She'd been in awe of Reese. Far too much so. He seemed so untouchable, larger-than-life handsome. So attractive. He had the kind of looks of a movie star or male model. While she knew she was all too average herself.
Come back to me, Ash, Reese had said a few days after she'd given back his ring, his silver-gray eyes burning with a fierce light. She'd said simply, I can't. I can't.
Across from her, Emma gasped. “Oh, no. I'm so sorry. Men.” She waved a dismissing hand. “He seduced you then walked away. Hrrumph.” Her eyes widened as if a thought occurred to her. “You didn't ... you wouldn't have his child without including him on purpose, dear?"
Ashley took a deep, steadying breath. “Not on purpose. No. In our time together ... er ... romantic things happened fast between us ... ah ... too fast, in fact.” Ashley had realized, even at the time, they should've talked about children before allowing the fire of their passion to lead them to making love.
"I was already pregnant before we discussed the issue of children, I'm afraid. I tried to tell him everything and failed miserably. I should've pushed harder to make him listen, but I suppose I feared he'd feel honor bound to do the right thing by us, whether he wanted to or not.” Tears filler her eyes and Ashley swiped them away.
"I see."
Emma's expression was thoughtful and sympathetic rather than judgmental. “Sometimes such things are out of our control."
"Right. Another common story, I'm afraid. Failed birth control."
"I see. Yes, well, it happens. I shouldn't have stirred up old memories for you with my nosiness. You two ladies are doing just fine on your own. She's a wonderful, mannerly little mite. I'd best go start the potatoes ... and maybe a green salad,” Emma said. “Mandy likes my salad."
"It's the funny little face designs you garnish with."
Emma grinned. “I do tempt her to eat her greens, don't I?"
"Yes."
"You should resolve this matter with her father."
Ashley stiffened at the return to the former topic of conversation.
"Get yourself a good lawyer to contact Mandy's dad for you. Inform him he has a child. Selfish man can just learn to pretend to be a dad for our Mandy's sake. He must be a basically decent guy or you wouldn't have fallen for him in the first place, right dear?"
Emma paused thoughtfully.
"What if Mandy needs a blood transfusion or a liver transplant someday?"
Ashley couldn't help but laugh. Emma made it sound so practical. So doable.
"You're right. Yes, he is decent. He's stubborn, cocky as heck, has a ruthless streak a mile long, but he's a good man or I wouldn't have let him get so close.” She sighed. “Mandy's been asking a million questions about her dad. So, I called a lawyer last week. For her."
In the three weeks Emma had baby sat with Mandy, Ashley would bet she'd been getting the same questions from Mandy. That would explain Emma's sudden nosiness today, when she'd never brought up the topic before.
Emma clapped her hands once. “Good for you. Great minds do think alike.” She smiled her approval.
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Chapter Two
"You sure no one left a phone message for me, Josie?” Reese Caldwell walked into his study and threw his hat on the desk.
"I'm sure. Absolutely positive. This is not the first time you've asked today. You asked at breakfast, you asked at lunch.” Planting her hands on her hips, Josie's soft features turned tense and angry. The petite, older woman radiated frustration.
Josie was his father's cousin, but more a second mom to him, his younger brother, Clay and baby sister, Lori, than housekeeper.
He scrubbed his hand over his face, hating that he'd felt driven to ask the question too many times today. She had every right to be annoyed with him.
"Your absent woman did not call here.... “Pausing for effect, she gestured to the fenced, outdoor riding arena beyond the window. “.... while you worked yourself into the ground out there yet another day."
In the eight days since a Houston lawyer sent a registered envelope saying Ashley Wilson wanted a meeting with him, Reese had stewed, annoyed to no end by the sparse information he'd been given.
The tiny whirlwind of a woman turned and moved toward the study door as though she'd go on about her tasks.
"I don't have a woman, Josie."
Hesitating, her back stiff and square, she reversed her course, dark eyes sparked fire and she took a swipe at her red hair, pushing it back off her face.
