Bachelor Cowboy (12 page)

She finally reached Lou without her presence being detected and tapped him on the shoulder, making sure she kept her back to the spot where Dusty was sitting. Lou spun around, making her jump, but luckily she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from letting out a yelp.

His thick eyebrows drew together in a frown, but when he saw who it was, it disappeared. The Claybornes were a cash cow. “Everybody knows not to sneak up on me,” he growled. “You bring the sandwich stuff?”

“Don’t I always?”

“Yeah, you do. I appreciate it.”

She nodded her acknowledgement, but didn’t say how much she and her aunt appreciated it. Cooking brought in extra money when they needed it the most. “I’ll see you again on Wednesday.”

Keeping her back to Dusty’s table, she started for the door, still hoping to sneak out without being seen.

“Aren’t you going to say hello, Kate?”

Damn
. She was only a few steps from escape. Wasn’t it enough that she’d had to deal with Ted?

“Kate?”

Taking a deep breath, she turned around and looked directly at Dusty so there would be no mistake. “Hello, Dusty,” she said, and then turned back around.

“Whoa! What’s your hurry?”

Wishing she had the power to make herself vanish into thin air, she faced him again.

He said something to the man sitting next to him, before flashing her a wide grin. “Come on over and be neighborly. Somebody wants to say hi to you.”

“This is insane,” she muttered under her breath, but she gave a smile her best shot and walked over to the table. “Hi, Jimmy,” she said, when she recognized Dusty’s friend. “How’s Terry?”

“Mighty fine,” Jimmy answered.

“Glad to hear it. Tell her hello from me.”

“I’ll do that.”

Dusty leaned forward. “Have a seat. We’re waiting on our orders.”

Except for the intensity she saw in his eyes, she would have thought she was an old friend of his and nothing at all had happened the night before. “I need to be getting home.”

“Just for a few minutes,” he coaxed. “No harm in that, is there?”

She looked around the room, hoping for some other means of escape, other than the main door. “Well…” she said, stalling for the slight chance of a miracle saving her.

The empty chair next to Dusty scooted out from the table, obviously launched by his foot. “What brings you to Lou’s Place on a Saturday?” he asked.

Glancing at Jimmy as she sat on the chair, she tried for a smile. “It’s delivery day.”

Jimmy looked at Dusty. “Remember me telling you that she comes by twice a week and today was one of ’em?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, without his gaze ever leaving her. “I forgot. I thought maybe you came in to cuddle up with that cowboy in the doorway.”

She knew exactly what he was referring to, and fury shot through her. “I was
not
cuddled up with anybody.”

“Suit yourself.” The smile on his face looked suspiciously like a sneer.

Jimmy’s chair screeched on the wood floor when he scooted it back. “You know, I think I’ll go get those sandwiches and leave you two to…whatever.”

When Dusty didn’t bother to reply, Kate knew she was in trouble. “I think it’s time for me to leave,” she said, starting to stand.

Dusty put his hand on her wrist and kept her from moving. “Oh, no, you don’t. Running away isn’t going to help.”

They stared at each other in silence for what seemed like ten minutes, but Kate knew was only a few seconds. She noticed his eyes weren’t as bright as they usually were, and there seemed to be a decided strain in the planes of his face. “You look like something the cat wouldn’t bother to drag in.”

“Thanks.”

“And you were extremely rude about that thing with Ted.”

“I suppose I should apologize.”

“It certainly wouldn’t hurt.”

He removed his hand and leaned back in his chair. “Okay, I was out of line with that remark.”

She rubbed her wrist and saw something flash across his face. A brief frown? Concern that he might have hurt her? Or something else?

“Tell me about the deliveries,” he said.

“There’s nothing to tell,” she answered with a shrug. “I bring the barbecued beef on Saturdays and
Wednesdays. Aggie takes the pies to the café and I cover Lou’s Place.”

His gaze never left her. It felt as if he could see into her and knew what she was thinking. What she was feeling.

