The Cowboy’s Daughter

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  Good idea.

  They talked for a bit more, catching him up on the local gossip. But all too soon, Pete pushed back from the table. “Well, I got to go back to work. Feel free to stay as long as you want, Trent. I was serious about the dishes.” He pointed in the kitchen.

  “Oh stop,” Serena said. “We have a dishwasher.”

  “Are you sure?” Trent asked.

  She nodded.

  “Well then, I should get going too.”

  Getting up from the table, he hugged Serena and then Mrs. V., watching with a little jealousy as Pete gave his wife a passionate kiss. There hadn’t been a lot of time for romance while he was working his way through the rankings. He thought again of the mysterious Kelly. After his phone got stolen, there had been no way to reach her. Maybe, he’d see her this year at the rodeo.

  They’d had one of the best nights of his life after the Last Stand Rodeo about six year ago. He’d been back a few times since, but he never saw her in the stands. It had been a long shot, and he probably hadn’t been ready for a relationship while he was still trying to walk normally and get back on a horse, anyway. Still, Trent would’ve loved to have seen her pretty smile again. He’d dreamed of her, and of that night, many times since.

  “You need to come back and see Marisol and Alejandro,” Mrs. V. said, showing him a picture of her grandkids who were in middle school.

  “I will.”

  That was another thing he’d never had time for. Maybe, in this new chapter of his life, there would be.

  Chapter Three

  As she drove the rental car through the gates of the Three Sisters Ranch, Kelly looked to her left, half-expecting and half-hoping to see one of her sisters galloping over to greet them. But instead, she saw a new building with a barn and pen attached to it. There were workmen milling around the site and if she hadn’t had Alissa with her, she would have stopped to see what was going on.

  That better not be the hunting lodge. It was too close to the ranch house and the road. The game animals were farther back anyway. It didn’t make sense to build a hunting lodge this far up.

  As she drove down the long driveway, though, that had been the only activity going on. It was like a ghost ranch. Everything else was quiet, except for the crunch of gravel under her tires and Alissa’s iPad playing Sesame Street.

  Today’s show is sponsored by the letter W.

  Why was she here again?

  Why did she think she could do this? And where the hell were her sisters?

  Kelly tried to come to terms with her brooding thoughts and the turmoil of emotions swirling through her. She hadn’t expected to be so upset, but the feelings had started as soon as they’d landed. It wasn’t like this when they came back for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Maybe because this time she was playing with the idea of making this permanent.

  Her own business would be something to be proud of and help her get rid of the black cloud over her life. The shame surprised her. She didn’t have anything to be ashamed about. So what, if she had gotten pregnant? So what, if it was with a rodeo star who left without a backward glance? So what, if her father had looked at her with disappointment up until he’d thrown her out?

  “I want to see the horses,” Alissa said. “Where are the cows?”

  “You will,” Kelly assured her. “The cows, though, are grazing in one of the back pastures. You probably won’t see them until later tonight.”

  Alissa poked her bottom lip out. She had been a trooper for the flight and the drive, but Kelly’s mommy senses were tingling. There was a tantrum on the horizon and her blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel was seconds away from turning into the demon child from hell.

  “But you may get to see the kittens in the barn.”

  That nipped the tantrum in the bud. If only everything could be solved by kittens. Alissa’s face cleared and she gave a big yawn, but went back to receiving instructions from the mother ship—or whatever Big Bird was saying. Kelly figured the kittens had bought her fifteen minutes of peace. But that was all she needed.

  Parking outside of the garage, Kelly noticed all the little things she hadn’t before. The flower beds surrounding the house were neglected. The lawn looked parched. There was a tractor by the barn that had seen better days, and an ATV with half its engine on a sheet next to it.

  “You made good time from the airport.” Her mother stepped out on the porch, wiping her hands on her apron. She was a tall and sturdy woman, with pretty features and graying hair. Every now and then, Kelly got a glimpse of her when she looked into the mirror.

