Heart of a Rancher

by Renee Andrews

  He left the Sanders’s driveway and drove toward the Cutter farm, where the fishing camp guests were enjoying the beautiful weather by the pond.

  “Hey, Mr. John!” A little girl in overalls and brown pigtails waved as John drove down the dirt drive. She handed her fishing pole to her mother and ran toward the fence with a younger version of herself following close behind.

  John slowed the truck. “Hey, you’re Carrie, right?”

  “Yes, sir, and this is Ashley.” She pointed to the little girl sprinting up behind her.

  “Are y’all catching anything?”

  Dana noticed his voice softened when he spoke to the little girl, the same way it softened when he spoke to Abi.

  The younger girl piped up. “I caught the biggest one, Mr. John!” Her shoulders dropped a notch. “But Carrie’s was prettier.”

  The older girl nodded solidly. “Yep, Ashley caught the biggest but mine is the prettiest.”

  “Its shales sparkle like glitter.” Each s was slurred, making little Ashley even more adorable.

  Carrie shook her head. “Not shales, Ashley. Scales.”

  “Right, scales.” Ashley grinned, displaying two missing front teeth, no doubt the reason for her precious slur.

  “And I baited my hook one time, too,” Carrie said with pride. “The way you showed us this morning. Ashley won’t bait hers.”

  “It’s yucky!”

  John laughed at the pair. “This is Miss Dana. She’s staying at the farm for a few weeks.”

  “Wow, weeks?” Carrie’s dark eyes grew wide. “I wish we could stay for weeks.”

  “We’ve got school,” Ashley explained, “but I like school, too.”

  “That’s because you’re in kindergarten. Just wait until you’re in third grade and do real work. Then you won’t like it at all.”

  “Yes, I will.” Ashley stuck her chin out as though daring her big sister to contradict her.

  Carrie ignored the gesture. “But we’ve got spring break next week, and Daddy said we’re having so much fun we might come back then.”

  “That’d be great.” John turned his attention to their parents. “Y’all have everything you need?”

  “Everything’s wonderful,” the mom answered, and the dad nodded.

  “Well, if you want to come back for spring break, just let me know. We still have two cabins available.”

  “Put me down for one of them,” the man responded.

  Dana noticed three other families waving from spots farther around the pond. One had a huge picnic basket, the entire family diving into sandwiches, chips and drinks.

  John waved back. “Let me know if y’all need anything, or you can help yourself, as I told you this morning. Pretty much anything you’ll need is either on my porch or in the shed. Minnow tank is around back if you want more for your buckets.”

  “Thanks!” several of them yelled, and John proceeded down the driveway.

  Dana thought of the references to spring break, particularly Abi’s reference. “Abi said she was going to Florida for spring break?”

  “Georgiana’s ex-husband, Abi’s father, lives in Tampa. Abi’s spending spring break there.”

  “Oh.” Dana didn’t want to pry, but John must have known she was curious.

  “Georgiana married the wrong guy the first time around. She should’ve married Landon, but she didn’t.” He tilted his head as though deciding how to explain. “Anyway, she married a guy who wanted a perfect wife, and when Georgiana went blind, he didn’t see her that way anymore and found someone else he deemed perfect.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  “Yeah, but she’s got it right now.” His easy smile said he was happy for his brother and Georgiana...and Abi.

  “But they seemed to have worked everything out okay with visitation and all for Abi,” Dana said.

  “Yeah, he comes up once a month and picks her up for a weekend, takes her back to Tampa. He usually flies, but I think he’s driving this time since they have an entire week. Abi said he wants to show her a few things on the way back down.” He shrugged. “Sightseeing and all.”

  “That sounds nice.”

  He waited a telling beat. “I guess. The thing is, Pete’s different from Claremont folks. He’s from here, but he tries to act like he isn’t.”

  Dana twisted in the seat to see him better. “What do you mean?”

  “You know, dresses all in name brands, drives a fancy car, brags about all the places he’s been. He’ll take Abi to a bunch of impressive places while he has her—” his mouth flattened “—tries to show he can give her more than Landon can.”

  For a moment there, Dana could’ve said he was describing nearly every guy and girl she’d known in Chicago. But then his last statement told her that more than the guy’s ego irritated John. The fact that he attempted to make Landon look bad infuriated him.

  Her admiration swelled. “Well, if you ask me, Abi looks like she couldn’t be happier than when she’s on the ranch. I don’t know if I’ve ever met such a joyful little girl.”

  His face relaxed, the hint of a dimple shadowing his right cheek as he bit back a smile of pride. “We may not be as successful in business as Pete, but we do try to make her happy.”

  “I’m not so sure you can say that about your and Landon’s business skills. The fishing camp is a hit.”

  He released the smile, and both deep dimples popped into place. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?”

  “No doubt.” Dana peered out the back window until she could no longer see the array of families around the pond. She’d taken a lot of trips growing up, most of them to five-star resorts and beach condominiums owned by her family, but she’d never done anything remotely similar to the fishing day that each of those families currently experienced by the pond. They’d all been smiling, enjoying one another’s company on the beautiful day. She, Ryan and their father had had a good time together, in much the same way that Abi would enjoy time with her father during spring break, but they’d never done anything that she’d consider “normal” family fun. Everything was bigger, over-the-top, extravagant. “We’re making a major memory here,” her father always said.

