Falling for the Rancher Father

by Linda Ford

  “I won’t shoot first and ask questions later, but I can’t think what good reason the man could have for hanging around. It’s downright spooky. I feel I need to check around every corner and constantly watch over my shoulder.”

  She straightened and faced him. “Just because he’s different doesn’t mean he’s dangerous.”

  He recognized her protest for what it was—a defense of her own behavior—and touched her cool cheek. “I know and I promise I will bear it in mind.”

  A smile lit her eyes. “See that you do.”

  As he rode away he contemplated the conversations. Was it possible that though she was different, she wasn’t a danger to his family? But could he believe that thought, or trust it? Because whatever he did affected his children. He could not simply follow his heart.

  Leaving Sam behind so he could more effectively follow the tracks, he searched the woods surrounding the cabins, starting at the uncertain footprint he’d found the day before. The man surely wore moccasins because he left little in the way of tracks. He checked the branches and the leaves. There was little for Abel to follow, but he found a bent branch in a couple of places and an old log with moss brushed off it. The work was time consuming and slow, but he climbed to thicker trees. He paused to stretch his back and wipe sweat from his brow. The day had grown unseasonably warm now that the sun hung at its zenith.

  He pulled sandwiches from his pack and swilled back some water. Then he moved on. No telling how far the man had gone since yesterday and Abel wanted to find him and return early enough for Mercy to get home before dark.

  He tracked for two more hours, finding more evidence, and guessed the man had spent a good deal of time in that area. He straightened and listened, hoping for a sound to indicate the man’s presence even though he knew the man was too smart to reveal himself in any way.

  The skin on the back of his neck tingled. Someone watched him. He lifted his rifle for easy access and slowly looked around. At first he saw nothing, then he heard a deep-throated growl and the hair on his arms rose. He jerked back. Not twenty feet away, on a branch above his head, a mountain lion snarled, revealing fangs that could rip him to pieces in a matter of minutes.

  He edged the rifle upward.

  The big cat crouched and snarled.

  His fingers twitched. He held his breath to steady his muscles. He had two children at home who needed him. A wild animal would not rob them of a father. Nor rob him of a chance to have a real family. Could he hope to get a shot off before the animal sprang? He sucked in air and forced every move to be slow and steady, but it happened before he could get a shot off.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Mercy squeezed her fingers together until they hurt. She pressed her knees tight to stop her legs from bouncing. Somehow she must remain in her chair talking about sums when all the while she wanted to rush to the window for a glimpse of Abel. In fact, if she could follow her instincts, she would swing to Nugget’s back and ride out to find him.

  Although he’d said he would be gone most of the day, every hour that passed wound her nerves more taut. She didn’t even have to close her eyes to picture him pinned under a log. And this time he’d gone carrying a rifle to look for a wild man who lived in the woods. Abel must be crazy. And she as well for not stopping him.

  She bounced to her feet. The wide-eyed twins watched her. Crossing to the stove, she shifted the coffeepot six inches to the right and then back to its original spot.

  “Where’s Papa?” Allie asked.

  “Gone to the woods.” Mercy and Abel had agreed not to give the children any details of his plan.

  Ladd pushed from his chair. “When will he be back?”

  Realizing the twins had picked up on her restlessness, Mercy pushed aside her worries. “It’s early. He won’t be back for another hour or so.”

  She took one quick glance out the window and returned to the table. “If you’re done your sums, let’s do some reading.” She’d brought some easy reading books and listened with a fraction of her hearing as the twins took turns reading aloud.

  Did she hear something outside? She jumped to her feet and dashed to the door. Before she opened it she thought of the man in the woods and stopped. She went to the window but saw nothing. The sound came again, jerking her attention to the corral. Only Nugget and Sam chasing each other around. Mercy sighed.

  “Why are you so scared?” Ladd asked.

  “I’m not.” But her skin felt too tight for her arms and she rubbed to loosen it. If only Abel would return. If something happened to him…

  She closed her eyes and pressed her palm to her chest, unable to contemplate the possibility.

  Did she hear a thud outside? She would not jerk the way she had before. Instead, she edged closer to the window so she could sneak a look. A movement in the trees caught her attention and she raced for the door.

  “Stay here,” she told the twins. If Abel was hurt she didn’t want them seeing it.

  Picking up her annoying skirts, she ran from the cabin, across the yard.

  Abel waited at the edge of the clearing. He opened his arms and she went straight to him, pausing only long enough to run her gaze over him. Seeing no sign of blood or injury she caught his face in her hands.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” He pulled her into his arms and rested his cheek on her head. “Just fine.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him. “I was so worried. What if that crazy man attacked you?”

  His chuckle reverberated in his chest and echoed in hers. “What happened to assuming the man was harmless?”

  “It’s easy enough to say that when he’s far away.” And Abel was close at hand.

  “Are the twins okay?”

  “They’ve been wondering why I kept looking out the window so often.” She rested her head against his chest, not eager to let him go. He kept his arms tight about her as if he might feel the same way.

  “I found the man.”

