The Rancher's Return

by Kathy Douglass

  Was she married now? The youngest of five children, she’d wanted a bunch of kids of her own. No doubt she had a family by now. Just because his parents appeared to have remained frozen in time waiting for him to return didn’t mean that Raven had.

  Donovan pulled back the curtains and stared out the window. The full moon and bright stars illuminated the night. Suddenly he yearned to see more of the ranch. Tiptoeing down the stairs so as not to disturb his parents, he grabbed his boots from the front hall and carried them until he was standing on the back porch. He quickly put them on and headed for the stables.

  He pulled the doors open and looked around then walked slowly down the center aisle. When he reached the third stall he stopped. Zeus. His horse. He’d gotten Zeus for his fifteenth birthday. Some kids liked dogs and treated them like family, but Zeus had been all he’d wanted.

  He reached out and rubbed his horse’s nose. Zeus snorted and then began stomping his feet, pawing at the floor in his excitement. Once the horse calmed down, Donovan led him out of the stall and quickly saddled him. Donovan put his foot into the stirrup and swung into the saddle.

  The night was quiet and Donovan relaxed as he started across the moonlit grass toward the open fields. He and Zeus had traveled this way many nights. When he and Raven had been dating, they’d had a special place where they’d meet at night. It was on Cordero land but close enough to the Reynolds’ ranch that Raven could ride there easily. They’d rendezvous beside a babbling brook then wander hand-in-hand through the meadow. Donovan had carved their initials on the trunk of one of the many large trees. He’d told her it was a sign that he’d regretted all the ways that he’d hurt her in the past and a vow that he’d love her forever. It hadn’t been an original idea, but Raven had been so moved that she’d actually cried.

  But then Raven had always worn her heart on her sleeve. There had never been any mystery to her heart or how she’d felt. She’d never played games so he had never felt the need to do so, either.

  As he neared the meadow, he heard the sound of hooves. The sound was faint, but he caught a glimpse of someone riding away. The rider was too far off for Donovan to tell if the person was a man or woman. When he reached his destination, he put it out of his mind. He was there to reconnect with a special piece of land and to see if he could recapture some of the joy he’d felt back then.

  Dismounting, Donovan walked to the tree. Though it had been a decade since he’d been here last, he could have found the spot where he’d carved a heart with their initials while blindfolded. He rubbed his hand over the letters and then sat. He’d visit Raven’s family ranch tomorrow and find out how she was doing. He didn’t expect to rekindle their relationship after all this time, but it would be good to catch up with her.

  The horse neighed and Donovan rose. He needed to get back to the house. Ranch work started early and Donovan wanted to help out his dad the way he always had, so he mounted the horse and headed for home.

  * * *

  Raven Reynolds crept into the kitchen, hoping to get to her room without running into anyone. Not that she’d done anything wrong. She just didn’t feel like having a discussion with her mother about where she’d been. Marilyn Reynolds was nobody’s fool and she could put two and two together faster than anyone. And really, there was no mystery about where Raven had been. She’d been caught coming in from meeting Donovan many times when she’d been a teenager. They’d loved each other so deeply they couldn’t bear to be apart for an entire night.

  But then he’d vanished without a trace ten years ago. Every rancher in the area and citizen of Sweet Briar, the nearest town, had looked for him, but they’d never turned up a clue. It was as if Donovan had existed one day then ceased existing the next. Despite evidence to the contrary, she’d believed in her heart he was alive and would return to her. Even now she refused to believe he was dead.

  But even so, it was time to move on. She’d finally accepted that even if he was still alive somewhere, he was not returning home. As much as she loved him, it was time to say goodbye to him. She thought she’d done that when she’d accepted Carson Rivers’s marriage proposal five months ago. She’d been wrong. A part of her had still been holding on to Donovan and the future they’d dreamed of sharing. That future wasn’t going to happen. If she was going to be true to Carson and give their marriage a chance, she needed to actually say goodbye to Donovan for good.

  So tonight she’d ridden out to their special place on his family ranch and watched as the sun set and the moon rose. Memory after memory flashed through her mind and she’d shed more than a few tears. She’d ranted and raved at the injustice of it all, releasing the pain she hadn’t been able to get rid of in all these years. When she’d been worn out emotionally, she’d gotten on her horse and ridden home.

  Thankfully no one was in the kitchen and she was able to make it upstairs without discovery. She looked in at Elias and found that he’d fallen asleep while reading again. She turned off the flashlight and put a bookmark on the page before putting the book on his nightstand. It was a hassle to get him to do his math homework, but he willingly read at least two books a week, not including comic books that he read by the half dozen. She kissed her son on the forehead then crossed his room, closing the door behind her.

  When Raven reached her room, she flung herself across her bed and began to sob. She thought she’d cried her last tears when she’d run her hand across the carved letters on their tree, but she’d been wrong. There were still tears left. But as she let them come, she vowed that this would be the last time. She needed to commit one hundred percent to her fiancé and to put Donovan Cordero in the past.

