Love Inspired June 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: The Cowboy's HomecomingThe Amish Widow's SecretSafe in the Fireman's Arms

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “I don’t want you to lie to your brother again. He looks up to you.”

  Wes scuffed his boot. “I was just playing.”

  “Would you like some of the older boys at school to tease you like that?”

  He shook his head.

  “You can go outside and play if you boys have finished your chores.”

  Wes pursed his lips. “We were almost finished when Todd told me he wanted to be a cowboy like Jimmy Rogers’s dad. You know that Jimmy’s dad is going to compete in the rodeo next week? Could we go? Please?” His eyes filled with hope and longing.

  “We’ll see.”

  His expression fell and his lower lip jutted out. “’Kay.”

  Wes’s posture, slumped shoulders and dragging feet tore at her heart.

  The rodeo was in town, but the competition would take place next weekend. April wished she had the extra money to buy tickets to take the boys to see it. It just wasn’t in the budget. Money was tight, which was why she’d decided to sell the two horses her father-in-law had raised for the rodeo. They were a little young, and if she could’ve held out until December, it would’ve been better, but she couldn’t afford the extra money needed for the horses’ upkeep.

  Even with the money woes and problems the ranch faced, she wouldn’t change a thing about her life—except having her late husband’s vision of the future match hers. With all the traveling her family had done as she was growing up, this little piece of Texas in the Panhandle was her ideal spot. Roots. A place to belong. Waking up every day in the same place. That was paradise.

  Ross had never understood that need for a home she could live in 24/7, 365 days a year. “Lord, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed here. Could You send me some help?”

  The baby cried, alerting April that her few minutes of reprieve were over.

  * * *

  Joel Kaye turned his truck and the rodeo’s horse trailer down the private road of the Circle L Ranch. At the end of the gravel drive stood a single-story white clapboard ranch house, with a deep front porch that shaded the house in the late afternoon and a porch swing that swayed in the breeze. A faded red barn stood to the right of the house, opening onto a large area where an old truck was parked.

  Like the lightning strike that had taken out the electronics at his family’s ranch a couple of springs ago, a longing for home shot through him, leaving him off balance. Shaking off the weird feeling, Joel pulled to a stop before the barn entrance. By the time he slammed the truck door shut, two little boys had barreled out of the barn’s double doors and skidded to a stop. They looked at him, then each other.

  “Hello, I’m looking for Mrs. April Landers.”

  The boys eyed him, making Joel feel like a horse ready to be auctioned.

  “That’s our mom,” the taller boy answered. “Do you want to talk to her?”

  “I do. Could you get her?”

  The boy cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Mom, there’s someone out here who wants to talk to you!”

  Joel fought back a grin. That wasn’t exactly how he’d expected the boy to get his mother, but Joel understood.

  Their sharp gazes roamed over him, and Joel saw the questions on their faces. They looked at the horse trailer beside him.

  “You with the rodeo?” the older child asked.

  They huddled together, waiting.

  “I am.”

  “What do you do?” the older boy asked.

  “I help around the rodeo with chores. I also compete in events.”

  “What events?”

  “Calf roping, bareback riding and steer wrestling.”

  “When’s your birthday?” the younger boy piped up, stepping forward.

  Joel’s brow wrinkled. “March. I had a birthday last week.” He’d turned thirty-four and felt every day of his age.

  The younger boy turned to his brother. “See, you’re wrong.” His words were a singsong na, na, na. He moved to Joel’s side. “What’s your name?”

  Joel squatted to get eye level with the boy. “My name is Joel Kaye. What’s yours?”

  “I’m Todd and that’s my brother, Wes, who doesn’t know nothin’.”

  Obviously, Joel had landed in the midst of an argument. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “What are you doing here?” Todd persisted.

  “I’m here to talk to your mom.”

  “Why?” Wes demanded.

  “Do you do bull riding?” Todd asked, scooting closer, leaving Joel no time to answer his brother’s question.

  Holding up his hand, Joel motioned for quiet. “I’ll answer your questions, but I need to talk to your mom.”

