head. “Rebecca, this is much more than friendship.”
Rebecca froze at the words. She glanced around, concerned someone might overhear. “What on earth makes you think that?” she whispered.
“You didn’t see his face when you were thrown from Princess. Anguish. It was as though a part of him was dying.” Abi nodded. “I’d like someone to get that worked up over me.” She sighed, resting her chin on her hand.
“I think you’re looking at the world through a writer’s glasses.”
“I admit that can be a side effect of my job. Except not in this case. No.” She shook her head. “Gallagher wears his heart on his sleeve. It’s obvious to everyone, with the exception of Julian. Big surprise there.”
“How can it be obvious to everyone, when it seems quite the opposite to me?” Rebecca paused, remembering how Joe had shied away the one time she thought he might kiss her.
“Maybe because, as you said, you’ve known him a long time. So you haven’t noticed how things have shifted.”
“It’s true we go way back. The fact is, I sort of, well...” Rebecca grimaced. “I dumped him
a long time ago.”
“Not one of your better decisions, I imagine.”
Rebecca turned her head slowly and stared at Abi. She’d certainly nailed it. “I was young and naive like Julian. I was swept off my feet by Nick, and no, dumping Joe wasn’t one of my finer moments. Except that now I have Casey, who’s the best thing I’ve done with my life so far.”
“If I’m right and Joe does have feelings for you, are you telling me that you don’t have any for him?”
“I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about it.” Rebecca looked away. “We’re working together long hours. That’s part of the job. Don’t get me wrong, I like Joe, but the timing couldn’t be more wrong.”
“Life is like that, I hear. It happens at the most inconvenient times.”
Rebecca pondered the truth of Abi’s blithe response.
“Why is it you do so much ranch work?” Abi asked as she leaned back on her elbows.
“I like doing ranch work.” Rebecca frowned at the random question.
“You don’t have to get up every day and help Joe with the chores. He’s been doing them without you for years.”
“His certification.”
Abi leveled her with a look that said “try again.”
“I said I like ranch work.”
“Do you like ranch work, or do you like ranch work with Joe?”
“You’re really pushing my buttons here, aren’t you, Ms. Reporter?” Rebecca huffed.
“Well?” Abi prodded.
“Good question. I’ll have to get back to you.”
“You might want to think long and hard before you ignore what’s right in front of you.”
“Spoken like someone who’s been there?”
Abi chuckled and stretched out her hands, examining her nails with a frown. “Sure. Everyone has a story. But the truth is, I really like you, Rebecca. I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did.”
Rebecca sighed. “I’ve made so many, what’s one more?”
“Is Joe going to the barbecue?”
“I forgot to ask. I was too busy trying to save our project.”
“What do you mean?” Abi sat up straight.
“Joe was ready to throw in the towel.”
“Is that why he was looking for you?”
Rebecca nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell us it was this serious?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
Abi took a deep breath. “You’ve got a lot riding on Monday. Bringing this project in will make us all look good. We’re in the homestretch now, thanks to you. Don’t worry. I’ll do my part to make sure the guys stay on task.”
“Thank you. No need to mention any of this to Rod and Julian.”
“I won’t. Of course they’re going to wonder why I suddenly show up with a cattle prod Monday morning.”
Rebecca laughed. “I wish I’d thought of that.”
A horn double tooted, announcing a car’s arrival, and Rebecca and Abi looked up.
“Julian is back,” Abi drawled with a hint of pain in her voice.
“We’re going to have to discuss the top ten reasons why you don’t lay on the horn when you live on a ranch.”
“You can take the kid out of the city...” Abi said.
Rebecca just shook her head.
* * *
“Look, Momma. I can see the flags.” Casey jumped up and down in her seat, barely restrained by the car’s seat belt.
A morning at the Fourth of July parade in downtown Paradise hadn’t dimmed her enthusiasm or her energy.
Rebecca followed her daughter’s gaze out the car window to the Elliott Ranch. Banners with the ranch logo, and red, white and blue flags all waved in the afternoon breeze. Neighbors from the valley were moving through the huge black iron E archway of the ranch to the festivities. The peppy twang of a country band could be heard playing a familiar Western tune in the distance. Rebecca could hardly resist toe tapping.
“Okay, Casey, here’s the rules. This is a huge ranch. I must know where you are at all times, and you must always be with an adult. Either me, or Grandma or Abi. Got it?”
Casey nodded.
“Are Julian and Rod riding out together?” Rebecca asked Abi who was in the passenger seat.
“Yes. And if we’re really lucky they’ll get lost.”
“Abi.”
