The Reluctant Rancher~Badlands (Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense) (32 page)

He exhaled a long drawn out sigh. “I would like to ask you to have dinner with me.”

Sara Beth looked at him questioningly, unsure of his meaning. “You mean like…”

“I mean like a date.”

“Oh.” She thought her heart ha
d stopped beating in her chest.

He glanced over at her. “It may be too soon for you to consider going on a date, and I understand, if you feel like you’re not ready.”

She took a moment to consider how she felt about the issue, then took a deep breath and let it out all in a rush. “I think I’m ready.” She smiled. “And I can’t think of anyone I would rather spend an evening with than you.” Her smile faded. “But, I don’t have anyone to leave Cami Lynn with, so I guess I can’t go with you.”

“Sure you can. We can bring Cami Lynn along. It’s just dinner.” He glanced at her again. “That is, if you feel comfortable with the whole date thing.”

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I do. Cami Lynn and I would be delighted to go to dinner with you.” She tried to suppress the little bubble of joy effervescing in her chest, but it felt so good to be happy for a change. “Thank you, Frank. I’m glad you asked.” She liked that he looked as happy as she felt. His face lit up with dimples complimenting his wide grin.

I guess it is time to get on with my life.
Time for both of us.

~*~

CHAPTER TWENTY

When Jenna woke up, she was clutched in her fiancé’s arms. They were both so tired after the previous night’s adventures, she hadn’t thought they would make love…but they did.

It was like a reaffirmation of their love. Although E.J. had suffered minor wounds he didn’t hold back anything. Always a tender lover, he was even more so when they found their way into each other’s arms so early in the morning.

Now he slept, breathing easily with a slight smile on his face.
Quite a difference from the concerned intensity of the night before. She recalled how she had felt when he first came into the house where she was being held captive. A moment of relief, followed by sheer terror. Now that Leon had what he wanted, E.J. and the money, she feared he would kill them both and disappear. But then, she hadn’t known E.J. had brought Breck Ryan with him. That he had his own form of back up.

She remembered how E.J. had untied her and insisted she leave, throwing himself at an
armed man to ensure her escape.

By that time, Breck was standing right outside the door and
, when she opened it, he had dragged her outside and pointed to the truck. The message was clear.
Let the men take care of this.

She
’d climbed into Breck’s truck and waited. As time passed the seconds seemed to stretch to hours. The first gunshot and Breck had stormed inside, and then nothing until she heard the sound of the shotgun blast.

She had seen Leon prevail over two armed State troopers. It was not impossible that he could get the drop on both E.J. and Breck. She thought her heart was going to explode
, until she saw E.J. step outside and motion to her. His shirt was bloodied and she didn’t know but what he had been shot in the chest. She was relieved to discover it was a flesh wound and not serious…still, the sight of the man she loved with blood on his shirt was an experience she hoped never to repeat.

The butterflies and bandage held through his vigorous love-making, a testament to the skills of the EMT. They wanted him to accompany them to the hospital, but he
steadfastly refused, promising to see the local doc to have his wounds checked out.

She gently relaxed her neck onto his shoulder. She had so much to be thankful for.

Rufus had slept on one corner of the king-sized bed, seemingly content to be in his new and future home. He raised his head and wagged his tail a couple of times, raising it like a flag against the bedding. Then he lay his head back down.

Okay, boy. I get the message.
Time to grab a little more sleep.

~*~

Sara Beth spent the entire morning fussing around in her little shop. She felt as though she was lighter than air. She cleaned. She polished. She dusted.

Every time she glimpsed herself in one of the many mirrors, she found she was grinning. Indeed, she couldn’t remember b
eing this happy in a long time.

“It’s just dinner,” she said aloud. But then the grin would flash and
overpower her common sense.

By mid-afternoon she had sold several items and was feeling the exuberance that emanates from success. She was in the process of showing off one of Mrs. Carter’s lovely quilts to two women who were commenting on its beauty and the f
ine precision he the hand work.

“Quilt making is something I’ve always wanted to learn,” one of the women said.

“Oh, me too,” the other replied.

The first woman chose to purchase the quilt and while Sara Beth rang up the purchase, she was struck with an idea, the magnitude of which amazed her.

“If you ladies are interested in quilt-making classes, please sign up on our contact list. I’ll let you know when the next classes are starting.” She offered a notebook and both eagerly provided their information.

She watched them climb into their car and drive away before she did a little happy dance.
Another brilliant entrepreneurial decision. If only Mrs. Carter would agree to teach her skills to a new generation.

She picked Cami Lynn up out of her play pen and waltzed her around in circles. “I can stock some fabric and quilting supplies too.” The prospects looked very rosy indeed.

~*~

E.J. heard the sound of Breck’s big diesel truck pull up outside. Jenna had left a short time before and promised to return
that evening with enough clothing to last the weekend.

He wasn’t sure why Breck had called him earlier, but he sounded serious when he explained that he and Cami wanted to talk to him about something. Of course, he would be available, but now he was more than
curious about the coming visit.

He opened the front door just as Breck was helping Cami down from the passenger side. Breck looked grim. Cami
appeared to be nervous and she carried the little black doctor bag she used when making house calls.

“Come right inside, folks.” He opened the door wide for them.

Breck removed his Stetson and tossed it on a chair just inside the foyer. The two men shook hands and E.J. led the way to the great room.

“What can
I get you to drink?” he asked.

“What do you hav
e?” Breck asked.

E.J. grinned. “Let me show you my very fine selection of domestic and foreign beers.” He opened a beverage refrigerator and Breck sported a grin of his own.

