Coming Home: (Contemporary Christian Romance Boxed Set): Three Stories of Love, Faith, Struggle & Hope

by Debra Ullrick

  “Yes, but I’d really like to talk to you about the other day in the diner.”

  Sami’s jaw line tightened. “Yeah? Well, I’d rather not.” She removed the halter, leaving the lead rope around her horse’s neck as she did so. Slipping the bit into Stardust’s mouth, she slid the bridle on and buckled it. Then with one look of pure exasperation Chase’s way, she grabbed the horse’s reins. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a horse that needs to be shod.”

  Thinking this might not be the right time to say anything about the rumors he’d heard in town, he decided it was best to wait. So, he stepped in closer and smiled down at her. “Wait. Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot, and I’m sorry if I was out of line at the diner or if I made you feel uncomfortable. Can we just start over and pretend the other day never happened?” He pulled off his hat with one hand and extended the other out to her. “Hi, I’m Chase Townsend, and you are?”

  She stiffened and haughtily tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, please.”

  He watched her shift from one foot to the other, and when he noticed her hesitation, he seized the opportunity and pushed his hand closer to her. “What do you say?”

  To his surprise, she half-smiled and then half-heartedly shook his hand.

  “Now like I said before,” she said as if annoyed with him and life itself, “I have chores to do, and I’m almost sure you have other things to do instead of hanging out with me.”

  Chase couldn’t stop the smile. “I think you could be pretty good company, and who knows,” he said as he placed his hat back on his head. “You may even learn to like me.”

  Sami laughed under her breath. “I doubt that very seriously.” She took a couple of steps toward the barn door, and then she stopped and shoved a hand into the pocket of her jeans. “Oh, by the way,” She pulled a few bills out of her pocket, walked back over to Chase, and pushed the bills into his hand. “I can pay for my own lunch, thank you.”

  Surprise pounced on him. “Keep your money. I felt like it was the least I could do since I was the reason you left before you had the chance to finish your lunch.”

  She tilted her head to the left as a faint smile brushed her lips. “I suppose you’re right. Lunch was on you.” A soft giggle rumbled in her throat. “Well, my drink was anyway.”

  ♥♥♥♥

  Later on that day just as Sami drove one of the ATVs out of the shed, Clint’s voice came over her walkie. “Sami, are you there? Do you have your walkie on you?”

  She pulled the walkie from its case on her side and pushed the button. “Hey, Clint, what do you need?”

  “There’s an extra bag of fencing nails behind the seat in the work truck. I forgot to grab them before heading out. Will you bring them out to us? We’re working just above the ridge about a quarter of a mile past the old storage barn.”

  Shutting off the engine, she climbed off the ATV. “Sure. Is that all you need?”

  “I think that’s it. Oh, and by the way, I’m surprised you had your walkie on you, and that it wasn’t hidden in some haystack somewhere. Will wonders never cease?”

  “Ha. Ha. You’re very funny.” Sami giggled and was actually surprised she had it on her, too.

  Scruff, their large black and white, Australian Shepherd came bounding up to her. “Hey, Scruff, where have you been all morning?” Sami bent down, scratched him behind both ears, and kissed his head. “Come on, boy, I have to get something out of the truck for Clint.”

  Scruff began jumping and running around and around Sami’s legs. Just as Sami took a step forward, Scruff darted in between her legs, knocking her right off her feet. She stumbled forward and down on the ground she went, landing on her hands and knees with a hard thud.

  “Scruff! Bad dog!”

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  She recognized the voice immediately and willed it to just go away. Oh, no. Not again. Of all the people on this ranch to see me fall, why in the world did it have to be him?

  Slowly and with dread, she looked up into Chase Townsend’s face. “Yes, I’m just fine.”

  He squatted down in front of her. “You need a hand?”

  “Stop.” She flipped up one hand and pushed herself up on her knees. “Don’t even think about it. Let’s not go down that road again. I can get up on my own, thank you very much.” It took effort, but she stood to her feet and dusted the dirt off the knees of her jeans.

