by R. C. Ryan
With so many problems, it would be hard to know where to begin. But it occurred to him that an overloaded electrical system could spell serious trouble in the form of a fire. He made a mental note to contact Brady for the name of a good electrician in town.
As he took a seat at the table, he heard the approach of the bus, signaling the arrival of the Romeos.
Juliet looked out the window and gave a hiss of annoyance before turning to Griff and her sons. “The men are here, so I guess you’ll have to eat lunch without me.” She pointed to the stove. “The sandwiches are staying warm under that lid. There’s fresh coffee in that pot, and milk in the fridge. I cut up some fresh peaches for dessert. The plate of peaches is over there.” She nodded toward the counter before starting toward the door.
“What about your lunch?” Griff asked.
“I’ll eat something later.” She was already out the door and bounding down the steps.
He moved about the kitchen, setting the food on the table, fetching milk for the boys. As they ate their lunch, he teased and joked and kept Casey and Ethan in high spirits. The same couldn’t be said for his own spirits. He’d come here today with high hopes of making amends for his earlier behavior. Now it looked as though the only thing he’d accomplish this day would be creating a play space for the boys. At least, he thought, it wasn’t a total waste.
Griff stepped into the barn, trailed by Casey and Ethan, carrying an armload of cars and trucks, in anticipation of the soon-to-be-completed play table.
Spotting them, Jimmy Gable’s eyes widened. “Hey, Captain. I didn’t know you were here. Where’ve you been hiding?”
Griff high-fived him. “Having lunch with the boys up at the house. How’re you doing, Jimmy?”
“Good. Juliet says I’m her favorite cowboy.”
Heywood Sperry’s voice was rough with sarcasm. “She says that to everybody, you stupid jerk.”
Jimmy swiveled his head, hoping to inject some humor. “Hey. Only my brothers are allowed to call me stupid.”
“Probably ’cause they’re all brain-dead.”
“That’s enough, Sperry.” Hank Wheeler, astride Princess, reined in his horse to stare daggers at the man on the electric scooter. “Jimmy’s never done anything to you. Why do you have to go out of your way to act like such a creep?”
“That’s not acting,” Billy Joe Harris shouted from across the width of the barn. “That’s all Sperry knows how to be. A mean-mouthed, insulting creep.”
“You shut that mouth,” Sperry shouted back, “or I’ll go over there and shut it for good.”
“You better bring a posse,” Stan Novak snarled. “’Cause you lay a hand on Billy Joe, you’ll answer to me.”
“I’m real scared,” Heywood said through clenched teeth.
Juliet held up a hand.
In the silence that followed, she said, “Hank, you did so well today, I think you deserve a round of applause.” She turned to the others.
All but Sperry joined in clapping their hands for the tattooed vet, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Minutes later he was back in his wheelchair, while Billy Joe took a turn on the mare.
Griff returned his attention to putting the final trim on the play table, allowing the voices of the Romeos to recede into the background. While he worked, he marveled at the way Juliet could handle a group of such diverse men, all with hair-trigger tempers.
Shortly after the bus bearing the Romeos had left in a cloud of dust, Griff looked up at the sound of Jackie Turner speaking to Juliet.
“I just talked to Cooper up in the hills. He and a couple of his wranglers will stay there with the herd, while the others take a break and head to town. He says they’re getting antsy for a little night life after all that time in the highlands. I agree that a weekend in town will do them good, if you have no objections.”
Juliet touched a hand to his sleeve. “I trust your judgment, Jackie.”
“All right. If you need anything at all, you call me.” He turned away. “I’ll be at my daughter’s for the weekend, and I’ll see you Monday morning, unless you need me sooner.”
She nodded before heading up to the house.
As Jackie climbed into his truck, Griff hurried over. Through the open window he said, “You’re not staying on?”
