Worth the Trouble

by Becky McGraw

  "But I don't have a job, and mama is just trying to hel--"

  "Mama is trying to run your life, Leigh...and you let her. You can do anything you set your mind to. Go back to school, find a job, model, do something other than whine about what you can't do."

  Leigh Ann huffed out a breath then said, "I've tried, Annie. Somehow, I always wind up back with mama and engaged to some rich old fart," she said and covered her mouth as if she'd said the dirtiest word in the dictionary.

  "Engagements work two ways, you know. You have to say yes to be engaged, so it's your own damned fault." Rocky was tired of this worn out conversation.

  It was time for a little tough love. "Listen, I love you and I'm here for you, but I can't keep doing this. I'll help you when you decide to start helping yourself. Until then, I'm done with this conversation." Pushing up off of the arms of the chair, she left it rocking behind her. "You have two days to get out of the big house, Leigh Ann. That's all the time I can buy you to hide out this time."

  She reached down for the suitcase handle, but then looked back at her sister who was still sitting there. Guilt washed through her when her sister's cornflower blue eyes filled with tears and her lips started wobbling.

  "Well, shit," Rocky said and walked back over to the rocker to pull her sister up into a hug. "I'm sorry, honey, I didn't mean to make you cry, but you have got to find your backbone, and soon. You are entirely too old to still be living with your mama and letting her control you."

  Leigh sniffled softly and said, "I don't know how to do anything, Rocky. I'm not good with anything, and I know it's my fault. I shouldn't have quit school."

  "Maybe your interview will work out tomorrow," Rocky said into her hair. "What's it for anyway?"

  "Legal Assistant...and I have no idea why I applied for the job, I don't have any experience."

  "Because you're well spoken, you can think on your feet, and you present a professional image at a front desk, that's why. Do you know how to type?"

  "Hunt and peck," Leigh Ann admitted with another sniffle.

  "Who are you interviewing with a man or a woman?" Rocky asked. If it was a man, she had a chance, but she didn't want to tell her sister that. She was insecure enough.

  "Robert Mullins is the attorney's name. It's a small firm in downtown Amarillo. I found out where you were working from Grandma and wanted to be close to you. That's why I came up this way."

  Damn, so that was how she found out where Rocky was working. Every month, Rocky sent a check to her daddy's mother who was on a fixed income living down close to Houston. When he got sick, she had promised him she would always take care of Grandma Nell for him. They both knew her mother wouldn't give her a dime.

  Grandma Nell hated her mother, and she hated how Trudy manipulated Leigh Ann, which was probably why she had given up her location.

  "Okay, let's get you up to the house. What time is your appointment tomorrow?"

  "Three o'clock," Leigh Ann told her and pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket to dab at her eyes. "I figured I'd spend the night in town after the interview."

  "Can you afford that?" Rocky asked thinking if she didn't have a job, and her mother wasn't around to fund her, Leigh Ann didn't have any money.

  "Not really, but I really don't want to impose here," she replied.

  Any help at all. Dylan's words replayed in Rocky's mind and she smiled. Maybe she could get her sister out of here sooner than she expected. Sometimes men's weakness for a pretty face did come in handy, she supposed.

  "I think my friend Dylan has a trailer in town, I'll ask him if you can stay there temporarily, until you can find a place in town," Rocky told her. The trailer was a travel trailer he set up for liaisons when he went to town, but it would do in a pinch. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

  Leigh Ann squealed and Rocky flinched because the sound penetrated her brain like a brain freeze from a snow cone. "Thank you! It will be my first place by myself!" she said excitedly then threw her arms around Rocky again. Rocky patted her back and hoped she wasn't throwing her sister into the lion's den.

  Dylan was definitely a Romeo, but Rocky was going to put the fear of God into him that he better stay away from there. Rocky would pay him rent for her sister to stay there until she could find a place of her own. It would be worth every cent.

