A Ranch to Call Home

by Leann Harris

“She wondered who I was,” Caleb explained, “and where you and your grandfather were. She wasn’t too thrilled finding a stranger here who knew her name. For a minute there, I thought she might take me down.”

  Joel’s lips twisted into a smile. “I don’t know how much Caleb said about himself, but we were friends when I was on the circuit. He comes here occasionally and visits.”

  “So that fancy horse trailer I saw outside isn’t yours, but Caleb’s?”

  “It is.”

  Kaye turned to Caleb. “So what’s your specialty in rodeo?”

  Caleb’s expression closed down. “I’ll grab my things and clear out of Kaye’s room.”

  He didn’t wait to hear their response but strode into Kaye’s room and gathered the two shirts and jeans hanging in the closet. Snagging his duffel bag, he slung it over his shoulder. He looked around the room. Obviously, her family hadn’t touched anything in here since Kaye left. An old, faded poster from a Petra concert hung on the wall, along with posters for a world-championship rodeo. Dried mums from her high school homecoming and pom-poms hung over the dresser mirror. Yearbooks sat on the nightstand with a stuffed bear perched on top of them. When Caleb had first stayed in this room, he felt odd. But as time passed, it was like coming back and talking to a friend.

  When he turned to go, Kaye stood in the door, her duffel bag and backpack slung over her shoulders, staring at him. Joel stood behind her. He felt four times an idiot to be caught mooning after his abrupt retreat from the kitchen. She must wonder at his actions, but she’d blindsided him with her question.

  “I think I’ve got everything,” he said, looking around, giving himself time to take a deep breath. When he turned back, he realized there was no way that he could go through the doorway with his things and not press up against Kaye. He backed up, allowing Kaye and Joel into the room.

  She put her duffel bag on the bed and brushed back one of the short brown curls that fell on her forehead. “It always stays the same, doesn’t it?” She pointed to the mums. “I guess I need to do some updating.”

  Joel put down another duffel bag. “Yeah, I don’t know why you saved Kenny James’s mums.”

  “Spoken like a brother. Kenny was fun and he asked me to homecoming my senior year.”

  Joel rolled his eyes and looked at Caleb.

  “It’s something a girl does.” Caleb remembered the corsage his mother had kept from her wedding before a judge.

  “What’s Kenny doing now?” Kaye slipped off her backpack and put it on the bed beside the duffel bag.

  Joel shrugged. “His sister claims he’s some bigwig back East. I don’t know if that’s the truth, but he sure was a bust in rodeo.” Joel grinned at Caleb. “The guy flew off the horse the instant the gate opened. He missed his calf in the calf roping, and when he saw the bull he’d pulled to ride, he withdrew.”

  “Some guys aren’t cut out to rodeo.” Kaye waved her brother away.

  Her words struck a chord in Caleb’s heart, making his doubts roar back to life. He took a deep breath.

  “Now, get out of here and let me unpack. I think I’d like to take a shower.”

  As Caleb walked out of the room, he heard brother and sister teasing each other. The banter made him smile, reminding him of the exchanges he had with his younger brother, Sawyer. Now that Sawyer had his degree and no longer needed Caleb’s help, there was no reason for Caleb to continue working in the rodeo.

  Lately, he’d been dreaming of his own ranch and wondered if that distraction caused the disaster or at least contributed to the accident.

  Opening the side door to the horse trailer, Caleb hung his clothes and put his duffel bag on the bunk. He walked out to the corral behind the barn. His horse, Razor, trotted up to him, looking for a treat.

  “Sorry, big guy. I don’t have anything.”

  The horse nudged him. Razor could always be depended on to bring him out of his funk. “Did you see her? Kaye is home. I’d only seen pictures of her, but meeting her in person—wow.” Absently, he rubbed Razor’s nose as he thought of those blue eyes, which could bore through a man. You weren’t going to hide anything from her.

  Too bad he hadn’t met her before Albuquerque.

