Jenny didn’t appreciate the stranger’s overbearing attitude. Although she was proud of her brother’s attempt at being their protector, it suddenly occurred to her how very alone they were out here and that this man could possibly be dangerous. He certainly looked as if he was capable of violence. Muscles rippled across broad shoulders as the stranger pulled his Stetson from his head and shifted it from one hand to the other. David quailed under his look and Jenny was suffering severe misgivings about tangling with such an individual. From somewhere deep inside she pulled on reserves of courage and decided her best defense would be a quick counterattack.
“David, be still,” Jenny told him quietly. She stepped forward, pushed her brother to the side out of harm’s way and turned to the man. “Perhaps you would explain yourself.”
His green eyes fired afresh. “You want me to explain myself! You’ve got a lot of nerve, lady! I happen to be looking after this place for someone and that gives me the right to question you, and I have no intention of explaining myself to a bunch of kids.”
Of all the supercilious attitudes! Anger that had been squelched by fright now pummeled its way to the surface. “I’ll have you know that I am not a child!”
His eyes took a slow inspection of her, making her flinch under his appraisal. Jenny squirmed under that scathing look, knowing that she didn’t look her best. With her hair in a ponytail and no makeup, she probably did look like the child he accused her of being. The fact that she was thin didn’t help matters, either. She was not exactly an imposing figure.
When his gaze connected with hers again, something had altered almost imperceptibly in his hard stare and she unwillingly responded to it.
Those memories she had tried so hard to bury now rose to the surface. Her first year of college she had met Alexander. Having been sheltered all her life, she’d been easy prey for the likes of such a practiced charmer. They had dated for a short time and she had thought herself in love. She had been devastated when she’d overheard a conversation between him and his buddies in which he’d explained that he could overlook Jenny’s lack of looks as long as he knew she had plenty of money.
He had dropped her like a hot potato after her parents died and he realized that there would be no big inheritance coming from the estate. It had shattered her faith in herself. Although the hurt from that rejection had diminished over the years, all of those insecurities came rushing back to haunt her now. This man exuded that same kind of magnetism.
Despite his towering rage and her own rising anger, Jenny could feel the tug of his attraction. Surprised that she was so affected, she slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and frowned up at him, exasperated with herself. What was there about the man that shortened her breath and muddled her thinking? In her whole twenty-six years of existence she had never been as affected by a man as she was by this one. Even her feelings for Alexander paled in comparison, making her more leery than ever.
Their standoff lasted several long seconds before Jenny finally capitulated.
“Fine,” she told him. “My name is Jenny Gordon. This is my brother, David, and my sister, Renee. And this—” she moved her hand in a sweeping gesture “—is our ranch.” She dropped the bomb casually and waited for his reaction. She hadn’t long to wait.
“In a pig’s eye!”
* * *
Mitch Anderson stared in openmouthed amazement at the three belligerent faces regarding him as though he were the interloper. He had seen someone on Tito’s porch upon his return from town and, having been the recent target of juvenile vandalism, was not in a particularly forthcoming mood.
Wherever had these kids gotten the idea that this property belonged to them? Hopefully they weren’t the targets of some sort of scam. The one named Jenny looked as though a good puff of wind would blow her away. Looking at her now, he could see that she was older than he had at first assumed. She was neither homely nor cute, but something about her arrested his attention. Those wide sapphire eyes regarding him with such open hostility held the faintest look of desperation. Opening his mouth to deny their claim, he felt as though he was about to kick a wounded puppy.
“It’s true,” the boy piped up, interrupting what he was about to say while a female replica of him settled for a vigorous nod of the head.
Before he could reply he heard the sound of another vehicle barreling down the dirt road. Dust billowed out behind it. As if in silent agreement all four figures waited for the car to arrive. Hattie Ames’s Town Car parked tidily behind his Jeep. She slowly emerged from the car, a wide smile on her face. He had no idea what she was doing here, but he had a sudden premonition that settled a hard lump in his stomach.
“Mitch! How nice. I see you’ve met your new neighbors.”
The lump in his stomach grew to alarming proportions. Incredulity, anger, frustration were only a few of the myriad emotions churning their way through his gut before he forced himself to calm down. He turned to Jenny, his eyes slowly traveling from the tip of her mousy head to the toes of her running shoes and back again. You have got to be kidding!
When his eyes connected with her flashing blue ones, he could tell that his reservations were evident on his face. Each time he got caught by that look, it was as though some sort of magnetic pull was dragging him outside of himself. He frowned, berating himself for his foolish reaction. He said nothing, waiting until Hattie joined them on the porch.
Arching an eyebrow, Jenny turned toward Hattie. “Mitch?” she queried.
Looking puzzled, Hattie glanced from Jenny to Mitch.
“Didn’t you introduce yourselves?”
“We hadn’t gotten around to it yet,” Mitch told her drily.
“Oh.” Hattie glanced curiously from one to the other. “Mitch owns the ranch west of here.” She gestured in the direction that was evidently west. “There are actually very few cattle ranches left anymore. Mitch’s is one of the few prosperous ones still around.”
