Song of the Meadowlark (Intertwined Book 1) (4 page)

A thirty-minute drive out of town led to a quiet region with nothing but flat farmland sprinkled with green hills and valleys. Cora’s mouth flew open when they pulled under the archway and drove down the long, curving drive toward the Southern Hope cattle ranch. Bradford pear trees lined the gravel drive leading the way to the place she’d call home for a few days. The plantation-style home and roving pasture was like something out of a movie where the rich landowner dominated the community around him.

Cora climbed out of the car, drinking in the turnaround drive, brick-paved parking area, and grandiose porch with the swing at the end near the pasture. Flowers bloomed in the numerous flower beds surrounding the walkway to the front door.

“I hope you’ll find the house to your liking. Please know that whatever we have is yours. And feel free to ask for anything you can’t find.” Pearl opened the front door, and they walked inside.

“Thank you.” Cora forced her mouth shut and tried to pretend that she wasn’t enamored with this place.

“It looks like our oldest son has retired to his office and our other two young adults are out for the evening. Our granddaughter is in bed already too. Let me show you to your room.” Pearl led the way up the winding staircase.

Once settled in her room, Cora called Ben and Judy and told them what had happened with Mom and Dad. Her cell had no signal for some reason, so she’d called from the phone beside the bed and gave them the number, then hung up before giving herself a chance to get emotional. She snuggled against her plush pillow, her body underneath cool cotton sheets that smelled like summer flowers, and soon fell fast asleep.

Cora awoke to birds chirping, dogs barking, horses neighing, and cows mooing. She yawned and moved her legs, but the covers barely budged. She opened her eyes to a young child sitting at the foot of her bed. With eyes like those of a fawn and hair much like golden silk, this tiny princess said not a word. She only stared at Cora.

Cora sat up in her bed, fluffing her pillows so she could lean back against the antique headboard. She pushed her hair out of her face and smiled at the angel. “Hello.”

“Hi.” The girl looked down at her hands.

“What’s your name?”

“Susie.” She rubbed her hands together. She was obviously nervous meeting Cora for the first time.

“My name is Cora. How are you?”

“Good.” She smiled.

“How old are you?”

“Free.” Susie held up three fingers.

Cora smiled.

“Knock, knock. Cora, are you awake?” Pearl asked from the hallway.

“Yes, come on in.” She’d feel more comfortable if she wasn’t in her nightgown.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but Susie seems to be miss—” Pearl spotted her granddaughter at the foot of Cora’s bed. “I’m so sorry. Susie, you should have asked Gramma before coming in here. Cora is new to the ranch. You might have startled her.”

“She’s fine.” Cora winked at Susie. “She’s so lovely, I could squeeze her.”

“Then you don’t mind her coming in here unannounced?” Pearl asked.

“Gracious no. She’s welcome in here anytime, especially if I’m going to be helping out with her.”

“Let me take Susie downstairs. You get dressed. Breakfast is almost ready. Cook likes us to eat by eight.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m used to being ready for Ms. Lottie. I’ll be right down. I’ll see you in a minute, Susie.” Cora waved to the little tot, and the child giggled. “Oh, by the way, Mrs. O’Reilly, will your son be at breakfast?”

“Rex? Oh yes, he’ll be at breakfast. He usually works with the ranch hands before coming in. I can’t wait for you two to get to know each other. He’s the one who told us you worked for Ms. Lottie.” Pearl took the child’s hand and left the room.

When the door clicked shut, Cora gasped and threw her head back onto the headboard. “Rex? He can’t be the same Rex from Ms. Lottie’s. She’d never let on that the O’Reillys were his parents.” Could Cora work for him? He seemed so…so…temperamental.

Cora showered and dressed. She touched up her face, trying to cover the dark circles that never seemed to disappear, and then followed her nose to the room where the family sat around the table. And there he was—the same Rex she’d served several days earlier.

“Morning.”

“Good morning.” R.L. welcomed her into the room. “Cora, this is Matt, Clarice, and Rex.” He waved his hand in their direction. “And this is Cora Buchanan.” He motioned toward her. “She’s going to help us with Susie for a little while. I trust you slept well.”

“Like a baby. I haven’t had a night’s sleep like that in quite a while.” She recalled the long sleepless nights she’d endured since Clark’s disappearance. As she walked over to the chair pulled out for her by R.L., Susie yelled out for her to sit beside her. Everyone laughed, but Rex showed no emotion.

