Straight For The Heart

by McDonough, Vickie;

  Quinn stood, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. His wife would blame him if something happened to her brother. Ryan rose and followed him to the door. Quinn removed his hat from the peg on the wall and reached for the knob. Adam’s old hat still hung on his peg. Quinn grabbed it and stuck it on Ryan’s head. “My brother bought a new hat last time he was here. You can have his old one.”

  Ryan’s eyes widened and a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. He pushed the too-big hat up on his head.

  Quinn looked at the boy’s shoes. “We’ll have to see if we can find you a pair of boots. All ranchers need boots.”

  The boy straightened and nodded. He glanced back over his shoulder at his sister with a half smile.

  Sarah waved. “You work hard and be obedient.”

  Ryan nodded and looked up at Quinn. “What are we going to do?”

  “Do you know how to ride?”

  Ryan shook his head, but a sparkle danced in his eyes. “Not by myself. I rode our old mule back home, but Pa always led it or rode in front of me.”

  “Then let’s start there.”

  ❧

  Two days later, Ryan ran into the kitchen. He skidded to a halt in front of Sarah. She looked up from where she was helping Beth make sugar cookies. “Sarah, I rode by myself today!”

  Quinn followed Ryan, unable to keep the proud smile off his face at the boy’s enthusiasm. Who would have thought teaching the boy to ride would be the thing to break down the walls between them?

  Quinn crossed the room and snatched a cookie from the cooling rack. Instead of scolding him like Grandma or Elke would have, Sarah smiled, doing funny things to his insides.

  “Thank you,” she mouthed.

  He nodded. He felt a tug on his pants and looked down. Beth stared up at him with big blue eyes. “I wanna ride a horse. It’s not fair that Ryan gets to but I don’t.”

  Quinn reached down, and Beth jumped up into his arms. The girl’s unconditional love warmed his heart and made him wish her big sister felt the same. He took the end of her braid and tickled her cheek with it. Beth giggled and rubbed her face against his shirt.

  “You won’t like it. Horses are big and scary.” Ryan scowled.

  “Horses are big, but most of them aren’t scary.” Quinn lifted his brow at Ryan, hoping he’d understand that frightening his sister wasn’t all right. He patted Beth’s back. “If Sarah doesn’t mind, I’ll teach you to ride, too. My sister, Anna, is an excellent horsewoman.”

  “Truly?” Beth said, with awe in her voice. “Can I, Sissy?”

  Sarah nodded. “It’s probably a good idea for you to learn, but we’ll have to do it at a time so as not to take the men away from their work.”

  “When’s that?” Beth looked at Quinn.

  “After dinner some evening.”

  Grandma entered the kitchen and picked up a platter of biscuits off the counter, her eyes twinkling. “Wash up, you two. Lunch is ready.”

  Quinn could tell she already loved her new family. She seemed to have twice the peppiness this week over last. Having Sarah and the kids here had been a huge boost to his grandma and seemed to have revived her spirits and her health. And she hadn’t yet asked him how he came about marrying Sarah. But she would one day. He just hoped by then she’d be so in love with Sarah and the kids that it wouldn’t matter.

  Elke squeezed past him, carrying a soup tureen filled with beef stew, and his mouth watered at the fragrant scent. He set Beth down and snagged Ryan on the shoulder just as the boy reached out to snitch a square of corn bread. “You heard your sister. Let’s wash up.”

  “You snuck a cookie.”

  “You’re right. Sorry that I was a bad example.”

  Ryan looked chastised and followed him out to the mud room where a bucket of fresh water and clean towels awaited them. The boy washed quickly and snatched a towel. Quinn dipped his hands then flicked the water on Ryan. He jerked his head and giggled. Ryan tossed the towel at Quinn and dashed into the kitchen before Quinn could get him again. Splashing had become a game between the two of them.

  Quinn rinsed his hands and dried them then used the towel to clean the dust off his face. When he lowered the towel, he was surprised to see Sarah leaning against the doorjamb, watching him with a raised brow.

  “Splashing again?”

  He grinned and shrugged. “Ryan enjoys it. I’m for anything that keeps him from scowling.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate how you and the ranch hands have taken him under your wing. I know he has to be in the way at times.”

