Bittersweet Return (Dancing Moon Ranch Book 6)

by Patricia Watters

  Another cluster of buildings beyond the cabins included a ranch office, indicated by a sign on the front, the lodge Matt told him about—a rustic wood building where guests could congregate that housed a pool table, a couple of sofas, a dozen or so lounge chairs and a fireplace. Not far from that was a bunkhouse, also with a sign over the door, and just beyond that, the huge red stable. He pulled his truck to a halt in front of the office and got out.

  Glancing around, he spotted Matt Kincaid's tall frame standing just outside the stock barn. Kincaid was with a couple of well-seasoned wranglers who he presumed were two of the three regulars Kincaid mentioned the day he hired him, since the men seemed to be approaching middle age. Kincaid broke from the group and walked over to greet him.

  Ryan took Kincaid's extended hand, but Kincaid was the first to speak. "So you made it through the gate okay. Did you have any problem with the protestors?"

  Ryan shook his head. "They just asked if I was a guest. Did I by any chance pass your daughter on the way here?"

  "White Dodge pickup?" Matt asked.

  Ryan nodded. "I saw it was a woman driving when it passed, but it went by so fast it left me in a cloud of dust."

  "Yeah, that was Annie."

  "Then I take it she was going out there to break up the protest," Ryan ventured, assuming what he'd heard from the men in the pub was accurate.

  Matt let out a short snort. "No, she went out to bring the protestors cold drinks and food. Annie organized the protest."

  Ryan tried to digest that. "I'm sorry to sound a little dense," he said, "but I don't get it."

  "You will in a few days," Matt replied. "Meanwhile, your first job is to go out there and break it up. We've had guests cancel or turn back at the gate, and there's a posting on the internet warning would-be guests that staying at the Kincaid's tantamount to killing horses. I want you to go out there and do whatever you can to get the protestors to leave, without using force. Just tell them I'm in contact with my brother, Senator Calvin Kincaid, and he'll be bringing the issue of rounding up wild horses with helicopters before a senate committee."

  "Then you're actually on your daughter's side," Ryan said, still trying to get a handle on the situation. He sensed a disconnect somewhere.

  "No, I'm trying to keep a little peace around here," Matt replied. "Annie wants to stop the rounding up of all the wild horses, and I want the horses rounded up and hauled away. After last summer's wildfire that took four-hundred acres of my best rangeland, there's not enough forage to support both cattle and wild horses. And this summer, with the high country being hit hard by drought, many of our springs have dried up, and the horses tear through my fences to get to those that haven't. So not only are the horses competing with my cattle for water, they're trampling what forage remains and tearing up the range. Earlier this year they even broke through a fence and stampeded my cattle. Besides that, mustangs have been known to behave aggressively toward hikers and ranch workers, and I need to think of the safety of my men and the ranch guests. Annie doesn't want to hear about this because she's been listening to all the animal activist propaganda. But whatever you hear from Annie, the horses rounded up by the BLM don't go for slaughter. They're farmed out to people who sign papers agreeing to care for them."

  "And your wife?" Ryan asked. "What’s her position?"

  Matt looked a little chagrinned, as he said, "Ruth's visiting her parents right now and said she'd be back when the protest is over and Annie and I have settled our differences, which is another reason why I want you to bust up the protest. I'd like to have my wife back. When you're finished out there, come back and we'll get you started with the riding horses. We only have a couple of families staying right now so one of my wranglers will be taking them on the afternoon ride, but tomorrow you'll take over. Meanwhile, get on out there and use some diplomacy with those protestors and get rid of them."

  "Yes, sir," I'll see what I can do," Ryan said.

  As Ryan was getting back in his truck, Matt called out to him, "One thing more, Hansen." Ryan glanced back and waited. "My daughter's off limits to the ranch hands." The dark look on Kincaid's face pretty much said it all. Another voice gave Ryan a better reason to stay clear…

  Get within three feet of her and you'll get burned if you don't get kicked in the nuts first...

  "That won't be a problem," Ryan assured Matt Kincaid, and felt pretty confident he'd spoken the truth, although he couldn't deny, Annie Kincaid intrigued him. She also offered a challenge, and he'd never shied away from challenges, whether it was a bull, a bronc, or a woman.

