Promise Them (The Callahan Series Book 6) (10 page)

Beau watched him for a minute. Though the kid’s hands were unsteady, he got the job done.

“I think Rey is in the process of learning a life lesson,” Donovan said, as he and Beau eyed the cattle they had to separate.

“Kids!” Joe rode up, caught the situation with a few words, and went to work. With the young ranch hand at his side, Beau spurred Taro toward a dozen head of Callahan cattle bunched up and heading for the pond.

The day that started out hot got hotter.

Beau chased two heifers determined to enter the pond. “Move!” he shouted, racing to head them off. Waving his Stetson at them, he finally herded them through the fence and onto the Callahan spread.

Rey had three stubborn heifers and one young steer that wouldn’t budge. Beau spurred Taro over to help. Once more Beau waved his Stetson and yelled. Rey did the same. Between them, they finally moved, but it took many minutes to get them on the right side of the fence.

Thankfully, Mark had thrown in an ice chest full of bottled water along with the supplies they needed for fence repair. Beau smiled inwardly every time Rey chugged one down. A hangover could make a man mighty thirsty.

As the morning dragged on, Beau saw Rey slowly coming out of it. His hands were steadier, his voice more firm when he yelled at the cattle.

By one o’clock, they still had a dozen head to separate.

Beau took off his Stetson and wiped his face. If it was this hot in June what would it be in August?

Everyone was dragging. Donovan rode up beside Beau. “Mom called on my cell, she’s on her way with food.”

“We can use the break.”

They looked over their herds. Those that had been separated were edging their way back to the break in the fence.

“Mark!” Donovan yelled. “Get over there. Make sure the herd doesn’t get back through.”

Mark waved that he’d heard and went to do as he was told.

“Rancher in the making,” Beau commented.

“Yes, he is,” Donovan agreed. “There’s Mom. Let’s take a quick break.”

Beau’s heart surged when she got out of the Jeep. In jeans and T-shirt, Nell was a sight for sore eyes.

He spurred Taro toward her. “Hi!” he said as he slid out of the saddle.

Phyl came up to help Nell with a large basket of food and gave Susie a big hug. “This is heaven-sent,” she said. “Thanks, Nellie.”

“Couldn’t let you work this hard and be hungry, too.” She smiled.

“Can I help?” Susie asked.

Phyl chuckled. “You can help Gran.”

“Rey!” Beau called out, waving until he got his son’s attention.

Rey trotted Ty over. “Take Mark’s place so he can eat.”

Turning Ty in a tight circle, Rey went to do as he was told. Joe rode up and went to help him.

“He has to eat, too,” Nell said, as she passed Beau a paper plate filled with fried chicken, potato salad, and beans.

“He can wait,” Beau said firmly. As their hands touched, he felt a spark.

If Nell felt a corresponding one, she didn’t let on.

****

When everyone had a plate in hand, Nellie made two more, told Susie to wait in the jeep, and walked over to the two young men. “No point in waiting. You can eat and watch the cattle at the same time.”

The boys grabbed the plates as if starving.

“I’m being punished,” Rey said. “Not that I don’t deserve it, you understand.”

“This can’t be your fault.”

“It is.” He took a healthy bite of chicken. “I’ve learned my lesson, that’s for sure.”

Nellie patted his back. “Whatever you’ve done, I’m sure all is forgiven.”

“You don’t know Dad.”

She looked over at Beau. He was sweaty, his face streaked with dust, and he still looked so good her heart went a little bonkers. When his fingers had touched hers it had been electric. Turning away, she vowed to tamp down every ounce of attraction.

She waited until Rey and Joe had finished eating, then took their empty plates, and headed back to the Jeep.

“Thanks,” Rey called after her.

“You’re welcome.” She waved.

In minutes, she’d gathered up plates and, with Susie’s help, stuffed everything back in the Jeep.

“If you don’t get back in time,” she told Phyl. “I’ll take Susie with me when I go to Dugan and Kate’s. Grace and Ed are babysitting Devlin for the afternoon, and you know how Susie loves that baby. We’ll visit a while before Emma’s dinner.” Grace was Kate’s grandmother, Ed her husband. Grace had raised Kate when her mother died and her dad dumped her in Grace’s driveway. Thinking of Devlin brought a smile. He was a beautiful child, just like his parents.

