Claiming the Maverick's Heart

by Holt,Debra

  After a goodbye hug for Ozelle, they climbed back into his truck and headed to the produce market for the next items on their list for Laura Ellis. The yarn store came next, followed by the hardware store. It was mid-afternoon before Trace pulled into the parking lot of Danny’s Garage. Macy got out and met Danny in the open garage bay. Trace moved far enough away to give her room to handle her business.

  “I thought I’d have it back together by the time you came around,” Danny said. “But I got behind a bit. I’m one person short today. I’ll have it done but not till later today. I planned to drop it off at your place on my way home this evening. Will that work for you?”

  She didn’t really have an alternative. “Sure. This evening will be fine.”

  Once she and Trace were back in his truck, he didn’t turn the key right away. He looked at her instead. “On the way back to your place, there’s a stop I’d like to make, if you don’t mind. It won’t take long.”

  How could she refuse him when he had done nothing but be helpful to her for the better part of the day? “No problem.”

  Her agreeable reply obviously pleased him. They headed out of town, then turned onto the road where both their respective ranches were located. Except about fifteen miles out, he pulled off the road and crossed a cattle guard onto another paved ranch road. This one crossed a softly rolling pasture, then went into stands of pecan and oak trees, and steadily climbed until they entered a clearing where it was evident some construction was underway. Idle equipment, stacks of lumber, and other materials sat to one side. A foundation had been poured, and framing of the structure had begun. It was all interesting, but the view beyond caught Macy’s attention right away. The site looked out over the trees and plains they had passed through and stretched out to the hills surrounding them. The gentle incline of the road leading up to this clearing had masked how high they actually were.

  “What is this place?” she wondered aloud. She and Trace exited the truck and moved to stand together in front it. “The view is incredible.”

  “I’m glad you approve. I knew it was a perfect spot the first time I came up here. You’re the first visitor, as a matter of fact … outside the work crew.”

  Macy looked over at him, still confused. He enlightened her.

  “Welcome to my home. Or it will be, once the walls and roof are added.”

  Chapter 7

  Macy digested the information while training her eyes on the view below. The news had hit her out of left field, and she needed to be able to make sense once she figured out how to respond. He means what he said! Trace really is going to stay. The rumor was fact. He’d said it often enough over the last few weeks, and it was the rumor around the town, but this was tangible evidence of his intent.

  “By the expression in those blue eyes, I take it you really didn’t think I was serious when I kept saying I’d come home to stay.”

  He moved closer to her, so close that if she shifted an inch or so, they would rub elbows. Macy felt his gaze and instinctively knew that, for whatever reason, her reply carried weight with him. She worked to conceal her inner turmoil as she finally found a response.

  “To be honest, no. I didn’t think you were serious. I don’t understand how someone who’s experienced the adrenaline rush and the fast lifestyle could ever willingly return to the place he couldn’t wait to leave behind.”

  “I guess I have to give you that. It’s much the same response I received from Travis and Annie. I could probably talk about it until I’m blue in the face, but I figure you’ll have to see it to believe it. I’d probably feel the same if things were reversed.”

  She glanced his way to find his eyes on the scenery in front of them, and she detected a growing hint of pride in his voice as he continued to speak of his plans.

  “The year before I left, I was chasing a couple of mares that had gotten out of the north pasture during a storm the night before. I came upon this place and knew it was the perfect spot for a house. I asked around and found out who owned it.”

  “This isn’t part of Cartwright ranch lands? I always assumed this area was part of your family’s ranch.” Another thought hit her at the same time. “Wait. You bought this land before you even left?”

  “Yeah. I went to the owner’s estate and asked to purchase it. They weren’t willing at the time, but three months later, they changed their minds. Anyway, I put a down payment on it, and over the years, I paid it off with my winnings. It’s a wedge-shaped piece of land … a little over sixteen hundred acres.”

  He shrugged and looked at her closely as he explained. “It was land I could buy on my own—that was important. I was determined to do this on my own without using any part of my inheritance. Luckily, my previous winnings on the circuit took care of the down payment. No one helped me with this … it’s all mine. It’s hard to explain and maybe even harder to understand, but it’s something of my own. My own legacy to build upon. My father always said building the Cartwright ranch was the most fun part—as well as the hardest. When I stand here and look over the land, knowing it’s mine … something to build upon for the future … I understand what he meant.”

  Trace went quiet for a moment. His voice softened over the words he spoke next. “I never told you about the land, even after we got engaged. I had this plan to bring you up here on our wedding day. It was supposed to be part of your wedding present.”

  Macy was amazed by what he had shared. She could remember a few times, back when they were together, when someone had made an offhand, almost derogatory comment about him being a Cartwright heir with a trust fund, and she’d seen how it bothered him. They’d never really talked about it, though. She wished they had. That thought brought more sadness.

