“Are you kidding? This is gorgeous country. I doubt it suddenly turns into a slum when we get to the Running Bear.”
“Yeah, but this isn’t really the best time of the year to see the ranch for the first time. It’s been dry all summer and some of the grass is turning yellowish-brown and see those mountains?” He nodded to the east. “Those are the Bighorn Mountains. A month ago you would’ve seen nothing but emerald-green trees, and next month most of the leaves will be the most brilliant red and gold you’ve ever seen. And the wildflowers that pop out in spring? I promise you’ll be drooling over ’em. I’d bet my truck on it. You just wait and see.”
Kylie’s breath caught. This wasn’t the first time he’d talked about a future with her in it. And the way he spoke about the Running Bear, even the potholes, it was always we, as if there was no doubt he planned to return to the family ranch. How did any of that reconcile with his hesitation both with her and with Matt?
Coward that she was, she hadn’t asked Landon about it. Even when he’d handed her the perfect opportunity on the ride home. No, she wouldn’t call it cowardice. It was the walking on eggshells part of wanting each other. Her own missteps and his.
He’d noticed she’d gotten quiet and asked if anything was wrong. Kylie had blamed it on feeling bad for Rachel. While he’d accepted her answer, they’d driven most of the way back to her house in silence. Something was bothering him, too.
“By the way,” she said, opting for a neutral topic even now, “why Running Bear Ranch? There must be a story behind it.”
“Took you long enough.” He made another turn. “This is the driveway. We’ll be there in a minute. Anyway, in 1921 my great-great-grandfather, Jeb Kincaid, had purchased the land and built a house and barn. He’d grown up hearing stories of a young Arapaho man named Running Bear who, against all odds, had saved a whole village during a cavalry raid. But in the end, the native Americans lost the land to the US encroachment, so Running Bear barely got a mention, even though he saved a lot of innocent women and children. Jeb didn’t think it was right that such a brave and selfless warrior’s deed had gotten buried in history so he named the ranch in his honor. None of the Kincaids since then have seen any reason to change the name.”
“Oh, that’s a wonderful story. I like your great-great-grandpa. A lot. In fact you’ve all done the Kincaid name proud,” Kylie said, smiling at his modest shrug and feeling a surge of emotion. Great. Just what she needed right before meeting everyone.
The long gravel driveway was in much better condition than the county road and it wasn’t long before Kylie could see a couple of barns, three corrals, several sheds, and then there was the house, two stories high with large windows and a big porch.
Movement close to the nearest barn caught her eye and she watched as a man who looked a lot like Landon rolled out on a wheelchair.
“That’s Chad. He’s the handy one in the family. Give him a piece of wood and a hammer and there’s nothing that guy can’t do. Don’t tell him I said that. His ego is big enough.”
Kylie smiled at the affection in his tone. “So, you’re on crutches, he’s in a wheelchair—”
“I didn’t bring the crutches, and no need pointing that out either.”
“Of course not.” She was well aware that Landon didn’t need them anymore. It was a giant reminder he’d be leaving her soon.
“I don’t think I mentioned the wheelchair, did I?”
She shook her head, but didn’t admit to her curiosity.
Landon parked the truck next to an older pickup loaded with fencing. “I’ll tell you more about it later.”
“Sure,” she said. “He looks like you.”
“Just make sure you tell him I’m the handsome one.”
“Oh, your poor mom. Are your brothers still twelve, too?”
“Hey.” His gaze moved past her and he nodded at the house. “Brace yourself.”
A whole parade of people was coming out the front door. She spotted a woman who had to be his mother, and another dark-haired cowboy she took to be Martin, next to a tall redheaded woman wearing jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a little one in a baby sling.
Bouncing around were also two kids who looked to be under ten. The girl had her mom’s red hair.
Landon jumped out of the truck, and just as she was going to open her door, he did it for her. “What’s this?”
“I aim to impress.”
“Me?”
“No. My mom.”
Laughing, Kylie let him help her down, and by then, the gang had arrived, and oh, boy...
“Long time no see, dude.” Chad stopped his chair right next to Kylie. “No wonder he talks about you so much. His taste has vastly improved.”
“You’re not on crutches,” his mother said, opening her arms.
Landon hugged her hard. “Told you I’d be okay.”
“Well I missed you, and I noticed you still have a limp.”
“It’s almost gone.”
She let him out of the hug, but briefly held on to his shoulders. “You look good. Your sister asked me to tell you that you owe her a call, and she’s not going to put up with that nonsense.”
“She should’ve called and told me herself. Would’ve saved me the trouble.”
“I’ll do you a favor and not repeat that,” his mom said, giving Kylie an inclusive smile.
“Three weeks isn’t that long. Anyway, let me introduce you ruffians. Kylie, this is my mother, Alison. That tall beauty is Chad’s wife, Cindy, the bundle in her arms is Jenna and those two kangaroos are Liam and Fiona. The big guy is Martin, and don’t believe anything he tells you. In fact, you shouldn’t believe anything either of my brothers says about me.”
“You didn’t tell me there were rules,” she said, “Mrs. Kincaid, it’s wonderful to meet you. Landon’s talked a lot about you. All of you, actually.”
