He stripped on his way to the bathroom, showered and dressed and made his way to the kitchen for a late dinner. Sheila was a real stickler for mealtimes, so the most he hoped for was to raid the fridge for a sandwich. He just hoped Melissa didn’t have the same idea.
To his surprise, Sheila was sitting at the table with a cup of tea, her attention immersed in a book with a cowboy on the cover. Ah, the lady had a cowboy fetish. Maybe he could charm her into making him a sandwich. “Hi, Sheila. What’s cooking?”
She glanced up and laid her book down on the table. “Supper…about two hours ago.”
“Sorry I missed it. Was helping Starshine birth her foal. Any leftovers?”
“Well, that’s all right then.” She hefted her heavy bulk out of the chair and went to the stove, pulling a covered dish from the oven. “Had a feeling to keep it hot for ya. You’re not one to miss meals.”
He forced a grin for her benefit. “Not when you’re the one doing the cooking.”
Sheila gave him a stern look as she reached for a plate. “You rascal. You think you can charm me into serving you meals at odd hours?”
His grin widened of its own accord. Sheila always spoke her mind. “I sure hope so. Is it working?”
Sheila smiled and placed a plate piled high with chicken, baked potatoes, and mixed vegetables on the table. “Obviously. This plate isn’t for me. I ate at five. Now sit.”
Jimmy sat and picked up his fork. “Mmmm, this smells wonderful.”
She came back with a tall glass of ice water and placed it before him, then went back and cut him a huge piece of lemon meringue pie.
“Sheila, you’re a doll.”
“Need anything else?”
Hmmm, was he pushing his luck? “Is there any decaf coffee?”
“Instant okay?”
“Instant is fine. Thank you for going to all this trouble.”
“No trouble. Better to serve ya than to have ya making a midnight raid on my larder and leaving it in a mess.”
He snorted a laugh and almost choked on a bite of chicken. “Much better,” he said once he’d swallowed and taken a sip of water. “No complaints here.”
Sheila stayed and kept him company as he ate, for which he was grateful. He didn’t particularly want to be alone with his thoughts.
“You’re being awful quiet tonight. Something eating at you?”
“Just this mess with Midnight Rain and Sherry, my horse.”
“You can’t fault nature, boy. If it is meant to be, it’ll happen.”
“I suppose.”
“No supposing about it.” She switched to speaking of mundane topics and it helped keep his mind from dwelling on the heated exchange he and Melissa had earlier.
He took his plate to the sink. “Thanks, Sheila. You’re the best. Good night.”
“Good night, Jimmy,” she said as she picked up her book. “Breakfast is at eight.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jimmy chuckled all the way to the front door. He was on his way to meet Tippy and wrangle some horses. Maybe they’d get to break one or two in tonight. He hastened his steps in anticipation.
Melissa returned to the house, showered and dressed to go riding, then went looking for Aaron. She found him in the kitchen. It was way past dinnertime and she hadn’t even realized it. Where had the day gone? She must’ve spent more time in the barn than she’d thought.
“Hey, buddy. I was looking for you. Want to go for a ride after dinner?”
Aaron glanced up but didn’t quite meet her eyes. Yep, he knew he’d done wrong. What she needed to know was why.
“Yeah, sure.”
“You don’t sound too enthused.”
“I, ah, wanted to play my game.”
She shook her head. “Nope. We need to exercise the horses and get some fresh air. I’ll even let you ride Midnight Rain. You like that black beauty, don’t you?”
“Yep, next to Aaron’s Pride, he’s my favorite.”
“I see.” Sheila set loaded plates in front of them. “Where’s Jimmy?”
“Served his a while ago. He ate and left.”
Ha! He couldn’t even face her. His loss, but what did that say about their working relationship from here on out?
“Eat up and let’s get going, Aaron.”
“Okay.”
He ate so slow it was almost laughable, except Melissa was in no mood for laughter. The boy usually gulped his food down and ran off. Not tonight.
When he’d finally finished eating, they left to saddle their mounts.
“I don’t really feel like riding tonight, Mom.”
