The Rancher and The Event Planner (A Salvation Texas Novel)

by Cheryl Gorman

  “Tomorrow night. Six sharp. The where is a secret.”

  ***

  Tonight would be the clincher. Rafe would see how much alike they were. She knew that tonight would go perfectly right down to the new soft suede boots on her feet. She’d gone shopping in Dallas after she’d finalized the details on the Senator’s gala and picked up a new outfit. A flowing skirt in shades of blue with a white sleeveless top and a belt that hung low on her hips. She’d pulled her hair back in a silver clip and wore a new silver chain around her neck. She was sophisticated country or at least that’s what the sales person had said. JC tucked her legs to the side on the blanket that Rafe had helped her spread on the ground. The old estate looked beautiful at this time of day with the sun sinking in the sky and throwing sparkles over the lake. A hawk rode the thermals overhead. Breathing in the scent of parched grass and dry soil, she glanced at the sky spreading overhead in a hazy arc. Dark thunderheads hovered in the distance and she saw a flash of heat lightening. With a little luck, the storm would stay out on the plain. Rafe lay on his side dressed in black jeans and boots and a white shirt. His hat lay on the blanket beside him and the setting sun’s rays highlighted the side of his face. She swatted at the mosquito but refused to let anything ruin this evening not even the threat of rain.

  “Hungry?” she asked Rafe who was sipping a cold beer.

  “Yeah, what are we having?”

  She’d like nothing better than to have him on a platter but she’d have to settle for what was in the picnic basket. She took out a few containers along with some paper plates and utensils. “Grilled chicken, pasta salad, watermelon slices and brownies for dessert.”

  “Sounds good, I’m starved,” he said sitting up. She couldn’t help but admire the way his muscles flexed beneath his shirt. They opened the food and helped themselves.

  “Did you do all the cooking?” Rafe asked before taking a bite of chicken.

  “Linc helped, but I did make the brownies.”

  “I look forward to tasting them.”

  The way he was looking at her made her think he was talking about more than just brownies. Could he be beginning to see that they were right for each other? Good food was the way to a man’s heart, right?

  “You look really nice tonight.”

  His compliment made heat rise in her chest and she suddenly felt self-conscious. “Thanks.”

  Thunder rumbled, the storm closer now. “How about some music?”

  JC went to her car, rolled down the windows and turned on the radio. A country rock song blasted from the speakers. She walked back to Rafe and held out her hand. “May I have this dance?”

  He put down his plate, patted his mouth with the napkin and stood. He was so tall it made her heart go pitter-patter like a young girl experiencing her first crush. Only her feelings had grown past a crush and into something more mature, something that a woman would feel. The feelings weren’t love yet, she still had a barrier up, a safety measure to keep her poor heart from getting broken until she was sure of how Rafe felt about her. At this point, she knew he thought she was attractive but being attractive to another person didn’t mean those feelings would turn into love.

  “I’m a really good dancer,” Rafe said.

  “Good to know but I’m not so bad myself. You gonna let me be the leader?”

  “It’s tradition for the man to lead.”

  “But the date was my idea.”

  “Fair enough. I can stand it if you can.”

  She faced him with one hand on his shoulder and the other holding his hand and they started to move, two quick steps followed by two slower ones. They moved with ease over the ground while the music thrummed in the early evening air. He kept his gaze pinned to hers with a slight smile on his lips. The breeze lifted a lock of his hair and her fingers itched to run her fingers through it. He was so strong and in that moment she had never felt safer in her life. The man could take on the world on those wide shoulders. The song ended then a slow, easy love song about loss and daring to give love another try came on the radio. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Rafe pulled her close to his body and his arm moved around her, his big palm settling on the small of her back. She looked up into his eyes, eyes that seemed to grow a deeper blue and were filled with heat. They moved slowly in the field as the wind picked up and with it the scent of rain, but she couldn’t take her eyes from his face. What would it be like to lie with him in this field, skin to skin? He lowered his head but his eyes stayed on hers. Just as his mouth touched hers the first fat drops of rain started to fall. Lightening cracked followed by thunder. He gave her one quick soft kiss then pulled back. “We’d better get in the car.”

