A Texan for Hire

by Amanda Renee

  Stunned to hear the words come from his friend’s mouth, Clay stormed out onto the front porch. If he gripped the railing any harder, it would split in two. This wasn’t his doing. It was a lie that had taken on a life of its own. And it was about to end. Abby deserved to know who she was.

  The screen door squeaked behind him. The featherweight touch of Mable’s hand grazed his shoulder.

  “Don’t jump to too many conclusions, child,” the woman soothed. “People have reasons for what they’ve done. You may not agree with them, but it’s not up to us to judge.”

  “I was paid to do a job, Mable.” Clay turned to face her. “Abby hired me to find her sister. For Beau to accuse me of disrupting everyone’s life is insulting.”

  “Beau’s upset,” Mable said. “He’s worried how people are going to take the news. This affects people other than Abby, and you best remember that before you accuse anyone of things you know nothing about. Ruby has to explain all of this to Bridgett. Who I doubt will be none too pleased with Beau and me for keeping this secret all these years. But again, it wasn’t our secret to tell. And once word gets out, people will talk and take sides. It’s not all about Abby.”

  “It may not be all about Abby, but it’s her life that has been the biggest lie. Her mother isn’t her mother. I’m assuming Walter is her father, though.”

  Mable withdrew her hand. “Honestly, Clay, I have no idea. Ruby wouldn’t discuss it.”

  Anger built deep in Clay’s chest. He was about to break Abby’s heart in the worst possible way. If you couldn’t trust your parents, the ones who should always protect you, who could you trust?

  Clay vowed to protect Abby from this point forward. The only way he knew how to ease the blow was for the words to come from Ruby herself. Abby’s life, up until now had been one giant lie. A lie her father had tried to explain on his deathbed.

  Chapter Eight

  Abby was grateful Kay had allowed her to bring Duffy to Dance of Hope. Friskier than usual, her dog trotted in circles in front of her, excited to be in his new favorite surroundings. A trip to the ranch meant playtime with Kay’s dog, Barney.

  Clay had been right, she felt better already. If she focused on her dreams for the future, the past would fall into place. She had a private investigator on the job and she needed to trust him. Something she had found rather easy to do since the day they’d met.

  The Ride ’em High! Rodeo School was in full swing in the outdoor corrals between the arena and the main stables. Teenagers whooped and hollered atop bucking broncos while their instructors coached them from the safety of the fence rails.

  Shortening Duffy’s leash, Abby walked past the two bronze statues at the entrance to the combined facilities. On the left, a life-size statue of Kay’s granddaughter, Ever, perched upon her hippotherapy horse, glinted in the afternoon sun. To the right, a bucking bronco with a twentysomething Joe Langtry, on his final professional ride, cast a larger-than-life shadow against the building’s facade.

  Abby opened the doors leading into the arena’s stone entryway, which divided the therapy area from the school. Abby didn’t think anyone would be inside on such a gorgeous day, but she looked around just in case.

  The hippotherapy’s massive arena contained smaller sections designated for different types of therapy. One area in particular held a flatbed wagon for patients unable to sit in the saddle. The more Abby studied equine physiology, the more sense the therapy made to her. She’d be forever grateful for the books Kay had loaned her from Joe’s personal library on the subject.

  Standing at the head of the arena, Abby experienced an air of calmness she didn’t feel when working at the hospital. There were certain people who deemed her nothing more than a troublemaker because of the recommendations she made. Then there were others, who commended her initiative.

  The Langtrys were progressive. They appreciated an unconventional approach to physical along with cognitive therapy. They provided the type of environment Abby wanted to work in. Despite the details she would need to iron out, each day she spent in town deepened her desire to call Ramblewood home. If only it were that simple.

  Leading Duffy through the hallway toward the back door, she exited the building and headed for the outdoor riding area. The complete opposite of the rodeo school’s corrals, plenty of trees provided shade in Dance of Hope’s secluded area.

