Stand-Up Cowboy

by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Stephanie Bond

  “That’s good to know.”

  “Grit maked the fire.”

  Henri looked at Georgie. “In your cabin?”

  “Yep. My house. I don’t want—”

  “Come on, Georgie. Let’s go get your car seat. You don’t want to be late for school.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Chapter Seven

  Short on sleep and jacked-up on caffeine, Garrett took the shortcut through ranch property on his way to fetch Jake from Raptors Rise. Ranch guests were directed to take this back way, too, but the general public accessed the sanctuary from the main entrance off the highway.

  Jake usually finished cleaning the raptor enclosures around ten, so Garrett pulled up in front of the visitor center a little before that. He had to get the car keys from Anna and arriving early might give him a chance to talk with her.

  A silver-haired couple stood at the desk buying their tickets. Visitors could make a reservation for a guided tour with Jake or just show up and use headphones and a recorded narration for a self-tour of the sanctuary.

  Nobody had scheduled a guided tour for this morning, so Jake was at liberty to help pull Anna’s car out of the snowbank. He likely could use some hard labor and a member of the Brotherhood who’d be a good listener. Garrett could supply both.

  The couple picked up their equipment for the self-guided tour and headed off. Garrett smiled at Anna. “How are you this morning? Any lingering aches or pains?”

  “Not a one, thank goodness.”

  “Good to hear. You look right at home behind that desk.”

  “I am. Don’t you love this building? You’d swear it was an old ranch house, complete with a porch and rockers where folks have been sitting for generations.”

  “I do love this building, although I doubt you’ll have many porch sitters until the weather warms up.”

  “Probably not, but when it does, I think Jake should consider having a food concession. Something simple, like snacks and lemonade or iced tea.”

  “Great idea.” And she looked amazing in a yellow Raptors Rise logo turtleneck. She’d worn her hair down, a sleek, dark curtain that brushed her shoulders. “Did you have on a logo shirt yesterday?”

  “No. I leave my supply of shirts here and change before I start work. Then I change back before I pick up Georgie. He has a talent for getting stuff on my clothes and some of it doesn’t come off easily, like glue.”

  “The shirt looks nice on you. Especially that cheerful yellow.”

  “Thanks.” Her cheeks turned a sweet shade of pink. Dropping her gaze, she took her purse out from under the counter. “I put the car key on a separate keychain so you can keep it as long as you need to.”

  “Let’s hope that’s not very long.” He pocketed the key. “I’ll text you once I have something to report.”

  “I’ll keep my phone handy. I appreciate you and Jake doing this, especially considering the new development with his half-brother.”

  “I figure he’ll relish working off some steam.”

  “No kidding. I haven’t had a chance to talk with him yet. He had no idea this guy existed?”

  “None.”

  “I’ll bet you had an interesting night, too.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Won’t that be difficult, having Claire in the bunkhouse? I haven’t been in it, but I doubt it’s kid-friendly.”

  “It’s not. But she has her heart set on living there, so we’ll adjust.”

  “Since you’ll have more on your plate, now, you’re welcome to back out of our deal.”

  Was she looking for an excuse? “I don’t plan to.” He paused. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

  She gazed at him and sighed. “It’s not that I’ve changed my mind. I just don’t think it’ll be much fun for you.”

  “I had a good time last night. His Captain Invisible routine is funny.” And he had no problem taking guff from Georgie if it meant spending time with her.

  “It’ll be an uphill battle, I’m afraid.”

  “Maybe not. I think we’ve made progress already.”

  “I’d hoped so, too. But this morning he was ready to tell Henri he doesn’t want you in his house. I didn’t let him finish the sentence, but that’s where he was going with it.”

  “Does Henri know the issue?”

  “She does, now. I filled her in on the way back from town and mentioned that you’d offered to help.”

  “What does she think?” If Henri questioned the plan, he’d pull back.

  “She said I couldn’t find a better man for the job.”

  Warmth filled his chest. “Nice of her to say.”

  “She thinks the world of you, Garrett. She praised your mechanical skills, too.”

  “Wow.” He grinned. “The pressure’s on.”

  “I worry about that. She said when you take on a job, you see it through.”

  “That’s generally true.” He’d had no idea Henri had such a high opinion of him, though. Gratifying. And humbling.

  “That tells me you’ll soldier on no matter how challenging the task is, whether it’s my car or my son. You could end up with a lot of grief in both cases.”

  “I can take it. I like challenges.” But he’d be a fool to minimize this one. He was confident he could fix her car given enough time. He was fairly certain he could win Georgie’s trust if he kept at it. The kid’s curiosity would eventually melt his resistance. The third goal, winning Anna’s trust, would be the toughest hill to climb.

  “Hey, there’s the man of the hour!” Shearling coat unbuttoned, Jake walked into the reception area from a hallway to the right. The rooms in that direction included an office, an infirmary and a nursery for orphaned baby birds who would need shelter come spring. “Got that bunkhouse situation under control?”

  “Not even close, bro.” How he loved calling Jake that. Maybe eventually he’d take it for granted, but he hadn’t yet. “Have you talked to Zeke?”

