The Rancher's First Love

by Brenda Minton

  “This is a ranch!” Parker exclaimed from the backseat. “I’m going to live on a real ranch.”

  “Yes, sir, you are,” Gus answered. “We’ll make sure you have a few cows of your own so you can start your own herd. Rem started his own herd that way. He has one here and one on his folks’ place.”

  “I’ll have my own cows?” Parker whistled. “And a horse?”

  “One thing at a time, Parker.” His grandmother brought him back down to earth. “Let’s focus on you getting better.”

  “I’m better, Granny. I am. I can feel my toes sometimes and Dr. Jackson said someday I might be able to use crutches. He said not real good. But maybe a little.”

  Remington glanced in the rearview mirror and caught the look on his aunt’s face. She was nervous. She wanted the best for Parker. She also didn’t want him to get his hopes up. His spinal injury had been in the lower portion of his back.

  “Here we are.” He pulled up to the two-story farmhouse with a newly built ramp.

  “Wow, is this house really old?” Parker had the door open and was peering out at the land around him.

  “It’s not that old,” Gus responded. “The original house got hit by a tornado thirty years ago and we rebuilt.”

  Remington left them to discuss the ranch. He retrieved Parker’s wheelchair from the trunk and had it out and ready when Gus picked up the boy and settled him in the seat. Parker was still talking.

  “Do you think Nurse Sam lives on a ranch like this?” he asked.

  Gus shot Remington a look, a grin hidden behind his bushy mustache.

  “Yeah, but bigger,” Remington responded. He pushed the wheelchair toward the ramp but Parker took over, his hands on the wheels pushing hard. Remington let him go.

  “You’ve seen where she lives?” Parker asked.

  “Yes, I’ve seen it.”

  Parker stopped at the top of the porch, catching his breath. His face was a little red from the excitement and the exertion. He looked around, and then he settled that excited gaze on Remington, grinning big.

  “She’s the best nurse. We all think she’s the prettiest.”

  Gus coughed as he inserted the key in the lock and pushed the front door open. Remington watched his grandfather, slightly stooped and a little bowlegged from years in the saddle. He thought about telling Gus to keep his comments—and coughs—to himself.

  “You boys had too much time on your hands,” Remington answered. “And now you’re going to have less time and more work.”

  “Yeah,” Parker practically shouted as he pushed himself through the front door. “And Nurse Sam will be here to check on me. Wait until I call Danny and tell him.”

  Remington let Aunt Lee follow the boy inside and he stayed on the front porch where there was fresh air and fewer excited statements about a certain nurse. He looked out over the ranch his father had grown up on, the ranch he’d now help his grandfather care for.

  In the field beef cattle with red coats and broad backs grazed on spring grass, biting off the tender morsels. The distant crow of a rooster broke the silence. As did the sound of a car on the highway. His thoughts weren’t as settled or as peaceful as his surroundings.

  Samantha Martin. She wanted distance. He wanted her close. He wanted to mend fences that had been broken. If things had turned out different, he wondered if he and Sam would have dated a few years, then gotten married. Or would they have broken up after that summer? That’s what his mom had predicted. She’d told him that was how most summer romances ended. It felt like something that would last forever. But usually, she’d assured him, it faded with time and distance.

  He’d actually believed her until he saw Sam at the hospital.

  Seeing her made it all come rushing back as if they’d never been apart. Unfortunately Sam didn’t seem to feel the same way. She seemed to have put him and their relationship behind her.

  He guessed he’d either have to accept that, or change her mind.

  Chapter Five

  Sam visited Parker the day after he’d left the hospital. It had been an easy visit, with a little boy excited by his new room, his new home and a new puppy. She’d seen the shadows in his eyes, though, and knew there were things he didn’t discuss. If he pretended everything was okay, maybe they would all believe nothing had changed and they weren’t grieving people who were suddenly missing in their lives.

  Sam had spent too much of her life missing people. She had smiled and pretended she was whole. She’d gone to school. She’d gone to college and earned more than one degree. She’d dated a little. She’d made friends.

  But something had always been missing. No, someone had been missing. Two someones, she realized.

  Now, a week after Parker’s release from the hospital, Sam had promised a visit because Parker had cows. Gus had taken him to the livestock auction and purchased five heifer calves for the boy to raise. He would have his own herd just the way Remington had promised.

  She drove up the driveway of the Rocking J, maneuvering around the ruts where the dirt had been washed away by recent rains. As she got closer to the house she saw Gus, Remington and Parker at the barn.

  The barn was a short walk from the house and gave her a chance to clear her head. When she got there, she was greeted by Gus, who leaned heavily on a cane. His white hair was almost as bushy as his moustache and he’d wiped a dab of grease on his jeans.

  “Gus, how are you doing?” she asked, surprised to see him using the cane.

  “Oh, I’m fit as a fiddle, Sammy. A little tired and sometimes a little wobbly, but I’m not going down without a fight.”

  “I didn’t think you would.” She grinned at Parker, who had pushed his chair a little closer. “And you, big shot?”

  “I’m good. I even got a sunburn a few days ago.” He showed her his arms.