David’s eyes widened. “Are you a real cowboy?” He was obviously impressed, seemingly forgetting his earlier animosity.
“If you mean do I ride around on a horse all day singing cattle songs and eating from a chuck wagon the way they do in the movies, then no, I’m not a cowboy.” He suddenly flashed a smile and, despite his chaotic feelings, felt himself softening toward the boy. “Is that what you meant?”
The boy’s face flushed but he was undeterred. “Yeah, I guess that is what I thought.”
“I raise cattle for beef,” he told him. “We do ride horses and round up our cattle, but nothing like the old days.”
A sudden silence descended on the group.
Hattie hastily stepped forward, eyes darting perplexedly from him to Jenny. She was obviously aware of the thick, almost oppressive, atmosphere.
“Well, now, what have you decided?” At Jenny’s questioning look, she gestured around. “I mean, if you want to sell this place I’m sure I could find a buyer for you.”
“Really?” David and Renee chimed together.
Hattie smiled at them. “Really.” She turned to Mitch. “As a matter of fact, Mitch here’s wanted this place for a while now. Isn’t that right, Mitch?”
He willed the belligerence from his voice before he answered. “I will make you a good offer,” he told Jenny, caught once again by the desperate look in her eyes. He held his breath, waiting for her answer.
* * *
Jenny glanced around her, trying to ignore the hopeful looks on her siblings’ faces. The buzzard she had seen earlier was a mere speck in the bright azure sky. The stillness of the hot afternoon settled around her and she felt herself relax for the first time in weeks. What was it about this place that made her feel so at peace?
Periodically she could hear a bird trilling close by or the wind skipping a tumbleweed across the sandy terrain. One could almost feel the pre
sence of God here, which astonished her, because she hadn’t given much thought to Him for some time.
“It’s not for sale.” Jenny heard her own voice with some surprise. She was fairly certain that that wasn’t what she had meant to say. There was so much to consider, not the least of which was how they would survive until she could get a job.
She ignored the swift intake of breath from her siblings.
Mitch’s lips formed a tight, thin line. “You haven’t even heard my offer yet. I’m willing to pay you considerably more than the ranch is worth.”
Jenny looked him squarely in the eyes. For once in her life she had no doubts. This was home. She could feel it. How could it be that she seemed to fit right into this rugged landscape? And what of Renee and David? Her heart gave a frightened lurch. Was she doing right by the twins? Was she being selfish? She had to do what she thought was best, and in her heart she felt this was the right decision, though she didn’t understand why.
Mrs. Ames cleared her throat. “Perhaps you want to think it over?”
Jenny shook her head. “No, Mrs. Ames. I definitely don’t want to sell. I want us to live here.”
David flung himself away and stomped off to the other end of the porch and Renee let out a small sigh. Mitch Anderson snorted in disbelief.
“Do you have any idea what it’s like out here? This is no place for a woman alone with two kids. There are things you need to take into consideration.”
That was certainly true enough, not the least of which was a means of transportation. If she had to rent a car that would definitely cut into the little money they had in their savings. Still, something told her this was where she was meant to be. Normally a more logical person with a sound sense of judgment, she ignored the tiny voice that warned her against making snap decisions.
“Regardless, I intend to stay.”
His narrowed green-eyed gaze seemed to question her sanity. He slammed his Stetson on his head and went to turn away. He paused a moment before adding, “If you change your mind, Hattie here knows how to get in touch with me.” He nodded his head toward Mrs. Ames.
Jenny watched as he leaped into his Jeep before throwing it into gear and, making a U-turn, roared back down the road from whence he had made his incredible appearance. Jenny blew out a relieved breath.
“What a hunk!”
Jenny gave her sister a telling look. “That’s crude, Renee,” she said in rebuke, even though mentally she had to agree with her. The man was certainly handsome in a rugged sort of way. He was what her father would have called a man’s man.
Mrs. Ames smiled mysteriously. “Land sakes, I’ve never seen Mitch so wrought up.” She glanced at Jenny speculatively. “So what do you think of the area’s most eligible bachelor?”
What did she think? Jenny mused. He was rude, arrogant, insufferable and a few other adjectives she couldn’t put a name to. Still, since he was a friend of Hattie’s she closed her mouth on the vitriolic words begging for release. She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve just met him, haven’t I?”
Still, she couldn’t keep her look from following the fast-disappearing Jeep.
Hattie Ames smiled as if at some secret joke. She gave a slight chuckle. “‘God works in mysterious ways,’” she quoted softly. Jenny glanced at her uneasily, wondering just exactly what she meant by that.
Chapter 2
Jenny marveled at the change in Hattie Ames as she sat beside her several hours later. The tall, stately Realtor had shed her elegant image in favor of a faded pair of jeans and an old khaki button-up shirt. A pair of tennis shoes replaced the high heels she’d worn earlier, and a ponytail bobbed from behind her head. It was hard to believe she was the same person.
She really liked Hattie Ames. There was no pretense about her. She was natural, with a spontaneous friendliness that reached out to others.
Jenny glanced out the window of the car, watching the desert flash by. Could it only have been a couple of hours since they had arrived here? It felt more like an eternity.
