Cowgirl, Say Yes

CHAPTER FOUR

TESS ALWAYS LOOKED forward to Thursdays as one of her days for working at home, and even though this one hadn’t started out on quite the right note, at least everything had ended up okay. She’d easily located the owner of the three stray geldings—Darlene Johnson, who lived about a mile and a half from Joy Isley’s place. Darlene had been frantic with worry over her missing horses and had stopped by the feed store to tack a Lost notice up on the bulletin board.

A loose latch on her corral gate had allowed it to blow open in the night, releasing the horses onto the road while she slept, unaware. Lloyd Vega had talked to Darlene prior to driving out to tow Tess’s truck to the family ranch for repairs, and he’d given her Darlene’s phone number. Tess put her in touch with Joy, helped her dad with the Dodge, then had him drop her off at her place. She’d spent the rest of the day at her computer, then done her chores, fixed a bite to eat and climbed into the shower to get ready for her weekly 4-H club meeting.

Now Tess stood under the spray of hot water, looking forward to the meeting, which was the main reason Thursday had recently become her favorite night of the week. She loved kids, and had quickly found that working with her group of 4-H children took the edge off the stress she faced in dealing with other aspects of her life. She spent three days a week, plus alternate Saturdays, at the feed store. On her days off, Thursdays included, she worked in her home office, a spare bedroom in the back of the rental house, where she did bookkeeping for her father’s ranch and feed store, along with other data processing jobs that came in from a temp service in town. Working at home relaxed her and gave her ample time to spend with her rescue horses. It also allowed her to be readily available should her mother need her in any way. Tess found comfort in knowing she could set her own hours and therefore go to Raelene’s side at a moment’s notice.

The only dark spot she could possibly foresee this evening was that Wade, according to Macy, usually drove his kids to 4-H. Having taken over the group just last week, Tess had been in charge of only the one meeting thus far. On that particular evening, Macy had ridden Amber to the arena, where the riding meetings were held. But as Tess chatted with her new group, she learned that Macy’s dad rarely missed 4-H. At the time, she’d found that admirable. She knew Wade was a widower, and she’d thought it nice that he made the effort to attend his kids’ 4-H meetings. Jason belonged to a group that met on Tuesdays, with boys and girls his own age and older. That group had projects that involved meat animals. Absolutely not for Tess.

Still, Tess took joy in seeing the local kids grow through their accomplishments. 4-H was a youth organization in which volunteer leaders like her taught skills that included everything from cooking to animal husbandry. The majority of the kids in Ferguson and its surrounding areas participated in projects that involved the raising and showing of livestock. Horses were very popular, and Tess thoroughly loved working with Macy and the other children.

Climbing from the shower, Tess reached for an oversize mulberry-colored bath towel and wrapped it around her body, then wound a smaller one around her hair. She needed to call Seth, her youngest brother, to see if he’d give her a ride to town. As if on cue, the phone rang. Gripping the bath towel with one hand, Tess hurried to answer.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Tess, it’s Macy.”

“Macy, what’s up?” Tucking the phone under her chin, Tess reached to scratch behind the ears of the white cat curled on the back of the couch. Immediately, Champ leaped onto the cushions to vie for Tess’s attention.

“Dad said your truck was broke down. Do you need a ride to 4-H?”

Tess grabbed for the phone as it slipped from beneath her chin. “Your dad offered?”

“Well, sort of. I asked him and he said yes.”

Tess smiled to herself. She could just picture Macy conning Wade into giving her a ride. Sure, he’d offered her one in town today, but it had been the polite thing to do, under the circumstances. Somehow, she couldn’t picture him willingly volunteering to act as her chauffeur.

“That’s really nice of you, Macy, but I was just about to call my brother for a ride.”

“You don’t have to,” Macy insisted. “I mean, we’re going to the meeting anyway. And your house isn’t far from ours.”

“True.” Tess curled the phone cord around her finger, picturing the way Wade had looked that morning in his cowboy hat and faded jeans. He was trouble she didn’t need and didn’t have time for. Still, accepting a ride from him would be handier than bothering Seth. Her brother’s place was five miles away, versus two to the Darland ranch. “Okay, Macy, I’ll take you up on that.”

“Cool! We’ll be there about five forty-five.”

The meeting began at six. “Sounds good. Be sure to tell your dad thanks for me.”

