Cowboy Bold

by Carolyn Brown

  “I can’t stay, Mavis. I’ve got that interview in Dallas and…” She paused. “It’s complicated.”

  Justin glanced over at Skip and sighed. “And she already said no, but that don’t mean we can’t keep askin’, does it?”

  “Who knows?” Skip said. “She might say yes if we let her know how much we want her to stay.”

  “I’m right here,” Retta said.

  “Yep, you are.” Cade nodded. “Right where we’d like for you to stay.”

  “Okay, changing the subject,” she said. “The way Benjy loves animals, I can see him getting interested in the Future Farmers of America program.”

  Skip nodded. “I’m glad we’ve got a few acres so the boy can have some animals for his school projects. Levi, you need to help me find a couple of good show sheep for this next year.”

  “Will do.” Levi stood up from the porch step where he’d been sitting. “I’m turning in. It’s past ten o’clock and tomorrow is church.”

  “Good grief. I had no idea it was that late,” Retta said. “Girls, it’s time to let your fireflies go free. We’ve got to get back to our bunkhouse.”

  “Awww, man, I just got a dozen and it’s makin’ a good night-light,” Faith groaned. “Can I take it in with me and turn them loose in the morning?”

  “Afraid not. They might not survive,” Mavis answered. “What y’all need to do is set the jars on the porch and remove the lids. That way they can find their way out and back to their homes.”

  “Ahhh,” Sasha said. “I can just see them flying back to their little houses in the trees and tellin’ their brothers and sisters all about this adventure.”

  “Yep, mine are going to tell how they saved lives because they were the lights on police cars.” Ivan was the first one to set his on the porch, twist the lid off, and pocket the flat part.

  “Maybe a few minutes on the porch after the kids are in bed?” Cade asked while everyone was talking at once.

  “Sure,” she said. “Meet you there in an hour.”

  “I’ll be the one in the rocking chair.” He grinned.

  “I’ll be the one with my wet hair wrapped in a towel,” she said.

  “Now that’s a sexy picture,” he said, flirting.

  She air-slapped him on the arm. “Don’t make fun of me.”

  “Honey, any way I picture you is sexy.”

  Faith grabbed her hand. “That was so much fun. Can we do it again?”

  “Anytime they’re out, but right now it’s bedtime,” she said loud enough for all the girls to hear. See you later, she mouthed at Cade.

  When the girls were all tucked into bed, she hurriedly took a quick shower and washed her hair. She dressed in Minnie Mouse pajama bottoms and a bright red knit tank top, wrapped a white fluffy towel around her hair, and eased out the door onto the porch.

  Sure enough Cade was sitting in the rocking chair back in the shadows. She plopped down in the one right next to him and he reached over to touch her bare shoulder. As usual, shock waves of desire, swept through her and she almost got up and moved to his lap.

  “Please,” he said.

  “Please what?” she asked.

  “Please stay with us on the ranch, Retta. We’ve got this connection and chemistry and…”

  “How do we know this isn’t just a flash in the pan?” she asked.

  “We don’t. I guess it would be a leap of faith for you even more than me. But there are always jobs in the big cities,” he said.

  “You wouldn’t want me to beg you to sell the ranch and move to Dallas just so we could enjoy this chemistry, would you?”

  He cut those blue eyes around at her and they were not one bit happy. “I have a life here. Roots that go so deep they can’t be moved.”

  “Then I guess we’re at a standstill. This job will put me right back where I was when I left. I won’t have to start at the bottom again.” An emptiness filled her chest as if her heart had been removed leaving a hole. When did she begin to have such deep feelings for him?

  “I want you to stay here and I want to hire you to work for us, plain and simple,” he answered. “Everyone here loves you. You won’t be starting at the bottom here either. I don’t think you’re as ready to give up ranch life as you say you are.”

  “But I’m not ready to give up on my own goals either,” Retta said. “You have to respect that.”

  “Of course I do. But dammit, Retta. You’ve got me twisted up in knots.”

