Home on the Ranch 47 - Tina Radcliffe Read online

  Obviously the skunk knew the shortcut. Cutting across the field would be a much shorter route than taking the road and the long driveway.

  She pushed through the low-hanging branches and a dense tangle of bushes to a clearing. The Dearbornes had already erected a wood and double-line barbed-wire fence along the new property line.

  Annie stared at the fence and sighed.

  She tucked her left pant leg into her sock before pulling herself up onto the wooden post and lifting the injured leg over the barbed wire carefully. Just as she began to lift her right leg over the fence, the skunk reappeared.

  A frantic scramble cleared her over the top of the wire; but when she tried to move forward, Annie realized she was still attached to the fence. Oh, she’d gotten over all right, but now she was standing on her tiptoes with her shirt caught on the sharp barbs.

  Twisting her body, she glanced over her shoulder. The skunk’s bright beady eyes mocked her.

  “Shoo.” She waved a hand.

  Annie paused and tugged at her shirt. Oh, yes. She was pinned clear through to her undergarments. Facing off with a skunk and unable to escape.

  “I said shoo. You little troublemaker.”

  Taking a deep breath, she fought to stay calm. “Skunks rarely attack. Skunks rarely attack.” She repeated the mantra over and over.

  “What are you doing?”

  Will.

  With the show over, the skunk trotted off into the trees.

  “Your friend is leaving,” Will observed.

  “Darn.”

  “So how long have you been stuck to that fence?”

  “Oh, not long.” She gritted her teeth and tried again to yank herself free while maintaining a nonchalant appearance.

  Will inched closer, bringing his face near as he assessed first her and then the barbed wire from his position on the other side. When his Stetson sailed past and landed on the grass on her side of the fence, Annie turned toward him and paused, mesmerized by the dark head close to her own. Her gaze moved to the shadowed stubble on his chin, and the firm lips. She shivered.

  “Are you hurt?”

  Oh, she was in pain all right. But she wasn’t hurt.

  “I’m just fine.”

  “Don’t move or you’ll put a hole in your shoulder blade.” In one graceful movement he leaped over the wire.

  “Put your arms around me.”

  Annie blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Now’s not the time to be shy, Annie. Hold on to me and I’ll get you free.”

  She put her arms around his neck, her fingers touching the soft curls at the base of his neck. Will smelled like a day’s work—the musky scent of leather, hay and horses. For a brief moment she closed her eyes, imagining what it would be like to really be held in Will’s arms.

  With one hand he held her off the ground while his other hand freed the fabric. “Okay, got it.”

  She opened her eyes and found her mouth a mere breath from his.

  “You okay?” His words were warm against her skin.

  “I was.” She sucked in a shaky breath and licked her lips.

  He froze, his pupils dilated as he stared at her mouth. Finally he released her to slide down his chest and stand on the ground.

  “Thank you,” she muttered, staring at his boots while she straightened her dignity.

  Will retrieved his hat and dusted it off against his leg before setting it on the back of his head. “So, what were you doing out here?”

  “Just hanging around.”

  The little laugh lines at the corner of his eyes appeared and Will began to chuckle. Doubled over, he apparently couldn’t stop laughing.

  “It’s not that funny.”

  “Oh, yeah. It is.” He straightened and fought for composure. “Annie, please don’t ever leave.”

  For a moment her heart melted at the words she’d waited so long to hear. She released a small sigh of pleasure.

  Then his lips twitched. “Life is so much more interesting with you around.”

  Annie narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Glad I can amuse you.”

  Will cleared his throat. “Do you want to try that again?”

  “I was on the way to the post office to mail my résumés.”

  “I like the sound of that. Jeep die on you?”

  She nodded.

  “Loose battery cables. I’ve got that on my list.” He tossed her a set of keys. “Take the truck. I’ll meet you back at the house. Oh, and I’ve got a jacket in there you can wear. Your shirt has a tear in it.”

  “I can’t take your new truck.”

  “Annie, if I can’t trust you with my truck, who can I trust?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Don’t be silly,” Rose said. “I want to go. I can sit long enough for a picnic. Just not on the ground.” She examined the checkerboard situated in the middle of the kitchen table.

  “What about fireworks?” Annie asked.

  The older woman laughed. “Honey, I’ll be asleep long before those fireworks start Sunday night.”

  “You can’t go to bed early on the Fourth of July,” Annie protested.

  Rose returned a look that clearly stated “watch me” as she reached out to move her game piece.

  Annie cleared her throat. “It’s my turn.”

  “Well, then, quick talking and move.”

  It took all Annie’s concentration to keep track of her own checker pieces and Rose’s moves across the table. She jumped over a black and removed the piece from the board. “Okay, now it’s your turn.”

  Rose stared at the board for several long minutes.

  “You heard me say it’s your turn, right?”

  “You in a rush to lose?”

  “But I’m winning,” Annie said.

  Rose slid her piece across the board. “Has Will got a group scheduled for the ranch that night?”

  “No, I checked his schedule. Besides, he said he didn’t want to deal with fireworks of any kind. Kids seem to pull them out of their pockets these days even though they’re illegal.”

