by Deb Kastner
“Sometimes,” she admitted. “To the kids who really need it. The government can’t afford to pay. Or rather, they have too many other expenses.”
Buck huffed. “I imagine they do.”
Ellie glared at him. “I won’t turn these children away. Not as long as they need what I offer.”
“But this is a business, right?” He didn’t sound like he believed that it was.
“It’s a ministry, Buck,” she said, tired of repeating herself. “I do what I do to serve God and others. But, yes, in answer to your question, I do actually make my living on this ranch, thank you very much.”
“By giving everything away for free.”
“No.” She wanted to shake Buck until he could see the truth—until his teeth rattled, as a matter of fact—but she doubted it would help. The man clearly had rocks in his head. “I have many clients who pay for the therapy program. The foster-care program just doesn’t happen to be one of them.”
“I see,” Buck said, nodding to himself as if he’d suddenly stumbled across the truth. “So that’s where the tourists come in—and the bed-and-breakfast you insist you don’t run here. To pay for the foster-care kids. I guess that makes sense, in a cockeyed sort of way.”
Ellie sighed loudly, clenching the platter in both fists, willing herself not to toss the entire sticky contents right in his face. He was baiting her deliberately, and they both knew it.
“Ellie?” he said when she didn’t rush to explain herself.
“No.” She shook her head fiercely. “They aren’t tourists. Or at least, not many of them. Most of the kids come from Ferrell, and some from neighboring towns.”
“How do you advertise?”
“Word of mouth, primarily. The Tri-County News occasionally writes an article about the ranch. I’m a member of a national organization. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to deliver this snack to my little kiddos.”
Buck raised an eyebrow but stepped sideways, out of the doorway. “This isn’t over.”
Ellie scoffed and stepped through the doorway, not looking back. “Whatever you say, Buckshot,” she replied, purposefully using the same pet name she’d had for him when they were youngsters, hoping it would throw him off a bit.
It must have, because he didn’t say another word, although Ellie could feel his eyes on her back all the way down the hill. She smiled to herself. She wasn’t done fighting for this ministry.
Not even close.
Buck was still mulling over Ellie’s use of her special pet name for him the next morning, over a hot cup of coffee. Ellie had remembered that after all these years? He remembered all too well. How could he have walked away from that kind of love?
Ellie and Tyler were nowhere to be seen. They were probably not even awake yet, he guessed. It had long been Buck’s habit to watch the sun rise, and the fact that he was currently unemployed and taking a little R & R, as Ellie put it, didn’t keep him from waking before dawn.
This wasn’t rest or relaxation.
This was torture, plain and simple. He and Ellie couldn’t say a single word to each other without undertones of unspoken dialogue—why she wanted to stay on at the ranch and why he couldn’t let her do so.
If it were anyone else renting his ranch, Buck would have sent them packing the moment he’d learned about his mother’s will. But Ellie was his tenant, which changed everything, and they both knew it.
Count on Ellie, though, to try to take advantage of his generosity to plead her case. Why couldn’t she just realize she wasn’t going to get her way in the end and start looking for somewhere else to do her ministry? It sure would make it easier on both of them if she would.
But Ellie had always been a stubborn woman. There was no reason to think she’d be anything else just because twenty years had gone by.
Not his Ellie.
No. Not his Ellie.
Buck knew he needed to stop thinking that way, or he was going to end up in a world of hurt. He was obviously already headed in that direction, and it wouldn’t take much to send him right over the edge. He sighed deeply and took another sip of his still-steaming coffee.
He was so startled by the sharp rapping on the front door, he nearly spilled his coffee in his lap. Surely Ellie didn’t have clients calling at this time of the morning?
Standing stiffly, he jammed his hands through his hair and stretched. Only two days with Ellie and he was already getting soft in the head. He promised himself a good long horseback ride—to clear his head—later on in the morning and moved to the door, pulling the curtain slightly to one side so he could peer into the early morning mist.
Travis Martinez.
