Randall Riches (5 page)

“I’m getting gas. I hope you still have money.”

“Sure,” he said, frowning. Leaning toward her, he saw the gas tank registered half-full. “Is the truck driving okay?”

“Yes.”

“So you just wanted to fill up?”

“Yes. Is that a sin?”

“Nope, but—”

“
I
have to stop. Coffee goes right through me!” she snapped, her cheeks flushed.

He grinned. “Well, why didn’t you say so? I could use a pit stop, too.” He chuckled as she glared at him. So independent, but embarrassed about having to stop. She was a character.

When he returned to the truck, she was waiting for him.

“What are we going to do about lunch?” he asked.

She stared at him. “It’s not even noon yet.”

“In half an hour. They’ve got some barbeque sandwiches inside. We could get some and eat while we drive. Or there are some picnic tables under those trees.”

“All right, I can get them when I pay for the gas,” she abruptly said and held out a hand for money.

“Naw, I’ll get them. You stretch your legs.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he stared her down. He wouldn’t let her get the sandwiches because he knew she’d use her own money to pay for hers. He headed back to the little grocery store. Inside he paid for the gas and four sandwiches. He added chips and cold sodas. Then he picked up a bag of Hershey’s Kisses. He’d bet Sam didn’t treat herself often. He added a couple of apples so he could say he chose healthy things.

She was leaning against the hood of the truck, watching him as he approached.

“Did you think we had a family of six with us?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It looks like you bought enough to feed a crowd,” she said suspiciously.

“It’ll help pass the time. And I want to have supper at home tonight, so we’ll save time not stopping for more food.”

He put the bag on the seat and reached over to get their coffee cups to throw out. Then he pulled himself
into the cab. He took out the two sodas and put them in the cup holder. He settled back against his pillow as Sam slid behind the wheel.

“You sure you’re okay with eating while you drive?”

“I’m fine,” she said. “There’s not much traffic out here. I’m going to need some directions later, so maybe it is best if you stay awake. How’s your ankle?”

“Fine. You get started and I’ll unwrap your sandwich.”

She started the engine and pulled out onto the highway. Once she was up to speed, he unwrapped her sandwich and handed it to her. Then he opened a bag of potato chips and put it on his legs, between them. “Your drink is in the holder. If you can reach it, I’ll open it for you.”

“I can open it.”

He covertly watched her eat. He liked knowing that he’d paid for her food. Silly, he guessed, but she needed a keeper. She would’ve probably tried to go all day on a bowl of oatmeal.

When she finished her sandwich, he reached into the bag and brought out the two big red apples. She took one of them, pleasure on her face. “Oh, I love these!”

He thought of women he’d dated and the expensive gifts he’d sometimes given them. None of them had looked as pleased as Sam when she saw the apple.

They seemed to have a cease-fire for the next few minutes as they both munched on the apples. But when he pulled the bag of candy Kisses out of the sack, after disposing of the apple cores, she glared at him again.

“You shouldn’t have bought those. They’re not good for you.”

“You don’t like chocolate? That’s strange. I thought all women liked chocolate,” Rich teased.

She refused to say another word, or to eat any of the candy. But he caught her looking at the bag occasionally, as if longing for it.

“Why won’t you eat chocolate?” he asked.

“It’s expensive.”

“You think I’m going to ask you to pay for it?” he asked, incredulity in his voice.

“No. But you won’t be there the next time I get a craving for chocolate. I can’t spend my money foolishly. So it’s best if I don’t eat any. It’s addictive.”

Damn, he’d hoped to please her. Instead, it seemed he’d made life difficult for her. He put the bag of candy back into the sack so she couldn’t see it. “Sorry.”

“I didn’t mean you couldn’t—”

“Forget it!”

And that ended the conversation.

A
BOUT FOUR O’CLOCK
, Rich told her to turn off at the next gate she came to.

“You mean we’re almost there?”

“About ten minutes away,” he said with a smile.

It was the first smile she’d seen since she’d refused the candy four hours ago.

The next left was a gravel road that led to a gate with a cattle guard. “Are we on your ranch now?”

“Yep. Man, it’s good to be home.”

Samantha felt a trembling in her stomach. The trip
was ending. She’d be back on her own in a few minutes. It hadn’t taken long to get used to having a companion, even if they didn’t talk much.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Moving on was hard until she’d found a place and settled in, knew she could make it. But that was her life. She accepted it.

They topped a hill, and down below, she saw a sprawling house with several enormous barns. “Big place, like you said,” she commented. She’d figured his family was doing well, but not this well.

“It’s a great place. I’ll show you around after dinner.”

“Thanks, but I’ve got to get to town and see what I can find in the way of work. I won’t stay for dinner.”

“Yes, you will.”

