The Rancher Takes a Cook

by Misty M. Beller

  Anna laughed at the petite woman’s exuberance. “Yes, I do the cooking there and Edward is one of the cowboys. It’s a new venture for us both, but we’ve settled in.”

  “I’m so glad to hear it. Well, I need to run now. Everett’ll be hungry and it’s a long ride home. See you soon.” As the little blonde magpie hurried off, Anna smiled to herself. It would be so nice to have a friend and neighbor like Ginny.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The next few days flew by as Anna consumed herself with her work. She was determined to make her meals the best they could be—the highlight of the men’s days. She scoured her memory for every dish her mother or neighborhood women had made. As her repertoire grew, Anna began experimenting with food mixtures and seasonings. Most of the men had grown up in Mexico, where the food was cooked with peppers and strong spices. The first time she fixed tamale pie for the men, they responded with such impassioned thankfulness that her heart grew two sizes.

  The next day, Anna prepared Arroz con Pollo for supper. She had spent hours in the preparation, seasoning the tomato sauce to just the right flavor and hovering over the chicken so it boiled to the perfect tenderness. She hoped the men would find the taste satisfactory.

  After Mr. O’Brien’s prayer came the typical mad scramble to fill plates and scarf down food. As the men took their first bites, Anna held her breath and searched the faces around the table to catch their expressions. Many were so weather-worn they took on the appearance of dark, wrinkled leather, making them harder to read than an Indian chief.

  Juan was the first to speak. In a hushed, reverent tone he declared, “Senorita, will you marry me?”

  Every noise in the room ceased except for Anna’s sharp gasp. The tough leather around Juan’s eyes crinkled and his cheeks creased to reveal dimples as big as valleys. The dark brown skin made his coffee-darkened teeth appear a stark white. “The food you make is so magnificent. I only think to pay you the highest honor I know. You make magic en la cocina, Senorita.”

  There was a general murmur of agreement as the cowboys went back to devouring their food, but Anna’s cheeks burned as hot as the fire she’d used to cook the meal. She glanced at Jacob. His deep blue eyes penetrated her. She couldn’t read his expression, a mixture of approval and something else…it looked almost like jealousy but couldn’t be. She wasn’t sure what emotions she read there, but they held her captive for several seconds before she found the strength to look away.

  Just then, a crash of thunder reverberated through the room. Anna must have jumped six inches from the surprise of it. She placed a hand over her racing heart.

  “It’s going to be a rough one this time,” Paco announced in his lilting Mexican accent. “The wind, she was strong.”

  As if he had summoned it, a distant shriek of wind called from outside the sturdy walls. With that howl echoing through the room, the buoyant mood changed to a somber scene. The men went back to eating, heads down and food shoveling into their mouths as if this was to be their last meal.

  Another crack of thunder broke just as a flash of light illuminated through the doorway into the kitchen. For once, Anna was thankful there weren’t any windows in the dining hall. Storms had never bothered her before, but these cowboys gulped their food with pinched brows. Every thunder clap seemed to add urgency to their movements. They were more familiar with Texas storms than she was, so if they were worried, shouldn’t she be concerned, too?

  The meal finished soon after, and Monty dispatched the boys to help batten down the hatches of the house and barn, and settle the few livestock left in the corrals. He was giving orders to Jacob just like the rest of the men. But wasn’t Jacob the boss’s son? No time to ponder that now. She set to work clearing the table and washing dishes, moving quickly tonight instead of the steady pace she usually set for the nighttime ritual. Lightning continued to flash outside, and the howling of the wind took on an eerie wail, vibrating the glass window with forceful gusts.

  When the dishes were washed and put away, Anna completed a quick wipe-down of the counters and table then scooped up the lantern and headed toward the den. By this point, her nerves were rattled enough that she was looking forward to human companionship.

  As usual, Aunt Lola sewed in the rocking chair by the fire. Mr. O’Brien propped in the overstuffed chair beside her, leather-bound book in hand and wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His face was intent on the page in his hand, lips quirked into a slight grin.