As she sat down, she darted her eyes at Rex with the speed of a hummingbird feeding on nectar, quick enough so he wouldn’t see her looking. When she’d seen him at Ms. Lottie’s, covered in dust from working, he was a bit appealing, but less than at this moment. She glanced at him again—this time for a little bit longer. Her breath stalled as she watched this man who seemed to define masculinity. She hardly noticed his younger brother—Was his name Matt?—who seemed closer to her age.

Rex’s skin featured a tan from his time outdoors, and his wavy hair and eyes possessed a darkness that caught Cora off guard. A thick mustache rested lazily on his upper lip, and a dark beard covered his face. Heat burst from her chest. Her neck was probably turning red. Her heart beat like a flame flickering in a breeze. Guilt twinged through her for taking a second look at him—the first man since Clark to get her attention.

Rex looked up while she stared at him. “So you’re the woman Mom and Dad hired to watch after Susie?” He gnawed on a piece of bacon, a muscle in his jaw ticking.

“Yes, I’m going to try things out.” She swallowed a piece of fried egg whole.

“I saw you at Ms. Lottie’s.” Rex studied her.

“Yep. I worked there all of last week.” The lump in her throat built and threatened to choke her.

“Nice to meet you again. I told Mom and Dad about you and that you seemed pretty nice. You plan on staying long?” Rex swigged his coffee.

“I’m not exactly sure yet. I originally planned to return to Florida to be with my parents. My car broke down, and I needed money. That’s why I worked for Ms. Lottie. Then your parents asked me to come here.”

Rex examined her face for a minute, gulping the coffee in his cup. Then he set his cup down with a bang on the table. “Well, if you don’t think you’ll be here long, don’t bother staying at all.” Rex shoved his chair back and stood. He swiped his napkin across his mouth and tossed it onto the table.

“Rex! You apologize to her.” Pearl glared at him.

Rex ignored his mother and continued, “I don’t want Susie to get attached to you if you’re going to turn around and leave her. She’s already lost her mother. She doesn’t need to lose anyone else.” Rex swiveled and stalked from the room, grabbed his Stetson hat from the hall tree, and bolted out the front door.

Her face burning, a motionless Cora stared at the doorway where Rex had only moments before stood. “What did I do?” Tears sprung from her eyes.

R.L. shook his head. “You did nothing. Rex is a tough one. He’s had a hard time getting over Patricia’s death. He doesn’t mean any harm.”

"Yeah right." Matt laughed. "Dad, you should take him out behind the woodshed."

"Matt, contain yourself."

Pearl interrupted R. L. and shot Matt a warning look. “Cora, I’m so sorry. Rex hasn’t been himself since he lost Patty last year. That’s why we wanted you to come out here and work with Susie. She needs someone so badly.” Pearl frowned.

“I’ll try to do all I can, but I’m not sure I can work with him. I can’t promise I’ll be here forever.” Should she leave now before Susie grew attached to her? Or should she stay awhile and give her the love she needed? Cora needed love too. They could be good for each other.

Susie hardly let Cora out of her sight the whole day. She smiled with her dark eyes in a way that made Cora grin. Her ideas for fun never ran out, and she insisted on holding Cora’s hand everywhere they went. She showed Cora every toy in her princess room and invited her to a tea party.

Cora finally belonged to someone, like she did when she was little and would climb into her grandmother’s lap. Except this time she was the adult and not the child. Unconditional love flowed as freely as a river.

At dinner, Matt and Clarice filled Cora’s ears with details of their lives, but Rex didn't dine with them. Matt, obviously a girl-chaser judging by his description of his day, tried a few moves on Cora during dinner. Twenty-five, her same age, he worked with R.L. at their offices in the city. Matt dressed in Calvin Klein suits, with vests and ties, and bold colored shirts, contrasting Rex’s rugged style. He wore arrogance like a medal and boasted a smirk on his face and a glimmer of trouble in his blue eyes.

Clarice, twenty-one years old, overly tanned, and finely manicured, had plenty of friends and wrapped herself up in their lives. She concerned herself more with the latest fashions and gossip than with anything else. Her glossy dark hair, like that of her siblings, fell right above the collar. Her dark eyes, covered in frosty blue eyeshadow and lined with thick lashes and dark liner, could knock a man off his feet. They held the same sparkle as Matt’s, although of a different color.

Cora laughed silently as Clarice tried to prove she knew more about life than her mother did and tried to worm her way into her daddy’s heart. Matt and Clarice were pleasant but spoiled like the young adults at the Country Club back in South Carolina and were in great need of a reality check.

