The Bronc Rider's Baby

by Judy Duarte

  “Well, I admire you. Being a single dad can’t be easy.”

  It sure as hell wasn’t, but before Nate could respond, the front door squeaked open and Sam walked out of the house and into the porch light. “Well, I’ll be damned. Look what the cat dragged in.” Sam crossed the yard to join them and greeted Drew with a warm, friendly handshake. “It’s always good to see you, son.”

  “I hear congratulations are in order,” Drew said. “Rex told me there’s a wedding on the horizon.”

  “That’s right.” The sparkle in Sam’s eye could have lit the entire yard, and he grinned from ear to ear. “Joy and I are getting married next month.”

  Nate wasn’t exactly surprised to hear that news since it was no secret the older couple was head over heels for each other, but he hadn’t realized the plans were underway. “You’ve already set a date?”

  “We just decided today,” Sam said. “I was going to talk to you about it tomorrow morning. I want you to take over my ranch duties while I’m on my honeymoon. We’re going to Hawaii for a couple of weeks, then on to New Zealand.”

  Talk about extended trips. “How long will you be gone?” Nate asked.

  “A long, long time, if I have anything to say about it.” Sam chuckled. “Surely you aren’t worried that you can’t handle things around here without me.”

  “No, not at all. It’s just that...” Well, Nate hadn’t planned to be a permanent ranch hand or even a foreman on someone else’s spread. His job on the Rocking C was only meant to be a temporary gig until he figured out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. “I just wondered how long you’d be gone.”

  “Four weeks or longer,” Sam said. “But don’t worry. I can’t think of a more competent man to take over for me.”

  “I second that.” Drew tossed a grin at Nate. “The Rocking C will be in good hands.” Then he returned his attention to Sam. “So when’s the happy event going to take place?”

  “The fifteenth of next month. We’ll have the ceremony here, followed by a big reception. Joy’s already making arrangements to have it catered since I’m not going to let my bride get stuck in the kitchen on her wedding day.”

  “You’ll need to find a good replacement for Joy, too,” Nate told Sam. “Otherwise, I predict a big revolt while you’re gone. She’s got these men spoiled with her cooking and TLC.”

  Sam laughed. “Ain’t that the truth? But don’t worry. We’ll find someone who can put together a tasty meal.”

  Before Nate could respond, the door squeaked open again. This time Anna exited the house, the long strap of her purse draped over her shoulder. She held a brochure in one hand and her briefcase in the other.

  Nate shot a glance at Drew, only to see him zeroing in on Anna. It grated him to know she’d caught the other man’s interest, but he really couldn’t blame Drew. Anna was a tempting sight to behold.

  When Nate returned his gaze to Anna, she was wearing a breezy smile aimed at him, one that filled his chest with warmth.

  “Here’s that information I told you about.” She handed him the brochure. “If you have any questions after looking this over, give me a call.”

  But only call her if he had questions?

  Shake it off, Gallagher. Anna Reynolds isn’t interested in cowboys.

  But then again, her focus shifted to Drew, and she seemed to be checking him out right now. Maybe she was just curious about him and why he’d come this evening.

  Apparently, so was Sam. “Is there any news on that rodeo sponsorship?” the foreman asked.

  “As a matter of fact, there is. And it’s good news, too. Ramon Esteban, the head of the rodeo, likes the idea of sponsoring the Rocking Chair Ranch. He also wants to meet whoever’s in charge and take a tour of the place. That’s why I drove out here tonight. I wanted to tell Rex in person.”

  “That’s great,” Sam said. “Let’s go inside. I can’t wait to hear what Rex has to say about it.”

  Drew slapped his hand on the older man’s back, then the two headed for the ranch house, leaving Nate and Anna alone. As their eyes met, that flood of warmth returned to Nate’s chest, and every nerve ending he had snapped to attention.

  Neither of them spoke or made a move for what seemed like forever, but was probably only a minute.

  Finally, when the floodlights dimmed, Anna nodded toward her car. “I’d better go. Not home, but to bed.”

  Nate’s thoughts drifted to a bedroom setting, to soft lighting, romantic music playing in the background, satin sheets turned down...

  He slowly shook his head, trying to dislodge the image. There was no way he’d consider sleeping with the social worker assigned to his case. He had to get his mind back to reality.

  “Good night,” Anna said. Then she walked to her car. As she climbed behind the wheel and started the engine, Nate had half a notion to call her back, to...

  To do what? Ask her to go out with him?

  No way. But as she drove away, he had second thoughts.

  Why the hell not?

  Chapter Six

  Something had happened to Anna at the Rocking C last night, although she wasn’t entirely sure just what it was. She’d experienced an awakening of some kind, a growing awareness of something she hadn’t realized before, and it had drawn her to Nate in a different way.

  She had to admit that there was also something about him that stirred her hormones. Under normal circumstances, that swirl of heat and desire should have bothered her, but for some reason it didn’t. Maybe that was because there was more than just sexual attraction at play.