“I will. See ya!” Macy hung up and Tess chuckled.

At their first club meeting, it hadn’t taken long for her to feel truly drawn to Macy. She’d known the little girl from Macy’s occasional visits to the feed store with Wade and Jason, but having her in 4-H had given Tess the opportunity to get better acquainted. Macy was spunky and tough, though she seemed to harbor some hidden feelings about her mother’s death. Tess couldn’t help wanting to reach out to her, and wished Macy would open up and talk about Deidra. Maybe with time.

Tess could tell the kid missed having a woman around. It was why Macy went on and on about Bailey and the things they’d done together over the past year. And Tess was pretty sure it was why Macy seemed to be taking a strong liking to her, as well, which was fine with Tess.

She thought of her own birth mother. Tess had been in kindergarten, Seth in first grade and Zachary in third when their mother had taken off. The despair that had washed over her all those years ago still had a way of working itself into the pit of her stomach now and then. Though Jacqueline Vega hadn’t died, she’d still left Tess feeling orphaned. Lloyd had done his best to fill the empty space his wife had left, yet Tess had plunged into a state of withdrawal, closing herself off from everyone.

The comfort she found in caring for her many pets had cushioned her, and she’d reached out to them, wrapping their presence around her like a cloak. She’d taken to nurturing every stray cat and dog, every fallen bird she could get her hands on, somehow needing to reverse her role from child to caregiver. To act as mother to creatures more innocent and helpless than her.

Lloyd had immediately picked up on what his daughter was doing. With kindness and love, he’d joined Tess in caring for her critters, gradually pulling her from the dark place where her little soul had gone to hide. He called it “getting back her sunshine,” and he’d worked hard to make sure that her emotional needs were properly cared for, as well as those of his two boys.

And then Raelene had come along, and Tess had felt loved twofold as Rae stepped so naturally into the role of mother. Unable to have kids of her own, Raelene rejoiced in her new family and thanked God on a daily basis—out loud, right in front of Tess and her brothers—for the children he had brought into her life.

And that was the reason Tess would never, ever abandon Rae. No matter what. Her mother needed her, and she could think of nothing she’d rather do with her time than be there for the woman who’d stood by her and loved her throughout her childhood. No matter how much Rae’s state of mind deteriorated, nothing could ever take away the bond they’d shared. A bond Tess still clung to.

Shaking her thoughts back to the here and now, Tess readied herself for the 4-H meeting. She dressed in a clean pair of bib overalls and a T-shirt, then combed her damp hair into two braids. Adding a ball cap to her attire, she stepped outside just as she heard Wade’s Ford pull into the driveway.

When she opened the truck’s passenger door and locked eyes with Wade, it was the first time in as long as she could remember that she regretted not having taken more care with her appearance. She’d had little time for dating, what with looking after her mother. Not to mention the awkwardness she’d striven to avoid by not bringing a boy home. She didn’t want anyone, not even her girlfriends, to witness Rae’s deteriorating condition. Ashamed of her attitude now, which had been somewhat self-centered back then, Tess nevertheless still harbored some of those feelings. Only, presently they were on her mother’s behalf. If Tess were been in Raelene’s shoes, she wouldn’t want strangers staring at her, wondering about her disease.

And as far as the opposite sex went, a fling with one of her father’s ranch hands when she was nineteen had left Tess wary of repeating the experience. She simply had better things to do with her time. And fussing with hair and makeup wasn’t one of them.

At least she wasn’t in the disheveled state Wade had caught her in this morning, with her hair barely combed and lack of sleep puffing her eyes. Still, she felt like Cinderella after midnight as she slid onto the seat beside Macy.

Wade was dressed in a white Western shirt with silver metallic threads woven through the material, and shiny pearl snaps. His freshly pressed jeans looked new, and his dark hair seemed neatly combed beneath a black hat that wasn’t at all battered and worn. His feet were encased, not in his usual scuffed Tony Lamas, but in a highly polished pair of round-toed, black cowboy boots with a riding heel. A whiff of sage-scented cologne floated her way across the truck’s interior.

“Wow,” Tess said without thinking. “Where are you going all spiffed up?” Did he have a date? Maybe he planned to drop Macy at 4-H and leave. The idea left a strange, sour feeling in the pit of her stomach, though it shouldn’t have. Wade could spend his time any way he wanted.

