Welcome Wagon (River's End Ranch Book 13) Read online

  “I’m going to start making that up to you on this week’s paycheck. I don’t know what we’d do without you, Gwen, and you deserve more.”

  “Thanks. I won’t turn you down.”

  He laughed again and stood up. “I need to run into town, so I’ll kick you out now, but thanks for coming by so quickly, and we’ll get this wrapped up with Kaitlyn.”

  “No problem. And I really do appreciate the raise.”

  Gwen shook her head in disbelief as she walked back around the building. A raise? And a new employee to help take the pressure off the bunkhouse? So cool. Oh, and someone to celebrate with over dinner that night? Even better.

  Chapter Six

  Kaitlyn was a cute blonde girl of about twenty-five, with the tan all lifeguards seemed to have. She’d started at the ranch the previous summer, so Gwen already knew her and believed they’d get along.

  “I’ve run a reservation desk and I’ve cleaned rooms,” she said as Gwen showed her around. “I have about a year of experience, if that works.”

  “That works,” Gwen replied. “I give every new hire a two-week training period where they work directly with another employee just to learn the ropes—we do things pretty much the same as any other fine hotel, but we do have a few special touches that are signatures of the ranch. Natasha?” she called out to the maid who was just entering the room down the hall.

  Natasha stepped back and walked toward them. “Yes? Oh, hi, Kaitlyn. How are you?”

  “I’m good. Looks like I’ll be working here with you for the winter.”

  “That’s great. We’ll have a lot of fun together. You might even decide to stay here instead of going back to the pool.”

  Gwen smiled. “Natasha, would you please train Kaitlyn in what we do around here? She has some previous experience already, so it should be a piece of cake.”

  Natasha nodded. “Of course. Starting now?”

  Gwen turned to Kaitlyn. “When would you like to start? Frankly, I could have used you a few months ago, but if you need a day off to switch gears, I understand.”

  “No, I’m great to start now,” Kaitlyn replied.

  “Fantastic. Shadow Natasha today, and tomorrow, we’ll get you in uniform. We have a few from previous maids, but I think I’ll order you some new ones too.”

  She left Kaitlyn to help Natasha with her task in the room down the hall, and noticed a room service tray sitting in front of Gabe’s door. Odd that it hadn’t been picked up yet—he must have set it out there in the last five minutes. She bent down to pick it up just as the door opened, startling her, and she banged the edge of the tray into Gabe’s chest.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, her face instantly growing hot. “I don’t usually attack people with trays this early in the day. I wait until after two as a general rule. You can check my logbook.”

  “So this is special treatment,” he said, rubbing his chest dramatically. “I don’t recall it being mentioned in any of your advertising.”

  “We don’t tell just everyone about it. It’s for our elite clientele only.”

  “I see.” He grinned and leaned against the doorframe. “How’s your day going so far?”

  “I actually meant to talk to you about that.” Gwen turned and set the tray on a table in the hallway. No point in standing there holding it forever. “I know we’re already having dinner tonight, but we need to do something a little special—we’re celebrating.”

  “Oh? So I get to whack you with a tray?”

  “If you like, I’ll let you. That’s what kind of good mood I’m in.”

  He lifted an eyebrow, looking suitably impressed. “Wow. All right, where would you like to go?”

  “There’s a town called Post Falls not too far from here. My favorite restaurant is the Oval Office—they have a mushroom gorgonzola cheese sauce that I want to go swimming in.”

  “You’re on. And you’ll tell me all about your news on the drive?”

  She silently blessed him for understanding that it would be an awkward conversation to have there at work. He always had been intuitive that way, knowing when she needed a minute, aware of social and emotional nuances. That was part of what had made him so successful in law school and, she imagined, as a judge now.

  “Yes, absolutely.”

  Another guest passed them in the hall walking toward the elevator, and Gwen realized it might look a little strange, her all but flirting with the man in room four. “And how did you sleep?” she asked, trying to bring the conversation back to a more professional level.

