Her Lifeline: (A Romantic Suspense)

by Chandler, Danica

  “So, you own the ranch where you’re needing a hand?” His thick eyebrows danced as he spoke. They were so animated.

  Oh right, back to business. He needed more information. “Yes. It’s been our family for along time. My dad’s not really up to working it all like he used to, so we’re needing to reach out.”

  Nick nodded. “Any other ranch hands?”

  “No, it’ll just be you. I have a son who sort of helps, but he is too young to do the big stuff. And I do some things too. But it’s just getting overwhelming.” She tried to read his reaction. Maybe she should slip in that she was divorced, but that might be a bit too forced and up front for now. He’d learn a lot once he got to the ranch. “Like I said on the phone, I can’t pay much, but you are welcome to stay in our bunk house that’s right there on the land and have dinners with us.”

  Nick leaned back in his chair as if he were digesting the information. “Right now, a roof over my head is the biggest issue. What kind of work are you needing done? What goes on at your ranch?”

  “We’ve got cattle and horses. We also do a wheat crop if we have the manpower. Lately we’ve been so short handed that we can’t do much, which means financially our hands are tied. It’s a vicious cycle.”

  “That’s understandable with the way small businesses have been hit. I’ve got some experience in ranches and am pretty handy with repairs. Of course, most of my job history is the army, but I can adjust just from living that life for so long.”

  Amelia loved his honesty. “So, you from Texas? Tell me a little about yourself.”

  His mood shifted, but she wasn’t sure if she was just reading too much into it. “Yes ma’am, I’m from Texas. I guess you can say I’m kind of a drifter, especially now. Joined the army to get away and see the world. Not much else to say. Did tours over in the Middle East. What about you? You a Texan woman?”

  She liked that this was turning into a two-way conversation. It was starting to not feel like a job interview at all. “Yeah. Grew up on the ranch. Now I’m raising my son on the ranch. I’d like to keep the tradition going or die trying.”

  Nick arched his eyebrow. “How old is your son?”

  “Seven. And I’m divorced, which is another reason we need help. There’s no other men around.” She wasn’t going to disclose the bit about her divorce, but since they were both talking about each other, she felt comfortable with it.

  “Well, Amelia, I’m interested in the job if you’re willing to hire me on. I’ll sure do my best to help out with it all.”

  He seemed perfect, but was the only one she had interviewed. Options were minimal. With the few phone calls she did get, no one was willing to work with what she was offering. What if she decided to wait and he found something else, ruining her chances of finding a good fit? She didn’t want to drag her feet, but she also didn’t want to make a hasty decision. Her instincts were screaming at her to make an offer, and she was slowly learning to trust them. Had she asked him enough questions and got enough information? What if he was really a convict with a bad past? It would be easy to find out about his military history, but something told Amelia that he was being truthful. She promised herself at the first sign of trouble she’d kick him to the curb. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

  “The job is yours if you want it, Nick. When can you start?” It felt good making the offer, but she still had a flit of butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Was it those green eyes and rugged good looks that made her weak in the knees? Was she acting on attraction? No, this guy looked like he could handle it all.

  “I can start immediately.”

  Amelia put her hand out for him to shake again. Her heart skipped a beat when his hand grasped hers. “Welcome to the Tucker Ranch, Nick. I’ll be happy to give you a ride out there and show you around.”

  ***

  Nick packed up his duffel bag and threw it in the back of Amelia’s truck. For a split second he had to ask himself what he was doing. He had barely met this woman and trusted her to take him out to the ranch he would be working. He hated to think that she could be up to something, but with as much of the cruel world he had seen, stranger things could’ve happened. How much harm could she cause? She likely didn’t weigh over one hundred and forty pounds, and he couldn’t help but notice her physical attributes right off the bat – her long, dark hair, her curvy figure, her blue eyes that stuck out against her than skin. Taking a deep breath, he tried to think about something else as he climbed into the cab of the pickup. It had been so long that he had been with a woman that it was the first thing his mind went to, especially when one was as attractive as her. He had to think of her as his boss. That’s what she was and he needed this job.

