by Rita Hestand
"Well—sure, I guess. What's up?" Rusty's smile faded.
"I'll tell you when you get here, and bring Hannah with you."
"Why so mysterious, bro?" Rusty tried to brighten his brother's disposition, but it didn't seem to work.
"Just get back here, and fast." "Okay, okay, we'll leave tonight." "Good, see you early morning then."
Hannah took the phone back and looked at him. "Trouble?"
"Don't know." He removed his hat and scratched his head for a second, then readjusted his hat and looked at her. "Deke has a way of being so mysterious at times. He wants me home, and he wants me to bring you..."
"I hope it's nothing serious. But I can't go with you. I've got to take care of things here." She explained.
"Let Burt handle it. He wants us both there." "What for?"
"Don't know. Just said to be sure and bring you with me."
"I can't just leave...!" She insisted.
"Hannah trust me, if Deke wants you there, its best."
She frowned then turned her horse around.
"Where are you going?" Rusty asked as he rode up to her side.
"To let Burt know."
"Why don't you leave that to me?"
"But..."
"Please," he said quietly as he kept a steady trot next to her.
"Alright. But I don't see what difference it makes." She cast him a quick frown.
"Yes, you do." Rusty said throatily, smiling slowly, as he stared at her long and hard. His eyes seemed to always land on her mouth and it had Hannah squirming.
Hannah bit her lip and whipped her horse about again to head home.
*****
That evening when Rusty returned to the house, Hannah was closing her small overnight bag and she set it in the living room.
He glanced at the bag, then her. "That all you're taking?"
"Isn't it enough?" She gasped.
"I doubt it. We might be a while. It sounded pretty serious to me."
"Well, I can't leave the ranch for that long." A quick flash of anger lit her eyes.
"Take a couple of outfits and the usual stuff women need." He instructed her.
Hannah turned to go pack a bigger bag when something dawned on her.
"Did you talk to Burt?"
"I did." His gaze flew over her. "He'll take care of things just fine."
"Any problems?" Her voice sounded unsteady, breathy.
"No, should there be?"
She shrugged. "No, I guess not."
"He wasn't happy about you going with me, if that's what you are getting at." Rusty confessed and seemed to watch her facial expression, for a reaction.
Hannah nodded. "I didn't expect him to be."
"Is there something you want to tell me about Burt and ..."
"No...nothing." She whirled around and stomped back to her bedroom.
Rusty packed his gear and waited while Hannah finished. He threw their bags in the back of the truck when Burt walked up to him.
Just the way he approached him with such haste and determination, told Rusty to be on his guard.
"Something you wanted?"
"Yes sir, there sure as hell is. I been meaning to talk to you for a while now, but I wasn't sure how Hannah would like it." Burt glanced about, but didn't see Hannah. "Now, it's time. And it doesn't really matter what Hannah thinks." Burt stood squarely in front of Rusty as though to block him from something.
Rusty knew this wasn't going to go smoothly, he felt the tension that Burt oozed and he didn't want a scene, but he never walked away from one either. Deke had always warned him that he'd have a showdown.
"Okay, what's up?"
"You can't just haul Hannah out of here. She ain't even married to you yet. It ain't decent. I want you to walk away from this. Right now. I'm askin' you man to man. Walk away. Walk away from this situation and don't look back." The older man's eyes narrowed on Rusty. "I know she's in trouble. I'll help her."
Rusty eyed the man with new respect. Burt was serious. He really meant what he said and it was more than obvious he had feelings for Hannah, although Rusty was beginning to doubt the man had ever voiced them to her. The poor old fella was love-sick.
"We're going to my Dad's house for a few days Burt, I don't think that's gonna compromise her." Rusty tried to make light of it.
"Did you hear what I said, I'll help her." Burt's gaze didn't waver.
