Saving the Soldier (Selkirk Family Ranch Book 2)

by Vartanoff, Irene

  How had he gotten here? What the hell happened?

  He shook his head, trying to clear it. “What am I doing here?”

  “Sure glad to see you lookin’ so healthy. Been a long time since we’ve seen ya.”

  “Why am I here? How did I get here?”

  “Miss Paula’s the one to explain, son,” Hoot said, angling his head to indicate where she stood. “She flew you in.”

  JD slewed around. She stood with her hands on her shapely hips, her stance daring him to make trouble.

  “What the hell have you done?”

  Paula raised her head. Her proud look defied him. “Exactly what it looks like. I drugged you and abducted you and flew you to your home. Your real home.”

  “That weird-tasting soda. You witch.”

  “I put in the smallest possible dose.”

  He cursed her up, down, and sideways. Her lips tightened and her face paled. Her hands began to tremble. The old man told him to stop, but JD was too angry.

  Finally, he ran out of curses. “Who gave you the right to mess with my life?”

  She tried to shrug, but he could see it was a huge effort for her to appear casual. “Nobody.”

  “Say that again, Paula,” he demanded. “Say it.”

  “I had no right,” she whispered. Her shoulders were hunched.

  “Say it out loud, damn you.”

  “I had no right,” she cried, defiance in her stance again. “But it needed to be done.”

  “You’re taking me back to Cheyenne. Right now.”

  “It’s too late. Here comes your brother.” She lifted one hand and pointed at the approaching Jeep.

  He started cursing at her again. She said nothing more. He didn’t stop cursing until the Jeep pulled up and Baron leaped out.

  Baron was a big man with no fat on him, looking even bigger in his black Stetson and heavy sheepskin jacket as he rushed to where JD sat. “JD! You came. Fantastic,” he said. He pulled JD up out of the chair to give him a bear hug. “It’s great to see you here.”

  When Baron loosened his grasp, JD almost fell. He wasn’t used to depending on his fake foot. Whatever drug Paula had given him was making him dizzy, too. He righted himself.

  Paula handed some papers to Baron. “Read this.”

  Baron took the papers indifferently.

  “No, read them,” she insisted. She looked at JD. “A copy of the new power of attorney.”

  Baron glanced up from reading. His expression was shocked. “What the—? What’s going on?” He glared at JD.

  JD rubbed his bristly scalp with its short hairs. It was cold out. He needed a hat. “Dad insisted.”

  His older brother said, “If you’ve come to take over, you’re in the nick of time. I’ve got a buyer coming later today.”

  “No way. I’m not running anything. I’m going back to the VA hospital as soon as I can get there.”

  Baron looked at JD, then at Paula, who shrugged.

  “Then the hell with this.” Baron tore the power of attorney papers in two and threw them to the ground. “You think a piece of paper is going to stop me? You don’t know me. I’m selling the ranch today unless you commit to stay. I mean it. My future with Addie means more to me than Dad’s games.”

  JD turned to Paula. “Guess your brilliant scheme didn’t work. Take me back to Cheyenne.”

  She had the nerve to sneer at him. “I’m not the Selkirk taxi service.”

  “Could have fooled me,” he said. “You took me to see Dad this morning.”

  Baron said, “Why’d you come? Do you want me to sell the ranch?”

  “No, dammit, of course not,” JD said. “What kind of stupid idea is that, anyway?”

  “I’ve asked and asked for you to come out and run it. Or for Dad.”

  “He’s not coming.”

  “What about you?” Baron indicated the papers he’d torn up. “Apparently you want a say in the decisions around here. Why don’t you take over right now? You’re looking good.”

  JD wasn’t about to tell Baron or anyone else about that operation the doc wanted. “Looks are deceiving. I’m supposed to be in the hospital. I can’t run this place.”

  Baron said, “Then I’ll sell it. I’m done.”

  Another Jeep drove up, and out hopped Addie. Adrienne Jelleff, the actress he used to watch on the television Miss Betty kept in the ranch kitchen. All grown up now, tall and slender. She was blonde and pretty. She came right up to him and gave him a hug. No celebrity airs on her.

