Dalton: Contemporary Western Romance (New Horizon Ranch: Mule Hollow Book 5)

by Debra Clopton

  The robust woman had on a fuzzy blue housecoat and she hustled into the house and headed down a hall to the first door where she pushed it open and headed to the bed and yanked off the quilt. Put her right there and go help Roy Don. Tell him I need lots of towels.”

  Dalton glanced at the woman. She looked small on the big bed and he found himself hating to leave her but knowing she was in better hands than his so he headed out to find Roy Don and then to go get Joey.

  This was going to be a night he would never forget. He just hoped the baby and mother would be safe. He didn’t want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t come across them.

  Roy Don was in the kitchen setting a big pot of water on the stove. “Norma says to bring lots of towels. I’ve got to get a little boy out of the truck. I’ll be right back.”

  He found the poor kid sitting on the seat looking scared out of his wits. Dalton smiled at him. “Your mom is going to be okay. Come here and I’ll take you inside.”

  It was then that Dalton saw the big tears and his heart melted. “Come on. It’s okay. I promise.” The boy came to him then, and wrapped his arms around Dalton’s neck. Dalton hugged him hard and carried him through the rain and into the house.

  Roy Don was disappearing into the bedroom down the hall with a stack of towels when they got inside. Seconds later he came out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. “Well who do we have here?” he said, grinning.

  “I’m Joey. You got my mama?”

  “Your mama is fine. My wife is helping her and she told me to tell you to come to the kitchen and have some ice cream while you wait on her. Does that sound good?”

  The boy nodded and relief surged through Dalton. It was going to be okay.

  They followed Roy Don into the kitchen. He left for a minute and returned with two towels. Dalton wrapped the kid in one and set him in a chair then he tried to dry himself off a little so he wouldn’t keep dripping on their floors.

  Roy Don pulled some ice cream from the freezer and dished up a bowl and set it in front of Joey. The boy beamed like a Christmas tree at the sight of the chocolate treat.

  He’d just taken his first bite when a baby cry rang through the air.

  Rae Anne held her baby girl in her arms and smiled at the woman who had delivered her.

  “Thank you. I don’t know what we would have done without you. And the man who saved us from the flood.” Her heart still hurt thinking about how close to disaster she and her babies had come.

  Norma Sue smiled a wide engaging smile. “You had an ordeal that’s for sure. But the good Lord brought you through. And getting rescued by Dalton Borne is a bonus–that cowboy is one handsome wrangler.”

  Oh, he was that. She was tired and worn out but she wasn’t blind. “He did a great job. Could you tell me how my little boy is doing?”

  “You hang on and I’ll go check.”

  Exhaustion weighed down on Rae Anne as she watched Norma Sue hustle out the door before focusing her attention back on her precious baby girl. Her dark lashes rested like tiny feathers against her skin. She was all soft and pink and perfectly adorable. Rae Anne blinked back tears of joy and relief. Despite what her ex had put them through, Rae Anne wouldn’t have given this darling girl up for anything.

  “Mama!” Joey’s exuberant exclamation had her smiling as he came running into the room in front of Norma Sue.

  “Up you go,” Norma Sue said and lifted him up so he could see his sister. Joey went still and placed a hand over his mouth then reached out to touch her. “It’s a baby. Where’d she come from?”

  Rae Anne laughed–of course he would ask that. “I’ll explain later. The important thing is she’s here and she’s your sister. What do you think?”

  “She’s pink.”

  Rae Anne and Norma Sue both chuckled.

  “Yes, honey, she is. But she’ll get less pink soon.”

  “Will her pointed head go away too?”

  Norma Sue covered her smile and Rae Anne studied the slight oval form of Grace’s head. “Yes it will. Babies come like that—”

  “Did my head point like that?” His hand went to the top of his head and his eyes widened as if she’d just told him something horrible.

  Fighting her smiles Rae Anne nodded. “Yes, but now it’s all flat and you are very handsome.”

