The Cowgirl's Sacrifice

by Tina Radcliffe

  “What? Last I heard, Nicole was headed to medical school.”

  “Nope. She wanted nothing to do with medicine. She’s a schoolteacher. Part-time, anyhow, and she runs the shop with my mother.”

  “Oh, my. Your father couldn’t have been happy. Both you and your sister refused to go to medical school?” Then her eyes rounded, and she released a small gasp. “I’m so sorry. You’ve lost your father, and here I am speaking ill of him.”

  “You’re not saying anything that isn’t true.” What did it say about his family that the thing Kate remembered was that his father was an unyielding man who sought to control everything?

  “Tell Nicole thank you,” Kate said.

  “I will. I’m glad you like it.”

  Kate started toward the house and then stopped and turned. “How’s your mother doing? You mentioned—”

  “Fine for the moment.” He nodded toward the house, not willing to discuss his mother right now. “You’ve got a party to get to.”

  “Yes. Yes.” She glanced at him and then away again. “Tell her hello. Will you?”

  “I will.” And he would. His mother would be touched. She had always liked Kate and would give him a hard time, as she had before, for not pursuing that Rainbolt girl a little harder. As if trying harder was all it took to change things.

  He followed Kate as she stepped into the now cozy living area of the small home and waved a hand around the room toward a buffet table, where folks he recognized had already lined up.

  “Help yourself. Luna brought more food than I’ve ever seen. I’ll be in leftover heaven for weeks.”

  No one in Rebel with any sense bypassed anything the ranch chef prepared, and that included him. He filled his plate and settled in a chair across the room near the open French doors, where guests had spilled out onto a cozy patio.

  From his position, Jess could see everything, and he stayed there for almost an hour while he cleaned his plate and nursed a glass of sweet tea. All the Rainbolt brothers were here with their wives. Mitch, Reece and Tucker were attentive to their little sister and took care of the guests, not allowing Kate to do anything except enjoy the party in her honor. It was clear they were happy to have her back in the fold.

  Despite their rocky past, he had to admit he was glad for Kate and her brothers. Jess had always envied the dynamics among the Rainbolts. His own mother had been close with Kate’s mother once upon a time, before she’d fallen from grace and married TJ Rainbolt. Then their social circles hadn’t crossed, and according to his mother, Jess’s dad had discouraged the friendship the same way he’d discouraged Jess’s relationship with Kate.

  What his father had never understood was that, while the Rainbolts were poor in many things, they were rich when it came to love and their dedication to each other.

  Kate’s laughter rang out, and Jess turned to see her chatting with Finn Hardy, the vet who worked at the equine clinic housed at Rebel Ranch. When the cowboy bent his head close to her ear, Jess clenched his jaw.

  “He’s pretty smooth, ain’t he?” Willard asked as he sidled up next to Jess and sat down in an empty chair. “We both could learn something from his technique.”

  “Who?” Jess feigned interest in the bottom of his glass.

  “That vet feller.”

  “Can’t fault Finn. He’s a nice guy.”

  “Sure he is, but you know that means you’re gonna have to move faster if you want to catch Miss Kate’s eye.”

  Jess jerked his head around to be sure he’d heard Willard correctly. “What are you jabbering about?”

  “You heard me. Don’t be staring at me like I’m a steer with two heads.”

  “I’m not here to catch anyone’s eye,” Jess shot back. If only his life were that simple. He was in Rebel because his mother’s kidney disease had worsened, and she had begun dialysis while she waited for a transplant. When he wasn’t working at the ranch, he and his sister took turns driving his mother to her dialysis appointments in Tulsa three times a week. There was no time for anything else.

  “No?” Willard continued. “Looks like you have anyhow.”

  “Now what are you talking about?”

  “That cowgirl by the dessert table is eyeing you. I do believe she works in the kitchen with Chef Luna. Sure would be nice to end up with a woman who can cook, right?”