“What do you mean—where am I going?” Wade practically growled the words as he put the truck into gear, but a playful look in his eyes diluted the force behind them. “I thought we were picking you up for 4-H.”

Self-consciously, Tess fingered the bill of her ball cap, which read Have You Hugged Your Cat Today? “Yep. That’s right.” Groping for something to ease her discomfort, she shot him a crooked grin. “I just wasn’t aware it was a formal occasion.”

“What, this old thing?” he teased, holding out his arms as he looked the front of his shirt up and down. Then he winked, and Tess’s heart did a crazy little flop.

“Dad,” Macy scolded, giving him a shove. “You know those are new clothes.” She turned smugly toward Tess. “He’s being modest. He doesn’t want to shout the fact that he sold his first saddle today, just one hour—” she held up her forefinger “—after our Web site was up and running.”

“Really?” Tess tilted her head in pleasant surprise. Her dad carried some of Wade’s leatherwork in the store, but she hadn’t been aware he was making saddles.

Wade eased off the clutch, focusing on the road ahead as he pulled from the driveway. He glanced at her. “It took me totally by surprise. The guy e-mailed me and it turned out he lives in Deer Creek.” The neighboring town lay ten miles west of Ferguson. “He drove right out and bought the saddle.”

“Congratulations,” Tess said.

“Dad got enough for the saddle to get each of us new shirts and jeans,” Macy said. Her voice rose with excitement. “And, to put some money away toward a new barrel horse for me! I might be able to get one this summer after all.”

“Say…” Tess drew back in exaggerated admiration. “Now, that is something to celebrate.” She smiled at Macy, then addressed Wade. “You realize her project horse has to be registered with the extension office by June 1, don’t you?” Each 4-H member had to declare in writing which horse they planned to use for the year’s events, which included horse shows and gymkhanas.

The smile he’d worn slipped from Wade’s face, to be replaced by his typical scowl. “I know that.” He stared straight ahead. “I guess she’ll just have to use Amber for another year.”

“If you’re sure,” Tess said, letting him know that she still had a way around that if he wanted to take it. “She can have more than one project horse, you know.”

Now he did glance at her. “I’m aware of that, and yes, I’m sure,” he emphasized.

Tess barely suppressed the urge to stick her tongue out at his profile as he faced the road. “Stubborn,” she muttered.

“What’s that?” he asked. Macy raised her eyebrows and cast a questioning look from one to the other.

“Stubborn…stains.” Tess brushed at a nonexistent spot on her clean overalls. “I always spill when I eat ice cream, and it looks like I’m wearing a spoonful of my dessert.” She reached out to give Macy’s arm an affectionate shake. “How about you, kiddo?”

“Sometimes.” Macy wrinkled her nose.

“Wanna test ourselves? I’m for a banana split after the meeting if you are. My treat.” She glanced at Wade. “You can even bring your grumpy old dad if you want.”

Macy giggled. “Okay by me. Dad?”

“We’ll see.” His scowl darkened, but Tess couldn’t help thinking it was partly an act.

Why on earth was the man so determined to put up a tough front when anyone could plainly see how devoted he was to his kids? Though she had to admit she’d been taken a little by surprise to discover it, Tess also had to admit that this quality in Wade appealed to her. Not that she’d ever want to go out with him or anything. Not really. Her plate was already full enough. Sure, he was good-looking, but still, she knew she’d be better off avoiding him. A tough, arrogant cowboy, he’d made it clear that he didn’t have a whole lot of use for a woman like her in his life. A woman with an independent way of thinking. She was sure he’d prefer a meek little rancher gal who would bake him pies and bread and cook steak and baked beans for supper.

Yep. Tess was positive that if the two of them ever got together, their relationship would read like a romance novel gone bad. The Cattle Rancher and the Runaway Vegetarian. She smothered a giggle.

Minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot at the fairgrounds. A few cars and pickups were already in the lot, and Tess’s attention immediately snagged on one of the 4-H mothers, Sharon Jenkins. Her normally tanned face was devoid of color, and her hands shook as she waved for Tess’s attention.

“What’s wrong with Sharon?” Macy asked.

“I don’t know.” Tess rolled the truck’s window all the way down and leaned against the door frame.

Sharon ran toward her, breathless. “Tess, thank goodness. You’ve got to come with me.” She glanced at Macy. “It’s…urgent.”

