The Rancher (24 page)

Chapter Twelve

“Hmhhmmh.”

In the back of his mind Cole heard

Raine clearing his throat.  He knew heshould pull away, but something keptdrawing him closer to Abby’s supplelips.  He’d looked over her and wantednothing more than to pull the small blueribbons from her damp hair and wrap hishands in the silken tresses.  Her eyes werenow closed. His tongue wet his bottom lipin anticipation of the feel of her mouthsurrendering to their first real kiss.

“Abby!”  Lily ran up the length of theyard with her dress gathered in her hands.  “Abby!  I just knew you’d be all right.  I

just knew it.”

The spell was broken.  Cole took a step backward.

Lily stopped short the moment she saw Raine.

“Ma’am.”  Raine tipped his hat to the dark-haired beauty.

She grabbed a hold of Abby, her fingers locking like a vice on Abby’s arm.

Lily smiled, not taking her eyes off his brother until she spoke.

“Abby, I’m so glad to see these fine gentlemen have taken such good care of you and brought you home all safe and sound.”

Abby rolled her eyes.

Cole laughed.

Her timing is impeccable
, he thought to himself.
 
And, of course, Raine likes her.

Cole had yet to meet a woman Rainecouldn’t charm when he had a mind to.  A

low growl formulated at the back of Cole’s throat.  He glanced toward Abby who watched him with interest.

A woman’s laughter filled the yard.  Cole, Raine, Abby, and Lily all looked upto see Jenna astride a young paint filly,sauntering out of the barn.  Clay walkednext to her, reins in hand.

“I’m sure my father will fall in lovewith her.  He finds all of your horses to becaliber.”  Jenna’s voice was smooth as

honey.  “We’ll be back later tonight.  Save me a dance, old man.”

Cole’s jaw dropped when Clay’s mouth widened into a grin.

Really?

Instinctively, Cole moved closer to

Abby and slid his arm around hershoulders, pulling her close to him.  Clayhanded the reins to the sporty, veryfeminine rider with a laugh.  She pulledthe horse forward and stopped in front ofthe newlywed couple.

“See you tonight, handsome.” Jennaleaned forward on the filly and reachedout to his face.  He caught her hand beforeshe could touch him.

“Miss Grayson,” he nodded withfinality as he released her hand.  Then,with a haughty laugh and a click of herheels she was gone.

Abby’s stance was still rigid.   Colehadn’t  allowed   himself  any  femalecompanionship over the last year, but he’dhad enough experience to tell him therewas quite a history between the two very

different women.

Jenna had a classic beauty she flaunted at every turn.   Abby was timeless and innocent.   Cole remembered what the balding man in town had said,
 
She may not be that perty, and she’s real tough around the edges, but you have to give it to her.  She has a lot of spunk and plenty of curves to keep a man satisfied.

“The men around here must be blinder than   a   ninety-year-old   dog,”   Cole

muttered.

“What was that, son?” Clay asked.

“Nothing, sir.”

“Don’t let her bother you Abby.” Lily tugged on her arm. “She’s still the same old Jenna.   She will always lose the battles that matter.”

Cole appreciated what a good friend

Lily was to Abby, even if she had badtiming.  He was grateful she had someonein her life to talk to and confide in.  Hehad never lacked a listening ear with sixolder brothers and a younger sister, and hewondered at the loneliness Abby musthave felt growing up an only child.

“You must come and tell me allabout...last night.”  Lily finished the latterin lower tones, darting a glance at Cole.

He looked at his wife with a raised

eyebrow.

Abby went with her friend into the house, turning back to Cole only once with an expression he could not read.

“Come on, Cole.   McCallister needs some help in the barn,” Raine called over his shoulder.

Cole cast a meaningful glance back at

Abby’s retreating form as she and Lilydisappeared into the house.  Realizing forthe first time that Abby didn’t know shewas beautiful, he smiled.

He was relieved their kiss had been

interrupted. He didn’t think he wanted to share that moment with everyone on the ranch.  So, why did he feel so unsettled?  He glanced down at his fists which were clenched into tight balls and released them with a slow breath.  His sudden direction

of thought startled him.
 
Not relieved
, he

decided,
frustrated as hell.

“You   came   highly   recommended, Redbourne.”   Cole looked up from the shovel to see Clay McCallister leaning casually against the fenced arena, chewing

on a piece of straw.  Cole straightened, resting his gloved hands on the top of the shovel’s handle.

