The Rancher Next Door

by Susan Mallery

  He made himself to turn and look at Katie. She sat in the center of the mattress, naked, the sheet pulled up to cover her breasts. Her blond curls were mussed, her mouth still swollen from their kisses. She was all he’d ever wanted.

  “I didn’t love her,” he said flatly. “I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s no excuse for what I did.” He felt all his inner ugliness rushing to the surface. “There’s more.”

  “You don’t have to tell me this.”

  He shook his head. “Maybe not, but you have to hear it.” He paused. “When I was twenty-two, I decided I was done. My brother Keith was in college, on a football scholarship. The same one I’d turned down four years before. The ranch was losing money. Ivy was in high school and driving me crazy. I couldn’t take a step without Wyatt dogging my heels asking me questions I couldn’t answer about things like satellite orbits and why the oceans are blue. I packed up my truck and left. I just drove away. Through town and up toward who knows where. I must have gone a hundred miles.”

  Katie’s expression remained loving and concerned. He waited, but she didn’t seem especially disgusted or disappointed.

  “You came back,” she said, making it a statement not a question.

  “Yeah. About two in the morning I knew I couldn’t leave. I hadn’t even left a note. One member of the family had run out on them. I decided I couldn’t do it, too. So I turned around and came home.” He met her gaze. “But I wanted to run. That day and at least a dozen since. Sometimes I made it as far as the property line. Other times I didn’t get a single thing packed. But the point is I still want to go.”

  She shook her head. “We all want to leave sometime in our lives. Everyone dreams about walking away. The difference is you haven’t done it. Russell walked—you didn’t.”

  “I’ve come so damn close. What if he made false starts, too? What if next time I just go?”

  “What if you don’t? What if you stop having those feelings of wanting to run? What if you keep saying no if you do have them? Are you going to live half a life because of something that may never happen?”

  No. He was going to live half a life if she left him.

  “You’ve put me in a difficult situation,” she told him. “Based on what you said before, you were willing to try if there was a baby, but now that there isn’t you’re not interested anymore.”

  “You know it’s not like that.”

  “Then tell me what it’s like.”

  How could he explain what he wasn’t sure he understood himself? “I don’t want to let you and Shane down. I don’t want you waking up every morning wondering if this is going to be the day I disappear. I’d never want to hurt you that way.”

  “Then don’t. Promise me you’ll never leave. Promise me you’ll love me forever and that we’ll have dozens of children and grow old together.”

  He’d loved her once, and losing her had nearly destroyed him. She’d been his best friend—his one bright, shining light in an otherwise dark world.

  Then he spoke the last truth…the one that had haunted him since the moment she’d left him all those years ago. “What if you leave again?” he asked.

  She rolled onto her knees and moved toward him. When she was close enough, she touched his bare arm. “If I promised not to leave you, would you believe me?”

  He wasn’t sure. Was she promising?

  Before he could ask, the phone rang. He crossed to the nightstand and picked up the receiver.

  “Hello?”

  “Jack? Thank God you’re still here. I was so afraid you’d gone back out with the cattle.”

  He covered the mouthpiece. “It’s Hattie.” He returned his attention to the phone. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

  “There’s a tornado headed right for us. You and Katie had better hurry if you want to make it into the cellar in time.”

  Katie scrambled into her clothes faster than she ever had before. Jack was just as quick. Less than a minute after he’d hung up the phone, they were racing out of his small house and heading for the main residence.

  The wind buffeted them from what felt like every direction. Already the air was dark and thick with dirt, leaves and small bits of debris.

  “The cellar is on the far side of the house,” he yelled, taking her hand and pulling her along. “I’m not sure Hattie can make it down the steps by herself. They’re pretty steep. You go get Shane while I take care of her. We’ll meet by the front door.”

  Lightning cracked to the ground less than a hundred feet away. Katie screamed as the clap of sound nearly knocked her to her knees. Only Jack’s firm hold on her hand kept her upright and running toward the back door of the house.