The old man shook his head. “I promised my daughter I’d be home for the weekend, to spend some time with my grandchildren.” He stuck out his hand. “Thanks again for passing along Mad’s suggestions. I told Cooper about them, and he said as soon as the wranglers return on Monday morning, he’ll talk to them about maybe earning a little extra if they’re willing to do some repairs on the range shack.”
“That’s a start. Thanks, Jackie.”
As the old man drove away, Griff pulled out his cell phone and called the police chief.
“Ira? Griff Warren. I’m out at Juliet Grayson’s place and wondering if you’ve had any leads on Mitch.”
The chief’s voice boomed over the phone. “He’s called twice in the past week, leaving menacing messages on Juliet’s phone. Fortunately, she was too busy to pick up, and he left them on her cell, and she was able to play them back for me.”
Griff’s eyes narrowed. “Are you able to trace where they’re coming from?”
“Not yet. I’ve got the state police giving me a hand, but so far, no luck.”
“So basically, he could be anywhere.” Griff listened to more before saying with a sigh, “Okay, Chief. Thanks.”
He looked inside the barn in time to see Casey and Ethan happily moving their cars and trucks around the table, loading miniature cows inside a metal cattle hauler, lost in the joy of make-believe.
He walked to the house and knocked on the door. When Juliet opened it, she stared at him, then looked beyond him to the barn. “Where are the boys?”
“I left them playing.” With a jolt of sudden knowledge he said, “I just checked with the chief, and he said you’ve had more menacing calls from Mitch.”
Except for the sudden narrowing of her eyes, she said nothing.
“Now I know why you’re worried about the boys being left alone. Don’t worry, I’ll be heading back to the barn to stay with them. But I’d like you and the boys to fly back to the MacKenzie Ranch with me for the weekend.”
She was already shaking her head. “I’m not running away again.”
“It’s not running away.”
“What would you call it?” She fixed him with a cool look.
“I’d call it seeing to the safety of yourself and your sons.”
“We’ll be fine.” Before he could argue further she took in a deep breath. “There are way too many things that need to be done here. I can’t keep running away and hoping this ranch will take care of itself.” She waved a hand. “Look around you. It needs a caretaker. It needs me.” Her voice lowered. “And I need this ranch. I need to be here.”
As she started to close the door he caught hold of it. “Fine then. I’ll just stay here, too.”
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not welcome.” She shot him a look. “And you know why.”
“I deserve that. And a whole lot more. But I’m staying. And you needn’t worry. I’ll keep my distance and sleep in the barn.”
He released his hold on the door and swung away, giving her no chance to argue.
“Fine. Sleep in the barn if you insist. When supper’s ready, I’ll send some out with the boys.” She clung to the door like a lifeline, struggling to contain her fear. “Now, if you don’t mind, send them in for their baths.”
He continued walking without saying a word.
Before stepping into the barn he removed his cell phone from his pocket and punched in a number. When he heard Mad’s voice he said, “Don’t hold supper for me tonight.”
“Why, laddie? You planning a romantic dinner at the Grayson place?”
Griff gave a dry laugh. “Some romance. From the sound of things, I’ll probab
ly be eating crow.”
“Then why are you staying?”
“Because Jackie Turner left to spend the weekend with his daughter and her kids. Because Mitch Cord has been leaving threatening messages on Juliet’s phone. And after checking with Ira Pettigrew, I learned he’s no closer to finding this creep.”
“And that means that Juliet and the boys are in danger.”
“Right.” Griff’s tone was bleak.
“Why not bring Juliet and her boys here?”
“I tried that. She’s adamant about staying home. She’s dug in her heels this time.”
“All right, laddie. You do what you think’s best.”
“I’m staying the weekend. And in case you’re wondering, I’ll be sleeping in the barn.”
He could hear the old man chuckling as he disconnected.
It didn’t do anything to improve his mood.
Chapter Twenty
Griff turned the other horses out into a pasture before mucking the stalls, spreading fresh straw, and filling the troughs with feed and water. Only Princess, who had spent the day working, was allowed to remain. While she happily chomped her oats, he hosed down the cement floor of the barn.
