A Cowboy's Homecoming

by Leigh Riker

  “The men are out spreading hay for the cattle after that latest storm, rounding up strays. I’m here waiting for the farrier.” He held up the bridle. “Mending tack. Not that I need to justify my time.”

  “Not to me,” she agreed, with a look toward the tack room.

  Gabe jingled the bridle in his hands. Strong hands with sturdy wrists. As if she would welcome being cared for, protected by him. By anyone. And why would she want him to? Meg had learned the hard way with Mac, and as a child, that she had only herself to rely on. From the minute she’d met Kate’s foreman, she’d tried to maintain distance. Sure, he was good-looking, but Kate was wrong. Meg would never throw herself at another man as she had so trustingly done with Mac—at least, not anytime soon. Besides, she always had the impression that inside, Gabe was laughing at her.

  He wasn’t laughing now. When Meg started down the aisle again, he came after her. “Wait.” His dark eyes looked somber. “Seems to me we got off here on the wrong foot. I get that you’re unhappy with your ex. Maybe you have the right to be. I don’t know him, though he must be pretty dumb to have let you go.” There was no way he could have known about her past, but Meg had wondered more than once about his. An air of mystery seemed to follow Gabe. Even Kate didn’t know that much about him. “But you’re not doing yourself any good wearing that chip on your shoulder.”

  “Only with you,” she murmured.

  “Kate warned me earlier you might be touchy this morning, but you do understand your breakup has nothing to do with me?”

  Meg stilled. Had Kate told him about Mac’s call? About her insecurities? As a girl, she’d often spent time at Sweetheart Ranch because, whenever her parents had been deployed, she couldn’t stay home at Fort Riley alone. She’d bonded then with Kate, who had been motherless, too, in a very real way.

  Teddie had poked his head out of Spencer’s stall and was staring at them.

  “Nothing has anything to do with you,” she told Gabe.

  “You sure about that? You seem to reserve a special animosity toward me. I keep wondering why.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know how long you’ll be staying here—how long I might last either—but at least try not to hate me, especially when Teddie’s watching.”

  Meg turned her back, strode along the aisle to Spencer’s stall, then laid a shaking hand on Teddie’s head.

  He peered up at her through his glasses. “I think Spencer’s almost all better. Gabe said I could give him a carrot. Did you bring ’em?”

  “I forgot.”

  A hand reached around her. Strong, masculine. “Here. Take the bag.”

  She passed it to Teddie, fearing she couldn’t speak. As always, Gabe’s presence had unsettled her. “Let your pony have his treat, then meet me at the door.” She brushed past Gabe, then marched to the barn entrance, feeling his gaze on her the whole way.

  * * *

  SURROUNDED BY PRINTOUTS from his New York office, Noah shifted the phone from one ear to the other and cringed. It was as if his partner were leaning over the desk in the WB’s office rather than calling from London.

  “What were we thinking?” Brent Jeffries’s bass voice boomed. “I’ve hired three office managers so far. One of them crashed our new computer system and lost critical data. I mean, really? At J&B Cybersecurity? The second took two hours for lunch every day, and the newest was more concerned about his girlfriend losing her job than with his own.” Brent took a breath. “I fired him before I called. And don’t get me started on our VP of Security.”

  Noah held the phone away from his ear. “Go ahead and rant. I understand and I apologize. I should have handled that. I’d be there if I could.”

  “Well, it was your turn to fly to the UK, not mine.”

  “Two trips since New Year’s is a lot, Brent. Breathe,” Noah said. “We’ll get through this, and before you know it—”

  “‘We’ll’ get through this?” He snorted. “Strange, but I haven’t seen you in New York or London lately. I hope you’re enjoying being a Kansas cowboy again in all that snow.”

  “Can’t say I am.” Noah glanced at the pile of papers on the desk. Ranch accounts, invoices, emails from other ranchers wanting to breed cattle from one of the WB’s bulls. Oh, and the pending Prentice Security deal. He and Brent were trying to buy that small start-up firm to give them a broader reach into military contracts. His head had already been spinning over both jobs when Brent phoned.