  But she wondered if a few smaller memories would’ve made more of an impact. All the palm-tree laden resorts ran together, to where she barely knew what continent they’d been on, much less what country. And her father always worked in a business meeting or two during the trip, though he had plenty of staff and nannies for Dana and Ryan.

  Dana thought about the little girl so excited about baiting her own hook and realized that she’d never even held a fishing pole. Or had a reason to ask her daddy to help her bait her own hook.

  Her throat tightened, and she turned to peer out the passenger window at the fields passing by. Blinked several times at the scene of white cattle and brown horses...and concentrated on not letting herself cry.

  “Does that sound okay, to take a couple of the horses through the trails and see what you think, then check out the area I plan to have graded for the campsites down by the creek?”

  She blinked. “Yes, that sounds great.”

  “You ride, right? I saw photos of you riding online. I noticed you ride English, but Western shouldn’t be that much of a stretch.”

  “I do ride English.” That’d been the thing to do at her boarding school. She’d enjoyed the school and enjoyed riding, but now the entire thing sounded pretentious, even to her own ears. “But I’ve always wanted to ride Western. And I’d love to see the trails that your guests will ride.” Her cell buzzed in her pocket. It’d been going off sporadically throughout their time at the Sanders’s farm and then during the drive to John’s farm, but she’d ignored Ryan’s texts. She withdrew the phone, took another look at the display to make sure it wasn’t an emergency.

&nb
sp; Call me. We got the Miami deal. That was your baby. Wanted to tell you instead of text you, but you aren’t responding. What are you doing down there, anyway? I need your input. This is huge. Press release going out tonight. BTW, Dad would want you here, not in the sticks. I don’t care what you think. Get done down there and get home.

  Dana deleted the message, then promptly received another.

  Probably sounded harsh. I do love you, sis. But I want you back here. I need your help. And Dad would want you here, too.

  “Everything okay?” John asked, stopping the truck beside the big red barn.

  She deleted the new message. “No—” she swallowed “—everything isn’t okay.”

  “Anything I can do to help?”

  She nodded, looked into those honey-colored eyes and knew that spending time with him today, riding the trails and enjoying the beauty of this incredible ranch, would definitely help. A couple of horses had moved to their paddocks when the truck approached. She suspected they wanted to ride, to feel free, as much as Dana. “Yes, I believe you can help. Take me on a trail ride?”

  Dimples flashed with his smile. “That’s the plan.”

  Chapter Five

  John had thought they would stick to the easiest, lower-elevation paths today while Dana got accustomed to riding the trails, but she was a natural and they quickly progressed higher on Lookout Mountain. “You doing okay?” He’d asked the question sporadically throughout their journey, and each time received essentially the same response.

  “I’m wonderful. This is so incredible. Your guests are going to love it!”

  Her enthusiasm was contagious, and he found himself believing even more in the potential for an Alabama dude ranch. In a few weeks, his business plan would become a bona fide, honest-to-goodness, moneymaking venture. Plus, he’d be doing something he loved in the process. And he owed it all to this fascinating woman.

  Dana rode Fallon, Georgiana’s palomino, and she looked like a princess sitting astride the stunning mare, with Fallon’s gold pelt and white mane glistening in the occasional spears of sunlight through the trees. Dana’s white-blond hair dazzled in those bursts of light, as though God shone His personal spotlight through the forest to force John to look at the striking woman.

  He didn’t need a spotlight. John had a hard time taking his eyes off Dana Brooks, not only because of her beauty, but also because of her intelligence and, even more than that, her acceptance of his world. Her blue eyes scanned the mountain in unconcealed awe, with occasional gasps of appreciation for the breathtaking scenes. He could hardly wait to hear what she thought of the view around the next curve in the trail. It didn’t surprise him that she noticed the scent even before she saw the source.

  “Oh, my. What is that?” She inhaled deeply, a soft smile playing around the corners of her mouth and her eyes closing momentarily as she absorbed the sweet fragrance. “It’s—” another deep inhalation “—wonderful.”

  He grinned, once again taken aback by her enjoyment of the simple things, the God-made things, that had always touched his heart and soul. “They’re supposed to be the most fragrant of any blooms. Of course, when you have this many in one place, they’re easier to smell.” He guided Red around the curve then watched to see Dana’s reaction when she saw the burst of color hiding in the forest. “Rhododendrons. This is what makes this trail my favorite.”

  “Oh, my.” Her mouth dropped open and she shook her head in amazement at the towering trees bordering both sides of the path. Vivid purple, hot-pink and bright red blooms completely saturated the branches, giving the impression they’d ridden into the middle of a rainbow. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

  “This is the only place I know of where they are this intense. Usually you’ll find a patch of a single color—purple, red or pink, sometimes white—but I haven’t seen the colors melded together anywhere but here, on this trail. I’m thinking it’ll appeal to our guests.”

