Jenna's Cowboy Hero (12 page)

She rode him into the arena and from the saddle she pulled the gate closed. Jack skittered a little to the side, but she held him tight, talking to him as she edged him forward, not letting him take control.

After a few laps walking around the arena, she loosened the reins and leaned slightly. With that sign of permission, he broke into an easy lope around the arena, taking the lead with his inside front leg.

“Jack, maybe I shouldn't sell you. You really are a pretty decent guy. And decent guys are hard to find.” She laughed softly because his ears twitched and went back, as if he wasn't sure if her words were an insult or compliment.

She slowed him to a walk and then stopped him with barely a flick of her wrist and the tightening of her legs. A touch of her left foot and he turned away from the pressure. She could feel his giant body rippling beneath her, beneath the saddle. He was more than a half ton of power, and yet he submitted to her control.

A truck rumbled up the drive. Jenna flicked a glance over her shoulder, expecting her brother.

It wasn't Clint.

Jack shifted, stepping a little to the right and then
backing up against the pressure of the reins. She took him around the arena again.

Adam stepped out of the truck and walked across the lawn. He looked like every other Oklahoma cowboy that she knew—faded jeans and a short-sleeved shirt buttoned up, but not tucked in. The deep red of the shirt worked with his golden tan and sandy-brown hair. This morning he wore a baseball cap, not the white cowboy hat he normally wore.

Memories of last night, of a moment when she had wanted to be held, rushed back, and so did the realization that those feelings had been hers, not his. She might not give credence to tabloids, but single at thirty-three and the number of relationships in his past did point to a possible commitment phobia on his part.

She reminded herself that she had the same phobia, because she was tired of getting left behind. And he would definitely leave her behind. He'd made that clear last night.

He stopped at the arena, leaning against the top rail of the enclosure.

“What are you doing up and around this early?” She rode Jack up to the fence. Adam ran a hand over the horse's jaw and down his neck. She glanced away, toward the house, where there was still no sign of the boys, and back to Adam. He leaned against the fence, tall and confidant.

“I thought I'd return the favor you've done me and help you out a little.”

She pulled the horse back so he could step inside the enclosure. “Help me?”

“With the horses. I know you have a lot to get done this week.”

“Don't you have kids showing up at your camp?”

“I do, but not until noon. Pastor Todd is going to be there in an hour. He's bringing kitchen staff to start lunch. I'll stay here a couple of hours and head that way.”

“If you insist. But you won't like the job.”

“I bet I won't mind.”

“Could you clean the stalls? I need to work him for another fifteen minutes or so, and those stalls really need to be cleaned.”

“I can clean stalls, if you have coffee.”

“I keep a pot of coffee inside the tack room. I know, bad habit, but I can't help myself.”

“Works for me. Pitchfork?”

Jenna smiled, because he was really going to do this. “Adam, you really don't have to do this.”

“I want to.”

“Fine. Pitchfork and wheelbarrow in the first stall.”

He tipped his hat and nodded. “Where are the boys?”

“They'll sleep late. We stayed up and watched a movie last night.”

“They're great kids. Not that I'm an expert.” He didn't move away from the fence.

And Jenna couldn't untangle her thoughts from the memory of being away from the boys, worrying about them when she couldn't hold them.

“They are great. It wouldn't seem like a mom would miss much in an eight- or nine-month time period, but I missed a lot.”

“You were in Iraq all that time?”

Of course he didn't know. “No, I was in rehab for nearly five months. I've only been home for five months. They were with Willow and Clint.”

“I used to think I was strong.” He winked and walked away, and she didn't know what to do with his statement or the way it made her feel. But he was walking away
and she couldn't tell him, couldn't tell him how it felt to be so afraid, and to not feel strong at all.

 

The barn was stifling hot, even that early in the morning. There wasn't any breeze at all, and all of the heat got trapped inside that building beneath the metal roof. Adam pushed the wheelbarrow toward the open double doors at the end of the barn, feeling a little breeze as he got closer to the opening. He brushed his arm across his forehead and paused to watch the woman outside, pulling the saddle off the big gray horse. It was heavy and she backed up, not steady on her feet, but strong.

He knew she wouldn't want his help. He pushed the wheelbarrow out to the heap a short distance from the barn. It didn't take a genius to know that he needed to dump the old straw in that pile. He lifted the handles of the wheelbarrow and lifted, giving it a good shake and then turning it to the side to get the rest out.

