Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she nodded again. “I know. It broke my heart, too, though I didn't realize that's what I was feeling until now.” She nodded slowly, and then faster as it all fell into place. “My life is here now. With Cole or without him, whether he takes me back—” Her voice caught, and she cleared her throat again. “Or not. I'm here. I'll apply for a position at Crane County College. I'll work at the library with Mrs. Lazlo. I'll...” A wan grin tugged at her lips as she looked at Cheryl pleadingly. “I'll work here part time if you'll have me. It doesn't matter. So long as y'all will have me back and let me be a part of this town and I get to watch this little boy grow up loved and happy.” She gently extricated her shirt from Devon's clutches and put him down, then dropped to her knees to let him into her lap. “Then I'm happy.”
Cheryl pressed her lips together. Silently, she turned to the bookshelf and pulled one from the top, then handed it to Devon. Devon grabbed it from her and turned to whack Sammie in the chest with it. “Bammie read.”
“Is that okay with Miss Cheryl?”
Cheryl nodded. “It's almost snack time, Devvy. One book.”
Sammie smoothed Devon's hair and kissed his warm temple. She cleared her throat and began the familiar recitation of The Bear Wants More.
She nearly wept when it was over.
“I'm gonna get going, but I'll see you later, bud.”
“Bammie go home.”
She sniffed and nodded. “I'm gonna try.” She glanced up at Cheryl, who was waiting to collect her charge. “That's all I can do, right?”
“All any of us can do, sweetheart. And let me tell you, if you can't do it all yourself, you know where to look. You've got friends in this town, Sammie. People who love you for you, not just for that big piece of property you own.” She dropped her voice. “And I know one tall, dark-eyed cowboy in particular loves you and would help you in a heartbeat.”
Sammie nodded. “I gotta see him.”
“You sure do.”
“This is going to suck, Cheryl.”
“It probably will.”
“I just left. The hands, the ranch...Cole.”
“You needed to get your head straight. It looks pretty straight to me now.”
“It is, but...what if I can't do it? What if it's too hard?”
She chuckled. “Most things that are worth having are worth struggling for, sweetheart. Don't ever give up fighting for the things you love.”
Twenty-Eight
Richard's mirrored shades masked his eyes, making it impossible for Cole to know what he thought of the plan he'd just laid out until his brother-in-law opened his mouth.
“Just go in there?” Richard repeated, sounding skeptical.
Cole nodded. “I got my reputation as a hell raiser and nothing to lose. You've got a badge and a uniform that means business. He's bound to listen to us.”
“That's all you're gonna do, right? Talk?” Richard glanced at the offices of the Department of Codes and Inspections one more time. “Because assault on a government official is something I can't exactly wink at, Cole.”
“I'm not going to bust his head,” Cole insisted. “We need that head intact to put the blame on Peter.”
“And once he does, it's Peter's head you'll be busting?”
Cole sighed longingly. “As nice as that sounds, I'm hoping he'll bust himself. Bobby's doing some digging for me.”
“Bobby? You don't mean Bobby Thatcher?”
“Turns out he's been doing odd jobs here and there for Peter.” Cole grinned and clapped his brother-in-law on the shoulder. “It's good to have the law on your side. But it's also good to have the outlaws there, too.”
Richard took off his shades, apparently just to let Cole see him roll his eyes heavenward. “I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that. All right, let's do this. Operation...what are we calling this?”
Cole thought for a moment. He remembered how Sammie had boxed up her treasured plates before leaving. How he'd hit the roof when Bobby told him of Peter's triumphant laugh when he opened the package.
“Let's call it Operation China.”
Richard looked confused but slipped his shades back into place. “Operation China is now underway.”
Cole nodded and started up the front walk. Richard fell into step behind him, backing him up as if he were leading a two-man charge across the desert. Cole's heart thudded in his chest the same way it had during those missions. And just like in those missions, he had a strategy. A way in and—he hoped—a clear exit strategy once he'd successfully completed it.
