“Don’t you think that might unsettle him more?”
“Maybe, or maybe it will help snap him out of it. Get his mind off things, like it helps us humans sometimes.”
“What’s his name again?”
“Valentino, and I used to see how he and Melinda, that’s the girl who had to leave, I used to see how they were together. He was a real Romeo with her.”
During their dialogue, the horse had been eyeing his new surroundings, sniffing the air, and taking a few agitated steps.
“What do you plan to do with him while you’re here?” Max asked.
“I wanna ride him on some of the trails you have. Like I said, just a change for him.”
“Let’s put him in a pasture,” Max suggested. “Let him have a walk around, eat some grass.”
“Sounds good,” Caden agreed.
“You’ll never guess who’s arrivin’ tomorrow?” Max said with a spark in his eye as they headed across the stable yard to the paddocks.
“With the folks that show up here, I can’t even begin to guess,” Caden chuckled.
“Hold on to your hat, cowboy. Heather Chadwick.”
“No shit. Heather Chadwick,” Caden repeated letting out a low whistle. “I think I’ll be stickin’ around an extra night.”
“I thought you might say that,” Max chuckled. “I hear she’s comin’ alone. She and that rocker, what’s-his-name…”
“Jeff Ludlow?”
“Yeah, Jeff Ludlow, I heard their engagement fell apart. I’m guessin’ she’s comin’ here ‘cos of that. You know, a break from the tabloids, the drama.”
“A place to heal her heart,” Caden mumbled, like Bridget.
“What did you just say?” Max asked as he opened the gate to the large, green paddock.
“I said, she’s comin’ here to heal her heart,” Caden replied.
“Poetic,” Max grinned, “and probably right on the money.”
Walking Valentino into the pasture while Max waited at the gate, Caden talked to him, then offered him a carrot as he slowly removed the halter. The horse looked around, took a few steps, then began trotting away. The horses in the adjacent fields began whinnying their welcome, running up to the fence to meet the visitor.
“I’m gonna walk on up to the house and see Richard, then grab me some coffee,” Caden said as he ambled back to the gate.
“I’ll have the guys clean out the van,” Max offered. “You got anything in there you want me to put away?”
“Thanks, Max, sure. The saddle and bridle for Valentino, it’s the only thing in the front compartment.”
“I’ll see to it,” Max assured him, then looking at the chestnut gelding who had begun bucking and playing, he shook his head and smiled. “He’s a stunner.”
“Yep, he is. I’ll be back, thanks again.”
Caden started to walk up the drive. His stomach was still churning, and though he knew what he wanted to say to Bridget, as he ran the words through his head for the umpteenth time, he shook his head and stared at the ground in dismay.
It sounds like a speech, hollow, not real. Man, this is tough. I love that she’s such a spitfire, but right now I just need her to sit still and listen. How the heck am I gonna manage that? Richard will have told her I was comin’ by now, so maybe she’ll have wrapped her brain around it long enough to-
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Her voice shocked him, and snapping up his head, darting his eyes around, he searched her out.
“Behind you,” she said testily. “You’re lucky I don’t have a fucking gun, or I’d be happy to shoot you in the back, though a knife would be better, yeah, a knife to stab you in the back, the same knife you used on me.”
Taking a breath, Caden turned slowly around, his heartbeat ticking up as he stared at her. In the six weeks they’d been apart it was obvious she’d been in the sun. Her tanned skin made her green eyes pop, and her auburn hair had streaks of sun-kissed blond.
“Hey, Bridget, you look fantastic,” he said calmly. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“Well, I’m not happy to see you. Why are you here?”
“I, uh, just delivered some horses,” he replied. I don’t wanna lie to you. I wanna tell you I’m here to see you, but you’re still as mad as a hornet. I guess I’d better ask you the same question. “What about you? Why are you here?”
“I’m working here, at least for the summer, not that it’s any of your business,” she snapped.
