Taming The Texas Rancher (Love Inspired Historical)

by Rhonda Gibson

  “So that’s it.” Daniel took his hat off and slapped it hard against his thigh. “That woman is not going to meddle in my life.”

  Jeb’s throaty laugh filled the barn. “She’s been meddling in your life since the day you were born. What’s going to stop her now?” He returned to his work.

  Daniel stared at the old man. Normally Jeb didn’t say more than ten words a day. So why was he being so chatty today? “I will.”

  The old hand just shrugged and continued working. Daniel tightened the cinch on Tornado and led him out to the barnyard.

  Adam was helping Daniel’s mother up onto the buckboard. She glanced his way and frowned. Determined to ignore her, he mounted the stallion. He always felt better at this height.

  Cole rode up beside him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m sending young Adam to town with your ma.”

  He turned the black toward the west pasture. “Why? She’s fully capable of driving the buckboard.”

  “Yes, but I got to thinking about it. What if whoever cut the fences was still hanging about? I’d hate to send our womenfolk off alone.” Cole slumped in the saddle, his hat pulled low, the picture of ease.

  Daniel nodded in agreement, noticing the extra rifle attached to the other man’s saddle. He had been so focused on Hannah that he hadn’t considered the bandit who’d cut his fence might mean harm to his family, too. Drat! That woman was already consuming too much of Daniel’s thoughts.

  He pulled Tornado to a halt. “Hannah’s at the house, and as soon as she’s finished, I’m sure she’ll be heading to the school. Maybe one of us should stay behind and escort her home, as well.”

  A slow grin spread Cole’s lips. “Yeah, I thought of that, also. Levi has agreed to take her back.”

  “I’ll take her back,” Daniel growled. He turned the black horse toward the house.

  Levi rode out to meet him, a toothy smile on his face. He stood up in the stirrups and called over Daniel’s shoulder to Cole, “Told ya he wouldn’t cotton to me being the one to take her home.”

  Daniel shook his head as Cole and Levi rode away, laughing. He turned Tornado toward the barn. Hannah probably wouldn’t ride him, and since his mother had just taken the buckboard, Daniel saw no other way of getting her back to the school other than walking.

  “Back already, boss?” Jeb stepped out of a stall toward the back of the barn.

  He slipped from the stallion’s back. “Yep. You still in the mood to talk?”

  “Depends.”

  “On what?” Daniel began to take off the stallion’s saddle.

  “You, I reckon.”

  He leaned against the horse and looked at the old man. “Have you ever been in love, Jeb?”

  “Once.”

  “Did she love you?”

  “Said she did.” Jeb sat down on a bale of hay and picked up a feed sack and a needle with thread.

  Daniel turned his attention to caring for his horse. “How did you make her fall in love with you?” He didn’t want Jeb to see his face, so he stayed behind Tornado.

  A snort sounded from Jeb’s direction. “What kind of fool question is that?” he asked.

  “The kind I need an answer to. Hannah wants me to fall in love with her, and her with me, but for the life of me I can’t figure out how to make all that happen.” He prayed Jeb would keep their conversation to himself. The last thing he needed was for the men to know that he was asking advice on romance from Jeb.

  “Aw, so that’s the reason you didn’t come home married. Me and the boys were wonderin’ about that.” He poked the needle through the fabric.

  “I’d just appreciate it if you didn’t share this conversation with the boys.” Daniel placed a feed bag over Tornado’s nose.

  “Don’t see no call to tell them your business, boss.” Jeb continued sewing.

  “So?”

  Jeb looked up from his stitching. “So what?”

  “So how do I make her fall in love with me?”

  “Aw, well, son, you don’t.” He went back to the sack.

  Daniel sighed. “Then what do I do? She won’t marry me until she falls in love with me, and I have to be in love with her.”

  “Back in my day, if a man wanted to marry a gal, he asked her pa. Nine times out of ten, they’d be married by supper.” Jeb chuckled.

