The Rancher's Family Thanksgiving

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  They’d made love through the night that time. Fiercely, passionately.

  By the time morning came, they had come to grips with the passing of his friend. But were more confused than ever about what had transpired between them. They knew it wouldn’t have happened had the two of them been back in Laramie, Tyler not reeling with grief. So again, they had promised themselves. No more.

  And that vow had held until the day a year before, when Susie’d had a close call on the job. She was out doing a bid on a property, inspecting a tree that had died and needed to be removed, when one of the rotting limbs broke off and came down, knocking her to the ground, narrowly missing her head. Her crew had insisted she go to the hospital and get checked out. Her parents had overreacted even though all Susie had to show for the near-death experience was a few bruises and a torn shirt.

  Meg and Luke had wanted her to go home with them.

  She’d called Tyler and had him come and get her instead.

  Tyler had told her parents he would stay with Susie through the night—a move that had turned out to be both good and bad. Good because when the enormity of what had nearly happened finally hit Susie she had started crying and couldn’t stop. Tyler had held her until the storm passed, and a different storm started. Once again, they had ended up in her bed.

  Making love with him that night had been the perfect remedy for the calamity. The usual confusion and promises not to ever do it again had followed. And they had kept that promise. Until tonight.

  The fact they had ended up in each other’s arms this evening really was no surprise, Susie silently reassured herself.

  Her parents had a talent for driving her absolutely crazy. And now, thanks to her plea for his intervention, Tyler was being driven to distraction by the situation, too.

  Fortunately, this time, for the first time, their coming together like that had started and ended with a single kiss. His emergency call had removed them from a situation rife with physical temptation and emotional pitfalls.

  And now that she had gotten the much-needed break, she had to take a step back. Take a deep breath, and go back to what worked best for her, living moment to moment. No plans for the future, other than the ones she had for her business.

  The upcoming holidays were going to be tough enough without adding another emotionally complicated but ultimately going-nowhere lovemaking session with Tyler to the mix. Thanksgiving was so family-centered. It always brought home to her the things that would never be hers—a husband, children, the deep, inherent belief she would have everything she had ever wanted, everything she deserved, and live to a ripe old age.

  All that and more had been taken from her. She didn’t care what anyone said. No platitude or encouragement could bring it back.

  “Still ticked off at me for kissing you that way?” Tyler drawled, turning his pickup into the fair grounds where the Laramie County barrel racing competition was being held.

  How could she be mad at him when she was equally to blame?

  Susie flashed a smile. “Not a problem as long as you don’t do it again.”

  Tyler’s expression remained inscrutable. He searched for a parking place. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Which was not the same thing as promising to abstain, Susie noted.

  Jimmy Rooney and his father met them at the entrance to the horse barn. Mr. Rooney was a mild-looking man, unlike his son, who seemed like an arrogant kid.

  Susie sized up the sixteen-year-old with the custom-made Western clothing, expensive hat and hand-tooled boots, and the fifty-year-old man beside him. She figured out two things right off the bat. The kid was in charge here, not the parent, and the kid was trouble.

  Mr. Rooney shook hands with Tyler. Unlike his son, he was all grace and warmth. “I’d like you to examine Catastrophe. I thought he was favoring his right front leg during the warm-up, but couldn’t be sure.”

  “I told you, Dad. I didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary when I was riding him!” Jimmy Rooney glared at Tyler. “You’ll see. Nothing is wrong with my horse. Nothing that would keep me from racing him tonight anyway.” Jimmy brushed past the other contestants in the barn, and led the way to the stall where his horse was quartered.

  With a gentle word to the sleek stallion, Tyler entered the stall and squatted to examine the dark brown quarter horse, with the glossy black mane and tail. “I can feel the heat in this leg.”

  Jimmy sent a panicked, angry look at his father. “We’re supposed to compete tonight!” Jimmy turned to Tyler with a haughty glare. “It’s for the area championship.”

