At the Rancher's Request

by Sara Orwig

  “My foreman said he has plenty of help, but I want to make sure. Usually, Nell, our nanny, is here and I work on the ranch with the others. They were still breaking ice and dropping bales of hay for feed when I left this morning. We need to make sure animals don’t get cut off and lost from the herd.”

  “Don’t let me interfere. I’m happy to stay with Scotty.”

  Mike loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen, working efficiently. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I have my phone and the number is written clearly there on a piece of paper. Scotty knows how to call me, too.” He gave his son a kiss on the head, then left.

  “Well, aren’t you the smart boy, Scotty,” she said, glancing at him and receiving another smile. “After you finish your breakfast in the kitchen, we can play a game if you’d like,” she told him.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied.

  * * *

  While Scotty was happily drawing, Savannah walked to the mantel to pick up the picture and look closely at Mike with his arm around his late wife as they smiled at each other. Elise had been a beautiful woman. Mike was still deeply in love with her. Last night, their proximity, maybe hurt and loneliness, made them both vulnerable.

  She sighed. It wouldn’t matter this time because she would soon tell Mike goodbye, but she would have to be cautious in the future. She never wanted to be hurt the way she had been. If she couldn’t trust her own judgment about men, then she should stay out of a relationship. How could she have been so blind to Kirk’s shortcomings? He had never liked her nieces and nephews, never cared to hear about them or ask about them, yet she hadn’t stopped to think about his lack of interest.

  Her pregnancy had been a surprise. They had taken precautions, but she had gotten pregnant anyway. She still couldn’t bear to think about the night she told Kirk and how hurtful he had been.

  With a long sigh, she picked up her phone and took a couple of pictures of Scotty drawing to try to get Kirk out of her thoughts.

  Mike arrived home after one, stomping his feet to shake snow off his boots and finally sweeping into the room, bringing cold air with him. He swung Scotty up to hug him.

  “Sorry to be gone so long.”

  “We’ve been fine and I had a good time with your smart son.”

  “I’ll grab a bite to eat and then take him out to build a snowman. You don’t have to go.”

  “It sounds like fun,” she said, glancing outside at the snow-covered ranch.

  He headed into the kitchen. “Did you and Scotty have lunch?”

  “Yes. I made some macaroni for us both.”

  Fifteen minutes later, after a quick sandwich, Mike returned to the family room. “So, Scotty,” he said, “we can go outside now if you want.”

  “Yes,” Scotty answered, jumping to his feet.

  “Get all your snow gear on and whatever we’ll need for a snowman. I’ll get two lumps of coal for eyes and a carrot nose. How’s that? You find an old hat, okay?”

  “Yes, sir,” he said over his shoulder as he ran out of the room.

  “Are you going out with us?” Mike asked. “You don’t have to.”

  “Right now, the cold air sounds refreshing. It’ll be fun,” she said, standing. “I’m not fragile. My stomach is fragile at breakfast time—that’s all.”

  “Better get bundled up, then. It’s cold out there and the wind is blowing.”

  “Sure,” she said and they walked down the hall together and again she was aware of him so close beside her. “I’ll see you and Scotty where—back door, outside?”

  He nodded. “Scotty is about to pop to get out in the snow. It all looks wonderful to him.”

  She laughed. “Oh, to be a child again—”

  He grinned. “I kinda like some of the things that come with adulthood,” he said, a teasing note in his voice that made her think of their kiss and her cheeks grew warm. “I think you do, too, or you wouldn’t be blushing now,” he added softly, looking at her mouth.

  “I’ll see you outside,” she said, her voice breathless, betraying her feelings.

  “Sure,” he said, heading for his suite.

  Lost in thought about him, she stared at his back. She didn’t need another attraction in her life and she was risking one every hour she spent with Mike. His kiss set her on fire and made her forget everything else. He was likeable, fun, discerning, capable—caring—something that wrapped around her heart at this moment in time when she was vulnerable from being hurt. Mike held far too many appealing qualities all contained in over six feet of sexy male with thick black hair and dark brown eyes. Or was she just making another misjudgment based on assumptions and wishful thinking, projections of her hopes?

