His helpfulness granted a welcome gift of time to Kaley. With plans to make the most of it, she went to her garden and picked all the ripe tomatoes and beans.
Jacob wavered between picking beans and playing with Buford. When he plopped down next to her and pointed to the sky, she smoothed the hair away from his forehead and smiled.
“You want to look at the clouds awhile?”
Jacob nodded and grabbed her hand, directing her to a spot of grass near a big maple tree in the back yard where sunlight dappled the leaves.
She hushed the voice in her head reminding her of all the work waiting for her, stretched out with her hands beneath her head, and gazed at the sky. Jacob rested with his head on her stomach, staring upward. He pointed to a cloud and she asked what he thought it was. She guessed answers until he nodded his head, letting her know she finally arrived at the right conclusion.
Although the big fluffy cloud looked like a sunflower to her, Jacob thought it looked like a tractor tire. She pointed to a cloud that looked like a heart then one that resembled a cat.
When he didn’t respond to her last observation, she raised her head, noticing he slept. Carefully moving him so she could get to her feet, she carried him inside, leaving him on the couch in the living room. She returned to the garden and finished picking the tomatoes. After hauling the buckets of produce to her kitchen, she dug out her canning supplies and got to work.
Jacob wandered into the kitchen an hour later, ready for lunch. When they finished, he worked with a set of flashcards while she washed and processed the tomatoes. She canned the last of the beans as he sat at the counter and completed simple math problems.
Motherly pride gave her assurance no one could deny her boy was one smart little cookie despite his inability to speak.
A firm believer that children shouldn’t waste their imaginations or time sitting in front of a television, she sent Jacob outside to sweep the walks when he finished his school work.
Cort found him by the back door as he walked up to the house, ready for dinner.
“Hey, Jacob.” Cort smiled when he saw the little boy swishing the broom along the back walk. “Did you have a good day, partner?”
Jacob grinned. He pointed to Cort and looked at him curiously.
“Yep. I had a good day, too. I found the spot where those cows were getting out, so maybe they’ll stay in for a day or two.” Cort followed the little boy up the steps to the kitchen door.
Jacob leaned the broom against the side of the house then opened the door.
“Buddy, go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon and Mr. McGraw should be back anytime.” Kaley stirred something on the stove without turning around at the sound of the door shutting.
Jacob held his finger to his lips as he grinned at Cort then ran down the hall to the bathroom.
Cort wasn’t sure what to do, so he watched Kaley for a moment. She wore a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers with an apron tied around her waist. She looked unbelievably domestic and feminine as she stood at the stove stirring a spoon around in a pot. The smells of something tasty cooking made his stomach rumble.
Kaley whipped around at the noise, her face conveying her shock at finding him in her kitchen.
“I didn’t hear you come in.” Subconsciously, she ran a hand up to smooth her hair. Several locks escaped her braid and curled around her face. The heat from the stove left her cheeks flushed a rosy shade of pink while her generous lips parted slightly, drawing Cort’s full attention.
“I came in with Jacob. He made it clear he thought it would be fun to surprise you.” Cort eyed the little boy who peeked at them from around the corner.
“Oh, he did, did he? Well, for that, he might get spinach for dinner.” Kaley winked at Cort as Jacob ran into the kitchen and grabbed her hand, emphatically shaking his head.
“I take it you don’t like that idea,” Kaley observed. Jacob made a disgusted face that forced Cort to turn away and cover his laugh with a cough.
Kaley hid a grin behind a maternal glare. “I guess you better behave yourself.”
Jacob nodded his head then shrugged at Cort. The little boy picked up a bowl of salad and carried it to the table, doing his best to be helpful.
Hours later, after Jacob had gone to bed and the evening chores were completed, Cort tapped quietly on the kitchen door before walking inside the house. He’d moved his belongings to the guest room right after dinner, but hesitated to barge into Mrs. Peters’ home.
