Peace River (Rockland Ranch Series)

by Jaclyn Hawkes

  Judd didn’t know which rodeo it was and, in fact, had the day of the wreck three days late because of the delay in Dante calling Carrie, but he finally knew how she’d gotten away so slick. She was with a cowboy. He tried to think back and remember if she’d known any cowboys, but there were none he was aware of.

  He and Deek got on the internet and it wasn’t long before they knew where there were rodeos going on and who had ridden bulls in them. From there it was simply a matter of finding out who had crashed and burned on a bull. There were nineteen rodeos being held that week across the country, but only twelve bad wrecks on bulls. So they narrowed the field quickly, and began to check rodeos to try and figure out where they would go next.

  ****

  Isabel loved Naomi and all the Rockland family dearly, but she was a little uncomfortable just hanging out there, even though she was there to help Slade. She tried to pitch in wherever she could around the ranch, and although it was fun and interesting, she didn’t feel nearly as needed as she had on the road.

  After Slade had been home for five days, he and Rossen made a big joke out of arm wrestling to see who got to keep Isabel with them when Rossen and Sean headed back out on the road to rodeo. She knew it was their way of asking her what she wanted to do.

  What she wanted was to stay with Slade, but because of Naomi‘s care for him, where she was needed the most was probably on the road. Where she was safest from Judd was anybody’s guess, and where she ought to be to keep this wonderful family safe was far away from them all.

  She was at a loss about what to do, so she took it to her Father in Heaven, then had a heart-to-heart talk with Slade and Rossen. What they came up with was that she would stay in Wyoming, but she would do most of the scheduling of the rodeos over the internet and email the information to Rossen’s laptop. She and Slade would stay with Naomi for a while longer until they thought they could be okay on their own, and then Isabel and Slade would move over to Slade’s house in the next valley with the couple who took care of the ranch and house when he was away. This way they wouldn’t feel like a burden and Rossen’s family would be protected from Judd as much as possible.

  The fact that Sean liked to cook would help him and Rossen on the road. Sean and Isabel planned menus for the first little while and she made sure the trailer was stocked beforehand.

  It was the third week in August and Rossen and Sean were headed first to Caldwell, Idaho which was a long day’s drive from home. They decided to leave early in the morning. That way their horses would have the night before the drive to rest, and the night before the rodeo to rest again.

  The evening before they were going to leave they had a big family dinner. The atmosphere was festive, but there was an undercurrent that was subdued. Slade and Rossen had been rodeoing for years as a team and as best friends, and even though they would both be with family, in a manner, they’d be apart. Isabel was sad to tell Rossen goodbye, as well. She would truly miss him. And it was heart-breaking to watch Slade be left behind in such bad shape.

  One thing saved Isabel from being totally depressed. Part way through the dinner, Naomi asked Slade if Rossen had asked him recently if he was ready to be baptized.

  Slade replied, “No, he hasn’t for a long, long time.” All eyes at the table looked at Rossen, who looked around puzzled.

  “What?” He spoke around a bite of spaghetti. “What are you all looking at me for?” Slade smiled and looked from Isabel to Naomi.

  Joey piped in cheerily, “Why haven’t you asked him?”

  “I guess I’ve just been kind of busy. Why?” Rossen looked around the table suspiciously.

  Joey looked markedly at her plate. “No reason. Just wondered.”

  Rossen still looked around, then said, “For crying out loud. What is up with you people?” He turned to Slade. “All right, Marsh, are you ready to get baptized yet? There now, I’ve asked him. Satisfied?” He went back to his spaghetti. At first he didn’t even hear Slade say yes. After a second or two of silence around the table, it sunk in.

  He turned to Slade again. “What? What did you say?”

  Slade smiled at him across the table. “I said yes.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” Rossen tipped his chair over backward trying to get around the table to Slade. Isabel almost tipped hers over trying to get to Slade to protect him from Rossen’s enthusiasm.

  “No!” She stepped in front of Rossen just in time. “Rossen, no you’ll hurt him! Just shake his hand or something. You can‘t be too rough right now!”

  Slade struggled to stand up and tease him, “C’mere, you big teddy bear. Just hug me very softly.”

  Rossen took his hand, and the look they shared was of the deepest brotherhood, then Rossen very slowly leaned and embraced Slade gently.

  Pulling away, he asked, “When?”

  “As soon as I feel good enough to do it.”

  A huge smile lit Rossen’s face. “Aw, that is so great! Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He went to grab Slade again, but Isabel stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Careful.”

  “Sorry, sorry.” Rossen went back around the table and sat back in his seat and dinner resumed normally for a few minutes.

  Finally, Isabel asked in a timid voice, “Do I have to wait to be asked, too?” Every person at the table except Naomi stared at her, open-mouthed. Forks were poised and it was utterly silent.

  Finally, Naomi clapped her hands laughing. “Of course you don’t, dear. You can be baptized as soon as you’re ready.” Everyone at the table began to laugh and cheer except Slade and Rossen. They were still staring at her.

  ****

  The next morning, as they were getting ready to go, Isabel asked, “Is there any way I can get a copy of the photograph that hangs in the trailer?” It had meant a great deal to her while they traveled and she wanted that same image of peace to keep with her while she was here. They all looked at her almost strangely, and then turned to Slade.

