by Carol Ross
“I would if I could, but I can’t find any other banking information.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t find his records or other bank-account information. I called the bank and they won’t tell me anything. If I’m not on the account, they won’t release any information.”
Katie paled. “Jon, what are we going to do?”
Jon blew out a breath. “I don’t know. The guest ranch is due to open in a few weeks. How does the pay structure work for that?”
Katie frowned and stroked the horse’s muzzle. “When guests register, they pay a deposit and then the rest is collected when they check out.”
“So those deposits are probably already spent. There might be enough money to get by until the guests start checking out. But who knows what else is going to pop up.”
Katie’s phone rang. Removing her leather gloves, she swiped her finger across the screen and answered it. The frown on her face made Jon think it was a serious matter.
Hanging up, she stared at Jon, her expression confirming his supposition.
“Katie, what is it? Is it your dad?”
“No, no, nothing about Dad.” Raising a hand, she gripped her forehead like she was in pain. “I’m, uh... We’re in even worse trouble than what you just told me. That was Jess Kearns.”
“Jess of Jess and Marie?” Jon knew Katie relied on Jess and his wife, Marie, for a lot of the guest-ranching duties. Jess was one of their best guides and Marie oversaw housekeeping duties for the lodge.
“Yep. They’re not coming back.”
“What do you mean? Why not?”
“They took a position at another ranch, making more money.”
Jon let out a frustrated groan. “Information we could have used weeks ago. You need to put word out as soon as possible. I know it’ll be rough to train new people right now, but we’ll—”
“Jon,” Katie interrupted. “We need way more than two.”
“What do you mean?” Jon felt the anxiety in his gut bunch tighter.
“No one is coming back. Someone hijacked our entire crew. Bob Tucker called yesterday but I didn’t think that much of it. This morning I heard from Will Peterson and I thought, huh, that’s odd. But now? This is more than a coincidence.” The phone rang in Katie’s hand. She read the display. “This is Kyle Gibbs. He teaches the guests how to rope, among other things. Any guesses what he’s going to tell me?” Katie took the call. The conversation was brief.
When she finished, she shoved the phone into her pocket like she couldn’t stand to hold it any longer. Jon was a little tired of it himself. “What are we going to do?” she asked. “We’ve got reservations. If I cancel them, we have to return those deposits. How are we going to run two cattle ranches between us plus a guest ranch?”
Jon shook his head and heaved out a sigh. “We’re not. Not for much longer, anyway. Give me a few days and I’ll think of...something.” He’d already thought about it and he had an idea. He didn’t want to discuss it yet. Not until he could figure out how to get Ethan to come home.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“THIS IS KIDD.” Jon patted the rump of a handsome bay gelding.
Lydia slid a foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over. “Kidd and I are already friends.” Leaning forward, she patted the horse’s neck. “It’s possible I may have been buying his affection with carrots.”
“I’ll spare you the pointers today,” Jon joked, adjusting her stirrups.
She smiled down at him. “Pointers are always appreciated.”
Jon’s insides felt like a mass of tumbleweeds. Telling her how he felt was probably a terrible idea. But every time he stopped to reconsider, an image of her in Cody’s arms or JT’s or some other cowboy’s appeared before him.
“I’m so excited for this. Are you sure you have time for it?”
“Don’t worry,” Jon said, tucking a few tools into his saddlebags. “We’ll be working while we’re at it—ride fence along the way, check on cattle. You might not know this, but multitasking was perfected by ranchers.”
“Is that a fact?”
“It is. We have another name for it.”
“What’s that?”
“Ranching.” Jon gave her a wink and mounted his horse.
Lydia’s response was a half groan, half laugh. “And I thought I was the one with the bad jokes.”
Jon urged his horse into a walk. Lydia did the same and Kidd soon found his stride next to Jon’s horse. Trout jogged in front of them like he already knew where they were heading. Which, Lydia acknowledged, he probably did.
“Joking aside, that makes me feel better. Like I’m not taking up too much of your valuable time.”
“I think that would only be fair seeing as how I’ve been taking up yours every evening for the last week or so.”
“That’s different. Plus, we can go over some of your interview questions while we’re riding.” The Good Day USA crew was arriving in two days. He was prepared. And even if he wasn’t, Jon didn’t want to waste this afternoon talking about it.
“Or we could just go for a ride,” he countered smoothly. “You didn’t tell me that you met one of our local cowboys.”
“Well, Jon,” she said in a playful tone, “I’ve met several. Can you be a little more specific?”
“JT Brimble.”
“Oh... Him. He’s a cowboy? He doesn’t look like a cowboy to me. He looks like he wants to be a cowboy. What kind of a cowboy wears tight jeans and shiny boots?”
Jon chuckled. “A poser?”
She grinned. “My goodness, you’ve got good sources, don’t you? He made a crude comment.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”
Lydia shrugged. “I don’t know. It didn’t seem like that big of a deal. Meredith, my friend back in Philadelphia, and I used to hear comments like that all the time when we’d go out. Different phrasing, same meaning.”
“Where are you going that men are talking to you like that?”