  He crossed his arms and studied the baby then looked up. “Mama, Dalt says that one day I can go horse riding with him.”

  “Oh he did. Well, we’ll see about that.”

  “He’s my favorite.” Joey had been on a favorite kick lately so it wasn’t a surprise that the man who’d carried him out of a flood on his back would become his favorite. She liked him a lot herself. She didn’t want to think about what would have happened to them if he hadn’t shown up. Or if her car hadn’t gotten stuck on that clump of trees. Her car might have ended up buried in a ditch under water–she shivered thinking about that and her heart began to race with the thought.

  “Okay, little fella,” Norma Sue said in a happy voice. “Time for you to go play with the men in the other room. Mama and your sister need to take a nap.”

  “I don’t need no nap.”

  “No sir, you are a big boy and have been on a great adventure today, so no nap for you.”

  “Give me a kiss,” Rae Anne said, feeling tired and very thankful, not only for Dalton and their safety but for this woman. Norma Sue had been a godsend. “And meet your baby sister Grace.”

  He kissed her and then bent forward and kissed Grace on the forehead. “Sleep good, sister. I see you later alligator.”

  Norma Sue led him out into the other room and soon returned. “He’s gonna be fine. I think we should call the ambulance though. You need to go to the hospital so you and baby Grace can be checked out just for precautions.”

  She hated the risk of going to a hospital–it might lead a trail here. But there was no way of getting around it. “That sounds good. But what will I do with Joey?”

  Norma Sue smiled gently. “Well, I know you don’t know me but I could sure keep him for you while you were there. It’d be an honor for him to stay here. I think he’s bonding with Roy Don and we could take him over to our boss’s house and he could play with their two little ones.”

  Rae Anne had been in some tough situations in her life but this was one of the hardest. Leaving her son with practically total strangers would have been scary if she hadn’t just spent the last hour with this wonderful lady.

  “I would be forever grateful to you for doing that for me. He’s really no trouble…at least no more than any normal three-year-old boy.”

  “We’ll get along just fine. Don’t you fret about that at all. Let me take this little darling while you catch a little shut eye. You rest while I make the call.”

  Norma Sue took the baby and Rae Anne’s eyes drifted closed instantly...and she found herself reliving the flood and a handsome cowboy appearing out of the storm to save her.

  Dalton Borne. She liked his name. She liked him.

  She needed to talk to him. But that would have to wait…just a little while.

  It had been a long time since she’d had anyone in her life who she could call a hero…and she wanted a chance to talk to him. To thank him.

  Chapter Three

  “You did what?”

  Dalton held the phone away from his ear as Rafe, one of his partner’s on the ranch, heard his words.

  “Yeah, she was having a baby when I pulled her and her little boy out of the car. But everyone is fine so far. They’re taking Rae Anne to the hospital soon and I’m going to follow the ambulance. She told me she was moving here and has a place rented but she doesn’t know anyone around here. I hate to let her go alone without someone she’s at least familiar with being there.”

  He told Rafe more about what had happened. .

  “Wow,” Rafe said in disbelief. “Anything we can do to help?”

  “I really don’t know at this point. I’m sure it migh
t help if Sadie, Maddie and the others came to visit that might be nice. You know give her some comfort or something. Norma Sue has been awesome and her and Roy Don are watching little Joey. He’s a cute little dude. I’m sure her and her friends are going to have him spoiled rotten by the time his mama gets back.”

  “You’re probably right about that. Dalton, you did good buddy. I’ll tell Sadie and I’m sure her and the girls will know just what to do.”

  Dalton had had a knot in his chest ever since he’d discovered Rae Anne and Joey in the floodwaters. He felt some relief now. “Thanks. I’m heading there now and since I’ll be losing phone service any minute I’ll let you go.” As if on cue he lost the connection before he could hang up.

