The Rancher's Bargain

by Joanne Rock

  Rose understood the way hard work could make a person forget, for a little while at least.

  Turning from the window, she took a moment to inhale the scent of bacon frying in her kitchen. For the forty years she’d been married, she’d never once awoken to the scent of breakfast being made in her kitchen. All those years wed to Ed, she’d been the one doing the cooking since he’d never managed the ranch well enough to afford much help. At least, not for her.

  Pulling on a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt from a recent rodeo, Rose took her time brushing her teeth, liking the idea that she would walk into her kitchen to find Gus Slade making her breakfast.

  After all they’d been through, all the ways they’d hurt each other over the years, who would have thought they could end up together? It almost seemed too good to be true. Like if she pinched herself she might roll over in her bed and find it had all been a dream. Heaven knew, she’d dreamed of Gus often enough while married to the man handpicked by her daddy when she was only eighteen years old.

  Now, running a brush through her short brown hair going gray at the temples, Rose breathed in the scent of fresh coffee and headed toward the kitchen. She tugged a soft blue sweater off the back of the bathroom door and tucked her arms into the sleeves, then padded out to the kitchen in sock feet.

  Her overnight guest stood in front of the farmhouse sink, sipping from a red stoneware mug while the dawn light spilled through the window onto his thick white hair. Augustus “Gus” Slade had celebrated his sixty-ninth birthday this year, but he was still well muscled, strong enough to work the hay wagon if he was so inclined. And still undeniably sexy.

  “Good morning.” She couldn’t help the smile that came with the words, the unexpected joy filling her whole body. It might not be the first time he’d spent the night with her, but it still felt magical to wake up to him.

  Gus turned from the sink. “Good morning, beautiful.” He toasted her with his coffee mug before setting it on the countertop. “Your breakfast is ready if you want to take a seat.”

  “I can help,” she started, stepping toward the refrigerator to get the juice and creamer.

  Gus made a shooing motion with his hand, chasing her toward the table. “I won’t hear of it. I’m in charge of breakfast, so have a seat and get used to being spoiled.”

  “I will never get used to being spoiled,” she admitted, wondering—not for the first time—what her life might have been like with this bold man at her side.

  Would it have been this blissful every day? Or would she have been too young to appreciate how truly fortunate she was to have such a man? They’d been so in love as teens, until Gus went off to make his way in the world, promising to come back and marry her one day. Four years later he’d returned after earning enough money on the rodeo circuit to purchase a little piece of land nearby. Only her daddy was a cruel man who didn’t want his daughter to have anything to do with a “nobody” like Gus. Jedediah Clayton had considered himself—and his daughter—too good for a Slade, forcing Rose to marry a man of Jed’s choosing, threatening to kick out Rose’s ill mother if Rose didn’t do as he commanded.

  She’d resented her father all her life for that. But now that Ed was long gone and Gus’s wife, Sarah, had died, too, Rose wondered if she would have been as good of a wife to Gus as he deserved. He was an amazing man.

  Stubborn. Surly. And one hell of a ranching rival all those years that they’d been bitterly estranged, with Gus blaming Rose for marrying another man. But that was all in the past. Gus now knew that Rose had married Ed only out of fear for her mother.

  “Then you underestimate me, Rose Clayton,” Gus promised, stepping closer to her so he could fold her hands in his. “Because you don’t know what great lengths I would go to in order to spoil you.”

  That joy bubbled up inside her again, making her feel like a giddy teenager falling in love with him all over again.

  “Gus, all of Royal thinks I’m the toughest old bird in the county.” She had spent a lifetime reinforcing the defenses around her heart and her life, trying to focus on her family and the ranch instead of all that she’d given up. “What will they say if you turn me soft?”

  Gus’s piercing blue eyes seemed to peer right into her soul. “They may say I’m one hell of a lucky man to win over the hottest woman in town.”

  She laughed. “You’re too much.”

