Ready for Love (19 page)

“Some of the fondest memories I have are going out with my dad looking for arrowheads and other artifacts. When Kylie took archaeology courses in college, I hoped that one day she and I could carry on that tradition.”

“And did you?” LJ asked.

“Once or twice.” He shrugged. “Ted took up most of her free time.” He eyed LJ. “I guess now that it looks like Kylie wants you to be part of the family, you should know I never liked the guy.” He carefully appraised the woman standing next to him. “I will hold you to the same standard I held him. I hope you don’t disappoint me like he did.” He watched as LJ looked at Kylie.

“I will never treat her with anything but respect.”

“I believe you. Just know I will be keeping my eye on you.” Carl fixed her with a glare. “Both Kylie and Ryan are the world to me, and I don’t take kindly to someone hurting them.”

“I have no intention of doing that, sir.”

“It will take me a while to get used to this relationship between you and my daughter.” He paused and cleared his throat. “But I can see how happy she is, and I promised my wife I’d give it a go, and that’s what I’ll do.”

“I appreciate that, sir.”

Carl regarded her for a moment longer. “If you give me the directions to your ranch, I would like to check those arrowheads out.”

“Sure thing. Do you have a map? I can show you where my place is, and I’ll draw you a map of the ranch showing where the best dig areas are located.”

Carl put a tentative arm around her shoulder. “That’s what I like, someone who knows the value of a map. Come on into my study. Do you want a beer?”

“Sure, that sounds good.” A smiling LJ followed him into his study.

Chapter Eighteen

The front door jerked open and Ryan squealed, “Lgie,” and flung herself at the woman.

LJ swung Ryan into her arms and kissed her cheek. “Hi, are you ready to go?”

Ryan wrapped her arms around LJ’s neck and hugged her. “I love you, Lgie. I can’t wait to see the horses.”

“Did you pack Barbie?”

“Oh yes. Mommy bought her an outfit for riding horses.”

LJ looked up and caught Kylie’s gaze. She was standing in the hallway wearing a goofy grin. “Good morning.” She gently put Ryan down before walking toward Kylie and wrapping her in a warm embrace. “How’s my girl doing today?” she whispered.

Kylie snuggled closer, and LJ could feel every inch of her.

“Wonderful, now that you’re here.”

An insistent tug on her jeans made LJ look down. “May I help you?” She released Kylie and squatted to Ryan’s level.

“When are we going to see the horses, Lgie? You promised I could ride one.”

LJ chuckled and looked at Kylie’s feet. “And you will. Right now we need to see if we can find your mom’s shoes since she can’t ride a horse in bare feet.”

Kylie was laughing. “I seem to have a problem with that. I can’t find them anywhere. Ryan, will you run upstairs and look for me?”

Ryan held up one finger. “Wait right her for me, k?”

LJ let her gaze drift to Kylie. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here when you find her shoes.”

Ryan took off running, and LJ stood before embracing Kylie again. “Did you really lose your shoes?”

“No. I wanted to kiss you.” She licked her lips before kissing LJ.

“Mommy,” Ryan said, bounding down the stairs, “I can’t find them.”

Kylie pulled back but kept her arms around LJ. “Will you look in the family room and the kitchen, please?”

“Okay.”

“I know I saw you last night, but I’ve missed you,” LJ said before kissing Kylie’s waiting lips.

“
Mmmm
, how did you sleep last night?” Kylie kissed her again.

The kiss began to intensify just as Ryan came back into the hall. “Mommy, I have your shoes. Can we see the horses now?”

The embrace ended, and LJ gave Kylie a wink and a smile. “We’ll finish this later.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…promises, promises.” Kylie patted LJ’s backside. “Our suitcases are by the door.”

Once everything was loaded into LJ’s truck, they headed west toward their weekend getaway.

†

Every time LJ opened the gate before driving down the long dirt road to Rhodes End, her thousand-acre ranch, LJ would recall the small, sweet woman who always loved her no matter what. Her gran had been her rock, and losing her was the greatest loss of her life.

The main house was painted white with green shutters and had a dark green metal roof. The front porch had a swing and several rocking chairs that had seen many days of use over the last fifty years. Off to one side were two additional houses and several smaller buildings. As with all ranches, the obligatory rusty old car and tractor sat inside the fence along with the newer equipment. Behind the main house stood a huge barn also painted white and green. Trees dotted the area, along with a beautiful flower garden.

