A Rancher to Remember

by Patricia Johns

  “Is that why you came out here instead of staying in church?” Sawyer asked.

  “No.” She shot him a rueful smile. “I came out because I saw my brother in there. And I panicked.”

  Chapter Five

  Olivia hunched her shoulders against a chilly breeze. She didn’t like going over those painful memories, but coming back to Beaut seemed to make avoiding them impossible. Besides, those rumors had made things tough on her brother, too. He’d been teased about his sister. When she left for college, she’d thought that he would have been glad to see her go—leave him in peace—but instead, he seemed to feel like she’d abandoned him with all of it. And maybe she had. Maybe she deserved his resentment.

  She had seen her brother in the service, sitting on the far side of the sanctuary. He was a few pews ahead, and at first she hadn’t recognized him. She certainly hadn’t expected to see him in a church, of all places. But then he’d leaned over to whisper something to the woman sitting next to him, and Olivia had seen his profile.

  Her escape outside had been cowardly on her part. If he was in church, maybe things were changing inside of him. Maybe he’d finally found God! But she hadn’t been ready to face Brian...or to have him simply turn away from her. Not in front of all those people.

  The church doors opened, and a couple of people came outside. Then a few more. The service was over. She looked over at Sawyer.

  “I wish you remembered Brian. Then you could tell me what you thought about my situation with him. You never had any trouble pointing out where I was wrong.”

  “So, I was a bit of a jerk?” he asked hesitantly.

  “No, you were honest. And generally, right,” she replied. “I could count on you to tell me the truth, even if it was uncomfortable.”

  There had been a time when she and Mia had had a falling out. Mia had been upset with Olivia for missing a Christmas party at her parents’ place—back when the Whites still lived in Beaut. Olivia hadn’t thought it was a big deal, but it was Sawyer who’d pointed out that Mia had needed the emotional support at that party. Her parents could be hard on her. Sawyer had seen the root of the problem, and Olivia hadn’t.

  “Maybe it’s better I don’t remember him,” Sawyer said. “I’m not the one you need to talk to.”

  “That is frustratingly wise of you,” she said, then sighed.

  “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” He shot her a teasing grin.

  That was the old Sawyer there—the one from their single days. And she realized with a melancholy rush that she missed him, even now, because this wouldn’t last, either. Whatever this time was without Sawyer’s memory, this strange little oasis in the middle of their complicated history, would end, too.

  The two teenage girls came out the church doors with Bella and Lizzie, followed by Lloyd. Olivia and Sawyer stood up.

  “Back at it, then,” Sawyer said quietly.

  “You’re doing well, Sawyer,” she said. “You’re a good dad, you know.”

  “I’m trying real hard,” he replied.

  The toddlers and their minders headed toward them, and Olivia looked up just as her brother came outside. Her brother was a shorter man, thin and wiry. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, more dressed down than the others coming outside. But he was good-looking in a way that the girls had always appreciated. Maybe it was his confidence. The young woman holding his hand was about an inch taller than he was in her heels, and she was slim, too, with long blond hair that fell loose down her back. Brian’s gaze casually swept over them, then he froze, noticing her for the first time. Olivia swallowed and waved.

  “Go on,” Sawyer said. “Lloyd and I can handle the girls.”

  Olivia shot him a grateful look, and headed out of the graveyard toward her brother.

  Brian murmured something to his girlfriend, but he didn’t make any move in Olivia’s direction. Brian and the young woman just waited until Olivia reached them.

  “Hi,” Olivia said.

  “Hey.” Brian was curt. “Didn’t know I’d see you here.”

  “Well—here I am.” She forced a smile in the woman’s direction and put out her hand. “I’m Olivia, Brian’s sister.”

  “Hi, I’m Shari.” She smiled and they shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”

  She seemed nice enough, and Olivia turned back to her brother. “Fancy seeing you here.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Brian cast her an annoyed look. “Shari’s grandmother asked us to go—a real guilt trip about how she doesn’t have much longer in this life and she wanted to have at least one church service with Shari there.”

