A Home With The Rancher

“You need gloves, you know?” Jaxon added. “And glasses. At least, that’s what my dad says. He doesn’t let me practice without ’em. Says it’s better to be safe than sorry. You could ask him.” Jaxon’s voice hardened. “But he’s probably too busy to get ’em for you.”

Mac lifted a hand to his forehead and squinted against the sun, his scrutiny more intense.

Cheeks heating, Dani tore her gaze away. “I’ll be careful.” She adjusted her grip on the ax and tipped her chin toward the fence. “Jaxon, could you please watch from over there? I’d feel better if you were out of the danger zone.”

He nodded, darted off then ducked between the fence rungs.

She eyed the thick log standing on the wide stump, steadied her stance and swung. The blade stabbed into the surface of the wood and stuck, the impact reverberating down her arms.

“Take it out and hit it again.” Jaxon climbed on to the fence.

Dani smiled, pried the ax from the log then struck it harder. The blade landed perfectly, a heavy thud echoing across the valley, but the log didn’t split.

Her back and shoulders were another matter. Every muscle in her upper body stretched with strain, screaming that she’d pay for this later.

Jaxon smacked the fence rung with his palms. “You got perfect aim. Better than Mr. Cal.”

Dani laughed, the excitement on his face easing the painful throb in her arms. “Really? You’re not just trying to make me feel better, are you?”

“Heck no. You’re a better shot than him any day.” He grinned and bounced on the fence rung. “Flip it over and do it again.”

She did. Two more swift strokes of the ax and a satisfying crack rang out as the wood split, toppling off the stump and onto the ground in even halves.

Dani tipped her head back, heaved out a satisfied breath and closed her eyes. The sun’s heat seeped into her skin, her muscles tightening deliciously and a sweet satisfaction vibrating within her.

Take that, suits. She laughed. This was something those stuffy executives could never experience behind an office desk or in a corporate boardroom.

“You’re good.” Jaxon hopped off the fence, scooped up his baseball glove and tugged it on. “Better than good.” He crossed to her side, pounding a fist in the mitt. “You play baseball? ’Cuz I bet you’d be killer at bat.”

“Yeah. I like baseball.” She bent, grabbed another log and balanced it on the stump. “I watch the Mets on TV quite a bit but it’s been years since I’ve played.”

“The Mets?” His brow furrowed. “You from New York?”

Dani froze, the log’s bark rough against her palm. She glanced up and the innocent curiosity on the boy’s face intensified the churn in her stomach. “Yes.”

He mulled this over for a moment then asked, “How’d you end up here?”

She swallowed the thick lump in her throat. “It’s complicated.” And shameful. Which made her a straight-up awful person. She ducked her head and resumed her chopping stance. “I should get back to work. And you should probably check in with your dad. Thanks for the help.”

Jaxon kicked the ground and spun away. “Whatever.”

The hurt note in his tone sent a fresh wave of guilt through her. “Hey.” She waited until he stopped, back planted to her. “There’s no way I could’ve done this without your help. And I really do enjoy your company. I just need to finish this, okay?”

He looked over his shoulder, voice hesitant. “So can I stay and watch? I promise I won’t get in the way.”

What was it Mac had said? Just don’t mind them and go about your business as usual.

Dani’s eyes returned to Mac. He’d rejoined the group of guests and carried on a conversation with one of them, his daughters at his side, but he kept shooting looks at her.

She faced Jaxon and studied the hopeful light in his expression. It was so familiar. That vulnerable look of wanting to be given admittance. Wanting to belong and not be brushed aside. It was a feeling she knew all too well.

“Of course,” she said. “I’d like that.”

Smiling, he hustled to the fence and climbed up again, settling on the top rung.

Dani faced the log, tightened her grip on the ax handle then swung. An hour passed with rhythmic thuds of the ax. Sharp cracks of wood and Jaxon’s baseball pounding into his glove reverberated across the grounds. Sweat streamed down her face and back, her soaked shirt clinging to her skin with each swing.

She struck the wood harder and tried not to think about Jaxon, his sisters or their handsome dad. Instead, she paused between each stroke of the ax and took mental notes of the ranch’s layout.

Three paddocks with worn fences were stationed near a large stable. The stable looked sound and efficient but the outside walls were weathered and unattractive.

A fat drop of sweat stung her eye and she flinched, blinking it away to view the structure more clearly. Hmm. Some red paint, a bit of white trim and several strategically placed azaleas and it’d be much more appealing to the eye. It would also induce that good old-fashioned nostalgic feel a lot of people sought when choosing a place to stay in the Smokies.