“Bridget, please, stop with the temper. I’d really like-“
“Let’s get this straight. I have a right to my temper, it’s justified. I don’t know how long you’ll be here, but stay the fuck out of my way, got it?”
“Sure, I’ve got it, Miss Potty Mouth,” he said with a deep frown.
“What did you just say?” she demanded, her eyes blazing.
“You can be as mad as you want, but honey, usin’ that word, you know it makes me wanna whack your butt.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she hissed. “Now stay the FUCK out of my way!”
Watching her turn on her heel and march away, he wanted to kick himself.
“Dammit, why did I say that?” he mumbled dropping his eyes. “Of all the things to come out of my mouth, that was the reddest flag I could’ve waved at her. Dammit.”
Sighing heavily, he turned and continued his journey up to the house, and as he walked through the door, the cool air-conditioning hit him. Pausing to take in a grateful breath, Celeste, the woman Richard referred to as the general manager, though she thought the title a tad glorified, hurried up to greet him.
“Hi Caden, how are you?”
“Hey, Celeste, I’m hot and tired and in need of coffee,” he declared.
“Come on in and I’ll fetch you some, and something to eat. How does a salmon salad sandwich sound?”
“That sounds outstandin’,” he nodded.
“Aren’t you staying the night?” she asked as she walked with him into the large dining room.’
“I’m plannin’ on it, I’d like to stay two nights if there’s room.”
“There’s always room for you, Caden, even if I have to put a bunk bed in the storage closet,” she laughed. “The only reason I asked is because you don’t have a bag.”
“Darnn, I left it in the truck,” he grunted. “My mind was wrapped up in other things.”
“You go and wash your hands. You look done in, you poor man. I’ll arrange your food and get your bag up here.”
“That’s real sweet of you, Celeste. Thanks”
“Is it in the front of the cab?”
“Yep, sittin’ on the passenger seat. I feel foolish, leavin’ it like that.”
“We had a new girl start yesterday, pretty thing, sweet as could be. Apparently an excellent rider and handler. You two should have a lot in common. I’ll page her to bring it up. She needs to get used to being run around. You know how our guests can be.”
“Not personally, but I can imagine,” Caden remarked. This should be interestin’. The boss makin’ Bridget fetch my bag. If I wasn’t so worried about gettin’ things squared away with her I’d find this entertainin’. Damn, maybe I will anyway. That girl needs to be taken down a peg. Maybe it’ll help. Sure couldn’t get much worse.
“I’ve put you in 107, may as well give you this now,” Celeste said taking a large brass key from her pocket and handing it to him. “It’s the closest to the paddocks. I know how you like to watch the horses.”
“Thanks so much, Celeste. I’m gonna duck my head in and say hi to Richard after I wash up, then I’ll be right back.”
“Are you sure you don’t want some coffee first?”
“I do, but I also wanna sit and enjoy it,” he replied.
“I understand that feeling,” she said with a wide smile. “The sandwich will be ready when you get back.”
Wishing he could simply plonk himself down at the dining room table, he entered the elegant men’s room off the foyer, was
hed up and ran his fingers through his hair, then walked down the hallway to Richard Tate’s office.
Caden considered Richard a dear friend far more than a long-time client. When the plush ranch was starting up, Richard had taken a chance on him, even though he was young and just starting out. Over the years they’d developed a trusting and close relationship, and had become more like father and son than business colleagues. Knocking on the office door, he waited until Richard called him in. He knew it wasn’t necessary, but he liked giving Richard the respect.
“Hey, you don’t have to knock, Caden. I keep telling you that.”
“The one time I don’t, I’ll interrupt somethin’ important,” Caden said with a grin.
“You look-“
“Yeah, done in. Celeste just told me,” Caden said with his famously crooked smile. “She’s rustlin’ me up some coffee and a snack.”
“I don’t think it’s lack of coffee or food that’s making you look like that. There’s only one reason for your face to be so crinkled, and her name is Bridget.”
“You got that right,” Caden said flopping into the same chair Bridget had sat in the day before.