“She’ll be thrilled.” Phyl chuckled, breaking into Nellie’s thoughts. “I’ll do my best to make it to the house in time for you to make your dinner party. You can’t miss that.”

“If you run late, Susie will be wherever Dev is. At home with Dugan and Kate or with Grace and Ed.”

“Susie will have a ball,” Phyl said and went back to pull herself into the saddle. “I hope we’re not too late. This is no way to spend a Sunday.”

No, it wasn’t. The leisurely day she’d planned hadn’t gone as expected. With Donovan needing Phyl to help with the emergency, Nellie was left to care for Susie and fix something for the others to eat.

“There’s plenty in the fridge when you get through,” she said to Phyl’s retreating back.

Phyl waved that she’d heard and went back to work.

Nellie could remember the days she’d helped her husband, Duncan, on the ranch. Not to the extent Phyl did, but she had rounded up her share of cattle over the years.

She put the Jeep in gear, gave one last look in Beau’s direction. Darn. He was staring at her. She waved and took off.

The man was too distracting by far. She was glad she’d figured out a way to make it to the dinner tonight without being alone with him.

****

It took another hour to separate the cattle, a couple more to repair the fence. By then, there wasn’t a man, boy, or woman who wasn’t sweating, dirty, and tired.

The only positive thing Beau saw was that, despite his hangover, Rey hadn’t complained all day, and he’d kept up his end of the job, even managing to tease Mark whenever he had the chance.

Beau didn’t know his son at all.

It was late by the time they called it a day.

“I’m going to the house and take a long shower,” Phyl said as she swung her horse toward the Callahan ranch.

Mark threw the last scrap of wire and fence post into the trailer. “I hope Gran has some leftovers. I’m starved.” And he was off.

Donovan swept off his Stetson, wiped sweat from his forehead. “I don’t know which I want most, a shower or a tall glass of tea.”

Beau looked at his watch. “I have a dinner date in a little over an hour.”

“Then you’d better hurry,” Donovan told him.

When Beau looked back, Rey, Joe, and Donovan, along with Donovan’s hired hand, Jimmy, were leaning on the newly repaired fence, laughing and talking.

Rey had proven himself a hard worker today, but deep down, Beau still held him responsible for the hurt mare, the mangled fence, and hours of unnecessary work.

Chapter Ten

Nellie hated to admit, even to herself, how nervous and worried she was about her growing attraction for Beau. She’d tried but couldn’t seem to shake it off. She couldn’t get close to the man without alarming feelings flaring up.

Tears threatened. Was she on the verge of throwing away everything she’d spent years building? If the family even suspected she had feelings for a man other than their father, would they consider her a traitor to his memory?

While Susie was down for her nap, Nellie went to her room.

This should be a lovely evening. She was having dinner with an old friend and two new ones. She should be delighted. Dani hadn’t walked out on Emma as Nellie suspected she might. If Emma invited them to dinner, Nellie would bet the young woman was a good cook.

From the first day she’d seen Dani, Nellie had thought her a little spoiled and highly unskilled.

She had a feeling tonight she would be proved wrong.

In a way, Dani reminded Nellie of herself. Dani wasn’t shy, but she had that same feeling of inferiority—that same urge to prove herself.

Nellie didn’t have a large wardrobe. On the ranch, jeans and shirts were the norm. She had a couple of dresses, a few pairs of slacks, and a couple of skirts.

She shoved aside one hanger after another. Picking up one of her two skirts, she realized she’d worn it to dinner at Beau’s. She picked up the next one. It would have to do.

By the time she’d showered and dressed, Susie was up and raring to go.

The youngster’s enthusiasm lifted Nellie’s spirits. By the time she drove into the drive at Kate and Dugan’s, she was as excited as Susie.

She looked forward to spending time with her grandchildren. Not so much this dinner. Not because she didn’t want to see Dani and Emma interact, but she’d be with Beau. More and more he disturbed and distracted her.

When she drove up at Emma’s, and his truck wasn’t in the drive, she breathed a sigh of relief. Putting off their encounter even for a few minutes was welcome.

Dani opened the door. She looked lovely in a white blouse, black skirt with a wide belt, and sandals. The harried look on her pretty face was understandable.

Nellie couldn’t hold back a smile. “You look lovely, Dani.”

Dani blew a stray hair away from her face. “I have to check dinner. Emma’s in the living room.”

