Riding Home

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “It’s getting lighter out there. Can you tell? Before the outline of the Tetons wasn’t clear, but now it is.”

  “That means you need to leave in a little while.”

  “Yeah. I was on probation for my first two weeks until they decided whether or not I could cut it around here. Now that I’ve been put on permanently, I don’t want to screw that up by coming in late.”

  “Then show me around, tell me anything I need to know about this trailer and take off, cowboy.”

  “Okay.” He gave her a quick hug and released her. “We can start by closing this door. No one will come out here at night, but during the day, it’s possible somebody could show up. After all, this is Chance land.” He pulled the door closed and twisted the dead bolt. “I’ll lock you in when I leave.”

  “Are you worried about someone coming in?”

  “Not a person. The crime rate’s really low in the Shoshone area. But raccoons can be tricky. They use those little hands of theirs like you wouldn’t believe. If I don’t lock the door, they might figure out how to open it.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  “They’re mostly nocturnal, so it’s not a huge risk during the day, but I’m in the habit of locking the door just in case.”

  “Understood.”

  “Hang on a minute. I’m going to get you something.” He walked back toward what she’d identified as the bedroom.

  “If it’s a weapon of some kind, I don’t want it.” She took in the extensive wood paneling covering many of the surfaces. Although the shape of the Airstream was nothing like a boat, she was reminded of sailing on her parents’ yacht.

  “It’s not a weapon.” He ducked through the bedroom doorway, although the door was merely a navy curtain secured with a tailored band of material. When he came back, he held out a navy bathrobe. “This is mine, and if you’d put it on, I’d be appreciative.”

  “All right.” The bathrobe engulfed her, but it carried his spicy scent, so she didn’t mind its enormous size. At least it didn’t drag on the floor. He’d chosen knee-length, which was ankle-length on her. She belted it securely and rolled up the sleeves. “Better?”

  He smiled. “I’m not sure. You look damned cute in it, so even though you’re covered up, I want to do you.”

  “I could lock myself in the bathroom and we could talk through the door.”

  “Nah. I’ll be strong. The robe does help. Just not enough. I’m not sure anything would, to tell the truth. I have a serious case of lust for you, Jeannette Trenton.”

  “That cuts both ways, Zach Powell.”

  “That’s something. At least we’re in the same fix.” His gaze was warm and he seemed to lose his place in the conversation.

  Through the window, she could see the sky was turning the color of his gray eyes. “You were going to acquaint me with the silver bullet,” she prompted.

  “Yes. Yes, I was.” He gestured toward the end opposite his bedroom. “That’s the sitting area. A tabletop folds down and it becomes the dining room.” Once again, he became lost staring at her.

  “Lord, boy, you need sleep. You keep spacin’ out on me.” She should feel guilty that she’d been part of the scenario that had kept him from sleeping, but she knew he wouldn’t have given that up for anything.

  He shook his head as if to clear it. “I’ll be fine. Where was I?”

  “The couch is there, and a table folds down so you can eat there, too. I already know the bedroom’s at the other end, and I can see the kitchen’s in the middle. I assume the bathroom is, too.”

  “Right. There’s food in the refrigerator. If you get hungry, help yourself.”

  “What about you? I completely forgot about your breakfast!”

  “I’ll grab something during a break at the ranch. The hands keep snacks in the bunkhouse. They’re great guys and they’ve told me I’m welcome to it.”

  “You really love it here, don’t you?”

  “I do.”

  “And you don’t miss the intellectual challenge of your legal practice?”

  “Not at all.”

  She caught the flicker in his gray eyes. He might be telling himself he didn’t miss it, but he’d been totally involved in the case she’d presented to him during the drive to Jackson. Now wasn’t the time to argue that point, though.

  “I expect you to sleep most of the time I’m gone, though.”

  She laughed. “Are you ordering me to bed?”

