Cowboy Country (25 page)

“Then do it for me and Silver.”

Virgil’s shoulders sagged. “No fair, that’s cheatin’. I want one good reason.” He held up his index finger, begging her to respond as if the right answer would fix things.

“Okay, but this is between you and me, understand.”

“Sure, you can count on me.”

“Back when Sterling was thinking about the military, I asked him why he had to go. Not that I wasn’t proud of him, not that I wouldn’t miss him, but I needed to understand why he was so adamant about it. You know what his response was?”

Virgil shook his head.

“He said it was because he had to stop the war before it touched his brothers. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing even one of them to the evil of the world. He didn’t want a military chaplain coming to his folk’s door to tell them one of their sons were dead. He’d already lost so many friends and saw how it tore their families apart. Remember his best friend Eddie Salvado. After Eddie died, his dad drank himself to death and his mother ended up in a mental ward. No one has seen his brother and sister since. Sterling didn’t want that happening to his family.” Just thinking about that conversation brought tears to her eyes. Sterling was a good man.

“And what if the chaplain had to come to our door about him? Did he ever stop to think about that?”  His face grew red, his lips tight, he looked away and sniffed. Virgil was still conflicted, as if Sterling had deserted him.

“Yes, because I asked him the same thing. His response was ‘I’m cautious, they’ll never touch me’.”

 “I begged him to marry me, that way if anything happened they’d come to me first. He refused then said they were all told relationships were forbidden, that’s why we broke up.”

“Why would you do that to yourself? Put your entire life on hold for him?”

“I know it doesn’t make any sense to you. I love Sterling, I’ve always loved him and despite the fact that he’s acting like an idiot right now, I know when he’s good and ready he’ll come to me. I’m a patient person. Besides, he’s worth waiting for. I also know that the problem is inside of him. He feels like he’s less of a man with the damage to this shoulder and leg plus the loss of his eye. He has to see for himself that he’s no different than when he left. I’m not sure what it’s going to take, probably something that challenges his body and what he thinks of as inferiority within himself. It will happen in its own good time.”

“Who are you trying to convince, me or you?”

She let out a hesitant chuckle. “I know, I know, maybe a little of both. If he would just talk to me we’d get things cleared up fast, but right now he has do it himself and until then, I wait.”

“You’re both nuts!”

She nodded. “Tell me about it.”

“What about Silver?”

“Don’t go there. She’s my child and my priority.”

“But she deserves to get to know her dad. And damn it, Sterling has already missed so much of his daughter’s life. They need each other.”

“I know they do.” This conversation was driving her insane. She was just as frustrated as Virgil, but at the same time, it was for her and Sterling to work out.

Virgil stood up and went to the kitchen window. “Hell, I’ve been dying for her to call me Uncle Virgil too damn long. Is that too much to ask?”

She watched him pace the room like a caged panther looking for an escape. “No it’s not, but it’s not about you. I have a little girl who wants a daddy so badly. She knows she has one, knows he’s been away, but until Sterling and I can sit down with Silver and explain it all to her, I don’t want any interference.” She went to him. “Please Virgil, respect my wishes? It won’t be much longer.”

“I will, but the family needs you and Silver just as badly as you need us. We were lucky that you blessed us by letting us all be a part of her life.”

“Yeah, like that was a burden. Remember, my folks kicked me out when they found out I was pregnant. Y’all were the only family I had. If you weren’t there every step of the way, I don’t know what I’d have done.”

“I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’ve loved being around you and helping to raise Silver. I just think it’s a cryin’ shame that he missed it all. I got albums of photographs of her growing up because I wanted to share them with Sterling, but right now I’m so pissed at him I can’t see straight. I don’t know if you were right not to tell him all along.”

“And if I had he’d never have been able to focus on his missions. He’d have been worried about orphaning his kid. I needed him home, in one piece, even if he has to figure something things out first. That’s
my
penance.” She placed a fisted hand over her heart.

“I get that in my head. My heart is another thing entirely. I want to openly claim Silver as my niece.”

“I appreciate that and it will happen. Soon, I promise.” She hugged him.