  She’d seen something flicker in his eyes, although just briefly. She’d sensed that he had an invisible wound of some kind, one he tried to hide with humor. Drew’s unexpected arrival had sparked that look again, revealing a tiny crack in Nate’s armor and further convincing Anna that there was much more to him than she’d realized. And, as a result, she found herself thinking about him all that night and into the next morning.

  Since it was now officially the weekend and she didn’t have to work, she ate breakfast at Caroline’s Diner. Then she crossed the street to Nettles Realty. Before going in, she stood outside the office and checked out the photos of homes and ranches displayed on the front window.

  Several properties looked appealing, especially a small white house with a picket fence, a pretty yard and a red front door. But ever since Anna had landed the job at the medical center, she’d been making double payments on her student loans. That had seemed to be a good idea at the time, but her effort to get out of debt quickly had limited the amount she’d been able to put into savings.

  Like she’d told Nate, she wasn’t in a position to purchase anything right now, but maybe Mr. Nettles had a list of rentals available. So she opened the glass door and entered the small, cluttered office.

  An older man who appeared to be past the retirement age looked up from his desk, pushed aside the crossword puzzle he’d been working on and smiled. “Hello, there.”

  “Mr. Nettles?” she asked.

  “Yes, but call me Ralph. How can I help you?”

  Maybe coming inside hadn’t been a good idea after all. Anna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then clutched the shoulder strap of her purse. “I...uh...don’t suppose you know of any homes or apartments for rent in the downtown area.”

  “Sorry. I’m afraid not. I do have a few options if you’re in the market to buy.”

  “Not unless you’re aware of anything that wouldn’t require a large down payment.”

  Ralph stroked his chin, giving that some thought, then slowly shook his head. “No, not really, although there’s a property on Briar Patch that might become available soon. The woman who owned it passed away unexpectedly, and her only heir is a surgeon who lives out of state. From what I understand, there isn’t a m
ortgage or a lien against it, so the new owner might be willing to work with a qualified buyer.”

  Other than having very little to put down, a student loan and a modest car payment, Anna considered herself “qualified.” At least she had a good job.

  “Do you think he would accept a small amount down?” she asked.

  “He might. The yard hasn’t been kept up in years. And the woman was a bit of a hoarder. The doctor would have to hire a landscaper, a cleaning crew and probably a handyman to fix it up before I can actually list it for sale. So he might be willing to let you trade your labor as part of the down payment, just so he didn’t have to fly to Texas and deal with it.”

  Anna wasn’t afraid of hard work, but she needed a place she could move into now. And that particular house sounded like a rat trap. She’d probably be better off staying at the Night Owl. At least it was clean.

  “As soon as I get a key,” Mr. Nettles said, “I’d be happy to show it to you.”

  She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at it, so she said, “All right.” Then she reached into her purse, withdrew a business card and a pen. After jotting down her cell phone number on the back, she handed it to the Realtor. “Here’s my contact information.”

  “You know, the more I think about it, that house on Briar Patch might work out to be a good deal for both you and the doctor.”

  “If you get a key or can show me some photos,” she said, “let me know. It sounds like something I might want to consider.”

  But she probably wouldn’t consider it very long. If the owner didn’t want to tackle the necessary cleanup and repairs, her studio apartment might be finished long before the house on Briar Patch was habitable.

  As she turned to go, she spotted a bulletin board on the wall near the door that had a couple of flyers tacked on it. She assumed they advertised other homes for sale, but when she noticed one announcing a church bazaar, as well as one for a car rally in Wexler, she took a moment to read up on the various community events. She really needed to get out more and meet some of her neighbors.

  Her eye was drawn to a red, white and blue poster that displayed Nate Gallagher’s name and picture, noting that he was a local boy and a champion. So she studied it closely, particularly the photo of the handsome cowboy, his hat tilted just right, a grin that boasted both skill and pride.

  “That rodeo is already past,” Ralph said. “I just keep that poster displayed because that bronc rider happens to be the grandson of my old friend, Clinton McClain—God rest his soul.”

  “You knew Nate’s grandfather?” she asked.

  “Yep. Clint was a champion bareback rider and all-round rodeo cowboy. After he retired from the circuit, he bought a ranch. A couple of years ago he asked me to list it for him. When it sold, he and his wife bought a place in town.”

  She thought about that first day she arrived on the Rocking C and saw Nate gentling that gelding. Apparently, he’d learned his skill from his grandfather.

  “When Nate moved to the Double M,” Ralph said, “he was half grown, but he took to riding and roping like he’d been born in a saddle. He had more talent than most and promised to be a better cowboy than his granddad. That is, until he got busted up by a bronc named Fire in the Hole. Doctors said he was lucky to be alive, but he had to give up riding and find a safer line of work.”

  “That must have been disappointing,” she said. Was that the pain she’d spotted in his eyes Monday night? Had seeing Drew reminded him of all he’d lost?

  “To make matters worse,” Ralph added, “while Nate was recovering in the hospital, Clint and his wife were killed in a car accident on their way to visit him.”

