The Rancher's Family Secret

by Myra Johnson

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lindsey awoke Sunday morning to a winter wonderland. Icicles hung from the eaves, and every tree branch glistened like crystal in the slanting sunlight of dawn. The roads would be too treacherous for driving into town for church. At least they still had power.

  From outside her window came the crunch of boots on icy ground. Bundled into her flannel robe and fuzzy slippers, she peeked through the blinds and saw Spencer heading into the barn. Naturally, he’d want to see to his rescue horses first thing.

  Turning away, she gave her head a sad shake. The man was loyal to a fault. Despite the animosity ripping his family apart, he’d stepped up when his father needed him and had returned home to manage the ranch. How could she not admire such selflessness?

  How could she not admit she’d fallen hopelessly in love with Spencer Navarro?

  “Dear God...” Eyes lifted heavenward, she sank onto the bed. “I want to trust You, but with all the things that have gone wrong in my life, it hasn’t been easy. Please, can’t You show me a way out of this mess?” Please, show me a way Spencer and I can be together!

  With no flashing neon lights revealing God’s answer, Lindsey heaved a resigned sigh. After dressing in jeans and a thick sweatshirt, she headed downstairs. A pot of coffee was already brewed, which meant Audra had gotten her usual early start. Lindsey wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to prying herself out of bed before dawn to begin ranch chores, especially in the cold.

  On the other hand, if things didn’t change in their favor soon, she needn’t be concerned with feeding livestock or mucking stalls in any kind of weather.

  Her stomach clenched at the thought. She set down the mug she’d filled and hunched over the counter.

  The back door swung open, letting in a wintry draft. Audra bustled in and quickly shut the door. “It’s freezing out there!”

  Straightening with a forced smile, Lindsey poured another mug of coffee and handed it to her aunt. “When will I ever convince you to wake me up so I can help?”

  “You know I’m on automatic pilot first thing in the morning, just doing what needs doing.” Audra took several sips of coffee before setting down the mug to peel off her coat and gloves. “Spencer could use some help today, though. He told me several of the Navarro ranch hands aren’t going to make it in to work.”

  Lindsey wasn’t sure how much use she’d be, but she did owe him for the hay after all.

  Or...could the ice storm have been God’s “flashing neon” answer to at least one of her prayers? It had certainly given her a reason to reach past the barriers between her and Spencer so they could try to be friends again. Whatever else happened, she couldn’t bear the thought of living at odds with him.

  After a quick breakfast of toast and juice, she poured her coffee into a travel mug and hiked across the field to the gap in the barbed-wire fence. Climbing through, she glimpsed Spencer trundling a manure cart out of the main barn.

  When she caught up with him at the collection bin, he looked around in surprise. “Need something?”

  She shrugged. “Heard you were shorthanded today. What can I do?”

  He glanced away for a moment as if intending to refuse her offer. Then he looked back at her with skewed lips. “What I could really use help with is the stack of inventory lists my dad left in the barn office. Everything has to be entered in a spreadsheet, and...” He grimaced. “You know me and computers.”

  “I can do that. You’ll have to tell me how to log on and access the file.”

  “Should be a paper with instructions in the center desk drawer.” He patted his coat pocket. “I have my cell if you run into problems.”

  Sitting behind a desk in a warm office while Spencer handled the outdoor chores in twenty-five-degree weather didn’t exactly sound fair, but then, he knew horses and she knew spreadsheets. Plus, working separately would lessen the awkwardness.

  She found the inventory lists under a paperweight and could easily understand why this much data entry would intimidate Spencer. Opening the drawer, she poked around in search of the instructions he’d mentioned. Lots of pens and pencils, rubber bands, paper clips, crumpled cash register receipts, a thin stack of payroll envelopes banded together, but no computer instructions.

  Without being too nosy, she checked the other drawers without success. Before phoning Spencer, she decided to try the center drawer one more time. Maybe the instruction page was jammed in the back. When she pulled the drawer completely out, an accordioned sheet of lined paper fell to the floor. As she bent to retrieve it, something else caught her eye—an old photograph stuck beneath the drawer runner. She worked the snapshot free, then gasped in astonishment at the two grinning faces looking back at her.