  “MeMaw!” Alissa flew up the stairs, launching herself at her grandmother.

  “Easy,” Kelly warned, but Sarah Sullivan was made of sterner stuff than that.

  She swung her granddaughter around and then set her on her feet. “Come on inside. I’ve made chocolate chip cookies just for you.”

  And just like that, Kelly was alone by the car. “Nice to see you, too. The flight was long. And the drive was longer. I’m fine. How are you?” she said to the empty air.

  After wrestling their bags out of the car, Kelly hauled them up onto the porch and then carried them inside where her father took them immediately out of her hands. “Dad, be careful. They’re heavy.”

  He had aged. He looked so old. Frail almost. Growing up, she never remembered her father as ever being sick—well, more truthfully, he never admitted it. Looking him over with a critical eye, she saw he did look tired and pale.

  “I got it,” he said, pulling away when she went to take the heaviest one back.

  “Let me help.”

  “No,” he snapped, showing the usual piss and vinegar she had grown up with. “I can damn well do it on my own.”

  She watched him struggle with the bags upstairs to the bedroom she had used as a child. She and Alissa would share it for the time being.

  “Hello,” she said to the empty foyer. “It’s good to be back.”

  Was it? Was it really?

  The emotional roller coaster she was on rivaled the Texas Giant at Six Flags, Arlington. Rubbing the back of her neck, she went into the large kitchen where her mother was fussing over Alissa. Kelly could see that Alissa had two cookies, a yogurt and a glass of milk.

  “Hi, Mom,” she said, kissing her on the cheek. “Are Janice and Emily here yet?”

  “No, you’re the first. Janice had a show this weekend, so she’s coming Monday and I’m not sure when Emily is getting here. She was having a hard time getting a flight out.” Sarah wiped her hands on her apron. “I hope everything is going to be all right.”

  “Of course, it will,” her father said, bursting into the room and tickling a giggling Alissa. “Why wouldn’t it? All my girls are going to be home. I can’t wait to go to the rodeo together.”

  Kelly hid a groan.

  “Rodeo?” Alissa asked.

  “You didn’t tell her about the world-famous Last Stand Rodeo?” her father said, incredulously.

  “World-famous is stretching it a bit, Dad.”

  But he had launched into the same old stories that she’d heard a million times before, but they were new to Alissa. Kelly tried to listen and enjoy them, but the simmering resentment she had felt since he’d tossed her out, pregnant, kept coming to the surface.

  “I’m so glad you’re home,” he said, shooting her a grin.

  Anger flared inside her and Kelly tamped it down. No. It’s your home. You could throw me out anytime you want to and Mom would let you.

  Ugh, she’d thought she was over this, thought she’d moved past it, like her therapist said. But like that ugly kernel of jealousy, Kelly still ached from the betrayal. Deep down, she was still that pregnant girl, scared of her father’s rage and gutted by her lover’s indifference.

  She didn’t want to be that person anymore!

  It was tough to be jealous of her own daughter, but Kelly remembered when she had all of her father’s attention, and none of it had been laced with disappointment. At least Alissa would
have her support when her father’s mercurial mood changed.

  Kelly sprung up and walked to the picture window overlooking the many acres. The back lot looked better cared for than the front. That was probably Nate’s doing. Their foreman worked night and day to keep the ranch together. Now that her father was slowing down, Nate was probably doing double the work instead of asking for help. She’d make it a point to check with him tomorrow morning to see how he was holding up. Not that he’d tell her if he was struggling, but she could see for herself. Or maybe, she’d leave Nate entirely to Janice.

  It was both strange to be back in Texas and at the same time, it was as if she’d never left. Forcing herself to think about her portrait studio, she went over a couple of important things she would need. She’d have to convince her parents to put in an access road and a parking lot. It had to be far enough from the main house and the ranch house to not be in the way, but it had to be easily accessible for road traffic.