  Whatever the truth, she needed to remember she would tell Mike goodbye within the week, maybe in another day or two at the most. His heart belonged to his first wife and he was far from getting over his loss or ever loving again.

  At his door, Mike glanced back and caught her watching him.

  Embarrassed, she entered her bedroom and glanced outside at the white world. Beneath all that snow was a thick layer of ice, plus she had a car that wouldn’t run and she didn’t know when anyone could even get to it to see if it could be fixed or had burned beyond repair.

  She rushed to get her boots and pull a red sweater over her shirt. She put her hair in a thick braid and pulled on her coat as she hurried down the hall. She had a stocking cap, gloves, sunglasses. At the last minute she had grabbed a scarf for Scotty’s snowman and her phone.

  Mike and Scotty waited by the back door. Mike was hunkered down, fastening Scotty’s cap beneath his chin. He stood and reached into his pocket to hold out two packets for her. “Hand warmers. Drop them in your gloves and clap your hands when you want to warm them.”

  She smiled and took them. “Thanks.”

  In minutes they were busy rolling a big snowball for the snowman. Finally, Mike held Scotty to let him place the lumps of coal for the eyes and a carrot for the nose. Mike had a short length of thick rope he gave Scotty for the mouth which gave the snowman a huge grin.

  Mike scooped up one of his old broad-brimmed Western straw hats and Scotty placed it on the snowman. She watched Mike work with Scotty and felt a pang. Too much about Mike and Scotty reminded her of what she had lost, constantly bringing to mind the terrible mistake she had made in falling in love with Kirk. She was thankful she wouldn’t be long with Mike and Scotty because she could easily fall in love again and make just as big a mistake as before.

  “Here, Scotty, take this scarf and you can put it around his neck,” she said, holding out a plaid red-and-blue scarf.

  Mike lifted him up so Scotty could get it on the snowman while Savannah walked to the back side to help put the scarf around the snowman. As soon as they finished, she stepped away.

  “Let me get a picture of the two of you with the cowboy snowman,” Savannah said while she pulled out her phone and snapped pictures of Mike holding Scotty, standing beside the snow cowboy. Then Mike told Scotty to shake the snowman’s stick hand and she took another picture. Mike set Scotty on his feet and trudged toward her through the snow. “Now I’ll take one of you and Scotty and then we’ll do a selfie.”

  When Mike came over for the selfie, he picked up Scotty and held him in one arm, then handed Savannah the camera and put his other arm around her. “Savannah, you take the picture.”

  “Everyone give me a big smile,” she said, sliding her free arm around Mike’s shoulder and taking their picture. “One more,” she added and took another.

  “Good boy, Scotty,” Mike said and kissed him on the cheek. “And good girl, Savannah,” he teased, brushing a kiss on her cheek, a playful kiss that should have been nothing, yet her heart skipped a beat.

  They looked at their pictures, taking a few more before they put away the phones. />
  It was almost four when they finally went inside. “I know everyone will welcome a snack,” Mike said. “I’ll slice some apples.”

  “I’ll slice the apples,” Savannah offered, heading into the kitchen and taking three apples from the fruit bowl.

  Soon Scotty was munching on slices of apples while he played a game on the laptop. He yawned, scooted off the chair and lay down on the soft rug near the fireplace, falling fast asleep. Mike picked him up to carry him to his room.

  Savannah sat near the fire, getting warm and relaxed while she looked at the pictures she had taken outside. When Mike returned he sat close to look at the pictures with her. “Scotty is adorable. I hope my baby is just like him.”

  “He’s a good kid. We have fun and he’s my salvation without Elise.”

  “I can imagine. Your heart still belongs to Elise and your memories. You’re definitely unattainable. I will have to be careful not to fall in love even though you and Scotty are so lovable.”