  Gabe glanced at the other guest and smiled. “Very well. Honestly, this bed is like heaven.” The elevator doors closed, and his grin grew wider. “And I’m not just saying that. I don’t think I realized how worn out I was until I woke up completely refreshed. This week’s going to be good for me.” He paused. “In a lot of ways.”

  Gwen looked down at the carpet and then back up. “Me too,” she said softly. “What are you doing today?”

  “Amber called and wants to show me the ranch on horseback. Her husband’s coming along too, so that shouldn’t be awkward at all.”

  Gwen laughed. “You’ll like Wes. I think the two of you will get along well.”

  “I’m sure Amber picked a good guy, and I’ll just forget our first meeting—the Bigfoot spray and all. What do you think—jacket? Coat? Layers?”

  “We believe in layers around here. The weather can change in an instant.”

  “Layers it is.” He took a step back into the room, then hesitated. “See you tonight, Gwen. I’m already looking forward to it.”

  “Thanks,” she replied, feeling the warmth from his gaze traveling into her soul. “So am I.”

  ***

  “Gabe, good to see you,” Amber said, giving him a one-armed hug. “And I believe you already met my husband, Wes Weston.”

  Gabe reached out and shook hands with the tall man standing in front of him, glad he was no longer holding a bottle of Bigfoot spray. “Thanks for inviting me up here. I’m already in love with the place.”

  Wes grinned. “That’s our goal—if you aren’t in love after two days, pie’s on us.”

  “In love with the ranch, that is,” Amber hurried to add. “Romantic love is entirely up to you. I mean, it always is up to you, but we don’t guarantee it.”

  Gabe’s lips twitched. Either she was embarrassed about her past with him, as innocent as it was, or she’d been talking to Gwen. It was amusing, no matter what.

  “Shall we get going?” Amber said, obviously ready to move past that awkward moment, and Gabe followed her and Wes across the property to the stables.

  “Gabe, this is my brother Wyatt,” Wes said as a nearly matching version of himself walked forward to greet them. “He’ll get you set up with the perfect horse.”

  “Welcome to the ranch,” Wyatt said with a nod. “Done much riding?”

  “A little, but it’s been years,” Gabe admitted.

  “I’ll put you on Smoky. He’s one of our newest acquisitions, good with people, sensitive mouth.”

  “Sounds great,” Gabe replied, and Wyatt headed down to the far end and opened a stall door.

  “You can either have Wyatt saddle your horse for you, or you can do it yourself with supervision,” Amber said.

  “I have no experience with that at all—I’ll leave it to the professionals,” Gabe replied. He noticed that Wes had already gotten his horse blanketed and was hefting a saddle off the rack. “How are you liking it here, Amber?”

  “Liking it? I’m loving it. This place is like a whole different world. And I’ll be practicing law here soon, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

  She did look happy, like she glowed with some sort of inner contentment, and Gabe couldn’t have been more pleased for her. She deserved it.

  Wes led his horse to the front just as Wyatt brought out Gabe’s, and a moment later, another man showed up with a horse for Amber. “We’ll be back before five,” Wes told his brother, who nod
ded, and then they all mounted.

  As Gabe settled in, Smoky took a few steps to the side, and Wes chuckled. “He’s just getting used to you,” he said. “Tighten your reins a little and show him you know what you’re doing.”

  “I don’t know what I’m doing,” Gabe said.

  “Well, the horse doesn’t have to know that. Just fake it,” Wes said.

  Gabe tightened his reins, careful not to get them too tight, and held the horse a little more firmly with his knees. He remembered that much at least from the last time he’d ridden. Smoky seemed to appreciate his efforts, even if they weren’t very expert, and settled down.

  “Great! And we need to stop by the diner on our way out,” Amber said. “I ordered us lunches.”

  Gabe followed Amber and Wes as they cantered over to the diner. Amber hopped down from her horse, ran inside, and a few minutes later, she came back out with a couple of plastic bags, which she put in her saddlebags. “Bob, the cook, makes the best boxed lunches you’ve ever had,” she told Gabe as she remounted her horse. “I remember that you like ham, right?”

