“Sixteen at last count, but I got a suspicion there’s more coming soon.”
Those big blue eyes lit up. “That’s a lot. My grandpa only has two, and he lives far, far away in Flora.”
“Florida,” Lacey corrected.
“Florida,” Emily repeated. “Maybe you need a little girl for your family.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Hank glanced at Lacey. “Would you and the kids be available around Labor Day? I’m in need of a cook for our cattle drive.”
Jeff bit back a groan, seeing the surprised look on Lacey’s face.
“Granddad, Lacey can’t want—”
“Excuse me,” Lacey interrupted as she came to the table. “I can answer for myself.” She sent him a warning look before turning to Hank. “Exactly what would this job entail?”
“Well, I’ve found a replica of a chuck wagon, but I decided it would be easier to switch to a truck and refrigerated trailer.” He held up a hand. “This is one of the areas we’re going to update with propane stoves and grills along with a motorized vehicle. I’ve also been informed that the addition of portable toilets along the trail would be appreciated by the women.”
“How many other women are going along?”
“There’s Jeff’s sister, Kelly, and you.” He smiled down at Emily. “This sweet one. And I’m hoping to get Nora to ride along in the wagon. It would be nice to have a nurse along to patch up any minor scratches and cuts. There will also be a generator to keep the food cold and plenty of fresh water. And the trail isn’t so far out in the wilderness that we can’t get to you within thirty minutes.”
Hank announced the pay for the job, and her eyes widened.
Jeff sat up straight. “I didn’t know we were getting paid for this.”
Hank shot him a smile. “You’re family, so you already get your share from the corporation. That’s the reason I came up with this, to promote more family income.” He turned back to Lacey. “What do you say, Lacey? Are you interested?”
“I’ll have horses to care for.”
“If that’s your only concern, I’ll have a couple of the ranch hands take care of them for the duration,” Hank countered.
Jeff watched as the kids got into the act. “Please, Mom, I want to go,” Colin said. “Can I ride with the herd?”
Emily joined in, too. “Mom, I want to ride with you in the wagon. Please, say we can we go.”
Lacey looked at Jeff. “I don’t think the question is whether I go. Hank needs a trail boss. And he hasn’t got an answer from you yet.”
All eyes turned to him. Great. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear this was a set-up.
Emily climbed down from her chair and came to him. “You got to go, Jeff. It’s no fun without you.” She climbed up onto his lap and sat there as if she belonged. “Your owie will be better, too.”
“Yeah, my owie is much better. And I’ve already told Hank that I’ll go.”
He was rewarded with a big smile from the little girl. He felt his heart swell, realizing what he’d missed being away. His friend had had the life he could only dream about. He stole a glance at Lacey, knowing he couldn’t have what was never his.
By week’s end, things had gotten back to normal—if normal was avoiding each other. Jeff had gotten what he wanted and had moved back into the cabin. To be left alone. Funny thing was he missed the kids, but most of all, he missed Lacey.
Today though, they were together and on their way to Chance’s place to check on Rebel. The stallion had performed his task, but they were waiting to see if the mares were pregnant before the horse made the trip back home.
The kids climbed out of the back of his truck. They stayed with their mother, waiting for him. Jeff tried not to think about the idea of them as a family, but it was hard not to.
“Come on, Chance said he’d be in the corral.”
They all walked off toward the covered area. Although the late-afternoon Texas heat was stifling, once inside the temperature was much cooler. They went to the railing and saw two horses being ridden around the large arena.
You couldn’t help but be impressed by the beautiful quarter horses. A glistening black stallion pranced as if he already knew how special he was. The other was a smaller roan filly.
“Look, Mommy,” Emily said, pointing to the horses. “She’s so pretty.”
“Yes, she is,” Lacey answered.
Jeff didn’t miss the longing in her voice.
“Can I have a horse like her when I get older?” the little girl asked.
