by Vivi Holt
In all fairness, he’d learned the skill as a boy back in Chattanooga. He and his brothers had been raised on a hobby ranch by parents who loved horses and everything to do with them. They’d grown up around the animals and had free rein to run around the property as they liked. He had good memories of those times.
But when Dad died, everything changed. Mom couldn’t, or didn’t want to, manage the ranch on her own, and had bought a place in town. By that time, Dalton had already decided on a career in the rodeo as a bronco rider. So when Eamon went off to college to study accounting, Parker felt lost and alone. He’d gone from living with three strong male role models in the house – encouraging, teaching and leading him – to none. It was too quiet.
He knew when he signed up with the Army that Mom wouldn’t be happy about it. He was a straight-A student, and she’d made it pretty clear she expected him to follow in Eamon’s footsteps to the University of North Carolina. But his feet itched to travel and his heart desired more. He knew he didn’t want to go to college, at least not yet, and the camaraderie of the armed forces appealed to him.
The rope whistled through the air again and landed squarely around the fence pole. This time, he heard a slow clapping from outside the yard. He turned his head to see Jen, one foot perched on the lowest fence rail. She’d donned a cowboy hat and boots, and her blonde hair hung in long wet tendrils around her tanned face. “Nice roping, cowboy,” she said with a laugh.
He chuckled and meandered over to the post to retrieve his rope. “Thanks. You ever tried it?”
She shook her head and opened the yard gate. “No, I never have. And given my coordination or lack thereof, I’d likely never lasso anything but my own head.”
He laughed and pushed his hat back. “I’d be happy to teach you if you like.”
She frowned. “Um … okay. It’s probably a waste of your time, though. Just warning you – I’ve never been any good at sports. Or anything requiring hand-eye coordination.”
He snickered and handed her the coiled rope. “Well, let’s give it a shot anyway. Here, hold this bit. There, that’s it … then you swing it around over your head. That’s the way … ouch!” He blinked as the rope whacked him in the side of the head. “How about I stand safely over here?” he joked, chuckling as he stepped back.
Jen grimaced. “That’s probably a good idea.” She frowned, stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth and set the rope spinning above her head again. She let it go, sailing toward the fence post, but it fell short and landed with a thud in the dirt.
“Hmmm … not bad, you’re on the right track,” encouraged Parker with a wink.
She laughed. “Okay, I’ll try again.” And this time the rope almost made it to the post. She gasped and faced him with a grin. “Did you see that?”
He laughed at her enthusiasm. “Yep, sure did. I think you’re a natural. You’ll be the best roper in town before long.”
The ranch had a small herd of cattle on hand for milk and beef, a mixture of Herefords and Guernseys. The colorful group grazed quietly just outside the yard. Jen watched them, the rope looped in her hand, then started for the gate to that field. “Hey, where you going?” asked Parker, one eyebrow arching in concern.
“I just want to try …” She didn’t finish her sentence.
But Parker had already guessed what she had planned. “Jen, no.” He hurried after her, ducking through the fence railings into the yard. By the time he reached the other side, she was already near the herd, gently reassuring the cattle. They’d stopped grazing and raised their heads high to watch her approach. “Jen, I don’t think that’s a good idea …”
Jen set her feet apart and twirled the rope high above her, then let the loop fly toward a pair of young Hereford steers. The rope settled atop the head of one of them, around the stubs where one day horns would grow. She pulled the rope tight … and the steer shook his head and took off.
“Jen!” Parker yelled.
She squealed in delight. “Look! Look, I did it – I roped a steer! Can you believe AAAAAGH!” The rope went taut, and even though Jen braced herself and pulled back, holding it firmly with both hands, the steer had momentum and weight on its side. Parker watched in dismay as Jen fell face-forward into the dirt. The steer paused a moment in his flight at the sudden dead weight on the end of the rope.
