A Rancher's Honor

by Ann Roth

  As usual, her dad and Eric stood in front of the smoking grill. “Hey, guys,” Lana said as she reached them. “Something sure smells wonderful.”

  Eric grinned. “Grandpa Jake’s ribs always do.”

  The family recipe had been developed by their grandfather decades ago. “Fourth of July ribs in May?” Lana licked her lips. “What’s the occasion?”

  Instead of answering, Eric glanced at Lana’s father to reply. Her father tapped his cheek for a kiss. “Hello, favorite oldest daughter.” He winked. “You’re looking especially pretty today.”

  Lana smiled. “Must be this new spring dress. Thanks, Dad.”

  Connor and Emma noticed her, shrieked and came running.

  “What are you two up to today?” she asked after hugging them.

  “We’re playing hide-and-seek, but Emma always jumps up and shows me where she’s hiding.” Connor rolled his eyes. “Will you play with us, Lana?”

  “Sure, but how about a little later? I want to visit with Grandpa and your dad. Then I’m pretty sure Grandma and your mom would appreciate my help with dinner.”

  “That reminds me,” Lana’s father said. “Your mother booked us a trip next weekend. We’re driving over to Helena to visit Aunt Jessica. So no family dinner next week.”

  “Okay.” Lana was secretly relieved. Keeping the pregnancy a secret wasn’t going to be easy, and she could use the break.

  She was chatting with Eric and her father when the kitchen door opened. To Lana’s shock, Cousin Tim stepped outside.

  Her jaw dropped. Of all the days for her surly cousin to visit... She was in no mood to face him. The mere sight of him made her remember the lawsuit and Sly, and right now, she didn’t want to think about Sly or yesterday, or any of the secrets she was keeping from her family.

  “What’s he doing here?” she grumbled in a low voice.

  Her father’s eyebrows rose a fraction. “Come on, honey, he’s family. Didn’t your mother tell you? She called yesterday and invited him to dinner.”

  That explained the ribs.

  Her father gestured her cousin over. “Glad you could make it, Tim.”

  Lana’s cousin joined them at the grill with his usual stiff nod. “That’s some fancy grill. I see you’re putting it to good use, making Grandpa Jake’s ribs.” He almost cracked a smile, making him appear much more approachable. “I haven’t eaten ribs since last year’s Fourth of July picnic. Before I forget, Michele says it’s too nice to eat inside. She wants to eat out here.”

  “Great—we’ll use the picnic table,” Lana’s father said. “It’s been a few weeks since we touched base, Tim. How are things?”

  “Lousy.” Cousin Tim’s jaw tightened. “That damn lawsuit...” He looked as if he could spit nails. “I figured out why Pettit’s picking on me. He aims to bankrupt me, ruin my reputation and drive me off my land by making me pay for something I didn’t do.”

  Cousin Tim had it all wrong. Sly would never do that. Lana warned herself to stay out of it, but the urge to defend Sly was too strong. “That’s an awful thing to say,” she retorted.

  Her cousin seemed taken aback. She was just as surprised at herself, but unable to stop. “It’s not as if he’s asking for the sun and the moon. He wants restitution for the animals he lost and an apology.”

  “I sure as hell won’t apologize for something I didn’t do, and I won’t pay, either.”

  Cousin Tim’s thinned lips and fisted hands made Lana’s knees shake, but this was important. “Have you ever actually made the effort to explain to Sly that you didn’t do it?” she asked.

  All three men stared at her, and she realized she’d referred to Sly by his first name. As if they had some sort of connection. Which they did, but her family had no idea about that.

  She continued, “You and Sly—er, Mr. Pettit—have never really discussed the poisoning, have you? When he attempted to talk with you, you pointed a rifle at him and ordered him off your land. If you would just sit down and engage in a rational dialogue, you could work this out.”

  Cousin Tim’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you defending him?”

  Lana swallowed and came close to explaining exactly why. But this wasn’t the right moment to reveal that she was carrying Sly Pettit’s baby.