  For a brief moment, Noah half wished he hadn’t partnered with Brent, thus the company name J&B. The guy was a bona fide genius, but his people skills weren’t that great, and he had a quick temper—like Noah’s dad. Then there was his too-loud voice. Ditto. Noah and Brent had started the business together. But what if Rob had later worked out? His personality had been more laid back, and they’d been such close friends they almost read each other’s minds. Except about Kate, he hoped. Maybe, in time, he would have bought out Brent’s stake, then partnered instead with Rob. Kate might have changed her mind by then and moved to New York. If so, would Rob still be alive? Instead, now he had to smooth Brent’s ruffled feathers.

  And, as he’d told his mother, try to manage two jobs when tonight his mind kept straying to Kate and Teddie at the barn yesterday. He hadn’t slept any better last night, but Noah should focus on business—at the moment, two of them.

  “We’ll be okay. Let me make a few calls, see if I can tap into some contacts I made when we were looking for venture capital. I met some pretty talented people with experience. Maybe one of them would be interested in heading the London office for us if we beef up the salary. Let me think about a security person too.”

  “Gee, then I could actually sleep in my own bed for more than two nights running?”

  Noah smiled a little. “I wouldn’t go that far. But I feel your pain. The mattress in my old room here at the WB should have been replaced long ago.” If he were staying, that would be another priority. Plus, he’d love to update the security on this office computer, which had holes like a sieve, and replace Wilkins. “Seriously, if my sister hadn’t decided to tour Miami after her cruise, she’d probably be home by now—and I’d be back in Manhattan tomorrow.”

  “Which would make Margot happy.”

  Noah started at the mention of her. He hadn’t talked to Margot since that last phone call, and frankly he’d been so caught up in the operation of the WB while placating Brent that he hadn’t even thought about her. “You’ve spoken to her?”

  “Indirectly. She called before this last trip of mine.”

  “Why?”

  Brent hesitated. “For one thing, your admin told me she didn’t sound pleased.”

  That was nothing new. “Yeah, but what did she actually want?”

  Brent cleared his throat. “I’m not supposed to say.”

  Noah had a bad feeling. “Spill it, Brent.”

  He sighed. “Margot wanted to know if Daphne had booked your trip home yet. She needed the details.”

  Noah ran a hand over his hair. “I told her myself. I don’t know when I’ll be flying back. I texted Willow to see when she and Cody are actually coming home, but she hasn’t answered.” Willow must be livid about the wedding. He hadn’t heard anything more from Zach, either, who might not alert him anyway. And why hadn’t Daphne told him about Margot’s call? Her dad may have helped to bankroll the firm, but it wasn’t as if she was Noah’s wife.

  “With that call Margot stepped over a boundary between our personal lives and business.”

  Brent said, “I may be out of line here, too, but from what Daphne said, your girlfriend strikes me as awfully high maintenance.”

  Noah liked a lot of things about Margot—her smile, her boundless enthusiasm, her elegant style and even her patience, though that had become increasingly limited where he was concerned...but not her intrusion into his professional life.

  “
Am I right?” Brent asked because Noah hadn’t answered.

  “I guess that comes with the territory. Her father is one of the most important, wealthiest men in the city, so I suppose her expectations of the high life and, above all, my devoted attention, seem natural to her.”

  “Speaking of intentions...”

  “I said ‘attention.’” Noah swiveled the desk chair back and forth. Brent was tweaking him now, and maybe he deserved it for sticking his partner with a large chunk of J&B business in his absence, but Noah wasn’t about to take the bait.

  Brent said, “Margot did ask if you’d made any recent trips to Tiffany, Cartier or Harry Winston.”

  “She what?” Brent had finally diverted him from J&B, New York and even Kate. “I’ll talk to her,” Noah said.

  “Can you get me that okay on the Prentice deal first? I have lawyers breathing down my neck, eager to finalize the agreement.”

  Noah studied his computer screen. “I’m looking at it now. You’ll have it by tomorrow morning, guaranteed.”

