Just Kate: His Only Wife (Bestselling Author Collection)

by Linda Lael Miller

  “What do you think?” Mrs. Peterson asked Aubrey. “Is it safe to go into the barn?”

  “The fire hasn’t spread, and I don’t think it will at this point.”

  Mrs. Peterson’s glance alternated between her grandson and the barn. “I’ll just take a quick walk through and see if I can spot Snowflake.”

  “Can I go with you?” Jeremy chirped.

  “Absolutely not!” Aubrey and Mrs. Peterson said in unison.

  Jeremy frowned. “Not fair.”

  Aubrey reached out and rumpled his hair. “Maybe next time, kiddo, when you’re a little older.”

  After returning Jeremy to the house, Mrs. Peterson went to the barn. Aubrey started up the hill, watching the firefighters. Gage and his crew had done their job. Smoke continued to pour from the blackened remains of the haystack but the fire was pretty much done for. The shade covering the haystack stood at an odd angle, the wooden columns now nothing but charred twigs.

  If only there was something more she could do to help. Aubrey wasn’t used to standing around in an emergency situation. Her adrenaline rush, which had kicked in back at the ranch when Gage asked her to accompany him and Marty, had yet to abate.

  She was halfway to the engine when she heard a loud crash. She looked over and gave an involuntary shriek. One of the burnt columns had collapsed, and a piece of the tin roof the size of a door had fallen and hit the ground with a horrendous clatter just inches from where Gage stood.

  He jumped back. So did Kenny Junior. They momentarily lost control of the hose.

  Aubrey stared, transfixed, her heart lodged in her throat, her stomach twisted in knots. Had the piece of roof hit Gage, he would have been seriously injured. Possibly disfigured. Killed if it had landed on his head.

  “We’re all right,” Gage hollered when Marty, Gus and Mike came running. He regained control of the hose, stepped back several feet and continued dousing the smouldering haystack.

  And still Aubrey didn’t move. She wanted to cry but no tears would come. It had happened again. In a moment of crisis, she’d frozen.

  For how long she stared at Gage she didn’t know. Seconds. Minutes.

  “Man down!” Gus yelled.

  Aubrey turned her head, though her feet remained anchored in place. Mr. Peterson sat on the ground, evidently dazed, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Gus, who was working only a few feet away, reached Mr. Peterson first, then Mike. The two of them knelt down to talk to the older man.

  Aubrey’s legs at last responded, and she hurried to join them. “What’s wrong?”

  “Not sure yet,” Gus responded.

  “Mr. Peterson?” She also knelt, noting his pasty pallor and rapid breathing. She automatically reached for his wrist and took his pulse. It was uneven and accelerated.

  “I’m okay. Just need to rest a minute.” Sweat dotted his forehead.

  He could be having a reaction to the roof collapsing or a touch of smoke inhalation but Aubrey suspected something more.

  “Are you currently on any medications?”

  “Yes.”

  “What kind?”

  He listed his prescriptions. Aubrey recognized the names as those taken for a heart condition.

  “You may have overdone it a bit.” She eyed the fire. Gage still had the situation under control. They were safe where they were, for the moment anyway. “I want you to rest while I get something from the engine.” She patted his arm. “I’ll be right back.”

  Earlier, on the drive over, Aubrey had automatically taken a mental inventory of the available medical supplies and equipment and remembered seeing a portable oxygen tank.

  She walked to the engine on shaky legs. Marty was there, unloading some shovels. At her request, he carried the oxygen tank to Mr. Peterson and helped her set it up. Mrs. Peterson arrived just as Aubrey was adjusting the valve.

  “What happened?” she asked, her expression one of alarm.

  Aubrey filled her in on the details.

  “John! How many times have I told you to take it easy?”

  “I’m all right,” he grumbled.

  “He probably is,” Aubrey confirmed, “but I encourage you to call his doctor.”

  Mrs. Peterson fussed over her husband for several minutes. Aubrey was relieved to see him grow stronger with each passing minute. They’d be able to move him into the house soon.

