by Gerri Hill
“With the four of us, Johnny Mac, Greg and Lucas,” he said, “we’re going to try to get by with only a couple of seasonals. We may find we won’t need to hire any.”
“The horses are trained. They can take a newbie rider,” Kerry said. “Dry Creek Ranch did a one-day tutorial before the drive, letting the guests know what they expected and what not to do. I think we should put something together like that for us.” She smiled at Mr. Burris. “Sorry. We got off topic.” She held her hand out to the great room. “We won’t do anything in here other than strip-walls and re-stain,” she said. The main room was the only one made from logs and they’d held up nicely. A fresh coat of varnish was all they needed.
He stomped hard on the floor, the smooth polished wood not showing any signs of wear. “Solid,” he said.
“There are two small bathrooms now. We need at least four,” she said. “I’d originally thought we could get fifteen rooms out of it, but I think we should scale down to twelve.”
“We have twenty now,” Chase said.
“And they’re nothing more than boxes,” she countered. “You can’t offer something that small to guests shelling out two thousand bucks. Bathrooms will obviously have to be shared.”
Carson moved into the kitchen, eyeing the ancient appliances. “Plans for this?” she asked.
“There will be no need for a full kitchen since meals will be built into the price. However, a refrigerator, microwave and coffeepots will be provided. Not all guests enjoy big group meals.” She pointed down the hallway. “Shall we go into the living quarters?”
As she showed Mr. Burris which walls she wanted removed—practically all of them—she sensed the apprehension growing in Chase as they talked of gutting the inside. She chanced a glance at Carson, trying to gauge her reaction, but she looked almost bored. And why wouldn’t she? She wasn’t really a part of this, not a part of the ranch and certainly not a part of the renovations. She wondered if it were true, what Cody and Colt had said, that she was only here for her inheritance. Kerry certainly didn’t know the woman but for some reason, she got the impression that Carson Cartwright could care less about the inheritance. There was such an indifference about her, as if she couldn’t be bothered with any of it.
All of which made her more curious, not less. Even though Carson Cartwright made her slightly uncomfortable in her presence—that invisible aura she possessed—Kerry decided she would confront her head on. Even though it was absolutely none of her business, she had a lot of questions, namely, what was she doing here and why the animosity with the brothers. All but Chase. There was genuine affection between them that you would have to be blind not to see.
Kerry made her way through the silent house, finally finding Martha in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch. She always made platters of sandwiches, along with deviled eggs or some other side dish. She delivered them promptly at noon to wherever the guys were working. She’d then spend the afternoon cleaning up and preparing the family dinner which was served at seven sharp. Kerry had joined them each evening she’d been here. She imagined that wouldn’t change.
“Hi Martha,” she greeted, getting a smile from the older woman. From what Kerry had observed, Martha worked tirelessly and seemed to enjoy every minute of taking care of the Cartwright clan.
“Oh, Miss Kerry. Hi. I saved you a sandwich,” she said, going to the fridge and taking out a plate covered with a napkin. “I couldn’t find you when I left earlier.”
“I went back out to the bunkhouse to measure the fireplace,” she said. She lifted the napkin, finding a thick chicken salad sandwich waiting. “Thanks. This looks great.”
“I’ve got a big roast planned for dinner so I thought something light for lunch was in order,” she said, smiling as Kerry took a big bite.
Kerry closed her eyes, the creamy taste simply delicious. “This is so good,” she murmured. She wiped the corner of her mouth with the napkin. “Have you seen Carson?” she asked casually.
“The last I saw, she was heading out the back. Maybe to the lake,” she suggested with a shrug. “She didn’t stay around for lunch.”
No, Kerry suspected that Carson felt uncomfortable here alone without Chase, so naturally she tried to make herself scarce. Again, she wondered why she was here in the first place. Kerry finished off the first half of the sandwich, wrapping the other in the napkin.
“Thanks, Martha. I’m going to save this for later,” she said, slipping it back into the fridge.