She glared at him. “Haven’t I convinced you that you can’t order me around?”

“Yeah, but you haven’t met my family. They can talk anyone into visiting. Mom will feel she owes you something for bringing her baby boy home.” He grinned.

“You’re not the baby of the family.”

“No, but mothers always think all their children are babies. You know how it is.”

“No, I don’t.”

He apologized again, but she waved the words away.

“Don’t worry about it.”

He showed her where to park. By the time she’d stopped the truck, a crowd of people had piled out of the house, shouting Rich’s name.

She’d never seen such a welcome, or even imagined such a family existed. Rich was occupied with getting out to greet them, and Sam took the keys to open the storage bin after she got Bella out of the trailer.

Bella seemed excited to get out, almost as if she knew she was home, too. Samantha patted her neck and looked for the nearest corral.

“Want some help?” a young man asked. He looked a lot like Rich.

“Can you tell me what corral to put Bella in?” she asked, smiling. He looked so fresh-faced and innocent.

“I’ll take him. You probably want to go in and have something to drink, put your feet up. That was a long drive.”

She had no intention of doing that, but she let him take the horse and lead her away.

“Sam?” Rich called.

Strange how she could identify his voice among all the noise. “Yes?”

“Come here. I want you to meet my family.”

She guessed she couldn’t escape introductions. She moved from behind the trailer, anxiety in her heart, though she tried to hide it.

The entire family must’ve been there, all staring at her. She lowered her eyes, wishing she were somewhere else.

Until someone called her name.

“Samantha? Is that you?”

Pure joy rushed through her. “Pete? Pete!” And she launched herself into Rich’s father’s arms.

Rich stood there stunned. The woman with whom he’d traveled—the difficult, quiet, always reserved woman—was hugging his father. His father! Rich quickly looked at his mother.

Janie was staring at Pete, her husband and the young woman he was hugging, but she didn’t seem upset. In fact, she was smiling.

What the hell was going on here?

He wasn’t the only one wondering. Red spoke up. “I don’t know what’s going on, but why don’t we all go inside and have some coffee?”

Sam seemed to immediately revert back to the solitary woman he knew as she moved out of Pete’s arms and apologized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect…I shouldn’t have…I have to go.”

This
was the reaction Rich had expected.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Pete said insistently. “Let me introduce my wife, Janie. Honey, this is Samantha.”

Janie beamed at her. “I guessed, or you’d be in big
trouble, young lady. I keep a close eye on my husband.”

Sam took another step backward. “I didn’t mean anything by it, I promise. But Pete is an old friend.”

Janie stepped to Sam’s side and put an arm around her. “I know that. He used to come home from the rodeo and talk about you. That’s why we tried to adopt you.”

When Samantha’s knees buckled at that statement, Rich wrapped an arm around her before his father could get to her side. Ridiculous idea, he and his father competing for the same woman. But Rich was going to be the one to support her, if anyone was.

“Aw, Janie, you shouldn’t have sprung that on her,” Pete said. “She never knew.”

“I’m so sorry,” Janie said.

At the same time, Red was rounding everyone up.

“To the house!” the older man ordered. “I gotta sit down.”

Rich, however, wanted some answers. “What the hell is going on? Why didn’t you say you knew my father?”

“I didn’t know Pete was your father,” Sam said, her voice shaking. “I didn’t know his last name was Randall.”

“Come on, son,” Pete said. “Bring her on in and we’ll explain everything.”

Rich made sure Sam knew she had no option, his arm tightening around her as he started forward.

“Please,” Sam whispered, “I really should go.”

“You’re not going anywhere until I get an explanation.” He pulled her along with him, his mind in a state
of confusion. He did notice, however, how well she fit against him.

They all walked inside, down the hallway and into the kitchen to sit at the four places left at the large table.

Mildred was busy setting coffee cups and a plate of cookies on the table. Everyone else was looking on at the four people who had just arrived. No one wanted to miss the explanation for what they’d seen and heard.

Janie took the first seat and Pete the one beside her. Rich wanted to sit between his father and Sam, but he wasn’t given any choice. Pete pulled Samantha into the next seat, leaving Rich to sit at her other side.

“Samantha is—was the little girl I saw at some of the rodeos. I first met her when she was six. She was cleaning out stalls with her father.”

“At six?” Red asked, frowning. “You mean, she’d help him every once in a while?”

“No, he’d assign her a stable and then go off and clean another one. She’d do the whole job by herself.”

“That’s not right,” Mildred said. “That’s hard work. Why, she wouldn’t be old enough to handle a pitchfork.”

Sam remained silent, keeping her gaze on the table. Rich watched her closely.

“Yeah. I once tried to talk to her father about her. The twins were eight years old. Janie wanted a little girl, and I wanted Samantha to have a better life.”

