He came up on the other side of them. “I’d invite you, but he has thirteen kids and a wife who scares me. There is no privacy. Rory, you can join me if you want?” He laughed and nudged her. “You can thank me for saving you from that chaos.”
Rory glared at him from the other side of Jackson. “But you want me to go?”
“Oh, my tia will love you.” He leaned in close to her. “I have three cousins that are at a marriageable age. If I showed up with the three of you, she’d have you all married before we left town.” He chuckled. “With you being a woman and all, it could get awkward.”
Jackson snorted and Rory glared at them, leaning closer. “What is he saying? He’s talking too low.”
She grinned and leaned forward to see Rory. “He was saying what a great time you’ll have with his family.”
“After getting the horses and these beasts settled,” he nodded at the mules. “I’m going straight to the bathhouse, then I’m getting a hot meal sitting at a table. Who’s with me?”
“You’re not leaving me behind.” Rory’s friendly spark was back. “What about y’all?”
Tension pushed the joy right out of her body. She wanted a real bath and was so close, but she knew going to a public bathhouse was out of the question.
Tears burned the back of her eyes, and she hated that after all she’d been through, a simple bath or lack of one would bring her to tears.
How much longer was she going to live in this caked-on dirt and grime?
“I’m going to take Tiago to a boardinghouse. It’s at La Villita, close to the river. We should be able to get you a room to yourself, but you’ll have to remain a boy. She doesn’t allow unmarried women in the upstairs rooms. I also need to secure De Zavala’s cash.” He turned to her. “You’ll need to be careful, but you should be safe to bath there.”
Her heart picked up its rhythm. He was setting her up so she could wash without jeopardizing her disguise. Laughter bubbled up from her stomach. She might just fall in love with this man.
With a sigh, she looked at him. If he was staying on the ranch, it would be so much easier. He’d be a perfect foreman.
How hard would it be to change his mind about buying her mother’s property? She hated the idea that her father would sell the place. And having Jackson on the ranch would be beneficial to it. Keeping him around wouldn’t be bad for her either.
The thought of showing up in her father’s office dressed as a boy with a new foreman to hire made her chuckle.
Estevan looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “I think our little Tiago has gone loco.”
“Oh, I guarantee that happened a long time ago,” Jackson replied.
She could live with her secret identity a little bit longer if she could get a bath.
“What do you say, Jackson? My kingdom for a bath?”
“You already gave me your kingdom for a cup of tea. Not that it’s much anyway. Your kingdom is made up of a worn-out saddle and a rifle. But I tell you what, I’ll throw in a new pair of boots that fit you.” Jackson’s crooked half grin melted her heart into a giddy, gooey mess.
Yes, she was in trouble. But she had already done what no one thought she could do, so why couldn’t she win his heart too?
What would Jackson do if he found out she actually had a kingdom.
A sharp intake of her own breath startled her.
Marriage to Jackson? Marriage was not for her. With a glance she took in Jackson’s easy movements, which rolled with the gait of his horse. A man at ease in the saddle and in his life. But he had made it clear that he would never marry again, and he had too much honor to marry for land. She hated the thought of someone marrying her for the ranch. That was basically what her father’s plan was. The reason she was on this drive.
“You okay?” He leaned in, trying to make eye contact.
The coolness of the morning was burned away by the rising sun. She averted her gaze and studied the braided rawhide of her reins.
He said he’d never marry again. San Antonio became more real with each step. Small shelters spotted the countryside. Soon her new life would be over, and she’d be Sofia De Zavala again.
When he found out the truth, would he laugh and see the irony or would he feel betrayed? She couldn’t put off telling him any longer. It had to happen tonight, after a bath and dinner.
She was different now. Her father would never be able to make her go back to the old way of life. She closed her eyes and absorbed the power of the horse under her. She was a new person.
Lord, please go before me and soften my father’s heart. Please be with me as I go back to my father’s ranch. I want to be a good daughter, but I also know the desire of my heart is to work the land.
“Hey, kid.” Jackson nudged her. “You’re not going to sleep are you?”
She chuckled. “No, just spending some time with God. Things are about to change.”
His gaze pinned her in place. The clear green had depth she’d never have the privilege to explore. Why was he so guarded? With a sigh, he turned his attention to the horizon ahead of them.
“I’ve been thinking about my new setup. I could use someone who’s good with horses, someone I can trust. It would be a safe place to live. Room and board would be covered. Rory’s joining in with me. I could use one more.”
“I don’t think Estevan would leave my—” She coughed to cover up her slip about her father. “Señor De Zavala pays well, and he just started there.”
“Yeah, I figured that. Which was why I was thinking about asking you.”
“Me!” He was offering her a job, a job working with horses. “That would be... I... I—”
“You don’t have to answer now. I’ll be honest, I don’t think anyone else would hire you unless you keep pretending to be a boy. And I’m not sure how much longer you can keep it hidden.”
Sophia licked her lips. It was time to say something, but how without Jackson getting mad?
