He expected everyone to be gone all afternoon, and looked forward to catching up on some ordering and other paperwork.
“Gunner’s not here, Kat,” Rowdy said. “He went into town with Gray to pick up engine parts.”
“Hey Rowdy, I wasn’t looking for Gunnar. Mind if I sit down for a minute?”
Rowdy gestured to a chair, then got up to go fill his coffee mug. He’d get some for Kat, too, without being asked. She had uncharacteristic lines on her forehead, and dark circles under her eyes. The woman had not slept well, he surmised.
“Here, Kat,” he said, mug in hand. “I brought you a few cookies, too. You look like you could use them.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Let’s just say, I’ve seen you looking happier,” Rowdy said.
She gave a short laugh and accepted his offerings.
“A hundred years ago, these would be shots of whiskey,” she said.
“Ah, but cookies work faster for what ails you,” he said, “without the hangover.”
“In that case, cheers,” Kat said, lifting a cookie as in a toast, before taking a big bite. After a few sips of the hot coffee, Kat seemed to be avoiding the reason she came.
“Rowdy, I’m hearing a rumor that you’re a little sweet on a local girl.”
Rowdy blushed and shrugged.
“Is Gunnar talking in his sleep again? You know you can’t trust that gossip.”
Kat smiled, though her efforts looked painful.
“I have more than one reliable source, Rowdy,” she said. “But whatever you tell me, I’ll keep to myself.”
“In that case, I have been out a time or two with Daisy Shire, from the Painted Bird Gallery in town.” Rowdy’s grin broadened as he spoke. “She’s awfully pretty, and probably too smart for the likes of this cowboy. But she seems to enjoy my company, and that makes me lucky.”
Kat nodded.
“Daisy’s a fine one, Rowdy. One of my first true friends when I came to town. And knowing you as I do, I’d say she’s pretty lucky also.”
“Well that’s nice of you to say,” Rowdy said quietly.
“I have to warn you though, she does have one fault, and it’s a big one.”
“What fault is that?” Rowdy frowned in surprise at Kat.
“Her twin sister.”
Before Kat moved to town, Gunnar had a girlfriend named Darlene Shire—Daisy’s twin. Thankfully, Darlene moved away to make a name for herself as a journalist, and dumped Gunnar before she left. By the time she realized her mistake and came back to town to marry Gunnar West, he’d fallen in love with Kat during a hospital quarantine.
Darlene high-tailed it out of town again, and rarely made it back home. But Kat could never shake the similarity between the two Shire sisters, even though she adored Daisy.
“But if it gets serious, Rowdy, then I’ll get over it,” Kat told him.
Rowdy gave her a compassionate smile.
“Get over it, Kat.”
After another sip of coffee, Rowdy set his mug down.
“What brings you here?”
“Your intern, Sassy,” Kat said, simply. “I need to know her last name.”
Rowdy looked puzzled.
“I don’t think it’s a secret,” he said, “I just can’t remember off the top of my head. I can ask her when she returns…”
“No!” Kat said too sharply. “Don’t ask. Look in her personnel file and just tell me, please.”
At Kat’s tone, Rowdy stood and walked to a file cabinet. After a few seconds of searching, he pulled out a manilla folder and opened it up. Then he closed it again and returned to his seat, where Kat was waiting.
“Tate,” he said, “Sassy Tate.”
One word—that one name—made Kat’s head jerk back in shock, and the room spin.
“Kat? What’s wrong?” Rowdy was half standing, ready to catch Kat if she fell out of the chair and onto the hard floor. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I… have.”
Chapter 35
Kat was only 14 when her father, Jack Tate, left her and her mother to fend for themselves. The image of her mother running after him as he loaded his suitcase in the car was forever burned in her memory, along with the heartbreak and sadness that lasted in their house for years.
What was worse, Kat abandoned her mother, too.
Unable to bear Trudy’s grief, Kat buried herself in books, school clubs and honors classes—then medical school and a residency at the Chicago hospital. Kat rarely went home when she was an hour away by train, and never went back now that she lived in Wyoming.
