Lonestar Angel (11 page)

“I do. My sisters signed off on it a couple of years ago. They said they were never coming back here.”

“But you weren’t so sure?”

“I loved this place once.” He wished he’d brought her here in the daylight. But then maybe the mess would look worse. “I might renovate it.”

“It would take a lot of money.”

He stared at her in the moonlight. “I’m a rich man, Eden.”

“You are? Soldiers make that much money?”

He grinned. “I had hazardous-duty pay, but I inherited a lot of money from my grandmother a couple of years ago that I’ve never touched.” He frowned at a movement by the barn. “Who’s there?” he called.

He heard rustling and rushed toward the barn. An engine roared to life and a small truck shot from the open door and careened away down the dirt drive. The Toyota barely missed sideswiping his truck. The bed held several people, but it was too dark to make out any features.

“Who could have been here?” Eden asked.

“Probably a coyote hauling illegals,” he said.

“Those we saw from the hill?”

He shrugged. “I think I’ll take a look.”

He jogged back to the truck and got the flashlight out of the glove box. Eden followed close behind, and he could tell by her breathing that she was tense. If he’d had a gun, he would have brought it to reassure her. The beam from the flashlight illuminated discarded clothing, soda cans, and other debris. All the tack that had been hanging on the walls was gone, evidently stolen by the illegals and others who had passed through here.

For a moment he wished he’d kept this place up and never gone off to the military. Would his life have been any different? When he turned to go, he ran into Eden. Smelling the apple fragrance in her hair, he knew he would do it all over again, just for the chance to have met her.

Eden gave each of the girls new hairbrushes to make sure they had uncontaminated DNA samples for Clay to send in. On Wednesday Eden stood at the fence by the corral. Dust swirled in plumes from under the horses’ hooves. She coughed and stepped out of the line of fire as best she could, steering the girls toward the fence.

“I want to ride that one.” Lacie pointed to a paint horse that was rubbing against the barn siding.

“It’s too big,” Eden said, instantly regretting it when the little girl’s face puckered. “How about the red one?” She pointed to a reddish pony with a sweet face.

The nearest cowboy, Buzz, shook his head. He was covered with red dust. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a devil on hooves. She’ll try to scrape the kids off her back when you’re not looking.”

Eden gulped. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“The kids love interacting with the horses. And the mares love it too. Don’t you, girl?” Buzz patted the paint, which had moseyed over to take a lump of sugar from his palm.

She shuddered when she saw the mare’s teeth. “Won’t she bite you?”

“Naw. She’s gentle.” He gave her a final pat. “I’ll saddle up the horses. We got two or three I trust with kids this young.”

In a few minutes he’d saddled the horses and had them ready to go. She scurried out of the way as he and Clay had the girls take turns on the animals. Their animated faces made her smile.

“Look at me,” Katie called. “I want to do a handstand.”

Clay shook his head. “No way, kiddo. You stay right in that saddle.”

Eden thought the child would cry, but instead she looked relieved. Paige, who never seemed to smile, squealed and waved grandly as she passed Eden’s perch on the fence. The child was actually pretty when she was animated. Only Madeline had refused to get on a horse. She played outside the fence with Spot, her puppy.

Eden watched Clay as he interacted with the children. The man was a natural-born dad. He said he wanted Brianna with him all the time. He deserved it too. He’d always believed she was alive somewhere. That showed more faith and hope than she’d ever dreamed he could feel.

Her memory went back to that note on the door.
You shouldn’t have brought her here
. Even now the ominous tone made her shiver. They’d heard nothing else. Not a problem in the bunkhouse, not a call. Nothing.

And what about Brianna? The only thing they could do would be to live close together so they could share their daughter. After all she’d been through, Brianna deserved having them both with her.

A family. The thing she thought she’d never have. Not now. What if they stayed together? Oh, the thought was ludicrous. Even if she were willing, Clay wouldn’t be. The best they could hope for was an amicable relationship where they put Brianna first. Maybe that would be enough. It had to be, because she didn’t have it in her to hope for more.

“Now you, Miss Eden,” Lacie called. Her braids bounced on her shoulders as she came past on the horse. Rita had done a good job with the girl’s fine hair.

“I don’t think so, honey,” Eden said.

Before she could react, Clay’s big hands were on her waist. He lifted her down from the fence and turned her toward the paint. He smelled of man, dust, and the faint tinge of soap. He’d had a shower after breakfast, but stubble still darkened his chin.

“Smile,” he said in her ear. “Don’t show any fear. You can do this. The girls expect it.”

The protest died on her lips when she saw the girls turn eager faces toward her. She was a role model even if she didn’t want to be. “I’m not dressed for it.” She glanced down at her shoes and expensive slacks.

“Your clothing will wash.” He guided her to the side of the horse. “Put your left foot in the stirrup.”

She so didn’t want to do this. Her insides were shaky.
Coward. Weakling
. All the name-calling in the world didn’t stop her hands from trembling. Dust coated her tongue and swirled around her feet. Her designer shoes wore a layer of red and the stuff tinged her pants as well. She might never get the stain out.

“You’re game to try it?” His eyes warmed as they looked her over.

The man was entirely too handsome. And he likely knew the way his touch turned her insides to mush. “You’ve left me no choice.”

Gritting her teeth, she hoisted her left foot into the air and stuck it through the stirrup. Clay’s warm hands remained at her waist. They felt much too natural on her. It was as if five years had dropped away into the canyon behind the ranch.

