One Summer At The Ranch: The Wyoming Cowboy / A Family for the Rugged Rancher / The Man Who Had Everything

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CARSON HAD MEDICATED himself before going to bed, but he woke up late Sunday morning feeling only slightly better. It wasn’t just his physical condition due to the smoke he’d inhaled the day before, despite the oxygen. When he’d phoned Tracy last night, he hadn’t realized how vulnerable he’d been at the time. His sickness had worn him down and caused him to reveal a little of his inner turmoil, something he regretted.

She was a guest on the ranch. He was supposed to be helping to lift her burden for the week instead of talking about himself.

He grabbed his cell phone to call his ranch foreman and get an update on the progress with the fencing in the upper pasture. After they chatted for a few minutes, he dragged his body out of bed to shower and shave.

Once dressed, he walked through the ranch house to the kitchen and poured himself some coffee. He talked to the cook and kitchen help while he drank it, then entered the dining room and discovered a few guests still eating, but no sign of Tracy or Johnny. Ross would know what was going on.

Carson went to the office, but the place was empty. Since Buck wouldn’t be back until lunchtime, he headed for the foyer to talk to Susan. “How’s everything going?”

“Great!”

“Have you seen Ross?”

“Yes. Another couple of groups went fishing with him. Did you know that by this evening we’ll be all booked up?”

“That’s the kind of news I like to hear.”

Like most ranches, the cattle operation on the Teton Valley Ranch had little, if any, margin. But the value of the land kept rising faster than the liability from raising cattle. It was either sell the hay, grass and cows to someone else, or borrow on the land when the market was down. In time he hoped the dude ranch idea would bring in its own source of revenue.

“Johnny Baretta was asking about you this morning. He can’t wait for another horseback riding lesson.”

That news pleased him even more. “Do you have any idea where he and his mother might be?”

“I heard him and the Harris children talking about going swimming. You should have seen how cute they all looked in their cowboy outfits when they came in for breakfast.”

“I can imagine. Talk to you later.”

He walked outside and headed around the other side of the house to the pool area. The swimming pool had been Buck’s idea and was a real winner for children and people who simply wanted to laze about. The kids’ shouts of laughter reached his ears before he came upon the two families enjoying the water.

“Carson!”

Johnny’s shriek of excitement took him by surprise and touched him. “Hey, partner.”

The boy scrambled out of the pool and came running over to him. Above his dark, wet hair he saw Tracy’s silvery-gold head as she trod water. Their eyes met for a brief moment, causing a totally foreign adrenaline rush. “Can we go horseback riding now?”

“That’s the plan,” he said before breaking the eye contact.

Like clockwork, the other two children hurried over to him dripping water. “Will you take us riding, too?”

He chuckled. It brought on another coughing spell. “Of course. Anyone who wants a lesson, meet me at the corral in fifteen minutes!” he called out so the parents would hear him. They waved back in acknowledgment. As he turned to leave, he heard Rachel ask Johnny why Carson coughed so much.

“Because he breathed all this bad stuff in the war.”

“What kind of stuff?” Sam wanted to know.

“Smoke and other junk.”

“Ew. I hope I never have to go.”

“I wish my dad had never joined the Marines.” Johnny’s mournful comment tore Carson apart.

He hurried back inside the ranch house to grab a bite of breakfast in the kitchen. While he downed bacon and eggs, he phoned Bert and asked him to start saddling Goldie and two of the other ponies.

After they hung up, he packed some food and drinks in a basket. In a minute, he left through the back door and placed the basket in the back of the truck, then climbed in. The interior still smelled of acrid smoke.

If the kids wanted some fun after their lesson, he’d let them get in the back and he’d drive them to the pasture to see the cattle. When he’d been a boy, he’d enjoyed walking around the new calves and figured they would, too.

When he reached the barn, he saddled Annie, but held off getting more horses ready for the Harrises. They might not want to ride, only watch their children.

Another lesson for Tracy and her son ought to be enough for them to take a short ride down by the Snake River tomorrow. With enough practice, they’d be able to enjoy half-day rides around the property.

