The Dreamer and the Cowboy: A Contemporary Christian Romance NOVELLA (The Rancher's Daughters Series Book 2)

by Debra Ullrick

  What a wonderful, encouraging man Kage was. A comforting man. How she’d miss that about him.

  “Okay. Love you, too, Mom.” Kage disconnected his call and looked over at Teagan. “I’m sorry, Teagan. I have to go home. My dad and brother were in a bad car wreck.”

  Teagan’s hands flew to her mouth, her stomach roiled. “Oh, no. Are they okay?”

  “The doctors said they’ll be fine, but they’ll be laid up for some time. I need to get home right away. Mom needs me. And the ranch will be short-handed now.” His nervous gaze rested on her. “I’ll miss you, Teagan.” He pulled her to him and clung on to her. When he dipped his lips to hers, the kiss was long and passionate before he pulled away and said, “I’ve got to find your dad and let him know I won’t be able to stay now.” One last, quick kiss, and he turned and strode toward the barn.

  Teagan stared at his disappearing back. The pain of loss once again ripped at her heart. Why did she have to go and fall in love with him? Why didn’t she leave well enough alone and leave as soon as she felt that connection with him the first day she’d met him?

  She whirled and ran deep into the trees, tears streaming down her face. How far she went, she wasn’t sure. She only knew it wasn’t far enough to outrun her pain.

  Her lungs begged for air.

  When she reached a clearing, she dropped to her knees, giving no regard to her bridesmaid dress. She laid her face in her hands and wept. The pain deepened and there was only one way for her to deal with it. She pushed herself up and running music through her mind, she danced.

  Anguish ripped through every part of her as she acted out her pain and sorrow. Only thing was, this time, dancing wasn’t helping. The pain wasn’t subsiding at all. She danced harder, until her sides ached from the exertion, but she refused to stop. That pain was better than facing the pain of loss residing in her heart… again.

  “Teagan?”

  His voice, once so soothing, only reminded her now of what she was about to lose. Not that she ever had him, and yet she felt like she had.

  Kage had been there for her.

  To comfort her in her grief.

  And now he was leaving.

  Wasn’t she supposed to be the one to leave?

  It wasn’t supposed to end like this, and yet it did as the dancing slammed to a stop.

  “Teagan.” In an instant, his arms were around her, holding her to him. Her heart moved into his, and she could do nothing to stop it from happening. Ache gushed from her eyes, soaking his shirt, but like everything else in her life, her tears were out of her control.

  Like he always did, Kage let her have this moment without interruption. She appreciated that about him. And needed it more now than ever before.

  One long moment turned into another and then another. When she realized she was keeping him from leaving, a battle warred in her mind. She wanted him to stay, but she refused to be selfish. His family needed him. He had to go. She needed to pull away and push him toward his truck, to tell him to go. He had to go. Now. Before she lost her will to make him get to the vehicle that would take him away from her forever.

  With one more listen to his heart, she tugged out of arms. “Thank you, Kage. For everything.” She pushed him away and knowing she wouldn’t be able to watch him leave, she turned her back on him. “You’d better go.”

  Instead of just walking away, he came to her, and clutching her upper arms, he turned her toward him. “I’ll figure out something, Teagan. I’m not giving up on us. I can’t.” His eyes captured hers. “I love you, Teagan.” A quick kiss on the cheek and he was gone—disappearing into the darkness.

  “Bye, Kage.”

  ~*~ ♥ ~*~

  Kage’s heart tugged him in several directions at once. He hated leaving Teagan like he had, but he had to go home. His family needed him. Then again, Teagan needed him too. He’d seen it in her eyes.

  Confused and tired, he rubbed his gritty eyes. Another hour and he would be home. Well, his body would be, but his heart wouldn’t. He’d left it behind in Colorado.

  He’d told Teagan he would figure something out. And yet he had no clue how things could ever work between them. He’d wracked his brain out the whole way trying to come up with a solution. So far he’d come up short. Teagan’s dream was to see the world and to dance on stage. That’s who she was… a dancer. A dancer who wanted nothing to do with ranching or a rancher. He was a rancher. That’s what he was, and there was no changing that.

  And once again, he was back to square one, knowing he would never do anything to come between Teagan and her dream. But he couldn’t just let her go. Surely there had to be a solution even though he certainly didn’t see one. Tired of trying to figure it out on his own, he turned it over to the One who could figure it out. Something he should have done hundreds of miles ago.

  Keeping his eyes on the road, he prayed, “Lord, I know all things are possible with You. That You can make a way where there isn’t one. I’m asking You, Father, if Teagan and I are meant to be together that You will work it out. And if not, then please take this love for her out of my heart.” That last part didn’t set well with him, and yet he knew it needed to be said.

  Kage still couldn’t believe he was in love with Teagan and that he’d fallen in love so quickly. As far as he knew, that sort of thing only happened in those romance movies his sisters watched. In one evening, Cinderella and Prince Charming had fallen in love. Love at first sight. That’s what people called it. But did that sort of stuff ever happen in real life? One look into his heart said the answer was yes. It had happened to him. And judging by Teagan’s reaction, it had happened to her as well.

