He knew Anne was capable of handling this crisis just fine without him, but he felt good sharing her load. He couldn't imagine not being here.
He pointed through the fake greenery in the cafe's window to the dozen or so cars lined up beyond the stucco wall. "See that parking lot?"
Anne craned her head. "Uh-huh. What about it?"
"When I drove past, I noticed all those cars have For Sale signs in their windows. What do you say I park the truck there, and I drive you and Zoey home?"
"Park it? To sell?"
He nodded. "While you're getting Zoey discharged, I'll run into the hardware store and buy a sign. There's a lot of traffic on this road. I bet the truck goes in a snap."
She looked dumbfounded. "Why are you selling it?"
He scooted out of the booth, suddenly energized. "Because it's a kid's truck. I've been wanting to get rid of it for a long time--just needed the right push."
Her eyes narrowed. "Not because--"
He offered her his hand. "It's time, Anne. I've outgrown this truck. It happens, you know. Same with dreams."
She looked doubtful but obviously didn't have the energy to argue.
That was how he wound up driving her mother's Forerunner with Zoey asleep in the back seat and Anne out cold in the passenger seat. He felt like a family man and, Will had to admit, the feeling reminded him of that millisecond before the chute opens--a mix of fear and possibility.
His right hand--his riding hand--caressed Anne's hair. He knew that regardless of what decisions he made this relationship wasn't a done deal. Even if he were prepared to quit riding, what right did he have to expect Anne to give up her dream job? That dire prediction she'd mentioned earlier worked both ways. Will remembered only too well how anxious Anne had been to leave Nevada--a state she'd hated in high school and didn't seem all that sorry to leave now. If she decided to stay--for him, for Zoey, out of some sense of loyalty to A.J.--would she someday regret it? He'd witnessed firsthand how hard she worked. For her sake, Will wanted Anne to realize the sweet taste of victory.
Before she dozed off, Anne had asked Will to give her the time and space she needed to make an "informed" decision. He'd agreed to back off--how could he not? Besides, he had some thinking of his own to do.
Chapter 13
"I think something is wrong with my mom."
Will eased his horse a bit closer to Zoey, who was riding at his side. She had claimed the right to be his partner before anyone else was done saddling. "Since Tressa can't come, I get to ride with Will," she'd announced with a challenging look toward her mother.
Sixteen other riders, including Anne and Linda, were strung out in tandem along the trail behind them. Linda's son was somewhere near the end of the line, but her daughter had missed out on the long-promised trail ride and picnic thanks to an ear infection, which explained why Will and Zoey could talk in private.
"Well, Miss Z, your mom has been working extra hard to get the place ready for Gramps return," Will suggested. "She's probably tired."
"It's more than that," Zoey insisted. "She always works extra hard."
Will couldn't deny that. Since their tumultuous night together and Zoey's asthma attack, Anne seldom left the office before midnight. Will knew because he spent most nights watching the office window until the light went out.
Zoey glanced over her shoulder before adding in a low voice, "I hear her at night, Will. She paces around and I think she cries sometimes."
Will's stomach clenched. He didn't want to hear that, although it confirmed what he suspected. It didn't surprise him that Anne was suffering--so was Will, but he didn't know what to do about the situation. She'd made it clear she wanted him to keep his distance.
"It's my fault," Zoey said flatly. "Because I told her I want to stay here to go to school. I know we can't. I know her job is back East, but I love it here, Will. I don't want to leave."
Tears welled up in her eyes. He reached across the distance and squeezed her shoulder. "I know you're worried about what's been happening, honey, but you can't let it upset you. Not here, not now," he said, tilting her chin so he could make eye contact. "An asthma attack would scare your horse."
The distraction seemed to work. Zoey made a visible effort to control her breathing. She took a hit on her inhaler then glanced over her shoulder to see if her mother had noticed.
Will looked, too. Fortunately, Anne seemed engrossed in her conversation with Linda.