“We own this ranch and we need to do our share, even if it’s just exercising the horses.”
“But I rode Midnight earlier today. He doesn’t need more exercise.”
“Really? Then we’ll pick another horse for you.” Melissa was determined to get him away from the house and question him. If he’d put the horses together on purpose, no one else needed to know. She wasn’t out to embarrass him. She just wanted the truth.
“Brian, we need two horses to ride. Any suggestions?” she asked as they entered the barn.
Brian had been forking fresh hay into Starshine’s stall, but he paused to consider. “Melborne’s Mate and Blade haven’t been ridden in a while. Want me to saddle them up for ya?”
“Please.” She waited with an antsy Aaron while Brian saddled their mounts. Normally, she would’ve saddled her own horse, but she didn’t want Aaron running off.
“We’re heading over toward the creek. We shouldn’t be long.”
Brian nodded and gave them a leg up. “Off you go. I’ll be here when you get back. I think we’ll have another babe before morn.”
“Oh, should I stay then?”
“Nope, plenty of time yet. Go on. Enjoy your ride.”
Melissa set off down the trail toward the creek. Fenced on both sides, this route had no gates to open and close, making it a more enjoyable ride. Aaron rode beside her and spoke not a word. When they arrived at the creek, she dismounted. Her son hesitated, but soon followed suit. They led the horses to the water and then sat on the bank.
“Why did you do it?” she asked as she stared out over the water.
“Do what?”
She searched his face, staring at him for such a long moment that he began to squirm. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, so don’t pretend otherwise.”
His mutinous scowl turned into a trembling lower lip. “I heard Jimmy talking about buying his own ranch.”
“And?” she prompted when he said nothing more.
“And I thought if Sherry had Midnight’s baby he’d hafta stay here…with us.”
She put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. “I thought it might be something like that. But you know, Jimmy is an employee, the same as the wranglers. He’s not family. He’s free to stay or go as he pleases.”
“I don’t want him to go. He’s not like the wranglers. He lives with us.”
“He has a suite of rooms in the house because he works in the ranch office, which is also in the house. What you did today caused trouble between Jimmy and me.”
“It did?” His face creased in a frown of puzzlement.
“Yes, it did. His horse is a purebred Arabian. Ours are thoroughbreds and our stallions are worth a lot, but they aren’t purebreds. Normally, when one of our stallions goes to a mare that’s not ours, I collect money for that. So if Sherry is pregnant, I think he owes me money. But on the other hand, he thinks I owe him money because my stallion got loose. Understand?”
“But, I thought we’d share the baby.”
Melissa shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way, honey. The foal will belong to Jimmy.”
“Rats!”
“Exactly, so don’t go playing horse matchmaker any more. Okay?”
“Okay. I’m sorry, Mom.”
“It’s all right. I have my lawyer checking into the legal issues involved. I’m sure we’ll work something out. Ready to ride back?”
He scampered to his feet and grabbed Blade’s reins. Melissa gave him a leg up and then mounted Melborne’s Mate for the return trip. “Ready?” Aaron nodded. “Let’s ride, cowboy.”
They galloped toward the ranch yard and home. Brian offered to take care of the horses so she ushered her son into the house for a bath and tuck him in for the night. Then, she would find Jimmy and explain what had happened.
After his bath, Aaron jumped into bed and pulled the covers over him. “Good night, Mom.”
“Nite, honey. See you in the morning. Sweet dreams.” Melissa tucked the blankets around her son and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
She knocked on Jimmy’s door, but when there was no answer, she went to the living room, wondering what to do for the rest of the evening. She’d never had this problem before Jimmy’s arrival. Had he and Tippy ridden out to the BLM stretch of land hoping to lasso a mustang or two? Or had he just gone riding? He sure loved his horse.
I wonder what he thinks of me. Ha! Not much after today’s tirade.
Most evenings she’d spend time in the courtyard, mulling over the day’s events or making plans for the future of the ranch, but tonight she didn’t feel like being alone. Since Jimmy arrived—had it already been two weeks?—her routine was non-existent. And she felt a loneliness deep inside that bordered on pain. Restless, she paced the floor, back and forth to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him on his return.