“Please, call me Alison,” she said, taking Kylie’s extended hand and wrapping it in both of hers. “And that’s true about you, too.”
Martin nodded and tried to hide the fact he was looking Kylie over. Cindy smiled, while managing to hold on to the baby and tug on Liam’s collar to stop him from jumping. Chad leaned forward and grabbed hold of the boy’s shirt, then pulled him to stand beside him.
Alison flicked a look at Martin. “I’m sure they have things in the back that you can help carry.”
“But he’s not even on crutches anymore.”
“Don’t start. Now, let’s all go inside. They’ve been on the road for six hours.”
“Seven,” Landon said. “We stopped for lunch. But someone worked really late last night.” He looked at Kylie, his eyes full of warmth and a smile meant only for her. “I’ll be right in. I’ve got to grab something from the backseat.”
Kylie realized she had a rule or two of her own he needed to hear. Like not making her knees weak while they were visiting his family. She took a moment, then followed Alison and Cindy and a sleeping baby Jenna up the flagstone path to the porch.
Next to the steps was a sturdy-looking ramp. The whole layout was functional yet homey, a simple mix of dark wood and red brick, four rocking chairs with blue striped cushions, a double swing and tables for drinks.
Inside, the place surpassed her expectations. All of it had been built to a grand scale, sectioned off in groupings for more intimate conversations. The centerpiece was a huge stone fireplace.
There were accommodations made for easy wheelchair accessibility, all of which blended seamlessly, like the wider doors and the paths between furniture. The Kincaids’ home wasn’t as overtly Western as some of the ranch houses she’d been in. An antique hutch held gothic silver candleholders, and her peek at the dining room revealed an interesting mix of rustic and classic. In the living room, the family pictures drew her eye immediately, but she�
��d wait until things settled before she took a closer look.
They were in the kitchen when Landon caught up with them. He passed the basket of treats, still covered with a cloth, to Chad, and picked up Fiona. He gave her a loud kiss on her cheek.
Giggling, the little girl threw her arms around his neck. “I missed you, Uncle Landon. I got a rabbit. Do you want to meet her?”
“I do. But I want to make sure our guest is settled in first. What’s her name?”
Fiona seemed confused. “Mom said her name was Kylie.”
Landon grinned. “I meant the rabbit.”
“Dora.”
“Like the explorer?”
Fiona nodded vigorously. “She likes to hop a lot.”
“I can’t wait to get to know her. Now, I’m going to put you down so I can offer Kylie something to drink.”
“I’d like hot chocolate,” Fiona said.
“Me, too,” her brother added, with a hop of his own.
Landon glanced at Cindy, who nodded.
“Anyone else for hot chocolate?”
Chad, Martin and Alison raised their hands. Kylie raised hers as well, then moved closer to Chad. “Thanks for holding that,” she said. “May I?”
“If I get to taste what smells so good, sure.”
“Of course you will.” Turning to Alison, she said, “I brought you a sampling of pastries and things from my bakery. I’ll let you decide when to pass them around.”
“Oh, no, she’s not the boss of me,” Chad said and tried to snatch back the basket.
Kylie was too quick for him.
“Daddy thinks he’s the boss of everybody,” Fiona drawled with a pained sigh that made the adults laugh.
Landon snorted. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”
“All right now, children. Behave,” Alison said, then trained her blue eyes eagerly on the basket.
It was large. And very heavy, but once Kylie had gotten started making selections, she couldn’t seem to stop. She’d included two of the German sweet loaves that Celeste had made, and then piled in a dozen vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, four kinds of cookies, cherry turnovers and assorted donut holes. There were two items missing and her heart sank. Then she remembered she’d put her signature chocolate dream cake and a chess pie in a paper bag. The pie was the only recipe she had from her grandmother. It was very old-fashioned, a variation of traditional custard made with cornmeal and a touch of vinegar. She’d get it later.
In the rush to check out the goodies, Martin shouldered past Landon, and the whole family swarmed Alison.
“Everything looks delicious. But there goes my diet,” she said, sighing. “Tell you what, why don’t you and Landon go upstairs and make yourselves comfortable while I start the hot cocoa. The guest rooms are all made up, so take your pick. And if you’d like to rest, please do. Dinner won’t be ready for a couple of hours.”
“Thank you.” Kylie was a little surprised when Landon took her hand and tugged her to the door.
“There’d better be most of those treats left by the time we get back,” he said.
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Martin reached in and snatched a donut hole. “Besides, you get this stuff all the time.”
“True,” he said and squeezed Kylie’s hand. “Come on, we’ll go the long way so you can see the family room.”
It was spacious, with a huge big-screen TV and a wall display of trophies and ribbons of all sorts. Everything from 4H ribbons to Junior Rodeo trophies. There were three ribbons for sled hockey finals. “Chad?”
“Yeah. He’s a maniac on ice.”
She stopped to look at a photo. “Who’s this with Martin? His wife?”
“She will be soon. Hailey’s in Germany, where she’s a nurse at the Wiesbaden Army Health clinic. This will be her last tour, though.”
“Is she from around here?”