Jenna walked up behind him. “You look like you could use something a little colder than coffee.”

He turned, and she wrinkled her nose and smiled. “Ice water would be good. I just finished the last stall.”

“You're good help. I might keep…” She laughed. “Forget that I said that.”

“Yeah, I know, good help is hard to find. The boys are on the front porch.”

“I saw them. They know not to come running down here when I'm working a horse. I nearly got dumped a month or so back.”

“You've done all of this in a matter of months? That's pretty impressive.”

“I didn't want to waste a single day getting back to life and making my dreams come true. Come on, let's
get something to drink. And I have boiled eggs in the fridge if you're hungry.”

“I had breakfast at The Mad Cow. Vera wanted to give me the latest on Jess and his attempts at stopping the camp. He has a lawyer, some second cousin twice removed, who is willing to help him.”

“Great, that would be Kevin, and he's only doing it to help his career, which is nonexistent. But I guess this would get a guy some good publicity, trying to take down a camp owned by Adam Mackenzie.”

“I guess this is one more reason for me to sell or sign the camp over to the church.”

“If you think so,” she said, as if she wanted to say more.

She wanted to tell him he was a quitter. She didn't need to say it, because he knew that's what she would say if she thought she could get away with it.

“Jenna, I'm not staying. And if Jess gets his way, this camp won't last. If he's doing this to get money from me, signing the camp over to the church will end that.”

“I know that.” She stopped and smiled up at him. “I'll miss you, that's all. And don't get that trapped look. I'm not after anything. It's just that you feel like a friend. One that I won't see again after you leave here.”

“Yeah, I know.” He reached for her hand. “Jenna, thank you for being the first person in a long time who doesn't want something from me.”

She squeezed his hand once and let go. “You're welcome.”

The boys were off the porch and running toward them, blond hair sticking up, feet bare. They wrapped their arms around Jenna and started to tell her about the mouse they'd seen the cat catch. He didn't even know that she had a cat.

“I'm going to get back to the camp. Todd will be there, and…”

She nodded. “Go ahead, I understand.”

He was escaping, and she knew it. He walked away, not even understanding what he needed to escape from, or how she knew him so well, sometimes better than he seemed to know himself.

That scared him. When had anyone known him that well?

K
ids poured off the church bus as Adam parked his truck next to his trailer. They stood in groups, gangly and awkward, kids in jeans, shorts, T-shirts, with acne on their faces. The girls had short hair, the boys had long hair, they had guitars and backpacks, a few had their clothes in garbage bags.

“This is amazing.” Pastor Todd walked up and stood next to him as he got out of his truck. “Wow, you could use a shower.”

“I was cleaning stalls.” Easy answer, but he didn't know what to say about this, about what it meant. This camp was someone else's dream. Now it was Todd's dream.

Football had been his dad's dream.

And Adam wanted to be a fireman. He smiled a little and Todd pounded him on the back, like the smile was an acknowledgment of the dream.

Adam stood back and watched, because he didn't know what to do with kids, not really. He couldn't stop his gaze from traveling down the driveway, in the direction of Jenna's. He could see the top of her blue roof from here. She knew what to do with kids.

A younger man, probably in his twenties, left the group of kids and crossed to where Adam was standing, watching.

“Adam, I'm John, the youth minister at Christian Mission. We really appreciate what you've done here, getting this together in such a short amount of time. The kids are really excited.”

“I'm glad it came together for you.” Adam pointed to Pastor Todd. “This is the guy who will be keeping us all on the right path. Pastor Todd from the Community Church of Dawson.”

A car eased up the drive. Not just a car, it was Jess's sedan. He parked and got out. A man in a suit got out on the other side.

“Great, we don't need this.”

Todd shot a glance in the direction Adam was pointing and his eyes widened. “He doesn't give up.”

“No, he doesn't. He's one annoying burr under my saddle.”

“He shouldn't be.” Todd started in the direction of the older man. “Jess, how are you today?”

“I'd be a lot better, Pastor, if you'd give up on this crazy idea. I have my nephew here and we'd like to work out a deal with you.”

“So it's all about money?” Adam joined the three men. “You know, I'm not much of a kid person, either, Mr. Lockhart, but it's just a camp. It isn't going to interfere with your life at all.”