Added to that, Marcus was becoming a downright nuisance. He’d called at all hours, whining at being arrested, trying to reassure her that he would never steal from her, begging her to drop the charges, and to give him another chance.
As if on cue, the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Melissa, darling. How are you?”
“I’m fine, Marcus. What do you want?” She was feeling a little testy this evening and in no mood for his false charm.
“Now what kind of greeting is that?” he asked, his voice silky smooth.
“The only one you’re going to get. I’m busy.”
“I’ve missed you, honey. I’d like to come visit you and the boy. He needs both of us.”
Ooohh! This man really knew how to ruffle her feathers. “The boy’s name is Aaron. I don’t miss you in the least and I don’t want you here. Give up, Marcus. A reconciliation is not going to happen.” In that moment, she made the decision that had been troubling her so much of late. She couldn’t even stand talking to him, so why would she even consider living with him again? “Goodbye.”
Melissa hung up the phone and took a deep breath, relieved to have spoken her mind. Maybe he’d quit bugging her now. Finally, he’d mentioned Aaron, and how he deserved to have both parents. What a bunch of bull! He’d never been a father to their son, so having him around for Aaron’s benefit seemed a moot point.
She paced the floor again, always returning to the window. Melissa wanted, needed, to watch for Jimmy to come home. She tried telling herself it was because he could easily be hurt trying to catch wild horses, but she wasn’t in the habit of lying to herself. The truth was, she worried, but she missed him too. He was easy on the eyes and good company…as long as they didn’t talk about their horses.
Melissa groaned aloud and leaned her head against the windowpane. She needed to speak with him, to explain, and hoped he’d understand Aaron’s misguided attempt at horse matchmaking. Poor kid just wanted to make sure Jimmy stayed on the ranch. And no wonder; for better or for worse, Jimmy spent more time with him than his father ever had. The legal ramifications were still a sore point with her, but that didn’t matter any more. Because of Aaron’s mischief, she was the one at fault, so no stud fees and no foal. She could live with that. It stood to reason that Jimmy would still be miffed, but once she explained… Hell, I hate being on the outs with the man. He makes me laugh. Makes me want to live again.
It had been so long since she’d had a man around to talk to, or at least under the same roof. The wranglers didn’t count as confidants. They were employees. But then, so was Jimmy. Why did she feel so comfortable with him?
One of the living room windows overlooked the ranch yard and she stationed herself there. Except for the area around the dusk-to-dawn light, it was black outside. Night had fallen with no sign of the moon overhead. She’d expected him to be back by now. Had he taken a flashlight with him? Her worry escalated the longer he was gone. The ranch encompassed a huge acreage. Had he gotten lost? Hurt?
For the hundredth time she checked her watch. Did Jimmy have his cell phone with him? Should she call? She still had the paper in the office that he’d written his number on when she’d been waiting for the lawyer to call back about their suspicions concerning her ex. Melissa had sat at the desk and stared at the slip of paper for a long time after he’d given it to her that day. He’d written the numbers with precise, bold strokes, a good representation of the man himself.
She’d give him another half-hour. If he wasn’t back by then, she would go get his number. Movement near the barn drew her attention just before the half-hour was up. Two riders dismounted beneath the glow of the light. Jimmy and Tippy. She breathed a sigh of relief. Jimmy turned toward the house and shot her a jaunty wave. Did that mean he’d caught some horses? Or was he just acknowledging her presence, silhouetted as she must be by the light of the lamp behind her.
Self-conscious and embarrassed to be caught watching for him, she moved to sit, grabbed the remote, and flicked the television to life. She wasn’t much of a TV person, but it would suffice as an excuse for being in that room.
Give your head a shake, Melissa. I don’t need an excuse to stand at the window in my own house. Still…
She thumbed through the channels, finding a romantic comedy that she sometimes watched, and settled back to enjoy the program. Or tried to. Her mind kept wandering, alert for his entrance. The show ended and Jimmy still hadn’t come inside. Tired now, she locked up and turned off the lights before heading to her room.