Body aching, she paused, grabbed the split halves of wood then stacked them in a slowly growing pile. The grounds were in much the same state as the secluded cabin where she’d stowed her bag. So much potential but too much neglect.

“Want me to take over for a while?”

Dani dragged the back of her hand across her sweat-slickened forehead then smiled at Jaxon. “No, thanks.”

“But you look tired.” He frowned, peering over her shoulder. “And they’re laughing at you.”

She glanced around. The group of guests had left for their hike with Tim, and the girls were no longer in the field playing. But Cal and several other hands stood by the fence of a neighboring paddock, sipping from water bottles and grinning as they leered in her direction.

“It’s okay.” Dani hefted the ax into her hands, renewed her grip and smiled. “Let them laugh. I’m used to it.”

Jaxon smiled back but whispered, “You’re all red, though. And you really do look tired.”

“He has a point.”

Big palms settled on the wood handle between her smaller ones and Mac, solemn-faced, stared down at her.

“The stalls need mucking,” Mac said, eyeing her and tugging on the ax. “You can do that instead.”

She tugged back. “But I’m getting it done and there’s a lot more to split.”

“Yeah, and at the rate you’re going, it’ll take you a week to finish.” His expression softened. “You’re getting it done. Just not fast enough.” He pulled the ax from her grip. “I’ve got time to finish this stack now and I’ll do the second one in the morning.”

“But—”

“The shovel and wheelbarrow are in the stable store room. Remove the waste, add clean shavings then dump the load out back.” He grabbed a log and steadied it on the stump. “When you finish, see Cal and he’ll tell you what to do next.”

He positioned his muscular bulk in front of the stump, his hard jean-clad hip brushing against her soft middle.

Her heart tripped in her chest and she stepped back, thighs trembling from her earlier exertions. Gritting her teeth, she forced out, “I can finish this.”

“I’m sure you can,” Mac said, lifting the ax. “But I’d prefer it if you’d clean the stalls.”

A fresh round of male laughter cracked the silence of the fields.

“Break’s over,” Mac shouted. He stepped in front of her and faced the hands. “Get back to work.”

They stopped laughing and dispersed.

Dani froze, staring at Mac’s broad back. Things were no different here than they were in New York. Here, she was brushed aside just as carelessly as in the Vaughn boardroom. Mac and these men didn’t see her. They saw only what they wanted to see—a weak woman.

Face burning, Dani spun on her heels and started toward the stable. Jaxon scowled at his father then hopped off the fence as she passed.

“Jaxon,” Mac called. “Go inside with your sisters.”

Footsteps drew closer at Dani’s back. “I’m gonna help Ms. Dani.”

“I said, go inside.”

The footsteps quickened and Jaxon sprang past her then ran into the stable.

Dani stopped. Mac stared at the entrance of the stable where Jaxon had entered and the look of angry helplessness on his face returned the ache to her chest, forcing her pride to lower its ugly head.

Catching her eyes on him, he jerked back to the wood in front of him, swung the ax and split the wood in one stroke. She watched for a minute then joined Jaxon in the stable. Jaxon no longer smiled or asked questions as she worked. He just shoveled silently by her side.

Dani wheeled the first cart of waste out back, dumped it and stared at the foggy mountainside. The guilty pang of having lied returned. Her presence at Elk Valley exacerbated whatever rift existed between Mac and his son. And her conscience, overruling her pride, wouldn’t allow her to carry on with this charade.

No matter how much Cal laughed...or how many times Mac dismissed her.

For Jaxon’s sake, she’d leave first thing in the morning. But before she crawled into the cabin’s rickety bed tonight, she’d prove Mac wrong. That second pile of wood would be split and stacked before the sun rose. Even if it killed her.

* * *

PREDICTABILITY ENSURED SECURITY. Risk invited chaos. Mac firmly believed both.

“But why?” Nadine flopped back against her pillow, crossed her arms over the pink blanket he’d tugged over her and frowned. “Why can’t we go hiking with the group tomorrow? Ms. Dani said a girl can do anything she sets her mind to.”

Ms. Dani, again. Mac sighed and sat on the edge of the bed in the twins’ bedroom. After he and the kids had retired to the family floor of the lodge for the night, Nadine and Jaxon had talked about Dani nonstop through dinner. It was unsettling how quickly they’d attached to her.

“Ms. Dani is right. But she’s also an adult who can take care of herself. You and Maddie, however, are too young to take off by yourself and Mr. Tim can’t lead the group and supervise the two of you. Besides, a storm is supposed to roll in midafternoon and I don’t want you or your sister stranded on a mountainside when it tears through. And because...”