"Yeah, I heard. But as much as I believe you would, if you could. You can't. She wants to stay here Burt. Her mother is buried here. She won't just up and leave. Don't you see, it's the land. It's in her blood, in the blood of her family. The woman has roots. I'm here to help her, believe it or not. In time this will all settle out and Hannah can do her own choosing, but she's got little choice, she has to keep this land, Burt."
Burt looked curious for a moment as though he weighed Rusty's words.
"Maybe she won't leave, but I can handle it. I'm asking you as a gentleman to walk away from this." Burt came closer. "From her!"
Rusty spread his legs and looked directly at Burt. The silly notion that they must look like a couple of gunfighters during a show-down hit Rusty as comical and he squashed a smile. He knew just how serious Burt was too. "I can't do that. I can't back away. I promised her I'd help her save this place. I aim to do just that."
"You can't or you won't?" Burt's frown narrowed on him, his mouth set in a grim line.
"Whatever..." Rusty's patience was growing thin. "You don't love her." Burt burst aloud with his suspicions.
"And you do?" Rusty eyed him closely, noting the way Burt's hands knotted into fists, and stretched as though he were on a tight rope.
"Yes!" The admission flew from Burt's mouth like vile spit.
Rusty started to ignore the situation that was fast becoming heated. He didn't want to fight Burt. He was too old to fight. It'd be like fighting his father. He could never do that. Rusty had the advantage and he knew it. For once he was planning on backing out of a fight.
"I'm sorry Burt, but the lady has made up her mind." Rusty added and started to open the truck door.
"I can't let it happen...I promised her father I'd never let anyone hurt her. And you will. You know you will." Burt said and all of a sudden he had Rusty by the collar and was laying into him. Rusty didn't bother to counter his blows. Burt had all the advantages simply because Rusty refused to defend himself. He knew what was coming, but he'd rather die than hit a man of Burt's age. Burt on the other hand had no problem, and socked him in the jaw. Rusty went down.
Intent on stopping this before it got worse, Rusty stayed down, intentionally.
Hannah came running out of the house. "What are you doing?" She cried and cast a quick scowl at Burt as she bent to check Rusty.
Burt stared at Rusty, then Hannah. "You can't go with him, Hannah. He don't love you. You're making a fool of yourself. I can take care of you. You ought to know how I feel about you by now, girl. I can take care of us."
Hannah stepped up to Burt quite suddenly, her face red from anger, embarrassment and something else. She eyed him closely and her expression was more than serious. "No, you can't Burt. This land is all I have, I won't lose it. I appreciate you're offering, really I do, but you've gone too far. Rusty doesn't deserve this; he's trying to help me save this place. Can't you understand that?"
Burt frowned and started to argue further. Hannah threw up her hands and shook her head.
"Get your things together and clear out of here."
"You don't mean that...can't mean it." Burt was hurting on the inside, while Rusty still lay slumped against the truck, hurting outside.
"I'm sorry, but I do mean it, Burt. I've told you before I'm not interested in you personally. I tried to be gentle about it. I never wanted to hurt you. I've known you too long to hurt you like this. I should have spoken up sooner. Maybe it would have prevented this. But I knew you just wouldn't listen. I wanted to spare you, but there's just too much age difference. I think of you as an Uncle, not husb
and material. I'm sorry."
"But..."
She went to Rusty now and cradled his head in her lap, wiping the blood from his mouth with a handkerchief from his back pocket. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," he said reluctantly, casting a glance at Burt retreating figure.
Burt shook his head and stalked off, slamming the bunkhouse door as he entered.
A few minutes later Hannah and Rusty were on their way. Rusty blotted his mouth a couple of times and frowned.
The silence in the truck was thick with questions. It was obvious Hannah was upset about firing Burt. And that she didn't want to go with him, but he couldn't understand why. She also didn't want to go with Burt either. She wouldn't have to work, and it might mean a few days of R&R for them both. Why couldn't she just relax?
Rusty settled into the seat comfortably then shot her a glance.
"My family won't eat you alive, Hannah. They're pretty nice when you get to know them."
Hannah sighed heavily, as though she didn't quite believe him. "I'm sure they are."