  God had to be in this.

  There was no other explanation. In the past, he’d dated a lot of women and he’d never once felt this way about any one of them even after months of dating. It had been only a few weeks and he’d fallen in love with Teagan. And fallen hard.

  But what happened if you fell in love at first sight and then couldn’t make it work? What then? It was the question that dogged him all the way back to Amarillo.

  Chapter Eight

  Days later, Teagan wondered for the millionth time how Kage was. How his father and brother were doing. If only she’d thought to get his phone number, then she’d call him to find out.

  Who was she kidding?

  While she genuinely cared how they all were doing, the truth was, she missed him.

  Terribly.

  This place had become even more depressing after he’d gone.

  Unbearable even.

  Because of that, she decided that today she was going to tell her father she was leaving. She’d waited long enough, too long really. So long she’d almost talked herself out of going. But between the generous life insurance policy her mother had left each of them and her life savings, she had enough money to live on comfortably for a few years and to travel the world. Traveling alone didn’t exactly sound exciting, but she didn’t want to live with the regrets her mother had.

  The one regret her mother didn’t have was marrying her father. Her mom said she’d do it all over again just to be with him. At the time Teagan didn’t understand why. Ranching consumed their lives, so much so that her mother never got to follow her dreams. But now, with the way she felt about Kage, Teagan understood. Only too well.

  Unfortunately.

  Because she and Kage were a dead end road leading to nowhere.

  It would be best if she remembered that fact.

  She pulled herself up off her bed and went in search of her father. She needed to tell him now before she chickened out.

  Downstairs, she headed to her dad’s office and knocked on the door “Dad, can I come in?”

  “Just a second.” Her father’s tired voice sounded from the other side.

  Teagan waited, wondering what he was doing.

  “Okay. You can come in now.”

  Teagan opened the door and stepped inside. Her father turned around and faced her. One look in his
eyes and she knew exactly what he’d been doing. He’d been crying.

  Seeing his red eyes and nose and the sadness he tried so desperately to hide, Teagan wanted to turn around and run, not back to her room, but to her studio and dance. How could she tell him she was leaving when he was hurting and grieving so badly?

  As she stood there, the truth became clear. She couldn’t.

  She refused to grieve him further. Her news would have to wait.

  “Did you need something?” There was no grouchiness in his voice this time, only sadness and weariness.

  Her mind scrambled to come up with another reason why she would ask to talk to him but nothing came.

  He settled his arms on the desk and clasped his hands.

  Teagan looked at his callused hands and his rugged, bands-of-steel arms. Those strong arms had held her and each of her siblings and her mother many times, offering them security and comfort, offering them all he had to give.

  “You obviously have something on your mind. Have a seat.” Even more worry lines scribbled across her father’s forehead. She hated being the cause of them.

  Teagan lowered herself onto the leather chair across from the large pinewood desk her father had made, but instead of looking at him, her gaze went to her lap. “Oh, um, I just wondered.” She fiddled with her hands and chewed on her lip as she tried to figure out just what exactly she was going to say.

  “You want to know if I’ve heard from Kage. Am I right?”

  Her gaze shot up to his. “Have you?” she asked as hope bubbled up inside her.

  “He called earlier.”

  “And?” She paused hoping her dad would continue. When he didn’t, she asked, “How’s he doing? How’s his dad and brother? Are they any better?” Is he coming back here? she wanted to ask but kept that question to herself.

  “You like him, don’t you?”

  Teagan’s mouth fell open. How did he know? And just how should she answer that?

  Before she had a chance to answer him, her father slipped a piece of paper across his desk toward her. She picked it up, took one look at it, and smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered, hugging the paper to her chest. She looked over at her father, not knowing what to do or say next.

  Her father nodded and smiled. She returned his smile. With one last thank you, she turned and hurried to her room. Teagan couldn’t wait to give Kage a call.

  ~*~ ♥ ~*~

  For the twentieth time since hanging up from talking to Teagan’s dad, Kage wanted to kick himself in the rump. He wanted to ask Porter for Teagan’s cellphone number, but he didn’t know how to go about it. Not until he was certain his plan would work.

  Kage was grateful he had remembered to give Porter his cell number. All he could do now was pray that somehow his number made it to Teagan and that she would call him. He had some news to share with her. News he hoped would make her as happy as it did him.

  His cell rang. He glanced at the caller ID. Not recognizing the number, and not wanting to deal with yet another annoying telemarketer, he let it go to his voice mail. Whoever it was could leave a message. He’d check his messages later, after he finished helping his dad.

  ~*~ ♥ ~*~

  After the fourth ring, the voice message came on, and Teagan debated on whether or not to leave a message. Just hearing his voice made her less lonely for him. But at the sound of the beep, she chickened out and hung up.

  She flopped on her bed and envisioned his face in her mind. She couldn’t believe how much she missed him.

  Why couldn’t she just forget about him and go on with her life?

  But that was easier said than done because she loved him. How or when that had happened exactly she had no idea. She only knew she thought about him every second of the day and night. When she danced now, she danced as if he were there cheering her on.