Because I have hours of work tomorrow—including splitting an extra stack of wood and clearing the lower hayfield. And because Tim might turn his back for a second and you’ll run off. Get lost. Hurt. Or worse.

Mac frowned and tapped her small chin with a knuckle. “I’d rather you and Maddie stay here where I can keep an eye on you.” Or at least try to. He grinned. “I promise when the weather’s right and things settle down, I’ll take you, Maddie and Jaxon hiking myself. We’ll climb and—”

“Fish?” Nadine asked.

“Yes. And have a campfire and—”

“Roast marshmallows?” Maddie piped from the twin bed across the room, grinning. “I like the marshmallow part better than the fishing part.”

Mac laughed then stood. “First, we’ll go fishing.” He bent, kissed Nadine’s forehead then crossed the room and kissed Maddie’s. “Then, we’ll roast as many marshmallows as that little belly of yours can hold.”

“Did Mama like roasting marshmallows?” Maddie leaned up on her elbows, brushed the ever-present pink bow from her eyes and blinked up at him. “Is that why I like them so much?”

Mac’s breath caught in his throat, making it difficult to speak. Roasting marshmallows was one of the few things Nicole had liked about hiking and camping. She’d never been a fan of the outdoors. Not even when they were teens. But she’d loved snuggling by the campfire and sharing marshmallows with him. That part’s the sweetest, she’d always said.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “She did. That was always her favorite part.”

Mac cleared his throat and walked to the door.

“Dad?”

His hand stilled on the doorknob. Nadine smiled gently at him, a hint of sadness in her eyes. As though she knew...

“It’s okay if we don’t go hiking tomorrow.” She shrugged. “We’ll find something else to do.”

Mac’s smile returned. “I’m sure you will. But please check with me before you do it and no running off without telling anyone. Now, go to sleep.”

He made his way through the family wing of the lodge to the next bedroom then hesitated, fist lifted, at the closed door. Nadine and Maddie might not be stress-free but at least they were easy to talk to. Jaxon, not so much.

“Jaxon?” He knocked then cracked the door open. “You ready for bed?”

A bed creaked and sheets rustled. “Yeah.”

Mac entered, stooping to pick up a pair of muddy jeans, several baseball cards and a glove then toss each in its proper place. “Thanks for cleaning the cabin floor today. You did a good job.”

Jaxon sat up in the bed, a small smile appearing.

Mac’s throat thickened. Lord, it’d been so long since he’d seen Jaxon smile, he’d forgotten how much it eased his mind and brightened the day. It’d hit him hard earlier this afternoon when he’d watched Jaxon share a laugh with Dani. That was the first time Jaxon had laughed in ages.

“Think you could clean up just as well in here tomorrow?” he asked, glancing around.

The lamp’s low glow highlighted little-boy clutter from one corner of the room to the other. Darts, baseballs, rumpled papers and toy guns littered the nightstand, dresser and chest of drawers. And dirty clothes, comic books and socks were strewn across the carpet.

“It’d be a tough job. But...” Mac narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin. “I think a hardworking man like you can handle it.”

Jaxon’s smile widened. “Yeah. I can do it.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’re gonna increase my allowance?”

“Don’t push it.” Mac grinned, ruffled his hair then reached for the lamp switch.

Jaxon grabbed his wrist and peered up at him. “Ms. Dani did a good job today, too. Didn’t she?”

Mac hesitated, studying the hopeful gleam in Jaxon’s eyes. “I suppose she did.”

“Then why’d you make her clean the stalls instead of chopping the wood?”

“Well, she was obviously worn out. And sunburned. And...”

Sweaty. So sweaty that her clothes had stuck to her. With the sun at her back, her every swing of the ax drew more male attention to her enticing curves. Almost every hand he employed had lined the fence to gawk, crack lewd jokes and mock her. And, even though she’d seemed oblivious to it, he’d been damned if he’d allow it to continue.

“She’s got good aim, you know?” Jaxon said, leaning forward. “Better than Mr. Cal. And she likes baseball, too. Said she watches the Mets. I told her she’d be killer at bat. Did you know she’s from New York?”

Mac frowned as Jaxon paused to catch his breath. “New York?” She hadn’t listed any prior residences or work experience in New York on her application. “What makes you think that?”

“She told me so.” His face lit up. “I bet she’d play ball with me. She said she liked having me around and could use my help. So can I help her again tomorrow? You are gonna hire her, aren’t you?”

“Slow down, Jaxon.” Mac placed his hands on his shoulders and eased him back against the pillows. “We just met her and I can’t say for sure if I’ll be able to hire her or not. Besides, I think you’re spending too much time with her as it is.”