And with what looked to be a dozen red roses, not so hidden behind his back, and a goofy grin on his face. It didn’t take Buck more than a millisecond to figure out what that meant.
Buck’s hackles were up faster than a cat with its tail on fire. He didn’t even stop to think why and had the itching desire to slam the door closed on wide-smiling Travis before he’d even opened it to the man.
Travis Martinez, Buck remembered, had been the male lead in the same musical where Buck had first noticed Ellie. Travis had been in the same class with Buck, but where Buck had been the football hero, Travis had been the drama geek. Their paths had rarely crossed back then.
But Travis wasn’t the same gangly boy Buck remembered. He had, Buck acknowledged crossly, grown several inches since high school and had filled out a bit. And if Travis’s toothy-white grin was any indication of his feelings, the man still carried a torch for Ellie, just as he had in high school, even if at the time Ellie had never had eyes for any boy but Buck.
At least back then she hadn’t. He hadn’t a clue what kind of man Ellie was attracted to these days. Maybe a man like Travis.
Maybe Travis.
Seething with pent-up frustration, Buck twisted the door handle and plastered what he hoped was a smile on his own face, though he was certain he failed in the effort.
Travis looked more than a little startled before his smile widened, were that possible. “Buck Redmond. I didn’t think you were still in town.”
“Well, I am,” Buck replied testily, even as he stepped away from the door and gestured Travis inside. “I’m staying with Ellie, at least for the time being.”
“Oh,” Travis said, sounding as surprised as he looked. “I, uh, I’m glad to hear it.”
Travis didn’t look glad to hear it, Buck thought. In fact, Travis’s expression registered quite the opposite. He was obviously sensing some kind of competition with Buck, though for the life of him, Buck couldn’t imagine why. What Ellie and Buck had shared had been a lifetime ago.
Still, it soothed Buck’s ruffled feathers a little bit to think that he might still be considered competition where Ellie McBride was concerned. Even if it wasn’t true.
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen and have a seat, Travis?” Buck said, gesturing with a jerk of his chin to the dining table. “How do you like your coffee?”
Travis sighed and pulled the roses from behind his back. “I wasn’t planning to stay, actually. I was driving by and I saw Ellie’s light on, so I thought I’d stop by and give her these,” he said, tossing the bouquet on the table.
“She’s not awake yet.”
“Oh.” Travis sounded positively dejected, and for some reason that made Buck want to grin. As popular as Buck had been in high school, he’d never been a bully, but for some reason he had the most peculiar yearning to push Travis’s buttons now.
“I’ll let her know you were here,” Buck said with a casual shrug he wasn’t feeling. He flashed a peripheral glance at Travis but didn’t square off his gaze. “You can leave the roses. I’ll be sure Ellie gets them.”
“Be sure I get what?” asked a sleepy-eyed Ellie from the back-porch door. She was casually dressed in gray sweats and a bright red T-shirt, and her shiny black hair looked adorably rumpled from sleep, Buck thought, his heart pumping furiously despite his best efforts to r
emain calm and aloof. He just hoped Travis didn’t notice Ellie the way he did.
Travis was already on his feet, sweeping up the bouquet of red roses and thrusting them at her, another silly grin plastered on his face. Buck wanted to roll his eyes.
“I bought these for you yesterday,” Travis said in a rush, “but I got hung up at the school.”
Ellie smiled sweetly at Travis, making Buck want to pound on something, put his fist through a wall, maybe. Ironically, in the same moment he was thinking about how little Travis knew Ellie, unless she’d changed more than Buck knew, though this was something a woman wasn’t likely to change her mind about over time, was she?
Ellie’s favorite flowers had always been violets—the color of her eyes.
“I’m the drama teacher at Ferrell High,” Travis explained for Buck’s benefit. “And I got roped—unwillingly, mind you—into the planning committee. Which is going into overdrive, I think,” he continued with a chuckle.
Buck scowled at no one in particular. “Planning committee for what?”
