“Not while the Fab Five are around or they’ll want to indulge right along with us.” She smiled.
Justin’s grin looked downright mischievous. “Then after the week is over, we’ll meet up and see if you can outdo me. I’ll bring the liquor. You bring a basket of food, and we’ll have us a picnic.”
“Where’s this contest going to be held?”
“Out in our barn. In a motel room. Right here in this bunkhouse. You call the place and bring a basket of fried chicken, and we’ll just see if your brag holds true. You name the place, and I’ll be there,” he said.
She imagined him all stretched out on a king-size bed in a motel room, his muscular body all tangled up in the sheets.
You’ve only known him one day. Be careful. Nikki’s voice popped into her head.
I can handle him, she argued with her best friend.
“You’re on. In this bunkhouse the weekend after the Fab Five goes back to the center. I’ll meet you here with the fried chicken at eight o’clock on Sunday night.” The minute the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to shove them back inside. But she’d never been able to back down from a challenge.
Comes from having three brothers. Now it was her mother’s voice talking to her.
“I’ll be waiting with the booze,” he said.
“Listen,” she whispered. “I hear them coming back.”
Justin was on his feet in a flash and had his coat on before she could blink. He tucked the empty wine bottle in one pocket and the whiskey in the other, leaving behind the two wineglasses. “You might want to hide those.”
She nodded and carried them to the kitchen. He left by the back door just as the ladies opened the front one. She downed what was left in her glass and quickly rinsed it. She started to pour out the rest of what Justin had left, but she’d always thought it was a sin to waste good wine, so she turned it up and drank that too.
By the time the ladies had removed their coats, Emily had stashed the glasses behind the cereal boxes in the cabinet.
“Are we in trouble?” Patsy giggled.
“Should you be?” Emily asked.
“A cat!” Sarah squealed. “What’s her name? She’s goin’ to have a litter, isn’t she? Come here, you precious thing and let me pet you.”
“Her name is Gussie, and Justin says that she can stay in the bunkhouse anytime she wants,” Emily said.
“She’s mine while we’re here, and she gets to sleep with me.” Sarah picked her up and held her close.
Bess went straight for the refrigerator and opened it. “I’m hungry. Anyone want ice cream before we turn in for the night?” She sniffed the air. “I smell fermented blackberries. Hey, if we find them, we could make some more wine.”
“More?” Emily asked.
“We made a lovely concoction at Christmas in Sarah’s room. We bought blackberry wine at the store. At least that’s what we thought we were buying, but it turned out to be a cordial. It was right good with a little sparkly club soda in it,” Patsy said.
“Good glory!” Emily gasped.
“I wish I had some of it.” Sarah carried Gussie to the kitchen. “A few tablespoons would be real good on ice cream. Do you like ice cream, pretty kitty? Or are you just a plain old milk drinker?”
“How did I not see this side of y’all in five years?” Emily asked.
“We’re really good at hidin’ things from Mama and Daddy.” Sarah grinned. “I found some chocolate syrup and whipped cream.”
“Precious Memories,” Patsy started singing.
“Hush,” Bess scolded. “You’ll make Emily blush.”
“Too late for that. I’m already there,” Emily said. “I’m going to take a shower. See y’all in the morning. Justin says breakfast is at seven, but it’s served buffet style, so if you’re a few minutes late, don’t panic. I’ll have all your morning meds with me. And I’ve put your night pills on the vanity in each of your rooms.”
“Take a cold one to help in case you dream about Justin tonight,” Patsy teased. “I’d like to dream about what I could do with whipped cream and chocolate and a cowboy like that.”
Chapter Four
Emily awoke the next morning hoping that her charges had gotten their rebellious streak out of their blood and the rest of the week would go smoothly. She put on her coat and yelled across the bedroom, “Hey, girls, I’m going up to the ranch house to help with breakfast. When y’all get your hair and faces all fixed, come on up there.”