  “Mom,” the older boy bellowed again.

  The boys seemed to vibrate with excitement.

  “So, are you two rodeo fans?”

  Their heads moved like bobblehead dolls.

  “I love the bareback riding,” Todd added, his eyes filled with eagerness. “And bull riding.”

  “You’ve got to be mighty strong to ride those bulls,” Joel warned. His first time on the circuit he’d tried bull riding and caught a hoof on his upper arm and had six stitches. Now he only rode horses.

  Todd’s eyes widened. “I know, but I can. I do calf scramble now.”

  “I’m impressed.” Joel remembered the first time he’d managed to rope the gatepost of the corral behind his family’s barn. He’d been about Todd’s age and his father had witnessed the event.

  The back door slammed, bringing his attention to the woman exiting the house. Several strands of her soft brown hair, piled on her head, hung around her face, giving her the look of a woman who cared for and chased after small children. Tall and slender, there was a quiet strength in her that drew him, something none of the flashy women hanging around the rodeo had. She had a little girl riding on her hip.

  Joel stood and tipped his hat to her. “Ma’am, Joel Kaye. I’m here to pick up the horses you wanted to sell to the rodeo.”

  “Mom, you’re not going to sell our horses, are you?” Wes asked, racing to her side. A note of fear laced his voice.

  “No, I’m not going to sell Buckwheat and Sammie.”

  His rigid posture eased.

  “I’m selling Sadie and Helo. You know Opa planned on selling them to the rodeo.”

  Todd’s posture didn’t ease, broadcasting his distrust.

  “Really?” Wes eyed his mother.

  April cupped her son’s chin. “Really. Your grandfather gave you Buckwheat. He’s yours, and Sammie is your brother’s horse. I will not sell them.”

  Wes studied her. “Okay.”

  Turning to Joel, she waved him forward. “C’mon, I’ll show you where the horses are.”

  “Did you know he calf ropes in the rodeo?” Todd hurried after his mother. “And his birthday is in March,” Todd added, sticking his nose up in a see-I-told-you-so-attitude.

  Joel caught her smile.

  “It’s a long story.” She turned and walked to the corral behind the barn and pointed out the black horse with the star on her forehead and the tan horse with a darker brown mane and two front stockings. “Sadie and Helo are the two my father-in-law thought would work well in the rodeo.”

  Her words sent his mind off in a different direction. Her father-in-law. Jack Murphy had told him that the Landerses had supplied animals for the rodeo for several years.

  “I hadn’t planned on selling them so soon, but the drought being as severe as it has been, I couldn’t afford to keep them another six months.”

  The little girl in April’s arms smiled at Joel and shyly laid her head on her mother’s shoulder.

  He winked at her and she turned her face in to her mother’s body.

  “Well, I know Jack is glad to have the stock. I’ll go get some halters out of the trailer.” The boys huddled around their mother.

  “Can I help?” Todd asked, coming out from behind his mother’s leg.

  April visibly tensed.

  “Of course. I could use som
e help.”

  A sigh of relief escaped her. Todd beamed and followed Joel to the trailer. As they were walking away, Joel paused and waved Wes toward them. “I could use your help, too. I have two halters, one for each horse.”

  Wes’s face lit. “Okay.” He looked at his mother. “I’m going to help.”

  April’s stance eased and she smiled. “I heard, and I know you can help, too.” Beaming with pride, Todd and Wes trailed behind Joel.

  Thank you, she mouthed.

  Joel nodded. Together they moved to the trailer. He opened the back door and walked into the divided interior. Two ropes sat on the floor. Joel handed each boy a rope and watched as they slipped them up their arms, holding the coiled ropes close.

  Joel left the doors to the trailer open. “Okay, guys, let’s go get those horses.” The boys grinned at him and followed.

  Hearing the boys walking behind him brought a smile to Joel’s lips. His gaze collided with April’s. Her expression, a curious mixture of caution and appreciation, caught him off guard. Did she think he’d be cruel to her boys? Ignore them? But then again, she didn’t know him from Adam. Joel found himself admiring the mama bear, determined to protect her cubs.