  “JD. So good to see you.”

  She turned to Paula and hugged her hard. “My hero.”

  JD could have said, “Your so-called hero just abducted me—she drugged me to do it—and dragged me out here while I was unconscious.” Some stubborn impulse kept him from opening his mouth and disillusioning pretty Addie.

  Baron spoke. “Why don’t we all get back to the ranch house? Miss Betty is making a feast.”

  JD said, “No way. I want to go back to Cheyenne.” He turned a fierce expression on Paula. “Right now.”

  She pursed her lips, ready to give him another insolent reply.

  “Not a good idea, son,” Hoot said. The old man coughed again. He pointed at the western sky. “There’s bad weather closing in. Looks like snow, and lots of it.”

  JD automatically turned his gaze to the west, and sure enough, dark clouds engulfed the blue sky, heading their way. He cursed. There went his chance of getting Paula to fly him back. By the time he could bully her into agreeing, the storm would be upon them. The Wyoming wind was notorious. Instant weather changes were typical.

  Baron’s face reflected his frustration, too. “My buyer’s coming from the west, from Salt Lake.”

  “Not today, boss,” Hoot said, shaking his head and coughing again.

  Addie moved closer to Baron and put her arm around his waist. “Maybe he’ll be ahead of the storm.”

  “Doubtful.” Even JD knew that was unlikely. Storms came up quickly out here. More likely, Baron’s buyer would get stuck on the road, or would bail.

  “Not much time, boss,” Hoot said, his words ending in a ragged cough. “Temp’s droppin’ already and the wind has picked up. Best get to shelter.”

  Paula eyed the approaching storm with obvious dismay. She’d never liked the isolation of the ranch. She was strictly a city girl. Too bad for her because she couldn’t leave now. No way could they safely fly back to Cheyenne until the storm passed. She wasn’t crazy. She didn’t want to end up as pulverized pieces on some mountainside.

  “Looks like you’re stuck here, too,” JD said, relishing her disappointment.

  Paula tossed her head in a gesture deriding his jeer. Baron and Hoot began turning the plane to put it away in the hangar. Paula insisted on helping.

  Of course no one asked JD to help. Why ask a cripple? He was useless. He sank back into the chair. The dog whined and settled at his feet again. For some reason, the dog leaned his head on JD’s remaining real foot. JD’s hand went down automatically to pet the animal.

  “Looks like you’ve found a friend,” Addie said.

  JD gazed at the dog, and found the dog looking up at him. An automatic smile crossed his face before he wiped it clean. “Or he found me.”

  Baron returned to JD. “I’ll take you to the house. Addie, are you okay with bringing Paula?”

  She nodded. “I intend to debrief her and find out just what she and Tess have been up to. Glad you’ve come at last, JD. Things were looking rocky.”

  She walked into the hangar.

  “Come on,” Baron urged JD. “Got to make tracks. They’ll follow us. You can bring the dog if you want.”

  JD rose. This time he did it completely under his own power. He waited a second or two to make sure he was steady on his feet. He looked back at the hangar. Addie had joined Paula, who was removing something from her plane.

  “Shouldn’t we wait for the women? Be sure they’re safe?”

  Baron said, “I’ve learned so
mething recently. Women are tough and most of the time they can handle themselves. Even out here. Just because Mom and Dad raised Tess to be a cream puff doesn’t meant every woman is like her.”

  “They could get caught in the storm.”

  “If they do, we’ll rescue them. Meanwhile, we pay them the courtesy to believe they can handle themselves.”

  “Paula’s a city girl.”

  Baron looked at him. “You like her?”

  JD shook his head. Of course he didn’t like Paula. Although he had enjoyed kissing her and touching her soft flesh. Yesterday. Was it only yesterday?

  “Anyway, don’t worry about them. Addie always makes her goal. I ought to know,” Baron said, with a rueful expression on his face. He started walking toward his Jeep, and JD followed.

  “Yeah. What’s up with that? I heard she ran away from the ranch. With Paula’s help. Her again. She’s an interfering witch.”