“I thought you said making a business of your cooking would kill the fun of it.”

“It would,” she said through gritted teeth. Why did he insist on talking about it? He wouldn’t discuss his bull riding with her, so why should she discuss this or the farm or her accounting business with him?

“But isn’t that what you’re doing?” he asked.

“No. It isn’t full time.”

“I don’t see the difference.”

Standing quickly, she shoved her chair back under the table. “That’s your problem.”

“Kate!”

But she was halfway to the door, determined never to let him question her again. About anything.

Kate looked up from the biscuits she was cutting to see Trish enter the kitchen. “Want some coffee?” Kate asked, glancing at the clock. It was much too early for her sister to be up. And she was worried. She thought she had heard Trish crying during the night.

Walking to the window, Trish shook her head. “Maybe later.”

Kate went back to rolling the biscuit dough, unsure whether she should ask Trish what was bothering her. Even though they were worlds apart in temperament and likes and dislikes, they’d always been close, but there had been changes since Trish and Morgan had become engaged. Not that Kate minded. Nobody could be happier for her sister than she was. But she didn’t like the idea that something—or someone—had made Trish cry.

“I’ve been asked to go on a tour to promote my book this fall.”

Kate’s hands stilled on the rolling pin. “Trish, that’s fantastic! What a great opportunity for you.”

Trish turned around and took her seat at the table
where Kate was working. “I can’t tell you how surprised I was when my publisher called yesterday.”

Dusting off her hands, Kate sank to her own chair, excited at the news. “Why didn’t you tell us? Where will you go? Just around here? Oklahoma City? How long will you be gone?”

Trish folded her hands on the table in front of her. “So many questions! I’ll go to New York first to meet with my publisher, then a six-week tour of major cities in the East and Midwest. Depending on how that goes, there may be another tour after the first of the year, traveling farther west.”

Kate was speechless. “Wow. Six weeks. They must be really impressed with your children’s book, not that I blame them. It’s a beautiful story.”

“They certainly seem to be impressed.”

Kate noticed Trish wasn’t as excited as she was, but blamed it on her sister’s modesty. “So when do you leave?”

Before Trish could answer, Aggie shuffled into the kitchen, her blue chenille robe belted tightly around her. “There’s nothing I hate more than mornings,” she grumbled.

Trish jumped up from her chair. “Let me get you some coffee. You sit down.”

Aggie nodded and gave her a grateful smile. “This old body just loves a night of sleep, but it sure does ache the next morning. And with rain moving in—”

“Rain?” Kate asked. She hated storms, but even worse, Dusty was expected in a couple of hours to help with the machinery. If it rained, she feared Aggie might ask him to stick around until it quit, and that meant sitting here in the kitchen keeping him company.

“Maybe,” Aggie said, “although I don’t think it was in the forecast for today.” She patted Kate’s shoulder as she passed by on her way to the window. “The sun is shining, but the air is so heavy, I wouldn’t be surprised.” She slowly lowered herself to her chair and sighed. “We’re in no hurry though, so a little rain won’t hurt.”

Kate nodded. There was no rush to get the machinery ready to sell or send to auction. Especially not for her. She’d done everything she could to figure out a way to keep her aunt from leasing the farmland, but she’d come up empty-handed. She still held a small bit of hope, but even that was slipping each day she continued to crunch the numbers with no new results.

“Have you heard Trish’s news?” she asked, needing to change the subject to something less depressing.

Aggie looked up at Trish as she set a cup of coffee in front of her. “What news is that?”

“Her publisher is sending her on a book tour,” Kate answered for her sister.

“A tour?” Aggie asked.

Trish returned to her seat and nodded, then repeated what she’d told Kate. “I’ll have to take some time off from teaching, but if it helps sell some books, it’s worth it.”

“Not to mention seeing all those new places,” Aggie added. “I always wanted to travel, but Chicago was the farthest I ever got.”

Kate turned to look at her. “I never knew you went to Chicago.”

“I lived there for two years,” Aggie said.