“See you at dinner,” she said as she went back to wiping down the countertops.
Kerry hadn’t been down to the lake yet. This was a perfect excuse to go and hopefully find Carson in the process. Getting lost on fifty-thousand acres probably wouldn’t be too hard to do if Carson wanted to.
She found a path at the back of the ranch house and followed it, assuming it went to the lake. It wasn’t exactly well worn, but it was traveled enough to keep the weeds down. There was only a scattering of trees along the way—aspen and spruce—as the lush valley impinged on the trail. It was a pleasant walk, the day warming nicely after the cool morning. She could envision guests at the ranch making this same trek to the lake, fishing gear in tow. Of course, they would have to maintain the path somewhat.
She spotted Carson standing near the shore, her hands shoved casually in the pockets of her jeans. She appeared to be staring at the water or perhaps she was staring at nothing, just absorbing the lake, the mountains, the air. Kerry almost decided to turn around and give Carson her space—and solitude—but Carson must have sensed her presence as she turned slowly, eyebrows raised.
“Sorry,” Kerry called. “Do you mind company?”
“As long as you don’t bring up bunkhouse renovations,” she said.
Kerry smiled as she walked closer. “I knew you were bored with it.”
“Out of my mind.”
“As was Chase.”
“He was just following big brother’s orders,” Carson said. She turned her gaze back to the lake. “This is gorgeous, isn’t it?”
“Yes, beautiful. It’s one unique asset that this ranch has that most others can’t offer.”
Carson looked at her. “Does everything have to tie in to the conversion?” she asked. “Can’t you just enjoy the beauty of it without seeing dollar signs?”
“Sorry, but your brothers are paying me to see dollar signs. Lots of them.”
Carson moved slowly along the shore and Kerry followed, the spring grasses and flowers hiding the many rocks Carson used as a footpath. They were silent as they walked, and again Kerry was amazed at the absolute quiet. A few bird calls, nothing more.
“It’s so peaceful,” she murmured, giving voice to her thoughts.
“I’ve missed this,” Carson said. “More than I realized.”
It was the opening Kerry had been waiting for.
“Why have you been away so long?”
“You mean, in all of your little intimate talks, Cody hasn’t shared the family’s dirty secrets?”
Kerry shook her head. “There is nothing intimate between Cody and me.” She dared to meet her eyes. “As you well know.”
Carson arched an eyebrow. “Coming clean with the whole flirting thing?”
Kerry was taking a chance by confiding in her, she knew, but somehow she sensed that Carson could really care less about the contract the brothers had signed.
“I quit my job at a consulting firm, wanting to start my own business,” she said. “Your brothers were divided, and I needed a contract,” she said.
Carson laughed. “So you preyed on poor innocent Cody? God, he’s got the worst luck with women.”
“I may have...flirted with him a little, trying to persuade him,” she admitted. “It was foolish. I had no idea he would take it so seriously.”
“Four bachelors starved for female company, how could you think otherwise?”
“I know. But I was desperate.” She studied her, wondering if she could trust Carson. “You think I�
�m scamming them, don’t you?”
Carson shrugged. “Are you?”
“No. This really is a viable option to their financial woes,” she said. “And I do know what I’m doing. Dry Creek Ranch has been very successful, and they don’t even have a lake,” she said, motioning to the water.
“Well, as I said before, it’s their deal. My interest in the ranch is purely nostalgic,” Carson said, and Kerry noticed the sadness in her voice.
“Why did you stay away?” she asked again.
Carson glanced at her, then turned back to the water, her profile giving Kerry an opportunity to observe her openly. With the sun shining on her face, it gave her naturally dark skin a lovely amber glow. Kerry was hesitant to use the word beautiful to describe someone as it was so overused, but Carson was breathtakingly so. She was very handsome in a fresh and natural way. She blinked several times, turning her gaze to the lake and away from Carson—she was startled by her thoughts.
“It’s a long, complicated story,” Carson finally said. She turned, her gaze finding Kerry’s. “Have you been introduced to my father yet?”