  “Considered texting him this morning. Decided to wait until I’d talked with you. How did it go?”

  “Well, I’m in love.”

  “Me, too. The jury’s still out on whether Zeke gets to stay, but Claire’s in, for sure. That kid is awesome. She’ll be barrel racing with the Babes before you know it.”

  “Yeah, she will. She was up before dawn, bouncing around, raring to go to the barn. I took the two of them down there and you’d think she was headed to Disneyland.” A barn visit was another avenue he wanted to explore with Georgie. Most kids loved being around horses.

  “That’s very cool. Well, guess we might as well get going.” He buttoned his jacket and flashed Anna a grin. “It’s all yours. Have that donation bucket filled by the time I get back.”

  She smiled. “No problem.”

  “I know. That’s why I said it.” He glanced at Garrett. “Donations have picked up substantially since Anna came on board. She coaxes money out of visitors like you wouldn’t believe.”

  “I do believe it. And that reminds me.” Garrett reached for the wallet in his back pocket. He’d intended to put some money in the bucket and talking with Anna had made him forget.

  “That comment wasn’t meant to nudge you into contributing, bro,” Jake said. “You already gave me a nice check this month. Don’t—”

  “I want to.” He folded a twenty and shoved it through the slot in the bucket on the counter.

  “Well, thank you.” Jake gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s move out before you divest yourself of any more of your hard-earned cash. B-bye, Anna.” He made for the door.

  Garrett followed. “I’ll text you,” he called over his shoulder.

  “I’ll watch for it. And thanks for the donation.”

  “Welcome.” He went out the door Jake held for him.

  Jake lowered his voice. “You like her a lot.”

  “How can you tell?”

  Jake rolled his eyes and set off for Garrett’s truck. “Let me count the ways. One, the lovesick expr
ession on your freshly shaven mug when I walked into the reception area. Two, the gallant gesture of stuffing a twenty in the donation bucket when a five would have done just fine. Three, the lilt in your voice when you said I’ll text you and the unspoken endearment that lingered in the air.”

  “There was no unspoken endearment.” He walked quickly around to the driver’s side and climbed in.

  Jake swung into the passenger seat, shut the door and buckled up. “For the record, I think she kinda likes you, too.”

  “Seems like it, but she’s not dating anyone until Georgie’s in college.” He started the truck and backed out.

  “While I admire that on one level because she’s thinking of her kid, I’d hate to see her wait for years when she has a good guy like you on the hook.”

  “I’m not—”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Yeah, okay. I am.” He headed back the way he’d come.

  “I could talk to her. I stalled way too long before I worked up the courage to date Millie, and I regret those lost years.”

  “Don’t talk to her. She has a good reason not to date. Georgie hates guys.”

  “I know he doesn’t like me, but I thought I’d screwed up somehow.”

  “He doesn’t like men, period.”

  “Her ex’s doing?”

  “Bingo.”

  “You plan to work on that issue?”

  “I do.”

  “The good news is she got her son away from the bastard at a young age. Georgie might not end up totally jacked the way most of us did.”

  “And speaking of that. I got a little info on Zeke’s ex-wife. She’s no prize, either.”

  “Are you saying Zeke gets the credit for that amazing kid?”

  “Could be.”

  “Huh. That’s a point in his favor. I sure wish he didn’t look exactly like my father did at thirty. Dear old dad was a heartbreaker. Broke mine, too.”

  “It’s not Zeke’s fault.”

  “I know that, but I still have the urge to punch him in his disgustingly handsome face.”

  “Just focus on Claire, then. We need to decide what horse to start her on.”

  “She doesn’t ride? And she wants to be a wrangler?”

  “Her mom put the kibosh on that dream. Refused to let her near a stable.”

  “That sucks. How the hell did a woman who hates stables and horses end up with my brother… I mean, half-brother?”

  “Just so you know, he’s not making that distinction anymore. He probably felt he had to when he first talked to Henri, but ever since he and Claire arrived at the bunkhouse, he’s called you my brother or if he’s talking to Claire, it’s Uncle Jake. Oh, and she’s decided all the members of the Brotherhood are her uncles.”

  “She’s right. I can’t wait for everybody to meet her.” He stared out the front windshield for a few moments. Then he glanced over. “Did Zeke say why he split with this woman? And how he got custody?”

  “He couldn’t go into it because Claire was with us, but he did say the judge gave him sole custody.”

  “Which is unusual, especially with a daughter, but clearly that was the right call. She adores him.”

  “Henri seemed to take a liking to him, too. She has good instincts.”

  Jake nodded. “She can spot a wounded soul at fifty paces.” He sighed. “So can I. Do you suppose he’s known about me all these years?”

  “I doubt it. I get the impression he just found out recently.”

  “Must’ve been my wedding, then.”

  “Your wedding?”

  “Millie thought I should let my mom know about it. After the fact, I mean. I didn’t want her showing up here on New Year’s Eve. But I sent a note to her the first week in January. She must’ve told my dad, who evidently decided to spill the beans to Zeke.”

  “Possible.”

  “Although I don’t see why my marriage would prompt him to tell Zeke about me.”

