The Cowboys Heart 1 (2 page)

T
he past two days had passed in a blur. I buried
my grandmother yesterday, the one person in the world I knew I could always
count on, and the one person I’d disappointed the most. My heart was broken.
Because, I was convinced that she died of a broken heart, and I was responsible
for her death. I sniffled and fought back more tears. I didn’t know if it would
ever stop hurting, but I knew I had to move on. It’s what she would’ve wanted.
Not to mention, Jamie needed his mother, and I couldn’t be a blubbering mess.

I sat on the foot of the bed and looked around. This was the
same exact room I’d grown up in. Other than removing the toys and girly things
I no longer had a need for, the room was exactly the same, right down to the
purple flowered bedspread. There’s something weird about sleeping here again,
despite the calm nostalgia I felt. What was that old saying? You can’t go home
again. I wasn’t sure about that, but it was certainly much different than I
remembered. Everything around here seemed to move slower with less care for
time and deadlines, a true culture shock from the hustle and bustle of the
city.

“Heather, honey, are you ready?” Mom knocked lightly on the
bedroom door and peeked her head inside.

“Yeah.” I smile tightly and grab my purse from where I’d
tossed it on the bed earlier. “Are you sure Jamie will be okay here with
Monica?” Monica was my parents’ maid. They’d hired her shortly after I moved to
the city with Phillip and had Jamie. I think they were looking for a way to
fill the void of their only daughter leaving home for good.

“He’ll be fine. Those two have hit it right off, and I know
she’ll enjoy his company.” Mom smiled. “Now come on or we’ll be late.”

I stood and followed her out of the room. This wasn’t the
first time Jamie had been here, but I knew he didn’t like it around here all
that much, and the last thing I needed right now was for him to get in one of
his moods and have an argument with him. I found him in the living room,
sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels.

“We’re heading to the lawyer’s office, Jamie. We shouldn’t
be too long. Are you sure you don’t want to come along?” I asked, standing in
the doorway.

“Nope. I’m good here,” he said without ever looking at me.

I sighed. “All right. See you later then. Call me if you
need anything.”

“Yup.” He gave a halfhearted wave.

Jamie and I used to be so close, but ever since his father
and I divorced and he became a teenager, it’s like we’re strangers forced to
live together. Would I ever be able to repair our relationship back to what it
used to be? Reluctantly, I followed Mom outside and got into the car with her.

***

“And finally…” Mr. Munroe said,
studying the stack of papers in front of him.

We’d been at the lawyer’s office for almost two hours now. I
didn’t realize my grandmother had so much stuff to giveaway. And in her typical
fashion, she’d made sure everything was accounted for, each of her prized
possessions outlined meticulously. So far, she’d left my parents several
collections of antiques. Jamie had been willed a nice chunk of money to be used
for college. So far, she hadn’t left me anything. Not that I expected much from
her. We hadn’t exactly left things on the greatest of terms.

“The entirety of my ranch, including the house and property,
all the furnishings within the house minus those items already bequeathed is
left to my granddaughter, Heather Mills Walsh,” Mr. Munroe said, finally
looking up for the papers.

My jaw dropped, and the tips of my ears burned hot. Had I
heard that correctly? My grandmother left me her ranch? Why would she do that?
I cleared my throat and shook my head. “Uh… I don’t know…”

Mom reached over and patted my arm, smiling. “This is what
she wanted, honey. You know her dream was always to have you home, to raise
Jamie here, with his family.”

I sat speechless. Of course. Why hadn’t I put the pieces
together? That was the argument we’d had the last time I saw her. She told me
she wouldn’t ever give up on me, and even in death, she’d kept her promise. My
heart raced. What was I going to do with her ranch? I couldn’t possibly move
in. I had my job and my friends back in the city. Jamie had school and his
friends and his father, who didn’t visit nearly as much as he should, but
still. I couldn’t tear him away from everything he knew. Could I?

