by Debra Holt
Kaitlyn did as she was asked, a feeling of dread knotting in her stomach. “Is there something wrong? Something you aren’t telling me?”
Georgia gave her a long look. “There are many things I need to say to you but just in case something doesn’t go as planned today and, since we haven’t had the chance to talk about some issues, I wanted to at least let you know a couple of things. So hush and just listen. They’ll be in here any minute to get me.”
“I’m listening.” Was Gran going to start again on her ideas of how Kaitlyn should forgive Clay and all of that?
“There’s a box of papers at my attorney’s office. You remember Deb Heideman? She’s still my attorney. The will is pretty straightforward. Everything goes to you… with a few gifts that I’ve stipulated for others. But it’s all spelled out. And I’ve asked a big favor of Clay. He’s agreed to act as executor so you won’t have to deal with a lot of things. And before you go off on a tangent I can see might be coming by that stubborn expression right now… your friend Angie is right. My hearing is very good. Let the past go. Live in the present. Live the future as you want it. That’s good advice from an old fool like me.”
So she had heard Angie’s words outside the door earlier. But Clay Morgan as executor… she would be thrown together with him whether she wanted or not. The important thing though was to not upset her grandmother. She would deal with her own feelings later.
“Well, this is all a moot point and a subject I don’t care to discuss or think about for a long time to come,” Kaitlyn said, placing a smile on her face and standing, drawing her bag over her shoulder. “You are too tough and this will be a walk in the park.”
“It’s time, Mrs. Russell.” The nurse was right on cue, walking into the room. A tall orderly followed her. He took his place behind the wheel chair.
“Shouldn’t you be lying down on a gurney or something?” Kaitlyn asked.
“Nonsense. I told them I could walk. But we compromised and I am having this nice young man wheel me down the hall. So let’s not keep them waiting.”
Kaitlyn followed the trio as far as she could, joined by Clay and Angie, as the double doors closed and they were left standing and staring at them.
“I’m going downstairs to the cafeteria and find something to drink other than the cold coffee in the waiting room. I’ll bring us all something,” Angie said, heading in the directions of the elevators.
“Georgia’s in good hands.” Clay assured Kaitlyn.
“I know she is. I checked out this hospital and the heart team. Or I would have moved heaven and earth to get her to one of the bigger facilities in Texas. After all, she’s my gran and all I have left in this world.” Kaitlyn tried to sound matter of fact, but she hadn’t planned on the sudden emotion hitting her as she spoke the words. Her hands clutched her bag.
“You aren’t alone and never will be. I gave my word to Georgia and I give it to you.”
The words were spoken with such deep conviction Kaitlyn realized the man beside her had made a vow he intended to keep. Loyalty and honor… duty above all else. A ranger’s creed and the backbone of the man standing tall beside her, his shoulders broad and ready to bear any load. It took all the strength she could summon not to lean into him, allow his strong arms to wrap around her and to bury her head against his chest. To seek the comfort that would be there. But she made no such move. The gulf was just too wide and deep.
Chapter Twelve
“See? I told you this tough old bird had a lot more years left in her.” The woman was sitting up in her bed in her hospital room a couple of hours later as though nothing had happened. “I don’t see why I have to stay overnight.”
“Humor me,” Doctor McGill said, preparing to leave the room.
“Humor you? More like humor the insurance company and line their pockets with some more ill-gotten gains.”
“Gran, calm down.” Kaitlyn stepped in. “It makes sense for you to stay here for observation. I’ll be here first thing in the morning to take you home.”
Reaching for her hand, the woman gave her a wide smile. “I like the sound of that. So, I’ll behave.”
“I’ll run another couple of tests in the morning, so it will be best to plan on her being released by midafternoon.” The doctor spoke up.
“There he goes again.” Georgia scowled at the physician.
“Yes, there I am going,” he responded, with a smile to all of them as he left the room.
“We should go, too. Let you get some rest.” Clay stood, pulling his hat down on his head.
“Very well, but don’t think you’re going to treat me like an invalid when I get back to the ranch. I can run rings around the lot of you now with my energized heart. And you tell Joshua I’m ready for some fishing in the lake this weekend so he best get the rods ready.”
“I’ll do that.” He paused at the doorway and cast a look at Kaitlyn and Angie. “I have some errands and need to stop by my office at the courthouse, so I’ll see you both later. Drive safe on the way back to the ranch.” He added the last with a look at Kaitlyn that made her turn her attention to the woman in the bed.
“Will do,” Angie replied for the both of them.
The room felt as if it had gained some space with his departure. Kaitlyn could get her mind to work much better.
“I promised Edie to stop by the store and pick up some apples and brown sugar before we left town. She reminded me of that when I called to give her the report on you earlier.” Kaitlyn bent to retrieve her bag from the chair. “We better do just that. I’ll see you tomorrow. Call if you need anything between now and then, okay?”
“You two run along. I am just fine. See you tomorrow.” A round of hugs and the pair left the hospital, but not before Kaitlyn had asked a nurse where the closest grocery store was located.