  Kay sat at a picnic table with a mound of file folders in front of her. She looked up when Abby approached.

  “Welcome to my outdoor office. When the weather’s this nice, I think it’s a sin to stay inside.” Kay leaned down and scratched Duffy behind the ears. “And how are you today, little fella? Barney will be thrilled to see you.”

  “Are you sure it’s okay I brought him?” Abby asked. “I know you said it was, but I don’t want to impose.”

  “First of all, you’re not imposing. And second, all animals are welcome here anytime.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it,” Abby said. “I love the serenity here.”

  “Speaking of love...how’s Clay?”

  Abby inwardly laughed. The woman deserved credit. She never gave up.

  “He’s good. I just wish I knew more about him. It’s very one-sided. He knows quite a bit about me and I know next to nothing about him.”

  “I could tell you a million stories from twenty years ago, but I think you’re looking for something more recent, and that I can’t help you with. Have you tried asking him?”

  “No. Everyone’s warned me to tread lightly and told me how closed off he is. I didn’t want to push the issue, but before the relationship can go any further he needs to open up to me a little more. He dropped me off and said he’ll pick me up later.”

  “That sounds promising.” Kay winked.

  “And what are you implying?” Abby’s voice rose at the woman’s insinuation.

  Kay smiled and shrugged her shoulders slightly. “Nothing, just that you’re both young, available and clearly interested in each other.”

  “You don’t give up, do you?” The warmth that radiated from Kay and the rest of the Langtrys made knowing them for a few days feel more like a lifetime. Abby settled onto the bench across from the woman. “I want you to know that I haven’t completely ruled out your job offer. The more I think about it, the more tempted I am. But there’s a lot I would need to work out before I could give you a definitive answer.”

  “We’d be happy to have you join our extended family. I’ve considered bringing on another therapist for a while, so please don’t think I’m trying to lure you here for any other reason other than I think you’d be a good fit. Clay, well, seeing him happy and settled like most of my boys are would do that man a world of good. His mama would tell you the same. I do hope you get the chance to meet her before you head back to Charleston.”

  “I’d like that. It would be nice to see where Clay came from.”

  “Then tell him, Abby.” Kay laughed. “These men are a stubborn lot. He was practically raised alongside my boys, and believe me when I say, Clay’s no different than they are. Unless it’s in black and white, they won’t see it.”

  “I’ll take that under advisement.” Abby laughed at Kay’s honest depiction of her sons and Clay. She’d met too many mothers who thought the sun rose and set on their sons, some of whom were the biggest jackasses she’d had the unfortunate pleasure of knowing. Kay called it as she saw it. “I need to talk to you about a few things, though. In order to consider your offer fully, I have to ask the dreaded money question—not that I’m basing my decision solely on the financial aspect, but it does factor in.”

  “Of course it does, dear. If you decide to take the job, you’d shadow one of our other therapists until you passed your PATH certification and the Hippotherapy Clinical Specialty Certification examination. Depending on how things go with your horsemanship
training, we’re probably looking at somewhere around a year before you’d be up to speed. But if you’d be willing to pitch in around here and help with the horses, I’d be able to justify a full-time salary. How about we get this little guy up to the main house to see Barney and we can discuss it further?”

  “I also wanted to talk to you about Ruby Jameson,” Abby said as they walked toward the house. “I’ve been working with her on some physical therapy exercises, and from what I can determine so far, the majority of her issues are in her hips and spine. I wondered if she’d be able to have a hippotherapy evaluation, with the understanding that she can’t afford to pay for it. She’s barely getting by with the salon and the house, since her injury set her back financially. Struggling with her physical recovery is adding more stress to an already stressful situation. But I don’t know if she would qualify for financial assistance under your guidelines.”

  Kay stopped and covered Abby’s hand with her own. “Dance of Hope is a nonprofit. If someone needs help, we provide it without financial worry. The donations we receive go toward our patients’ care. There are no set guidelines. I run Dance of Hope to help people and fulfill my husband’s vision. We would be more than happy to evaluate Ruby.”

