Riding Shotgun

by Joanna Wayne

  “I realized that in the chicken yard.”

  “Well, it isn’t nice to steal eggs from cute little chickens.”

  Grace wadded the paper towel she was wiping her hands on and threw it at him.

  He put up his hand and caught it. “Gotta be quicker than that to catch a former SEAL off guard.”

  “Or sneaky. You never know what you might get from me.”

  And that possibility was what worried him the most about Grace Addison.

  * * *

  JACI WAS A precocious and consummate manipulator.

  Grace had found it impossible to deny her pleadings that she go with them to watch her first riding lesson.

  Pierce seemed right at home, rubbing horses’ noses and talking to them like they understood. Grace would have done the same, but she decided to play this smart. If she acted as if she was afraid of the horses, she’d have a good excuse for not going riding with Pierce.

  Not that she wouldn’t love to ride, but she could sense he was suspicious about why she was there. The last thing she needed was a lot of probing questions.

  Pierce lifted Jaci and let her run her fingers through one of the horse’s manes.

  “Who takes care of the horses on a ranch?” she asked.

  “Sometimes the guy who owns the ranch. Sometimes a wrangler who works for him.”

  “What’s a wrangler?”

  “A cowboy who takes care of the cattle and horses.”

  “You could be a wrangler, Daddy. You have cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.”

  “That’s not a bad idea.”

  Jaci reached out as Pierce moved to the next stall. “What’s this one’s name, Daddy?”

  “Dreamer. See, her name is over her stall.”

  “Is it a girl or a boy horse?”

  “It’s a mare, which means she’s a girl.”

  “I think she likes me.”

  “I think she does, too. And Dreamer is the horse Esther recommended for you. Would you like me to saddle her up so you can ride her?”

  “Mommy wouldn’t like it.”

  “She worries about you getting hurt. But I’m here to make sure you don’t. I’ll be walking with you and holding on to the lunge line.”

  “What’s a lunge line?”

  “Kind of like a leash for me to lead Dreamer by so I can make sure you’re safe and having a good time in the saddle.”

  For a man who’d admittedly spent very little time around his daughter, Pierce was amazingly patient with all her questions. He seemed to genuinely enjoy just having her around.

  But Grace couldn’t help but wonder about his relationship with Jaci’s mother, who was apparently on her own adventure in Cuba. Pierce hadn’t mentioned a divorce, but he wasn’t wearing a wedding band.

  None of her business, Grace reminded herself, and she wasn’t about to ask. By necessity, everything and everyone on the Double K Ranch was temporary.

  The horse closest to Grace snorted loudly and pawed at the ground as if he were ready to bolt and run. She started to try to calm him, then remembered her strategy just in time. She jumped backward.

  “Calm down, Huckleberry.”

  “I’m okay. He just startled me.”

  “Nonetheless, that was some fancy footwork. Yours—not Huckleberry’s.”

  “I’m not without talents.” And now she was flirting, in self-defense, but still flirting. It surprised her she even remembered how.

  “Jaci’s decided on Dreamer,” Pierce said. “Which horse should I saddle for you?”

  “It’s Jaci’s day. I’ll just stay out of the way and watch her great adventure.”

  “You’re not afraid of horses, are you?”

  “No. Of course not. I love them. Thinking of trading in my car for one.”

  His mouth curved into a teasing half smile. A heated zing rushed her senses. She fought it into submission.

  “Have you ever ridden?” Pierce asked.

  “Do carousel ponies count?”

  “Not past your fifth birthday.”

  “Then I guess the answer is no.”

  “We can’t let that go on. We’ll come back tomorrow—for a private lesson.”

  She ignored the comment, but she had no intention of doing anything private with Pierce Lawrence. The kind of charm he oozed would lead to nothing but trouble.

  “Okay, Jaci, it looks like you’re the only one up for a riding lesson.”

  She clapped her hands in delight. Minutes later, Pierce had Dreamer saddled and ready to go. Grace was standing beside Jaci in a small corral just beyond the horse barn.

  Pierce motioned Jaci over. “Dreamer’s ready.”

  Instead of going to Pierce, Jaci clasped Grace’s hand. With her free hand, Jaci pulled a lock of her hair from beneath her helmet, stretching it across her lips.

  “I changed my mind. I don’t want an adventure today, either.”

  “Nothing to be afraid of,” Pierce reassured. “We won’t move a step until you tell me you’re ready. Let’s just try sitting in the saddle. I won’t let go of you unless you tell me to.”

  “You promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Jaci approached Pierce and the horse cautiously.

  “Relax,” Pierce said. “I won’t let you get hurt. This is going to be fun.”

  Jaci put her hands up for him to lift her into the saddle. Pierce lifted her gingerly and true to his word he kept his hands at her waist to steady her.

  In seconds, her nervous expression faded into a huge grin.

  Pierce placed the reins in her hands.

  She held them up for Grace to see. “I’m a real cowgirl now.”

  “I believe you are.”

  Jaci sat straight, head high. “You can let go of me now, Daddy.”

  He let go and took one step backward, the lunge line in his right hand.