  “No kidding?” he said, smiling, making light of what had turned into a solemn moment. “That’s a first for someone to tell me.”

  “As I said, although lovable, you’re as out of reach as a star. I don’t intend to forget. On a lighter note, that was fun today. What a snowman.”

  He glanced out the wall of glass. “I got a text from Ray. He said another snowstorm is moving in tonight.” He stood and put another log on the dying fire.

  “Oh no!”

  “You’re welcome here, Savannah. You don’t have to be in California at any set time, do you?”

  “Not really. I’ll text my aunt and let her know there will be another delay. I talked to her briefly this morning.”

  “Tell her to stop sending this crummy weather our way,” he said, smiling at her. “Want to watch a movie, or maybe just sit, play a game?”

  “Just sitting after all that giant snowball rolling is fine with me. If you have things you have to do, go ahead.”

  “I don’t have anything urgent—” he said, interrupted by a commotion at the back door.

  “Must be Ray or one of the boys. Just a minute and I’ll be back,” Mike said, leaving the room.

  He was talking to someone, her curiosity rising when she heard a woman’s voice. He entered the room with a tall blonde beside him and for an instant, Savannah wondered if he had a woman in his life.

  His guest had shed her coat and she wore a thick navy sweater, jeans and boots.

  “Savannah, we have company. This is my sister, Lindsay Calhoun. Lindsay, meet Savannah Grayson.”

  As Savannah greeted his sister, she couldn’t see any family resemblance between the blue-eyed blonde and the black-haired Mike with his dark brown eyes.

  “Hi. I have a ranch near here and since we’re snowed in, I rode over because I thought my brother and Scotty would be bored shut in the house and stuck because of the storm. I knew Mrs. Lewis was still away.”

  “You should have sent a text and I could have told you—but now you’re here and I’m happy for you to meet Savannah. Yesterday Savannah had car trouble, including the car catching on fire, so after dousing the fire, we left it at Ed’s station.”

  “I’m sorry. You did have trouble and this weather doesn’t help. I doubt if Ed will open tomorrow.”

  “So you drove over here—that means the roads are open?” Savannah asked.

  Mike and Lindsay both smiled. “No, they’re not,” Lindsay replied. “I came on horseback. I left home almost two hours ago.”

  “Oh, my word. Two hours on horseback.”

  “It’s pretty out there and quiet. I figured Mike would be lonesome. Had I known he had company—”

  “Did you see the snowman when you came in?”

  “Yes, very cute dude. I’m sure Scotty had fun. I want some pop, and do you have some cookies?”

  “Sure,” Mike said, standing and she motioned to him to sit again.

  “I’ll find them and then I’ll be back. Want anything, Savannah?”

  “No, thank you,” she said.

  In a short time Lindsay was settled in a chair near the fire. She sat with her long legs tucked under her while she talked about their family. “You’ll hear if you stick around very long—for over a century our Calhoun family has been feuding with another family, the Milans. Recently our brother Jake married a Milan, which meant a lot of us had to make adjustments. Then only months ago, a Milan married a woman who is a Calhoun descendent, although she didn’t grow up in this area.”

  “Aunt Lindsay—”

  Scotty stood in the doorway, his curls a bigger tangle than ever. He held a worn stuffed bear in his arms. A slow grin spread and he ran across the room. Lindsay scooped him up and hugged him while he clung tightly to her in turn.

  “Hey, I thought you and your daddy would be so lonesome with all this snow so I rode Sergeant over.”

  “Did you see the snow cowboy?” Scotty asked.

  “I certainly did. It’s the happiest snow cowboy I ever did see. I love it.”

  Lindsay sat with Scotty on her lap for the next half hour before he jumped down and ran to get some of his toys. Lindsay stood. “I’m going to start home, Mike. Ray said to call when I’m ready. He’s going to take Sergeant and me as far as the west bridge. Some of the guys shoveled it off today.”

  “Stay tonight. I’ve got a casserole in the oven for dinner. There’s no need for you to make that long trek twice in a day and you’ll be alone when you get home.”

