Twins for the Rebel Cowboy

by Sasha Summers

  There was a knock on the door. “Hello?” Josie called out.

  “Come in,” Annabeth answered.

  Eli, Josie and Hunter all spilled into her small kitchen. Seeing Hunter, the eldest Boone sibling, made her think about Ryder and the mess she was in.

  “Hey.” Annabeth stood, tugging her giant sweatshirt past her hips. She hadn’t bothered to put herself together today. Now she was acutely aware of her oversize sweats and sloppy ponytail. Not that she had time to worry about it too much. Hunter had the boys bundled up and out the door, “to a livestock auction for some man time,” before she’d said more than a dozen words. It was only when she and Josie were left alone in the kitchen that she noticed the way Josie was looking at her.

  “What?” Annabeth asked.

  “What’s up?” Josie asked, opening the cabinets and taking in the morning cleaning spree.

  “Nothing—”

  “Don’t tell me nothing.” Josie smiled at her. “I know about the job. And I know Flo’s hospital bills still exist. And I know Cody’s getting grief at school, but this is something else.”

  Annabeth started packing up Cody’s crayons. “Why does there have to be something else?”

  “Because Annabeth Upton gets dressed every day. She puts on her makeup, does her hair and believes you fake it ’til you make it. Your mantra is ‘make lemonade out of the lemons life gives you’ so...yes, there has to be something else.” Josie put her hands on her hips. “Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re crazy for always being so together, but this—” she pointed at Annabeth “—isn’t you.”

  Annabeth slid into the kitchen chair, watching Tom bat one of the crayons across the table and onto the floor.

  “Is it Ryder?” Josie rifled through the cabinets until she found two empty glass Mason jars. “You’re one of the only people he talks to, you know that? When he comes out to the ranch, he’s still so distant.”

  “He still blames himself,” Annabeth spoke softly.

  “For?”

  “His mother’s death.” She’d never forget how devastated he was.

  Sophomore year Ryder was already a hell-raiser. His mom had gone to pick him up after he’d snuck out and drunk too much to drive home. She’d swerved to avoid a deer and the car had landed upside down in a ditch. Ryder had cut through her seat belt to get her out, but he couldn’t resuscitate her. His father shut down for almost a year, leaving Hunter to pick up the pieces. Ryder took the blame—and more risks than ever. Starting fights, run-ins with the law—and nothing she or Greg said had helped. But whether it was the guilt and anger eating him or the need for his father’s attention that drove him to such measures, Annabeth wasn’t sure.

  “It wasn’t his fault.” Josie frowned.

  “I think everyone knows that except Ryder. And, maybe, his father.”

  Josie’s frown grew. “Teddy blames him?”

  She shrugged. “Ryder thinks he does. And Ryder does. And that’s all that matters.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about. You’re the only one that knows that.” Josie shook her head. “That thing—that connection—you two have.”

  “What?” Annabeth looked up. “What thing?”

  “Oh, please.” Josie opened the bottle of wine she’d carried in and filled both glasses halfway.

  “Seriously,” Annabeth pushed. “What thing?”

  Josie sat across from her, a confused look on her face. “I always got the impression you two were hot for each other. Even in high school, there was that—zing.” She paused. “Not that either of you acted on it. Greg was there.”

  Annabeth stared at the wine in the Mason jar, wishing she could drink it but knowing she wouldn’t. “Well, we did.”

  Josie almost snorted her wine.

  “And I’m pregnant.”

  Josie started coughing.

  “And I don’t think he’s interested in being a father.” Annabeth stood, getting a glass of water for Josie.

  Josie took a long sip, stared at Annabeth then took a long sip of her wine.

  “Exactly.” Annabeth nodded.

  Josie sat her glass down, collecting her thoughts. “What’s the plan?” Josie finally asked.

  She thought of the poster in her room. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I have... I have a chart—” She broke off.

  Josie took Annabeth’s hands in hers. “Oh, sweetie, we’ll figure it out.”

  Annabeth nodded, refusing to give in and cry.