Of course, her mother was always welcome to visit the ranch and came twice a year to see little Willow.
Finally, with Gunnar’s help, and a good therapist in West Gorge, Kat had been able to quiet the ghosts. That is, until the legacy of Jack Tate reared its ugly head again in the form of the beautiful Sassy Tate—who must be her…
Could that be?
She knew there was something that unsettled her about the girl, and yet, something about her looked familiar. Sassy had an uncommon beauty, but also a dark and piercing confidence in her eyes that she’d seen before, in her own father.
Their father.
Her thoughts were spinning.
She had a sister; a sister who knew who she was. That meant Jack talked about her—the father that abandoned her knew who and where she was, and obviously… what? Sent the girl as an envoy to mend fences? Ask for forgiveness… for money?
Absurd. Audacious. Presumptuous. Impossible.
Never send a child to do a man’s job, Jack.
Kat shook her head to clear her wildly swimming thoughts. She didn’t want to reconcile with Jack. She didn’t want to meet Sassy’s mother, Sugar Tate—a gold digger who stole her dad and ruined her family. And Kat certainly didn’t want a relationship with Sassy Tate, the spawn of such low-life people. The girl was a deceitful opportunist who wormed her way into the ranch and Kat’s new real family under false pretenses.
Taking a deep breath, Kat stood up and pulled her slumped shoulders back into badass position where they belonged. She was a department head at the hospital, head of a charitable foundation, and ran a large and imposing ranch home. Her husband and daughter adored her, and she had the love and respect of a growing family. Kat wouldn’t let the memories of a negligent father reduce her to a puddle of pain and emotion—those days were over.
Feeling stronger, Kat looked at Rowdy, who’d been standing close by with concern.
“Fire her,” she said, walking out.
Chapter 36
The following Saturday, Sassy opened her front door to find a bouquet of sunflowers in a vase, a sack of still-warm bagels, and a note.
It’s presumptuous to ask you on a first date today with so little notice. But if you’re free, I’d love to take you to the gorge, then out for a late lunch. If you’re sitting on your porch at 11 wearing sensible shoes and real clothes, then we’re on. - Ash
What to do, what to do?
Sassy already accomplished her first goal, without Ash’s help. That was getting into the house at West Ranch and seeing Kat West. The ice was broken. Though judging from the look on Kat’s face, her icy demeanor was only growing colder—for no apparent reason.
Kat gave her the opening she was looking for to broach a terribly sensitive topic, but then little Willow interrupted them.
Willow.
Sassy hadn’t thought much beyond Kat. But the child added a new dimension to her secret—the secret she carried with her this past year, and brought all the way from Illinois. Willow was smart and lovely, and Sassy felt an undeniable connection to the girl.
It was a blood connection, she realized. Something she had very little of.
Looking at the clock, Sassy could see it was past ten, so she needed to hop in the shower and get ready for Ash. Of course she would go to the gorge with him. Freda left for Lander again, and there was nobody else to hang out with. All the other ra
nch hands had family in the area and weekends filled with horseback riding, ATV exploring and hiking. Some were heading to Yellowstone to camp, or to Jackson Hole to whitewater raft the Snake River.
On Fridays, everyone said their goodbyes as Sassy waved.
Bye Sassy, have a fun weekend.
But nobody asked if she had anything to do, or would care to join them. Nobody, that is, except Ash West. He seemed to be the one person who understood how alone she was. Even Freda hadn’t invited her to Lander again—but why should she? Who would want a third wheel on hot summer dates with Jim Tim?
Especially such a distracting third wheel, Sassy knew. She wasn’t being vain, only realistic. Sassy knew how she appeared to men. They made assumptions about her, she understood. And they wouldn’t believe her if she told them she’d only ever kissed a boy or two. She vowed to be even more discerning now that her father had died. Sassy always felt safe in the world knowing her father was alive and well, and looking after her. Now, all she had was her mother. And Lord knew, Sugar Tate was nobody’s bodyguard. Not even her daughter’s.