"No. Of course you do not. Not anymore. Not here in Texas. I'm talking about the one you abandoned in the north ... in ... ah ... Indiana."
"Ohio,” he corrected.
She snapped her fingers. “Yes, that's it, Ohio."
Josie gave the word Ohio a special sound only she brought to words.
She looked thoughtful. “The famous golfer, Arnold. No, Nick ... something ... was born in her city. Columbus. A big, televised golf tournament is held in May."
He supplied the accurate name of the famous golfer.
"Right. Handsome fellow even as he ages.” She waved a hand and gold rings and pink-polished fingernails flashed. “I speak of the woman you brought here for too short a time. Ashley Wilson. Then abandoned her."
"I did not abandon her!” The very thought of it angered him.
"No?"
"She kicked me out of her life. Refused to marry me. Gave back my ring."
Josie's eyes narrowed. “She had good reason then. Did you ask what it was?"
Reese glared. She gave him a severe glare right back.
"Thanks for the familial support.” For the most part, Josie minded her own business, but once started on a campaign, usually a mission to better his life or his sibling's lives, she could lecture forever.
"Ashley and I are over,” he said. “End of story. Ended four long years ago.” He sat down behind his desk.
"Well, then why do you think she'd call here today? When she has not called in four years?"
He didn't volunteer that he'd gotten the letter from a lawyer telling him to expect further contact from Ashley.
He wasn't a bit surprised Josie knew exactly whom he expected to call. It was unnerving and uncanny, but not surprising. She always knew far too much. She said it was thanks to their Peacewatcher ancestors. According to Josie, their people carried the genes of a long line of seers and healers, long-time guardians and protectors of all of humanity. Otherwise humans would have died out long ago Josie claimed.
She loved the version of the story that said their ancestors descended from an alien society from some other dimension. They supposedly had too many casualties during the Civil War and fell inactive, splintered apart, lost touch with each other.
There was a dusty old leather-bound book, passed down for generations. Josie called it The Rolls of the Peacewatcher People and kept nagging him and Clay to read it when they were younger.
Reese acknowledged the power of their ancient blood. He knew things he couldn't know from time to time himself. For the most part, he ignored his gift for premonitions and true dreams. Considered it more of a curse than the blessing Josie said it was. He didn't talk about it. But deep down, he respected the foretelling messages and heeded them when he could. Hell, he even found a subtle way to warn others on the rare occasion he felt he must. He'd long ago faced the fact that he dreaded reading the old book. He meant to do so someday. Josie said the instincts he and Clay had for training and breeding horses came from the blood of their ancestors.
She gave up on his answering and continued, “I realize it's been four years since your Ashley came here. A very long time."
"Yeah, a long time...."
Waving her hand again, she interrupted, “Reasonable people resolve their differences long before this.” She gave the next two words special emphasis, drawing them out, “Not you two offspring of the world's most stubborn animal, the mule. No, wait, perhaps the zebra? I saw a TV documentary saying the pretty little beasts cannot be do
mesticated by man...."
"Jo,” he interrupted. Lord, his head hurt now.
"Hah! Always you cut me off and end the discussion. You'll listen to me this time. I know you so well, Reese. You're deeply troubled today. I can tell by the way you frown. If you'd bothered to read all the letters she sent the first few months...."
"You think you know me,” he interrupted.
Her eyes hardened. “She was the right woman for you. Can you deny that?"
He looked up sharply at the pronouncement.
"Tell me why you ignored her letters?” she demanded.
"What could she say in letters she couldn't say to my face?"
She gave him a deadpan look. As if to say, ‘plenty'.
"Besides, mules don't have offspring, Josie."
She laughed sadly. “That's the point, of course. You're zebra and mule crosses, both of you. Too stubborn and unable to breed with each other. Living apart and making no babies to brighten this big old empty house.” She paused. “You're not getting any younger you know, it's...."