“Upon your grandmother’s death, I took it upon myself, per
her wishes, to begin the title transfer. All I need is your signature, and it’s
all yours.” Mr. Munroe handed me a clipboard with a pen. “I’ve put signature
stickers near each spot I need you to sign.”

In a daze, I took the clipboard from him and began to sign
the papers. I was too surprised to make any rational decisions right now, but I
knew I couldn’t decline the ranch. It would break my mother’s heart, not to
mention it could make my grandmother roll over in her grave. Once the property
was legally mine, and I had a chance to think things through, I’d made a
choice. Either I’d move it or sell it.

I hesitated. The thought of selling my grandmother’s ranch
induced a mild panic attack. I couldn’t imagine someone else living there. What
if they demolished the house? Tore up the yard? Some of my best childhood
memories were at that ranch. How could I even think about letting it go?

“Heather, are you all right?” Mom asked.

“Yeah.” I smiled and nodded then resumed signing. When I was
finished, I handed the items back. “So, what happens now?”

“I’ll file these papers with the county and in a couple of
weeks; you’ll receive the official title in the mail. There’s a small mortgage
owed on the property.” He flipped through more papers. “In the amount of
seventeen thousand dollars, this will automatically transfer to you as well.
Your grandmother was a very thorough woman. She made sure there would be no
issues with the transfer of the ranch to you.”

My stomach knotted. A mortgage? I could barely afford the
mortgage on my house in the city. There was no way I could afford a second
mortgage on top of it. I gripped the arms of the chair and forced my breaths to
stay calm.

“Now, as the executor of her will,” he continued, “we can
schedule a time to meet at the ranch and disburse the personal items she
bequeathed in her will. What date and time will work best for you?” He looked
directly at my mother.

“Uh, I’m not sure. Heather?” She turned to me as if I had
any idea what to say.

“Well, um, how about tomorrow? I know it’s Saturday, but I
have a flight back to the city on Monday, and it’s really the only time I can
do it…” I trailed off, uncomfortable with how he and my mother were staring at
me. “What?”

“You’re going back to the city? Why? Your grandmother just
left you the ranch. Why on earth would you even think about going back to that
crowded, unsafe city?” my mother asked, indignation dripped from her voice.

I sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know, okay?” I said sharper
than I intended. “My job is there. Jamie’s school and friends. His father. It’s
not so easy to just pack up and move back to Texas.”

My mother’s face reddened. It was the telltale sign she was
about to give me a tongue lashing. I held my breath, waiting for it to come,
but thankfully, Mr. Munroe cut her off.

“I can certainly do tomorrow. How does eleven a.m. work for
the two of you?” He smiled in an attempt to diffuse the situation brewing
between me and my mom.

“Fine.” Mom stood and yanked her purse over her shoulder.
Then she stormed out of the office.

Great. It was going to be a long drive home. I stood as
well. “Thank you, Mr. Munroe, for everything, and especially for looking out
for my grandmother. She always spoke so fondly of you.”

He stood and shook my head. “Well, she was certainly my
favorite client. She’ll be greatly missed.”

I gave him a final smile, and then proceeded out of his
office. When I approached Mom’s car, she was already inside, the engine
running. I couldn’t help but feel like a teenager again, like I’d done
something wrong and had to suffer the punitive wrath of my parents. As much as
I loved my mother, she needed to understand I was a grown woman now. I had an
ex-husband and a teenaged son. I hated disappointing her, but my decisions
needed to be made for me and my son.

“I can’t believe you, Heather Marie!” She pulled out of the
parking lot, squealing her tires as she did.

“Mom,” I groaned. Even at thirty four, I still cringed when
she used my middle name like that. “I haven’t made any definite decisions yet,
okay?” I turned to look at her. “But I have a job I need to go back to on
Monday. Jamie has school. And even if I decide to move back here, I have to
sell my house, pack everything…” I turned to stare out the window. “It’s not
just a matter of never returning to the city, you know.”

“I know,” she whispered.