  Imagining her family’s shocked reaction to that, her stomach flip-flopped. So much for the crackers. Oh, please, not a bout of morning sickness now.

  No, she decided. This sick feeling had nothing to do with morning sickness and everything to do with fear. She’d done what she dreaded most—stirred up family controversy. If she wanted to make it through the evening in one piece, she’d better keep her mouth shut.

  Tim was waiting for her reply. “I’ve heard a few things,” she hedged.

  “What you’ve heard is wrong. Pettit outright accused me of poisoning his cattle, when I never did any such thing. I hope the bast—the so-and-so rots in hell.”

  Lana managed to bite her tongue, but she was sure her cold expression spoke volumes.

  After a lengthy and somewhat tense silence, Eric cleared his throat. “Pretty amazing that the Grizzlies made it to the tournament this year. How do you figure they’ll do next year, Tim?”

  As the men launched into a lively conversation about basketball, Lana released a silent sigh of relief. As much as she enjoyed the sport, she needed to escape. “I’m going to help Mom and Liz now,” she said.

  After promising the kids a game of hide-and-seek after the meal, Lana headed inside. Anything her mother said was preferable to listening to her cousin and fighting with herself to keep her mouth shut. Though why she was defending a man who now probably wanted nothing to do with her or their child, she had no idea.

  Chapter Twelve

  Sly’s sister had invited him over for dinner Monday night. Not in the best mood, he debated canceling. A couple of times, he picked up the phone to do just that. But he was tired of being alone with his thoughts, thoughts that only seemed to go around in circles.

  Lana was having a baby. His baby. He couldn’t get his arms around that, was still numb with shock. But she seemed happy about it. Because she’d wanted a baby. Him, on the other hand... Sly didn’t want a baby, didn’t want to screw up his own kid like he had Seth.

  Tough crap, huh? Whether he wanted to or not, he was having a kid.

  He only hoped Lana hadn’t told anyone. He didn’t want the news spread around town just yet. And it would spread. Amy and Sheila and everyone else in Prosperity would make sure of that. Sly made a mental note to ask Lana not to say anything to anyone just yet.

  Wanting to enjoy himself for a few hours, he arrived at Dani’s place with a bottle of wine in hand.

  “Hey, big brother.” She hugged him. “I’m fresh out of wine and was hoping you’d bring a bottle.”

  Her cat, named Fluff for his white fur-ball appearance, meowed and butted Sly’s calf for some attention. Sly bent down and scratched the cat just behind his head. “Hey there, big guy.” Disapproving of the girlish name Dani had stuck the male cat with, he never used it.

  The animal purred happily.

  Sly sniffed the air. “Do I smell homemade mac and cheese?”

  Dani nodded. “With ground beef.”

  As much as he loved the stuff, he knew what it meant. “Uh-oh—your trademark breakup dish. This can’t be about Cal—you two split up weeks ago. Who’s the bum this time?”

  Dani filled two glasses with wine and handed him one. “I wasn’t planning to go into that just yet. I’d rather talk about something else.”

  “May as well get it out of the way.” He straddled a chair backward at her little kitchen table. The twenty-pound cat jumped onto his lap.

  “All right, we’ll get it out of the way.” Dani plunked into the other chair and raised her glass. “But first, a toast.
Here’s to a fun evening together—eventually.”

  She had no idea how bad Sly needed fun. He saluted with his glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

  When they set down their drinks, Dani sighed and got right to it. “Paul dumped me.”

  “I know he took you home that night we played pool at Clancy’s, but I didn’t realize you two were seeing each other.”

  “We were.”

  “I’m glad to hear he’s out of your life. He was bad news.”

  “I didn’t think so.” Dani picked at the label on the bottle. “I really liked him.”

  “I have no idea why. He wasn’t good enough for you.”

  “You say that about every guy I date.”

  “Because it’s true.”

  “Hey, I don’t do that to you.” When Sly didn’t comment, she added, “At least I’m out there, trying. You aren’t even dating.”