  Anna settled into her usual seat on the settee and reached for her mending basket to work on Edward’s pants with the large tear across one knee.

  Mr. O’Brien looked up and removed his spectacles. “I tell you, I never do get tired of reading about the adventures of this Oliver Twist fella.” He held up the book. “Do you read much, Miss Stewart?”

  “I do love to read. I’m afraid all my books burned in Columbia, though. I only have my Bible and a Jane Austen novel that was a gift from my aunt.”

  The wrinkles between his brows puckered. “Well, books we have a’plenty.” He waved in the direction of his office. “You’re welcome to any in our library. And if there’s something you’d like to read that we don’t have, you let me know and I’ll pick it up in town. I don’t know how I’d have made it through life without my books.” The twinkle reappeared in his eyes, and a kinship toward this man welled up in Anna. At the same time, her heart ached for her old leather-bound friends that had burned in the fire.

  A sudden whoosh in the hallway signaled the opening of the front door. It sounded like the storm had blown inside. The noise was fierce but died down with the thud of the door closing. Boots clunking on the hardwood floor announced Jacob’s presence before his tall frame appeared in the doorway.

  “How is it out there, son?” Mr. O’Brien peered over his spectacles.

  “Wind’s pretty rough. I think we’ll be okay as long as we don’t get a tornado or a stampede out of the mix. The boys are setting a watch, just in case.” Jacob collapsed in the wood arm chair by the fire, across from his father.

  Anna imagined Edward sleeping out in the smaller bunkhouse, wind howling all around him. “Do you think it’s safe for the men to be in the bunkhouse tonight? What if there’s a tornado or lightning strike?”

  Jacob snorted. “Safe enough. The bunkhouses are built of good, solid pine. If we get any tornadoes, this place’ll go down as quick as any other building. Besides, those men have slept through a lot worse.”

  Not Edward. But she refrained from voicing it. Should she ask if Edward could be allowed to sleep in the main house tonight? Her brother would most likely be mortified, but at least he’d be alive.

  Jacob eyed her with a hint of challenge, as if he could read her mind and planned to deny her request straight off. Her dander rose, but she clamped her mouth shut. At least Edward was in the same cabin as Juan. The older cowboy had weathered many storms in his years on the range. Hopefully, he could help Edward make it through this one.

  * * *

  Thursday morning dawned cool and clear, with a sunrise that lifted Anna’s spirit. She’d planned a traditional breakfast this morning with flapjacks, eggs, bacon, and fresh, warm biscuits spread with strawberry preserves. She’d learned early on the men didn’t take time to add niceties to their food before gulping it down. So now she applied condiments to the food before the cowboys arrived at the table, in hopes they might actually take time to enjoy the extra flavor.

  She laid the serving dishes, piled high with food, strategically down the center of the long table, making sure a dish of each type of delicacy was within every man’s reach.

  Anna grew conscious of a presence in the doorway. She glanced up, and Jacob leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, blue eyes following her movements. His dark brown hair must still be damp because it lay brushed sideways in controlled waves, only one unruly lock daring to touch his forehead. His blue plaid work shirt stretched across wide shoulders, the top two buttons open as if they couldn’t co
ntain his muscular frame. He didn’t wear a vest like many of the cowboys, but his shirt fit snuggly enough to expose a trim waist and flat stomach. He was gorgeous. He really was. But he was her boss. And she had no business swooning over him. Loving meant opening herself up to the possibility of losing. No, she wasn’t planning to attach herself to anyone else. She was only there to protect Edward and provide them both a home. She had to keep her focus on those two facts alone.

  “Food smells good.”

  The words broke through Anna’s thoughts, and she dropped her eyes to the plate of bacon in her hands. “I’ve almost finished setting everything out. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?” She peeked back up at him for a response. His square jaw made him look so strong and capable. Catching his nod, Anna scurried toward the kitchen, relieved to leave his scrutinizing gaze.

  As she brought the steaming cup to him, Anna was careful to keep her eyes on the brew and hold it so her hand wouldn’t brush his as he took possession. Just standing close to this man made her stomach do flips. He was her employer, after all. She needed to keep that in the forefront of her mind.