  “You’d best be using sunscreen,” she warned.

  He rolled his eyes at that. “Yeah, that’s what my granny said. But Remington doesn’t use sunscreen.”

  Remington picked that moment to walk out of the barn with a list that he handed Gus.

  “What brings you to the Rocking J?” he asked.

  “I’m here to see a new herd of cattle.”

  He gave her a look. “In a dress?” Remington asked.

  “Sorry, I’ve been to town and stopped here on my way home.” She turned her attention back to Parker because it was easier, dealing with him. It was easier than looking at Remington when he brought back so many memories. “So, what about those cows of yours?”

  “They’re in the field. Uncle Gus said by next year I’ll have calves. I can build my herd that way. I’ll keep the heifer calves and sell the bull calves.”

  “That’s how I built my own herd, Parker.” She squatted next to his chair. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Great. Granny was surprised that I can get out of my bed on my own. She said I should wait for her.”

  “I’ll talk to her and tell her that you’re pretty good at those transfers. And you’re doing your exercises?”

  “Yep. Rem does those with me. Sometimes Granny.”

  “Good job.” She lifted her gaze and caught Remington watching her, his gray eyes holding her captive for a moment. She brushed off the reaction and stood. “Let’s go see those cows. How are you doing on this rough terrain? This isn’t like the hospital.”

  “I don’t mind so much. Rem usually helps me out. Yesterday we took the mule.”

  She stopped at that. “Mule?”

  Remington nodded, indicating the ATV at the side of the barn. “Not a four-legged mule, Sam. Two rows of seats, six wheels and seat belts.”

  “Gotcha.” Of course she should have known.

  “I’m going to let the three of you go check on those heifers,” Gus interrupte
d. “I’ve got to head to town. I need new tires on the livestock trailer and I have to order a few things from the feed store. And whatever Rem put on this list.” He waved a bit of paper, and then shoved it in his shirt pocket.

  “And have coffee at the diner?” Rem asked as he pushed Parker toward the previously mentioned mule.

  Sam watched the three of them—Remington, Parker and Gus—as they discussed Gus’s plans. But her gaze lingered on Remington. Standing there with him just feet away, all cowboy in his faded jeans, worn boots and T-shirt, she wasn’t so sure if she should go. He was six feet of temptation and past actions had proven he was hard to resist.

  He picked that moment to face her and she felt heat crawl into her face. Instead of letting it go, he winked.

  Every moment she spent in Remington Jenkins’s company reminded her of everything she’d lost, everything she’d given up. It reminded her that there were things they needed to talk about.

  Today, though, was about Parker. It was about warm sunshine, the smell of grass and country air.

  “Ready to do this?” Remington asked.

  “Of course.”

  “You take that backseat. I’ll put Parker up front. He likes to tell me how to drive.” Remington lifted the little boy from his chair. “Worst backseat driver ever.”

  Parker laughed, and his laughter was contagious. She took a seat directly behind Remington. She preferred the back of his head to his profile. She preferred looking at the dark hair brushing his neck and not the carefree tilt of his mouth, or the just-barely crooked nose, which he’d broken bull riding at sixteen. She didn’t want to see his lean, suntanned cheeks or the dark lashes that outlined his silver-gray eyes to perfection.

  But then, she also didn’t want the hint of aftershave that drifted back to tease her as they drove across the pasture toward the section of the Rocking J where Parker’s small herd was grazing.

  Along the way the mule slowed to a stop. Remington pointed in the direction of a dozen horses. Standing close to a pretty gray mare was a foal as dark as midnight. The baby noticed them watching and pranced, all legs, doing his best to show off.

  “Isn’t he a nice little colt?” Remington asked, easing the mule a little closer.

  “Beautiful,” she admitted. “How old?”

  “Not quite a week.”

  “Really nice.”

  They went on and in a few minutes they topped a small rise, the ranch spreading out before them. They could see for miles in all directions. Samantha breathed in deep.

  “I missed this,” she admitted.

  “I’m sure you have,” Remington responded as he killed the engine. “I can’t imagine not being in Texas.”

  She wondered if he’d ever, even once, thought about her after she’d been sent away. Back then, it honestly felt as if she’d lost everyone. She could feel the resentment surfacing and she wanted to push it back down. She leaned forward to talk to Parker, the little cowboy in his jeans, new boots, cowboy hat and Western shirt.

  “Where’s that herd of yours, Parker?” she asked.

  He scanned the cattle grazing in the field ahead of them and with a shout, he pointed. Five Angus grazed among the deep red Limousin breed cattle with their Rocking J brand.

  “There they are. I picked them myself. I thought it would be good to have some Angus on this ranch.” He gave Remington a satisfied smirk.

  “I think that’s a good idea, Parker.” She rested a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll do great with those Angus.”

  “Is that what you raise?”

  She nodded. “Yes, it is.”

  Remington restarted the mule and they headed back toward the house. Parker talked the whole way. He told her about the food Gus cooked. He told her about sleeping in his new room and the toys they’d brought him from his old house, and that’s when he slipped away, into grief.