Parker ducked through the fence rails and sprinted toward Jen. But just before he reached her, the steer took off again, bucking and tossing his head as he dragged Jen with him. “Let go, Jen, let go!” he shouted after her.
He saw her fumble with the rope, but she wouldn’t let go. The steer set off toward the western fence line with Jen skidding through the pasture behind him. Her hat flew off as she bounced across the field. Parker stared after her in dismay, his hands on his hips and his eyebrows drawn low.
Finally she released the rope after about fifty yards and lay still on the ground. Parker ran to her, squatted beside her and checked her vitals. When he heard her sigh, his eyes drifted closed for a moment with relief. “Jen?”
She rolled over onto her back, scratches across her cheeks from the grass and thistles she’d been dragged through. “Yes?”
He chuckled. “Are you okay?”
She grimaced. “I think so.”
He sat back on his haunches and rested his arms on his knees, the adrenaline filtering from his bloodstream. “What were you thinking? And why didn’t you let go? You could have been really hurt.”
She grinned at him and sat up with a groan. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I didn’t think. And I tried to let go, but the rope was caught around my arm somehow. Ugh – that really was a bad idea.”
“I mean, really! You’re a vet, Jen. Surely you knew better than to rope a steer like that – he weighs about eight times as much as you!”
She grimaced as she flexed her hands. “Knowing better and wanting to try something are sometimes two very different things. I guess I didn’t really believe I’d actually get the rope over his head like that. I mean, what are the chances?” She laughed and winced, pressing a hand to her side.
Parker laughed as well and ran his hands over his face. “I’d say pretty slim, but somehow you managed it. You sure get yourself into a lot of scrapes, Jennifer Barsby. Come on, let’s get you back to the house and patch you up.” He guided her gently to her feet and helped her hobble back to the ranch house.
When they went inside, Hazel rushed over with a scream. “What on earth? What have you done to yourself this time, Jen?”
Jen shook her head. “I roped a steer.”
“You what?” Hazel frowned at Parker. He shrugged as if to say, not my idea.
“Yep, I roped a steer. Didn’t I, Parker?”
He nodded. “You sure did – and hopefully got enough sense knocked into you to regret it.”
Jen laughed, then grimaced again.
“All right, let’s get you on the couch,” Hazel admonished. “Please, no more injuries after this – you’re going to give me a heart attack, and that’s the last thing I need right now.”
Parker watched them, trying hard to hold back his laughter. He couldn’t help it – there was something so adorably ridiculous about Jen. She was beautiful and intelligent and accomplished, and yet hopeless and vulnerable and clueless at the same time. He couldn’t help wanting to laugh, even though he knew it wasn’t right with her in so much pain. He went to fetch the ice pack from the kitchen again, wondering if it had even had time to refreeze since Jen’s mishap the previous evening. With her around, they might need to invest in a second one.
When he got back, Hazel, having retrieved the first-aid kit from the bathroom, had pulled Jen’s shirt up and was dabbing at a graze on her side. “Do you want me to call Chris for you, let him know what’s happened?”
Jen shook her head. “No. He’s working and I wouldn’t want to interrupt him. Besides, I’m fine, really. It’s just a few scrapes and bruises.” She watched Hazel’s ministrations, g
rimacing with each wipe of the cotton ball.
“Who’s Chris?” asked Parker, crossing his arms.
“Jen’s boyfriend back in Atlanta,” replied Hazel.
“Oh.” He didn’t know Jen had a boyfriend. Of course, it made sense – she wasn’t the kind of woman to be single. “And you left him behind in Atlanta?”
“Uh-huh. He understands — I need to be here with Hazel. Once she’s well, I’ll go back and everything will be just the way it was before.”
“That’s right,” added Hazel with a wink.
“If you survive that long,” muttered Parker.
“What was that?” asked Jen, her brow furrowed.
“Nothing.” Parker chuckled, and Jen’s eyes narrowed.