I jerked around to stare at her. I couldn’t remember the
last time she’d ever agreed with me so easily.

“I also know how much this meant to your grandmother, and
I’d hate to think of her not being at peace in heaven because of the decisions
we’re making down here.”

I rolled my eyes and turned away again. That was my mother –
the queen of guilt trips. Well, this time, it wasn’t going to work. No matter
what she said or did, I had to make a decision that would be in the best
interest of Jamie. He was my top priority.

The rest of the drive was made in silence. I was grateful
for that, but based on the way my mother slammed her door, I knew she wasn’t.
She wanted me back in Texas, and it was hard to blame her for that. I couldn’t
imagine my child or grandchild being so far away from me. I sighed and climbed
up the front steps.

“Hey mom, how’d it go?” Jamie asked when I entered.

He was in a surprisingly good mood. “It was good,” I said,
dropping my purse onto the kitchen island and taking a seat on a stool across
from him. “How were things around here?”

“They were cool. Monica made me the best grilled cheese
sandwich for lunch.” He grinned, and I chuckled.

“That’s good.” In that moment, I realized something: Maybe
moving away from the city would be good for him. I hated the idea of tearing
him away from his school in the middle of the year and away from his friends
and father, but we’d been here two days and his attitude was a hundred times
better. The people around here were nicer, more accommodating and welcoming.
Maybe this was exactly the change we both needed to be happier.

“You really have to learn how to make them,” he said.

“I’ll be sure to do that.” I stood and ruffled his hair like
I used to do when he was a little boy. I was shocked when he didn’t push my
hand away. It felt like he was my boy again, and the love I felt for him
squeezed at my heart. I missed him terribly, missed the closeness we always
had.

“Did you know Monica had a son?”

“No, I didn’t. How old is he?”

“My age. She said he’d be here later, after school. She’s
going to introduce us. His name is Dean.”

“Cool,” I said, unsure where he was going with this. Then it
hit me. “Let me guess, you want to hang out with him tonight?”

Jamie laughed. “If he’s not a total dork, yeah.”

I pretended to be upset with him. “Jamie,” I said with an
exasperated sigh and a shake of my head. “That’s not nice.”

“Mom,” he groaned and moved out of my reach. “I’m not about
to hang with a nerd.”

“I doubt he’s a nerd, but if you two hit it off, I don’t mind
if you hang out tonight. It’ll do you good, I think.”

“Thanks.” He smiled then planted a kiss on my cheek. “I’m
actually having fun here this time.”

My breath hitched. It was now or never. He was in a good
mood and now was the time to strike. “Jamie, we’re going to move here. To
Texas.”

He stared at me for a moment as my words registered in his
mind. “What?”

“Nammy Noreen left me her entire ranch and all the property.
So, I’ve decided we’re going to move to Texas and live there.” I swallowed
hard. Generally, I wasn’t afraid of my son or his reactions. I was the parent
after all, but this entire situation was so big and scary for both of us.

“Is this some kind of joke?”

“No, this is no joke, Jamie. Financially, it makes sense.”

“What about Dad?” He crossed his arms and glared at me.

I gritted my teeth. There was so much I wanted to say – like
how his father was too busy diddling his secretary to be a dad, or how his
father couldn’t be bothered to visit once in the past three months, or how his
father was a month behind in child support – but I didn’t say any of those
things because I didn’t want Jamie to think poorly of his father simply because
of the hurt feelings I had toward Phillip.

“The decision has been made. We’ll return to the city on
Monday and spend the week making the necessary arrangements.” My tone was firm,
and I hoped he knew this wasn’t up for discussion.

“I hate you!” he screamed and ran up the stairs. A second
later, he slammed the guest room door. I cringed.

“What on God’s green earth is going on out here?” Dad asked,
coming in from the backdoor.

“Nothing.” I headed upstairs to try and talk some sense into
my only child.

