A Ranch to Call Home

Chapter Two

“Who knew you could cook?” Kaye teased, loading the dishwasher. She leaned against the counter, and her fingers snagged the top wire shelf of the appliance. “And you have a dishwasher—a brand-spanking-new dishwasher.” It boggled the mind. Nothing else in this room had changed for over twenty years but this happy little appliance.

Joel leaned back in his chair and grinned. Caleb grabbed his glass of tea and gulped, but she saw his smile.

“A Crock-Pot.”

Joel’s response didn’t make sense. She’d been talking dishwasher. “What?”

“That’s my secret to cooking. Once Gramps and I discovered it in the back of the cabinet, we started using it. We had dinner ready when we came in at night.” His voice rang with pride.

“It prevented us from starving, that’s for sure,” Gramps added. The bruising on his face had colored even more, making Kaye want to grimace, remembering when her face had sported similar bruising.

“Well, you’ll have to give me some recipes. It’s been a long time since I’ve cooked for myself or my ex—” she swallowed the rest of the bitter word, glancing at Caleb to see if he caught her mistake “—on a regular basis. I think I’d rather be out in the field working with the locals than cook. I guess I didn’t get the cooking gene from Mom.” She wanted to snatch back the words. How was she going to do this when she kept stepping on land mines?

“Do you have any idea what you want to do now, Sis?” Her brother’s question snapped her out of the past.

“You mean, what do I want to do when I grow up?”

That brought laughter.

“Well, I haven’t—”

“I have an idea,” Joel said.

That had a suspicious ring. She glanced at her grandfather, then Caleb. There was a twinkle in Caleb’s eyes that set her teeth on edge. She couldn’t tell if Gramps was smiling since his face was so swollen.

“I’m afraid to ask.”

Joel stood. “Come with me and I’ll show you.” He led everyone into the formal dining room. Scattered papers covered the entire surface of the table. “I’m in over my head, and I think with what you did in the army, you can help me.”

“At what?” She stared at the mess. It looked like her brother had left the windows open in the dining room and the wind had scattered everything. Stepping to the table, she picked up several sheets. Calf tie-down, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, bareback riding. “A rodeo?” She looked at the three men gathered around.

“The drought has hit most of the ranchers hard in the county, Sis, nearly wiping us out,” Joel explained. “We’ve had to buy feed and hay since our crops failed. Some don’t have the money for seed to plant this next season and will go broke with another year like last year and lose their ranches. At church, we came up with the idea of a charity rodeo with all the prize money, entry fees and ticket sales going to buy seed and feed for the ranchers. County fairgrounds will donate their facility without charge. Now all we have to do is organize the thing.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I was elected to organize this shindig and get it going.”

Kaye’s eyes widened but she didn’t say anything. There was more coming, and she felt it.

“I’m in over my head. I can’t work the ranch and do this.” He waved at the pile. “I could use some help.”

There it was.

“Isn’t that what you did in the army as a public-affairs officer?” Joel further pressed. “Organizing things for the army and local residents?”

She admired her brother’s cunning. He knew how to bait the trap and spring it. When they were growing up, he’d always managed to steer her into doing things he didn’t want to do. “You haven’t lost your edge, have you, big brother?”

The twitch of his lips ruined his innocent expression.

She tried to remain stern, but the humor of the situation bubbled up. Caleb and Gramps stood still, afraid to breathe. “You were always too smart for my own good.”

“Does that mean yes?” The note of hope in her brother’s voice made her want to either laugh or throw something at him.

“I’ll do it, but you’re not off scot-free.”

Joel grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around. “That’s okay.”

“Put me down.”

He did, then kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, Sis.”

Kaye shook her head. “What more could I expect from my big brother, who was known to get his own way?” She also figured she needed to pay him back. He’d kept the ranch running when she’d run so fast away from here, leaving him to pick up the pieces.

“Want to see what I’ve got so far?”

“No, but if I’m going to do this, I guess I need to see what I’m up against. Show me.”