“Will do,” Sarah yelled back. “I got a text from Otis that said he and Larry are already up there. We won’t be long.”
Up at the big house, she wasn’t sure whether to knock or walk right in. But the decision was made for her when Justin opened the door.
“C’mon in. We’re all in the kitchen going over the house plans. Retta and Mama are making breakfast. Just follow me,” he said. “Dad helped me with the feeding chores this morning, so that’s all done.”
A wave of disappointment washed over her. She’d loved the day-to-day work on the ranch. Liked the smell of early morning as she helped her dad feed, and the sounds of newborn calves bawling in the pasture. What she didn’t like was being cooped up in an office all day, taking care of the paperwork on the computer. Matthew did a fine job of it, and had let it be known that he couldn’t wait for Emily to get her business agriculture degree so she could take over.
The gents were all bent over the kitchen table, studying the house plans. As serious as their expressions were, no one would know that they’d been down to their boxers the night before in a game of poker. Larry’s thin face was drawn down in a frown as he moved his finger over the graph paper.
“Son, you might consider making a storage closet here at the end where you have some dead space. If they decide to build on later, they can always relocate it into the new addition. And be sure to put in lots of electrical outlets. Claire will blame you if she has to run an extension cord to dry all that pretty blond hair every mornin’,” Larry said.
“That’s good advice.” Justin nodded.
“And one other little thing. Instead of cabinets that make an ell, consider using the corner for a pantry. It’s tough for a short lady to get to top shelves, and I think she’d enjoy being able to walk right into a pantry,” Larry said. “Other than those small details, you’ve done a fine job. What are you working on next?”
“My own place,” Justin answered.
“What did you say?” Cade asked.
“I’ve decided to move into the cabin in a couple of weeks, and then start thinkin’ about plans for my house. I’d like to put it back there where the old well is.”
“But…” Retta caught the last of what he said.
“That’s downright crazy. You’ve got a home right here. The cabin is far too rustic to live in.” Gloria came in right behind her.
Justin turned his attention to his mother. “I’ve made up my mind.”
The tension in the room went from a zero level to a ninety-nine in seconds. Emily wished the ladies would rush in right then to break it, but they didn’t.
Justin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Y’all need your space to raise the new baby girl. Levi and Claire are stayin’ at her quilt business until their place is done. And it’s time for me to be out on my own too. I’m going to spoil that baby too much as it is. Y’all don’t need me interfering with everything you say or do, and believe me, I will if I continue to live in the house.”
“Oh, come on, son.” Gloria finally smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “We’re only going to be here a month. You’ll put off moving until we leave, won’t you?”
Justin shook his head. “No, I want to go pretty soon. Since you’re here, you can help Retta turn my old room into the nursery.”
“Only if you don’t try to take over, Mama,” Cade said.
“I’d never do that, but I was thinking pink walls with a princess theme,” Gloria said.
Retta rolled her eyes. “I was leanin
g more toward yellow walls and a unicorn theme.”
Glad to have something to take her mind off the still rising tension, Emily worked her phone from her hip pocket to find a text from Tag: Where the hell are you?
She quickly typed: At work.
Another message appeared instantly: Called work. You’re not there.
She sighed as she wrote: On a field trip. Will call home later tonight.
The room had gone quiet, and everyone was staring at her. “Sorry about that. Family.”
“We was afraid there was something wrong with the girls,” Larry said.
Otis let out a long breath in a whoosh. “They’re all right, aren’t they?”
“I’m sure they are,” Emily said. “I think I hear them on the porch, now.”
“Are you all right?” Retta whispered as she pulled Emily around to the other side of the bar with her.
“Oh, yeah.” Emily lowered her voice. “Family—the other F word.”
Retta nodded seriously. “You got that right. Too little is sad. Too much is horrible.”
“Don’t let Gloria intimidate you when it comes to the nursery,” Emily said.
“Oh, honey, that isn’t goin’ to happen,” Retta told her.