Travis glanced at Buck in surprise and then turned his gaze back on Ellie. “Our twentieth class reunion. Didn’t you get an invitation, Buck?”
“No,” Buck snapped, wondering why he cared.
He didn’t care. He just didn’t want Travis here.
“Well, Cindy Spencer is in charge of sending the invites,” Travis explained. “I expect she thought you left town after your mother’s funeral, and didn’t know where to send your mail. I’ll be sure to let her know you’re still around.”
“Thanks,” Buck said gruffly. He scoffed inwardly, though he kept his expression carefully neutral. Like he’d go to his twenty-year class reunion. That wasn’t going to happen.
Ellie hadn’t yet accepted the bouquet from Travis. She was staring at Buck as if he’d grown a third eye.
“Actually,” Travis continued, “that’s part of the reason I’m here. The reunion, I mean.”
“What about it?” Buck queried, leaning a hip against the table and crossing his arms. He knew Travis’s statement hadn’t been aimed at him, but he didn’t really care if he was intruding.
The answer to Buck’s question was patently obvious, even before Travis uttered a word of explanation. They’d already clearly established that Buck wasn’t the reason Travis was here, reunion or no reunion. But if Travis thought for one second that Buck was going to concede and give the two of them a moment of privacy, he had another think coming.
“I, uh,” Travis stammered, clearing his throat and tossing a pleading look toward Ellie, which Buck didn’t miss.
“Buck,” Ellie said, her tiny hands cocked on her hips, “can you please give us a moment?”
Buck shrugged but didn’t move.
Ellie sighed loudly and shook her head, clearly exasperated with him.
“No, it’s okay,” Travis said in a vain attempt to relieve some of the tension in the room. He was still holding the flowers out to Ellie, apparently frozen in that position, Buck thought with a scowl. “I don’t mind if Buck is here. He’ll find out soon enough, anyway. I’ve come to ask you to be my date to the reunion. I know you’ll have your own reunion next year, but I’d be honored if you’d be my date for mine.”
Ellie glanced quickly in Buck’s direction. He looked like a stone statue, his jaw set and his arms crossed. He was so still, it didn’t even look like he was breathing. If it wasn’t for the pulse beating a steady rhythm in the corner of his clenched jaw, Ellie might have wondered if he were alive at all.
He certainly wasn’t giving away what he was thinking, but Ellie could guess. The two men were looking at each other like fighting dogs across a ring. They were practically baring their teeth and growling at each other. All they needed was a little drool, and the picture would be complete.
“Buck,” she pleaded, hoping beyond hope he would be reasonable, but Buck had never been reasonable, at least where Ellie was concerned. He had always been overprotective of her, though the one time she’d suggested it might be jealousy, he’d practically bit her head off. Even in high school he’d give a warning growl to any boy brave enough to approach her, so no one ever did.
At the time she hadn’t minded. She had been head over heels in love with Buck Redmond and hadn’t so much as noticed any of the other guys around her. Funny how twenty years could change a woman’s perspective on things.
Buck wasn’t the only man in Ferrell, and it was high time he figured that out. So why did a small part of her secretly wish he would suddenly do a one-eighty and sweep her into his arms and fervently declare that no man but Buck himself would take her to the reunion?
Ellie eyed Buck again, but he hadn’t budged, so she turned to Travis and gave him her best smile, determination setting in over any wavering she was feeling in her heart. She snatched the bouquet of roses from his hand and inhaled deeply.
Roses were okay, though she preferred violets. “I would be happy to be your date for the reunion, Travis.”
Travis’s genuine grin was surprisingly hard for Ellie to bear. Why did she feel guilty?
“I—I’d better put these in water,” Ellie stammered, clutching at the bouquet of roses. She spun around and left the room before she could see the expression on either one of the men’s faces. She already knew Buck would be blowing steam out his ears, despite the fact that they no longer had a relationship. And poor Travis…Ellie thought she might back out if she saw whatever mix of fear and elation was crossing that man’s face.