  As she hurried through the kitchen, she began calling Shane’s name. She ran past Hattie in the hallway. Jack’s mother looked frantic.

  “I don’t know where he is,” Hattie said, clutching her cane and leaning against the wall for support. “After I phoned Jack, I started calling for him, but he didn’t answer. I don’t understand. Just a half hour ago, he came downstairs for a glass of milk. He was working on his homework.”

  Panic flooded Katie. She raced for the stairs, all the while screaming her son’s name. Jack was right behind her. She felt more than heard his footsteps as they climbed to the second floor. The sound of the wind had increased until it was nearly impossible to hear anything else.

  She ran into the hallway, then flung open Shane’s bedroom door. The room was empty. On the computer screen a red tornado warning flashed over a map of their part of Texas. Instructions for taking cover scrolled across the screen. In the distance she heard what sounded like a train approaching.

  “Please, God, not Shane,” she breathed.

  Jack ran into the room and saw her. “I checked the other bedrooms,” he yelled. “He’s not here.”

  She wanted to collapse into a tiny ball and scream. She wanted to fight someone, anyone. Shane. Please let him be okay.

  “Katie!” Jack grabbed her arms and shook her. “The puppies. He’s probably with the puppies.”

  Relief flooded her. Of course. She nodded and led the way down the stairs. Hattie waited by the front door.

  “Did you find him?” she asked, sounding desperate. “We have to find him now! The tornado is coming this way. Nothing can happen to Shane. I couldn’t stand it.”

  “Shane’s in the barn,” Jack told her.

  “I’ll go get him. You help your mom,” Katie said. She ran out the front door without waiting for an answer.

  The wind had turned into a living creature. It took what it wanted, be it a tree or a building. Something hard banged into her side and she could barely see, but she forced herself to keep moving. The barn loomed large in front of her.

  “Shane,” she screamed as she ducked inside. “Shane!”

  Lightning illuminated the day. Thunder nearly knocked her off her feet. She staggered toward the small stall to the left of the door, the one that housed the three puppies. Katie pulled opened the door and peered into the darkness. Her son looked at her, tears staining his face.

  “They’re scared,” he said.

  Sure enough, all three puppies huddled close to him, whimpering.

  “Shane, we have to get to the cellar. There’s a tornado.”

  She reached for his arm, but he shook off her hand. “I have to bring them, too. We can’t leave them to die.”

  She thought about arguing, but there wasn’t time. “Fine,” she said. “Take one.”

  She let him take the smallest of the three puppies, while she grabbed the other two. They squirmed, but she held them firmly, one in each arm, and led the way out of the barn. When they were outside, she had Shane go in front so she could see him. They made slow progress against the wind. Her son bent at the waist, barely able to carry the puppy and fight the storm. The sound of the approaching train increased. Sound filled her ears, and it felt as if someone was forcing the air from her lungs.

  She could see the doors of the storm cellar in
front of them. The puppies kept wiggling and whimpering, but she ignored them. Just a few more feet.

  A lawn chair flew in front of them. Shane ducked to avoid it and started to fall. Katie lunged forward, but before she could catch him, Jack appeared as if from nowhere. He scooped up the boy and the dog, then got behind her to urge her forward. They ran the last few steps to the cellar, then scrambled down into darkness and safety.

  Chapter Fifteen

  T he storm-cellar door rattled as if a giant hand wanted to pull it open. Katie wrapped her arms more firmly around Shane and felt Jack do the same to her. They were curled up together on a bench in the shelter. Hattie was across from them, along with several of the ranch hands. Anyone close enough had used the storm cellar. Katie didn’t want to think about the people left outside.

  Later she would tell herself that the noise was what she would remember most. The incredible howling sound as the winds swept overhead, the crashes and bangs from objects flying into each other. All three puppies huddled close, whimpering. Shane leaned down to touch them. “We’re safe now,” he said loudly to be heard. “Don’t be scared.”

