by R. C. Ryan
Cara looked up from the stove. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got everything handled.”
The older woman paused to give her a long look. “I heard you up before dawn.”
Cara laughed. “Actually, I was up most of the night, thinking about what to fix for my first meal.”
Myrna walked closer and put a hand on her arm. “I know you’re feeling a bit anxious, but it’s all going to be fine. Everyone is so pleased that you’re staying on here.”
“That’s sweet of all of you. But after that buildup by Whit, I have a lot to prove.”
“This isn’t a test. You shouldn’t worry about passing or failing.”
Cara gave her a gentle smile. “Thanks. I needed that.”
The older woman gave her a long, stern look. “Who did that to you?”
Cara took a step back. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I mean that lack of confidence.” Myrna caught her hand. “Somebody made you feel like you aren’t good enough.”
Cara held her silence.
Myrna blew out a breath. “Okay. Whatever happened, you can overcome it. Listen to me, child. Whenever you start to doubt yourself, just remember this. Your best, done with good intentions, is always good enough.”
Cara ducked her head. “Thank you.”
When she looked up, she saw that Myrna was already heading out of the room with another armload of freshly folded clothes.
When Whit and Brady stepped into the mudroom and started peeling off layers of mud-soaked boots and parkas, her heart did a somersault.
She busied herself at the stove to keep from staring at Whit as he washed at the big mudroom sink.
Just seeing him made her day brighter.
“Hey.” Whit stepped into the kitchen, followed by Brady.
“Good morning. There’s coffee and juice if you’d like.”
“Coffee.” Whit crossed to the sideboard. “About a gallon of it.”
“I’ll second that,” Brady said with a laugh.
Cara poured two steaming mugs and handed one to each of them.
The two men wrapped their hands around the mugs, breathing in the warmth of the kitchen.
“Mmm. This is good.” Whit took a long drink. “It might say spring on the calendar, but somebody forgot to mention it to Mother Nature. It’s freezing out there.”
“I’ll say.” Brady sauntered toward the door. “I’m taking this with me. I’ll have it gone before I hit the shower.”
“Me too.” Whit shivered. “If I don’t get out of these wet things soon, I’ll turn into an ice cube.”
The two men left the kitchen and climbed the stairs.
When she was alone, Cara let out a long, slow breath. She was going to have to work overtime to keep from glowing every time she caught sight of Whit. There was something about that tall, muscled cowboy that just flat-out made her always want to grin like a fool.
When she saw Myrna walk in and stare at her, she turned away and pretended to be busy with something on the stove. But in truth, she was thinking about Whit upstairs, peeling off his wet clothes and stepping naked into the shower.
“You must be working too close to that stove,” Myrna remarked. “Your cheeks are bright red.”
Cara lifted her hands to her cheeks. What was happening to her? She had never before let a guy take over her thoughts this way.
“I was whisking some eggs.”
“Good. We’re having scrambled?”
“I thought maybe omelets. With fried potatoes and ham.”
“Even better.” Myrna pulled a fresh apron from a drawer and began tying it around her ample middle. “What can I do to help?”
“Maybe you could start with orange juice.”
“I’m happy to make it.”
Cara laughed. “It’s already made. I was thinking you might enjoy taking a breath and having some juice at the table while I finish making the toast.”
Myrna accepted a foamy glass from Cara’s hands and settled herself at the table. “Now this is something I haven’t done in the morning in more than thirty years.”
“Then it’s time you started pampering yourself.”
“Pamper. Huh.” Myrna huffed out a breath.
But as she sat watching Cara move easily from the stove to the counter to the sink, she was wearing a smile. Maybe, just for a minute, she would do exactly that.
Mad and Willow were just pouring coffee when Whit and Brady stepped into the kitchen.
Mad looked over at them. “I heard the backhoe’s engine while it was still dark outside. Something wrong?”
