“Set down the gear over there, Steve.” Jackson nodded toward the door of a nearby stall, while adjusting the cinch strap under Barney’s belly.
Steve did as Jackson requested. As he straightened, his gaze caught Molly’s and a grin broke over his face. “Hey, looks like the rest of the group is finally here.”
“Steve! Steve!” Karli broke away from Molly and ran to him, her boots clumping on the stable floor.
“Steve,” Ryan echoed, clapping his hands.
Karli grasped Steve’s hand and looked upward. “Are you coming, too?”
“I sure am. And don’t you look like a real cowgirl today in your hat and boots.” With his free hand, Steve straightened Karli’s hat, which had tilted to one side.
Karli beamed and stuck out one leg. “Auntie Sara gave them to me.”
“You said at lunch the other day that it’s been a long time since you learned to ride,” Molly said, aware her tone held doubt.
He caught her gaze again and nodded. “I know. But I figure I remember enough for what we’re doing today.”
“I wanna see the other horses.” Karli tugged Steve’s hand. “Can you show me?”
“I can do that. Okay with you?” He directed his question to Molly.
Molly lifted a shoulder. “Sure.” What else could she say?
Steve led Karli to a nearby stall. “Let’s check out this one…”
As soon as the two were out of earshot, Molly propped her hands on her hips and with a narrowed gaze turned to Jackson. “Is this a set-up?”
Jackson led Barney to join the two other horses, and then came back to Molly. “For you and Steve? Nope. He’s a guest here in town. I always offer guests a ride around the ranch. But if you’re not okay with him coming, you and Karli can ride some other time. I’m not telling Steve he can’t come today.”
Molly let her arms fall to her sides and wrinkled her brow in apology. “Of course, you can’t, Jackson. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound rude.”
He stepped close and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I know you didn’t,” he said, his tone gentler than before. “Try to relax and enjoy the ride. It’s a beautiful day, and I’ll bet once you’re in the saddle again, you’ll have a good time.”
“Okay, I’ll take your advice.”
“Good. One more horse to saddle and we’re ready to go.” He headed for one of the stalls.
Molly folded her arms and pursed her lips. Could she enjoy herself, with Steve along? Just the sight of him a few minutes ago had sent her heartbeat into overdrive.
She cast him a covert glance. He and Karli had joined Sara and Ryan as they peeked into the various stalls and exclaimed over the horses. Molly heaved a sigh. As Jackson said, Steve was a guest, and she’d better get used to having him around.
At least, for a while.
Finally, all the horses were saddled and waiting outside the stable ready to go. Cautioning Karli to stand aside, Molly grabbed the saddle horn and mounted Barney. After she was settled, Jackson adjusted the stirrups. Then he picked up Karli and set her in the saddle in front of Molly.
Karli shook her head. “I want my own horse.”
Molly had expected her disappointment. She put her arms around Karli. “This is your first ride, and you’re going with me. Look, Ryan’s riding with his mom.” She pointed ahead to where Sara and Ryan sat on their horse, Sara with her arms tightly around Ryan. Apparently the comparison worked, for Karli obediently settled back against Molly.
At a slow walk, they started off, leaving the stable behind and heading down the asphalt road leading to the ranch’s interior. The clip-clop of horses’ hooves struck a familiar, nostalgic note in Molly’s brain. The sight of fields and meadows and cows grazing brought back memories, too. This was the first opportunity she’d had to venture beyond her and Karli’s house.
Despite so much familiarity, sitting in the saddle again felt strange. Her legs soon ached from being stretched around Barney’s girth, and, looking down, the ground seemed awfully far away. Her stomach clenched, and she tightened her grip around Karli.
Steve swung his horse into step beside them. “Hey, Karli, how do you like riding so far?”
“I like it.” Karli lifted one hand from the reins and waved.
Steve’s gaze cut to Molly. “How ‘bout you?”
“So far, so good.” Reluctant to share all her memories, Molly was intentionally vague. “You got a new outfit.” She let her gaze rove over him.