  Just as they reached the blanket, the heavens opened up and a driving sheet of rain plummeted. In an instant, JC was soaked to the skin. Together they gathered up the picnic things, stuffed them into the trunk of her car and jumped inside. Water dripped down her face. She looked at her legs, her new boots spattered with mud and wet grass, her new skirt soaked. Then she looked at Rafe. He looked hot and sexy and gorgeous as if he’d just stepped out of a shower. It wasn’t fair. She’d gone to a lot of trouble. She’d looked really good when she’d left the house and now she looked like a drowned rat.

  Before she could say anything, he pulled off his shirt and threw it on the back seat. Her mouth fell open in response to all that male beauty suddenly on display just for her. He rummaged around in the picnic basket and pulled out a damp roll of paper towels. He yanked off a handful then handed her the roll. He rubbed the towels over his arms and torso then over his hair. She patted her face with a paper towel, looked in the vanity mirror and was horrified at what she saw. Mascara ran down her face, her hair was flat against her skull and she saw herself as a young girl again walking into the classroom after begin caught in the rain without an umbrella and Rona and her cronies snickering behind their hands.

  He reached over and pulled a wet leaf and a couple of twigs from her hair. She turned and looked at him having his touch bring her out of her memory. He chuckled. “You look like one of those sad eyed clowns.”

  She couldn’t believe he’d just said that. “What?”

  His face paled slightly. “But much prettier, of course.”

  “Right, thanks a lot.”

  “Hey, relax. I was just kidding.”

  He huffed out a breath. “I told you I was bad at relationships. I put my foot in my mouth all the time where women are concerned.”

  She decided to take the high road. “That’s okay. I over-reacted.” She cranked the engine and said, “What’s a little rain between friends?”

  ***

  Later as she stood under a hot shower, she thought it was much more than rain between friends. Or at least it felt like it. She didn’t want to act like a kid and hold a grudge but his words had hurt. A sad eyed clown indeed. She’d noticed the expression on his face. He’d felt bad about what he said. I told you I was bad at relationships. Maybe he was. Did that mean she should give up trying to make Rafe see that they were right for each other? Her first reaction was to shore up her defenses, to act like everything was fine but it wasn’t. He’d planted a seed of doubt in her mind with his words. No, she wouldn’t give up yet. There was still time. So fate had put a little rock along the path and blurred the direction. That didn’t mean they didn’t belong together. Or did it? There was only one way to find out. Keep pushing ahead, keep going until the end of her thirty days. By then she would know for sure one way or the other.

  Chapter Eight

  Rafe stopped the truck in front of the old mansion where guys in hardhats hustled in and out, busy on the remodel. The construction company Linc had worked part-time for in high school and college was doing the renovation work. He noticed Jennifer’s car, a sporty red two door parked off to the side and an odd thrill stretched in the pit of his stomach, but he pushed it aside. Since their date, Rafe hadn’t seen much of her. She had moved into the cabin with Cade because the con
struction on the kitchen repair was complete. He needed Jennifer’s agreement on a new idea. Whenever he ran his ideas for expanding the ranch by Caroline, she leveled his excitement by starting an argument. These arguments generally consisted of his lack of attention to her needs, her likes and dislikes, not to mention her rife jealousies concerning any conversation he’d had with another woman outside the family.

  “This house is old, Daddy,” Molly said from the passenger seat.

  “Yes, but we’re going to make her pretty again.”

  As soon as they climbed from the truck, Molly took off toward the house. “Hey, punkin , hold up.” He caught up with her easily and together they stepped inside. The house was built of rhyolite and red sand stone with dormers, arched windows, curved brackets and stained glass which gave the mansion a lush appearance.

  She was still a grand old girl even with a wrinkle or two, but with the construction company giving her a solid facelift, she’d be back to beautiful in no time.

