Groaning, he scrubbed his face with both hands. “Why didn’t I see that about her before I ever asked her to marry me? It’s a scary thought to think I was that blinded. Now I catch myself stepping back and wondering if I... Well, that maybe I’m reading too much into Katherine’s feelings for me.”
Maureen left the chair and crossed the room to where a baker’s rack was loaded with sweets Reeva had baked earlier in the day. As she cut a wedge of two-crust pie and scooped it onto a small plate, she said, “Hannah tells me that Kat and Nick are coming here to the ranch tomorrow. I’m glad. Do you have something special planned?”
“Nick wants to learn how to ride. That’s the main thing we’re going to do.”
She carried the pie and a fork to the table and placed it in front of Blake. “I’m surprised at how close Hannah seems to be getting to the boy. She’s always been picky about who she gets close to, but she seemed to take up with little Nick right away.”
“That’s because the two of them have something in common. Neither has a father.”
Frowning, Maureen said, “Hannah’s dad isn’t dead.”
“As far as she’s concerned, he is.”
He picked up the fork and sliced into the pie. “What is this I’m eating? Looks like yellow grapes.”
Maureen chuckled. “That’s gooseberry pie. And the berries don’t come cheap, so enjoy it.”
He scarfed up another bite as his mother lingered near his shoulder.
“Hannah used to talk about wanting her mother to get married again. But she hardly ever brings up the subject now.”
“Good thing. Vivian likes her life the way it is.”
“And what about you, Blake? Would you like to become Nick’s father?”
He’d not expected his mother to ask such an outright question and long moments passed as he gave careful thought to his next words.
“Nick is a fine boy,” Blake told her. “Any man would be proud to call him his son.”
“That’s a standard answer if I ever heard one. I’d prefer a simple yes or no.”
He twisted his head around just enough to allow him to see her face. “It’s not that easy, Mom. But yes, I’d like for the boy to be my son. I’m just not certain that Katherine feels the same way—that she wants me to be Nick’s father and her husband.”
Her hand came to rest on his shoulder. “I understand, Blake. You’re wondering if she has room enough in her heart to love you the way you want to be loved. Well, most women aren’t equipped with a one-size-fits-all heart. I think Kat’s happens to be a whole lot bigger.”
Bending, she pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Good night, son.”
She’d already headed out of the kitchen when Blake called to her and she paused long enough to look back at him.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry Joe and I worried you so.”
“Forget it. That’s what mothers are for.”
* * *
The next morning, inside one of the ranch’s many huge horse barns, Katherine stood next to Blake and watched her son stride back and forth over the hard-packed ground to test the cowboy boots Hannah had given him a few minutes ago.
“How do they fit, Nick?” Hannah asked as she walked along beside him. “Since they’re old, they ought to feel good and soft. Old is always better. I keep ’em till the soles get holes. Then Mom makes me throw them away.”
Pausing, Nick rocked back on his heels and gazed in wonder at the snub-toed boots. The upper leather was creased and scarred, but from the look on Nick’s face they were the grandest footwear he’d ever owned.
“They feel good,” he said. “Do they look like girls’ boots?”
She waved a dismissive hand through the air. “No. They just look like regular boots. I wear boy boots lots of times. You can’t tell the difference.”
“Really?”
“Really.” She stuck out her foot to show off the chocolate-colored pair she was wearing. “See. These came from the boys department. Bet you couldn’t tell.”
Nick shook his head. “No. So now what? Do I get to put on a pair of spurs?”
Hannah’s mouth popped open. “No way! They’re for giving commands and going fast. If you don’t do it right, the horse might buck! You have to learn how to ride really good before you wear spurs.”
“Oh,” he said. “Well, I might get good enough to wear spurs someday.”
Grinning, Hannah wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “Sure you will. In no time at all. So come on and I’ll show you how to put a halter on Moondust. Then we’ll tie our horses to the hitchin’ post and get them ready to be saddled.”
“Okay!”
The two kids took off in a run toward the back of the barn. Behind them, Katherine looked at Blake and smiled.
“Hannah really is going to take care of him. And those boots. He’s in heaven.”
Blake chuckled. “Before you know it, we’re going to have Nick turned into a little cowboy. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Are you kidding? It’s wonderful to see him so happy.”
He slipped an arm around the back of her waist and urged her in the same direction the children had taken. “It’s pretty wonderful to see a smile on your face, too. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad, too. Ever since you, uh, came for lunch, I’ve been thinking about you and—”
She paused abruptly as a tall ranch hand with rusty brown hair and a long handlebar mustache approached Blake.
“Sorry to interrupt, Blake,” he said with a polite nod in Katherine’s direction. “I thought you should know that Red Feather is limping on her right front this morning. I can’t see anything wrong, but her ankle does feel a bit warm.”
“Damn! I rode her last night in the pitch-dark. But she seemed to be fine when I turned her out in the paddock. She must’ve stepped in a hole. Has Chandler taken a look at her yet?”
The cowboy grimaced. “No. Chandler was called out this morning to the Johnson Ranch over in Maricopa County. Poor folks have an outbreak of shipping fever running through their remuda.”