  “You ready to go?” Amelia asked, grasping the gearshift.

  Nick nodded. “You bet.”

  “If you have any questions or anything, just fire away. I mentioned during the interview that there aren’t any other men around, but my dad is there. Like I said, he’s not fit to do the job I need, but he’ll argue with you. He still thinks he can run with the best of them.”

  Nick smiled at the thought. From the little he had gathered from Amelia, it sounded like she had a strong family, something he never really had experienced. Pushing the thought aside, he looked out the window at the winding and lush highway they were traveling down. The Austin area was just as pretty as he had remembered, and though he missed the military, something about that moment made him feel welcomed.

  Amelia turned the truck down a long driveway shaded by tons of trees. They crossed over a cattle guard that rumbled under the tires. “This is the start of the ranch. You can see our house back off to the side and the bunkhouse is about half a mile behind that. I’ll let you get settled in before I give you our royal tour.” Amelia’s eyes squinted as she smiled. “Noah is going to be excited. If he bothers you, don’t hesitate to tell him. He can be a little much at times.”

  Nick shook his head. “Won’t bother me. I remember how it was to be a curious kid.”

  “Well, that and his dad has been out of the picture for the most part since we split. He’s got my dad, but you know what I mean.” Amelia’s cheeks reddened and Nick let out a quick laugh. “And I’m saying too much. You probably don’t want to hear about all of the Tucker problems. You just wanna earn a paycheck.”

  “It’s fine, Ms. Tucker. It doesn’t bug me.” Most times, Nick felt awkward when someone gave too much information, but this was different. There was something about Amelia that made him comfortable. Maybe he had just been lonely. It didn’t matter. Tonight he would have a roof over his head and he’d soon begin his new job. Income, food, and a place to sleep – Nick was fine with just those three things. Amelia’s cute ramblings just added onto it.

  She parked the truck and pointed. “This is the bunkhouse, and as you can see, Noah is waiting on the porch. This is where you’ll stay, but like I said, you’re welcome to join us at the house for all of our meals.” They both got out of the truck and Nick followed her up the steps. “We usually eat early, about seven AM and lunch is around twelve. Dinner is about six o’clock.”

  “Is this the new guy?” Noah asked, hopping down from the railing.

  Nick reached out and shook the young boy’s hand. He looked a lot like Amelia with his dark hair and blue eyes. He was energetic and his smile was just as welcoming as Amelia’s had been.

  “Yes, Noah, this is Nick. He’s gonna be helping us out.” Looking up, she said, “Nick, this is my son Noah.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Nick said. He didn’t have a lot of experience with kids.

  “Nice to meet you too, Mr. Nick.”

  “How about you go check on the horse’s water? I’m gonna show him around. You’ll have time to talk to him more later.”

  The kid nodded and ran off, several dogs following him as he disappeared behind some trees. “Cute kid,” Nick said.

  “Give it time. Like I said, if he bugs you, just let him know.”

  She
unlocked the front door of the bunkhouse and led him inside. To his surprise, the place was very clean and larger than how it appeared on the outside. The living room had a small TV and couch and the kitchen, while also small, proved just perfect for one person. The hallway went back to a bedroom and bathroom, and a full sized bed was made and ready to go.

  “The last helper I had was rarely here. I just cleaned the place up, but feel free to arrange it and do with it as you want. If you ever need a break from us, you can always stay here and eat. There’s a microwave and a small stove, but if you wanna bake anything, I haven’t been able to put an oven in just yet.”

  Nick sat his duffel bag down on the bed and looked around. “That’s just fine, Ms. Tucker. I can’t even boil water, so I’m sure I’ll be at your house a lot.”

  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, looking down at the floor. “I told you that you could call me Amelia. No need to be all formal, okay?”