  “Any sign of Snowflake?” she asked.

  “Yes, thank goodness,” Mrs. Peterson replied. “I found her and all four kittens in a bucket under the workbench.”

  “Jeremy will be glad to hear it.”

  Aubrey had been crouched beside Mr. Peterson and shifted so she could see the fire. Mike had taken over the hose with Marty backing him up. For all intents and purposes, the fire was out, though it continued to smoulder and hiss.

  Gage came toward them, rolling his shoulders to relieve tension, a tired smile on his face.

  “How’s our patient doing?”

  Aubrey couldn’t help thinking if the piece of tin roof had fallen just a few inches more to the right, Gage might be the patient in her care along with Mr. Peterson.

  “Better,” she said, fighting to keep her voice steady.

  “You really should consider becoming a volunteer medic for the Hotshots.” Gage gazed down at her, his eyes filled with affection and admiration. “You’re a natural at this.”

  But Aubrey didn’t feel like a natural. Far, far from it.

  Chapter 11

  Gage clipped his radio to his belt and walked into the kitchen. His mother stood at the counter, wrapping four large chocolate chip cookies in plastic. She dropped them in the ice chest he’d left on the counter.

  “Hey.” He came up behind her and gave her an affectionate squeeze. “That’s my job.”

  “I baked these this afternoon. Thought you might like them for your picnic.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Gage had invited Aubrey on an evening picnic and told her he’d bring the food. Not much of a cook, he’d made arrangements with Harold Sage, the owner of Sage’s Bar and Grill. Some of the stuff Harold fixed seemed a bit strange, but he promised Gage that Aubrey would be delighted at the gourmet fare.

  “I can’t believe she’s leaving next Friday,” his mom said. “It seems like she just arrived.”

  Removing a bottle of chilled wine from the refrigerator, Gage placed it in the cooler, the perpetual lead weight in his stomach growing heavier. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking of Aubrey’s imminent departure for days now.

  They’d spent every free minute together since that day in the motor home two and a half weeks ago—which, because of their hectic schedules, wasn’t nearly enough. Gage had been gone for four of those days working a fire in Utah. Because his departure coincided with semester break at summer school, his sister was able to pick up most of the slack at the ranch.

  Right after the fire at the Petersons’, she gave in to Dr. Ferguson’s persistent needling and agreed to volunteer at the clinic every other afternoon. News spread fast and before long, she had more patients than she could handle.

  He hadn’t yet been able to convince her to volunteer with the Hotshots. Her personal demons continued to haunt her and Gage wished there was more he could do for her than lend the occasional ear.

  For his part, he sailed along on a tide of contentment. He and Aubrey took long walks, went horseback riding, had dinner and then went dancing at a honky-tonk in Pineville, and generally hung out together.

  They’d also had sex. Lots of it, frequenting the motor home whenever possible. One night, they tossed a sleeping bag and pillows in the bed of his truck and went on a drive to Signal Point. Gage would always remember the sight of Aubrey, naked and sitting astride him, moonlight glinting off her auburn hair as she bent down to kiss him.

  He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want their picnic tonight to end much the same.

  “Look, honey.” His mom took a sip of her iced tea as if to fortify herself. “It’s none
of my business, but I’m asking anyway. What’s going to happen with you and Aubrey when she leaves? Have you two discussed it?”

  “We have. Though not recently.” Difficult as it was for him, he’d kept his word and not pressured Aubrey into any kind of commitment. “She’s leaving, and I’m staying. For now,” he added on impulse and then wondered why he did.

  “Does that mean she’s coming back in the near future? Or are you moving to Tucson?”

  “How would you feel if I did?”

  His mom considered before answering, rubbing the condensation forming on the outside of her glass with her thumb.

  “Ranching’s a funny thing. It’s either in your blood or not. You might look like your father, but you take after me in a lot of respects. I married into the lifestyle and accepted it because I love your father. I refuse to impose that same lifestyle on my children if it’s not what they truly and honestly want. Hannah does, I think. You, on the other hand, have fought to get away from ranching since you were a kid.”