  Good advice, Katie thought, although it didn’t still the rapid pounding of her heart. She’d never been so terrified in her life. If Jack hadn’t come for her and Shane, she didn’t know what would have happened.

  She burrowed against his chest. His lips brushed her hair. “We’re okay,” he said into her ear. “Like Shane told the puppies, don’t be scared.”

  In less than an hour, the storm was gone. Jack opened the cellar doors and stared into the late afternoon light. Overhead there were patches of blue sky, as if nothing had ever happened. He steeled himself for the probable destruction of the ranch and stepped out.

  He hadn’t known what to expect. From the sound of things, he thought every building would be destroyed. He turned in a slow circle. The yard and corrals were littered with debris—wood, broken branches, odd bits of trash—but the main structures were standing. He stared at the barn and then the house. A corner of the porch was gone, as if someone had come along and taken a bite out if it. One of the barn doors was missing while another hung on a single hinge. A small toolshed had been reduced to a pile of rubble, and a second outbuilding used for storage was completely gone. But otherwise, there didn’t seem to be much damage.

  “How is it?” Katie called.

  “Not bad.”

  He bent and helped her up. Shane popped out next, with the puppies scrambling behind him. A couple of the guys lifted Hattie out. She stumbled on the uneven ground, then used her cane to steady herself.

  His mother looked around and smiled with obvious relief. “I thought sure we’d lost everything. We were lucky.” Her smile faded. “I wonder how they made out in town. I’ll go see if the phone lines are working.”

  Jack shook his head. “They won’t be. At least not here. Everything is aboveground. But try the cellular phone. The storm shouldn’t have any impact on it.”

  “Are you going to go check on the men?” Hattie asked.

  He nodded and watched her expression turn worried. Half a dozen cowboys had been out with the herd as the storm hit. They all knew what to do during a storm, but information wasn’t always enough. Without a safe place to wait, lives could be lost.

  “I’ll take a truck,” he said. “I’ll cover more ground that way.”

  “Take a radio, too,” his mother said. “I want to stay in touch with you.”

  “Right.”

  In case there was a problem in town. Nora was there, along with most of their friends. As Hattie hurried toward the house, he turned his attention to the men. He gave them instructions to check the horses and the rest of the outbuildings. When he was done, Katie put a hand on his arm.

  “I’m coming with you,” she said. “You might need help with an injury. I’m a great medic.”

  He started to protest, but then he realized he wanted her near him. The tornado wasn’t about to come back, and if it did, she would be safer here. Still, he couldn’t escape the sensation of wanting her within touching distance.

  “Good idea. I’ll go get the truck. You head up to the house and grab the first aid kit. Hattie knows where it is.” He looked at Shane. “Can I leave you in charge?” he asked. “Will you be all right here?”

  The boy grinned. “Sure. I’ll take care of your mom and you take care of mine.”

  Jack ruffled his hair then walked quickly to the vehicle barn. He took the keys for the sturdiest four-wheel-drive truck and slipped behind the wheel. Katie tossed a duffel bag on the bench seat, handed him a radio, then climbed in on the passenger side. After giving Shane a quick wave, they were gone.

  Jack headed for the main road through the center of the ranch. “We’ll follow the path of destruction,” he said. “I know where my men are supposed to be. I want to check on them first. Can you handle this?” he asked, returning the radio to her.

  “Sure.” She fastened her seat belt, then turned on the radio. “I told Hattie we’d test it right away. Let me raise her and then—”

  She stopped talking and sucked in a breath. “Oh, Jack.”

  He turned to see what had caught her attention. His small house lay in ruins. Parts of it were missing, but most of it had been reduced to piles of broken boards and windows. He saw part of his sofa about ten feet from the rest of the house. A single unbroken mug sat where the front porch had been.

  “You lost everything,” she said, sounding stunned.