  ***

  Annie looked up from where she was serving beans and veggieburgers with barbecue sauce, from the tailgate of her pickup, and saw the same tan pickup she'd passed on the road not more than twenty minutes before, heading toward them, leaving a swirl of dust behind. She suspected her father sent his newest wrangler out to break things up. But Ryan Hansen would soon find out that he wasn't in charge of anything beyond trail horses and rides. She'd had her fill of egotistic, narcissistic cowboys. The idea of bulldogging, bronco busting and the whole rodeo scene made her blood boil, although she knew she was an anomaly in Harney County, where the annual rodeo was the highlight of the year. In fact, half the girls in the county would probably be lining up like barn cats in heat to get to Ryan as soon as they learned he was a champion rodeo rider.

  "Who's this guy anyway?" Shadow asked, as Ryan pulled his truck to a halt just the other side of the gate. "He arrived here not more than fifteen minutes ago."

  Annie looked askance at the aging ponytailed hippie, who was living out of an old VW camper van with his girlfriend, Rabbit. They'd arrived two days before and didn't seem to go by any last name, which didn't bother her. She didn't care who they were as long as they helped promote her cause. "He's the new wrangler my dad hired to oversee the trail horses and take the guests on rides," she replied. "I've seen him a few times when we went to his father's ranch, and I wasn't impressed. He's pretty full of himself."

  "Do you want us to circle the wagons?" Shadow asked.

  Annie eyed the man in curiosity. "If you mean, close in on him, maybe not. I'll take care of this." She continued serving burgers and beans, while ignoring Ryan, but when she chanced a glance at him she saw him standing with his hands on his hips, staring at the people as if at a loss what to do next. She could give him a hint. Get back in his truck and keep going in the direction he was heading and don't stop until he arrived back at the Dancing Moon Ranch.

  "Okay, folks, can I have your attention?" Ryan called out, while waving his arms in the air.

  To Annie's annoyance, the people stopped talking and waited for whatever it was he had to say. She'd hoped they would've ignored him.

  Ryan gave a spring and launched himself into the bed of his truck where he could be seen, and said in a voice intended to be heard, "Matt Kincaid appreciates that you folks are camping here, and as you can see his daughter's helping make your stay more enjoyable, but I can assure you, Mr. Kincaid's in communication with his brother, Senator Calvin Kincaid, and things have started rolling in Washington. But like a freight train, Washington doesn't stop on a dime. It could take weeks before Senator Kincaid's able to bring the issue of the wild horses up before a senate committee, so you might as well pack up and leave. You did get your point across though, and Matt Kincaid now share's your views, so thank you for bringing it to his attention."

  "What a bunch of bullshit," Annie said to no one in particular. After putting a large scoop of baked beans on a paper plate and spooning extra barbecue sauce over the veggieburger, she started over to where Ryan stood in the bed of his truck. Looking up at him, she said, "It's odd that you claim my father shares our views. Only thirty minutes ago he was pretty set on doing nothing. Maybe I missed something."

  Ryan eyed her with irritation. "Your father was on the phone when I left. He's probably talking to the powers that be right now."

  Annie gave a sardonic snort. "Well, when the powers tha
t be ground the helicopters and fire the pilots, my friends here will pack up and leave. Meanwhile, maybe you could pass a message on to my father, since you're done here and he's probably waiting for you back at the ranch. Tell him I'm expecting a few more protesters later this afternoon, actually about a dozen and a half, and he might want to rent a couple of porta potties. It could get pretty rank here after a while."

  "Thanks for the warm welcome," Ryan said with irony. He jumped down from the truck and planted himself in front of Annie, then hooking his thumbs into the pockets of his Levis, he gave her a slow, leisurely smile, and said, "Actually, I never got to meet you during any of your visits to the Dancing Moon, but that doesn't mean you went unnoticed."

  Annie was familiar with male come-ons, and although they were rarely directed at her, she wasn't surprised to have one come from Ryan Hansen. However, she was surprised that he'd toss one at her right after attempting to break up her protest. But she could play this game too. "You didn't go unnoticed either," she replied.