T
he transition from the city to my grandmother’s
ranch – or rather, my ranch now – didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped. Jamie
fought me on everything. He hated it here, and I couldn’t blame him. He’d left
behind all of his friends, everything he’d known, his father – who gave me a
ton of shit about moving back to Texas yet didn’t do a thing to talk me out of
it or make amends with our son. And on top of all that, I was struggling to
learn the ropes around here, to know what to do and when. There were so many
animals that needed my attention, so much land that needing tending, and not
enough time or money or help. The five ranch hands my grandmother had employed
agreed to stay on, to help me get my bearings, but six people wasn’t enough. I
honestly don’t know how my grandmother did this all the time.

We’d been here about a month now, and every day brought on a
new challenge, a new skill I needed to have but didn’t, new arguments with
Jamie, and constant visits from my parents wanting to offer “helpful” advice
but never willing to get their hands dirty to actually help. I was constantly
exhausted, and I didn’t know how much longer I could go on. Maybe selling the
ranch was my only option. It would certainly bring peace to my life. But every
time I think of selling, my heart breaks, knowing it would disappoint my
grandmother.

I wiped my hands on my jeans and walked up the front porch.
There was still a lot to be done, but I needed a few minutes to catch my breath
and get a cold drink. My mind, however, didn’t ever rest. I poured over
different scenarios on how to make life around here easier, more affordable. I
might be able to sell some of the animals. Surely there must be people around
here willing to buy a cow for meat. The horses – there were several horse farms
nearby and a rodeo.

The problem was I didn’t know where to begin seeking buyers.
Would placing an ad in the local paper work? Maybe I should just ask one of the
ranch hands. They’d probably know. Once inside, I grabbed the pitcher of
lemonade from the refrigerator and filled a glass. I took a long drink, then
another. The cool liquid calmed me a little. Grandma always told me no problem
was insolvable, that you just had to ask the right questions and the answer
would find you. I channeled that thought, clung to it, and prayed it would come
through for me now like it had in the past.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A knock at the door
interrupted my thoughts. When I answered it, four tall, well-built men in
cowboy hats and boots stood on the porch. The man in front had a thick, dark
mustache. He took off his hat and bowed. “Ma’am.”

I remained in the doorway, refusing to let them in until I
knew who they were and what they wanted. The ranch was situated on several
acres far from town, far from any other houses and help. “How can I help you
gentlemen?” I eyed each of them, committing their appearances to memory.

“Sorry to bother you this afternoon, but we were hoping you
had time to accommodate a brief meeting with me and my brothers here,” the man
said.

Brothers? That was shocking. None of them looked anything
like each other. “Excuse me for sounding rude, but who are you?”

The man smiled, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood
on edge. Something about the way he smiled, the way his eyes darkened and his
teeth filled his mouth creeped me out. Then he chuckled. “I apologize for my
manners. I’m Buck Jennings, and these are my brothers Will, Jim, and John.”

I nodded and gave my politest smile despite the unease in my
veins. “Nice to meet you.” I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door
behind me before nodding toward the wicker table and chairs situated on the far
end of the porch. “I have time now to meet with you gentleman. Please, let’s
sit.” The sooner I heard them out and got rid of them, the better.

Buck took the seat next across from me while his brothers
sat on either side. Clearly Buck was the leader of this little group. I folded
my hands in my lap and waited for him to speak.

“We were very sorry to hear of Noreen’s passing. She was a
staple in this community,” Buck said, smoothing his fingers over his mustache.

“Thank you. She truly is missed.” I took a deep breath. “Did
you know her well?”

Buck gave a curt nod. “We’d done some business in the past,
which is what brought me out to see you today Miss…?”

“Heather,” I said.

“Heather.” Buck grinned. “Shortly before Noreen passed, we’d
been in negotiations to purchase this ranch. Unfortunately, we didn’t get
around to making the deal due to her untimely departure from this world.”