  “I’m goin’ to town today.” His words brought her head up, shattering her intention to not make eye contact. “Thought you might have a list of things you want me to pick up. Or…maybe you’d like to go along?” He asked the question like he didn’t want to. “I know it gets a bit lonely out here, and you may want to see your family. It’s up to you.”

  Anna’s heart did a little leap. She longed to see Aunt Laura and Uncle Walter again. They hadn’t been at church last Sunday, and she wondered if they were ill. “Do you mean it? Oh, I would love to go. If it’s not too much trouble.”

  He gave a quick nod. “We’ll leave an hour after breakfast. Just meet me in the yard.” Jacob turned to leave then looked back and raised his cup. “Thanks for the coffee.” Then he was gone.

  CHAPTER TEN

  After breakfast, Anna hurried through the mounds of dishes then took a careful inventory of the supplies she needed. These men went through food like water through a sieve, so her list was longer than she’d expected.

  That done, Anna hurried upstairs to freshen her appearance. Staring in the mirror at her faded brown dress, she looked so plain and unattractive. Her only other dress was still covered in tomato sauce from yesterday. Perhaps she’d use some of their earnings to buy material for new clothing. That brought a smile to her lips. Yes, she could splurge just a little. She’d already planned to buy a cowboy hat for Edward, like the other men wore. That might stop their ribbing about the ‘city’ hat he wore with the skinny brim that didn’t hardly keep the sun out of his eyes. Edward would need a pair of the leather chapparros and high-heeled boots soon, but she’d have to take things one at a time.

  Since nothing could be done about her attire, Anna re-pinned her hair and secured the bonnet atop her brown tresses. She’d have to smile brightly to make up for the drab, faded appearance of her clothing.

  * * *

  Jacob sat in the wagon, arguing with himself while he waited for Anna to appear from the house. What had he been thinking, offering to let that woman come along? It was okay to look from a distance, but spending all day in her company was getting too close for comfort. She was a beauty, no doubt, and could perform miracles with food like he’d never before tasted. The men spent most of their days talking about what she had fixed for breakfast or making bets about what would be at the supper table. Jacob even hurried through his morning and evening chores so he could be one of the first to enter the dining hall. Although, for most of the men, the room held more draw than just the food. She was a fascinating creature, with her expressive hazel eyes and confident air.

  Just then, the subject of his thoughts stepped onto the front porch, her straight posture accentuating the soft curves in her dress. Jacob gulped, trying to moisten his dry mouth. As she strode toward the wagon, his mind finally kicked into motion. He should be on the ground, ready to assist her. It’d been so long since he’d been around any female—except Aunt Lola who wouldn’t hear of his ‘coddling’ by helping her into the wagon—his manners were getting sloppy.

  Vaulting to the ground, he guided her into the seat with a hand under each elbow. His skin tingled from the contact on his palms. Forcing his insides to calm, Jacob marched around to the other side of the wagon and climbed aboard, settling himself with the reins in an easy motion. “All set?”

  She turned a brilliant smile on him and declared, “I’m ready.”

  Jacob gritted his teeth against the butterflies her smile inspired in his mid-section. And when her thick skirts settled against his leg, the line in his jaw clenched a bit tighter.

  He flicked the reins across the horses’ backs. “Giddup.” At the end of the ranch drive, he turned the animals onto the main road and settled in for a long drive. If that woman talked the whole way…

  But she didn’t seem to be much of a magpie. After a long silence, she shared an anecdote from her work around the house. A little bit later she chuckled about something funny Aunt Lola had said. Anna seemed to hold a special tenderness for his feisty Aunt, and it was plain from their interactions the older woman shared the feeling. One thing for sure about Aunt Lola, she said what she meant and you always knew where you stood with her. Not like most women.

  The verdict was still out on Anna. She appeared to be sweet and genuine and seemed to understand him in an uncanny sort of way. Time would tell, though, if there was more to her than met the eye.

