Daddy Wore Spurs (Mills & Boon Cherish) (Men of the West, Book 32)

by Stella Bagwell

  For the past four days, Finn had been working diligently to patch sagging wire and leaning fence posts so he’d have a secure pasture to turn out the geldings. Or he’d told himself that was the reason. In truth, he should be making arrangements to get the horses and mares shipped back to Nevada. Instead, he wanted to find every excuse he could to keep them here, and more important, to keep himself here.

  “I like keeping busy. And this place needs lots of work to get it back into shape.”

  Frowning, she picked up a towel and shook out the wrinkles. “So someone else can buy it?”

  Finn looked down at the sleeping baby. In years to come, Stallion Canyon should be handed over to Harry, or at the very least shared with any children that Mariah might have in the future.

  Mariah having children with some other man. The ranch being sold to a stranger. The thoughts were agonizing to Finn, and yet sooner rather than later, they were realities he would have to face.

  He looked over to Linda. “The real estate agent called Mariah last night to let her know that two different men are interested in the property. One wants to harvest the timber on it. The other one wants to plow the meadows and grow potatoes.”

  Both ideas sickened Finn. Stallion Canyon was a wild, beautiful mixture of mountain ridges and valley floors that stretched along a narrow, winding river. It wasn’t meant to be stripped of timber or plowed into fields. It was a land to raise horses, not lumber or vegetables.

  Linda scowled. “I suppose they’ll be coming out to look the place over. I hope I’m not here when either of them come. I—well, Ray is surely turning over in his grave. That’s all I can say.”

  She picked up the basket and left the room. Finn rose to his feet and carried Harry to the nursery. As he carefully put the baby to bed, the whole situation gnawed at him like an empty stomach begging for a bite of food. Mariah, Harry and Stallion Canyon. This past week all three had begun to feel as though they belonged to him. Was he thinking liked a damned fool? Or was he thinking like a man who’d finally figured out what he wanted in life?

  *

  Back in Alturas, Mariah was about to leave the school parking lot when she spotted Sage hurrying toward the driver’s side of her car.

  Mariah pressed the button to lower the window. “What’s wrong? Car won’t start?”

  Sage smiled. “No problems. I wanted to catch you—I thought we might stop by the Silver Slipper and have an ice cream together before you go home.”

  “You’re a sweetheart to ask, but I really don’t have the time. Linda will be expecting me.”

  Sage frowned. “All you have to do is pick up your cell and call her. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind staying with Harry another thirty minutes. Besides, Harry’s father is there. He can look after his son.”

  Yes, Finn was there. The fact made her heart smile. It made her want to rush home and spend every precious minute she could with him. “He’s been staying pretty busy around the ranch. Besides working with the horses, he’s been repairing fences and working on the irrigation pump.”

  Sage’s expression turned to sly speculation. “Hmm. Why would Finn be doing all that? He’ll be leaving soon and you’re selling the ranch.”

  Actually, Mariah had been asking herself the very same things. She could understand the time and work he put in on the horses. They belonged to him. But the ranch was a different matter. Was he doing it for her? Because he knew she had no money or means to make upgrades to the property?

  “Finn isn’t the sort of man who can just sit around. He wants to keep busy.”

  Sage didn’t look at all convinced, but mercifully dropped the subject.

  “Well, call Linda,” she said. “I’ll meet you at the Slipper.”

  Assuming that Mariah would agree to follow, Sage turned away from the window to leave.

  Mariah called out to her. “Sage, I don’t have time. It’s not just keeping Linda overtime. I have—things to do. Supper to cook for Finn.”

  Sage’s brows shot up. “Oh? Sounds like this whole thing has turned into a family situation to me.”

  Mariah sheepishly glanced away from Sage’s inquisitive face. If her friend only knew how she’d been making love to Finn these past few nights, she’d be properly shocked. But nothing about sharing her bed with Finn felt shocking. It felt right and special. And though she was probably crazy for thinking of her and Finn and Harry as a family, she couldn’t help it.

  “So what if it is?”