  Razor lifted his head and galloped around the fence. It brought a smile to Caleb’s face.

  “I see your horse is in high spirits.” Joel stopped beside Caleb.

  Caleb rested his booted foot on the bottom rail of the fence. “How’s your grandfather, really?”

  “Doc says he should be fine. They want him to keep his arm in a sling for the next few days, but nothing was broken. Badly bruised, but not broken. How that tractor didn’t do more damage than it did, I don’t know. God was looking out for Gramps.” Joel kept his gaze on Razor.

  “That’s for sure. I’m glad I rode out to that pasture.” Caleb still remembered the numbing fear that had raced through him when he’d seen the overturned tractor.

  “I’m thankful, too.”

  They both kept their cell phones in their back pockets, and it had proved to be a blessing. Caleb had called and Joel had come within ten minutes.

  A deep sigh escaped Joel’s mouth. “It’s been a day of surprises.”

  An understatement. “Did you know your sister was coming?”

  “Not a clue. I talked with her last week, and she mentioned she was feeling stronger but didn’t say anything about coming home. The equine therapy has helped. First time I saw her in the hospital in San Antonio after she’d been wounded, it shook me, and that was weeks after the explosion. It gets to a guy’s gut to see his little sister so broken.” He looked down at his clasped hands and took a deep breath. “Seeing her now, it’s mind-blowing.”

  “And she’s home.”

  Joel laughed. “Yeah. I often wondered what she was going to do after the army, if she would come home.”

  “You have part of the question answered.” Which was more than Caleb knew about his own life. “Are you glad she’s here?”

  “Of course, but I’m not sure if she sees it that way. She was good at what she did. The career she loved is over thanks to a suicide bomber, and she comes home to find—” he swept his arm in a wide arc “—this mess with Gramps and the drought. Not to mention she doesn’t even know yet about the charity rodeo that I somehow got appointed the head honcho.” He blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “How that happened, I still don’t know. This is just one more thing to add confusion to her world. And my world.”

  They watched Razor.

  An idea popped into his brain. “I think I know something that can keep your sister busy and might help her decide what she wants to do.” Caleb wanted to laugh out loud at his great idea.

  “Yeah, what’s that?”

  “Put her in charge of the charity rodeo. Let her organize it. You’ve been complaining constantly about all the things you have to do since you drafted me into this shindig. I thought you were going to drop like a sack of feed when you saw Nan White on the organizing committee.”

  Joel shuddered. “Who would’ve thought?”

  Anyone with eyes, but Caleb decided not to mention it. “I think with all the different things you and I need to do, giving it to Kaye would keep her busy and she could think of the future.”

  Joel’s distressed expression turned into a grin. “I like how you think, friend.”

  “Do you think she’ll accept?”

  Joel shrugged. “Don’t know. But I’m going to give it a shot, because heaven knows I don’t want to ramrod it.”

  Caleb shared his friend’s feelings about being in charge, but with Kaye running the show, their prospects looked mighty good. And oddly enough, the idea of working with Kaye appealed to him in ways that he didn’t understand.

  Chapter Two

  “Who knew you c
ould cook?” Kaye teased, loading the dishwasher. She leaned against the counter, and her fingers snagged the top wire shelf of the appliance. “And you have a dishwasher—a brand-spanking-new dishwasher.” It boggled the mind. Nothing else in this room had changed for over twenty years but this happy little appliance.

  Joel leaned back in his chair and grinned. Caleb grabbed his glass of tea and gulped, but she saw his smile.

  “A Crock-Pot.”

  Joel’s response didn’t make sense. She’d been talking dishwasher. “What?”

  “That’s my secret to cooking. Once Gramps and I discovered it in the back of the cabinet, we started using it. We had dinner ready when we came in at night.” His voice rang with pride.

  “It prevented us from starving, that’s for sure,” Gramps added. The bruising on his face had colored even more, making Kaye want to grimace, remembering when her face had sported similar bruising.