  He just smiled at her. “I think I have a copy around somewhere. I’ll find it for you.”

  Finally Rossen and Sean loaded up and the big truck and trailer pulled away. Isabel tried to brush at her tears unseen. Slade carefully put one arm around her and said gently, “Don’t be sad. This isn’t the end, I promise.”

  For the next few days, Slade continued to rest and stay down. Slowly he began to have his color and energy return. The bruising had all but faded the day he turned to Isabel and said, “Let’s go home to my house.” Isabel had been helping around the ranch as much as possible and had enjoyed every minute of her stay, but she too felt like she didn’t want to wear out her welcome. She’d been glad to find that Slade's home was only five minutes away, further up the gravel road and that she would, in fact, drive right past the Rocklands’ homes whenever she needed to go anywhere.

  In all this time she’d never seen Slade’s property, and she was curious about what his home would be like. She wondered if it would be her own home too someday and was excited to finally see it.

  She had come to love Naomi more than ever and was grateful she would be so close. These weeks together had been the perfect opportunity for Isabel to continue to learn from her. She taught both gospel principles as well as everyday practical things that Isabel needed to know to live and work in this rural place.

  The only thing similar to her life back home was the fact that there were horses around. Here there was also work to do for the cattle operation, and maintenance of farming equipment and of the homestead itself. Most of the operation was handled by members of the family.

  The oil part of the operation was run almost exclusively by employees on a distant part of the ranch. It was separate, although still behind the locked gates out on the gravel road. It was the reason for the tight security.

  When it was finally time to move, Cooper helped to load up Naomi’s car he’d brought around. It was the only vehicle on the place that wasn’t a truck, and it was easier for Slade to ge
t in and out of. Between the two of them, she and Slade only had two duffle bags of clothes and a few odds and ends. Cooper volunteered to take the rented hospital bed back the next time he went to town.

  After assuring them all that they could get settled into the house alone fine, Slade and Isabel hugged Naomi and said goodbye.

  Isabel was trying to miss the potholes in the gravel road to keep from jarring Slade and look around her at the same time. The scenery was glorious. Both homesteads were in the lowlands of two valleys and the mountains that surrounded them were magnificent. They drove along the road for a few minutes before it started to climb slightly in elevation. As they topped the ridgeline and entered the next valley, Isabel let the car drift to a stop. She couldn’t believe it! Before her was the actual river valley from the photo in the trailer. The scripture from Isaiah softly escaped from her lips unbidden, “And I will extend peace to her like a river.” All she could do was stare at the scene before her

  At length, she turned to Slade. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Actually, until a couple days ago I didn’t know it was a big deal. I mean, I’d seen your Post-It on the photo, but I didn’t realize it really meant anything to you.” He smiled, and carefully leaned to kiss her. “Welcome home.”

  They continued down the road until they rounded a bend, and the house and barn appeared, tucked into the trees in a fold in the hill.

  They were built of wood and stone with a cedar shake roof and looked like they were a part of the mountain. Massive logs held up the roof over the drive in front, and vaulted windows rose to the ceiling to take in the view across the valley. It looked like it would stand against that hillside for a thousand years and yet the architecture was magnificent. This house exactly matched this man.

  “That’s a house.” She started the car moving again.

  Softly, Slade admitted, “Today it feels like home.” Their eyes met. “It hasn’t always felt that way. That’s why I stay with the Rocklands a lot. Sometimes it’s been lonely.”

  She drove in and parked under the porte-cochere and stood by as he climbed from the car and walked to the front door. Once there, he punched some numbers on the keypad and turned the knob. Inside the foyer she stood on a stone floor and looked around. It was timber framed with massive logs holding up the walls and spanning the ceiling. An imposing river rock fireplace climbed to the second story in the center of the house, and the whole west end of the great room was glass that brought the view across the valley inside. The furniture she could see was covered with canvas dust covers.

  He walked inside and crossed the great room to the other side. She helped pull the dust cover off a leather recliner and he gratefully sank into it and said, “I should have asked Hank and Ruby to get things ready for us. Do you mind if I let you give yourself the tour. Just here is about as far as I want to go right now.”

  She unloaded bags from the car and brought them in. “Which way to your room?”

  He pointed. “Just toss it on the foot of the bed and I’ll put it away later.” He caught her hand as she went past. When she looked down at him, he gently kissed her hand and said, “Thank you for helping me to survive an injury I wouldn’t even have if I'd listened to you in the first place.”

  It was the first time he’d broached the subject of either bull riding or the flack jacket. She set the bag down, pulled an ottoman over and sat on it beside his chair and said kindly, “Slade, I’m not your mother. I really had no right to even intimate what you should be doing. I’m sorry I said what I did in the trailer that night.”

  Leaning his head back, he said, “Actually, it was almost worth disappointing you to have you tell me I have body like a young Greek God.” He gave a sad smile. “Almost.” He took her hand again.