“It's a nuisance, and I have information here from county records. You didn't go through the Planning and Zoning Committee to get this place done. There are fines, laws, and permits are required.”

“So you want us to send these kids home, Jess?” Pastor Todd swept a hand, indicating the kids that were
being led to their dorms by workers that came with the church group. “You would really want us to do that?”

“Well, I…” Jess looked up, at the man Adam supposed was the nephew lawyer.

“We want you to go through the proper channels and get the camp approved. Which we don't think you can do. We think that it isn't in the best interest of the community, of farmers who use their land for farming, to have this camp here.”

“One man with a burr under his saddle.” Adam shook his head. “I'll write you a check. Tell me how much.”

“Planning and Zoning, Mr. Mackenzie.” The lawyer bristled.

“Right, Planning and Zoning. I need a shower, so you let me know when you decide how much you want.”

Adam walked away, leaving the other men to work things out. As he walked up the steps to the trailer, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Will.

“Adam?”

“We're going to need a lawyer.”

Silence.

“What have you done?” Will's voice, a little tense. Adam smiled.

“I haven't done anything. This neighbor situation is getting crazy. He says the camp doesn't have the proper permits from Planning and Zoning. I didn't know little counties like this had Planning and Zoning.” What was he thinking? This could be his way out. The county would shut the camp down. The kids would all go away. He would contact a Realtor.

“You want to save the camp?” Will's voice held a hint of laughter Adam didn't appreciate.

“I don't care about the camp.” He looked out the
window at kids running around the dorm, and two boys playing catch. “The people around here want the camp.”

“Right. Okay, you're the hard-hearted football player who doesn't care. The community cares. Gotcha. I'll make sure no one ever knows your secret.”

“Thanks, I'm sure you'll do that. So, contact a lawyer, see what we need to do with this county situation, and with Jess Lockhart. He says it is about zoning, but I have a feeling it's about a check. I think if I'd paid him off to start, it never would have gone to the county officials.”

“So you called his bluff and now he's stuck being the bad guy taking down Camp Hope.”

“Yeah, he's the bad guy.” Adam stood at the door and watched the old guy in bib overalls get in his car. Not exactly the picture of the villain.

“I'll get on this. But I really think Billy got the permit.”

“Then we need to get that information. Or find out who he talked to on that committee.”

“I'll take care of it.” Will sounded confidant. Adam was glad, because he felt more like someone about to write another big check.

Adam slipped the phone back into his pocket and closed his eyes. For a long time he'd been too busy for God. And then he'd thought he was too strong to need God.

And now, he wasn't busy or strong. He was wandering in a desert, wondering if there was a clear way out, or any real answers.

 

Jenna pulled up to the camp as kids filed out of the dorms and down to the chapel. Next to her, Timmy and David unbuckled their seat belts.

“Stay with me, guys. I know they have activities for you, but until we know what and with whom, you're not going to take off. Understood?”

Twin looks of wide-eyed surprise and disappointment. “Okay.”

She got out of her truck and the boys each grabbed a hand. Sometimes they swung too hard, knocking her off balance. But she didn't want their lives to be about the words
Be careful with Mom
.

As she walked up the steps to the cafeteria, she heard the door of the trailer close. Glancing back, she watched as Adam took the steps two at a time, and she knew that he was in his own world, not aware of what was going on around him.

She stepped through the doors of the kitchen and the boys let go of her hands and ran to Pastor Todd's wife, Lori.

“Jenna, I can take them with me. We're going to eat lunch and then I have little projects for the children of the camp workers.” Lori had hold of the boys.

Jenna eyed her offspring. “You boys go with Miss Lori, and make sure you do what she says.”

And then they were gone. She walked behind the stainless-steel serving counter where Louisa and several others were fixing the last pile of sandwiches.

“I'm here to work.”

“That's great, honey. Why don't you help us serve sandwiches.” Louisa handed her a pair of gloves. “How you feelin' today, Jenna?”

“Good.” She slipped the gloves on as the door opened. It wasn't the campers. Adam paused in the doorway and then closed the door behind him.

She had been right; he looked like it had been a long day. Maybe cleaning stalls was too much for him. She smiled at the thought. She'd like for something to get the better of him.

“Jenna.” He walked back to the sink to wash his hands. “Get all of your work finished?”