  “Well, you’ll have to give me some recipes. It’s been a long time since I’ve cooked for myself or my ex—” she swallowed the rest of the bitter word, glancing at Caleb to see if he caught her mistake “—on a regular basis. I think I’d rather be out in the field working with the locals than cook. I guess I didn’t get the cooking gene from Mom.” She wanted to snatch back the words. How was she going to do this when she kept stepping on land mines?

  “Do you have any idea what you want to do now, Sis?” Her brother’s question snapped her out of the past.

  “You mean, what do I want to do when I grow up?”

  That brought laughter.

  “Well, I haven’t—”

  “I have an idea,” Joel said.

  That had a suspicious ring. She glanced at her grandfather, then Caleb. There was a twinkle in Caleb’s eyes that set her teeth on edge. She couldn’t tell if Gramps was smiling since his face was so swollen.

  “I’m afraid to ask.”

  Joel stood. “Come with me and I’ll show you.” He led everyone into the formal dining room. Scattered papers covered the entire surface of the table. “I’m in over my head, and I think with what you did in the army, you can help me.”

  “At what?” She stared at the mess. It looked like her brother had left the windows open in the dining room and the wind had scattered everything. Stepping to the table, she picked up several sheets. Calf tie-down, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, bareback riding. “A rodeo?” She looked at the three men gathered around.

  “The drought has hit most of the ranchers hard in the county, Sis, nearly wiping us out,” Joel explained. “We’ve had to buy feed and hay since our crops failed. Some don’t have the money for seed to plant this next season and will go broke with another year like last year and lose their ranches. At church, we came up with the idea of a charity rodeo with all the prize money, entry fees and ticket sales going to buy seed and feed for the ranchers. County fairgrounds will donate their facility without charge. Now all we have to do is organize the thing.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I was elected to organize this shindig and get it going.”

  Kaye’s eyes widened but she didn’t say anything. There was more coming, and she felt it.

  “I’m in over my head. I can’t work the ranch and do this.” He waved at the pile. “I could use some help.”

  There it was.

  “Isn’t that what you did in the army as a public-affairs officer?” Joel further pressed. “Organizing things for the army and local residents?”

  She admired her brother’s cunning. He knew how to bait the trap and spring it. When they were growing up, he’d always managed to steer her into doing things he didn’t want to do. “You haven’t lost your edge, have you, big brother?”

  The twitch of his lips ruined his innocent expression.

  She tried to remain stern, but the humor of the situation bubbled up. Caleb and Gramps stood still, afraid to breathe. “You were always too smart for my own good.”

  “Does that mean yes?” The note of hope in her brother’s voice made her want to either laugh or throw something at him.

  “I’ll do it, but you’re not off scot-free.”

  Joel grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around. “That’s okay.”

  “Put me down.”

  He did, then kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, Sis.”

  Kaye shook her head. “What more could I expect from my big brother, who was known to get his own way?” She also figured she needed to pay him back. He’d kept the ranch running when she’d run so fast away from here, leaving him to pick up the pieces.

  “Want to see what I’ve got so far?”

  “No, but if I’m going to do this, I guess I need to see what I’m up against. Show me.”

  * * *

  Caleb stood by the corral, watching Razor. The spring night carried soft smells of honeysuckle and wild roses. In spite of the drought, some flowers were blooming this year.

  There was the hope of rain this week. A promise. Every rancher in the county prayed rain would come.

  “Is that your horse?”

  Caleb jerked at the sound of Kaye’s voice.

  “Yes. That’s Razor.”

  “He’s a beaut.”

  Razor trotted up to the fence. He stood before Kaye, his tail swishing.

  She reached out her hand to rub the horse’s muzzle.

  “I wouldn’t do that.” Caleb’s hand shot out catching her by the wrist. The contact sizzled. Her eyes widened as she felt the electricity, too. Instantly, he drew back his hand. “He’s prickly.”