  “I wish I could, and then follow you in there. In fact, if you wouldn’t mind tucking yourself in right now while I’m being noble and strong, I won’t be tempted to kiss you goodbye.”

  She met his gaze. He yearned for more time together and so did she. After what they’d shared, a kiss goodbye would be a natural thing to do, but one kiss would turn into twenty, and he’d be late to work.

  “I’ll see you later, Zach.”

  “See you later, Jeannette.”

  She turned and walked back toward the curtained doorway. It was a little goodbye, not the big one that would come in a couple of days. If she had trouble parting from him now, what would Monday be like?

  9

  ZACH PUT IN a couple of hours doing the usual morning chores, feeding horses and mucking out stalls. That kind of manual labor allowed him to think. The more he considered the step that he and Jeannette had taken by sharing living quarters this weekend, the more he realized he needed to inform Jack ASAP.

  Jeannette had left a note at the Bunk and Grub, so word might eventually filter to the ranch. But Pam was spending the night in Emmett’s little house and might have decided to stay until after the party. The grapevine wouldn’t be working as efficiently as it might otherwise.

  Zach felt an obligation both to Jeannette and the Chance family to make sure the new arrangement didn’t catch everyone by surprise, especially in the middle of what was supposed to be Regan and Lily’s show. Jeannette had mentioned that she didn’t want to mess up their party by creating gossip. As the head of the family, Jack should be notified, and soon.

  Fortunately Jack was on the premises this morning. The Last Chance was throwing a party tonight, and as the host, Jack was supervising every aspect of it. According to the old-timers, he’d gone through a period when he didn’t want to have anything to do with parties or the planning of them.

  But marriage and fatherhood had changed him and now he wanted to know every last detail, to the point that some complained that he’d overcorrected. As for Zach, he was thrilled the guy was on hand today so they could discuss Jeannette.

  He found the eldest Chance brother helping the ranch hands set up a platform that would serve as a bandstand and dance floor. Judging from the conversation, the platform had been erected and dismantled several times in the past few years. It looked a little the worse for wear.

  “It’ll be fine for one more event.” A hammer held loosely in one hand, Jack was talking with Watkins, a stocky ranch hand with a carefully waxed handlebar mustache. Watkins would be playing guitar for the event, along with a younger hand named Trey.

  “I’m not convinced,” Watkins said. “Trey and me, we invested in new speakers and they’re heavier than the ones we used to have. Plus once people start dancing, if they stomp around like usual, they’ll stress those joints.”

  “It’s gonna work,” Jack said. “After this party, we’ll turn it into firewood and start over, but this is the last event of the season and I hate like hell to invest in a new platform that will just sit all winter in the tractor barn. And we’re running out of time.” He caught sight of Zach standing nearby. “What do you think, Powell?”

  He shrugged. “I’m no expert.”

  Jack walked over to him and lowered his voice. “You’ve eyeballed contracts for rock concerts. You must have an opinion about the logistic
s, even for something piddly like this deal. Give me what you got, man.”

  After assessing the platform and thinking about the potential dangers, Zach shrugged. “Like I said, this isn’t my area, but I’ve seen what can happen when things go wrong. In your shoes, I wouldn’t risk it. I’d call in all the hands if you have to so you can build a new platform.”

  “You’re right. I know you’re right. I’ve just been trying to convince myself by trying to convince Watkins.” He adjusted the fit of his black Stetson before calling out to the hands. “We’re starting over! Watkins, head into town and rustle us up some wood.”

  The stocky cowboy grinned. “Good decision, boss.”

  “It’s an expensive decision, and we’ll need everybody’s help.” He turned to another cowhand. “Shorty, put out the word. We need a new platform by five.” Then he turned to Zach. “How are you with a hammer and saw?”

  “Not bad. I’ll help. But that wasn’t why I came looking for you.”

  Jack’s gaze narrowed. “I hope you’re not giving me your notice. I realize you’re overeducated for this job, but I like you and I’m hoping you stick it out.”

