The Reluctant Rancher (11 page)

Mary laughed at the older man’s bluster, grateful for the conversation.
 
The beauty of the country with its far off mountains, plush green grasses and silver blue lakes had enthralled Mary in much the same way it had captured the hearts of the first people to see the valley.
 
And she never tired of hearing about how the town had gotten its name.

Luke gave her an engaging wink that sent tingles down her spine while he encouraged the older man to tell the tale.
“Go ahead, Grandpa. I know you’re dying to tell Mary your version of the story.”

“
My version is the true version, young man.
 
And don’t you forget it.
” Joseph glared at this grandson before he continued. “
Legend has it that a band of settlers founded the town after they wandered off the wagon trail while heading west.
”

Mary watched Joseph’s face as he told the story.
 
No doubt he visualized the scene in his mind and it startled her to realize that, with his words, she could see it as well.

“
With winter already upon them, they looked around and saw the lazy river fed by sweet mountain streams.
 
They saw the wide valley and knew that dark, rich soil lay buried beneath the snow.
 
There was plenty of water and enough room for a man to breathe.
 
Weary and worn, they decided to stay.
”
 
Joseph encased the whole valley before him with one sweep of his hand.

“
To celebrate their new home, the women cooked up the last of their flour and the men went hunting.
 
Every man, woman
,
and child feasted on biscuits, honey
,
and wild game.
 
With their bellies full and the fires burning bright and warm, the men tuned up their musical instruments and broke out their stash of corn liquor.
 
One man drank and played his fiddle so long that he passed out dead center of the frozen creek.
 
By the time he woke up the next day, there was no land left for the poor fellow to claim except a small portion next to the creek.
 
And that’s how the town got its name.
”
 
He folded his arms across his chest, a smug smile on his face.

“
That’s it?
”
Joseph had told the same tale she’d heard time and time again from all the local residents - the exact same story printed on the brochures
that
the Chamber of Commerce passed out during the summer months.
 
L
uke rewarded her silence with a
mouthed thank you, which Mary savored for the rem
a
inder of the trip.

Once in town, Luke parked the truck in front of a large brick building
that
served as the town’s city hall.
 
As soon as the truck stopped, Joseph made a beeline across the street to a group of men gathered outside the feed and grain store.

“
We’re a little early.
”
 
Luke put out a hand to stop Mary
when she started to exit
.
“
Do you need to do anything before Grandpa’s appointment?
”

She nodded. “
I need to get my car from the garage.
 
Jennifer called yesterday and said Eddie had it ready.
”

“
Afraid you’re going to be stuck at the ranch without a way to leave?
 
Missing the bright lights already?
”
 
His tone was harsh and she saw the glitter of anger in the green depths of his eyes.

“
No,
”
she replied stiffly, hurt that he would think
something like that
after their interlude in the barn.
Was he afraid she didn’t like the ranch, didn’t like him?
 
Little did he
know!
“
I’m happy at the Circle T, Luke.
 
And your grandfather’s been a doll of a patient.
”

“
I’m glad to hear that, Mary.
 
Real glad.
”
 
He gave her one of his rare smiles and her heart flipped over in her chest.
 
His fingertips trailed along the underside of her jaw and his head
bent closer. He was going to kiss her
.

A sharp tap on the passenger side window jerked them guiltily apart.
 
“
Hey, you two,
 
I’m going over to Smitty’s.
 
I’ll meet you at Doc Logan’s later.
”

“
That’s fine, Grandpa.
 
We’re headed to Eddie’s Garage.
”
He exited the truck the
n walked around to open Mary’s door.

As they
walked through town
, Luke took her hand and she
savored the moment, loving the feel of his fingers entwined with her own.
 
As they walked, he tipped his hat in greeting to people they passed on the street but never let go of her hand.

“
You’re very popular,
”
she commented, after the mayor had stopped to talk about the weather.
 
The
storm of last night had passed – with no snow –
but the air was heavy with anticipation.
 
Something was brewing.

“
It comes with the territory,
”
Luke said.

“
What territory?
”

He veered off onto a side street, ma
king his way to Eddie’s Garage. “
Be
ing rich.
Everyone wants to stay on your good side, even if they can’t stand the sight of you.
”

“T
hat’s not true,
”
Mary protested.