Rusty's arm went behind her on the seat and she tensed. He smiled to himself. Hannah didn't like him getting close, and it was downright mean to tease her so, but he enjoyed seeing her face turn pink even in the dark. He sensed her emotions. He sensed a lot of things about Hannah, as though he knew her much better and longer than he did.
"Relax, I don't bite either." He said huskily.
"I know..." she sighed again. "I guess I'm just tired." The tension was electrical. "It's been quite a night. I'm sorry about Burt..."
"It was bound to happen, sooner or later." "That shouldn't have happened, back there," she
said a few minutes later.
"I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want to fight with him."
She nodded as though she knew Rusty had intentionally taken those blows.
"Don't worry about it. I'm just sorry you lost a good hand because of it."
"It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Burt's been like family all these years. He works hard. He's dedicated to the ranch. But..."
"I know," he whispered and took her hand.
This time she didn't jump out of her skin or even act as though she noticed it. She just accepted it.
"Are you hungry?" He asked. "A little."
"Then we'll stop in town before we leave and get some grub. I'm starving."
She glanced at him. "I should have fixed something at the house."
"There wasn't time for that. But we have to eat, so we'll stop. Okay?"
He looked at her. She glanced at him and the darkness seemed to swallow the moment.
"Okay," came her breathy reply.
During dinner Hannah asked. "Would you mind telling me a little about your family, so I won't be a total idiot when I get there?"
Rusty laughed, and from then on the conversation poured between them. He told her about his dad, how sick he'd been and how he was finally dating Bertha now. He told her about his brothers and Emma, Abby, and the kids. Hannah seemed interested too. But she was staring at him with a quizzical expression.
"Something wrong?"
"No...well, it's just...well it must be wonderful having a big family like that." She admitted.
"It's pretty nice." He watched her expressions change and smiled.
After a short silence he asked. "Don't you see your brother very often?"
"No, not really. He's been in college, and then when he got out, he began his practice immediately in Arizona and he has very little time off. He married a year ago and they are expecting a child in June. So the money is pretty tight for him. Jimmy and I are very close, but these days it's a long distance close."
He'd noticed there had been no calls, and wondered why a brother so anxious to save the ranch for his sister, couldn't bother with a phone call every now and then. Even when he was away from home a week or two, Deke or Jake or even Clint would call and make sure things were okay and when he'd be home.
"Aren't there any other relatives around?"
"Most of my kinfolks are scattered about the State. Not many left now. I have a few aunts and uncles and cousins of course. Once a year we have a family reunion, that's about it." She said with a resigned shrug.
"Must get a little lonely." His gaze was curiously intent.
Hannah blushed again, trying desperately to concentrate on her food. A few minutes later she admitted, as though his comment needed some clarification. "Yes, it is lonely, sometimes."
"Do you go to these—family reunions?" "Most of the time, I make an appearance." She smiled shyly.
"Well look, you have no reason to worry about my folks Hannah. They are all a lot like me."
"That's what I'm afraid of," she laughed.
Her laugh was contagious and sexy. He'd never seen her as sexy before so it stunned him. From then on he tried to concentrate on his steak and not on how Hannah was affecting him. But it didn't work. Hannah exuded a mysterious kind of charm that Rusty was becoming quite addicted to.
*****
It was nearly dawn when Rusty pulled into the driveway of the 4 Bar None. The fact that the old ranch place looked so well made Rusty feel a certain pride in being a part of it. Even in late winter, the ranch was well manicured, and kept up. Denver the family dog barked and raced about to greet him as usual, while his father came running out to greet them too. Cal's face was masked with a pleasant smile. He seemed eager, and yet there was something bothering him, Rusty could always tell when something bothered his father. There was a certain hesitation in his glance, a weathered frown of worry lined his forehead.
"This is Hannah, dad," Rusty pulled Hannah close to his side possessively and introduced her to his father as he gave Denver a quick pat and obliged him by throwing the toy ball for him that he had brought to Rusty.