  Olivia couldn’t help but smile at Shari for that one. “She must be good at the guilt trips, your grandmother.”

  “A pro.” Shari chuckled. “So we came. Duty done.”

  “So, you aren’t a Christian—” Olivia began.

  “My sister is,” Brian explained to Shari. “And no, Shari and I aren’t into church. This was a favor to her grandmother. End of story. No third degree.”

  “Oh.” Olivia nodded a couple of times. “I left a few messages.”

  “I got them,” he replied.

  “Can we talk?” Olivia sighed. “Look, I know you’re angry, but we can work through this.”

  “You don’t even know what you did, do you?” he retorted, and Olivia felt heat rise in her cheeks. This was embarrassing.

  Shari cast a mildly embarrassed look between Olivia and Brian, and then gave Brian’s arm a squeeze.

  “I’m going to just let you two talk,” Shari said, and she moved away from them. Brian’s gaze followed her as she moved on down the sidewalk. This girl wasn’t just some girlfriend—she was special to Brian. She could tell by the way he looked at her.

  “Shari seems nice,” Olivia said.

  “She is nice,” Brian said, his gaze snapping toward her again. “Now, what do you want?”

  “I want a conversation with you!” she said. “Brian, how long are you going to punish me for having gotten an education?”

  Brian shook his head. “It’s not your degree that makes me so mad. It’s your whole attitude. This place was never good enough for you, and Mom just wanted to make you happy. She worked herself to the bone to scrape up money to keep you in school. Do you know how much she struggled to put you through?”

  “I didn’t know you wouldn’t get your shot, Brian,” she said with a shake of her head. “And you understand why I had to leave—”

  “Yeah, because you misbehaved,” he shot back, and Olivia had to shut her eyes to keep her temper under control.

  “I didn’t do what they said I did,” she said, her teeth clenched. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

  “Yeah, well, you were out at a bush party,” her brother shot back. “And something happened...”

  “I fought off a guy with a big mouth and embarrassed him! That’s what happened!” she hissed.

  A couple of people looked over their shoulders toward them. How much of their conversation was audible?

  “So you walked away, spent every last penny from Mom, and left me here with all those rumors you didn’t stick around and fight.” Brian dug the toe of his shoe into the grass. “You know how that looked?”

  “You think if I’d stayed in Beaut, it would have made them believe me?” she retorted. “Brian, quit being so naive!”

  “I’m the naive one now?” He rolled his eyes. “So, if you don’t think you did wrong by me, what about Mom?”

  “I had to start my life, Brian,” she said, her voice trembling.

  “Yeah, well, great.” Brian eyed her angrily.

  “If I hadn’t had my nursing degree—which I could only get in the city, by the way—I wouldn’t have been able to take care of our mom toward the end,” she added. “But these are old arguments. I left town, yes. I ran away from it all. But I had no idea our tim
e with Mom was going to be so short. I didn’t know you wouldn’t get your turn at starting your life! What do you want from me?”

  “I don’t know,” Brian replied. “You got the education. You got all the money. What do I want? Nothing! There isn’t anything left for me! I’ve got this crippling debt hanging over me, and I can’t get a loan without ridiculous interest rates. And they’d never give me enough to start my business. I had plans for my life, too, you know.”

  “I’m in debt, too!” she countered.

  “But you’ve got your career. Do you know what Mom told me when I asked if she’d help me with some seed money for my business? She said she couldn’t afford an extra penny, but when you were done, she’d focus on me. Well, that never happened, did it? She worked herself to death for you—”

  “You can’t blame cancer on me!” she snapped.

  “Whatever. I’m not. I’m saying you got it all. Every last penny. Every last ounce of her strength. Congratulations.”