  Jack thought about the bits of furniture in the house. He’d built it about eight years ago, when he’d wanted a place of his own. He’d never bothered to decorate or make it much more than a place to eat and sleep.

  “It could have been worse,” he reminded her. “I can always build another house if I want to.” Something bigger, but this wasn’t the time to go into that.

  “You’re right. Let me get Hattie on the radio.”

  Two hours later they’d accounted for all the men and had surveyed most of the damage. Sections of pasture had been ripped up, and most of the freshly planted alfalfa was destroyed, but loss to the herd was minimal.

  “It could have been a lot worse,” Jack said.

  “I know. We were all really lucky.” Katie looked at him, her expression concerned. “Could we head over toward the Fitzgerald ranch?”

  “Sure.”

  He turned the truck and headed west. Hattie had been able to reach Nora in town using the cellular phone, and most of the neighboring ranches by radio. There were a few damaged homes in town and a couple of dozen injuries. Suzanne had said the tornado had hit them pretty hard, taking out one of the barns and ripping up fence lines. Katie’s new house, and its subdivision, had been untouched.

  Their route took them by the line shack they’d met at so recently. The rickety old building had survived the storm. But beyond the shack, miles of fence had been ripped out like so much knitting.

  “Up there,” Katie said, pointing.

  Jack saw what had caught her eye. Two men on horseback, herding cattle through a large break in the fence. He recognized Aaron and his oldest son, David.

  As he watched, a half dozen steers broke free and trotted in their direction. Jack hit the gas and drove toward the animals. He tapped the horn, which made the cattle turn and jog toward the rest of the cows.

  Aaron said something to David. He turned his horse and headed for the truck. Jack put the vehicle in park and stepped out.

  “Fence lines seem to be down,” he said by way of a greeting. “I’ve got three or four men in the area. I’ll have them come over and get started on repairs.”

  Katie’s father removed his hat and wiped his brow, then stared at the horizon. “This is my fence. I’ll take care of fixing it.”

  Jack grimaced, but he wasn’t surprised by the older man’s answer. The Darbys and the Fitzgeralds had split responsibility of the shared fence line. For years each had been meticulous about doing their part and not one inch more.

&nbs
p; “Daddy,” Katie said, coming to the front of the truck. “Is everyone okay?”

  Her father glared at her. “What do you care? You’ve made your decision about who matters. Now you have to live with it.”

  She sighed. “Daddy, don’t. Please. We’re family. We shouldn’t be mad at each other.”

  “I’m not mad,” her father said in a tone that belied his words.

  “Then prove it. Answer my question. Is everyone at the ranch all right?”

  “No one was hurt, if that’s what you’re asking.” His voice was grudging. “I don’t have time to chitchat. I’ve got work to do.” He turned to ride away.

  Jack stepped closer to her and lightly touched her shoulder. She glanced at him gratefully.

  “The offer still stands,” Jack called after him. “If you change your mind about the fence or anything else.”

  “I don’t need help from any Darby,” Aaron yelled and rejoined his son.

  Jack watched them work. Why was Aaron making this so difficult, he wondered. It shouldn’t have to be this way. Katie read his mind. She climbed into the truck, then shook her head.

  “I don’t know why he has to be that way,” she said as Jack settled next to her and started the engine. “You were just offering to help. With a couple of extra guys, they could have the fence finished in half the time. But he would rather have his cattle run all over than let you be a good neighbor.” She leaned back in the seat and sighed. “I love my father, but I don’t understand him. He will die to prove his private truth, regardless of anyone else’s feelings, regardless of pain or cost. What does that say about him? How can being right be so damned important?”

  “It’s all he knows.”

  “Then what he knows is wrong,” she said, sounding frustrated. “I don’t want to be like him.”

  “You’re not. You’re reasonable and open.”

  She looked at him. “If you ever see me acting like him, please tell me. I swear I’ll do everything in my power to change.”