And just like those missions, failure was not an option.
The offices of the Department of Codes and Inspections were in a half-dead strip mall on the seedier side of town. A bored looking security guard sat hunched over a comic book and barely glanced their way. When Richard flashed his badge, he just waved them through. So far, Operation China was going exactly as planned.
“I called ahead,” Cole explained as they walked down the low-ceilinged hallway. “He has office hours every Tuesday and Thursday morning to receive complaints and stuff, otherwise he’s out on inspections. His name is Burton, and he's got a pretty nice car considering his pay scale.”
“I know,” Richard interjected. “I already ran it. He paid for it in full not long ago.”
“Whaddya know,” Cole drawled sarcastically. He nodded at Richard and then opened the lightweight wooden door into Lance Burton's dingy office.
The place was stacked high with papers, with no discernible filing system anywhere. “He's worse at paperwork than I am,” Cole muttered. “Sammie would have a fit.”
The thought of Sammie reminded him why he was here. “Hey, Burton!” he called across the office. “Where're you hiding, my man?”
The toilet flushed, and an irritated man emerged from the back room, buckling his pants. “Who wants to know?” He glowered at Cole, but then stiffened a little when he saw Richard's uniform.
Cole didn't miss that little flash of fear. He knows why we're here. He decided to press that advantage. He took a big step closer. The little man involuntarily stepped back.
“What do you want?”
“I want your receipts,” Cole told him. “Records. Signatures. Emails. Anything you have that ties you to Peter Jensen.”
“Who?” The man snorted, but looked at Richard warily.
“I'm over here. You're talking to me,” Cole growled. He took another step forward. “Did he pay for that car outright? Because he should have, you know. The kind of work he has you doing, falsifying documents and forging reports—I looked it up. It carries a pretty hefty penalty for a man in your position. You could be stripped of your certification and face jail time, so I hope to hell you got him to pay you what it was worth. Did he pay for the car, Burton? Just tell me he did that, at least.”
Burton looked at Richard again and then back at Cole. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
But there was no mistaking the angry flush on his cheeks. Cole laughed. “Oh my God, you poor sap. He didn't pay for it? How much did you end up with? Tell me it was at least twenty grand? Ten? My God, man, don't tell me you let him lowball you on something as important as your good name!”
“I want you to go.”
“Ain't happening.”
“I'll call the police.”
“Police are already here.” Richard stepped closer. “And I'm halfway to dragging you out of here in cuffs.”
“I'm halfway to dragging you out into the street,” Cole rumbled. “There’s not enough room in this dinky little office to get a good wind-up going.” He lazily balled and un-balled his fist.
Just as he'd hoped, Burton's eyes went right to it. He swallowed and looked at the two of them, some of the smugness gone from his face. “You don't know anything,” he said, but it sounded like he was begging them to lie.
Cole shook his head. “Sorry, man, I know everything. I know you falsified the reports. I know you're in Peter Jensen’s poc
ket, and I know your mother's maiden name.”
“I helped with that,” Richard piped up with a winning smile.
“I'm working on finding out your shoe size and your favorite ice cream, but yeah, I'd say I know everything I need to know about you, Burton.” He mimed getting an idea. “Oh, hang on! We can get his shoe size! Richard! Grab his leg! I'll get the shoe!”
“Stop!” Burton shouted as he hopped back out of reach. His back hit the wall, and his breath left his body with a little squeak. He swallowed and looked down. “I wanna talk to my lawyer.”
“You don't have a lawyer,” Richard growled. “I know that about you, too. You have Cole and you have me, and you're going to want us both on your side once I book you for accepting bribes.”
“How do I get you on my side?” With all his smug authority gone, Burton looked about ten years old, a child playing in a grown-up's clothes.
Cole grinned and slung his arm over Burton's shoulder. “You tell me everything I need to know to save the Jensen ranch.”