“If that’s the case, Chandler will be busy for hours.” He paused to consider his options, then said, “Put her out in the back patch behind the mares’ paddock. I’ll send Holt out there to take a look at her as soon as he gets a chance.”
“Right,” the other man said, then hurriedly strode away.
Concerned by the two men’s conversation, she looked at him. “Blake, if you need to attend to your mare, please do. Don’t worry about me. I’ll stay with the kids.”
“No. It’s not that serious. And trust me, Holt will know how to fix her far better than me.”
“Well, if you’re sure. I don’t want to be an interference with your work.”
He urged her on down the alleyway of the barn. “You could never be an interference, Kat. And this is a special day. Nick is going to get on a horse for the first time in his life. I wouldn’t miss this time with him for anything.”
I want Blake to be my father! And he wants me to be his son!
Could it be that her son had already picked up signals from Blake? Signs of commitment that she’d been too afraid to see? She didn’t have the answers. But one thing she knew for sure—at this moment her heart was overflowing for this man.
“Thank you, Blake. For doing all of this for Nick. You can’t know how happy it makes me.”
He smiled at her and for a brief second she glimpsed something in his eyes that spoke of love and lifelong promises. The idea filled her with warm joy, even while the cautious part of her mind, the part that remembered all the pain and sorrow of her broken marriage, tried to push the gladness away.
“Look closer, Kat, and you’ll see it makes me just as happy.”
Chapter Eleven
Blake and Katherine walked to another section of
the barn, where the horses were to be saddled. Moondust and Hannah’s horse, a sorrel she called Bandana, were already tied to a long hitching post. Hannah had placed a brush in Nick’s hand and was patiently showing him how to groom the most important parts of his mount.
For the next few minutes, Katherine was content to stand to one side and watch as Hannah saddled her own horse and Blake handled the chore for Nick. During the process, he painstakingly showed Nick how the blankets and saddle should fit on the animal’s back and the importance of keeping the girth tight.
Normally, Nick wasn’t keen on taking instructions. More often than not, he allowed them to fly right over his head, but this morning Katherine could see her son was soaking up every word Blake was telling him.
“Okay, kids, looks like we’re ready to go to the arena,” Blake announced. “But before we leave the barn, I have something else for Nick.”
He disappeared inside the tack room and emerged a moment later carrying a dark brown cowboy hat. The brim was bent and the crown sweat-stained. A brown feather was stuck into the Native American beaded headband.
Wide-eyed, Nick asked, “Is that really for me?”
Blake placed the felt hat on Nick’s head and levered the brim up and down to test the fit. “Sure is. A cowboy can’t get on his horse without a hat. Feel like it will stay on?”
“I think so.” Nick bobbed his head, then seemingly satisfied with the fit, he pulled off the headgear to examine it more closely.
Katherine met Blake’s indulgent grin and her heart suddenly filled with warm emotions. What Blake had just given her child was much more than a hat, she thought. It was a show of love.
“Gosh, this is cool! Really cool!” Nick exclaimed. “It looks like the real deal.”
Blake laughed. “That’s because it is. If you work spring roundup on Three Rivers, you have to wear real cowboy gear.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Nick plopped the hat back onto his head and pulled the brim nearly to his eyebrows. “How do I look, Mom?”
“You look like a regular cowhand,” she said, smiling at the sight of him. “So don’t you think you should thank Blake and Hannah for the riding gear?”
Without further prompting from his mother, Nick stepped forward and flung his arms around Blake’s waist. “Thanks, Blake! The hat is super!”
A soft look came over Blake’s features as he patted Nick’s back. “You’re welcome, son. I’m glad you like it.”
After moving away from Blake, Nick looked awkwardly at Hannah. “Thanks, Hannah. The boots are great, too.”
She pulled a playful smirk at him. “Well, you can hug me, too, Nick. The girl part won’t rub off.”
He tilted his head to one side as he tried to decide about her invitation. “Okay,” he said finally. “But don’t tell anybody. Promise?”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Oh, all right, I promise. And anyway, cousins hug each other. Didn’t you know that?”
A dumbfounded look came over his face. “No. ’Cause I don’t have any cousins. Except for you,” he added.
As Hannah considered his reply, her jaw slowly dropped. “Gosh, now that I think about it, I don’t have any cousins, either.”
Blake looked at Katherine and winked. “But you will after Tessa has her baby,” Blake told the girl.
Hannah clapped her hands together. “Yay! That’s right! When Uncle Joe’s baby gets here, we’ll both have two cousins, Nick!”
Not waiting for Nick to make the next move, Hannah grabbed Nick up in a hug so tight that once she turned him loose he staggered backward.
Blake exchanged an amused glance with Katherine, then said to the kids, “Come on, you two. Unhitch your horses. We’re burning daylight.”
* * *
Two hours later, after plenty of instructions and coaxing, Nick was riding Moondust in a slow circle inside the arena. Hannah rode safely alongside him to offer help and guidance in case he had trouble making the horse go.