Instantly, Tess’s heart dropped. “It’s not one of the kids…?”

“No. Not the kids.” Sharon looked at Wade. “Actually, Wade, we could probably use your help, too. Can Macy stay here with Kelly and Lori?” Kelly was Sharon’s daughter, a year younger than Macy; Lori, Kelly’s best friend.

“Sure,” Wade said. Concern lined his face. “Do you want me to park or drive?”

“Drive,” Sharon said. “My sister-in-law’s here. She’ll take care of the kids for a while.” Pam Jenkins taught agriculture at the high school and often attended the meetings with her family.

Sharon gestured. “Macy, honey, Kelly’s over there. Why don’t you keep her company until we get back.”

“What’s wrong?” Macy asked. She turned to Wade for guidance. “Dad?”

“It’s okay, honey. Run along with Kelly. We’ll be back shortly.”

“Okay.” Reluctantly, Macy climbed from the truck as Tess moved out of her way.

Tess slid once more onto the seat next to Wade, allowing Sharon to climb into the passenger side. The thought that she now sat up close against him barely registered as she focused on what Sharon told them while they drove from the parking lot.

“It’s awful, Tess.” Sharon clamped a hand to her heart. “Kelly and Lori went riding after school today. They stayed at Lori’s afterward, getting their record books squared away. These were the notebooks in which each child recorded every detail of his or her 4-H project. Then they rode back to our house just before supper. When they passed Clem McMurty’s place, the girls heard a scuffle in the round pen.” She ran her hands up and down her arms as though ridding herself of goose bumps.

“That damn Clem had his pretty liver chestnut tied to a post and was beating him! The girls rushed to our house and I called the sheriff’s office right away. A couple of deputies went out there, but when I phoned back to check on what happened they said that the horse had no visible welts—only some vague marks—and that there was not much they could do about it since using a whip on a horse isn’t illegal. They said it wasn’t a clear case of abuse. Can you believe that?” Her dark eyes flashed with anger. “Clem claimed the horse had gotten out of hand and kicked him, and that he had to line him out. Anyway, the girls were really upset and so was I. All of us were worried about the horse.

“I went out there on my way over to the fairgrounds. You can see the round pen from the road.” She looked from Tess to Wade and back again. “The gelding is lying flat on his side, snubbed to a post. He’s not moving.”

“That scumbag!” Tess clenched her hands as her blood pressure peaked. “Wade, hurry!”

ANGER TIGHTENED Wade’s gut as he sped toward the McMurty ranch. While he didn’t believe in coddling horses the way Tess seemed to, neither did he approve of abusing them. When he pulled into the driveway, Tess and Sharon were out of the truck and flying toward the round pen before he could bring the Ford to a complete halt.

Wade parked and walked up the sidewalk to knock on the front door. “Clem!” he called. “It’s Wade Darland.” He rapped with his knuckles once more. No one answered. Descending the steps two at a time, he hurried toward the round pen, more worried about the horse and Tess’s frame of mind than he was about trespassing. He knew she hadn’t given the matter so much as a thought, especially since Ferguson was a small town where neighbors were usually welcome. Not in this situation, however, he’d wager.

Behind him, the sound of the back door finally creaking open reached his ears.

“Who’s out there?” Clem called gruffly.

“Wade Darland, Clem!” Wade repeated, tossing the words over his shoulder. He reached the round pen, and the sight before him sickened him beyond belief. Apparently, Clem had taken his spite out on his horse once the sheriff’s deputies departed.

The liver chestnut lay on his side in the dirt of the enclosure, eyes closed, three of his legs bound with a stout cotton rope. The gelding’s side rose and fell as he drew strained breaths, grunting in pain and resignation. Welts lined his chocolate-colored coat, some of them caked with blood. His head, restrained by a strong nylon halter and rope, was tilted at an awkward angle where he’d fallen while dallied to the post dead centered in the pen. It was a wonder the animal hadn’t broken his neck.

Cursing, Wade ducked through the fence rails and dropped to one knee beside Tess. He laid his hand on the gelding’s neck. The chestnut’s skin was clammy to the touch. Wade cursed again and stood, simultaneously pulling his pocketknife from his jeans.

“Cut him loose!” Anger choked Tess’s voice, and her hands shook.

