Texas Ranch Justice

by Karen Whiddon

  Before he could help himself, he managed to zero in on her kissable mouth, until he quickly dragged his gaze away. She managed to look lovely and sexy and natural, all at once.

  And way too damn cozy with Hal.

  Suppressing a sharp stab of resentment, Travis worked on manufacturing an easy smile. “Good morning,” he said, nodding at her before looking at Hal.

  “Mornin’.” Hal grinned. “Scarlett here was just fixin’ to fry up some eggs.”

  Though he wondered if she really knew how to cook, Travis nodded. “Sounds great.”

  His tone mustn’t have been too convincing, judging from the narrow-eyed glance Scarlett sent his way. Travis shrugged and poured himself a mug of coffee before taking a seat at the table. “You know you don’t have to cook,” he said. “That’s usually my job, at least for breakfast.”

  In the act of placing a large skillet on the stove, she turned. “You can cook?”

  “Barely,” Travis allowed. “Judging from your tone, you don’t believe it.”

  “Show her,” Hal said, grinning. “She’s our guest and really shouldn’t be making her own meals.”

  “Nonsense.” Scarlett stood her ground. Those ridiculously high heels of hers had the effect of making her legs look even longer. “I don’t mind helping.”

  Travis debated getting up and asking her to sit down, but if she really wanted to make breakfast, he truly didn’t mind. “Knock yourself out.”

  Shaking his head, Hal went back to reading the paper. He passed the sports section over to Travis, just like he always did, but Travis barely glanced down at the page. He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from the woman standing in front of the stove.

  With her back to him, she moved with a sensual grace, despite the tall shoes. Today, instead of her usual fancy dress, she wore a pair of formfitting blue jeans. He had to admit, she filled them out a heck of a lot better than he’d imagined.

  When she glanced over her shoulder, as if she’d felt his gaze on her, he blinked and hurriedly looked down at his newspaper. He read the cover story three times, not absorbing a single word.

  A few minutes later, she set a plate down in front of him. Three perfectly cooked eggs, two slices of bacon and toast. She placed an identical plate in front of Hal, before returning to the stove to fetch her own.

  “Did you want some orange juice?” she asked, her direct gaze and her sweet tone daring him to find something wrong with his breakfast.

  “No thanks,” he replied, changing his mind when Hal asked for some.

  Finally, all three were seated, the hot meal in front of them. “This looks great,” Hal enthused, before digging in.

  Again, Scarlett glanced at Travis, as though she expected him to make a snide comment. Instead, he nodded. “It does look great. Thank you.”

  He ate, trying not to be too obvious about the fact that he was also watching Hal. The man had to take nourishment sometime. If he didn’t, he’d not only continue wasting away, but he risked having heart and kidney issues.

  To Travis’s relief, Hal ate most of one egg and an entire piece of toast. He only nibbled on a slice of bacon, but that was definite progress.

  When Scarlett caught his eye, he realized she was thinking the same thing. A sudden image of his hands tangled in her hair, pulling it loose from the ponytail, before he placed his mouth over hers and tasted her once more.

  What the... Quickly glancing down at his plate, he concentrated on sopping up the rest of his egg with his toast. Why the hell had he given in to impulse and kissed her in the first place? Now he couldn’t get her out of his head.

  But he would. Immediately.

  “What’s on the agenda today?” Hal asked. Travis looked up, realizing the older man was addressing him. Relieved, he listed all the chores he had in mind for today. Though they were remarkably similar day to day, Hal knew this all too well. Running a ranch entailed supervising various ranch hands and making sure they did what needed to be done. There was always fence needing repair, cattle needing rounding up or feeding. Though Travis preferred spending his day on horseback, taking care of a ranch this size often entailed using his pickup.

  As he wound down, he became aware of Scarlett watching him. The hunger he thought he saw in her gaze rekindled his own desire, simmering flame igniting into an instant inferno.