  “How contrary are the horses?” Joel threw the question over his shoulder.

  “They’re not broken, but both can be won over with a carrot.”

  He stopped and turned to her. “Good idea. Do you have some?”

  “Some?” Her brain short-circuited.

  “Carrots.”

  April’s cheeks heated and she felt dumber than dirt. “Yeah, I’ll get them.” She turned toward the kitchen with Cora still cradled in her arms. The toddler protested and held out her arms to the cowboy. April stared down at her daughter. “Sweetie, he doesn’t want to hold you.” She turned toward the house, but Cora put up a fuss.

  April frowned at her daughter’s behavior. Lately, Cora wasn’t willing to let any stranger near her.

  “I don’t mind holding her while you get the carrots.”

  Joel’s words startled her. He didn’t look frightened or uncomfortable about holding the two-and-a-half-year-old.

  Cora leaned toward the tall cowboy, still holding out her arms. He wrapped his hands around her daughter and settled her close to his chest.

  Cora batted her lashes at him, instantly winning him over. April struggled to keep her mouth from falling open. Suddenly her picky daughter decided to be friendly.

  “I think we’ve got everything under control here, except for the carrots.”

  The stupor that held April in place evaporated. She turned and hurried into the kitchen. What was going on? Suddenly her children had latched on to this stranger while she acted like a teenager, with her heart fluttering in excitement. She wasn’t that green anymore.

  Grabbing the carrots out of the refrigerator, April fought to regain her balance. She’d just prayed for some help, but surely he wasn’t it. God knew her hurts and past, and this cowboy fit none of her needs. Joel worked for the traveling rodeo, which was in a different city each week. He probably had that same wandering gene her father and husband had had. She’d had enough of that and wanted nothing to do with a man who couldn’t commit to one place.

  Hurrying outside, she stopped short when she saw all three of her children surrounding Joel, talking to him. They looked so perfect together. Just looking at the group, one would never know the children weren’t his.

  It stole her breath.

  The sound of the screen door slamming brought everyone’s attention to her.

  “Here are the carrots.” She held them up and hurried down the side steps, shaking off her fantasies. Obviously, she’d been alone too long and any help she got was bound to throw her off stride.

  But I prayed.

  Arriving beside Joel, April held out her arms for Cora. Her daughter didn’t budge.

  “C’mon, sweetie.”

  Cora didn’t respond.

  April felt her cheeks grow hot. She smiled and plucked Cora out of Joel’s arms. “If you’re half as good with horses as you are with kids, Sadie and Helo shouldn’t be any problem for you.”

  The tall cowboy smiled slowly. “I’m better.”

  She swallowed hard. Oh, my.

  Joel took the carrots and walked to the corral gate.

  “What are you goin’ to do?” Todd asked, following Joel. “Are you going to rope Helo and Sadie?”

  “I’m going to make friends with a couple of nervous horses.” He held out his hand and took the ropes from Wes and Todd, hanging them over the gatepost. He opened the gate and walked inside but made no move toward the horses. Helo and Sadie nervously moved to the other side of the corral.

  The boys crowded around the gate, hanging on to the horizontal brace. April moved behind them.

  “Sometimes you just have to let a horse get to know you.” He placed one carrot in his back pocket and held out the other one. “Let them feel you, catch your scent.”

  “Is that why you’re just standing there doing nothin’?” Wes asked. “I thought you’d charge in there and rope the horses.”

  “I could, but if I came into your house and started demanding things from you, you wouldn’t like it, would you?”

  Todd’s face screwed up as he thought. “No.”

  “Horses are the same.”

  “Oh.”

  The horses stilled as Joel waited, but curiosity won out and the black horse moved closer to him. Joel held up the carrot, waving it around. Slowly the black horse drifted toward him. Joel held the carrot still, and the horse accepted it.

  “Sadie’s eating it,” Todd whispered.

  Joel rubbed the horse’s forehead, then ran his hand down her neck. She accepted his touch. As he worked to win the horse’s trust, he felt the gazes of the boys and their mother on him. Their interest and admiration warmed him in a way that surprised him.