“And who, may I ask, made the recommendation?” he asked, taking a momentary  break  from  building  the dancing platform Clay had requested.

“Doesn’t  matter.   My  daughter   is involved now and I have a different set of

standards where she is concerned.”

“Yes, sir.  Is there something on your mind?”  Cole patted down the dirt against the foundation board then set the shovel

aside and grabbed another wooden plank from the pile.

Clay pushed himself away from the fence and reached down to help steady the board while Cole hammered it into place.

“You made an awfully big commitment

yesterday, son.”

“Yes, sir.”  Cole reached for another plank.  They were gone.  He searched the immediate area for a wood stack he could

use to pull him away from Clay’s interrogation.

Cole knew he should be assuring the man he would love and cherish his daughter forever.  That he would make her the happiest woman in the world, but he couldn’t voice what he wasn’t sure he

could offer.

“Are you a man of your word, Mr. Redbourne?”   Clay caught his eye and Cole could not pull away from his stare.

“Look Mr. McCallister.  I’m not sure

what came over me yesterday, but I am a man of my word and I will do my best to take care of your daughter.”

Silence passed between the two men,neither willing to relinquish his hold onthe other.  Cole understood now that Abbydidn’t really need someone to take care ofher. She had her father’s affection and bythe looks of her surroundings she’d beenafforded every comfort.

Heaven knew Abby had a mind of herown, but he found it a refreshingcomparison to the stifling submissivenessof most women.  She was more like thewomen in his family.  Maybe that is whyhe was drawn to her.

“As long as we understand each other.”  Clay,  apparently  contented  with  his discovery, now held out a hand to Cole.  Grateful the man would not interrogate him further, Cole gripped Clay’s hand with strength.

When they released, they both stood andlooked at the almost finished platform.

Clay clapped Cole on the back andtogether they walked to the shed for thelast of the supplies.

“Abby’s gonna be real surprised.”

“So, you’re telling me you were all alone with him all night in a little one room cabin and
 
nothing
 
happened?” The excitement in Lily’s voice shook Abby from her stunned silence.   “You really

must tell me everything.”

Abby recounted all that had happened, starting at the point when Cole found her in the old oak tree.  Lily responded with oohs and ahs in all the right places and Abby found herself more animated than

she had been in a long time.  When she was finished with her story, both women lay back onto the large bed and sighed.

“You’re starting an adventure Abby, that’s for sure.”   Lily giggled.   Abby

joined.

When the sound of an approaching carriage carried through the open window, Abby sat upright.

“Lily, what party is everyone talking about?”  She stood up to peek out through the curtains.  “And why are the Patterson’s here?”

“Party?”   Lily’s innocent act was a little too sincere.

Abby narrowed her eyes at her friend.

“Oh...” Lily hesitated for a moment, “just look over at the barn.”

Pulling the curtain aside again she

looked out. Everything appeared just the same as always as she scanned the yard, but when her gaze made it to the barn, the image of Cole and her father, building a platform of sorts and securing the base with dirt, stunned her.
 
The party is here?

Abby’d   been   aware   of  all   the hammering, but for a horse ranch it was not uncommon for fences to be mended, ranch hands to be making repairs on a buckboard, or helping out with something that needed fixing. She turned back to Lily, who was now propped up on her elbows with a grin spread wide across her face.

“You deserve it, Abs.” Lily scrunched her shoulders forward, an impish smile curling her lips.

Abby was astounded.  Her father had not attended a single social since her

mother’s passing and now he was hosting one? It took a moment, but Abby realized her father had gone to great lengths to throw a celebration in honor of her

marriage.   “The party is… for me and Cole.” It was a statement more than a question.

“I guess Mrs. Patterson is here early to help Martha with the food?”

Lily nodded.

Abby couldn’t believe this was really happening.  She was married to the most handsome man in town and her father

seemed to like him.   She never would

have believed it.  Her father liked one of her suitors.  Only Cole wasn’t her suitor, he was her husband and she guessed there wasn’t much else her father could do

about that.  She laughed.

“Hopefully, he is as good a rancher as

he is a charmer.  Tomorrow will be back

to work, but for now… ” She bit her lip.  “I’d like to look the part.”  She turned to Lily and with a strong plea in her voice asked, “Will you help me?”

A knock sounded at the door.