  “You know I’m used to that and we’ve got another storm coming. I better be home when it hits. Savannah, it was nice to meet you. I’m glad you found my brother and he could help. You take care of yourself.”

  “Lindsay, I’m happy to have met you,” Savannah said, following them to the door.

  Ray drove up, his truck pulling a horse trailer and she could see Lindsay’s horse through an opening. Ray lowered his window. “Hi, Savannah, Mike, Scotty.”

  “Bye, Mike,” Lindsay said, giving him a quick hug and then turning to hug Scotty. She climbed into the truck.

  “I’ll take them home if I can get through,” Ray said, closing his window and driving out, turning west.

  “He can’t even see a road,” Savannah said, amazed that Mike’s sister would ride over to see him.

  “Ray knows the way, plus he can follow her horse tracks now.”

  “Is she safe when she has to ride her horse?”

  “Yes, she is. I imagine if Ray can cross the creek, he’ll get her home.”

  “If he can do that, I can get my car when it’s ready.”

  “Driving back to Ed’s or anywhere on the highway is different. Ray’s in a truck cutting across country he knows on paths the guys already drove over earlier. He may not be able to cross the bridge anyway. If he can’t, she’ll ride her horse to the far west side of my property. From there she’ll cross the highway and she’ll be on her own land. It’ll be nearly dark when she gets home, but her dogs will meet her. She’ll be okay.”

  “It’s her world and she knows it and she thinks it’s beautiful, but it looks desolate and frightening to me,” Savannah said. “I’m glad to have met her and heard some of the family tales.”

  “We’ve got plenty. Old legends, tales—some have proven to be true this past year.” They went inside and Mike tossed another log on the fire. “That casserole should be about ready to take out of the oven. I hope you like baked spaghetti.”

  “Sounds delicious on a cold snowy night. Let me help.”

  Within the hour they sat with Scotty to eat baked spaghetti. Mike was efficient and easygoing about getting things done. She helped him clear the dishes after dinner, aware of enjoying his company, realizing she would miss him for a few days when she left. Once in, she hoped to get a job and be busy enough to help heal her hurt
s and to forget a lot of her past and she expected to forget her time with Mike. She thought about his kiss and wondered how long before she could forget that.

  “Daddy, can we watch Ice Age?”

  “We have a world of ice and snow. Wouldn’t you rather watch something with a palm tree and a beach?”

  “No, sir.”

  Mike looked at Savannah and shrugged.

  “You asked,” she said, smiling at Scotty who stood looking hopefully at Mike.

  “Let’s see what our company wants to do, okay?”

  Scotty turned big brown eyes on her.

  “I’d love to watch Ice Age, Scotty. It’s a fun movie.”

  “I lose,” Mike said, shaking his head and smiling at Scotty.

  During the movie, Mike received a text. After checking his phone, he leaned close to Savannah. “That was Lindsay. Ray took her and her horse home and he’s back here.”

  “I’m relieved to know they’re both safe,” she whispered and Mike smiled at her.

  While they watched the movie, Scotty climbed into Mike’s lap. Looking at the two of them, sadness stabbed her. She could hear Kirk’s harsh words to get rid of their baby when what she wanted was the kind of love and closeness Mike and Scotty had. How could she have misjudged Kirk so badly? Could she trust her judgment in the future? How many times was she going to be plagued by that question? Would she ever again feel sure in her judgment about a relationship?

  When she glanced again at Mike, her gaze rested on his mouth while she thought about his kiss and wanted to kiss again. She assumed it was because she was hurt and vulnerable. Or would she have felt that way about it if there were no hurts or problems in her life? At the moment Mike loomed larger-than-life and was so desirable he took her breath.

  When the movie finished, Mike announced that it was time to get Scotty ready for bed.

  “When you have your pajamas on, call me and I’ll come read a story to you,” Savannah offered as Mike picked him up and placed him on his shoulders to leave the room.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Scotty laughed and wound his fingers in Mike’s curls.