by K. C. Crowne
“That’s your pride talkin’ again,” he said, pointing at me. “Listen, you’re in a bit of a spot right now. Whether you like it or not, you’re in danger. This is the best place for you to be until it all gets sorted out.” He took another swig of Coke. “And more than that, you still don’t have a car.”
“Insurance’ll cover it.”
“Sure, but until then, how are you gonna get to work? You stay here and you’re right on the grounds. Five-minute walk to your job and that’s it. Makes all sorts of sense from where I’m sittin.”
“Alright, you got a point,” I conceded. “Still wanna meet the rest of your family first, see what kinda situation I’m gettin’ into with the Walker clan.”
“There you go. You’ll be glad you did it.”
We finished our meals, and by the time I was done, I felt a bit better about the whole idea. “Alright,” I said, wrapping up the other half of my sandwich and sticking it in my purse. “I suppose it all sounds OK. But still…”
He placed his hand on my leg again. God, how I wished he’d move it to the part of me that was getting wetter by the second.
“It’s gonna be fine. You’ll eat good, meet some friendly faces.” His touch and his words put me at ease.
“What time?”
“Come on over to the ranch when you’re done with work. You can have a drink, meet the family. Dinner’s at six on the dot. And when I say ‘on the dot,’ I mean it,” he warned me with a grin. “Mama G runs the place like a military base. You’ll see.”
“Then I should get back to it. See you then.” I rose. “And thanks for the grub.”
“Don’t mention it. You want a ride?”
“Nah, feelin’ up for a walk. Later, Travis.”
I took my soda and headed out, finishing it on my way back to Greta’s barn. Once there, I felt ready as hell to finish the job. Greta was ornery as ever, but over the next few hours I managed to get her to calm down, even be a little friendly. And when the time was right, I approached her with the saddle.
“Alright, girl. Nothin’ to worry about. Just a little saddle, and then a little ride. You cool with that?”
She did nothing, which was as good of an answer as I could hope for. Carefully, I put the saddle on her back and fastened it. To my shock, she didn’t move or fight me.
“Well, alright! That’s a good girl!” I gave her an appreciative pat on the side before opening the barn, allowing the late afternoon light to filter in. Then I climbed on Greta’s back and gently asked her to get moving. She did.
“Hell yeah!” I whispered yelled, riding calmly even though I wanted to wave my hat in the air. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”
Once outside, I let Greta pick up the pace. Soon she was moving at a nice trot, her pace steady and even. I was beaming. The most difficult horse on the ranch and I had her trained. I knew exactly who needed to see this.
We headed towards Travis’s cabin, the building growing bigger by the second. I couldn’t wait for him to see. I didn’t usually like to show off, but this was too good to pass up.
At about the moment we reached the cabin Travis stepped out. He caught sight of us and took off his hat, one hand on his hip and a grin on his face. I winked as I rode past.
I had a mighty fine feeling about my life at Rainbow Canyons.
Tavis
I had to admit, I was mighty excited for Skye to meet my family. And during our talk, I’d gotten the impression she’d come around on the idea.
Sure, it was a tall order – new girl meeting the entire crew all at once. But we weren’t planning on eating her alive. The only eating that would be happening was all of us stuffing our faces with Mama G’s cooking.
I spotted Skye off in the distance. She was still riding Greta when quitting time rolled around, and I was still impressed she’d managed to tame her. I decided to meet her at the barn and help her with the horse.
“You’ve got a way with horses,” I said as she approached. “I’ll give you that.”
“Oh, is that all you’ll give me?”
Her face flashed with embarrassment as she realized the accidental insinuation she’d made. And damned if it hadn’t been lost on me. It was damn near impossible to see Skye without thinking about how much I wanted her. Even having lunch with her had been enough for me to fantasize about getting down and dirty with the girl.
But there were more important things to worry about than having her on all fours in front of me, as much as I was keen to the idea. Without saying another word, she trotted Greta into the barn and hopped off, quickly beginning the work of de-saddling her.