  “Thank you.” The constant insurance battles at the hospital often meant Abby’s patients were forced to leave without fully recovering. “I mentioned it in passing to Bridgett to gauge how her mother would feel about my asking and she thinks Ruby would love the idea.”

  “I know she’s had a tough time since her accident, and I’m ashamed for not suggesting it myself.”

  “Don’t be,” Abby said. “When Ruby told me how she broke her leg, I honestly thought her pain was more of an issue of the bone healing incorrectly. I looked at her records and X-rays, and it’s not. Ruby stayed on top of her physical therapy, but she ran out of money and the insurance will only pay so much.”

  “Most insurance won’t cover hippotherapy anyway. That’s the main reason a facility like ours was so important to my husband. He believed people deserved to get the help they needed, without any undue burden.”

  “Whatever my reasons for coming to Ramblewood were, I’m glad I met you and your family,” Abby said. “You’ve expanded my outlook on animal-assisted therapy.”

  “Still no luck with finding your sister?” Kay asked, opening the gate to her side yard. “Look who’s here to see you, Barney.”

  Abby removed Duffy’s harness and leash, allowing him to run free with his playmate.

  “Clay told me a few days ago he felt my suspicions were spot on, but he wouldn’t elaborate. He also told me that if my sister did not want to be found he’d need to respect her wishes and not give me the contact information.”

  “That must’ve been disheartening to hear.”

  “To say the least. I once wondered—if I located her, would she want anything to do with me? I never thought we might never have that conversation. I figured I’d pay Clay, and wherever she turned up I’d be able to talk to her.”

  “I can understand the logic behind that,” Kay said. “If you look at it from her perspective, what if she’s hiding for some reason? Maybe there’s an explanation why she stayed away from you, or your father, if she even knew about you.”

  “That’s basically what Clay said. When I asked if it was the law that he couldn’t tell me, he told me it came down to ethics. And I understand his position. As a physical therapist I make those decisions about my patients daily, and some are harder than others. Just last week I had to call child protective services on a parent of an out-patient because the bruises on the child’s body seemed excessive for someone recovering from leg surgery. The parent was the only family in the child’s life. When I made the call, I was potentially tearing his life apart, but I had to put the child’s safety first. Whatever the outcome is with my sister, I’ll accept it.”

  Abby no longer doubted the possibility of a sister. She only hoped that once her sister was located, she’d be as thrilled to meet Abby as Abby was to meet her. Where she used to be nervous about what Clay might unearth, after seeing the photo of Walter in town, excitement had begun to replace the uncertainty about knowing the truth. She finally allowed herself to wonder about her sister’s life. Maybe she had children and a husband...an entire family for Abby to meet.

  * * *

  CLAY WAS TICKED he’d been unable to get hold of Ruby, forcing him to wait until tomorrow. When he couldn’t locate her anywhere in town, he had his suspicions that Beau or Mable had warned her and she was avoiding him. It was late and he needed to pick up Abby from the Langtrys before she made her way back into town with one of them and stumbled upon the truth. Any time she now spent with Bridgett was akin to playing a game of catch with a ticking time bomb. All it would take is a mention of their upcoming birthdays and he didn’t want Abby to find out that way.

  “How the hell am I going to keep her occupied for the rest of the night?”

  The weather was still warm enough for a drive-in movie in the next town over, but Clay wasn’t sure which risk was worse. Abby talking to Bridgett or him spending time alone with Abby in the darkness of his truck’s cab.

  Clay called Abby to say he was on the way. He pulled into Bridle Dance’s main ranch road and saw Abby hugging Kay goodbye on the front porch of the main house.

  “Hey, stranger.” Abby lifted Duffy into his truck and climbed in after him. “How was your afternoon?”

  “Apparently not as good as yours.” Abby’s smile radiated straight to his heart. It was a smile he could build a universe around and create his own orbit. He wanted to kiss her hello and ask her never to leave town, regardless of what she discovered about her family. “You look a lot better than you did when I dropped you off.”