  Tyler examined the rest of the horse, then settled next to the right front leg once again. As Tyler pressed gently, the horse snorted in response and attempted to push Tyler’s hand away by rubbing his head against his right leg.

  Tyler petted Castastrophe, then stood and spoke gently in his ear. The horse calmed under Tyler’s ministering touch.

  Tyler turned to Jimmy and his father. “I know this is disappointing, but I advise against racing Catastrophe tonight. His leg needs to be wrapped and iced.”

  Jimmy erupted in resentment. “We can do that after!”

  Tyler stated firmly and deliberately, “You both understand, if you race Catastrophe like this, you risk permanent injury to the leg.”

  Jimmy looked at his father for help.

  Mr. Rooney folded like an accordion fan. Arms aloft, he tried to play peacemaker between son and vet. “It’s just one race, Doc, and the winner gets to go on to an even bigger competition next week.”

  Tyler shook his head, his expression grim. “Sorry, I can’t sanction it.”

  Jimmy stepped between his father and Tyler. “He’s just trying to scare us, Dad. I mean, look at Catastrophe. He’s still putting weight on that leg. You can’t even see any swelling. I’m sure he’ll be fine for tonight’s race. And we’ll ice and wrap it after.”

  It was obvious Mr. Rooney was putting more value on what his son wanted than on what was best for the beautiful stallion. The decision had been made, and it wasn’t in the best interest of the quarter horse. “You can stay and check Catastrophe after the event, can’t you?”

  Tyler paused. Susie knew he was tempted to walk away, not wanting any part in the bad decision.

  And yet, should something bad happen, Tyler definitely wanted to be here to offer whatever veterinary assistance was required.

  “I’ll stay through the race,” Tyler muttered unhappily.

  “How can you stand having your veterinary advice ignored like that?” Susie asked as she and Tyler left the horse barn and made their way to the bleachers.

  Tyler sat down and watched the women’s barrel race. The riders came out of the gate at full speed, and tore around the randomly placed barrels as quickly as possible.

  It was an exciting event, but, Susie could see, tough on the animals making the breakneck turns at top speed. It was no wonder Tyler was concerned about the fate of the quarter horse in his veterinary care. The lack of regard on the Rooneys’ part was sickening.

  “It bites,” Tyler admitted, over the blare of the fairground’s loudspeaker. He waited until the last contestant’s time was announced, before turning to her and continuing, “But it’s part of the job.”

  So Tyler accepted it, just as he had always advised her to do.

  Susie watched another horse and rider come out of the gate. She turned back to Tyler. “You think Catastrophe will be okay?”

  Tyler grimaced. The worried look was back in his hazel eyes. And this time he made no attempt to hide it.

  “I hope so,” he said.

  “I TOLD YOU HE’D BE all right,” Jimmy Rooney said afterward, holding his first place trophy.

  Ignoring the goading triumph in the boy’s tone, Tyler wrapped Catastrophe’s leg and packed it in ice. As Susie watched, she could not help but be impressed by Tyler’s skill.

  “It’s very important you rest your horse until all the swelling and tenderness is gone,” he said. “That w
ill probably take two to three weeks.” Tyler reassuringly patted the horse’s side. “And I’d like to see him and give the okay before you race him again.”

  “But the state competition is next week!” Jimmy exclaimed.

  Tyler looked at Mr. Rooney but didn’t bother to repeat his earlier advice. “If there are any changes, you let me know. In the meantime,” Tyler said as he wrote out a list, “be sure you follow these instructions.”

  Jimmy glared at Tyler and stalked off, trophy still in hand.

  “Thanks for coming out, Doc.” Mr. Rooney took the list of instructions and shook Tyler’s hand.

  Tyler nodded his acceptance. He paused to run a gentle hand down Catastrophe’s face, then turned and walked with Susie out of the barn.

  Susie’s steps meshed with Tyler’s as they threaded their way through the parking lot. “You’re still worried.”

  Tyler went around a pickup and horse trailer. “Yep.”