  The look he gave her about melted her socks off, before he kissed her tenderly on the cheek.

  “Then have a seat, Rose, and let me get your breakfast.”

  Before she could move away, a voice cleared on the far side of the room. Rose tensed, her cheeks heating to be “caught” by her grandson, Daniel, the ranch manager of the Silver C.

  Tall and well built, Daniel had turned into a formidable man who made Rose so proud. She’d gladly raised him from boyhood when her own daughter had been overwhelmed by single parenthood, turning to alcohol instead of her family for help. Rose blamed Ed for that, but she hadn’t given up hope on Stephanie.

  “Good morning, Daniel.” She waved him over to the table. “Join us for some breakfast.”

  Daniel scowled. “I’ll take something for the road,” he muttered, stepping into the pantry before coming out with a few protein bars. “And Gran, have you thought about what you’re doing, carrying on like this with this man?”

  Flustered to have her own grandchild call her out, Rose was at a loss for words, her cheeks heating even though she had no cause to be embarrassed.

  “Your grandmother does not ‘carry on,’ son,” Gus told him mildly as he slid slices of bacon onto two plates. “Show her some respect.”

  Rose’s gaze darted to Daniel’s. The younger man looked as uncomfortable as she felt. Although she did appreciate Gus’s easy defense of her.

  “I meant no disrespect,” Daniel insisted, scrubbing a hand through his dark hair. “But Gran is a well-respected member of the community. People will start to talk when they see your truck here every night.”

  Would people talk? She hadn’t thought about that, but Daniel probably had a point. People did love gossip.

  “That’s no one’s business but ours.” Gus smiled at her as he strode closer to the table, her plate in hand. He set it in front of her while she took a seat. “But if it will put your mind at ease, I love your grandmother very much, and soon I’m going to marry her, like I should have all those years ago.”

  Is he serious? she thought wildly, her heart racing faster.

  Her gaze went to Gus’s, seeing the calm self-assurance in his blue eyes. Of course he was serious.

  Just when she thought she couldn’t feel any more joy in this life...boom. She felt a deep sense of happiness, as if the world was suddenly tilted right again. But she tucked those thoughts away for now, in front of Daniel, knowing her grandson didn’t share her joy.

  Not when his own heart was so thoroughly broken. Worse? She feared it was all her fault.

  * * *

  Lydia wasn’t surprised when she awoke the next day to discover that James had left town on a business trip. He’d sent her a text with his contact information for a hotel in Houston in case she needed anything.

  She didn’t know much more than that, so throughout the week, she’d tried to look at his absence as a good thing—a favor that made her job easier. Without him in the house, she didn’t have to worry about the attraction leading to anything. Except, as she went through the motions of her job, bringing Teddy for a holiday shopping outing and to have his photo taken with Santa, Lydia couldn’t deny that she missed seeing her boss.

  And in some ways, that felt even more dangerous to her peace of mind than the ever-present awareness between them. When he wasn’t around, she found her subconscious supplied plenty of fantasy scenarios starring him.

  Late in the week, shortly past dinnertime, she was in the kitchen storing some toddler portions
of veggies that she’d cooked in batches for Teddy. The little boy still sat in his high chair, chasing oat cereal around his tray, tired out from the day since they’d skipped naptime while they were out doing errands.

  Midway through the cooking operation, Lydia realized she’d gravitated toward the chore out of habit, an old way of coping with stress from the days when she’d lived under her mother’s roof. Back then, she’d always found comfort in the ritual of work when her mother’s love life got too crazy. Or her mother was too busy being romanced by her latest “Mr. Right” that she forgot to film a podcast for her blog. Lydia appreciated the way work made her feel in control.

  And today, while she and Teddy had been out shopping, her mother had texted to remind her that Fiona expected a spa day before her bachelorette party—both of which were Lydia’s job to organize as her maid of honor. Clearly, her mom had ignored the fact that Lydia refused to be in the wedding.

