Roping in the Cowgirl

by Judy Duarte

  “I’m sorry. That had to be a tough blow to not only lose your father, but your home, too.”

  “I’m just relieved that he never realized just how bad things had gotten. He’d loved that ranch, but especially liked the garage where he worked on old cars.”

  Blake made the natural assumption. “So you opted to go to nursing school instead.”

  “I’d thought about getting a student loan, but when Joy went through her divorce, she moved in with me. And... Well, considering the time I’d be spending, as well as the expense, nursing was the smartest and easiest route to take. It was certainly the cheapest one.”

  “Our Joy?” he asked, realizing the two had known each other before coming to work at the Rocking Chair Ranch.

  “Yes. Joy was my dad’s sister.”

  So the two women were related. He probably should have connected the dots, especially since Shannon had always defended Joy. But then again, why wouldn’t she? Even Blake, who’d had so many doubts before, had come to realize that Joy was genuine, that she was warmhearted and kind.

  Since Shannon was Joy’s niece, she had to be the woman Sam had wanted to send to medical school. Yet for some reason that didn’t bother him the way it would have if he’d realized that when he’d first arrived.

  “Joy was twelve years older than my dad, and when their parents died, she practically raised him. So after her second husband left her both broke and homeless, she had nowhere else to go. That’s when I insisted she stay with me.”

  “How’d she end up working here?”

  “She needed a job, but she’d been a housewife for her entire life and didn’t have any work experience. When I found out the ranch needed a cook and housekeeper, I realized she’d be perfect for the position. So I pulled a few strings.” Shannon glanced at Blake, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. “It’s worked out nicely for everyone involved.”

  He supposed she was right. The owners of the ranch, Chloe and Joe, not only had a good employee, but an amazing cook.

  “Working here has given Joy a special purpose in life,” Shannon added, “something she really never had. And now she has people to fuss over, to care for—folks who care for her, too. To top it all off, she fell in love with Sam.”

  Shannon was right about that, too. Now that Blake had gotten to know Joy better and seen the couple together, it was hard to deny their feelings were real. It was enough to make a man wonder if finding a loving, good-hearted woman wasn’t just a fluke but a real possibility.

  A car engine sounded in the distance, and Shannon got to her feet. “That must be Darlene. I need to go. I’d like to get back before those dark clouds roll in.”

  Blake admired Shannon’s sense of responsibility, her concern for the residents. And like her, he needed to leave, too, but for some reason, he didn’t. Instead, he reached for her mug and remained seated. “Give me a call and let me know how Rex is doing.”

  “I will.” She studied him for a moment, as if trying to decide whether he was sincere. But he’d come to care about that old man, too.

  She flashed him a smile, then strode off the porch and headed toward her car.

  As he watched her go, he wondered if she might be the kind of woman who’d love a man for who he really was—and not what he could provide her.

  Sam said there were plenty of them out there, women who’d love a man unconditionally.

  And I should know, Sam had said. I’ve found two of them myself.

  Right now, Blake was willing to settle for one.

  * * *

  Three hours later, Blake stood on the porch, waiting for Shannon to return to the ranch.

  Sam and Joy had come back just before sunset. Then Sam had gone in search of Nate. The cowboy who’d become Sam’s right hand man had worked seven days straight, and Sam wanted him to go home while he still had a chance of getting across the bridge.

  When a clap of thunder shook the ranch house, Blake began to pace the length of the wraparound porch in spite of a slight limp. He could have gone inside, where it was warm and dry, but he wasn’t going to do that until he saw Shannon’s car pull into the yard.

  He wasn’t even going to ponder his reason for wanting to know she’d made it back safely—or why he hadn’t driven to Houston while he’d still had the chance.

  A flash of lightning lit the sky, and the rain began to fall. Hopefully this would be the last in the series. The entire valley had been soaked and could stand to dry out.

  Thank God they’d gotten Rex out of there before this new storm hit.

  Shannon had called an hour earlier and told them that Rex was doing fine, although he was barking at the nursing staff and threatening to walk out if they gave him any trouble.

  As it turned out, it hadn’t been a heart attack after all. It was some kind of inner ear disorder, but Doc Nelson wanted to keep him at the hospital for a couple of days to run some tests. Shannon also said she planned to stop by her place to get a few things before returning to the Rocking C.

  If Blake was ever going to get to the airport, he’d better do it now—before the rain hit. It was already beginning to sprinkle, and it wouldn’t take much to fill the creek to overflowing again. But he wouldn’t leave until Shannon was back, safe and sound.

  That didn’t mean his plans had changed. He still meant to fly home as soon as he could. But he’d be making return trips to Texas, now that he’d seen the place where Sam was living and working.

  And now that he’d met Shannon.

  Didn’t he owe it to himself to see where his feelings for her might lead?

  As the rain began to fall, he continued to walk the length of the porch and back again, ignoring the growing ache in his knee.

  Where was she? He hoped she hadn’t wasted too much time at her house.

  When he heard the roar of an engine in the distance, he turned to search the length of the driveway, hoping Shannon had finally arrived. Instead, a black Ford Ranger with only a single windshield wiper working pulled into the yard and parked.