  Chapter Two

  “I want to have a party,” Lena said, putting three slices of bacon on Donovan’s already overflowing plate. He’d awakened at the crack of dawn and gotten dressed to help his father with morning chores. His mother had been awake, as well, humming as she bustled around the kitchen. She’d always made a hearty breakfast for them, but this was above and beyond anything she’d prepared in the past.

  “What kind of party?” Donovan asked then held up a hand preventing his mother from adding fried ham to his plate.

  “For the neighbors and the people of Sweet Briar. I want to let everyone know that you’re back home.” Lena sat and began eating her own food. “Maybe we can have a cookout this weekend.”

  Donovan chewed for a while, pondering how best to turn down his mother. He understood her enthusiasm, but he wasn’t ready for that kind of interaction with the community just yet. Actually he would prefer not to make a big deal of his return. He’d rather handle people one-on-one as he encountered them. “Maybe later. I’m not really up to seeing the whole town right now. I’d like to settle down a bit and spend time with my family and closest friends for a while.”

  “I’m just so happy you’re home. I want to tell the whole world.”

  “I’m not saying keep it a secret. You can tell anyone you want. I just don’t want to be around a whole lot of people right now.”

  His mother sighed, disappointed.

  “Lena, let the boy settle in first,” Mario said, patting Donovan’s mother on the hand. “Think of this time as ours alone. And in the meantime you can plan the biggest party this county has ever seen for when he is ready.”

  “All right,” Lena conceded, to Donovan’s great relief. “A good party will require planning.”

  They talked more as they ate. When Mario finished eating, he stood and Donovan did, as well. He’d spent the past ten years as a paid hand on other people’s ranches. He’d worked hard, earning every cent he’d been paid. It felt good to work just as hard on land that belonged to his family. “See you at lunch.”

  Donovan worked beside his father and the ranch hands. He only recognized one or two of them from before he’d left. The rest his father had hired over the years. Mario paid a fair wage and expected his men to earn it. I
t was only after he’d been on his own and working for others that Donovan appreciated the way his father managed his employees.

  After dinner Donovan felt restless. He tried to fight it, but after a few minutes of an intense internal battle gave up. He needed to see Raven. Grabbing his keys and hat, he told his parents he’d be back later and drove up the road to the Reynolds’ property. For all he knew, she could have moved away as her older brothers had. Or as much as he hated the thought, she could be married with kids. He should have asked his parents. Well, it was too late now. If she no longer lived there, her parents could tell him how to get in touch with her.

  Though each of the ranches was a decent size, the ride by truck only took ten minutes. During that short drive, Donovan recalled the last time he’d seen Raven. They’d met at their special spot. She’d been anxious to tell him something and he hadn’t been able to determine whether she’d been excited or scared. His friend Billy had been home on leave from the army and he’d phoned Donovan before Raven could share her secret. He’d been willing to stay with her, but she’d encouraged him to hang out with his friend. He’d promised to come to her house later so they could talk. Then he’d witnessed the murder and his life had been irrevocably changed. If he could turn back time, he would have stayed with Raven.

  Over the years, when he’d been especially lonely for home, he’d wondered what Raven had wanted to tell him. He’d imagined all sorts of things but doubted he’d ever come close to the truth. He supposed he could ask her now but he wouldn’t. Ten years had passed. Though the moment had been indelibly marked in his mind, he doubted it was the same for her. For all intents and purposes, his life had ended when he’d left town. Hers had not.

  He pulled into the circle drive in front of the large ranch house where Raven had grown up. Unlike his parents, the Reynolds had made changes to their home. The porch swing where he and Raven had spent many pleasant evenings had been replaced by dark brown wicker furniture with floral pillows. A wooden chest with a padded top was centered in front of the love seat.

  As he waited for someone to answer the door, it occurred to him that this was the second time in as many days that he was standing on someone’s porch waiting to tell them he was alive. For a moment he thought about leaving, but decided that ten years was long enough to go without seeing Raven. Besides, no matter how she found out, she was going to be shocked. And he’d missed her too much to wait. Over the years he’d dated other women, but he’d never given his heart to any of them. He’d been living a lie and hadn’t been in a position to be honest with anyone without risking their lives, too. If he’d had to leave town suddenly, he couldn’t have taken anyone with him. He hadn’t wanted to risk the pain of separation again. Though time had passed and his feelings had faded, Raven was the only girl he’d ever loved.

  The door swung open and there she was. Raven. His heart stuttered and all he could do was stare.

  She was even more beautiful than he remembered. More beautiful than in his dreams. Tall and skinny when they’d been teenagers, she’d filled out and now had slim curves. Her straight black hair hung over her shoulders, gently caressing her breasts. But it was her face with her big brown eyes, high cheekbones and full lips that captivated him.

  “Hi. Can I help you?” Though she looked at him quizzically, she smiled.

  His breath caught in his throat and he lost the power to speak. Over the years he’d imagined seeing her again and thought of what he’d say. How he’d feel. But he’d underestimated the emotion that would consume him as he finally came face-to-face with the girl he’d loved. His vision blurred and he blinked away the moisture in his eyes. Time had intervened and he no longer loved her the way he had at nineteen, but there was still an unnamable something there. A connection that had compelled him to see her even though she’d surely moved on with her life.

