Always Dakota (28 page)

Hassie wore a big smile as she made her way behind the counter. “Come for one of my sodas, have you?”

“I sure have,” Calla said, propping her chin on her hands. “I thought about these sodas more than once when I was living in Minneapolis.”

“I’ll bet one of my sodas wasn’t the
only
thing you were thinking about while you were away.”

Calla didn’t answer; no need to let Hassie know that she’d probably be leaving town as soon as she was financially able. The older woman was such a staunch defender of the community, she wouldn’t understand Calla’s eagerness to leave. “Actually I came for more than a soda,” she said.

Hassie handed her the soda, then walked around the counter and pulled up a stool. “What’s on your mind?”

Calla figured it’d help to have some kind of subtle lead-in to the question she wanted to ask, but she couldn’t come up with one. Might as well wade right in. “I guess you know I’ve been having trouble with my mother.”

“I did hear something along those lines,” Hassie admitted.

Calla took a sip of her soda and smiled, letting the older woman know how much she enjoyed it. A little flattery was never a bad idea, and besides, Hassie really did make fabulous sodas.

“I don’t blame my mother,” Calla added, wanting to sound adult and mature. “In some families, parents and children just don’t see eye to eye.”

“Is that true of you and your mother?”

“It seems to be.” Calla released a small sigh, as though she considered this entire situation unfortunate and one she deeply regretted.

“It’s never too late, you know.”

This wasn’t the path Calla wanted the conversation to take. “My mother has a new life now. She’s got her business and her marriage. She’s happy with Dennis and they’re starting a family. I don’t fit into that picture, if you catch my drift.”

Hassie shook her head, her expression impatient. “Fiddlesticks.”

“It’s true, Hassie. I love my mother, but I can’t live with her.”

“I imagine you’re grateful for your grandfather, then.” Hassie raised her eyebrows expectantly.

“Oh, yes. Gramps has been wonderful. I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for him—but lately we seem to be having a bit of a problem, too.”

“You’re not getting along with your grandfather?” Hassie asked loudly. “Is that what you’re saying?”

Calla forced herself to look sad and woebegone. Lowering her eyes, she whispered, “We recently had a bit of a falling out.”

“You and Joshua?” Hassie made it sound like that wasn’t possible. “I’ve known your grandfather a lot of years, and he’s an absolute marvel at avoiding conflict. Hates it. In fact, he’ll do just about anything to get out of it.”

“He didn’t have any trouble speaking his mind with me,” Calla informed her, remembering all too well the bluntness of his words. She inhaled a deep breath. “Seeing that I don’t get along with him or my mother,” she said quickly, “I was giving serious thought to…” She hesitated, wondering if her announcement would sound too melodramatic.

“Serious thought to
what?
” Hassie asked.

Her chin came up. “Disowning my family.” That idea had felt very satisfying when she’d first thought of it.

Hassie’s eyes narrowed to thin slits. “You mean before they disown you?”

Calla felt that barb and would have returned an even sharper one of her own if she wasn’t looking to Hassie for help. All right, in all likelihood she
wouldn’t
disown her entire family. She’d probably stay in contact with Jeb and Maddy, not as relatives but as friends. Jeb was all right as uncles went and Maddy was terrific. Besides, Julianne was the only cousin she had and the sweetest baby ever.

“You don’t think I should disown my family?” she asked.

“Hardly. As far as I can see, they’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

Apparently Hassie wasn’t privy to the things her mother had done, but Calla preferred to avoid discussing the sordid details of Sarah’s affair with Dennis Urlacher. Nor did she wish to talk about her father’s pathetic life. Both her parents disgusted her.

She reached for her soda and took a deep swallow. This conversation was more difficult than she’d bargained for. Clearly, she needed to approach it from a different angle. “Have you noticed how many people are moving into Buffalo Valley?” she asked in a determinedly casual tone.

Hassie’s eyes brightened. “The way this town’s coming back to life is a sight to behold, isn’t it?”

“It’s really cool.”

Hassie laughed, and patted Calla’s hand.

“You seem to be doing good business lately.” She nodded at the cash, where Leta was ringing up purchase after purchase.

“Very good,” Hassie agreed.

“I don’t suppose you could use any extra help?” She made the question sound timid, as though she was afraid to ask.

“I thought you were working at the Wyatts’ video store.”

“Oh, I am, but…I was looking for more hours. Whatever you could give me.” The job inquiry was meant to lead into the subject of living with Hassie. Just until she finished school and had enough money to move away.

She’d always heard that honesty was the best policy, and seeing what a mess she’d made of this, Calla decided the direct approach would probably work better. “Actually,” she said, staring down at her soda, “I was thinking I could move in with you.”

“You want to live with me?” Hassie sounded kind of skeptical.

“Not for long,” she promised quickly. “Just until graduation. Perhaps a while longer…I wouldn’t be a bother, really I wouldn’t. We could help each other. I’d do the housework and the cooking, work in the store, and you’d be helping me out.”

Her suggestion was followed by a lengthy silence.

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?” Calla asked, chancing a look in the older woman’s direction.

“No. In fact, I think this is the worst idea I’ve heard in twenty years.”

“Oh.” Calla’s voice fell. A simple
no
would do, she thought resentfully. “Why?”

“First of all, you’ve already got more places to live than four teenagers combined. I know for a fact that your mother would love to have you with her—”

“No way!” As if Calla would deign to live in the same house as Dennis Urlacher! Not in this lifetime.

“So I understand, which is a pity. Your mother and Dennis deserve better treatment than you’re giving them. So does Joshua. I don’t know what happened between you two, but if he confronted you, then my guess is you damn well needed it. I can’t imagine anyone with less reason to disown her family! One day you’ll look back and realize how foolish you’ve been. For your sake, I hope it’s soon.”