  Through the pouring rain he concentrated on the taillights of the ambulance. His mind raced with everything that had happened since seeing Rae Anne’s taillights in the darkness. The forecast had said that by midnight there was only a twenty percent chance of rain. He hoped so. Tomorrow he planned to go back and see if her car had survived. If it was still stuck in the trees then he’d haul it out and see what kind of damage had been done. But tonight he’d make sure mother and baby were taken care of.

  He wasn’t even sure if she’d want him to be at the hospital but since rescuing her he felt responsible for her. He hadn’t felt responsible for anything other than himself in a long time…he liked it that way. He’d worked hard to keep it that way.

  But he had to do this.

  And for the first time in a very long time it felt good to be reaching out.

  Rae Anne was drained by the time the ambulance reached the hospital and they were both checked out and pronounced healthy. Knowing that her baby was okay took a load off her shoulders. When they took Grace to the nursery Rae Anne closed her eyes. Tears filled them immediately and seeped from the corners as the reality of the day haunted her.

  A light tap on her door had her wiping the dampness from her cheeks as a gentle, very masculine voice asked if he could come in.

  Dalton.

  “Come in,” she called, and her pulse escalated. And as the handsome cowboy entered the room her heart fluttered-she was after all a woman and after what the man had done for her and her babies...how could she not feel awed by his presence? And oh so very grateful.

  She smiled and tears welled in her eyes all over again.

  He yanked his hat from his head and held it between both hands as he stood just inside the door. His dark brown hair was mushed, which was expected after the night he’d also had. His serious gaze held hers. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. That you got settled in.”

  She nodded, trying to find her voice through the emotion clogging her throat. “Yes. Please come closer.” She swiped at tears again. “I’m sorry, I’m an emotional mess right now.”

  “Rightly so after what you’ve been through.” He moved nearer to the bed. Stopping a couple of feet away.

  She couldn’t help herself as she reached out her hand. His forehead crinkled as he looked at her hand. For a moment he didn’t move. And then he enclosed her hand with his.

  Heat and electricity converged and sparked through her like lightning hitting an electrical wire. Rae Anne almost gasped but managed not to. If he’d felt it his expression didn’t show it but he gently squeezed her hand. She found her reactions to be inappropriate despite the circumstances. And that made the tears and emotions she was feeling surge more–and there was nothing she could do as she felt wet droplets trailing down her cheeks.

  Dalton looked momentarily horrified. “No, don’t cry. You’re safe now,” he offered kindly, as if understanding the feelings warring inside of her.

  Her voice caught and she pressed her lips tightly together for a moment as she tried to contain the emotions. He squeezed her hand and she took strength from his support. “I know that I and my children probably owe you our lives. If you hadn’t come along—”

  His brows dipped. “I did come along and that’s all you need to focus on. Don’t think about what could have been. It didn’t happen. You’re okay. Your babies are okay. All is well.”

  All is well. Rae Anne let that remark fill her. She nodded, trying hard to believe it. How long had it been since all had been well in her life? She couldn’t even calculate it. But right now, in this moment it was.

  “Because of you,” she said. “Thank you. You were a blessing to me and my babies tonight.”

  “I’m glad I was there.” He squeezed her hand, and she realized he still held it. He smiled but his eyes suddenly looked troubled and he released her hand. “I’m glad y’all are safe,” his voice was gravely and he cleared it. “Can I, um, get you anything? Do anything for you?”

  Stay. The thought ricocheted through her. She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I just need to rest. It was a hard day.” She wished for the gentle reassuring pressure of his hand holding hers again. “You’ve done enough. I’m sure you need to head home for the night.”

  “Yeah, sure. But if you need me.” He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to her. “That has my cell number on it. If you need anything, anything at all, you call. I’ll be here. I’ll check on Joey in the morning but I can tell you he’s in good hands with Norma Sue and Roy Don. They’re good people and highly regarded in ten counties around here.”

  She smiled at that. “Thank you. They were lifesavers for me too. As were you.”