  Dusty and scuffed, the wide plank floors spread throughout the house but once refinished, they would gleam. His gaze took in the faded wallpaper, the gorgeous inlay design in the entryway floor and the stunning chandelier hanging overhead. Two medium sized rooms took up most of the front of the house, and Rafe thought tearing out the wall and creating one large room would solve the dining problem. He’d mention it to the foreman.

  Linc’s deep voice drifted on the air followed by Jennifer’s laughter. Molly let go of his hand. “It’s JC,” she exclaimed running in the direction of the voices. Scooting into a room on the left, Molly’s energetic greeting spilled into the hallway.

  When Rafe walked into the room, Jennifer and Linc were sitting elbow to elbow, at a long table in the center of the room, grinning at each other like loons.

  Molly’s arms were clasped snugly about Jennifer’s neck, her eyes bright, a sweet smile curling her lips. He turned soft inside like snow melting on a cliff side.

  “Come and take a look at Linc’s ideas,” Jennifer said. “They’re fabulous.”

  Linc gave her a smile. “I’m glad you like them.”

  Jennifer squeezed Linc’s upper arm and said, “What’s not to like?”

  Seeing her in such a congenial mood with his brother, irked Rafe and he didn’t know why, but he refused to let his feelings show or give in to them.

  Molly placed a hand on Jennifer’s shoulder and lightly stroked her hair. “You look real pretty today. I like your hair and I like your hair clip, too.” She had twisted it into a knot on the back of her head with a few tendrils teasing her neck. A hair do-dad sparkled near the bun.

  “Thank you. I like your hair, too.” After his wife died, he’d learned how to fix his little girl’s hair. He’d wrangled the perfect pony tail and braid and the importance of finding just the right spot for a bow. Rafe’s heart sighed at Jennifer’s interaction with Molly. He loved seeing Molly smile because her happiness completed his world. Coming here today, turned out to be a great idea.

  “Thank you. Are you going to Mr. Blakeley’s barbecue this weekend?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe.”

  Molly frowned. “It will be so much fun. We go swimming and everything. Daddy got me a new suit.”

  “In that case, I have to go. What color is your suit?”

  He studied the blueprints spread over a table, while Jennifer and Molly chatted.

  “You’ve expanded the kitchen and made space for a large pantry,” he said to Linc. “Glad to see you’ve already considered turning those two rooms up front into one large one.”

  Rafe gestured to the room around them. Bird’s eye maple wainscoting circled the walls with original oak floors and a massive bay window completed the space. “This room will be the perfect gathering place for guests. All it needs is a couple of tables for games, maybe create a library and during the holidays a huge tree will look great.”

  Jennifer gazed at him. “I totally agree.” She did? “With the right furniture, paint and accessories the room will be elegant, comfortable and inviting.”

  Satisfaction flooded Rafe because she didn’t question him or insist on some other ideas. But that wasn’t the point. She was aware of Salvation’s down-home values, their love of family and friends, and their version of welcome to our town. Of course she wouldn’t question them. “I’m glad we agree.”

  “Maybe you’re better at relationships than you think.”

  Had she forgiven him for his thoughtless remark the other evening? He looked for a trace of hurt and didn’t see any. Did this mean she was going to keep trying to win the challenge they had each laid out for the other that day in the barn? Did he want her too? Or did he want her to stop trying? The thought of her stopping didn’t make him feel as good as he expected. He felt anxious and even a little scared at the prospect. But why would he feel scared? Was it the prospect of Jennifer leaving Salvation and going back to her life in Shreveport? He pushed his questions away. He wanted her to go back because he wasn’t good at relationships and he didn’t want her to end up being hurt. That had to be it. It had nothing to do with the feelings he felt growing inside him.

  “JC has this great idea about removing the back porch and building a first class spa,” Linc said. “I’m sure we can integrate it into the overall design with no problem.”

  At least she’d agreed with him about this room and if Linc agreed the end result would integrate well, the spa might turn out okay. “Let’s go for it.”

