Redemption Ranch

by Leann Harris

  It killed her to be away from Riley and Tyler. She’d kept in contact with Sophie. Sophie told her that Riley seemed excited about the lock-in and Tyler kept asking Zach questions about the event.

  Of course, she knew things were out of her hands, but the week would’ve been easier on her if she’d been in town. Maybe God wanted Riley and Tyler to deal with each other without her interference. At least that’s what she counseled herself.

  She pulled into the parking lot and grabbed the bag stashed in her truck. The Friday afternoon crowd had swelled over the past few months. On the trail leading from the second ring, she saw Riley riding Brownie. Tyler rode beside him on Charming.

  “Oh, my goodness,” Beth breathed.

  “It’s a good sight, isn’t it?”

  Beth looked at Sophie. She must’ve just come out of the office, since she was munching on crackers. Beth looked back at the riders. Riley’s seat was a little tense, but Brownie didn’t seem to mind. “It’s a joyous sight.”

  “Tyler promised the boy he could ride Brownie outside the ring if he helped with several of the riders. He did.”

  “Oh, Sophie,” she breathed, her heart racing.

  “On Tuesday, Riley started giving Tyler grief, so Tyler had a little chat with him. Whatever he said did the trick. Riley helped without complaining, and Tyler let him ride.”

  The day she left.

  “And Riley’s been working since.” Sophie shook her head. “He worked yesterday and got to ride again. When his mom called this morning and asked if he could come today and ride, I agreed.” Sophie finished the cracker she had in her hand. “The kid’s eating it up. And he’s even listened to Ollie.”

  Beth’s mouth dropped open.

  “And hold on to your bag, because when Susan talked to me this morning, she said she and Riley want to go with us to church Sunday morning.”

  The announcement nearly brought Beth to tears. “I guess I need to hurry up and change. Do you have a T-shirt I could use? I got jeans and boots, but—” She glanced down at her gauze top.

  “Sure, we’ve just gotten in our new ranch T-shirts. C’mon, let’s get you changed. You can be our first walking advertisement.”

  Beth followed Sophie into the office. Riley spotted her as she reached the office door and waved. She waved back at him. Tyler even nodded at her.

  Sophie pulled a shirt off the shelf and handed it to Beth. The front of the shirt had a picture of a horse and underneath the words Second Chance Ranch. On the back, the slogan: New Beginnings and New Horizons.

  “Impressive. Was that your idea or Zach’s?”

  Sophie grinned. “What do you think?”

  “Yours.” Beth slipped into the bathroom and changed in record time. Beth sat beside Sophie and put on her boots.

  “I’ve got even better news for you.”

  Beth paused with her foot over her boot. “What’s that?”

  “Well, yesterday, when Chelsea showed up for her lesson and you weren’t here, Tyler and Riley stepped in and worked with her.”

  Beth worried about the riders she missed, but knew that Sophie would find volunteers to take her place. “That’s great news.” Stashing her bag behind Sophie’s desk, Beth raced outside. She caught up with the guys as they were walking their mounts into the stables.

  Riley saw Beth first. His eyes sparkled.

  “You were great.” She wanted to hug him, but held back.

  “Were you surprised to see me riding?” the boy asked.

  “Yes. I nearly tripped over my feet when I saw Tyler and you.”

  The young man looked at Tyler. “He says that I’ll get better and more relaxed after a few more times.”

  “That’s right,” Tyler added. “For the few times he’s been on a horse, he’s doing great.”

  Riley gave Brownie a carrot. “Did that happen the same way for you?”

  Stepping closer to Brownie, Beth rubbed the horse’s nose. “I don’t remember. My parents put me on a horse before I could walk.”

  Riley’s brows shot up. “Really?”

  “Tell you what. How about I help you with Brownie and I’ll tell you about it.”

  “Okay.”

  * * *

  “See you Sunday,” Beth called out as Susan and Riley drove away. She turned and threw her arms around Tyler.

  His arms automatically encircled her. His eyes briefly closed. It had been a long time since he’d hugged anyone, let alone a beautiful woman. The last time he’d hugged his ex-fiancée, it had not been a loving gesture, but an obligation. This hug meant something more.

  Beth pulled back and he immediately let his arms fall to his sides. She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “You did an incredible job with Riley. How did he feel about going to the church lock-in?”

  “I think he was disappointed at first that you weren’t here to ‘make’ him work.” He explained what happened on Tuesday afternoon. “Riley followed directions and helped. When it was his time to ride, I caught a smile, but as soon as he noticed me looking, he lost it.”

  Beth’s right hand fisted and she jerked it down. “Yes.”

  He wanted to laugh at her victory gesture.

  Looking at him, she smiled. “Prayer works.”

  He wasn’t going to go that far, but he had to acknowledge God had answered his prayers for Riley.

  She walked toward the fence encircling the first ring and rested her elbows on the top slat. The afternoon sun bathed her with a golden light and it danced in her hair, making it glow as if she had a halo. The wind teased his nostrils with the sweet smell of woman. “How’d you get him to agree to come to the lock-in?” She turned her head and smiled at him.