“Please, Julian could single-handedly ruin this shindig,” Abi said as she slathered sunscreen on her bare arms.
“Be kind.”
“I can deny I know him,” Abi said. “Would that be implausible deniability?” She laughed at her own joke as she straightened the skirt of her sundress.
“Cute dress,” Rebecca said, noting Abi’s outfit with its little shrug sweater.
“If I had one of those pretty embroidered, yoked Western shirts like yours, I would have gone cowgirl, too. Must remedy that.”
“Momma, is Joe here yet? He told me he’d take me on a pony ride. Does he count as an adult?”
Abi stifled a laugh with a hand over her mouth.
“Yes. He does.” She looked at her daughter. “Joe told you he was coming?”
Casey nodded.
“Oh, look, Casey, they’re painting faces over there. Rebecca, do you mind if I take her over?”
“Sure, go ahead, I’m going to look for Sara, Mr. Elliott’s daughter. I can’t wait to see her twins. Come and find me when you two are done.”
Abi took Casey’s hand. “We will, but you might not recognize us, right, Casey?”
Casey giggled.
Rebecca took her time strolling across the grass, nodding at the few people she did know, most of them friends of her mother’s. There was a time when she knew every single person in Paradise, along with every inch of this ranch, just like her father. But those days were long gone. She often wondered what would have happened if her father was still here?
How strange it seemed to be back. Ten years ago she’d just graduated from high school. She and Joe had gone to that summer’s barbecue together. It was her first year to attend without her father. Joe had been so caring. Moving to town after her father’s death had been tough. Coming back to the ranch, her home for most of her life, as an outsider for the first time had been even more difficult.
Yet Joe had been there when she needed a friend. Then a mere two years later their worlds had parted.
“Whoa, careful there, Becca, you almost ran me over.”
He looked good—too good to be loose at a party where there was a thirty-to-one ratio of women to men. He wore a crisp white fancy yoked Western shirt with pearl buttons and red embroidery, along with well-worn creased Levi’s and his tan Stetson.
“Joe. Casey said you were coming today.”
“Good opportunity to chat with Hollis,” Joe said.
“I thought you were going to give us until Monday night.”
“I am.”
In the silence that followed, the tension between them became palpable.
“I don’t like this,” Joe said, his jaw set. “Not one bit.”
“What do you mean?”
“This.” When he gestured with both of his hands, instead of just one, Rebecca was so happy to see she’d finally made significant progress with his therapy.
She smiled.
“Hey, where’d you go? Did you hear what I said?” Joe said.
“Yes. I was smiling at your bilateral use of your hands. We therapists call that significant progress.”
“You therapists are a strange bunch.”
“Perhaps. What was it you were grumbling about?”
He put on his Joe scowl and shoved a hand in his pocket. “I was about to apologize for being testy lately.”
“I thought that was normal.”
“Are you being funny?”
“No, I’m simply agreeing that you’ve been rather cranky since the team and I arrived.”
His head jerked back slightly. “Well, don’t hold back. Why did you suddenly decide to tell me this?”
“I was agreeing with you. I’m glad you brought it up, though. You and I should clear the air since my time at the ranch is almost over.”
“I’d like it if we could be friends,” Joe admitted.
“Me, too.”
“Good.” He gave a satisfied nod. “Wow. Smell that?” Joe took a deep breath, inhaling the savory barbecue aroma that hung in the summer air. “I’ve got to get some of that. Have you eaten?”
“No. I was waiting for Casey and Abi. They’re face painting.”
“How about we grab a little something while you’re waiting?”
“Yes, sure.” She smiled up at him, and it occurred to her that there was nothing else she’d rather do right now. She couldn’t change the past, but creating a future with Joe as her friend would be a very nice thing.
“Perfect day, isn’t it?” Joe asked.
“It is,” Rebecca returned, trying to match her strides with his.
He stopped. “Hold it. What am I doing? I clean forgot.”
“Forgot what?” She turned around when she realized he was no longer next to her.
“I ordered something for you, and it showed up yesterday.”
“You did?” She glanced up at him. “Why?”
“Because you need it, and after the week you’ve had, you’ve earned it.” He did an about-face and took off in the other direction.
“Wait,” Rebecca called as she struggled to keep up.
“Come on.” He stopped and reached for her hand. Rebecca held on tight.
“I’m parked right over there.”
She followed, weaving around the sea of pickup trucks that left no doubt that this was an agricultural community.
“Here it is.” Joe reached into his flatbed and pulled out a hat can.
“You got me a hat?”
“Yeah. I told you that you need one. This beauty is a Stetson with a pinch-front crown.” He unclipped the can and opened it.
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Page 14