  “Giddyup,” Jaci called.

  Pierce let the lunge line out a few feet and began to lead Dreamer around the corral.

  Jaci beamed. “Look, Grace. I’m riding a big horse.”

  “You are. And you’re doing a great job.”

  So was Pierce. He was obviously a natural at fatherhood. A warmth crept deep inside Grace, followed immediately by a sinking sensation that knotted in her chest. This was a life she might have had. A husband. A child. A circle of love.

  The life she would never have. Coveting it, comparing it to what she was forced to settle for, only made the hurt run deeper.

  She’d promised Esther to stay a few days, but Pierce and Jaci were here. Esther didn’t really need her anymore. She’d just pack up in the morning and move on. It would be best for everyone.

  And harder than she would have ever guessed.

  Chapter Six

  Pierce owed Riley big-time for his suggestion to bring Jaci back to Texas. It would take a lot more time together for Jaci to fully bond with him, but riding Dreamer had definitely jump-started the stalled process.

  The sad shocker had been discovering that Charlie was dead. The last time Pierce had seen him, he’d seemed as strong and energetic as a man half his age. Pierce had expected him to be around for years to come. Had a lot he’d planned to share with him about his activities as a SEAL.

  His sudden death must have torn the heart right out of Esther and left her incredibly lonely. No wonder she’d taken so fast to a total stranger who’d come to her rescue.

  Grace Addison. Mystery woman. Cute in spite of her deliberate efforts to make herself look homely. A quick wit. Easy to be around. Good with Jaci.

  But unless he was way off base, she was running from something or someone. Before he left her here with Esther, he’d get to the bottom of that.

  Jaci a
nd Grace were already in the truck waiting while he finished getting fresh water for the horses. He slid behind the wheel, closed the door and started the engine.

  “Mind if we take a drive around the ranch before we head back?” Pierce asked. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this place I once called home.”

  “If you’d like,” Grace said. “But we shouldn’t stay away from the house too long in case Esther needs us.”

  Jaci didn’t answer. She was already hooked up to earphones. He wasn’t sure if that was just a sign of the times or her way of escaping him.

  Either way, it was a habit he hoped to replace soon with activities that required interaction with him and ensured more exercise than being hooked into an electronic machine.

  He took off down the worn dirt road that ran along the fence line. After a hundred yards, he cut off that path for the one that drove through acres and acres of fenced pastureland.

  “How are you going to keep from getting lost?” Grace asked. “There aren’t any road signs or landmarks.”

  “Oh, there’s plenty of landmarks if you know what you’re looking for. See that cluster of cedar trees on the crest just past that lone pine. That’s the starting point for the northwest pasture. Go north from there and you run into my favorite fishing hole.

  “Of course, when I lived here I was usually riding a horse or one of the ATVs. No one drove Charlie’s pickup truck. He did teach me to drive in it, though, right here on the ranch.”

  “Is Charlie the one who laid out these roads?”

  “He didn’t lay them out per se. They’re just the paths he traveled to get where he wanted to be. Do that enough and it beats down the dirt and kills the grass.”

  “Whoa.” She pointed out the window. “What was that strange-looking creature that just crossed in front of us?”

  “A roadrunner. Have you never seen one before?”

  “In cartoons—which makes sense. They are funny looking.”

  “And faster than a human. Keep watching. We may come across some wild turkeys or some giant jackrabbits.”

  “How big is the Double K Ranch?”

  “Just under twelve thousand acres, if I remember right. Not particularly a large ranch by Texas standards, but it’s big enough to make a living if you manage it right, especially since it has lots of good grazing land.”

  They rode in silence after that and Pierce became more concerned by the minute. The ranch was not kept up the way he remembered. Fences were practically falling down in several places. Some pastures were overgrazed, though so far he hadn’t seen as many cattle as he’d expected. A gate was hanging by one hinge, the other broken off.

  He’d noticed that the area around the horse barn needed some work, too. Nothing too costly, but it would take work and time to get things the way Charlie kept them when he was alive.

  Pierce spotted a black pickup truck up ahead parked near a guy who was repairing a strand of barbwire. “That must be Buck,” Pierce said, slowing and pulling up next to the truck. “I’d like to introduce myself. You guys can wait here or get out and stretch.”

  Jaci remained in her chosen state of electronic oblivion.

  Grace opened her door but didn’t get out. “Are there cows and bulls around?”

  “Hopefully, and steers, too. Otherwise, you don’t have much of a ranch.”

  “Then I’ll wait in the truck.”

  “Does that mean you’re not going to help me feed the cattle later?”

  “Don’t push your luck, cowboy.”

  He tipped his hat and swaggered away.

  Buck removed his work gloves, reached over the fence and shook hands as they exchanged names.

  “So you’re Pierce Lawrence. I’ve heard about you from the Kavanaughs. Navy SEAL hero, right?”

  “The navy SEAL part is accurate. I wouldn’t put any stock in the hero part.”

  “Charlie said you saved lives.”

  “Just doing my job.”

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Buck said. “Mrs. Kavanaugh’s had a tough time since Charlie died. She says this is the only life she’s ever known, but truth is she don’t know much about running a ranch.”