  “I plan to stick it out. This isn’t about me. It’s about Jeannette Trenton.”

  Jack’s expression became unreadable. “What about her?”

  “She’s staying in my Airstream for the weekend.”

  “She’s what?”

  “I invited her and she accepted. Do you have a problem with that?”

  “I don’t know yet. The words are still making their way from my ears to my brain. Wasn’t she at the Bunk and Grub or did I make that up?”

  “She was at the Bunk and Grub, but she...I mean we decided she’d enjoy...uh, that is, we thought—”

  “Easy, cowboy. Don’t strain your brain.” Jack tipped his hat back and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m putting it all together, now. Josie told me that you and Jeannette were heading off to Jackson so she could buy more appropriate clothes for this weekend. I guess that shopping trip went well, huh?”

  “She’s a lawyer. I’m a lawyer. We have a lot in common.”

  “I can see that.”

  “Anyway, I just wanted you to know.”

  Jack nodded. “Thanks.”

  “And she’ll be coming to the party with me.”

  “I figured as much. Is she still leaving town on Monday?”

  “Far as I know.” His chest tightened at the thought.

  “You just said you plan to stick it out here, so I’ll take that to mean you won’t be running off to Virginia anytime soon.”

  “Definitely not.”

  Jack tapped the hammer handle against his thigh. “Okay, then.” He turned toward the platform. “Might as well start turning this into kindling. We’ll be needing it come December. Ever wintered in snow country?”

  “Nope.”

  “When six-foot drifts block the front door and the wind chill is forty below, a man finds out what he’s made of.”

  “Good.” Zach grinned at him. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  * * *

  ZACH’S DOUBLE BED tucked under the paneled curve of the Airstream’s roof combined with the closed blinds over the windows gave the nook a cavelike quality that made her think of hibernating bears. His soft sheets and light blanket carried the scent of his aftershave. Although she was exhausted, she couldn’t go to sleep right away. She kept thinking of Zach and all they’d shared.

  Eventually she did fall asleep, though, and when she woke up she spent a couple of seconds trying to figure out where she was. Her nose registered the answer first. She was in Zach’s bed, in Zach’s silver bullet of a trailer, in a wooded area of the Last Chance Ranch.

  The bedroom was tiny and didn’t have space for much more than the bed, but a small ledge on the door wall held a clock. Nearly one in the afternoon. Zach got off work at two. Picturing him coming through the front door in another hour or so sent a jolt of anticipation through her.

  Meeting him had changed everything, and seemed to be changing her, too. She never would have guessed she’d agree to make love in front of a door open to the wilds of Wyoming. Remembering it made her laugh in delight. She could take a solar shower with him this afternoon, no problem.

  His solid presence gave her courage in so many ways. Until he’d come on the scene, she’d dreaded Regan and Lily’s engagement party even though attending seemed like the right thing to do. She was still such an outsider that she’d expected to struggle through the evening. Having Zach by her side would make all the difference.

  Thinking of the coolness that had surrounded them when they’d made love in the wee morning hours made her aware that the air was close and warm. Getting to her knees on the bed, she pulled up the blinds on all three windows that wrapped around the front of the trailer. Then she cranked each one open.

  Ah. A breeze filled the bedroom with the aroma of evergreens. Birds chirped in the trees, and the burble of the stream created a scene right out of a nature video. She could see why Zach loved it here, but the weather wouldn’t always be this gorgeous.

  She’d researched Jackson Hole after becoming engaged to Regan because he’d talked about taking her to the ranch. Summers had sounded great and this visit had convinced her how wonderful they could be. But winters were seriously frigid and snowy in this area. She wondered how Zach planned to deal with snow, ice and subzero weather.

  Maybe he hadn’t thought of that, yet. He seemed to be living his new life day-by-day, which interested her. She’d always been a planner, but he didn’t seem to have definite plans for the future.