He touched the brim of his cowboy hat. “Yep. When I heard about today’s outing, I hit the western store. What do you think?”
Pressing her fingers to her lips, she stifled a giggle. “That you look like a dude.”
One eyebrow peaked. “Should I take that as a compliment?”
“That’s up to you,” she said with a shrug. She didn’t want to tell him that, dude or not, he was way too handsome and appealing for his own good.
The group followed the winding road through the ranch until they came to the oval track where Jackson’s horse trainer was working with one of the ranch’s quarter horses. Horse and rider raced around the ring—the man leaning forward over the horse’s neck, the animal’s hooves pounding the dirt, raising clouds of dust.
Jackson led their group to the track’s slatted wooden fence. When the trainer spotted them, he slowed and trotted the horse in their direction.
“This is Dirk Lamont.” Jackson nodded at the newcomer.
Dirk smiled and tipped his hat.
Dirk’s long, angular face looked familiar. While Molly was trying to place him, he gave her a wide smile of recognition.
“Hey, I remember you. Buck’s wife, right?”
Molly’s insides jolted. She hadn’t been called “Buck’s wife” for two years. “Right.”
“Buck and I worked together on the Grant spread—where you two first met.”
A lump rose in Molly’s throat. “Ah, I knew I’d seen you somewhere.”
“Buck was a great guy.”
Her eyes burning, Molly lowered her gaze and fiddled with the reins. “Yes, he was.”
“So how’s Belle doing today?” Jackson leaned forward and rested his hands on the saddle horn. “She looked pretty good on the last lap.”
Molly silently thanked Jackson for changing the subject. Taking advantage of the shift in Dirk’s attention, she said in Karli’s ear, “Isn’t Belle a pretty horse?”
Karli bobbed her head. “She is, Mommy. Someday I want a horse just like her.”
Jackson and Dirk exchanged a few more remarks about Belle’s training then Dirk said, “If you can hang around awhile, Jackson, I’ll show you what she can do.”
Jackson nodded. “Think I will.” He turned to the others. “You folks go on ahead, and maybe I’ll catch up. Otherwise, I’ll see you back at the house.”
Dirk tipped his hat to Molly and Steve. “Nice to meetcha, Steve. Molly, you take care now.” With a tug on the reins, he wheeled Belle around and rode off.
Jackson dismounted and tied his horse’s reins to the fence. Leaning his elbows on the top rail, his gaze followed Belle and Dirk.
Sara and Ryan kept the lead as the remainder of their group left the track and wound farther into the ranch’s interior.
But the track was no more than out of sight when Sara reined her horse to a halt and waited for Molly, Karli, and Steve to catch up.
“My little guy is ready for his nap.” Sara looked down at Ryan, whose chin was tucked into his chest. She turned back to Steve and Molly, wrinkles lining her forehead. “Sorry, but I’d better head back to the house.”
And leave her and Karli to keep on riding just with Steve? Not something Molly wanted to do. “We’ll go back, too.”
“No.” Karli shook her head. “I want to ride some more.”
Molly rolled her eyes. She should have known her daughter would protest. She glanced at Steve.
He met Molly’s gaze and shrugged. “I’m game.”
“That’s settled.�
� Sara ran a hand over her forehead, smoothing away the wrinkles. “You can ride on to the river. It’s not far.” She tugged on the reins and turned her horse around.
Now that only two horses rode forward, a sinking feeling hit Molly’s stomach. This was not the enjoyable outing she’d envisioned.
That Steve had come along was bad enough, but to be abandoned by both Jackson and Sara left Molly feeling irritated. Entertaining their guest was not her responsibility.
Sara suddenly stopped and turned her horse around. For a moment, Molly thought perhaps Ryan had awoken and Sara intended to remain with them, after all. But then Sara said, “Don’t forget, Steve, you’re staying for dinner. And you and Karli are coming, too, Molly. Rose and Mike will be there.”
Molly nodded and waved as Sara rode off. Sunday dinner with the Phillips was a frequent occurrence when she and Buck had lived there. She always looked forward to the occasions.