  She sighed long and hard, frustrated with herself that she hadn’t left a message, and wondering if she should call him back. Surely she could just say she was wondering how his family was. Couldn’t she? She wouldn’t look too anxious or forward if she just did that, right?

  The longer she thought about it, the more she convinced herself it was okay. A glance at the clock and she wondered what time it was in Texas if it was 7:30 here. Only one way to find out.

  Using her laptop, she quickly did a time zone search. “Hmmm. It’s only 8:30 there.” She tapped her teeth with her finger, debating out loud what she should do. “Ah, go ahead and call him back, but this time leave a message for him to call you.” One deep breath and she snatched up her cell. Since he was the last caller on her list, she just tapped the number, and it started to ring. Teagan barely breathed while she waited for his voice mail.

  “Hello?”

  Totally caught off guard, Teagan froze and words fled her.

  The call ended.

  She called back hoping he would answer and hoping her words would find her.

  “Hello.”

  For some odd reason, Teagan found the gruffness in his voice somewhat amusing. Only because it was so out of character for him. Kage was such a gentle, caring sort. She completely understood the gruffness though because she hadn’t said a single word the first time she’d called, and he had a lot on his plate with all his family troubles. Before he hung up again, she burst out. “Don’t hang up, Kage.”

  “Teagan! Is that you?”

  Teagan switched ears. “Yes, it’s me. Hope you don’t mind but my dad gave me your number, and I thought it would be alright to call you. How are your brother and father doing?” she blurted out in one long breath, knowing she was prattling but was unable to help herself. Chalk it up to nerves.

  “Well, it will take a while for them to heal. Dad’s home already though, but thank you for asking.” A long pause stretched between them. “Is that the only reason you called?” he asked so softly that Teagan wasn’t sure she heard him correctly.

  How should she answer that?

  ~*~ ♥ ~*~

  Kage held his breath, waiting for her answer, hoping her asking about his family wasn’t the only reason for her call and that she missed him as much as he missed her. “Teagan?”

  “Uh. What was the question again? I heard you say something but I’m not quite sure what.”

  He cleared his throat. “I asked if the only reason you called was to check on how my family’s doing. While I’m glad you are concerned about them, I was kind of hoping… Well, I was hoping…”

  “You were hoping what, Kage?” He missed hearing her raspy voice, and he smiled at the sound of it.

  “I was hoping that you called because you missed me as much as I missed you.” A pause and his heart stalled. What if she said she didn’t?

  “More.” It was a raspy whisper, but he heard it nonetheless.

  “There is no way possible you could have missed me more than I did you, but I’m so glad you did. Truth is, it gives me the courage to ask you something that I’ve been wanting to ask you.”

  “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

  “I was wondering if you still plan on leaving the ranch and traveling, do you think you could include Amarillo in your travel itinerary? You could stay with one of my sisters or at my parents’ house. They’d love to have you.”

  “Wait! You’ve talked to them about me?”

  He laughed. “Of course I have.”

  “And just what did you tell them?”

  “Oh no you don’t. If you want to know what I’ve told them, you’ll have to come out here and then I’ll tell you. That is, if you still plan on leaving.”

  “Yes, I’m still leaving. In fact, I’d planned to tell my father this evening that I was, but then when I saw that he’d been crying, I just couldn’t.”

  Kage sent up a silent prayer for Porter. Since falling in love with Teagan and having to leave her behind, he had a small idea of what it was like to be separated from the love of his life. Only thing was, this was different. Teagan was alive. Her mother wasn’t. “Well, when you feel the time i
s right, let me know. I promise not to hold you hostage or anything when you come, okay?”

  Teagan laughed. “I will.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Neither spoke for several breaths. “Well, as much as I hate to, I’d better go. Mom needs help getting my dad into bed. I’m so glad you called, Teagan. I can’t believe I left without getting your phone number.”

  “Well, you had other things on your mind, worrying about your family and all.”

  “True, but…” He let the words hang. “Anyway, I’m glad you called. Do you mind if I call you tomorrow?”

  “No, I’d love it if you did.”

  “Alrighty then. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  He waited for her to end the call; he couldn’t bring himself to do it first. When she did, then and only then, did he tap the red phone icon. He pocketed his phone and sighed. “God please let things work out. I can’t imagine my life without Teagan.” With those words, he headed to the living room to help his dad into the wheelchair and into bed. Thoughts of Teagan went with him as they always did now.

  ~*~ ♥ ~*~

  All day long the next day, Teagan listened for her cell phone to ring. Every time it did, she couldn’t get to it fast enough. And every time it wasn’t Kage, disappointment flopped inside her.

  She glanced at the clock on her bedroom nightstand. 9:47. That meant 10:47 in Texas. Why hadn’t he called like he said he would? Had something happened to him? To one of his family members? No longer able to bear it, Teagan sent up another prayer for them as she scooted off her bed and headed downstairs.

  Outside, she stepped off the porch into the tepid air and the darkness that bathed her in itself.

  She breathed deeply the smell of cut grass and various roses. Roses her mother had planted because she loved them so dearly.

  Mosquitoes buzzed around her.

  Coyotes howled somewhere in the distance.

  Teagan gazed up at the inky sky.