  She stood up. “I think maybe it’s best if we keep to a professional relationship from now on and just nip this thing between us in the bud, don’t you?”

  He set his mouth in a firm line. “If that’s the way you want it, but if you change your mind…”

  “I won’t. Good night, Cade.” She flipped the towel from her head, shook out her long dark hair, and left him sitting on the porch.

  Before she even shut the door, she could hear her mother’s voice in her head, scolding her. You don’t get dozens of chances to meet your soul mate.What if you are blowing your one chance?

  “Whoever my soul mate is will accept me as I am and not try to change me into something I don’t want to be.”

  Faith came out of the bathroom rubbing her eyes. “Is it mornin’? Who were you talkin’ to? I’m hungry.”

  “I was talkin’ to myself and it’s not mornin’ but if you are hungry, how about some cookies and milk?”

  Faith yawned and made her way across the floor to the tiny kitchen area. “What did Cade do to make you mad?”

  “How do you know that I’m mad or that it has anything to do with Cade?” She opened a package of chocolate chip cookies and poured two glasses of milk.

  “I’ve had lots of foster sisters, remember? And most of the time they were all older than me.” Faith took a cookie from the package and dipped it in the milk.

  “Do you have any goals, Faith?”

  “Sure. I’m going to get through school, go to college, and be a teacher.”

  “I thought you were going to have sex when you were thirteen.”

  “Naw, I was just mad and tryin’ to rile you up.” She giggled. “I know all about that stuff though because of those older sisters.”

  Retta took a sip of her milk. “What if someone told you that you had to change those goals and be something you don’t want to be? Like maybe a waitress in a diner the rest of your life?”

  “I’d tell ’em to go to hell,” she said bluntly and then cut her eyes around at the demerit board.

  “It’s okay. I won’t give you a black mark tonight,” Retta said. “Now tell me about your plans.”

  “I make good grades in school. I’m not popular and the kids call me a nerd because I like doin’ computer stuff. My last foster mother told me that there were scholarships for kids who do good in school so I study hard. I’ll be in seventh grade when school starts and I like learnin’ so maybe I’ll get me one of them scholarships. But if I don’t, then I’ll work my butt off at however many jobs I have to so I can be smart like you.” She yawned again.

  Retta gave Faith a quick hug. “I have confidence in you, girl. And when you graduate from high school and from college, I want to know so I can be there for you. Now we’d better get these cookies and milk finished and get to bed or we’ll be snoring in church tomorrow morning.”

  Faith giggled. “Alice will fuss at us if that happens. And would you really come to my graduations?”

  “I sure will,” Retta told her. “Now finish up that milk and go get some sleep.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Faith beamed.

  Retta made sure the girl was back in her bed before she went to her own room. She brushed out her damp hair and crawled into bed. Lacing her hands behind her head, she stared at the ceiling and didn’t try to keep the tears at bay. So Faith wanted to be smart like her and Cade wanted to put her in a mold she’d been running away from for years.

  Cade stormed back to the house only to find Justin sitting on the porch with a cold beer in
his hands.

  “That one’s for you.” He pointed to the porch railing where another one sat, sweat covering the outside.

  “We’re breaking the rules.” Cade picked it up, twisted the top off, and took a long drink before he sat down with a thud on the porch step.

  “After the wonderful news about Benjy, we should celebrate. I wish Retta would stay with us and we could celebrate that too,” Justin said.

  “Me too, but she’s leavin’ soon as the camp is over.”

  “Come on,” Justin said. “You got a way with women. Sweet talk her. Hell, promise her a salary bigger than what any company could pay her. We need her here even if you two can’t get along past the job. None of us can cook worth a damn. We all hate housecleaning and she’s good with the business end of the ranch. She’s perfect for the job.”

  “Then you go sweet talk her or both you and Levi go give it a try. She’s got her mind set. I don’t think God could change it,” Cade said. “I’m going to bed. See you tomorrow mornin’ and thanks for the beer. I needed it.”