She called for him to enter so he opened the door and stepped inside the kitchen. She sat at the table with a pile of papers and a glass of iced tea. A pair of square-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, giving her a sexy-librarian appearance that made Cort’s mouth as dry as if he’d licked a pile of sawdust.
“Would you like a glass of tea or lemonade?” Kaley asked, setting her glasses on the table and getting to her feet.
“Lemonade would be great.” Lemonade spiked with something sounded better, but Cort kept that thought to himself. He removed his hat and gloves, leaving them on the bench by the door then went to the sink to wash his hands.
He watched as Kaley filled a glass with ice and poured lemonade. She took a pie from the refrigerator and cut a generous slice. After warming it in the microwave, she added a scoop of ice cream on top.
“Hope you like peach,” she said, setting the lemonade and pie on the table then motioning for Cort to have a seat.
“My grandpa always said he’d only eat two kinds of pie - hot or cold.” Cort grinned, picked up his fork and took a bite. The burst of summery flavor exploding in his mouth from the sweet, juicy peaches and flaky crust caused him to hastily fork another bite. “I share his thoughts on the subject.”
“That’s good to know.” From what she’d observed, Cort wasn’t a picky eater. In fact, he was polite and mannerly at each meal. However, she had a gnawing sense that something was terribly wrong in his life. “Please don’t feel like you need to knock on the door every time you come in. Consider this place home for as long as you work here. You’re welcome to use the outside entry into your room anytime you like.”
“I appreciate that. Thanks.” Cort savored the sweet pie surrounded by a pool of melting ice cream. It was one of the most delicious things he’d ever eaten. For a few minutes, he lost himself in the bliss of the treat. He scanned the kitchen, noticing the canning jars full of beans and tomatoes. “Looks like you had a busy day.”
“Jacob and I got a lot of canning done. Thank goodness, I don’t have much left to do.” Kaley straightened the piles of papers then sipped her iced tea. She studied Cort a moment before dropping her gaze to the table. “Thank you for all your hard work yesterday and today. You certainly don’t let the grass grow under your feet.”
Cort chuckled and slid his empty plate away from him, rubbing his fingers along the beads of condensation trickling down the sides of his glass. “I like to keep busy.”
“So I gathered.” Kaley attempted to keep focused on the reason Cort was there and not the man himself. She’d never seen eyes such an alluring silvery hue before or anyone so exceptionally handsome. “Did you have any trouble riding the fence today?”
“Nope. I found a place where the ol’ biddies had knocked down all but one wire and two more spots where they were working on creating escape routes. If it’s the same bunch of cows causing the trouble, you could always take them to the saleyard.”
“I know I should cull some of the herd. We could use the money and we wouldn’t have to feed quite as many this winter, but I don’t know where to start,” Kaley admitted.
“I’m happy to work with them and offer suggestions. Do you have records on any of the cattle?” Cort asked, wondering if she grew up in the country. From what she’d shared, he had the idea she didn’t have much ranch experience.
“A few.” She got to her feet and opened a drawer in the built-in china cupboard by the table. Lifting out a thick file folder and a ragged old notebook, she set the information in fro
nt of Cort. “Most of the info in there makes no sense to me, but maybe you can make heads or tails of it.”
“I’ll do my best.” Cort took a long drink of the cold lemonade. The sweet, tart beverage tasted more satisfying than he expected, especially since he wanted to get in his truck and drive to a bar. He knew, though, that K.C. and Jacob Peters needed him functioning and sober much more than he needed to get drunk.
His game plan to keep himself too busy to have the time or inclination to drink worked the past two days. He hoped he could keep it up, not only for himself, but also for the woman sitting across from him.
Although he’d known the widow and her son for less than two days, he felt protective of them and for some odd reason, responsible for them, too.
He refused to admit it had anything to do with the woman’s unforgettable blue eyes, smooth skin, or his desire to make her smile. For the most part, it looked as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Then there was Jacob. The little boy was far too somber and withdrawn for a child. He should be rambunctious and full of mischief. That’s why he went along with Jacob’s request to surprise K.C. when they came in for dinner. It did his heart good to see the kid grin and scamper down the hall.