If Johnny could handle it, they’d camp out in the Bridger-Teton forest where there were breathtaking vistas of the surrounding country. Even if the journey would be bittersweet, he longed to show them his favorite places. Since joining the Marines, he hadn’t done any of this.

Once Annie’s bridle was on, he grasped the reins and walked her outside to the corral where Bert had assembled the ponies. In the distance, he saw the children running along the dirt road toward them. All three were dressed in their cowboy outfits.

Johnny reached him first. “Do you think Goldie missed me?”

“Why don’t you give her forelock a rub and find out?”

Without hesitation he approached the golden palomino. “Hi, Goldie. It’s me.” He reached out to touch her. The pony nickered and nudged him affectionately. “Hey—” He turned to Carson. “Did you see that? She really likes me!”

While Burt grinned, Carson burst into laughter. It ended in a coughing spasm, but he didn’t care. “She sure does.”

“I’m going to feed her some oats.” Seizing the reins without fear, he walked her over to the feed bag.

Knowing Bert would keep an eye on him, Carson approached the fence. Beneath the brim of his Stetson, his gaze fell on Tracy whose damp hair was caught back with a hair band. This morning she wore a tangerine-colored knit top and jeans her beautiful figure did amazing things for. “Are you ready for your next lesson?”

“I think so.” Her smoky green eyes smiled at him before she entered the corral.

“Would you like some help mounting?”

“Thank you, but I’d like to see if I can do this on my own first.”

This was the second time she hadn’t wanted him to get too close. The first time he might have imagined it, but the second time led him to believe she was avoiding contact. He forced himself to look at the Harrises, who’d just come walking up.

“Should I ask Bert to saddle some horses for you?”

They shook their heads. Ralph leaned over the fence. “We’ve been riding before. Right now, we just want to see how the kids do.”

“Understood.” He turned to Johnny. “Hey, partner—why don’t you help me show Rachel and Sam what you do before you get on.”

“Sure! Which pony do you guys want?”

“That was a good question to ask them, Johnny.”

Sam cried, “Can I have the brown one with the black tail?”

“Bruno is a great choice.”

“I like the one with the little ears and big eyes. It’s so cute.”

Carson nodded. “That dappled gray filly is all yours, Rachel. Her name is Mitzi.”

The children loved the names.

“Okay, Johnny. What do they do now?”

“They have to rub their noses so the ponies will know they like them.”

The next few minutes were pure revelation as Tracy’s son took the kids through the drill, step by step, until they were ready to mount.

Ridiculous as it was, Carson felt a tug on his emotions because Johnny had learned his lesson so quickly and was being such a perfect riding instructor. He glanced at Tracy several times. Without her saying anything, he knew she was bursting with motherly pride.

Soon all four of them were astride their horses. They circled the corral several times and played Follow the Leader in figure eights, Johnny’s idea. Carson lounged against the fence next to the Harrises, entertained by the children who appeared to be having a terrific time. Since Tracy rode with them, Carson had a legitimate reason to study her without seeming obvious.

He threw out a few suggestions here and there, to help them use their reins properly, but for the most part, the lesson was a big success. Eventually he called a halt.

“It’s time for a rest,” he announced and was met with sounds of protest. “Bert will help you down. I know it’s fun, but you need a break and so do the ponies. I’ll give you another lesson before dinner. Right now, I thought you might like to ride to the upper pasture with me and see some Texas Longhorns.”

Johnny looked perplexed. “What are those?”

“Beef cattle.”

“We’re not in Texas!” Sam pointed out.

“Nope, but they were brought from there to this part of the country years ago. Want to get a look at the herd?”

“Yeah!” they said with a collective voice.

He turned to the Harrises. “I’ll bring them back for lunch. You can come along, or you’re welcome do something else.”

Ralph smiled. “If you don’t mind, I think we’d like to take a walk.”

“Good. Then we’ll meet you back at the ranch around one o’clock.”

While they talked to their children about being on their best behavior, Carson walked over to Tracy who’d once again gotten off her horse without assistance. “Are you going to ride with us?”