  Blake didn’t recognize the woman driving and wouldn’t have given her much thought, but when she fumbled to reach the handle to the driver’s door, he got a better view and realized something was wrong.

  Her curly blond hair was a mess, and when her head drooped forward, resting on the steering wheel, he approached the small pickup. Water splattered her windows, but he could see inside. When she raised her head, he spotted bruises on her face, a cut over her left eye and a dribble of blood oozing from her nose.

  It looked as though she’d been in a car accident, although the vehicle didn’t have any notable damage.

  He knocked lightly upon the driver’s side window. She slowly turned and looked at him, but she appeared dazed. He suspected she’d been beaten and didn’t wait for her to open the door.

  “Ma’am?” he asked. “Are you all right?”

  She swiped at the blood coming from her nose, leaving a smear on her upper lip. “Is Nate here?”

  Blake had no idea what she wanted with the cowboy, but as he helped her out of the truck, he noticed something else about her—she had a good-sized baby bump.

  Suspecting that her injuries weren’t the result of an accident, he made a reasonable assumption. “Who did this to you?”

  “Kenny. He...” She swayed and fingered her forehead. The other hand rested on her swollen womb. “Oh, God. I... Where’s Nate?”

  He didn’t want to tell her that the man had gone home for the next day or two. She was in no condition to drive, should she decide to look for him. It was a wonder she’d made it to the Rocking C without running into a ditch—or worse.

  She must have been desperate to get away from “Kenny.” But why hadn’t she gone to the police?

  Before Blake could question her further, she slumped. He caught her before she collapsed to the ground. He had to get her out of the rain and into the house, so he started for the front door.

  In spite of her obvious pregnancy, she was
just a slip of a thing and couldn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds.

  “What’s your name?” he asked.

  “Beth. But...” Her head jerked, and she looked around. “I need...Nate.”

  “I’ll find him for you.” Darlene was on duty today, but something told Blake this was more than she could handle on her own. Beth was going to need a doctor.

  Before he reached the porch, another engine rumbled down the drive. When he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Shannon pulling into the yard, a sense of relief swept over him. She might not be a doctor, but as far as he was concerned, she was the next best thing.

  She had to be as surprised by their unexpected visitor and her condition as he was. He’d try to offer what little explanation he had as soon as he got Beth out of the rain.

  “What’s going on?” Shannon asked.

  Blake paused under the cover of the porch. “This is Beth. Apparently Nate is a friend of hers. She seems to think he can help her, but she’s going to need medical care. And quickly.”

  “Take her to the office.”

  As Blake complied, Shannon followed a step or two behind him. “Do you have any idea what happened?”

  “Apparently someone named Kenny has a bad temper. I’m not sure how Nate plays into it, but he’s already gone home for the day.”

  Darlene, the nurse who’d been called in to work, was just coming down the hall when Blake and Shannon entered the house. “Oh, my God. What happened?”

  “We’re not sure,” Shannon said. “But you’d better get out of here, Darlene. The creek was rising fast when I drove over the bridge. You’ll be stuck here if you don’t leave soon.”

  “I can stay if you need me,” Darlene said. “Although, I did promise my sister I’d babysit for her tonight.”

  Shannon shook her head. “No, go on home.”

  Once Blake set Beth on the small exam table in the medical office, he stepped back, making room for Shannon. But he continued to study her, noting the blood that matted her hair, the bruises and cuts on her face. He wasn’t a medical professional. but it was easy to see she was in bad shape and needed to be in a hospital.

  “Would you call 9-1-1?” Shannon asked. “She needs an ambulance—or a Life Flight helicopter if they can’t drive over the bridge.”

  “Yes. I’ll also tell the dispatcher to alert the police.”

  What kind of bastard would beat a pregnant woman? And what about the baby? Had it suffered any life-threatening injuries? Blake rushed to the telephone, only to find there wasn’t a dial tone. Damn. Now what?

  He returned to the office and gave Shannon the news—help wasn’t on the way.

  “Then I’ll do what I can for her. We’ll just have to pray the phone works soon.”

  As Shannon began to examine Beth, Blake took a step back. He was reluctant to leave the room, though. For some reason, he felt a part of the unfolding drama.

  “How far along is she?” he asked.

  Shannon carefully probed Beth’s womb. “My guess is about six or seven months. It’s hard to say.”

  “Is the baby okay?”

  “It’s moving, but that’s about all I can tell you. She needs an obstetrician—and an ER. We’re just not set up to handle this sort of emergency.”

  “I’ll try calling again in a few minutes,” Blake said. Shannon merely nodded, her focus on her patient.

  Moments later, thunder shook the house, followed by a crack of lightning. As the rain began to pound the window, Beth cried out and clutched her belly.

  If Shannon was worried, she didn’t show it. Instead, she moved competently around her patient, washing her face with gentle hands and whispering words of comfort. “You’re going to be fine. And so is your little one.”

  Blake had no other choice but to take her at her word. Beth would pull through—and so would the baby. But when she screamed again, he wasn’t so sure.

  “Would you please try the telephone again?” Shannon asked. “I think she’s in labor.”

