“Oh, brother.” Shelby sighed, and they both giggled.
“And the flowers,” Lacey said, between breaths. “Xan’s face when he saw the flowers. Priceless.”
Again, they erupted in laughter.
“What in the holy heck’s going on in here?” Chet stormed through the door and grabbed the chair from Shelby’s desk. Swinging it around, he straddled it, resting his arms on the back. “What did I miss?”
“Oh, just a little girl talk.” Lacey winked.
Chet pointed his finger into his mouth, pretending to gag as he grabbed a handful of chocolates. “So, Lace.” He popped a few into his mouth. “Is that husband of yours coming tomorrow?”
“Dan wouldn’t miss it,” she replied. “Next to the deer hunt, branding is his favorite time of year.”
“Excellent.” Chet grinned, showing his dimples. “Maybe he’ll bring Jake. You know Shels will be there.”
Shelby curled her lip. Jake was the last person she wanted to see.
“That’s just what she needs.” Lacey raised and lowered her brows. “Another handsome guy thrown into the mix.” She started to giggle again.
Chet’s forehead wrinkled.
Shelby’s insides clenched at the thought of running into her old boyfriend, although she told herself that she didn’t care. Jake was Dan’s best friend, and he and Shelby had dated steadily during high school. When Shelby chose to go away to college six years earlier, and then stayed in the big city to be a journalist, she’d learned Jake claimed to be just as surprised as everyone else in town. Lacey and Dan got married right after graduation, and Jake’s and Shelby’s parents had expected they would do the same.
Shelby considered his response further evidence Jake had no idea what her actual goals were. He’d expected her to fit into a mold and live her life like a typical small-town girl.
“You sure you’re okay to go branding, Shel?” Lacey asked. Her brows wrinkled as she pointed toward Shelby’s cast.
If everyone doesn’t stop treating me like I’m made of glass, they’ll make me scream. “Yeah, I’m feeling better. I’ve been resting up for two and a half weeks. I’ll be fine.”
“Dad is under strict orders to keep her from over-doing it.” Chet hopped up and gave a mock salute as he left the room. His boots clomped down the hall.
Shelby was starting to feel tired but would never admit it. Not when the entire world seemed determined to baby her. Overdoing it? Seriously, doesn’t anyone understand I’m an adult?
“I’d better get going. Dan will need some help getting the kids to sleep.” Lacey swung her long legs off the bed and grabbed a few more chocolates. “Are we still on for tomorrow night? I’ve got a babysitter lined up.”
“Yep.” Shelby grinned. “I can’t wait to see your new house.”
“And I can’t wait to actually go out to dinner.”
“I know my mom is disappointed I’m not taking Jake. I wish she realized I’m not her.”
“Shel, she knows. I think she only wants life to be easy for you. She knows you’ve outgrown Culver but isn’t ready to accept it. She really just wants you to be happy.” Lacey lingered with her hand on the door frame.
Shelby let out a breath. She knew her mom meant well, but could she just give her a little credit? “I know, but maybe she could try to understand what makes me happy.”
Lacey sat again on the bed and squeezed Shelby’s hand. “Moms have a funny way of showing love sometimes.”
Shelby considered Lacey, and the realization hit her for the first time that Lacey was speaking as a mother. She understood Debbie’s feelings because she had a daughter, too. Shelby felt the change in their relationship and realized things would never be the same between them. A lump grew in Shelby’s throat
Lacey leaned across the bed wrapping Shelby in a hug, then drew back until their pinkies were linked and their foreheads touched.
The action was something they used to do as kids, and the backs of Shelby’s eyes prickled.
“Don’t worry, Shel. Things change and people grow in different directions. But no matter what, you and me, we will always be besties.”
They both smiled and hugged again, and Lacey steered the conversation toward more light-hearted topics before she stood to go.
Shelby pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her cheek on her knee and smiling. Lacey was tall and long-waisted, giving her a graceful walk. Although her baby was just a few months old, she still looked like a super-model. After all the time she’d spent sitting on this same bed, listening to Lacey’s adventures in dating land, Shelby had to admit, she’d enjoyed being the one with the stories.