The more he talked, the more uncomfortable I became. I
couldn’t put my finger on it, but everything about him screamed slimy. I
glanced around at his brothers, who all appeared bored or uninterested. I
shifted in my seat and leaned forward; giving the illusion I was interested in
what else he had to say.

“But we’re still very much interested in buying this ranch.”
Buck leaned back, the chair creaking under his weight. For a moment, I worried
it might break. “And we’re prepared to offer you twice as much as we’d offered
Noreen.”

At that, my ears perked up, and my heart raced. In one of my
many nights of sleeplessness, I’d researched the value of a ranch this size.
Even if their initial offer was half of the market value, it was more than she
had right now. It could solve all of her problems. “And how much is that
exactly?” I asked.

“Five hundred thousand. Cash,” Buck said, a glint in his
eyes.

I inhaled sharply. Half a million dollars? That was a lot of
money, more than I’d ever make in my lifetime, more than this ranch would make
in the next twenty years. It was on the tip of my tongue to say, “Yes, you’ve
got a deal” and shake Buck’s hand in an old fashioned gentleman’s agreement.
Yet, there was something very odd about this entire situation. I couldn’t
believe my grandmother had considered selling the ranch. She loved it here.
She’d wanted me to be here, wanted Jamie to be here. It was her dream. So why
would she sell? Unless… Maybe she’d decided to sell after we’d had our
argument. Was she that heartbroken she’d give up her life’s work, her passion?
I swallowed hard, tears burning my throat.

That much money would solve all my problems. I could pay off
the debts, give the ranch hands a decent settlement, move back to the city
without having to worry about jumping right back into work. The idea of going
back to the city turned my stomach. For so long it had been home, but what was
left there for me? Even though Jamie hated it here, it was better for him.
Around here I didn’t have to worry about him going to a friend’s house and
running the streets, getting into trouble, getting mugged or worse. There wasn’t
much trouble or danger for him to find around here.

As much as I could use the money, I had to do what was best
for Jamie, and I couldn’t disappoint my grandmother again. Not to mention my
parents would probably disown me if I sold this ranch to anyone let alone these
four guys. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for what might be
the dumbest decision of my life.

“That’s a very generous offer, Buck, but I’m afraid I’m
going to have to decline. I’m sorry. The ranch isn’t for sale.”

His smile faded, and his eyes darkened as he narrowed his
brows. But then just as quickly, his face lightened, the anger replaced with
something easier. “You drive a hard bargain, Heather. All right,” he nodded,
“we can give you six hundred thousand.”

“Again, that’s extremely generous of you, but it doesn’t
change my mind. I’m sorry.” I stood, hoping they’d get the hint and do the
same. I wanted them to leave. “The ranch isn’t for sale.”

“Told you it wouldn’t work,” Will mumbled.

I shot him a dirty look, wondering what he meant by that.
Were they trying to scam me? My decision not to sell felt better and better as
the seconds ticked by. I didn’t know what these men were up to, but I wasn’t
going to have any part in it.

Buck stood, and his brothers followed his lead. “I’m sorry
to hear that, Heather. I think you’re making a big mistake, one you’ll come to
regret.” He tipped his hat in farewell. “Good day, ma’am.”

I stood by the front door and watched as they climbed into
their pickup truck and left, dust and dirt swirling behind their tires. I shook
my head and went back inside, locking the door and the deadbolt. I was probably
being paranoid, but Buck’s parting words swirled in my mind.
One you’ll come
to regret.
Was that a threat? It sure sounded like one. I forced myself to
forget about it and went to take a shower. Jamie would be home from school in
an hour, and I promised my parents we’d go over for dinner tonight.

The shower helped to calm me, and by the time I was dressed
and ready, it was almost three in the afternoon. I yawned, hating how tired I
was all the time lately. Granted, working nine to five in that office made me
tired, too, but that was mental exhaustion, which was so much different than
physical exhaustion. Every muscle in my body ached.