  “I feel better,” Abby said. “Kay and I had a long talk about the possibility of my working at Dance of Hope, and I’m seriously giving it more thought. The search for my sister aside, the likelihood that Walter knew about Dance of Hope is high. Ramblewood is too small a town for him not to. I think it may have been part of his plan all along. I’m beginning to believe Ramblewood is the answer to more than one question.” She rested her hand on his. “And however you factor into the equation, I’m glad I met you.”

  Her touch was almost unbearable as guilt swept through him like an icy February breeze. He wanted to tell her the truth. To tell her she was right and there was much more to Walter’s note than just her finding her sister, but not quite the way she thought. Clay’s heartbeat hammered in his ears as he struggled with the right words to say when something suddenly flopped against his hip. He peered down to see Duffy staring up at him with watchful eyes. Abby’s therapy dog was about to give him away. Apparently, Clay had a tell or two of his own that only the dog could detect. He was learning fast not to underestimate the power of a canine’s perception.

  “How do you feel about a drive-in movie tonight?”

  “They still have those around here?” Abby’s voice hitched. “I’d love to go. I’ve never been to one.”

  “Really?” The unexpected thrill of taking Abby to her first drive-in caught him off guard. “It would be my pleasure to be your first.”

  “Why, Clay Tanner, I do believe you’re flirting with me.” Abby batted her eyelashes at him.

  “I do believe I am, Miss Winchester.” Clay attempted to bow across the seat only to receive a tongue bath from Duffy. “Thanks, pal.”

  Abby giggled. “I think he likes you. I need to stop by the Bed & Biscuit to feed him.” Abby scratched her companion on the top of his head. “Are dogs allowed at the drive-in?”

  Clay figured a four-legged chaperone was probably a good idea. The dog’s internal barometer would keep Clay’s conscience in check along with his mounting libido.

  “I think we can manage to sneak him in.” Clay watched Duffy’s ears perk up as if he understood what th
ey were talking about. “He doesn’t seem to be much of a barker, so I don’t think he’ll give us away.”

  “Oh, he barks...at dogs on TV, squirrels in the yard, and heaven forbid a dog walks past his Mini Cooper. Then all hell breaks loose.”

  “His Mini Cooper?” Clay laughed. “Now I’ve heard it all.”

  “Didn’t you know?” Abby furrowed her brow. “I’m just the maid. The dog rules the roost.”

  * * *

  TWO HOURS LATER, Clay found his fingers entwined with Abby’s and his arm wrapped around her shoulder while Duffy snored the night away on the passenger side of the truck. So much for a chaperone.

  Clay attempted to mentally drive the tension from his body. Between the side of Abby’s breast bouncing against him every time she laughed at the movie and knowing the truth about Bridgett, Clay couldn’t clench his jaw any tighter or he’d chip a tooth.

  “Are you feeling okay?” Abby looked up at him.

  “Yeah, why?” Clay’s throat thickened.

  “You feel extremely hard.” Abby closed her eyes. “That didn’t quite come out the way I intended.”

  Clay grinned. Even in the dim light from the movie screen, he saw a flush fan across her cheeks.

  “Well, darlin’, maybe that’s the problem,” Clay teased.

  “Oh, really?” Abby sat straighter, angling toward him. “I thought after our little tryst in your kitchen that you wanted to cool things.”

  “I wanted to slow down a little before we couldn’t stop what we were doing. I don’t know whatever gave you the impression I wanted to cool things. I’m as attracted to you now as I was before. For the record, I’ve never been one of those wham, bam, thank you, ma’am types. I like to romance a woman.”

  Clay tried to push the memory of his last date with Ana Rosa out of his head. He didn’t want to feel the ever-present guilt. Not tonight. While it had faded some, it was still there. And now, with Abby by his side, was not the time to remember what he’d had and lost. He wanted to enjoy feeling alive again.