Melissa glanced across the courtyard when she closed her Venetian blinds, surprised to see lights on in Jimmy’s suite. Since their argument, he’d been spending more time in his room or out riding. Disappointed that he hadn’t wanted to spend time with her that evening—to share his success or failure with the Mustangs—she had to remember her resolve to keep it strictly business between them.
He’s an employee. What he does on his own time is up to him. She should be thankful that he wasn’t invading her privacy. Instead, she felt bereft and alone, more alone than she’d been since Marcus had walked out.
Chapter Seven
The BLM land was quite a distance from the ranch proper, so he and Tippy loaded their horses in Jimmy’s trailer and set out in the truck. Besides, they wanted their mounts fresh for the chase.
Tippy lassoed the lead stallion first thing, and Jimmy had thrown another rope around the big black’s neck. Together, they led him, kicking and bucking, all the way to the pasture. What a rush. That horse sure didn’t like being roped. It took both their efforts to keep the ropes tight so he couldn’t lunge and attack either of them or their mounts.
To Jimmy’s surprise, four mares followed. The stallion had made such a fuss, he hadn’t even heard the other horses trotting behind them.
Jimmy removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow with a forearm. “Phew! Now that was a good workout. Do you think he’ll settle down?” he asked, nodding his head toward the stallion.
“Sooner or later. At least his brood mares followed. Their presence might help.”
“Good. I’d hate to see him hurt himself by thrashing against the fence trying to get out. He sure is a spirited fellow. He’ll sire some beautiful colts and fillies, I bet.”
“He will at that. He’ll try to get out of the enclosure for a while but chances are he’ll be more interested in his ladies.” Tippy grinned at him. “High fives, partner. Five is a darned good catch. Want to go again?”
Jimmy circled his moun
t around and pulled up alongside Tippy, close enough to slap his hand against Tippy’s in a high-five. “You betcha. I love the thrill of the chase, even though it seems a shame to corral such free-spirited animals.”
The Mustangs ran in circles without the direction of their leader, making it easier for the men to cull them from the herd. This time, they roped and led the beauties one by one to the outer pasture. There was a pure white mare that Jimmy wanted as soon as he spied her. She was gorgeous and the thrill of the capture made him feel like an actual cowboy…at long last.
Rounding up the Mustangs was time-consuming and very tiring, but Jimmy loved being in the thick of some action. In all the time he’d spent on ranches, never had he tried to rope wild horses, let alone lead them home. The dusk of early evening quickly darkened, and they called a halt for the night.
Jimmy was pumped. Adrenaline poured through his veins as wild as the Mustangs while he’d chased after the horses. Now the rush had left, he was dog-tired and looking forward to sharing his news with his boss. But not smelling as he did coming off the range.
“Sherry, you are one beautiful horse. You knew what to do better than I did. Or was it that handsome stallion that had you moving so fast?” He frowned as he gave his horse a good rubdown, remembering the incident with Midnight Rain. How could he and Melissa get back to a normal working relationship? Would she even care about his success tonight? Animosity rent the air whenever they were near each other.
He’d bite the bullet and take the first step by sharing his news. After all, he hadn’t asked to bring Sherry with him and it had been rude to assume it would be all right.
After returning to his room, he headed straight for the shower. He’d clean up and change clothes before going to find Melissa. He and Tippy had corralled eighteen Mustangs tonight. He’d hoped for one or two, as on previous occasions, but they’d been lucky.
He showered in record time and went into the bedroom to find clean clothes, a towel wrapped around his waist. That’s when he noticed the lights on in Melissa’s room. She’d gone to bed. Maybe she just wasn’t interested.
Would she mind if I cross the courtyard and knock on her door? He stood close to the glass pane, trying to catch a glimpse of movement that would indicate she was still up. Nothing moved. The lights blinked off as he stood there, undecided. Well, that settles that. Letting the towel drop, he turned toward the bed. He’d tell her tomorrow, if she asked.
Suited to be a Cowboy Page 9