Chadwick Ranch, Book 1: Winter Holiday Romance

by Bonnie Marlewski-Probert

“I think he felt responsible for the family falling apart after his wife passed. I think he knowingly or unknowingly buried himself in his work on the ranch as a way to escape facing his loss. In the meantime there were four boys who really needed a parent, and he was so consumed by his own grief that he couldn’t be there for his children. I think he put the codicil in the will hoping that if he brought all four sons together under the same roof for six months, they’d find their own way home, even though he wasn't able to show them the way. I suppose if they lived in town, someone would have recommended family counseling to help them work through their issues, but because they live in the country, I would wager that never crossed anyone's mind.”

  “So, how are the brothers taking it?”

  “Buck has been running the ranch with his father since he was a boy so he sees the other three as a threat, a nuisance and a headache.” Both women laughed, enjoying their boxed wine.

  “He surely doesn't want me around!”

  “You're a very perceptive woman Katherine and you're right ― he doesn't want you around because you represent modern technology and progress, neither of which he has any time for. I think Buck is hoping that the world will stop moving forward so he can live out his life as one of the last true cowboys.”

  “How are the rest of the brothers handling it?”

  “Billy has been very troubled since his mom passed and Buck senior could never figure out how to help him. You know, he used to be a wonderful artist. In fact, for Christmas this year, he painted small landscapes for his brothers of the ranch and made me a beautiful painting of Beau and Adam together. Here, I’ll show you.” Mary got up from the table, heading into the living room of her small home before returning with the framed painting.

  “That’s beautiful,” Katherine said, holding the painting. “He really captured them well.”

  “If you look in the living room of the main house, you'll see more of his paintings. He does wonderful oil landscapes. After his mom passed, he lost all interest in the arts. I think the small paintings he did as Christmas gifts this year were the first he’s done since she passed. He has so much talent, I hate to see it wasted while he's working as a car mechanic and spending his free time getting drunk at the Silver Dollar.”

  “How old is Billy now?”

  “He's the youngest of the brothers at twenty-nine.”

  “At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, there does come a time when you have to own your own luggage.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean when you're a teenager you don't have much choice over how your life goes because the people around you really dictate that, but once you become a grown man, it's on you to either accept your lot in life or change it. Either way, the change has to come from him and the longer it takes him to recognize that, the more years he's wasting. As my grandmother always said, the most important resource you will ever have that is not renewable is time. Once it's gone, it's gone. So, how is Adam taking it?”

  “Adam is a gentle, kind man whose focus has always been on teaching. He was never cut out to live his life on the ranch full-time. He's always wanted more out of his life. I suspect that in six months, he'll head back to the East Coast where he teaches science in college and we’ll probably never see him again,” she said sadly.

  Katherine detected the sadness in her voice. “Do you like Adam?”

  “Of course I like Adam, I've known him for years.”

  “Mary, don't be dense, you know what I mean,” she said coyly, refilling both their wine glasses from the nearby box.

  “Between you, me and the fencepost, I do like him. I like him very much, but I know he won't stay. So I'm making sure not to get too attached to him.”

  “Does he have someone waiting for him on the East Coast?”

  “No, not to the best of my knowledge.”

  “Six months is a long time and a lot of things could change in that time Mary. Don't sell yourself short. I've seen the way he looks at you. I think there’s something going on there and with a little encouragement I think you could fan that flame,” Katherine said sincerely.

  Mary looked quizzically at Katherine before saying. “How did he look at me?”

  “With reverence and admiration.”

  “I was hoping for lust and desire!” With that both women burst out with laughter, already feeling the effects of their glasses of wine.

  “A man marries a woman he has reverence and admiration for. He only sleeps with women for whom he has lust and desire. You're already ahead of the pack. If you start with reverence and admiration and then fire up the engines to attract lust and desire, you'll have your man!”

  “So, why haven't you asked me how Carter is handling it?”

  “I just haven't gotten that far. This is only my second glass of wine,” she laughed.

  “In answer to the question that you haven't yet asked, Carter left a long-term girlfriend behind who was also a lawyer in New York City working for a different firm. There’s something brewing with him that I think is going to be life-changing.”

  “What you mean?” Katherine asked, sipping her wine.

  “I heard him tell Adam that he was disturbed to realize that no one from his law firm sent any condolences when his father passed, and when he asked for the six months off instead of management being sympathetic and trying to help him, they ridiculed him and told him that he would be passing up a potential shot at partner if he was foolish enough to care about the future of his brothers and the ranch.”

  “Ouch! I hope that's not how all New York lawyers are?”

  “I think you’re wondering if that's how Carter is, aren't you?”

  “Yes, I guess I am asking that.” By now, both women were starting on their third glass of wine and speaking more freely with each other.

  “I've already seen Carter changing for the better since he arrived. When he first got home, he was short-tempered, impatient with everyone and desperate to find a way to get out of staying for the six months. But as each day passes, I see him recognizing that his brothers care about him, that he has roots here, that he's living with people he can trust because they’re family. I think he was away from the ranch for so long that he forgot that. I think the passing of his father also pointed out to him that his colleagues in New York don't care about him and that his long-term girlfriend didn't care about him either. In a strange way, his dad’s passing has been a gift to Carter because it’s allowed him to really take a hard look at the life he’d created for himself in New York and the longer he’s on the ranch, the more I think he’s realizing his life in New York isn’t what he wants anymore.”