  It took less than ten minutes for Joel to win Sadie’s trust, and she allowed him to slip the rope over her head.

  “Wow,” the boys whispered.

  Joel slowly led Sadie out of the corral to his trailer. He paused at the tailgate. The boys peered at him, their little bodies tense. Sadie only paused a moment before she walked into the trailer.

  “How’d you do that?” Todd demanded.

  “When you do something that isn’t familiar to you, you’re nervous, right? It’s the same for horses.” Joel glanced at April and found admiration on her face, too. It was common sense, but his heart soaked up her reaction.

  It took less time for him to coax Helo to his side, and he slipped the rope over his head. When he had both horses secured in the trailer, he turned to the two boys.

  “Are y’all comin’ to the rodeo next weekend?”

  The kids turned to their mother with pleading expressions. They were good, Joel admitted to himself. They could put the hurt on anyone.

  “Can we?”

  Joel saw the answer in April’s bleak face. That was why she was selling her horses early.

  “We’ll see.”

  “But, Mom,” Todd whined.

  The woman tilted her head and her eyes narrowed.

  Nothing else was said.

  Joel pulled his truck around and headed out.

  As he drove back to the rodeo, Joel’s heart ached. He understood the woman’s pride that she could take care of her own. He only wished there was something he could do to help.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, Joel drove into the parking lot of the Caprock Feed & Seed store to pick up extra feed for the rodeo. On his way back from this feed run, he might stop by the Dairy Queen he’d spotted and have a chicken-fried steak burger.

  Entering the store, Joel saw April talking to the clerk. He didn’t spot either of the boys, but Cora stood by her mother, holding April’s leg.

  “So, Sully, what do you recommend I plant in the other fields, beside the hay for my own animals?”

  He hadn’t noticed earlier how musical her voice sounde
d. Now he knew he’d be haunted by it when he laid his head down tonight.

  “I know you don’t want to plant cotton like the majority of the farms around here, but you could try a field of wheat, soybeans or sorghum. Manufacturers want sweet sorghum for syrup,” the clerk said.

  “Or you could try planting sunflowers.” The words popped out of Joel’s mouth before he thought.

  April jerked and turned toward him. “Sunflowers?”

  “Mr. Joel,” Todd yelled in excitement, darting out from behind a tall pile of sacks of feed.

  Wes followed and hurried to Joel’s side. Cora made a beeline to him.

  He picked her up and she patted him on the chest.

  “Mr. Joel.”

  Joel’s heart melted at the munchkin’s twinkling eyes. When he looked up, a frown wrinkled April’s brow. Was her expression from him holding Cora or the advice he’d given?

  “Sunflowers are a good cash crop. Several of the farms and ranches around my family’s ranch started growing them. The crop requires little work and when harvested, there are multiple places to sell them.”

  The clerk’s stare bored into Joel.

  “I’m Joel Kaye.” He stuck out his hand.

  “He’s with the rodeo, Mr. Sully,” Todd helpfully announced. “He knows how to throw a lariat and has a birthday in March and is a cowboy.”

  Sully shook Joel’s hand.

  “Jack sent me here for the feed he ordered.”

  The man’s attitude changed. “It’s ready, but let me finish with Mrs. Landers first.”

  “That’s okay, Sully. I need to think about your suggestions on what to plant.”

  Sully nodded. “Drive around back and we’ll load the order.” He disappeared into the back.

  “I didn’t mean to butt in.” Joel stepped closer to the counter. April’s hair fell around her face, tempting him to reach out and touch the shiny rich brown strands.

  “No, I appreciate it. I’ve been wondering what to do with the fields my father-in-law normally cultivated. Sunflowers. I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “I wouldn’t have, either, but as I told you several of my neighbors planted them as a cash crop and they liked the results.”

  Sully appeared again. “It’s ready.”

  Joel didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl at Sully’s impatience. When Joel tried to put Cora down, she protested. April took her daughter from his arms and hushed the girl. Joel nodded and walked outside to his truck.