  “Sir? Are you okay?”

  Donovan had no idea how much time had passed but it had been enough to arouse her concern. “Raven.”

  She gasped and looked at him. Really looked. “Don—Donovan?”

  “Yes.”

  The color drained from her face and she froze. Then her entire body began to shake. She reached out her arms and slowly began to sag to the floor. Donovan stepped inside and managed to catch her before she hit the floor. He scooped her into his arms and carried her into the front room and lay her on her sofa.

  How could he be so stupid? Showing up out of the blue was boneheaded and inconsiderate. After ten years without hearing from him, she had to believe he was dead. He should have anticipated this kind of reaction. Even his mother, who’d never given up hope that he’d return, had nearly fainted with shock at the sight of him.

  He should have let his mother throw the party like she’d wanted. That way nobody would react as if they’d seen a ghost when they saw him. He’d told his mother she could tell whomever she wanted that he was back, but he didn’t know who she’d told so far. Not that it mattered now. Clearly the word hadn’t reached Raven.

  Her hair had fallen over her face and he brushed it aside then watched, waiting for her to come around. After a minute her eyelashes fluttered and she began to stir. She opened her eyes and stared right at him then lifted her hand and touched his face. “It’s really you.”

  “It’s really me.”

  She pushed herself into a sitting position then scooted around and put her feet on the floor. She was still wobbly although her color was returning.

  “Easy.”

  Raven reached out and wrapped her arms around him. He inhaled her familiar scent. She smelled of outdoors and sunshine with a slight hint of lavender soap. He closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the feel of her. Although their bodies had changed and matured over the past decade, she still fit perfectly in his arms.

  After a moment she pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes. The joy he saw in her gaze was unmistakable. “When did you get back?”

  “Yesterday. Dinnertime.”

  She touched his face again as if trying to convince herself that he was real. “You came back yesterday?”

  He nodded.

  “Where have you been all this time?”

  “Working on ranches in Texas.”

  “But you never called. You never came back.” She sounded confused. Hurt.

  He could imagine that she felt angry and betrayed, among other things. At least that’s what he would feel in her position. He’d known this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation, but it was more difficult than he’d expected. The heartbroken expression on her face seared his soul.

  “I’m back now.” He wished he had the words to take away her pain but he didn’t think they existed. He wanted to tell her the truth, but she was so shaky he didn’t think she could handle the shock of discovering her life had been threatened. He would tell her the truth when she was stronger.

  She snorted. “That’s all you have to say? You’re back now?”

  She pushed to her feet then stumbled. He immediately grabbed her elbow to steady her. Her weakness only steeled his resolve to protect her. A body could only take so much and obviously she couldn’t handle another emotional blow now.

  “I guess. It’s good to see you.”

  She jerked away. “You need to leave. Now.”

  “Raven.”

  “Do you have any idea how worried I was? How scared? The entire town searched for you day and night. Jericho, Tony and Billy drove back and forth to town for weeks looking for clues that would help us find you. Your parents put up fliers. The church held fund-raisers to raise money for a reward. They raised twenty-five-thousand dollars for information. Mr. Rivers contributed twenty-five-thousand dollars so we would have a fifty-thousand-dollar reward.”

  Donovan stiffened at Karl Rivers’s name. That old hypocrite, pretending to care about Donovan. No doubt he thought it was best to keep track of what was being done to find
him. Not to mention it made him look good. Having a good public image made it that much easier to do his dirt in the dark. That and owning politicians and controlling law enforcement.

  “Do you know how many nights I couldn’t sleep because I was worrying about you? Praying for you? I cried for months. I had to force myself to eat because of... I was devastated. Everyone kept telling me that you were dead, but I didn’t believe it. I kept hoping you would come back to me. As time passed without a word, I figured you must have been hurt. That was the only reason I could think of that you wouldn’t return to me. I promised God that I would take care of you if he’d only bring you back. And all the time you’ve been fine. You could have come home if you’d wanted. You just didn’t want to.”

  “That’s not true.” He hadn’t meant to justify his actions, but hearing her speak as if she hadn’t been his entire world was unbearable. He would have sacrificed his life to come back. He just hadn’t been willing to sacrifice hers.

  “Were you in prison? In a coma? Held hostage?”

  He’d been held hostage but not in the way Raven meant. His love for her and his family had made it impossible to return as long as Karl Rivers lived. But as soon as the news of the man’s death reached him, Donovan had been freed from his captivity. He’d barely stopped to sleep or eat on his race to get home.

  “Well?” Raven pressed.

  There would be no reasoning with her tonight. Not unless he was willing to shock her further by telling her about the threat to her life. He didn’t want to win the argument that badly.

  “No. I was none of those things.”

  * * *

  Raven forced herself not to cry at Donovan’s words. She thought of all the years she’d spent hoping he would come home. She’d never believed he would leave her without a good reason, so she’d figured something had to be wrong with him. There just had to be a reason he hadn’t returned to her. She’d tried to put herself in his mind and come up with an explanation for his prolonged absence. As time went on, her reasons became more desperate.