  Kelly stared out at the scrub brush and the unforgiving dirt outside the window. She was confident she could make the business work. It was going to take her meager savings and a lot of fast talking at the Last Stand Bank for a startup loan, but she could do it. She had excellent credit. But better than that, she had gone to high school with the bank manager. As soon as her sisters got here, they could begin. But did she really want to live here, at her father’s whim again? Certainly not when she had Alissa to consider. Kelly had to demand a contract. And that wasn’t going to go over well.

  “Can I talk with you?” Sarah asked, coming up to her.

  Nodding, Kelly accepted the glass of sweet tea her mother offered her, and sank into the couch.

  “It’s going to be good to have a full house again. It’ll be like Christmas with all of us under one roof.”

  “If we don’t kill each other.” Kelly smirked.

  “How’s Candace?” Sarah poured herself a glass of iced tea. “My sister is another one who should come back home more often.”

  “She’s the same. She’s happy. She’s very successful.”

  “All I’m saying is that if she built up her little business here, she wouldn’t have to live in New York City,” her mother said.

  Sarah made it sound like New York City was synonymous with the pit of despair.

  “I like it there.”

  “It’s not home.”

  Kelly flinched. “It is to Candace. And maybe even to me and Alissa.”

  “No, you’re back where you belong. I appreciate you coming back home. It means the world to us.”

  Kelly stiffened at the repeated use of the word home, but made an effort to ignore it. “We’re family. Like I said on the phone, if you don’t want to sell the ranch, we’ll do everything in our power to keep that from happening.”

  “I hope it’s enough.” Her mother looked down at her lap and then looked up. “It has to be, right?”

  “How much is the hunter bringing in?”

  “Donovan Link? He’s a nice man. He paid for three months upfront to hunt and bring some tours in. But I think he’ll be a long-term renter. That’s good news.”

  Kelly wasn’t sure they wanted armed strangers wandering around the property, but that wasn’t her decision. She could only hope Donovan Link knew what he was doing. “Is he building a hunting lodge? Is that what’s up front?”

  Rolling her eyes, Sarah said, “No. That’s your father’s bright idea. He wants to wait until all you girls are together so he only has to tell about it you once. He’s so excited—just like a kid at Christmas. I don’t even know whose building it is.”

  Kelly was intrigued, but she knew she’d get nothing out of her father until he was ready to tell them. “How are you paying for the new construction up there?”

  “We aren’t. Your father’s surprise is.”

  The plot thickens.

  “What if you have to sell in the meantime?”

  “The buildings will be a part of the sales agreement.”

  “Are Dad’s secret project and Donovan Link’s money going to be enough to get you through the short term?”

  “It’ll buy us a few more months.”

  “Don’t worry, Mom. Janice and Emily and I are on the case.”

  “I’ll still worry. It’s what I do. But I also trust you girls.” Her mother smiled and looked out the window wistfully.

  “I have an idea that could help. I want to talk to you and Dad about it.”

  “Frank? Come in here for a sec. Kelly wants to talk to us.” Gee, no pressure Ma, I just walked through the door.

  Kelly took a deep breath instead and clasped her hands in front of her when they began to shake.

  “I want to see the kittens,” Alissa mewled, sounding a little like a petulant kitten herself.

  “My thing can wait,” Kelly said quickly, glad for the excuse.

  “You can tell us on the way to the barn.” Her mother got up and Kelly was forced to follow.

  Once outside, PawPaw and MeMaw grabbed each of Alissa’s hands and swung her between them. Kelly winced. “Dad, be careful. She’s heavy.”

  “She’s light as a feather,” he said, swinging her higher.

  Kelly closed her eyes and concentrated on keeping her temper. There was probably an unwritten grandparents’ law about this somewhere that allowed them to override her, but she didn’t have to like it.

  Once Alissa was set up in the barn, Kelly had to run back into the house for her camera. The sight of her daughter with little orange puff balls crawling all over was too cute an opportunity to miss.

  “You could have used your cell phone,” her father said, showing her his. “Mine takes great pictures.”