  Here she was two hours later, chopping carrots and butternut squash like a madwoman, all because she hadn’t found a way to make her mother listen.

  Lydia heard the doorbell ring, and she assumed Mrs. Davis answered it when she heard the low rumble of voices in the front of the house. They had visitors.

  And one of the voices—a woman’s—she felt sure she recognized.

  “Do you want to see who’s here?” she asked Teddy, already unbuckling the straps on the high chair so she could lift him up.

  “See here,” he repeated in perfect imitation of her.

  It was the first time she’d heard that combination of words, far more complicated than bye-bye or coo-kie, both of which he used well.

  “Yes!” The sound of his clear words cheered her, reminding her that her work here was so much more than a job. More than a means to repay her sister’s debt. In so many ways her involvement with children was a gift. “That’s right, Teddy. We’re going to see who is here.”

  She settled him on her hip and he laid his head against her shoulder. She couldn’t resist resting her cheek on his fluffy crop of curls for a moment while she breathed in the scent of baby shampoo.

  Then, she headed into the living area so she had a clear view of the foyer. She recognized Tessa Noble, a woman she’d gotten to know through her sister Gail, standing beside the tall, handsome rancher who’d bid on Tessa at the same charity bachelor auction where Gail had bid on Lloyd Richardson. Lydia recognized him only from photos in the articles she’d read online about the auction.

  “Hello, Tessa.” She strode closer to greet the woman who’d been supportive of Gail’s fledgling grocery delivery business. Now, in simple heeled boots and jeans with her blue hoodie and a bright orange scarf, Tessa wore her dark hair loose and curly, but there was something about her that just glowed. “I don’t know if you remember me—”

  “Of course I do, Lydia.” Tessa gave her a wide smile, stepping deeper into the room, her light brown eyes darting over the child in Lydia’s arms. “But I sure didn’t expect to see you here.”

  Before Lydia could reply, Mrs. Davis excused herself to retreat downstairs for the evening, leaving the guests to her.

  Lydia waved the couple into the room. “Would you like to have a seat? James is away on business, but you’re more than welcome—”

  “We won’t stay.” Tessa exchanged a quick look with her tall, green-eyed companion. “This is Ryan Bateman, by the way. Ryan, Lydia Walker is Gail’s older sister.”

  Lydia shook the man’s hand and he gave her a warm smile.

  “We just came by to thank James for encouraging Tessa to take part in the bachelor auction.” He slid his arm around Tessa’s waist, tucking her close as if he’d missed her in the brief moment they hadn’t been side by side. “Tessa’s been my best friend for a long time, but without the nudge of that night, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to see that she was the right woman for me all along.”

  Tessa, who already glowed with happiness, brightened even more as she flashed a stunning ring on her left finger—chocolate and white diamonds set in a rose gold band. “I couldn’t wait to tell James that we’re getting married.”

  The new couple’s love warmed the whole room. And while Lydia was thrilled for them, it was hard not to feel like a romantic failure by comparison.

  “That’s wonderful news! Tessa, your ring is gorgeous.” She wished Gail was here to share her friend’s engagement news. “I’m so happy for you and I know James will be thrilled for you, too.” Unwilling to linger on the topic of the charity auction since she hadn’t worked out what to say about her sister’s exorbitant bid, Lydia steered the conversation away from the event. “I’m working here as Teddy’s nanny, by the way, so I’m sure to see James as soon as he returns.”

  Not that she had any idea when that might be.

  With Christmas just a few days away, she wondered if he would stay away for the holiday. What if her presence in the house was actually preventing him from bonding with his nephew? The thought made hear heart ache for the boy.

  Tessa ducked to peer into Teddy’s face. “He’s almost asleep. He looks very comfortable with you, Lydia, but please let James know that I’d be happy to help out with the baby on your days off.”

