Redemption on Rivers Ranch

by Kathy Douglass

  No matter how he wanted to deny it, there were still people in this area who disliked him because of his father’s actions. Carson avoided confrontation whenever possible, but he didn’t know how he would respond if someone mistreated Gabriella or her kids. He blew out a breath. That was a lie. He knew exactly how he would react and it wasn’t pretty.

  Maybe he wasn’t as different from his father as he wanted to believe. And that scary thought was one more reason to keep Gabriella at a distance.

  Chapter Seven

  Gabriella stood in front of the window, staring across the road toward Rivers Ranch. The view was beautiful, but she wasn’t entranced by the clear blue sky or the leafy trees swaying in the gentle breeze. She was too preoccupied with trying to catch a glimpse of Carson to appreciate the scene in front of her.

  It had been three days since they’d swum together in his pool. Three days since she’d seen or talked to him. Three long days of wondering what was going on between them. Wondering if their friendship had changed. And if so, to what? Were they going to have a closer relationship? Or were they going to be uncomfortable in each other’s presence?

  The insecure part of her worried that he was avoiding her. But that was ridiculous. He had no reason to avoid her. Unless... Had he somehow figured out that her feelings for him were changing and were no longer purely platonic? Perhaps he’d sensed that she longed for him to kiss her that day in the pool. Maybe he knew what she’d been thinking and was now trying to give her a hint by staying away from her. Perhaps he was hoping that he wouldn’t have to come out and tell her directly that he wasn’t interested. Could he be trying to let her down easy? After being let down the hard way—Reggie had all but run over her in his Mercedes in his rush to get to Natalie—she appreciated the consideration. But it still hurt.

  But then, Carson could simply be busy. He had a cattle ranch to run as well as his horse training business. She was lucky he’d spent as much time with her and the kids as he had.

  “We’re ready,” Justin said, charging into the room, Sophia on his heels.

  “Great.” They were on their way to the youth center. The kids had spent a few hours there yesterday and had a great time. They had quickly made friends and planned to see them again today. Gabriella wanted her children to have other kids to play with, so she was happy for them.

  Once the seat belts were all fastened in the SUV, Gabriella steered down the driveway and tried to put thoughts of Carson behind her. She hadn’t come here looking for romance. Her plan was to give her kids a happy summer while she found a new direction for her life. She was on track for the first, but sadly nowhere near making progress on the second. Honestly, she hadn’t given much thought to her future. She needed to focus more on that and less on Carson.

  When they arrived at the youth center, they joined the line of vehicles pulling into the lot. She found a parking spot and they got out of the SUV. They’d taken a few steps when Justin and Sophia spotted their new best friends—a brother and sister duo who were their ages—and ran to greet them. Gabriella followed.

  “Hi. I’m Vicki,” the other kids’ mother said as they walked together to the entrance.

  “Gabriella. I’m Sophia and Justin’s mother.”

  “I know. Jessica and Jason told me about them last night. I know all about the horseback riding lessons and going swimming in the biggest pool around. Now my kids want to take horseback riding lessons. And suddenly the ocean isn’t as cool as an Olympic-sized pool with a basketball hoop.”

  Gabriella laughed. Apparently, her kids hadn’t left out a single detail about their activities. She hoped they’d been a little more discreet when it came to discussing hers. “Well, if you’re interested in horseback riding lessons, let me know. Carson used to give lessons in the past and is thinking about giving them again.”

  “Is he expensive?”

  Gabriella shrugged. “I have no idea. We’ve been friends since we were kids, so he refused to let me pay. Plus, we’re neighbors, and I think he might have been worried about the kids taking it upon themselves to hop on one of his horses unsupervised. Not that they would,” she hastened to add. She didn’t want Vicki to get the wrong idea about her kids.

  “Well, if he’s interested and not too expensive, I’d like to sign up my kids.”

  “Give me your number. I’ll check with him and get back to you.” And though she loathed to admit it, she liked having a reason to contact Carson.