  “I prefer to think of her as an angel of mercy. She saved me from making an even worse fool of myself six months ago. I’m grateful she interfered. Not that Addie wouldn’t have found a way without her,” he finished, admiration in his tone.

  “You’re stuck on her.”

  “Damn right I am. She’s the best woman in the world for me. I’ll do anything—including selling this ranch to my worst enemy for a penny—to keep her.”

  “We have to talk about this,” JD said.

  Baron pointed at the approaching storm. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk once the weather arrives.”

  They got into the Jeep, Baron swiftly and JD much more carefully. His fake foot did okay. The dog hopped in at the last second, again settling on JD’s feet.

  “What is it with this dog? Who’s he belong to?”

  “Phantom’s kind of a stray. Hoot says he’s related to the cattle dogs the hands use. Attached himself to me when I moved back here. Got a mind of his own. Sometimes he hangs out with me. Other times, he’s gone for days. That’s why I call him Phantom.”

  “Mom never wanted any dogs in the house,” JD said, as the Jeep climbed the ridge leading to the ranch house below.

  “Miss Betty won’t put up a fuss.”

  They could see the ranch house now. Something loosened in his chest. He didn’t have time to examine his feelings as they drove up to the front. He’d barely eased himself out, balancing on his fake foot, when Miss Betty flew out of the kitchen door and grabbed him in a tight hug.

  “My baby! My baby!”

  His heart expanded in a deep breath as he felt the familiar softness of the middle-aged housekeeper who had been his second mom. As always, she smelled like food. Chicken and dumplings. Cinnamon apple pie.

  He hugged her back. She was so tiny, almost birdlike. He’d forgotten how short she was. Not that she couldn’t keep order among the Selkirk children. She wasn’t afraid to wield her long wooden spoon and smack any of them if they got out of line.

  He smiled down at her. “I missed you.”

  “You shoulda come home sooner, boy,” she replied, tartness in her voice but love open on her face and in her eyes.

  He was losing control. Was he going to break down and sob right here on the doorstep?

  He kept an arm around her. “You giving me grief and I’m not yet over the threshold? You’re a tough one, Miss Betty.”

  “Well, come on in, boy, and set yourself down. Have a snack before the big meal.” She eyed the approaching storm. “Maybe I’d better whip up a few more dishes before we have to depend on generator power.”

  “I’ll go check on it,” Baron said, looking up from his smartphone. “They say this is building to be an unusually big storm. They’re talking feet, not inches.”

  “Are we really going to be snowed in? I haven’t been in snow since I was deployed. They don’t have snow where I was.”

  “Appears to me they’re missin’ more than snow over there,” Miss Betty said, sniffing. “You’re well out of it that mess. Come eat.” She noticed the dog trailing JD, and said, “Is that Phantom back again?”

  Baron said, “Yes. Looks like he’s adopted JD now.”

  “Well, I’ll be.” She leaned down and petted the dog. “You can come on in, too. I’ll get you a bone.”

  She led the way to her warm and bright kitchen, where she was the undisputed ruler. True to form, her television, hanging suspended on the wall, was turned to a sitcom from years ago.

  “Is that Addie?” he asked.

  Miss Betty seemed to swell with pride. “Sure is. ’Tain’t the earliest in the series, but I like the years when she’s in elementary school, and up to mischief with that brother of hers.”

  “That’s Caz Cassidy, right?”

  “Uh-huh. Her buddy. Has a hit cop show now. You seen it?”

  He nodded. “I watch a lot of television at the hospital to keep from getting bored out of my skull.”

  “Now you’re back, there’s plenty to do on the ranch.”

  She gestured that he should sit at the kitchen table. He slid into the seat he’d always taken when he’d lived here. It felt familiar and right.

  She pulled a large pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator and brought it to the table. She indicated the plate of cookies. “Have some but don’t spoil your appetite. Dinner is real soon.” She poured him a glass of lemonade. “You’re lookin’ good now. Do you need to be at the VA anymore?”

  He rubbed his head. “It’s complicated.”