“Didn’t, uh, didn’t mean it like that,” she grunted as she lifted the heavy saddle off her.
“You sure?”
Skye’s embarrassment faded and she allowed herself a grin as I removed the saddle blanket. She returned with the brush to give her a quick grooming before we went to the house.
“But seriously,” I said, pointing at Greta. “That’s about the most impressive thing I’ve seen in quite a while. You got that girl trained over the course of a damn day. How’d you do it?”
“Just got a way, like you said. And I didn’t go to school for nothing.”
I stepped over to Greta and patted her on the haunches. Instead of bucking or throwing some kind of fit, she stayed right where she was, letting me touch her. “Been here a couple of days and you’re already earning your keep like crazy,” I said. “Happy to have you aboard.”
“Why, thank you. Happy to be here.” She put the brush away and led Greta to her stall as I filled her bucket with oats and made sure her water was clean and full.
We walked outside, and she turned toward the main ranch. “We…gonna do this?”
“You ready?”
“I suppose so. And I’m hungry.”
“Both good answers,” I said with a laugh. “Let’s get a move on.”
We got into my truck and drove the rest of the way to the ranch. Once there, I parked the car with the rest of the family’s trucks. By the look of it, everyone was there. As we climbed out of the truck, the front door opened and my brother Silas – the oldest of us – came out to greet us.
He looked imposing as ever, ten years older than me and built like a fire truck. He wore a black-and-red flannel shirt and jeans, the belt buckle he’d won at a local bull-riding competition on his waist. Silas crossed his arms and regarded the two of us with his typical steely expression as we approached.
“This her?” he asked, his voice gruff. Silas reminded me of Adam in some ways – stoic and steely and rough-around the edges.
“That’s one way to say hey, big bro.” I slapped him on the shoulder.
Silas regarded my action with an unamused face. I loved it – he was a good guy through-and-through but could be a little on the prickly side. I loved giving him the business about it.
His arms still crossed over his chest, Silas regarded Skye with a skeptical look. “This the girl who trained Greta?”
“Well,” Skye said, a little sass in her tone, “she ain’t quite trained, but she’s come a long way.”
Silas nodded. “Impressive. I ‘spose there’s a reason Travis is in charge of picking out he staff.” He extended one of his big, rough hands. “Name’s Silas Walker. Pleasure to meet you.”
Skye took his hand and Silas gave it a business-like shake. “Skye Philips. Likewise.”
“Welcome to Rainbow Canyons. Come on in – the rest of the family’s eager to meet you.” And that was all Silas had to say before stepping into the house and leaving the door open for the two of.
“He’s, uh, a man of few words,” I said. “But deep down he’s a big softie. You shoulda seen the look on his face when I told him about Greta.”
“So, tough on the outside, warm on the inside. Pretty common cowboy style.”
“There you go. Come on in.” I led her into the house, Skye’s jaw dropping as she took in the sight of the entry hallway.
“Holy
crap,” she said, her eyes wide. “This place…is incredible.”
“Why, thank you,” I said proudly. “My pops designed and built it himself. I wasn’t around to help, otherwise I sure as hell would’ve picked up a hammer and nails.”
“Built in the style of an old, southern estate,” Chance, another brother, announced. He stood at the threshold between the entry hall and the lounge. He was tall and sturdy, a little older than me but undeniably a Walker by his build, dress, and head of sandy-blond hair.
“Great to meet you,” Chance said pulling Skye into a friendly hug, one she didn’t appear to be expecting.
“Uh, likewise,” she said. “Name’s Skye Philips.”
He let her go and grinned. “So, you’re the one who finally brought Greta to heel.”
“That’s me,” Skye said, looking a bit overwhelmed by her new reputation.
“Chance handles the outdoor activities, including the horse rides,” I informed her.
Chance, friendly as ever, was all smiles. “Which means it was only a matter of time before we met. Good to have you on board, Skye. Can’t wait to get to know you better.” He nodded his head towards the lounge. “Come on – Emily can’t wait to meet you.”