  If only it were that simple. “Well, it doesn’t work like that anymore,” Daniel said, sighing.

  Jeb laid his work aside and came to stand beside him. “Son, treat her like a real lady. Give her flowers, buy her small gifts and listen to her when she talks. But if you want her to fall in love with you...” he paused and laid a hand on Daniel’s shoulder “...then be yourself. Don’t try to act like someone you aren’t.”

  The old man started to walk out of the barn. “Jeb? One more question.”

  He turned around. “All right.”

  “What does it feel like to be in love?” Daniel had to know what it was he was looking for in himself before he could confess his love for Hannah.

  “Some men say they can’t eat, but I never went off my feed. And some say they kind of feel sick, but I never felt that way, neither.” He stared at the hay at his feet and swirled his boot in it. A faraway expression crossed his face.

  Daniel heard himself whisper, “What about you? What happened to you?”

  Jeb’s old gray eyes came up to meet his. They were filled with tears and memories of long ago. “I gave up everything to be with my Lilly. On the day I realized I could lose her, my heart ripped. She became my heart, and my life, and I never looked back. I believe that’s true love.” He walked out the barn door.

  Daniel realized he didn’t really know the old man.

  Jeb had been the first hand his pa hired when they’d moved here. Even then he hardly ever spoke, but had always been ready to listen. When Daniel’s father died, Jeb had been there to guide him on how to run the ranch. The more Daniel learned about ranching, the more the old man had pulled back. Now Jeb was the handyman. He stepped in when needed. It dawned on Daniel that he’d never told the old man what to do. He didn’t need to; Jeb always stayed busy.

  Daniel tried to wrap his mind around Jeb’s advice. If he understood correctly, then there were only three things he had to do to make Hannah fall in love with him: take her flowers, buy her small gifts and listen when she talked. He smiled, figuring even he couldn’t mess that up. And with him doing those things, she’d believe he loved her deeply. So both of them would be happy.

  After putting Tornado away, Daniel stood at the barn door and waited for Hannah to come outside. He inhaled the various ranch scents of hay, dirt and livestock.

  Here was where he wanted to remain. His eyes scanned the house, the yard, the corrals, the chicken coop and the vast pastures that stretched in every direction. He’d worked hard to keep his father’s dream alive.

  Everyone called him boss, but Daniel knew who the real boss was. His mother. If he could get Hannah to marry him and they had a baby within the next year, Daniel felt sure the ranch would be his, and then he really would be the boss and owner of the Westland Ranch.

  Hannah stepped out of the kitchen door, seemingly unaware that he watched her. Her cheeks were flushed and she appeared to be deep in thought. She’d almost walked passed him when he said the first thing that came to mind. “A penny for your thoughts.”

  Her head came up and her eyes shone. “I’m not sure they are worth a penny, Daniel.”

  He moved to her side and smiled. “Tell me what they are and I’ll decide the value.” He took her elbow and began strolling in the direction of the schoolhouse.

  She pulled her arm from his grasp but continued walking with him. “I was thinking of all the things I need to do to start school on Monday, and I was wondering what the ranch hands are going to sa
y when your mother announces our engagement on Sunday. The thought entered my mind that falling in love may not be a simple thing for either of us, and I was wondering if I should just go to town and find a job and forget this whole business of being a mail-order bride.”

  So she was having doubts about their future. Daniel didn’t want her to go back to town. It wasn’t because he loved her, but he did care for her. And what would she do there in town? “I’d say your thoughts are worth more than a penny,” he volunteered, as they continued to walk.

  “You think so?” Doubt filled her voice.

  He nodded. “Let’s take them one at a time. Your first thought was about the job ahead of you, preparing for school. Haven’t you taught before?” He knew from her letters that she had, but wanted her to see that she would have no trouble preparing for the job ahead.

  “You know I have.” Her forehead furrowed in thought.

