"Then don't say goodbye, just say you'll see me later."
"I'll see you tomorrow. Cade wants me to help Caleb make some more ropes, so I got enough to keep me busy for the rest of the day, then I'll hit the hay soon tonight."
"Good, rest up, cowboy."
"Yes, ma'am." He winked again and this time he strode out the door.
Wendy sighed and rocked on the balls of her feet. She was falling in love with Sam. The worst part was, he was like Hank, too proud to take a woman that had more money than him. How would she ever convince him that she didn't need the money any more than Letty had?
All she wanted was for Sam to get better and Wade to get well, and for everything to go back to some kind of normal around here.
Chapter Fourteen
When Caleb returned from town with the rope supplies, Sam was there to help him unload it.
"Looks like I'm gonna be your helper with this, Caleb," Sam said.
"Good, it usually takes a couple to get it going right. You ever done this?"
"No, but I've watched my dad do it before. Seemed easy enough." Sam nodded.
"I wouldn't call it easy; it can be downright frustrating if you don't get it right. So…how you feelin', son?" Caleb asked as he stared up at him.
"I'm not dizzy anymore, just feel a little weak. But that could be from not workin' lately." Sam laughed. "I need to get back into shape."
"I want to thank you for what you did. But Wade's nearly twice your size; what possessed you?"
"You'd have done the same…"
Caleb stared at him then nodded. "Yes sir, I guess I would have."
"I got some sisal and jute. First we got to see which way it is twisting. I tell you what. You hold the tension, and I'll do the twisting, then when I get tired we'll figure something else out."
"Sounds good."
Caleb got two chairs out of the small office in the barn and came back and set them up.
"No use standing until we have to."
"Okay."
They worked for hours, making three good ropes before they were done. Sam did everything Caleb told him, and then he inspected them for tension and consistency. When Cade came in, he showed him what they had done.
"That's good, glad you got that done. Looks great, better than store bought."
"We can still do handy little things while we are laid up." Caleb smiled.
"You sure can. Tomorrow I want you two to sit in here and oil the saddles up for all the boys. There's a lot of little things they just don't have the time for. That will take some of the work off of them. Just keeping up with all the little mundane chores for them will keep you busy, and them happy."
Caleb nodded. "Sure thing."
Cade smiled. "I feel almost guilty giving you work to do."
"Well, don't. I'd go nuts not having something to do all day." Sam chuckled.
Cade smiled. "Good to have you back, Sam."
"Good to be back…I hate to intrude upon your privacy, but how is Wade?" Sam asked, hesitant to bring the subject up, but needing to know.
Cade shuffled his feet. There was a dark cloud in his eyes as he spoke. "Now that he has calmed down a bit, he's better. They are testing certain drugs on him, to see which one works. It's gonna take some time. There is no overnight cure for what ails him. He'll be there a few weeks. At least I hope he will."
Sam nodded. "I hope it's all he needs."
Cade agreed. "Yeah…me too. But the problem is, it's going to take much longer to settle things. The medicine is one thing, his job is another. He'll be wanting his job back and he's not getting it. I won't take a chance on anyone else getting hurt. I love him and I want to make things better for him, but I have to think about this ranch and the people on it."
"Guess we all better be prepared because that will be the first thing on his mind, won't it?"
"I'm sure it will…" Cade firmed his lips. "This place has been home to him most of his adult life."
"And do you know how to handle things when he gets out?" Sam knew he was pushing, but the unrest of everyone on the ranch prompted him to ask.
Cade stared at him blankly. He visibly shook himself. "I don't have a clue, Sam. That's the part that worries me the most. I guess we'll take it one day at a time. I cannot allow him to come back to work here. I know that sounds severe, but I'm afraid for the two of you and for Wendy. I cannot run a ranch, worrying every day about the three of you and your safety. So, Wade is out of a job, and I know you all realize that. The old man wrote him into the contract and I can't just write him out. I don't have that power. But I am going to talk to a lawyer and see what they say. We may have trouble for a while, until he realizes it is fact. So I want to ask you two to keep your eyes open.
