The burger vendor called his number and Will picked up his order. Then he made his way to where his dad sat alone at a set of bleachers at the rear of the arena set up for entrants and their crew. Out in the arena, sheep and kids were lining up for the mutton-bustin’ races.
“I can still feel the greasy crunch of that sheep wool in my hands,” Will said, handing a loaded burger over to his dad. “And the smell. Like when Austin puked up grass.”
His dad spoke through a mouthful of burger. “I remember Keith trying to convince the organizer he was four so he could race against you.”
“Then when he was four, he beat me.”
His dad frowned. “I don’t remember that, but I s’pose he could’ve. He can hold the saddle every bit as good as you.”
“I know, but I’d never tell him that.”
About to take another bite, his dad pulled the burger back, gusted out his breath. “I don’t know that I ever told him, either. I should’ve. Might have made him rethink his choices.”
“You talking about Macey?”
His dad shrugged, his attention on the little cowboys and cowgirls in their helmets as they sidled up to their woolly mounts. “That, and the whole ranch thing. You and Keith, you’re both suited to take over, but it’s always gone to the oldest kid. Up to now that’s always worked. Other sons had their plans to move on.”
His dad seemed to be suggesting a partnership. “I don’t mind ranching with him, Dad. We just don’t have the same ideas, is all.”
“Only way for that to work is if one of you ended up unhappy, and now with both of you in that state, it’s not pretty.” Around a mouthful of burger, he added, “I kind of hope he patches things up with Dana.”
His father was far more observant than Will had ever supposed. “You know about them?”
“Have for years. At least, her part.”
“She told you?”
“Saw it for myself. She’d lift her head like a colt whenever he came close. Those two always kept an eye on the other.”
“You’re smarter than me. Could’ve knocked me over with a toothpick when she admitted it to me. Krista figured it out and talked Dana into telling Keith about how she felt. He declined her offer.”
“Know that, too. From your mother.” His dad wiped his mouth. “Hard to watch your kids fall. In and out of the arena.”
That was his dad’s way of declaring his love. Will had to swallow a couple of times to get the chunk of burger past the lump in his throat. When he did, he said what children said more and more to their parents as they grew up, whether it was true or not. “The kid in the arena tonight will be fine, Dad. And the kid out, he has another chance tonight at the wedding.”
“He’s going?”
While the announcer and the clown bantered about the upcoming high-stakes sheep race, Will texted Keith to ask.
Soon as I get Austin into more than a diaper, I’m headed out the door.
Keep at it. Dana will be there. Dad wants you to finalize a Claverley-Stanziuk merger.
Great.
Have fun.
You too. Don’t show off.
Will sent Keith a grinning emoji because Keith hated emojis.
“What did he say?” his dad said, neatly folding his wrapper into tiny squares he’d later deposit into a garbage can. His dad didn’t like messy garbage.
“He’s going,” Will said.
“Good. One down.”
What did he mean by that? A buzzer rang out and the first heat in the mutton race took off. Three-quarters of the kids dropped off their sheep like shook flies, but two hung on until the halfway mark and then it was down to one boy. Will could see the gritted strain on the boy’s face as he held onto the side of the sheep to cross the finish line.
“He earned his pay on that one,” his dad said. “You could learn a thing or two from him when it comes to Krista.”
His mom had been talking to him. “Dad. We gave it a shot, but you’ve got to admit we’re from two different worlds. We might care for each other but that doesn’t help with the day-to-day.” Lines straight from Krista’s playbook, but true.
His dad watched as the clown passed the boy his mutton-bustin’ trophy. The kid looked more interested in the coupon for free ice cream. “Caring’s better than the opposite.”
“It’s not like it is with you and Mom. You two do everything together. And she loves the country life. Krista’s—not Mom.”
His dad tipped back his cowboy hat and stared at Will as if he was talking in a foreign language.
He pointed to the boy. “That was what I had to be with your mother.”
It was Will’s turn to stare.
“I had to hang on for all it was worth to cross the finish line with her.”
His father was dead serious. “First time I asked her to come out to the ranch, she stayed seventeen minutes. That was how long it took before she was dive-bombed by a barn swallow, stepped behind a horse as it let go from the back end and tripped over a pail full of milk. She said the place was out to get her, and I was thinking that myself, to be honest. She took it as a sign.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I did. I took it as a sign that she was the one meant for me.”
“How did you figure that?”
“Claverley tradition,” his dad said, as they watched all the other kids receive their trophies plus a popsicle. Every kid got a trophy regardless of performance, but every kid knew that only one got bragging rights. “Not a single Claverley right from my great-grandfather down married a so-called suitable woman. The first one married the younger sister of a duchess.”
“I thought that the story was made-up. The one about how when he met her she was on a horse. With a gun. Standing over a dead bear.”
“That part might have been a stretch, but she was related to a duchess. So you can imagine an Alberta ranch was a bit of reduction in lifestyle from English aristocracy.”
“I knew she came from England but—” Will shook his head.
“And then my grandfather married a ballerina.”
