Raising a Cowgirl

by Jana Leigh

  "Now what the fuck happened at the hotel. I remember noises and pain. That's about it,” Jolie snarled and waited.

  Gage lifted his head and looked at David. Jolie turned to them and was struck with the feeling they could communicate without speaking. “Were you a member of the team as well?”

  David smiled, “No, I really am the Sheriff of a small town called Healing in Wyoming. I met the guys there when they moved onto the ranch. Gage just became a Deputy with me, and we have become fast friends.”

  “Oh, gay? You know don’t ask don’t tell?” she said.

  “What? NO!” Gage yelled and sat up, waking Sammi who startled. She began to cry and Gage looked at David with terror in his eyes. She could have laughed but didn’t.

  “Give her to me,” David said softly and took the small bundle. It only took a few moments for him to sooth her and put her back to sleep. Gage was shaking his head in wonderment.

  “Well you know more than we do, but we are going to find out,” Gage said grimly.

  “What do you know?” she whispered.

  “Marie was tortured and beat in order for them to find out some information,” Gage said and Jolie gasped and looked at them with horror-filled eyes. “Sorry, that came out coldly. She was my best friend's wife, and like my sister. Right now, all I can think about is getting you to safety and finding the son of a bitches who started this.”

  Jolie nodded but still felt the tears fall as she thought about what her friend had gone through, it was terrible, she felt a rush of anger. “I stay until you figure this out.”

  Gage raised an eyebrow and said to her, “Not like you had a choice.”

  “Oh, well, I am saying I will cooperate,” Jolie said and blushed. “Now what is going on right now.”

  “We are waiting, when we arrive to the ranch we have armed guards and security being installed even as we speak. Sable, which is Alex and Slone's wife, is waiting for you with the doctor. Lou, our honorary grandmother, will be there as well,” Gage said and then waited for it.

  “Uh, you said Sable, was married to Slone and Alex? Uh, I don’t get it,” Jolie said confused.

  David is the one who answered, “Healing isn’t like many places you have been to. They are accepting of everyone’s lifestyles. The town was built from families who shared women way back when. In the Old West, it was easier if they shared women because of the harshness of the land. One could even say it became the norm back then. Healing stood on its morals. Women were meant to be cherished not hurt.”

  “Oh, well, it doesn’t bother me. I mean, I am not one of those people who judge others. So I think we are good.” Jolie smiled and looked at the two men. She wondered briefly if they had a woman they shared. Surrounded by these two would be like heaven.

  “We are landing,” Gage said and held out his hands for Sammi who made a happy cooing sound. Jolie noticed he was gentle with her, although slightly uncomfortable he didn’t shy away from holding her. Cute.

  “Let’s get you buckled up,” David said and helped her move into the seat and get her seat belt on. She felt the descent and was anxious to see where they were. Jolie had been out of California only a few times, she never had enough money to travel the way she wanted.

  The landing was smooth and fast, she was surprised when they announced they were on the ground and opening the doors. The bright sun beat down on her when she exited. It was a different kind of hot there, dry and brutal. She sighed though, finally in the sun again, last night she had not been sure she would make it to see a new sunrise, and today she was in Healing, Wyoming.

  Her eyes drifted and noted the lush green grass, and the animals. Wow, there were a lot of cows here, she thought. There were several large trucks waiting for them. Jolie gasped when she had to jump the last step and it joggled her arm. Yep, this is what it felt to be shot by a gun, she thought and made a noise, which cause both of the men to pause and make sure she was okay.

  A small woman jumped from one of the trucks and rushed to her. David took off his hat out of respect, and Jolie felt a jolt of surprise at the action, men just didn’t do that anymore. Heck, if her mother met these two well-mannered men she would have her married to one of them in a week.

  “Sable,” Gage said and moved Sammi to the other arm and put his free hand around her waist. “This is Jolie Trime. She took care of Sammi for Marie. Jolie, this is Sable, Alex and Slone's wife, and basically our mother hen.”

  “Oh you,” Sable said and slapped him in the arm. “Ignore these twits. The doc is on his way. And hopefully we can get you all settled and resting before all the banging starts again.”

  Jolie was confused but nodded in agreement. This woman was a ball of fire, talking fast, and helping her move to the truck. Hell, Jolie looked like an Amazon compared to Sable, but she directed her carefully. She looked over her shoulder with a pleading expression to both David and Gage, who were smirking behind her.

  Jolie narrowed her eyes and said, “Thank you, Sable, I haven’t eaten in twelve hours, with all of this crap going on, I haven’t been hungry. But I am feeling a little sick right now.”

  Sable paused and turned to glare at Gage and David. “Seriously? You didn’t feed her even a cracker and she has been shot and drugged by you!” Sable yelled and both of the men grimaced.

  Jolie stuck out her tongue at the men while Sable was turned around chastising the guys. Both of them looked like they were deer in the headlights opening and shutting their mouth trying to get a word in edgewise.

