Wagonload Of Trouble

by McDonough, Vickie;

  He’d just have to find a way to steer clear of the tempting Miss Schaffer until then.

  Ten

  The phone jingled, and Bethany picked up the receiver. “Moose Valley Ranch.”

  “This is Marilyn Bochner. My family has a reservation for your July 19th tour. I need to cancel that.”

  Bethany’s mouth went dry; she clutched the receiver. “May I ask why?”

  “It doesn’t really matter. We aren’t going to be able to come. I understand there’s no penalty for canceling. Is that correct?”

  Disappointment and the loss of income made Bethany’s stomach swirl. “Yes, ma’am. That’s right.”

  “Good. Now, please cancel my reservation.”

  “Just a minute, please. I need to find your information card.” She put the woman on hold and closed her eyes. That was the second cancellation this afternoon. What was going on?

  Digging around in the old file box, she located Mrs. Bochner’s index card, which had her contact info and reservation date on it. The reservation was for a family of five. Ouch. With tours costing over fifteen hundred dollars per person, Moose Valley was taking a big hit. They definitely needed a cancellation policy. She made a big X across the card and stuck it in back with the terminated reservations, and then she erased the Bochner name from the July 19th tour list.

  She picked up the phone and forced a smile into her voice. “All right, ma’am. I’ve taken care of everything. I hope in the future you might consider trying us again.”

  The phone clicked without so much as a thank-you from the woman. Bethany exhaled so hard that she fluttered a sticky note that clung to the counter. Why were so many people canceling on short notice? Sure, it happened now and then because emergencies occurred, but not this frequently.

  The spicy-sweet scent of barbecue wafted from the dining room, reminding her that dinnertime had arrived. The elevator opened, and Evan shuffled out carrying his laptop. He almost looked as if he were afraid to approach her, as if she wouldn’t like his creation.

  “How’s the Web site coming?”

  “Ready for you to approve—or not.” He laid the computer on the counter. “Where’s your Internet hookup?”

  She pointed under the counter, and he plugged in his cord. They’d had the lodge wired for Internet several years back, but she’d never been able to talk her dad into getting a computer for the reservation system and bookkeeping. She’d finally just decided to buy one and make him learn to live with it, and she was glad now that she had. If nothing else, it gave her something in common with Evan.

  He logged on and waited for the Internet to come up. His eyes narrowed, and he peered sideways at her. “You know, you really ought to consider getting a wireless setup.”

  “I’m counting my blessings as it is, just having a computer. Things move slower up in the mountains than in the lowlands. When I was little, we didn’t even have electricity.”

  Evan shook his head and typed in her Web address. “I’d be out of work without that.”

  Bethany gasped as a beautiful home page filled the screen. An image of the Alpine lodge with the mountains in the background created a masthead with the ranch name in letters that looked as if they’d been created out of pine boards. “It’s awesome! Where did you get that picture?”

  Evan studied her face as if to gauge her response. “I took it.” He leaned close to the screen and pointed at something. “It’s real small, but you can see the bear statue right there.”

  She leaned closer, and sure enough, there it was.

  “I have a bigger picture of it on a different page. So, what do you think?”

  Glancing up at his boyishly expectant expression, she wanted to lean in and hug him, but she didn’t. “I love it so far. Show me more.”

  “Once we videotape the wagons moving with the mountains in the background, I’ll add that here.” He pointed to a blank area. “If you want, you or your dad could even narrate the video and tell people about your ranch.”

  “Dad might enjoy doing that. Besides, he’s the real-deal rancher and would draw people’s interest.”

  “We can add more links. I wasn’t sure what all you might need. I’ve made pages for the wagon tours, horseback riding, directions, and your rates, which I need to get from you.”

  “One thing I do want to add is a cancellation policy. For some reason, we’ve been getting a lot of them lately.”

  “Really?” Evan straightened. “You mean more than normal?”