  Daniel stopped under a large oak tree. “Then you will have no trouble getting started on Monday. As for the announcement on Sunday, everyone is going to love you and be pleased that we are planning to marry.” He reached out and ran the back of his hand over her soft cheek. “Opal, Cole and Levi already like you. You have shown them that you are a kind person, Hannah. The others will feel the same.”

  Her eyes turned to pools of blue. He cupped her chin in his hand and looked deeply into their depths. In a softer voice he said, “As for it being hard to fall in love, we won’t know until we give it a try. I’m still willing to work on it. Are you?”

  She nodded. “I just don’t want you to feel I’m being unreasonable.”

  “I won’t lie to you—I am disappointed that we didn’t get married when you arrived. But I also realize that your needs and feelings are important to you. I don’t want you to feel forced into a marriage that you will be unhappy in. So let’s agree to get to know one another and try to make it a happy union.”

  Hannah took a step back from him. He missed the feel of her face in his hand and the sense that she was focused totally on him.

  “All right. But to be fair, let’s agree that if we don’t have some feelings for each other by the end of six weeks, then I will return to Granite and you can begin a new search for a bride more suitable to your needs.” She looked up at him, sorrow filling her eyes.

  Daniel took a deep breath and then exhaled. “I can’t agree to that, Hannah. Six weeks isn’t enough time.”

  She started to protest and he stopped her. “No, I’ll only agree to your terms if you make it six months.”

  “But Daniel, Levi could marry, and then where will you be? I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. I know you love this ranch and don’t want to lose it.”

  She’d thought about him and his love for the ranch? It both surprised and pleased him that she’d considered his feelings. He stepped forward and took both of her hands in his. “You’re right, he might, but I don’t think that he will.”

  “But what if he does?” Her hands felt cold in his.

  What would he do? Daniel stared into her pretty blue eyes. He’d have to make Hannah Young fall in love with him as fast as possible, and to do so, he’d start by kissing her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Hannah felt Daniel’s warm breath upon her lips before his mouth descended. The smells of leather, outdoors and sweet coffee blended and filled her senses. His hands released hers and he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Her heartbeat quickened and her mind went blank.

  When he pulled back, Daniel looked as confused as she felt. He cleared his throat. “We should get you back to the school. We’ll worry about Levi and his potential bride when the time comes.”

  Hannah nodded, afraid to speak. Her voice might crack, and then what would he think of her?

  How had one little kiss affected her so? Weakness had entered her knees and the rest of her limbs. How could that be so? Was she coming down with a sickness? Surely it couldn’t have been the kiss. She’d been kissed before and hadn’t felt this way afterward.

  She felt his hand grasp hers, and walked beside him, curious as to why he was holding her hand. Was he trying to court her the right way? A smile played across her face at the thought. The next six months might not be so bad after all.

  When the schoolhouse came into view, Daniel said, “Tomorrow, I’ll need to be gone. We have to brand the calves and I have to be there to oversee the work. I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone our outing a few more days.” He pushed his hat back off his forehead.

  Disappointment filled her. She’d been looking forward to spending more time with him. “I understand. I’ll be busy myself, getting the schoolroom ready and creating lessons for the children.”

  He stopped at the stairs and released her hand. “Hannah, with the fences being cut, I’d appreciate it if you’d stick close to the schoolhouse until we catch whoever is doing it.”

  “Daniel, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  She didn’t like the idea of having to stay at the schoolhouse all the time.

  A handsome smile spread his lips. “I’m sure you can.”

  She nodded.

  “Well, do you need anything to make your stay here any more comfortable?” His green eyes held hers.

  “No. Thanks to Levi’s thoughtfulness I think I have everything I need now. He brought me a table and two chairs for meals and lesson planning at night, and he also gave me a beautiful rocker. He said they were his wedding present to us. Would you like to come in and see them?” Hannah turned to lead the way inside. She could tell Daniel wasn’t happy that Levi had brought the furniture. Maybe showing him would make him feel better.

