by Katie Lane
When he spotted Cru, he froze. A big smile split his face. “Cru Cassidy.” He limped over and pulled Cru into a tight hug. “Ain’t you a sight for sore—”
The front screen door slammed, cutting him off and the fiery redhead strode into the kitchen. She didn’t look surprised to see Cru there. Just annoyed. But the annoyance drained from her pretty blue eyes when she turned them to Lucas and Chester. Her face softened with a smile that changed her from beautiful to breathtaking. There was something familiar about the smile. He did know her. Or, at least, her smile.
“How are my two favorite cowboys today?” She walked over and kissed Chester on the cheek before doing the same to Lucas and handing him a pharmacy bag. “Here’s the muscle ointment you asked for. But I still think you should see a doctor.” She glanced down at his ankle. “And until you do, you shouldn’t be walking on it.”
Lucas took the bag. “It’s just a little ol’ sprain. Don’t you worry about this old man. Especially now that one of our boys is back.” He glanced at Cru. “You remember Penny Gardener, don’t you, Cru?”
It took a moment for the name to register. When it did, his eyes widened with surprise. He remembered the skinny little girl with braces who had trailed around after him all summer with adoring eyes. He just hadn’t thought she’d grow into a sexy cowgirl who looked at him like he’d just crawled from beneath a rock.
“You’re Evie’s little sister?” he said. “The one who had the crush on me?”
It was the wrong thing to say. Those blue eyes flashed with temper. “That was before I knew what a jackass you were.” She turned on a boot heel and walked out.
As soon as the screen door slammed behind her, Chester and Lucas looked at each other and laughed before Chester lifted a white bushy eyebrow at Cru. “I’d say the crush is over.”
Chapter Two
Penny tugged her cowboy hat low and urged Severus to a faster pace. But no matter how fast the stallion galloped, she couldn’t outdistance all the rioting emotions that consumed her.
Cru Cassidy was back.
After fifteen years, he just showed up out of the blue in a sporty red car he drove like a maniac. Why was he here? What did he want? And how had he known she’d had a crush on him? Not even her sister knew that.
Her cheeks heated with embarrassment. Not just because Cru knew she’d had a crush on him, but also because she’d run off like the immature kid she’d once been. A mature woman would’ve acted like a childhood crush was no big deal and stayed to find out what he was doing there. But Penny hadn’t felt like a mature woman. All it had taken was one look in Cru’s eyes and she’d been catapulted back to the summer of her thirteenth year.
She’d been an awkward new teenager with freckles, acne, and braces. Cru Cassidy had been fifteen and teen-idol gorgeous with hair as dark as a raven’s wing, eyes as green as a rain-drenched meadow, and a smile as bright as the Texas sun.
But it wasn’t his looks that started Penny’s crush. It was the hot summer day she’d taken a jump she had no business taking and had fallen off her horse. The skittish mare had taken off, leaving Penny to hobble back to the ranch with a sprained ankle and a bruised ego. Cru had ridden up like a hero in an old western. She’d wanted to die from embarrassment. But instead of teasing her about being thrown, he’d helped her up on his horse and then remounted behind her. It was the first time she’d ever been in a boy’s arms and she was stunned speechless. But Cru must’ve thought her silence and flushed cheeks had to do with her humiliation because, the entire way back to the Gardener Ranch, he regaled her with funny stories about his most embarrassing moments.
That was all it had taken for a naive thirteen-year-old to fall head over boots in love. But she never stood a chance with Cru Cassidy. He had set his sights on a prettier, smarter, and more mature girl.
Reining in Severus, Penny pulled her cellphone out of her front shirt pocket. Evie answered almost immediately.
“Hey, Pen. I was going to call you this morning, but things have been hectic here at the bank and I have to meet with the principal of Clint’s high school this afternoon.”
Penny knew why her sister had to meet with her nephew’s high school principal. Clint had called her last night and given her the entire story. But she couldn’t tell Evie that. Clint trusted her with things he felt like he couldn’t share with his mother. And unless he was doing something harmful to himself or other people, Penny wouldn’t break that trust.