  “Got it. Just want to say one thing before Baron comes in.” She turned to give the door a glance. “He’s serious about not runnin’ this ranch anymore. He wants to make Addie happy more than he wants anythin’ else, and he knows he did wrong to her. If you aren’t plannin’ to help out in this crisis, don’t get in his way.”

  He frowned. “If the ranch is sold, you’d lose your job.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “You think I care about that so much? I’m not as young as I used to be. I could retire. Your daddy set me up with a pension plan a long time ago. I’d be okay. I’d rather hang around and see if Addie will finally consent to marry Baron. Maybe help raise their babies.”

  “Everybody keeps pushing at me. I’m not recovered. I’ll never be recovered.” He pointed down at his right leg. “That’s not a real foot. It’s a fake.”

  “Coulda fooled me, boy. You can walk. What’s the problem?”

  He held up his hand missing two fingers. “I’m a cripple now.”

  She gave him a stern look. “You got no call to carry on like that. You can still walk. We both know plenty of ranchin’ and farmin’ men who’ve lost a finger or two from makin’ mistakes. You were honorably servin’ our country.”

  JD growled. He didn’t want to go there.

  “Okay, I get it,” she said. She laid a soft hand on his arm. “But I know the physical changes aren’t what’s eatin’ at you. You gonna talk to me about what’s really botherin’ you?”

  She must be psychic. She must be. How could everybody else see him daily and not know how miserable he felt, and Miss Betty look one look and knew?

  He took a swig of lemonade. “How do you do that?” he asked. “Figure it out so fast?”

  “I didn’t help raise you three without learnin’ a lot about human nature. And plenty about excuses people make for not actin’ up to their potential. Remember when you were a harum-scarum pup, runnin’ around the county after all the girls? You think I didn’t know what that was about? ’Course I did. You gonna settle down now and do the job?”

  “No. I can’t.”

  “That’s negative talk. Not allowed hereabouts.”

  She bustled around the kitchen. “You go settle into your old room. I’m puttin’ the meal on the table in an hour.”

  He stood obediently, but walked to the door to look out at the approaching storm. “You sure they’ll be okay? Paula’s very self-confident, too self-confident if you ask me, but the storm’s coming in fast. I only met Addie once. I don’t know how sensible either of them are.”


  “Hoot’s out there. Baron will go after them if need be.”

  “It’s already snowing.”

  “Oh, my.” She came over to the door. “Sure is, and it’s comin’ down hard. Dang.” She went back to the refrigerator and pulled out a few more items. “Got to get cookin’.”

  JD ambled away, wandering through the main rooms of the house, the comfortable great room with its couches and family photos. Phantom the dog followed. JD picked up the group photo taken when he was inducted. He looked so green. Smiling in his new uniform, without an inkling of the hell to come. He had his arm around Tess, in the middle. His right hand showed. He wouldn’t be showing that hand in a family photo ever again.

  Tess looked so happy seven years ago. She was just a kid then. Today, her eyes were haunted, and he knew why. Her life was on hold, waiting for him to stop torturing them all. She didn’t understand. None of them did. He wasn’t trying to torture them. Nor was he grieving his physical losses anymore. His eye had even recovered, slowly. His foot was gone, as were his fingers, but a man had to face the truth about bad breaks like that.

  Rob was gone. Blasted to smithereens by that IED. Carrie had no husband now, and her children had no father. It wasn’t right, but there it was. Why Rob, who was loved and needed? Why not him?

  Paula had effectively hogtied him and dumped him here. He could have her thrown into jail, but no way would he admit to the outside world that she’d drugged him and delivered him here like a Thanksgiving turkey. She probably was counting on that. Maybe she was counting on that moment between them at the hospital, too. That moment when he’d looked at her and seen her as a desirable, conquerable woman. She’d have been willing to give him a mercy screw right then. He knew the signs. No way. Bad enough the nurses saw his stump of a leg. He would never expose it to a woman who claimed she cared about him. Best way to make her run.

  Paula shouldn’t have done it. Shouldn’t have interfered. She thought her money made her invulnerable. He’d damn well teach her a lesson about trying to make a man do what he didn’t want to do. He’d make her do a few things, and enjoy the process.