About to get more involved with the two people residing at the Hanging P than was wise, Cort needed to keep his attention on his job, nothing more.
“What did you have in mind for me to work on tomorrow?” Cort asked, trying not to rub a hand across his knee. Although it didn’t bother him most days, spending a day in the saddle and getting up and down while fixing fence had pushed it beyond endurance. As he sat and rested, an ache throbbed from his shin all the way up his thigh.
“If you wouldn’t mind taking a look at the feedlot and making sure the fence is all sound, that would be great. I’d rather get it repaired while the weather is still nice than wait until the cold sets in.” Kaley lifted her gaze enough to stare at the dimple in Cort’s chin.
The most unreasonable desire to reach out and touch it washed over her. She clasped her hands tightly together on her lap and continued reviewing her mental catalog of tasks for her new employee. “After that, there’s a hole in the barn roof that needs to be repaired, the stock tank in the horse corral leaks, and there’s a gopher digging his way to China in the backyard.”
“Okay, let me write this down.” Cort hid a smile. His sister could catch gophers better than anyone he knew, but apparently Mrs. Peters either couldn’t or wouldn’t set a gopher trap. She slid a blank sheet of paper his direction while he picked up the pen she’d been using earlier. “What else needs to be done before winter?”
She rattled off multiple chores including winterizing the equipment they wouldn’t use during the cold months, insulating the pipes in the barn because they seemed to freeze every winter, and, if time permitted, painting the house.
Cort took detailed notes then set aside the pen and looked over the long list. “Thanks.”
“For what?” Kaley glanced at him in confusion.
“Job security. It’ll take me until Christmas to get all this done.”
“Oh, well, I didn’t mean you had to do it all right away or by yourself. I’ll help, and you can take whatever time you need for each project.” Kaley grasped the edge of the table, worried she’d scare off the best help she’d had since Dean and Ed died.
She jumped when the warmth of Cort’s hand covered her own. Looking down, she studied his big, capable fingers. Something sizzled from that innocent point of contact all the way up her arm and down to her stomach, causing nervous fluttering to erupt in her mid-section.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Peters. I’ll make sure everything gets done,” Cort assured her.
“I appreciate it.” Kaley fought back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. For the first time since her husband died, she felt a small glimmer of hope fighting its way to the surface of her thoughts.
Chapter Five
“Mornin’.”
Kaley glanced up from the batter she stirred and gawked at Cort. He stood near the counter, looking and smelling better than any man had a right to before six in the morning.
“Good morning.” She willed her run-away pulse to decelerate and refocused her attention on the batter.
The slow, lazy grin spreading across his handsome face turned her into a feeble-minded, wobbly-kneed ninny. Some of the batter splashed over the edge of the bowl with a particularly vigorous stir. Cort chuckled as she wiped up the spill.
A quick peek at him turned into a lingering gaze as his silvery eyes captured her interest. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one hip to the other, drawing her attention from his face downward.
Unnerved by her gaze and the warmth in her pale blue eyes, he took a seat on a barstool at the counter. “I know I haven’t been here long enough to ask this, but I kind of hoped you wouldn’t mind if we took a day off work.”
In the few days Cort had been at the ranch, he’d accomplished as much as her two summer helpers managed to do in a month. More than happy to give him a day off, she wondered what he planned to do.
“I guess that would be fine. Will you be back for dinner?”
“That depends on if we eat out or come home early. I’d like you and Jacob to go with me.” Cort smiled as her head whipped up and he hurried to explain. “There’s a parade in Pendleton today, with the Round-Up, and I wondered if you and Jacob would like to go. We could see it, eat some lunch, and go to the rodeo.”
Rendered speechless by his suggestion, Kaley’s mouth ceased functioning even if she had the ability to pull her scattered thoughts together long enough to form a sentence.