  “Love it,” he replied.

  “Good. Because that’s what you’re getting.”

  They rode their horses out toward the mountains. There were patches of snow everywhere, brown bits of grass poking through and making a last bid for autumn. The sun kept ducking behind the clouds, and Gabe appreciated what Gwen had said about the weather changing suddenly—just the difference between the bright sunshine and the overcast sky was a few degrees, and he was glad he’d dressed in layers. He’d put a coat in his saddlebag and worn a jacket over his sweatshirt.

  “Let’s slow down a little,” Amber suggested as they got farther down the trail. “I really want Gabe to be able to see and experience and appreciate everything we pass.”

  Wes threw his wife a curious look. “Gabe, how’s our pace for you?”

  “It’s good,” Gabe replied.

  “But are you really soaking it in?” she persisted.

  “I . . . could be soaking more, I guess,” he said. What was she up to?

  A few minutes later, Gabe heard a shout, and he turned in his saddle to see Gwen galloping toward them, her red curls bouncing around her face. “Are you all right?” she called out as soon as she was within distance. “What’s the matter?”

  Wes and Amber had stopped their horses as well. “We’re fine,” Amber called back.

  Gwen pulled up next to them and looked them over. “What’s going on? I got an urgent message at the desk that I needed to grab a horse and get up here as soon as possible. Is someone hurt?”

  “No. I just thought it was a lovely day for a horseback ride, and it would be a shame if you missed it,” Amber said, looking a little smug.

  “But . . . I can’t just leave,” Gwen said. “We have a new hire being trained—”

  “Which means you have an extra person today, and the rooms are all clean now, aren’t they?” Amber asked.

  Gabe glanced over at Wes, who was sitting there with a smile on his face. Apparently, he wasn’t too surprised by his wife’s little plan.

  “I suppose it’s all right,” Gwen relented. “Mira said she’d cover the desk. And I should have known it wasn’t a medical emergency because you would have called Bridget or Dani, but still. I was freaked out that something had happened.”

  “I’m sorry about that,” Amber said, looking somewhat contrite. “I take full responsibility. I didn’t tell the guys what I was doing. But I did happen to grab an extra lunch from the diner. You know—while I was calling the bunkhouse and arranging for you to meet us here.”

  Gwen shook her head. “I have the strangest feeling that I’m being kidnapped.”

  “You are. And you’re going to enjoy every minute of it.” Amber flashed a grin, then urged her horse to move forward.

  Gwen fell into place beside Gabe, and he chuckled. “I’m glad you’re coming with us,” he said softly. “I was beginning to feel like a third wheel around those two lovebirds.”

  “I’m glad I’m here too, even if I don’t agree with Amber’s tactics.” Gwen shook her head again. “She could have just invited me—we would have arranged a substitute for the desk.”

  “You know, I was asking Carly about that,” Gabe said. “She said that even though you’re shorthanded, there would be a way for you to take an afternoon off.”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Gwen replied. “Amber didn’t have to go through all this—wait. Why did you want to know if I could get an afternoon off?”

  “I was thinking about a picnic. But I was picturing just the two of us—not the Bigfoot prankster or the happy kidnapper up there.” He nodded toward Wes and Amber.

  Gwen laughed. “I’d love a picnic. I’m a little worried that you’re going to get tired of me in a few days, though. I’m sure you had something else in mind when you first decided to come here.”

  “To be honest, I’m not sure what I had in mind. I’ve just been feeling restless, wanting to do a little more with my career or take up skeet shooting or something . . .”

  “Skeet shooting?”

  “Yeah. Don’t you think I’d be good at it?”

  “I don’t know.” She looked contemplative. “All those poor, innocent skeet, giving up their lives so you can have a hobby?”

  “Well, every creature does have its purpose on this earth.”

  “What about platypuseseses . . . er, platypi? What’s their purpose?” she asked.

  “I believe it’s actually platypuses.”

  “Really?” She looked like she didn’t believe him.

  “Pretty sure. We can look it up when we’re back in cell range.” He’d missed this so much, bantering with her.