  Jess nearly laughed aloud. There was a time when he believed that he’d end up with Kate. A woman who ten years ago couldn’t boil water. He couldn’t help but wonder if that had changed.

  “What are you smirking for?” Willard asked.

  “Me? Nothing,” Jess said. He nodded toward the cowgirl. “She’s checking out the lemon meringue pie from Daisy Rainbolt’s bakery. Sure hope there’s more than one, or hearts are going to break tonight. Mitch’s wife makes the best pies around. Don’t you think?”

  Willard jumped from his seat. “I do, and lemon meringue is my favorite.” The old cowboy gave a thumbs-up. “I’ll catch you later.”

  Jess chuckled and stood to take a stroll around the living room, hoping that Willard wouldn’t follow.

  He scanned the space. The home had been empty last time he was here. Now the little ranch house had personality. Kate’s. He stopped to check out a painting next to a display shelf. The Southwest colors did indeed remind him of his sister’s pottery.

  “Like it?”

  He turned to find Kate behind him. “Yeah, I do.”

  “It’s from San Antonio. A little shop on the River Walk.”

  “You get around, don’t you?”

  She smiled at his words. He hadn’t purposely complimented her. It was an observation. One she was proud of, he realized when her face lit up.

  “I’ve been to nearly every state west of the Mississippi in the last ten years.”

  “I’m not surprised.” What surprised him was that she was in Rebel, acting like she might settle down.

  Jess reached out a hand to straighten the picture frame, but it refused to cooperate. He peeked at the wall behind the frame, confused.

  “As it turns out, it’s impossible to hang a picture with one arm,” Kate said.

  “I’m not following.”

  “I tried to hold the nail with my casted arm, but it hurt to raise it that high. So I swung at the wall really quick and made a few dents in the plaster. The picture is hanging there to cover up the holes in the wall. It won’t ever hang straight.”

  “A little spackle will fix that right up.” His gaze moved to the walnut bookshelf and a framed photo in black-and-white. “This your family?”

  “Yes. When we were kids.” She pointed to each face. “Mitch. Reece. Tucker. That’s me, next to Levi.”

  “I’m sorry about Levi.” His mother had told him the Rainbolts had lost their youngest sibling six years ago. “I never said that, and I meant to.”

  “Thanks.”

  Jess couldn’t help but look at the rest of the items on display. Everything on the shelves was a piece of the puzzle that made up Kate’s life. They were the steps that had brought her back to Rebel. Long ago, she had confided to him that she’d planned to find her father. Had she? Or was she still on that journey, temporarily sidelined by the accident in Tucson?

  He nodded to the collection of miniature glass horses. “What’s this?”

  “Oh, it’s silly, I guess. My father started my obsession with the figurines. He brought me back one or two when he was on the circuit. I started picking one up at each stop on the road. They’ve been in storage until now.”

  “They’re beautiful.”

  “Handblown, fused glass, they tell me. I’ve broken a few along the way. They cut and leave you bleeding mercilessly if you break them.”

  “I guess anything beautiful comes with risks.” He pointed to an amber glass stallion with a blue mane. “Why does that look familiar?” />
  Kate picked up the figurine. “I showed this to you a long time ago. It’s the last one my father brought me. I was eight. It’s been in storage for a long time.” She raised a shoulder. “I’ve never thought of myself as a collector. I pulled the figurines out of a packing box this week and realized how many I’ve accumulated. I probably should get rid of them.”

  “No. Don’t.”

  Kate’s gaze met his, her eyes reflecting surprise. “That sounds like you have a definite opinion on the subject.”

  He hadn’t thought much about it until this moment. “Collections are a way to preserve the past. Someday you’ll have children to pass them on to.”

  “You must have spotted those flying pigs at the ranch,” she said.

  Jess laughed at the reference. “You’re good at poking fun at yourself, aren’t you?”

  “Am I?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What do you collect?” Kate asked.