“Please, Mom?” Johnny’s brown eyes beseeched her.

Apparently she had reservations. Maybe she hadn’t been around other men since her husband’s funeral and didn’t feel comfortable with him or any man yet. Operating on that assumption he said, “I was going to let the kids ride in the truck bed. If you’re with them, you can keep a close eye on what goes on. Those bales of hay will make a good seat for you.”

She averted her eyes. “That ought to be a lot of fun.”

Johnny jumped up and down with glee. “Hey, guys—we’re going to ride in the back of the truck!” The other two sounded equally excited.

Pleased she’d capitulated, Carson walked over to the truck and lowered the tailgate. One by one he lifted the children inside. Before she could refuse him, he picked her up by the waist and set her down carefully. Their arms brushed against each other in the process, sending warmth through his body. After she scrambled to her feet, he closed the tailgate and hurried around to the cab.

With his pulse still racing, he started the engine and took off down the road, passing the Harrises. The children sat on the bales and clung to the sides of the truck while they called out and waved. Through the truck’s rear window, Carson caught glimpses of her profile as she took in the scenery. Haunted by her utter femininity, he tried to concentrate on something else. Anything else.

There’d been a slew of women in his life from his teens on. One or two had held his interest through part of a summer, but much to his grandfather’s displeasure, he’d never had the urge to settle down. It had been the same in the military.

Carson couldn’t relate to the Anthony Barettas of this world, who were already happily married when deployed. Though foreign women held a certain fascination for Carson, those feelings were overshadowed by his interest in exotic places and the need to experience a different thrill.

Then came the day when his restlessness for new adventures took a literal hit from the deathly stench of war. Suffocation sucked the life out of him, extinguishing former pleasures, even his desire to be with a woman. Of no use to the military any longer, he’d been discharged early but had returned to the ranch too late to make up to his grandfather for the lost time.

Since he’d flown home from Maryland, the idea of inviting the Baretta family and others like them to the ranch had been the only thing helping him hold on to his sanity. Giving them a little pleasure might help vindicate his worthless existence, if only for a time.

Never in his wildest imagination did he expect Tony Baretta’s widow to be the woman who would arouse feelings that, to his shock, must have been lying dormant since he’d become an adult.

Somehow, in his gut, he’d sensed her importance in his life from the moment they’d met at the airport. Nothing remotely like this had ever happened to him before. He couldn’t explain what was going on inside him, let alone his interest in one little boy. But whatever he was experiencing was so real he could taste it and feel it.

Next Saturday they’d be flying back to Ohio. He already felt empty at the thought of it, which made no sense at all.

Chapter Four

After passing through heavily scented sage and rolling meadows, the truck wound its way up the slopes of the forest. The smell of the hay bales mingled with the fresh fragrance of the pines, filling the dry air with their distinctive perfume.

To the delight of both Tracy and the children, they spotted elk and moose along the way. Carson slowed down the truck so they could get a good look. Rabbits hopped through the undergrowth. The birdsong was so noisy among the trees, it was like a virtual aviary. Squirrels scrambled through the boughs of the pines. Chipmunks chattered. Bees zoomed back and forth.

Tracy looked all around her. The earth was alive.

Life was burgeoning on every front. She could feel it creeping into her, bringing on new sensations that were almost painful in their intensity, sensations she’d thought never to experience again.

For so long she’d felt like the flower in the little vase Johnny had brought home from school for Mother’s Day. The pink rose had done its best, but after a week it had dried up. She kept it in the kitchen window as a reminder of her son’s sweet gift. Every time she looked at it, she saw herself in the wasted stem and pitiful-looking petals—a woman who was all dried up and incapable of being revived.

Or so she’d thought....

After following a long curve through the trees, they came out on another slope of grassy meadow where she lost count of the cattle after reaching the two hundred mark. They came in every color. In the distance she saw a few hands and a border collie keeping an eye on the herd. Carson brought the truck to a stop and got out.

“Oh,” Rachel half crooned. “Some of the mothers have babies.”

Tracy had seen them. With puffy white clouds dotting the sky above the alpine pasture, it was a serene, heavenly sight of animals in harmony with nature. “They’re adorable.”

