The Rancher's First Love

by Brenda Minton

  Beautiful. He had to agree. Standing there in shorts, a T-shirt and with her hair pulled back, Sam was beautiful. He let himself get tangled up in everything he’d felt years ago. But those memories would get him nowhere. He pushed his hat back and refocused his attention on the dog.

  “From the looks of that face and those ears, I’d say yes,” he agreed, reaching to let the dog sniff his hand.

  “Who would dump a pretty girl like her?”

  “Someone tired of puppies would be my guess.”

  “Then they should have gotten her fixed.”

  “I agree. I’m just giving you my opinion on why she’s been left on the side of the road.”

  “Yes, because she’s going to have puppies.” Her expression changed from angry to something close to sad, then she walked away, the dog next to her. He watched them go, wondering what that look meant and fearing deep down that he didn’t know the whole story.

  “Maybe she just got lost?”

  Back at her truck, Sam opened the door and coaxed the dog inside. “That’s a possibility.”

  “We can ask around. Someone might be missing her.”

  “Yes, I’ll do that. I’ll put a poster up at Duke’s and at the grocery store.”

  Inside the truck the dog had settled on the seat, happy to be inside. Sam fidgeted, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

  Ten years. They had become different people. They no longer knew each other. If he was honest, he’d admit they’d probably never known each other. They’d been kids. They’d both liked horses, rodeos and sitting down by the creek on a summer day.

  It hadn’t been a relationship, his mom had informed him. It had been a summer romance.

  The warm night air reminded him that it was summer once again. With that thought in mind, he had to head home, because now was the wrong time for him to get distracted.

  “Thanks for...” she started at the same time he said, “I should go.”

  “Goodbye, Rem. I’m glad we talked.”

  “Yeah, me, too.”

  She walked away from him and he watched her go. After she’d driven away, he sat on the tailgate of his truck for a while, thinking about that summer, about being seventeen and really believing he knew everything about life.

  He hadn’t had a clue. He still didn’t have a clue. But he knew that Samantha Martin was in his past. That’s where she belonged. And that’s where a wise man would leave her.

  He was smart, but he’d never been too wise.

  Chapter Three

  Samantha woke up early the next morning. She loved waking up on the ranch, to the quiet broken only by country sounds. Dogs, a cow in the distance, a tractor working in a nearby field. Carrying her cup of coffee, she walked out to the barn.

  After she’d gotten home last night, she’d put the pregnant dog in a stall with a bowl of leftover stew and a bucket of water. As she headed across the yard she could hear the animal whining.

  “What’s going on, pretty girl?” She leaned across the top of the stall and peeked in. “Oh, I see.”

  The dog yelped and turned to clean her new puppies. There were four already, still damp and squirmy. The mamma dog hovered over them, nervous about having company.

  “Hey, what’s up?” A loud, chipper voice burst into the moment.

  Lilly. Sam turned to greet her niece, Duke’s daughter. The surprise, as Sam liked to call her. Duke hadn’t known about his daughter until just last year. Sam loved the bubbly, energetic twelve-year-old. She secretly hoped the girl would keep Duke on his toes.

  Sam held up a finger, and then pointed to the stall. “Shhh.”

  Lilly silently tiptoed forward, her eyes going big when she looked inside and saw the dog. And now, five puppies.

  “We should give her some privacy,” Sam said. “Let’s have breakfast.”

  As soon as the two of them walked out of the barn, Lilly’s carefully contained energy uncorked. “Where did you get her? What’s her name? And did you know my mom is going to adopt a baby?”

  Sam blinked a few times. Okay, this was news. And probably not the way Duke or Oregon wanted it announced.

  “I’m not sure what to say, Lilly.” Sam cleared her throat. “You know, your parents might not want everyone to know.”

  “Mom said I could tell you.”

  “Oh, well that’s good. I didn’t know and I’m excited for them.”