* * *

Caleb stood by the corral, watching Razor. The spring night carried soft smells of honeysuckle and wild roses. In spite of the drought, some flowers were blooming this year.

There was the hope of rain this week. A promise. Every rancher in the county prayed rain would come.

“Is that your horse?”

Caleb jerked at the sound of Kaye’s voice.

“Yes. That’s Razor.”

“He’s a beaut.”

Razor trotted up to the fence. He stood before Kaye, his tail swishing.

She reached out her hand to rub the horse’s muzzle.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Caleb’s hand shot out catching her by the wrist. The contact sizzled. Her eyes widened as she felt the electricity, too. Instantly, he drew back his hand. “He’s prickly.”

Kaye turned her gaze back to Razor and lightly stroked the horse’s muzzle and forehead. Amazingly, stunningly, Razor stood quietly and allowed her to do it, making him look like an idiot.

“This is prickly?” She moved her hand under his chin and continued stroking him. “Hey, big guy. It’s nice to meet you.” She reached into the pocket of her light sweater and pulled out a carrot. “Could I offer you a treat?”

Razor nodded and closed his teeth around the carrot.

Leaning against the fence, Caleb marveled at the woman’s approach. “You came prepared.”

“I learned the hard way it’s always easier to offer a gift. It paves the way. It works with people as well as animals. Particularly in Iraq.”

Joel had bragged about what his sister did in the army. And Caleb had stayed at the ranch the week Joel and his grandfather had visited her in the hospital in San Antonio.

“Razor is the best at what he does, but some folks have gotten on the wrong side of him.” Caleb felt foolish for sounding the alarm, but who knew Razor would behave himself? “Razor is a fine working horse, but he’s a little temperamental.”

“Temperamental?”

“Folks need to be cautious when they approach him. He can be unpredictable. He needs a firm hand.”

“I understand. I’ve spent the last twelve years dealing with prickly males.”

Caleb’s eyes widened, then he snorted. “Point taken.” He liked her quick wit.

“Well, he’s a beautiful animal. And I think I’ve won a friend.”

“Just be warned, he’ll be looking for a treat from now on.”

“I hear you. But remember, I was a public-affairs officer. My job was to read people and interface with the local population.”

“Interface?”

She caught the irony in his voice. “Sorry. Force of habit. It’s easier to talk and get to know the local civilian population if you come with a present.” She sobered. “I guess I’ve joined the ranks of that civilian population, haven’t I?”

Obviously, the lady’s choice hadn’t been one she’d welcomed. Circumstances had overwhelmed her. He identified with that. “But something tells me you’re the right person to tackle that charity rodeo. Since you interfaced with the locals, I think you can probably do this job in your sleep.”

“Sometimes dealing with your own hometown is more of a challenge.”

He knew that. “You’ll be better than Joel. Or me.”

She laughed, a clear, beautiful sound that transformed her into a stunning woman. He didn’t think she had on a speck of makeup, but there was a natural beauty to her. She wasn’t like some of those girls who showed up at the rodeo, playing at being a cowgirl, pretending to be something they weren’t. He could tell that Kaye had been through some hard experiences, but she wore that experience with dignity. And that appealed to him.

“Well, since I’m at a crossroads, I guess I’ve got the time.” Razor dipped his head, looking for another carrot. She gently pushed his face away. “One wasn’t enough for you?”

The horse raised his head. She pulled a second carrot out of her other pocket. The horse nodded and took the second one from her. “If I pull this thing off, are you going to compete?”

“Not me.”

“Why not? I though you said you knew Joel through the rodeo.”

“True, but that was a long time ago. I started working as a pick-up rider. My brother was the star.”

“Oh, good, you could ride pick-up for the charity rodeo. That will work, as well.”

“No can do.” He didn’t look at her but rubbed Razor’s neck.

“Why not?”

She’d touched a raw spot in his heart. He didn’t know if he wanted to charge that hill yet, so he hoped to divert her. “I can help with other things—with your vendors, stock supplier, but I won’t do pick-up.”