  He stood, pushed his hands deep into his pockets, and disarmed her with his infectious smile. “You know we’re going to have to stop meeting like this.”

  When she looked up at Chase again, a jolt of electricity shot through her body. A faint light flickered in the depths of his dark eyes causing her breath to snag in her throat. His radiant smile was like a beam of sunshine that found a weakness in the wall she’d built up around her heart. This is going to be a problem.

  Chapter Four

  “Sami, are you sure you don’t want to go to church with me this morning?” Aunt Edna asked when Sami came into the kitchen the next morning, making her way to the coffee pot.

  “I’m quite sure.” Fighting the annoyance rising in her chest, Sami poured herself a generous cup. “You haven’t asked me to go to church with you in a while. Why start again now?”

  “Well, this morning, I’m being escorted to church by a very handsome young man who’s new in town. I just thought you might want to tag along with us.”

  The sip was scalding, but Sami hardly noticed. “Aunt Edna, know that I love you when I say this, but I am not interested in our new hand or anybody else. So, please, please, no matchmaking. I’m happy just the way I am. Besides, I have things I have to do today.”

  Her aunt raised an eyebrow at Sami as she spread jelly on a buttered toast. “Who said I was trying anything? I just invited you to church.”

  “Yeah, whatever you say.” Sami reached from behind Aunt Edna, playfully snatched the slice of toast from her hands, and took a bite out of it.

  Aunt Edna twisted in her chair and smacked Sami on the backside as she walked past her. “Excuses, excuses.”

  After Sami filled her another cup full of coffee, she turned and headed back toward the living room. “Thanks for the toast, Aunt Edna.”

  A knock at the front door halted Sami’s footsteps.

  “Sami, that’s probably Chase. Would you please tell him I’ll be there in a minute?” Aunt Edna yelled from the dining room.

  “Okay.” When she opened the door, her heart skipped a beat.

  Standing on her front porch was Chase, wearing a white Stetson, a denim long sleeve shirt, bolo tie, and blue jeans. She hadn’t noticed before how tall he was or how his dimples increased his handsomeness when he smiled. Now she noticed all of that and more.

  “Good morning, Sami.” He pulled off his hat and held it in his hands.

  She didn’t move and hardly blinked.

  “Are you going to invite me in, or do I just get to stand out here all day?”

  “Oh.” Sami shook out of her trance. “Sure, come on in. Aunt Edna said she’ll be out in a minute.” She held the door open and stepped to the side to let him enter. “Would you like to have a seat?”

  At that moment, Aunt Edna came into the room, looked up at Chase, and smiled. “Well, don’t you look handsome this morning, Chase.” Turning to face Sami, she asked with a glint in her eyes, “Isn’t he handsome, Sami?”

  “Whatever you say, Aunt Edna.” Unwelcome warmth crept into her cheeks, and she bit into her toast to hide it.

  “If I was only thirty years younger, I’d snatch you up in a heartbeat,” Aunt Edna teased and giggled like a teenage girl.

  “I’d be honored to be snatched up by you, Miss Edna.” Chase gave her aunt a wink.

  Sami grinned behind her toast when she saw Aunt Edna’s cheeks blush.

  “Now ain’t you sweet?” Aunt Edna stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

  He held his arm out for her, and she hooked her arm inside of his. “Shall we go, my l
ady?”

  “Yes, we shall, Sir.”

  Chase put his hat back on his head, then tipped the rim of it in Sami’s direction. “I’ll have her back in a couple of hours. See you later, Sami.”

  Sami nodded.

  She stepped out onto the porch and watched them walk together to his pickup. He walked around the truck and opened the door for Aunt Edna. As she climbed in, she tossed her head back and laughed at something he’d said.

  It was crazy how Sami just couldn’t get him out of her head. She poured herself a final cup of coffee, went out, and sat on the porch swing. It was one of her favorite places to sit and think.

  She had to agree with her Aunt Edna, Chase was a handsome man. He was at least six feet tall. Had a strong, chiseled chin, and his eyes were dark as the night, but they sparkled every time he smiled. He had a kind and honest face, but Billy Salter’s had fooled her with good looks before, too.

  Suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. Just thinking about Billy made her nauseous. The best way to describe him was he was a ladies’ man, a manipulator, a con artist, a liar, and an all around bad guy.

  Eight months earlier, he’d worked on the ranch for a few weeks, filling in for Daniel while he was recovering from appendicitis. However, even after Daniel returned to work, Billy would show up unannounced and uninvited on the ranch begging her to go out with him. At first, his flashy smile, good looks, and smooth talking ways had flattered Sami. But there was something about him, something she just didn’t trust. After she refused to go out with him, the person he really was began to ooze through the suave mask.

  Her thoughts went back to that cold October night when Billy came staggering into the barn.

  “There’s my girl.” Billy’s voice was slurred and wobbly.

  In surprise, she turned and tipped her head to the side. “Billy, what are doing here?”

  “I came to claim what’s mine. That’s what.”

  “Billy, you’re drunk.” She dismissed him with a shake of her head and went back to her chores. “The best thing for you to do is turn around and go back home. I‘ve already told you I’m not interested in going out with you. Now, please leave before I call my father.” A surge of panic rioted through her when his stone-cold face twisted in anger.

  Sensing danger in the situation, she reached for her phone. However, just as she pulled it out of its case, Billy stumbled toward her and jerked her it out of her hand, and threw it to the ground with a decided crash.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” She raised her hand to slap him, but he grabbed both of her arms and jerked her in to his chest. His face was so close to hers she could smell the liquor on his breath. The stench was so strong it burned her eyes.

  “Let go of me!”

  “Come on, baby. You know you want me. No one could be that cold.” He jerked her in closer. “I’m not leaving until I get what I came for.”

  “You’re hurting me, Billy. Let go of me!”

  “Stop trying to fight this. You’re not going anywhere.” He tightened his grip on her arms, sending waves of pain shooting through her.

  It felt as though her arms were going to break. He leaned in to kiss her, and with one giant effort, she managed to break free from his grip. With one step backward, she came forward, slapped him hard right across the jaw. She turned to run, but at the last second, he grabbed her again and shook her so hard it made her teeth rattle.

  “Who do you think you are?” he roared, and then he slapped her so she went tumbling to the ground.

  At that moment, she clearly understood the saying, seeing stars. They were all she could see. The pain in her face was overwhelming, breathtaking, nauseating. She touched her lips, and when she pulled her hand back, she saw blood. Her gaze fell to the droplets of blood falling onto the hay, and fear gripped her heart like a vice. She couldn’t call out for anyone because no one would be able to hear her. Her dad and brothers were inside the house, too far away to hear her cries for help. Bart had already gone to bed in the bunkhouse, and the other hands had left for home. Worse, she knew Billy wasn’t leaving until he got what he came for. Her!

  Frantically she looked around the barn for some sort of weapon, and then she spotted her Winchester propped up in the corner. She stumbled to her feet, scrambling forward, and lunged toward her rifle.

  Just as she wrapped her fingers around the cold hard steel of the barrel, Billy grabbed her hair and jerked her violently upward. Squirming and fighting, she managed to free herself from his grip even as she whirled around and pointed the rifle at his chest.

  “Get back, Billy. I mean it. Don’t make me shoot you!”

  He let out a thunderous laugh and took a step toward her. “Put the gun down, Sami. You know you’re not going to shoot me.”

  “Don’t come any closer.” She cocked the hammer. “I’m warning you.”

  He grabbed the barrel of her gun and jerked it out of her hands causing the rifle to fire and when it did, the bullet sank deep into Billy’s foot.

  Within seconds, she heard shouts, and then her father, Brent, Miles and Bart came running into the barn.

  “What happened here?” her father yelled at both of them.

  “That crazy chick just shot me!” Billy yelled as he lay on the ground, his body twisting in pain as he held his boot now oozing with blood through his clenched fingers. “She’s out of her mind!”

  “Dad, I didn’t mean to shoot him. I was just trying to scare him so he would leave me alone. The gun went off by accident.” Covering her face with her hands, she tried to block out the horrifying scene in front of her. Violent waves of shock raked over her body like a vicious storm on the sea.

