“That horse’s ass has our land, end of story. You planning on wearing that bomber jacket the whole time you’re here? Gotta tell you, not much to bomb on the Ridge, flyboy.”
He grinned. “Now that’s the Charity I remember.”
She stopped and gazed up at him, her eyes softening to moss-green. Dang.
“What do you mean?”
He meant that she had the most incredible eyes he’d ever seen, the kind that told her every mood, her every thought. The kind he could get lost in—but wouldn’t. Alaska was his home, not here. Black sheep didn’t graze on family land—least that’s the way his daddy had put it when he’d kicked him out. “You seem more yourself now.”
“I’m just me. Don’t have time to be anything else.”
And he believed that. He parked his left foot on the rim of the trough and looked around. The barn door needed a new hinge and one of the buckets by the trough had a hole in its side. Anyone who thought houses were money pits had never lived on a horse farm.
“When I left here, your stepdaddy had gambled the farm into the ground. You must have worked your hind end off to get the place where it is now.”
Charity gave him a sly grin. “Yeah, but the old goat took off when the money ran out, and my hind end’s still intact.” She patted her backside and Tanner’s eyes followed. Nice, very nice. Heat crept into her cheeks, then his. They looked at each other. What was she thinking? What the heck was he thinking? Where was that chicken when he needed it?
Charity cut her eyes to the stable. “You really ought to meet Misty.”
She snagged the sleeve of his jacket and yanked him toward the stable, nearly toppling him into the trough. Not that it would be all bad. He could do with a little dunking in cold water.
“Puck probably helped you keep the farm together,” he said, attempting to keep his mind off the auburn streaks in her hair. “I know Patience didn’t do much or there’d be trees in the stalls instead of horses, and Savannah would have Ralph Lauren and Gucci stenciled on the roofs.”
See, he could keep his mind off Charity. He relaxed a little, feeling more in control. Everything seemed normal.
“Actually, your dad helped a lot.”
“My dad?” He stopped walking. What was that about normal? His dad helping was not normal. His dad bellowing at him to take more of an interest in the farm and to do things his way was normal.
“He gave me a job, I paid attention. He must have answered a million questions. In fact, he lent me the money to buy a horse from Billy Ray that he couldn’t do anything with. Puck turned Gray Goblin around and we won a few races. I think that’s why Billy Ray went after Savannah. I took his horse and made him a winner. He took my sister and then my land. Wonderful man. We sure do miss him and stepdad at the family get-togethers.”
“My dad was a big help?”
“Beyond big. I know you two didn’t always get along.”
Understatement of the century. Tanner couldn’t remember them seeing eye-to-eye on anything—except Nathan. Dad had thought Nathan the perfect son. Tanner agreed: he was the perfect brother. Too bad he was always caught in the middle of a family feud that could never be settled. “You could probably hear Dad and me yelling all the way to your house.”
“You have his eyes, you know. And the cleft in your chin. How do you shave in there?”
“Teeny-tiny razors.” He shook his head again. “My dad?”
She yanked his sleeve again and tugged him on. They entered the barn and Charity nodded at a horse, with a beautiful black coat and soft brown eyes, peeking out of a stall. “She’s due to foal next week.”
Tanner shook his head, trying to straighten out his thoughts. His dad helped Charity. Tanner couldn’t remember his dad ever helping anyone. He had the temperament of a bulldozer. “She’s gorgeous.”
“She’s the price Billy Ray set for the land.”
For the second time in less than five minutes Tanner felt as if he’d been slapped upside the head. “He wants your horse for the fifty acres?”
“And foal.” She kissed the mare. “I wouldn’t give that no good, low-down varmint so much as a stray cat. Billy Ray’s not mistreating another living thing as long as I’m alive to stop him.”
She reached into her pocket and offered Misty a sugar cube. “You’re going to be a good mama, aren’t you, girl? The best ever, and in three years that healthy baby you’re carrying will make the Run for The Roses and race the MacKay green-and-blue silks straight into the Derby winner’s circle where they were twenty years ago.”