  “Get that baby in the car, I bought a car seat. And when we get back to the ranch, Lou is going to want a word with you I am sure.” Sable finished and turned around. “Come on, Jolie, let’s get you to the ranch. Lou made some vegetable stew and fresh bread, it should be done.”

  Jolie actually felt her stomach grumble at the mention of a home cooked meal. She wasn’t much for cooking, especially since it was only her. Making Mac-n-Cheese microwave cups were the extent to her culinary ability, and every once in a while, she got a little wild and added a chicken breast.

  Getting in the truck seemed to be a little difficult and finally David swept her in his arms and settled her in the front seat. She gasped at the contact with him. Once again, she felt the zing of awareness. What the fuck was going on with her? She was going to have to take a cold shower at the rate she was going.

  David and Gage got into another truck and followed. Sable chatted while they drove, but Jolie was looking at the wide-open land. Wow, this place was beautiful. She saw a huge ranch house, with a wrap-around porch in the distance and loved it immediately. When they pulled into that driveway, her heart began to beat faster.

  This was her dream place. Somewhere quiet and secluded that she could decompress after working. Dealing with PTSD could be stressful and exhausting. She could only imagine what it was like for the servicemen. Since beginning to work for the VA, she had seen the worst and the best of the military. Although she would never speak out in public about things, she also knew what was right and wrong. The way the servicemen who returned from war were treated—was not fair. It only made things more difficult when trying to adapt into society. How could they expect them to go back to being normal with the things they had seen?

  She was so focused in her thoughts she didn’t realize they had stopped and she was staring at a tree when Sable came into her view. She smiled and then tried to move to get out. Tears came instantly when she moved and brushed her arm against the seat.

  Suddenly, David and Gage were there, helping her get out. Jolie noticed an older woman holding Sammi, and an older gentleman standing with her, smiling down at the baby.

  She stumbled a little and Gage swore under his breath, swept her up into his arms, and stalked to the front porch. David was helping him by opening the doors, without a pause she was taken upstairs into one of the biggest rooms she had ever seen.

  It was cheery and inviting, decorated in appealing shades of yellows and greens. She loved the fluffy bed they lai
d her on. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. She hurt, and she was not too proud to actually pitch a fit pretty soon if someone didn’t do something about it.

  Jolie opened her eyes and looked at the men with pain in her eyes. “Can I get some Ibuprofen or something?”

  “Not yet, young lady, I have to examine you first,” a voice from across the room said and she turned her head to look at a kind looking older man who carried an old-fashioned doctor’s bag. He was short and portly with silver hair, and glasses that sat on the edge of his nose. She fell in love a little bit with the man, and if he had drugs, she may offer to marry him.

  Chapter Ten

  An hour later Jolie was showered, stitched, drugged up, and happily sleeping. The guys went downstairs to talk to Timothy and make their phone calls. They had not wanted to chance calling the guys directly from the ranch, and so Jolly and Steve, Alex’s honorary uncles were being the information flow center for them.

  Everyone was checking in with them at the offices in Colorado. According to Sable and Lou, Alex’s brothers, Rex and Andre were already on their way to Healing. Dallas and Noah, Alex’s fathers, were bringing up a security team of Jolly and Steve’s. Soon they would have a brand new security system, with motion detectors and video surveillance all in a Command center in the back of the house.

  Gage and David listened to the doc as he explained the patient orders for Jolie, making notes of times she needed medication, and bandage care.

  “I would have preferred she was in a hospital, even though it was only a flesh wound. She is dehydrated and has a fever. So make sure she gets the meds, if it gets any worse, I will recommend you take her to Cheyenne,” the doctor ordered.

  “Got it,” David said and Gage nodded.

  They shook the doctor's hand and led him out the front door. Gage turned to David and frowned. “We need to keep her safe.”

  “We will. Where is Sammi?" David asked.

  “In the kitchen with Lou,” Gage said, running a hand through his hair, the exhaustion of the emotional and adrenalin high was going to make him crash. There was no way he was doing that until they had guards.

  They made their way to the kitchen and looked at the men who were playing with Sammi. The wranglers, the ranch hands, everyone a gooey sickening mess—making faces and laughing at the charming little girl.

  Lou handed them cups of coffee and put her hands on her hips. “Sit, I will get the stew. I figure you are going to be up for a while, trying to sort this mess out.”

  Sable breezed in the kitchen and said, “Our patient is resting nicely. Any word on when the guards will be here?”

  “Not yet why?” Gage asked.

  “Finding somewhere for them to all stay. No one knows how many are coming. I hate to make the guys in the bunk house too cramped,” Sable said and bit her lip. Gage could see the woman’s brain spinning.

  “They can take my place,” David said. “For the immediate future, I will be staying here.”

  Sable looked surprised and then smiled. “Thanks, Sherriff, how many rooms are there, and where is it?”

  Gage listened and waited. He knew where his friend lived. He was waiting for the rest of the room to find out. They would certainly get a hoot out of it. David had only found out a few weeks ago, but he agreed to wait for David to tell them, at the time it was a privacy thing.

  “Next door,” David mumbled.