  “Those are certainly hard pills to swallow all at once,” Katherine said, leaning back in the kitchen chair and sipping her wine. “You know this is pretty good wine,” she smiled.

  “It grows on you, doesn't it?” Mary laughed. “I like to think that once you get enough alcohol in you it doesn't really matter if it's fancy wine or cheap boxed wine, so why waste good money on fancy wine?”

  “I couldn't agree more! So do you think Carter will stay at the end of six months?”

  “No telling yet. Six months is a long time, as you so wisely pointed out before we both got hammered. But I will tell you this about Carter Chadwick: he’s a good man and a loyal man, not to mention a drop-dead gorgeous one,” Mary said with a sly smile.

  “I couldn’t help but notice the drop dead gorgeous part. Good to know about the rest. By the way, I wouldn't say we’re hammered, I would say we're feeling no pain!” she admitted. “We’re both women of the world Mary and I think we can both agree that while we would love to have a good man in our lives, you have a son who you gave birth to and he is your top priority and I have a business that I’ve given birth to that is my top priority. At the end of the day, if we have to choose, the man in our life is always going to take second to what we’ve given birth to. Am I right?”

  “I wish it didn’t have to be that way, but I have to admit, you
’re absolutely right. If a man in my life expected me to put Beau in second place, the lioness in me would come out pretty quickly,” Mary said.

  “I second that. If a man asked me to move out of Texas to follow him and his career, for me, it would be tantamount to someone asking you to give Beau away so you could follow a man. Those days of giving up your life so you could put a man first and make his life easier for him at your expense are over. Don’t get me wrong; I love having a man in my bed and in my life but I also love ice cream and chocolate cake and I know when to draw the line on those two items as well,” Katherine said, making both women burst out with laughter.

  “Can I get an amen sister?”

  “Amen,” Katherine said.

  “I want a relationship like Bear and Wynona have?”

  “I don’t think I’ve met them yet. Tell me about them.”

  “Bear is the ranch manager. He’s been on the ranch for decades and he and Wynona have been together for probably twenty years, ever since her husband died.”

  “What is it about their relationship that you like so much?”

  “When Wynona walks in the room, you can see Bear’s eyes light up. She does the same when she sees him.”

  “Are they married?”

  “No, they’re both old enough that they don’t care about having that piece of paper. Their kids are grown so they are together because they want to be together. I envy that kind of love and I hope someday that I’ll find someone whose eyes will light up when I come into a room.”

  “You should pay closer attention to Adam because that’s what I see when you enter the room. So Mary, what's your story, if you don't mind my asking?”

  Mary looked at Katherine thoughtfully before saying, “Not much to tell. I'm twenty-nine years old. I have a seven-year-old son named Beau who you’ve already met. Beau’s daddy and I were married when I was twenty-one. We got married when I found out I was pregnant with Beau. His daddy was a good man but he was killed in a car crash shortly after Beau was born.”

  “How is Beau doing?”

  “He hadn’t smiled since losing his daddy until December twenty-third when Adam took him out to see the horses and called him a cowboy. Since then, I’ve seen more and more glimpses of the happy son I knew before his daddy died.”

  “You say glimpses ― is he still sad in some areas?”

  Mary looked at Katherine with sadness in her eyes. “He is often bullied at school because of his red hair, his glasses, the fact that he loves science and the worst bullying of all is about him not having a daddy. God, that one just kills me. It’s the worst this time of year because the school does a father/son day and Beau is the only boy in his class who doesn’t have a daddy. It rips my heart out to see his sad little face. I want to keep him home from school on that day to spare him from that sadness, but then he misses out on his education, so I don’t. I need to figure out a solution to that one and then, I will have my happy son back.”

  “Oh my God, that explains so much,” Katherine said, studying her thoughtfully.

  “What do you mean?”

  “When we met, the first impression I got was that you are an old soul or that you have been through hard times and seen things that most people would not be able to cope with. I was right about you.”

  “Between you, me and the fencepost Katherine, if I didn't have Beau, I'll tell you honestly, I would have killed myself in that first month after I lost my husband. I had the gun loaded and I was actually looking forward to pulling the trigger until I realized, the only thing worse than me losing my husband would be my son losing his father and his mother. That’s the only reason why I'm still here,” Mary said in a matter-of-fact way.

  “I can't imagine what you've been through,” Katherine said, putting her hand over Mary's and squeezing it gently. “How do you get through the day?”

  “Being a single parent, keeps me busy. Being a single parent trying to financially support a seven-year-old boy keeps me working two jobs.”

  “Did your husband not have any life insurance? I'm sorry I sound like an accountant but, I am an accountant.”

  “Beau’s father wasn’t even twenty-five years old when he died. I must admit life insurance never crossed our minds because we believed we had time. We believed we had decades together before we had to worry about that. And then that night, my life completely changed in the course of a two-minute-long phone call with the sheriff's department.” Katherine could see that Mary was starting to become emotional as she stirred up those memories.