Hattie had taken charge and before Jenny had known what was happening she had been whisked to various offices and had spent some of her dwindling savings having the electricity and water turned on. She had tried to protest. She’d felt ill at ease bothering Hattie with her problems, but Hattie had waved away all objections.
“I’d like to be your friend. You look as though you could use one.” A smile took any censure from the words and Jenny had relaxed. The forty-year-old Realtor reminded her of her own mother. Her kindness and generosity to others seemed to be an innate part of her makeup, making Jenny feel even better about her decision to stay here.
“Tito would be pleased to know that his home was being occupied again. Especially since it’s you doing the occupying.”
“You sound as though you knew my father’s cousin.”
Hattie glanced at her in surprise. “I did. We went to the same church.” She shifted her eyes back to the road. “Didn’t you know Tito at all?”
Jenny shook her head. “No. Father never talked much about him. I don’t think they corresponded very often.”
Hattie smiled. “I’m not surprised. He wasn’t much for letter writing and never took to emailing, either. Didn’t leave home very often.” Her voice lowered. “He was a good man, though. He had a very large heart.”
Jenny considered this remark. Hattie and Cousin Tito must have been very good friends. Suddenly she felt a desire to know more about this cousin who had so generously left her father his belongings. “Why did he leave everything to my father when they hadn’t seen each other for years?” she asked Hattie.
Hattie paused, as though groping for words. “Well, your cousin often said that your father was responsible for saving his life. Not in the physical sense of the word.” She hesitated. “Do you understand what I mean?”
Jenny nodded and waited for Hattie to continue. It was several seconds before she went on.
“Tito always wanted to do something for your father to show his appreciation. He claimed that your father’s farm saved his life, but the desert saved his soul. I think he wanted the same for your father. He loved your father very much. When they were younger they were inseparable buddies.” A slow reminiscent smile curved her lips. “The stories he used to tell!”
Jenny was intrigued. “Such as?”
“Oh, just little-boy escapades. It seems your father and his cousin had a penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She paused and Jenny was reminded of her father’s accident. It had occurred when he had taken a shortcut en route to a conference. A truck had overturned on the icy road ahead and Jenny’s father had been unable to avoid hitting it. Her parents had been killed instantly. If he hadn’t taken the shortcut, they might be alive today.
Jenny stared out the window, her mind suddenly blank. Hattie had made the turn to the ranch, the cabin looking small in the distance. “Mrs. Ames, I want to thank you again for all that you’ve done for us.”
A delicate snort followed these words and Jenny had to smile.
“It’s the least I could do. I had nothing pressing today, anyway, so I might as well be useful to someone. And by the way, my name’s Hattie, as Mitch told you. As everyone is always saying, Mrs. Ames is my mother-in-law.”
The car pulled to a stop in front of the cabin and Jenny got out and was instantly hit with heat like a blast from a furnace. Despite the soaring temperatures of the early morning hours, the house seemed to reach out and welcome her, enveloping her in a sense of security. What had Cousin Tito found here? Did he also feel the peace that echoed through the landscape? What had he meant when he’d said that the desert had saved his soul?
Hattie was lifting supplies from the trunk. Boxes and buckets were followed by a broom and a mop. Jenny shook her head ruefully. “I appreciate you letting Renee an
d David stay with your son Mark. I don’t think they are quite ready for this. Maybe they’ll be more amenable after we’ve taken off some of the dirt.”
Hattie set a box of cleaning supplies on the porch and looked around her. “This is really a nice place—it’s just been sitting idle too long. All it needs is a little sprucing up.” She grinned at Jenny. “And maybe a woman’s touch.”
Jenny raised an eyebrow. “I wish I had as much faith!”
Hattie smiled softly. “Like a grain of mustard seed.” At Jenny’s puzzled look Hattie stood. “Shall we get started? The sun doesn’t go down till around eight o’clock, but we have a lot to do before then. Let’s see if the power people have been here yet.”
Jenny followed Hattie into the cabin. Hattie had informed her that water was supplied from a well with a pump that was located behind the house. To have water, they first needed to have electricity.
Hattie went first to the kitchen and set the supplies on the counter by the sink. Opening the refrigerator, she placed several cans of cola on the top shelf. She then turned on the tap and water flowed freely into the bowl of the sink. Obviously the power people had been here and done their job.
She looked slowly around her. “Whew! We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us. Where do you want to start?”
Jenny thought for a moment. “How about if we start with the bedrooms? Then at least we’ll have someplace clean to stay the night. Renee and David can help me with the rest later.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me. Why don’t you take one bedroom and I’ll take the other, that way we can get it done faster.”
Jenny agreed. When she entered the smaller of the two bedrooms, since Hattie had insisted on the larger, she was conscious of having not really seen it before. The room was furnished with a single bed, a chest of drawers and a small writing desk. This room would be perfect for David. The larger bedroom had a double bed, and she and Renee would have to share it. This was no problem; they had been sharing a room for some time now. Since their apartment had only had one bedroom, David had been forced to sleep on the sofa in the living room. To Jenny, this was an improvement.
The Rancher Next Door Page 2