  Problems solved, her sister would be away from the ranch, but have a place to stay, Rocky could concentrate on what she needed to think about, and if her mother did show up, it wouldn't be here at the ranch.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Grinding his teeth, Ethan pushed the wide metal plate beneath his feet harder, determined to move it this time. Beads of sweat popped out on his forehead and he knotted his fists to gather every ounce of strength left in his body. For the last six weeks, while working with Terri, she had been giving him less weight and more reps based on the plan the physical therapist had given her. The new trainer Terri hired decided he needed more weight and less reps now. And after this, he was doing a twenty minute walk on the treadmill instead of ten.

  The guy was killing him, in a good way.

  Maybe that plan wasn't for someone as athletic as he had been before the accident. It didn't push him hard enough, he didn't push himself hard enough. To redefine his purpose in life, to start over, he needed this. The search and rescue team was the avenue he needed to do that, and when he neared his breaking point, which was often with this guy, he reminded himself of that.

  Supposedly, this guy was one of the best trainers in Amarillo, so Ethan had no problem listening to his recommendations, or working his ass off, because this guy could get him where he needed to be. If he didn't die first trying.

  With a grunt, Ethan shoved harder and felt satisfaction in every muscle as the plate moved beneath his feet. Four more reps and he could rest, then start again. By the time he let the plate drop on the last rep, his muscles were burning, and he had absolutely no problem feeling his legs. They hurt like hell, as did his back.

  He would welcome a massage from Tara when he got done here. If he could manage to drag his ass back in the wheelchair to get down the hall to the massage room when they were done. Lightheaded with endorphins, his body buzzing, an hour later Ethan grabbed a bottle of water and drank it down, then wiped his face with a towel.

  "You did good man," the beefy muscle-head trainer told him then knelt to pack up the bag he'd brought with him.

  Ethan plopped down into the chair, then stuck out his hand, and managed to speak in between heaving breaths. "Thanks, Mark."

  With a groan, he bent his knees and lifted his legs onto the pegs of the chair without using his hands. Progress had never felt sweeter, things were starting to work again.

  Even the fact that his feet and toes felt like he was standing in a pile of red ants made him feel better. Pain meant he was getting better, and working harder was definitely paying off. Walking was getting easier every day, but he still hadn't worked on learning to ride a damned horse.

  Four days ago, the day after she was caught spying on him at the spa, Ethan figured out that Rocky was not coming to get him to start his riding lessons, even though her sister had left that morning. On his way to the gym, he had seen them hugging in front of the bunkhouse, before Leigh Ann got in her small car and hightailed it out of the ranch.

  By that evening, when he still hadn't seen her, he knew Terri was right, Roxanne was pissed at him and he was going to have to eat crow and apologize if he wanted her help. That had definitely not been an easy task with the stubborn cowgirl.

  He had eaten a whole lot more than crow, he had eaten a whole damned buzzard, before she would even listen to a word he had to say. That woman had a temper, he was introduced to the business end of it.

  Once she had gotten it all out though, and he was beaten about the head and shoulders with words until he learned a lesson, you don't mess with Roxanne Baker, she had given him his first riding lesson. Somehow he had survived both, which was a miracle.

  After
two lessons now, he hadn't done much riding yet though.

  So far they had just practiced safety, tacking and mounting, which was frustrating, but necessary she said. Mounting had been the hard part, because getting up on a horse without sufficient leg power was not an easy task.

  Even though Ethan had wound up on his ass more times than he could count, Roxanne hadn't laughed at him. She had been a lot more patient than he expected, as had the horse he had been trying to mount. Once she suggested he use a mounting block, he had done well.

  The little stairs gave him a little extra boost to help him get his foot in the stirrup. Ethan couldn't help but wonder if she had withheld that little marvel of modern invention to make him suffer a little. If she did, he probably deserved it, he guessed.

  At least Rocky didn't seem angry or edgy anymore. Since her sister left, and he apologized, she was practically bubbly. Well, as close to bubbly as he'd ever seen the beautiful cowgirl, which wasn't very close at all. But she was happier.