  Sage groaned. “Oh, Mariah, don’t tell me you’re really falling for the guy? I mean, I know I’ve always wanted you to find somebody and I’ve been teasing you a bit about him. But seriously he’s—well, he’s one of Aimee’s castoffs! You can’t be getting serious thoughts about the man!”

  Mariah’s fingers unconsciously touched her fingers to the cross dangling against her throat. Aimee had already ruined one relationship for Mariah. She couldn’t let her sister’s memory interfere with her feelings for Finn. If she did, she’d be letting Aimee win a second time.

  With her foot on the brake, Mariah pulled the gearshift into Drive. “I have to go,” she said curtly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Reaching a hand through the window, Sage squeezed Mariah’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mariah. I shouldn’t have said that. It was an awful thing to say. Finn is your business, not mine.”

  “Forget it,” Mariah muttered. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She gave the other woman a halfhearted wave and quickly drove away.

  *

  At the same time on Stallion Canyon, Finn was working in the meadow, attaching a huge pipe to the irrigation pump, when his cell phone rang. Tossing the heavy wrench aside, he reached for the phone and was somewhat surprised to hear his father’s voice on the other end of the connection.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?” Orin asked.

  Still working to catch his breath, Finn said, “No. Just doing a bit of plumbing on an irrigation system. I think I’m close to having it going again.”

  “Irrigation system? Finn, what in hell is going on up there? I thought this trip was all about a baby.”

  Finn wiped a hand across his sweaty brow. “It is about Harry. But I can’t just sit idle while we’re waiting on the DNA results to come back. There’s plenty of work to be done around here.”

  Orin spluttered. “There’s a hell of a lot of work to do here on the Horn, too. Your home, remember?”

  The testiness in Orin’s voice put a grimace on Finn’s face. “Yes, Dad. I remember. Is anything wrong there?”

  Orin sighed. “No. I was calling just to check on you. I didn’t mean to go off like that. It’s just been—well, different with you away this long, Finn. I miss you. I want you to hurry up and get back here.”

  Finn leaned his back against the wheel on the irrigation line as warring emotions tore through him. From the time he was born, the Silver Horn had been his home, and he loved his family with every fiber of his being. But now there were new feelings growing inside him. For Harry and Mariah. And for Stallion Canyon. In spite of his ties back in Nevada, and in spite of the uncertainty of the future, he felt his roots sinking into this fertile land.

  “Well, I’ve missed seeing everyone there. How are the horses? Any problems?”

  “Not really. We’ve bred the last two mares. So the spring breeding is all wrapped up. Dandi, the yearling with the curly mane, cut her foot. We’re not sure how. But Doc Pheeters has sewn it and seems to think it won’t be a problem. Other than a scar.”

  “That’s good.” Finn’s gaze wandered over the meadow. With the pump going, he could irrigate until the grass was growing thick and lush. The mustangs would thrive here. If only he had more time. But he expected that one day next week the DNA test would arrive in the mail. And then Mariah would be out of school and he’d have no reason to linger here on Stallion Canyon. Unless she asked him to stay. “Uh—did Clancy speak with you about the mustangs?”

  There was a long pause. “No. What are y
ou talking about?”

  Damn it, he should have known Clancy wouldn’t say anything to their father about the mustangs. His brother didn’t want to hear Orin yell any more than Finn did.

  “I purchased ten mustangs from Mariah. They were the last ones she had here on the ranch. Five mares, four geldings and one stallion. A few nights ago, one of the mares foaled a filly, so I actually have eleven now. The baby is precious, Dad. She’s bright chestnut with four white feet and a snip on her nose. She’s going to be a real looker. And the other four mares will be delivering soon.”

  The pride that Finn was feeling was quickly smashed as Orin muttered several curse words. And for a split second Finn considered ending the call. But this was his father, and sooner or later he was going to have to deal with the situation. Might as well be now rather than later, he decided.

  “What are you thinking, Finn? You know you can’t put them on the Horn! Hell, your grandfather is probably going to have a stroke when he hears about this.”