  Actually, when she thought back, they hadn’t done a lot of talking about anything important—certainly not the kind of talking a couple about to embark on marriage should do. Maybe they had been too young—something neither of them would have admitted to in those days. They’d been so sure of what they wanted. Or at least she had. He hadn’t told her about this dream. And to find that he had planned it as part of a wedding present she never got to have—and now never would—it was too much. The day darkened for her. The wind increased around them, and that helped break the momentum of sad thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

  “I guess it makes sense. I can understand your desire to do that.” She turned her attention back to the house itself. “You’re certainly building a large house for yourself.”

  “It’s going to have a second story too,” he said, moving toward the front area of the site. “I’m planning on four bedrooms and three baths, a kitchen, dining room, den, and formal living room. The back area will be a long, screened-in porch, with another one running the length of the front. Plenty of room to sit and enjoy the view at sunset or watch kids playing.”

  “It sounds beautiful.” She didn’t trust herself to say anything else. She was having trouble speaking around the lump in her throat. She needed to be away from the man. How many times had she spoken about how she wanted a house with a huge porch that people could gather on and where children could play? He was building the house she’d dreamed of having one day with the man she married. Which was supposed to have been him. It was time to go back to where she belonged. She didn’t need to be pulled toward those feelings again. Macy headed toward the truck.

  “I really need to get home. Danny might show up earlier than expected.” She was in the truck and fastening her seatbelt when Trace finally slid behind the steering wheel.

  Thankfully, he didn’t try to make conversation on the way. Not until he parked the truck in her driveway.

  “It was a pleasant day today. Thanks for letting me come along on your errands and for allowing me to share my house plans with you. It means a lot to me that you approve.”

  “It was good of you to take the time to help me out. I appreciate it.” She couldn’t say anything in response to the house comment. The lump had shrunk a bit
in her throat, but it threatened to swell again. She slid out of the truck and closed the door. She was aware that he watched until she unlocked her front door and stepped through. Macy closed the door, then leaned back on it until she heard the sound of his truck driving away. Only then did she allow the first tear to slide down her cheek. Trace was staying. No more fooling herself that he would soon be gone again and life could return to normal. He would stay in Cartwright’s Crossing and build his home and fill it with a family. She would be expected to be okay with that. To pass him and his wife on the street and exchange pleasantries.

  So much for being an adult and in control of her life—she couldn’t even stop the flood of tears.

  Macy reminded herself it was perfectly normal to go out to dinner and a movie on a Saturday night. Couples did it all the time. She told herself she would have fun. It was time to take advantage of opportunities and see what might be waiting around the next corner for her. At the same time, she knew that most people didn’t have to give themselves a pep talk in order to go out and have a normal evening. She never lacked for date invitations, and she wasn’t a wallflower. But it used to be a lot easier. Everything was easier before Trace came back. Everything had its place in her well-run, well-organized life. Now his presence colored everything, and her peace of mind balanced precariously on a seesaw that swung too swiftly without warning. But she intended to break the invisible hold he seemed to have over her thoughts and movements.

  A step in that direction was agreeing to this date tonight with Mike Ross. They hadn’t been out together since Trace had returned, but it was time. And she was doing it with a new and improved version of herself—a second step away from Trace. She surveyed herself in the mirror, turning first to the left and then to the right, measuring the results of her work on that step. Earlier that day, she’d gone into town and had her hair trimmed and feathered around her face. Thick layers hung loose around her shoulders, falling to the middle of her back. She liked the decidedly different and hot look she’d achieved.

  She’d also purchased three new outfits. The one she’d chosen for the evening consisted of an airy, gossamer top with flutter sleeves in a soft shade of coral. A cream-colored camisole hugged her body beneath the top. A slender, gold chain belt caught the top in at the waist, providing the perfect touch. She wore it over slim-fitting white jeans. She’d relegated her usual boots to the closet in favor of gold sandals with two-inch heels that showed off the pale coral polish on her toes. Taking a pair of gold hoops from the jewelry box on her dresser, she fastened them to her ears just as the doorbell sounded.

  Ready, set … here goes nothing.

  The look of stunned appreciation from Mike was a satisfying reward. He had trouble putting sentences together on the ride into town, all of which bolstered her feminine courage. It was nice to know she could have such an effect on a member of the opposite sex.

  The Iron Skillet was hopping, the crowd a mix of locals as well as many tourists from nearby resorts and cabins. Mike and Macy managed to find a table for two in the corner of the main dining room across from the bar.

  “I’m glad you agreed to come out with me this evening. I was afraid you wouldn’t.” Mike smiled at her as they each finished their main course and waited for the arrival of dessert … double chocolate fudge cake with a scoop of ice cream for him and a slice of apple crumb pie for her.

  “Why would you think I wouldn’t? We’ve always had a good time together.”

  “Maybe because you’ve been keeping company with your ex-fiancé recently. It’s hard to compete with someone like Trace Cartwright. At least it is for a guy like me.”

  Macy laid down her fork, her appetite taking a dip at the subject of the conversation. “I haven’t been keeping company with him. My truck was in the shop for repairs, so he gave me a ride and helped me with some errands. He’s filling in around the ranch to help Jeb. And there’s no competition with Trace Cartwright, for anyone. I wouldn’t even call us friends—more like acquaintances. And a guy like you doesn’t have to compete with anyone.”