  “It’s through the state. He’s only six weeks old and he’s living in a foster home in Houston. We’re going to see him next week.”

  “That’s amazing. I can’t wait to meet him.”

  “Me, too.” Lilly glanced back at the barn. “So, where did you get the dog?”

  “I found her in town.”

  “Oh, that’s the dog that my dad was talking about. The stray that he’s going to have to do something about.”

  “He said that?”

  “You know how guys are,” Lilly said, rolling her eyes.

  “Yes, I do know how guys are. And he isn’t going to do anything about this dog because she’s mine now.”

  Lilly just shrugged. “So, I’m out of school and bored.”

  Sam laughed. “I’m sure you are. What are you going to do with your summer?”

  Lilly shrugged and Sam got the feeling there was more she wanted to say. They kept walking, though, back to the house. Sam hadn’t been here when Oregon and Lilly showed up a few years ago. When Duke learned that the precocious girl across the street was his daughter. But she was here now. And she loved being an aunt.

  “So?” she prodded her niece. “Give it up. I know you have more to say. Or something to ask.”

  “Okay. Dad said you were the best barrel racer in the county. I’m not the best. But I want to be. I’ll be thirteen soon and I don’t want to have to compete with the little girls.”

  “Gotcha. So we have some work to do?”

  Lilly nodded. “Please. I mean, Dad tries to help me, but he’s a guy. He can rope. He can train a horse.”

  “But he isn’t a barrel racer.”

  “Right.” Lilly stepped through the door Sam opened.

  “That works for me, because my new gelding needs some practice.” Sam followed her niece inside. The kitchen felt cool after being outside. It was not quite nine o’clock and already hot and humid. “Want breakfast?”

  In answer Lilly headed for the cabinet, helping herself to cereal bars. She and Oregon had lived in this house for a time. The girl knew her way around more than just the house. She knew how to be a part of the Martin family. Sam envied that. Sometimes she felt like the outsider, as if she was the one who didn’t know how to be a Martin.

  “Are you going to eat?” Lilly poured herself a glass of milk and dunked the cereal bar.

  “Not yet. I need at least another cup or two of coffee.” She poured herself a cup and leaned against the counter next to Lilly. “About this horse business. I have to work this evening, but I can help you this morning. We might even trailer the horses over to the rodeo grounds. I always found it helpful to get away from the ranch arena.”

  “Really? You’d do that?”

  “Of course. You’re my niece and we have a tradition to continue in this family.”

  Lilly popped the last bite in her mouth, and then drained the glass of milk. She wiped her mouth with a paper towel and put the glass in the sink. “So, you’re going to barrel race this summer?”

  “We’ll see how things go.”

  “Do you think we should go check on your dog?” Lilly glanced toward the barn. “Have you named her?”

  “Not yet. I don’t want to name her if she belongs to someone and she’s just lost. I’ll put up some posters and see if anyone claims her. As a matter of fact, let me get my phone so I can take a picture
.”

  They were on their way to the barn when Jake pulled up. Sam waved at her brother, but she and Lilly kept walking. She knew he’d follow. She also knew he’d have something to say about the stray dog.

  As she and Lilly leaned over, watching the mama dog and her litter of six, Jake stepped into the barn.

  “What do we have here?” He sidled next to her and groaned when he saw the dog and puppies. “A stray?”

  “No, she’s not a stray. She either belongs to someone or she’s mine. She’s not a stray.”

  He cleared his throat. “She’s a mutt.”

  “Jake, I don’t have to ask your permission to get a dog.” She wouldn’t argue with him. Not in front of Lilly.

  She wanted to tell her brother that what she did was no longer his business. He didn’t get to make decisions about her life, her career, who she dated. Not that she had dated since she’d come home. But he definitely got no say in what animals she brought home. He’d made decisions for her when she was younger and hadn’t asked her opinion. No more.