  Ryan straightened his back and adjusted his broad shoulders, kind of like a cock spreading his tail feathers, and said, "Then I'm sorry we didn't have a chance to talk during my brother's wedding reception. I could have shown you around the ranch or maybe taken you to the local pub."

  "That would have been nice," Annie lied. "But now that you're here we'll have lots of time to get acquainted." She repositioned the plate with the beans and burger in her hands, and smiled.

  Ryan smiled and held her gaze for a moment, then said, "Meanwhile, I'll talk to these folks some more—your father's orders. I don't intend to mess up my first day." As he went to take Annie's arm to move her aside, Annie flinched, as if startled, and stumbled forward as if to trip, catching Ryan in the crotch with her knee while planting the dish of beans against his belly.

  "Shit!" Ryan said, grabbing his crotch. After a moment, he raised hands covered in beans and barbeque sauce and stared down at the food stuck to the front of him.

  Annie eyed the reddish-brown mess. "I am sooo sorry," she said, repressing a smile. "I'm such a klutz at times. I guess you'll just have to put off talking to my friends and go back to the ranch and change clothes instead. There's a laundry room in the bunkhouse."

  "I'll keep that in mind," Ryan groused. Pulling his shirt out from his jeans, he grabbed the lapels and yanked open the snaps in one quick jerk then shrugged out of it. Using the unsoiled end of the shirttail, he started scrubbing away the beans and barbecue sauce from his crotch while grinding it deeper into the denim fabric.

  "I have water in the back of my truck. It might work better than trying to rub all that off," Annie suggested, thinking it was kind of comical watching Ryan aggressively rubbing the rust-red bulge. "But then, if you try to wash it away you’ll have to explain to my father why, after facing a group of protestors, you returned to the ranch with wet pants. He might think he sent a boy out to do a man’s job, which wouldn’t be too good your first day here."

  Ryan glanced up at her and said nothing, but from the flare of his nostrils and the muscles bunching in his jaws, Annie knew he was really, really ticked, which was fine with her. Guys like Ryan needed to be toppled from their lofty pedestals periodically.

  Saying nothing more, Ryan bundled his shirt into a wad and headed for his truck.

  "Don't forget to tell my father about the porta potties," Annie called after him.

  Slamming the door with impact, Ryan started the engine, swung the truck around and tore out toward the ranch compound, leaving a trail of dust billowing behind.

  Annie watched the truck barreling down the road, and although she hated to admit it, the sight of Ryan's broad shoulders and muscular chest had her heart speeding up some, along with an odd tingling in her belly. But after a few minutes, she passed it off as an adrenaline rush brought on by irritation with the man, because there was absolutely no way she could be attracted to a cocky, full-of-himself, bronco-busting, bull rider like Ryan Hansen.

  CHAPTER 2

  Ryan pulled his truck to a halt in front of the ranch bunkhouse, hoping to grab his duffle bag and change clothes before facing Matt Kincaid again. But to his dismay, Matt stepped out of the office as Ryan was getting out of his truck. On seeing Ryan, Matt scanned his bare torso, focused on his crotch for an instant, then looked up and said, "I won't ask what happened, but I take it Annie took offense to the way you handled the protestors."

  Ryan braced his hands on his hips. "Did you know she'd react like that before you sent me out there?" he asked, not even trying to hide his irritation.

  Matt gave a little shrug. "I didn't imagine she'd welcome you, if that's what you mean, but I wanted to give you a chance to see if you could handle her. Kind of like a ranch initiation."

  Ryan let out a short snort. "Obviously I didn't pass." Catching the man eyeing his crotch again, he said, "It's beans and barbecue sauce."

  Matt's lips twitched as if he were holding back a smile as he said, "Annie's pretty passionate when she's on a crusade, so if that's all you got you came out better than most."

  "I got a knee too," Ryan replied. "Is she always like that?"

  "A good part of the time," Matt admitted. "Other than her mother and Edith our housekeeper, Annie's been around men all her life and she's pretty much got their number. Incidentally, when I told you she was off limits to the ranch hands, that was for your good too."