Richard cleared his throat.
“What?”
“Cole, you said no violence.”
“What? I'm not hurting him. We're buds now!” He pulled the little man closer.
“Cole, he's turning purple.”
“Oh.” He released Burton, who coughed and clawed at his neck.
Cole looked at his brother-in-law and shrugged. “At least I tried?”
Richard rolled his eyes, and then slapped on his shades as they headed for the door. “Yeah, I'll give you that, at least.”
Twenty-Nine
Buoyed by Cheryl's kind words, Sammie climbed into her rental car and headed straight for Cole's parents' house.
Mrs. Baker glowered at her and told her Cole wasn't there.
Confused, she headed to the library.
Mrs. Lazlo gave her a hug and told her Cole wasn't there.
Bracing herself, Sammie headed over to his sister's house.
Nancy hugged her and told her Cole and Richard were out “on some secret mission” together and she didn't expect them back till late.
“Where the heck is he?” Sammie gasped in frustration. “This is a small town. I thought it'd be easy to track down a guy like Cole. He kind of...stands out.”
“You could call him.”
Sammie licked her lips. “This isn't really something I want to tell him over the phone.”
“Well, just let me call Richard then.” Nancy held up a finger to Sammie's protests and pulled out her phone. “Hey, honey, whereabouts are you and my wayward brother right now? There's someone here that's real interested in tracking him down.” She listened. Her eyes went wide. “Oh my, really?”
“What?” Sammie gasped.
A satisfied little smile tugged at Nancy's lips. “I'll tell her. Yeah. See you soon, honey. Nice work today.”
She hung up and grinned at Sammie. “I think you'd better head up to that ranch of yours.”
“It's not mine anymore.”
“You sure about that? Go on now, girl. And welcome home.” Nancy gently shut the door in Sammie's face.
Utterly bewildered, Sammie climbed back into her rental. It was getting low on gas from all the driving around, but there was no way she was going to stop. Something about Nancy's smile... “You sure about that?” she'd said.
As she pulled into the long drive of Bitter Ridge Ranch, she felt a loosening in her chest. An unknotting under her breastbone that let her breathe easier. Home she thought to herself. This is my home.
And her home was...full of people?
Cars and trucks and one mud splattered police cruiser were parked at crazy angles all over the place. She caught sight of a vaguely familiar man walking from one of the trucks to the house, a cardboard box in his hands.
The box looked familiar too.
She climbed out of her rental and slammed the door. “What the hell is going on?” she shouted.
“Oh shit, Cole!” the man with the box called. “She's here!”
“Cole?”
Sammie turned to the porch.
Out the front door stepped a huge, handsome cowboy, whose smile made her heart leap. He was dressed in jeans and no shirt—of course, she thought wryly—and had a strange assortment of rags and towels tucked along his waistband. When he saw her, he whooped, leaped from the porch in a single bound, and rushed across the drive to her. Sammie laughed and opened her arms.
And then he stopped short.
Her heart, which had leaped when she saw him, sank right down to her toes. “What?”
“Aw shit, Sammie.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn't expect you back yet. I'm not quite done.”
“Should I finish setting these up in the hutch anyway, Cole?” the man with the box yelled.
Cole rolled his eyes. “Thanks for ruining the surprise, Bobby!”
“Wait, what hutch? My hutch? Set what up there? Cole, what's going on? What are you doing here? Where's Peter? Who is that man, and why does he look familiar?”
Cole laughed and pulled her to him. “Darlin' that big brain of yours is going too fast, and I can't keep up. How about we start with hello?”
She opened her mouth to protest, but her words died in her throat the second Cole's lips met hers.
It was the same lazy, confident way he always kissed her, but for some reason it felt brand new. Sammie went up on her toes and pulled herself closer to him, needing to know that he still felt as she did. That she could do this forever and be happy because his kisses were all she needed to be whole.
“Cole,” she sighed against his lips. “I'm so, so sorry.”