  “I'm so sorry you had to go through that, I didn't mean to upset you,” Katherine said, still holding Mary's hand. “Now that you've told me what you've been through, everything you've done makes perfect sense.”

  “What you mean?” Mary asked.

  “I mean your generosity. I mean the way in which you take care of the Chadwick brothers. I mean, the way in which you welcomed me, and offered your home to me, a perfect stranger. That is the behavior of the woman who knows that life is short and you're not guaranteed tomorrow. That's the behavior of a woman who wants to live every day of her life with honor and integrity. That's why I thought you were an old soul. Mary Ferris, you may not be an old soul, but you certainly are a woman who has been through hell and clearly made a decision to come out of that hell with grace and dignity. I have a lot of respect for you. I don't know too many women who would've been able to endure your losses and handle things so well. Now I understand why Adam looks at you with such reverence. I didn't intend to get maudlin here but let me just say that since Adam is already looking at you with well-deserved reverence, if you want a little help dialing up the sex appeal, I'd be proud to be your wing man any day of the week!” Both women erupted in laughter.

  “Good to know and I appreciate the offer! I still think Adam is going to head back to the East Coast at the end of the six-months, so there's no point in me dialing up the sex appeal,” Mary said, still giggling.

  “I don't want to argue with you but you're wrong. This is exactly the time to dial up the sex appeal, so Adam has a reason to stay! It's up to you to give him a reason to stay and to make the decision painful for him.” Again, both women howled with laughter.

  Well, if we don't get to bed we’re both going to be feeling a lot of pain in the morning when the alarm goes off at five-thirty a.m. Let me take you up to the guest bedroom. I'll bring you some pajamas and toiletries. The bathroom is in the hallway, just make sure you lock the door. When it's just Beau and I in the house, I never give it a second thought, but you're a guest so I don't want you to be surprised.”

  “Thanks for the warning. I'm about ready to hit the sack. I appreciate you letting me spend the night and I'm glad we had a chance to get to know each other better. Adam is a lucky guy if he’s smart enough to grab you.”

  “Thanks. I'm glad you decided to stay. This has been fun. As a single mom who works every free hour I can get, it's rare that I get to have a girl's night in.”

  Chapter 16, Stormy Night in Texas

  Friday, December Twenty-Eighth

  It was 8:30 that night when the rain intensified to the point where the four brothers looked at each other, knowing exactly what that meant. Without saying a word, all four set their beers down, got up and headed for the back door of the ranch house where their rubber boots and rain slickers were hanging. They all suited up and headed out the back door, hurrying down to the horse barn to saddle up. In just a few minutes the brothers were saddled and ready to go when Buck saw a set of headlights coming in the driveway.

  He stepped outside to let them know where he was and realized it was Crystal's truck. “Hey Buck, I heard the rain and thought you could use a hand,” she said hurrying out of her truck and already dressed in rubber boots, a rain slicker and her cowboy hat.

  “Crystal, I appreciate you coming by. It'll be good to have at least one seasoned ranch hand with me while we’re moving cattle tonight,” Buck said, the gratitude apparent in his voice.

 
“Isn’t Bear around?” Crystal asked as the two hurried into the barn.

  “No. He’s got the night off. I’m stuck with just my three lazy brothers.”

  “Oh,” Crystal smiled as they turned the corner and entered the well-lit horse barn, where she could see for herself Billy, Carter and Adam standing next to their horses, ready to go brave the elements. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Billy. Crystal had had a crush on him since she was a teenager but Billy had always thought of her as a sister and put her in the friend category, much to her chagrin. While she had dated plenty of guys, Crystal couldn't shake the fact that she loved Billy and it hurt her heart whenever she had to be around him, knowing that he would never feel the same way.

  Everyone exchanged greetings very quickly. “Buck is there any particular horse you want me to ride?”

  “Here, Crystal, take Jack, he's the best we've got. I'll take one of the green horses,” Buck said, handing the reins over to Crystal. “You all know Crystal. She’s a seasoned cowgirl. Bear is off tonight, so follow her lead, do what she tells you to do and I'll be right behind you after I saddle up,” Buck said firmly. His brothers knew that when he took that tone, he wasn't kidding. The most important things in his world were the cattle and he didn't compliment cowhands easily, so when he did, everyone knew he felt they were the best, and Crystal was.

  “Buck do you want heifers moved to the adjoining South pasture?”

  “Yes, thanks,” Buck said, pulling a chestnut gelding out of the stall.

  “Got it. When we get out there, it's going to be dark so keep an eye out for each other and watch out for deep water. There are plenty of low spots in that field that can take you and your horse down. I'll ride to the far end of the field and open the adjoining gate first and then we'll get behind the herd and start pushing them toward the gate. Push them slowly so the heifers don’t get separated from their calves. Keep yourselves separated evenly in a net so we don't have to chase strays. I don't want to have to do this twice and I surely don’t want to get those heifers riled up so they start running. The last thing we need is a cow or horse with a broken leg. Are we clear?”