Confusion filled her eyes, and she opened her mouth, but then closed it. “Okay. I’ll take you up on the offer to help.”

He nodded.

She studied him. “If you don’t mind me asking, why’d you become a pick-up rider? Most of the guys I knew growing up here wanted to compete and win. That’s where the action and glory are.”

“And if they don’t win or place, they don’t get money. What I did pays every rodeo.” And since he’d supported his brother and him, he’d needed a paycheck he could count on. He knew she wanted to ask more, but he wasn’t willing to say more. “Why’d you join the army?”

“At the time, it seemed the best choice.” Her bleak tone told the story.

He’d sung that same song, the same verse of that heart-wrenching tune. Of course, he knew the real reason she’d joined the army. He’d been with Joel in Phoenix getting ready for the rodeo when Joel had gotten the bad news his parents and grandmother had been killed in a car accident. That New Year’s Eve had dramatically changed his friend’s life. Kaye’s, too.

He stole a glance at her. Her expression told him she didn’t want to talk anymore about why she’d joined the army.

“You must’ve liked the army since you became a captain.”

Facing him, she leaned against the fence. “You know the thing I liked the most about the army?”

“What was that?”

“The order. And structure. You can depend on certain things. And you always knew that you’d have a place to sleep, clothes on your back and three squares a day.”

He understood that. There were times when he hadn’t known where Sawyer and he would get their next meal. They’d often did without when they were living with his mother, but once he’d had custody of his brother, they’d never gone without. “I understand.”

His tone must’ve caught her ear, because her gaze searched his. “You do?”

“Yup, I had more peanut-butter-and-sugar sandwiches and ramen noodles than I care to think about.”

Razor bumped her shoulder. “Sorry, big guy, you ate it all.” She rubbed his nose. “I’ll come prepared with more next time.” Razor nodded.

“I think you’re on his good side.”

“I’m glad I haven’t completely lost my touch, unlike my stumbling into this rodeo deal. Joel may have thought he pulled one on me, but I’m not going to let you and my brother off the hook. I’ll need help.” Her tone brooked no argument.

He raised his hands. “I told you I’d help.”

She nodded. “This rodeo is scheduled for the last weekend of May. That gives me ten weeks. I’ve done events for the army in less time, but I had the manpower.”

“Which means that you’re going to be working us hard.”

“You got it, cowboy.” The humor in her eyes matched the curve of her lips. “Will you be available? You don’t have a rodeo scheduled, do you?”

Her consideration astonished and sobered him. He knew if he called Steve Carter now, he could be working next week. She hadn’t assumed. She’d thought to ask. At her rank, issuing orders was natural. His respect for her grew. “I’ve got the time, and between you and Joel, I think you’ll keep me busy.”

“Thanks, Caleb.” She turned and walked toward the house. He saw that she limped noticeably. When she got to the stairs, she paused, then slowly placed her right foot on the first step. She brought her left foot up to the riser before she tackled the next one. He knew she’d broken both legs in several places, but never once today had she complained.

Razor nudged him with his nose.

“Well, you made me look like an idiot. Here I was issuing a warning about what a skittish creature you are.” Razor moved his head, wanting his chin scratched. “Then you rolled over for her like a big puppy. I bet Bart McQueen would be amazed.” Bart had a nasty bruise on his thigh thanks to Razor.

Razor picked his head up and nodded.

“Traitor,” he grumbled as he walked to his trailer. Shucking off his boots, he stretched out on the bunk. Folding his arms behind his head, he remembered Kaye’s struggle up the steps.

The lady had guts. And smarts. And he didn’t doubt she was going to run Joel and him to the ground.

Oddly, he didn’t mind.

* * *

Kaye reread the verse Ps 94:17. Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. She closed her Bible and felt the deep peace that scripture brought her. She remembered waking up in the hospital in Ramstein, Germany hearing that verse. She’d been in and out of consciousness, and when she’d finally awoken, night nurse 2nd Lt. Jenna Mayfield had been there, reading to her from the Bible.