“I assumed by ‘dancer’ people meant country or something.” So much for knowing the Claverley legacy.
“Nope, a ballerina. But it gave her a good sense of balance and she took to horse riding easy enough. Rode better than him, he said. Stood on a horse bareback.”
“But Grandmom was a rancher’s daughter,” Will said.
“Born on a ranch. But remember there were nine kids and those were hard times. She was sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Calgary when she was three. Her wedding gift to the place was a piano. I remember in the summer, milking and listening to the piano drifting down the hill, my dad singing along. Those two were their own concert.”
“So...how did you get Mom to like the ranch?”
“I’m not sure it was any one thing. She agreed to come out again, and the second time wasn’t so bad, not that it could’ve been worse. And after that I made sure that I always had a plan for something we could do together when she came out.”
“I tried horseback riding with Krista, and I tried being part of her life but you know how I am with water.”
“All I’m saying,” his dad said, “is every last single Claverley has picked an unsuitable woman for their wife and every last time it’s worked out.”
“Except for Keith,” Will said.
“Keith is the second born, and the second born have the guts to make their fortune off the ranch. There’s a whole tradition about them choosing country girls, if you’d like to hear that.”
His dad’s phone pinged. “But it won’t be today. Apparently your mom has finished visiting everyone with a tongue and is ready for me back up in the stands.”
“You go. I’ll have to gear up soon enough,” Will said.
“You ready for Tosser again?”<
br />
The bronc that had busted his shoulder. Will had welcomed the opportunity to ride him one last time. “Question is if Tosser’s ready for me.”
His dad didn’t laugh but looked to Will’s right shoulder. “You have the best last ride, son.”
There was caution and pride in those simple words. Will swallowed. “I will. And what you said about holding on until the finish line... I’ll keep that in mind.”
His dad stood, casting a line of shade across Will. “You do that. There’s never been a Claverley on this ranch that’s taken the easy way out. Just remember that crossing the finish line might only require meeting her halfway.”
As he moved off, a text came through. Krista. Stuck in traffic. Hope to make it in time. Don’t fall.
Her first contact with him in three weeks. An unfiltered private message for his eyes only. Don’t fall.
He wouldn’t. The world could believe that he was doing it for the kids. And he was. Krista might think he was doing it for himself. And he was. But only he knew—and maybe his dad—that in the end he would hang on for Krista and their future together.
I won’t, he texted back. Got too much riding on it.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“COULD I BORROW this handsome young man?”
Keith looked up from where he was wiping wedding cake off Austin’s mug and paws. It was Caris, Dana’s sister.
“Sure,” he said, “so long as Austin’s okay with it.”
Ever since Krista had babysat him, Austin had become choosier about his caregivers. Not that Keith blamed Krista. She’d at least been there for his son.
And Dana.
He’d spotted her at several points of the wedding, but hadn’t gotten within talking distance. Partly because Austin was a handful. Partly because whenever he got close, she disappeared into the crowd. As if on purpose.
After the ceremony, Keith had brought Austin back to the ranch for what turned out to be a three-hour nap. Keith himself had slept for two of those hours, and had woken feeling like a new human being. Like someone ready for a fresh start.
Caris held out her hand to Austin. “Hey there. Would you like to come see Dana before the dance starts?”
Austin hopped off his chair, took Caris’s hand and allowed her to escort him through the milling crowd of dresses and dress pants to his favorite lady. Geez, why hadn’t he thought of that?
Dana stood with a loud, laughing group. Keith recognized them all. Farmers and ranchers in the district. He imagined that the conversation circulated around cattle prices and hay bale counts and how much rain they’d all gotten. He could keep up with them.
He rose at the same time that Dana caught sight of Caris approaching with Austin. Dana’s smile faded and she sidled away. Austin hadn’t seen her but Caris had, and she called out Dana’s name. Dana kept moving, even though she must’ve heard.
She shouldn’t be avoiding both him and Austin. That wasn’t fair. To any of them.
He made sure Caris could stay with Austin then headed to find Dana. He waylaid her coming out of the washroom. She must’ve touched up her makeup because her lips were extra glossy. She had on the same short dress from Laura’s wedding, a shade of bluish green or greenish blue that he’d decided was his favorite color.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” she said and hesitated. Someone passing by bumped her from behind, causing her to take a step toward him, one he quickly matched with one of his own. She glanced at the entrance to the men’s washroom. “I won’t keep you. Have a nice evening.”
He touched her elbow. “Could we talk?”
She frowned, a refusal already forming on her shiny lips.
“Five minutes. That’s all I ask.”
They ended up by her truck in the field that had been converted into a one-night parking lot. It was a pretty spot. The dance reception was at an old renovated barn on the neighbor’s ranch. Dana immediately set her gaze on the horse corrals. Probably noting number and kind, like he was. “Look,” he said, “I accept that things are...uncertain between us, but what you’re doing to Austin isn’t right, either.”
Dana spun to him. “What exactly am I doing to Austin?”
“I saw you hurry away from him back there. I get that you might want to distance yourself from us, but there’s got to be another solution besides running away from him.”