“Is this going to be another scenic tour?” Angie inquired as they pulled from the parking lot.
“Very funny. I know exactly where I’m going.”
“Something tells me I should have bummed a ride with Clay. I might be back at the ranch a lot faster.”
Turned out Kaitlyn didn’t get lost again and they collected their items at the store and made it back to the ranch just as the school bus was dropping Joshua off at the main gate.
Kaitlyn slowed and lowered her window. “How about a ride, unless you want to walk to the house?”
“A ride would be a lot better.” He hopped into the back seat and they were on their way.
“How’s Gran? Is she coming home today?” he asked.
“Tomorrow.” Kaitlyn smiled at him in the rearview mirror. “She did just fine and will be home tomorrow afternoon. She did send you a message… something about getting fishing rods ready for the lake this weekend.”
His face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Oh, boy! That’s great. I’ll get them ready as soon as we get home. Do you like to fish? You can come, too.”
Angie couldn’t contain a laugh. “That is something I would pay to see… Kaitlyn Russell with a fishing rod in her hands, trying to catch a fish.”
Kaitlyn shot her a look. “I’ll have you know I have gone fishing before… more than a few times. Clay taught me to—” She cut off the rest of what she was about to say.
The memory had come back so easily that it was shared before she thought about it.
“Clay taught you?”
“My dad taught you?”
Angie and Joshua spoke much the same question at the same time. Their gazes were on her and there was no turning back without making a big deal out of it.
Great. Too late to back away. “Yes, he did. Nothing unusual about that. Most of the kids in these parts learned to fish out at McKenna’s lake.”
“Did you and my dad do a lot of things together when you were growing up?”
“Now that’s an interesting question.” Angie threw her a knowing look.
Kaitlyn chose to ignore the woman beside her. “Your dad was a little older than me and he was already a
deputy so he was busy a lot of the time. But we did do some usual things like movies and fishing and such. But, I will admit, I wasn’t a big fan of fishing. And I don’t think your dad would want me to pick up a fishing rod in his vicinity ever again.”
“Were you that bad at it? He has a lot of patience now. Did he have it back then?” Joshua was intent on hearing about his dad’s past.
Kaitlyn made a slight grimace along with a shake of her head. “It wasn’t that your dad didn’t have patience. He had more than most would have, I think. But I wasn’t very good at casting my line and he worked with me and worked with me on it. One day, I wanted to show off that I knew what I was doing but I wasn’t being as careful as I should have been. I swung my rod and caught your dad behind his ear with the hook. It had to hurt like all get-out but he stayed calm while I drove him to the doctor. Then he said he was ready to teach me again.”
“That’s awesome! That’s why he has a scar there.”
“Awesome? Because your dad got hit with a fishing hook?” Angie looked over her shoulder at the child.
“No,” he replied, “because he didn’t wimp out about it. He didn’t quit trying to teach her. My dad is tough.”
Kaitlyn had to smile. It was clear his dad was ten feet tall in Joshua’s eyes. Maybe he is. The thought shocked her for a moment. She knew better. But she couldn’t let her experience of the man detract from what his son believed. Get over it. That advice kept coming up a lot lately where Clay Morgan was concerned… Angie, her gran, her inner voice. Why couldn’t she just let it go? What difference did it make now? Nothing could undo the past. It was gone. She needed to find a way to make peace with that. That thought was in her mind when they arrived at the house and stayed there for a while. It might be the hardest thing she had done, but it became clear what she needed to do to try to achieve some peace for all of them.
*
“I thought you two might be in need of something cold to drink right about now,” Kaitlyn announced, keeping her voice light. She was hopeful the smile looked more natural than it felt at that moment. She carried two tall glasses of iced strawberry lemonade in her hands. She paused at the opening of the barn to allow a couple of seconds for her eyes to adjust to the dimmer light.
Seth held a fence rail in place while Clay wielded the hammer and nailed it to the post. Both men turned at the sound of her voice.
“Well, this is perfect timing, I’d say.” Seth grinned at her, reaching for the glass she handed to him as she joined them in front of the stall they were working on. “Thank you very much.”
Kaitlyn had to bite back a sudden desire to laugh. The look on Clay’s face was almost too comical. There was such a look of astonishment—as though he wasn’t quite sure what to say or do. He just stood there, hammer poised in mid strike.
“Aren’t you thirsty?” She offered the glass to him, while fighting hard to keep an even smile on her face.
It was even more difficult given the way his eyes went all warm and honey colored as they met hers. For an instant, she flashed back to another moment long ago when she had handed him a glass of lemonade one hot summer’s day. He had bent and kissed her then. Quickly, she pushed the errant thought out of mind. Concentrate… here and now.
He hung the hammer on the railing next to him and reached for the glass. “Thank you.” Clay studied her as he took a long sip of the liquid as if trying to figure out what to make of this unexpected turn of events.