  Quinn tossed the towel toward a peg on the wall, not a little proud that it caught and stayed there. “Everyone has to start somewhere. But who would have thought riding lessons would thaw the boy so quickly. After my initial outburst when I first saw them, I wondered if I’d ever get on his good side.”

  Sarah’s pretty lips pressed together. “Losing our pa was really hard on Ryan. And then our uncle was just plain cruel. I’d never have gone to him if I’d known how much he’d changed. When I was a child, he was a fun man to be around.”

  “People change. Adversity can make a person cold and hard while others learn from their problems and get stronger.” Somehow he knew Sarah was a survivor. Even though she’d been forced into a marriage she hadn’t wanted, she’d never once treated him with scorn. She’d just accepted things for what they were and had gone about making things easier for Grandma and Elke.

  A rosy stain covered her cheeks as he continued to stare. His stomach twittered as if a moth had found its way in there. Finally, Sarah dropped her gaze.

  “I want you to know how much I appreciate you taking us in.” She fiddled with the edge of her apron then looked up. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Ryan and Beth before we were married. That wasn’t fair to you. I was afraid—”

  Quinn grabbed her hand, surprised at its softness. “I know why you didn’t tell me. I’ll admit I was angry at first. I don’t like surprises, but you did what was necessary to protect your siblings. That’s something I know a lot about.”

  Sarah cocked her head and smiled. “Yes, I’m sure it is. Your grandma has told me how you helped raise your brother and sister.”

  That was a fact that most everyone knew, but when his wife said it with pride in her voice, embarrassment warmed his neck. His stomach gurgled.

  Sarah grinned. “Hungry, huh?” She tugged him through the kitchen, dropping his hand just before they entered the dining room.

  Quinn watched her glide toward her chair. Comfortable chatter filled the room as his wife took her seat. He no longer regretted marrying her—but he was fast coming to regret making his marriage a business arrangement.

  Nine

  “Come closer and watch me, Ryan.” Holding two new horseshoes, the boy approached cautiously on Quinn’s right. He lifted the mare’s rear hoof between his legs and held up a tool. “This is a hoof pick. It’s used to scrape out packed dirt, manure, and small stones from a horse’s hoof.”

  Quinn cleaned the hoof and removed the old shoe. Ryan watched with something that looked like admiration on his face. “Hand me those nippers. You use them to trim the hoof wall.” He quickly trimmed the hoof and used a rasp from his back pocket to smooth it out.

  “I’ve already sized the shoes for this mare, so all that’s left is to put on the new one.” Ryan handed him a shoe, and Quinn tapped it on with a nailing hammer.

  “What about the nail points sticking through the shoe?” Ryan asked as he bent closer, blocking the light.

  “Clinch the nails—bend the ends—to keep the shoe from coming off. After that, smooth things with the rasp, and then you get to do that three more times.” He dropped the mare’s hoof, patted her rump, and rubbed his lower back. Ryan picked up the old shoe and examined it.

  Quinn smiled and lightly squeezed the boy’s shoulder. At least Ryan was no longer flinching whenever he touched him. Since acquiring a new family, Quinn had chosen chores that kept him closer to home. For someone who
’d been a loner for so long, it was a big change. He bent and lodged the horse’s front hoof between his legs, dug out a stone, and grated down the hoof. “Hand me the rasp again.”

  Ryan stood beside him watching each thing he did. Adam had never been so interested in ranching. He’d done what had to be done but would slip off and draw pictures if their pa didn’t keep a close eye on him. Ryan wanted to learn everything. He’d probably asked Quinn a hundred questions. With the new shoe nailed on, he lowered the hoof and patted the mare again. Why couldn’t women be so easy to handle? “See, it’s simple.”

  “Maybe to you.” Ryan shrugged.

  “It will be to you one day, too, after you’ve shod a few dozen horses.”

  He finished the last two hooves and then let the boy lead the horse into the corral and release her. Ryan was a quick learner. His coloring and features hardly resembled his big sister, except for those brilliant blue eyes they all had.

  The odor of cattle hung on the cool breeze, reminding him of all the chores that needed doing. Fences needed mending. This spring’s crop of calves still needed to be branded. His wife needed a real husband.