  “You did?” She looked into his face, surprised at the way he smiled.

  “Rightfully you could say he found me.”

  Her arms tightened around him. “What happened?”

  “I was tracking him when something made me aware I was being watched. I turned slowly but it wasn’t a man I saw. It was a mountain lion overhead ready to pounce.”

  Her mouth dried so abruptly she couldn’t swallow.

  He smiled down at her. “Before I could even lift my rifle, a shot rang out and the cat fell to the ground.” He brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. “I spun around and saw the man I sought. All whiskered and wild looking, but his eyes were calm and kind. He nodded once and slipped into the trees. I called out. ‘Who are you?’ but he never turned.” Abel brushed his knuckles along her jawline, sending happy little dances up and down her nerves.

  “He saved your life.”

  “Yes, he did. I wish I could do something for him.”

  “Like what?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. But I hate to think of him out there alone.”

  “Might be he prefers it that way.”

  “Could be.”

  “I wish I could remember where I’ve seen him before.” In her memory, she had fleeting images that she could never pin down to a certain place and time.

  Abel’s gaze swept across her face and lingered on her lips.

  Her heart hammered against her ribs and she lifted her face, meeting him halfway. Their lips touched lightly. Then his arms tightened and he claimed her mouth. She leaned into his embrace. He was back safe and sound and she returned his kiss with a heart full of gratitude.

  He lifted his head and looked deep into her eyes, searching her thoughts, her heart, her very soul.

  She opened herself to him, allowing the steel doors to her heart to swing wider.

  “That’s a very nice welcome home.”

  She grinned. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

  He chuckled. “No more or less th
an you, I think.”

  “The twins are waiting.”

  He laughed and pulled her to his side. “Then by all means, let’s go see them.”

  She stayed at his side until they reached the cabin, then slipped away, not ready to let the children see their father and her together. They’d ask questions she couldn’t answer because she didn’t know what the kiss meant.

  Gratitude for his safe return?

  On his part, reaction to being spared an attack by the big cat?

  “Do you suppose that’s what Allie meant when she said she saw a cat?” she asked him.

  “I figure it is. I had a look around and saw some cat tracks. I wonder if the man in the woods has been chasing the cat away from us. I think we owe him a lot.”

  As he shoved open the door, the twins rushed to him.

  “Mercy’s been worried about you,” Ladd said.

  “Is that a fact? Well, it’s nice someone cares.” Abel sent her a teasing grin.

  “We care.” Allie insisted Abel pick her up. He sat down and pulled Ladd to his knee.

  “So what have you being doing all day?”

  “We did sums.”

  “We read a story.”

  The twins told him the details of their day.

  Mercy hung back. She should be on her way, but Abel had just returned and she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay and share supper with them, help tuck the children into bed and later, after they were settled, talk to Abel about his day and hers.

  Did he want it, too? He seemed focused on the children.

  She turned to put on her coat.

  Abel set the twins to one side. “You two stay here while I go to the corral with Mercy.”

  She turned to face the door as a grin widened her lips. He’d never wanted to accompany her before.

  He fell in at her side. “I’m glad you can get home before dark. Be careful.”

  “I thought you’d decided that whiskered man was friendly.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her to face him. “There might be another mountain lion out there or a bear.” He shuddered. “I sure wouldn’t want you to run into anything like that.”

  “Nor would I.”

  “Do you have a gun with you?”

  She wanted him to think she’d changed. That she no longer wanted to live a wild, undisciplined life. From now on she meant to be ordinary. But she’d felt naked and vulnerable without a firearm and stuck a pistol in her saddlebag. “I might have a gun with me.”

  “From now on, be sure you have a rifle at the very least.”

  She didn’t say anything, surprised by his change of opinion.

  He shook her a little. “Promise me you will.”

  She searched his eyes. Did the claiming way he looked at her signify a special kind of caring…or simply responsibility like he’d feel if the twins did something risky?

  She couldn’t tell and afraid of how desperately she wished it was the former, she said, “Very well. I promise.” Then she continued her walk to the corral.

  He kept in step with her. As she put the bridle on Nugget, he lifted the blanket and saddle to the horse’s back.

  She watched him tighten the cinch. “I can do that, you know.”

  He grinned over his shoulder. “I know you can.” He finished and straightened. “Do you object to me helping?”

  “No. But why do you want to?”

  He closed the distance between them. “It seemed the right thing to do.”

  “Why?” She’d been coming for weeks and he’d never offered before.

  “I thought of doing it before but figured you’d kick up a protest. But lately you seem different.” He searched her face, his look again going much deeper.

  He’d realized she’d changed exactly as she’d hoped. She shivered. She’d have to be careful not to do anything to make him question it.

  He quirked his eyebrows. “Or maybe it’s me who is different. Looking at a snarling cat and knowing he could rip you to pieces makes a person value life even more.”

  She nodded. “I expect it does.”

  He caught her shoulders, planted a quick kiss on her mouth, then stepped back so she could mount up and ride away.

  She stopped at the edge of the clearing and turned around to wave at him. A smile tugged at her heart at the grin blazing on his face.