As the last of the sunlight faded, he sat on a bench outside the barn and oiled his tools. He wiped his forehead, wishing for a cold beer, and wondered, for the hundredth time, why he was doing all this.
He could be back at his ranch now, enjoying a longneck and a good meal while laughing at Whit’s jokes and teasing the lovesick newlyweds.
Lovesick.
An apt description, he thought. There were Ash and Brenna, joined at the hip, unable to start a single sentence without the other one finishing it. Looking at one another like wolves about to devour prey. It was blindingly clear to anyone who saw them that they were wildly in love.
And then there was this strange situation between him and Juliet. How could it possibly be anything even remotely like love? She could barely stand the sight of him. And he was feeling so miserable, he wasn’t even sure why he was staying, except that he needed to keep her and her boys safe.
That didn’t make it love.
Worrying about someone’s safety wasn’t the same thing as loving them. It was just his marine training kicking in. He had a sense that there was danger somewhere out there, and he needed to do whatever he could to minimize it.
Once Mitch Cord was caught, he could get back to his life.
He swore as he began storing the cleaned, oiled tools and his tool belt in the back of his truck. He looked up to see Casey standing on the porch, calling his name. When he drew close enough he could see the little boy, dressed in clean pajamas, his slicked-back blond hair still wet from his bath.
“Mama says you should come in for supper.”
“Thanks, Casey.” He climbed the steps and rolled his sleeves before washing up.
When he walked into the kitchen, Juliet had her back to him as she stirred something on the stove. The wonderful aroma coming from the oven had his mouth watering.
“Anything I can do to help?”
Without turning she motioned with the spoon. “Everything’s ready. If you’d like something cold, it’s in the fridge.”
He opened the refrigerator and couldn’t believe the sight that greeted him. A gallon of milk, a pitcher of lemonade, and a six-pack of long necks.
He whispered a prayer of thanks before twisting off the cap and taking a long, deep drink of ice-cold beer before turning to the boys. “Lemonade or milk?”
“The lemonade’s for Mama. She said we have to drink milk.”
“Smart move.” He filled two glasses with milk and deposited them in front of Casey and Ethan. He filled a tall glass with lemonade and set it beside Juliet’s plate before picking up the longneck and leaning against the counter as he drank his fill.
Juliet lifted a roasting pan from the oven. While she placed a roasted chicken on a platter, along with potatoes, carrots, and snap peas from the garden, she called, “If you’d like, you can carve this up while I get the rolls.”
Griff picked up a sharp knife and soon had their plates heaped with slabs of roast chicken and all the trimmings.
Juliet passed around the rolls, hot from the oven, before taking her seat. Griff sat at the opposite end of the table and helped Casey cut up his food before giving a taste.
“Now this was worth waiting for.” He winked at the boys. “Your mama sure can cook.”
“And you sure do like to eat, don’t you, Griff?”
“I sure do.” He grinned at Casey before taking another bite. Then he turned to Juliet. “I thought you were going to send my supper out to the barn.”
“Too much work.” She buttered a roll and looked everywhere but directly at him. “And I’m fresh out of energy.”
“I can see why. You’re a mom, a rancher, a therapist. It would be nice if you could get some help with those Romeos.”
She nodded while she nibbled her roll. “They’re a handful.”
Casey tugged on Griff’s hand. “Is our play table done?”
“It is. I added whatever trucks and farm animals you had in the barn. You can bring the rest out tomorrow.”
“Oh, boy.” Casey turned to his brother. “Did you hear that, Efan? It’ll be just like our ranch.”
Ethan’s smile was enough to light up the room.
Casey shot a pleading look at his mother. “Can we go see it after supper?”
Juliet shook her head. “You’ll see it in the morning.”
“But I want to see it now. Please.”