  Jennifer had a soft yet teasing look in her eyes. “That wasn’t so hard was it? You and I agreeing on something, I mean. Careful or you might start to actually see how well we link up together.”

  They did, he realized as a wave of panic knocked around his good sense. How did it happen? Maybe it began the first time he saw her again in his office, an old friend who has blossomed into a beautiful, intelligent woman loaded with sex appeal. Dancing with her at the Round Up hadn’t helped because they’d both relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company. Not to mention the kiss they’d shared on the dance floor. And what about the kisses they’d shared since then? What man wouldn’t be drawn to her?

  He looked at Molly standing close to Jennifer, with one hand resting on Jennifer’s shoulder. His little girl obviously loved her and that made goose-bumps pebble his hide. He had started to think about Jennifer beyond the boundaries of friendship but that only strengthened his worry that he might hurt her. She had a hard time trusting people and if she trusted him that meant her heart would be susceptible to kindness, her feelings an open book and it was up to him to protect her.

  He pushed his worries temporarily to the side and focused again on the project. “What do you think about adding a retaining wall and expanding the front porch to surround the house?” He asked the question to no one in particular, but he hoped Jennifer would argue the point because her disagreement would make him feel a whole lot better.

  “Terrific idea,” Jennifer said, “It will add a new dimension to the house, and I think the guests will love the porch. We’ll add some ceiling fans, gliders and rocking chairs.”

  “If everything goes well, we could have a grand opening by Thanksgiving,” Linc said.

  “Will you be here when it opens?” Molly asked.

  Jennifer smoothed her hand over Molly’s head. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Molly smiled and flung her arms around Jennifer’s neck.

  A sick dread rose in Rafe’s chest. He was putting his heart at risk. He wasn’t worried about Molly because she had family and friends close around her. She would be happy of course when Jennifer came to town to visit and miss her at first when she left but kids bounced back so quickly. Would he be able to bounce back each time Jennifer came for a visit and left again?

  ***

  “Your home is lovely,” JC said.

  Ellie Blakely beamed. “We’re so glad you could join us for the barbecue. Garrett’s supervising the pig roast as usual.” She looked in the direction where the foo
d preparation had been set up, and JC followed her line of sight where Mr. Blakeley, wearing casual slacks and a short-sleeved shirt, instructed one of the cooks.

  “Just mingle. You know most everybody anyway. I need to speak to Garrett about the drinks supply. Toodle-loo,” she said, with a wave of her manicured fingers. She walked away, her wide hips shifting from side to side, in her floral capris, matching top, and bright pink sandals.

  JC grabbed a glass of lemonade and chatted with some people she hadn’t seen since she arrived in town. Her gaze skimmed the crowd, for a glimpse of Rafe and Molly, but she didn’t see them. They had offered to pick her up, but she decided to drive her own car in case she wanted to leave early.

  White tents covered the tables in case of inclement weather and there was a large kidney-shaped pool filled to the brim with laughing, ebullient kids. Elm, pine and sweet gum sprouted in clusters over the property with a stream meandering at the back. Gorgeous. It was nice to be out in the fresh air. Because she’d been cooped up in Cade’s cabin most of the day, making phone calls and setting things in motion for the town’s first big event. She had two weeks left in Salvation before she headed back to Shreveport and there was still so much to do. She had to oversee the gala in Dallas next week, not to mention her efforts to try and convince Rafe that they belonged together.

  “Hey, glad you made it.”

  JC turned at the sound of Linc’s voice. The judge was handsome in his slacks and deep blue t-shirt with beat-up loafers on his feet, but the only womanly affect his charms had on her was mild female appreciation. “Hi, Linc. Nice to see you again. Looks like quite a party.”

  “Yeah, Garrett and Ellie go all out.”

  “Are Rafe and Molly here?”

  Linc grinned. “They’re in the pool. Talk to you later,” he said and sauntered toward an attractive young woman arranging pastries on a table.