  After some thought Annie picked up another red piece. “King me.”

  Rose frowned.

  “Maybe I’ll give Ryan a call and see if he knows where we can see fireworks.”

  “No need to call Ryan. Will can tell you plenty of spots to view fireworks.”

  The phone rang, and Rose reached for the cordless hand-set that rested on the table between them. “Sullivan Ranch.” When Rose arched her brows Annie guessed the caller to be Margaret. “Did you try his cell phone?” Her fingers tapped an impatient pattern on the table as she listened. “Hang on a minute. Let me ask his personal assistant.”

  “Is Will in the house?” Rose asked Annie with a grin.

  “I think he’s out with Okie.”

  “Could you fetch him?”

  “Sure.”

  “Margaret, we’ll have him call you right back,” Rose said.

  Annie stepped outside, and was immediately engulfed by the moist summer heat. She glanced around. The flowers were enjoying the humidity. The Boston ferns hanging on the porch were huge now, their lush, green fronds reaching out. They spanned at least three feet across. The deep ruby elephant’s ears she’d planted along the front in the shade of the maple tree had grown as well, and also benefited from the moisture.

  She stepped to the horse barn and pulled open the screen to the office. “Will?”

  “Back here.”

  She found him in the tack room tidying up.

  “Everything okay with your favorite mare?” she asked.

  “Yeah, just getting the foaling kit together and giving Okie a rubdown. She’s looking ready, isn’t she?”

  “Yes. I noticed that when I was helping Chris today.” Annie wasn’t any kind of horse expert, but she had learned the tell-tale signs of impending delivery from the vet tech.

  “When Okie has her foal, that will be seven of your own and all the boarders. Aren’t
you excited?”

  “Yeah. I am. A full house. Like the old days.” He smiled, but a trace of melancholy laced his words.

  “You’re not selling the foal, then?”

  “Don’t know yet. Once upon a time that was the plan. Now I’m thinking otherwise.”

  “Wouldn’t it be fun to have a foal around to raise and train? You’d enjoy that.”

  “You know me too well, Annie.”

  “What did the vet say today?”

  “We’re right on schedule.”

  “That’s good news. Oh, I almost forgot why I came out here. Phone call. Margaret wants you to call her back right away. You forgot to take your cell off silent again.”

  He winced. “Think there’s some kind of psychological thing going on there with me and cell phones?”

  “Yes. Your subconscious wants the world to go away.”

  He sighed and moved out of the tack room to the office. “You’re more right than you know.” Turning out the light, he locked the door and followed her to the yard.

  “Beautiful weather,” he said.

  “Hope it stays this way for the Fourth. I’m trying to convince Rose to go see the fireworks with me.”

  “Good luck. You should know better. This is the woman who is in bed by dusk on New Year’s Eve. I can take you if you like.”

  “Really?” Excitement bubbled up inside of her. “What about Okie?”

  “We’ll set a monitor in here so Chris can listen to Okie from home.”

  Her eyes widened. Will was really going to take a day off.

  “I’m thinking it might be fun to head out to an amusement park.”

  “Oooh, that’s a great idea.”

  Will laughed. “You look like a five-year-old who was just offered cotton candy.”

  “I feel like a five-year-old.”

  “Good. ’Cause I like being the one putting those smiles on your face.”

  When his gaze met hers and she saw the earnestness in his eyes, her heart began to pound.

  “There’ll be a lot of walking.”

  She glanced down at her leg as they strode side by side toward the house. “I’m ready for it. It’s not like we’ll be in any rush.”

  “You’re preaching to the choir. I’m always trying to keep up with you.”

  “I suppose I could slow down.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Wow, I haven’t been to an amusement park in a long time. I want to ride Zingo.” She hadn’t been on the legendary wooden roller coaster in years.

  “Sorry, Annie. Zingo is gone.”

  Annie inhaled sharply. “What?”

  “Bells Amusement Park has closed.”

  “That’s so sad. But you said amusement park.”

  “I thought we might take a ride to Oklahoma City and check out the new park there. Frontier City. They have a wooden roller coaster, too.” He shrugged. “Still want to go?”

  “Absolutely.” She paused. “Just the two of us?”

  “If that’s all right with you.”

  “Yes. Of course,” she said, suddenly shy. An unexpected pleasure filled her at the thought of an evening alone with Will. She might well enjoy her time here while she could.

  “We’ll take Rose home and head out right after the picnic.”

  Annie nodded as Will took the porch steps two at a time. “Coming?” he asked, holding the door.

  “Go ahead. I’m going to water the pumpkins.”

  “Thanks for taking care of them,” he said.

  “You’re going to have a pumpkin patch that will rival Linus’s come September.”

  Will laughed as the screen door closed behind him.

  Annie grabbed the sprinkler where it lay next to the coiled hose, wondering where she would be come September.

  The notebook next to her bed listed the dates and locations for the viable mission teams for the next year. Mexico remained at the top of her list. She’d also received several job offers after her interviews. There were plenty of opportunities. The question was which one did the Lord want her to accept? She knew that if she chose the wrong path she’d be miserable, no matter how attractive the opportunity appeared.