  He shook his head, leaned on the corral, and lifted his foot to the first rail. Had it been a mistake to marry Sarah? Weren’t she and the kids much better off?

  Ryan closed the gate and mirrored his stance but remained silent. Quinn’s thoughts veered to Sarah and how she had insisted he sleep on the bed. Ever since their second night together, she’d dressed in her nightgown before he’d come in and had slept on the sofa, wrapped up in a quilt. Sure, he was resting better than when he’d been on the floor, but the guilt was driving him crazy. She should take the bed, but she was too stubborn. What would she do if he picked her up in her sleep and put her in it? He grinned, but then realized that would mean he’d be sleeping on the floor again. He shook his head. There was no easy answer.

  A squeal sounded from near the house, and the mare nickered and turned her head toward the noise. Quinn looked over his shoulder and saw Beth run around the side of the house. He pushed away from the railing and moved toward her. Was she hurt? Scared?

  Sarah followed, laughing, and Quinn’s bunched up muscles relaxed. She growled and lifted up her skirt and ran after her sister. “I’m gonna get you.”

  “Nuh-uh.” Beth spotted him and ran in his direction. “Save me, Quinn! Don’t let the mean old bear eat me.”

  Quinn reached out and caught Beth as she lunged for him. He spun her around then held her against his chest. “I’ll protect you from that mean ol’ critter.”

  Beth giggled and looked at her sister.

  Sarah halted a few feet from him, her chest heaving. Her cheeks were a rosy red. “Looks like you’ve got my dinner, cowboy.”

  “Yep.”

  “What’s a poor bear gonna do?”

  Ryan slipped up beside Quinn, staring at his sisters as if they’d gone loco.

  “Eat Ryan.” Beth pointed at her brother, who peered back with interest.

  Sarah’s eyes gleamed, and she tiptoed toward Ryan with her hands making bear claws. A smile tugged at the somber boy’s lips. “She can’t catch me.” He dashed toward the barn with Sarah close on his heels.

  “C’mon, Quinn,” Beth squealed and bounced in his arms. “We gotta save Ryan.”

  Grinning, Quinn jogged toward the barn. Inside, Sarah tackled her brother, and both landed in a pile of fresh hay that was ready to be forked into the clean stalls. Ryan laughed as Sarah tickled him.

  “Let me down.” Beth kicked, and he set her on the ground. The little girl dove on top of her sister.

  Quinn leaned one arm on a stall gate, wishing he had the freedom to jump in and play with them. They reminded him of the days when his family still lived in Texas. When he was a boy and had horsed around with Adam and Anna—before they moved here and their father died and everything changed. He missed those carefree days. Maybe one day he’d feel comfortable enough to wrestle with Sarah and the kids like that.

  But then Sarah and the kids weren’t staying.

  Ryan jumped up and dashed past Quinn with Beth on his heels. Quinn grinned at the two, who more resembled scarecrows with all that hay in their hair than children. Chuckling, Sarah sat up and plucked stems from the cuff and pocket of one of Anna’s old dresses. She rested her arms on her knees, a wide grin on her face.

  “It’s so good to see them laughing again,” Sarah said. “I have you to thank for that.”

  Quinn pushed away from the stall and strode toward her. He reached out his hand, and she glanced up. After a moment she placed her hand in his, and he drew her to her feet. Sprigs of hay stuck out from his wife’s dark hair, and her thick braid rested over her shoulder, hanging down the front of her dress. He couldn’t help grinning.

  “What’s so funny?”

  He may be just a rancher, but he knew better than to answer that question. He lifted a hand and pulled out a stem near her ear. Then another off of the top of her head. His wife swallowed. Did he affect her like she did him? He’d never been drawn to a woman before. Never allowed himself to get close enough to get to know one. And now he was married. Sort of.

  His wife had filled out a little in the week that she’d been at the Rocking M. Her cheeks were rosy, and she’d lost that wary look. She was filling a place in his heart that he hadn’t known was empty.