“Yes, thanks to you.” And she shouldn't have said that, because a half-dozen pairs of eyes turned in their direction.

He stepped into place next to her behind the serving counter and pulled on the latex gloves that Louisa handed him. Jenna tried to ignore him, but he was grinning as he leaned closer.

“Bet you wish you wouldn't have said that out loud.”

“I kind of do wish that,” she whispered back, keeping her focus on the door that the teens were about to plow through.

“You're cute when you're beet-red. But don't worry, I don't think anyone else has noticed.”

She glanced up at him. “Thanks, cowboy, you're such an encourager.”

“I do my best.” He nudged her a little with his shoulder. But then the door opened and the moment ended as a line of hungry teenagers swarmed the kitchen like ants on a honey trail. Or so Louisa said.

Jenna dropped a sandwich on the tray that one of the teens slid in front of her. She smiled at the girl, thinking about those years, how it had felt to be that young, that worried about the future and what people thought about her.

And now, she had other worries, but she knew who her friends were. She knew not to worry about things like being a part of a crowd that didn't really care about her.

She knew now that real friends mattered, and if she had to work at earning a friendship, acting like someone she wasn't to impress somebody, it wasn't friendship.

“How you feeling?” Adam's voice took her from that moment of looking back.

“I'm good. Why do you ask?”

His hand slid behind her back. “I'm asking because I really don't want you to wear yourself out. I've been doing research and…”

“Oh, no. You have?” She cycled through a flash of emotions and landed on the one overwhelming truth—it was really very sweet. The shy expression on his face made her want to cup his cheeks in her hands and kiss him. What a mess. “You're a good man, Adam Mackenzie.”

“Well, I can't say that anyone has ever called me that.”

“Then they should have. I'm going to finish up here and then help with crafts. What about you?”

He dropped chips on the tray of the young man who had just come through the door. There were more outside, still being herded in by camp counselors.

“What do you mean, what about me?”

“Are you going to help with anything this afternoon?”

“I hadn't planned on it.” He kept a steady action of placing bags of chips on the trays of the young people walking through the line. “I don't even know if I'm qualified to serve meals let alone do other things.”

“You're doing a great job.”

A break in kids gave them privacy. He turned to face her, pulling on the latex gloves that were tighter on his hand than on hers.

“I'm pretending. Jenna, I'm not the guy who works with teens or runs a camp. When I look in your eyes, I can see that you want me to be that person. I'm not.”

More kids filed through the line.

“I'm not trying to push you.” She put the last sandwich on the tray of the last kid.

He pulled off his gloves and tossed them into the trash. “Yes, you are. Since I showed up in Dawson, people have had plans for me. I could really do without that for a while.”

“What does that mean?” She followed him out the door of the kitchen. He had been walking fast, but he slowed for her, holding his hand out as she approached the steps.

She took his hand and eased down the steps, easing because of the pain, and feeling less than confident. “So?”

He kept hold of her hand. “Jenna, I played football because it's what I'm good at, and because I didn't have time growing up to think about anything else. My dad, coaches, agents, they've always been there to tell me my next move. And now this camp, also not my idea, my plan.”

She wanted to tell him he had everything, but maybe he didn't.

“What do you want to do? I mean, you don't have to help. There are plenty of people here. I just thought…”

“That I'd like to string some beads?”

“Help. I thought you'd like to help. There's nothing like helping a child, watching them smile and grow, to make you think…”

“About something other than myself.”

She smiled up at him. “I can't tell you what to do, Adam, but at your age, maybe it is time to think about what
you
want, and where you want to be.”

“Maybe it is.”

Jenna let go of his hand. “I'm going to string beads, and I understand that this camp isn't what you do.”

“Thank you.”

Jenna walked away, and she knew that he was still standing behind her, still watching. And then she heard him running to catch up with her, and something new and unexpected sparked inside her heart.

“I thought you had other things to do?” She glanced sideways at the giant of a man walking next to her.

“I thought I did, but I checked my schedule and I'm open for the rest of the afternoon.”

She touched the tips of her fingers to his. “I'm glad to hear that.”

“Jenna and Adam, it's great to see the two of you. You're going to help with crafts?” Marcie Watkins handed them each a long apron. “Put this on. It'll keep you a little bit clean. Notice, I said
a little
.”