  “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.” She’d thought about taking Teddy with her the next time she had a meeting with her contractor if James hadn’t returned to town by then, but it was nice to know Tessa didn’t mind the occasional babysitting gig. “James worries that Teddy can be a handful, but I think it’s just because he’s been through so much these last few months.”

  “Poor baby.” Tessa stroked the boy’s back for a moment, her face softening. “He needs his uncle now more than ever.”

  The woman’s words were a powerful reminder of what Lydia had thought all along.

  If she wanted to be a good nanny to Teddy, she needed to recommit to bringing James more firmly into the child’s routine. A task that wasn’t easy if James continued to keep his distance.

  So while Lydia said good-night to the guests, waving at them while they headed out to Ryan’s big black pickup truck in the driveway, Lydia was already formulating a plan to bring James home for good. No matter that his presence was an undeniable temptation for her. The sweet child in her arms deserved to know the comfort of a father figure.

  * * *

  James sat in a luxury hotel suite in Houston, working on taxes three days before Christmas.

  He couldn’t decide if he felt like Scrooge for working with figures when the rest of the world was preparing for the holiday, or if should feel proud of himself for starting the Double H’s tax forms before the year ended. Either way, the kind of jump start was a first for him and he owed it all to the woman who’d dominated his thoughts all week.

  Lydia.

  The phone rang even as he thought her name, the screen showing her as the incoming call. Not really a coincidence given that he’d been thinking of her more often than not.

  He checked the antique timepiece that had belonged to his grandfather. A trickle of anxiety made him wonder if everything was okay back home when he saw it was almost nine o’clock.

  “Hello, Lydia.” He wished he could see her face. Know her expression right now.

  “Hi.” She didn’t sound upset. Somehow, through that one syllable, he could tell by her tone that there was nothing wrong with his nephew. “How’s Houston?”

  Relief kicked through him hard, making him realize how attached he was growing to the boy in spite of himself. Pushing away from the hotel room’s small desk, he tipped back in the rolling chair to peer out his window at the city skyline.

  “It’s quiet. I’ve been taking meetings with some locals who are interested in expanding the Texas Cattleman’s Club into Houston, but I could wrap things up anytime now.” He needed to be back in Royal, in fact, and had extended the trip this long only to make sure he gave Lydia space to get
comfortable in his home.

  He didn’t want to crowd her with the heat that seemed inevitable when they were in the same room.

  “That’s good,” she said in a rush. “I was calling to see if you could spend some time with Teddy this weekend.”

  Frowning, he straightened in the leather desk chair.

  “Do you need time off?” He hadn’t thought about what to do if Lydia wanted some downtime. But he recognized that her work made her on-call twenty-four hours a day.

  “No. I’d be here, too,” she clarified. “I just thought it would be nice for Teddy if you could spend some time with him.” She seemed to hesitate a moment, before adding, “And he seems to be settling into a routine, which I think is helping with some of the behavior issues he might have had before. He’s fun to be around.”

  James felt like a heel. Did she think that’s why he’d been staying away? Because of a tantrum or two? Worse, what if she had a point? He’d been so quick to give over complete care of the child to her. And no matter what he thought about his brother’s decision to appoint James as Teddy’s legal guardian, he owed his brother better than paying lip service to Parker’s wishes. Frustration simmered, and he rose to his feet, pacing the hotel suite.

  Even if Teddy eventually went to live with his grandparents, James always wanted him to feel welcome at the Double H.

  “I will be home tomorrow,” he assured her, mentally making room in his schedule. “How do you suggest we spend the day?”

  “Oh. Um...thank you.” She sounded surprised. And pleased. “In that case, there’s a holiday ice show that he might enjoy. Even if we only get to see a part of it, I think it would be fun for him.”

  “Of course. I’ll take care of the tickets tonight. Should we do anything else? Dinner afterward?” He couldn’t deny that he was looking forward to spending time with Lydia.

  “We might be pushing our luck with an active toddler,” she mused aloud. “What if we bring him out to get a Christmas tree?”