The Rancher Risks It All

by Debra Holt

  “I don’t suppose our big brother Thomas is going to make it back in time to help with all the work this week?” Trey spoke the words to the room in general. It was his aunt who responded. “He and Jamie have promised Andy this trip to Disney for the last year. We can handle things just fine during his absence. That’s why Truitt stayed here when you two went on the last circuit run. He and Pops have kept things working just fine—Truitt on this side of the ranch, and Pops over on Thomas’s. Now, we all have things to do this morning so shoo both of you.” She motioned with her hands as she probably had done many times over the years of the siblings growing up.

  Annie smiled at the scene. It was apparent this was a close family and they loved each other. And there was that feeling in the back of her chest…a longing that reminded her of what she still searched for and doubted would find. It was time to get to work. The clock was ticking on the day and on her and Jessie’s stay. Soon, they would need to leave and each hour they stayed only made it more impossible to not leave broken hearts and promises behind them.

  Chapter Eight

  “The traffic was ridiculous this morning. People seem to arrive earlier and earlier for the festival. I was able to stop and pick up some of Melba’s fresh croissants before she ran out.” Sal slid the baker’s box onto the desk with one hand and deposited the morning newspaper alongside it with the other. It was Monday and the first day of the festival week.

  “They smell heavenly,” Annie replied with a smile, looking up from The Gallery brochures she had just unboxed and was about to place on the glass table at the entrance to the shop. “I was in such a rush to get Jessie ready this morning that I only had time for coffee before leaving the ranch.”

  “Jessie is so excited. I’m very glad you allowed her to ride with Truitt in the parade.”

  “I would never be forgiven if I hadn’t.”

  “Well, you know you don’t have to worry about her. Truitt will keep her safe. The wagon they’re riding in has been in every parade for the last twenty-five years, but Truitt keeps it maintained and in top condition.”

  “It’s amazing to think of something like that being able to be used for over a century.”

  “It was used on some of the last cattle drives our ancestors did across the center of Texas in the late 1800s. It isn’t a replica of a covered wagon; it’s the real deal. Museums have been after it over the years, but Truitt won’t part with it.”

  “Well, it’s great that it can be used in the parade. And it’s really thoughtful of you to include Jessie in the tradition. I was a bit surprised, though, that Truitt would take part in the parade since he doesn’t seem to be all that ‘into’ the festival.”

  Aunt Sal blew on the coffee in the cup she had just poured for herself, trying to cool the hot liquid down to a sippable level. “Actually, this is the first year that he’s driven the wagon himself. Occasionally, he would ride along with the drovers herding the Longhorns through the streets, but I think he wanted to give Jessie the thrill of the parade, so he decided to drive the wagon with her beside him. He thought it was safer than having her on horseback with a group of horned cattle amidst a crowd of tenderfoot tourists. Any number of things could happen if you don’t keep your head in the game.”

  Annie’s heart did a flip. Truitt chose to handle the wagon duties because of Jessie. He wanted her to enjoy the parade. Since the trail ride, Annie had used a good deal of time to think about a lot of things…many of them involving the quiet cowboy. Aunt Sal was giving her credit for bringing him back to his self again. She didn’t want the credit for such a thing. That would make things way too complicated. Because she was also aware that just maybe he had managed to bring her mind around to other ways of thinking about the situation she and Jessie were in…or at least a better resolution. But today was not the day to dwell on such things.

  “We’ll open The Gallery as soon as the parade ends. I’m so excited for people to see the concepts you’ve put into place. I knew you and I would make a good team.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” Annie had found herself really wanting to make the opening of The Gallery and the festival week a success due in large part to the immense gratitude she felt for all the Tremaynes. Even though most of what she felt for Truitt Tremayne was far different and far removed from gratitude. It was something she had never experienced before, but she knew enough to be afraid to explore it further.

  “Using the courtyard at the side for showcasing the live demonstrations of pottery and jewelry making was smart. The rear courtyard for portrait drawings and weaving, along with the waitresses circulating in bright primary-colored costumes with homemade goodies from the local bakeries all were great touches to add. Of course, the ‘by invitation only’ black-tie cocktail unveiling of the spotlight artists’ paintings this evening will be a stunning capstone. We shall toast your success this evening!”

  “I think we’ll be late for the parade if we don’t get moving.” Annie blushed at the sincere words from the woman and hastily moved to step out of the limelight and into the sunshine.

  *

  The crowds were already three and four deep along parts of the main thoroughfare. People in lawn chairs and seated in the back of pickups, workers seated at the windows of their offices, all staked out their places to watch the parade which kicked off the week-long celebration of the founding of the town, in conjunction with the major arts festival which had grown around it. Brightly colored balloons and streamers fluttered from lamp poles and tree branches.

  A group of Aunt Sal’s friends had saved chairs for them next to the officials’ viewing stand, and they settled in to enjoy the festivities. The parade kicked off with police units and fire trucks; Gray Dalton waved and tipped his hat in their direction as he was driven by in one of the sheriff’s department vehicles. He was followed by the color guard from the local VFW. Convertibles came next with the local dignitaries. The grand marshal for the parade was a television anchorwoman, quite a celebrity in the region. A marching band followed, as did the float with the newly crowned queen of the festival and her court.