  “Old habits die hard, Ms… Amelia,” he corrected himself. “I am much obliged for you giving me a chance to come in and help. This set up is really nice and I hope I can do the job you’re needing.”

  He looked down into her eyes, staring into the beautiful blue that he almost got himself lost in. She stared back, neither speaking for a few seconds until she finally broke away and went to the closet. He had to stop doing that. She was his boss. This was a job. She had a kid and a father there. Chalk it up to nerves, to being lonely, or to the fact that she was beautiful – all of that was a moot point. He was here first and foremost to get the ranch back into shape. Gorgeous or not, he had to push any infatuation aside and do what he was hired for.

  “It’s an older house, but we’ve tried to keep it updated.” She opened the door and pushed some of the hangers on the rod. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “You ready to see the rest of the ranch?”

  “Yes ma’am,” Nick replied. Anything to get his mind on something else.

  Chapter Five

  Amelia watched as Nick walked through the barn. He hadn’t said a lot during the tour of the ranch and she hoped that maybe it was him taking it all in that kept him quiet. Hopefully he wasn’t overwhelmed by it all. They stopped in front of a horse stall where she kept a horse that they had been working to train. He was still very wild and with limited time and resources, the attention spent on him had become few and far between.

  Reaching out, Nick tried to pet his mane. The horse backed up and kicked his leg, neighing at his attempt to make contact. “What’s his name?” Nick asked, trying again.

  “We haven’t named him. Dad bought him at auction and I’m still not sure why. My husband… excuse me, my ex-husband was going to break him, but you see how that worked out.”

  Nick bent over and grabbed a hand full of hay, offering some to him. The horse hesitated at first, but stuck his head out and took some from his palm. “He’s a beautiful animal, Amelia.”

  “Yes he is. He just hasn’t gotten the attention he’s needed.” She was surprised to see the horse calm down enough to eat from his hand. Once the hay was gone, the horse riled up again, and Nick grabbed another hand full, calming him. “You’re good with him. That doesn’t usually happen.”

  Nick nodded and backed away from the stall, a smile on his lips as he stared at the horse. “One of the foster family’s I lived with when I was a kid had horses. Used to spend all day outside with them.”

  Foster family? Amelia wanted more details, but didn’t want to press him, so she let it slide. “Maybe you’re just the person he needs to tame him.” Amelia had always learned a lot about a person with how they treated animals. Seeing Nick in the stable made most of the worries she felt about making a hasty hiring decision diminish. This was a good man, though she still would like to know more about him. The mystery made it more intriguing and her curiosity ran wild, but the man had barely sat foot on the ranch – she didn’t need to interrogate him.

  “Y’all got a lot of land out here. I see where you need some help. Thanks for showing me around.”

  “Oh, we’re not done yet, Nick. You haven’t met my father yet. I’m about to go in and start dinner. You can go get unpacked and situate yourself. I can send Noah or come get you when it’s ready.” She enjoyed being around him. He was easy to talk to, not to mention, easy on the eyes. Again with the thoughts – she was so thankful he couldn’t read her mind or he’d run away like the place was on fire.

  “Lookin’ forward to it, Amelia.” He turned to walk away and stopped, a small hint of a grin on his lips. “Should I be worried about your father?”

  His inquisitive expression made her giggle and she shook her head. “You’re gonna love him.”

  ***

  Nick unpacked his duffel bag and lay back on the bed. With the few belongings that he had, it didn’t take him long, and he was left alone to process what had transpired throughout the day. The bed was soft and the sheets smelled fresh. He could easily doze off right at that moment, but his stomach growling reminded him that he’d soon be at Amelia’s house eating whatever she was cooking. The thought of a home cooked meal made him smile and he stretched his legs out, staring up at the ceiling.