  It took a moment for his brain to reengage and have her question register. Tyler moved to stand by her, resting his arms on the fence, and explained what had happened. “I even had your brother vouch for the event. Riley couldn’t get his mind around a church sponsoring something that was as fun as an all-night party.”

  “A typical reaction. So how’d you convince him?”

  “I challenged Riley to a game of miniature golf. He took me up on the offer.”

  “I wish I could’ve seen his expression.”

  “I threw in that both you and I were going.”

  She appeared pleased. “And that worked?”

  He didn’t want to admit it. “Yeah.”

  “I’m excited that both Susan and Riley are going to church with us on Sunday. I even heard you were going, too.”

  He pushed away from the fence. He thought about not answering her, but she deserved a response. “If I’m going to spend the night with these kids and adults, I thought it wise to meet them earlier in the day.” That was the excuse he used to convince himself it wasn’t a hunger for that relationship with God.

  “You’re going to scope out the situation?” She half turned to him, her right elbow still on the rail.

  She’d read his motives correctly.

  “Anyone tell you that you see too much?” he grumbled.

  Humor danced in her eyes. “My brothers are constantly telling me that. Well, I think you’ve done an amazing job with Riley.”

  Beth’s praise slid into his soul and touched a place he hadn’t opened up in a long time. “So, are you bringing a date to the lock-in?”

  As if he’d slapped her, her expression sobered. “No. This is not a date night. I’ve got to supervise a lot of teens, and wouldn’t even think of bringing a date.”

  Her answer lightened his mood. He’d wondered all week if she had a boyfriend, but refused to ask her brother. If he did, he was sure Zach would take the question the wrong way.

  “Besides, that’s a moot point.”

  “What?”<
br />
  “The boyfriend issue.” Her mouth closed so hard he could hear her teeth grind.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Nothing. I need to help Ollie.” With those words, she walked away. He had hit a sore spot with her. What had caused that reaction? Surely, Beth wouldn’t have trouble attracting interested men, so why did he have the feeling that there wasn’t a special man in her life?

  “Leave it alone, Lynch,” he muttered to himself. He didn’t want to buy any more trouble than what he had.

  Chapter Seven

  The music flowed around Beth as she worked, putting new hay in the horses’ stalls. After the first stanza, Beth joined in, singing the contemporary chorus with gusto.

  She leaned close to Charming and kissed his nose, and continued to sing, her heart joyous.

  She turned and saw Tyler standing in the aisle.

  “Oh.” She stumbled back a step and would’ve fallen into Charming, but Tyler grasped her hand and pulled him to his chest.

  “Careful.”

  Looking up to him, she saw the amusement deep in his eyes.

  “That thing you’ve got about sneaking up on people is surfacing again.”

  His brow arched. “There was nothing sneaky about it. I heard the radio from the parking lot and knew that wasn’t what Ollie listens to—” he motioned to the radio “—that type of music. He’s a little more traditional.” He shrugged. “I came to investigate it.”

  His explanation was logical, but she still felt flustered. She’d been rejoicing, and the music had lifted her spirit. Charming had been enjoying the music and bobbing his head, too.

  “Where is everyone?” Tyler asked, glancing around the stables. “I drop Riley off at his house, and come back to find the place deserted. Odd for a Thursday night.”

  “Ollie had a date.”

  Tyler’s comical expression made her laugh.

  “That was my reaction, too, but Ollie’s going to see Margaret, the old owner of this place. She had a major stroke last year, but she’s recovering and Ollie had planned on taking her to dinner.”

  He continued to stare at her. “You’re pulling a fast one on me, right?”

  “No. Ollie’s a big marshmallow inside.”

  Tyler didn’t look convinced. “I haven’t seen any evidence of that.”

  “That’s because you’re new. And not a girl.”

  “If you say so.”

  She stepped close and lowered her voice. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I always thought he had a crush on Margaret.”

  Tyler glanced over both shoulders, then leaned closer to Beth’s ear. “Why are you whispering? You afraid the horses will overhear you?”

  She turned her mouth toward his ear. “Yes. You know what gossips the horses are.”

  Beth wished she had a camera to capture Tyler’s puzzled expression. He threw his head back and laughed. And what a glorious sound it was.

  “What am I going to do with you?”

  “My brothers have that reaction, too. What’s up with that?”

  He shook his head. “So Ollie’s out. So where’s your brother? Why isn’t he here, helping?”

  “He got carted out to look at strollers. I know he would rather have fed the stock, but he didn’t get that option. I told Sophie I’d cover for him.”

  “Well, you and I together can get this done in just a few minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  “Will you continue to sing to the radio?”

  Beth had her suspicions. “Why?”

  “Because you have a nice voice and I enjoyed listening to you.”

  She examined his face closely to see if he was teasing her. He appeared sincere. “Okay, but only if you sing along.”

  “What if I don’t know the words?”

  “Just hum along. Charming can’t hum, but he does keep time.”