  She nodded and clicked on the wagon tours link. “Yeah.”

  “Do you have the cancellation policy written down? If so, give me a copy, and that will be easy to add.”

  She turned to face him. “Well, that’s the problem. We’ve never had one. Dad wanted to keep things simple for our guests, and he thought the friendly thing to do was not to have one. We discussed it last night and decided we were losing too much money, so we just came up with one.”

  “That’s probably a smart idea, and you ought to have a nonrefundable deposit. That would make people less likely to cancel.” He leaned against the counter. “Just give me the info, and I’ll make a cancellation section below the rates.”

  She pulled the paper from her pocket and studied it. She hated being such a stickler about things, but they couldn’t afford to get stuck with empty wagons when they normally had a waiting list.

  Evan tapped his index finger against his front tooth and looked deep in thought. She laid the paper on the counter beside him and clicked on another link. Evan sure knew his stuff. This Web site was way more than she ever could have hoped for. He was kind to put so much effort into it.

  A movement outside the window snagged her attention. Taylor and Cheryl bumped shoulders and giggled as they climbed the front steps to the lodge. Cheryl held the door for Evan’s niece, and the girls ambled toward them. Where Taylor was a willowy brunette, Cheryl was blond, short, and a bit on the chunky side.

  Pulled from his thoughts, Evan looked up and smiled at the girls. “Long time, no see.”

  “So, the patient has emerged from his recovery room again. It’s good to see you back among the living.” Taylor set her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her hands. “So, what are you doing back there?”

  “Your sweet uncle made a new Web site for us.”

  Cheryl glanced sideways at Taylor. Both girls had ornery expressions on their faces. “Sweet, huh?”

  Bethany realized her error. “Well. . .it was sweet of him to design the site, especially after he’s been so sick.”

  Taylor straightened. “I for one am glad he found something to do. He was about to drive me crazy. Why is it men are such babies when it comes to being sick?”

  “I wasn’t a baby.” Evan looked insulted.

  Bethany smiled and patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. You had a good reason to be fussy.”

  “How about buying us something to drink, Uncle Evan?” Taylor lifted her brows expectantly.

  “Sure, if the store is open.”

  Bethany grabbed the key and wiggled it in the air. “Always, for a paying customer.”

  She walked behind the counter and through the hallway toward the store. The others followed, and Evan mumbled something.

  She opened the door and held it back for them to enter. The girls skipped in and bounced over to the pop fridge. Evan ambled in after them, his head down.

  “What did you say?” Bethany asked.

  His gaze darted up and collided with hers. He stifled a laugh and broke eye contact. “Nothing. Just that I wasn’t fussy.”

  Bethany chuckled under her breath and slid behind the cash register.

  ❧

  Outside, Evan sat on the porch with Taylor and Cheryl. The two girls giggled and chattered like magpies. After a few moments, they turned to face him.

  “You ought to see how well Taylor can ride a horse now, Mr. Parker.”

  “Yeah, I’m turning into a regular cowgirl. I’m actually glad you got sick so we had t
o come back.”

  “Me, too.” Cheryl smiled; then her eyes widened. “I mean, I’m not glad you got sick, but I am glad that Taylor is here.”

  Evan chuckled.

  Taylor tilted her head back and took a drink of bottled water. In the porch lighting, he could see that her skin was darkening, and her cheeks held a healthy, rosy glow. She seemed happier than she had been in months.

  “Cheryl’s even teaching me how to rope. Do you want to come and see me?”

  “I’d like that, but the sun has already set. How about we wait until tomorrow?”

  Cheryl popped up from her rocker and glanced at her watch. “Uh-oh, I’m in trouble. Mom’ll be wanting me home since it’s getting late. See you tomorrow, Taylor. Thanks for the pop, Mr. Parker.”

  Taylor watched Cheryl trot to the side of the lodge. The girl waved as she headed toward the cabin she shared with her parents. Taylor turned back and looked at him. “This place sure is peaceful. No traffic sounds, no sirens.”