  “Make that stat,” Brent muttered. “Please.”

  A second later, Noah was staring at his dead phone. He would definitely have that talk with Margot.

  And torn between J&B and the ranch, he faced yet another sleepless night.

  * * *

  ONE OF KATE’S favorite moments in the day was putting Teddie to bed. There was nothing better than the feel of his warm, cuddly body next to hers as they read—or rather, reread—Janie Wants to Be a Cowgirl. The now-tattered book had been handed down from other children in town and was always a Teddie pleaser.

  “Again, Mommy.” He snuggled closer, knocking his glasses askew.

  Kate straightened them, then tapped a finger on his nose. “Don’t you get tired of hearing the same story, Bunny?” He hadn’t seemed to be quite paying attention tonight.

  “I like Janie.” Bandit lay beside him on the bed, with Teddie idly petting him. “Her horse isn’t as nice as Spencer, but she gets to ride him anywhere she wants. Anytime.”

  This was another dig at Kate. Ever since Noah had fallen off his brother’s horse, Teddie had been negotiating with her daily to ride over and visit him. That she’d taken him to meet the new foal had failed to dull the edge of his demands, in fact, had made things worse. Kate flipped to the first page of the book, then started the story again.

  “Mommy.” After a few sentences that Teddie could have read himself, he covered the page. “Do you think the baby horse is okay?”

  Kate was curious herself. The vet hadn’t been there yesterday while she and Teddie were at the WB, and she hadn’t heard anything since then. Was the mare better and the foal now able to nurse? “Mr. Bodine is taking good care of him.”

  “But he might need help.”

  “Nice try,” Kate murmured.

  Teddie nodded. “I could fill his water bucket. I can give him carrots like Spencer. I can—”

  “Teddie, I told you we’d see the newborn colt, but that was a onetime offer.”

  “Why?”

  Kate didn’t want to fall back on her usual answer. Because I said so. This was one of the times when she missed Rob most. They’d always taken turns settling Teddie for the night, and she could almost hear the deep rumble of his voice as he’d read to their son. She’d enjoyed that as much as her own storytelling duty. Now, she read to Teddie every night unless Meg offered. “I don’t—you shouldn’t get attached to him.”

  “To N—Mr. Bodine?”

  “No, the foal. Yes, you can name him but, Teddie Bear, that will be the end of it.”

  “Not if the baby wants me to come over.” Teddie peered up at her through his glasses. “Yes, he does, Mommy. I know he does. Mr. Bodine does too.”

  “You have no way of knowing that.”

  “Uh-huh. When we left yesterday, he said he’d see me next time.”

  “That was a figure of speech.” Kate rephrased that. “He was—”

  “Being polite again?”

  “Yes, I’m glad you remember that.” She gently pried his hand from the page of the book. “Now, young man, it’s time for you to sleep.”

  Teddie’s tone turned into a whine. “But why can’t I help? You always say we need more help here. I bet Mr. Bodine does too.” Teddie squirmed. “I bet he misses his brother.”

  “I’m sure he does, and his sister.” He must be praying hourly for Willow’s return.

  Teddie plucked at the bed cover. “I miss Daddy, and I want him to come home, so maybe that’s how Mr. Bodine feels too.”

  Kate took a shaken breath. “Oh, sweetie.”

  “I bet he feels bad because you don’t like him. But I do.” Teddie nodded again, his glasses slipping down his nose. He pushed them up. “I like him a lot.”

  Were her misgivings about Noah that obvious? Apparently, they were.

  Kate had liked him fine before he’d lured her husband to the big city. It would be too easy now to revisit their happier past when, in earlier years, the three of them had been friends. But with Rob missing from that trio, how happy could that memory be?

  And where could it possibly lead?

  Kate and Noah couldn’t be more different. She was a country girl; he was now a city boy. As far as she knew, Noah was a confirmed bachelor; she was a single mom, with Teddie’s welfare uppermost in her mind. She didn’t want to go anywhere. Kate preferred being “cooped up” at home; but Noah was chafing to get back to his bigger world. The world he’d held out to Rob like a carrot on a stick, far from Sweetheart Ranch and her.