  “Okay, I’ll give it to you until then. But you didn’t answer my question. What is their purpose?”

  “To make us laugh,” he replied.

  “I’ll give you that one too.”

  They continued down the horse path, and Gabe had to admit, he’d never seen anywhere more beautiful. They were surrounded by quaking aspens on either side, mixed with other varieties of trees he couldn’t even name, and the air was fresh and crisp with a bit of a cold bite. When no one was talking, all he could hear was the sound of the wind in the leaves and the plodding of horse hooves. There was no traffic, no pollution, no bickering lawyers or sullen defendants. He made up his mind—no matter where he lived in the world for the rest of his life, he was coming here for at least a week every year.

  They reached an overlook area, and Amber motioned for them to stop. “Let’s eat here,” she called out. “There’s a bathroom through those trees if you need one.”

  “A real bathroom, or a log and a couple of boulders?” Gabe asked Gwen.

  “A real bathroom. The Westons put in several along each of the trails because not all our guests are outdoorsy,” Gwen explained.

  “Nice.” They’d really thought of everything.

  Several logs had been cut and put in a circle to create a picnic area, and Amber handed them each a boxed lunch and invited them to sit.

  “This is great,” Gabe said after he’d taken a few bites of his ham sandwich. “Is that a mustard honey sauce in there?”

  “Yep,” Amber replied. “Bob’s fantastic. He refuses to do things the expected way, and we all benefit from it—I’ve literally gained five pounds since I moved here.”

  “If I said something about it being five more pounds to love, you’d slap me, wouldn’t you?” Wes asked.

  “Oh, absolutely,” she replied cheerfully.

  They finished eating and gathered up their trash, then continued on to the summit. Gabe’s breath was totally taken away. He could see for miles in every direction, hills upon rolling hills, some higher peaks touched with a bit of snow, and others vibrant with autumn colors.

  “This looks like God pulled out His watercolors and had a little fun,” he said, turning in a slow circle so he wouldn’t miss anything.

  “Doesn’t it, tho
ugh?” Gwen shielded her eyes from the sun, looking out into the distance, then gasped. “No way.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  She pointed. “That’s a red-tailed hawk. It’s like he showed up just for your visit.”

  Gabe looked where she pointed and saw a huge majestic bird sailing on the air currents out between two of the mountains. The hawk dipped and swirled, then let the wind lift his wings like parachutes. “That looks like so much fun,” he said. “Sometimes I’d love to be a bird.”

  “Have you ever gone parasailing?” Gwen asked.

  “Are you kidding? People die doing that. Birds hardly ever die just flying, though.”

  Gwen laughed. “True that.”

  They stood and watched the hawk until the wind turned bitter. “We’d probably better head back,” Wes said. “I think we’re in for some rain, maybe snow.”

  Gabe looked up at the clouds. He hadn’t paid them much attention before—he’d been looking at the trees and the hawk and Gwen—but now he could see the storm rolling in. He pulled his coat from his saddlebag, made sure Gwen had one too, and then mounted.

  “Let the horses go as fast as they want,” Wes called out. “They know where they’re going and they’re comfortable with the trail.”

  Gabe loosened the reins a little bit, and Smoky increased his pace. Gabe could easily see that his biggest challenge was going to be hanging on.

  Then the rain began to come down in torrents, absolutely freezing cold. The trees on either side of the trail somewhat protected them, but whenever there was a break in the cover, they got drenched. Then a bolt of lightning zapped down through the trees and made an impressive crackling sound. Gabe checked the time on his watch—thankfully waterproof—and saw that it was nearly four.

  “If we aren’t back by five, my brother will send someone after us,” Wes called, correctly guessing why Gabe was curious about the time.

  “Good to know,” Gabe called back, his teeth chattering. The sound of rain and thunder made it harder to communicate.

  “And not only that, but my sister Dani is on the search and rescue team up here and I’d rather die than make her come after me, so trust me, we’ll be fine. I’ll see to it,” Wes continued, and Gabe laughed.