Carson walked around to undo the tailgate. Beneath his cowboy hat, his eyes glowed like blue topaz as he glanced at her. “Every animal, whether it be a pony or a calf, represents a miracle of nature. Don’t you think?”

“Yes,” she murmured, unexpectedly moved by his words and the beauty of her surroundings.

Johnny’s giggle brought her head around. “Look at the funny calf. She’s running away.”

“Buster won’t let her get far.” Carson lowered the children to the ground. Tracy stayed put on her bale of hay. “Wouldn’t you like to walk around with us?”

“They won’t hurt you, Mom.”

She chuckled. “I know. But from up here I can get some pictures of you guys first.” Tracy pulled out her cell phone to make her point. “I’ll join you in a minute.” She didn’t want Carson’s help getting down. To her chagrin she still felt his touch from earlier when he’d lifted her in.

After she’d snapped half a dozen shots, she sat down on the tailgate and jumped to the ground. The children had followed Carson, who walked them through the herd, answering their myriad questions. Why were some of the calves speckled and their mothers weren’t? How come they drank so much water? He was a born teacher, exhibiting more patience than she possessed.

Soon the dog ran up to them, delighting the kids. Tracy trailed behind, trying not to be too startled when some of the cows decided to move to a different spot or made long lowing sounds.

Carson cornered one of the beige-colored calves and held it so the children could pet it. Their expressions were so priceless, she pulled out her camera and took a couple of more pictures for herself and the Harrises, who would love to see these.

The hour passed quickly. When he finally announced it was time to get back to the ranch house, the children didn’t want to go. He promised them they could come again in a few days.

“Do you think that calf will remember us?” Johnny wanted to know. All the children had to run to keep up with his long strides. Luckily their cowboy hats were held on with ties and didn’t fall off.

As Tracy looked at Carson waiting for his answer, their gazes collided. “I wouldn’t be surprised. The real question is, will you remember which calf you played with?”

“Sure,” Sam piped up. “It had brown eyes.”

A half smile appeared on Carson’s mouth, drawing Tracy’s attention when it shouldn’t have. “I’m afraid they all have brown eyes. Every once in a while a blue-eyed calf is born here, but their irises turn brown after a couple of months.”

Rachel stared up at him. “Do you think there might be one with blue eyes in this herd?”

“Maybe. Tell you what. The next time I bring you up here, you guys can check all the calves’ eyes. I’ll give you a prize if you can find a blue pair.”

“Hooray!” the children cried.

On that exciting note, he lifted them into the truck and shut the tailgate without reaching for Tracy.

Perhaps he wasn’t thinking when he did it, but it meant she’d be riding in the cab with him. He must have been reading her mind because he said, “Riding on top of a hay bale might work one way, but you’ve got more horseback riding to do and deserve a break.” Flashing her a quick smile, he turned to the kids.

“That basket in the corner has water and fruit for you guys. How about handing your mom a bottle, Johnny?”

“Okay. Do you want one, too?”

“I sure do. Thanks. Your mom’s going to ride in front with me. That means everyone sits down the whole time and holds on tight to the side.”

“We will,” they said in unison.

“That’s good. We don’t want any accidents.”

“Please be careful,” Tracy urged the kids.

“Mom—we’re not babies!”

Carson’s chuckle turned into a coughing spell as he helped her into the passenger side of the truck. Their fingers brushed when he handed her the bottle of water. This awareness of him was ridiculous, but all she could do was pretend otherwise.

He shut the door and went around to the driver’s side. She could still smell residual smoke from yesterday’s forest fire. Carson should have been spared that.

Before he got in, he drank from his bottle. She watched the muscles working in his bronzed throat. He must have been thirsty, because he drained it. After tossing it in the basket in back, he slid behind the wheel.

She drank half of hers, not so much from thirst but because she needed to occupy herself with some activity. “What do you call the color of that calf the children were petting?”

“Slate dun.”

“I knew it couldn’t be beige.”