  Dragging the hose into the garden, she stooped down, positioning the head to reach the tender green vines that had taken over most of the garden. Then she backed out of the patch and turned on the faucet, standing to watch the whirring water pirouette and shoot into the night air.

  Cast your cares on Him. Well, she had, and now she was simply waiting. And it wasn’t easy. She’d come to see that perhaps she wasn’t exactly restless like her mother, but she was impatient.

  She removed her muddy sneakers before letting herself in the house, where she heard Will deep in conversation.

  “Wish I could, Margaret, but I already have plans.” Will tucked the portable between his ear and shoulder as he opened the refrigerator and perused the contents. Grinning, he pulled out a pie tin and set it on the counter. “Sure I understand. It sounds like a great party, and I appreciate you pulling strings to get me invited.”

  Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head, while Annie stared at the black and red game board.

  “I’m trying to work with you, Margaret, but you have to give me some lead time for all these parties you have lined up. You know under any other circumstance I’d be happy to go to the country club with you and Ed for KidCare. But this is a holiday and I have plans.”

  “His nose is going to grow if he doesn’t stop fibbing,” Rose said.

  “Will doesn’t fib. What he means is that the circumstances under which he’d love to go to the country club would include impending natural disasters such as tornados or earthquakes. And he does have plans.”

  She smiled to herself. Will had invited her out.

  Rose chuckled. “Know what his problem is?” she whispered. “Will is too nice for his own good. He’s going to have to be up front with that woman eventually. She and Ed want him to be something he’s not.”

  Annie gathered the checkers pieces and prepared for another round.

  “That boy is going to end up miserable if he keeps trying to please everyone but himself.”

  “He’s not a boy. He’s a man, and we need to mind our own business.”

  Rose grumbled under her breath.

  “Margaret, I’ve got to hang up now. I have an appointment to keep.” He set down the phone and pulled out a plate from the cupboard. “An appointment with pie.”

  Will finished juggling the bills and closed his laptop. Why did he sense he was only a half trot ahead of disaster? So much depended on this summer. Time and again doubt snuck up, wooing him with words he didn’t want to hear. Could he really save Sullivan Ranch, or was he only postponing the inevitable?

  The photo of Annie on the corner of his desk caught his attention and he found himself smiling. Somehow thinking of Annie made even his anorexic bank statements seem less formidable. How could she always be so upbeat and positive? With a finger he swiped at a bit of dust on the glass frame.

  His mind replayed that almost kiss in the pasture yesterday. He was only human and Annie was oh so tempting. But he refused to start something he couldn’t finish, so he fought what he was feeling with everything in him.

  The Huntington’s set his boundaries long ago, but lately it was becoming more and more difficult to keep those fences in place. And the ache inside him was becoming a longing that he couldn’t subdue with facts. Virtue was becoming its own punishment.

  A groan escaped, and he pushed the thoughts aside and began to tidy up his desk. He glanced down at the list of suggestions for the ranch Annie had slipped on his desk yesterday.

  It had been five weeks since he’d first offered up a prayer to make Annie stay. Had the Lord heard his prayers?

  Will jumped at a thump in the darkness outside his office.

  “Nuts.”

  “Annie?”

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to disturb you.” She peeked her head into the room and gave him a weak s
mile.

  “What are you doing? It’s after midnight.”

  “Well, I’m…um, I’m watching television. Are you aware they play reruns of Rose’s soap opera late at night?” She stepped in the office, holding a butter knife, a jar of peanut butter, a soda and an apple in her hands.

  “You’re addicted to Rose’s soap?”

  “I wouldn’t say that. But I have to find out what’s going on with Lance and Marla.”

  Will barely suppressed a laugh. “I blame Rose for this. She’s taking you to the dark side.”

  “Oh, come on. It’s harmless.”

  “I’m not so sure.”

  “What are you doing?” She examined his desk. “Oh, my list. What do you think?” Her voice became hopeful.

  “I haven’t had a chance to really go over it yet.”

  Annie set her bounty on the desk and narrowed her eyes at him. “Look, Will, I know KidCare is putting a lot into marketing, but their focus is the events you sponsor with them. You need to get out there and market Sullivan Ranch. Your web page barely scratches the surface.” She paced back and forth.

  “Okay. Sure. We can work on that.”

  “Good, but what we really need to do is sit down and figure out what kind of packages the ranch can offer guests. I’ve been doing research, and you’ve got to round out your amenities. Maybe adding skeet shooting and horseback-riding trips with gourmet lunches on the side, and—”

  “Annie, please don’t leave.” The words had burst from him before his brain could register what he’d done.

  She stopped, closed her mouth and faced him, surprise leaving her momentarily speechless.

  “I want you to work for me.”

  “But, but, I already work for the ranch.”

  “I meant with a paycheck. Part-time.”

  “You said you can’t afford to hire anyone else.”

  “I can’t afford not to hire you. You’ve been the difference between success and failure these past few weeks.”

  “You know that really isn’t necessary. I love Sullivan Ranch. Besides, you and Rose have already given me so much.”

  “Still. I want to make it official.”

  When his gaze met hers, he saw her heart in her eyes and for a fleeting moment wondered if he was playing fair.