The Taylor Ranch: Cade (2 page)

“He
didn’t need to work for me anymore, because when he came back he bought the
Taylor ranch.”

April
pulled up the reins, insisting that Remy stop so she could take the last piece
of information into her brain and process it correctly. “He’s our next door
neighbor?”

Her
father stopped Toby and nodded.

“Shit.”

She
knew her father didn’t like her swearing but she couldn’t think of a better
word to sum up how she felt about that piece of news. Not telling her about
Cade being back in Pine Creek was bad enough, but not informing her that he’d
purchased their next-door neighbor’s ranch was a bit too much for her.

Their
property lines were smack up against one another. On a clear day you could even
see the Taylor ranch house from the top of the hill.

A wife and family.
Cade probably
had both by now. She couldn’t imagine him taking on a ranch and running it
without the support of a spouse.

“What’s
his wife like?”

They
started riding again.

“He
doesn’t have one,” said her dad.

“Girlfriend?”

“Gossip
in Pine Creek says he doesn’t have one of those either. However, I know he has
a ranch dog and I think it’s female, if that’s of any help to you.” He winked
at her.

Her father’s dry wit.
She’d missed it
every single day she’d been away.

“You
ever speak to him?” asked April

“No,
I haven’t.”

“So
you don’t know if he still hates me?”

“Honey,
he never hated you and that’s his problem. That’s why he left Pine Creek before
your wedding.”

It
was getting hot, and as she hadn’t ridden for a long time her thighs and butt
were growing sore.

“You
mind if I head back to the stables? Maybe we can do this some other day?” asked
April.

“Sure,
let’s take a picnic with us one day, just like we used to.”

April
nodded and pulled on Remy’s reins to turn him in the opposite direction.

“Don’t
be late for dinner because I’m cooking your favorite.” She began to turn away.

“April,”
her father called. She turned back to look at him.

“I’m
sorry for what I forced you to do.”

“You
had no other choice.”

“I
did and that’s why I’ll always be in your debt. And why I want to make sure the
rest of your life is happy and that you’re living it on your own terms and not
mine. A life that might include Cade Mallory, so don’t think you can’t start
over again, because everyone gets second chances.”

Chapter Two

Cade
had assumed mucking out the stalls in the stables would help him.

It
hadn’t.

He’d
thought mending one of the broken fences would take his mind off her.

It
hadn’t.

His
last resort had been to saddle up his horse and head out for a long ride. That
hadn’t worked either, but at least he was far enough away from the ranch, the
workers, and the usual noise that at least he could hear himself think.

And what exactly
did he think?

He
pulled on the reins and stopped the horse. He looked to the west of his
property. She’d be living just a mile away. That was if she was back at the
ranch.
 
Maybe she and Ben had purchased a
house someplace. Maybe she and Ben were taking over running her father’s ranch.

Cade
almost laughed. He couldn’t imagine Ben picking up shit, let alone being in the
same zip code as it. However, stranger things had happened and maybe he’d run
out of money.

Wouldn’t
that be funny?

Not
for April Dubois it wouldn’t. Why he was feeling sorry for her, he wasn’t quite
sure. She’d chosen a life with Ben Parker.
For better or
worse.

Problem
was, Cade still loved her like crazy, always had, and always would. Maybe
that’s why he’d chosen to come back to Pine Creek. It wasn’t as if he’d grown
up in the area or had any real ties to the community. He realized now that he’d
returned because he’d always hoped that April would come to her senses, say
goodbye to Parker, and come home where he’d be waiting for her.

He
looked out over the pasture.

Pine
Creek was a small town, and sooner or later they’d run into one another just
like they had today. He couldn’t take off every time he saw her, or he’d be
buying new tires every week.

That’s it––keep
your sense of humor.
It’s what his mother had always told him, and April had said it was one of the
things she loved about him.

He
had to stop by and see her. He’d have to learn to be strong and develop a thick
skin. He’d have to learn to look Ben Parker in the eye and not continue to
think of him in bed with April, touching her, being buried deep inside her.

Those
last few thoughts made Cade want to throw up. They always had, and that’s why
he’d tried his best to think of something else as soon as the image popped into
his head.

He
straightened his cowboy hat and pulled on the reins to turn his horse around. He’d
stop by her father’s place tomorrow on his way back from town and break the
ice. After that, he’d try and stay clear of Mr. and Mrs. Parker the best he
could.

****

“That
was the best meal I’ve had in forever,” said her father, leaning back on the
kitchen chair, making it squeak under his weight. He rubbed both hands on his
stomach. “Best meatloaf in the whole of Montana.”

“Don’t
get used to me cooking every night because once I start law school, you’re on
your own.”

“You’re
not planning on working on the ranch with me?”

“How
much are you willing to pay?” She smiled at him. “Ben’s given me the chance to
get a really good education, so I don’t think I should let it go to waste, do
you?”

He
shook his head. She knew he still felt guilty but it was over and done with now
and they’d only move forward and never back.

 
 
“I hope
you’ve left room for dessert because it’s another one of your favorites, berry
cobbler and whipped cream.”

“Oh
my, I’m
gonna
need bigger pants now that you’re
home.”

April
laughed as she walked to fetch the cobbler and jug of cream for the table.

To
Ben, things like cobbler, cream, and anything sinful were a no-no, so this was
going to be sheer heaven. In fact, after she’d served her dad, she might pick
up a large spoon and dive straight in.