“Oh, LJ, this place is wonderful!” Kylie exclaimed as she got out of the truck. “That barn is magnificent. Can we go inside?” She had a look of awe on her face.

“Where are the horses, Lgie? Where are they?” Ryan squealed.

Warmth coursed through LJ’s body as she stood on her property holding the hand of the delightful child who had won her heart. Her eyes drifted to Kylie, and her heart filled with happiness in what she knew was love.

“Tell you what”—LJ squatted in front of Ryan—“why don’t you and your mom look around for a little bit while I talk to Ben over there?” She pointed to a man standing nearby. “Then we can go see the horses.”

Ryan gave LJ a gigantic hug that almost knocked her to the ground. “Whoa, that was some hug.” Ben Morgan, the caretaker, was coming her way, and she stood. “Go on now, Ryan. I’ll be right back.”

Ryan ran with delight to her mother and jumped up and down while talking animatedly. LJ was smiling when she met Ben. “Hi, is the house ready?” The smile left her face, and the cool, hard exterior that only came down for the two Wilcox girls appeared.

“Yep, everything is in order. I need to go into town for feed and won’t be back ’til late. Is there anything else you need before I go?”

To LJ the man looked much younger than his sixty-two years. He had been with LJ’s grandmother for as long as she could remember and had agreed to stay on as caretaker after her death. She knew he loved Rhodes End and had treated the place with the respect and care it deserved. For that, LJ was eternally grateful.

“Yes, can you take the suitcases out of the truck and put them in the house for me while I show my guests around?” She made sure that although tone of her voice was cool, it was respectful.

“Sure will, missy.”

“Thanks.” She turned only to come back around. “Ben, which pasture do you think the horses are in?”

“I saw them up on the north ridge earlier this
mornin
’.” He lifted two suitcases out of the truck.

“Great, thanks, see you later.” Then she strode toward the barn and her two ladies.

Ben watched her go. He still remembered her as a strange child who would rather dig in the dirt than play with the other kids. In a way, he had always felt an affinity for her since he also loved the land.

When her grandmother passed away, he saw the devastation on LJ’s face and gladly agreed to stay on and take care of Rhodes End. He never knew the entire story of how the young woman came to own the property but suspected it had something to do with her family. They had stopped visiting the farm after LJ came to live at the ranch.

She had always been fair and generous with him, allowing him a substantial salary and to share in the revenues from the sale of wheat and cows. Over the years since Marion Rhodes’s death, her granddaughter visited monthly but had never brought anyone with her until now. He was glad to see her here with someone for his heart always went out to the sad, lonely woman.

“Best get myself to town and stop
burnin
’ daylight.”

†

“Lgie, Lgie, where are the horses?” Ryan asked excitedly.

“Keep your eyes open. We should be seeing them anytime now.”

Driving over the rough terrain was an adventure in itself. The three passengers of the truck bounced up and down, looking somewhat like school kids on a bus with each rut they crossed.

Ryan was laughing and babbling to anyone who would listen. As they neared the ridge, five or so horses came into view. “Lgie, there they are! The horses, we’ve found the horses,” she screamed.

LJ couldn’t help but laugh. Ryan’s unabashed enthusiasm for the wonders of life touched her heart in a way she’d never expected it to.

“I think you’ve scored more points with her.” Kylie rested a hand on LJ’s thigh. “As if you need any more.”

“I’ll take all I can get from you both.”

“Well, you know what you have to do to score the big points with me.” Kylie squeezed LJ’s thigh before wiggling her eyebrows.

“Just how many points are we talking about?”

“Lgie, let’s get closer,” Ryan squealed.

LJ looked at the horses as the truck closed in on them. They all lifted their heads in its direction before immediately going back to chomping on the grass. They were obviously unimpressed. She stopped the truck, and the horses continued to ignore them. “Roll down your window, and I will call them over, and then we can give them treats,” LJ said.

After a series of whistles, three of the horses came toward the truck.

Ryan scrambled over her mother to get to the open window.