But tonight Steve would be there, too. On the night she and Karli arrived, he sat in Buck’s place and claimed Karli’s attention. A lump formed in Molly’s throat. How would she get through another dinner with Steve present?
“So, what do you think?”
Steve’s voice broke into Molly’s thoughts. “About what?” she asked, her tone abrupt.
“About riding to the river?”
“Yes! Yes! The river!” Karli bounced up and down in the saddle.
Barney pranced and whinnied.
“Hold on there, darlin’.” Molly clutched the reins with one hand and Karli with the other.
“Can we, can we, Mommy?”
“Well, all right,” Molly conceded. “But only as far as the river.”
Chapter Six
As they rode on, Steve’s shoulders tensed. Being alone with Molly kept him on edge. Of course, Karli was there, too, but Molly was the one he worried about. He’d tried making conversation, but her replies were short. Mostly, she stared straight ahead with her jaw set and her brow furrowed. He wasn’t sure if Sara’s and Jackson’s absences or their visiting the river had caused her mood.
With a roll of his shoulders to ease the tension, he vowed to enjoy the ride as best he could. The winding road led them by a meadow ringed with tall cottonwood trees, where cattle peacefully grazed, and on to wide, open spaces dotted with clumps of tangleweed and scrub brush. The air was dry and hot, with little breeze, and more than once, he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his brow.
After a while, the silence weighed on him. “Nice spread Jackson has here.” He cast Molly a glance to see if she would respond.
“It is.” Molly nodded but didn’t meet his gaze.
“I’m guessing around seven hundred acres.”
“Seven hundred and fifty-six.”
He chuckled. “Hey, I wasn’t too far off.”
Molly clamped her jaw shut.
Okay, another conversational dead end. Steve pushed up his hat and scratched his head. There must be something they could talk about. “Say, how’re you doing with the software program?”
Molly guided Karli’s hands on the reins to lead Barney around a fallen branch. “No problem, so far. I’ve used the Order Form a number of times, and the accounting seems easy enough.”
He nodded, encouraged by more than just a simple “yes” or “no.” “Good. I always like to hear a client is satisfied.”
“Have you met with your other clients yet?”
“A couple of them, yes. But I have more to see.” Was she really interested, or just being polite? Or maybe boredom had driven her to talk.
“Do you know when you’re going back to New York?”
“Trying to get rid of me already, huh?” He’d meant the remark as a joke, of course.
She pressed her lips together and said in a humorless tone, “No, I was only making conversation.”
So boredom was the motive. “When I leave depends on when I see all the potential clients on my list.” And when I’ve made sure Angie isn’t around here somewhere.
“Oh.”
“I wouldn’t mind staying longer, though. I like the country here.” Now, what possessed him to say that?
She turned, and when their gazes collided, the air sizzled. As confusion ricocheted around his brain, he tightened his grip on the reins.
Molly broke eye contact and lowered her gaze. “Maybe you can come back again sometime for a visit.”
“Maybe I can.”
No telling where the conversation would have gone from there, because just then, Karli piped up with, “How much farther, Mommy?”
Molly favored Karli with a broad smile. “You’re always impatient to get where you’re going, aren’t you, honey? Well, if I remember rightly, the river’s around the next bend. If you listen real hard, I bet you can hear it.”
Molly reined Barney to a halt. Steve pulled Rollie alongside, and they all listened. At first, the only sound was the tinkling of the wind in the nearby aspen trees. Then, in the distance, came the faint whoosh of flowing water.
Steve leaned forward in the saddle. “I can hear it. How ‘bout you, Karli?”
Karli tilted her head. “I can. We’re getting close.” She dropped the reins long enough to clap her hands.
Molly led them down a path angling off the main road. The terrain sloped downward, and the trees thickened, blotting out the sun. The rush of the river filled the air.
When they reached the river, they reined their horses to a halt and sat watching the water foam and bubble over protruding rocks and fallen tree branches.