“What
are you smiling about?” he asked as she sat at the table again.

April
hadn’t been aware the thought had translated to bliss, clearly visible on her
face.

“Just happy to be having a great meal
with my dad.”

“No
regrets about coming home to ranch life? I mean, you could have had a penthouse
in Chicago.”

“You
know I love everything about this ranch, always have, and always will.”

He
nodded and took his first bite of the dessert. “This cobbler is off the
charts.”

April
dived in, letting the cream melt on her tongue.

She’d
probably gain a few pounds just sitting at the table this close to food that
was so decadent.
No at home gym and personal trainer to keep
her in shape in Pine Creek.
Well, not unless she found another form of
exercise. She smiled again, hoping her father wouldn’t pick up on this thought,
because it was X-rated and no way would she share it with him. This one
involved her and Cade, arms and legs tangled together, his cock buried deep
inside her. Both of them groaning and thrusting their bodies at one another
like they were searching for the best and last climax in the world. She shook
her head as if that would eliminate it from her mind. If only it were that
easy. No, the chances of that fantasy happening after what she’d done were
zilch to non-existent.

“I
thought I might go pay Cade a visit tomorrow,” she said, knowing there was
always hope. Her mother hadn’t offered her much advice before she’d abruptly
left, but she’d told the young April the world was full of hope.

Her
father stopped eating and put down his spoon before looking across the table at
her.

“I
thought it best to get talking to him again out of the way or it could get more
difficult,” she said. That was partially true. The other reason was because she
wanted to see him again.

“Probably
a good idea,” said her father, picking up the spoon again. When it came to
anything connected with Cade Mallory she knew her father tip-toed around the
topic, probably because he would always be somehow connected to what had
happened and what April had been forced to do. Her father knew how she truly
felt about one of his ranch hands and what sacrifice she’d made.

“At
least I want to be the one to break the ice and hopefully we can be on friendly
terms,” she added.

Could
people who felt as strongly about one another as they had, who’d had wild sex
under the oak tree between their properties, ever go back to being just
friends? She’d never known anyone who could, but she was determined they’d be
the exception.

“Thought
I’d go there after lunch,” she added.

She
knew first hand that ranchers got up at the crack of dawn and while they were
busy all day, lunchtime was probably the best time to visit.

“
Wow, that
was a wonderful meal, honey. Now I’m full and
feeling kind of sleepy. You mind if I turn in for the night?” asked her dad. He
stood and took the bowl over the sink, rinsed it and then placed it in the
dishwasher.

“What,
no game of cards?” She knew how he’d always loved a game of Gin Rummy or Poker
after they’d eaten supper.

He
smiled. “I haven’t forgotten, but how about I take a rain check until
tomorrow?”

She
knew he’d had a long day. He was older now, which was one reason she was glad
she was back helping him in any way she could. One day this ranch would be hers,
and that of the children she’d hopefully have. That was one of the reasons
she’d agreed to Ben’s deal. Dubois Ranch belonged to the Dubois family and no
one else.

“Okay,
and sweet dreams,” she said rinsing a few more dishes.

“You
too, honey.”

April
continued to load the dishwasher. She’d had quite the privileged life for the
last few years, but for some strange reason that a lot of women probably
wouldn’t understand, she enjoyed doing her own cooking and cleaning. Guess she
was a natural born rancher’s wife.
Yeah, if she ever found
one to marry.
She hung up the dish towel and yawned.

Maybe
she’d turn in for the night too. Turning off the kitchen light, she headed up
the stairs and along the hallway. She walked into her old room.

Nothing
about it had changed. Her dad had kept things exactly the same knowing that as
she’d promised him, one day soon, she’d be back and it would seem like she’d
never been away and nothing of the last few years had really happened.

April
took off her clothes and hung them in the closet.
The one
with the shelf that leaned to the left.
Her father might be a damn good
rancher, but carpentry skills weren’t his strong suit.

She
slipped on her t-shirt and walked over to the bed. She got under the quilt.
Like she had been for the last few years, she was all alone.

April
rolled over onto her side. Alone, but not lonely, because she had thoughts of
Cade in her mind: of them making love, and holding one another until the early
hours of the morning.

Her
husband hadn’t done any of those things, but that was just fine… another reason
she’d agreed to his suggestion as a way to solve her father’s problem. Even
when Ben had brushed his hand down her back and butt when they’d entertained
friends so no one suspected about their true relationship, she’d imagined it
was Cade doing the touching, and it had made the whole thing much more
tolerable.

Chapter Three

“We’re
going to have to find you a wife.”

Cade
smiled at Eloise as she placed the platter––yes, platter, not plate––of sausages,
hash browns, biscuits and gravy in front of him. When he could get this much
food, and for under $5, including all the coffee he could drink, why would he
need a woman to cook him breakfast? An image of April went through his mind.
Not how she’d looked when he’d first set eyes on her, but how she’d looked when
he’d seen her in town almost twenty-four hours ago. It was an image he’d not
been able to shake.

“You’d
miss me if I didn’t come in here ever again.” He winked at her as she topped up
his coffee. Cade cut off a piece of sausage with the side of his fork, and then
slid it through the thick country gravy before popping it into his mouth. He’d
always loved food but since April had been gone, he used it as a substitute for
other needs in his life.
Needs like sex.
Longest he’d
ever gone without being between a
woman’s
outspread
legs.