  When she was doing what she loved, teaching people to ride and taking care of horses, she was alive. Her gray eyes sparkled and he could feel her passion for what she was doing in every command and correction she gave him.

  One day soon, he wanted that passion directed on him again.

  But he had to be around her for that to ever happen. Her job here at the ranch kept her damned busy. That woman worked her ass off. She worked as hard, probably harder than any of the male cowhands on the ranch. When she wasn't doing her own job, she was helping others out with theirs.

  For the last two days, Rocky had been working with a group of new guests, so he hadn't seen her. He hadn't even seen her at dinner, because when the hands weren't out on a drive she ate out at the bunkhouse.

  Today, the guests would still be around, but they would be working with Matt Walker, a former rodeo bronco rider and roper, on roping skills, before the bonfire and campout in the field tonight. That meant she would be coming to find him in a little bit, and he was damned excited.

  He missed her, a lot more than he should, so much he was going to skip the massage and whirlpool today, settle for a long soak in the tub with some Epson salts, so he could see her sooner. Maybe he could coax her to extend their lesson time. Tonight he would try to entice her away from the others so he could spend some alone time with her. Time that didn't involve talking about horseback riding, or the ranch, or his injury.

  Ethan wanted to be normal again. That would be a good start. Excited at the prospect, Ethan wheeled himself toward his room to get ready.

  ***

  Rocky swiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her forearm, then finished brushing out the last lesson horse, so she could put him back in his stall. She was hot, tired and wanted nothing more than a shower and a beer right now. But she had a lesson with Ethan in an hour, so her day wasn't over yet.

  A few minutes ago, she saw the guests leaving the outdoor arena where Matt had been working with them on roping. They were probably heading for the guest bunkhouse to get cleaned up for the bonfire tonight.

  The crew was pulling out in the morning, so that meant she would have more time to spend working with Ethan. She would love to cancel on him this afternoon, but she didn't have the heart to do it. He was working hard, putting in the effort, so she couldn't do any less.

  Between his extra work in the gym, and his determination to join the search and rescue team, the man was finding his heart again, his courage. It was damned good to see. Terri was thrilled at the transformation in his attitude and his progress. Rocky was too, but admiration of his effort was leading to admiration of the man too.

  A dangerous thing.

  She had been glad for the two day break from him, while she trained the new group of guests. It had given her a little space to find her perspective and distance herself from those feelings. At least she hoped she had gotten some distance.

  That would be tested here shortly.

  The golf cart rattling over the potholed driveway caught her attention, so she put the horse into his stall and shut it then wiped her hands and walked to the barn door. Shading her eyes against the bright sunlight, she was able to see it was Ethan in the cart. When he got closer, his wide smile almost blinded her in the sunlight. He hadn't waited for her to finish and go to the house to get him.

  He pulled the cart up to the barn and shut it off then coasted to a stop near the door. That's when she noticed the straw-colored hat on his head and the chaps over his tight blue jeans. When he swung his leg out of the cart, she noticed he had on new cowboy boots too. He looked jalapeno hot and good enough to eat, and damned if her mouth didn't water when he stood up and she saw his white tank top framing those sexy tattoos and perfect muscles. It looked like he had visited the western store on the ranch for some new gear.

  Not good, she thought, and turned her back to walk into the barn.

  "Well, hello to you too, sweetheart," he said with a huffed breath.

  Rocky heard odd clanking noises behind her, but didn't stop to find out what was causing it. She went to the stall and led Diamond out of the stall, then left her cross-tied while she went to the tack room. When she came back to saddle the horse, her breath caught and she laid the saddle and blanket on the hard packed earth near Diamond's hooves. Ethan was standing there on his crutches with a lunchbox in his left hand.

  "What the hell are you up to?" Rocky demanded and put a hand on her hip.

  His eyes widened innocently. "What, can't a guy bring you lunch without you getting all worked up?" Ethan asked with a grin.

