The Rancher's Daughter

by Pamela Ladner

  Legend eased over her and dropped his head down to nuzzle her with his nose. She reached her arms around him and clung for dear life. He lay down beside her and she cried into his shiny coat. She had her horse, her ranch, what else did she need, she thought. She knew, though, she needed Heath. She had never fully been whole without him. He was the part of her that she had buried deep inside her for all of ten years. Now that he’d come back and she’d uncovered that part of her she didn’t know how to put it back. She couldn’t put it back.

  The horse’s warmth seeped into her bones and she stopped shivering. Soon she fell asleep and when she awoke it was too the sound of Legend answering a call from another horse. She heard the hoof beats before she saw the light. She heard her father’s voice call her name and she stood up. J.W was off his horse faster than he’d moved in years.

  He wrapped his daughter in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I got worried when you didn’t come in. You had us all worried sick. Do you realize it’s after midnight?” She shook her head, “I’m sorry.”

  J.W with his hand on her back guided her to her horse and helped her mount up. They rode back in silence. Josey and J.W had never been much for words. They had always been quiet when something was bothering them.

  He would ask her about it later. He couldn’t let her go through life constantly sending the man she loved away. He knew about the fight they’d had all those years ago. He had been there in the shadows. It had nearly destroyed him when he’d heard that she was pregnant. He’d been furious at first, but then he saw the grief on his daughters face and he’d never brought it up. He’d never even spoke a word about it to Hilary.

  He felt like a failure as a father, but now he realized it had never been about his failings as a father. It had been two people who were in love and didn’t know how to control their urges. He’d been that way with Hilary even though he was a grown man and a father.

  She was going to have to learn how to grit her teeth and ask for forgiveness. Heath was gone but he wasn’t lost. She could get him back if she tried. It had always been hard for him to admit his faults and Josey had taken that after him. If you really loved someone, you worked at that relationship. She had to learn that.

  Chapter Twelve

  Heath stayed the night at the only hotel in town. He couldn’t get Josey off his mind. It was obvious she didn’t want him but that didn’t stop him from wanting her. He took the picture he carried out of his wallet and looked at it. He sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hand through his hair then crumbled the picture up in his hand.

  He threw it across the room then for good measure he started throwing everything he could pick up. He fell to his knees with his head in his hands and asked God why. Why did the woman he love not want him? Why couldn’t they just be happy together? He punched the floor then got up and pulled a tiny bottle of whiskey out of the small refrigerator then downed it. He wanted to get drunk and forget about her so he drank the little bottles of whiskey one by one until they were gone. When there was no more left, he drug his self out the door to the bar across the street.

  Several ranch hands played pool in the corner and women with shorts up to their butts, their navels shining and wearing boots hung all over them. He walked to the bar and plopped himself down on a stool and ordered some more whiskey. One of the girls made her way over to him, “Hey cowboy, how about you buy me a beer?” She said in the sexiest voice she could conjure up. Heath was not in the mood though and he told her to “Get lost!”

  He sat there drinking all night. He had no idea how he got to the hotel room but he was there when he awoke the next morning. He drug himself out of the bed and headed to the bathroom. He needed a shower and some Tylenol.

  He propped his head against the shower wall letting the water hit him in the face. He had no idea how long he stood there. He got out once the water turned cold and he began to shiver. He wrapped the towel around his waist and stood in front of the mirror. He braced himself on the counter with his hands. He stood there staring at himself, hating himself for not being strong enough to withstand the heartbreak. He saw the picture behind him on the floor. He turned from the mirror and picked it up. He unfolded the picture and stared at it. He would always love the woman who smiled at him in the picture. He picked up his wallet off the nightstand, replaced the picture, and set it to the side.

  He quickly dried himself off and put on his clothes. He brushed his teeth making sure to get rid of the smell of whiskey. He picked up the phone and called his friend at the Rocking K. He let his friend know he was on his way then he left the room. He loaded his bags in the truck and drove down town to the bank. He stopped and said good-bye to his Uncle, before going to the bank.

  He walked into the bank and headed straight to Williamson’s office. The weasel stood straight up, probably wondering if Heath was about to hit him. Heath gave him a half-cocked smile and took a seat. “State your business, Jenkins.” Williamson said. Heath nodded, “I’ve come to pay off the note on the Chisholm’s ranch.” “Well now,” Williamson smiled, “that’s a pretty big note.” “I know it and I have the money. I want to pay it off and I want you to leave them alone. “

  Williamson turned on his computer and pulled up Heath’s account. The shock registered on his face once he saw how much money was in his account. There was enough to pay off the loan and still have a substantial amount to live on. Williamson withdrew the amount necessary to cover the ranch note and put it on the ranch account as paid in full. Heath signed some papers and Williamson printed out a receipt.

  Heath walked out with a smile on his face leaving Williamson still shaking his head. He got into his truck and headed west.

  The miles past slowly, and his mind wandered. He thought of Josey. He thought of the baby they’d lost. He’d thought of his dreams. He thought of the wedding they wouldn’t be having and the children he would never know. He drove for hours never once stopping to rest. He couldn’t stop, if he stopped, he might turn around.