“What river is this?” Steve raised his voice to be heard over the roar.
“The Rolling River,” Molly said. “That’s where Jackson got the name for his ranch.”
Steve pointed to the far bank lined with dense foliage and trees. “It’s wider than I thought it would be.”
“I bet I could swim in it,” Karli said.
“So you know how to swim, Karli?” Steve tore his gaze from the mesmerizing water to focus on Karli. “That’s a good skill to have.”
“She had lessons at a pool near our home in Chicago,” Molly said. “But don’t get any ideas about swimming here, Karli.” She wagged a warning finger. “The river is not the same as a swimming pool.”
“I know.” Karli craned her neck toward the water. “It’s a looong river. I can’t see the end.”
“It doesn’t really have an end,” Steve said, his gaze following the river to where it disappeared around an outcropping of rocks. “The water flows on and on until it reaches the ocean.”
“Wow!” Karli looked over her shoulder, and her eyes grew big.
They watched the river in silence for a couple more minutes, their horses occasionally shifting and pawing the ground. Finally, Steve reached around and poked a sore back muscle. “I don’t know about you two, but I could use a break from the saddle.”
Molly nodded. “Okay. That would give the horses a rest, too.”
“I’ll get off first and help Karli down.” Steve swung his leg over the horse’s rump.
“Tie Rollie to one of those trees over there.” Molly pointed to a clump of aspen trees growing along a ridge well above the river’s bank.
Steve led Rollie to the trees and tied the reins around a slender trunk. Approaching Barney, he opened his arms for Karli. When she curled her arms around his neck, he lifted her off the horse and carefully lowered her, keeping a tight hold until her feet were securely on the ground.
He let his arms slip away, and a sudden lump filled his throat. He’d always wanted children, and being around Karli, even for only a few days, made him realize how much he missed having a family.
Molly dismounted. She secured her horse near Rollie and took Karli’s hand. As they strolled around the clearing, he noticed that Molly kept a safe distance from the riverbank. Probably a good idea.
Karli began picking up odd-shaped stones and soon had both her and Molly’s jeans pockets bulging.
“That’s enough now,” Molly finally said, tucking
yet another stone into a pocket. “Next time we come we’ll bring something to put your collections in.”
“Why don’t we sit for a bit?” Steve pointed to a flat spot at the base of an oak tree with a trunk thick enough to lean against. “There’s a good place.”
Molly frowned. “I don’t know…We should be getting back…”
Steve consulted his wristwatch. “Still lots of time before dinner. Come on. Getting here took awhile. Let’s enjoy it.”
“Well…okay.”
When they were seated under the tree, Molly emptied her pockets of the stones, laying them on the ground. “Can you arrange them with the little ones first, then the big ones?” she challenged Karli.
“’Course I can.” Karli emptied her pockets. She picked up a small stone and a slightly larger one and laid them side-by-side.
Molly took off her hat and set it on the ground. She brushed strands of hair from her forehead and leaned back against the tree trunk.
Steve rested against the trunk, too, intending to relax—if that were possible with Molly sitting close. With very little effort, he could put his arm around her shoulders and…
And what?
The nearby bushes rustled. Steve twisted his head around in time to see a gray squirrel dart from the underbrush. “Look, Karli, there’s a squirrel.” He pointed to the animal as it scurried past.
Another squirrel scooted into view. Tails high, the two stood motionless for a couple seconds, regarding each other with inquisitive eyes. The first one wheeled around and with a swish of its tail scampered over the rough ground. The other squirrel stretched its legs in an effort to catch up.
“They’re funny,” Karli said with a giggle. She jumped up and took a step after the animals.
Molly caught her arm. “Don’t go after them, honey. You’ll scare them away.”
Karli tossed Steve a questioning glance.
He nodded. “Your mom’s right. Best to just watch them.”
They followed the antics of the squirrels as they ran up the gnarled trunk of another oak tree. The animals skittered along the branches, their tails waving like furry flags, then jumped to another tree and disappeared into a clump of leaves.
Marrying Molly Page 7