  They could bicker the same points for hours, but people were starting to look now, and Olivia caught her brother’s arm and tugged him farther from the milling after-church crowd.

  “I might have a solution to our money problem, at least,” she said.

  “How?” Brian frowned, and he pulled his arm free of her.

  “I might have a way to get us out of debt a whole lot faster,” she said. “And then we could get a small business loan for you—or I could work a bunch of overtime and put some money aside...”

  “So you have a couple hundred thousand in your back pocket?” he asked skeptically.

  “No. But Mia’s parents have some clout with the hospital board, and they’ve asked me to help them reconcile with Sawyer. If I can make that happen, they’ll talk to the right people and get our debt lowered considerably.”

  Brian stared at her, the information slowly sinking in. “By how much?”

  “As much as possible. I don’t know how much, exactly, but Mia’s dad seemed pretty confident that he could make our lives a whole lot easier. That’s why I’m back. But Sawyer had an accident that affected his memory, and he’s really slowly getting it back. I have to wait until he can remember them before they can reconcile.”

  “He has amnesia?”

  “Short term. Yeah. He’s going to be okay, and his memory is coming back slowly, but he can’t reconcile with people he doesn’t remember yet.”

  “And the Whites are willing to help...” He still seemed stuck on that part.

  “Brian, I’m doing my best here,” Olivia said earnestly. “And if we could get that debt lowered, I’ll put every extra penny into paying it off so you could be freed up to do whatever you want to do.”

  And he could stop resenting her for using up the last of the family resources. Brian’s gaze moved toward Shari again, and Olivia watched him for a moment.

  “She’s special to you, isn’t she?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” He heaved a sigh. “And she deserves more than what I can offer.”

  “She looks like she’s just fine with what you can offer,” Olivia said with a low laugh. “Any woman who wouldn’t take you because you’re not rich enough isn’t worth having.”

  “That’s not it,” Brian said, shooting her an irritated look. “If it were only the two of us, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but—” His face colored slightly, and he licked his lips. “It’s not going to be just the two of us for much longer.”

  “Wait—” Olivia’s gaze flickered toward the other woman. “Is Shari pregnant?”

  “Yeah. And of all people, you don’t get to lecture me about that.”

  “I’m not lecturing,” she said, but her heart clenched just a little. He still believed the rumors, didn’t he?

  “This wasn’t exactly the plan.” Brian sighed. “It just...happened. And I hear Mom’s voice in the back of my head constantly, so I don’t need any additional yelling.”

  “Congratulations,” Olivia said quietly. “I think Shari seems great, and you should probably put a ring on that pronto.”

  “With what money?” he retorted.

  “A cheap ring,” she said with a weak shrug. “Who cares? You love each other. You’re going to be parents. So get married already! That is what Mom would have wanted.”

  “I only just met her parents,” Brian said. “And they’re nice and all, but her dad is pushing me to do more with myself.”

  Pushy in-laws seemed to be a bit of a theme lately, and Olivia felt her stomach tighten. Who were these people to tell Brian he wasn’t doing enough?

  “Don’t let them push you around,” Olivia whispered.

  “They’re her parents. They have certain expectations for her.”

  Yeah, so had Mia’s parents. They’d wanted her to marry a politician or a doctor. Instead, she’d fallen in love with a ranch hand. They’d been furious. But their ultimatums had backfired, because she married Sawyer anyway, and they were the ones who’d missed out on a relationship with her.

  “What does Shari want?” Olivia countered. “That’s what matters here.”

  “She wants a wedding,” Brian said. “The kind of wedding she’s dreamed of since she was a little girl. She wants all her friends and family there, and she wants this designer gown, and...”

  “Traditionally, the bride’s family pays,” she said.

  “That’s old-fashioned. I don’t want to be the guy who’s forever beholden to her parents. It’s a bad start.”

  “Okay,” Olivia said. “But there’s a difference between what we dream of and what’s realistic. I’m sure she knows that.”