  “Mine takes better.” She smiled at him and positioned the kittens for the perfect shot. Unfortunately, the phrase herding cats was accurate.

  “You wanted to talk to us?” her father said. Kelly could sense he was at the end of his patience, so she reluctantly let go of the need for the perfect shot.

  “I had an idea for the ranch.” She walked out of the barn and was glad to see them follow. She didn’t need to have Alissa hear the argument, if there was one. Oh, who was she kidding? These were her parents. Of course, there was going to be an argument.

  “Alissa and I were thinking of moving to Last Stand, permanently.” Kelly figured she’d soften them up with the good news.

  Her mother reached down and gripped her father’s hand. “We’re so happy to hear that.”

  “I tell you I’m selling the ranch and you want to move here?” her father said, his voice rising.

  Here we go.

  “I want to rent some land—like your hunter is doing—to build a photography studio. I’m going to open up a business selling portraits and my photography prints.”

  Frank blew out an exasperated snort. “No one is going to pay for that.”

  Gritting her teeth at his casual dismissal, Kelly forged on. “Aunt Candace is working some old contacts and I have excellent references from local schools in New York.”

  Her mother dropped her father’s hand and nudged him with her elbow. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

  Kelly felt relief tickle the back of her throat. Even though her sisters and she had suggested some ideas on how to save the ranch, Sarah had shot most of them down. Kelly was surprised to have her mother’s support in this.

  “But you don’t need to pay us rent,” Sarah said.

  Kelly wanted to bang her head on the barn door. “That’s the whole point of Alissa and me moving back to Last Stand. We’ll rent the land from you and that will go toward the upkeep of the ranch.”

  Her father set his jaw.

  She knew he was dying to say something along the lines of “I don’t need your help.” But he did. His own phone message said so.

  “This won’t do anything but delay the inevitable,” he said in a resigned voice.

  “Don’t underestimate your daughters,” her mother said, again surprising Kelly. “Between the three of th
em and Donovan, it could be just the spark we need.”

  Frank considered it. “I’ve got plans too, you know. Did you see that building up front?”

  “Yeah.” Kelly leaned forward wondering if he was going to tell her.

  “That’s going to be our big break. I’m charging him a fortune.”

  “Him who?” Kelly said.

  “Nope. You got to wait until your sisters get here. I only want to tell this story once.”

  “It better be good, Frank,” her mother said.

  “It is.” He smiled devilishly and for a moment, Kelly felt sixteen again.

  “I need to get a pavilion and a gazebo. I think the southwest part of the ranch would be best so we can get the sunsets in the bridal pictures.”

  Sarah nodded. “That sounds beautiful.”

  “We need photographs to advertise. I’ll take Pippi out and scout some locations tomorrow.”

  “She’ll be happy to see you.”

  “I missed her, but she wouldn’t fit in our apartment. It barely fits the three of us.” Her horse was a strawberry roan with a temperament as sweet as can be.

  Her father was getting restless. It was time to seal the deal. “You can just make a copy of the contract you gave to Donovan Link and I’ll sign it.”

  Frank guffawed. “I don’t need a contract from my baby girl.”

  “I do,” she said softly.

  He shook his head. “Not necessary.”

  “It is to me,” Kelly argued.

  “I’ll charge you what I’m charging Link, but when you can’t swing the rent, don’t worry about it.” Her father walked back to the barn.

  Kelly clenched her fists, but forced a smile. “You don’t have to worry.”

  “I ain’t worried.” Her father put his thumbs through his belt loops. “I’ve got my girl’s back. That’s all I ever wanted.”

  “Dad.” Kelly started to go after him, but her mother laid a hand on her arm and shook her head.

  It wasn’t a complete victory, but Kelly was optimistic. He wouldn’t throw her out if she pissed him off again, not when Alissa was part of the deal. But she didn’t quite believe it. She couldn’t wait for her sisters to get here. She needed to talk to them.