“What happened?” she asked.
Evie released an exasperated sigh. “He was caught smoking on campus and got suspended. He claims he was only holding the cigarette for a friend while the kid bent down to tie his shoes, but he won’t tell the principal who the friend is. According to Clint, the kid ran off when the campus cop showed up.”
That was the same story Clint had told her. “And you don’t believe him?”
“I want to, but he hasn’t exactly been honest with me lately. He said he got a C on his geometry test and come to find out he got an F. He said he wouldn’t hang out with that no-good Tommy Baker and I caught him talking to him the other night on the phone.”
“Maybe Tommy called him. As for the geometry test, I think I remember both of us lying about our grades to Daddy.”
“That was different. Daddy was a tyrant about us getting good grades. If we got anything less than an A, we were stuck cleaning out the horse stalls. And you know how much I hate cleaning up poop.” While Penny loved being in the barn around horses, Evie was more of a homemaker. She loved to decorate, garden, and cook. Even with a fulltime job, she had turned her little house in Abilene, Texas, into a magazine-worthy home for her and Clint.
“Of course, he was never as tough on you,” Evie continued.
“Only because I don’t ever come straight at him. If you come straight at a bull, you’re more than likely going to get gored in the belly. I prefer to circle around from behind and surprise him.”
Evie laughed. “You always have been good with stubborn animals. And there’s no doubt Daddy is as stubborn as they come.”
“And you’re just as stubborn. Which is why you two are constantly locking horns.” And why Evie and Clint no longer lived on the ranch. Something Penny was trying hard to fix. “If both of you would just give a little, I’m sure you could stop this feud you’re having.”
“We’re not having a feud. I just refuse to live on the Gardener Ranch under Hank Gardener’s thumb, that’s all.”
“Are you saying I’m living under Daddy’s thumb?” The pause was too long. “Evie! I’m not living under Daddy’s thumb. I do what I want, when I want.”
“No, you don’t. You do what Daddy wants when he wants, but it seems to work for you. It doesn’t work for me. I guess I am more like Daddy and you’re more like Mama—willing to overlook his controlling nature.”
“I can’t always overlook it, but he’s our father, Evie. And he loves you and wants you to come home. I love you and want you to come home too—if not to the ranch, at least to Simple where I can see you every day.”
“I miss you too, Pen. But it’s not just Daddy keeping me away. I have a job here, and friends . . . and Edward.” She paused. “He asked me to marry him again.”
“And I hope you said no. You told me yourself that you don’t love him.”
“But I like and respect him. At thirty, I’ve come to realize that those two emotions are more important than love. And maybe Clint would behave better if he had a firm stepdad who wasn’t as much of a pushover as his mother.”
“Clint doesn’t need a firm hand,” she said. “He’s just a teenager sowing a few wild oats.”
Evie laughed. “You sound like Lucas. He never thought any of the boys who showed up that one summer were troublemakers. They were all just sweet kids who had been dealt a bad hand. How is he?”
“Not good. He’s still limping. Which makes me wonder if it’s more than just a sprain. Not to mention his memory loss. He can no longer remember the recipes of
dishes he’s made forever. Poor Chester has been getting some pretty awful concoctions for meals.”
“Do you think he’s getting dementia?”
“I don’t know. And there’s no way to find out. Those two refuse to go to a doctor. I wish I had more time to check on them, but we lost a couple ranch hands and I have my hands full.”
“Maybe they should hire someone. Or contact a relative who could help.”
“You know they don’t have any relatives or children of their own. Although the way they talk, you’d think the teenagers who came that summer where their kids.” She paused. “And one did come back. Cru Cassidy.” She waited for Evie’s reaction. Any reaction. But her sister had always been good at keeping her emotions bottled up—unlike Penny, who wore her heart on her sleeve.
“Well, that’s good. Maybe he can give Chester and Lucas the help they need. But you stay away from him, Pen. Those boys were all bad business.”