After dinner, she bathed Susie, read her a story, and put her to bed. Susie wrapped her arms around Cora’s neck and squeezed. She told her she loved her, and Cora’s heart filled with joy.

Cora's back ached after the long day of caretaking. She needed quiet, so she poured a cup of coffee in the kitchen then stepped on to the porch to rest her weary body on the swing. The porch light glowed dim, and the crickets serenaded her. The privacy soothed her soul like crashing waves on a beach at sunset. As she sipped her coffee, a bird sang, and the song relaxed her even more. What kind of bird chirped such a peaceful song at dusk?

From the shadows, the shuffle of boots sounded, and Cora jumped. “Who’s there?” she called, already getting up from the swing.

“Keep your seat. It’s just me, Rex.”

“You startled me. I didn’t know anyone else was out here.”

“I come out here almost every evenin’ at dusk. I like hearin’ the birds sing.”

Cora stared at Rex. This rough-hewn man appreciated the gentle sound of a bird, after the way he’d acted earlier? “What kind of bird is that?”

He moved out of the shadows and sat down in a wicker rocking chair near the swing. “It’s a meadowlark. Whenever I feel outta sorts, I come out here and listen to it sing, and I feel better.” A gentle breeze blew across him, whipping his curls across his forehead.

His tenderness struck Cora speechless. As she gazed at him, his face showered with muted light, his earthy scent traveled in her direction on the wind. His bronze skin accented his deep brown hair and coal black eyes. His sadness couldn't be masked by his handsomeness. Oh, the pain of loss. Should she share her past with him?

“Well, I’ll see ya tomorrow. I’ve gotta get to bed.” Rex stood from the rocker.

“Okay. It was nice talking to you. Good night,” she said softly.

“By the way, I’m sorry I came on so strongly this mornin’. I just want the best for my girl.” Rex walked away.

“I…”

Rex disappeared back into the shadows before she could say anything to this mysterious man. She finished her coffee, scolding herself for letting her thoughts stray toward him in the first place. She’d briefly forgotten about Clark. She was, after all, still a married woman.

Chapter 4

Cora came through the dining-room doorway, heading up the curved staircase, when Pearl called out to her from the family room. She turned and walked through the foyer into the room.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Would you like to ride into town with us in the morning for church? We always take Susie. You’re welcome to go with us.”

“I’d love to come along.” She smiled. “What time do you leave?”

“About nine-thirty.”

“I’ll get up and get Susie ready and go with you. Thanks for asking me.” Cora swiveled toward the stairs and missed landing in Rex’s arms by only a few inches. “Excuse me. I didn’t know you were behind me.” Cora gazed up at this towering man, his warm hands on her shoulders, and felt herself blush. Thankfully, the lighting was dim in the foyer.

“I just walked up. No harm done. G’night.”

“Good night.” As Cora climbed the stairs, Rex addressed his parents.

“Mom, I’m going to Wild Bill’s.”

“At this hour? Rex, it’s after ten.”

“Mom, I’m twenty-seven years old. I can go out past ten.” Rex shuffled his snakeskin boots across the pine floor.

“Son, your mother is only concerned about you. Do you really think you need to be going there? Regardless of what time it is, it’s hardly the place for you,” R.L. pleaded.

“Pop, I can take care of myself. I need to get away for a little while. That’s all. I’ll be back later. Don’t wait up.” Rex turned to leave.

Cora crept quietly up the stairs, hiding in the shadows but not getting out of earshot. Why had he told her he planned to go to bed if he intended to go out?

“We’ve got so much to work on with the ranch, son. You don’t need to be out at all hours of the night.”

“What about church, Rex?”

“Mom!” Rex shut the front door.

In her room, Cora readied herself for bed. What was Wild Bill’s? A bar, probably. She sighed heavily, sad that a little girl lay in her bed needing her father while he found solace elsewhere. What kind of example would he set for his daughter? He didn’t even attend church with her.

She shouldn’t be so judgmental of him. He still hurt over losing his wife. How would she be in that situation?
Wait—I am in that situation.

Cora fell asleep while saying her prayers, but she didn’t stay asleep because of her tossing and turning. She couldn’t seem to get Rex off her mind. At three in the morning, while she wrestled with her covers, his truck pulled into the drive.

What had he been doing all night? Was he drunk? If so, why had he put his life at risk like that? Cora fought the desire to go downstairs and check on him. Instead, she rolled over in her bed and forced herself to go back to sleep.