  He turned the radio up to drown out his thoughts. Every song on the radio seemed to be about him, so he turned it off. He banged his hand on the steering wheel and grinded the wheel beneath his hands. He couldn’t get her off his mind.

  He pulled over at the next rest stop and just sit there, thinking about her. He took out the picture and rubbed his finger over her face. His eyes started to water and he wiped the tears from his eye with the palm of his hand. He was a man, and men didn’t cry, he told himself.

  His cell phone rang. It was his father’s number. He answered it but he wasn’t really in the mood to talk to him. “Hello,” he said. “Son, is that you?” Sam asked, “Its dad, I’m not going to ask you to come home, not this time. I thought you should know. I’m leaving the ranch. I can’t continue to live here knowing if I do, I will never see you. You’re more important to me than this ranch. I’m moving in with Unc! I expect to see you come Christmas. This isn’t home without you, son. I just wanted to tell you that.”

  Heath rubbed his hand over his face. “Dad, you don’t have to do that for me. I really wish you wouldn’t.” Heath sighed. “I’ll see you at Christmas,” he said. He hung up the phone and climbed out of his truck. He needed some coffee but seeing as how they didn’t have any at the rest stop he decided a coke would have to do. He dropped his quarters into the machine and pressed the button for coke. The sound of the coke falling into the bottom of the machine echoed in the silence.

  He saw an ad on a bulletin board for an upcoming rodeo. They were needing bull riders to sign up for the event. He’d done a little bull riding at one time and thought why not. He pulled the flyer off the board and pulled out his cell phone again. He called the number on the flyer and put his name in then he got in his truck and drove on. When he got to the Rocking K, it was just getting dark. He ate supper with the men and then talked to his old friend a while. He spent the night and got up the next morning and left. He was going to start rodeoing, again. Maybe, it would take his mind off
the woman who’d broken his heart, not once but twice.

  He arrived at the rodeo arena early and signed in. He entered the bull riding, saddle bronc, and bareback events. He figured maybe just maybe one of them would kill him and put him out of his misery. He found a couple of his old friends were still competing and he joined them behind the chutes. The seats started filling up with people. The announcer started things off riding out on his paint horse around the arena. The pledge and a prayer was said. The light show began and the flag girls rode out and circled the arena.

  His adrenaline started pumping. He helped a friend get ready in the chute. The big black stud blew snot and snorted his annoyance. His friend nodded and the chute gate opened. His friend hit the dirt, quicker than he could snap his fingers. There were two more guys before him and he went to get ready. He had drawn a big bay mare. She was a good bucker.

  He waited his turn. The scores were all low so far and he thought he might actually have a chance. He positioned himself on the horses back and nodded his head. The big bay mare bucked with all her might. She gave it her all and Heath struggled to stay in the middle as he spurred at a steady rhythm. He stayed on the required eight seconds. He jumped of landing on his feet and tossed his hat in the air. The crowd cheered the new comer.

  The announcer joked about it being beginners luck and the crowd laughed. His score was announced and it put him in third. Not bad for a beginner, the announcer said. Of course, he wasn’t really a beginner. He’d rodeo’d awhile when he was younger.

  He scored well in all three events. His arm was sore though. He had not prepared for this and he was feeling it afterward. He took his winnings to a hotel and checked himself in. There was another rodeo in a week across the state and he planned to make it too.

  He got some rest and headed out the next day. He made one rodeo after another. He was on top of the world and while he was riding, he was able to get Josey off his mind. He carried her picture with him for good luck and before each event, he would take it out and kiss it then stick it back in his wallet. After he rode, he’d taken to getting down on his knees and thanking God for taking care of him. He’d grown closer to God too. He’d been attending cowboy church, and he’d stopped drinking.

  Everyday he got a little better and became more himself, but he never went a day without thinking of her. He couldn’t help himself. He would move on but he would always love her. She was in his every thought.

  He rose in the ranks at every rodeo. He would make nationals if he kept winning. He started riding with his old friend from rodeo to rodeo. It saved money when two people were providing gas money. They were both doing well, too. When they didn’t have a rodeo to get to, Heath stayed with him on his ranch, and helped out. He kept busy to keep his mind from wandering. If he let his mind wander, he got depressed.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Josey was driving everyone crazy. She hadn’t done anything but bite everyone’s head off. Sam had moved to town and put in his resignation. Josey, felt like it was her fault so she tried to take up the slack where she could. She was grouchy and everyone avoided her. She was doing her job and Sam’s job too. All the paper work was making her head hurt. She had never noticed how much paper work she had pushed off on old Sam over the years. She had always preferred to be outside and didn’t like being cooped up in the office. Oh, she knew how to do the work she just didn’t want to. Now that Sam was leaving, she had to get it all done. Making schedules, ordering supplies, and barking out orders, were stressing her out.

  When she wasn’t busy, her mind wandered to Heath. She was angry with herself and she was not good at admitting her mistakes. She knew she was the one who’d pushed him away. She knew that she was the reason they were both unhappy, but she refused to admit it. She kept telling herself it was for the best. He didn’t really love her and he would find someone else in time.