  Her stomach rumbled. Zach would probably eat lunch at the ranch, so since she was hungry, she should feed herself before he came back. Besides, she was curious about the trailer. Now that she was more rested, she wanted to explore it, although that exploration wouldn’t take long.

  Grabbing Zach’s bathrobe from where she’d left it at the end of the bed, she put it on. He had said that people sometimes showed up here during daylight hours. She didn’t want to be seen wandering around his trailer stark naked.

  She expected to find her clothes scattered on the floor where she’d shed them, but apparently Zach had gathered them before leaving. They lay folded on her suitcase, which stood right where he’d left it when they first came in. Both shopping bags sat beside the suitcase.

  She knew for a fact Zach was glad she’d moved in for the weekend, but she didn’t want him tripping over her things. With the limited space in the trailer, she wasn’t sure what she would do with the suitcase, the bags or her clothes. She’d figure something out after lunch.

  The blinds had been pulled up in the kitchen and living/dining area, so she opened those windows, too. Sunlight filtered through the trees, creating a dappled pattern on the walls, floor and built-in furniture. She noticed a rainbow dancing along one wall and traced it to a sun catcher Zach had hung from the ceiling near one of the windows. It shivered in the breeze.

  A small plaque on another wall depicted a rustic log cabin and the words Happiness is a cabin in the woods. She wondered if he hoped to buy or build a cabin eventually somewhere in the area. That would answer the question of how he’d get through the winters, and it also told her he’d found his bliss in Jackson Hole.

  Out of habit, she picked up her purse from the counter and pulled out her phone. To her surprise, there was a text from Zach. Now she remembered that they’d exchanged numbers on the way home from Jackson, in between belting out rock tunes.

  Apparently he’d been asked to stay later to help build a new dance platform for the party tonight. He’d be back in time to shower and change. She hoped he was holding up okay without sleep. A nap would have helped, although knowing him, he might not have agreed to sleep when they could make love instead.

  No text from Erin, t
hough, so the research on the case must be going better thanks to Zach’s suggestions. The law office seemed a million miles away as she tucked her phone back in her purse. In two short steps she stood in front of the cupboards and the refrigerator. Compact living took some getting used to.

  She hoped to find food items that wouldn’t take major cooking skills. She’d already screwed up a kitchen experience once on this trip and she didn’t relish doing it again here. This place belonged to a guy, so she thought her chances were good that simple food would be available.

  The kitchen yielded a jar of peanut butter, smooth, the way she liked it, apricot jam, also a favorite of hers, and a loaf of bread. His coffeepot was simple enough to operate, and before long she’d pulled down the collapsible dining table and was eating her first meal in his silver bullet.

  This setting was seductive, making her want to walk in the woods after lunch and read a book while sitting next to the stream. Unlike Zach, she still needed to earn a living, but she’d saved some money, too. If she scaled back her lifestyle, she could take a part-time job and still make ends meet.

  If she stayed here long enough, would she lose all ambition the way Zach seemed to have done? She didn’t want to find out. She’d worked too long and hard to achieve her success, and a partnership was something she’d envisioned from the beginning. It was within reach. She wanted that validation.

  But thinking of reading beside the stream reminded her that a book would be nice to have while she ate. Leaving the table, she walked three steps to his bookshelf. Maybe the Airstream reminded her of a boat partly because everything had to be secured against falling in transit. Railings kept both food and cookware in the cupboards, and reading material from falling off the bookshelf.

  She browsed his selection of action/adventure novels and decided against those. He had a few mysteries that interested her. He also had trail guides and a selection of outdoor living magazines. His manual for the Airstream was tucked in with the magazines, which made her smile.

  Behind the magazines she discovered something surprising, though. In spite of his firm statement that he had no interest in practicing law, he’d bought a study guide for passing the Wyoming bar exam. It looked and smelled brand-new. She paged through it, hoping to find some jotted notes or a dog-eared page, anything to indicate he’d spent time with the material. Nothing.