  Anna’s heart crumpled. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Yep. It was a real shame, too. Because from what I’d heard, Nate’s dad had been a real loser and probably drank himself to death after abandoning the poor kid in foster care. When Clint learned where Nate had ended up, he took custody and brought him to live at the Double M.”

  Anna hardly had a moment to consider how all of that might have affected Nate when the telephone rang.

  “Excuse me, but I have to get this,” Ralph said as he reached across the desk for the receiver and answered. “Nettles Realty. This is Ralph.”

  Anna decided to slip out the door while he was talking. Once outside, she pondered her options for spending the rest of her day. She could drive to Wexler and go shopping, but that would mean spending money she’d rather hold on to until she could find a better housing situation. She could also hang out in the library, which was far more appealing than going back to her dinky hotel room and watching television. Then another idea came to mind.

  She could drive out to the Rocking C to visit Nate again.

  Oh, for Pete’s sake.

  He might think that she had romantic thoughts about him, which was the last thing in the world she wanted him to suspect.

  Especially since she feared that was true.

  * * *

  Ever since Anna left the ranch last night, something had been nagging at Nate, prompting him to give her a call. He had an idea, an offer to make, and he didn’t want to wait to mention it until she got around to visiting him again.

  So after he finished his chores, he asked Joy and Sam to watch Jessie for him. Then he took a shower and headed to town.

  He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d do if he arrived at the Night Owl Motel and didn’t find Anna there. He supposed he could swing by the Stagecoach Inn, have a beer and listen to music for a while. After all, he had a babysitter, and it was the first time he’d lined up something like that when he wasn’t actually working.

  It felt a little weird to leave Jessie for the evening, but Sam and Joy seemed eager to have her, and Nate knew she’d be in good hands.

  By the time he arrived at the motel, it was nearly six o’clock. A few miles back he began to think he should have called Anna first. Even when he spotted her car parked in front of room ten, he considered reaching for his cell phone.

  Instead, after parking in a nearby space, he made his way to the door of the room he assumed was hers. A hum of voices sounded from within, and he guessed that she was watching television. He hesitated only a moment before lifting his hand and giving it two solid knocks.

  “Who is it?” Anna called out.

  “It’s Nate.”

  When she swung open the door, he nearly laughed at her stunned expression, as well as her appearance. Her long, blond hair was slightly mussed, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. She had on an oversize T-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. Her bare feet bore a pretty shade of pink toenail polish.

  She clearly hadn’t expected company tonight and fidgeted in the doorway. She fiddled with her hair as if trying to comb out the tangles with her fingers. But damn, she looked good just as she was.

  “Are you up for dinner?” he asked.

  Her brow furrowed and her head tilted slightly. Apparently, the question surprised her even more than his arrival had.

  “I thought you might want me to chase off any cowboys or truckers who might try to put the moves on you.”

  Her gaze shot toward the café at the end of the parking lot then to the bar across the busy highway. “You want to eat here?”

  “Only if you want to. If you like Chinese food, there’s a restaurant about ten minutes from here called the Green Dragon.” His lips curled into a boyish grin. “They even serve wine—if you feel the need to unwind again.”

  Again, she fingered her hair then tugged at the gray shirt she was wearing.

  “But if you’d rather,” he said, “we can walk across the street and have one of those juicy burgers.”

  “Actually, Chinese sounds good to me. And I’d love an excuse to get out of here. But I’ll need to change clothes and freshen up first.”

&nb
sp; “You look great just the way you are.” And she did.

  “Get out of here. I’m a real mess.”

  His grin deepened. “Just for the record, I think you wear laid-back and casual well.”

  “Thanks, but I feel frumpy.” She stepped aside and let him into the room. “Just give me a few minutes to change and fix my hair.”

  It actually took her more than a few minutes, although he didn’t mind. And when she came out of the bathroom, it had been worth the wait.

  She wore a pair of snug black jeans and a cream-colored sweater that revealed her womanly curves. He’d always suspected that she had a dynamite body, but his vivid, masculine imagination hadn’t done her shapely figure justice. He wasn’t about to admit it, but she wore sexy well, too.

  “Shall we go?” he asked.

  She nodded then snatched her purse and the room key from the nightstand. Before long they were in his pickup and on the road.

  “Apparently, you haven’t been able to move home yet,” Nate said as he drove toward Main Street. “Do you have any idea when the repair work will be done?”

  “No, I don’t. It looks like my temporary displacement is turning into a long-term situation. They found mold in the walls so they called a hazardous waste company to remove it and haul it away. They also tore up the foundation to get to the leak. Before they could reroute the plumbing overhead and replace the concrete and flooring, the guy who owns the construction company had a death in the family...” She blew out a weary sigh. “I feel bad for him, but it looks like I’m stuck at the Night Owl for the time being. I’m not sure how much longer I can handle living in a small motel room, so I’m checking into alternatives.”

  “Living out of a suitcase can be a pain.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  Nate glanced across the seat at Anna. Worry marred her brow, and she was biting down on her bottom lip.

  “You know,” he said, “I have a place in town that I’m not using. You’re welcome to stay there, if you want to.”

  She turned to him, eyes wide and lips parted. “That’s a nice offer, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”