  They stepped inside the building and joined the line in front of the reception desk.

  “I need to get to work now,” Vicki said after signing in her kids, “but maybe we can get together for coffee one day next week.”

  “That sounds good.”

  “I’ll call you tonight,” Vicki said. She hugged her kids and then dashed out the door.

  Gabriella signed in Sophia and Justin. They ran down the hall the second she said goodbye, and she stood in the entry feeling ridiculously bereft and alone.

  “You look lost.”

  Gabriella turned and looked into Raven’s smiling face.

  “Maybe a little bit. I didn’t quite expect my kids to just dart away like that without even saying goodbye.”

  “It’s not you. It’s this place. All the kids act the same way. Once they step inside the door all parents cease to exist.”

  “I guess.”

  Raven gestured to a woman who was coming to join them. “Do you know Roz Martin?”

  “No.”

  Raven quickly introduced them. “We were on our way to get a cup of coffee at Mabel’s Diner. Do you want to join us?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Ten minutes later they were sitting at a table near the back of the restaurant.

  “I still can’t get over how much the diner looks the same as it did when I was a kid,” Gabriella said.

  “Did you grow up here?” Roz asked.

  “No. My aunt and uncle had a ranch outside of town. I visited them every summer for about ten years. It’s been a while since I’ve been back, but I always loved it here.”

  “So do I. I moved to Sweet Briar a couple of years ago. I had a bit of a rough time for a while, but things are looking up.” She twisted a large princess cut diamond engagement ring on her left hand.

  “I take it you’re getting married soon.”

  “In three weeks.”

  “Congratulations. You must be so happy.”

  “Very.” Roz’s smile was so bright it illuminated her entire face. “Paul is a great guy. And he and my kids love each other. They’re just as excited about the wedding as we are.”

  “Did you meet him here?”

  “No. We were high school sweethearts and later in-laws.”

  Gabriella had been adding sugar to her coffee, but her hand froze at Roz’s words. She had so many questions but wouldn’t ask a single one. “Sounds complicated.”

  “You don’t know the half of it. For a while we were estranged. Miraculously, everything worked out and now we’re getting married.”

  “I love a happy ending.”

  “You and me both.”

  After that, conversation turned to the details of Roz’s wedding. Neither she nor her fiancé had wanted anything big or formal, but her daughters had begged to wear fancy dresses, shiny shoes and crowns. So the affair would be a little ritzier and bigger than their initial plan. Roz confided that she was looking forward to wearing her glamorous new wedding dress.

  As they talked, Gabriella’s mind wandered back to her wedding. It had been an over-the-top affair that had cost a fortune. Her parents hadn’t been able to afford such an elaborate event, but the Tuckers had insisted their oldest child have a wedding and reception befitting their status. So they’d paid for it. Gabriella had gotten swept away in the fantasy and romance of it all.

  Looking back, Reggie hadn’t been invol
ved in the planning. At the time she hadn’t thought much of it. After all, most men didn’t care about fabric swatches, table runners or the cardstock used in invitations. Now she knew that his indifference stemmed from his true feelings for her more than the wedding. He wasn’t going to be marrying the woman his heart longed for, so nothing else mattered. They could have gotten married in a garbage dump for all he’d cared.

  The next time she got married—if she remarried—her groom was going to be just as invested as she was. She wasn’t going to be the only one who was completely in love. She was going to be his first—and only—choice.

  “So how are you keeping busy?” Raven asked, returning Gabriella’s attention to the present.

  “Pretty much the same way I did as a kid.”

  “Hanging out with Carson?”

  “Yes. My kids sort of glommed onto him. The fact that he has horses and the biggest swimming pool known to man is a plus. They’d spend every waking moment with him if I let them.”

  Raven grinned impishly, and in that moment Gabriella knew that they could become good friends. That is, if the whole used-to-be-engaged-to-Carson-who-might-still-be-in-love-with-her thing didn’t get in the way. “There’s that. Not to mention that he’s great to look at, which would make it that much easier for you to hang around all day.”