“I take it you’ve already bumped into her,” Richard said leaning across his desk.
“Walkin’ up here. I wasn’t ready, Richard, she took me by surprise, and of course, I opened my mouth and inserted my foot.”
“You told you you’d arranged her job here?” Richard asked in surprise.
“No, no, not quite that bad.”
“Then what? You don’t have to tell me, but I can’t help being curious.”
“When we were together, if she got real upset about somethin’, she’d use the ‘f’ word, and I’d scold her, or give her a swat, playful like, but I meant it. I don’t like girls cussin’. She was mad as heck when she saw me, and she told me to stay the ‘f’ outta her way.”
“Uh-oh, and you said?”
“I told her the truth, that I didn’t like it, and it made me wanna smack her butt.”
“Caden, that’s not exactly the way to girl’s heart.”
“Probably not, and it probably doesn’t help that one of the last things I said to her when we broke up was that she needed a good spankin’, and she does, dammit. I still hold to that, and I’ll tell her so if I ever get the chance.”
“If you want my advice, you’ll send her flowers and chocolates, and romance her with gifts, then beg her to listen, not threaten bodily harm.”
In spite of his frustration, Caden laughed out loud.
“Bodily harm, I think that’s what she wants to do to me. You might be right. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi, let you know I was here. Valentino is in the middle paddock opposite the stable if you wanna see him. I’m gonna take him out this afternoon for a ride.”
“I took a chance and suggested to Bridget that she could have the privilege of riding him. I know he’s not staying, but I thought it might give you two a chance to spend some time together.”
“Hey, Richard, that’s great. Thanks. If you have any more brilliant ideas, please tell me. Flowers, huh, didn’t think of it, maybe I’ll give that a try.”
“You’ve never sent a girl flowers?”
“Plenty of times, but at the start, you know, in my pre-Bridget days when I had a revolving front door.”
“You’re paying for your sins,” Richard remarked raising his eyebrows.
“Yep, I guess I am, and now, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna go have me some coffee and a sandwich.”
“You go ahead, though we will be having lunch at midday, and she’ll definitely be there.”
“So will I,” Caden said rising from his chair. “You can count on it.”
Moving quickly back to the dining room, he found a place had been set for him, and a carafe of coffee was waiting. Splashing it into the mug and adding the sugar and cream, he took several long swallows, then letting out a breath he topped it up.
Sitting alone in the empty, quiet room, he started to feel restless, and rising to his feet he stepped across to the window. As he glanced into the driveway, he saw Bridget walking towards the house carrying his bag. His first impulse was to run out and take it from her, but he stopped himself.
It’s not heavy. No, I think I’ll let you deliver it to me. You’ll have to keep a civil tongue bringing it in here. Maybe I can have a half-way decent conversation with you.
“Caden, your food is here.”
Turning around he saw Julie, one of the chef’s assistants, place the sandwich on the table mat.
“Thanks, I’m starvin’.”
“I didn’t make it too big, we’ve going to serve a serious lunch today. Albert still has some new dishes he needs to test for the next lot of guests that are due to arrive. That sandwich is one of them.”
“Great. Talk about timing,” he said as he returned to the table and sat down.
“Tonight too. If you can stay for dinner you should.”
“Oh, I am, I’m stayin’ both tonight and tomorrow.”
“Excellent. Just give a yell if you need anything.”
“No, I will not give a yell,” he said raising an eyebrow, “I’ll poke my head in.”
“Whatever works,” Julie laughed. “I hope you like it.”
“It looks great, I know I will. Thanks.”
As Julie left the room, Caden took a bite of the sandwich and nodded his head.
Man this is good. I could eat a dozen of these, no problem.
“What do you mean, you’ll be staying here two nights?”
Her voice had been a whisper, and still chewing, Caden raised his eyes and looked up. Bridget had his bag in her hands, and was standing at the opposite end of the table glowering at him. Slowly placing his sandwich back on his plate, he picked up his napkin, wiped his hands, then the corners of his mouth.