He raked a hand through his hair. He couldn't even think of having kids. As he watched, her eyes glazed and looked far away. Uh-oh.
"In a dream, I saw her babies here. The oldest, a sweet little girl."
Reese sucked in a painful breath. The happiness of Ashley's voice when she'd once recounted to him the birth of her sister's child still haunted him. From her expression, he'd realized his not wanting babies for them hurt her.
"Can you tell me it was not Ashley you hoped to hear from?” Lowering her voice, Josie gestured toward the silent phone, her expression sad now.
"For God's sake, you already know it was.” He leaned forward and allowed his gaze to fall to the magazine in front of him, but the popular sorrel stud horse on the cover didn't register in his mind.
Josie threw up her hands. “I know you don't want to hear this, Reese Lincoln Caldwell."
At the use of the middle name, he looked at her from under his brow.
"I've held my tongue far too long now. I've watched your heart grow cold and hard. Watched you look out that window with pain in your eyes when you think no one sees. Watched you throw all your energy into patiently training the young horses seven days a week."
"Stop.” Hell, he felt the urge to cup his hands to his ears like a child.
She shook her head. “No. Hear me out. I've been silent and respected your privacy too long now."
"Josie,” he warned. Where she might have listened yesterday, or the day before and let it drop, today Josie had the bit in her teeth and meant to run on.
Closing his eyes, he waited, resigned to his fate.
"This is far worse in its way than when we lost your Natalie, you know?” She gave a discouraged sigh. “And your sweet little Gabe with her the same day. And the baby she carried...."
"God above.” Reese jumped to his feet, the desk chair clattered off its mat onto the hardwood floor behind him. His heart thudded at the mention of his first love and their son Gabe, just turned three when he and his mom and unborn sibling were lost in a car accident.
"Damn, Josie.” He infused the next words with as much cold control as he could. “Don't go there."
The look he gave Josie had her lifting her chin. Hurt clouded her expression.
"Please don't talk about it.” He felt tears burn at his own eyes and he fought them like hell.
She threw up her hands.
"Fair enough then. Fair enough. I won't speak of the terrible tragedy. As you wish. But I am not prepared to watch your needless pain any longer. Not without complaint. We will speak of your Ashley. I'll say this. And you cannot stop me. She's a good woman. You cannot ask for more than that."
He nodded. “No arguing that fact."
"She was wonderful for you, made you happy again for a while. She understood when I spoke of special Peacewatcher gifts, too. She believed me.” Shaking her head she narrowed her eyes and continued, “Only a misguided fool lets that go without a terrible, terrible battle. Go to her."
The small woman's look was like an angry mama bear. And worse, now the tears in her eyes flowed down her cheeks.
"Hellfire,” he swore, pained he'd insulted her, hurt her. But, God, he dreaded hearing her speak of his lost family. The authorities hadn't found Gabe's little body six years ago. Reese had exhausted all options searching for him, hoping to learn some Samaritan had taken the toddler away from the crash.
He took a deep breath.
Josie muttered something about lonely, bullheaded fools who were afraid to take second chances at happiness even when they landed in their lap straight from heaven. She turned to leave the room. Just as quick, she came back through the double doorway, dabbing her eyes with a tissue from her jeans pocket.
"If you ever want to read those letters from Ashley you tossed out? I saved them for you. Unopened.” With that pronouncement, she was gone again.
Reese's heart jerked and he sucked in another breath. “No.” He'd tossed the damn letters in the trash, knowing he was a coward for not reading them. He thought they were long gone.
Ashley walked away from him when he'd asked her to be his wife. What else could she say beyond that? He hadn't called her or tried to see her since. Like Josie said, too damned stubborn.
Hell, maybe he should have swallowed his pride and gone to see her.
He turned to face the large window. All this time, he'd waited for Ashley to show up in a taxi on the drive to the Triple C. She'd broken their relationship, she should, by God, fix it, he'd reasoned.
He'd fantasized about it—about letting her apologize to him—of demanding sweet sexual retribution.