“Just your usual early spring routine.” Brady helped himself to coffee. “I think it’s a rule of the universe that just when the rains begin, pipes break and roads wash away. Those pipes never burst in the middle of summer, when the job would be easy.”
Whit helped himself to coffee and gave a laugh. “At least the two of us smell a whole lot better now than we did an hour ago.”
“Another rule of the universe,” Mad said with a chuckle. “If you’re going to crawl around in the mud, you’re not coming up smelling like a rose.”
“Speaking of good smells…” Whit glanced at Cara, filling platters. “Whatever you’re fixing, my stomach is already growling with hunger.”
She turned and carried a heaping platter to the table. “Then dig in. I think I made enough for an army.”
As the family gathered around the table, the talk continued about the broken culvert and the need to get it replaced as soon as possible.
Brady held the platter while Willow filled her plate. “Ridley Collins agreed to pull some strings and get the pipe delivered before supper. He thinks it will get here around three this afternoon. If he’s as good as his word, I’ll owe him big-time. They usually need at least a week to fill an order like ours.”
“So, it looks like we won’t be heading up to the hills today?” Willow tasted her omelet and glanced up suddenly. “Oh, Cara. This is heavenly.”
Mad took a taste and arched a brow. “I see you’re as good as Whit said, lass. What did you add to these eggs?”
“Mushrooms. Peppers, red and yellow, for color. And a dash of Tabasco sauce.”
“Tabasco?” Mad grinned. “I’m going to remember that.”
As the others around the table filled their plates and remarked on the great food, Myrna turned to Whit. “What will you do until the pipe arrives?”
Whit shrugged. “My time is yours, Myrna. What do you need me to do?”
She gave him a sly smile. “You may want to think about driving Cara to town to buy a few things.”
Cara looked up in surprise. “I don’t need—”
Myrna went on as though Cara hadn’t interrupted. “Belle’s shop over in Copper Creek has everything a girl could want. Denims, simple shirts, pajamas, and even underthings.”
Cara’s face flamed as Mad said, “That’ll teach you to allow Myrna to do your laundry, lass. Don’t think she doesn’t remind all of us when our personal items are in need of replacement.”
“And you’re lucky I pay attention. There are some here”—she turned to stare directly at Mad—“who would end up naked as the day they were born if I didn’t look out for their wardrobes.”
“You’re not the only one, Mad,” Willow said with a gentle smile. “Just last week Myrna reminded me that if I didn’t soon replace my favorite jeans, I’d feel saddle and a lot of very cold air on my backside.”
That had everyone laughing.
“All right.” Whit helped himself to seconds. “If you’re willing, Cara, we’ll go right after breakfast.”
Knowing everyone was watching and listening, Cara managed a demure smile, though in truth, she wanted to do a little happy dance. “I guess I’d better agree, or I’ll face being shamed into it by Myrna.”
The old woman sat back with a look of smug satisfaction.
Chapter Eleven
Whit drove the ranch truck to the back porch and held the door for Ca
ra. Once inside, they rolled along the curving road that led to the highway.
“That was a great breakfast. I noticed that everybody had seconds and Mad had a third helping.”
That had Cara grinning. “Do I detect a note of relief in your voice?”
He laughed. “Hey, Goldilocks. I never had a doubt you’d charm the entire family with your cooking.”
“I wish I had your confidence.”
He reached over and caught her hand. “The first day’s always the hardest. From now on, it’ll be a piece of cake.”
“Speaking of which…what’s your favorite? Chocolate, vanilla, carrot, spinach?”
“Spinach cake?”
He was still holding her hand, and she could feel the heat moving through her veins. “I just wanted to see if you were listening.”
“When you talk, I’m listening.”
“Careful. That’s bound to make me feel powerful.”
“Good. It’s time you realized your importance.”
She eased her hand away and looked over at him. “Are you trying to send me a message?”
At his raised brow, she added, “Myrna suggested to me this morning that I needed to have more confidence in myself.”