He gave Zoey a nod of support. "Good job, sweetie. Now, let's talk about this problem. We both know your mom has a lot on her mind, including the fact that you're obviously very happy living on the ranch and more than anything she wants to make you happy. But her job is a big factor. It's what pays the bills and puts food on the table. A good mother takes those things very seriously."
She gave him a sad smile. "Mommy and Joy were arguing again this morning. Mommy wants to train Joy to take over the office after we're gone, but Joy says she likes the kitchen better."
Gone. The word sucker punched him in the gut.
"Hey, cowboy," a voice called from behind them. "When's lunch?"
Will shifted in the saddle to gauge the condition of the horses and riders behind him. A few of the city folk looked ready to nod off from the slow pace and warm temperature. "Lunch in five minutes," he hollered.
Anne tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The ball cap she'd borrowed from one of the guests sat slightly askew, lending her a tomboy appeal that made Will want to kiss her. Totally unlike her usual calm, organized self, the Anne of late was frazzled and absentminded. She'd seemed close to tears this morning when she couldn't find her mother's old cowboy hat.
Even after two hours in the saddle, she still managed to look sexy as hell. Her faded denim shirt was tied at her waist. A faint shimmer of sweat glistened on the skin exposed by her black tank top. Is she getting sunburned? Or is that just a reflection?
Will hadn't expected Anne to participate in this outing, but she'd been adamant. "If my daughter can do this, so can I. I took a riding class in college. I think I can handle it."
He'd insisted on giving Anne, Linda and the newest guests a quick refresher before heading out on the trail. He wasn't surprised that Anne found her seat after only a few trips around the arena.
"There's a clearing up ahead," Will said, raising his voice so the whole party could hear him. "If anyone feels up to it, a hiking trail leads to the ridge where you can see Lake Tahoe. I'm told this is a favorite spot for cross-country skiers in the winter."
Half an hour later, members of the group were scattered to various spots, enjoying their hoagie sandwiches and the amazing vistas. Some clustered in the shade of the Jeffrey pines, napping or discussing the wonderful weather--a rare August cool spell. Will knew the pleasant temperature was beguiling but dangerous, given their altitude and exposure to the sun. He insisted each person carry and drink bottled water.
"Be back in half an hour for dessert," he told those heading off for a hike. "We'll need to be off the mountain by sunset or Joy will track us down with a frying pan."
Returning to the rock formation that had served as an impromptu table, Will looked around for Zoey. Seated in Linda's lap getting her hair braided, Zoey held a fruit drink in one hand and a half-eaten sandwich in the other. Her gaze seemed fixed on the lanky boy who was helping Will's wranglers water the horses.
Will emptied the ice from a mostly empty cooler into a second then offered the plastic shell as a seat to Anne. She finished folding the insulated bag that had held the sandwiches before eyeing the stool warily. "Thanks, but I'm afraid if I sit down, I might not be able to get up again."
Will smiled. "You'll get your land legs back in a minute."
She made a face. "It's my land butt that I'm worried about."
His hoot made people stop eating to look at them. Quickly, he grabbed two drinks from the slushy water and dropped to a squat a foot or so away from her. She gingerly lowered herself to the cooler and heaved a
sigh. "Maybe this trail ride wasn't such a good idea, after all."
Will handed her the cold fruit drink. "Don't say that. Zoey's glad you're here." And so am I.
Anne's left eyebrow cocked in question. "What makes you so sure? As far as I can tell, she only has eyes for you-know-who."
Will followed her slight nod. The boy. Linda's son. Will had noticed Zoey's repeated looks over her shoulder, but he'd assumed she was checking on her mother. "You mean she has a crush--"
Anne shushed him. "She'd never forgive me if she thought I told you about this. First crushes are...special."
Will heard a funny, almost wistful note in her tone. "But she's too young to like boys. Do you want me to drop him over the cliff? I know he's your best friend's son, but..."
Anne's smile--the first he'd seen in nearly a week--made his heart dance. "I don't think that will be necessary since it's totally one-sided. Zoey is two whole years younger than Logan. She's a pesky child to him."