  Look. Away. Mindlessly, he reached for his coffee cup, gulping down the last two swallows. “I’ve got to get going.” He pushed back his chair, scraping it on the linoleum floor.

  Trying not to rush, he strode to the coatrack, grabbed his hat and crammed it on his head. He slammed outside without another word.

  Though today was one of those days when he probably needed to take the truck, instead he went to the barn and saddled up his favorite gelding. He needed to clear his mind and get himself straight. Not only did he still not trust Scarlett Kistler, but he couldn’t help but be aware of how the lure of a sexy woman had brought stronger men than him to their knees.

  And it wasn’t just that he wanted her. He could tell she wasn’t the kind of love ’em and leave ’em woman who could handle a strictly sexual fling. Which was all it could ever be between them. She definitely wasn’t the type who’d thrive on a ranch, with a simple man like him. Angry that his thoughts had even gone down this path, he shook his head. His horse snorted, sensitive to his mood.

  Calming himself, he slipped the bridle on and adjusted the bit. Working the familiar motions of saddling his horse helped. Climbing up, swinging his leg over and settling into the saddle helped even more.

  When he rode out onto the dirt trail, he felt like himself again. The easy rhythm of hooves hitting the earth, the warm spring breeze and the birdsong from the nearby trees helped to erase his tension.

  His cell phone rang, startling him. Caller ID showed the landline from his house, which meant either his mother or his sister needed something. Despite the fact Travis had told both of them numerous times not to call him during the workday unless it was an emergency, they still did.

  Since he still had a few more minutes before he reached the area where he knew the men would be working, he went ahead and answered.

  “Good morning, son,” Vivian chirped. “I tried to catch you before you left, but I overslept.”

  In all the time she’d been living with him, he’d never once seen her up before sunrise, so he didn’t reply.

  “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about that girl.”

  Of course she did. She’d been out late the night before, so she hadn’t gotten the opportunity to bring it up before bedtime.

  “What about her?” he asked, unsuccessfully trying to keep from letting his annoyance show.

  “Do you think she’s for real?”

  “What I think isn’t important. Hal believes she is, so that’s all that matters.”

  Her expressive sigh told him what she thought of that.

  “I’d planned on going over there today to visit with Hal, but now I’m not sure I should,” she said. “But I need to try to get to know her. I feel like I should try to keep Hal from getting hurt.”

  “I feel exactly the same.” Inwardly wincing, he went ahead and said it anyway. “It wouldn’t hurt for you to get to know her. You and Amber might be able to learn things about her more easily than I would.”

  Vivian laughed. “Okay, you twisted my arm. It’s always best to keep your enemies close.”

  Poor Scarlett. He almost felt sorry for her, as if he’d unleashed a horde of locusts or something. His mother definitely could be a force to be reckoned with.

  “You never know,” Vivian continued. “She might be for real. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted.”

  “You do that,” he agreed, and ended the call. He fought back the desire to call the main house and warn Scarlett. Where had that notion come from anyway?

  He’d just settl
ed back into the saddle, enjoying the natural beauty of the landscape, when his phone rang again. He groaned, especially when he realized it was from the same number.

  “What now, Mom?” he asked, by way of greeting.

  “It’s not Mom, it’s Amber,” his sister replied. “Did you really just sic Mom on Scarlett?”

  “I wouldn’t put it quite that way. If Scarlett’s planning to be around awhile, which she said she is, she needs to get to know everyone.” His answer, while true, sounded weak, even to him.

  Amber snorted. “You have a point, but maybe you should have let it happen a bit more gradually instead of having Mom go at her full strength.”

  Ahead, he could see the group of ranch hands, loading cattle into chutes in preparation for the work they had to do.

  “Look, Scarlett’s a grown woman. I’m sure she can handle anything Mom throws at her. Now, unless there’s anything else you need, I’ve got to get to work.”

  “Nope, I’m done. But a word of warning, big brother. Don’t be surprised if this backfires on you.” She ended the call before he could ask her what she meant.