Cort took her silence as an objection. “The parade is always a lot of fun. I thought Jacob would enjoy it, and the rodeo.” He couldn’t stand being so close to Pendleton and missing the entire Round-Up celebration. He knew Tate and Kenzie hosted a barbecue the previous evening for a bunch of their rodeo friends. They’d invited him to attend with K.C. and Jacob, but Cort decided it best if he skipped out. Dinner would have led to him going off with some of his old buddies and that would no doubt end with him drunk at a bar in town.
Sleep eluded him last night as his mind wandered to his rodeo pals and former competitors in Pendleton. Eager to attend the Round-Up, he hoped if K.C. and Jacob went along, he wouldn’t be tempted to stay out late drinking. The idea of watching Jacob’s reaction to the events also made him hope K.C. would agree to his plans.
As she poured batter into a bread pan and slid it into the oven he speculated on what it would take to convince her to go.
“Have you ever gone to a parade or rodeo before?”
“No.” She washed the batter bowl and dried it, searching for something to keep her mind and hands busy so she’d stop ogling Cort with sidelong glances. The refrigerator provided a convenient escape as she opened the door and pretended to search for something.
“Do you not like parades or rodeos?” he asked, as she took bacon out of the fridge and began placing strips into a big skillet. He didn’t know how something as domestic as cooking breakfast could come across as downright enthralling.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been to the Pendleton parade and I’ve never gone to a rodeo,” Kaley admitted. Dean hadn’t liked the rodeo, mostly because Ed went on and on about it being a stupid competition with a bunch of yahoos showing off.
Parades and activities Jacob might enjoy ranked low on the list of things the Peters men liked to do.
Busy getting through one day followed by the next, Kaley didn’t usually search for fun things to do, like attend parades, but Cort was right. Jacob would love it.
“Would you consider giving it a try?” Cort’s sincere, imploring look cracked a piece off the impenetrable wall around her heart.
“Jacob would enjoy it. What time do we need to leave?” Kaley didn’t dare glance at Cort again. It was too easy for that bright silvery gaze to entangle her in its depths.
“The parade starts at ten so if we want to find a good place to watch, we should be there at least half an hour early. I’d like to leave here about eighty-thirty. Would that give you time to get ready?” A broad smile lifted the corners of his mouth upward. He wanted to let out a victory shout, but managed to remain calm as he sat at the counter.
“That’ll be fine,” she said, tamping down her excitement. Not only would they spend the day doing something enjoyable, giving Jacob a new experience, the entire day would be spent in the company of an exceptionally good-looking and unbelievably considerate man.
“Great. I’ll get started on the chores.” Cort grabbed his hat and gloves, rushing out the door. When he returned to the kitchen a short while later, Jacob sat sleepy-eyed at the table, propping his head up on his hand.
“Mornin’, partner.” Cort ruffled the little boy’s hair. Jacob smiled, but didn’t appear particularly enthusiastic. A questioning glance at Kaley resulted in her shrugging, indicating she hadn’t shared their plans.
Cort washed his hands then helped set breakfast on the table while Jacob toyed with his glass of juice.
“Mr. McGraw suggested we deserve a day off, Jacob.” Kaley buttered a slice of warm banana bread and set it on his plate. “Do you think you’d like to see a parade and a rodeo?”
Jacob sat straight up in his chair with his blue eyes open wide. He stared at Cort, waiting for him to offer confirmation to his mother’s statement.
“Think you might enjoy that, partner?” Cort winked at the boy.
Jacob jumped out of his chair and rushed around the table, launching himself at Cort. As the little boy leaned against his chest, Cort rubbed the small back with one big hand, fighting down the lump in his throat. It took so little to make the child happy.
He swallowed twice before he could speak, setting Jacob on his thigh and smiling at him. “You better eat all your breakfast then get dressed. We don’t want to miss the beginning of the parade.”
Jacob beamed a giant smile as he nodded his head and ran back to his chair. A huge bite of bread disappeared into his mouth and he nearly choked, making Cort chuckle.
Wrestlin' Christmas: (Sweet Western Holiday Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 2) Page 6