  “You’re right. You don’t,” he said just as quietly. “I just wanted to let you know, Breezy isn’t feeling too great. The baby is fussy. I think they’re both going to need a trip to the doctor.”

  “I can watch the twins for you,” she was quick to offer.

  “Marty has them, but if she needs a break, can she call you?”

  “You know she can.”

  Lilly glanced at Jake, then at Sam. “Do I need to leave so you two can argue?”

  Sam laughed a little and Jake looked uncomfortable.

  “You stay put, kiddo. Aunt Sam and I will step outside.”

  Brothers. She gave Lilly a quick wink and the girl shook her head, as if she got it. Because even though she didn’t have brothers, she had Duke for a dad.

  “Back in a minute, Lilly,” she assured her niece.

  “If you need me to rescue you, the code word is help.”

  Sam laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

  Jake was waiting for her outside. They walked to the fence, neither saying a word. Sam leaned her arms across the top rail and watched her new gelding, a pretty palomino, as he trotted across the field, his buttery gold coat soaking up the sunshine. Standing next to Jake, she felt small. And young. She exhaled her frustration, but he didn’t react.

  “Nice horse,” Jake commented.

  “What do you want, Jake?”

  “I ran across Remington. He was at the feed store.”

  “Yeah, he lives here now.”

  He cleared his throat. “So you know he’s in town?”

  “Yes, I know.” She could have said more, but she didn’t want to make this easy for him. She didn’t want to let him off the hook. Her brothers had hurt her. They’d meant to protect her, to make things right. But they’d hurt her along the way.

  It still ached. Not the way it had before, but from time to time it would sneak up on her. She closed her eyes tight for a moment, long enough to fight back the tears.

  Jake touched her back. “I’m sorry, Sam. I don’t know what else to say. We were young. We were doing the best we could. And we didn’t know how to raise a younger sister.”

  “I know. So why did you feel the need to tell me you saw Remington?”

  “I didn’t want you to be surprised.”

  “Oh, I was surprised. He showed up at the hospital with a crew of cowboys who minister to kids.”

  “Ah.”

  He said it as though he understood. She doubted he did. He hadn’t lived with Aunt Mavis. He hadn’t lived through the Bible lessons, the lectures and the condemnation.

  She’d always thought her aunt well-meaning. She’d given the older woman the benefit of the doubt. That didn’t ease the pain.

  “I should go. Lilly is in there with the dog and she wants me to help her with her horse.”

  Before she could step away, Jake stopped her, his hand on her arm. “Sam, we’re all glad you’re home. We want you here. But we want more than that. We want you in our lives.”

  She nodded but her throat was tight and tears burned her eyes. “I know. I don’t go to work until three. I can watch the twins if you need me to.”

  The twins. Rosie and Violet. They were the daughters of Jake’s twin, Elizabeth. She and her husband had died in a plane crash, devastating the family all over again. They’d had too much devastation in their past. A mother who had walked away. A father who drank himself to death. Then Elizabeth’s death.

  But they were making up for those hard times. Jake had found Breezy, the sister of Elizabeth’s husband, Lawton. Duke and Oregon had found each other. Brody had Grace.

  They all had someone. Except her.

  Sam shook off the melancholy. She had her family. And that was good.

  She was saved from darker thoughts when Lilly ran out of the barn, a big grin on her face. “Nine. There are nine puppies!”

  “I should go home and leave the two of you to your labor and delivery.” Jake leaned to kiss Sam’s cheek. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  “Will do.” She glanced away, hoping he didn’t see the truth. She needed him. She needed all of her brothers.

  “Sam, I hope you’ll forgive us.”

  She stopped, unsure of how to process that request. She was forced to look at Jake, to see the tenderness in his expression. She nodded, brushing hair back from her face as the wind kicked up. She started to tell him there was nothing to forgive, but it didn’t seem honest. She’d been angry with them. She loved her brothers, but they’d hurt her.