  Chapter 4

  “What got into him?” Hal mused, scratching his head as he stared at the door Travis had just slammed.

  “I think I annoy him,” Scarlett replied, keeping her tone light.

  “He’ll get used to you,” Hal reassured her, reaching across the table to pat the back of her hand. “He might come across as gruff, but he’s got a big heart. I promise you.”

  Though privately she wondered, she nodded.

  “What are you planning to do today?” Hal asked, his expression curious.

  “Just hanging out with you, I think.”

  “Vivian will be over here around ten. She’s taking me to a doctor’s appointment. Delilah will be here, but I think you should get out and explore. Do you know how to ride?”

  “Ride?” she repeated, then realized what he meant. “Horses?”

  He snorted. “I’m guessing from your response that the answer is no.”

  “You would be correct.” She thought for a moment. “I would like to go into the nearest town, though, if you could point me in the right direction. I’ve got a little shopping I’d like to do.”

  “Why don’t you ride with us?” Suddenly animated, Hal eyed her as if she’d already agreed. “You can do your shopping while I’m at my doctor’s appointment and then we can all have lunch together.”

  With Vivian? The woman who’d all but called her a liar and a cheat two minutes after meeting her? Carefully, she kept her expression neutral while she considered. Surely the woman wouldn’t be that obnoxious in front of Hal, would she?

  Either way, Scarlett knew she couldn’t avoid Hal’s ex-wife forever. “Sure, I’d like that,” she said. “I’d better go shower and get ready. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?”

  “Nope.” He wheeled himself around with a deft motion, displaying more energy than she’d seen from him. “I’ve got to clean myself up too. My bathroom’s all rigged up for me. See you in a few.”

  After a hot shower, as Scarlett blow-dried her hair, she told herself she’d probably made too big of a deal out of Vivian’s behavior the day before. After all, her sudden appearance had to have been a shock.

  Still, she took pains with her makeup and dressed with extra care, choosing her favorite red dress to match her lipstick. Luckily, she’d had a gel manicure done before leaving Atlanta, so her nails still looked perfect. Silver-and-black dangling earrings, bracelet bangles and a large ring with a black stone completed her outfit.

  As she surveyed herself in the mirror, she smiled. Red was her favorite color. When she wore it, she felt confident, able to do anything. If any outfit could help her deal with Vivian Gardner, this one could.

  When she emerged from her room, she saw Hal had finished before her. He wore a freshly pressed button-down shirt, which hung on his too-thin frame. At the sound of her heels on the wood floor, he looked up.

  “Wow,” he exclaimed. “You sure look beautiful, darlin’.”

  “Thank you.” Beaming, she glanced at her watch. Five ’til. She wondered if Vivian was usually punctual. If the other woman planned to start out unpleasant, she wanted to get it over with.

  A moment later, the sound of a car door slamming told her she was about to get her wish.

  “She has her own key,” Hal told her, making her wonder.

  Vivian breezed into the house, stopping short when she caught sight of Scarlett. “You look...really pretty,” she said, her tone stating the opposite.

  “I invited Scarlett here to come to lunch with us,” Hal told her. “I understand you two have already met.”

  “We have.” Vivian frowned. “And I’m looking forward to getting to know her. But, sugar, we’re just having lunch at the local café.”

  “Are you saying I’m overdressed?” Scarlett kept her tone light, amazed the other woman had put her claws out right away.

  “I think what Vivi is trying to say,” Hal began.

  “I can speak for myself,” Vivian interrupted him sharply. “And all I’m saying is that Anniversary is a small town. The locals are mostly farmers and ranchers, or small business owners.” She shrugged. “I just thought you might be more comfortable in jeans and boots, that’s all.”

  Chin up, Scarlett met her gaze and held it. “I’m perfectly comfortable in what I’m wearing. This is one of my favorite dresses. And I don’t own a pair of boots.”

  “We’ll have to rectify that, for sure. My treat. There’s a great boot shop in town.” Hal wheeled himself toward the foyer. “Let’s get going. I can’t be late to see Dr. Dugan.”