  He stuck out his hand. “Deal.”

  Taking his hand, she felt the beginning callus on his palm. When he released her hand, a stab of disappointment shot through her. She shook off her silliness and went to work.

  They worked together and in less than twenty minutes all the horses had been taken care of. Beth heard him hum, but he never burst out in song. She wanted to hear his voice.

  Once they finished their chores, she walked into the tack room and turned off the radio. “Thanks for the help.”

  “That’s what Zach pays me for.”

  He didn’t take praise well. “Zach’s getting a good value for his investment.”

  He nodded.

  They walked out of the stables. Dogger followed them.

  “I’m glad you’re coming on Sunday morning.” She turned and started toward her car.

  “Beth.”

  She stopped, her heart suddenly beating faster, and her stomach lurched. You would’ve thought she was in high school from the reaction. “Yes?”

  “You want to go get one of those greasy burgers that Riley loved?”

  She hesitated.

  “We have to eat, you and I.”

  It wasn’t the most romantic invitation she’d ever received. But she wasn’t looking for a date, she told herself. “Okay, but I’ll drive.”

  “Not a problem.”

  The tension in her stomach eased. The man didn’t need to be in the driver’s seat, controlling things. She didn’t want to repeat the mistake of her past.

  Tyler turned to Dogger. “Stay.”

  They climbed into her truck. As she drove away, she saw Dogger settle on the porch. The animal trusted Tyler in a way that amazed her. She glanced at him. He sat on the passenger side, relaxed and easy with her being in control of the truck. That was important to her.

  * * *

  Beth took a bite of her fried pie. “Oh, that is sooo good.”

  Tyler shook his head. The lady had demolished her burger and fries with gusto. She wasn’t the kind of woman who nibbled her food around the edges, then complained about her weight, as his ex-fiancée endlessly had. His ex constantly worried about her weight and worked out in the gym, but he never saw her physically work as he’d witnessed Beth doing this afternoon.

  Beth took another bite, but the coconut filling dribbled out of the corner of her mouth. She laughed and he reached out and caught the filling on his finger. She grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth.

  “Try it.” Beth nodded to his finger with filling on it.

  He licked the filling off his finger. “I can see why you like that.”

  She offered him her last bite. Earlier, when he’d tried to pay for her dinner and fried pie, she’d refused to allow it. He wondered at her reaction, but here she offered him the last bite. He took the last piece of pie and popped it into his mouth.

  Beth wasn’t wrong. That was good.

  “Isn’t that good?”

  “You’re right. And I know Riley shares your opinion.”

  She rested her arms on the table. “I like him. He started out as prickly as some of the cactus south of here, but that boy’s got a good heart.”

  Tyler had to agree. Once the grief and moodiness lifted off of Riley’s spirit, his personality had come out. The kid Paul talked about showed up. “Riley asked me about you. Wondered why you traveled so much.”

  “Did you explain I was a buyer for M&M?”

  “I did, but I don’t think he can imagine it. He said the store sounds like the candy. M&M.”

  “We get that a lot. The store’s full name is McMill and Montoya.” Beth’s fingers played with the moisture from her tea glass on the table top. “I have an idea.” She looked up at him. “Why don’t you two come by the store tomorrow afternoon? There are some great s
ales for the start of school and Riley can shop. And you can buy a couple of shirts, too.”

  “Are you saying that I look bad in my T-shirts and jeans?”

  “I kind of wonder what you’d look like in a dress shirt and pants.” Oddly, he wanted to squirm. He had nice clothes. At the house in Oklahoma City. And his uniform.

  “Riley probably needs new clothes for school. Or we can use the excuse of getting a cool shirt for the lock-in.”

  Tyler liked that idea. “Okay. I think Susan was complaining that she needed to take Riley shopping for some new clothes for school.”

  “Then we’ve got a date tomorrow afternoon. Tell one of the cashiers when you get to the store to call the purchasing office and tell them who you are and you’re at the store. They will let me know.”

  A date.

  The words stood out like a neon sign. A date.

  He liked that idea. “Sounds like a plan.”

  * * *

  Beth heard from Tyler around two-forty. Both Susan and Riley liked the idea of shopping for new school clothes. The boys were on their way to the store. She came down from the fifth floor to wait for them. Yesterday, having Tyler help her with the stock, then going for burgers, had been the most fun she’d had in a long time. When he’d offered to buy her dinner, she’d refused, not wanting the pleasant afternoon to end in a “date.” It made her uncomfortable.

  Why? she found herself asking, but each time the thought came up, she pushed it aside. She wasn’t willing to examine the why. Instead, she buried herself in paperwork, using the excuse that it needed to be done before the lock-in. It was a thin excuse, but she wasn’t complaining.

  She walked through the men’s department, thinking of things that would look good on Tyler and Riley.

  “Beth.”

  She froze at the sound of that voice from the past. She didn’t need to turn around to know who’d called out to her. At one time, his was the voice she loved hearing. She turned, coming face to face with Gavin Humphrey, her ex-boyfriend. The man who had slapped her.