“I have no plans of hanging out with Cru Cassidy. And I don’t think he’s here to help out. I would bet he just stopped by to show off his flashy Porsche.” She wanted the words back as soon as she’d said them. Evie didn’t need to know that Cru was flaunting his expensive car when her sister had spent so many years struggling to make ends meet. But Evie didn’t seem to mind.
“Cru always talked about getting a fast car.” She paused. “And if you do run into him, make sure you don’t let anything slip, Pen. Now I need to go. I have a loan officers’ meeting here at the bank before my meeting with the principal.”
“Good luck with the principal. And for the record, I think you should believe Clint. He hasn’t smoked since he got into Daddy’s cigars when he was eight.”
Evie groaned. “I’ve never had to clean up so much puke in my life.”
Penny laughed. “I think it was a lesson well learned.”
“You’re probably right. I’ll let you know how it goes with the principal. And whatever you do, don’t tell Daddy. You know how he loves to stick his nose in my business, and I just can’t deal with his controlling nature right now.”
“Of course I won’t tell him. See, we don’t tell our parent everything either.”
“Point taken. Love you, Pen.”
“Love you too.”
After ending the call, Penny felt much better. She had thought the news of Cru coming back for a visit might upset her sister. But it looked like Evie had moved on. She was right. What happened that summer was in the past. And everyone knew the past was best left there. Any feelings Penny had when she saw Cru were just remnants from her childhood. Nothing else.
Still, she planned to stay away from the Double Diamond Ranch until Cru left. While she would miss seeing Lucas and Chester, she had enough to deal with on her own ranch. Spring branding would start soon and it was always a busy time, especially when they were short on ranch hands. Of course, all seasons were busy, and Penny loved every single one of them.
The ranch was more than just a home. It was her life. Every day, she would wake up when the sun hadn’t yet peeked over the horizon and say a prayer of thanks for getting to do what she loved. She loved spending her days outside with animals and nature. She loved riding or driving through miles and miles of beautiful country without seeing a billboard, or a building, or even a single soul.
What she didn’t love was not having Evie and Clint there to enjoy the ranch with her. Evie might act like she loved living in the city, but Penny knew better. Evie rarely called without asking about the ranch or the townsfolk of Simple. It was obvious she missed her home, and Penny was willing to do whatever it took to get her sister back where she belonged. Even if she had to go up against their stubborn father.
And he was stubborn. Penny had no more than swung down from the saddle when he came storming out of the house. “Where have you been?”
Even at close to sixty, Hank Gardener was an intimidating man. He was well over six foot tall with broad shoulders and a fit body from working a ranch all his life. When he opened his mouth, he sounded even more intimidating. But Penny was used to his loud bluster.
“Checking the fences in the east pasture.” She didn’t mention stopping by the Double Diamond Ranch to drop off the ointment she’d gotten Lucas. Her father didn’t get along with the Diamond brothers and would blow a gasket if he knew how much time she spent with the two old cowboys.
“Well, I’m glad you’re back because you need to tell me what the hell this is?” He waved a sheet of paper at her.
“If you stop waving it around like a madman, I’ll be happy to.”
He sent her a stern look before he shoved the paper at her. She took one look and knew exactly what it was. “It’s the invoice for our new website redesign. I told you about it.”
“You told me that you wanted to tweak our website. You did not tell me that it was going to cost me two thousand dollars.”
She tried to act surprised. “Are you sure? I could’ve sworn that I ran the number by you.”
“You did not. If you had told me a few tweaks were going to cost me that much money, I would’ve said hell no. You acted like it was only going to cost a couple hundred.”
“It was a little more than I expected.”
“A little? A hundred is a little. Fifteen hundred is highway robbery. Especially to pay some computer geek for a dancing cow.”
She bit back a smile. “So you took a look at the new website?”
“Of course I took a look at it. I wanted to see what cost me a small fortune. And I didn’t see anything on there worth that kind of money.”
Raul, one of the ranch hands, showed up and took Severus’s reins, sending her a sympathetic look. “Let me take Severus back to the stables, Miss Penny.”
“Thank you, Raul,” she said. “How’s your daughter’s spring cold?”