  Kaye turned her gaze back to Razor and lightly stroked the horse’s muzzle and forehead. Amazingly, stunningly, Razor stood quietly and allowed her to do it, making him look like an idiot.

  “This is prickly?” She moved her hand under his chin and continued stroking him. “Hey, big guy. It’s nice to meet you.” She reached into the pocket of her light sweater and pulled out a carrot. “Could I offer you a treat?”

  Razor nodded and closed his teeth around the carrot.

  Leaning against the fence, Caleb marveled at the woman’s approach. “You came prepared.”

  “I learned the hard way it’s always easier to offer a gift. It paves the way. It works with people as well as animals. Particularly in Iraq.”

  Joel had bragged about what his sister did in the army. And Caleb had stayed at the ranch the week Joel and his grandfather had visited her in the hospital in San Antonio.

  “Razor is the best at what he does, but some folks have gotten on the wrong side of him.” Caleb felt foolish for sounding the alarm, but who knew Razor would behave himself? “Razor is a fine working horse, but he’s a little temperamental.”

  “Temperamental?”

  “Folks need to be cautious when they approach him. He can be unpredictable. He needs a firm hand.”

  “I understand. I’ve spent the last twelve years dealing with prickly males.”

  Caleb’s eyes widened, then he snorted. “Point taken.” He liked her quick wit.

  “Well, he’s a beautiful animal. And I think I’ve won a friend.”

  “Just be warned, he’ll be looking for a treat from now on.”

  “I hear you. But remember, I was a public-affairs officer. My job was to read people and interface with the local population.”

  “Interface?”

  She caught the irony in his voice. “Sorry. Force of habit. It’s easier to talk and get to know the local civilian population if you come with a present.” She sobered. “I guess I’ve joined the ranks of that civilian population, haven’t I?”

  Obviously, the lady’s choice hadn’t been one she’d welcomed. Circumstances had overwhelmed her. He identified with that. “But something tells me you’re the right person to tackle that charity rodeo. Since
you interfaced with the locals, I think you can probably do this job in your sleep.”

  “Sometimes dealing with your own hometown is more of a challenge.”

  He knew that. “You’ll be better than Joel. Or me.”

  She laughed, a clear, beautiful sound that transformed her into a stunning woman. He didn’t think she had on a speck of makeup, but there was a natural beauty to her. She wasn’t like some of those girls who showed up at the rodeo, playing at being a cowgirl, pretending to be something they weren’t. He could tell that Kaye had been through some hard experiences, but she wore that experience with dignity. And that appealed to him.

  “Well, since I’m at a crossroads, I guess I’ve got the time.” Razor dipped his head, looking for another carrot. She gently pushed his face away. “One wasn’t enough for you?”

  The horse raised his head. She pulled a second carrot out of her other pocket. The horse nodded and took the second one from her. “If I pull this thing off, are you going to compete?”

  “Not me.”

  “Why not? I though you said you knew Joel through the rodeo.”

  “True, but that was a long time ago. I started working as a pick-up rider. My brother was the star.”

  “Oh, good, you could ride pick-up for the charity rodeo. That will work, as well.”

  “No can do.” He didn’t look at her but rubbed Razor’s neck.

  “Why not?”

  She’d touched a raw spot in his heart. He didn’t know if he wanted to charge that hill yet, so he hoped to divert her. “I can help with other things—with your vendors, stock supplier, but I won’t do pick-up.”

  Confusion filled her eyes, and she opened her mouth, but then closed it. “Okay. I’ll take you up on the offer to help.”

  He nodded.

  She studied him. “If you don’t mind me asking, why’d you become a pick-up rider? Most of the guys I knew growing up here wanted to compete and win. That’s where the action and glory are.”

  “And if they don’t win or place, they don’t get money. What I did pays every rodeo.” And since he’d supported his brother and him, he’d needed a paycheck he could count on. He knew she wanted to ask more, but he wasn’t willing to say more. “Why’d you join the army?”