  “Oh, believe me they saved my life too. I’m not sure what I’d have done if I’d had to hunker down and deliver the baby. You definitely got blessed by Norma Sue being home to help.” He looked almost sheepish when his lips turned up in a half smile.

  Rae Anne laughed from shock at her reaction to him–thankfully he thought it was from what he said. Goodness, Dalton Borne could stop traffic with that smile.

  And hearts.

  “Sleep well, Rae Anne,” he said, his voice a touch husky. And then he headed to the door. He paused there to look back at her. “You call if you need me.”

  And then he was gone. Heart stuttering, she looked down at the card.

  New Horizon Ranch was embossed across the center of the card. At the bottom it said Owners: Rafe Masterson, Maddie Rose, Chase Harley, Ty Calder and Dalton Borne. Each person’s number was beside the name.

  Dalton was an owner of one of the largest ranches in the area.

  Even she’d heard of the ranch. Mule Hollow Texas had a huge ranching community Mr. Overton had told her. She studied the card for a long time, then curled her hand around it and fell into an exhausted sleep, safe in the knowledge that tonight she didn’t feel alone.

  Tomorrow she’d stand on her own two feet again. As she had been doing for forever it seemed. But tonight…she took comfort in knowing he, Dalton Borne, was just a phone call away.

  Chapter Four

  Dalton sank into the waiting room chair and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor and tried to let the emotions grappling inside of him calm. His hands shook and he clasped them together. He figured the Lord had looked out for Rae Anne today by putting him in her path.

  Today he’d been at the right place at the right time.

  Memories of another time threatened to overwhelm him though. A time when he’d been at the wrong place at the wrong time. A time when the people at the hospital hadn’t welcomed him in. Hadn’t thanked him…instead they’d cursed the fact that he’d been where he’d been–he pushed the thoughts away.

  Not forgetting them though...he’d never forget them, but he’d learned to keep them at bay, not letting them past the barriers he’d constructed around them. Barriers he’d had to build in order to move forward into some semblance of living. Tragedy was hard to get past. Hard to let go of. And despite knowing that he hadn’t been in the wrong in the accident that hadn’t changed the fact that people had died…a child had died.

  And he’d walked away.

  Dalton breathed slowly and sat up in the chair. He forced himself to stand, to make his legs car
ry him forward. Just like he’d managed to force himself to go on living after the accident.

  Minding his own business and working with the land and cattle had been his saving grace. There was a peace that came with the work he did. A peace he could sink into and focus on. In this place he could control his life to some extent. Focus and not think too far out. Not think about the things in his life that that split second in time had changed for him…and for them...Amanda and little Martin. Dalton’s palms dampened and his heart raced causing the room to spin. He was used to this, deserved it. He took deep breaths and let them out slowly as he focused on the only thing that helped…it didn’t absolve him, didn’t redeem him in his own mind but it helped him function…it hadn’t been his fault and he’d done everything he could do.

  Other than not being on that road at that time, there had been nothing he could do to prevent that wreck itself.

  Still, that stormy day three years ago a mother and child had died and he’d been helpless to save them. Today. Today he’d saved a mother and two children.

  He focused on that…but it didn’t take the pain away for two who’d died.

  “Sir.”

  Dalton was standing by the window and he turned to find a young nurse looking at him with concern.

  “We’re going to take good care of them. The baby is in the nursery now, sleeping peacefully. If you want to see her you can.”

  He nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Just around that corner. And, sir, visiting hours are over, and on this wing we try to enforce that where non-family members are concerned. I’m sorry, but after you see the baby you’ll have to leave.”

  He needed to go anyway. He could go wait downstairs in the emergency room waiting room but what good would it do? Rae Anne and the baby were in good hands. And he wasn’t family.

  He stopped before he made it to the nursery. The baby was fine. And beautiful as he looked through the window and watched her sleep. There was nothing more for him to do.