Whit lowered the window and let the fresh breeze in. “Don’t let Myrna’s looks fool you. She’s sharp as a tack and knows how to read people. She’s also one of the kindest women I know.”
“How long have you known her?”
“All my life. She was here before I was born. Like Brady, she was never too busy to listen to my problems. No matter how crazy things got around our place, she always had time for me.”
“I wish I’d had people like that in my childhood. I guess that’s why I’m drawn to Myrna.”
“She likes you, too.”
“How do you know?”
He shook his head. “With Myrna, you know. She doesn’t put on airs. She’s honest and direct. If she sees something out of line, she’ll let you know.”
He looked over. “You realize, of course, that she set us up.”
“Set us up? For what?”
He chuckled. “The minute she heard Brady say that the pipe wouldn’t be delivered until later today, I could see the wheels turning in her head. She decided that we need some time away from the family. The ‘what’ is whatever we want to do with that time.” He wiggled his brows like a mock villain. “So what do you say, little lady? Want to get us a case of beer and a hotel room?”
“I think you’d better get your brain engaged in another direction, Cowboy. Let’s just get me to Belle’s. Then we’ll talk about really sexy things like a pair of denims and a couple of shirts for the ranch cook.”
“You really need to put some romance in your life, little woman.”
“Uh-huh.”
As they started into town, he was grinning like a fool. “It’s a good thing you didn’t jump at the chance of beer and a hotel room.”
“Why?”
“Because there isn’t a hotel in town. The closest thing is a ranch bed-and-breakfast.”
“So you were just testing the waters, so to speak?”
He winked as they slowed to a crawl on Main Street. When Whit pulled into a parking slot, he pointed. “There’s Belle’s. Want me to go with you?”
“While I pick out underwear? I don’t think I’d be comfortable with that scene.”
“You forget. My first glimpse of you was in that very sexy thong. And somehow, I just can’t get it out of my mind.”
“Well, enjoy the memory, Cowboy.”
“Oh, I do. Often.” He handed her a credit card. “Use this.”
She stared at it and then at his face. “I have my own.”
“You said your abandoned rental car probably maxed it out. Just to be safe, use this.” When he saw that she was about to argue, he added, “You can pay me back later.”
“Okay.” She blew him a kiss as she began crossing the street. “Where will I find you when I’m finished?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find you.”
Whit waited until Cara stepped into Belle’s before heading down the street.
He opened the door to Chief Ira Pettigrew’s office. Ordinarily, Ira’s wife, Peggy, was manning the reception desk, but today the chief was alone.
He looked up. Seeing Whit, he walked around his desk to shake hands. “Hey, Whit. What brings you here?”
Whit returned the handshake before sitting across the desk from the chief. “I’m just back from the highlands, and Mad was filling me in on the shooting over at Red Rock.”
Ira nodded. “Nasty business. I was hoping there would be a connection to your daddy’s shooting, but Red Rock’s chief thinks it’s pretty apparent that old Abe’s nephew is the shooter. A family feud that got out of control.”
“That’s what Mad said.” Whit tapped a finger on the arm of his chair before saying, “I’ve got something to tell you.”
As quickly as possible, he relayed the story that Cara had told him. When Whit was finished, Ira steepled his hands on his desktop. “If you don’t mind bringing her here, I’ll ask the sheriff in Red Rock to fax me a photo of the deceased, to see if she can identify him as the rancher she saw.”
Whit nodded. “If he is, then what?”
“Sheriff Hack may want to have a talk with her.”
“Today?”
Ira considered. “One step at a time, Whit. Let me talk to Todd Hack over in Red Rock and see if he has a good, recent photo of Abe Parson. By the time your young lady is finished shopping, I’ll try to get a better handle on the matter, and then we’ll decide whether or not Sheriff Hack will want to interview her.”