  * * *

  The familiar sight of the concrete wall around Seguin had Anna bouncing in her seat. The air was thick with the scent of horses, chimney smoke, and a yeasty aroma from the cafeteria on the corner.

  Jacob’s manner was stiff when he helped her from the wagon in front of Stewart’s Mercantile. “I’ve got a few other stops. Will it give you long enough if I come back in a couple hours?”

  “That’s perfect.” She’d make every minute count.

  As she stepped into the Mercantile, the familiar aroma hit her with a wave of homesickness. A mixture of leather polish, pickle juice, and baked goods. She stopped to take it all in and almost jumped when Uncle Walter’s booming voice came from the direction of the counter.

  “Anna, dear girl. What a pleasure to see you again.” He strode around the counter, wiping his hands on an already-smudged work apron. He enveloped Anna in a quick bear hug then held her out at arm’s length as if to make sure she was whole. “How are you, girl? We’d best go find your Aunt Laura, or she’ll never forgive me for stealing even a second of her time with you.”

  Anna returned his grin. “I’m here for both business and pleasure, actually. I have a list of supplies we need to pick up today. Jacob will be returning in a couple of hours, so that should give you plenty of time to fill the order.”

  “By all means, put me to work.” He reached for her list.

  “I’ll tell you what,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper, “let me visit with Aunt Laura for a while then I’ll come back down and help you put things together. And I was hoping to look through your dress goods for new material?”

  “It’s a deal. I wouldn’t pass up help from a pretty young lady for anything.” With a wink and a bow, he allowed her to pass behind the desk and through the door to the stairs leading up to the living quarters.

  Aunt Laura squealed when she saw Anna and wrapped her in a tight embrace. They settled in at the sink, peeling potatoes while Anna filled her aunt in about the details of ranch life—especially cooking for such a large herd of cowpunchers. Even when they slipped into companionable quiet, pleasure wrapped around Anna’s shoulders like a warm cloak. Father, I can’t thank you enough for putting this wonderful woman in my life. To be my aunt, but especially my friend. When they made their way downstairs, Aunt Laura guided Anna straight toward the fabrics. “We have a gorgeous new hunter green muslin that would be the perfect thing to bring out the green flecks in your eyes.”

  Anna fingered
the soft material, dress ideas swirling in her mind’s eye. “I love it. And I could use these buttons for the bodice and this ribbon for the edging and…” Her words halted as a tall figure entered the store. Jacob. Even from a distance his presence made her breathing grow shallow.

  His eyes searched the store until they found hers. “Anna.” The sound of her name in his warm voice caught her off guard for a moment. Did he realize he’d used her Christian name? Urgency tinged his voice as he marched toward her. “There’s a bad storm brewing from the direction of the ranch. We need to get going now if we have any hope to miss it.”

  Anna flew into motion at his words and was vaguely aware of her aunt and uncle doing the same. They loaded numerous crates and bags into the wagon, then Anna hugged her aunt as Jacob settled his bill with Uncle Walter. Jacob escorted Anna out of the shop with her elbow resting firmly in his strong hand. A warmth of security washed over her.

  Jacob kept the team at a steady trot after they left town, which made the wagon jump and jostle until Anna thought she would be jolted right off the seat. She kept a white-knuckled grip on the wooden bench, determined to stay in place, but Jacob never slowed his pace. His blue eyes kept roaming to the dark, menacing clouds rolling into position overhead. The wind grew stronger as the road passed through open pasture land, and the temperature dropped by the minute.

  About half an hour after they left Seguin, the rain started falling in huge drops. Still holding on to the seat, Anna squinted against the moisture blowing in her face.

  “I think there’s a small blanket under the seat.” Jacob called over the noises of the wind and raindrops on the wagon.

  Anna reached down between her legs and ran her hand along the wood until her fingers touched soft cotton. Without warning, one of the front wheels hit a deep rut, thrusting Anna head first over the footboard. A strong arm tightened around her waist, dragging her back up on the seat. She blinked and looked around to get her bearings, finding herself tucked next to Jacob’s side.