"At any time, Wade might decide to leave the hospital, and I wouldn't put it past him. If that happens, I need you to let me know if you see him; if you have contact with him, there may be trouble. I love my brother, make no mistake of that. But I will not allow him to disrupt the running of the ranch, put my people in jeopardy, or otherwise cause any of us trouble. If something happens and I'm not here, I want you to call the police. Let them handle it from there. Right now he is considered a mental patient and dangerous. We are all family here on this ranch. And we have to help one another. I may need a lot of help as time goes on. I have a pregnant wife, a ranch full of everyday problems and a brother that needs help. If I'm sharp tongued one day, forgive me. It's stress. And you didn't cause it. He did. I figure at some point we are going to have to handle Wade, one way or another. It won't be a pretty thing to behold."
Caleb nodded slowly. "I'm sorry for you, Cade. You got a lot on your shoulders right now, but me and the boys will do everything we can to make things easier for you."
Cade smiled slowly. "I know you will. Running this ranch is not the hard part. Wade is my biggest concern. And I know that all of us feel the same way about him. He's been here a long time, run things well, and done good until now. He's going through something I can't even fathom. I want to help him, but make no mistake, my priorities are straight. This ranch and the people on it are my first concern, along with my wife and kids. So call me, day or night, if there is trouble. Understood?"
Sam nodded. "If he does show up here, what should we do?"
"If he shows up here before he's released, call the police. If he comes here, call me, immediately. Short of Julie having the baby, I'll be here."
They both understood.
When Cade returned to work, the two of them eyed each other. "This isn't over, is it?" Sam asked.
"No…it isn't. And I'm sorry it came to this. Maybe we can handle it better the next time. At least I hope we can…"
Sam shook his head. "Cade wanted him in that hospital; if Wade finds out, it could be real trouble for Cade. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. Not that he had a choice, but it's a tough one to make."
"The girls are all beside themselves over this. And there is a lot of tension. I don't reckon that will go away until Wade does."
"What happened to him and his girlfriend? I mean, hasn't he thought about moving to her place or taking her home?"
"They had a ruckus too. Seems Wade was pressuring her for sex and she didn't like it. She told him after they were married would be soon enough. Got to respect her for that. Never knew Wade to be raunchy about women until now. That's bothersome too. His personality has changed in many ways."
"Man, he's losing everything…it is sad. Someone as strong as he has been in the past…it's hard to get a grip on."
Caleb glanced at Sam. "You sure feel sorry for a lot of people. What about yourself? You are still on probation. If he tangles with you, you could be in real trouble."
"I know, and if it hadn't been for Cade, I might have gone to jail that night me and Wade tore into each other. I owe Cade and I'll do everything I can to stay out of trouble. But I got an even bigger problem than that."
"Oh…what's that, son?"
"Wendy. I have been seei
ng her for a while now, and we've gotten close. Oh…now, not like you're thinking. But I am in love with her. Problem is, she's rich and I'm poor and there is no way I could ever make the kind of money she is used to. I feel as though I'm going to have to let her go. And deep down, I don't want to. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. She brings sunshine into my life, into my heart. She makes me happy. And we get along so well. But I'm just a cowboy, Caleb, and I'm not a dreamer. All I could offer is my heart. And that's not enough for her. She deserves better than that. I just don't know how to call it off. It will hurt her, but in the long run it will be best for her."
Caleb stared at him a long while.
"You're in love with her?" he asked, scrunching his face up at him.
"Yeah…I knew better than to let myself feel, but with Wendy it was hard not to love her. She's been through so much with Wade, and I know at one time she loved him, but I think she got over him. I don't want to ever hurt her. Maybe I should just leave…go away."