  “For all the good it’s done me.”

  “You’re an adult now. No one can stop you from leaving, including your father.” Susan smiled ruefully. “Though he probably thinks he can.”

  Gage shut the lid on the ice chest. “I can’t leave the ranch. Not while Hannah’s in college.”

  “Granted, you being gone would make things harder, but not impossible.”

  “We wouldn’t be having this conversation if Dad weren’t ashamed to ask people for help. That’s the real reason he wants me to stay. All that talk about family responsibility and obligation is just so he can save face.”

  “Don’t be so hard on him, sweetheart. Growing older is rough, more so on some of us than others.”

  “It doesn’t have to be. We live in a town where nine-tenths of the population would bend over backward to help a friend and neighbor. Insisting I stay is selfish and unfair.”

  “He has his pride,” Susan said, her tone sharp.

  Gage realized he’d gone too far and made an effort to control his temper. “No one would think less of him if he asked for an occasional hand.”

  “Of course they wouldn’t. But he doesn’t see it that way. His gout has done as much emotional damage as physical.”

  What would it be like to live with reoccurring and debilitating pain? Gage tried to imagine. Like his father, he’d probably resent having to slow down and rely on others. But he doubted he’d force his family to give up their goals and ambitions in order to compensate for his loss of abilities.

  Susan went back to rinsing dishes and stacking them in the dishwasher. “If you want to leave with Aubrey next week, do it. We’ll manage one way or another.”

  “How?”

  It was probably just as well Gage’s dad had ridden over to the Double S Ranch on the other side of Neglian Creek and wasn’t home to hear their conversation.

  “I’ll quit my job,” Susan answered.

  “You love working at the real estate office.”

  “I can always go back to work when Hannah graduates college.”

  “Forget it.”

  His mom was attempting to compromise, and while he appreciated the effort, he’d have none of it. She’d already made enough sacrifices for the sake of their family. Gage wouldn’t be the reason behind another one. Nor would he put his family in worse financial straits. They needed his mom’s income.

  “What about Kenny Junior?” she asked. “He might be willing to work part-time in exchange for room and board.”

  Gage’s mental wheels began to spin. “Maybe.”

  “We could fix up the old bunkhouse,” Susan went on to say. “All it really needs is a good cleaning, a fresh coat of paint and a couple minor repairs. Kenny Junior’s not fussy.”

  “I’ll talk to him,” Gage said, liking the arrangement more and more by the second.

  “And I’ll talk to your dad. But I need to approach him just right.” Susan folded the dish towel she’d been using, hung it over the oven handle to dry and faced Gage. “Put it to him like we’re doing Kenny Junior a favor and not the other way around.”

  The lead weight in Gage’s stomach felt suddenly lighter. Was it possible? Could he leave with Aubrey next week and move with her to Tucson? Excitement grabbed hold of him as his mind soared in a dozen different directions.

  He’d have to put in his notice with the Blue Ridge Hotshots. Hopefully they’d give him a good recommendation, as Gage had no intentions of quitting firefighting anytime soon. The Tucson Hotshots were a top-notch outfit and if they weren’t hiring, he’d look elsewhere. With a little grooming, Kenny Junior could take over as head of the Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Department.

  All at once his mind ground to a screeching halt.

  What about Aubrey?

  Gage realized he’d been making one very large assumption. His and Aubrey’s agreement to date was only for the duration of her stay in Blue Ridge. She might not welcome him tagging along with her to Tucson, moving into her apartment with her. Just because the last couple of weeks had been unbelievably great for him didn’t mean they were great for her, too.

  But, oh, they had been great weeks. Better than their marriage. Gage and Aubrey hadn’t argued once. Come to think of it, they’d never argued before they were married, either. Did their problems start only when they were cohabitating?

  He’d talk with Aubrey tonight, he decided. Try and get an inkling of how she felt about him—them—before springing any plans on her.