Calla felt the heat of indignation fill her face.

“My advice, and you did ask for it, is to step back a moment, think about what you have and thank God every day of your life that there are people who love you and care about you.”

Calla blinked back the hurt. She’d expected Hassie to be an ally. Obviously she’d been wrong. Slapping some money on the counter, she turned and with an indignant tilt to her head, walked out of the pharmacy.

Margaret drew in a deep, calming breath and spoke gently to the laboring heifer who was about to deliver her calf. This was her first birth and the poor thing struggled with each contraction.

“It’s all right, girl,” Margaret said softly. “You’re doing just fine. Soon you’ll have a beautiful new baby.”

Margaret worried about the heifer. The birth was taking longer than expected and the animal was weakening. Rolling up her sleeves, she slipped on the long plastic glove and inserted her arm into the birth canal to feel for the hooves. They were there, thankfully. At least the calf wasn’t breech. She removed her arm, slipped off the glove and patted the heifer, crooning encouragement.

“Can I help?”

At the sound of Matt’s voice, she swung her head around. He stood no more than five feet away. She stared, hardly able to believe that her imagination hadn’t conjured him up. She hadn’t seen him in over a week.

“Say something,” he said next. He seemed to need some sign of the kind of reception she was willing to accord him.

The cow bawled with pain and Margaret glanced back at her. “Yeah—I could use some help,” she said.

“You’ve got it.” A moment later, he was on his knees at her side.

“We’re going to need a rope,” Margaret told him.

“You sure she’s ready?”

“Check for yourself.”

Matt quickly washed his hands, then rolled up his sleeve. Soon his arm was sheathed in the blue glove and he was elbow-deep inside the cow. She didn’t take kindly to the intrusion and protested loudly, thrashing her legs until Matt withdrew his arm.

“Apparently I’m not as gentle as you,” he muttered.

Margaret let the comment slide. She wasn’t there to discuss who possessed the better technique. She wanted to know his thoughts on how the birth was progressing. “Well?” she demanded.

“I agree with you. She’s ready. I feel the hooves and the nose. As soon as they show, we’ll put the rope to use.”

The birth proved to be even more difficult than Margaret had anticipated. Soon after the calf’s hooves emerged, they looped the rope around the front legs. Down on her knees with Matt, Margaret tugged and pulled, employing every ounce of strength she had. By the time the calf slid free of his mother, Margaret’s arms ached and her face burned with exertion.

She had just started to rise when the first cramp hit her. An involuntary yelp escaped and she doubled over, cradling her stomach.

“Margaret!” Right away Matt was there.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” She slumped onto a bale of hay until she could assess what was happening. It didn’t take long to realize she’d strained a muscle.

“Is it the baby?”

“No,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m fine. Leave me alone.”

“There’s something wrong. You’re pale as a ghost,” Matt argued.

“I said I was fine,” she fired back.

“You’re in pain.”

Now that was a laugh. The man who’d broken her heart was concerned because she had a stomach cramp.

“Dammit, Margaret, you can’t be doing this kind of physical labor. Not when you’re pregnant.”

The man had his nerve. “I’ll do whatever I damn well please!”

“You can be angry with me if you want, but I can’t allow you to do anything that’ll hurt our baby.”

“Like I’d intentionally do such a thing.” Did he think she was an idiot?

“You’re too damn stubborn for your own good.”

Margaret opened her mouth to argue, then stopped. It wasn’t outrage she saw in Matt’s eyes, but love and concern. He’d been gone a week, seven days in which she’d had time to consider her options. Time to decide what was important. Time to consider her future and that of her child.

“Be angry if you want,” he said again, “but you can’t do everything by yourself. You need me.”

“The hell I do!” Her response was automatic, her voice sharp.

“Okay, you don’t need me,” he countered just as sharply. “I’m the one who needs you. Hear me out and if you want me to leave afterward, I will.”

“All right.”

He sat on a bale across from her. “I’ve been with quite a few women over the years. I’m not proud of this, and I don’t think it comes as any surprise.”

She’d known the kind of man he was when she married him, but she hadn’t understood exactly what that meant. She hadn’t realized that he couldn’t completely escape his history—as Sheryl had proven.

“You married me because I had something to offer that those other women didn’t—my land and the cattle,” she threw out angrily. “And because I believed in you, or so you’ve said.”

“Yes,” he said, equally angry. “But dammit, Margaret, there’s more. You got to me. You’re the finest cattlewoman I know. The finest rancher, period. No one’s better at managing a herd than you, and I respect that. You’re attractive and you’re smart and you have character. Okay, so you’re no beauty queen. I’m not interested in pretty, shallow girls—they’re a dime a dozen. But there’s only one you.”

The intensity of his words, his eyes, told her he spoke with sincerity.

“There’s something else you should know. Every other woman I’ve ever loved, I’ve loved from below the waist, if you know what I mean. But I love
you
with every part of me—my heart, my mind, my body.”

“Oh, Matt,” she whispered and slid off the bale of hay onto her knees. He knelt, too, facing her.

He reached for her and she all but fell into his arms. His mouth sought hers and they kissed with the desperation of two people who’d experienced despair…and renewal.

Their kisses were deep and long. The new calf mewled softly and his mother nuzzled her offspring while Margaret clung to her husband. When they broke apart, there were tears on her cheeks. Matt kissed them away, his tenderness profound. He’d said exactly what she’d been longing to hear.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be back,” she whispered brokenly.

“I wasn’t, either, but I couldn’t give up on us. I thought, I hoped, that if I went away for a few days, it’d give us both time to think.”