  His words stopped her. “No, thanks. I have to get back to work.” He turned on his boot heels and headed back toward the barn, where Tornado waited. His voice gentled. “Maybe I can look at them later.”

  Hannah nodded. She expelled the air in her lungs as she watched him ride away. Hannah didn’t know what to think of Daniel’s mood swings. One moment he was Mr. Romantic and the next Mr. Grumpy.

  That evening and the next day she prepared the classroom for students. On Saturday morning Hannah woke up and decided it was time to start doing work around the ranch. She pulled on her boots and headed to the barn.

  As a little girl she’d mucked stalls, collected eggs and fed the chickens. She could do that now, too, if no one else had already done so. The dew on the grass soon had her boots damp. She smiled up into the heavens and thanked the Lord for such a beautiful morning.

  She crossed the barnyard, where Jeb came out to meet her. “Good morning, Mr. Jeb.”

  “Howdy. What can I do for you this morning, Miss Hannah?” he asked around a piece of hay.

  Hannah grinned. She’d met Jeb the day of her riding lesson and found she liked his quiet ways. “I was hoping I could do something for you.”

  Jeb frowned. “What did ya have in mind?”

  “I thought maybe I could help clean out the stalls, feed the chickens or maybe collect their eggs. I’ll do just about anything to help out.”

  He shifted the straw from one side of his mouth to the other. “Does the boss know you’re down here?”

  Hannah wasn’t sure if he meant Daniel or his mother. She didn’t relish the idea of having to ask either of them if she could to do a few chores. “No, I didn’t think I needed to ask permission to work. On our farm back home, people just did what needed to be done.”

  Jeb chuckled. “I like your way of thinkin’. Come with me.” He led her into the barn.

  The smell of hay and dust filled her nose and she sneezed. Clover nickered in her stall. Hannah walked up to the little mare and rubbed her muzzle. “What’s wrong, ole gal? Did they leave you behind today?”

  The mare bobbed her head as if to say yes.

  “Can ya paint?” Jeb asked fr
om behind her.

  Hannah turned to see him holding a bucket of whitewash and a brush. “Sure can.”

  “Follow me.”

  He led her down the fence line to a large chicken coop. “When you get the henhouse done, work your way down the fence thataway.” Jeb set the bucket down, handed her the brush and walked off, whistling a happy tune.

  Hannah picked up the paint and carried it inside the chicken yard. She pulled the gate closed behind her. Chickens scattered and squawked at her. She ignored them and dipped the brush into the whitewash.

  “Well, at least I’m not cooped up in the schoolhouse today.” She giggled at her own joke.

  As she painted, Hannah noticed that the chicken coop had seen better days. It needed more than just paint; it needed new boards in some places, and she could tell the inside needed a good cleaning. She finished painting, and then moved into the henhouse.

  It was big, with two rows of nests. They were dirty and the hay had seen better days. Spiderwebs hung up high where the chickens couldn’t get to them. She decided to clean it all up. As she worked, Hannah hummed. The hens that were trying to nest eyed her suspiciously.

  Once the place was a little more livable for its occupants, Hannah headed to the barn for fresh hay. The coolness there surprised her. She hadn’t realized how hot she was until that moment.

  An old brown hat hung on a nail and she plucked it down and plopped it on her overheated head. Then she grabbed as much hay as she could carry and headed back to the chicken coop.

  The sweet smell of hay filled the air. Hannah worked quickly, filling boxes and fighting off pecking hens. She collected the eggs and set them outside the gate. Her hair felt plastered to her head and her cheeks were hot, so she stood in the shade of an oak tree, attempting to cool off.

  The water trough could use a good cleaning, too, she thought, enjoying a soft breeze. Hannah wondered whose job it was to take care of the chickens. Whoever it was, they were sorely neglectful, in her opinion.

  Her gaze moved across the yard to the green pastures that stretched out for miles. Where was Daniel today? Were they still branding calves? Hannah wished she could go and see him. She took the big hat off and wiped her forehead. Well, since she couldn’t, she decided to continue working.