  His errant thoughts wandered to Lana. The baby. He wished to hell that—

  “What’s wrong?” Dani asked.

  “Nothing.” He schooled his expression into bland calmness, but his sister appeared unconvinced. He couldn’t fool her.

  “Nothing I’m ready to talk about. Let me top off that wine.”

  Dani held out her glass. “So I have to talk about my problems but you don’t have to share yours? No fair.”

  “Too bad.”

  “Stubborn man. Fine. How’s the lawsuit going?”

  “At the moment, nothing is happening.”

  “Bummer,” she said with sympathy. “Now what?”

  Sly thought about the loan application he had yet to fill out. Dammit, he couldn’t really afford the added debt, especially with Lana pregnant. Because the one thing he knew was that he wasn’t going to let her pick up the tab for anything.

  Carpenter had to pay up, period.

  Sly wanted his money now. He didn’t hide his impatience. “I wait while my attorney and his go round and round.”

  “It’s taking forever, and you need that new drainage system.”

  “Yep.”

  “At least the weather is dry now. It could stay this way for months. Maybe you can put off spending the money for a while.”

  “Yep.”

  She gave him a worried look. “Can’t you try talking to Tim Carpenter again?”

  “And get shot? He’s just mean enough to make good on that threat. No, thanks.”

  “This is how long-term feuds start. I’m thinking the Hatfields and the McCoys.”

  Sly shrugged. “It is what it is.”

  His sister examined him closely, then fixed him with her pit-bull stare. “Something else is bothering you, brother mine. Spill.”

  Just a little thing. Lana was pregnant with his baby. Sly slid his wineglass around. “I’m dying of starvation here. Is that mac and cheese about ready?”

  “You won’t talk. Message received, but only because I’m starving, too.”

  The next few minutes were filled with setting the table, serving up and eating.

  Wanting food, Fluff jumped onto Sly’s lap again and butted his hand, begging shamelessly. Sly gave the cat a hunk of ground beef, then pushed the beggar off his lap.

  “Have you talked to Lana lately?” Dani asked a while later when they’d both taken the edge off.

  Here we go. Sly swallowed a mouthful of food and chased it with wine before replying, “Saw her Saturday.”

  His sister’s expression brightened. “You went out?”

  He shook his head.

  “Dang, I wish that lawsuit was over so you could date. But you saw her?”

  “I went over to her place because Sophie was supposed to come over. Then at the last minute, she baled. Again.”

  His sister made a sympathetic sound. “Lana must have been so upset. She’s dying for a baby of her own. I wonder why Sophie keeps flaking out.”

  One thing was certain—Lana hadn’t told Dani about the pregnancy yet. That was a relief. Sly wanted to be the one to give his sister the news. But first he needed more time to come to grips with the whole thing and figure out what to do about it. Right now, he didn’t want to talk about Sophie or babies.

  “How’s work?” he asked.

  “Tourist season is revving up and we’re busier than ever. Which reminds me—guess who showed up for Sunday brunch with a big announcement?”

  Sly didn’t even try to guess and didn’t have to wait long for the answer. Lit up with excitement, Dani blurted the news. “Rayna and Troy Madison. After five years of marriage, they’re finally expecting!”

  Sly knew the couple. They owned a local real estate company. Dani launched into the particulars and said something about a baby shower.

  Pregnancy and babies. They seemed to be everywhere. “Must be in the air,” Sly muttered.

  “Pardon me?”

  “I said, if they’re happy, that’s good news.”

  “Of course they’re happy. Like Lana, Rayna’s been wanting a baby for a while now. I sure hope that Lana will—”

  “Could we not talk about Lana anymore?”

  Dani’s eyes narrowed a fraction and she gave him a canny look. “You can tell me about it, Sly. I’m a great listener, and I won’t say anything to anyone.”