“Oh, quit being so stuck up and just go out with him, Sassy,” Sugar would say if a man paid her any attention. “He looks like fun.”
“That’s the problem, Mother,” Sassy would counter.
It was only a matter of time, Sassy knew, before Sugar would find another man to fill Jack’s void. Sugar didn’t need any man’s money, but she did crave attention and adoration. Sassy also came to understand why her father separated his wife’s finances from his daughter’s, making it impossible for any future husband to have a claim on Sugar’s money. Or for Sugar to have a claim on Sassy’s inheritance.
Jack knew them both well.
They were all set up for life, the way he wanted them to be. Sassy couldn’t help but wonder if Jack also took care of Kat, but that line of questioning would have to wait.
Chapter 37
Five minutes past eleven in the morning, Ash West pulled up into the driveway of his bungalow in downtown West Gorge, happy to see his next-door neighbor sitting on the porch. Like him, she was wearing board shorts, river sandals, and a tee shirt. They both had reflective sunglasses hanging from their necks, and a fleece pullover within reach.
“Ah, I see you got the dress code memo,” Ash said from the open top of his Jeep.
“As did you,” Sassy smiled as she stood.
“Not your usual date attire, I’m sure,” he said.
“I don’t have date attire,” Sassy said as she walked towards Ash, “usual or otherwise.”
“That can’t be true.” Ash got out of the Jeep, not quite knowing what to do next. Thankfully, he remembered to walk with her to the passenger door to hold it open.
“Why can’t that be true, Ash? You think I get all sorts of invitations, because of the way I look?”
Ash struggled to find a response. That’s exactly what he thought, but now doubted himself as he stood with his hands on the Jeep door.
“Well… yeah, I guess I do think that.”
“And don’t you think I have any say in the matter? Or must I jump at every invitation to the movies, or the theater, or out to eat? Or into a back seat or dark hallway?”
“Gee, Sassy, I’m sorry. Really. I didn’t mean to offend you. I thought I was paying you a compliment, but I can see how I mis-stepped.”
Sassy was silent as she assessed him. He really was sorry, she could tell.
“Sorry, Ash.” Her voice softened. “I didn’t mean to speak so harshly. Just… don’t make assumptions about me, please.”
Ash nodded as he got behind the wheel. He had made assumptions. And just what did he assume? He blushed at the thought, and was ashamed of himself. He would have to tread carefully going forward.
“I think,” Ash said as he pulled the car out of the driveway and started heading for the gorge, “that I automatically lumped you in the same category as all the pretty girls at the university in Michigan; the beautiful and popular girls who had somewhere to go and friends to hang out with all the time. They were always laughing in that way… that carefree way I’ve never been able to.”
“Why can’t you laugh like that, Ash?”
He shrugged, but turned to smile at Sassy.
“Life is hard—people are fragile. I don’t want to be frivolous… or make a mistake that will hurt somebody else. I want to build a life where I can respect what I’m doing and have a family that I’ll never leave.”
“You’re pretty young to have such serious goals.”
“Oh, I’ve had these goals for a long time. The thing I’ve had to learn is to enjoy life’s journey. Instead of going after these things like my life depended on it.”
“Does it?”
“Kinda.”
Sassy reached over and took his free hand in her own and he gave it a squeeze.
“Let’s just enjoy the journey today, together. Like two beautiful friends who have somewhere to go, and someone to hang out with.”
Chapter 38
“And my backside still hurts when it rains!”
Sassy laughed at Ash’s colorful tales of learning to ride a horse on the ranch. She had been walking in front of him on the hiking trail along the gorge.
“I can’t believe a horse threw you when you were a kid,” she said. “It’s my worst fear.”
“Maybe you picked the wrong guy to teach you how to be a cowgirl.” Behind her, Ash wore a backpack filled with water, snacks and sunscreen. “I can ride a horse, but no one would mistake me for someone born in the saddle.”