****
The next day, Shelby awoke to the sound of cattle lowing. She pulled on her clothes, fitting the slit in her jeans over her cast. Then she drew her hair into a ponytail and crammed on a cowboy hat. Today she felt no need to worry about her appearance. Arriving downstairs, she found her mom in the kitchen buttering toast slices.
“I’ll come down to the field in a few hours with lunch,” Debbie said. “And bandages,” she added with a wink.
After a quick breakfast, Shelby followed her dad out to his pick-up and threw her crutches into the bed. They drove about a half mile down the lane that ran through the middle of the ranch. “The field” was what her dad called the area of his property where they kept the cattle.
Chet and some of his friends had worked since before dawn, separating the newborn calves from their mothers.
The cows, penned close by, were the source of the mournful noise—bellowing to have their calves returned.
“We’ve got a pretty good group this year.” Burke ran his palm over his short hair and replaced his white cowboy hat. “Let’s hurry and get these calves done and back to pasture.”
The smells and sounds brought back waves of nostalgia. For as long as Shelby could remember, branding day was a big deal. As far as traditions went, the event rivaled Christmas. Even as a toddler, she’d watched her dad and the other men through the fence while they worked. As Shelby grew, her responsibilities increased. The last few years, she worked as hard as the men wrestling the calves. Shelby felt a bit disappointed that this year, thanks to her injury, her jobs would be much less physical.
She crammed her hat over her hair and leaned on her crutches, zipping up her coat against the cold. Taking a deep breath, she followed her dad across the melting snow and mud to the corral. Shelby smelled the smoke from the fire. The flames had burned down, and the brands already sat in the hottest coals.
Burke and Chet rolled a large barrel over to the fence and overturned it outside the corral by the fire for Shelby to use for her equipment.
Shelby hopped around on her crutches, getting her tools and other paraphernalia set out and ready on the barrel. She was in charge of the tags and vaccinations, which she’d pass over the fence to the men. She put more wood on top of the fire to keep the irons hot, and then propped her crutches against the corral fence to keep them out of the way.
State law required each calf to be branded and tagged through the ear. Females got one color tag and males another. Shelby used a marker to write the numbers on the ear tags and loaded them into the hand-tool that attached them. Then, she filled a syringe with the clear liquid containing vitamins, antibiotic, and vaccination for the animals.
“Shels,” Chet yelled, “Look who’s here!”
Shelby glanced up and saw Dan had arrived with Jake. The sight of her old boyfriend made her stomach turn. Great.
“If it isn’t the fancy city girl getting her boots dirty.” Dan walked over and swept her into a giant bear hug. He set her back on the ground carefully, helping her to balance against the barrel before releasing her.
“Hey, Dan.” Shelby smiled at Lacey’s husband, refraining from comment on his new mustache. “Hey, Jake.”
“You’re looking good, Shel.” Jake gave her a quick, one-armed hug.
An awkward silence followed, and Shel
by could have kissed Chet when he jogged over to thank Dan and Jake for coming.
“We got us some early winter calves this year. I think a few of ’em are big enough to give us a little rodeo.” Chet patted the two of them on the back.
Shelby hopped back and forth on her good leg, handing the men in the two pens the equipment as fast as she could. The men always competed light-heartedly to get the most calves done, and she didn’t want either group blaming her for losing because she was too slow.
Chapter Six
Hakim fought against the pounding of his heart, and his mouth went dry. He paused at the bottom of the steps, inhaled a deep breath, and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. His gaze darted once toward the car. Stepping onto the wooden porch stairs, he hesitated a moment, deciding whether to knock or ring the bell. Squaring his shoulders, he made up his mind and pushed the doorbell.
While he waited, doubts flooded his mind. Had he made a mistake? He thought back to the conversation earlier that morning. Nasir had raised various concerns about their expedition—How would they find Shelby in this town? How could he ensure Hakim’s safety in a place where they had no contacts and no information on the area? But, once Nasir understood Hakim’s wishes, he stopped trying to sway the prince.