Will pretended to wipe sweat from his forehead. "Whew. Good thing I don't have to do away with him. I kinda like the kid."
Anne sipped her drink. Her gaze stayed on Will. "You'd be that kind of dad, wouldn't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Involved. Proactive. The kind who would grill his daughter's date, enforce curfews, check up on her friends."
"Hell, yes," Will said without stopping to think. The idea of some guy messing with Zoey made him growl. "I was the kind of guy every teenage girl's father dreads. Who better to know what evil lurks in a teenage boy's itty-bitty pea brain?"
Anne's smile looked forced. He realized they'd wandered into dangerous territory--What-If Land. What if Will was Zoey's father? What if Anne and Zoey lived where Will could look after her, stand up for her, help enforce the rules?
He jumped to his feet. He wasn't ready to go there. First, he needed to talk to his grandfather. A person didn't tangle with bulls for a living without developing fairly acute survival instincts, and Will knew he was going to need help if he had any chance of talking Anne into some sort of compromise.
Anne moved with care. She didn't hurt at the moment. Well, there was a definite tightness in her thighs and the muscles in her butt still felt tingly, but something told her the real pain would arrive tomorrow.
"Oh, God, I'm never going to be able to get out of bed," Linda said, hobbling to a stop beside her. "What on earth was I thinking? I sit at a desk for a living, I'm no cowgirl."
Anne gave Linda a supportive hug. "It's okay. I have a foam pillow I'll lend you. You'll live. And it was worth it, wasn't it?"
The two started across the compound toward the house, where the tantalizing aroma of pork and spices beckoned. Anne's mouth watered. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this hungry.
Linda snuffled. "I guess. But Logan and I didn't quite get that touchy-feely bonding time I'd hoped for."
Anne chuckled. "I think that time fell by the wayside when he was four, pal. He's a guy now. You're a mom." Linda made a sad face, so Anne added, "But a very cool, hip, cowgirl kind of mom."
Linda took off her dusty hat and wiped her forehead. Her pleasant face was streaked with sweat and dirt. Her blond hair lay flattened in places and her shoulders were definitely burned, but she looked happier than Anne had seen her in weeks. That might be because she'd bumped into an old friend at the reunion and he'd called to ask her out. Linda swore she wasn't getting her hopes up, but Anne knew for a fact that love--or the possibility of love--could make you hope for things that weren't ever going to happen.
"Hey," Linda said, stopping abruptly. "Where'd that RV come from?"
Anne spun around. Her heart leaped at the sight of a boxy old motor home with a bizarre pink appendage attached to the back. "A.J. is home," she cried, running--well, limping--across the compound. "Thank God."
"What do you mean you won't be a party to it?" Will cried, striding to the fireplace in his grandfather's office just as the gong of the clock struck midnight.
The last of the forty or so revelers--a combination of guests, Silver Rose employees and a few neighbors who had found out about A.J.'s return--had finally dispersed a few minutes earlier. Spurred by Joy's chili verde and icy margaritas, the impromptu fiesta had lasted way too long.
Will was exhausted and he was sure his grandfather was ready to drop from his long drive, but Will wouldn't be able to sleep without ironing out a few details of his plan with A.J.
"I said I won't try to talk Annie into doing something she doesn't want to do," the older man repeated. "She's a grown woman. She knows what's best for her." Before Will could protest, A.J. added, "Just like you know what you gotta do."
Will frowned. Do I?
They'd all heard the message Joy had blurted to the crowd when she first spotted Will. Even before he'd had a chance to greet his grandfather, Joy had announced, "The rodeo doc called, Will. He'll be in Reno on Tuesday and he said to tell you he's prepared to give you a green light if you pass the physical."
Will would happily have strangled the gregarious woman for sharing his private business in public, but there hadn't been time. Anne had rushed their guests into a serving line and ordered him to start mixing margaritas. After dinner, they'd gathered around the cottonwood to listen to A.J.'s travelogue.