* * *
Jen stretched her arms over her head and waited for a shooting pain to charge through her torso, but there was only a dull ache. It had been three days since the incident with the steer and her injuries felt mostly healed, though her right side was covered in purplish-yellow bruises and red scratches. The marks on her face had faded, but the skin where the rope had caught around her arm and hand was still red and swollen.
She set her hairbrush on the dressing table and took one last look in the mirror. With her clothes on, she didn’t look too bad. The worst injuries were mostly hidden by the flannel shirt and jeans.
Outside, Harley barked. The barking grew louder and more intense, then faded to nothing. She cocked her head to one side and listened as a car engine shut off – someone had arrived. She hurried down the hall and out the open front door.
Hazel, Dalton and Parker had beaten her outside. They’d likely been having breakfast in the kitchen – she had been about to join them when Harley began his ruckus. She stood on tiptoe to peer over Parker’s shoulder, but he was so tall it didn’t help.
Then he headed down the porch stairs and she smiled. Eamon and Emily had arrived together in Eamon’s truck. But weren’t they away on separate business trips? She didn’t think they were expected back yet, and certainly not together.
“You’re back!” cried Hazel, hurrying to greet them with Dalton and Jen trailing behind. “What’s going on? Why did you drive home in Eamon’s truck? Did you leave Em’s car at the apartment?”
Emily hugged Hazel, then Jen. “Let’s go inside and we’ll tell you everything. We’re famished – is there anything to eat for breakfast?”
Jen frowned. What did that mean, everything? She could tell something was going on by the shrill tone of Emily’s voice – Emily was never shrill.
Eamon thumped his brothers on the back and laughed. “Good to see you. Dalton, Parker. Hope you didn’t let the ranch fall into ruin while I was gone.”
They all went up the stairs and into the house, joking and laughing. Jen followed them into the kitchen and began filling the coffee pot while she listened to their conversation.
Emily sidled up to her and smiled. “I heard you were coming down here to help Hazel. That’s really sweet of you, Jen. She’d never admit it, but I think she’ll need you. Her parents are on vacation in Belgium right now, and even though she told them about her diagnosis, they didn’t want to change their travel plans. I think they were so shocked they couldn’t process it, but she took it pretty badly. I think she hoped they’d get on the next flight back to the States and insist on coming and taking care of her, but they didn’t. So it’s good you’re here.”
Jen’s throat tightened. She knew Hazel’s parents weren’t exactly the warm and fuzzy type, but she thought they’d be a bit more concerned about the health of their only daughter. She swallowed around the lump in her throat and flicked the switch to set the coffee pot to brewing. “I’m glad to be here as well. She hadn’t told me about her parents. I can’t imagine mine doing that.”
“Are you and your folks close?” asked Emily.
“Yeah. We talk pretty much every day. They live in Birmingham, so it’s not too far away. Though I don’t go home as often as I probably should.”
“That’s nice,” said Emily with a frown. “My parents and I aren’t really talking at the moment.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”
“Eamon,” responded Emily with a chuckle.
“Oh. But Eamon’s wonderful – what’s not to like about him?” Jen asked, her eyebrows pulled low.
“He’s not exactly who my parents wanted me to marry – he’s not Chinese, for one thing. And they blame him for me giving up my dream – more their dream than mine, really – of practicing at some top-tier hospital. Even though I’m happier doing general practice, plus part-time surgery at Tift Regional.” She chuckled again and leaned her back against the kitchen counter, watching Eamon laugh and chat with his brothers at the kitchen table.
“Maybe they’ll come around in time for the wedding,” suggested Jen. “They can’t cut you out of their lives forever. You’re their daughter.”
Emily shrugged. “Too late now.”
“What?” asked Jen, her brow furrowed.
Emily nodded at Eamon over Hazel’s head. He smiled, stood and clapped his hands loudly. “Hey, listen up everyone!” he shouted.
The kitchen grew quiet as everyone turned toward him. Jen frowned, her gaze flitting from Eamon’s face to Emily’s and back again. They were up to something.