“I can’t promise you that, Emily.”
“I bet you could train her, Mom.” Colin jumped into the conversation.
“I bet you could, too.”
They all turned to find Chance Randell behind them. He shook Jeff’s hand. “Hello, kids. So you like my new additions?”
“They’re pretty,” Emily said.
“They’re much more than that.” He nodded. “The stallion is Ace in the Hole. He’s a descendant of my first quarter horse, Ace High. He was the reason I wanted this place, to build my dream of breeding quarter horses.”
“Looks like you got it,” Lacey said.
Chance grinned. “I got so much more. This place came with bonuses—my wife, Joy, and a baby girl, Katie Rose.”
Jeff glanced at Lacey. She didn’t have any idea how much he longed for the same kind of life. Her gaze caught his and he looked away. “Is Ace in the Hole for sale?”
Chance seemed to be caught off guard. He pushed his hat back and studied Jeff. “That all depends. What would your plans be for him?”
“I need a good saddle horse. Also another stallion in the barn wouldn’t hurt.” He looked at Lacey. “What do you think, Lace? Would Ace make a good addition?”
Lacey studied the handsome horse, trying not to act surprised that Jeff asked for her opinion. “Any horse bred by Chance Randell doesn’t need my approval.”
Jeff grinned. “So, Uncle, are you willing to part with him?”
Chance pushed back his hat. “I don’t know if I should. That would be feeding the competition.” He tried to hide his smile. “But I guess we can make some sort of deal.”
“And maybe a family discount?” Jeff asked.
His uncle slapped him on his back. “You are definitely a Randell.” They both laughed.
Lacey liked seeing this side of Jeff. It reminded her of their youth and those carefree days.
Planting the kids on the railing, Chance escorted Lacey and Jeff inside the arena. While Chance and Jeff went to see Ace, Lacey kept her attention on the filly.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she? And a fast learner.” The young rider climbed down and raised his fingers to his hat in greeting. “Hello, I’m Will Hansen. My dad is Chance’s breeder and trainer.”
“Lacey Guthrie.” She patted the horse’s neck and the animal bobbed its head, enjoying the attention. “What’s her name?”
“Summer Mist. We call her Misty.”
The filly nudged her when she stopped the stroking. “So you like that, do you, girl?”
The two men joined them. “Looks like someone else has found a horse,” Jeff said.
She froze. “Oh, no. She’s just so sweet. Besides, we can’t afford another horse.”
Chance smiled. “Since she’s my youngest daughter’s horse, Misty’s not for sale anyway. Ellie’s away in England on a student-exchange program. But I wanted you to see her, and ask if you’d be willing to work with her.”
Lacey was taken aback. “But you train your own horses.”
“Saddle and cutters, mostly.” Chance rubbed the horse’s muzzle. “She’s special. Ellie wants Misty to compete in reining.” He turned back to Lacey. “And I think you’d be the best person for the job.”
Jeff came up behind her, placing his arm across her shoulders as if he did it all the time. “Looks like you’ve started your training business.”
CHAPTER TEN
AN hour later, they’d set a fair price for the hors
e’s training and made arrangements for Misty to be moved to the Guthrie Ranch. Jeff gathered the kids to the truck and asked if they wanted to go out to supper in town. Hearing the cheers, he smiled and they headed for a popular pizza place at the edge of town.
After everyone had ordered their favorite food, Jeff handed out coins to Emily and Colin with instructions that the older brother watch his little sister. Reluctantly, Colin guided Emily to the rows of video games while Jeff carried two iced teas to the booth in the corner.
This wouldn’t be the place he’d choose to take Lacey, but he liked them all being together. Not that this was a date, but he’d take any time he could get with her. It had been a long week without her and the kids. Yeah, he’d definitely missed Emily and Colin, too.
