Almost Home Page 3

  Wyatt pulled his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and dialed Haley’s number. As expected, the antiquated answering machine picked up. He’d have to see about getting her a mobile phone and be sure his name was programmed into her speed dial.

  “Hey, Haley, it’s Wyatt. Just wanted to let you know I’m on my way. See you in a few.”

  He hadn’t planned to volunteer to give her a riding tour of Jack’s property but she’d reluctantly taken him up on the offer. Had even offered to pack a lunch and Wyatt wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. When he pulled into the ranch yard, Haley was securing a set of insulated saddlebags behind the cantle of her Western saddle. He parked parallel to the barn and hopped out of the cab to de-trailer his own mount.

  “That’s a fine-looking stud,” Wyatt told Haley as he led his horse to the pasture gate. “He gonna object to my gelding?”

  Haley smiled and mounted up. “Nope. He’s gentle as a lamb. Raised him from a foal. Now if you were riding another stud, he might get a little uppity but he’s got a good all-around disposition.”

  Wyatt let Haley go ahead of him and closed the gate behind them before mounting his gelding. They rode in silence across a field of thick grass dotted with oak trees.

  “There’s a pecan grove next pasture over with a gate that opens off the road. Jack had a guy who came and harvested for her. I expect you’ll find him in her Rolodex. If not, I can give you his name and number when the time comes.” He eased his horse a little closer and tipped his hat back slightly. “I know you haven’t had much time to look around but you’ll find Jack had a thing about fruit trees. You’ve got some peach trees and some pear trees out back behind the house. Every year, the families of the local cowhands would come out and harvest the fruit. Jack had a little outdoor kitchen built where they process the fruit, make jams and jellies, pie filling and the like. It was quite a party, what with all the kids running around, music playing. The men come in after work and grill steaks and burgers. Everybody looks forward to it.”

  Haley chuckled. “Is that your away of asking me if I plan on keeping up the tradition if I decide to stay?”

  Wyatt’s face flushed and he smiled sheepishly. “Well, some of the wives wanted me to ask, so I’m asking.”

  “Why not?” she said with a shrug. “Far be it for me to buck tradition. Besides, I don’t know what I’d do with all those bushels of fruit. I like a peach as much as the next girl but I can’t see me eating an orchard’s worth in a year’s time and still being able to stand the sight of them.”

  They passed through several gates following the river as it curved around to the back of the property. Along the way, they passed two small houses and a handful of singlewide trailers along with a wooden playground set.

  “What happened to the hands who lived there?” Haley asked.

  “Four of them came to work for me. The others went to work for some of the neighboring spreads. You thinking of bringing any of them back?”

  She shrugged. “Too soon to tell. Not sure what my training clients would do if I settled down here. I usually train on site. But it’s tempting.”

  They rode on in silence until they neared the section of the property that led to the fruit orchard close to her house. The sound of water gurgled in the distance. Wyatt glanced over and saw the grin on Haley’s face.

  “Is that a waterfall I hear?”

  An odd flutter rumbled deep in his belly. They nudged their horses into a gentle lope and Wyatt felt like he’d been pole-axed at the look of wonder on her elfin face. She practically beamed with joy at the sight of the limestone-terraced falls.

  “Looks like a good place for a picnic,” he commented, pleased when she quickly dismounted. He chuckled when she immediately sat down, pulled off her boots and rolled up her pants legs.

  “I’m going for a wade.”

  “I can see that. You go on ahead. I’ll spread a blanket and set out lunch.” When he was done, he squatted down beside her on a dry slab of stone that jutted out over the water. “That little pool in the middle is deep enough to swim in, if you ever get the urge. Though it tends to run a little fast in the spring.”

  “Oh, I’ll get the urge all right. I imagine it’s pretty refreshing on a hot summer night.”

  “Oh yeah. Many’s the night I’d sneak out to skinny-dip in that little pool. Never thought anybody knew—until I was old enough to bring a girl here with more on my mind than swimming. Miss Jack came out and gave me what for. Seems she had a camera installed in the cottonwoods.”