  He’d been lonely but hadn’t noticed until Sarah and the kids arrived. He’d worked hard all day and spent his evenings doing bookkeeping or reading up on cattle breeding or diseases. He hadn’t had time to be lonely. And now that Sarah was here, he was lonelier than ever. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he wanted her to care for him—not because he’d provided her family with a home and food, but because she saw something in him worth desiring.

  His wife nibbled on her bottom lip. Quinn plucked a stem of hay from the top of her head and ran his hand down her soft hair. It was black as a raven’s wing. Her lightly tanned skin seemed fairer than it actually was in the shadows of the barn. Her questioning sky blue eyes peered up at him.

  His breath caught in his throat as he thought about kissing her. Would she welcome his affection? It was unwise to be thinking such thoughts. She would leave him one day. But he couldn’t help leaning toward her. She lifted her face up to his.

  A piercing scream echoed behind him, and Quinn spun around. Beth ran toward him with Ryan right behind her. “Save me again, Quinn!”

  Beth dashed behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Disappointment soared through him at the missed kiss.

  But maybe the little girl had saved him. Saved him from making a big mistake.

  ❧

  Martha lifted a linen baby gown from the top of the trunk and handed it to Sarah. “This was Adam’s. He and Anna were so tiny when they were born, it’s a miracle they survived. Even though she was just married, Anna took her matching gown and some other baby things with her when she moved to Brett’s ranch, hoping it wouldn’t be long before she was with child.”

  Beth leaned against Sarah’s arm and fingered the thin fabric. “It’s small enough to fit a dolly.”

  “Go get your doll and let’s see if it does.” Grandma smiled and ran her hand over the little girl’s head.

  Beth glanced up at Sarah, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Sarah pressed her sister against her side as the scent of smoke and the vision of a burned home still smoldering assaulted her. Just when she thought she was over her grief, it washed over her again like a spring flash flood.

  “Beth doesn’t have a doll anymore.”

  “It burned up in the fire like Mama and Papa.” The girl’s lower lip wobbled and a tear streaked down her cheek.

  “I’m sorry, dear.” Martha pressed her lips together, as if she, too, struggled not to give way to tears. “We’ll just have to make a new doll. I have a box of scraps in my room. Would you like to come and look at them after we finish here and see if you can find something that would make a nice doll?”

>   “Can Sarah come, too?” Beth looked back and forth between the two women.

  “Of course she can.” Quinn’s grandmother dug further down in the trunk and pulled out two folded garments. She shook out a blue calico and held it up to Beth. “It’s a bit big, but we can alter it to fit you.”

  Beth’s eyes lit up. “Look, Sissy, Grandma’s giving me another new dress.”

  Sarah’s gaze caught Martha’s, and a soft smile flitted on the older woman’s lips. “It’s been a long while since a child has called me Grandma. It sounds good to these old ears.”

  “Why don’t you try on the dress, Beth? Then we can pin it up.”

  Beth quickly shed her old garment and slipped the new one over her head. Martha got her pin cushion, and Sarah pinned up the sides of the garment while Martha measured.

  “Now the second one.” Martha shook out a brown calico with a pinafore that would make a sturdy play garment.

  Beth shed the blue dress and pulled on the second. She stood on one foot and then the other.

  “You remind me of Anna at your age. The poor child hated trying on clothes. She’d much rather be out riding a horse or chasing cattle.”

  Beth scratched her neck where the dress pressed against her throat. “Quinn’s gonna teach me to ride like he did Ryan.”

  Martha laid the blue garment on Sarah’s bed. “That’s a good thing to know, even for women and girls. I used to help my husband with roundup back when we lived in Texas, and Anna helped here.”

  Sarah smiled as she measured the second dress. “I think this one will be fine in the side. I’ll take the hem up a little and have it ready for you to wear tomorrow.”

  Beth clapped her hands. “Goodie. Can I go play with the blocks now?”

  Sarah buttoned up the back of Beth’s faded calico and hugged her sister. “Yes, you may. Just stay on the porch. If you want to go see the animals or something else, you come and get me first. All right?”

  Beth nodded and skipped out of the room. A warm sensation filled Sarah’s chest. Quinn had made her sister’s happiness possible. He may have had second thoughts about making their marriage real, but the result for her siblings had been the same. Both were happier than they’d been since the fire.