“No. Cody says he’s very ill.”
“Yes. I saw him briefly. Long enough for us to quarrel, something we used to be quite good at,” Carson said.
“He sent you away?” Kerry guessed. “Surely not because you were gay,” she said.
“It was an excuse, but no, that’s not the reason.” She started walking again. “But it’s a long story.”
“I have time,” she offered.
“Maybe another day,” Carson said. “Why ruin a lovely afternoon?”
And it was, Kerry admitted. Blue skies, the sun warming the air around them, a gentle breeze carrying the enticing smells of the high mountains. A truly lovely afternoon.
“Are you afraid I’m going to ruin things for you with Cody?” Carson asked after a few moments of silence.
“Yes,” she answered truthfully.
“Well don’t be. It’s none of my business. But I wasn’t joking about him proposing marriage. You might want to ease back a bit,” she said.
“I know. I just don’t want to turn this into some big drama.”
“And you don’t want to lose the contract,” Carson added.
“You know about the three-month rule?”
“Yes. Crazy. Why did you agree to that?”
“Like I said, I was desperate for a contract.” She stopped. “I know you say it’s none of your business, but what do you think about the lake? I mean, for guests. Do you think the guys will allow a pier or two to be built?”
“Do they have a choice?”
“I’ve mentioned the lake several times but they never give a concrete answer,” she said.
“That’s because they don’t want to, but they know they have to,” Carson said.
They stopped again, both gazing at the water. The light breeze made ripples on the surface, distorting the image of the mountain reflection. Kerry again found herself observing Carson, watching a hint of a smile play across her face. Kerry wondered what memory she was recalling. Her curiosity escalated once again, but she refrained from asking questions, not wanting to disturb Carson as she was obviously traveling down an old road.
She was still staring at her when Carson turned, capturing her eyes. Kerry couldn’t pull away and was surprised by the intensity of Carson’s gaze. She swallowed hard when that gaze dropped to her lips before meeting her eyes again.
“I used to swim in the summer,” Carson said, her voice quiet. “The guys would all be out with the herd. I wasn’t allowed to go,” she said. “So I’d sneak off down here, strip naked and swim with my imaginary friends.”
Kerry was shocked that her mind conjured up not the young girl Carson must have been at the time but an image of a very adult Carson Cartwright swimming naked in the lake. She shook it away, wondering what was wrong with her. She swallowed once again.
“And was it cold?” she asked when she finally found her voice.
“I was a kid. I don’t think I knew what cold was,” Carson said with a smile. “Now? July or August would probably be bearable. Other than that, yeah, cold.”
“Why weren’t you allowed to go with the guys?” she asked.
Carson took a deep breath and turned away from the lake, heading back the way they’d come.
“My father wanted me to be a proper young lady,” she said. “He was grooming me to marry one of the other ranch owner’s sons.”
“You’re joking.”
“Sadly, I’m not. I was allowed to barrel race, as that was considered appropriate for young girls.”
“What about your mother?” she asked. She’d learned that their mother had died but knew nothing of the circumstances. As soon as she asked the question, she wished she could take it back. Carson’s eyes took on a nearly haunted look.
“A story for another time,” Carson said, her voice thick with emotion.
“I’m sorry,” Kerry said immediately. “I have no right to pry.”
“She died when I was eighteen.”
Kerry mentally calculated back, wondering if that was when Carson had left the ranch. She knew the brothers’ ages, all separated by two years. Chase, the youngest, was thirty. She knew she should stop with her questions, but she couldn’t resist.
“Why did he send you away?”
Carson turned sad eyes her way. “He blamed me for my mother’s death.”
Kerry barely knew this woman, but she had a strong urge to hold her at that moment to offer comfort. She was certain she’d never seen such profound sadness in someone’s eyes before. Certainly not someone as young as Carson. She managed to curb the urge to hug her, but she couldn’t resist some form of physical contact. She reached over, wrapping her fingers around Carson’s forearm, squeezing her gently.