“Really?”

Nodding, Aggie got to her feet and picked up her coffee cup. “But that was a long time ago. Things have
changed, so I doubt it’s the Chicago I remember.” She turned to Trish. “You enjoy every minute of your trip. Don’t let them keep you from seeing all the sights.”

Both girls stared after her as she walked out of the kitchen. Kate turned to her sister when she was sure her aunt was out of hearing range. “I wonder if that’s where she met the love of her life.”

Trish’s eyes widened. “Love of her life?”

“Yeah. The guy she left behind. The romance that didn’t work out. Has she ever told you about it?”

“I’ve never heard a thing,” Trish said, shaking her head. “How do you know?”

Shrugging, Kate scooted her chair back and stood. “She mentioned it to me a week or so ago.” She quickly explained what Aggie had told her, skipping over the rest of the conversation they’d had and going back to her biscuits. “It sure surprised me.”

“No kidding. That’s…wow.”

“She’s afraid I’ll never get married,” Kate said, banging the rolling pin on the dough a little harder than usual. “Not that I want to ever get married.” When she looked up at Trish, her sister’s head was bowed and her shoulders were shaking. “Trish?” She left the rolling pin and the dough and went to put her arms around her sister. “What is it?”

“It’s M-Morgan,” Trish whispered and then sniffed.

Kate felt a wave of dread sweep over her. “What’s he done?”

Trish shook her head. “Nothing yet. But—”

Kate took the chair beside her and reached for her hands. They were cold. “Tell me.”

Nodding, Trish took a deep breath. “I told him about the tour yesterday. I was so excited that they want me
to do this, and I thought he would be, too.” She turned to look at Kate. “It’ll start in late October.”

“October?” Kate asked. “But your wedding is set for October.”

Trish’s eyes filled with tears. “There may not be a wedding.”

“What?”

“I asked Morgan if we couldn’t postpone the wedding until after the holidays. After all, the invitations haven’t been printed yet, and there’s no reason we can’t get the church then.”

“And he said no?”

“He threatened to cancel it, if I go on the tour.”

Kate couldn’t ever remember feeling so angry at anyone. Even when her aunt had told her about leasing the land, she hadn’t felt like tearing her head off, but that’s exactly what she wanted to do to Sheriff Morgan Rule. “He can’t do that.”

Tears spilled from Trish’s eyes when she nodded. “Yes, he can.” When Kate started to stand, Trish stopped her. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to have a few words with the sheriff, that’s what.”

Trish pulled her back down to the chair. “No, Kate. Don’t do that. We’ll work it out. Somehow.”

“And if you don’t?”

Trish shook her head and said nothing.

Kate was ready to rip the man apart. As far as she was concerned, he deserved it. But if Trish didn’t want her to get involved, she wouldn’t. Not yet, anyway.

“All right,” Kate said, patting Trish’s hand. “But if you need me to straighten him out, you let me know.”

And straighten him out she would. If only she could straighten out her own problem. But time, she knew, would do that all on its own. She only had to hang on until Dusty returned to bull riding without doing something foolish. Then she could put Dusty and her memories behind and move on.

T
HE MINUTE
Dusty stepped into the Clayborne kitchen, he knew there was trouble brewing.

“Wipe your feet,” Kate said, without turning from the table to look at him.

“Good morning to you, too,” he said, doing as he was told.

“Breakfast is over,” she continued without moving, “but there’s coffee on the counter. You know where the cups are. And there’s some biscuits left. Help yourself.”

“Where’s Aggie?” he asked, moving to pour the coffee. When he had the steaming mug in his hand, he grabbed a biscuit from the plate on the table in front of Kate and took his usual seat next to her.

She shuffled a deck of cards in her hand and started laying out a solitaire game, not even acknowledging he was there.

“It’s a nice day,” he said, hoping for something more in the way of conversation.

Without losing a beat in her game, she nodded.

“Oh, there you are.”

