A Cowgirl's Pride (22 page)

“This is quite a crew.”

“Then it’s high time the women had a break. I
make a mean omelet.”

“Want some help?” asked Michael.

“Yep, you can chop up the onions.”

The men had a good laugh as
Cam
and Michael left the room.

“How are your hands and feet doing?”
Trent
asked.

“My hands feel okay, but my feet feel like
they’re burning.”

“Let me have a look.” He kneeled in front of
Cal
to remove his socks.
“They look a lot better than they did last night. I’ll apply more of that aloe
cream. It should help ease the burning.”

“Thanks.”

He’d no sooner finished tending
Cal
’s feet when small
footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Cal
smiled. “Here come the twins.” He glanced toward the staircase,
surprised to see Leah directly behind them. “Good morning,” he said when he
figured she was close enough to hear without him shouting. The twins had surged
toward the kitchen.

“Good morning. How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Much improved, but Doc Trent thinks it’ll be a
few days before I can walk.”

“Are the phones still out?”

“I don’t know, but I need to talk to you alone
for a minute.”

Trent
stood. “I’ll go see about coffee.”

“What about?” she asked after he’d left.

“Uh, remember yesterday?”

“What part?”

“Our part—at
Cam
’s.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“I, uh, dressed in a hurry to run after you and
I, uh, forgot my boxers.”

Leah cracked up, laughing so hard tears came to
her eyes.

“I’m glad
you
think it’s funny.”

“Oh, it is. It surely is. How do you expect to
get them?”

“
Cam
’s home,
Leah. He came in late last night. I was hoping you’d go with him and try to
find them before he does.”

“Uncle Cam is home?” She sobered instantly and thought
for a minute. “Yeah, I could do that if Michael allows me out of the house.”

“You should be safe enough with
Cam
.”

“Does he know what’s been going on?”

“Yeah, we filled him in. Didn’t say anything
about you being pregnant though. I figured that part of it was your story to
tell.”

“Thanks, and don’t worry. I’ll find some way to
tag along to his place.”

“Good. Less embarrassing that way.” He smiled,
and she smiled back. His heart lifted. She was so beautiful. “Leah, I….”

She’d already turned away. “I’m anxious to see
Uncle Cam and get some breakfast. Something smells awful good. See ya.”

“Yeah, see you later.” He wanted to talk to her,
but now probably wasn’t the best time, not with the family all around. Between
his sore feet and the houseful of company, he didn’t know when he’d catch her
alone. All he knew was that he would. He had to. His heart was hanging in the
balance. He rested his head against the sofa back and closed his eyes.

****

Leah went straight to her uncle and gave him a
big, warm hug. “Welcome home.”

“I could say the same to you, girl. My word,
you’ve grown up nice and pretty. Your father must be proud.”

She laughed. “He seems happy enough that I’m
home, at least. How was your vacation?”

“Interesting,” he said. A shuttered look crossed
his face.

“Gee, that tells me a lot.”

“In due time, girl. In due time,” he said as he
turned back to the stove.

She crossed to the wall phone and picked up the
receiver. “The phones are back on. Should we call an ambulance for
Cal
?”

“No sense calling until the plowing’s done.
They’d never get in the driveway. I had to leave my truck at the road.”

As if on cue, they heard the tractor start.
Cam
looked out the window. “Good man, that Pete. Doesn’t
have to be told when something needs doing.”

“He’s been with us a long time,” she said. She
grabbed the milk jug and three glasses, filling two for the boys and one for
herself.

“That he has.”
Cam
dished up two plates and set them in front of the twins. “Who’s who?” he asked.

“I’m Casey.”

“And I’m Cammy. Who are you?”

“My name is Cameron Manning. I’m your great
uncle.”

Cammy’s mouth dropped open. “That’s my name!”

“So it is. Glad to meet you.” He smiled, gave
them each a quick hug, and went back to his cooking.

Leah passed over their glasses of milk and
leaned in close to speak. “No tricking your Uncle Cam. He wants to get to know
you two.”

The boys looked at each other and the smirks on
their faces told their tale. They would definitely play a prank or two on
Cam
as they’d done with everyone else. She gave them a
stern look, but the innocent expressions on the two identical faces had her
laughing. “At least, take it easy on him. Okay?”

Both heads nodded as they picked up their forks
and started eating.

Trent
made toast. He set a plate of it on the table and went back to
butter two more slices, which he placed on another plate. Cam added the omelet
and, picking up a mug of coffee,
Trent
carried breakfast
through to
Cal
.
She supposed he’d expected her to come back with his meal, but she valiantly
tried to distance herself from him and the heartache she felt whenever he was
near.

The rest of the family joined them for
breakfast, and it was a noisy reunion when they spied
Cam
.

“How ya doin’ old man?” Lucas asked
Cam
.

“Look who’s calling who old! You’ve got three
minutes on me.”

Lucas guffawed. “True enough. I don’t feel old.”

“Neither do I.” He gave Winnie a hug in greeting.
“Is he allowed to eat a bacon and sausage omelet with toast?”

“We’ve been going easy on eggs and red meat, but
sure. It shouldn’t hurt this once.”

“Coming right up! Zakia, welcome back. You and
Luke must be doing well if you’re expecting.”

She blushed. “Thanks,
Cam
.
Yes, we’re doing fine.”