  “Absolutely. It’s more extravagant than any botanical gardens I’ve ever visited, because they’re so huge and so real. Right here, growing in their natural state and truly flourishing. It’s like a kaleidoscope, isn’t it? Especially in the areas where the sun’s rays touch the blooms through the trees. Are you going to name the trails? This could be the Rhododendron Trail, or something to do with all this color. Maybe the Kaleidoscope Trail. I think that’d be a great idea, and you could provide a map for guests to see all the trails on the mountain, like the ski lodges have for skiing.”

  “I’ve never been skiing, but I have seen the resort maps online and had thought we’d do something similar here. They color-code them, don’t they, based on difficulty?”

  She blinked. “You haven’t skied? They have skiing in Tennessee, you know, and North Carolina. That isn’t very far away.”

  John didn’t want to make her feel bad, but the distance wasn’t the problem. And her comment was a subtle reminder of the differences in their worlds. “No, it isn’t that far, but it’s tough to leave the farm. The animals need tending, and—” he might as well say it “—skiing is pricey.”

  Her pretty brows dipped, mouth flattened. “Oh. Right. I hadn’t thought about that.”

  He was certain she’d never had to think about anything that had to do with a lack of money, but he also knew she hadn’t meant to offend him with the remark. And John didn’t take offense. Sure, he’d love to see a little more of the world, would love to do things like ski and visit a beach, but those types of trips didn’t fit into a struggling rancher’s budget. And he found his happiness right here, amid the fields, the livestock, the mountains, the creeks and the abundance of God’s beauty, like the rhododendrons surrounding them now. “I’ve never hurt for anything, and I can’t imagine anything much prettier than what we’ve got on the ranch.”

  She smiled, apparently glad that he hadn’t been hurt by her remark. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything prettier than what you have on the ranch, either.”

  John believed her. The pleasure he saw on her face right now wasn’t fake; she truly saw the ranch as beautiful.

  Dana guided Fallon closer to the blooms. The mare pushed her head amid the trees, sniffed a large purple blossom then sneezed with gusto. “Oh, I’m sorry, girl.” Dana ran a hand down Fallon’s neck.

  “Don’t let her fool you. Fallon likes the way they smell.” And sure enough, the palomino stuck her nose in another bloom before sneezing again. “Even if they make her sneeze.”

  Dana continued stroking Fallon’s neck then leaned forward to inhale a bright pink bloom. “I can’t blame her for wanting the full effect. They smell wonderful.”

  “Some folks say they smell like root beer, but I never got that.” John inhaled, thinking the scent too floral for the tart drink.

  “Root beer? Really? They’re much more feminine than that, floral but almost sweet, like sugar candy.” She tenderly cradled a bloom in her palm. “Heady, isn’t it? This scent? Can you imagine a wedding with these flowers all around? No one would pay attention to the bride and groom. Roses are pretty, but these are exceptional.”

  “Never seen rhododendrons at a wedding.” He’d thought that Dana was different from every female he’d ever known, and she was in a way, growing up as part of an affluent family in a big city. But her comment reminded him that she was still every bit as feminine as the girls in Claremont, a girl who saw flowers and thought of weddings. Probably dreamed about getting married, too, to some guy she’d met up in Chicago. A fellow who wore a suit each day, drove a fancy car and took her to upscale restaurants. But even so, she sure looked right at home sitting in Fallon’s saddle and admiring the natural beauty of Lookout Mountain.

  “We need to make sure we have photos of these trees for the ranch website.” She touched another pink bloom. “You might even have people who’d want to get married here, in the middle of th
is path. Then we could name this the Wedding Trail.” She sniffed the bloom again. “Wouldn’t that be romantic? Several of my sorority sisters from college had outdoor weddings, and they were nice, but nothing like this. This would be amazing.”

  “Getting married on a dude ranch?” John couldn’t see it, at all, and he couldn’t disguise the skepticism in his tone. “Don’t get me wrong, I think we should market every angle we can, but I’m not sure folks would be willing to hike up the mountain or ride horses to get married here, especially a bride wearing a fancy dress.” He scanned the trail, barely wide enough for two horses side by side. “I guess we could clear the path out a little more so that a horse and buggy could fit through, but still...it’d be a tight fit, and we’d lose some of the trees in the process.”

  Her eyes dimmed with his words, and John realized that while he was a dreamer, he also had enough realism to his nature to know when something wouldn’t work. She, on the other hand, saw this cup as half full.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

  Unfortunately, her sad response brought back memories of his own frustration when the bank told him that the dude ranch wouldn’t work. “Then again, if someone wanted to have a wedding up here, we could make it work. I’m not about to tell a guest no. The customer is always right in business, right?”

  The light returned to those bright blue eyes, and she smiled. “You don’t have to humor me. I know it’d be difficult and a little odd, but when I see a pretty location, I automatically start thinking of weddings.”

  John shouldn’t ask. He knew he shouldn’t. But he’d never been one to hold back from asking something if he wanted to know the answer. “You engaged or something?”

  “Engaged? Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. “Definitely not. I just— Well, all girls my age think about weddings, you know?” Her face flushed a little with the admission.