Chance turned to head off, and Skye flashed me an uncertain look.
“You alright?” I asked once he was out of earshot.
“I’m fine. Just strange seeing a bunch of brothers who all look alike but act so differently.”
“We’ve all got the same core to us. Silas is a little more standoffish, and Chance is the exact opposite. But you’re gonna get along with us, all the same.”
My words seemed to put her at ease. We headed into the lounge. Emily was there, just as Chance said, one of her mystery novels on her lap. Her eyes – golden like the rest of us – flicked up to Skye as we entered. She set down her book and got up.
“Well, well, well,” she said, walking to Skye. “The girl herself. I’m sure you’ve already had your ear chewed off about Greta, so I’ll save ya. But I’d be remiss if I said I wasn’t as impressed as the rest of the family. I’m Emily.”
The two women pulled each other into a friendly hug. Skye and Emily looked surprisingly alike, both well-built and tough-looking.
“Hope you’re hungry,” Emily said. “Because Mama G’s about to hit that dinner bell.”
Skye glanced at the book Emily had been reading. “Is that…The Sheffield Murders?”
Emily’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Why, it sure is. You a fan?”
“Haven’t had much time for reading, but man, I can’t get enough of ‘em. Which one you on?”
“Four. They’re gettin’ better and better.”
“I finished two and, holy hell, can you believe it was the dang zookeeper the entire time?”
“I know!” Emily exclaimed, clearly happy to have someone to share the subject with. “And when they found the knife in the lion’s cage?”
The two of them fell into an easy back-and-forth, going over their favorite parts of the book series, which I knew next-to-nothing about.
“Anyway,” Emily said. “Wyatt should be coming home any minute. He’s eager to meet you.”
“Wyatt’s another brother?”
“Of course. He’s the ranch vet, looks after all the animals. And he’s damn good at his job,” I told her.
“Brainiest of the bunch, too,” Emily announced.
As if right on cue, the front door opened and Wyatt stepped through. He grinned as he laid eyes on us and stepped over, his big boots thumping on the floor.
“You must be Wyatt. I’m Skye Philips.”
“The new wonder trainer,” Wyatt teased, shaking her hand. “Been hearin’ nothing but good things.” Wyatt’s eyes flashed with intelligence as always. The man was sharp as hell, but so was Skye. “I’ve been lookin’ at Greta for the last few months since we got her, wonderin’ if she had some kinda, you know, psychological issue.”
“Horses can get psychological issues?” I asked, surprised.
“They sure can,” Skye replied with a knowledgeable nod. “They’re just like people in that regard. They can get stressed, lonely, anxious, all that. And understanding their moods is an important part of figurin’ out how to get along with them.”
Wyatt appeared impressed. “Sounds like you know your stuff.”
Skye smiled. “Finished my degree not too long ago. And if I do say so myself, I’ve got a little bit of a sixth sense for those kinds of things.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Got our very own horse whisperer,” he said. “Happy to meet you.” He sniffed the air and glanced toward the kitchen. “Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m hungry as hell. Might need to see if Mama G might let me pick at the food before dinner.”
I laughed. “Good luck with that.” I glanced at Skye. “Learned when I was five that you don’t sneak food unless you want a smack on the hand with a wooden spoon.” Skye’s eyebrows rose.
“Mama G doesn’t mess around when it comes to her kitchen,” Wyatt explained. “And the food more than makes it worth it.” He nodded in the opposite direction of the lounge. “Come on – why don’t you meet the lady herself?”
Skye nervously bit her lip, though she didn’t speak.
“Don’t you worry about it,” I said. “Mama G’s tough, but she’s as sweet as they come.”
“Sure.”
I grinned internally. When people heard about Mama G, they never failed to be a little nervous about finally meeting her, thinking she was some humorless taskmaster. But they always changed their tune right quick.
Me and Skye and Wyatt headed toward the kitchen. The closer we got, the thicker the smell of delicious food was in the air.