“Luke, for a man who seemed happy enough living
alone when I left, you sure filled the house up fast.”

Luke laughed and hugged Zakia to his side.
“Resigned more like, yet I’m happy having the family together. We’ve had quite
a time lately.”

“So I’ve heard. Michael and Cal filled me in
during the night.”

“You haven’t slept?” Luke asked.

“Not a wink. I’ll get plenty of sleep when I go
home. Pete should be finished plowing soon.”

“I’ll come with you and remove a few layers of
dust while you snooze,” said Leah.

“Thank you, girl. Much obliged.”

Leah breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t
thought it would be that easy.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” said Michael.

“Don’t worry. I’ll pocket my gun. And besides,
Cam
will be there.”

“Sleeping. If you insist on going, I’ll
accompany you, Michael said.

“Nonsense! If Roddy tries anything, it’ll be
here, not at
Cam
’s.”

“She’s probably right, Michael,” said
Trent
. “We’re needed more
here.”

He acquiesced. “All right, but I still don’t
like the idea of you off in the woods.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said.

“We’ll have to pack a lunch to take with us
until I have time to shop,”
Cam
said.

“No problem. I’ll do that now.”

Leah put together some food supplies to take
with them and when Pete finished plowing, she called an ambulance for
Cal
. As the paramedics
took him away, she was sorely tempted to go with him, but she stuck to the plan
and stayed behind to clean for
Cam
. It was the
least she could do after using his place for an afternoon tryst. Besides, she
stifled a grin; she had to find those boxers.

Chapter Fourteen

After being poked, prodded, X-rayed, and soaked
in a giant tub, the doctor bandaged up his feet and pronounced him well enough
to go home. Of course, he’d have to keep them moisturized and stay off them for
a couple more days, until the soreness went away, but at least there wouldn't be
any lasting damage. The nurse arranged for him to rent a wheelchair and sent
him on his way.

He went to the payphone in the lobby and called
the ranch. Michael volunteered to pick him up after making a slight detour at
his office, so he wheeled himself to the canteen and grabbed a coffee while he
sat at the front entrance to wait. He was fixing to get another cup when he saw
Michael’s car pull in. What he wouldn’t give to own that ‘72 Camaro. It was a
beaut!

Thankfully, it was also low to the ground.
Michael helped him inside, only bumping his foot once then took the wheelchair back
inside.

“Can we stop at Red Cross? They have a
wheelchair for me.”

“Sure, no problem. It’ll make it easier for you
to get around until your feet heal.”

“Yeah, no more crawling. My knees and elbows are
getting sore.”

They shared a laugh, and Michael pulled in to
the Red Cross building.
Cal
gave him the money for the rental, and Michael went inside, returning to store
it in the trunk for the drive to the ranch.

“Anything else happen since I’ve been gone?”

“No, it’s been quiet today.”

“Maybe
Kendall
is running out of tricks.”

Michael glanced sideways at him. “I doubt it.
I’m just hoping
Vancouver
can arrest him before he tries again.”

“That would be a blessing. Leah’s terrified
someone else will get hurt or end up dead. All that anxiety can’t be good for
her or the baby,”
Cal
said.

“No, I don’t imagine it is.”

“I find it hard to believe she continued to stay
with him after witnessing a murder.”
Cal
needed information, and he figured this was the best time to get it.

“Fear played a big role in that. He’d threatened
to feed
her
to the dogs if she talked
or tried to leave.”

“Do you really think he would’ve?” His voice
laced with skepticism; he waited for Michael’s answer.

“Not a doubt in my mind,” said Michael.
“Remember, I lived there. We had a file on
Kendall
three inches thick but could never tie any evidence to him.”

“He must be a slippery bastard. Or smart.”
Who the hell was this guy?

“He’s both and rich; has a lot of influence
around town.”

“Enough to get him out of jail?”

“Enough that he’s never even been charged.
That’s one scumbag I’d take great pleasure in putting away.”

Interesting.
“Maybe you’ll get that chance soon.”

“Hopefully, before he kills again.”

Cal
allowed the conversation to lapse as he pondered the strength Leah showed
in staying. As scared as she had to have been, to remain, facing her own
personal demon every day, took a great deal of fortitude. If it were him, he
didn’t think he would’ve fared half as well. It’s a wonder she survived without
ending up in the Looney bin. How did she dare sleep or turn her back on him for
a second?

His admiration for her stepped up a giant notch.
Michael’s clarification of the man’s character answered many questions. Instead
of condemning her for the way she’d lived, he should have praised her for
having endured…for finding the courage to come home when she’d found out she
had a child on the way.

Damn! What a mess he’d made of things. She’d
probably never forgive him for the remarks he’d made—words hurled in a moment
of hurt and disillusionment that he should never have spoken. He knew that now,
but how could he make amends?

His being laid up for the next few days would
make it difficult to see her. Even if she came to visit him at the bunkhouse, which
he doubted, they’d have next to no privacy to talk. It would have to wait until
he could go visit her…if she’d even give him the time of day after being such a
horse’s ass.

Michael pulled up as close as he could to the
bunkhouse door and helped Cal navigate to his wheelchair. Even with the walk
shoveled and salted, it was tough going to get him inside. Cookie met them at
the door, but by the time Michael parked him in front of the fire, he had a new
respect for all the handicapped people forced to use a wheelchair on a daily
basis.