He hugged her back. “And what if that lunk head brother of mine doesn’t figure it out?”

“Then it will be my turn to deck him. And just so you know, I didn’t say I was happy about it, only that I was doing what I feel is right for my daughter’s sake. Remember that.”

“Good, can I be the one to hold him when you do it?” He laughed.

“Yeah, it’s a promise. By the way, are you still going to take Silver with you tomorrow to round up the sheep for the Spring Fling?”

“Sure am, and I can’t wait. She’s determined to do mutton bustin’ and win. Gotta love her spunk. Bet she wins her first buckle.” Virgil have her a proud smile and rocked forward in his boots.

“No doubt, she’s a Bronco all right.”

****

I knew it.

Five-year-old Silver made her way back to her room and danced around it with glee. Sterling Bronco
was
her Daddy! She was a Bronco too, along with Uncle Blake, Uncle Dane, the twins Uncle Clayton and Quinton, Uncle Wyatt, Uncle Logan, and Aunt Darcy, all hers. And Uncle Virgil, he was her favorite. He always let her tag along everywhere he went. Not only that, she also had grandparents and two sets of great-grandparents.

This was the best day of her life.

She only wished she understood what Mommy said about why Daddy wasn’t there with them now. She figured out a long time ago, well, she suspected the Bronco’s really were her family, but today she heard it with her own two ears.

She heard what Mommy said, she’d try to be patient too. But Daddy better hurry. She had a lot of things she wanted to talk to him about.

And first on her list was a puppy.

CHAPTER 2

“Time to get up, it’s half past the butt crack of dawn.” Sterling announced when he threw open the door to Dane’s bedroom. The knob smacked the wall with a bang.

“Get lost.” Dane rolled over and covered his head with his pillow.

“Can’t, we have a herd of cattle to move, remember. Now get your ass out of bed. Mom has breakfast on the stove. Get moving.” Sterling smacked his brother’s bare ass. That would teach him to sleep in the nude.

“That election can’t come too soon, I need better hours.” Dane mumbled, then grabbed the covers and pulled them over his head.

“Until then we have a ranch to run.” Sterling flicked on the light switch, which would force Dane up and out of bed. He let his laughter ring out down the hall as he went to wake up the others. Right about now, Dane was rolling over and would spy his clock. “Three, two, one…”

“Son-of-a-bitch, it’s four fucking thirty in the morning.”

Dane was up.

Sterling continued to shove open doors and flip on lights, then made his way downstairs. Just like old times.

He sat down at the table and filled his plate.

“Mornin’. What’s on the agenda for today?” he asked his father.

“You and Dane will push those new cows to the east meadow. I have a whole crew of college kids coming in tomorrow for spring-break to help with branding and inoculations.”

“Don’t they know spring-break is for screwing around?”

“Not the kids from around here. They wouldn’t miss the Spring Fling round up and Rodeo for nothing.”

“Who else is helping us today, Virgil and Logan?”

“No, it will just be you and Dane on round-up. It’s that small herd I told you about. Virgil is moving the sheep to the lower west pasture and Logan is supposed to make sure the fences at the fairgrounds are mended and secure.”

Sterling’s stomach was suddenly unsettled. Could he do it? Could he and Dane handle the round-up all alone? He knew he could ride. Hell he’d been on a horse alone since he was old enough to sit on his dad’s lap, but he wasn’t sure about roping, especially since his shoulder and sight hadn’t been tested for those specific circumstances. Guess he’d find out the hard way.

Three hours later Sterling and Dane were pushing the cows toward the meadow. The place they’d done the branding, inoculations, and anything else necessary to keep the herd healthy for over a hundred years. The ranch was currently running fifty-thousand head of various breeds of cattle. What he and Dane were moving today was a small herd of Wagyu cows and calves, the new stock they were trying. The cows were imported from Japan and cost a small fortune. With the country hooked on the cooking shows, dad came up with the idea of trying to improve the line, here in the good old U. S. of A. with the rest of his American cattle on American soil. He hadn’t had a chance to discuss the topic with his dad in-depth yet, but the idea sounded reasonable.