Each time Kaye read that verse, she knew that God had shielded her. “I don’t know what I’m to do now, Lord. Why’d you save me and not the others?” She’d been meeting a group of Iraqi women, talking to them, seeing what they needed and how the U.S. Army could help them. They’d made progress. After nearly four months, the women had trusted her enough to tell her of the dreams they had for their children. They’d been excited about the opening of a new school, and even girls were being educated. They’d been friends. She recalled clearly each face and the hope and excitement.

She took a long steadying breath as the sorrow washed over her. None of the five women had made it. The only reason Kaye had survived was because when the bomb went off she’d been reaching down to pick up her backpack to get the small gifts she had for their children. After the incident, Kaye knew none of the other women in the neighborhood would talk or cooperate with the Americans. She carried the weight of that guilt. That was the main reason she resigned.

The light knock on the door caught her by surprise. “Sis?”

“Come in, Joel.”

He cracked the door. “I wanted to say thanks again for doing this.” He walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “When I saw you standing there in the emergency room, it seemed like an answer to prayer. I didn’t know how I was going to manage Gramps, the ranch and this rodeo at the same time.”

“Caleb was here.”

Joel’s eyes widened. “He’s a guy.”

She cocked her head. “So?”

“Guys aren’t as good as girls at taking care of sick folks.”

“Please, Joel. I’ve been watching men do the cooking and cleaning and nursing for the past twelve years.”

“Okay.” He raised his hands. “But you are an answer to prayer. I’m glad you’re home, Sis.”

Was she an answer to prayer? Hardly, but was this rodeo an answer to prayer? “I’m glad I’m home, too, and Gramps is okay.”

“You’re planning on staying, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know, Joel. I know this is where I should be now. Helping with the rodeo might help me to know what my next step is.”

Joel slipped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “My mind went on overload when Caleb called this morning. I honestly don’t know how we moved the tractor, but we did.” He rubbed his neck. “I hope you don’t mind that Caleb’s here and spent time at the ranch.”

“Why would I mind? I haven’t lived here in a long time.”

“You still own half of this ranch.”

“If you want to be technical, yes, but really, this place is yours. You’re the guy who put his sweat and blood into it and oversaw everything since Mom and Dad died. You and Gramps.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you feel that way. Welcome home, Sis.” He kissed her cheek and walked out of the room.

Turning off the light, she slipped between the sheets. Home. She was really home. The house hadn’t changed much since she’d left, kind of like it was in a male time warp. The only thing new was the sixty-inch TV that took over half the wall in the living room. And that dishwasher. The house sported a twenty-year-old stove, a toaster that belonged to her grandmother, a washer and dryer her mother had bought the year Kaye was born. But that brand-spanking-new TV had all the bells and whistles on it and sported the football and rodeo channels.

Men were so predictable.

And when she’d walked into her bedroom earlier today, there had stood Caleb among all the tokens that the teenage Brenda had thought were important. It had rattled her and touched part of her soul she buried with her divorce. Here was a handsome man who saw her as a woman. Not Captain Kaye, meal-ticket Kaye or poor, pitiful Brenda who’d lost her parents.

Joel may have thought he’d put one over on her by dumping this rodeo in her lap, but she welcomed it. She’d been restless these past few weeks as she finished her equine therapy. Being around horses had put a longing in her heart to go home. But she’d known if she went home, she’d have to make peace with the past she’d successfully avoided until now. The thought frightened her. But maybe working on the rodeo would keep her busy enough to deal with the past or ignore it, which she preferred. And maybe she’d find the road God wanted her to walk for the rest of her life.

Maybe.

Chapter Three

“Yes, Nan, I’ll be in contact. And rest assured Joel definitely isn’t getting off scot-free,” Kaye added, getting up from the formal dining room table. One of the house phones had a cordless handset.

“Well, I hope so. I volunteered only because Joel asked. Don’t get me wrong. I would’ve helped with the rodeo,” Nan hastily added, “but not as one of the board members with all the extra work it requires. But the local ranchers need the help.”