“Is that my bag?” he asked ignoring her question.
“You know it is,” she spat. “Two nights? You’re staying here two nights?”
“Could you bring it here please?”
He could see she was about to snap something back at him, but Celeste walked into the room, stopping her cold.
“Ah, Bridget, I see you’ve met Caden, our handsome cowboy. Thanks for fetching that for him.”
“My pleasure,” Bridget said forcing a smile.
“Would you mind bringing it over?” Caden repeated. Look at you. You want to throw it at me. I do admire your self-control, Bridget. I wish you’d exert some of that when I’m trying to talk to you.
“Sure,” she said quietly, and walking slowly towards him, her eyes never left his. “Here you are.”
Caden studied her as she placed it next to his chair. She was still staring at him, and there was something in her Mona Lisa smile that sent a prickle to the back of his neck.
What are you up to, Bridget Cooper? I know that look.
“Bridget, I’m going to have a cup of coffee with Caden while he eats. Would you like to join us?”
“Oh, thank you, but no. I have to run back to the barn. Max is waiting to go over some things with me.”
“We’ll see you at lunch then,” Celeste smiled.
“Yes, you will,” she replied, and with a last look at Caden, she ambled from the room.
As Caden watched her walk away, his radar began to beep.
You are definitely up to something. That was a flicker of wickedness in your eyes just now. Hmmm, I need to keep my eyes open. The mood you’re in, there could be a rattlesnake in my bag.
CHAPTER FOUR
After finishing his coffee and snack, Caden picked up his overnight bag and made his way up the stairs to his suite. All the guest rooms were suites, and equally exquisite. Working since six that morning he wanted to take a shower, kick up his feet and take a quick nap, and as he unlocked the door he welcomed the sight of the beautifully appointed room. Horses and dirt were in his blood, but that didn’t impede his appreciation for living well. Moving into the bedroom he placed his bag on the bench
at the foot of the bed, then wandered across to the window to look down on the paddocks below. What he saw surprised and delighted him.
Bridget was in the paddock with Valentino, and the big gelding had his head buried in her chest. She was stroking his neck, and he could see the horse was putty in her hands. While Valentino had been well behaved and no trouble, Caden hadn’t seen him demonstrate such affection with anyone except Melinda.
For the first two weeks after she’d left, the horse been anxious and depressed, so Caden had loaded him into the van and trailed him from his in-town training and sales facility where he’d been boarded, to his large, sprawling ranch. The wide open spaces seemed to help, but he still wasn’t the happy horse he’d been under Melinda’s care. Staring down at Bridget, seeing the horse wanting to crawl into her lap, filled his heart with relief and joy.
“You do have a way about you, Bridget. Look at that, he adores you. I know how he feels,” Caden mumbled.
As Bridget walked away Valentino followed her, and when she began to run, the gelding trotted next to her, playfully tossing his head. Caden continued to watch the interaction, then feeling the weariness seep into his bones he walked into the bathroom, stripped off, and turned on the shower. Stepping under the hot water, washing off the dust from the long morning, he pondered Richard’s suggestion.
Flowers and chocolates, hmmm, it’s old-fashioned, but there’s nothin’ wrong with bein’ old-fashioned, hell, there’s a lot right with it. If she won’t talk to me, maybe I could send a letter along with the gifts explainin’ what she saw, but things can get misunderstood in a letter. No. Not my style. Better to do things in person.
Drying off, he wrapped a towel around his waist, walked across to his bag for a change of clothes, and was about to open it when he recalled the look in Bridget’s eyes. Convinced she’d been up to mischief, very slowly, and standing back, he pulled open the zipper. Nothing jumped out at him, and peering inside the contents appeared to be completely untouched.
Huh, I guess I was wrong, but she could have messed with somethin’ else. Maybe somethin’ in the van. I’m sure she’s been up to no good, I can feel it.
When a Cowboy Loves a Woman Page 3