"You are talkin' nonsense, boy. Sure, you are a cowboy. And no, you don't make that much money. Few could. But what makes a person happy in their life is the love they share. How can you walk away from that?"
"I haven't told her how I feel. So if I left, she would never know how much I loved her. Come on Caleb, I can't support her like she is used to. I have nothing to offer her. Nothing."
"Except maybe your heart."
"My heart won't support her and take care of her. After a while, she'd probably resent me."
"You know, George McKay believed that no cowboy was worth his daughters' love. But I think the old gentleman was wrong now. I see what is in your eyes and heart and what is in Wendy's. You gotta fight for what you want in this world, Sam. Leaving would mean you are giving up on her. She's of better stock than that."
"Maybe pride gets in the way of that. My pride."
"Pride is a mighty big foe, but it isn't worth losing what you want most in life. Stay here, work your way up, but don't give up on the woman you love. There's nothing wrong with the two of you getting together. You just got to figure out how you can overcome this pride thing. The one thing she needs is stability, and a home. She's got a home for the rest of her life. And with the right man, she'd be glad to share it."
Sam looked at Caleb. "I couldn't hold my head up, knowing she was supporting me. You think I’m worthy of someone like her?"
"If you don't think anything of yourself, how can you expect her to? You have proven to be an excellent hand, and even at the cost of your freedom you stood up against Wade for me. He could have killed you. Or me. But you fought for the right of it, son. I have all the respect in the world for you. And that little gal does too!"
Sam chuckled. "But a man has to feel that he can hold his own. That he can take care of his wife. If we got together, I'd always feel as though she were taking care of me."
"That's pride talkin'. You better give this some serious thought, boy. Before you ruin things, for yourself and for her."
"I'll think about it, Caleb. I really will, but right now all I can say is, I'm not half good enough for her."
"Every man needs to be confident in themselves. There is nothing wrong with you, Sam. You are a good man. Wendy recognizes that. And I'd say from all the looks she gives you, she's as sweet on you as you are on her."
Sam frowned. "But she's gonna be one of the richest girls in this state. Everyone would say I was marrying her for money. Everyone would think…"
"Damn what everyone thinks. What's important is what you and her think."
Sam shrugged.
"Just think on it for a while, before you go runnin' off somewhere. You got a good job, a steady job. Everyone around here likes you. Don't foul it up by running away."
"Okay, I'll think about it."
"Good."
They worked for another couple hours and rested.
Wendy brought lunch to them and she sat and talked to them both for a long time before Sam insisted they get back to work.
Caleb watched Wendy leave, and how Sam stared after her. "You know, I ain't sure I could forgive you Sam, if you broke that little gal's heart."
Sam frowned at him.
"Tomorrow will be a better day," Caleb mumbled as he hung up the ropes. "We'll tackle the rest of those saddles tomorrow, get some rest."
"Yeah, they sure don't let you sleep much in a hospital. See ya."
The next day, Sam decided to lighten the mood. "Ole man, you are slowing down. I've done two to your one, this morning. How come?"
Caleb glanced at the saddles on the railing of the stalls. He shook his head and chuckled. "Guess you have at that. What can I say? I'm just naturally slow, but probably more thorough than you are."
"Have you looked at my work? Those saddles practically shine."
Caleb chuckled at his mock arrogance.
Maybe somehow he could work out his problems. Because leaving Wendy would break her heart for sure.
Chapter Fifteen
Sam rang the doorbell and waited. He shouldn't be here. He should have already left. But he needed to see Wendy and something kept him here.
The one thing he worried over was that Wade might come back and threaten her. For that, he wanted to be here. He had to protect her, no matter what. Maybe once he knew she was going to be alright, he could leave.
But when Wendy opened the door, his heartbeat quickened, his palms sweated, and he felt himself caving. God, he loved her. How could he fall so fast and hard for a woman he had always known shouldn't be his?