  Just as her knees started to fold underneath her, her father grabbed her and wrapped his strong arms around her. “What?” Her father took in the blood on her face in confusion and shock. “It’s okay, Sami, it’s okay. I’m here now. Brent, go call the Sheriff.” Her dad looked down at Billy still writhing on the ground. “And, I guess you should call an ambulance, too.” He lifted Sami’s chin, examined her face closer, and then she watched his jaw line tighten.

  Miles bent down, grabbed the front of Salter’s shirt, and shook him. “What did you do to my sister?”

  “Arrghh,” Billy bellowed, his face contorting with agony and anger.

  When Miles drew back his fist, Bart stepped in and grabbed his arm. “Miles, let the Sheriff handle this. You don’t want to go to jail, too.”

  “I should shoot you myself.” Miles grabbed up Sami’s rifle and gripped it tight.

  “Miles, this won’t help anything. Give me the rifle.” Bart held out his hand, and after a moment, Miles handed it over with slumped shoulders.

  “Thanks, old man,” Billy moaned.

  “I didn’t do this for you.” Bart grunted and looked at Billy in pure disgust. “Boy, you’re lucky the Sheriff’s on his way, or we would finish this right here and now.”

  “I’m taking Sami inside to get a better look at her face before I do something I’ll get arrested for myself. Let me know when the sheriff gets here.” Her father stood her to her feet and guided Sami out of the barn.

  Thankfully, Sheriff Taylor Andrews had all the evidence he needed to rule it as clear self-defense, from Sami’s bloody face and bruised arms, to Billy’s drunken state.

  Still, the memory of that night had never really left her. She shook the terrible thoughts out of her head, shifted in the porch swing, and gazed down the long winding driveway.

  “Whatcha doing?” Brent asked and smacked the swing with one of his crutches. Sami jumped, causing her to spill the coffee in her lap.

  “Brent! Are you kidding me? Don’t sneak up on people like that.” She brushed the cool coffee from her jeans. “You about scared the life out of me.”

  He laughed. “I can see that. Why are you so jumpy this morning?”

  “I’m not jumpy. You shouldn’t be sneaking up on someone like that. Thank goodness the coffee wasn’t hot.” She huffed as she sto
od from the swing, shaking the coffee off her clothes. “Now, I’m going to have to change clothes again.” She punched him in the arm as she walked past him and on into the house.

  “Ouch.” Brent rubbed his arm, teasingly. He swung on his crutches and followed her. “You seemed a million miles away just now. Where were you?”

  “I was just thinking, that’s all. You’re learning to use those crutches pretty well,” she said, hoping to change the subject. No one knew how often she thought about that night or the nightmares that seemed to follow sleep like nightfall following dusk, and she wasn’t about to tell anyone either.

  “Well, I’ll be glad when I don’t have to use them at all.” He went over and plopped himself down on the sofa to pout. “When’s Aunt Edna gonna be home? I’m starving.”

  “If you don’t think you’ll starve to death within the next ten minutes, I’ll go change out of these wet clothes and fix you something to eat when I come back down.”

  “I don’t know if I can make it that long.” He grabbed his stomach and fell over sideways on the sofa.

  She picked up one of the cushions and threw it at him. “You are so spoiled.”

  A few minutes later, she walked into the dining room pulling her hair up in a ponytail. The new dry jeans felt good.

  “Hey, Aunt Edna’s home. She’s fixing lunch for us.” Brent nodded in Chase’s direction. “Chase is here too.”

  She looked over at Chase who was sitting on the other side of the table from Brent. One look was all it took to make her heart rate race for the fences, but at the last second she managed to shrug as if his presence wasn’t making her heart and stomach do very unhealthy things. “I kinda figured that out with Chase sitting right there, Brent.”

  “I was invited to lunch.” Chase leaned back in the chair as his gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  The very air around her seemed to be electrified when their eyes made contact. “No, of course I don’t mind. Who am I to say no if you were invited? I need to go help Aunt Edna,” she said, heading for the kitchen.