“We don’t really know each other and we’re not exactly friends, but if you’d like to talk, I’m a good listener,” she offered. She suspected talking wasn’t Carson’s strong suit. She seemed the type to keep things inside, letting it eat at her.
Carson’s gaze drifted from her face down to the hand that was still wrapped around her arm. Kerry knew she should release her but she didn’t. In fact, she squeezed tighter, letting Carson know her offer was genuine.
“Thank you.” Her gaze returned to Kerry’s face and Kerry was pleased to see some of the sadness leave her eyes. “I’m not certain why I even came back. Chase wants me to make my peace with our father before he dies.” She shrugged. “Get closure, but I’m not sure how that’s going to work out.”
Kerry finally let her fingers slip away as they continued walking, but Carson had nothing else to say and Kerry didn’t push her with more questions. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence as they walked side by side, their arms brushing occasionally, their eyes meeting.
When they made it back to the house, Kerry found she wasn’t ready to part company, but she could think of nothing to say to prolong their encounter. They climbed the stairs together, both stopping in the hallway that separated their bedrooms.
“I enjoyed the company,” Carson said. “Thank you.”
Kerry nodded. “Me too.” She felt embarrassed by her reluctance to leave, but knew she must. She motioned to her door. “Well, I’ve got some work to do. I’m just getting started on the website,” she said.
“Sounds exciting,” Carson said with a smile. “See you at dinner.”
Kerry slipped into her room and closed the door, pausing to lean against it as she reflected on their conversation. She felt drawn to Carson on so many levels, and she didn’t understand it. Was it simply compassion for the teenaged girl who was forced from her home? Maybe it was the haunted look in her eyes that drew her. Or maybe she simply felt a connection to her, one that couldn’t be explained.
She took a deep breath then shoved off the door, wondering why it was so easy with Carson, yet so trying with her brothers... with Cody. Maybe because it was their signatures at the bottom of the contract, not
Carson’s, she thought wryly.
Chapter Eleven
Carson stood at the window, looking over the valley, Kerry’s words still tumbling around in her head. Her offer to talk, to listen, touched Carson in a way she couldn’t explain. Over the years, none of the women she’d met or been with had ever asked about her past. Perhaps they just weren’t interested. She had money, that’s all they cared about. And Rebecca, her questions were mostly out of curiosity, nothing more. Yet Kerry, practically a stranger to her, had offered an ear, had offered to talk. If Carson was so inclined, she knew the offer was sincere.
But as was always the case, she wasn’t inclined to discuss her past. There were just too many memories. Memories she’d kept locked up and hidden away all these years. She was afraid of what would happen if she let them out.
She turned away from the window, a slight smile on her face as she recalled the gentle touch on her arm. She shook her head. Damn shame Kerry Elder preferred her brother’s gender over her. Such a waste. But it was probably for the best. She wasn’t sure she had the energy to pursue anything. Besides, she sort of liked her. It had been a very long time since she’d added a friend to her life.
She sighed, again feeling a restlessness inside her. She glanced at the clock, still a couple of hours before the guys would return for dinner. All but Chance. He and Johnny Mac would camp out on the trail. The first mountain pass was a day’s ride. And if the snow cleared, they’d take the herd up next week. The renovations on the bunkhouse were also starting next week. Things were rolling along, and she didn’t know how much longer she’d be here. After the old man died, was there any reason to hang around? She wasn’t really welcome here, that much was obvious.
She sighed again, moving to the door. She walked purposefully down the hallway before she could change her mind. She stood in his doorway, hearing the incessant coughing. She knocked quickly on the doorjam, then went inside, not waiting on the nurse to greet her. She was met with a cold stare.
“He’s resting.”
“He’ll have plenty of time for resting, don’t you think?” she said as she walked closer to the bed. Her father turned his head and for a moment his eyes lit up. But not for her, she realized. She’d always favored her mother. They all got their dark complexion, their dark hair from her.