“Ryan, let you mother go first.” LJ handed Kylie a treat. “Lean across Ryan and hold the treat flat in your hand. Otherwise they will think your fingers are treats too.” She laughed at the look of horror that crossed Kylie’s face.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope, afraid not. Just put it in your palm and they’ll take it.”

Cautiously Kylie held her hand out the window as the first horse, a pinto, came up to the truck. He pressed his lips against Kylie’s palm and took the treat. “That felt so weird.”

Ryan grabbed a treat and pushed her mother’s hand out of the way before holding her hand out the window.

“Keep it flat,” Kylie cautioned.

“Here, horsey. I have a treat too.” She held it out, and a big black mare took it.

Soon all five horses were moving around the truck in search of treats. The windshield had horse lip prints all over it, and two of them were attempting to move their heads completely inside the truck. Ryan, Kylie, and LJ were all laughing at the horses’ antics.

“LJ, it is getting a bit cramped in here,” Kylie said, laughing. “I never realized how big their heads were until they were up close and personal.” She continued to laugh as she tried desperately to get the horse to back out of the truck. “Help me get this one out of here. I think Ryan is pinned to the seat.”

Ryan was shrieking with delight, her eyes flashing as she petted the horses while continuing to give them treats.

LJ watched as her favorite horse—a paint—leaning into the rider’s seat. “We should have brought a camera. No one would believe this.” As soon as she started the truck, the horses withdrew and moved slowly away. Ryan still held her hand out the window.

“Ryan, no more treats. We need to get going,” Kylie told her.

“But Lgie, can’t we stay longer?
Pleeease
.”

She is so cute when she makes that pitiful face.
“Not right now. I’ll bring you back out in the morning. Maybe we can take a ride on one of the horses. Would you like that?”

“Oh yes. Can we really do that?” Her eyes widened.

“Yes, really.” LJ couldn’t help but smile.

“What about me?” Kylie protested.

“Well”—LJ winked—“what do you think, Ryan? Should we let your mom come back with us in the morning?”

“Only if she sits in the middle.”

Both women smiled and said in unison, “I can deal with that.”

†

“LJ, can we look at that amazing barn now?” Kylie asked when they returned from seeing the horses.

“What’s the big deal? It’s just barn.” LJ grinned and wrapped her arm around Kylie’s waist. “Let’s go. I think you’ll be fascinated by what’s inside.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” LJ took Ryan’s hand. “I think there might be some horses in there too.”

Ryan squealed with delight. “Can we see them?”

“Yes, come with me.”

The doors swung open, and Kylie held her hand to her mouth. The interior of the barn was massive. On one side were ten stalls all with fresh hay, and four of them were occupied. On the other side, several neat rows of antiques occupied four walled-off areas.

“Was this all your grandmother’s?” Kylie walked over to the first area and ran a finger over a cherry hutch. She looked at LJ and saw her pained expression. “You loved her very much, didn’t you?”

“She was my world for such a long time.” LJ looked away, and when she looked at Kylie again, she saw tears.

“Tell me.”

“The real reason I don’t come out her very often is that it’s too painful.” She swiped at her eyes. “God, what’s wrong with me? I’m never this emotional.”

Kylie rested her head on LJ’s chest. “You have to let it all go. I don’t think your grandmother would want this for you.” She looked in LJ’s eyes. “Is it?”

“When we were out there with Ryan and the horses, I could feel the happiness being here once gave me. For a moment my gran was there with us.”

Kylie put her hand over LJ’s heart. “That’s because she is here and always has been. You just never let her out.”

“It hurt too much.”

“It doesn’t have to. All you need to do is remember the good times and the love you have for her, and your heart will fill with happiness and warmth.”

“I don’t know how.”

“I do.”

“Will you help me?”

“Always. Don’t you know that by now?”

“Lgie, look at me!”

Both women turned to see Ryan standing halfway up a stall railing holding on by one hand.

Looking terrified, LJ took off at a run and scooped Ryan up in her arms before she could fall. “You shouldn’t do that. You could hurt yourself.”

“I wanted to see the horses.”

“Next time ask me and I’ll help you.” LJ hugged her close. “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you,” she whispered.

“I love you, Lgie.”

“Me too. Please don’t scare me like that again.”

“You know better than to do that, young lady,” Kylie said.