Since he’d insisted on leaving their house, he’d spent lonely evenings up at the cabin, with Chance checking on him now and then. He’d only seen Lacey when he’d gone to the ranch to work. At the end of the day, she hadn’t even invited him to stay for supper. Not that he blamed her for holding back on the invitations, not after the way he’d acted as her houseguest. His idea of keeping his distance had well and truly backfired on him.
He placed the drinks on the table and sat down. “While the kids are busy at the machines, I want to talk to you.”
She looked at him with those big green eyes, causing him to lose his train of thought.
“Things moved pretty fast today at Chance’s place and I want to make sure you’re okay with training Misty.”
She leaned back. “It’s going to be tight, and it will take time away from Fancy, but I’d like to go for it.”
“I’ll help as much as I can,” he told her, hoping she wouldn’t rebuff him. “Maybe it’s time you quit your job at the market.”
Her expression changed so quickly he had to clarify his reasons. “Before you start to argue, I’ve checked into group insurance packages, and with the extra money from the horses we’re boarding, and now your training, we can afford it. I have the feeling that once people know you’re working with one of Chance’s horses, other owners will take notice of your talents.” He glanced away. “I also talked with Will Hansen about working part-time for us. That will free up more time for you. He can also do the exercising and grooming.”
Lacey was silent for a long time. “What about health insurance for the kids?”
“It’s affordable since we’ve formed a partnership and it’s all in the package I mentioned.”
Lacey was silent for a long time, then said, “Seems like you’ve been making a lot of plans. I wish you had come to me about hiring Will.”
“I didn’t hire him, yet. I told him I had to check with my partner first.”
She nodded. “I appreciate that. One of the big problems Trevor and I had was when he tried to handle everything on his own. We all know how that worked out.” She looked so sad. “All I ask from you, Jeff, is that I get a say in making the decisions.”
He never wanted to cause her pain again. “I promise, Lace. I want this to work between us.”
Jeff pulled his truck up to the cabin. He shut off the engine and the outdoors suddenly went dark, but he waited for his eyes to adjust to the moonlight shining over the shack.
Home sweet home.
He definitely needed a generator. No, what he really needed was his own place. Even though he officially owned this land, he’d always intended to give it back to Lacey. That hadn’t stopped him from thinking about building a bigger place, a house on the prime piece of land. It would be across the creek, on the rise overlooking the area.
Of course, his granddad Hank owned one of the sweetest spots, Mustang Valley. A home to protect his wild ponies. It was also the site of Randell Nature Retreat for guests who wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet. Jeff glanced around. Even in the dark, he knew this place could attract people, too. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to share it with strangers.
He made his way to the porch, but didn’t go inside. The night heat kept him from being in a hurry. Though he valued his solitude, he found he missed the kids’ noisy chatter.
He mostly missed Lacey. The way she looked, the way she smelled, especially that fresh citrus fragrance of her hair. Even after she worked with the horses, it still lingered on her. His body stirred, and he didn’t like it. His entire adult life he’d been disciplined, except when it came to Lacey.
He heard a noise and tensed. It came from the side of the cabin where he kept the trash bin. He unlocked the door, grabbing a flashlight off the counter and the handgun from the shelf. He wasn’t sure what he’d encounter.
Hesitantly, he stepped off the porch and rounded the corner. His flashlight illuminated the area next to the cans. That was where he found the mangiest dog he’d ever seen. His brown and sable fur was matted and dirty, and worse, he was all skin and bones. The animal gave him a soulful look as he wagged his tail.
“Aren’t you a sad-looking thing?” He slipped the sidearm in the waistband of his jeans, knelt down and held out his hand. Country roads were a dumping ground for unwanted pets.
With its ears pinned back, the mutt took a tentative step and sniffed his hand. “You could use a good meal.”