  Thunderous applause went up from the crowd, especially the youngsters in attendance, as the herd of a dozen Longhorns ambled down the street, accompanied by mounted cowboy drovers. The clicking of cameras and hoisting of cell phones in the air were ready to film the event. Behind them came a large covered wagon, a real prairie schooner, pulled by six huge mules. Annie spotted Jessie, seated on the wagon’s bench, a huge grin lighting her animated face, waving to the crowd as if she were an old pro at parades.

  Beside her, holding the reins to the mule team, Truitt sat in full cowboy gear. It really didn’t look all that different from his normal ranch attire except she noted the six-shooter strapped to his hip, and the leather chaps with the Four T Ranch brand emblazoned above the hem. He was very swoon-worthy, and she noted some of the whispers around her by the females in the crowd eluding to the fact that particular cowboy could carry them off into the sunset any old time. A couple of others made a warm blush cross her cheeks with their suggestive comments. She didn’t need any encouragement for her own hormones to react in a way that brought back every moment of their kisses. Sal’s words beside her brought her thoughts back to a safer subject.

  “Jessie looks adorable in her pioneer girl duds.” Sal waved back as Jessie spotted them in their seats, becoming even more animated from her perch.

  “She loves the outfit you gave her. Allowing her to ride on the wagon is something she won’t ever forget, but with the addition of the costume, she is very happy.”

  Within a couple of minutes, the wagon had passed beyond them. Annie felt a little disappointment inside as it seemed that if Truitt had any idea they were there, he gave no indication of it, but kept his eyes on the team and the cattle being driven ahead of him. She really needed to get hold of her thoughts. One minute she didn’t want him to know she was around, and the next one, she wanted his attention. Her feelings for the man were keeping her ti
ed up in knots.

  “It’s easy to be kind to you both,” Sal responded, her warm blue eyes turned on Annie. “You two may have only been with us a short time, yet it feels longer. You both fit into our lives as if you were always here. I know that you’ll leave an empty space if you decide to leave us…that empty hole being in our hearts, not just our home. I’ll wager it’ll be an especially huge hole when it comes to that of my nephew.”

  Annie didn’t know how to respond. Sal had made it quite clear over the past few days that she hoped something might develop between her and Truitt. It only made it more difficult. In another lifetime, Annie might have hoped the same thing. Who was she kidding? In this lifetime, she knew it had happened. With an astounding and heart-stopping clarity, out of the blue, with all the noise and the parade going on around her, she knew her heart had been claimed by a man she could never hope to have a future with. Love had come with no warning, at the worst of times and in the most unlikely of places. Instead of joy, there was a sadness filling her heart. She stood suddenly.

  “I think I need to get back to The Gallery. There are a couple of things I just remembered I should get done before this evening. I’ll see you there after the parade.” She didn’t give Aunt Sal any time to respond.

  In truth, Annie didn’t head back to The Gallery, at least not right away. She allowed herself to be drawn along in the ebb and flow of the crowds. Her mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts and feelings. She looked with longing in her heart at the families around her. The children were laughing and happy. The parents smiled and enjoyed each other and their children.

  Once, long ago, she had a memory of that being her life. At least, it was the life she hoped for…before everything turned into a nightmare. It was a brief time, grown dimmer over the passing years, but a memory that still lingered.

  Her father and mother deeply loved and respected each other, and she knew even at an early age that she wanted that kind of marriage when she grew up. However, life intervened and not in a kind way. Pancreatic cancer took her dad away far too soon. Jessie was only a few weeks old. She had no recollection of the man at all. But to Annie, his memory had grown to almost legendary form in her mind. Little insurance and only a high school education got her mother menial employment. They lost their house with its beautiful lawn and pool, and even though a one-bedroom apartment took its place, Annie felt loved and safe. Her mother dedicated herself to keeping her daughters from the sorrow and the fact that each day was a tenuous existence for them.

  It didn’t help that the only family they had left was her mother’s only sibling…her brother. Annie’s memories of the man were not warm ones. He looked down a hawk-like nose at them and made scathing remarks about the loser his sister had married every chance he got. He had risen to a judgeship and then to assistant attorney general of the state with a mansion and a third wife who was the perfect example of a trophy wife with a cold heart and family money and prestige. They had two daughters: Jocelyn, who would eventually become a drug addict and be “placed” in one recovery program after another and Tessa, who was on her fourth or fifth husband—Annie couldn’t keep count—and the size of his bank account was used as a measure for her and her mother to decide how long that marriage might last.

  Annie remembered the day she had graduated from high school and her mother had sat her down after Jessie had been put to bed that evening. She had made Annie promise her one thing, that no matter what she had to do, she would take care of Jessie and keep her away from her brother and his wife. She had promised. Never did she think that her mother wasn’t going to be around much longer. But she stepped off the bus coming back from her second job of the day, probably too tired to be as alert as she should have been, and a car going too fast to stop had hit her. She died instantly. Just as quickly, Annie and Jessie’s life changed.

