Whispers of the Heart (24 page)

“I wouldn’t in a million years insult you in such a manner.” He pulled back so he could look into her eyes. “Think I could put this ring on your finger now?”

“I get a ring too?”

“Ha ha. Cute.” He picked up her hand and slid a simple-setting diamond and sapphire ring onto her ring finger.

“Sapphires are my favorite stone. My birthstone too. How did you know?”

Dalian grinned, “I actually got in touch with you
r publisher. The few times you mentioned her gave me the impression she’s more than a publisher, but your best friend too. If anyone would know what type of ring you preferred, I figured she would. She’s a pistol, but was thrilled to hear that you’d finally found someone new. Of course, the exact phrase she used was ‘got yourself laid’...hey, I didn’t say it, she did.” Dalian rubbed his arm from where Kat landed yet another smack.

“Yes, but you repeated it.” Kat grinned. “I’m glad she’s happy for me. I should have thought to contact her myself, but there’s been so much happening. I think I was a bit worried too that she’d be worried about my moving so far away.”

“Actually, there was a rather extended monologue about having to cancel tour dates and reschedule out here and about maybe you telling her of your plans in advance before she makes plans. Then she got around to actually conversing. Asked whether I planned to let you keep writing, and wanted to know the reliability of our internet access out here in the boonies, despite my having been in touch with her via that very internet.”

Kat laughed. “That sounds like Janet. Hey! When did you get this ring? When have you had time? We’ve had so much happening this past week...”

“Janet helped there too.” Dalian replied sheepishly.

“You’ve lost me.”

“Well, like I said, I’ve been in daily touch with her. She’s been ring hunting since the day I brought you home from the hospital...says she’s happy that you’re okay, by the way. Of course, her exact words there were that she didn’t want to have to ‘come out here and open up a can of whoop ass on somebody’. You Southerners do have a way of expressing yourselves, don’t you?”

“Got that straight!”

“Anyway, once we found a ring we thought you’d like, she overnighted it to me. It arrived this morning. She said to keep her apprised of the wedding plans and she’ll make certain she makes it out here on time.”

“Oh Dalian, thank you for this. For everything. I know we’ve been going through hell this past week, but you have a way of making me feel safe despite it all.”

“Well, you know how that old country favorite goes, don’t you?”

“There are quite a few old country favorites, goose.”

Dalian laughed, stood, and reached down to help her up. “The one by Rodney Atkins.”

“Wow, there’s a singer who goes back about a dozen decades. I know him though. Which
song were you talking about?”

Dalian grinned, and then, in a surprisingly good singing voice, broke into song while helping her mount,
“If you’re going through hell,

keep
on going, don’t slow down,

if you’re scared don’t show it,

you might get out

‘fore the devil even knows you’re there...
[2]

Kat laughed, but then decided to join in; and soon the sound of their voices echoed across the grassland as they rode along to check on the cattle.

“How do you keep up with where your cattle are? Didn’t you say once that you have over two hundred acres of land? Yet you somehow managed to bring us straight to them – almost anyway.”

“No big secret. I radioed ahead and one of my men gave the approximate location of each herd. If you look over yonder a bit, you’ll see a couple of my men keeping watch over this herd.” Dalian lifted his hand and waved, and Kat saw in the far distance a return wave.

“That’s impressive, but you still have two hundred acres . . . I guess what I’m asking is, how do you know precisely where we are? When you radioed ahead, did your employee say ‘look for the lone tree next to the short snow-covered peak’?”

Dalian laughed. “Not quite. Harvey and I sectioned off the land into eight twenty-five acre plots. Each one of those is broken down into coordinates so that we can easily maneuver around as needed. So, we have two herds. We rotate them between those sections, giving the grass and plants in each alternate section plenty of time to revivify and flourish. At any given time, several of my men are out here keeping an eye on them – tending to injuries, corralling strays, assisting in deliveries in the spring, and warding off predators – the two greatest of which are wolves and bears. If I need to find them, they just tell me the approximate coordinates in whichever plot the cattle are occupying.”