“Hey, darlin’.” Cade joined them. “Want me to set the table?”
“Yes. I thought we’d do buffet, but I’ve changed my mind,” she answered.
“We’re here,” Patsy called out as she and the other two women entered the house.
Bess went right to the table. “We’ll set the table if that big handsome husband of yours will bring the plates and silverware to the dining room. We miss being able to help out. This will be like we belong here rather than bein’ visitors. My mama used to say that you really get to know someone when you work with them.”
“Want me to make the pancakes?” Justin asked.
“What can I do?” Emily asked.
“Help Justin with the pancakes,” Retta answered.
Gloria moved around the counter. “I’ll help him with that. You can put out the jams and jellies and butter, Emily.”
Emily headed to the refrigerator. “I’m on it.”
Retta patted Cade on the shoulder as he carried the plates into the dining room. “I won’t even argue, and thank you all.”
“You’ve got to put those plates closer to the edge or Otis will never reach his food,” Sarah said, fussing at Patsy.
“Are they always like this?” Retta whispered to Emily.
“Sometimes it’s worse,” Emily said out of the side of her mouth.
“Justin told me this mornin’ about their card game. God, I hope I’m that full of life when I’m their age,” Retta said.
“I’d just like to be able to keep up with them at the age I am now,” Emily said.
When Justin and Gloria had filled a platter full of pancakes, Emily carried it to the table and set it on one end. All of the Fab Five were beaming. Then it dawned on her. Food at the center was always served buffet style. Each resident got a plate, filled it with whatever they wanted, and either carried it to their table or someone did it for them.
Sitting around a table with food that would be passed was like going back in time for them. It was reminiscent of their childhood days on the ranch or even in their homes. No wonder they all looked like cats with canary feathers sticking out of the corners of their mouths.
“We were wondering,” Otis said as he put two biscuits on his plate and passed them on to Larry. “If me and Larry might take the four-wheelers out for a little spin this morning? We both used them before so we know how to drive ’em.”
“Don’t see why not, but it’s not my call. You need to ask the boss lady here.” Justin moved his knee over to touch hers under the table.
There were definite sparks, but she chose to ignore them. “Be careful and keep your phones with you,” she said.
“Yes, Miz Emily.” Larry nodded and pointed toward the pictures hanging on the dining room walls. “Did you do all these, Justin?”
“Not me. I can draw a straight line with the help of a ruler, but Benjy drew those for us. He was one of the kids who came for our summer camp until this last year,” Justin answered.
“And then his grandmother died, and there was no one to take him, so Levi’s parents adopted him. Y’all will meet him this weekend. He works for us on Saturdays,” Cade said.
“He’s a damn fine artist,” Sarah said. “How old is he?”
“Twelve,” Justin told them.
Emily listened to the conversation with one ear as she studied the framed drawings on the walls.
Justin’s knee touched hers again. “Pretty good, huh?”
“Better than that. He captures their happiness,” she said, softly. “Does he want to pursue art?”
“It’s a hobby. He wants to be a rancher,” Justin answered.
“Too bad,” Emily muttered.
“Why’s that?” Justin frowned.
“He’s really good. He could go far with his work,” she answered.
“Probably so, but his heart is in ranching. Has been since he first came to stay with us for part of the summer. In a few weeks, he’ll be showing a sheep at the Montague County Livestock Show, and he’s already sketched it for Mavis and Skip, his new parents,” Justin said.
“Oh, wow,” Otis exclaimed. “I would love to go to a livestock show. Haven’t been in years and years.”
“I’ll be glad to take you if it’s okay with the center,” Justin said.
“Me too?” Larry asked.
“If y’all are going, then we want to go too,” Sarah said. “I remember going to those events when I was teaching school. Several of my kids showed animals.”
“Where’d you teach?” Justin asked.
“Petrolia, up near the Red River,” she answered.
“I know some guys who graduated from there, and we go to a cattle sale up there in the fall,” Cade said.