  “Grandpa?” It had to be. And the man with one arm draped around Grandpa’s shoulder could only be Arturo Navarro. The men, looking to be in their midtwenties, stood proudly between the two pillars of a crudely built ranch gate made of stone and cedar. Emblazoned on the arched crosspiece above them were the words Rancho de Manos y Corazón.

  Tears sprang to Lindsey’s eyes. There was no misreading the closeness between these men—their mutual affection cemented with ambition, courage and determination. She stared for a long time at the photo, wondering how two such devoted friends could have turned into bitter enemies.

  She was still pondering the past when Spencer walked in. “How’s it go—” He broke off as their eyes met. “What’s wrong?”

  “Look.” She handed him the photo and watched his expression cycle through the same emotions she’d felt.

  He ran his gloved thumb across his chin. “Where’d you find this?”

  She pointed to the drawer. “It was stuck underneath. I didn’t mean to snoop, but I couldn’t find...”

  “It’s fine.” Spencer sank into a chair across from her, his gaze never leaving the photo. After a long stretch of silence, he murmured, “Those inventory records can wait. Why don’t you go on home. I, uh, have some thinking to do.”

  Quietly, Lindsey rose and reached for her coat. At the door, she turned, an ache in her throat. “Will you be all right?”

  Without looking up, he nodded and waved a hand.

  She slipped out, closing the door behind her. The cold air shocked her lungs, but the sun had melted some of the icy patches. The Mule still sat where she’d parked it yesterday when she’d come over to ask for hay, so she climbed in to drive it home. Maneuvering cautiously along the road, she slowed to turn up her driveway, then braked as her attention landed on the two crumbling piles of stone on either side of the entrance. How many times had she passed them by without a second thought?

  But today she recognized them for what they were—the bases for the cedar posts that once supported the original ranch gate, shown in the photo she’d found. Rancho de Manos y Corazón—Hands and Heart Ranch.

  Was this the neon sign she’d prayed God would send her? A message from the past to restore hope for the future?

  * * *

  Around ten o’clock, two of the Navarro ranch hands made it in to work. Sundays were slow days, mainly a matter of cleaning stalls and giving fresh hay, feed and water. With the wind dying down and the sun melting the ice and warming the temperature above freezing, Spencer had no concerns about turning the horses out to pasture. Once he’d seen to the animals requiring specialized attention or exercise, he left instructions with the men for the rest of the afternoon. After handing them their pay envelopes, he headed toward Georgetown.

  His grandfather may not want to see him, but with God’s help, perhaps this time he could get through to the old man—before it was too late for them both.

  A hospital volunteer at the front desk directed him to his grandfather’s room. He rapped softly on the half-closed door, then eased it open. He found his father sitting next to the bed, where Tito lay softly snoring.

  Dad looked up from the n
ewspaper he’d been reading. “Everything under control at the ranch?”

  “Everything’s fine.” Spencer chewed the inside of his lip. “Where’s Mom?”

  “Resting at the hotel.” Dad went back to reading the paper.

  He edged closer, the old photograph practically burning a hole in his shirt pocket. A small monitor near the bed beeped softly as it traced his grandfather’s heart rhythm. The squiggly lines didn’t mean much to Spencer, but he hoped the apparent regularity of the blips was a positive sign. “Has Tito been awake at all?”

  “Some. He’s supposed to be—”

  Tito stirred. “Is that my grandson?”

  “Yes, it’s me. Spencer.” He took a hesitant step toward the bed.

  “Come...closer.” With one veined hand, his grandfather weakly patted the mattress.

  Dad rose and tossed his newspaper into the chair. “You should be resting, Papi.” To Spencer, he murmured, “This is not the time to get him agitated.”

  “Let us talk,” Tito insisted. “Leave us, Enrique.”

  With a huff and a tight-lipped glare, Spencer’s father strode out to the corridor.