Sensing her weariness, Griff lay a hand over Casey’s. “If you two went out to the barn now, you’d get your nice, clean PJs all dirty. Not to mention your feet. The play table and all your trucks will still be there in the morning, just waiting for the two of you.”
Casey stabbed at a carrot. “Okay. Besides, Mama said she was going to read to us before we sleep.”
Pleased that he’d managed to direct Casey’s attention away from the barn, Griff grinned. “What’s your favorite story?”
“The one Myrna read to us. About a little cub that gets lost in the woods.”
“Why is that your favorite?”
“’Cause he’s scared, but he’s so brave.” Casey studied Griff. “Were you ever scared when you were a marine?”
“Plenty of times.”
“But you’re big.” The boy stared in consternation at his mother. “You said the little cub was scared ’cause he’s little and lost. Can big people be scared and lost, too?”
“It can happen to anybody,” she explained patiently.
“I thought…” He paused and tried again. “I thought when I got big I’d never have to be scared again.” He turned to Griff. “So, when you’re scared, do you hide in a tree and wait for somebody to find you?”
“I haven’t tried that. What would I do if nobody ever came looking for me?”
Casey’s eyes got big as he mulled that over. “What do you do when you’re scared, Griff?”
“I think about all the people depending on me, and then I face down my fears and do whatever I have to.”
“Even if you’ll get hurt?”
Griff nodded. “Getting hurt is part of life. We fall down, and we hurt, and then we get up and try again. And again. And again.”
“Even if you’re hurting?”
“Even then.”
The little boy pointed to the thin white scar below Griff’s ear. “Did that hurt you a lot?”
Juliet was quick to say, “Casey, it isn’t polite to ask about someone’s wounds.”
“It’s all right.” Griff turned to Casey. “It hurt. A lot. But I got up and fought back.”
“Did a bad man hurt you?”
Griff nodded. “A very bad man, who wanted to hurt my friends, too.”
“But you stopped him?”
Griff gave him a gentle smile. “I stopped him.”
“Good.” Casey made a little fist pump before glancing down
at his empty plate. “Thanks, Mama. Can me and Efan go play in the other room?”
She was too tired to correct his grammar. “Yes, you may.”
When the two boys were gone Griff carried the dishes to the sink and began to wash them while Juliet sat sipping her lemonade.
In a low voice so her boys wouldn’t overhear, she said, “Jimmy Gable told the Romeos about your wound and said it almost cost you your life. He told us you saved your entire company. He’s so proud to know you.”
Griff flushed. “Jimmy’s a good guy. But our war experiences are old news.”
Juliet fell silent, lost in thought.
When she finally pushed away from the table and picked up a towel, Griff took it from her hands. “You’ve done enough for one day. Go read to your boys. I’ll clean up here and then head to the barn.”
Too tired to argue, she merely nodded. “Thanks. Good night.”
“’Night.”
Half an hour later he let himself out the back door and walked to the barn. The evening had grown dark as midnight. He looked up to see storm clouds roiling across the sky, completely obliterating the moon and stars.
From the sting of the wind, it promised to be a full-blown thunderstorm.
As if on cue a clap of thunder echoed across the heavens, followed by a blinding flash of lightning.
While he spread a saddle blanket over a fresh mound of hay in an empty stall, he heard the first patter of raindrops on the tin roof. Minutes later it had turned to a drenching downpour, drumming an ear-splitting tattoo above him.
Griff kicked off his boots and slipped off his shirt before settling himself in his makeshift bed. As he leaned back on his elbows, he found himself wishing he’d thought to bring along a second longneck. Or maybe a fresh pot of coffee.
It was going to be a long night. He only hoped the steady beat of rain on the roof would soon lull him into sleep.
Griff awoke with a start to find the hay beneath him, and the saddle blanket, soaked. He looked up to see a steady river of rainwater falling from a hole in the roof to the railing of the stall. From there it was snaking its way across the rail to fall in puddles beneath him.