Clay’s appreciative gaze was rather disconcerting but then who said this would be easy? It might be impossible but she was going to at least give it a try. When she had come downstairs and found Edie finishing up the pitcher of lemonade, the idea had sprung to mind and she had acted on impulse. She was just glad she had dressed accordingly—in jeans, soft moccasins, and the sleeveless turquoise V neck top. Her hair was secured in a ponytail. She didn’t want to stand out as a city girl trying to be country but rather just blend in. She wished she could get her nerves to resume a normal speed. Those nerves were soon forgotten when her eyes suddenly spied what was in the stall. She moved closer.
“Oh, how cute! How old is she?” Kaitlyn addressed the question to no one in particular, her eyes locked on the adorable little brown and white baby goat staring back at her. The animal moved closer as she extended her hand through the railing, allowing the goat to sniff her fingers to verify if she were friend or foe.
“She’s about six weeks now.” Seth supplied. “She lost her mom to a coyote.”
It was the law of nature, survival of the fittest. Nothing new on a ranch, but it still made Kaitlyn sad as she looked at the little orphaned creature.
“We moved her into the barn and Edie’s been looking after her,” Seth added.
Kaitlyn moved to the gate and opened it, slipping through it.
“Watch your clothes, ma’am. She’s liable to jump on you.” The older man warned.
She just laughed it off. “What good are jeans if you can’t get them dirty?” Her objective was to get her hands on the little one.
“Well, I need to take care of some things outside in the storage shed,” Seth said by way of excusing himself. He didn’t take long to leave the pair.
Kaitlyn sat down in the hay and continued to gently talk to the creature. At first, the goat wasn’t having any of it. Kaitlyn persisted and was rewarded when the animal turned her head and listened to the soft coaxing tone of Kaitlyn’s voice. Soon enough, she began to take a tentative step… then another… edging closer to the visitor in her stall. It wasn’t long before the goat was enjoying having her new friend gently scratching behind the soft ears.
Clay propped both arms along the top stall railing and quietly watched, finishing his drink.
He kept his tones low when he did finally speak. “I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your love for animals. I remember you always had quite a menagerie around—I was always tripping over them. But I imagine it’s been a while since you last sat in a barnyard with a goat.”
“Not really,” she responded, her eyes still on the small goat “There was a set next to the one where I was doing a photo shoot for a couple of days that was using some farm animals. They had the most adorable little potbellied pig… named Elvis of all things. He and I became fast friends in no time at all. I missed him when the shoot was done.”
“That doesn’t surprise me in the least.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You always did have a gentle heart for anything or anyone that might need a home and some love.”
Kaitlyn didn’t know what to say to that particular observation. All she knew was that it felt really nice when he had said it. He did have some good memories of their time together also. It was a start.
“It must really be a change for you being here. I guess this all seems pale in comparison to your life now.” Clay’s gaze was watchful and never wavered.
Kaitlyn felt there was a lot more below the surface to the casual question. She kept her eyes on the animal and her voice even, and reminded herself to not read anything into the words. Don’t overreact.
“It’s a change, yes. However, it’s a nice one. I may live in the big city now, but I still find I miss a lot of things from the country—from Texas.”
“Such as?”
“Such as the way you can see the stars in the night sky above your head and they seem so close and bright you could almost touch them. And the colors of the sunset on a spring evening and a field of never ending bluebonnets. People who smile and look you in the eye and treat you like you’re a good friend already even though they just met you. The smell of a home-cooked breakfast in the morning. How old friends greet you as though it were just yesterday you had last seen each other and not several years. Those are just some of the things I can list.” She didn’t list the most important thing she had missed. That would remain her secret alone. “You’re really very lucky, Clay.”
The sincerity of her voice matched the glance she gave him. Were they havin
g a conversation of more than five or six words?
“I think most people would say that about you.” He pointed out.
“I suppose they would,” she agreed. “But then they just have their own perception of what my life must be like and that would be mostly gleaned from gossip magazines and the like.” Kaitlyn stood up, giving her new little friend one more pat on its soft head.
Clay opened the gate for her to step through. He dropped the latch and secured the gate in place before turning back to where she waited. It seemed natural for them to fall into step together, moving from the barn toward the house. Their steps were in no hurry. They had become two people not wanting to break whatever the thin strand was that had brought the momentary truce.
“But you’re happy, aren’t you?” He threw the question out there and waited.
“Happy…” She repeated, slowly turning the word over in her mind before she answered. “Satisfied might be a better description. I’ve never really tried to label it. I like my work and most of the people I meet. However, the hours are long and there are other drawbacks.”
“Such as?”
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and considered the question. Her response was important.
“You meet a lot of people in my particular business with their own agendas. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if they’re genuine or not, if you know what I mean. Do they like me because of who I am inside? Or just who I am outside? Or is it all about what I can do for them and their career? Does that make sense?”
“It does. But you must still love it—the performing?”
“Love it?” They had reached the bottom step of the porch now and she took the first step and turned, still not equal to his height but closer. “I enjoy what I do that’s true enough. I feel very grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. Some people work for years and never get anywhere in the business. I never take it for granted that I was very blessed to have had the breaks I had so soon after arriving in New York. Yet, it’s been a tradeoff.”
The questioning look in his eyes made her continue.