  “Hey, bro, just remember what Mama always said. It ain’t over ’til it’s over. If you really have a thing for her, you got almost three weeks left to change her mind. You might not be God, but you are a Maguire. Don’t forget that,” Justin said.

  “What made you change your mind about her? You were against me havin’ anything to do with her in the beginning.” Cade got up and opened the door.

  “I been watchin’ her with the kids and in the kitchen with Mavis and most of all with you. There’s not a fake bone in her body. She’s up front and honest and there aren’t many women in the world like that anymore. I can see her growin’ up to be like Mavis or Mama, and that’s a good thing,” Justin said. “It wasn’t an overnight thing but something I figured out over the past couple of weeks.”

  “Good night, Justin,” Cade said.

  “I’m comin’ in too,” Justin said. “Mavis will have my hide if I fall asleep in church.”

  “Or she’ll tell Mama and she’ll threaten to move back to the ranch.” Cade tried to smile but it didn’t work.

  “At least Mama can cook and clean. We’ve got to get a housekeeper in addition to a cook, you know.” Justin said.

  “We could ask Mama to come back to the ranch until we find someone,” Cade said.

  “Sweet lord, no! She’s so bossy that we’d all be crazy. Can’t you just see her if one of us stayed out until daybreak because we picked up a woman in a bar? The lectures would drive us to drinkin’ and cussin’,” Justin replied.

  “Amen!” Cade nodded.

  He went to his room, kicked off his boots, and slumped down in the recliner. He only sat there for a few seconds and then popped up, went to the drawer, and brought out the ring box. This time when he opened it, there was nothing there. No pain, no memories. It was just a ring. He carried it to the living room and tossed it in Justin’s lap.

  “Take that thing and sell it on eBay. Whatever it brings, put it in the bank to use to buy show sheep for Benjy.”

  “You sure about this?” Justin asked.

  “Absolutely.” Cade turned around and started back down the hall.

  “Well, it’s about damn time,” Justin called out.

  Cade dreamed of Retta again that night and awoke the next morning with his arms wrapped tightly around his pillow. When he figured out it wasn’t her, he threw the pillow against the wall.

  He dressed in work clothes, went through the kitchen, and told Mavis that he wouldn’t be going to church that morning or sitting down to breakfast. His excuse was that he had a heifer due to give birth and she was going to need lots of help.

  “What’re you runnin’ from?” Mavis asked.

  “Nothing.” He picked up a couple of muffins from the day before and filled his coffee thermos from the pot.

  “You plannin’ on bein’ here for Sunday dinner?” she asked.

  “We’ll see what’s going on with the heifer,” he answered.

  Retta came into the kitchen with four little girls behind her just as Cade was closing the back door. “Are we the first ones here this mornin’?”

  “Nope.” Mavis shook her head. “You just missed Cade. He grabbed some muffins and coffee and headed out somewhere on the ranch to see about a heifer that’s about to deliver. Said he probably won’t even be back for church.”

  “Well, God ain’t goin’ to be real happy about that,” Alice said seriously.

  “Don’t reckon he is,” Mavis told her. “But that’s between Him and Cade.”

  Sure enough, a few hours later when everyone was scrambling to get seated before the song leader led the congregation in a hymn, Cade Maguire’s seat right in front of Retta was empty.

  “If you’ll turn to hymn number three eighty-two,” the song leader said, “we’ll all sing together this glorious Sunday morning.”

  What’s so glorious about it? Retta wanted to know. Cade was pouting.

  When the song ended, the preacher started his sermon by reading a psalm about not fretting or worrying but trusting in God to help a person get through the tough times. She didn’t even try to pay attention but let her mind wander back to the night before and the argument that ended any relationship that she and Cade might have. He could have at least suggested a long-distance relationship. It wasn’t that far to Dallas—she clamped a hand over her mouth.

  “What?” Faith asked.

  “Nothing.” She dropped her hand.

  He’d had that kind of situation with Julie and it had ended in disaster. No wonder he didn’t want to even think in those terms. He’d said that she had him all twisted up. Well, he sure didn’t leave her singing happy songs, either.