Sarah put two pancakes on her plate. “Small world.”
“Well? Can we all go to the livestock show?” Patsy asked.
Emily’s brothers all showed cattle in the livestock show and had a wall full of trophies and medals to show for it, plus a pretty hefty bank account from the premium sales.
“I’ll get it on the calendar when we get back,” Emily said. “One day, right?”
“Actually, it’s one full day of showing and then the next night there’s the premium show,” Justin said.
“Maybe the boys will let me help shear and powder the sheep.” Otis’s eyes went all dreamy. “Or wash down the cattle.”
“Or maybe they’ll let you sit in the announcer’s box, since you had one of the biggest spreads in the state before you retired,” Cade said.
Otis raised an eyebrow. “How’d you know that?”
“Anyone who’s a rancher in this area would recognize the name Otis Green.” Justin chuckled.
Emily was glad that her last name, Baker, didn’t bring up any thoughts of the ranch she’d grown up on. Passed down on her mother’s side of the family, it was known as the Big Sky Ranch and ran a Rocking B brand. It was a family joke that Emily’s grandmother told her mother she couldn’t date anyone who didn’t have a last name beginning with B. And then her mother, Anne Bennington, married a neighboring rancher, Frank Baker. They’d already begun to tease Emily about marrying a cowboy with a B name when she was in high school.
The whole bunch of them were deep in conversation—the guys were discussing the aspects of a good steer or sheep from a bad one, and the ladies were talking about a shopping trip to the mall to buy new boots for the event.
Justin turned to face her. “So are you buying new boots too?”
“Not me. My sneakers will do just fine.”
“Ever worn boots?” Justin asked. “Maybe for a little two-steppin’. You grew up in ranchin’ country. Surely you did some dancin’ at your granny’s barn for the sale parties.”
“I can dance in shoes as well as boots.” I
t wasn’t a lie, but it was skirting the truth. She’d left all but one pair of her cowboy boots in the closet when she went to college.
Emily couldn’t remember the last time that she had time to read a book. Monday through Friday she was usually working. Saturday was for cleaning her apartment. After church on Sunday the rest of the day was set aside for laundry and grocery shopping. But that afternoon she picked up the romance novel she’d been trying to finish for a month and stretched out on her bed to read. The guys were off playing around on four-wheelers and the ladies had taken a walk out to the barn to see a miniature donkey.
She fell asleep with the book in her hands and awoke with a jerk when she heard her phone ringing.
“Hello.” She answered on the fifth ring.
“We need help!” Otis said frantically. “She’s down and I tried to help her. We’re out here close to an old cabin. Come quick.”
Otis hung up before she could get any other information.
Emily’s heart was pounding in her ears as she threw the book to the side and raced to the house. No one was there and she didn’t have Justin’s number to even ask how far it was to the old cabin or how to get there. So she jogged out to the van and called Otis back as she drove past the first barn.
Patsy answered the phone in a panic. “Are you on the way?”
“Yes, I am. What’s going on? Give me some directions.”
“Follow the trail. It’s all the way to the back of the ranch, and the trail ends right here. You’ll see us. It’s maybe five minutes. Got to go. Otis is yellin’ at me.”
Again, the phone went quiet. Emily saw the path before her and pushed down on the gas pedal a little harder. She hadn’t even taken time to put on a jacket, but she was so worried she didn’t even feel the chill in the air. Was it Sarah or Bess who was hurt and how in the hell did they get that far back on the ranch anyway?
She saw the two four-wheelers and braked hard not far behind them. Once she bailed out of the van, she could see them all on the ground, either sitting or on all fours. What if Sarah or Bess had had a heart attack? Or what if Otis had fallen in a gopher hole and busted up his knee, or Larry’s cranky hip had finally given out? She could scarcely breathe as she parked and ran toward them without even thinking about where she was stepping or the brambles tearing at the legs of her jeans.
Cowboy Brave Page 5