Outside the wooden fence surrounding the arena, Katherine sat on a partially shaded stack of hay bales, watching her son grow more confident with each passing minute. If only Prudence could see him now, Katherine thought. Her friend would be smiling with approval.
Too bad Katherine’s mother wouldn’t have the same sentiment, she thought sadly. Ever since Katherine had made the decision to return to Wickenburg and care for her dying father, Paulette had considered her a traitor. Her calls to Katherine and Nick were few and far between. However, last night, just as Katherine was about to climb into bed, her mother had called.
Katherine wasn’t sure why she’d ended up telling her mother about Blake, or their plans here at Three Rivers today. She supposed Nick’s excitement had bubbled over onto her and she’d wanted to share it with someone.
Katherine, when are you ever going to quit dreaming? The Hollisters are quality folks and you’re an Anderson. You’ll only end up hurting yourself and Nick.
Katherine’s lips pressed into a tight line as her mother’s bitter warning played through her head. Yes, she was an Anderson. But that didn’t mean she had to forget her dreams and settle for less.
“Hey, is that a hungry look I see on your face?”
She glanced to her left to see Blake standing next to the haystack. The brim of his gray Stetson partially shaded his face, but she wasn’t having any trouble spotting the sexy grin on his lips. The sight of him instantly chased away her brooding thoughts.
After a quick glance around to make sure there wasn’t anyone within earshot, she asked coyly, “For food? Or you?”
His husky chuckle sent a provocative shiver down her spine.
“Uh, unfortunately for food. Mom just sent me a text. Lunch is ready.” He reached a hand up to her. “Come on and we’ll see if we can pry the kids off their horses.”
Katherine laughed. “Right. That might take some doing. I think they’re having fun.”
“Just a little.”
He helped her down to the ground, and as she stood close to his side, she had an overwhelming urge to rest her cheek against his chest, to tell him exactly how special he was becoming to her. But was that something he wanted to hear from her now? Would he ever want to hear it? Or was this family-type gathering just his way of keeping her content until he decided adding a woman and child to his life was more than he could handle?
The questions rolling around in her head must have reflected on her face. He suddenly stroked his fingertips over her cheek.
“What are you thinking, Kat? A few seconds ago you were laughing and now I see shadows in your eyes.”
Smiling wanly, she shook her head. “I was just thinking how special this day is for Nick and how much his grandmother is missing by not taking much interest in his life.”
Frowning, he said, “Maybe if you gave your mother a call and told her all about the things Nick has been doing and how fast he’s growing up, she might get interested.”
Katherine shook her head. “She actually called me last night and for a minute—when I first heard her voice—I held hope that she might be softening. I was wrong. She was terribly negative through the whole conversation.”
Blake whistled under his breath. “Sorry, Katherine. She sounds awfully bitter.”
Katherine shrugged. “She has reason to be bitter over Dad. But ignoring her grandson is taking it too far.”
With a hand on her shoulder, he guided her away from the haystack and toward a gate that entered the arena.
As they walked, he asked, “Does Nick realize how his grandmother feels?”
“He does. But thankfully, it doesn’t appear to bother him that much. He says his grandmother isn’t fun to be around anyway.”
“Hmm. So basically, where family is concerned, you and Nick are pretty much alone,” he mused aloud.
“That’s right. Unfortunately.”
“
Well, I hope Nick knows he can be a part of my family for as long as he wants.”
What would Blake think, Katherine wondered, if she told him that Nick was already planning on him becoming his father? Would he run as far and as fast as he could?
Trying not to think about it, she murmured, “Thank you, Blake.”
It took a few minutes for Bandana and Moondust to be unsaddled and put out to pasture. After the horses and tack were both tended to, the four of them walked back to the ranch house. Along the way, they were intercepted by Matthew Waggoner, the ranch’s foreman. Without breaking stride, Blake explained what was needed to repair the broken fence near the number-nine well pump. He also added the order for two men to ride the ten-mile fence to the end to make sure it was all still intact.
By the time they reached the ranch house, Blake had explained what had happened the night before when he and Joe had been out riding. He’d blamed the downed fence on poachers. But after hearing the suspicions he held over his father’s death, Katherine could only wonder if someone other than a poacher had trespassed onto Three Rivers land. Still, she kept the notion to herself.
When the four of them walked beneath the shade of the patio, Maureen was there waiting for them.
“Finally! Someone has shown up to help me eat all this lunch!” she exclaimed. “You guys go wash up. Everything is ready.”
After a trip inside the house to freshen up, they returned to the patio to see Maureen had made a small charcoal fire in the barbecue pit so that hot dogs and marshmallows could be roasted. There was also an assortment of condiments, chips of all kinds and sodas to wash it all down.
“Oh, boy—thanks, Grandma, for fixing us a cookout,” Hannah said. “Nick and I are starving, too. We’ve been riding all morning.”
The woman gathered a child beneath each arm and guided them over to the fire. “I want to hear all about it,” she told the kids. “Now, be honest, Nick—was Hannah a good teacher? Or was she bossy?”
“No. She was mostly nice. The only time she was bossy was when I was doing something wrong,” Nick answered.
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