Jeff went inside the cabin, lit the lanterns so he could see what he was doing, then began rummaging around the cupboard to see what he had to feed the animal. Way in the back of the top shelf he found a can of stew. He pulled it out and something fell down. Looking closer, he discovered it was some kind of book or ledger. He set it on the counter, then opened the can for his intruder. After he dumped the stew into a bowl, he set it on the porch, along with a towel for the dog to sleep on. If he was still there in the morning, then he’d decide what to do. Until then the animal wasn’t coming inside. He closed the door and looked at the lone bunk.
Solitude. Wasn’t that what he’d wanted since coming home? Sure. He should be used to being alone.
He sat down at the table and rubbed a hand over his face. Tonight he was restless. His thoughts turned to his friend and Jeff got a sudden ache in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. He missed Trevor, missed the years they could have had together if he hadn’t been so hung up on Lacey. Yet how could he have come back when he coveted someone else’s wife?
He went to turn off the lantern when he saw the notebook on the counter. It was probably left over from the years the Guthries ran cattle through here and kept track.
He opened it and discovered it wasn’t that at all. It was a journal, written by Trevor.
Jeff sank back into the chair, adjusted the lantern and turned to the first page. It was dated nearly ten years ago. He read through a few of the early entries. Trevor’s wedding. The day Jeff left for the army. The births of his children. His breath caught as he flipped to the last page and found a letter addressed to him, dated August tenth—nearly a year ago.
Jeff,
So you found my journal. Why am I not surprised you came back to the cabin? It’s been a long time, friend. Even though I should be angry that you haven’t been around much, I missed those times when we could just escape up here. The hours we sat by the creek and talked about life.
Oh, it was so simple back then. Our biggest problem was how to stay out of trouble in class or with our parents. Boy, we learned a lot together, but a lot we had to find out on our own. I miss you, friend.
Another entry a week later.
Jeff,
Today is a bad time for me. I received some news from my doctor. It wasn’t good. I didn’t handle it well, so I had Lacey drive me up here for a few hours. She always understands when I need time by myself. It’s funny how this place always gave me that peace. Most of all, I feel close to you here. You have no idea how badly I want you to come through that door.
Three days later.
Jeff,
This morning, I was told that I’m dying. Funny, isn’t it? I’m barely thirty, I catch a cold and a virus damages my heart. There’s nothing they can do but put me on a donor list, and they’re not
optimistic that I have the time to wait for a new heart.
So I came up here and cried like a baby.
I need you, friend. I wish I had your strength to help me through this. I know you can’t drop everything just to be with me and I have to deal with that. Even worse, I also have to deal with the fact that I’ll be leaving Lacey and the kids alone. They’re my life.
Jeff had to put the book down at that moment. He didn’t think he could read any more about the life he’d envied for so long. What kind of friend did that make him?
The next morning, Jeff pulled up next to the barn two hours late. Since Will had started work today, he wasn’t worried that Lacey was left to do it all.
He wouldn’t be worth much today, anyway, since he hadn’t slept last night. He’d ended up sitting on the porch, thinking about Trevor, trying to put the past to rest, letting a silly mutt keep him company. There were still so many unanswered questions. He didn’t understand everything that Trevor had been trying to say.
Did he know of his betrayal with Lacey? They were so young and stupid back then. And in the end Lacey had chosen Trevor over him. She’d married him.
Jeff stepped down from the truck and looked back inside to see the dog, hesitating to get out. He knew the feeling.
After the dog had been checked out at the vet and had an extra-long bath and flea dip, the border-collie mix didn’t look too bad. And he had a home now.
“Come on, boy. There are a couple of kids that’ll be crazy about you.” He reached for the leash and helped the too-thin animal down to the ground.
He walked into the corral and saw Lacey working Fancy. This had become one of the highlights of his day, watching her with the filly. His thoughts also flashed to Trevor’s journal. He’d kept calling Jeff friend. How could that be? Jeff had broken the code of honor when he’d made love to Lacey. Even if it were ten years ago, he knew the feelings for her were still there. For him anyway.
The Lionhearted Cowboy Returns Page 10