  “That does make me feel better. However, you might want to explain that to him, because right now, I’d say he looks like a man who sees someone trespassing on his property.”

  She looked at Mike in consternation. He nodded his head slightly, and she turned to look in the direction he indicated. Her gaze met a pair of familiar emerald eyes. They definitely weren’t happy. Trace sat at the end of the bar beside his brother, a scowl on his face. For a moment, Macy thought he was considering coming their way. Travis spoke up about that time, however, and whatever he said obviously made Trace think better of it as he stayed in his seat.

  It’s a free country. Macy tore her eyes away from him and fastened them back on her companion, plastering a wide smile across her face. “He probably ate something that doesn’t agree with him. I don’t know about you, but I think Ozelle’s desserts get better all the time.” She dipped her fork back into the pie in front of her and savored another bite. She made certain her gaze didn’t leave their table again.

  He had never been a man to back down from anything, but that’s what he’d just done. Trace slid behind the wheel of his truck and slammed the door. He waited long enough for Travis to get seated, then threw the vehicle in gear. He didn’t let up until they were on the highway heading out of town. Travis finally spoke up from his corner of the passenger seat, reminding Trace he wasn’t alone.

  “You might want to back it down to at least twenty above the speed limit, in case Wade’s on duty with his radar gun.”

  The droll comment registered. Trace eased off the gas pedal as he caught sight of the speedometer. That woman was keeping him tied up in knots from daylight to dark and keeping his mind on other things besides how to drive properly or even have a meal with his brother. He’d been okay until he looked up and caught sight of Macy—or at least he’d thought it was her. He had to do a double take to make certain. The hair had caught his attention first. The color was unmistakably hers, but she’d done something to it. It was different. Sexy. Too sexy. And that had caused other problems. His eyes had slid over the tight-fitting jeans and the almost-see-through top she had on. Since when did she dress like that? Since Junior Ross had come around? He didn’t care for the way the man was practically eating her up with his eyes. He’d decided to go over and say something to the couple when Travis laid a hand on his arm. “Back off, little brother,” he’d said. “You gave up the right to her a long time ago.”

  The longer Trace chewed those words over in his mind, the more they ate at him. They were true, but that didn’t make them right. It was like his heart had been in limbo—on hold until it was back where Macy was. Then it had come to life again when he saw her. He’d had plenty of opportunities on the circuit to forget her with the buckle bunnies that flocked to winners. Trace knew, of course, that they were there more for the notoriety surrounding him and the prize money than because any of them wanted his heart. It was just as well; his heart hadn’t been theirs for the having. It belonged to the girl he had left behind. Macy Donovan always had been and always would be the woman for him.

  “You going to stop or just slow down enough for me to jump out?” Travis’s voice brought him back to the present.

  Trace slowed, then pulled in and stopped between the house and the first barn. He killed the engine but was surprised when Travis didn’t move right away. He didn’t have to wait long to find out why.

  “I don’t pretend to be a Dear Abby or to know much about being in love, since I’ve sidestepped that particular affliction a few times myself, but I do know you’d best get a handle on whatever feelings you think you still have about Macy,” he advised. “She’s done real well in the last few years, managing her business and getting on with her life. You left her in a pretty bad way, and it speaks to her strength that she’s where she is now. Do you think you’re in love with her?” Travis pinned his brother down with his darker jade stare.

  Trace didn’t
hesitate. “I don’t think it … I know it. It’s what brought me back here and why I’m going to stay. I may have to watch her walk away with someone else, but it won’t be because I gave up.”

  Travis moved his gaze outside his window and over the buildings of the ranch. Then he turned back and nodded his head. “You’ve got an uphill battle ahead of you, but good luck.” He opened his door to step out but stopped. He looked back over his shoulder at Trace.

  “You’ve been trying really hard since you came back … helping me around the ranch and all. It’s appreciated. I also want you to know that, while I don’t condone how you handled things when you left all those years ago, I understand it. It took a lot of guts. And you’ve made us all proud with what you accomplished. I hope what you gave up was worth it. And if a second chance with Macy is in the cards for you, then I hope you hold on to it this time.”

  With that, he left Trace alone in the truck with his thoughts.

  “You don’t look well.”

  Macy rounded on the figure leaning against the wooden railing of the corral. She had studiously avoided him for the last couple of days, and she hoped to continue that routine, but Trace wasn’t cooperating. She certainly wasn’t in the mood to argue with him; she’d been up before dawn with a scratchy throat, slight fever, and a nagging headache. She had a list of things to do, not the least of which were the errands for her senior citizens. The week had flown by, and it was time to make the run into town for their needs.

  “Thanks for the compliment and telling me something I already know. If you don’t have anything else to do with your time, you might want to get some work done around here.”

  “I already did. The horses are taken care of, the stock tank and windmill have been seen to, and the farrier will be here tomorrow. I exercised the mares for you already. What else needs to be done?”