  * * *

  “FLO SAID TO tell you she’s in a meeting,” the nurse said, a tolerant smile on her face. “I’m sure she’ll be done soon. She likes to exert a little power now and then.”

  Ryder nodded, tucking the box of chocolates under his arm. “Who doesn’t? I’ll let her finish up.” He winked at the pretty nurse, watching her flush in response. Yesterday, he’d have asked for her number. But yesterday was another life. Now, this life, was all about being responsible. He was going to do what he should do—for Annabeth, Cody and his baby. The first step was getting permission from Annabeth’s family—Flo.

  “You can send him in, Nancy,” Flo called loudly from her room.

  Ryder touched the rim of his hat at Nancy and entered the bedroom where Florence Chenault lived. Every inch of wall space was dotted with newspaper clippings, drawings and framed photos. A tall wooden dresser filled one corner of the room, standing out amongst the other institutional-grade furniture. The single bed was covered in quilts and a chenille sweater. Flo sat in her wheelchair, wearing a green velvet robe and her hair in a fancy updo.

  “You’re a fine sight,” Ryder said, offering her the box of chocolates.

  Flo grinned. “And you, Ryder Boone, are a scamp.”

  “Guilty.” He hugged her, dropping a kiss on her cheek.

  She opened the box of chocolates and offered it to him. “Go on.”

  “I got it for you,” he argued.

  “Uh-huh.” She placed the box in her lap, popping a candy into her mouth before adding, “And when a scamp shows up with gifts, it means he’s after something.”

  “Known a lot of scamps?”

  She smiled sweetly. “I have, young man, I have indeed. Your father was one of them.” She patted the corner of her bed. “You sit a spell and tell me what you’re after.”

  Ryder sat, placing his hat on the bed beside him. “Annabeth—”

  “It’s about time,” Flo cut in, her eyes fixed on his face. “You going to make an honest woman out of her?”

  Ryder swallowed. “If she’ll have me.”

  She nodded. “Open that top drawer.” She pointed at the dresser in the corner. “In the little blue box in the back corner. Careful, it’s breakable.”

  Ryder did as he was told, lifting the blue porcelain box and carrying it to Flo.

  “Open it.” Flo waved her hand at him. “My hands get so shaky sometimes.”

  Ryder’s hands weren’t all that steady either, but he opened the box.

  “Those belonged to Annabeth’s parents,” Flo said.

  Ryder stared at the three rings inside. One was a bridal set, slim and delicate, with a large round diamond. The other was a wide gold band, the word Forever etched on the inside of both bands.

  “Hannah wanted Annabeth to have these, but Greg didn’t want ’em. You don’t have to use them, either.” Flo paused. “Seems like maybe they’d bring you two luck, since Michael and Hannah loved each other so.” She pointed to the rings. “Not that you two are going to need any luck, Ryder. You two are the only ones that don’t see how you fit together.”

  “You think so?” He wanted to believe her.

  She nodded, reaching forward to pat his hand. “She loves you, Ryder Boone. Whether that silly, stubborn girl sees it or not.”

  �
��She is stubborn.” That much he agreed on.

  “A real man never speaks ill of his woman, remember that.” Flo frowned. “You better treat her right, you hear me? If you don’t, I will come back from the grave and drive you crazy with haunting.”

  “Does this mean I have your blessing?” he asked.

  “I’m a mite disappointed you’ve waited so long, I’ll be honest.” She sat back in her chair, narrowing her eyes a bit. “First, you tell me why you want to marry my girl, why you deserve her, and we’ll see.”

  He swallowed, knowing the truth wasn’t the right way to go. “She’s Annabeth, Flo. Guess I’ve come to realize what a...an amazing woman she is.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” Flo’s eyebrows went up.

  “If you’re looking for poems and pretty words, I’m going to disappoint you.” He chuckled. “I might be good at charming the pants off a woman, but courting’s another thing.”

  Flo popped another chocolate into her mouth. “Try.”