  She avoided Sam like the plague feeling guilty for him losing his son once more. She also tended to avoid her father, knowing that he was itching to lecture her about the way she’d been biting the men’s heads off. He found her anyway. She was cleaning her tack when he walked in and locked the door behind them. His arms were crossed over his chest. Josey looked up for a moment then went back to wiping oil on her saddle. She attacked it with abandon. J.W studied her for a minute before he began.

  “You need to take some time off,” he said. She looked up angrily. “No I don’t, there’s too much to do here. I’ve got to pay the bank note and…” “The banks been paid off.” He cut her off. “We don’t owe the bank anything. I just didn’t tell you. It seems Heath walked in the day after he left the ranch and paid the whole thing in cash. Now, I’m telling you to take some time off. I’m still the boss around here. You need to get your head right. Go get you a hotel somewhere and take a vacation.” J.W ordered.

  He walked out before Josey could ask him anything else. Her mind started running in circles. Heath paid off the bank. What did that mean? Why would he do that? Did he love her? She asked herself a million questions. She left the tack room and Hilary met her at the door with her suitcases. “They’re packed and ready to go. I got you a reservation in Vegas. The National Finals Rodeo is going on there this weekend and I thought you might like to go. I ordered the tickets, for you. Here you might need this paper when you pick up the tickets. I also programmed the address to the hotel into the gps. I would have ordered you a plane ticket, but I know how you hate flying.”

  Josey couldn’t believe it, she was being forced to go on vacation. They had everything planned out for her. She picked up her luggage and piled it in the passenger side of the truck. “Oh I almost forgot, here’s some cash in case you need it. If you get sleepy, pull over and get a hotel room, somewhere. Oh and be careful, I love you.” Hilary said.

  Josey got in her truck and with a lot of reluctance drove down the driveway heading to the highway. She didn’t know what had just happened. She had been, ordered to leave and Heath had paid off the bank loan. She gripped the wheel with both hands and drove. Her GPS rattled off where to turn. She shifted gears and made a right, onto the interstate. She drove for most of the day and half the night before she came to a stop at a hotel. She checked in and dropped her things off at the room then walked next door, to get something to eat.

  A burly looking man in a bikers get up, sat down at her table and hit on her. She told him to get lost and when he didn’t she threatened him with the pistol she kept in her purse. She knew how to use it and she would too. After being kidnapped by her real mothers drug dealer, she took up shooting and her father made her keep a gun with her.

  The guy finally left her alone, and she ate her meal in silence. She paid her bill and went to her hotel room. When she lay down on the bed, her mind wandered. She started thinking about Heath paying the note, questioning why he would do something like that. She realized she’d been too quick to let him go. She in her lack of self-confidence had sent him away thinking he couldn’t possibly be in love with her and what did he do, he paid off the loan on her family’s ranch. Did he love her? Was it possible, his feelings for her was more than just desire?

  She fell asleep with Heath on her mind. She still had a long way to go. When she awoke the next morning, she took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, loaded up her truck and left. She was distracted and unintentionally speeding when she passed a state trooper. She heard the siren, looked in her mirror and pulled off the side of the road. “Crap, this is just what I need.” She said. She dug in her purse and pulled out her wallet then rolled down the window.

  She decided to put on her best charm. The officer was a real jerk. He told her that he would let her off with a warning but only if she would let him take her out. She decided to nip it in the bud by telling him she was engaged. He ripped the ticket out of the booklet and handed it to her, smiling with a cocky grin. Josey took the ticket from the trooper, seventy-two in a fifty-five.

  This trip was turning out to be very annoying. Twice now, she’d been hit on.
She was not happy with that, and she hoped the rest of the trip didn’t go this way. She was already so tired of men. Besides there was only one man she wanted and she’d kicked him out of her life twice already. She felt like a fool.

  She pulled off the side of the road, careful to watch her speedometer. She didn’t need another ticket before she got to Vegas. She still couldn’t get over her family sending her on this trip. She thought they must surely be tired of her if they’d paid for the trip and organized it without even telling her.

  She turned the radio up and concentrated on her driving. The drive to Vegas was a long one. She stopped one more night at a hotel. She was already tired of driving. She wanted to get where she was going already. She had no idea why her parents decided on Vegas. She’d been there before. She’d competed there when she barrel raced. That had been a long time ago. She was young then. Heath had competed too. She really did miss rodeo. She assumed her parents were right. She would enjoy herself and maybe even hit a casino or two while she was there.

  She didn’t get much sleep this time, because the room next door was too noisy. The walls were paper-thin and the neighboring room had apparently stayed for one reason. She realized later that night that it was just a couple of teenagers. She saw them leaving the room when she’d stepped out to get a coke. She’d never really been to a hotel with Heath when they were teens. They’d always preferred the outdoors. The back of his pickup was more romantic to Josey than a sleazy hotel room.

  She got her coke and reentered her hotel room. It was after midnight. She needed to get some sleep so she could get an early start on her drive. With all the noise in the other room over with, she finally got some sleep.