“Now step up,” he instructed.

She lifted herself with his help and threw her right leg over the saddle. “I should put the other foot in this stirrup?” she asked, looking down the mare’s rounded side. From this vantage point, the horse seemed even bigger. The ground was much too far away. It would hurt if she fell.

“Yes. And take the reins.”

“Don’t turn me loose!”

“I’ve got a hold on the bridle.” He beckoned Buzz. “Can you adjust the stirrup on that side? They’re too long.” His fingers brushed her ankle as he lengthened the strap.

The saddle was hard under her bottom and against her inner thighs. Could she even perch here without falling? It felt so precarious. But the girls’ faces were avid with excitement and she couldn’t disappoint them. Or Clay either, though she hated to admit she wanted to see admiration in his eyes.

He put the reins in her hands. “Hang on to the horn.”

The horse took a step, and she lurched, then clutched at the saddle horn. Then the jarring ride smoothed out as Clay led the horse around the corral. The girls clapped as she passed by them. She was doing it! Actually riding a horse. Something she’d sworn never to do. And it wasn’t so bad. Not if it made Clay’s eyes glow with pride.

11

S
HE NEEDED A SHOWER
. E
DEN SWIPED DUSTY HAIR BEHIND HER EARS AND SQUINTED INTO THE
noonday sun. A rumble came from the driveway, and she turned to see a line of cars and pickups pulling up to the house. Two pickups and two cars. She recognized Allie’s red compact. Women got out of all the vehicles and started toward the house.

Allie saw her and waved. “Eden! Come join us for coffee,” she called.

Though the last thing she wanted was to allow other women to see her in such a disheveled state, Eden could hardly refuse the imperative tone in her employer’s voice. She glanced at Clay.

“I’ll be here with the girls,” he said. “Buzz is going to teach them some roping tricks.”

She wished she could stay and watch. The thought of Clay’s strong shoulders flexing as he roped a calf intrigued her.
Bad Eden
. That physical magnetism he possessed had gotten her into this trouble in the first place.

“Clay, I’m a mess! You could save me,” she said.

He draped an arm around her shoulders. “You look great. The friendships will do you good.”

It was as if he knew she needed a bit of encouragement. The embrace was brotherly, but her own reaction was anything but sisterly. She nearly stood on tiptoe and brushed a kiss on those firm lips. Too hastily she tore out of his embrace, then regretted it when she saw his eyes cloud. He thought he repelled her when the very opposite was true.

“I’ll be back,” she said, keeping her tone distant. She’d rather he didn’t know of her attraction.

Everything felt different here. She walked across the sandy yard toward the house. Friendships were usually so superficial in Eden’s world. Jealousy was quick to spring up, and coffee dates in Boston where she’d grown up were times of talking about other women, men, jobs, men again, and other women again. The raw land here seemed to inspire close confidences. Maybe it was because survival depended on others.

She already felt herself changing here. Letting down her guard in small ways. Reaching out and wanting to let the inner ice thaw. She heard laughter when she reached the screen door and immediately stiffened, thinking the others were laughing at her dusty appearance. Or were they mocking her designer shoes? Then she made out Allie’s voice telling the women about how she’d put sugar in chili the first time she’d made it and Rick had eaten it anyway.

Not many women that Eden knew poked fun at themselves. She pasted on a smile and eased into the back of the living room.

A pretty blond woman with striking blue eyes saw her and smiled. “You must be Eden. I’m Shannon MacGowan. My husband, Jack, and I are next-door neighbors. My, how pretty you are.”

“Thanks.” Eden wasn’t sure what to do with her hands. Or where to sit. When had another woman complimented her? Never in her memory.

These women made her realize how inadequate she was for this job. Their jeans were as natural to them as the sand outside. They’d be able to ride a horse like they drove a car. Facing the vast expanse of wilderness exhilarated them and left her feeling inadequate. They wouldn’t have screamed at the sight of the snake the other night. They would have stomped it with their boots. And that tarantula on Tuesday at the park? They would have picked it up and put it in a safe place.

Allie patted the cushion beside her on the sofa. “Sit here and I’ll introduce you. You just met Shannon. She’s a vet, and her husband owns the biggest ranch in West Texas. And you know Gracie.”

Gracie smiled. “I was looking forward to seeing you again.”

The last woman was older, probably near sixty. A pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, and her sharp eyes looked Eden over. “I’m Julia, also known as Judge Julia. You look familiar.”

The woman was a judge. What if she’d seen the write-up in the papers when Brianna was taken? The kidnapping took place in San Antonio—not so far away, given how this area didn’t even have its own newspaper.

Eden managed a smile. “I have one of those familiar faces.”

“That’s not it,” Julia said, her eyes narrowing. “It will come to me.”

Not if Eden had anything to do with it. She didn’t want any law enforcement looking at her and Clay with suspicion again. “What’s going on here?” she asked, glancing around the room at the excited faces.

Julia’s focus wavered. “Planning the menu for our missions conference at church. We’re doing an international dinner. Want to help?”

“I’m not much of a cook.”

“I have the recipes for everyone. Pretty easy.” The older woman handed her a paper titled “Thai Coconut Chicken.”

Eden wanted to hand it back to her, but she didn’t dare. The woman might start questioning her again. “Coconut chicken? I’ll see what I can do.” She glanced at Rita, who came into the room with a tray of coffee and cookies. “Rita might need to help me.”