  Jess pondered the question for a moment. Maybe he collected memories. Memories that he unfolded at night and examined because he was still trying to understand his own path.

  “That wasn’t supposed to be a hard question,” she said.

  “Let me think about it,” he returned.

  Someone called her name, and she waved across the room. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  Jess watched her float away, and then his gaze returned to the glass horses with their sharp edges. Just like Kate. Delicate and beautiful and poised to gallop away at any moment, and he’d be left bleeding if he got too close.

  * * *

  “Is this an intervention?” Kate asked. She stared at all three of her brothers across her kitchen table. Mitch, Reece and even Tucker had appeared on her doorstep after church. They stared at her with earnest expressions, and she eyed them suspiciously in return.

  Sure, they’d brought Eagle donuts, but her gut still told her something was about to go down, and it wasn’t good.

  “This is a show of support and concern,” Mitch said.

  She picked up her coffee mug and took it to the sink to rinse.

  “Kate?” Tucker asked softly. “Did you see Dr. Bowie at the clinic this week?”

  “Yes, and only because you all ganged up on me.”

  “Come on. You had to have your arm evaluated eventually. We only nudged you along,” Tucker returned.

  “Okay, great. My arm is healing nicely.” Healing nicely, but the doc had concerns about her concussion and had referred her to a neurologist in Tulsa. Information her brothers didn’t need to know.

  Kate dried her hand and turned to face them, smiling sweetly. It was time to take control of the situation. “Did you know Dr. Bowie used to barrel race?”

  “Oh, yeah?” Reece asked. “When was that?”

  Mitch turned to him. “Focus. We’re here for a reason.”

  “Right. Right.”

  Here for a reason. The truth was about to land.

  Tucker waved Kate to the chair. “Sit down, would you?”

  Tucker of all people, was in on this ambush. He was the closest to her in age. Only three years separated them. They were the youngest siblings. Weren’t they supposed to stick together?

  She slid back onto the chair and sighed.

  “I couldn’t help but notice a few things at your party on Saturday,” Tucker said.

  Her head jerked up. “What things?”

  “You grimace when you laugh, and you hold your middle. A few times, you seemed to have difficulty catching your breath. That tells me that, at minimum, you’ve injured a few ribs and you’re in more than a little pain.”

  Leave it to the eagle-eyed vet. Now she’d have to talk her way around that observation.

  She smiled at Tucker. “Is that all? Everyone who mounts a horse gets a cracked rib or two.”

  “Cracked ribs and maybe a concussion? Most bullfighters don’t wear helmets, do they?”

  She swallowed hard and ran a finger over the lid of the blue-and-white Eagle Donuts box.

  When she didn’t answer, Tucker continued. “Doesn’t matter. Helmets don’t necessarily keep you from a concussion.” He cocked his head in thought. “I’d like some details on your accident. I’m guessing there’s more going on than you’ve told us.”

  Kate’s hand moved to her neckline, and she fingered the edges of her collar to be sure the fabric covered her scar. “Why are you asking me all these questions?”

  “Mitch told you. Because we’re concerned.” Tucker reached out to take her hand. “And we’ve come to the conclusion that you cannot do physical labor on the ranch for a while. It’s too risky. You have to heal.”

  “So, none of you believe I’m qualified to handle the horses?”

  “This isn’t about the horses,” Reece said. “Kate, you’re qualified to do any job you want on this ranch. We’d like more than anything for you to learn the workings of the entire ranch and become a full-fledged partner. Trouble is, you’re not in any shape for that right now.”

  Kate scanned the table, looking at her brothers one by one. They didn’t flinch. “What are you saying?”

  “We don’t want to see you near the horses,” Reece said, his voice firm. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “You’re grounding me? Like I’m sixteen again?” She bit her lip, stunned at what she was hearing.

  “How long did the doctor tell you it would take until she can give you a health release?” Tucker asked.