The flight to Culver Springs in Hakim’s Gulf Stream had taken all night and most of the previous day. They had landed at the small airport twenty miles outside of town, rented a car, and found the ranch easily enough with the map and directions from the gas station attendant. Hakim found he had quite enjoyed the excitement of their unplanned adventure. He’d never done anything like it before.
When they arrived, Hakim had wanted to go alone to the ranch, but Nasir refused. Hakim almost laughed when Nasir surveyed Culver Springs with suspicion, complaining he couldn’t do his job and keep the prince safe in this unpredictable environment.
Nasir pointed out most of the street signs were riddled with bullet holes. The roads twisted randomly, giving minimal visibility.
They reached the compromise that Nasir would drive him and remain close by in case of an emergency. To Nasir, this meant patrolling the perimeter of the property. Hakim worried the Walkers and their neighbors would feel uncomfortable with the large Arab driving around, but Nasir’s training enabled him to be invisible and assess any situation. He had assured Hakim he could be discreet.
The sound of footsteps pulled Hakim back to the present. The knob turned. The woman who answered the door appeared so much like Shelby that he was speechless for a moment. Then he saw her nervous expression as she looked him over, taking in his entire appearance. He hadn’t even considered people might be alarmed at finding a foreign stranger on their front porch. “Is this the Walker residence?”
“Yes.” She glanced behind him and then returned her gaze to his. “I’m Debbie Walker. How can I help you?”
“I am looking for Shelby. My name is Hakim Khalid.” When he saw hesitation on Mrs. Walker’s face, he continued, “I was with Shelby when she had her accident. I wanted to make sure she is all right.” He still sensed a little reservation in her manner.
Debbie smiled tightly. “I’m just headed out to the field with lunch. How about you ride along?” She squinted her eyes. “You’ll have to change your shoes, though. Let me see what I can find in Chet’s room. Go ahead and make yourself at home, I’ll be right back.”
Hakim turned and signaled to the car.
As he’d promised, Nasir waved and drove out of the driveway.
Hakim followed Debbie into the house, and once he was left alone, he studied the living room, fascinated. The first thing he noticed was the deer head hanging above the fireplace. The couches looked old, comfortable, and well-worn with a knitted afghan draped across the back of each. An old TV sat in the corner next to a bookshelf full of DVDs.
This was the first time he’d ever been in an American home. In fact, he couldn’t remember ever coming to any house and ringing the doorbell for a visit. Nearly all of his appointments were planned, scheduled, and announced weeks, sometimes months, ahead. Most of his interactions with others took place only in formal meetings.
Walker family pictures in mismatched frames filled the mantel above the fireplace. Studying them, Hakim recognized a picture of Shelby as a little girl wearing cowboy boots and sitting on a tire swing holding a popsicle that dripped all over her hands and shirt. Her hair was pulled into two braids, and she grinned with a mouth full of missing teeth. How different her childhood had been from his. He tried to imagine growing up in this house. Hakim still held the picture when Debbie returned with a pair of boots and a jacket.
“Wasn’t my little Shelby adorable?” she said. “She was quite a little spitfire. Never wanting to comb her hair or wear girl clothes. While her friends were dressing like princesses, she was running around outside with her pockets full of frogs.”
Hakim smiled at the image and placed the frame back on the mantel.
“I rustled up some boots. I think you and Chet probably wear close to the same size.” She held up a pair of worn leather boots. “Also, I grabbed you a jacket. It’s my husband Burke’s. You don’t want to get your nice clothes all dirty.”
Looking at Debbie, Hakim recognized Shelby’s bright blue eyes. They were the same color and shape, but where the skin around Shelby’s eyes was smooth, and they shined with life and energy, the fine lines around her mother’s spoke of experience and compassion. “Thank you.”
Debbie excused herself to give him a moment to change.