“Hmm,” I said. “I smell…fresh buttermilk biscuits.”
“Yep,” Wyatt agreed. “Gravy too.”
Skye sniffed the air. “And…fried chicken?”
“Aw, hell yeah,” I said. “Mama G only busts out the fried chicken when there’s a special occasion.”
“Or no special occasion,” Wyatt added.
“She knows you’re comin’,” I said. “So she’s pullin’ out all the stops.”
We continued to the kitchen and saw Mama G’s short, wiry form zipping here and there in the kitchen. The three of us stepped into the room, where we found a big pile of fresh, fried chicken on the counter along with a mountain of biscuits.
“Mama!” I said. “Like you to meet someone.”
Mama G turned, her sharp, intelligent eyes situated under a ponytail of gray hair. She wore her usual trousers and blouse with an apron with “Mama G” embroidered on the front. She clapped her eyes onto Skye and grinned like mad.
“Well, well!” she announced, setting down the bowl in her hand and coming on over. “There’s the girl I’ve been hearin’ so much about!”
Mama G’s accent marked her as a non-native to Texas, but she was as tough as any of the matriarchs in the state. Her gaze focused on Skye. “Skye Philips,” she said, giving Skye a quick hug. “My name’s Ginny Walker, but I’m sure you’ve heard by now that everyone just calls me Mama G. So it goes without sayin’ that I expect that from you, too.”
“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Skye replied politely. “And the food smells delicious.”
Mama G grinned. “Girl knows exactly what to say.” Her eyes flicked from Skye to me, and I knew exactly what was on her mind. “Lemme tell you how things work around here. I make dinner every night, and all the family and whatever friends they want come. Dinner’s at six sharp, and you know it’s time to eat when I ring that bell over yonder.”
She pointed to the big, brass dinner bell near the entrance to the kitchen, the one I’d heard chiming more times than I could count.
“That right there’s the dinner bell. You hear that ring, and that means it’s time to come runnin’. And once your butt’s at the table, you only get up when you’re good and full.”
Skye chuckled. “Alright, I think I can handle that.”
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“And no swearin’ at the table,” I said. “Mama G’s strict about that.”
“Only I got swearin’ rights,” she joked. “Perks of old age.” Mama G glanced at her watch, her eyes widening. “Alright, it’s about time. Nice meetin’ you, Skye. Why don’t you go get washed up and ready?”
“I’ll show you to your room,” I offered.
“Nah,” Mama G negated. “Why don’t we let Wyatt handle that? I got somethin’ I wanna talk to you about, Travis.”
“Come on,” Wyatt said with a knowing smile. “It’s just upstairs.”
Skye gave me a glance of mild confusion as Wyatt led her out of the room. I wondered what on earth Mama G wanted to talk to me about. Once she was gone, Mama G’s eyes lit up.
“Now, that’s an old-fashioned cutie pie right there.”
I sighed. “Mama, I know what you’re thinkin’, and…”
“What?” she asked with a shrug of her skinny shoulders before heading back over to the food. “She’s a cute girl, and you’re so single it makes me wanna scream.”
She didn’t know the whole story between me and Skye. Well, me, Skye, and Adam, to be more specific. But she was shrewd enough to know something was likely going on between us.
“Mama, I appreciate you chimin’ in.” I wandered closer to the plate of buttermilk biscuits and reached for one. “But it’s not gonna happen.”
The second my fingertips got close to the biscuits, Mama G’s hand reached out and gave them a quick smack. “Not until the bell rings,” she said. “Shouldn’t have to explain to you the rules.”
“I know, I know.”
“And what’s so crazy about you and her? She got a boyfriend or somethin’?”
“No, nothin’ like that.” I didn’t need to get into the Adam part of it all.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Well, for one she’s over ten years younger than me.”
“Don’t see no issue there. Your daddy was almost that much older than me when we met. Perfectly normal for older men to date younger women.”
“Even aside from that, she’s my employee. Not exactly appropriate for that kinda relationship.”