"Just because Doc said he might let me ride doesn't mean I"m going back on the circuit full bore," Will said. "I thought I might give part-time a try. So I could spend more time here."
A.J. coughed deliberately. "Now, hold up a second. That sounds pretty lukewarm to me. How many times have you told me the key to bull riding comes from inside? If your heart ain't in the game, you got no business being in that chute. Ain't that so?"
The truth left a bitter taste in Will's mouth. He nodded.
"So, where's your heart?"
With Anne. But would Will's declaration of love and vow to give up bull riding be a strong enough incentive to quit her job and stay at the Silver Rose permanently? Was he brave enough to ask?
"What if I retire from riding and Anne decides to go back to New York anyway?"
His grandfather turned his chair and gazed at the map with his many postcards dotting the path of his trek. There weren't any from his trip home. "Sounds to me like you want your cake and Anne's piece, too. Life don't come with any guarantees. But one thing I do know is that love is worth taking the gamble."
A.J. shifted in his chair and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk so he could study Will. "You know, boy, for a person who's ridden some of the meanest, orneriest bulls in the territory, you sure seem skittish about asking Anne to marry you."
Marry. The word had been stalking Will for weeks but he'd hidden behind his and Anne's agendas to avoid thinking about it.
"Well, that's the thing, Gramps. This isn't about eight seconds. It's about the rest of my life."
Anne walked downstairs gingerly. Each step produced a quivering pain in her butt and thighs. The pulsating jets of the tub last night and this morning had eased some of the stiffness from yesterday's ride, but Anne had a feeling she was going to be sore for days.
The house was quieter than usual, even for a Sunday. Dust motes flickered in the yellowish light of morning. She'd arranged to meet A.J. for coffee. The chaos surrounding his arrival last night had precluded any chance for a private chat. The ravenous trail riders had welcomed him home like a long-lost pilgrim and had insisted A.J. regale them with stories of his travels while they stuffed themselves on Joy's amazing spread.
Anne had been delighted to see him safely home, but she'd had her hands full with tired guests, an exhausted and wheezing daughter and her own tumultuous emotions. When he'd climbed down from the cab of the motor home to give her a hug, she'd nearly succumbed to tears.
"It's going to be too hectic to talk tonight," he'd said, as if reading her mind. "How 'bout we have coffee in the morning?"
"It will have to be early, before Zoey wakes up. She's going to want to drive that...thing you brought home
."
Anne picked her way down the last few steps. She wasn't looking forward to telling A.J. that she couldn't stay beyond her three-month agreement--in fact, if he and Will would agree to it, she needed to leave sooner. After this morning's predawn wake-up call from Roger, what choice did she have?
A.J. met her at the foot of the stairs. "Good morning, beautiful girl."
She gave him a hug to hide her blush. "You're good for my ego."
He brushed back her hair clumsily. "The Silver Rose agrees with you, I'd say. My, my, look how fresh and pretty you are. Except for the sunburn on your nose."
Anne touched the skin that still felt hot and tight even though she'd treated it with cream. "Can you believe it? I was the one walking around squirting sunscreen on people yesterday and I forgot to put any on me." Thank goodness Will had noticed and mentioned the fact or she'd be peeling when she met with the WHC board.
"Doesn't surprise me. Your mother was the same way--always looking out for others first."
Anne sighed. She truly wished she were more like her mother, but if nothing else, this summer had proven that Anne was no Esther.
"What's that sigh for?" A.J. asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Let's grab a cup of coffee and I'll show you," Anne said, leading the way to the kitchen.
Joy was intently measuring flour into a crockery bowl. "Blueberry pancakes this morning," she told them. "In honor of our returned hero."
Now it was A.J.'s turn to blush. Anne chuckled as she led him out the back door and down the steps to the garden. "Welcome to Disasterville," she said, opening the gate. "Home to mildew, mice, and giant, horned green devils that devour everything in sight."
A.J. followed her to the center of the garden and turned in quarterly increments to assess the damage. "Yep, tomato worms. Those pesky critters used to drive your mother crazy.
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