He slipped on Chet’s boots and traded his leather jacket for Burke’s denim one. He had never borrowed clothes before. Hakim was surprised to feel so comfortable with Debbie fussing over him. His throat constricted, and he felt the loss of his mother all over again. For a moment, he wondered how different his life would have been if she had lived to raise him. A succession of nannies and tutors had ensured his safety and education, but they had been paid to care about him. Shelby’s mother’s small act made him realize how much he missed a mother’s attention.
“All set? Let’s get going then.” Debbie re-entered the room carrying a cooler. “Here you go. Can you put this in the back seat while I grab my keys?”
“Of course.” Hakim held the door for Debbie, put the cooler in the car, and they rode the short way down the lane. He felt the nagging self-doubt that had accompanied him throughout the last few days. Was he doing the right thing? Would Shelby want to see him again?
Hakim watched out the window as Debbie drove down the dirt lane, passing corrals and outbuildings. They pulled in next to a group of pick-up trucks, and Hakim could see the black-and-white masses of cattle separated into various pens. He tried to discern what was taking place. People worked with the smaller animals, and as soon as Hakim got out of the car, he spotted Shelby. He raised a hand in greeting, his heart racing.
Shelby turned from handing something through the fence and froze with her brow wrinkled. “Hakim?”
“Shelby.” He closed the gap between them with a few long strides and took her hand in both of his. Her confused expression was replaced by a wide grin, dispelling any question about whether he had made the right choice about coming.
“Hakim, what are you doing here?”
Hakim glanced over her shoulder at the unfamiliar people, uncomfortable with all the gazes scrutinizing him. “Shelby, I was unsure what to say when I arrived.” He paused, rubbed the back of his neck, and then leaned closer. His heart felt light when he saw her smile. “I just knew I needed to see you again.”
Shelby squeezed his hand. “I’m so glad you came.”
“What’s going on here?” A tall man in a cowboy hat tromped over to them. “Gosh, Shels, you could at least introduce us.”
Shelby rolled her eyes. She let go of Hakim’s hand and grabbed the handle of her crutches. “Hakim, this is my annoying little brother, Chet.”
“Little, nothing,” Chet held his hand toward him. “Hey, Hakim, how’s it going? Cool beard.”
>
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Chet,” Hakim said. “Your mother loaned me your boots. Thank you.” He stared at Chet’s extended hand, unused to another person acting familiar enough to initiate a greeting.
“No big deal. You can borrow my ropers whenever.” Chet grasped his hand and shook it, clapping his other on the back of Hakim’s. “Looks like you got here right in time. We’ve still got some wrangling to do. You ever branded calves, Hakim?”
“I have not, but would be glad to assist you as much as I am able.” Branding…me? Hakim hoped his uncertainty didn’t show on his face.
“Good man.” Chet grinned, smacking Hakim on the back and heading over to where Debbie was handing out sandwiches.
“Hakim, you don’t have to do this. My family would understand if we got out of here.” Shelby jerked her head to the side.
“I came to be with you, Shelby. If you are branding cattle, then that is where I wish to be. Besides, I have the boots.” He smiled and held up a foot. “For me to miss my opportunity to be an American cowboy would be a shame.”
“I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.” She shook her head. “You’d better come meet my dad. He’s always grateful for extra help.”
They walked to where the group was eating lunch. The men all sat or leaned wherever they could find a spot.
Debbie and a man whom Hakim assumed was Shelby’s father sat in the cab of a pick-up. When Shelby and Hakim approached, the older man opened the door and stepped out.
“Dad, I want you to meet my friend, Hakim Khalid.” Shelby moved her hand back and forth between the men. “Hakim, this is my dad, Burke Walker.”
Burke wiped off his hand on his jeans and extended it to Hakim.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Hakim said with a small bow.
“Howdy, Hakim.” Burke nodded. “You were one of the friends with Shelby when she had her accident?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you,” Burke said in his gruff voice. “Thanks for helping my little girl.” He patted Hakim on the shoulder and cleared his throat. “You hungry, son? You’ll need your energy if you’re gonna wrangle with these boys.”
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