  Vivian sighed and strode past him. She held the door open for him, leaving Scarlett to bring up the rear.

  The SUV Vivian drove had been outfitted with a lift and a ramp. Scarlett watched while Vivian helped Hal get situated. Once he’d been strapped in, the older woman turned and eyed Scarlett.

  “You can ride shotgun if you like,” she said. “There’s not a whole lot of room in the back with Hal’s chair.”

  “Sounds good.” Determined not to let Vivian intimidate her, Scarlett climbed into the passenger seat.

  Vivian did a double check of Hal, making sure everything had been secured, before going around and getting in the driver’s side. She started the engine and they were off.

  “How far is it to town?” Scarlett asked, trying for polite conversation.

  “About twenty-five minutes,” Vivian answered. “While we’re on the road, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? What’s the story with your mother and Hal?”

  “Vivian!” Hal’s sharp rebuke made Vivian shrug.

  “Sorry,” she said. “But I’m curious. I really want to know.”

  “Maggie was my girlfriend,” Hal interjected. “Long before I met you. We discussed getting married, but she was so much younger and I refused. I didn’t think it would be fair to her. When she ran off, I took that as confirmation that I’d been right, even though she broke my heart.”

  “You never mentioned her to me.” Vivian sounded peeved. “Not once.”

  “Did you tell me about every single relationship you had?”

  “Of course not.” Vivian sighed. “Point made. But I’m more interested in hearing from Scarlett here. Why’d you wait until now to contact Hal?”

  Once again Scarlett relayed her story, glossing over the pain and the horror of her mother’s illness and death. She described finding her mother’s papers and finally learning the name of the man who’d sired her. She omitted mentioning the diary, not comfortable with sharing that with anyone else.

  “Wow,” Vivian commented, once Scarlett had finished. “I wonder why she never told you.”

  “Me too.” Hoping her smile hid most of the pain retelling everything brought back, Scarlet
t looked out the window. There were a lot of thick patches of trees with the occasional grassy pasture. So far she’d seen cattle and horses and even goats, but only one other house.

  “My story is completely different,” Vivian offered, surprising Scarlett. “Hal was my second marriage. He came along when Travis and Amber were toddlers. We have a fifteen-year gap in our ages too, but after we married, he was a great husband and stepfather to my kids.”

  “Tell her why we got divorced,” Hal said from the back seat. “She’s way too polite to ask.”

  Since he was right, Scarlett simply waited.

  Finally, Vivian shook her head. “I don’t think that’s any of her business.”

  Hal snorted. “You’re all up in hers, though, aren’t you?”

  Afraid they might start bickering, Scarlett decided to try to change the subject. “Amber’s son is adorable, isn’t he? It must be nice to have your grandson live so close.”

  Both Vivian and Hal gave her identical looks of disbelief. Then they both laughed.

  “It is,” Vivian conceded. “Nice change of subject.”

  Hal only shook his head.

  “Thank you.” Scarlett smiled. “I really didn’t want to know your personal business either.”

  As they pulled up to a stop sign, Vivian reached over and squeezed Scarlett’s shoulder, surprising her. “You know what? I like you. I think you and I might just get along fine.”

  “I’d like that,” Scarlett answered. Oddly enough, she found herself thinking of Travis. She wanted to ask Vivian about him, but feared if she did, the other woman would assume more of an interest than Scarlett would be comfortable with.

  Once again moving forward, Scarlett realized the countryside appeared to be becoming more urban. Instead of pastures and livestock, more houses appeared. Set back from the road on large lots or acreage, these properties seemed more urban. Instead of livestock, they had decorative water fountains or large garages.

  “We’re almost to town,” Vivian said, noticing Scarlett’s interest in the surroundings. “We don’t really have suburbs or anything—Anniversary’s not big enough for that—but after these ranchettes, you’ll see a few subdivisions before we get to town proper.”