  He shook his head, staring out the window. He knew Flo wasn’t trying to irritate him. She had every right to make sure he was worthy of Annabeth. Problem was, he knew he wasn’t. His words were rushed. “You want me to tell you she’s smart and sassy? That she’s so damn pretty sometimes it hurts to look at her? Or making her smile makes a shi— A bad day good?” His throat felt tight, his palms sweaty... “I don’t deserve her. But I’ll try to. Every damn day.” Tripping over his words was nothing new. He could only hope he’d manage the right ones when he was on his knee in front of Annabeth. He looked at Flo, staring at the box of chocolates in her lap. “Flo?”

  “You’ll do just fine.” Her smile wavered, her gaze wandering out the large window in her room. “But marry my girl soon. Hannah wouldn’t be much good without you, Michael.”

  Ryder nodded, sad that Flo was gone.

  “Now that you have a baby on the way, you need to be more careful,” Flo added. This was news to Ryder. Had Annabeth’s parents been in the same position he and Annabeth were in? Flo continued, “You drive too fast. Man wasn’t meant to zoom around going eighty miles an hour in big metal cans. Slow down, son, take time to stop and smell the roses. Make some memories to treasure. Life goes by too quick, I promise you. It’s your memories that will keep you company long after everyone else is gone.”

  Ryder nodded again, wondering if Flo had said as much to Michael. Annabeth’s parents died in a car crash. “I promise.” And he meant it. She might be talking to Michael, but he’d take her advice to heart. “I’ll take good care of her.”

  Flo nodded. “She’s my only baby, my joy. See that you do.”

  He didn’t know the little person growing inside of Annabeth, but he knew the baby was his. And, in the past twelve hours, he’d come to terms with that. It twisted his heart to think of the loss Flo had lived through. Hannah had been her only child, Annabeth her only grandchild.

  “Mrs. Chenault?” Nancy came in, small white cup in hand. “We have your vitamins.”

  “Oh, goodie.” Flo’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “They keep telling me these are vitamins, like I don’t know better?” She rolled her eyes—just like Annabeth.

  Ryder smiled.

  “Then we have our backgammon tournament,” Nancy continued.

  “Is that today?” Flo perked up. “We’ll have to wrap this up, Michael.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He stood, tucking the rings into his jeans pocket and putting on his hat. “I’ll go take care of my business, you go kick some backgammon butt.”

  “Oh, I will.” She giggled, waving a quick goodbye before Nancy wheeled her in the direction of the activity center.

  He couldn’t go to Annabeth’s house, not yet. His talk with Flo had put things in perspective. He couldn’t just drop by and ask her, straight out. If he was going to do it right, he needed to go home, clean up and think about what he was going to say. There was no doubt some arguing and rationalizing would be involved—Annabeth was good at that. So he had to be ready for whatever roadblock she might throw up and somehow manage to make it special.

  But he didn’t stop at his small apartment over Hardy’s Garage. He kept driving, past the garage, past the school and Annabeth’s street, down Main Street. It was only as he turned his truck under the stone-and-wrought-iron entrance that he realized he was heading home to Boone Ranch.

  He parked his truck in front of the Lodge, the bed-and-breakfast his father had operated and lived in for the past few years. Why he’d ended up here was a mystery. The last thing he wanted was one of his father’s disappointed looks or loaded silences. His father spoke volumes with a simple shake of his head. So why had he come here? He could go. No one knew he was here. But he knew.

  He opened the truck door and climbed the steps, nodding at the group of visitors assembling for the night’s stargazing tour. It was one of the diversions his father had dreamed up for his guests. Bird-watching, nature photography and trail riding were others. Between Hunter’s efforts to work with the state on white-tailed and exotic deer population studies and Archer’s neighboring animal refuge, guests were treated to an almost safari-like experience. And people loved it, flocking from all over the country to visit Texas and stay on a working ranch. A ranch with every amenity and world-class cooking.

  He stepped inside, dodging his nephew, Eli, as he ran by. Cody followed, laughing. The tantalizing scent of freshly baked cookies reached him.