  “She doesn’t know how much you and I owe that hospital, so...”

  He hadn’t told her... Her stomach sank.

  “Then tell her,” Olivia said, lowering her voice. “Even if the Whites help us reduce it, you have to tell her about it. Don’t start out with secrets. Besides, there’s a baby on the way. You don’t have the time to rethink whether she’s the one.”

  “Yeah, well, I have a feeling she’ll be a bit disappointed when she finds out that the big wedding isn’t a possibility,” he replied, but his gaze softened. “Not really the way I want her to feel. Do you actually think Mia’s parents will help us out?”

  She could feel the hope in the air, softening Brian’s stony attitude. Hope made all the difference, especially if her brother was about to be a father. Her little brother...

  “They’ve promised they would,” Olivia replied. “Brian, I’ve been praying and praying about that debt. I really think this is an answer to that prayer. They want to know their granddaughters, and they’re willing to help us if I can help them. I know you got the short end of the stick, but if we could get rid of this debt, then I’ll help you get that business loan.” She smiled hopefully.

  “Yeah?” Brian asked hesitantly.

  “Yeah. That’s a promise.” Olivia looked over to see Shari standing a few yards off, watching them. “She’s waiting for you.”

  Brian’s gaze followed hers toward his girlfriend. “I want to give my kid more than we had. If Dad hadn’t left—”

  “You aren’t leaving your child,” Olivia said firmly. “Your baby will already have more than we did, because he or she will have both parents. This baby is good news, Brian. Really good news. I’m happy for you.”

  “Okay, well...when do you take care of your side of things?” Brian asked. “When do you talk to Sawyer about it?”

  “When he remembers enough,” she replied. “I can’t rush that. It wouldn’t be right to pressure him when he’s at his most vulnerable. As soon as he remembers the situation, I can tell him that they want to make up. But until then...”

  “Yeah, I get it,” Brian agreed. “Keep me posted.”

  “You’d better pick up my calls then,” she retorted.

  Brian didn’t answer that, but he did gi
ve her a small smile. Then he headed toward Shari and caught her hand in his. It was a start—and if the Whites could make good on their promise, Brian would get his chance to pursue his goals. She’d make sure of it. She wouldn’t be the only one to get the life she’d dreamed of.

  * * *

  It didn’t take Sawyer and Olivia too long to get the toddlers into their car seats. The little girls were in a good mood. Lloyd stood off to the side talking to a remarkably beautiful young woman next to his truck, and he didn’t look like he was in much of a hurry to leave. The woman was tall, slim, with dark hair...and she leaned in when Lloyd spoke to her. Sawyer glanced over at Olivia sitting next to him. She looked sober, a little pale, too. Was she okay?

  The toddlers were babbling to each other in their car seats, and Bella let out a shriek of annoyance. He looked back at them.

  “What?” he asked. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting—an answer? Not really—but Bella squirmed in her seat and wailed again. Olivia turned around to look, too.

  “Oh—” Olivia stretched and picked up a fallen sippy cup and handed it to Bella, who popped it into her mouth and started to drink.

  “Thanks.” Sawyer shot her a smile, then looked toward Lloyd, who was still standing outside of his truck chatting. “Lloyd doesn’t look like he’s in any hurry. We could leave without him.”

  “Or we could see who he’s flirting with. I don’t know her—and she doesn’t look local. She looks...city.” Olivia chuckled.

  “I think she’s the one who’s flirting,” Sawyer countered. But a woman like that—she wouldn’t be interested in an old rancher Lloyd’s age, would she?

  “So, how did it go with your brother?” Sawyer asked, glancing toward her.

  “Good,” Olivia said. “I think so, at least.”

  “You talked for a bit,” he said.

  “We did.” She leaned back in the seat. “It’s still pretty tense, but he’s my brother. Nothing is going to change that, and I like to think that he might need a little more of me now.”