  Angry and hurt, Finn pushed away from the irrigation wheel to stare across the sea of grass where spots of river glittered through the limbs like diamonds hanging from a Christmas tree.

  “Then don’t tell him!” Finn said tightly. “Because neither of you have anything to worry about. I damn well don’t plan on bringing them to the Horn!”

  “Then what are you planning to do?” Orin demanded.

  “I haven’t decided yet. But you can be sure of one thing. Wherever the mustangs go, I’ll go with them! Now I have to go. Goodbye, Dad.”

  “Finn! Listen to me! I—”

  Finn ended the connection and drew in several deep breaths in hopes it would cool his boiling blood. He’d probably just burned a bunch of bridges with that last shot he’d flung at his father, but Finn wasn’t going to regret it. It was high time that his family realized he was a thirty-two-year-old man with dreams and desires of his own. He couldn’t live his life according to a Calhoun edict.

  *

  That night as Mariah and Finn sat at the dinner table, she worriedly watched as he pushed the food around on his plate. From the moment he walked into the house this evening, he’d seemed preoccupied. Now as her gaze slid over his rugged features, she could see lines of fatigue around his eyes and mouth. But she had a feeling it wasn’t fatigue that was making him withdrawn. Something else was wrong.

  “If you don’t care for the pork chops, Finn, I’ll be happy to fix you something else.”

  His expression rueful, he glanced across the table at her. “I’m sorry, Mariah. The food is delicious. You’ve cooked everything just right.”

  To prove his point, he shoveled up a forkful of mashed potatoes and gravy and lifted it to his mouth.

  She reached for her iced tea and took a long sip before she casually asked, “How’s baby Poppy?”

  A halfhearted grin crossed his face and the weak reaction told Mariah that something was definitely wrong. Normally, the mere mention of the newborn filly would light up Finn’s whole demeanor. Tonight there was a sadness dimming his eyes and the sight troubled her greatly.

  “She’s getting spunkier every day. I might turn them into the meadow with the geldings tomorrow and give the baby a chance to stretch her legs.”

  “What about the mares?” Mariah asked, as she offered Harry a spoonful of pureed fruit.

  “I’m happy with how they’re looking. The brown mare’s milk bag is getting full so I expect her to deliver in the next day or two.”

  Harry smacked his hands on the high chair tray and opened his mouth for another bite. As Mariah continued to feed the baby, she said, “I hope all the babies are born before it’s time for you to ship them back to Nevada.”

  The silence that followed her comment had her looking over to see him staring moodily toward the windows behind her shoulder. Mariah decided it wasn’t the time to prod him with questions. At best, her time with Finn was limited; she didn’t want to waste it by picking and prodding at him.

  After a moment, his gaze snapped back to hers and though he attempted to smile, she could see his heart was hardly in it. “Yes, I hope it will work out that way, too.”

  The remainder of the meal passed with Finn saying very little and Mariah focusing on feeding Harry the last of his food. Afterward, Finn helped her with the dishes, then excused himself to attend to chores at the barn.

  While he was out of the house, Mariah readied Harry for bed, then graded a stack of test papers. She’d just finished the schoolwork and was carrying Harry toward the nursery when she heard Finn enter the house through the back door.

  Changing directions, she met him in the breezeway. “I was on my way to the nursery to change Harry’s diaper,” she told him. “Was everything all right at the barn?”

  An annoyed frown put a crease between his brows. “Everything was fine. Why do you keep asking me?”

  Losing her patience, she snapped, “Maybe because you’re acting like you’ve lost your best friend. And you won’t tell me what’s wrong.”

  Not waiting on his reply, she turned and walked straight to the nursery. She’d laid Harry on the dressing table and was in the process of unsnapping the legs of his pants when she heard Finn’s boots tapping against the tiled floor of the nursery.

  “Let me do that,” he said softly as he brushed her hands out of the way.

  Saying nothing, she stood to one side and watched him deftly deal with Harry’s soiled diaper, all the while talking to the boy in a hushed, gentle voice. When he had Harry dressed again, he positioned him over his shoulder, then turned toward Mariah.