She needed to make a stand with Buck, and this date with Travis was as good a situation as any she could have dreamt up. She only hoped the poor sweet drama teacher didn’t get caught in the cross fire.
Buck didn’t move for a moment after Ellie left the room. His head was swimming with emotion. The pointed glance Ellie had given him before she’d answered Travis had left him dumbstruck.
What had she expected Buck to do? Ask her to be his date to the reunion? He hadn’t even been invited to attend—not formally, anyway.
Even if he had been invited, why would Ellie think he wanted to go at all? Ellie, of all people, should know by now how much his life had changed in the twenty years since he’d graduated high school. What was left for him to come back to?
It was only then that he realized Travis was staring at him, openmouthed in expression, if not in reality. Buck scowled at him.
What was the man waiting for, anyway? He’d gotten the answer he’d come for.
“I, uh, I’m sorry if I intruded,” Travis said tentatively, brushing his short, straight dark brown hair out of his eyes with the tips of his fingers.
“You didn’t,” Buck said tersely.
“Well, I mean, I guess I thought when I found out you were still around, that you might have wanted to take Ellie to the reunion yourself.”
Buck leveled his gaze on the man, who, he thought with just a touch of amusement, looked like he was quaking in his boots, completely insecure and unsure of himself. “And why would you think that?”
“You and Ellie were quite the item in high school,” Travis reminded him in a low voice.
“I remember.” This time Buck couldn’t stifle his laughter. “And?”
Travis grabbed the back of the nearest chair and swallowed hard. “Is it okay if I sit?”
Buck shrugged nonchalantly, and he was still grinning. He couldn’t help himself. “Suit yourself.”
Travis brushed his hair back with his fingers again, and Buck recognized it for what it was—a nervous habit. Travis cleared his throat several times but couldn’t seem to get any words out. Buck decided to help him.
“I take it you and Ellie are dating?”
Travis’s eyes widened to enormous proportions, but as his gaze met and held Buck’s, he gave an agitated chuckle. “Not exactly. I’ve asked her out enough times over the years, but she always turned me down. Until today.”
Travis grinned, and Buck wanted to floor him.
“Over the years?” Buck asked
before he realized he didn’t really want to know. Besides, he was prying into Ellie’s business when he had no right to do so. What had happened to the close-lipped cowboy he’d thought he’d been?
Ellie McBride. That was what had happened.
“I’d say it’s been at least three years since the first time I asked her out,” Travis explained hesitantly.
Buck gave a low whistle. “That’s a lot of time.”
Travis sighed. “Tell me about it. I’ve tried everything in the book, but I just can’t get her to accept me as more than a friend—not that I’ve given up on her.”
Buck nodded. “I can see that. Ellie can be pretty stubborn about some things.”
“You’re telling me.”
“Well, partner, I wish you the best,” Buck continued. In his head he added an unspoken You’re going to need it.
Chapter Six
It was a beautiful morning, and Ellie was sitting on the back-porch swing with her Bible in her lap. For as long as she’d been living here at the ranch, her favorite time of day was the early morning, her quiet time, when she could read the Bible and pray about the day ahead of her.
She’d been trying to read a psalm, but despite her best efforts, she just couldn’t concentrate. Her mind kept wandering back to the morning two days earlier, when she’d woken to find Buck and Travis facing off over the kitchen table. It was a good thing testosterone wasn’t flammable, or she could have lit a match and the whole ranch would have exploded.
What was with Buck, anyway? And more to the point, why did she care?
They’d avoided talking about Travis ever since that morning. Come to think of it, Buck had avoided Ellie altogether, either making excuses to go into the town or else secreting himself in the stable.
Ellie snapped her Bible shut with a loud sigh. For a moment, when she first walked into the room that morning when Travis was there, she’d thought Buck was acting a bit territorial toward her—and the worst part was, she’d liked it.
Even with Travis in the room. Ellie felt a pang of guilt even now, for she knew she shouldn’t feel anything for Buck, not after all this time. Travis was her, well, her, uh, friend. Or at least that was what she kept telling herself.