"Hannah," Cal repeated, shaking her hand and looking directly into her eyes almost sadly. "I'm pleased to meet you, hon. It's been awhile. Last time I seen you, you were knee high to a grasshopper."
Hannah laughed again, and Rusty found himself aroused by this woman more than he cared to admit. Even her husky laughter seemed to trigger a reaction in him. He didn't understand it. It suddenly struck him how easily Hannah would fit into his life and family, and that knowledge stunned him too. Why was he thinking about Hannah in such a permanent way? They both knew and accepted that this was only temporary.
"Where's Deke?" he asked drawing his attention purposely away from Hannah.
"He's nursin' a sick calf in the barn. He'll be in directly. Come on in, Hannah and have some of Emma's biscuits and gravy."
Hannah nodded and followed them in, slinking away from Rusty's possessive hold of her.
Rusty moved closer, determined not to leave her side. Rusty wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery though. His father was evading the issue.
"Maybe I better go out and see him," Rusty said as Hannah followed him into the house.
"Don't bother, he'll be in directly. Let's get some grub and get Hannah settled in, first." Cal frowned at his son as though he'd forgotten his manners.
"Yeah, sure."
Emma came out of the hallway and greeted them with a child on her hip and one at her side. Without missing a step she swiped Rusty's cheek with a sisterly kiss and smiled at Hannah. She was dressed in jeans and sweatshirt, and her hair was tied back in a ponytail. Hannah knew she was a ranch-wife just from the way she handled herself. "You must be Hannah, I'm Emma. These little rascals are mine. Come on in, I've got breakfast hot on the stove."
Hannah seemed surprised at how friendly the Travers bunch were, accepting her as almost family immediately.
Rusty eyed Emma as she put fresh butter on the biscuits and waited till she brought them to the table before asking. "So what's the emergency?"
Emma shot him a quick reprimand. "You'll have to ask Deke."
Why was everyone being so evasive? Deke had called him home, why couldn't someone tell him why?
Rusty thought about his
current situation, wondering if he'd done something to annoy his brother or anyone else in the family. Deke didn't sound too happy on the phone and he couldn't begin to imagine what had gone wrong.
Hannah only ate a few bites before pushing her plate away. Rusty sensed her unease, and insisted she could eat more than that.
"I'm really not very hungry, haven't done any work to make me," she tried to smile but it fell short and Rusty knew she was a quivering mass. He wanted to comfort her, reassure her, but he knew she'd have to learn to take the Travers bunch as they were. Instead he grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed it, communicating silently that he understood and it would be alright.
Half an hour later, Rusty was showing Hannah his prize championship stock, as they lingered in the meadow. Each and every one of them were perfect, Hannah acknowledged. Prize stock! Hannah shook her head, as she leaned on the gate. "I don't blame you for not wanting to put those up for collateral. I'm not sure I would do such a thing, in your place."
"I don't intend to lose them, Hannah."
She glanced at him and he winked. He put his arm around her and led her back to the house where Emma was feeding the baby. Deke strolled into the kitchen, his expression almost grim as he shook hands with Hannah and nodded to his brother. Rusty noticed the tension in his brother's walk and stance. This couldn't be good news.
Ordinarily he would have grabbed his brother for a hug. Something was definitely wrong.
"Okay, spit it out, what's up?" Rusty demanded, not waiting a moment later.
Deke glanced at him with a frown, then at Hannah. "We'll talk about it later." Deke tried to stall as he took over the chore of feeding his youngest.
Just the look in Deke's eyes should have told Rusty to be quiet, but he seemed determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Rusty shook his head. "If it's that bad, we'd better get to it now."
Deke sighed, had Emma pour him a cup of coffee and told the children to go wash their hands. He eyed Hannah for a long moment, as though sizing her up and the situation between his brother and her. "I think we should discuss this in private, bro."
Rusty eyed him, then everyone else. Hannah sat with her hand still in his, and her head bowed as though melting under the table and out of sight.