  Haley laughed and Wyatt sucked in a breath. He’d heard folks say a woman’s laughter was like music but he’d never believed it until now.

  “Well, feel free to bring your girl out here any time, Brody. Just make sure I’m not skinny-dipping before you do.”

  “I’m between lady friends at the moment,” he said, struggling to resist the urge to touch her. “But I’d be happy to skinny-dip with you any night of the week.”

  Haley snorted and bumped his shoulder. “I just bet you would.” With that, she got up and headed for the picnic blanket he’d spread under the umbrella of an old oak tree. “Come on, cowboy, let’s eat.”

  Lunch consisted of grilled chicken breasts, pasta salad, and thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes. Haley surprised him by handing him a longneck bottle of Coors. He twisted off the top and took a long drink.

  “Ah, Colorado Kool-Aid. Nothing beats a cold beer on a hot day.”

  She clinked her bottle against his. “You got that right.”

  After they ate and Haley repacked the containers in her saddlebags, she propped herself on her elbows and stretched those long legs out, crossing them at the ankles. Wyatt did the same, stealing glances at her as she gazed out over the river.

  “So what do you do when you’re not picnicking by a river, Haley Kilpatrick?”

  She took a deep breath of clean country air and swiveled her head to look at him.

  “I’m a barrel racer, or I was. Mostly I train them now. Geronimo there is a champion barrel horse. So is Molly, the mare I brought with me. She’s due to foal soon. Before all this happened, I’d planned to start a breeding program at a place my brother rents outside of Austin. My other brood mares are still there.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Haley raised an eyebrow. “Well, I only own a two-horse trailer and I really didn’t know what I’d find here. For all I knew, this place was as run-down and neglected as where I came from. I mean, I didn’t even know I had an aunt, much less that she’d passed and left everything to me.”

  Wyatt stretched out on his side, resting his head in his hand. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and stroke Haley’s cheek. Maybe capture her chin and kiss those pretty, full lips. But he didn’t. The way she kept tracking his movements out of the corner of her eye told him she was feeling skittish and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her away.

  “So, what do you think of Junction?”

  Haley removed the old straw Resistol and set it down in the space between them, then stretched out, hands behind her head. Wyatt swallowed at the sight her lush breasts pushing against the confines of her white, sleeveless shirt.

  “Well the town looks like it’s seen better days but most small Texas towns do. I checked out the Yellow Pages and it has all the services I’d need to start my breeding program and keep this place running. And the ranch, what’s not to love? I mean, d’oh, I have a waterfall in my backyard. Don’t reckon I got the temperament to run a bar, though. I expect I’ll go on ahead and sell it.”

  Wyatt grinned. “So, you’re staying?”

  She nodded once. “Yup. I’m staying.”

  “What about your brother in Austin?”

  Haley sighed and closed her eyes. “I don’t mean to sound like the evil stepsister from Cinderella but I’ve supported Conner all my life. It’s time he learned what it is to stand on his own two feet. I mean, he is twenty-two years old. Reckon he’ll just have to get over it, won’t he?”<
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  Wyatt chuckled, even though inside his head a choir was singing the Hallelujah chorus.

  “Yup, I reckon he will.”

  * * * * *

  The afternoon sun was hot on their backs when Haley and Wyatt got back to the barn. Other than pointing out areas of interest, they’d ridden in companionable silence, stopping once on a steep rise to admire the lush green pastures.

  “Reckon you outta put that gelding in a stall and give him a feed,” Haley said. She unsaddled Geronimo and took after him with a brush, hiding behind the stallion’s neck so Wyatt wouldn’t see the blush coloring her cheeks.

  “Is that you’re way of asking me to stay to supper?”

  Haley refused to look at him. “Never did freeze the steaks. Hate to see them go to waste.”

  Wyatt chuckled. “Heaven forbid.” He propped himself against the wall and nodded. “I’m not a man to turn down a steak dinner and that’s a fact.”

  “Good.”

  “What was that?”