  “Nothing else you can do?” Susie was so busy looking at Tyler she didn’t see the pothole in front of her.

  “Nope.” Tyler caught her arm before she fell. He steadied her a moment before he released her. “Catastrophe’s not my horse, unfortunately.”

  Trying not to think how nice that brief touch had been, Susie consulted her watch. “About the dinner I owe you. The place I was going to take you tonight is closed.”

  Tyler shrugged. “What is open?”

  “For dinner?” In the city, they would’ve had no problem. But Laramie County was a different story…. “Everything in town stops serving by eleven.”

  “Which means by the time we get there, we’re going to be out of luck.” Tyler exhaled.

  Knowing it was her turn to cheer him up, Susie drawled, “Not necessarily.” When he looked at her, she winked, “Meet me at the truck.”

  Already smiling, he winked back. “Will do.”

  Susie hurried away and returned minutes later, her arms packed. “The concession stand still had a few items left. Want to eat in the cab or in the back?”

  “It’s a nice night.” Tyler lowered the tailgate on his pickup truck. He took the horse blanket he carried in his toolbox out and spread it over the bed of the truck. Susie set their feast down, then allowed him to help her up into the back. They sat cross-legged in the moonlight, while all around them what few people remained loaded their horses into trailers and drove off.

  “So what do we have here?” Tyler asked.

  Susie began unloading the cardboard containers. “Two Frito pies—”

  “Ah.” Tyler grinned as he took the lid off the steaming concoction. “Spicy Texas chili, cheese, onion and corn chips. Who can resist that?”

  Susie grinned. “Not either one of us, that’s for sure. Plus I got an order of French fries. A couple of corn dogs, and funnel cakes for dessert. One lemonade, one root beer, and two large dill pickles.”

  Tyler chuckled. They spread out their bounty and dug in. “You know what this reminds me of?”

  There’d only been one other time they had eaten in the back of his pickup truck. “The year I was sixteen,” she said.

  Tyler put a straw in his lemonade. “And so pissed off because you were sick.”

  Susie made a face. “I was pissed off because my parents wouldn’t let me do anything or go anywhere because flu season had started and they were afraid I’d get it.”

  He lifted a dissenting brow. “A valid concern, since your immune system was temporarily damaged by the chemotherapy.”

  Susie savored the spicy food. “But I didn’t care,” she said with a wave of her plastic spoon.

  Tyler stretched his leg out straight, so it was next to hers. “You just wanted your freedom back.”

  Susie rested her back against the metal sides of the truck bed and uncurled her legs, too. “And you took pity on me and helped me sneak out of the house after curfew.”

  Tyler shook his head in silent remonstration. “We were darn lucky we didn’t get busted.”

  “Amy knew.”

  Tyler gave her a look that had her pulse jumping.

  Aware it wasn’t as much a betrayal as it sounded, Susie shrugged. “Well, I had to have somebody there to run interference for me if need be. And I knew she’d think it was all romantic.” As soon as the words were out, Susie flushed.

  Tyler’s expression softened. The last of the other pickups was leaving the lot. “Amy needn’t have worried. I couldn’t put the moves on you back then. You were way too fragile.”

  Susie chuckled and dipped a fry in ketchup. “Yeah. The moves came later.”

  He pretended affront. “I’ve never put the moves on you.”

  Susie figured they might as well talk about it, she’d been thinking about it so much. “We’ve made love four times, Tyler,” she reminded softly.

  An inscrutable expression crossed his handsome face. He shifted restlessly. “Yeah, but that was different.”

  “True.” Susie exhaled sadly, thinking back, wishing and wanting. “Our coming together wasn’t so much all-out lust as the need to comfort and be comforted.”

  “Fortunately,” Tyler reached across to pat her knee familiarly, “things are better for us now.”

  “You’re right,” Susie conceded, albeit somewhat reluctantly. Why, she couldn’t think. “There is no real crisis. Or there won’t be once I meet the other three bachelors and get through the Thanksgiving holiday,” Susie amended hastily, wondering why the notion of not needing Tyler to run interference for her once again left her feeling so bereft.