  “Wait, what?” Sable looked confused. “No, Desire and her men live to the west. That nice lady who owns the hair salon, lives across. And some trust owns the land to the east, it wraps around the rest of the ranch.”

  “Yeah, well, my mother's parents left it to me when they passed. I didn’t know about it until about seven years ago when I turned thirty. My mom died when I was younger, she was estranged with her parents because of my asshole father. I never met them. They left me the land and enough to keep it going. The house is way too big for me, about this size, maybe a little smaller. Use what you need. Only my foreman and hands live there in the bunk house.” David shrugged and looked around the room at all of them staring at him in astonishment.

  “I thought you lived in town, the small house in back of the station?” Lou laughed. “In this little town, who the heck kept that secret?”

  David felt the red creeping into his cheeks and mumbled, “Mom’s parents had it written into the will about the trust. Never seemed the right time to set people straight. The guys pretty much keep to themselves, and Rick, my foreman, is all about privacy. I stay in town because of the job, and to be truthful that house is too huge for me to ramble around in alone. Kinda felt weird. All of the furniture is the original, and not so much my style.”

  The guys laughed and Lou and Sable looked at one another with a devious expression. “We will take care of it if you don’t mind?” Sable said finally.

  David shrugged and turned back to Sammi and smiled. “There is a room with a crib and stuff there, too, you may want to grab that and have it brought over here. Jolie said she wanted the baby with her.”

  Sable nodded and clapped her hands. “Well then, I had better get busy if we are gonna have a place for this little darlin' to sleep tonight. Though I think having her sleep with Jolie until she is feeling better is a stretch.”

  Gage nodded and said, “Put the stuff in my room, and have another bed brought in for David.”

  “Okkkaaay,” Sable laughed and said to one of the men sitting at the table. “Let’s get the truck ready and moving.”

  Two of the new men nodded and patted Sammi on the back and left. It only took a few minutes for Lou and Timothy to have everyone organized and off to complete chores, and other things. When it was only David and Gage in the kitchen, both of them were silent and thinking about the things that needed to be done.

  “We need to make the calls, find out what is going on, and who is coming and when,” Gage said and David nodded. For the first time since they met, they seemed to be avoiding a conversation.

  Both of them knew what it was about, with all the wacky shit going on, they were still feeling the awareness to Jolie, and a definite protective instinct to both her and Sammi. Neither wanted to waste the time to figure all this out, but David felt like something had to be said.

  “We will, but first can I ask you something?” David said slowly.

  “Sure,” Gage shrugged and looked down at his coffee, tightening his hands on the cup as if he knew what was going to be said.

  “I, uh, wanted to let you know I felt something with Jolie, something I can't describe, and I, uh, wanted your thought,” David said slowly. Although since meeting the man before him, he knew their friendship had become strong, even in the few months they had known each other.

  “Oh, well, sure, you are interested, of course, go ahead,” Gage muttered and stood. He walked to the pot of coffee and poured another cup. Gage would never begrudge his friend for being interested in Jolie. Hell, he was interested. But seeing that he was a ready-made guardian of a baby, and had so many issues, he was going to have to take a pass on that. Even though he felt the piercing pain in his chest.

  “Dumbass. I know you felt something. I was wondering if you were interested in maybe talking about the possibility of something more,” David laughed.

  “More? More what? I am fucked up, man, I have no clue what to do with a child, let alone a woman who actually wants me to speak to her more than, ‘Hey baby, your place or mine'?” Gage said sarcastically.

  “Not what I am talking about but hey, since you went there, let's deal with it. I have been in a ménage before, of course not permanent, but I get the gist of it. A ménage is about three people who just fit. No, I am not saying I want a piece of your ass, mine is exit only, too. What I am saying is, Jolie is attracted to both of us, it was obvious. Why make her choose. We could be two men rolled into one for her. Protecting her, Sammi, each other, and getting the same in return. I would trust you and you could count on me to make the relationship a priority to work on and dev
elop,” David said.

  “Dude, I'm not sure. Hell, I don’t know up from down right now. All I can think about is the target. Who is trying to hurt them, and us. After that—who knows,” Gage said warily.

  “Just think about it, I wanted to throw this out there, mostly because I have been thinking about broaching the subject with you, but more because I have honestly never found a guy who I would trust with my life, and my woman’s life. I don’t give that trust easily. I get that we need time to work on this. But if I am right, we may not get the time if the attraction keeps building and we are all living under the same roof with each other. It could be stressful. I don’t know how this is all going to end, I just want to see where it could go. Even if we hadn’t met Jolie, I have always known I wanted a ménage relationship. You probably can understand why, because I was afraid to get into a relationship and with my job, I never wanted to leave a widow. I just had never found a man who I would actually agree to trust enough for this,” David said and Gage turned and looked at him closely.

  “Okay, let’s see where this is going. I can’t make any promises, the only thing is, I will have an open mind. I will warn you though, until I met Alex’s family, I would never even have contemplated this. But seeing them and now Alex, Slone, and Sable, I can tell you I think I get it,” Gage said.