“Emily and I have something to tell y’all. Neither one of us was really on a business trip the last few days.”
Hazel cried “Ha! I knew it!” Dalton grunted.
Eamon laughed. “Yeah, yeah – well, the truth of it is, we got married!”
Emily wandered over to him, put her right arm around his waist and raised her left hand high to reveal a sparkling ring. “That’s right,” she added with a grin. “We eloped to Savannah.”
“What? Oh, that’s wonderful!” Hazel leaped to her feet and hugged Emily, then examined the ring with continued exclamations.
Jen smiled as she joined in congratulating the couple.
Once the noise faded and everyone was seated at the table again, Hazel spoke up. “But why did you elope? I was so looking forward to a big wedding and seeing Emily in a puffy white dress.”
Emily smiled weakly. “That’s one reason we did,” she said sardonically. “Also, there was your surgery …”
“No!” Hazel cried. “You can’t …”
Emily shook her head. “It’s not your fault. We didn’t feel like having a big celebration, not until you’re out of the woods. But we didn’t want to wait to get married. We hate being apart.” She leaned over to kiss Eamon on the lips.
“And with the rift between Em and her folks, we knew they wouldn’t come to the wedding anyway,” Eamon continued. “Likely none of her family would’ve come for fear of upsetting her dad. So it just made sense for us to elope. I didn’t want the happiest day of my life to be a sad one for my wife.”
“Anyway,” added Emily. “It’s done. We’re married. We’re Mr. and Mrs. Williams.” She laughed and kissed Eamon again.
Jen’s heart skipped a beat. They were so in love. She couldn’t help the little flash of jealousy that flitted through her.
Chapter 3
Coffee dribbled noisily into the pot, and Jen rested her elbows on the countertop while she waited, her chin in her hands. She stared out through the kitchen window at the herd of horses grazing in the nearby field and let her thoughts wander.
Today she was taking Hazel to her oncologist.
Jen hadn’t slept well at all, and her heart almost leaped from her chest when her alarm went off at six. She’d wanted to get a run and shower in before they had to leave. And now it was time to go, and Hazel still hadn’t emerged from her bedroom.
She sighed and straightened, stretching one arm over her head and to the side, then the other. She’d been running further and further every morning. It must’ve been the country air that made her want to extend herself. Or the beautiful vistas, especially on mornings like today when a soft fog enveloped the rolling green fields.
She pulled two mugs from an overhead cabinet, poured the steaming black brew into each and added a dash of milk. She handed one to Hazel, who took it with a grateful smile and sipped as she lowered herself into a kitchen chair. She picked a magazine up off the table and browsed through it, pausing to read an interesting paragraph here and there. “Sleep okay?” she finally asked, her voice husky with sleep.
“Hmmm … not great.” Jen pulled out the chair beside her friend and sat, resting her elbows on the table with the mug between her hands. The chill of the morning air still hung in the kitchen, even though heat pumped out of the vents with a monotonous hum. “Are you worried about today?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.
Hazel grimaced. “I guess. I’m just thinking …”
“About what?”
“Um … well, at the last appointment the doctor laid out my options. She said if I had to go through chemo, I might not be able to have children for five years. If at all.”
“Yeah, you told me that. I’m sorry, sweetie.” Jen covered Hazel’s free hand with hers.
“But I don’t want to wait five years – I want to have babies sooner than that. And what if I can’t? What if I’m sterile. What if …?”
“Okay, stop. Don’t borrow trouble that way. We don’t know what’s going to happen, but whatever it is we’ll take it as it comes, okay?”
Hazel sighed and ran her hands over her unruly auburn curls. “Yes, you’re right, okay.”
“It’s time to go. Are you ready?”
She nodded and took another sip. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Okay, let’s go, then.”
The kitchen door opened and Dalton walked in, Parker right behind him. “Good morning, ladies,” said Dalton with a grin. He wrapped his arms around Hazel and kissed the top of her head. “Ready to go, sweetheart?”