  “Eight, nine, ten,” his sister Renata’s voice echoed. “Ten more, boys.”

  He checked his boots for mud, rested his hat on the hat tree and his coat on the peg beneath before heading into the great room. His father sat before the fire, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose as he read over some ranching magazine. Seeing his father never failed to stir up years of self-doubt best left ignored. Or to remind him of his part in his mother’s death. He swallowed, speaking gruffly. “Dad.”

  His father’s brows dipped as he set aside his magazine. “Ryder.” He stood, tucking his glasses into his pocket. “Good to see you, son.”

  Ryder nodded.

  Renata ran into the great room. “Ready or not, here I come... Hey, baby brother.” She hugged him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Off to find some rug rats.”

  “Have fun.” He smiled.

  “Don’t eat all the cookies,” she chastised before heading out.

  “I’ll try,” he answered, aware his father was watching him. His unannounced arrival was suspect. He didn’t drop by. Hell, he had no idea why he was here. But he was.

  “Hunter here?” Ryder asked.

  “Looking for him?” his father countered.

  “Not really, why?”

  His father shook his head, waving him into the kitchen. “Lola and Carl dropped the boys off earlier, after feeding ’em a bag of sugar each from the looks of it. But there might be some cookies left over in here, if you want.”

  Ryder nodded, following his father into the kitchen. Hunter was washing dishes, a towel thrown over his shoulder.

  “She found ’em yet?” Hunter asked.

  “No, but I found something,” his father said.

  Hunter turned, smiling. “Hey.”

  “Look how domestic you are,” Ryder teased. “And it’s only been, what, two months?”

  Hunter shook his head. “Jealous?”

  Ryder arched an eyebrow at his brother and stuffed a cookie into his mouth.

  “How’s John? Anything new at the garage?” Hunter asked.

  Ryder shrugged. “Been pretty steady since the storm. Mostly weatherizing though.”

  “Nothing to sink your chops into?” His father smiled.

  Ryder shrugged.

  “Heard you were on the circuit for a bit, how you took a nasty spill. Glad to see you’re no worse for wear.” His father had always hated Ryder’s ro
deoing. Teddy Boone believed in hard work, responsibility and family. Sometimes Ryder wondered, if he hadn’t torn their family apart, would he see respect in his father’s eyes instead of wariness and disappointment? He’d never know.

  He watched his father move around the kitchen, spry and agile. “Ride times good?” His father offered him a large glass of milk.

  Ryder nodded.

  “How’d you do?” Hunter asked.

  Ryder shrugged.

  Hunter laughed, shaking his head.

  A squeal from the other room made all three of them jump.

  “Found you, Eli!” Renata laughed. “You can come out, Cody. Eli’s it.”

  A small stampede of footsteps announced their return.

  “Hey, R-Ryder.” Cody smiled. “Good?” he asked as Ryder shoved another cookie in his mouth.

  “Snickerdoodles are his favorite.” Renata nudged him in the side.

  “Mine, too,” Cody said, grinning.

  “Smart kid.” Ryder winked at him.

  Cody’s ear-to-ear smile looked so much like Greg’s it took his breath away. There were days he missed Greg, his no-nonsense take on life, and their easy camaraderie. It was bittersweet, to see his best friend so clearly in this little boy. A little boy who’d never know his father. The little boy who, if he could convince Annabeth they could make it work, would be his stepson. Cody would be a great big brother to the baby...a son he’d be proud of. He ruffled the boy’s hair, resisting the sudden urge to hug him. “Having a good time?” he asked.

  Cody nodded.

  “Annabeth was under the weather, so Josie went over to cheer her up,” Hunter offered. “We figured Cody’d have more fun here.”

  Ryder frowned. Annabeth wasn’t feeling well? He should know this, should be taking care of her. “She okay?” he asked before he could stop himself. He didn’t miss the slight narrowing of Hunter’s eyes.

  Cody shrugged. “She said she was tired.”

  “You ready to hide?” Eli asked Cody.