“I didn’t know,” Sam whispered.

Pete patted her hand. “I know, honey.”

Rich’s arm went around her chair. He wanted to be the one to comfort her.

“I looked for her every time I traveled to any of the rodeos. Sometimes I’d find her and sometimes I wouldn’t. And whenever I did see her, it would break my heart to know she wasn’t being loved enough. Then, a few years back, I heard her father had died and she had disappeared. I contacted the police, but they said social services couldn’t find her.” He cleared his throat. “Where did you go, Samantha? You were only sixteen.”

She shrugged her shoulders, still not looking at Pete. “I started waitressing. It was a better job for me. The cowboys…they weren’t all like you, Pete.”

“I know, honey. So how did you end up with my son?”

Sam looked at Rich briefly, then said, “I wanted to leave town and offered to drive him.”

They all knew there was more to the story, but Rich wasn’t going to say anything in front of the entire family.

“You’ll stay for a few days, won’t you?” Pete asked.

“We’d love to have you,” Janie added.

“Uh, I need to go. I—I’ve got a job waiting for me. But thanks for the offer.” Though both Janie and Pete protested, Sam rose with a brief thank you and headed for the back door.

Rich intentionally didn’t catch up to her until after she was outside. He grabbed her arm and spun her around. “It’s not nice to lie, Sam.”

“I can’t stay here. Tell them it was sweet of them to offer. But I can’t—”

“Why? You’re an old family friend.”

“No! I’m not. I’m a child your father took pity on. I have no place in his life.” She pulled Rich’s keys out of her jeans and headed for the truck.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting my bag.”

Ah, the infamous luggage he’d accused her of taking hours to pack. But bag? One bag? He watched her as she opened his storage box and pulled out a duffel bag. Without another word, she slung it on her back and started down the long gravel drive.

Rich stood there, stunned. Her entire belongings in one duffel bag? He thought of all his clothes, his gear, mementos of different events in his life. He couldn’t have fit it all in ten duffel bags. He realized he’d better hurry if he was going to stop her. With his cast, he wasn’t as fast as he normally was.

His father stepped off the porch. “Where’s she going?”

“I don’t know. She doesn’t have a job. Dad, everything she owns is in that bag.”

“I think we’d better take the truck. I have a feeling she’ll outrun both of us.”

She’d left the keys on the floorboard of the truck. Pete grabbed them as Rich swung up into the passenger side. They caught up with Samantha quickly. Pete pulled around her and parked the truck. They both got out.

Pete caught Samantha by the arm. “Honey, I know the family is a little overwhelming, but I’m not sure I understand what the problem is.”

She stared straight ahead. “I need to go.”

“That much I got. But why?”

Rich watched her, saying nothing. Finally, she looked at him and muttered, “It’s like the chocolates.”

Suddenly he understood. She couldn’t stay a few days because it would hurt too much when she left.

“Sam—” he began. But what could he say? Promise she could stay forever? He couldn’t do that.

His father looked at Rich. “What’s she talking about?”

Sam stood there, her head lowered, saying nothing.

Rich finally explained. “Sam’s very disciplined. She doesn’t want to stay with us because it will hurt when she has to leave.” He cleared his throat because the thought was so disturbing.

“Honey, you don’t have to leave,” Pete said. “I tried to find you when your father died. I was going to bring you back here, offer you a home. The offer still stands.”

“Pete, I can’t!”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not fair to you…or your family. I can’t just waltz in here and put my feet up. I have to earn my way.”

“You can get a job, of course, but you could take a little vacation, couldn’t you? Give us a chance to visit? Janie always wanted to meet you. The world’s not going to run away if you pause for a few days, let us get to know you again.”

“Your family—”

“Will be delighted. Right, Rich?”

“Uh, yeah.” Rich stared at Samantha, irritated by the
warmth she showed his father, especially since she always pulled away the moment he got close.

“Come back to the house. Janie will have gotten a room ready for you. We’ll get you settled in and eat dinner. We’ll help you find a job. Everything will be fine.”

“Are you sure, Pete? I can make it on my own.”

“Of course you can. You have for the past eight years.”

That information told Rich she was two years younger than him. Eight years she’d been out there struggling on her own. He doubted her father had left her anything.

“I’ll stay the night,” she agreed, lifting her chin.

Pete opened his mouth to protest. Then, with a smile, he said, “Good.”

Rich watched the two people in front of him. He knew his father didn’t want Sam to leave. And it wasn’t often that his father lost a fight.

Samantha finally nodded and said, “Thank you for understanding, Pete.”

“Come on, let’s go get you settled in.”

Rich followed along behind, feeling superfluous. For two days, he’d had Samantha to himself. But since they reached the ranch, it was Pete she turned to. Huh!