“What if he doesn’t sell his wife’s land to you? Would you be his foreman? It’s a large spread, one of the largest in the area. He’d let you raise your own horses and—”
“Whoa. Stop. Take a breath. First of all, I want to be my own man. You’re rattling on about things you have no control over. Are you nervous about returning home? Is there someone you’re afraid of seeing again?”
His green eyes cut through her. She felt as if she should be bleeding. “No...”
A couple of kids herded some long-haired goats across the narrow dirt path to the river on the other side. The horses had to stop in order to avoid stepping on any of them. A few baby goats jumped and played at the back.
Estevan and Rory were on the other side. While she been talking to Jackson, they had fallen behind. The two cowboys waved. “We’ll see you in town.” They rode on, leaving a slight trail of dust.
“José!” Jackson’s sudden call out caused her to jump. A boy of about ten in white baggie clothes waved at them.
“Hola, señor.” The boy ran to Jackson’s big sorrel and patted its shoulder.
“Does your mother have rooms available for me and the kid here?”
“Sí. You want me to run ahead and tell her to prepare a room?”
Jackson leaned down and handed José a coin. “Two rooms. It would be much appreciated.”
Without another word he took off between the homes. The houses of rock and caliche became denser as they went farther into town. Some of the houses stood empty. Many of the families fled after the battle for Texas.
Chickens and pigs mingled in the yards. Women sweeping porches and hanging clothes waved as they rode by.
She would miss being Tiago, but she also missed being Sofia. There had to be a way she could merge the two. Tonight at dinner she would tell Jackson everything.
After was
hing the trail away and filling their stomachs with good food, she would present her problem to him. Would he look at her differently once he knew her father was the man he wanted to do business with? She should have told him sooner. She didn’t know what he was going to do. That scared her. What if he never forgave her?
* * *
Jackson made sure Tiago was settled into a room, before he dumped his gear in another room and joined Rory and Estevan at the bathhouse.
Now with all the dust and grime washed away, he walked lighter. His new clothes were softer and smelled fresh. He checked his pocketwatch. He’d been gone for a couple of hours.
Estevan pushed back his dark wavy hair and put on his hat. “Jefe, Rory and I are heading over to El Mercado for some dinner and fun before I head to my cousin’s casa. Want to join us?”
He shivered at the thought of being in a house with so many young females looking for a husband. “I’m going to check on the kid. Don’t want to leave her alone for long. No telling what kind of trouble she’ll get into.”
Clicking his tongue, Estevan patted his back. “No rest for the weary when it comes to that one.”
“Do you think she has anyone back at the ranch to look after her, or is she truly alone?” Rory asked.
Jackson squinted into the sun and shook his head. “I hope she has some family I can turn her over to. Not sure what to do with her.”
Both men laughed. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
Remaining silent at this point in the conversation seemed the best strategy. With a salute, they parted ways.
Whistling, Jackson walked back to the boardinghouse. He paused in front of a mercantile that had a couple of pretty dresses and fancy bonnets in the window.
Would she go back to being a woman once they returned to the ranch? Did she even own a dress? It could become dangerous if she tried to continue her masquerade.
She had hinted at family a couple of times, but then would claim they were all gone.
Even if there was just one family member he could leave her in the care of, it would be the best for them all. The last thing he wanted was her in his life every day. But if he hired her, that’s what would happen. Why had he offered her the job?
With a sigh, he crushed the desire to buy her a dress and forced his legs to keep walking. But then he stopped. He had promised her a new pair of boots that fit.
Going back to the store, he passed the dresses and headed straight to the leather section.
He would do this for her, then move on to his own future, no matter how much he was coming to care for her.
She was a threat to the vow he had made to Lilly. After everything else, he couldn’t break that promise.
New tooled leather boots in hand, he tried to focus on his share of the profits and what he would be able to do with the property he’d buy from De Zavala.
It didn’t work. He kept wondering what her real name was or what she’d look like in that dress with long hair around her shoulders. Getting back to De Zavala’s place would change everything for her, and he needed to remember it wasn’t his problem.
Lost in thought, he felt the rough adobe wall pressed against his back and a blade cutting into the skin at his throat.
“Where’s my daughter?” The deep voice with the slight Spanish flare sounded familiar.
“De Zavala?” Without moving, Jackson glanced down at the shorter man. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The twist in his gut told him he was lying. His little orphaned Santiago wasn’t an orphan at all, but the daughter of the man he needed in order to make his plans of the future work.
The Spaniard shoved a paper that smelled of roses and vanilla in his face. “She says she is going on the cattle drive. You led my drive. You’re positive you don’t know what I speak of?” Anger caused each word to have a sharp cut.
“If you lower the knife, we can have a civilized conversation.” Jackson held his breath and waited.
De Zavala’s jaw flexed a couple of times before he stepped back. “What do you know of this?” He thrust the paper in Jackson’s face.