  She certainly had her hands full on the ranch. From what she had shown him, he would be working long days to try to get things back in order for her. Broken barbed wire fences and barn repairs were just a few things to list, not to mention the horse he couldn’t wait to try and break. He was no expert when it came to them, but the wild animal had pulled him in for some reason, and he was going to set a goal to make him ride able during his time on the ranch.

  Standing up, Nick walked through the house, exploring it a little more. The wooden floor creaked beneath his boots and he paused in the kitchen, taking a quick glance inside the refrigerator. It was empty and he was certain he’d probably keep it that way, aside from a few snacks and beer. Closing it, he jumped when he saw Noah standing in the doorway.

  “Hey Noah, you scared me.”

  “Supper’s almost ready. Mom made fried chicken.”

  Nick’s stomach growled even more at the mention of the food. “Did she?” He sat down on the arm of the couch, still uneasy when it came to talking to kids. He had been tossed around from home to home as a child and was around other foster kids, but he was never able to make a connection with many of them.

  “It’s the best. She told me not to bug you too much.” The child grasped a toy airplane in his left hand and had his cowboy hat in the other.

  “You’re not bugging me, Noah. I like your cowboy hat.” Nick pointed to it. “I used to have one like that.”

  Noah’s blue eyes shot down to it. The same blue that his mother’s were. It made Nick think about her gaze on him and how it sent chills down his spine.

  “What happened to it?” Noah asked.

  “I’m not sure. I guess it got misplaced when I joined the army.”

  Noah’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “You were in the army?”

  Nick nodded, unable to read if Noah was impressed or scared. With all the various reactions he got from people once they found out he was in the military, he never was sure of people’s opinions.

  “I was.”

  “That’s so cool!”

  Nick started to say something, but Annie walked through the door, the hinges creaking as she poked her head inside. “What is so cool?” She tousled the boy’s hair. “I told you to let Nick get settled in! He just got here. He needs to unpack.”

  “He’s a soldier, mom! I was talking to a soldier!” He scurried out the door, leaving Nick and Amelia alone.

  “He’s not bugging me at all, Amelia.” Nick wondered why she was so concerned about him coming around. Maybe she was nervous with him. After all, they truly didn’t know each other that well. He could be a murderer for all she knew. “I didn’t have much to unpack. Just a couple of shirts and some jeans.”

  She ran her hands over her hair. “Well, he’ll be coming around even more now that he k
nows you were in the army. He’s obsessed with all of that stuff. I’m almost certain he’ll enlist the second he turns eighteen.”

  “I remember feeling exactly like that.” A quick flash of a battle scene flashed in Nick’s memory and he backed away into the kitchen to avoid Amelia witnessing it.

  “Nick, you okay?” Her voice followed, and he pushed through the backdoor and onto the porch. “Nick?” She opened the screen door.

  “I just…” He searched for a quick excuse for his quick exit. “I just remembered I haven’t really been back here in the back of the house.” It was lame, but the only thing he could think up. Was she staring at him? He was scared to make eye contact, but when he felt her hand brush against his arm, he calmed down. Her palm was like velvet against his leathery skin.

  “You sure you’re okay?” she asked, still touching him.

  “Yeah, I’m good.” Finally looking at her, Nick forced a smile. Her expression spoke louder than words, and he was certain that she knew more than she was letting on. “What’s for dinner?”

  Amelia led him to the house, still wanting to know more about him. He was so mysterious, so intriguing, and it was in her nature to comfort him and be there for him, even though she really didn’t know him that well. The walk back to the house was quiet, but already she didn’t feel like they had to speak every second to be comfortable. Just his presence with her made her comfortable.

  Before opening the door leading into the kitchen, she turned and looked over her shoulder. “Just a word of warning. You’ll probably get the third degree. If you think Noah talks a lot, my father is even chattier. If you feel they are prying too much, just say something.”

  His thick eyebrows danced and Amelia was already learning that he spoke so much with just his face. It was a trait about Nick she already loved. “Thanks for the warning. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I might fire some right back at them to give them a taste of their own medicine.”