  Cade wasn’t in the house when they got home but boys and girls alike must have been hungry because they all wanted jobs so that they could get dinner on the table. When they were seated, Mavis asked if one of the kids would like to say grace and Kirk raised his hand. It wasn’t a long prayer but it was a sincere one and they all said “Amen” when he finished.

  Faith squeezed Retta’s hand when the food started around the table. “I don’t like Cade’s chair bein’ empty. It don’t seem right.”

  “I know.” Retta glanced over that way and more than just his chair was empty—so was Retta’s heart and soul. Suddenly, she lost her appetite. “Girls, y’all do what Mavis says. I’m going to the bunkhouse. I’m not feelin’ too good.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Alice said.

  Retta laid her napkin to the side of her plate. “That’s so sweet, but I’ll be fine.”

  She’d almost made it out of the house when Justin called out her name.“Hey, before you leave, I want to talk to you just a minute.” He laid a hand on her shoulder. “I just want you to know that I was against the flirting between you and my brother at first because I thought you might be a gold digger out to take him to the cleaners. But I can see that you are honest and sincere, and we are serious in wanting you to stay on the ranch as a hired hand—that didn’t come out right. You’d be more than a hired hand.”

  “I appreciate your honesty, but no thanks,” she said.

  “If you change your mind, the offer still stands.” He removed his hand. “And I hope you get to feeling better.” He turned around and headed back to the dinner table before Retta could answer.

  As she was leaving the ranch house, Cade parked his truck, got out, and started up the three porch steps as Retta was going down. Her breath caught in her chest at the simple sight of him, and when his arm brushed against hers, a tingle shot down her back bone.

  “Retta?” He tipped his hat.

  “How’d the heifer do?”

  “Didn’t deliver yet. We may have to pull the calf because she’s so small,” he answered and kept walking.

  “I’m pretty good at that business. Call me if you need help,” she said.

  He nodded but didn’t answer.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Cade was at the breakfast table the next mor
ning and he was the same old cowboy with the kids. Coolly professional was the way that Retta described the way he treated her. When he passed food or took it from her hands, he made sure there was no touching. He didn’t lock gazes with her and when the meal was over, he sure didn’t linger in the kitchen.

  “You and Cade had a fight, didn’t you?” Mavis asked when they were loading the dishwasher.

  “Not a fight, an understanding,” Retta answered.

  “If it looks like a fight, walks like a fight, acts like a fight, it’s not an understanding,” Mavis argued.

  “You know that he wants to hire me to do office work and cook.”

  “Be a fantastic job. You’d get room and board with it, probably your own place in the girls’ bunkhouse, and he’d include a nice benefits package. You won’t get a better deal in the big city,” Mavis said.

  Gabby set an empty bowl on the counter. “Sounds like a great job to me, and you could be around Cade all year. Man, if I was old like you, I’d jump at that.”

  “Ouch!” Retta grinned.

  “It’s all relative.” Mavis patted her on the back. “To me you are just a young kid.”

  “Well, that at least puts a bandage on the pain.” Retta gave her a quick hug. “I told him no.”

  “So that’s why he’s—” Mavis started.

  “Actin’ like a jack—I mean like he don’t even see Retta,” Sasha finished for her. “I didn’t say a bad word so I don’t get black marks.”

  Mavis closed the dishwasher and poked a few buttons. “It’ll pass like all things do and you’ll be stronger on the other side for it but don’t completely shut the door, Retta. You are cut out for this job and if you think about it, you would be shooting straight to the top of the company.”

  “How’s that?” Retta asked.

  “You’d be the CEO of the office from day one. Cade hates the work and puts it off until it takes him a week inside the house to get it done and he also hates to interview folks, so you’d be in charge of hiring and firing a new housekeeper and a cook,” Mavis answered. “And I bet no company that you’d find in Dallas would cover more than two square miles of territory and have many more employees than the Longhorn Canyon Ranch.”