Wade sliced the rope in a sawing motion, taking care to ease the colt’s head gently to the ground as the rope gave.

“Hey!” From outside the corral, Clem McMurty shouted.

Heavyset, shoulders wide, he moved quicker than one would have expected for a man his size. He had a good seventy pounds on Wade, but Wade had him in height by about three inches. Fists tight, Wade rose and pivoted on the balls of his feet to face Clem as the man roared forward like an enraged bear.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Clem demanded, climbing into the corral. “You’re trespassing. Get away from my horse!”

Wade pressed his mouth into a line, holding his temper with every ounce of restraint he possessed. More than anything, he wanted to haul off and pop Clem in the face. But as satisfying as he knew hitting the jerk would be, he also knew it wasn’t the way to handle the situation.

“I’d say you’re the one who needs to get away from the horse,” Wade told him. His pulse pounded in his ears. “Maybe I ought to tether you to that pole and give you a go-round with a buggy whip so you can see how it feels!”

“You want a piece of me?” Clem’s eyes glowed with anticipation and a smirk pulled his mouth out of shape. He stood knees bent, arms extended, and motioned for Wade to come closer. “Come on, Darland, let’s go.”

Tess’s kick to the seat of his pants took Clem totally by surprise. The sole of her booted foot connected with his backside—none too gently—and he tumbled forward, pitching to the dirt on his hands and knees.

Instantly, Tess was in his face. Bent at the waist, she pressed her nose all but up against his. “You want a piece of someone, try me.” Her voice was calm, level, all the more riveting than if she’d shouted the words. “You lowdown, son-of-a-black-jackal. You want to charge me with trespassing? Why not add assault and battery while you’re at it, you scumbag, pond-sucking jerk.” She moved even closer, her forehead a gnat’s hair away from Clem’s. He’d risen to his knees, and now he lost his balance once more and tumbled backward. He landed on his butt with an “Oomph.”

“Geez, lady, take it easy.” He glared at Tess. “I ain’t gonna fight no woman.” His eyes shot daggers from her to Wade, but Wade could see Tess had taken at least some of the wind out of his sails.

“No,” Tess said, “and you aren’t going to lay one finger on a helpless animal again, either.” She stood over him with booted feet spread and planted, arms crossed. “How much?”

“What?”

“You heard me. How much for the horse? And don’t try to gouge me, or I’ll go ahead and let the sheriff handle this. You and I both know he won’t be leaving with a warning this time.”

Clem looked as though he wanted to protest. He glanced over at the chestnut, who remained lying on his side, though Tess and Sharon had already freed the horse’s legs from the rope.

Sharon spoke, quiet anger lacing her voice. “You don’t have to pay this rattlesnake for anything, Tess. You know when the authorities come out, they’ll take possession of the gelding. You’ll end up with him anyway.”

“She’s right,” Tess said to Clem. “Only, I don’t feel like waiting for the wheels of justice to roll. That horse needs me now, so I’ll ask you again. How much?”

“Oh, I don’t think old Clem wants much at all for this gelding,” Wade said, moving to stand beside Tess. “As a matter of fact, I’m thinking that by the time you figure in the cost of vet bills, feed, et cetera…” He waved a hand in the air, as though calculating. “Why, I’m pretty sure this check ought to cover it.” He slid his checkbook from his pocket and scribbled out a good portion of what he’d gotten for the saddle that day. “I mean, considering the fact that if we do call the sheriff out here, you’re going to be facing a mighty stiff fine besides having your horse taken from you…well, you get my drift, don’t you, Clem?”

Clem’s face turned the shade of a purple cabbage. “Yeah, I get your point,” he said. He stood and dusted off the seat of his pants.

Wade signed the check and tossed it at him. “I trust you’ll call the brand inspector in the morning.” According to Colorado state law, no sale of a horse could be complete without the brand inspector examining the animal. “Oh, and one more thing.” He pointed a finger at Clem’s chest. “If I ever hear so much as a whispered rumor about you treating another animal like this, you’re gonna find out what abuse really means.”

Turning his back on the man, Wade knelt beside the chestnut. The horse’s breathing seemed to be coming closer to normal, but he still made no effort to rise. “Hey, fella,” Wade soothed, stroking the gelding’s neck. “You’re going to be all right.” He looked up, straight into Tess’s eyes. Her expression was a mixture of anger not yet spent and gratitude.