“The place looks different,” Nellie marveled. “Better. Where are all the knick-knacks? The dust and clutter?” She chuckled. “How did you talk Emma into parting with her stuff?”

“It wasn’t easy,” Dani said, and rushed to the kitchen.

“I heard that. The girl nags and whines until I give in.” Emma glowered when Nellie joined her.

“Emma! You look beautiful. In fact, I’ve never seen you so dressed up. I don’t have a thing in my closet to match that dress.” Emma wore a raspberry colored jacket dress that flared to the floor. The jacket had embroidered tiny leaves in the same color as the dress. She was a tiny woman, but she seemed taller somehow. “You look elegant.”

“Haven’t had a dinner party in years,” she grumbled. “Thought I’d dress up.”

The doorbell chimed.

“I’ll get it,” Dani called out.

Nellie and Emma were in the living room sampling a chocolate from a box Nellie had brought when Dani waved as she rushed by and opened the door.

“Hi, honey,” Beau greeted his daughter.

Nellie heard the uncertainty in his voice, and her heart went out to him. He so wanted a relationship with his children. Maybe this was a start.

“Everyone’s in the living room,” Dani said. “I have to get back to the kitchen.”

“Something smells wonderful.”

When Beau walked into the room, Nellie held her breath as he shifted a bottle of red in one arm and his Stetson in another. He looked so handsome in his starched shirt and black jeans that she had to tell her heart to slow down.

Fatigue showed in his eyes. Was the ranch getting to be too much? Surely not. She’d never known him to buckle under anything. He was too strong. Too determined. But he
had
worked hard today.

He kissed each of the women on the cheek, handed the wine to Emma who promptly put it in Nellie’s hand.

“Put your Stetson on that table.” Emma pointed.

“Both of you look lovely,” he said.

Nellie felt her face turn warm. How did he do this to her?

“Would either of you ladies like a glass of wine?” Beau asked.

“I’d rather wait for dinner,” Nellie said.

“Since your daughter is so pushy and has me walking with a cane instead of using my chair, I’d better wait. I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself.”

“You could never do that, Emma.” Nellie chuckled.

Dani stuck her head in the door. “Are you ready for dinner? I don’t want to hold it any longer.”

“More than ready,” Beau said.

“I take it you got the cattle separated,” Nellie commented as they made their way to the dining room.

“Took most of the day to do it, but we made it.”

When they walked into the dining room. Nellie gasped. “The room is lovely.”

“Emma insisted we use her fine crystal and china,” Dani said. “I didn’t argue.”

“A wonder you didn’t,” Emma snapped. “You argue about everything else.”

Dani ignored her. “I’ll bring out the salads. Dad, would you pour the wine? It’s on the buffet.”

Can I help?” Nellie asked.

“Nope.” Dani set a salad plate of asparagus, shrimp, tomatoes, and red onions, drizzled with what smelled like homemade lemon and olive oil dressing, in front of each person. “I hope you like it.”

After pouring their glasses, Beau put the bottle of wine on the table and sat down. Taking a bite, he closed his eyes for a moment. “Delicious.”

If Dani had learned to cook from Lela this was surprising, as Lela seemed to be more of a meat and potatoes kind of cook. This was gourmet. “Where in the world did you learn to cook like this?” he asked.

“I’ve cooked with Lela since I was old enough to stand on a box at the stove and use a spoon.”

“I never knew,” Beau said.

“Of course you didn’t,” Dani said, her voice low.

“I don’t recall Lela fixing anything like this.”

“I like putting ingredients together, playing with recipes, and experiencing different tastes.”

“I’ve never tasted a salad this good.” Nellie smiled. “Is the dressing lemon and olive oil?”

Dani beamed. “You got it.”

“This is a wonderful surprise,” Beau added. “I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Dani stood, gathered the salad plates. She was back in less than a minute. “Plates are warm,” she said when she put one in front of Nellie, then Emma. She went back to the kitchen, brought in the last two.

When she put a plate in front of Beau, he lifted his eyes to hers. “You’re amazing.”

“Wait until you taste.”

Nellie took a bite. “What’s in this? I know it’s cod, but what is that wonderful flavor?”

“I don’t care what’s in it, it’s delicious,” Beau said, wolfing down a big bite.

The women chuckled. “It has just the right texture—the right balance of seasonings. Not too spicy, but it has a little kick. What do you call it?”