Whit nodded. “That’s fair.” He stood and offered his hand. “Thanks, Ira.”
“You’re welcome. And thanks for coming in with this information. It may be something, or it may be nothing at all.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Whit walked to the door and turned. “Now I just need to find a gentle way to let her know I’ve talked to you about this.”
“I suggest you feed her.” The chief patted his thick middle. “Everything seems better on a full stomach.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Chief.”
Cara walked out of the shop carrying several bulging, handled bags. As soon as she stepped out the door, Whit was there to relieve her of her burden.
After stowing the bags in his truck, he caught her hand.
She glanced at their linked hands, enjoying the quick sizzle of heat. “Where are we going?”
“To pay a call.”
Something in his tone had Cara holding her silence.
They walked leisurely along the street and up the hill toward a church, where bells were just tolling the noon hour. Instead of going inside, Whit led her around the back and through the ornate wrought-iron gate announcing the Copper Creek Cemetery.
They strolled among the headstones until they came to a grave marked with a small flat stone etched simply with MURDOCH (BEAR) MACKENZIE.
Whit removed his wide-brimmed hat before dropping to one knee. “Pop, I’d like you to meet Cara Walton.”
Cara knelt beside him and ran a finger over the flat stone.
Seeing it, Whit explained, “Mom didn’t want some big, ornate marker like these.” He swept his hand to indicate some of the hundred-year-old crosses and angels and towering obelisks marking some of the nearby graves. “So she’s ordered an engraved marble bench. That way whenever we visit, we can just sit in the sunlight or snowflakes and talk awhile the way we always did.”
Cara’s eyes widened. “Oh, I love that idea.”
“Yeah. Me too. We all agreed it was the right thing for Pop.”
They remained that way for long, silent minutes before Whit got to his feet and helped Cara up. He slapped his hat against his leg as he turned away. “Bye, Pop. See you later.”
It was so simple, and yet so intimate, Cara felt the sudden sting of tears as they walked from the cemetery and down the hill.
/> Whit paused. “How about some lunch?”
She nodded. “All right.”
“You have a choice. There’s the Boxcar Inn, with family-friendly food like club sandwiches and homemade soup.” Whit pointed to the train boxcar parked in the center of town. “Or Wylie’s, home of gut-burning chili and fries or a burger guaranteed to drip juice down the front of every diner’s shirt.”
“That all sounds too good to miss. Wylie’s.”
“Wylie’s it is.” He caught her hand. “I’m warning you. Order a tall glass of ice water along with whatever other beverage you want. You’ll need it.”
They were still laughing as they stepped inside the smoky room, where the smell of grease on a grill hung heavy in the air.
Whit breathed deeply. “This is the place I call my second home.”
Just then a woman with orange spiked hair and a voice like a foghorn caught him in a bear hug. “Whit MacKenzie. Now my day is complete.”
He hugged her tightly before saying, “Nonie Claxton, I’d like you to meet Cara Walton.”
“Walton, huh?” Without missing a beat, she said, “You one of those who used to say, ‘Good night, John Boy’?”
“Yep. Walton’s Mountain. Of course, that would make me about sixty, wouldn’t it?” Cara asked.
Nonie gave a throaty laugh. “She’s smart. I like her, Whit.” She gave Cara a long look. “You’re not from around these parts.”
“Minerva.”
“Never heard of it. What’re you doing with this bad boy?” She caught Cara’s arm and said in a loud stage whisper, “Watch yourself, honey. This one’s got all the right moves.”
“Is that so?”
“He’s a heartbreaker. Ask any woman in Copper Creek. From sixteen to sixty, they’ve all fallen for him at one time or another.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Nonie turned to Whit. “Park yourselves, and I’ll be right over.”
Whit led the way through the crowded tables to a booth in the back. Minutes later Nonie arrived with two tall glasses of ice water and a longneck beer.
“Figured I’d save myself a little time. This is what you wanted, right, Whit?”