  Deciding the upcoming holidays had left her feeling uncharacteristically sentimental, and that the emotion would fade when January and the New Year rolled around, she looked into his eyes. “Speaking of which, did you get a message on your answering machine today about a McCabe-Lockhart-Carrigan-Chamberlain-Remington-Anderson family preevent-planning meeting tomorrow afternoon?”

  “We don’t have to go.” Tyler helped her pack up the remnants of their meal. “If we don’t show up, they’ll just assign us something to do.”

  The less holiday preparations she had to endure, the better, Susie decided. She allowed Tyler to give her a hand down, the same way he’d given her a hand up. “Sounds good to me,” she said.

  “SO WHAT WAS YOUR holiday assignment?” Tyler asked Susie early the next evening, when they ran into each other in the hospital parking lot.

  She looked really pretty in a burnt-red sweater with an open neck, long, silky paisley skirt, and fancy cowgirl boots. She’d drawn her hair back into a knot at the nape of her neck. A red, white, green and brown beaded necklace with a sterling silver heart at the center of it adorned her neck. Silver drops dangled from her ears. He could smell her citrus and floral perfume.

  He knew he was looking at her like a kick-ass woman instead of a “friend.”

  Not that she seemed to notice or view him in the same way. No, she was looking at him, same as always, with gentle eyes and a wry, self-effacing smile.

  Susie shut the driver side door and walked around to the passenger side. “I have to make gratitude books, filled with inspirational quotes but leaving room for the recipients own ‘thankful for’ list for all two hundred and fifty guests.” Susie’s teeth sank into her plump lower lip. “Can you believe that?”

  Tyler stepped back so she could open the passenger door. “It sounds like a good idea.”

  Susie made a face. “It’s also no coincidence the task was assigned to me,” she said with resentment.

  Tyler tore his eyes from her slender backside as she leaned into the cab, and lifted a canvas carryall from behind the seat. “Back to the Big C again.”

  “Right.” Susie dumped a stack of landscaping books onto the passenger seat. “Everybody just naturally figures because I’ve had cancer that I know how precious life is.”

  Tyler watched her sort through the titles. “Don’t you?”

  “Well, yes,” Susie allowed, turning and handing him a hefty volume, “but that’s not the point.” />
  Figuring this was going to take a while, Tyler settled in beside her. “The point is you don’t want to be singled out as some great survivor.”

  “Right.” Susie put two books back in the carryall and handed him a slim tome. “I just want to be normal. If that’s even possible.” She shook her head and looked at the dark sky overhead, which seemed remarkably devoid of stars for a clear Texas night. “I’m not sure it is.”

  Tyler wondered if Susie knew how pretty she was. Inside and out. Probably not, judging by her cantankerous expression. “It probably would be possible for you to feel ‘normal’—whatever the heck that is—if you got married and settled down like they want.”

  Susie whirled in a drift of perfume. She propped her hands on her hips and glared at him. “You really don’t want to go there, Tyler.”

  “I don’t know,” Tyler drawled, deciding to try and tease her into a better mood. He flashed a provoking smile. Shifting the books to one arm, he reached out and touched her cheek. “I kind of like the fire in your eyes when you get irked.”

  Susie made another face at him and let that one pass, he figured, only because she feared if she pursued it the two of them might end up doing something foolish again, like kiss. It was a good instinct on her part. Tyler couldn’t say why. He just knew he’d been thinking about her nonstop all day. Wanting to kiss her again, too.

  And how foolhardy was that?

  “What was your Thanksgiving assignment?” Susie asked.

  Now it was his turn to need cheering up….

  Tyler admitted, “Something equally painful to me. I have to make apple, pumpkin and pecan pies.”

  Susie’s eyes widened. “They know you can’t cook!”

  “Yeah, well,” Tyler grumbled, “I think that was the point. All the moms know I’m going to have to go to some female for help.”