“Hush darlin'.” He kissed her again to silence her. “You were right to go. If you hadn't, I never would have known just how bad I need you.”
“I need you,” she corrected. The speech she’d prepared rushed into her head. “I need to be with you, Cole. I know I screwed up everything and lost the ranch for us, but if you'll have me back I swear...”
“Darlin', didn't I tell you to hush already?” He pressed his finger to her lips and waited for her to exhale before nodding. “That's what I thought. Now. You gonna let me get a word in edgewise?”
She nodded, keeping her lips pressed tight together.
He looked satisfied. “I can tell you or I can show you, and I'm not sure what'd be faster, except…” He tapped his finger to his lips and then grinned. Turning his head toward the house, he shouted over his shoulder, “Hey, Bobby? How's it coming?”
“Almost!” came the muffled reply.
Cole nodded and linked his fingers with Sammie's. “Come on, darlin', I want you to see this.”
As they climbed the steps to the main house, Sammie knew how right this was. Walking with him hand in hand. Coming home. Together.
If only it was still her home. She opened her mouth to ask again, “Cole what—?”
“You are really terrible at hushing up, aren't you?” He chuckled and then gestured for her to enter the dining room ahead of him. “I should know that by now.”
“Cole what are you—oh.” She gasped and fell silent as she stared at the hutch.
It was full again.
Cole slid beside her and pulled her close. “Welcome home, darlin’,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Sammie clapped her hand to her mouth, then silently wiped away the tears that were falling. “How? How did you get them back? How did you—?”
“It's a long story.”
“I helped.” The man who Cole called Bobby extended his hand. “Bobby Thatcher. Dunno if you remember me, Sammie, but Cole and I go way back.”
“Maybe don't go telling her exactly what we did way back,” Cole hissed through gritted teeth. Then he smiled at Sammie. “Bobby had the dubious honor of doing odd jobs for your cousin, but once I made him see the light, he was happy to be on the side of good.”
“I don't know if I like being on the good side. More like I like being on the side that sticks it to the man. And y
our cousin is the very definition of 'the man,' if you don't mind me saying so.”
“I don't,” Sammie said faintly, then turned her face to Cole. “But how is Peter not here now? He owns this place.”
Cole shook his head. “The inspector confessed to everything. Accepting bribes and forging documents. He sang like a bird the second Richard got him in an interrogation room.”
“Is that Richard's car out there?”
Cole laughed. “Yeah, and he's kind of pissed he's here instead of getting to perp walk Peter Jensen, but his captain thought it'd be a conflict of interest.” He lowered his voice. “His captain promised to have somebody on the side take a video for him, though. You know. For later viewing.” He squeezed Sammie's hand.
“I can't...wait. It's over?” She stared at the china. “He's been arrested?”
Cole looked at the clock on the wall. “He's being arrested. You weren't gone that long, darlin'." His eyes shone at her. "Sneaky Pete didn't have time to file any claims on this property. And now he never will. Bobby here did some legwork for us. Found some violations at Petey Boy's properties. So he's got that to deal with as well as the whole bribing a government official thing.” He pulled Sammie closer. “He's not going to be bothering you for a long, long time.”
Sammie searched his face and then reached up to cup his cheek. “You mean, bothering us.”
Cole blinked.
She smiled. “I'm staying, Cole. And if you'll have me, I'd like you to stay with me.”
He sucked air in through his teeth. “Sammie?”
“I—”
He held up his hand. “Don't you dare say it first. I've been dreaming of this day since the moment I laid eyes on you all those years ago, Samantha Jensen. I love you.”
“I was going to say it first!” She mock-glowered at him then laughed. “You outsmarted me, Cole Baker.”
He laughed. “For the first and last time ever.”
“Well, I love you too, you jerk.”
“That's my girl.”
“I have to tell you something, though. I'm in love with you, but you're not the only man in my life.”
The Rancher’s Second Chance Page 19