  “He didn’t look like that when we were kids. The last time I saw him we were fifteen. I left behind a lanky kid, and a gorgeous hunk of a man took his place. I swear if he didn’t have the same easy way about him, I wouldn’t even know it was him.”

  Raven and Roz exchanged a glance.

  “What did I say?”

  “He’s not the same easygoing person you remember,” Raven said. “At least not around town and definitely not around me. I don’t know if he told you or not, but we were engaged.”

  Gabriella nodded, glad to have it out in the open. Hopefully, they could talk about it without it becoming weird. “He told me you ended it.”

  “I didn’t end it. He did.”

  “Oh. I thought...” Gabriella sputtered. Why had she thought Raven had ended it and broken Carson’s heart?

  “Oh, he was right to end it. I was in love with someone else although I was in complete denial about my feelings. If Carson hadn’t broken up with me, I might have married him, making all of us miserable. He saved all of us a lot of needless pain, for which I’ll always be grateful.”

  Sadly Gabriella knew firsthand what that pain felt like.

  “Didn’t he tell you anything about what happened with his father?”

  “No.” Gabriella wanted to know. It would probably explain so much. But she wanted Carson to be the one to tell her. Otherwise, it felt like she was gossiping about him behind his back. It was one thing to say how gorgeous he’d become over the years. It was another thing entirely to hear about whatever it was that happened with his father. And given the surprise in Raven’s voice, Gabriella knew it couldn’t be good. “I suppose he’ll tell me later if he wants me to know.”

  “I hope so. It’s good that he has you in his life. He and Donovan were friendly in high school, but as you can imagine, our marriage put a strain on that. It did the same to my friendship with Carson, which is sad even though it’s completely understandable. Carson supported me through the worst time of my life. Yet no matter how stoic he acts or how much he’s distanced himself, he needs friends the same as everyone else.”

  Gabriella nodded her agreement, effectively bringing the topic to a close. They’d finished their coffee while they talked so they paid the bill and left the restaurant. Promising to get together soon, they went their separate ways.

  Rather than return home, Gabriella strolled around town. Today was the perfect day to visit the interesting shops she’d spotted on earlier visits.

  The weather was gorgeous, and she smiled as she walked down the picturesque street. The wind blew the sweet scents of the flowers overflowing the large pots on the sidewalk into the air. Cedar Ridge, was an exclusive community with an equally well maintained shopping district. But in Gabriella’s estimation, Sweet Briar had a certain je ne sais quoi that elevated it above Cedar Ridge. Perhaps because she associated Sweet Briar with happy times, and Cedar Ridge reminded her of deceit and betrayal.

  Her first stop was Louanne’s Homemade Chocolate Shoppe. Gabriella stepped up to the store and stared at the window display. Trays of chocolate-covered nuts, pretzels, candies and every delight known to woman surrounded a flowing chocolate fountain. Just looking at it made Gabriella’s mouth water. Filled with anticipation, she stepped inside and looked around. Glass-fronted cases lined three walls, forming a perfect U of temptation.

  “Welcome,” a smiling woman said as she slid a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries into a glass-fronted refrigerator. “Look around. If you don’t see what you want, just ask.”

  Gabriella returned the other woman’s smile. “You have more in here than I could imagine. If I don’t see what I want, it doesn’t exist.”

  “Is this your first time visiting us?”

  “Yes. And if I had known what I was missing, I would have been here sooner.”

  “I’m Stephanie,” the woman said, coming from behind the counter.

  “Gabriella.”

  “Let me give you a little tour. The cases on the right of the door contain our covered fruit. On the left we have covered nuts and candies. And in the tray facing the window, we have our covered salty treats. Pretzels, popcorn, potato chips and such.”

  “Chocolate-covered potato chips?”

  “Yes. They’re quite delicious if I do say so myself. I’ll give you a sample. In fact, feel free to ask for a sample of anything that interests you.”