  Her mother had been correct to be worried about her brother and his wife. Three hours after the small funeral, they had laid out their plans to take Jessie into their home and raise her in the proper way a young lady should be raised. Annie pointed out the fact that her mother had left Jessie in her care. They were a family and that’s how it would remain. Then her uncle had simply told her that he was prepared to play hardball if necessary. What chance did she think she would have once he spoke to his judiciary buddies and members of the law enforcement who owed him many favors over the years? He threatened her, filling her with fear when he promised to take Jessie and make Annie’s life miserable. All sorts of things could happen in an investigation…he had seen that many times. Did she really think she could outplay him?

  That’s when she had made the decision. They would leave and get as far away as possible. She would save money and find an attorney who had never heard of Paul Grantham and owed him no allegiance or debt. The law had to be on her side. Her mother had named her as Jessie’s guardian. It was done legally, if cheaply, and notarized. Annie had made a wrong move in going to an attorney in their city. In fact, the only thing to his credit was that when he had heard the whole story and the Grantham name, he was honest that she didn’t stand a chance if the man really wanted to cause her trouble and take her sister. He had been right. The next day, a certified letter had arrived from an attorney hired by the Grantham’s. Steps had been taken to freeze the trust fund that would have rightfully gone to the girls upon their mother’s death. The fund had been kept in its entirety by their mother who had refused to touch it, knowing it was all she could leave her girls when the time came. But her brother knew how to inflict legal pain, and he had begun to turn the screws.

  So they left in the middle of the night with what savings Annie had accumulated. She’d left the job that she loved and the reputation that she had built with hard work behind. Jessie left her friends and school. They had changed their names and bought an old car for which they paid cash. Annie chucked her cell phone for a cheap one that could be changed out when needed. And they had headed to Texas, with the promise of a job. They ended up in a place that was at first foreign to them both, but now felt strangely like they had come home in many ways. Annie knew she had to make a decision soon.

  “Annie! Annie! Wasn’t it super? Did you see me on the wagon?” Jessie was running down the sidewalk, darting around clusters of people, her pink-and-white gingham-checked prairie skirts flying about her legs. Earlier that morning, Annie had braided her hair into two long plaits on either side of her head. With the old-fashioned sun bonnet hanging off her back by pink ribbon streamers, she could have passed for one of the ranch children from the 1800s.

  “Yes, I did see you and you looked like you were having great fun.” Annie’s solemn mood shifted immediately when she saw her sister’s enthusiasm. She placed a grin on her face.

  “It’s even better! I got to have my photo taken with the grand marshal herself, and we won the ribbon for the best parade entry. See?” A huge blue ribbon with gold lettering waved from the girl’s hand. “Truitt said I could carry it and put it in the trophy case at the ranch.”

  At the mention of the man’s name, he appeared in the flesh. He nodded his head in greeting to some of the local people in the crowd milling around them, and his smile became even more pronounced as it landed on Jessie’s beaming face. “That’s only the second time we took the first prize. You must be our lucky charm. We’ll have to have you on our entry every year.”

  “Next year, I could…” Jessie’s face instantly fell, and the words cut off as her eyes met Annie’s. Her chin fell almost to her chest. The silence spread over the three of them.

  “I’ve got to check on the cattle and their enclosure over at the fairgrounds. Jessie wanted to see the baby animal exhibit. If it’s okay with you, she can hang out with me and then I’ll get her back to the ranch afterward.” Truitt’s eyes fastened on Annie’s at that moment, and she felt both the familiar thrill run through her body at the connection and a sense of foreboding as well. Truitt was a smart man. He had sensed something was not quite right about her and Jessie’
s situation early on after their arrival. He had grown more watchful of the pair. His brain was working on things and Annie couldn’t add more fuel. She had reminded herself each day that things had to appear as normal as possible the remainder of their stay.

  “That sounds like a good plan. Is that what you want to do, Jessie?” Annie asked.

  The small head nodded first and then a tremulous smile followed. “Yes, I wanted to see the babies.”

  “Then let’s get a move on and leave your sister to her work.”

  Annie felt gratitude both for the fact that Truitt was such a decent man and gave his time to the little girl and gratitude for the fact he was willing to step back and not push the issue further. But Annie knew it was only a matter of time. There was a clock ticking on the man’s patience. A small voice inside her that warned her he would not wait for long before he asked tough questions and demanded answers.

  Chapter Nine

  Annie caught a glimpse of herself in the antique full-length mirror as she stepped into the alcove off the main gallery. The long, slim black lace over satin skirt had a side slit to just above the knee. It was coupled with the black satin blouse with the tiny pearl buttons beginning at the deep vee of the wide collar and matching tiny buttons adorned the wide cuffs that drew in the puffy sleeves. A wide silver belt accented the slender waistline. Strappy silver heels and large silver hoops completed the outfit. Annie still congratulated herself for finding the items in a boutique in Faris. She wanted elegant with a bit of sizzle. Judging from the admiring glances of the men in attendance, she had achieved that.