  “No teenagers playing their car stereos as loud as they can.”

  Taylor snickered. “Everybody has an MP3 player now.”

  “Excuse me for being an old geezer,” Evan teased, even though he had his own MP3 player in his room.

  Taylor laughed out loud. “You’re not that old, Uncle Evan.” Her blue eyes twinkled and dark brows waggled up and down. “At least Miss Schaffer doesn’t think so.”

  Evan tightened his grip on the chair. Had Bethany noticed his interest? He’d tried to keep from letting his attraction to her show. He was a city boy and she was a country gal. There was no future for them as a couple. “What do you mean?”

  Taylor elbowed him in the arm and grinned. “She likes you. Can’t you tell?”

  Evan laid his head back against the rocker. He had noticed that the impatience and irritation present in Bethany’s gaze when he first met her had dimmed, and her defensive shields had lowered. He had noticed her interest in him, but he’d thought her softening was merely gratitude because he’d helped her several times. But maybe there was more to her actions than he’d realized.

  He ran his hand through his hair and pushed thoughts of Bethany Schaffer aside. He pulled his gaze away from the darkening mountains and back to Taylor. “It’s great to see you smiling again.”

  She leaned back and crossed her arms. “I like it here. I can’t imagine how wonderful it would be to live here.”

  “You’d get bored. No malls. No movie theaters. No ice cream shops.”

  “I can get ice cream from Cheryl’s mom or in the store.”

  “Ah, but it’s not the same thing.”

  “If I lived here, I wonder if Mom would let me get a horse of my own.”

  Evan didn’t want to throw cold water on the fires of her dreams, but nothing would come of such thinking. “I’m just glad you’re having a good time, sweetie.”

  “I am. Cheryl’s dad is taking us fishing tomorrow.” Taylor nibbled her lip. “I can go, can’t I?”

  That she was asking him and not telling him meant they’d crossed an invisible barrier somewhere along the way. “As long as you’re careful and he doesn’t mind you tagging along.”

  The cool evening breeze whipped across his face, bringing with it the fragrant scent of pine. A lodgepole pine on the other side of the parking lot waved its limbs as if in praise to God. How was it that he felt closer to the Lord out here, away from the city?

  “Do you think Dad would have stayed with us if we’d lived somewhere like this?”

  Evan clenched his jaw as anger surged through him at the way Clint Anderson had hurt his family. He leaned forward and placed his hand on Taylor’s arm. “No, sweetie, I don’t. Your dad loved your mother and you kids, but he was never one to settle down.”

  She swiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I used to think it was my fault. That he left because I was bad or something.”

  Evan stood. He pulled his niece up and into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Nothing you did caused him to leave. Trust me. He just wasn’t a man who could handle responsibility well.”

  Taylor’s tears dampened his shirt, and she clung to him. “Why couldn’t he be more like you?”

  Joy flooded Evan’s heart. She’d just given him the ultimate—albeit indirect—compliment. He squeezed her tight. “God knows how you feel, Taylor. You can always talk to Him and cry on His shoulder if I’m not there.”

  She ducked her head and stepped back. She wiped her face and then looked up. “Thanks. I don’t know why I suddenly had that meltdown. Maybe because I’m jealous that Cheryl’s dad is so nice and friendly.”

  “Well, I’m not a dad, but you can use my shoulder anytime you need it.”

  “Thanks.”

  She smiled, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Let’s go see if there’s any pie left over from dinner.”

  Eleven

  The elevator doors opened, and Evan turned left toward the registration desk instead of the dining hall. His stomach rumbled in complaint as he sniffed the scents wafting up from the lunch buffet. Burgers would be his guess. After being sick and then getting back on normal food, he’d been amazed at the flavor of the beef served at Moose Valley. He’d never tasted fresh beef raised locally before, and he seriously considered asking about buying some to take home with him.