  "Yeah, well, she got her point across," Ryan replied. "She also said to tell you she's expecting more protestors and for you to order a couple of porta potties. Are you going to let her get away with that?"

  Matt shrugged. "She's twenty-one, knows her own mind, and is holding her protest off ranch property. There's not much I can do."

  "You own the ranch," Ryan pointed out. "You can help her pack her things and send her out on her own. She's obviously capable of taking care of herself."

  "Would you send her away if she were your daughter?" Matt asked.

  Ryan eyed the man closely, thinking this was some kind of test to see which side he'd be on if things heated up with the protestors. "How about I'll let you know in a week or so. I might be able to give you a more truthful answer by then," he replied, deciding to play it safe.

  Matt smiled, like maybe he approved. "You might be able to do it sooner than that," he said. "This afternoon Annie will be showing you the trails where we take guests on rides."

  Ryan eyed him, dubiously, finding another disconnect—Annie agreeing to take him to see the trails. From her hostile welcome it was clear what she thought of him, though he couldn't figure out why she had it in for him since they'd never talked before today, not even once. So he had to conclude that she had it in for men in general for some reason. "Should I be worried?"

  Matt gave him a wry smile. "You've handled bulls and broncs. I'm sure you can handle Annie. Just keep a few feet away from her knee and you'll be fine."

  "That won't be a problem," Ryan said. "Anything else?" He was beginning to think there were a whole lot of 'anything elses' where Annie Kincaid was concerned. He just wasn't sure he wanted to know what they were.

  Matt rapped him on the shoulder and replied, "If she leads you off somewhere and abandons you, all the horses know their way home. Meanwhile, go select your horse. The men are expecting you and they'll show you which are our cattle horses and which are for guests. A couple of weeks ago Annie talked me into buying a Kiger Mustang stallion for breeding, but he’s pretty unmanageable and he'll need a lot of work to settle him down. Since we’re in the middle of moving cattle to un-grazed pastures we’ve put it off, but you can have at it if you want. His name is Rocinante."

  Ryan eyed him curiously. "Rocinante, as in… Don Quixote's horse?" he asked.

  Matt nodded. "Annie named him. She wanted a Spanish name since Kigers are descended from Spanish stock. Are you familiar with Kigers?"

  "Aren't those the mustangs with zebra markings?"

  Matt nodded. "A large band was discovered in southern Harney County in the 1970s
," he replied. "For the past few years a smaller band has been roaming around here, and Annie's been trying to get me interested in them. She claims there aren't more than a couple thousand left in the wild, which may or may not be so depending on whether you get the information from Annie or from the BLM. I tend to go with the BLM since Annie tends to exaggerate when she's on a mission. She's lobbying the BLM to stop the roundups, and she's lobbying me to turn this place into a Kiger horse ranch, but as long as I'm running the place, we'll be in cattle.

  "Is the stallion green or has he been ridden before?" Ryan asked.

  "He’s been ridden," Matt replied, "but he's been mishandled and I don't have time to work with him. He’s a dark slate-gray grullo, a color typical of the breed, with darker legs, zebra stripes, a face mask, and a dorsal stripe down his back. If you want to know more about the breed, ask Annie. She claims Kigers are known to be good stock-working horses because they're used to rugged terrain, which is why I let her talk me into paying a king's ransom for the stallion."

  "I get the impression you do that a lot… let Annie talk you into things," Ryan said.

  One corner of Matt’s mouth curved in an ironic smile. "Yeah, you might say that. She’s been manipulating me and my men since she was two, but she’s really not spoiled, just a strong-willed woman who sets her sights on things she believes in and goes after them."

  "What’s with the veggieburgers?" Ryan asked. "This is a cattle operation."

  Matt looked a little embarrassed when he replied, "Annie’s a vegetarian. Eats nothing but tofu, bean sprouts, veggie burgers and anything she can come up with made from soy. She’s been after me for years to switch to raising llamas, horses and burros, but we’re set up for cattle. When she takes over after Ruth and I retire she can raise whatever she wants."

  Ryan glanced toward the stables where a tall man had joined the two other wranglers. The man appeared in his mid-thirties, so Ryan assumed he was the third of the longtime regulars Kincaid mentioned the day he hired him.