  “Your dad will dig in his heels at the beginning,” Susan continued. “He won’t like it that you’re leaving.”

  “Dig in his heels?” Gage had to laugh. “He’ll blow his stack. And make everyone’s life miserable.”

  “Only because he’ll miss you.” His mom went to Gage and gave him a hug. “And so will I. Terribly.”

  “I’ll miss you, too.”

  “Tucson isn’t so far. You can come up for a visit every few months.” She stepped back, and her eyes glistened with tears. “I’ve always loved Aubrey. She’s a very special person. Nothing would make me happier than to see you two married again.”

  “Wait just a second.” Gage put out a hand. “Who said anything about marriage?”

  “Well, I…”

  “Let’s take this one step at a time. I have to talk to Aubrey first.”

  Not that Gage wasn’t in favor of walking down the aisle with Aubrey again. He just didn’t want to rush things. Too much too soon was what had landed them in trouble the first time.

  “She loves you. It’s obvious.”

  Did she?

  Susan’s smile spoke volumes. “And I think the feeling’s mutual.”

  Was it?

  He lifted the ice chest off the counter. “I’d better load up the truck and head out of here. I told Aubrey I’d pick her up at six-thirty.”

  His cell phone abruptly rang, and Gage clenched his jaw. He didn’t want anything to interrupt his plans with Aubrey tonight. Setting the ice chest back down, he checked the caller ID before answering. His pulse jumped when he recognized the number.

  “Raintree.”

  “Gage. It’s Larry Newcombe.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Sorry to bother you so late in the day. We were in meetings all afternoon, and we just now got out.”

  “That’s quite all right.” Gage told himself not to leap to conclusions, but it was hard not to. There were only a handful of reasons why a commanding officer called a Hotshot and it wasn’t to report for duty.

  “I didn’t think you’d mind. Not when you heard what I had to say. Congratulations, son. Your promotion to crew leader came through.”

  Excitement and elation surged through Gage. It was a minor miracle he was able to maintain a level voice. “Thank you, sir.” He looked over at his mother and grinned from ear to ear.

  Her expression changed from curiosity to happiness, and she mouthed, “Did you get the promotion?”

  He nodded, simultaneously listening to
Commander Newcombe outline the responsibilities of his new position, which he pretty much knew thanks to Marty.

  “Be proud of yourself,” Commander Newcombe finished up. “There were a lot of qualified candidates to choose from, and we picked you.”

  “I’m very proud. And thank you again, sir.”

  After Gage disconnected, he gave his mother a bear hug, kissed her soundly on the cheek and swung her around the kitchen.

  “Stop it,” she squealed, laughing all the while.

  Gage swung her around once more for good measure. Damn, but he felt good. He’d been waiting a long time for this promotion and had worked hard for it.

  “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart,” Susan said once she caught her breath.

  “That makes two of us.”

  “I know Aubrey will be happy, too.”

  Gage’s grin went slack. Not ten minutes ago he’d been seriously contemplating returning with her to Tucson. Then his promotion had come through.

  His mother must have sensed the direction of his thoughts for she asked, “What are you going to do? Stay or go?”

  “I don’t know.” He hefted the ice chest onto his hip. “Guess I’ll talk to Aubrey tonight.”

  And say what?

  Did it really matter?

  She’d made it clear from the start her return to Blue Ridge was temporary. Which meant he either stayed here, or declined his promotion, let one of those other qualified candidates have it and went to Tucson with Aubrey.

  Hell of a choice.

  Just as he reached the back door, Biscuit began barking. “Are you expecting anyone?” he asked.

  “No.” His mother followed him out onto the back porch.

  Biscuit stood at full attention near the edge of the yard, lifting her head every few seconds to sound another alarm. Not a vehicle was in sight.

  “That’s funny,” Susan mused aloud.

  Gage heard it then, the loud clatter of galloping hoofbeats. As he and his mother stared, his father’s big buckskin gelding came charging up the side road for all he was worth, reins flapping and stirrups bouncing. Panic shot through Gage.