The determination in Charity’s voice impressed him, more than anything had impressed him in a long time. She’d worked her whole life for this, and he knew all about working for what was important and the sacrifices it took to make it happen. “That’s a mighty tall order for one little foal.”
“It’s a beginning. Finally.” She nodded at the other stalls. “I have three more mares ready to foal. Two go to auction. I’ll get the creditors off our backs once and for all and repay the loans.”
Tanner stroked the mare. “Paying for the wedding has to be a strain.”
“Savannah’s paying for her dress, Nathan’s doing the reception, and we can manage the rest.”
He gave her a long, steady look, then said, “Maybe there shouldn’t be a wedding.”
“Huh?” Her brow furrowed right on top of the furrow that was already there.
Dang, now he was adding to her problems and that’s not what he wanted to do at all. In fact, he wanted to avoid problems; he had to make her see that. “Look, Charity, I know you have a lot on your mind, but this wedding between Nate and Savannah is crazy.”
“What are you talking about? The wedding’s going to be perfect.”
“Yeah, but what about after the wedding? What about the marriage?” He ran his hand around his neck. “Savannah’s a…a wild child.”
“You calling someone else wild? That’s the pot calling the kettle black. Besides, Savannah is not a wild child.” Charity tipped her chin and assumed a superior stance. “She’s a little spirited at times, that’s all.”
“A bottle of Kentucky bourbon is spirited. Savannah’s high-test moonshine.”
Charity’s back went straight as a fence post. “Well, she’s darn good moonshine.”
“Amen to that. Just not for Nate.”
“I don’t get it. You and Savannah were always friends, were in the same grade, hung with the same crowd, got grounded for the same shenanigans. Thought you’d be a little more supportive.”
“Nate is Bill Gates’s clone and Savannah’s the life of the party. Hell, she’s the life of the whole damn town. Sure gives everyone something to talk about, especially since I’m not here. Did she tell you about the time—”
“I don’t want to know.”
“Exactly my point.”
“So this is why you wanted to talk to me about the wedding, to break it up? What does Nathan think of your great idea?”
“He’s not listening.”
“No wonder you’re sleeping in the outhouse.”
“It’s a cabin and I’m sleeping there because I want to. Every time I go in the front door I can still hear my dad…” Tanner let out a big breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding in. “But that’s not important. What matters now is that Nathan and Savannah don’t see that the marriage is headed for disaster. Savannah’s never stuck with anything in her life. She’ll tire of Nate and leave him and break his heart.”
“So…so what do you intend to do? Got any great plans? Lock Nathan away in the attic? Marry Savannah off to a band of Gypsies?”
“Nothing that manipulative. All I’m going to do is remind Nate and Savannah of the obvious, that they’re complete opposites and want different things in life. They’ll break up on their own. Savannah doesn’t want to be stuck on the Ridge. She doesn’t want to spend the next sixty years here any more than I do. I’ll remind her there’s a big wonderful world out there waiting to be discovered. She�
��s reaching for Nate because he’s convenient. Nate likes the simple life, and there is not one thing simple about Savannah. He’s just spellbound.”
Charity felt her head spin and her hands sweat. Not only did she have to deal with Savannah being inspired, now there was Mr. Know-it-all from the frozen tundra trying to break up the marriage. What was she going to do?
Insisting the marriage would happen was like waving smoked salmon in front of an Alaskan grizzly. She needed a tranquilizing dart for Tanner like the kind used on “Wild Kingdom” where they shoot the bear in the butt and put him to sleep before he knows what has hit him—though Tanner’s butt was a lot nicer than a grizzly’s. Just the same, she needed to put Tanner to sleep, butt and all—or at least to throw him off guard. She eyed him. Ready, aim… “Maybe you’re right.”
“I am.” His eyes rounded.
She pulled in a deep, soul-searching breath and wrung her hands in fake concern. She paced to the side and back again as if lost in thought. She would have to give an Oscar-caliber performance to convince Tanner she was sincere. She stopped pacing and looked at him. “Yeah, you really are.”