“Wow, I have to admit it’s all very impressive. It must keep you very busy indeed.”

“Takes up a considerable part of my days, yes. Still willing to marry me?”

“I’ll think about it,” Kat quipped. “If this takes up so much of your time, why run a dude ranch during the spring and summer? I’d think that would be a big hassle.”

“I’ve been running this ranch for some years now. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Unfortunately, there are times when caring for the cattle costs more than my herd can fetch at market; a market that fluctuates based on the eating habits of the populace in a given year. Remember back in 2035, there was a big push to eliminate beef from the American diet altogether? I nearly lost the ranch that year. If it weren’t for the dude ranch business and governmental subsidies, we wouldn’t be here now. Thank the good Lord above people’s eating habits are as changing as the weather. You aren’t a vegetarian, are you?” Dalian’s question was asked with a nose crinkled in mock antipathy and Kat laughed.

“Not on your life! I’ll take a
tender Ribeye any day of the week, but I like a flaky Tilapia filet just as often. I guess balance is the key.”

“And you certainly are well balanced.” The tone of Dalian’s voice and the sweep of his gaze appreciatively over her body, made Kat flush. Dalian grinned and then gave Swift a firm ‘whoa’. “We’re nearly there, but I just thought we’d stop here and let the horses get a drink.” He said, and Kat’s focus shifted from thoughts of Dalian’s lovemaking to the breathtaking scenery surrounding her. Dalian had ridden from the valley into a section of Wind River Canyon. The dissimilarity between the valley in which his ranch lie situated and where they sat atop their horses now, was stunning. To their right was a small crystal-clear river snaking its way through a ravine of virtually sheer canyon walls. On either side of the river, wild grasses grew amidst boulders half the size of her
previously-owned Honda Fit Hybrid.

“I love nature.” Kat’s tone held an awe, which held Dalian in awe. He had lived here for
so long, he sometimes failed to realize the impact its splendor had on others. “There isn’t anything like this back where I’m from. Growing up, if we ever wanted to see impressive canyons like this, we always assumed we’d have to take a road trip to Arizona. Oh, but don’t get me wrong, we have some really amazing places back east, like Stone Mountain, the Appalachians, and if we want to head north a short spell, there’s the Great Smokies, and Ruby Falls, but...wow, nothing like this. It’s gorgeous.”

“No, sweetheart. This is majestic. You’re gorgeous.” Dalian laughed at her shy reaction, and then leaned over and planted a quick kiss on her mouth. “Come on. We’re nearly there. Be careful wending your way through. Let the horse take the lead so we don’t have to worry about surefootedness and you taking a tumble into the river. It’s only April, so it will be months before that water rises above frigid.”

Kat nodded and soon they were ascending to a small ridge on the top of which was a gully of emerald, springy grass. “Is this it? Where we’re going to picnic?” Kat asked enthusiastically.

The moment Dalian said yes, Kat dismounted with eagerness and dashed over to the rock wall situated atop the ledge of the cliff face. With cautious exuberance, she leaned over the top and glanced down at the way in which they’d climbed. It hadn’t been a steep or lengthy ascent, but the river below seemed much smaller than when they’d ridden beside it. The view from above was even more breathtaking to her than when she’d been down in the ravine. “Oh, Dalian, promise me we can come here frequently.”

“As this is one of my favorite places to come, that shouldn’t be too difficult a promise to make and keep. Most times though, the weather doesn’t clear up here until June. We got lucky this year. Fair weather started early. I guess you brought the sunshine with you when you came. I know you brightened up my life.” Dalian walked up behind Kat and wrapped his arms about her waist, pulling her flush against him. “Look up there.” He pointed to a bald eagle soaring above the canyon.

Kat sighed, “I’ve never seen one so close before. Now
that’s
majestic and gorgeous.”