“How about you, Cami? I have wines, soft drinks, fruit juice and water.”

She grimaced, as thoug
h the choice was too difficult.

“She wants a lemon-lime soda,” Breck answered from the depths of the fridge. “Man, you have a fine selection here.”

“I try,” E.J. said. After Breck made his choice and Cami had her soda with a glass of ice, E.J. grabbed his favorite beer and twisted the cap off. He took a swallow and Cami approached him.

“Take your shirt off,” she said. “I want to see your injury.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he responded and set the bottle on the granite countertop. He slipped the shirt down to expose his shoulder and allowed her to remove the dressing and examine the wound on his shoulder.

“It looks good,” she pronounced. “The EMTs did a great job on you.” She applied an antiseptic and fresh dressing for the wound. “When was your last tetanus shot?”

“I don’t remember,” he answered.

She produced a hypodermic and a vial from her bag. “That’s what I figured, so I came prepared.” After injecting him, she closed the bag, washed her hands and resumed her air of anxiety.

E.J. took a long swallow of his beer, letting the chilled liquid roll down his throat. “So, did you fine people just come over to abuse me, or are you going to drop a bomb on me.” He slipped into a chair across from the one Breck had chosen.

Cami looked stricken
, but Breck nodded. “It’s a bomb, and we wanted to discuss it with you in person.” He patted the seat beside himself and Cami dropped into it.

E.J. took a deep breath and let it out all at once. “Knock yourself out.”

Breck leaned forward, his brows drawn together. “It’s about what Leon said. About your parentage.”

A tight fist gripped E.J.’s stomach and twisted his insides. It wasn’t that he was afraid of what Breck had to say, but rather that he dreaded the finality of whatever he had to reveal.

Cami cleared her throat. “The night Eldon was injured and we ended up in the caves…”

E.J. frowned, not willing to mince words. “You mean the night he lured you there and tried to kill you?”

She cringed. “Yeah, that was the night. Well, between his injury and the bitter cold, he didn’t think he was going to live through the night. He had internal bleeding and was drifting in and out of consciousness.  That was when I found the petrified corpses deeper in the caves. Eldon confessed that he had killed them. He said he had won their property in a poker game, but that the man attacked him and he was forced to kill him. But then he killed the woman too.”

E.J. listened to her words stoically. Not something he wanted to hear, but it was old news. He felt as though every muscle and nerve was tensed, waiting for what she had to tell him. He nodded at her in what he hoped was encouragement.

Cami pressed her lips together for one brief moment and then began again. “That was when Eldon told me he found an infant belonging to the murdered couple and he took this baby with him to Dallas. He said his wife was unable to bear children.”

E.J. let out an involuntary groan. The voice inside his head was screaming, but this weak acknowledgement was all he could muster. He felt as though the life ha
d been sucked right out of him.

“They claimed the baby as their own and…”

“Let me clarify,” E.J. interjected. “By, ‘the baby’, you mean me?”

She pressed her lips together aga
in and nodded her head rapidly.

“So I was raised by the man who murdered my real parents?”

Again, the head nod.

“And why did you wait so long to tell me?”

Breck cleared his throat. “She promised Eldon she wouldn’t say anything about his confession. He pled guilty to the charge of first-degree murder of Silky Carmichael and Cami kept her mouth shut.”

It felt as though a heavy weig
ht had settled on E.J.’s chest.

“I know this must be a lot to take in, E.J.” Cami looked as though she was fighting tears. “But, you have to know that, no matter what else might be true about Eldon Kincaid, he loved you with every ounce of his heart. He thought the sun rose and set on you. He was willing to go to prison rather than reveal the truth about your parentage.”

E.J. met her gaze. “I think I’m just learning how much he loved me. I always tried to please him, but somehow, I thought I came up short.”

“Well, you didn’t,” she assured him. “And don’t worry. We will never say anything about this to anyone.”

“But we had to let you know.” Breck drained the last of his beer and pulled himself to his feet. “Come on, Cami. We’ve given E.J. a lot to think about.”

She stood up reluctantly and reached for her bag. “I’m sorry, E.J. I truly am.” She raised her shoulders and dropped them again in a helpless gesture. “I never intended to break my promise to Eldon, but now, we thought you should know the truth.”

E.J. showed them out and thanked them for telling him about his true heritage. He closed the door after them and leaned his forehead against the door jamb.

Sadness settled around him like a cloak, weighing him down with the burden of his newly-acquired knowledge.
Now what?

~*~

The next night was Friday and one of Jenna’s favorite bands would be appearing at the Eagles Hall. It had been a tough week. Between cattle rustlers, being arrested, Jenna’s kidnapping and going after Leon with Breck, E.J. felt the need to let off a little steam. Hearing the facts of his parentage spelled out by Cami and Breck was hard enough. He still had mixed-feelings about Eldon Kincaid, who he still thought of as being his dad. Being able to talk it over with Jenna had meant a lot.

She had gazed at him, her clear green eyes comforting in their intensity. “E.J., it doesn’t matter. You are your own man.” She flashed a grin. “You’re my man, and if you hurry up and marry me,
you can be the father of my many children.”

He broke an amused snort. “
Your many children?”

She nodded an assent.
“Yep. All of ‘em. I’m getting older by the minute and I’m ready to start popping them out.”

“I’m up for that. Let’s figure out where and how soon we can get married.”

It was her turn to snort. “Our wedding will take place right here in this community, where all our friends can take part.” She collapsed into a fit of giggles. “I was thinking of asking Celeste Pigeon to be my Maid of Honor.”