Rolling his shoulders, he checked his neck and found a line of warm blood. Taking out his bandanna, he wiped it clear. “The cook’s assistant is a young woman dressed as a boy. She’s going by the name Santiago.” Anger rolled up from his gut. She had lied to him, used him. “Cook and I were the only ones who knew she was a female for most of the drive. I don’t know if she’s your daughter.”
Why did he even try to protect her at this point? She may well be the reason he missed out on this perfect new start.
The wide brim of De Zavala’s hat hid his face. When he lifted his chin, eyes so dark that they were black stared at him. “My son’s name was Santiago. Is this boy-girl the horse thief you spoke of the night by the barn?”
“Yeah.”
And just like that the fire in the older man was gone, his shoulders fell. De Zavala looked tired. “She is good with horses. Better than most men I know.”
Jackson added. “She ropes well and knows cattle, too.”
He nodded. “That sounds like my Sofia. Double the stubbornness and pride any female should embrace.”
“Sofia?” He had a name. Sofia. It sounded so soft and feminine. He couldn’t help but whisper it one more time. “Sofia.”
Straightening his spine, De Zavala narrowed his eyes. “Do you know where she is now? She survived the drive unharmed?” He closed his eyes and tilted his chin toward the sky. “My daughter was on a cattle drive.”
“If she is your daughter, she is fine and locked in a room at the boardinghouse. That’s where I was heading.”
One step closer and the shorter man had the knife out again. “You have her locked in your room?” Rage flared in the dark eyes.
This was not good. “She has her own room. We just got in today. I went to the public bathhouse to give her some privacy.”
The irate father stepped to the side, one hand on the iron weapon in his belt. “Take me to her.”
Jackson walked with De Zavala close behind.
She had known how important his relationship was to De Zavala and hadn’t said a thing. That didn’t matter to her. She used him to get what she wanted.
As the daughter of a wealthy landowner, she had everything she wanted. He would think her a spoiled child of privilege if he hadn’t seen how hard she worked. He didn’t understand her.
Each step that took him closer to the little liar pulled his nerves tighter. He was tired of playing the Good Samaritan and having people turn on him. They killed his family, they took his dreams.
Was his brain too slow to learn a lesson the first time?
Now his new future was in jeopardy because he felt sorry for an orphaned boy who never even existed. He tasted blood in his mouth. With a deep breath he relaxed his jaw.
“Is she well? Was she hurt in any way?” Uncertainty floated over the harsh words.
“Your daughter worked hard, and there were a few incidents.” Stopping at the door of the La Villita home, he knocked. “But for the most part she is unharmed. We lost Will to a stampede.”
The tiny woman with flowers embroidered on her dress and real ones in her dark hair opened the door with a smile. “Welcome back Señor McCreed. Supper will be served in the next half hour.”
He ducked his head and entered the room. “This is Señor De Zavala. He’s just visiting.”
“Oh, sí. You’ll join us at the table? There’s room, and it’s a fair price.”
Removing his hat, he gave her a quick nod. “Gracias, señora.” He turned to the stairs. “Which room is she in?”
Jackson hit the stairs without pausing.
“She? There are no women here.” The friendly woman frowned. “I don’t allow unmarried woman in my casa. Señor
Jackson?”
Her voice faded as he went to the last door on the right. Hitting his knuckles against the wood, he waited. The door was flung open wide, and Tiago... Sofia smiled. “Oh, Jackson. This is the most marvelous place. Look what Señora Juana brought me—Oh! Are those boots for—”
“Sofia?”
She froze. Her eyes darted back and forth like a trapped animal looking for options.
“Sofia? That can’t be you.” Anger and doubt laced the older man’s words together.
Jackson let the boots drop to the floor as he put his body between father and daughter. Despite her betrayal, he still followed his instinct to protect her. He was an idiot.
Her shoulders drooped, and she took two deep breaths. With the caution of a scared doe, she turned and laid a hand on Jackson’s arm. “Papi, how did you find me?”
Standing so close to her, Jackson could smell the rosewater she had used to bath. Her hair, free of grease, curled around her face and brushed the top of her shoulders in uneven lengths. A clean white shirt hung to her knees over breeches he’d never seen her wear. Barefooted, she was shorter than usual.
His gut tightened at the sight. Even with pants on, she looked soft and feminine. How had she survived the cattle trail?
A fleeting thought of her being the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen was shattered by guilt. He closed his eyes and thought of his wife, Lilly. Her golden hair in long waves, her eyes as clear as a summer sky against ivory skin.
Everything about the cook’s assistant was the opposite of his wife. Where Lilly was shy and gentle, Tiago... Sofia was bold and stubborn. There was nothing shy or gentle about the newly named Sofia except her name.
She stepped around him and faced her father with her hands on her hips. He cleared his throat. Hoping the right words found their way up.
Lifting that now familiar stubborn chin, Sofia glared at the man with the same dark eyes. “I did it, Papi. I not only survived the trip, but I helped. I was as good as any of the men you hired. I would dare to say better than some.”
Standing behind her, he could see her rib cage expanding. Not a timid bone could be found in this woman’s body.
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