With just under an hour to kill, I started to clean up the
kitchen. When I was a little girl, I’d stand on a chair near the sink and help
Grandma bake cookies and breads. The kitchen here was so much different than
the one in my old house. This wasn’t nearly as updated or pristine, and still
had that distinct fifties look to it. It definitely needed a major upgrade, but
that would have to wait until the funds were available, if I even decided to
remodel. I kind of liked the rustic, nostalgic look. The memories alone made it
worthwhile to leave it as it was. It had an open floor plan and great
functionality. I would’ve killed for a refrigerator that size at the old house.

“Excuse me, Miss Heather?” Richard came in through the back
door, hat in hand, and a sad look on his face.

I sighed, knowing whatever he was about to say wouldn’t be
good. “Hey, Richard. How’s it going?” I tossed the dish cloth into the sink and
gripped the edge of the counter.

“Well, uh, me and the other hands were talkin’ and we were
wondering what you’d like us to do?”

I raised a brow. “What do you mean?” An edge of panic
slipped into my voice, and I cleared my throat to try and hide it. “You guys
can just keep doing whatever it is you do, whatever my grandmother always had
you do.”

“You see, that’s the thing, Miss. Your grandmother always
gave us direction, told us what to do from one moment to the next.” He shook
his head. “She shore worked us hard, but we knew from minute to minute what we
were supposed to do. And now… Well, we’re all a little lost.”

Breathing became difficult, and I gripped the counter
tighter, my knuckles turning white from the force. I had no idea what to tell
him. I had no idea what I was doing and had been relying on them to teach me,
to keep this place running smoothly. If they didn’t know what to do then I was
in some really big trouble.

“Okay, um, so maybe you guys could come up with a list of
things she used to have you do, and we could go over it and delegate tasks that
way?” This is why I wasn’t ever in a management position. I hated telling
people what to do. I wasn’t any good at it. “Or…” I pushed off the counter and
paced in front of the sink. “You’ve been here the longest? I mean, you’re the
first hand my grandmother hired, right?”

“Yes ma’am.” He smiled proudly.

I smiled back at him, hoping my somewhat brilliant plan
would work. “Okay, then how do you feel about a promotion?”

“Excuse me?” He took a step back, the idea seeming to scare
him.

“A promotion, you’ve been here the longest; you know this
ranch better than I do. So, I’m officially making you a supervisor.” I frowned,
wondering if that was the right title to give him, but figured it didn’t really
matter so long as he could do the job. “You can be in charge of the other ranch
hands, give them tasks, and ensure the chores are done. And I’ll still be here,
so it’s not like you have to do it all on your own.”

Richard began to shake his head. “Oh, no, I don’t think I
can do that. It’s a nice offer, Miss Heather, but I’m in no position to—”

I stepped toward him and clutched his hands in mine, my eyes
pleading with his. “Please, Richard. It’s no secret I’m struggling here. I
don’t know what I’m doing, and if I don’t have someone to help me, this place
is going to fail.” Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. I couldn’t fail.
Grandmother would never forgive me. “Please. I’m begging you. Help me.”

He let out a heavy sigh and nodded. “All right, I’ll help
and be the supervisor, but we need to sit down and go over some things. Noreen
was very clear on what she did and didn’t want us doing. I need to know the
same from you.”

I squealed with delight and smiled. “Deal! First thing
tomorrow morning, we’ll sit down and go over everything. Be in here at six a.m.
I’ll have breakfast on the table.”

Richard chuckled. “I can see why your grandmother adored you
so much. You’re just like here.” With another chuckle and a shake of his head,
he left.

I blew out a breath, feeling mildly relieved. I knew things
were getting behind around here, but I had no idea how to fix that. Hopefully
now, with Richard’s help, we’d get this ranch back on track. In the distance, I
heard Jamie’s bus coming down the road. I flung open the door, intent on
meeting him near the car so he couldn’t lock himself in his room, when I came
face to face with a man on a horse, a cow on a rope trailing behind him.

“I believe this belongs to you, ma’am,” he said, his voice
deep and velvety.