He looked up to see Aggie walking into the kitchen. “Morning, Miss Aggie. It’s a good time to get some work done on that machinery. Maybe we can get it done fast enough that you can get started on the ground work.”

“That’s so,” Aggie said, and took her place at the table. She glanced at Kate, who continued to play her card game.

“Ten of diamonds will go there,” he said, putting his finger on the jack of clubs.

Aggie cleared her throat, getting his attention. “Do you still lease your farmland to Dick Berger?”

“Until the lease is up next year,” Dusty answered, nodding. “But I haven’t decided if I’ll extend it.”

Beside him, Kate made a sound. “Why not?” she asked, but her attention remained on the cards in front of her.

The sound she’d made had been so brief, he wasn’t sure what it might have been about. Interest, maybe. It could be she was hoping to lease his farmland. That wouldn’t bother him, except he’d had what he thought was a better offer.

“I got a call Saturday afternoon from Red Hill Farms looking to buy it,” he explained.

When she turned to look at him, there was no mistaking what was in her eyes. “You can’t sell that land,” she told him.

Glancing at Aggie, whose face gave away nothing, he smiled. “Of course I can. I own it. I can do whatever I want to with it. And since I won’t be around to farm it for a long, long time—”

“You might need it later,” Kate reminded him. “You never know what might happen, and you just might need that money from the lease.”

“What I get from the sale would more than cover that,” he answered. “And I won’t have to hassle with paperwork every year for the government or paying my share of the fertilizer bills or the seed wheat bills or the—”

She shoved the cards into a pile and left them. “I can’t believe you don’t know the real value of land.”

“What does that mean?”

Her chair scraped along the floor as she stood. “Your grandparents worked that land for years and years. I doubt when they left it to you they thought you’d be selling it.”

He felt an argument coming on and wasn’t in the mood for one, but he wasn’t going to let her comment go, either. “I don’t know what they had in mind, but they gave it to me with no restrictions, so it’s mine to do with as I please.”

Her chin went up and she strode to the sink, placing her hands on the edge of it. Her back was stiff, and her shoulders moved with each breath she took. Turning around, she glared at him. “The family farm is dying, Dusty, because of corporations like the one you’re thinking of selling out to.”

“Now wait just a minute,” he said, ready to defend a decision he hadn’t completely made. “I’m not selling out.”

“Are you losing money?”

“That’s not the point,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm and even.

“You’re right. The point is that land is something you don’t just give away, especially if it’s been in the family for a long time. You do everything you can to keep it.”

“Kate—”

“People come and go, Dusty. They move in and out of your life. They
die
. And sometimes they leave you something precious. Something that will be forever. Like land.”

Dusty wasn’t sure how to answer her. He knew she
loved farming. He’d watched her work harder than anyone throughout all of harvest. He knew it wasn’t a hobby for her, but something that meant a lot to her. But he also knew she didn’t understand his situation.

He’d heard a rumor that the Clayborne farm was seeing some hard times, and he thought about offering to lease his land to them with the hope it would help. Not knowing their situation, he didn’t know if it would solve their problems or make them worse. The only way to find out was to ask.

“Do you want to lease my land, Kate?”

She shook her head. “No, that’s not what I want. And I’m surprised you even have the nerve to ask.”

Aggie got up from the table and moved to place a hand on Kate’s shoulder. But it was Dusty she spoke to. “Kate’s not upset with you,” she said, ignoring the fierce look Kate gave her. “She’s angry with me.”

Kate twisted away and moved to the other side of the room, not looking at either of them. There was no doubt she was angrier than he ever remembered seeing her.

“Why?” he asked, looking from one to the other. Kate refused to make eye contact and crossed her arms over her chest. “If I’m asking something I shouldn’t, I’m sorry,” he said to Aggie.

Aggie sighed and took her seat at the table again. “It’ll be no secret soon, if it even is now. I told Kate a few weeks ago that I was planning to lease the farmland to someone. It’s getting to be more than she and I can handle, and we’re losing more money than we’re gaining.”