“Dancing.”
“Dancing?”
“Mmm-hmm. I like to dance. I love music. My friend and I like to go out and enjoy them both together.”
* * *
“WHAT KIND OF music do you like?” Jon had noticed that the radio was almost always on when he came inside, a habit he indulged in himself.
“Most kinds. Punk rock is a little shouty for my taste. And I’m not a huge rap fan, don’t care for a lot of the lyrics. But some of it I love.” She shrugged a shoulder. “Speaking of music and dancing, Sofie said there’s a music jam on Saturday night.”
“That there is.”
“Are you going?”
“I was planning on it.”
Her grin was mischievous. “Were you going to tell me about that?”
“Uh...”
“Spit it out,” she teased.
“Saturday is supposed to be your day off. I guess I didn’t think it would be something you’d be interested in.” Not until Cody prompted him, anyway.
“And why’s that?”
Jon thought about the one time he’d taken Ava to a music jam at the Carneses’. She’d acted fine while they were there, but Jon had seen the misery lurking behind her smile. On the way home, she’d cried. When he’d asked what was wrong, she’d said, “Homesick,” and stared out the window into the moonlit night.
“Uh, well, it’s not exactly a fancy dance club like you’re probably used to.”
“How would you know what I’m used to?”
Jon adjusted the hat on his head. “Umm...”
He could see she was fighting a smile. “You assumed because I’m from the city that I’d think your barn dance was too provincial and unsophisticated?”
Guilty. He grimaced. “Maybe.”
Lydia shook her head. “You realize, don’t you, that t
his assumption makes you the narrow-minded one?”
He liked the way she called him out on this. He liked how she called him on everything, even his grumpiness. “Maybe.” How could just chatting with someone be this much fun?
“If you could see some of the clubs my friend and I have been to in the name of good music, it would frighten you. The neighborhoods...” She shook her head. “We saw a knife fight once.”
Jon felt a flicker of alarm. “Why would you go to a place like that?”
“It’s all about the music. We’ll brave anything to get our groove on, everything from Irish pubs to swing-dance clubs to trendy techno discos to biker bars. If the beat’s on, we’re in.” She added a laugh.
“Lydia, biker bars? That can’t be safe. Then again, cities aren’t safe.”
“Hey.” She pointed a finger at him. “Most bikers are nice people. Besides, I know how to take care of myself.”
Jon didn’t want her to have to take care of herself. He wanted her to stay away from places that were dangerous.
“You miss it? Going out with your friend?”
“No.” Cocking her head thoughtfully, she added, “A little, maybe. But I’ve been too busy since I got here to do much missing of anything.”
Jon thought about how much of herself she’d given to this job, what she’d done for him, for the girls especially, since she’d arrived. Aside from a single afternoon with Sofie and Peyton she hadn’t taken much time for herself.
“The music will be good. I’m not sure if it’s the kind of good that you’re used to. But I am going, and I would like for you to come with me if you’re interested.”
“Hmm... Are you sure? It wouldn’t be uncomfortable for you if I went?”
“Why would it be uncomfortable for me?”
“I don’t know. Socializing with the nanny—would that be awkward?”
Jon wanted to laugh out loud. He wanted to do a lot more than socialize with his nanny. Deadpan, he answered, “No. We ranchers socialize with everyone around here, even the hired help.”
“Funny.” She laughed. “What about the girls?”
Jon liked how Gen and Abby seemed to always be on her mind. “The girls are going to come for a while and then they’re going home with Willa and Pete to have a sleepover. Garret and Raelynn and the kids will be in town and staying the weekend.”
“They’ll love that.”
“I know. I’m going to tell them tonight. Willa called this morning, but I didn’t want to tell them too soon. Their excitement is going to drive us crazy as it is.”
“Good thinking. So,” she said eagerly, “Sofie said you were going to be playing at this shindig. What do you play?”
“Fiddle.”
“Are you any good?”
“Fair.”
“What kind of music do you play?”
“Punk rock mostly. Some rap.”
She burst out laughing. “Your humor still surprises me sometimes. It’s fun.”
He slid her a grin. “I play mostly country, bluegrass and Southern rock. I like Irish folk music, too. But my brother Chance is the real musician in the family.”
“Wait a minute... No way! Your brother Chance is that Chance Blackwell, the singer?”
“You know him?”
“Sure I know him! I told you I know all the music. Oh, man... ‘Butterfly Blue’ rocks my world. I literally remember the first time I heard that song. I was working at the bakery and I was carrying this cake that my boss had just finished decorating to the walk-in fridge. That song came on the radio and I froze. And then...” She laughed at the memory. “One minute I was holding it and the next it was sliding off the turntable... Plop. All over the floor.”
Jon laughed. “Chance would be thrilled to hear about your ruined cake.”
“My boss wasn’t, so much. But that song is one of my all-time favorites. Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard much music from your brother lately.”