“I’m hoping to be on a horse before summer’s over.” Sassy kept her eyes on the trail, with one hand steady on a hiking stick. “But I confess, I’m more than a little intimidated. Horses are awfully big.”
“When I first came to the ranch, I had to learn everything,” Ash said. “Horse riding, fence fixing, herd feeding—everything was new to me. But my dad and brothers were patient.”
“The Wests must be a special family to have taken you in as a teen.”
Ash merely nodded, and pointed in the direction of the river, which was getting louder as they hiked.
“They are special; they’re my family now. I shudder to think what would have become of me if I kept on my own path. I’d be a runaway, at the mercy of strangers. Or in jail.”
Sassy stopped walking and turned to face Ash. As they stood still in the forest, the sound of rushing water was nearly deafening.
“Is that why you came back after college, Ash?”
“Yep,” Ash nodded. “I can find a job anywhere, I reckon. But family… I won’t ever take my family for granted. If they were farmers, I’d be planting corn. If they owned a grocery store, I’d be stocking cans. But as it is, I’m a rancher. Just like Gunnar.”
Sassy searched his eyes.
“Where do I fit into your perfect ranching future, if I head home, that is?”
Ash looked puzzled. “Well, you tell me. You’re the one who pursued West Ranch; you came after it like raindrops divebombing a puddle, so I hear.”
Sassy looked miffed.
“Well that may be, but I came after a job, not after you, Ash West. This,” Sassy gestured with her arms at the trail around them, “is all your doing.”
“Okay, I don’t know where you fit it with me. Or how I fit in with you—you’re a mystery to me, Sassy. All I know is that you’re the best of both worlds. You are everything I love about the Midwest, right here in Wyoming. You’re smart and kind, and full of life. And I can’t stop thinking about your kiss.”
Sassy smiled.
“Oh, did we kiss? I don’t seem to recall that.” Her tone and body language said otherwise as she stepped a little closer to Ash and tilted her head up towards him.
Ash grinned at her obvious flirtation. He tilted his own head so that he was facing her, and brought his lips close before whispering.
“Then let me remind you, pretty cowgirl.”
“This is perfect.”
Sassy t
ook in the scene around them with satisfaction. Ash had led them to a large rock that acted as a flat-topped ledge overlooking the gorge. Water rushed down the West River, winding between and over rocks. The land where the water flowed cut deep into the features, forming a gorge that separated the prairie and the mountains.
Ash could barely hear her, except for the fact that they sat side by side with their backs against the side of the hill, legs stretched in front of them. Ash had one arm around Sassy’s waist, and pulled her as close as possible. With the other hand, he held a cracker with a slice of pepper jack cheese Sassy had handed him.
“It’s a great place to picnic,” he said, gesturing to the jagged rocks below, “but you wouldn’t want to fall asleep here. If you rolled over, it could be your last nap.”
“Then I’ll stick close to you.”
Chapter 39
“We need to talk, Kat.”
Gunnar’s tone was gruffer than he’d intended walking into his wife’s home office unannounced. After taking off his hat, he sat down across from her in one of the brocade upholstered wing chairs and looked around the room. This had been his mother’s home office years before, and her pride and joy.
Randi Lynn West made this a retreat from the dusty and rustic ranch, complete with plush white carpet and fancy chairs. It was his mother’s inner sanctum, and now it was Kat’s. Ridge had gifted this space to her shortly after their marriage as the most precious thing he could offer his new daughter-in-law.
Now, years later, it retained the same look; the same light and feminine fragrance.
And the same rules still applied—enter at your own risk.
Looking around and seeing his mother’s law books on the shelves along with Kat’s medical journals, Gunnar was grateful that his wife left the room as it always was, amidst the fervor of her redecorating over the past few years. He knew it was a sacrifice on Kat’s part; this wasn’t her style. The realization made him swallow hard and soften his tone.
Sassy Cowgirl Kisses: A Sweet Romance (A West Brothers Romance Book 5) Page 10