“Nope. They met three years ago in Cheyenne while she was on leave. That’s where she grew up. Most of her family still live there. Nice people.”
“So...after they get married, will they live in Cheyenne, or here?”
Landon’s brows went up. He couldn’t have looked more surprised. “Here,” he said, as if there was no other option worth considering.
And that confused her. Now that she knew Chad was in a wheelchair, it made it more difficult to understand why Landon wouldn’t come home and help with the Running Bear. He’d said his brothers didn’t need him, but how could he believe that? Something was off.
She put her confusion aside, for now. “Well, I don’t blame them. It’s a truly wonderful place,” she said, turning to another photo of an older man proudly holding up his fresh catch. “Is this your dad?”
“Yep. He was so proud of that trout. It was the second largest ever caught in this county.” Landon stared at the image for a moment. “We all miss him, but we’re still tight. That doesn’t always happen after a tragedy.”
“Lucky. All of you. Very, very lucky.” Kylie counted the number of trophies Landon had collected, perfectly illustrating his obsession with everything rodeo since his early teens.
“You don’t talk much about your family.”
“My family consists of my mother and my aunt Sally, both of whom you’ve met, and I think there’s a great-uncle who lives in Idaho. I’m not sure if I ever met him. Mom has called him Lloyd and Floyd on different occasions. And my dad, I guess, but I barely remember him. He left when I was three.”
“That’s tough. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. I’ve got Rachel and the gang now.” His slight wince made her wish she’d phrased it differently. “Can we go see our room. Although your mom said guest rooms?”
“She’s leaving the arrangements to us. I vote we share.”
“No argument from me.”
Martin had left their bags on the landing, As they headed upstairs, Landon grabbed them both, then led her down a long hallway.
He stopped at a large window with a perfect view of the mountains. “That’s Chad and Cindy’s place.”
Kylie moved closer to see the sprawling single-story house in the distance. “It looks huge.”
“Well, yeah, three kids.”
“Did they build it after the accident?”
Landon shook his head. “Two years before. But afterward we had it modified.”
“Where does Martin live?”
“Here for now. When Hailey gets back, they’re going to build their own place not too far from Chad’s.”
She couldn’t shake her earlier confusion. “I have to ask,” she said, lowering her voice. “With Chad using a wheelchair, I would’ve thought you’d be coming home for sure.”
He nodded slowly, keeping his gaze on the horizon. “I know it’s hard to understand, but it’s complicated.”
Kylie was starting to dislike that word. Did he still feel guilty for returning to the circuit?
“Bottom line is, they’re doing fine without me.” He shifted one of the bags. “Come on, let’s go get settled.”
They ended up in a spacious room with a queen bed, a small walk-in closet, and to her delight, a claw-foot tub that looked like heaven in the bathroom.
After they unpacked a few things, Kylie freshened up, eyeing the tub, letting her mind wander. It had been foolish, that flash of a thought that he might decide to move to Blackfoot Falls. She’d dismissed it quickly, and now that she saw his family, their ranch, it was an even greater flight of fancy. Even if Landon didn’t return to the Running Bear, he’d want to stick close by.
A knock on the door reminded her that she hadn’t given him his turn.
“Don’t forget. You need to lie down, young lady.”
“I will if you will.”
After he’d finished in the bathroom, he stretc
hed out next to her, pulling the folded quilt at the bottom over them both. She was exhausted, not just from working late, but anticipation and nerves about coming here. There was no reason at all to still feel edgy, as if she’d do something stupid. Or find out something—
She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes until Landon scooted closer and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m glad you came with me,” he murmured close to her ear.
“I am, too,” she said, her lids drooping again.
Landon chuckled. “Sweet dreams, baby,” he whispered, and that was the last thing she remembered.
* * *
THE DELICIOUS SCENTS of his mom’s cooking drew them downstairs like a magnet.
A second before they entered the kitchen, Kylie said, “Is that—”
“Spaghetti and meatballs,” he said as they joined the family. “My favorite meal.”
“What?” Kylie asked. “Not steak and potatoes?”
“He’s always been weird,” Chad said, pulling out a chair for her.
“Um, I thought I’d help with—”
“Nope. Tonight, you’re company. Tomorrow you can make us all breakfast.”
Landon smiled, mostly because of Kylie’s grin. She sat down, while the others put the finishing touches on the table. Garlic bread, salad and enough pasta to feed several armies.
She and Chad talked nonstop until everyone was seated. And then the conversation effortlessly shifted to include everyone. Already it felt as though Kylie belonged.
He hadn’t had a lot of women over. Two, altogether. Shelly had been his girlfriend in college. She’d been great, but her sense of humor was a little stiff and she was more interested in garden parties than the rodeo. She’d ended up with a pediatrician in Los Angeles.
Now, here was Kylie. Who laughed so hard at one of Martin’s jokes, she almost choked on a meatball, which caused quite a scene. Oh, yeah. She fit in his family like a missing puzzle piece.
If only things were that simple.
“We’ve heard a lot about your new coffee bar,” Alison said, passing the garlic bread. “Very enterprising. I’m assuming it doesn’t have a lot of competition out there?”
Stealing the Cowboy's Heart Page 15