“Can’t argue with that zeal.” Dalian laughed, and turned Kat into his embrace. “I have a confession to make.” He whispered, lowering his mouth to brush lightly against her lips. She felt the warmth of his breath as he whispered his confession. “When I brought you out here today, my intentions were anything but honorable.”

“Is that a fact?” Kat breathed in reply.

Dalian grinned, “Yes ma’am. In fact, I’d say my thoughts right now are downright impure.”

“That’s okay. Mine aren’t exactly wholesome.” Kat grinned, but the grin faded quickly as a raging inferno swept through the interior of her body, lighting it with desire. “Make love to me, Dalian.”

“A stampede couldn’t stop me,” Dalian whispered, and then claimed her mouth in a soul-searing kiss.

Cal Withers opportunely disregarded the sheriff’s request to remain on the ranch just one more day, until fingerprint clearances came through. The way he figured it, the rental agency was too accommodating, dropping off his car nearly at sunrise the next morning, which Cal took as a sign that leaving was acceptable. As soon as he signed the requisite paperwork, he quickly packed up his clothing and supplies and began loading it into the trunk. One promise he was able to keep was that he’d leave unnoticed, but that was only because Harvey had the remaining guests out back assisting with clearing away the burned out barn in preparation of the barn building the next day.
Some vacation activity
that
is,
he thought, tossing his last piece of luggage in the Dodge Charger.

After a quick inventory of his room, he loaded himself into the car, and then drove out of the main gate, a swarm of reporters attempting to stick microphones into the opening of his window. He would have pressed the accelerator and gunned it out of the drive in order to get past the annoying questions, but they surrounded his vehicle like an army of ants. When he persisted in inching forward, the mob finally parted, and Cal accelerated quickly, glad to put The
Heart of the Mountain
Dude Ranch in his rearview mirror.

About forty-five minutes later, he pulled onto 2
nd
Street in the ramshackle town of Shashoni, parked his car, and walked straight into the Cactus Plains Motel. It was as rundown as the scarcely populated town surrounding it, but he wasn’t planning to stay long. Despite his promise to the sheriff, he only had one purpose for leaving the dude ranch – minus getting some lunch.

A third tap on the bell sitting atop the peeling linoleum countertop brought an elderly woman from behind a closed door. “You would like a room?” She queried, her voice raspy from what could be age or a recent tracheotomy, a supposition supported by the bandage covering the area of her windpipe. Either way, her outward appearance was even less appealing than the stained carpet lining the foyer, which made him wonder why tourists ever bothered to stop in here on their way to Yellowstone. He wouldn’t be here at all were it not out of necessity. Her next comment lent understanding to his unvoiced musings. “Most people do not stop here when motel row is just about 20 miles southwest from here. So what brings you?”

“Oh, I was actually heading for my motel when I realized that I was running real low on gas, so thought I would stop in and ask for directions to the nearest station.”

The old woman quirked her brow, disbelief written on her features. She knew he was lying, but a shrug of her shoulders declared her disinterest, “If you came in on 26, you passed a few gas stations, and you will find more on your way out of Shoshoni.” Her thick accent spoke of the purity of her native blood, but just as she was disinterested in his lies, he could care less about her heritage – or the fact that he could help her out quite a lot financially if he
did
choose to stay in that particular flea motel.

“I’ll keep a better look out, but just for my edification, are there any decent places left in this town that serve a hearty meal?”

Her brow quirked again and she snorted, “You might want to wait until you get to your motel to find good food.”

“Wait,” Cal called, when she turned to leave, “what about a gun store? You have one
around her, right?” Other than the Enterprise rental business, Cal had done some additional surfing online – first, to determine the gun laws in Wyoming, which were surprisingly lenient; also to find a gun store in a town that was more concerned with the dollar than his purpose for needing a weapon. He could have driven around until he located it, but he was far too lazy and in too big a hurry to waste his time.