  Bethany leaned down, looking at something on the monitor, and her hair hung around her face, blocking his view of her pretty features. He liked it down much better than pulled back with one of those elastic bands wrapped around it. Her loose purple top hinted at her womanly shape and hung down over her jean-clad legs.

  “Hey.” He leaned his arms on the counter.

  She slowly looked up, and dark chocolate eyes met his. Something in them sparked, spinning his insides in circles, and she smiled. “You won’t believe this. We’ve already had twenty-two hits just since the new Web site went online last night, and I’ve received two reservations for next month. One visitor was from New York, and another was from Vancouver. Isn’t that amazing?”

  The expression on her face was amazing. Evan returned her smile, glad that he’d been able to help. He liked making her happy. “Yeah, it is. You might even have to add some more wagons if this keeps up.”

  She swatted her hand in the air. “Yeah, sure.”

  “I’m serious. I’ve got something I want to talk to you about. Can you take a lunch break?”

  She glanced into the vacant office behind her. The chair was shoved back, and the new computer boxes still littered the floor. She closed the door, hiding the mess. “I usually watch the desk when Dad’s not here, but I guess I could if we eat out here or sit in the dining hall so I can see the desk. You never know when someone will want something.”

  She walked beside him into the dining room and toward the buffet line. He wished he had the right to hold her hand, but he didn’t, and she’d probably go ballistic if he tried in front of her guests. Several tables held families who were staying at the lodge or awaiting the next wagon tour. Taylor sat with Cheryl and her father near the two-story window that showcased the mountains. Both teens seemed to be talking at once and waving their forks at each other. Girls sure were strange at times. If he ever had kids, he’d only have boys. They were much easier to handle and understand.

  Evan handed Bethany a tray, then they each gathered their silverware and moved down the line. He took a thick beef patty and topped his bun with mayonnaise, lettuce, and pickles. Bethany slathered hers with mustard and ketchup, then put two slices of cheese on it and added every condiment offered except pickles. He shook his head. They were polar opposites in more than one way.

  Bethany waved at the cook, who was in the kitchen slicing a pie. It wasn’t butterscotch from the looks of it, but he knew it would be tasty, as everything else he’d eaten at Moose Valley had been—except for the meat that had been tampered with. Why would someone want to cause trouble at Moose Valley? It would take a lot of effor
t to come to such an isolated place and to hang around without being noticed, just waiting for an opportunity to stir up trouble.

  They sat down at a table where they had full view of the registration desk. Around them the soft buzz of conversation and the clink of silverware filled the room. Evan said a quick prayer of thanks and closed his eyes as he bit into the thick beef patty. “Mmm. . .this is the best meat I’ve ever eaten.”

  A soft smile tilted Bethany’s lips. “Yeah, that’s one of the things I miss when I’m not here.”

  “I know you guys raise cattle, since we’ve seen a lot around here, but who do you sell the meat to?”

  “Dad has some contracts with stores and restaurants in nearby towns, but most of what we raise stays here.”

  He took a swig of his pop. “Have you ever thought about making your beef available to your guests?”

  Her brow crinkled then lifted. “Just what do you think you’re eating?”

  “That’s not what I mean.” He popped a chip into his mouth. “What if you sold packaged beef to your guests?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t see how that would work. Most of them fly to Jackson and then rent a car to drive here.”

  “So? You could ship it to them.”

  Bethany gave him a patronizing stare. It was the same look Erin gave him whenever he tried to talk computers with her. As if he were dumb to even bring up the subject.

  “It can be done. There are companies that specialize in shipping meat to customers.”

  She stirred her baked beans. “Sounds like a lot of work.”

  He shook his head. “Not really. You just have to have some of the beef packaged in specific weights. Maybe like five-pound or two-pound packages.”

  “Well, that works for ground beef but not cuts like steaks.”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t work out all the details, but it seems to me you could stand to make some decent money from such a venture.”