  She didn’t miss the playful tone. He was teasing her. She could almost picture that sinful grin on his face. “I said, ‘good’.” She squeezed her eyes shut, hating the idea that she didn’t even know the proper way to invite a gent to dinner. With a sigh, she tossed the brush into a wood-handled box and led Geronimo into his stall. She rested her cheek against the big stallion’s.

  “You’re a good boy,” she murmured to the horse. “You never let me down, do you?” With a final scratch to the animal’s ears, she turned and there was Wyatt, standing at the stall door, his face all soft and curious.

  “Who’s let you down, Haley Kilpatrick?”

  The words were soft and kind but she detected no pity behind them. She had to swallow hard to keep from crying. Yeah, that would be sexy.

  “Who ain’t? Except him.” It was a statement of fact but it came out gruffer than she’d intended. Looking Wyatt Brody in the eye was hard. She had no doubt he knew all about her, being so close to her Aunt Jack and all. He stood there for a long moment, then stepped aside so she could pass. Relieved, she jerked her head toward the house. “You hungry?”

  “I could eat.” He fell into step beside her. “When you planning on going to Austin for the rest of your stock?”

  “Figure on going next week, once I get a few things settled here.” They climbed the stairs and went inside. “I’ll be needing a dependable hand to look out for the horses. Know anybody who might be interested?”

  Wyatt joined her at the kitchen sink to wash up. “Dooley and his wife Maria would probably come back, if you were of a mind. They got a gaggle of kids, couple of them old enough to help around here. Fact is, he’d make a damn good foreman if you’re planning to expand your operation. He knows horseflesh.”

  “Sounds good.”

  They both reached for the towel at the same time. A jolt of something unfamiliar shot up her arm when his hand brushed hers. She quickly glanced away, face going up in flames and went for a paper towel instead. Lord, she was acting like a nervous old maid. Could she be any lamer?

  “Anyway,” Wyatt went on. “Thought I might take you down and help haul them back. How many you got again?”

  “Four, but why would you wanna drive to Austin?”

  He hung the towel back on the oven handle and leaned against the counter. “You always this suspicious of folks offering help?”

  Haley shrugged and circled around him to the fridge. “It’s been my experience there’s usually a price to pay.” She watched his reaction out of the corner of her eye. His brow puckered and his mouth set into a thin line. Great, she’d offended him.

  “I’m just being neighborly, Haley, I don’t expect nothing in return.”

  She nodded and set the steaks on the counter. “Much obliged.”

  He pushed off the counter. “I’ll go start the grill. And Haley?” When she looked up, he was standing close enough she could feel the heat of his body. He grinned. “You might wanna unclench a little. If I get the yen to jump you, I’ll be sure to let you know ahead of time.” Fire sprang to her cheeks and he chuckled, tweaked her chin. “I do love a woman who still knows how to blush.”

  Chapter Three

  True to his word, Wyatt sent Carl Dooley over the next day. He spent a couple of hours with Haley, working on getting acquainted with Geronimo and the mare, Molly. Wyatt hadn’t lied, Dooley knew horses and both stallion and mare took to him immediately. Haley had no qualms about offering him the job as foreman and handing over the keys to the house where Jack’s old foreman and his family had lived. The following day the Dooley family moved back to the One-Eyed Jack ranch to work for the namesake’s niece.

  As a child, Haley had lived and worked on ranches from Texas to New Mexico and on up into Wyoming. Her daddy was what was scornfully referred to as a grub liner, a cowboy who showed up to work right around suppertime. Ranch folk being what they were, Kent Kilpatrick was rarely denied a job or a meal when showing up with kids in tow. He’d work long enough to earn the money to get them to the next rodeo venue, where Haley went to work winning barrel racing events, nearly always taking the first place purse. Of course, the prize money always went in her daddy’s pocket and then it was on to the next venue on the circuit. In all her life, Haley had never called any one place home. Now, sitting on the back porch, shucking lima beans with Maria Dooley, she marveled at how life could change in the blink of an eye.

  “You are very quiet, senorita,” Maria observed. “Is something wrong?”