“Sure it is.
”
Luke’s words flowed out of his mouth easily enough, but Mary sensed a hurt behind them.

“
Do you really think that’s the only reason they speak to you?
”
she asked.

“
I don’t think it, honey, I know it is.
”
 
They had reached the garage. Luke
pushed open the battered wooden door and ushered her inside.

“
That’s not true.
”
 
Luke was too decent a man for him to think people only wanted to socialize with him simply because of his wealth.

“
Isn’t that why you came to the Circle T, because you wanted something?
”

“
Well, yes,
”
she sputtered.
 
“
But that’s not the same thing.

One black brow arched
. “Really
?
”

“
I’ve talked to you before and never wanted anything.
”

“
When?
”
 

“
At the summer camp last year.
”

“
You didn’t say a word to me, Mary.
 
You helped with the kids all day if memory serves me right.
”

“
Well, maybe I didn’t speak to you
.
”
Mary's heart skipped a beat when she realized Luke had noticed her after all.
 
And regretted the fact she hadn’t had the courage to talk to him then.
 
“
But, did you speak to me?
”

“
Not that I recall.
”
 
His frowned deepened.

“
See, you’re just as bad as you think others are.
 
Wasn’t I pretty enough to garner your attention?
”
She held her breath as she waited for his answer.

Luke stopped and encirc
led her arm with one large hand, his hold almost bruising
in
its force.
He jerked her toward him.
“
If I didn’t speak to you, it had nothing to do with how you look.
 
You’re a very attractive woman.
”

“
Right
.
”
Mary didn't believe his words.
 
She knew
exactly
how she looked beneath her warm winter sweaters. She tried to pull her arm free and walk away.
 
“
That’s why all those
Hollywood
directors are knocking down my door
with requests for
me to star in their next beach movie.
”

Luke’s
green eyes narrowed into tiny slits.
 
“
Didn’t I notice you in the barn yesterday?
”

She flushed, heat
suffusing
her cheeks as she remembered their shared passion.
“
Well, y-yes,
”
she stammered.
 
”
But I know it was just the situation.
 
You are a cowboy after all, Mr. Tanner.
”

“
Don’t lump me in with a bunch of rough rednecks looking for a good time,
”
he growled. He tugged
her flush against his big body.
 
“
I’m a man who noticed a very attractive, very desirable woman.
 
Maybe you need a little reminder of that fact.
”
He lowered his head.

Mary waited with baited breath for his mouth to touch hers.
 
Despite her looks and her size, did he find her attractive?
 
She was almost starting to believe it. Almost.
Her heart
filled with joy at the thought anyway.
She stood on her tiptoes, her head lifted and ready to meet his mouth halfway.

“
Hi, Miss Carter.
”

Mary groaned in regret as Eddie Carson, Jr., son of the owner of Eddie’s Garage and its head mechanic, called a greeting from
the back of the building, bringing
the magic moment to an end.
 
It did her ego worlds of good to hear Luke curse as he dropped his hands and stepped away.

“
Your car’s ready, ma’am.
 
I’ll have one of the boys pull it around front.
”
 
The mechanic wiped his greasy hands on an even greasier rag
. He
pull
ed
a clipboard from the wall and total
ed
her bill.
 
“
I don’t mean to be bossy
,
but you really do need a new set of tires.
 
With this cold weather threatening snow again and the spring rains coming soon, you can never be too careful.
”

She sighed as she read the total bill.
 
There went her
plans
to use most of the generous salary from the Tanners to play catch up with the outstanding bills and use what remained to make a down payment on a computer system to track the agency’s patients an
d billing, a tedious job she hated doing
by hand every month.
 
Then, if Luke did stay true to his word and give her the loan, she would have enough working capital to see her through until next summer.
 
If she were very, very fugal.

She wrote a check to cover the cost of the repairs, kissing the computer goodbye.
 
A car, she desperately needed.
 
A computer she wanted but could do without for a while longer.

“
I know, Eddie.
 
You tell me that every time I bring my car in.
 
You know I do well to keep that old bucket of bolts running
,
which is due entirely to your expertise.
”
 
She smiled gratefully at the young mechanic as she handed him the check.
 
Always honest in his dealings with her, both in the repairs and the prices he charged, she knew she would have spent twice as much for
half the work in a larger city