In her peripheral vision, she noticed him grin. “In a herd of Longhorns you’ll see about every color of the rainbow represented, including stripes and spots.”

“Thank you for giving us this experience.” She took a deep breath of mountain air. “There’s so much to learn. Johnny’s going to go home loaded with information and impress his relatives. That’s saying a lot since they always sound like they know everything about everything and don’t hold back expressing it.”

His chuckle filled the cab. “Is he homesick yet?”

“I thought he would be. When we were flying into Jackson, I was afraid he would want to turn right around and go back. But nothing could be further from the truth. The second he caught sight of the tall dude who told him he’d take him shopping for some duds like his, he’s been a changed child. For your information, tall doesn’t run in the Baretta family. Neither does a Western twang.”

He darted her a quick glance. “Johnny wasn’t outgoing before?”

“He was...until Tony died. Since then he’s been in a reclusive state. The psychologist has been working with me to try to bring him out of his shell. When I get back to Ohio, I’m going to give him your business card and tell him to send all his trauma patients to the Teton Valley Dude Ranch. It’s already doing wonders for his psyche.”

“That’s gratifying to hear, but let’s not talk about your going home yet. You just barely got here. I’m glad we’re alone so you can tell me what kinds of things he wants to do the most. I don’t want him to be frightened of anything.”

“Well, I can tell you right now he’s crazy about Goldie and would probably spend all his days riding, pretending he’s a cowboy.”

“He seems to be a natural around her.”

“That’s because of the way you introduced him to horseback riding. You’ve given him back some of the confidence he’s lost this last year. That was a masterful stroke when you handed him the reins and suggested he walk the pony around first so she would get used to him. In your subtle way, you sent the hint that Goldie was nervous, thereby taking the fear from Johnny.

“I held my breath waiting for him to drop the reins and run over to me. To my shock, he carried on like a trouper. When he was riding her around, he wore the biggest smile I’ve seen in over a year. That’s your doing, Carson. You have no idea the wonders you’ve accomplished with him already. I’m afraid you’re going to get tired of my thanking you all the time.”

“That’s not going to happen. If my grandpa could hear our conversation, he’d be gratified by your compliment since he was the one who taught me everything I know about horses and kids.”

She bit her lip. “You miss him terribly, don’t you?”

“Yes. He and my grandmother were kind, wonderful people. They didn’t deserve to be burdened with a headstrong, selfish grandson so early in life.”

Tracy took another drink of water. “There’s that word deserve again. Don’t you know every child is selfish? The whole world revolves around them until they grow up and hopefully learn what life’s really about.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Except I grew up too late. I should never have left him alone.”

“Did he try to keep you from going into the Marines?”

“No. Just the opposite in fact,” he said before another coughing spell ensued.

“He sounds like a wise man who knew you had to find your own path. Tony’s two brothers who wanted to be police officers instead of firemen got a lot of flack from the rest of the family, especially from their father. He thought there was no other way to live, but two of his sons had other ideas. It has left resentments that seem to deepen.”

“That’s too bad. How did he handle Tony going into the Marines?”

“He didn’t like it. But by then Tony was a firefighter and planned to come back to it when he got out of the service. As long as his sons fell in line, he was happy. To this day, he’s still angry with the other two. He needed to take lessons from your grandfather.”

“Unfortunately nothing removes my guilt. I was his only family left.”

“It sounds like he wanted you to be happy. That was more important to him. He took on a sacred trust when he took over your upbringing. I feel the same way now that Tony’s gone. It’s up to me to guide my son. I’m terrified I’ll make mistakes. What worries me is the struggle Johnny’s going to have later on.”

“In what way?”

“His grandfather will expect him to grow up and take his place among the Baretta firefighters. Imagine his shock when we go home and Johnny announces he’s going to be a cowboy like his friend Carson when he grows up.”

Her comment seemed to remove some of the stress lines around his mouth that could grow hard or soft depending on his emotions. “These are early days, Tracy. Your son’s going to go through a dozen different stages before he becomes a man.”

She moaned. “Let’s hope he doesn’t end up suffering from your problem.”

His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Tracy looked through the back window to make sure the children were all right.