  She eyed him slowly. Usually, Tucker was the voice of reason against her big brothers, but she could tell he wasn’t going to budge either. This wasn’t good. Kate turned her head. “I refuse to answer on the grounds that it will give you more ammunition.”

  “Fine. Then you are grounded,” Reece said. He took a casual sip of coffee from the mug in front of him.

  “This is ridiculous. I’ve been hurt plenty of times. I get back in the saddle. No one has ever told me I can’t ride or do my job.”

  “We are now.” Reece’s jaw was set as he met her gaze. “Because this is our rodeo.”

  She was between a rock and a hard place. She was going to be jobless for six weeks and had mounting medical bills, and if she left Rebel Ranch, she’d also need to board Einstein. Here, she had rent-free housing, but she needed a paycheck.

  “Kate,” Tucker added. “This situation has left you feeling out of control. We get that. We’re Rainbolts. All of our lives have been a series of out-of-control events. From losing Mom to Dad walking out to Levi’s death.” He paused long enough to make her turn and look at him. Tucker had been through the worst of the worst, losing his children’s mother soon after their birth.

  His eyes were glassy with moisture as he stared at her. “We can’t lose you, Kate.”

  Choked up, she nodded.

  “Your health is the most important thing,” Tucker continued.

  “You’ll be back in the saddle before you know it,” Reece said.

  Mitch leaned forward, his blue eyes boring into hers. “We’re so proud of what you’ve accomplished, Bug. You need to know that we’re behind you one hundred percent. Even when money was tight, we always made sure there was enough for your horse and boarding and anything else our girl needed.”

  Mitch was right, and she was ashamed of herself for pushing back.

  “I’m sorry. I know that.” She swallowed. “It’s just that I’m not used to sitting around, and I have bills...”

  “We’ll pay your bills,” Tucker said.

  “No. Absolutely not.” She paid her own way. That was rule number one.

  Reece leaned back in the chair and nodded thoughtfully. “There’s a solution here, if you’re willing to consider it.”

  “What kind of solution?”

  “If you can commit to sticking around to help launch the tourist season, I’ll offer you a chance
to use your degree.”

  “My degree? I graduated ten years ago.” She wasn’t sure if she even remembered half the classes she’d taken in college.

  “I’ve been managing the ranch books,” Reece said. “That’s all I’m asking you to do. We outsource payroll and have an accountant for the tax stuff.”

  “A desk job.” Kate groaned.

  “It’s not the end of the world,” Mitch said.

  “I need help,” Reese explained. “By all indications, you need a job.”

  “A desk job.”

  “A desk job. You’ll handle the books for all aspects of the guest ranch, liaise with the accountant for the ranch.”

  “What do you mean, all aspects?”

  “Anything that doesn’t have to do with employees.”

  Once again, her gaze took in each of her brothers, trying to figure out how she’d ended up in this situation. No one knew the details of her injuries except Franny. Kate inhaled sharply. And Jess.

  “What do you think, Kate?” Tucker asked.

  “I think that I’m going to give Jess McNally a piece of my mind.” She stood and headed toward the door.

  “Kate, come back here,” Mitch called.

  “Jess didn’t have anything to do with this,” Reece yelled after her.

  Kate blew a raspberry and kept walking until she got to the main stable and the office at the back. She shoved open the door without knocking.

  Jess glanced over his shoulder and then swiveled his chair around, his eyes round.

  “You told my brothers about the accident,” she said.

  “No.” Jess shook his head slowly. “That’s not what happened. Reece asked me a question, and I answered. I told you I wouldn’t lie.”

  “What question was that?”

  “He asked if I thought you were ready to work in the stables. I said no.”

  “Thanks a lot,” she sputtered with a shake of her head. “From this point on, you’d better steer clear of me, McNally.”

  Jess shrugged, nonplussed. “I understand that you may be handling the books for the ranch going forward, and that will include talking to me.”

  “If I do, that doesn’t mean I have to acknowledge your existence.”