“She still has a little fever, but my wife says she’s feeling much better today.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll have Sadie send over some of her oatmeal cookies. I know Loretta loves them.”
“Thank you, Miss Penny.”
She waited until he was gone before she continued the argument with her father. “This isn’t the old days, Dad, when you could put an ad in a rancher’s magazine for a couple hundred dollars or get business cards printed up to hand out at a rancher’s convention. Now, websites are the new business card. And they’re a thousand times more effective because people all over the world can get on and see what we do here at the ranch. With just a few clicks, potential buyers can see our entire operation. And just like you didn’t want to hand out cheap business cards or put up a cheap ad, you don’t want our website to look cheap either. Putting together a good website takes expertise, hard work, and time. I promise it will be worth every penny. If it’s not, you can take it out of my pay.”
He studied her for a long moment. “You bet I will.” He jerked the invoice out of her hand. “Now let’s get inside and eat lunch so we can start going over the applicants for the new ranch hands and Sadie will stop badgering me about eating healthy. I swear I should’ve fired that woman a long time ago.”
Penny climbed the steps of the porch. “Don’t give me that. You wouldn’t know what to do without Sadie.”
“The hell I wouldn’t. I’d live in peace and eat what I wanted to. That’s what I’d do. My cholesterol is fine.”
“No, it’s not. The doctor says it’s way too high. And if Sadie left, what would you eat? Because neither one of us can cook.”
He followed her into the house. “I survived before I married your mother on my cooking. I figure I can survive again.”
As she hung up her hat in the hallway, she glanced at the picture of her mother that hung just above the line of hooks. Helen Marie Gardener had been just the opposite of her husband. She never raised her voice, never had an enemy, and never stopped smiling.
When she died, it was like all the sunshine had left the house. Penny had felt the loss of her mother deeply, and so had her father. They had both gone i
nto a deep depression after Helen Marie had passed away. Hank had turned angry and brooding, while Penny had turned to her sister. It was Evie’s love that pulled her out of her depression. Evie stepped into their mother’s role, packing Penny’s lunches for school, making sure she wore her hat in the winter, and helping her with her homework. At night, when Daddy was in bed and the house was quiet, Evie would sneak into Penny’s bed and take out a picture of their mother. The same picture that now hung on the wall. They would hide under the covers and Evie would shine a flashlight on the picture and they’d talk for hours about all the special things they remembered about her.
As time when on, their grief lessened and they no longer had to talk about their mother to feel her love. Daddy hired Sadie to cook, clean, and watch out for them. But Evie still snuck into Penny’s room each night just to talk. They shared everything they couldn’t share with their angry, grieving father. The only thing Evie had refused to share was the name of the boy who got her pregnant when she was fifteen.
But Penny knew. She had always known.
Cru Cassidy was the only boy who had blatantly chased after Evie that summer. The only boy who could easily make a girl forget her morals and take a walk on the wild side. And maybe that’s why Penny had never told her sister she knew her secret. She didn’t want Evie finding out she wasn’t the only Gardener sister who had fallen for a Double Diamond bad boy.
The very same bad boy.
Chapter Three
The soup Lucas made for lunch was inedible. Cru was only able to choke down a few spoonfuls before he made the excuse of having eaten before he got there. Chester didn’t make an excuse. After one bite, he declared it was the worst soup he’d ever eaten, which resulted in a huge argument between the brothers. Cru finally interceded with the only thing he knew would stop their fussing: He asked to see their rodeo trophies.
The soup feud was forgotten. For the next few hours, Cru sat on the dilapidated couch in the living room and listened while Chester and Lucas pointed out their rodeo belt buckles and trophies on the shelves above the television and told one story after the other. Cru had heard all their rodeo exploits the summer he was there, but he enjoyed hearing them again. Halfway through the story about how he’d busted his collarbone being tossed off a brahma bull named Tornado, Chester nodded off in his recliner. Lucas grumbled about him being an old fart who couldn’t keep his eyes open, but a few minutes later, he joined his brother in a late afternoon nap.