“I will talk to Joel and the other two board members. Why don’t we meet this Saturday morning? Is the Country Kitchen Café downtown still there and in business?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Good. Then let’s meet there and coordinate what needs to be done. If we need to look at the fairgrounds, we can.”

“All right. You’ll notify the others?”

“I will.” Kaye disconnected and set the phone on the table, taking a deep breath.

She’d spent the morning going over the papers scattered across the formal dining room table, putting them in some sort of order. It reminded her of some of the offices in Baghdad. She’d spent the morning writing a list of things that needed to be done. More than once she’d wanted to throw up her hands and walk away from the mess. But as soon as that thought had occurred, the army side of her came roaring back, determined to make order out of the chaos. The ranchers needed the money, and the rodeo would raise those funds.

“How did you let your brother hornswoggle you into doing his job?”

Looking up, she spied her grandfather at the door. “Good question. I must be off my game.”

Gramps walked slowly to the table. When he sat, he adjusted the sling holding his right arm. “I think I’m going to throw this contraption into the trash.”

Standing, she came to his side. “Here, let me do that. You want it looser or tighter?”

“I want it gone.”

Apparently, she was going to pull rank on the old boy. “That’s fine, but I’m sure the doctors told you that it would take longer for that shoulder to recover without it. And if you want to mess with this longer, then ignore the medical advice. I know how annoying it is, because there in San Antonio I refused therapy until one drill sergeant of a head nurse told me to move my sorry bu—posterior out of her ward. She only wanted those patients who were brave enough to heal. I had to do a lot of things I didn’t want to do these past six months to be able to walk again.”

His mouth compressed into a frown. “Going to use guilt on me, are you, girl?”

“If it works, I’m using it.”

She could see her grandfather considering her words. “I like how the army trained you.”

“If I was still in the army, I’d simply give you an order.”

He laughed. “I bet you were a handful.”

“According to Mom, I always was a handful.” The mention of her mom sobered her.

Gramps rested his hand on her arm. “You need to make peace with what happened.”

She tried not to jerk away, but his words were like a live wire touching her skin. “What about your sling?”

“I need this thing looser.”

She readjusted the strap.

“So can you make sense of this mess?” He nodded toward the table that now sported neat stacks of papers.

“Barely. I’ve been looking through everything. What I need is Joel in here, not outside chasing down cows.”

“Why not call the other folks on the committee?”

“I just finished talking to Nan White. And she told me about Mike Johnson and Laurie Benson.”

“I’ve heard your brother talking to them.”

“So why didn’t he tell me about the others? I found a note buried in this chaos.” Kaye finished adjusting the sling.

“Because Nan recently got divorced and has been eyeballing your brother like he’s a side of beef.”

A chuckle burst out of her mouth. “So it wasn’t my talent that impressed my brother. He just wanted a stand-in.”

Gramps started to shrug, but the pain stopped him. He hissed. “I think I might take one of those little pills the hospital gave me and sit in my chair.”

“Let’s get you settled, then I’ll get your meds.” She’d been through enough pain; she could identify with Gramps in a way she would’ve never understood before.

Gramps hobbled into the living room and eased into his well-worn recliner. Kaye grabbed the pills and a glass of water from the kitchen and returned to his side.

He took the meds without any argument, which meant he was hurting. He settled back in the chair and closed his eyes. “Turn on that TV to one of the sports channels and I’ll sit here and listen to it.”

Kaye smiled and turned on the TV.

“Why don’t you go and see if you can corner your brother and drag some answers out of him. I won’t move.”

Not sure she wanted to leave Gramps, she stood there.

Gramps opened one eye. “Go. Midnight is out in the corral.”

She didn’t want to insult her grandfather, so she retrieved the handset from the dining room table and put it on the table beside the chair. “I’ve put the phone by your chair. Call if you need anything.”

He nodded and waved her away.

She kissed Gramps’s forehead and reluctantly walked away, praying she’d made the right decision.