  She was a great listener, but Sly wasn’t about to say squat about his situation. The pregnancy was new and tenuous, and he was still feeling sucker punched. Besides, as true-blue as Dani was, she never had been able to keep secrets for long. God knew who she’d spill the news to. Plus, she and Lana were friends. Whatever he said to Dani might get back to Lana.

  Sly wasn’t taking any chances. “I sure am hungry tonight.” He refilled his plate and began to eat.

  Dani looked genuinely concerned. “I don’t understand why you won’t talk about Lana.”

  Sly frowned. “Why are you so vested in the idea of Lana and me together?”

  “Because she’s great and you’re great. You two should be together.”

  Sometimes his sister drove him crazy. “I don’t need a matchmaker,” he growled before returning to his meal.

  “Jeez, you’re touchy. All right, let’s talk about the weather. It’s been pretty nice lately. After the winter we had, you and all the other ranchers in Prosperity must be pretty happy. Especially with the decent rainfall and sunshine this spring. And let’s see, there was an article in yesterday’s paper about local tourism. This year it should be up again, for the third year in a row.

  “Oh, and starting a week from Friday the mall will host a huge Memorial Day weekend sale. I’m planning to call she-who-you-do-not-want-me-to-mention and invite her and her best friend, Kate, to go shopping with me. Fascinating stuff, huh?”

  “As long as you three don’t talk about me.” Sly kept his eyes on his rapidly emptying plate.

  “I can’t promise you that. Wow, you polished off your second helping fast. Going for thirds?”

  He shook his head and decided to call it an early night. “Come on, I’ll give you a hand cleaning up.”

  While he helped Dani with the dishes, his thoughts circled to Lana again. She’d mentioned a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. Sly wanted to know what the doctor said, and how Lana was feeling. That morning sickness stuff seemed brutal. He decided to call her tomorrow evening and find out.

  “—for ice cream,” Dani was saying. “I’m in the mood for some rocky road. Let’s go to Lannigan’s Ice Creamery and get ourselves a couple of cones.”

  The ice creamery was one of Sly’s favorites. As tempted as he was, he was ready for solitude. He shook his head. “I’m beat, and tomorrow’s another busy day.”

  “I have to get to bed early, too, but it’s such a warm, beautiful evening, and I have my heart set on rocky-road ice cream. I need the sugar hit, and by your
long face, so do you.”

  “Another time.” Sly handed her a bill. “Get yourself a treat on me.”

  Dani refused the money. “All right, I’ll go by myself and enjoy my ice cream without you. But I sure hope you cheer up soon. You’re a lot more fun when you’re in a good mood. My gut feeling is that this has something to do with Lana.”

  “Yeah? Well, my gut is telling me it’s full.” He patted his belly.

  “Ha-ha. I’m serious about this. If you’d just quit fighting yourself and accept that Lana is the right woman for you, your life would be so much better.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Dani.”

  Dani bowed from the waist. “Anytime. I hope you’re listening to me. Work things out with her.”

  He wasn’t sure that was possible. Lana was pregnant, and the baby was his.

  What the hell was he supposed to do now?

  * * *

  A FEW HOURS after her ob-gyn appointment, Lana relaxed at home with a book on pregnancy. Her intention was to devour every word, but she was so elated, so excited, that she could barely concentrate.

  What a shame she couldn’t share the joy with Sly. She hadn’t heard a word from him since she’d revealed that she was pregnant, and figured he was still coming to grips with the idea.

  Over the past few days she’d realized that no matter where life took either of them, she wanted him to be part of their child’s life. Of course, that choice was his, and she wasn’t going to pressure him.

  Suddenly her cell phone rang. The screen said Sly Pettit. Lana’s heart bumped happily, yet in the same instant, she was worried what he might say. She answered cautiously. “Hi, Sly.”

  “Hey,” he said in the deep voice that usually made her hum inside.

  Not tonight. She was too nervous. She caught her breath and waited.

  “You saw the doctor today,” he said.

  “Dr. Valentine. That’s right.”

  “And?”

  “She called the pregnancy a miracle. Everything appears normal.” The smile Lana had worn since that moment deepened.