“Hmm.”
“Now that I think about it and hear your side of the story, I realize the wedding is doomed, just as you said. Talking to you makes things clear as well water.”
He didn’t seem convinced. She thumped her forehead with the palm of her hand and paced. “How could I have been so blind? I got so caught up in wedding dresses and being maid of honor and shades of green and peach blossom and orchids and three hundred guests at Thistledown that I lost sight of the big picture, of whether Nathan and Savannah make a good match. I was mesmerized with the wedding plans.”
She put her hands to her face in consternation, then peeked through a slit in her fingers. Did he buy it?
“You’re trying out for an Oscar, right?”
How did he know? This was not the same guy who left the Ridge years ago. He was mature and worldly wise—two qualities she didn’t need at the moment. She needed a lackluster pushover who would think this marriage was the best thing since sliced bread and would go along with her every wish. Fat chance that. She’d have to come up with something else, something big, to make him believe her.
She dropped her hands. “I suppose I wanted this marriage so much I didn’t face the truth when it was right in front of me.” She nodded with each word. “And to show you I mean what I say, I’ll…I’ll help you break it off.”
“You will.” It was a disbelieving statement and not a question. She had to convince him.
“Definitely. ’Course we have to be discreet. Discretion is very important.” Mostly because she didn’t want Nathan and Savannah to know what was going on so this happy time wouldn’t be ruined for them. “If Nathan and Savannah think we’re trying to split them up, they’ll just dig in their heels more, and maybe even elope. Merciful heaven.” She let out a forbidding sigh and put the back of her hand to her forehead in a swoon pose.
He gave her a questioning look, as if she was one fry short of a Happy Meal. Maybe she was overdoing it a bit. She flashed him an agreeable smile. “What I mean is, we’ll have to formulate a plan.” And I’ll formulate one that will make sure this wedding goes off without a hitch. “And we’ll have to hurry.” I’ll hurry and think of a way to stop you. “With the two of us working on this, how can the marriage happen at all?” But it will, if it takes my last breath. Savannah’s going to live happily ever after and the rest of MacKay Farms will be safe from no-good husbands. “It’s a great idea.”
“What’s cooking in that brain of yours, Kentucky Girl?”
“Me?” Did she sound innocent? She really hoped so.
“Whatever it is, it won’t keep me from stopping this wedding.”
She assumed a wounded look and spread her arms wide. “Didn’t you hear a word I said, Tanner Davenport? I’m helping you. You convinced me. I’m with you all the way. You win.”
“Then why don’t I feel like I’ve won?”
He ran his hand through his rich brown hair. She wanted to do that. Then run her hands over his broad chest, tight midsection, narrow waist and below to…to…holy cow.
“And if what you’re saying is true, it’s the first time you’ve listened to anyone in your life.”
She focused on Tanner’s words instead of his nicely put-together body. It wasn’t nearly as much fun. “Look, I’m trying to be helpful. I think you should take me up on my offer. Both of us working on the same side has got to be a good thing.”
His eyes narrowed. “If you’re double-crossing me, Charity…”
Mama called, announcing dinner. Charity took Tanner’s hand to reassure him of her sincerity and good intentions. To distract him from the sign she imagined was on her forehead flashing I Am Guilty As Sin. But suddenly the wedding and her deception weren’t that important; the only thing on her mind was Tanner’s hand—warm, strong, capable, dependable—in hers. It felt good. Great, in fact. She didn’t want to let it go.
An old scar jagged across the knuckle of his third finger and his palm felt rough. He worked hard. She looked up at him. He was so darn handsome, so much a…man, and so much a total pain.
She had to concentrate on the last attribute and to ignore his very manly attributes. She and Tanner had nothing in common, and they stood on opposite sides of the Savannah/Nathan wedding fence. This was not the stuff relationships, even very short relationships, were made of. Reluctantly she let go of his hand. “We’d better go inside. Mama will send the hounds after us.”
“You don’t have hounds.”