“He’s had a rough go of it since his wife, Maura, died. Found out she was pregnant, had baby Rosie and died a few months later. Maura was Katie’s sister. It was hard on her, too, as I’m sure you can imagine.” Jon felt a sharp hit of grief. They had all loved Maura. It was difficult enough to raise a baby girl on your own, Jon couldn’t imagine adding grief to the mix. Chance had the added struggle of a strained relationship with Maura and Katie’s dad, Lochlan. Then there was the fact that he had his own turmoil with Big E. As much as Jon wished Chance would come home, as much as he wished all his brothers would, he couldn’t blame them. But that didn’t stop him from missing them, from wanting it to be different. He’d give just about anything for the girls to grow up knowing their uncles, and their cousin Rosie.
“You know, I think I remember hearing something about his wife passing away. That’s so sad.”
“It is. And I don’t know how to help him.” Or Tyler. His heart already a little tender at all the brother memories he’d been reliving lately, he rubbed a hand over his chest. “I’m not sure there’s a lot you can do to help with another person’s grief, even your brother’s.”
That felt so true, especially for Chance and Tyler, despite how much he hoped otherwise. “I’d like you to meet him some day.” Jon enjoyed a vision of taking Lydia to one of his brother’s concerts.
“Me, too. Will it embarrass you if I ask for his autograph?”
Jon laughed. “No, ma’am. He deserves to be asked. He is that extraordinary.”
As they rode on, Jon relayed information about the ranch and pointed out landmarks. When they neared the back of the property, he dismounted and opened a gate where the trail led out of the upper pasture. The terrain was scattered with trees and there was more brush. Patches of spring wildflowers bloomed in the bright green grass.
“This is my property line,” he explained, sweeping an arm toward the hills. “From here up is federal land, but I have some grazing leases up the basins.”
“This is where you put the cattle in the summertime, right?”
“Yep. Summer is the easiest time of year, cattle-wise. We don’t have to feed them or water them. We drive the cattle up here and let them graze. There’s a big creek running down that way.” He pointed. “Lots of water. In the winter, we have storms. Trees get blown over, branches break off and come down. That’s the cleanup I mentioned. We have trails through here and we keep them cleared so the cattle can move through more easily. And us on horseback.”
“So, you just turn them loose all the way out here? All alone?”
“Yep. We ride in now and then to check on them, do a head count, make sure they’re healthy and safe. They pretty much stay in the valleys and basins, where the food is. We have mountain lions, wolves and the occasional grizzly.”
“Bears?”
“Mmm-hmm. Mostly, they’ll leave an adult cow alone. But they have no problem bringing down a small calf or a lame cow. Wolves can be a bigger concern.”
“For sure,” she remarked sarcastically, “it’s the cities that aren’t safe.”
He laughed.
“Seriously, Jon, you do realize that people from the city would be terrified to be out here right now all alone with no people around?”
“Hmm. You think so?”
Dipping her chin, she gave him a pointed look. “I know so.”
“That’s hard to believe.” He looked around, feigning surprise. “No one is going to mug you here.”
“Let’s argue the merits of a mugging versus a mauling.”
He laughed. “We could. Although I think I’d win because a mugging is way more common than a mauling.”
“I’d be willing to bet the survival rate is higher in a mugging.”
“You might have a point. Or, there’s a nice view of the river and the ranch from up on this ridge. We could ride up there if you’re up for it?”
&
nbsp; “Absolutely.”
Jon climbed back on his horse and led the way on the trail. They rode through heavier timber, eventually coming to a wide, flat shelf.
“We can get down and walk a little closer to the edge if you’d like.”
Lydia agreed. They both dismounted.
“Will the horses be okay?”
“Yep, they’re very well trained. Trout will keep an eye on them.” Trout moved closer to the horses.
“Amazing, that dog,” Lydia whispered.
Jon led her toward the edge. She was quiet for a long moment. “This is your idea of a nice view? I’m telling you, Jonathon Blackwell, I’ve never seen anything so gorgeous in my life. I would argue that it’s way more beautiful than any city I’ve ever seen, or country, either, for that matter. And I’ve seen a bit of the world.”
“Have you?”
“Yep. Before I—” She halted the sentence and started again. “Before my parents got divorced we did some traveling—Europe, Australia, Thailand, Japan.”
“And after they got divorced?”
Her short laugh held a bitter edge and Jon knew there was a story here. He’d been curious ever since she’d made that comment about families falling apart. “After, not so much.”
“What happened after? Did you live with your mom or your dad?”
“I lived with Nana. For two years on her little farm in upstate New York. I use the term farm loosely.” She bent to pick up a rock. “She had a huge garden and an orchard. She canned vegetables, cooked, sold stuff at the farmer’s market. That’s how I learned to garden and cook and sew—the basics, anyway. Nana is also the one who taught me how to ride. She had two horses.”
“Why only two years?”
“That’s when she died.”
“I’m sorry. You mentioned her in passing but not that you’d been living with her at the time. That must have been terrible.”
“It was. My mom was—is, as far as I know—busy living the single life she claimed she deserved because she never had it. My dad married Tina and started a new and improved family.”
Jon didn’t like where this was heading. “So where did you go after your nana passed away?”
“I moved in with Dad and Tina. Moved out soon after.”