  “I suspected that might be the case.”

  “I try to explain to her about the kinds and amounts of feed and how the horses need exercise and the barn needs a new room, but she just keeps telling me to make do.”

  “The ranch was never her thing,” Pierce said.

  “Well, maybe you can convince her. She’s running low on hay. No way are we going to stretch what we’ve got through the winter.”

  “I’ll check on that and see that it’s ordered before I leave.”

  “That will be a start,” Buck said, “but the ranch needs some serious work. I do what I can, but the Double K needs a full-time wrangler. Esther claims she doesn’t have the cash for that, so I have to get my hours in on Dudley Miles’s spread and then spend the rest of daylight here.”

  “That explains some of the neglect. I’ll talk to her about the issues,” Pierce said. “It may be she’s just not thinking too clearly with all the grief. I’m sure she’s still dealing with Charlie’s dying so suddenly.”

  “Not only that but Mother says she’s not even fully recovered from her heart attack.”

  “Esther had a heart attack?”

  “Yeah, a bad one. Happened when she found Charlie’s body in the barn.”

  “I hadn’t heard about that,” Pierce said. “In fact, I just heard about Charlie’s death when I got here today. Was it a heart attack that killed him?”

  Buck two-fingered the brim of his Western hat and pulled it lower on his forehead. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Charlie committed suicide. Shot himself in the head with his own pistol. Blood was splattered all over the barn.”

  The images swirled in Pierce’s head. For a second he was back on that craggy mountainside in Afghanistan, incoming fire taking out his friends one by one.

  But Charlie had been hit by his own bullet. What would have ever possessed him to do such a thing? He loved this ranch. He loved Esther more than life.

  “Mother was in the hospital with Mrs. Kavanaugh when they told her Charlie’s death was ruled a suicide,” Buck said.

  “She must have been crushed.”

  “Worse. She went berserk. They had to use drugs to calm her down before she went into cardiac arrest again.”

  It made sense that Esther hadn’t wanted to talk about such a horrendous act in front of Jaci or Grace. But Pierce would have to face it with her. She’d need his strength and his support. She’d need someone to talk to who’d loved Charlie.

  “Thanks for the info,” Pierce said.

  “It’s not really a secret,” Buck said. “Everyone around here knows all about it. Mom feels real sorry for Esther. She says that all the time.”

  “I’m sure she does.”

  There was nothing left to say. Finding out Charlie was dead had been bad enough. But suicide? It made no sense at all. And now Esther’s health was an issue, as well.

  Pierce went back to the truck and drove away without speaking to Jaci or Grace. He had to have time to get his mind around this. His eyes watered and he was glad to be wearing sunglasses.

  He didn’t stop again until they reached the fishing hole where he’d spent many hours with Charlie, pulling bream and catfish out of the stocked, man-made pond, talking about life and how you couldn’t give up no matter how hard life got.

  Then the talk had been to encourage Pierce after the death of his parents. In the end, it was Charlie who had given up.

  Pierce shifted the gear into Park. “This is it, the infamous fishing hole where I learned to bait a hook and catch bream and catfish.”

  Jaci put her game down, unbuckled her seat
belt and jumped out of the backseat of his double-cab truck. She reached back inside for her fleece jacket, pulled it on and skipped around to the front of the truck.

  “Look,” she called, pointing to a group of half a dozen deer who were drinking from the pond. “I didn’t know you had deer here, too.”

  “Deer and lots of other creatures,” Pierce said. “All part of the adventure.”

  “Can we go fishing?”

  “Not now. We don’t have any poles or tackle with us. We’ll come back and fish another day.”

  Pierce walked to the water’s edge, picked up a small stone and skipped it across the surface of the pond.

  Jaci picked up a stone and tried to copy him. Hers fell short of the water. “My rock can’t dance.”

  “It takes practice,” he said.

  Two ducks flew in and landed on the water, a few yards from where they were standing. Jaci watched them, a fascinated gleam in her eyes until they flew away again.

  “Did they fly away because the water is cold?”

  “No, their feathers keep them warm. They were looking for food. I guess they didn’t see anything that looked appetizing.”

  Jaci quickly moved on to the next thing that caught her eye. She climbed onto a wide stump and then jumped off. “Watch me, Grace,” she called and then did the stunt over again.

  “Wow. You are a good jumper.” Grace walked over and stood next to Pierce. “Is anything wrong?” she asked, keeping her voice low enough not to grab Jaci’s attention. “You’ve been awful quiet since you talked to Buck.”

  “It’s...” He was about to say “nothing,” except that it wasn’t nothing. It was haunting and troubling. And to be honest, he did want to talk to Grace about it.

  “Buck said Charlie didn’t die of natural causes. He shot himself in the head.”

  “An accident?”

  “Suicide.”

  “Oh, no. Poor Esther. That must be so difficult. She loved him so much. I hope she doesn’t blame herself in any way.”

  “Who knows? I need to hear the details from her. And there’s more. Apparently, Esther found the body. The shock of that caused her to have a heart attack.”