  "I don't have time for lunch, we need to get started on your lesson. The bonfire is tonight, remember? I'd like to get a shower before then."

  "You'll have time, but you didn't eat lunch did you?" he asked and shoved the small blue cooler toward her.

  "No, I didn't have time," she said and huffed out a breath, before grudgingly taking the cooler from him. Opening it, she saw there was a wrapped sandwich, some chips and a cold beer, which made her mouth seem bone dry, because she wanted it so badly.

  "Joel would have my ass for drinking on the job," Rocky grumped, but she took out the sandwich and unwrapped it. It looked like someone had made it from thick chunks of meaty pot roast.

  "Ya'll have roast last night?" she asked then took a bite of the delicious sandwich.

  "Yeah, Penny put the leftovers in the fridge, so I used that...hope you like it," he said with a smile.

  "Like it? Penny's pot roast is an orgasm in a pan," she said with a snort then she realized what she'd said and felt her face heat. That is what the other ranch hands said about it, so she didn't even think about her words before they slipped out. She spent entirely too much time with the rough saddle tramps to know how to act in polite company.

  Ethan wasn't shocked though, he threw his head back and laughed. "Have you ever told her that?"

  "Hell no, she'd probably box my ears...or wash my mouth out with soap," Rocky replied with a grin. Rocky ate the whole sandwich, then opened the lunchbox again, but didn't take out the chips, she went for the beer. If she got caught, Joel could just get over it, it was only one beer, and technically she was off the clock.

  Taking the bottle cap, she wedged it under a loose nail on the stall door and popped it off, then put it to her lips and drank thirstily.

  "That's a neat trick," Ethan told her with a laugh.

  "You learn a lot of neat tricks working out here with all these guys," she said with a pop of her lips.

  "I'll bet," he replied and his smile faded a little.

  Rocky finished the beer quickly, then put the bottle back in the lunch box.

  "So, you ready to ride?" Rocky did feel a lot better after eating. It was very thoughtful of him to bring it with him.

  "Yes, ma'am," he said and moved on his crutches over by Diamond. He leaned them against the split wood rail then balanced himself with a hand on the horse's back to make his way to where Rocky had placed the saddle and blanket. Shocked, Rocky just stoo
d there watching him, without intervening.

  Ethan leaned against the fence and pushed Diamond's butt so she stepped away from him, then he pulled the blanket from under the saddle and put it on Diamond's back. Bending over again, he braced himself and lifted the saddle then gently placed it over the blanket. He went to work on the straps, and evidently he'd been paying attention when she was teaching him, because he knew exactly what to do.

  "You'll have to do the bridle and bit, I don't want to hurt her," he said as he tightened up the cinch more, when Diamond exhaled.

  "Come here and I'll show you," she offered and picked up the bridle then walked to Diamond's head. "Pinch right here, and she'll open her mouth for you, then slide the bit in without hitting her teeth." Rocky demonstrated by sliding the bridle up Diamond's cheeks, before putting the loops over her ears and pulling her forelock from under the brow band.

  Ethan was leaning over her shoulder watching, and she could feel his hot breath whisper against her neck.

  "I'll try next time," he told her, but he didn't step back when she finished, he leaned into her. They just stood there for a second then he said, "I've missed you."

  She had missed him too, but she didn't want to, and she wasn't about to let him know that. "I've been busy," she told him then turned around and tried to put some space between them.

  He leaned in more, boxing her against the fence, then his eyes latched onto her lips as his head drifted toward hers. Rocky held her breath as the air between them charged and her lips tingled. He was going to kiss her, and if he did, she knew her resolve would go to hell in a handbasket.

  While her body was on board with kissing him, her mind revolted, because she knew it would only lead to her being hurt in the long run. Starting something again with Ethan was not a good idea.

  The temporary pleasure she'd get from kissing him, encouraging him, having sex with him, would be like standing on the sun. A wonderous experience most likely, but she would be burned to a crisp in a nanosecond.