  “Maybe because you’re more stable than Zeke is right now. You could be a steadying influence on him and Claire.”

  “If you’re implying my dad’s thinking of someone besides himself—”

  “He’s Claire’s grandfather. Is it such a stretch that he could be worried about her since her parents have split up?”

  “Yes. Yes, it is. He’s never—”

  “People change.”

  “I know, but—” He glanced past Garrett as they rounded the curve and Anna’s car came into view. “Holy hell. She buried that car good, didn’t she?”

  “She was going fast when she hit.”

  “Gives me the gollywobbles just looking at it.”

  “Me, too. But she says she’s okay.” He checked his rearview mirror before pulling across the road. Then he backed up until he was only a couple of feet from her car. “I guess my point about Zeke is that he seems like a decent guy. And Claire will be fun to have around.”

  “Millie has the same opinion as you. She wants to get to know Claire better. She’s planning to invite her along when she has afternoon tea with Kate today.”

  “I guarantee Claire will love that. I’m glad Millie thought to ask her right away. Tomorrow Zeke’s enrolling her in Apple Grove Elementary so her weekdays will be taken up.”

  “He’s putting her in school already?”

  “Yep. As far as he’s concerned, they’re staying.”

  “I see.” Jake cleared his throat. “Then I guess I’d better get acquainted with them.”

  Chapter Eight

  A busy morning kept Anna from obsessing about her car, but she kept glancing at her phone in case Garrett texted.

  Instead he walked in with Jake. Luckily they showed up when nobody was standing at the reception desk in need of attention.

  Jake split off and headed down the hallway. “Gotta check on that injured golden.”

  “Thanks for the help, bro.” Garrett pulled off his gloves and tipped back his hat as he approached the reception desk. “I decided it was silly to text since I was bringing Jake back. Your car’s going to be fine.”

  “Fine? Really?” Relief flooded through her. “It’s not out of alignment?”

  “I can’t tell that for sure until I drive it, but we’ll think positive that the snow was fluffy enough that it’s okay. The bumper’s scratched up a bit because there was some gravel mixed in with the snow but the headlights didn’t break.”

  “That’s very good news.” And he sure looked good delivering it. The cold had brushed his cheeks with color that emphasized the aquamarine sparkle of his eyes. “Where is it?”

  “We towed it to the parking area of the bunkhouse. I can work on it there this afternoon. It’s a decent day for it, no wind, sunny.”

  “I’m glad for that.”

  “I hope to have it done so you can drive it tomorrow, but I’ll plan to fix the bumper on a day you don’t need to use the car.”

  “Does the bumper affect the way it runs?”

  “Not really. It’s cosmetic.”

  “Then we can leave it as is.”

  “No need to do that. It won’t cost you anything.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s all labor. Well, except for a can of touch-up paint. That’s not much.”

  “It costs you, though. Your time is worth something.”

  “Like I said, I enjoy the work. Restoring that bumper would make me happy.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Then thank you. But just the bumper, okay? Promise me you won’t go looking for other dings.”

  He hesitated.

  “I mean it, Garrett.”

  “All right, I promise.”

  “Do you still want to come for dinner?”

  “I’d love to.”

  “I can’t guarantee that Georgie will—”

  “No parent can guarantee their child will be well-behaved. Not any good parent anyway. Which lets out the ones who rule with an iron fist.” The muscles around his e
yes tightened. A subtle tell.

  Had he had such a parent? “I’m making meatloaf, if that works for you—”

  “I love meatloaf. Are we doing s’mores for dessert?”

  “If you don’t mind. It gives us another chance to get Georgie involved.”

  “Mind?” He chuckled. “Can’t ever have too many s’mores.”

  “Alrighty then.” His enthusiasm was catching. “The meatloaf will be done around six.”

  “If I show up at five-thirty, can I help you with the side dishes?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Then I’ll be there at five-thirty. If I can drive your car over, I will. But you’ll need Millie to give you a ride into town this afternoon to fetch Georgie.”

  “Henri wants to do it. She talked Millie out of the job.”

  “Figures. She’s a sucker for kids and Georgie is cuter than the devil.”

  She laughed. “Except when he is a devil.”

  “Even then. I worry him, but I fascinate him, too.”

  Perfect description of the effect he had on her, too. “Why do you say that?”

  “His urge to spy on us.”

  “Good point. That’s something new. He’s never done that spying business before.”

  “Here’s my theory. Because I’m a man, he’s conditioned to expect me to behave a certain way. But I don’t follow the pattern. So he’s curious, but wary. Any minute I could change and start acting like his father.”

  Especially if he kissed her. No wonder Georgie had yelled at them. Her ex would make sexual advances when he wanted to take her attention away from their son. She’d resist, inciting one of Brad’s tantrums.

  “Are you okay?”

  She blinked and drew in a breath. “Yeah. I just…had a flashback.”

  “You looked like you wanted to light into someone and I can guess who. Is this plan stirring things up?”

  She met his worried gaze. “It is, but that’s my problem, not yours. I haven’t invited a man into my personal space since the divorce. Georgie’s not the only one who has to get used to the idea.”

  “I know.” His voice was gentle. “Still want me there?”