“Idiot,” she said. “I’m not running away from him. I’m running from you.”
“I’d never stop you from seeing him. For both your sakes.”
“Aren’t you listening? I can’t have Austin without you, and since I cannot have you, then neither Austin nor I can have each other. Don’t you understand how much it hurt to walk away from your boy? I love him, Keith. I love him as if he’s my own.”
He’d said the wrong thing, messed up again. “He loves you, too,” he mumbled.
“For now,” she said, “but he will find someone else. He’s got the old Claverley charm.”
“I think it skipped a generation,” he joked by way of a small apology.
She didn’t return his smile.
“You led your five minutes by telling me about Austin. You should’ve sold yourself, Keith Claverley. Took me in your arms, told me I was pretty, brought me a glass of wine...kissed me. Something that said I was yours and you were mine. And now your time’s up. Please leave so I can calm down enough to go inside and enjoy myself again.”
She crossed her arms and glared at him. Words fluttered up and he snuffed them all, fearing that it would only worsen matters. He walked away, the crunch of the gravel under his boots like the grinding in his gut.
He might as well take Austin home and they could have a quiet night. There was still enough light for them to peel off their good clothes and go outside. Or watch a movie and gorge on junk food.
The band was striking up. Guests were drifting back to their tables in preparation for the first dances. He couldn’t stand another wedding, another bunch of slow-dancing couples. He found Caris easily enough, but Austin wasn’t in sight. “Hey, Caris. We’re going to head out. Where’s Austin?”
“Oh, Laura took him. He was starting to fuss. She mentioned getting him some food.”
No Laura or Austin at the food table. He was taking another survey of the room when Laura grabbed his arm. “I can’t find Austin. I turned my back—and he was gone.”
Keith forced down instant panic. “Where did you last see him?”
She pointed to the platter of watermelon farther down the table. “We’re checking everywhere. Ryan has people looking, too.”
“He’s got to be around here somewhere,” Keith said. “He can’t have disappeared.” He went over to the band and asked them to make an announcement.
Keith held his breath, praying for someone to pipe up that he was right here all along. But only a worried murmur rippled through the crowd. The bride herself was checking under her draped table which prompted all the guests to peek under theirs. Austin’s name was repeated and called in the foyer, everyone sharing Keith’s fear. No. Not fear, concern. No need for fear.
It was clear Austin wasn’t inside the barn. The hunt spread into the parking lot, and well-dressed guests knelt and squatted to check under vehicles. Mechanical chirping arose as vehicles were opened, searched and closed with soft thuds again. “No. Nope. Nothing.”
Where had Austin’s two tiny legs taken him? He ran to Dana’s truck. She was nowhere around, and he peeked inside and under, in case Austin might’ve recognized her truck. Nothing.
Stabbed with a sudden horrifying instinct, he looked to the corrals. There was Dana running flat out in bare feet to Austin who was toddling straight to the corrals. The horses were prancing and skittish, clearly not used to kids and strangers.
Keith shouted Austin’s name, hoping that the sound of his voice would make his boy stop or at le
ast slow enough for Dana to catch up. He didn’t hear or didn’t listen.
Keith did the only thing he could and ran after them, too. Dana reached the graveled lane that ran alongside the corrals just after Austin crossed it and picked up speed at the sight of the pacing horses. She didn’t stop even as she crossed the hard pebbles. As Austin began to squirm through the railings, she scooped him up.
Keith stopped, dropped his shaking hands to his knees. He prayed his thanks, even though he didn’t attend church. But he recognized a miracle when he saw one. He spotted Dana’s high heels where she must’ve flung them and he picked them up. Behind him there were whoops and clapping. He waved and the guests drifted back to the hall.
When he reached Dana and Austin, she was still holding him tightly, their faces tucked into each other’s necks. He stood close and let them be. There was nothing to be said.
Austin lifted his face. “Dad.” He patted Dana’s shoulder. “My Dana.”
Dana looked up at Keith, full of joy and anguish. He brought his hand to his son’s back and carefully, carefully his other hand to Dana’s neck. Her gaze didn’t waver, flared with hope. His thumb stroked her cheek, and she leaned into the caress.
“Don’t let me talk, Dana,” he whispered. “I’ll screw it up and I kinda want this moment to last forever.”
Her arms still tight around their Austin, Dana touched her lips to his and made it last.
* * *
KRISTA SQUEEZED HER car between two pickups at the far end of the overflow parking lot at the rodeo. Will had organized a VIP parking spot for her closer to the action, but she wasn’t sure how to get there and right now she was all about speed. Will’s ride was scheduled to start in six minutes and counting.
She texted him, for what it was worth. Alyssa or one of the handlers probably had his phone, as he would already be down by the chutes. She texted Alyssa, too, and her one-answer reply was Hurry.
As if she wasn’t. As if she hadn’t been all day.
She’d packed a sweet outfit for the inevitable after-event pictures, but there was no time to grab it. She shoved her phone into the back pocket of her denim shorts and ran. At least her running shoes were suitable.
Harlequin Heartwarming June 2021 Box Set Page 93