  Haley smiled and tossed another handful of lima beans in a pot. “No. Just thinkin’ about how quick life can turn on you. Not long ago, I was living outta my camper, rodeoing for a living. Now here I am in Butt Crack, Texas shucking beans on the back porch of my own place. I think it just hit me that I really own it.”

  Maria paused, then reached out and squeezed Haley’s hand. “Life has not been so easy for you, I think.”

  Haley laughed. “It’s had its moments but you take the hand you’re dealt and get on with living.”

  Maria nodded. “Sí, you are right. But you are happy now?”

  “I’m working on it, Maria. I’ll feel a sight better when me and Wyatt pick up the rest of my stock and I’m out from under that no-good brother of mine.”

  Beans pinged inside the pot like hail on a tin roof. “He is a bad man, this brother of yours?”

  “Nah. He’s just a no-account. Thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow.”

  “He will not be happy to see you go, I suspect.”

  Haley snorted. “He’ll have a fit and step in it, I expect. Can’t say I ain’t lookin’ forward to seeing it though.

  “My daddy doted on Conner, much as he knew how to, him being the only boy and all. Gave him everything he ever wanted, never made him work a day in his life.”

  More limas pinged. “What will he do without you?”

  Haley shrugged. “Hell, he’s pretty enough that some fool woman will come along and take care of him. He sure as hell ain’t coming back here with me.”

  They fell silent for a while, shucking more beans and watching the two younger children play a game of tag with Snoop in the orchard.

  “Your father, he is in the prison?”

  “Yup. Got ten to fifteen for stabbin’ a fellow in a bar fight outside Lubbock. Lucky the fellow didn’t die or he’d a got the death penalty for sure.”

  Maria put a hand on Haley’s shoulder. “So much sadness for one so young. But you have a home now. You have Dooley and me, now, and Wyatt. He is a good man.”

  Haley snorted derisively. “Yeah, well, it takes a mighty good man to be better than no man at all.”

  Maria clucked her tongue. “Such cynicism in one so young. I will tell you, a woman could do much worse than Wyatt Brody. Life will be good here. You will see.”

  Haley laughed again. “A home, huh? It almost feels like that. But don’t go getting no notions about me and Wyatt. I ain’t in the market for a man, especially a cowboy.”

  M
aria smiled and dropped another handful of plump beans in the pot, then picked it up. “I think that is enough for supper. You will join us, yes? I make a special casserole out of the lima beans. It is very good.”

  Haley stood and stretched. “Happy to, just gimme a shout when you’re ready for me.”

  * * * * *

  As it turned out, Wyatt’s truck pulled up in front of the house at suppertime. Haley answered the door to that sinful grin and shook her head. She hardly knew the man and yet her blood fairly sang in her veins whenever he smiled at her, despite the voice of warning that whispered for her to be on guard.

  “You get the feeling Maria is doing some matchmaking?” she asked, pulling the door shut behind her.

  “Probably so but I ain’t complaining. Living in a small town, I’m a prime candidate for mammas looking to marry off their daughters. It reached its peak when my pa died. Every single woman and her ma brought casseroles and such out to the Flying W. Nothing ever took but I never had to cook a meal for nearly three months.” He followed her down the stairs and around the side of the house to the path that lead to the foreman’s cabin.

  “How come?”

  “How come what?” She walked with a purposeful stride, anxious to get to the safety of Maria’s house.

  “How come nothing ever took?”

  “Shoot…I don’t know. Chemistry? Thirty-three years old and never been in love so far as I know. Other than in high school and back then I was in love every other month. Thought I was in love once, but it was a tug-of-war between her and my responsibilities to the Flying W. The ranch won and I never regretted the decision. I figure a man who lives the kind of life I do, he needs a like-minded woman for a partner. Like Dooley’s got with Maria. But I’m a patient man. The right woman comes along, I’ll know. Thing about Maria is, she’s one of those women who thinks a man ain’t really a man ‘til he’s married and got passel of young’ns tagging behind him. So be forewarned.”