  Samantha wanted to hug him, because he was a little boy and he’d lost his parents. But she could see him working hard to control tears. Remington reached over to give his shoulder a light squeeze.

  “We ought to go to Duke’s for dinner tonight,” Remington finally said. “I think he’s got steak on the menu as a special.”

  “Black and blue,” Samantha offered.

  “It’s bruised?” Parker asked, glancing back at her with just the slightest glimmer of tears still hovering in his eyes.

  “No, that means it has bacon and blue cheese crumbles on top.”

  Parker’s face scrunched. “Gross. Hey, did you tell Danny that I said hi?”

  “I did,” she answered. “And he said hi back to you. Did the teacher come out to talk to you this week?”

  Parker groaned. “Yeah. I have to do some classes with her all summer, until school starts. So I won’t be way behind, she said.”

  They talked a little more about school. Then they were pulling up to the barn, and Remington helped Parker back into his wheelchair.

  She stood back, contemplating how to remove herself from this situation that pulled her in. Because she thought the world of Parker. Remington? She wasn’t really sure what she thought of him. She watched the man, who crouched next to the little boy, talking to him about his cows. He pushed his hat back and laughed at something Parker said, then he glanced her way. She nearly melted under that look.

  For years he’d been something of a fantasy. A knight who would ride to her rescue. Then he’d been the man who didn’t show up when she needed him. After that he’d become the empty space in her heart.

  The adult Sam had written him off as a crush. A mistake. He’d been a learning experience, teaching her not to rely on other people.

  But he was someone Parker could rely on. And he was the man who could still break her heart if she let down her guard for even a second.

  * * *

  After Remington got Parker set up in his wheelchair, he looked over at Samantha. She was standing a short distance away, her gaze on the truck she’d left parked at the house. She was thinking through her escape plan. He could see it in her eyes.

  “Can you give Parker some help back to the house?” Remington asked. “He’s pretty good, but every now and then he needs a little help getting over a rough patch.”

  She let her gaze settle on Parker. “Of course I can help.”

  “I can show you my room, too.” Parker was already pushing himself toward the drive. “Coming?”

  “Of course.” She looked over to Remington. “See you later?”

  He tipped his hat and nodded. “For sure.”

  With that she hurried after Parker, catching the handles of the chair and helping him over the rough terrain. Remington slipped through the door of the barn and into the dim silence of the building. He took a deep breath, relaxing. There were times in his life when he felt as if he knew exactly what God wanted from him. The ministry for kids had been such a time. He’d even felt good when he’d taken the church outside Martin’s Crossing.

  He hadn’t expected Sam. Yeah, he’d thought they’d run into each other. But he’d really expected to take it in stride, as if the past was firmly in the past. He’d guessed wrong. Meeting up with Sam was like having a head-on collision.

  John Wayne whinnied. The minihorse was in a small corral, waiting for a treat. Remington stopped by the feed room for a cup of apple-flavored treats. When he walked through the door at the end of the barn, John greeted him with a nudge of his head against Remington’s leg. Remington pushed him back.

  “Hey, stand down, John Wayne.”

  The horse hung his head low, but he stood still.

  “That’s better. If you can’t be a gentleman, you don’t get treats.” At the word treats, the horse perked up, and he eyed Remington. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

  Remington poured the treats in his hand and offered them to
the horse. “You’re about the most uncomplicated person in my life, old man.”

  John Wayne ate up the treats and gave him another look, his shaggy black forelock hanging down between his eyes, his dark ears pricked to attention. As soon as he’d finished, John walked across the corral, his tail swishing at flies.

  “And the least loyal.”

  Remington shook his head as he walked back into the barn, latching the door behind him. He headed toward the house, noticing that Sam’s truck was still there. He’d expected her to be gone.

  Instead he found her on the front porch with a glass of iced tea. He walked up to the porch that ran most of the length of the two-story house. Gus and Lee were sitting on the porch swing. Sam was sitting on a nearby rocking chair. Parker was the only one missing.

  “What are you all doing?” he asked as he pulled up a rocking chair that wasn’t being used.

  “Waiting for you. Sam’s truck won’t start.” Gus tossed him a set of keys. “I thought you might try.”

  “As if I know more about engines than you?” he asked as he grabbed the keys out of the air. “I’ll give it a shot.”

  He headed to Sam’s truck, which was parked next to his. Sam’s truck was a little newer. It didn’t have an extended cab but it had all the bells and whistles. He climbed behind the wheel and stuck the key in the ignition. A few clicks, then nothing. He tried again. The stereo made a crazy noise, and then the CD changer started clicking through tracks. He pulled the key from the ignition and got out.

  When he got back to the porch Sam offered him a glass of iced tea, heavy on the ice. “Well?”

  “I’m guessing you need a new battery.”

  “That truck is only a year old,” she protested.

  “The battery could be defective. I’m just giving you my opinion. I can get cables and jump it for you, then follow you home.”

  “Thank you.”

  That’s how he ended up at her place thirty minutes later. He’d followed her home, down her long driveway and to the little cottage that had been on the Martins’ property for years. He remembered this place. At one time an older couple had lived there, helping to work the ranch. Now it was Samantha’s place.