“Trust me, she’ll find some.” They made their way to the house, side by side, as they’d done many times in the past. But this wasn’t the past. Now Tanner Davenport was a babe.
Criminy! Life could be as frustrating as a woodpecker drumming on a tin chimney, especially when it threw Tanner in her path and said Hands off!
CHARITY COULDN’T BELIEVE it was already Monday morning. She sipped her coffee and looked out the kitchen window. What the heck happened to Sunday? Oh, yeah, she’d repaired a fence damaged by overhanging tree limbs in the south pasture. She scratched a bug bite on her wrist. A lot of insects this time of year and they all wanted her for lunch.
At least Tanner hadn’t been around to worry her into an early grave. He’d slept the whole day, bless his little heart. She hadn’t worried about how Tanner intended to break up the engagement or whether Savannah was hanging on his every word about life on a glacier and catching a terminal case of wanderlust.
Now there were only twelve days left to worry about. ’Course that meant Charity had twelve more days to resist looking into Tanner’s deep brown eyes and salivating over his hunky body. But she could do it. He wasn’t all that irresistible and twelve days wasn’t that long.
She turned as Puck came into the kitchen followed by Mama, who said, “There’s yogurt in the fridge, dear. I made tuna salad for lunch. I’m going into town for a garden club luncheon.”
Thank heaven for the garden club. It was one of the few clubs in town that hadn’t snubbed Mama when the MacKay money ran out. Charity’s jaw clenched as she poured coffee. How could anyone snub Mama?
Puck sat at the kitchen table. “Station wagon’s been acting up.” He glanced at Mama. “I should drive you into town. Don’t want you stranded on the four-lane.”
Mama smiled at him. “Well, that’s mighty considerate of you.”
Charity glanced from them to the window to the rusted heap parked next to the house. “We need to replace that thing. It’s not safe. Maybe…maybe this fall.”
“No need to go doing that,” Puck replied. “The wagon and I understand each other, and I don’t mind driving Margaret now and then. Don’t mind at all.” He cleared his throat and continued. “One of Nathan’s mares is off her feed and I said I’d stop by Thistledown on the way back and take a look-see.”
He glanced at his watch and stood. “Think I’ll check on Silver Bell. She doesn’t seem q
uite right this morning, either. I’ll be ready at noon.”
Charity sipped her coffee and heard the screen door slam shut behind Puck. It was so nice that Mama and Puck were friends. Had been for years, through the bad times and now the good. “Where were you and Puck so early this morning?”
Mama’s cheeks pinked. Springtime made everyone look healthy, especially Mama. She said, “We…went down to the orchard and cut back some of the dead wood on the trees. We should have a good crop of apples this year.”
“You don’t have to cut trees, Mama. I can help Puck do those things.”
“I enjoyed it.”
“Puck is good company.”
“Yes. Yes, he is.” Mama fiddled with her coffee cup. “Besides you’ve got enough on your mind with the wedding and all. Is Tanner excited about the engagement? He didn’t say much at dinner the other night.”
Charity stood and refilled her cup. She leaned against the yellow Formica counter. “We have a little problem. Tanner’s not keen on the wedding.”
Mama smiled. “He’ll come around. He’s very protective of Nathan even though Nathan’s the oldest. Everybody knows Nathan used to stand up for Tanner against his daddy and even tried to patch things over once Tanner left. But with two hardheads it takes a powerful lot of patching.”
“Tanner wants to break up the engagement.”
Mama sipped her coffee and shook her head. “I’m not all that surprised. From where Tanner stands this doesn’t look like a match made in heaven.”
“I told him I’d help.”
Mama dropped her cup, spilling coffee everywhere. Charity grabbed a towel. “Don’t panic, I’m not really going to help him, just pretend. That way I’ll have an excuse to be around and get to know his plans. I can head him off before he messes things up. Brilliant, huh?”
Mama shook her head as she took the towel to the sink. “I think you’re in way over your head, dear. If Tanner finds out that you’re flimflamming him, he’ll be madder than—”
The Wedding Rescue Page 3