  Tito nodded toward the chair Spencer’s father had vacated. “Sit.”

  Second-guessing his intentions, Spencer looked at the monitor, where the blips seemed to be coming faster. “I don’t want to tire you, Tito. After you’re better, we can—”

  “I may not get better. That’s why we must talk.” Urgency shone in his heavy-lidded eyes. He reached for Spencer’s hand, clasping it in his dry and calloused one. “Your father needs you. He cannot manage the ranch alone.”

  Spencer took a long, slow breath. “I tried to tell you why I can’t stay.”

  “Yes, I know. You are angry that I intervened with the neighbors’ plans. But if I withdraw my complaint and allow them to go forward with this—this business venture they have in mind, will you then come home and fulfill your responsibilities?”

  Why did his grandfather’s offer sound like there were strings attached? With one eye on the monitor, Spencer said, “I know about Aunt Alicia and Owen McClement. I know you kept them apart. I won’t let you do the same to me and Lindsey.”

  “It was for my daughter’s best, as it will be for yours.” Tito’s grip tightened. “The ranch will belong to you one day. Don’t turn your back on your inheritance like your brother did.”

  “It’s not about the inheritance, Tito. And it’s not that I haven’t loved every minute working alongside you and Dad and learning everything I can from you. But it’s not enough anymore. I need the freedom to follow my heart. To be with the woman I love.”

  Mouth firm, Tito shook his head. “You’re young. Idealistic. But given time, you will come to see—”

  “What I see,” Spencer interrupted, his tone gentle, “is a sick old man who’s given his life over to bitterness. I don’t think you realize everything it’s cost you.” Closing his eyes briefly, he pulled the photo from his pocket. He studied it for a few seconds before slipping it into his grandfather’s hand. “Idealism isn’t a bad thing, Tito. Maybe this will help you remember.”

  Brows pinched together, Tito held the photo up to the light. His lower lip began to tremble. A tear trickled from the corner of his eye, and he clutched the picture to his heart. “Ah, my old friend. If only...things had been different...”

  The door whispered open, and Spencer’s father peered into the room. He looked first at Tito, then at the heart monitor, before shooting Spencer a concerned frown. “What did you say to him?”

  “Just reminded him who he used to be.” He stood. “I’ll go now.”

  “Wait.” Dad caught Spencer’s elbow. “I haven’t often shown you the appreciation you deserve, and I know you’re only doing what you feel you must. So I’ll ask this one time only. Please. Come home. Let me try to set things right. Between us...” He lowered his voice. “And with Mrs. Forrester and her niece.”

  With a glance back at his grandfather, still cradling the snapshot as he stared at something unseen, Spencer sighed. “I’m hopeful we’ve taken a step in that direction.” He drew his father into a hug. “Sure, Dad, see you at home later. We’ll talk more then.”

  Grunting in surprise, Dad patted Spencer’s back. “Yes, son. Yes, we will. I—I love you.”

  Spencer wasn’t sure he could remember the last time his father had actually spoken those words aloud. “I love you, too, Dad. Hope you know that.”

  On his way to the exit, he had to brush something wet off his cheek. Crossing the lobby, he glimpsed his mother coming toward him. Lindsey and Audra followed on either side of her.

  “Hi, honey,” she said. “Look who I ran into in the parking lot.”

  Audra took his hand, stretching tall to brush a kiss across his cheek. “The roads were clear, so we wanted to drive over and see how y’all are doing.”

  “That’s nice of you.” He spoke to Audra, but his gaze was locked with Lindsey’s. She’d hung back, uncertainty in her eyes.

  As Audra moved aside, Mom linked her arm through his, her brow knit. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here today. Did you look in on your grandfather?”

  “Yeah.” Giving himself a mental shake, he returned his attention to his mother. “He was awake for a bit. Dad’s with him now.”

  “We don’t want to intrude,” Audra said. “But if we can run any errands for you, bring over some takeout, anything at all—”

  Shifting her glance between Spencer and Lindsey, Mom gave a knowing smile. “Audra, how about joining me for coffee in the cafeteria? I think these kids could use some alone time.”