  “Really? Thanks.”

  Stephanie nodded at Gabriella’s appreciation. “We make everything on-site using only the finest ingredients.”

  “Do you create gift boxes?”

  “Of course.”

  “My aunt loves chocolate. She’s on vacation now, but I’d love to send her a present when she gets home.” That was the least Gabriella could do for her aunt who’d done so much for her.

  “Just stop by when you need it and I’ll put it together.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Do you want anything now?”

  “Oh, yeah.” There was no way she was leaving empty-handed.

  “Let me know when you’re ready.”

  Gabriella took her time, looking at everything and requesting several samples. The chocolate-covered chips were unique, but they weren’t for her. She decided to stick with her favorites: chocolate-covered almonds and chocolate-covered strawberries.

  Once she’d paid for her purchases, she visited a couple more businesses before going to the grocery store for a few staples she needed.

  When she got home, she completed her chores and then wandered around the house at loose ends. She’d promised the kids that she wouldn’t pick them up before four o’clock, so she had lots of time to kill. She grabbed a book she’d been planning to read and sat on the front porch. After a few minutes spent rereading the same page, she closed the book. She wasn’t in the mood to read. There was only thing she wanted to do. One person she wanted to spend the day with.

  Carson. It was senseless to deny it. Even though she knew that he was probably busy, she couldn’t convince herself to stay home. Rivers Ranch beckoned to her. The ranch was enormous, and Carson could be anywhere, so the odds of actually running into him were slim, but she would take her chances. If he was around and not too busy, they could hang out together. If she didn’t see him, she would find a way to occupy herself.

  Gabriella combed her hair and spritzed on a bit of her favorite perfume, stopping herself before she could put on makeup. This wasn’t a date.

  After checking her appearance in the mirror, she headed for the ranch. Her heart beat faster the closer sh
e got to the corral, and it was practically pounding by the time she was standing beside the fence. To her disappointment, Carson was nowhere to be found. She leaned against the top rail and watched the horses milling around. She stood there for a long moment before deciding to walk back home.

  “Hey.”

  Gabriella spun around. Carson was astride Excalibur, riding in her direction. As usual, he was dressed in a casual shirt and faded jeans that teased her by hinting at the muscular thighs they covered. His black hat dipped low on his head, but she could still see his smiling face.

  “Hey.”

  “What are you doing here? We didn’t schedule a lesson for today, did we?”

  She shook her head, suddenly feeling foolish. She hadn’t considered how desperate she would look showing up out of the blue like this. “The kids are at the youth center today.”

  “And you’re bored? Lonely?”

  He knew her so well. Too well for her to deny the truth. “I had some time on my hands and thought I’d say hi. But I can see that you’re busy, so I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you’re doing.”

  “I’m just riding out to check some fence. You can come with me if you want.”

  “How long will we be gone?”

  “Just a couple of hours.”

  “Well...”

  “You know you want to come. I’ll saddle Beauty for you.”

  She smiled. “You just want another pair of hands.”

  He laughed. “You discovered my devious plan.”

  He saddled her horse, and soon they were riding across the ranch. Carson started at a moderate pace and she urged her horse to go faster, leaving him behind. He quickly sped up, and they went flying over the grass in an exhilarating ride. After twenty or so minutes, they reached the fence line and slowed.

  “That was fun,” Gabriella said.

  “I take it that our rides with the kids don’t satisfy your need for speed.”

  “No. But this hit the spot.”

  He dismounted and knelt before the fence. There was a hole that needed to be repaired. Gabriella slid from Beauty’s back and knelt beside Carson. It had been years since she’d helped him fix fence, but she still knew how. Suddenly she was anxious to get to work. Although there were none around today, cattle roamed in this area of the ranch, so the fence was made out of wire, which provided both a physical and visual barrier. They spliced two feet of new wire into the hole and used the hammer to tighten it. The two of them worked as one and it didn’t take long to complete the task.