S
AMANTHA PACED
the bedroom she’d been given like a caged lion. Her hands shook and she was having difficulty thinking. She couldn’t believe how seeing Pete again had affected her.

He’d been special to her for the longest time. It was
because of Pete that she didn’t consider all men evil. Her father told her she had to earn her keep, or he’d get rid of her. When he discovered that some of the cowboys tipped her for “doing such a good job,” however, he changed his mind. He’d forced her to give him the extra money.

She’d caught on quickly. Money was the key. She began hiding money from her father. She gave him enough to keep him from getting suspicious. The rest she kept hidden. She had over seventy-five hundred saved. And she continued to put aside everything she could.

Because that was all she had.

Pete had given her money. But he’d given her more than that. He’d talked to her, asked questions, told her stories. He’d been her only friend.

To see him again, without warning, had brought back such joy. She shouldn’t have hugged him. And then for his wife to tell her they’d tried to adopt her. She closed her eyes, coming to a halt. To think she might’ve lived here, with family. But her father had obviously refused to give up custody of course, because she was making money for him. Even at the age of six.

She forced her eyes open and began pacing again. It would’ve been a dream come true. But it was too late. She was no longer a child. She could leave tomorrow. It wouldn’t be so hard. And she’d know where to find Pete if she…well, she’d know where he was.

But that was as long as she could stay. The Randalls seemed to be a happy group of people, loving each other. They were so rich in—in family…rich in love.
Earlier, she’d met Jake and B.J., Brett and Anna, Chad and Megan, Toby and Elizabeth. All seemingly happily married. Then there was Russ, Rich’s twin. They were identical, but she could tell the difference. Imagine having a twin. Someone you could always trust.

The boy who’d taken Bella and put her away was Casey, Rich’s younger brother. He was still in high school, the youngest of the second generation.

They were the kind of family people wrote about. Not the kind of family she knew. And that was why she had to leave. She wouldn’t fit in here. She couldn’t. She didn’t know how to trust. She didn’t know how to enjoy life. Most important of all, she didn’t know how to love.

T
HE FOUR ELDER
Randall brothers and their wives stayed up that night after the other family members had gone to bed.

Jake sat at the head of the big kitchen table. “What do you think, Pete? Will she stay?”

Pete looked sad. “I doubt it. We’re kind of an overwhelming bunch. Samantha’s used to being alone.”

“She’s afraid to stay because it will hurt too much when she leaves,” Janie added, having learned that from her husband.

“I can understand that,” Anna said softly. “I never thought I’d fit in, either.”

Brett, her husband, put his arms around her. “Aw, Anna, you were perfect. Still are,” he added with a grin.

She gave him a little kiss and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“She might stay longer if she could find a job. But
that would be the only way. And she doesn’t have a car, so work would have to be nearby,” Pete said.

“We can always hire her to help Red and Mildred,” B.J. said.

“She’d be suspicious about that,” Pete said. “She’s independent.”

“But I can’t stand the thought of her out there by herself,” Janie said. “We need to be sure she’s safe. I’m afraid we’re a little too much for her but— Mom!” she exclaimed.

“What, Janie? What did you think of?” Pete asked at once.

“I told you Mom’s getting lonely and depressed, over there by herself, but she won’t move in with us. Too many people, she said.”

“Yeah, but you’ve asked her about hiring some help and she doesn’t want strangers around,” Pete pointed out.

“But Samantha isn’t a stranger. And I can explain to Mom that Samantha is uncomfortable with all of us.”

Jake leaned forward, grinning. “You might also explain that her grandson’s interested.”

Pete’s head snapped up. “Now, Jake, we’ll have no matchmaking here.”

Jake’s eyes widened innocently. “I was just stating a fact, Pete. Ask the others.”

Pete looked at his brothers. Brett shrugged his shoulders, but Chad was more vocal. “Hell, Pete, she’s a good-looking woman. Straightforward, independent. And I’ll admit I got the idea he wasn’t too happy that you and she were so close.”

“It must’ve been a shock to him,” Anna said.

“I know you don’t want to pressure them into anything,” Megan began, “but it’d be a perfect solution.”

Jake added, “You know, you were going to hire a new manager for your mother, too, since Sid quit last week. Seems to me that would be a good job for Rich, at least temporarily.”

“Well, that’s true,” Brett said. “He could live there and keep an eye on the two ladies. And Samantha could drive him when he needs to go to town.”

Janie looked at her husband. “Pete? What do you think?”

“I’m not sure Rich is ready for that big a job.” As his brothers started to protest, he held up his hands. “I don’t mean the job. I’m talking about his ankle. He had to take another pain pill tonight. Samantha gave them to Janie. Said the doctor warned about using too many.”