  “I’m sorry for snapping at you, Mariah.” He blew out a heavy breath. “I have a lot on my mind—but that’s no excuse.”

  Mariah had a lot on her mind, too. And all of it had to do with him and Harry. And where she might fit into their lives.

  Placing her hand on his arm, she gave him a wobbly smile. “I’m sorry, too. Would you like to go sit on the back porch? I can make us some coffee if you’d like.”

  “Sounds nice. I’ll take Harry with me,” he told her.

  A few minutes later, Mariah stepped onto the back porch, carrying a tray with the coffee and a few slices of pound cake. As she placed it on a small table, she looked over to see that Finn was sitting in the rocker with Harry already asleep in his arms.

  He said, “Harry looked around for a minute or two and then his eyelids got droopy. I must be a dull daddy. Each time I hold him, he falls asleep.”

  Mariah smiled. “He feels contented and safe when you hold him. That’s why he falls asleep.”

  “Well, now that you’re here with the coffee, I’ll put him in his playpen.”

  He carried Harry over to the playpen and covered him with a quilt to protect him from the cool evening air. Once he’d resumed his seat in the rocker, Mariah served him the coffee and cake, then sank into the chair angled to his left arm.

  As she helped herself to a cup, he said, “I finished working on the irrigation pump this afternoon. So far it’s working as it should.”

  “That’s great. You must be a regular handyman. Dad always called a repairman out whenever it went on the blink.”

  He shrugged. “Dad made us boys learn to do other chores besides ride horses and chase cows. He always reminded us that ranching was much more than taking care of livestock.”

  “Sounds like your father is a wise man.”

  He turned a thoughtful gaze toward the mountain ridge to the east as he sipped at the coffee. “I used to think he could do no wrong. And I still love and respect him. But—”

  Mariah gripped the handle of her cup as she waited for him to continue. When he didn’t she asked, “Has something happened with your family, Finn?”

  The shake of his head was so negligible, she barely caught it.

  “Not exactly. Dad called while I was out at the meadow working on the pump. I told him about buying the mustangs and he threw a little cussing fit.”

  Mariah’s heart was suddenly aching for him
. She knew what it was like to feel unappreciated and misunderstood. And she didn’t want that for Finn. She could see for herself that he was a hardworking, responsible man. He deserved his family’s consideration.

  “So what did you tell him?” Mariah asked.

  She watched his jaw tighten and the corners of his mouth curve downward. Apparently, the conversation he’d had with his father was still making him angry. Which surprised her. Since Finn had come to the ranch, she hadn’t ever seen him in this dark of a mood.

  He said, “That I’d find some other place to put them. And wherever the mustangs go, that’s where I’ll go.”

  She drew in a sharp breath. “Oh, Finn. That was a pretty definitive thing to say, wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah. It was pretty final, all right. Especially considering that after I said it, I hung up the phone,” he said flatly. “Now I have to decide what to do. About the horses and myself.”

  Leaning forward, she studied his profile in the waning twilight. “Finn, what is this going to mean? About Harry? And—”

  “We’re still waiting on the DNA,” he interrupted.

  “We both know that’s just a formality.”

  He stared at her. “A formality? You insisted on it!”

  Her gaze dropped sheepishly to her lap. “I know,” she mumbled. “But I felt we both needed that certainty. And I guess a part of me was grasping at straws. Wanting a reason to keep Harry here longer. And wanting to keep you here longer, too.”

  “Oh, Mariah.”

  Suddenly he was on his feet, reaching for both her hands. With her heart beating wildly, she allowed him to draw her from the chair and fold her into his arms.

  “I don’t want you to worry about the test. About Harry or us. I just want you to touch me, love me and make me forget everything. Except this.”

  His mouth came down on hers and she melted against him as his lips promised a pleasure that only he could give her. And as her mouth accepted the thrust of his tongue, the doubts and fears that were racing through her mind only moments ago were suddenly wiped away with a sweeping flame of desire.