  Eyes widening, Audra nodded. “Good idea.”

  As the two women headed down the corridor, Spencer turned to Lindsey with a hesitant smile, then gestured toward a pair of empty chairs in the far corner of the lobby. Without a word, she fell into step beside him.

  Once they were seated, he reached for her hand. Staring at her fingertips, he said, “My grandfather told me if I’d come back to the ranch, he’d cancel his complaint and you could proceed with your plans.”

  She stiffened. “I hated that you left in the first place because of me. I’m sorry I ever doubted you, but I’d never ask you to agree just so we could go ahead with the event venue.”

  “That’s essentially the deal my grandfather had in mind until...” He raised his eyes to meet hers. “I gave him the picture.”

  She sucked in a breath. “How did he react?”

  “I saw a spark of the man who once knew your grandfather as a friend, and it gave me hope this feud will one day be over.” He shifted so their knees were touching. “But whatever the future holds, I want you to know I’ll always fight for you. For your hopes and dreams and plans and happiness.”

  “And your own hopes and dreams?” Tenderness filled her expression. “What makes you happy, Spencer?”

  He lifted a hand to gently tuck a curl behind her ear. “You.”

  * * *

  Hands clammy, heart hammering, Lindsey had to remind herself to breathe. Was her dearest dream closer than ever to coming true? “Wh-what are you saying, Spencer?”

  Glancing around the lobby, he uttered a nervous laugh. “You’re going to make me spell it out? Right here in public?”

  “Uh, yeah, I think I am. Because with witnesses, you’ll have a much harder time taking it back.” She winked.

  “Okay, then.” He cleared his throat and dropped to one knee in front of her.

  When every eye in the lobby turned their way, she felt her face turn twenty shades of red. “Spencer,” she rasped, “what are you doing?”

  “Spelling it out. In public, like you asked. Because you deserve at least that much.” He hadn’t let go of her hand. Speaking loudly enough to be heard across the room, he said, “Lindsey McClement, I’m crazy in love with you. Always have been. I didn’t think this th
rough soon enough to have a ring for your finger, but I’m asking anyway. Will you step into the uncertain future with me and say you’ll be my wife?”

  Uncertain didn’t begin to describe her feelings. She couldn’t be more certain about her love for this man, but did she dare hope they could overcome all the obstacles still standing in their way? Tears forming, she slowly shook her head. “I don’t know... I’m so scared.”

  She sensed more than heard the collective awwww from the onlookers hanging on their every word.

  “I’m scared, too,” Spencer said. He pushed up from the floor, then pulled her to her feet. With one arm at her waist, he took her hand and laid it upon his chest. “But my heart’s beating with enough courage for both of us. All you have to do is say yes.”

  She looked into his eyes, and everyone else in the room disappeared as she murmured a contented “Yes.”

  Spencer lowered his smiling lips to hers in the kiss it seemed she’d been waiting for half her life. With one hand still centered on his heart, the other creeping up to cradle his head, she returned his kiss with all the love she’d been holding inside all these years.

  And then they were no longer lost in their own private world, because everyone in the lobby was applauding and cheering. The heat of her blush returning, Lindsey dipped her chin and snuggled deeper into Spencer’s protective embrace.

  When she looked up again, she glimpsed Audra and Lois among their delighted audience. Both women were beaming as they hurried over.

  “About time,” Audra said, pulling Lindsey into a hug.

  “I’ll say.” Lois hooked an arm around Spencer’s neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.

  “Um, this is getting embarrassing.” Lindsey tugged at a strand of hair. “Maybe we could go somewhere a little more private?”

  “Now the woman wants privacy,” Spencer quipped, but she could tell from the edge to his tone that he’d had about all the attention he could handle, too. “Actually, I should be getting back to the ranch before the stable hands knock off for the day.” He drew Lindsey closer, his voice dropping to an intimate whisper. “Save some time for me this evening?”