  “Mr. Bodine won’t be here much longer,” she warned Teddie. Or was she reminding herself? Even after the news that Willow had extended her honeymoon, that must mean only a few extra days. “If you get to know him better, think how sad you’ll feel when he leaves.”

  Teddie’s lower lip trembled. “Like I did when Daddy left. I’m still sad.” Now Teddie was softly crying, leaning against her, the tears soaking Kate’s shirt. She’d said exactly the wrong thing. Gabe had claimed she was a good mother, but how true was that? It had been days since Teddie had last cried, and she’d hoped he was beginning to deal better with his grief. To accept.

  Kate held him close until, at last, his sobs became shudders, then a sigh.

  “Teddie, Daddy didn’t want to leave us.”

  “Then neither will Mr. Bodine, right?”

  “That’s not the same.” Kate silently prayed that he wouldn’t take this discussion any further. She couldn’t take another mention of the daddy he missed with all his heart. The next thought stabbed like a knife through her mind. Did Teddie see Noah as a stand-in for his father? That could only lead to more heartbreak. She closed the book and laid it on his nightstand. She wiped his tears, then kissed the top of his head.

  Teddie’s mouth had set. “Yes, it is the same.”

  Kate had no answer for that. “Time to close your eyes, Teddie Bear.” She rose from the bed, tucked the covers around him, slipped off his glasses and leaned down to kiss him goodnight. “Sleep well.”

  He yawned, his eyes at half-mast. “Tomorrow I need to tell what the baby horse’s name will be. So we have to go back, Mommy.”

  Kate decided, as she left the room without responding, that if Teddie—like Noah so long ago—didn’t want to be a rancher after all, he would make a fine lawyer.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ANOTHER TRIP TO the WB proved unnecessary.

  “Mom, he’s here!” The next morning, Teddie raced out of the house. “Noah!”

  “Stay away from that truck,” Kate called after him, her heart already in her throat. After Noah’s call earlier that morning, she’d been expecting him, but his arrival was a surprise for Teddie. Noah had asked if they might try putting the mare and foal with hers, as she’d first suggested. She’d been half-inclined to reject the plan now, but for the colt’s sake, in the
hope of a closer bond with the mother and better nursing for him, she hadn’t.

  With Bandit barking, Kate hurried outside as the WB’s pickup, towing a two-horse trailer, pulled up at the barn. Noah climbed down from the truck and tipped his hat. “Morning.” In boots, jeans and a shearling-lined jacket, he didn’t seem like a New York CEO.

  “You’re looking quite the cowboy today, Mr. Bodine.” She sent Teddie a pointed look to remind him of the proper form of address.

  Noah grinned then went around the rear of the trailer, Teddie dogging his heels and chattering away. When he saw the foal inside, he let out a shout that made the mare dance too.

  “Careful,” Noah said, a hand on Teddie’s shoulder. “These two rode with no trouble, but we don’t want something to happen to them now.”

  “What would happen?”

  “Teddie,” Kate put in, “we don’t make sudden movements near the horses, just like with Spencer or Lady.”

  Teddie dug the toe of his boot into the dirt. “Sorry.”

  Kate wouldn’t scold him further. He was a quick learner but also sensitive. She thought of the night before, when he’d cried again over his father and defended Noah. She watched Noah pull down the ramp, then coax the mare out of the trailer. Wherever she went, the colt would follow. At least, that’s how it usually worked.

  “So, there’s been no real bonding?” she asked, recalling their earlier conversation today.

  Noah handed her the mare’s lead rope. “I kept hoping she’d get accustomed to him, and that mastitis has greatly improved. She does allow him to nurse, but afterward she turns away and still ignores him.” He shook his head. “I’m thinking maybe Zach should sell her once this colt is a bit stronger. Wilkins tells me she’s not the best cow pony, and if I were running the WB permanently, I’d be more than reluctant to breed her again.”