  He hoped that wasn’t the case, especially if she was two to three months early. But when he reached for the telephone on Shannon’s desk and tried to dial out, he was again met with dead silence.

  In the old days, this was the time the men were asked to boil water. He doubted that was necessary, but it might not be a bad idea to make some coffee. Something told him this was going to be a long night.

  As he headed down the hall, Joy met him. “Darlene met us on the road and told us about the woman who was battered. Can I do anything to help?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe you should brew a pot of coffee.” Blake paused and blew out a sigh. “And would you please try calling 9-1-1 periodically? That woman needs to be in a hospital.”

  Joy nodded, then hurried toward the kitchen. In the meantime, Blake returned to the office to be there for Shannon. He didn’t doubt her competency for a moment, but he wanted to offer some moral support.

  He also intended to protect her and her patient. He didn’t want to think about what might happen if Kenny had followed Beth here. But he’d keep that scenario to himself.

  “How’s she doing?” he asked.

  Shannon glanced at the laboring woman, who seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. “Hanging in there. Any luck with the telephone?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Well, then for the time being, it looks like I’m all Beth has.”

  “You’ll do fine,” Blake said. “And if you need a teammate, just say the word. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

  He just hoped they’d both be enough.

  Chapter Eleven

  The wind howled outside, and the tree branches scraped against the rain-splattered office window. Inside the house, it was warm and dry, but that didn’t mean all was well.

  After Blake stepped out of the office for a cup of coffee, Shannon donned a pair of surgical gloves and examined Beth, who was unconscious. All the while, she spoke softly, hoping to comfort the woman if she woke up, but she didn’t react at all.

  Just as Shannon feared, her membranes had ruptured and labor had begun. This wasn’t good.

  She’d do everything in her power to help the woman, of course, but her only medical supplies and equipment were those that covered minor emergencies, so her hands were somewhat tied.

  Unless they could transport Beth to the hospital, the outlook wasn’t good for either the mother or the baby.

  Shannon tossed the gloves into the trash can just as Blake entered the office carrying two mugs of coffee. He handed one to Shannon. He’d even added cream and sweetener, just the way she liked it.

  “Thanks,” she said. “It’s going to be a long night.”

  “How’s she doing? Has anything changed?”

  “Her water broke, she’s having strong contractions and she’s beginning to dilate.” When Shannon spotted his concerned expression, she added, “But she isn’t aware of any pain or discomfort.”

  “Something tells me that’s not necessarily a good thing.”

  It wasn’t. Shannon was worried about her head injuries, any one of which could mean Kenny’s blows had fractured her skull. Beth needed an MRI, but she wouldn’t get one here.

  Joy, who stood in the office doorway with Sam, said, “I made some chicken soup in case you get hungry later. I also made up the spare bed in Rex’s room. Beth might be more comfortable in there.”

  “Thanks,” Shannon said. “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “Sam and I can move her.” Blake set his coffee mug on the desk, then motioned for his uncle’s help.

  Moments later, the men had gently carried Beth into the other room and placed her on top of the mattress. She stirred and moaned while they worked, but she didn’t actually wake up.

  Joy slipped out of the bedroom for a few minutes. When she returned, Shannon said, “Maybe you and Sam should turn in for the night and get some rest.”

  “All right, we will. But please come and get us if you need us—or if we ca
n do anything at all.” Joy reached for Sam’s hand. “Just so you know, I’ll put it in the refrigerator. If you need it, you’ll just have to warm it up.”

  When the older couple left, Shannon turned to Blake. “You might as well take off, too.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this with you. Is there anything I can do?”

  “Not that I can think of.” Just his presence alone was comforting, but she hated to admit that. Besides, she’d learned early on that, as long as she stayed calm and in control, those around her would remain that way, too.

  Then an idea struck. “Did Beth have a purse?”

  “I didn’t see one. She might have left home in a hurry and neglected to grab it. It’s also possible she left it in her vehicle. I’ll go outside and look.”

  “Thanks. Maybe it will give us a clue about who she is or who her doctor is.” Of course, without a telephone or any way to contact her obstetrician, it wouldn’t help much.

  Moments later, Blake returned to the bedroom with a small black tote, one of the straps attached to the bag by a safety pin. “I found this on the seat, near the passenger side. I assume you want me to do some detective work.”

  “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

  Blake took a seat on the edge of Rex’s bed, then began to empty Beth’s bag. While he pulled out a wallet and several scraps of paper, Shannon went back to the office to try the phone again, but she still couldn’t get through. So she returned to her patient’s bedside.

  “Did you learn anything?” she asked Blake.

  “Her name is Elizabeth Brennan. She’ll be twenty in November and lives in Wexler. At least, that’s the address on her driver’s license. I found an appointment reminder card. It looks like her obstetrician is Dr. Selena Ramirez. Apparently her next checkup is on Friday.”

  “At least she’s had prenatal care, so that’s good. And now I know who to contact when the phone works again.”

  “For what it’s worth,” Blake added, “I checked the glove box while I was getting her purse from the pickup. The vehicle is registered to Kenneth Brennan.”

  “The guy who beat her? ‘Kenny’ is her husband?”