"Hi, Sam." Wendy smiled. "Come on in. I'm almost ready."
Dressed in western gear, she looked gorgeous. She looked like a beautiful doll. The urge to sweep her up against him made him almost shake with restraint.
"Are you sure you are up to dancing?" she asked as she came down the stairs with her suede jacket clutched in hand.
"It's been a couple of weeks. I think it is safe. I'm gonna be awful lazy if I don't get back to work soon." Sam smiled at her. "You look beautiful."
Wendy smiled. "Do you like my new boots?"
Sam glanced down at them and smiled. "Red boots. Wow. On you, they look great."
"Are you going to teach me to line dance?" she asked as his eyes stared intently into hers.
"I'm gonna try." He smiled; the intensity of his admiration for her magnified every time he saw her. His heart knew her, his soul called out to her.
Wendy chuckled, a melodious sound that he wanted to listen to always.
During the ride to the Hacienda, Sam was notably quiet. Wendy noticed it easily as she glanced at him, perplexed.
"Something bothering you, Sam?"
"No, no, everything is great. You're here."
Wendy grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Immediately, a current riveted through him. He didn't want to react to her every time she touched him. He simply wanted to soak her in, for their days might be numbered.
Sam looked down at their hands intertwined and slowly smiled. Despite his blue mood, he wanted to enjoy this night with Wendy.
The place was crowded when they got there. They picked a corner of the room that was lit only with candles and ordered soft drinks. The mood of the evening was set by his choice of seats. He didn't want to encourage it, and yet he couldn't quite kick the idea that he was basking in his own feelings.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, watching her face as she took in the crowd and her eyes flitted shyly back to him.
"Yes, but not for food." Obviously her mood was in the right gear, but something told Sam to slow down, to not take things to the next level. This was a McKay and although the temptation to indulge in his own fantasies was real, he knew exactly where it was headed. Disaster.
When he didn't say anything, she grabbed his hand again. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."
"I know that," Sam replied, looking into the softness of her brown eyes. "It's funny, Wendy. Sometimes you don’t even have to say anything, and I know how you feel. Must be some
kind of radar."
"I just meant it's been a while since we have been out together," she tried to explain. "And…I've missed you."
For a split second, Sam frowned, then took her hand into his, studied them again and looked back at her. "Honey, you don't have to explain. I feel the same way."
"You do?" She gulped.
"I do." He smiled. Sam suddenly realized with full clarity that he was in love with Wendy McKay. He'd vowed it would never happen. It was just dating. Just another female. But he knew better. Wendy was not just another female. She was the only woman he'd ever truly fallen in love with, and the ironic part of it was, she wasn't for him.
He'd known it from the start. But her dilemma with Wade had brought them together, and now it was too late. He was hopelessly in love with Wendy.
His heart did a quick nose dive. Why couldn't it work? Why did it have to be the end? His feelings were real. His senses told him she was the right girl. But his logic told him she could never be. He fought logic and sense.
Because he wanted her more than anything in his life, he knew that the only right answer was to let her go.
So where was his courage tonight?
Why did everything she say go straight to his heart?
The band playing was a well-known local, and they had little trouble rousing everyone to the dance floor. Sam took Wendy's hand and led her there.
The instructor for line dancing led the line and Sam told Wendy just to follow him. Before long, they were dancing together as though they belonged together. Everything they did said they belonged together. He wasn't a coward, he wasn't going to let the best thing in his life go, was he?
They danced until Wendy gave out and then they stopped and listened to the band. All the while their hands intertwined, their smiles aimed at each other, and a silent message lay unspoken between them.
When the band played a love ballad, Sam took her into his arms and whispered, "You don't have to do much, but let me hold you."
"I’d like that…" she whispered, coming into his arms.
Sam swayed her and clutched her. He never wanted this night to end. He had Wendy in his arms, where she felt so right to him.
Stand By Me (Book 4 of the McKay's) Page 11