He was glad to see that so far this round-up had been uneventful. He had managed to do the job, which made him feel better. Perhaps he was mistaken. Maybe the loss of his eye, and his shoulder and leg injuries weren’t as bad as he believed. Maybe he worried for nothing after all.

Sterling eyed the pond as they rounded the bend. How many time had he and Regina gone skinny dipping there? He immediately grew hard in response, a rush of pent up emotions washed over him.

Regina.

His beautiful Regina.

What the hell was he waiting for? Why hadn’t he gone to see her?

Pride. Pure and simple. That and Bronco stupidity.

She always said he was the world’s most stubborn cuss alive. Guess she was right.

Except he had to know, had to prove to himself that he was worthy of her. Could support her. Give her a good life. He was whole when he left and wasn’t so sure now. This round-up had shown him he wasn’t as debilitated as he believed. Sure the shoulder was sore, probably would be the rest of his life considering the shrapnel damage. So what if he only had one eye. He was getting used to the visual impairment, and soon it would be second nature for the other eye to compensate for it.

He’d been a fool. Virgil was right to call him on his stupidity.

As soon as he got home tonight he was going to get cleaned up and go see her. He didn’t care about the time. He’d wasted too much of it already.     

Luther, his horse, stomped his feet and snorted.

“Easy boy.” He patted Luther’s withers then fingered the horses coarse jet black mane. Best damned horse ever. Feeling every bit as anxious as his horse he broke into a gallop for several hundred yards before veering to the right, turning a few calves that had strayed. Damn, it felt good to be on a horse again.

He whistled for Rocket, his faithful shepherd, who shot around him barking and nipping at the calves to get back with the herd.

God, it was so damned great to be alive.

****

“Okay honey, you have fun with Virgil and don’t get in his way. He said you could practice with the sheep once they were in the pen.” Regina pulled her daughter’s coat closed and buttoned it. Then place a beanie on her head and helped her pull on her mittens.

“Okay Mommy. I’ll behave.” Silver’s smile was so wide. She love helping out on the ranch.

“Let me know what time you get off work and I’ll bring her home so you don’t have to drive back out here,” Virgil said as he finished saddling Silver’s pony, Spike.

“Don’t worry about it, I took the day off. I’ll be here helping your mom put up some preserves.”

“Does that mean you’ll be making some of that Strawberry Rhubarb pie I love?”

“Sure am. I haven’t been here since Sterling came home so it’s an excuse to visit while we can. He and Dane won’t be back until late tonight.”

“Good, I’ll make sure the pie’s gone. He doesn’t deserve any.” 

She cocked an eye at him but then laughed. She couldn’t really blame him, as she was getting a bit tired of waiting on him herself.

Just then the wind whipped up, swirling leaves around her. “Silver, you keep your coat on I don’t need you getting sick.”  

“Okay Mommy.”

“Virgil, you keep an eye on her. You know how she gets around the animals,” she hollered.

“Don’t worry, I will.”

Virgil helped Silver into the saddle, then waved and rode off at a gallop.

Her daughter on her beloved pony, his short stubby legs, trotting to catch up, the pony’s mane stuck out every which way. Silver dearly loved to ride with Virgil.

She waved then turned and headed toward the house.

This house was the anchor in her life. Ever since the day she followed Sterling home after skinny dipping with him, only to trip and fall, skinning both her knees. Lena Bronco had cleaned her up, called her folks, and fed her.

This house and everyone in it was a treasured part of her life, home.

If only she could get Sterling to realize it as well.

Sterling.

Damn she loved that man with a passion. Saying his name had the ability to make everything feel right with the world, except when he was being stubborn.

She shook off her frustration at the man and entered the house.

“Hi Lena, I’m here.” She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on the peg just inside the front door.

Lena was already busy at work. The scents of fresh strawberry, rhubarb, and lemon permeated the house. She could already taste the pies and tarts she wanted to make. She had a few ideas for vanilla custard she wanted to try, and had the Tahitian vanilla beans safely tucked away in her purse.