  Her smile remained all the way home.

  For the next week she anticipated his welcome smile when she returned to his cabin every morning. Often she’d look at him and find his gaze on her mouth. Each time her heart would lurch like a wild horse ride. She wanted to jump on Nugget’s back and do some crazy tricks, swing her rope in a big loop and dance in and out of the circle.

  He stayed close by, working on the cabin. “It will soon be done,” he said.

  Shouldn’t he have been happier at the idea? She would no longer come. There’d be no need. Unless—

  But he’d given no indication of wanting more. Said nothing to make her think anything other than that this would end when the new cabin was finished.

  “I’ll be joining the church work bee on Saturday,” he said over dinner one day.

  “Are you taking the twins?”

  They leaned forward, anxious for his answer. “Are you wanting to go to the bee?” he asked her.

  “Linette says everyone is going to be there.”

  “Then by all means, you should go. I’ll take the children.”

  Ladd and Allie cheered.

  Abel shifted his attention to his daughter. “You’ll have to play quietly.”

  She hung her head. “I know.”

  “I’ll watch her.” Mercy decided then and there she would make sure Allie had fun despite her restrictions. She kept her gaze on her empty dish. She’d do her best to show Abel they could all have fun together with her being an ordinary person.

  *

  “Are we almost there?” Allie asked Abel yet again.

  “Soon.” Edendale was not far away, but Allie and Ladd were excited about going to town and spending the day with friends and neighbors. Abel hid it much better, though he looked forward to the day, as well. Yes, he would enjoy meeting more of the community, but mostly he longed to see Mercy in a different situation. Apart from a few Sundays and one event at Eden Valley Ranch that left him struggling to decide if it had been a good experience or a disappointment, he’d only seen her at meal times and a bit in between at the ranch.

  This work bee would give him a chance to spend time with her in a social setting.

  Town came into sight and in his excitement to see everything, Ladd leaned over so far Abel had to grab him by the back of his coat to keep him from falling off the horse and tumbling to the ground. Thankfully Mercy had offered to watch Allie because he didn’t figure Ladd would do a good job today. He was too anxious to run and play.

  He studied those already assembled. Many came from Eden Valley Ranch. He recognized a few from OK Ranch, Macpherson from the store, the Mortons who ran the stopping house and a handful of others. But he didn’t see Mercy. His heart battered his ribs. Had he misunderstood her intention to attend?

  As the circle of women shifted, his breath whooshed out. There she was. Wearing a pretty, dark red dress, her hair coiled about her head. No trousers. No fringed shirt. When was the last time he’d seen her dressed in such a fashion? She’d dressed in her fanciest riding duds for the celebration at the ranch when she’d done her showy riding and roping tricks.

  Since then? He nodded. He hadn’t seen her dressed in her outlandish outfits since before the night she’d rescued him. He couldn’t say what she wore that night. Were the two facts connected? He couldn’t see how they were and yet, for some reason, he felt they were. Would she explain if he asked her?

  As always, the children slipped to the ground and raced to her side. She hugged them, then followed the direction Ladd pointed and waved at Abel. He gave a little salute before he went to join the men around a stack of lumber. It was a pretty spot. The
mountains to the west were crowned with fresh snow. A few golden leaves clung to the deciduous trees. Darker pine and spruce covered much of the hills. The flash of running water indicated the river behind the store.

  Eddie made introductions. “How many of you have experience with a building this size?”

  Two men put up their hands. Several said they hadn’t built anything bigger than a shack.

  “I’ve worked on ships,” Abel said.

  “That’s good news,” Eddie said. “We’ll be needing your expertise.”

  But Eddie was the foreman and soon had the crowd of men organized. Abel readily saw that the man knew how to get a job done and get others to help.

  He glanced around to check on the twins. A crowd of children chased each other up and down the street. He straightened. Where was Allie? He scanned the area. Because he couldn’t see her, he laid down his hammer to search for her. Then he saw the red of Mercy’s dress and beside her, Allie, sitting and watching the children. Mercy pointed at something and they laughed.

  He wished he could hear what Mercy said but at least Allie was safe with her. He picked up his hammer and returned to work.

  By noon they had made significant progress. “All we can hope for today is to get the shell up.”

  Eddie nodded. “Once it’s that far we can work on it bit by bit, one or two men at a time.”

  The women had set out piles of food on a long table made of sawhorses and lengths of wood.

  When the men joined their womenfolk and children for the meal, Abel went to Mercy’s side, the twins beside them.

  Eddie stood at the end of the table. He removed his hat. The other men did likewise. “I’d like to say a few words.”

  The crowd grew quiet.

  “As most of you know, this church is Linette’s idea. And what Linette wants, she gets. I’m proof of that.” He pulled his wife to his side as those assembled chuckled. “However, by the good turnout today, I’d say all of us agree with getting a church built for the community.”

  A round of applause signaled agreement.

  “We are truly becoming a solid community. When I came out here there were people at the Eden Valley Ranch, those at OK and Macpherson here. Now look at us. We’re a growing, thriving community.”