But why hadn't he called her himself, gone to see her? To be honest, he'd dreaded he might plead with her to take him back. He raked a hand through his hair. Masculine pride was no cure for loneliness.
He'd expected to hurt too much if she said no again—if she turned her back on him and walked away again.
After they parted, Reese had soon realized no other woman appealed to him. And the dark vacuum of his lonely, empty bed was killing him.
* * * *
While her neighbor cooked, Ashley lingered at the edge of falling asleep, allowing memories to float into her mind.
The colors, the smells and sounds seemed as clear as if it were yesterday.
Reese's thick black hair had been one thing attracting her to him in the first place. She'd loved that head of hair, and ached to touch it even before he gave her the right, as his woman, to do so.
Five years ago, she'd agreed to speak at The All-American Quarter Horse Congress held each October at the state fairgrounds in Columbus. The month long event, which was promoted as the largest single-breed horse show in the world, was always fun, like a large fair. Horsemen and horsewomen from all over the world came into the city to participate or watch.
Her experiments with IRT imaging devices had caught the imagination of the veterinarians and trainers that year. Infrared diagnostics could be applied to the various common types of lameness the horses fell victim to. IRT could even be used to determine the comfortable fit of saddles on their sensitive backs. The ancient Greeks had measured injury or pain-related heat by applying mud and observing which areas dried first. Having been interested in horses for years, she'd been honored to speak at educational workshop.
In the midst of hectic last minute preparations, the organizers had needed someone to run out to the airport and pick up a Texan named, Reese Caldwell. The Texan was scheduled to speak at the same panel on the early signs of work-related equine injury.
Ashley had arrived extra early, parked her car close with a pass, so it seemed logical she volunteer to go get her fellow guest speaker.
Heavens, she'd never forget her first sight of Reese. He strode across the Port Columbus concourse as if he were a warrior surveying conquered territory. A full-length duster and black hat and tight jeans set him apart from the businessmen and businesswomen who bustled through the modern termina
l.
Now she smiled at the sexy fantasy image he'd made.
Her poor heart had pounded at the vision of him. For a moment, she felt she'd stepped into one of the time-travel romance novels she loved to read. What a magnificent apparition he'd seemed, with the long panels of the black raincoat billowing around his masculine legs. To imagine him surviving in a rougher era when men were more than a little jagged at the edges was so easy.
Ashley felt a sharp and immediate attraction to him, like nothing she'd ever known for a man. Her body warmed in response to the very sight of him. And for heaven's sake, her hands had trembled.
She'd been thankful to be seated in the uncomfortable airport chair. In fact, she froze there, all stiff and prim in her plain suit. She'd adjusted her sturdy stainless steel-framed glasses for a better look. They were the kind of serviceable eyewear that held up well in the event of being stepped on by their owner.
She'd never felt so odd. She rarely noticed the men around her. And she'd never resented her studious appearance so much before. Eventually realizing she stared, she'd looked away before he caught her. Then to her amazement, she sensed he'd stopped and looked at her. At first, she'd guessed he watched for some woman he'd come to meet. She even swiveled around to see who was behind her.
He was too ruggedly attractive and too much the strong male to notice a mousy scientist's interest in him, much less return it. The beautiful flight attendants who walked confidently and quickly along the concourse looked like the type of woman she imagined he would seek out.
But there'd been no one near her. No one smiled at him from behind her. Those amazing, flashing silver-gray eyes gazed only at her.
With a boldness alien to her, she'd forced herself to stand. Curious. And determined to speak to him. Her mind flew through possible charming opening gambits. Time, yes, she could ask him the time. Directions, maybe? No. Not good. The man was clearly not from around here.
In a flash, she'd settled on the simple question. After all, he had on western attire. She'd ask him if he were the man she was there to meet, Reese Caldwell.
She took a deep breath. Logical. Besides, there were a few other horsemen in the concourse area. No doubt in town for the Congress, too.
The Horseman's Heritage Page 2