  She shook her head sadly. “I’m trying not to question your wisdom, Slade. You’ve proven time and again to have wonderful judgment, and you’re obviously very good at what you do." She lowered her eyes. “I’m trying to understand the bulls. Really I am. But I’m afraid I’ll never get it. We’re just going to have to agree to disagree on this.” She looked up into his face. “I’ll respect your decisions. I owe you at least that because of how you haven’t questioned my actions.”

  Rubbing her hand with his thumb, he asked, “Can I explain my decisions?” She nodded. “At first it was the adrenaline. I was a hotshot kid with a chip on my shoulder. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I had a knack for it, and ended up competing at higher and higher levels. For the last two years I’ve competed at the National Finals and done well. Rossen and I set a goal to go to the National Finals again this year as ropers, and at the time it just seemed to make sense to go all-around, too. It’s not that much bigger deal to go for all-around when I’m already at the rodeo. At least it hasn’t been in the past.”

  He leaned carefully back in his chair again. “If it helps, I’d already decided to only ride enough to make it to the NFR this year and then let the bulls and the all-around go. Actually, I may quit rodeoing full time after this season anyway. It’s been a fun ride, but we’re both getting a little burned out. I think Rossen would’ve quit at the end of last year if it weren’t for me.” He ran his fingers through his hair with his good hand. “It’s kind of intoxicating to strive to be one of the best in the world at what you do. That sounds egotistical I know, but it’s been a rush.”

  When she saw it from his perspective it made a little more sense. Not enough in her mind, but a little.

  He continued, “I need to be honest with you, Isabel. There’s a chance I can heal fast enough to still reach our goal.” He met her eyes. “If I can, I’m going to try. I owe that to Rossen.”

  She nodded. “I can respect that.”

  His look was penetrating. “Even if it means I have to ride another bull?” In her heart she was horrified. She tried not to let him see that.

  She couldn’t look him in the eye as she said, “Do what you have to do.” She turned away and went into his room. The thought of another bull made her sick. The only way she could deal with this was to try to put it out of her mind and pretend it was far away in the future.

  His room was a masterpiece. It was obviously the master suite with an oversized rock fireplace and flat screen TV on one wall. One whole other wall was windows that looked out over the river valley with French doors out to a private deck.

  A massive four-poster bed was covered in brown and tan brocade bedding with wild horses running across the pillow shams. Leather fringed pillows with saddle conchas were piled around them. The drapes matched the throw pillows and even the walls were a leathered faux finish with nail heads.

  He’d said he’d put his stuff away, but she knew he was still too sore to do much so she unpacked his clothing and sorted it in piles on the dresser top, hoping he wouldn’t have to bend to open drawers. She took his shaving kit into his bathroom and left it on the top of the stone counter.

  He had a huge Jacuzzi tub that would probably really help his injuries if he could safely get in and out. The shower next to it would prove easier for the time being. There were no towels out, so she pulled some from below the counter and left bath towels near the shower and hung a hand towel above the sink.

  Going back out to get her own bag, she carried it into the great room and asked, “Where do you want me?”

  At her question he flashed a teasing grin. “Here in this chair beside me.”

  “I meant to sleep.” She instantly knew she’d made a mistake, as he gave an even bigger smile. She put her hands on her hips. “Slade Marsh. Which bedroom, other than yours, should I put my stuff in?”

  “Oh, all right.” He pretended to pout. “Take the one across the hall.”

  Her room was similar to his with its tans and browns, but instead of wild horses it had an old-fashioned patchwork quilt with burgundy and gold and old farm antiques. The fireplace was much smaller and her bathroom had only a large shower with a built-in seat.

  Returning to the car, she brought in
several bags of groceries and took them into the kitchen on the far side of the great room. Slade watched her opening and shutting cupboards and drawers as she tried to find where to put things. There were a few staples but mostly the cupboards were empty. The huge fridge was also empty and had been turned off and propped open. She turned it on, wiped it out and wiped off the stone countertop. His home was incredible, but had obviously been lived in very little. Turning on the radio under the counter, she dug for garbage bags for the trash compactor and opened the window over the sink to let in the breeze.

  She went back into the great room with Slade, and sang along with the radio as she started to pull dust covers off the rest of the furniture. She took each one out the French doors to the deck to shake out the dust and then folded them into a pile. “Where do these live?” She indicated the covers.

  “Just put them in one of the cupboards there in the laundry room.” He pointed toward two doors next to the kitchen. She opened one and found an almost empty pantry and tried the next door. It was a laundry room with a stacked washer and dryer and large utility sink between cupboards and counters. Stowing the dust covers she walked back out.

  “You know that guy who was hassling me about my net worth? He has a house about five times nicer than mine.”

  He shrugged his one shoulder. “I bought Microsoft stock at the right time. It’s just a house.” Sadly, he added, “The ground I inherited from my dad. I’d rather have him than the ranch, but I didn’t get a choice.”

  Wishing she knew what to do to lessen the sadness, she came back in and sat beside him again and gently took his hand. She could tell he had a headache from the slight grimace between his eyes and how he kept changing positions to try to get comfortable and she asked, “How long has it been since you’ve had something for pain?”

  She stood and stepped behind his chair and started to massage his head. She loved doing this for him and his hair between her fingers was incredible.