  “I’m working on it,” she said. It was a candid answer and he seemed to accept it.

  “Good. That’s all we ask.”

  When he left, she headed for the barn and Lilly. What she needed was an hour or two on horseback to clear her mind.

  * * *

  Remington had spent his morning with a family that had lost a father during the night. It hadn’t been easy, watching them say goodbye to a man they’d expected to be in their lives for years to come. As much as he loved ministry, he was still adjusting to this part of the job. Standing in front of a crowd on a Sunday morning was easy compared to sitting one-on-one with a wife, telling her God would help her through the coming days, weeks and months.

  He slowed as he drove past the Martin’s Crossing Saddle Club. He recognized the truck with the horse trailer hooked to it, and the woman sitting on the showy palomino. Good old common sense told him to keep driving. He sure didn’t need distractions in the form of Samantha Martin. He didn’t need to get caught up in the past when he had the present to concern himself with.

  Good advice, but he couldn’t quite make himself listen. The past six hours had drained him. Seeing Sam, even from a distance, shifted things.

  He hit his brakes at the first road and headed back in the direction of the rodeo grounds. He spent the next few minutes telling himself all the reasons he should let it go. Let her go.

  He still took the road that led to the saddle club. Because the girl he’d known ten years ago was buried inside the composed shell of the woman he’d met yesterday. The wild teenager who’d grabbed hold of every adventure, who could race him across the field and never stop laughing as she beat him, she was in there somewhere.

  Didn’t anyone else realize that the real Samantha Martin was missing, replaced by this stranger?

  He parked, got out of his truck and headed toward the arena. Sam stood next to her niece Lilly as the younger girl settled into the saddle of her horse. She glanced his way, shook her head and went back to the conversation she’d been having. Lilly held the reins in one hand and patted the neck of the chestnut gelding with the other. She smiled big, as if being there with Sam was better than Christmas.

  The two talked for a minute, then Sam said somet
hing. Lilly moved her left foot from the stirrup and Sam swung onto the back of the gelding and sat behind Lilly. Remington watched as the two walked around the barrels. At each one Sam would lean into the turn, moving Lilly with her.

  Two times they went around the barrels like that, and then Sam dismounted, landing lightly next to the horse. She patted Lilly’s leg and faced him.

  “We weren’t expecting an audience,” Sam said as she walked past him to her gelding that she’d tied to the gate.

  “I drove by and then thought...” He left the words hanging. He didn’t know what he’d thought. But here he was. He could fight it, but the attraction was still there. It felt like they were tethered together, like her blue eyes were the only eyes he should ever look into. He could get lost in those eyes, in the emotions that flickered through them.

  “You thought what?” She leaned against the fence, still inside the arena.

  “I thought I’d see what you were doing and how your dog is. I guess she had her puppies?” He headed for neutral territory, which was a lot easier than admitting he’d been a little wrung out from the time spent with a grieving family and he’d been drawn to see her.

  “How’d you know she had her puppies?”

  “I saw Brody earlier. He was heading to Dallas.”

  She watched Lilly, pretending for the moment that she hadn’t heard him. He’d seen the slight shift in expression, the indrawn breath.

  “It’s Brody’s business if he wants to visit Sylvia,” she finally answered. “But that isn’t why you’re here, is it?”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  She continued to watch her niece. The breeze picked up and Sam pushed her hair back, holding it in place as it tried to sweep across her cheek. Lilly rode up to them, pulling her horse in as she got close.

  “Take him again. And this time with some speed. You have to trust your horse, Lilly.”

  “Trust my horse. Got it.” Lilly grinned big at Sam and then at him.

  “Go,” Sam warned her niece. The girl turned the horse and rode away. “So, why are you here?”

  “I’m not really sure,” he said, watching her niece take the barrels. “No, that isn’t entirely true. I had a rough night with a family from Jamesville. I saw you down here and thought I’d stop and say hello.”