All afternoon, in fact. Jaxon had trailed after Dani the entire day, only returning to the lodge when she’d knocked off for the night and joined the other hands in the commons for supper. Mac stiffened. His intense attraction to Dani unnerved him enough on its own. But the contradictions surrounding her and her dodgy mannerisms caused him even more concern. Especially when it came to Jaxon and Nadine who were both clearly taken with her.

“Why? I ain’t bothering her. I’m helping.”

“I know but I’m telling you to ease up.” Mac braced his hands on the mattress and leaned close. “And I expect you to obey me when I ask you to do something. As in earlier this afternoon, when I asked you to come inside with your sisters and you disobeyed me instead.”

The last remnants of Jaxon’s smile vanished. His face flushed and he burrowed deeper into the bed, pulling the sheet up to his chin. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to hang out with her.” He bit his lip. “She listens to me and...likes having me around.”

Unlike you. Mac flinched, the unspoken phrase darkening Jaxon’s gaze and thickening the air between them.

“I like having you around.” Mac cupped a hand around Jaxon’s head. “And I promise you—” Jaxon moved to speak and Mac firmed his features. “I promise that when things slow up, we’ll spend more time together.”

Jaxon stared up at him, eyes doubtful. “When?”

“When I get this place back in order. But for now, I need you to be patient and do as I say.”

Jaxon nodded reluctantly then rolled over, his back and shoulders stiff.

Mac kissed the top of his head. “Good night, Jaxon.”

He received no response. As expected.

Mac turned the lamp off and left, striding swiftly down the winding staircase to the front porch. He leaned on the porch rail, the screen door slamming shut behind him, and sucked in a ragged breath.

Damn. He’d screwed up. Again. He hated dictating orders to Jaxon. Arguing with him. Offering weak platitudes in place of actually spending quality time with his son. He was a weak, pathetic excuse for a father and Nicole would be disappointed in him.

Head pounding, he rubbed his forehead and stared at the starlit sky above him. But what was he supposed to do? Call it quits? Sell the ranch, uproot his kids and hope he had better luck elsewhere?

He’d barely survived losing Nicole to cancer. Losing his family’s land—the only tangible memory he had left of his deceased parents—might just finish him off.

The incessant pounding grew stronger and he stilled, realizing the heavy thumps weren’t just in his head. They echoed across the grounds, too. He shoved off the porch rail and followed the sound, his steps halting beside the stable.

Dani stood in front of the chopping stump, the waning moon overhead and a camping lantern at her feet casting competing glows of white and yellow light against her curvy figure. She swung an ax and split a log. Shifting the ax to one hand, she grabbed one half of the split log and tossed it onto a freshly cut pile of wood, her long ponytail swinging across her upper back.

“Working late, huh?”

She jumped and spun around, hand pressing to her chest. Her eyes narrowed as they peered into the darkness surrounding him. “Good grief, you scared me.”

He stepped into the pool of light, smiling gently. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I heard the noise from the lodge and thought I’d check it out.”

She nodded then turned away and grabbed the second half of the split log.

“You don’t have to do this, you know?” Mac gestured toward the ax at her side. “I told you I’d take care of it in the morning.”

“After you let me down easy?” She shrugged and tossed the log onto the pile. “Figured I’d earn my stay tonight before I move on tomorrow.” Pausing, she studied the ax handle then glanced at him. “Thank you for offering me a chance here but I don’t think this is going to work out for either one of us.”

He blinked, chin lifting as he examined her face. “What makes you say that?”

Her head tilted and a humorless smile spread slowly across her face. “Well, let’s see. I wasn’t what you were expecting. You don’t think I can pull my weight.” She ticked each concern off on her fingertips. “You banished me to the stable to scoop poop, as Nadine puts it, because I wasn’t passing muster with the ax—”

“Now, hold up.” He held up a hand. “That’s not true. The fact of the matter was half my hands had lined up to ogle you while you worked and I was—”

“Protecting the weak, trouble-stirring girl?” Her eyebrows rose. “Telling me what I could and couldn’t do for my own good?”

“No.” He clenched his teeth, a streak of anger burning his gut. “I was trying to be a gentleman.”

She stared, shoulders dropping and head lowering. “I appreciate that,” she whispered. “But I’ve had enough of men telling me what I can and can’t do. It’d just be really nice to have a choice for a change.”

The resigned look on her face tempered his frustration. “Not all men are the same. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

She smiled. A real one that sent a rush of pleasure through his veins. “Not all women are the same. And I’m sorry I took offense.”

Mac shoved his hands in his pockets as she retrieved another log and balanced it on the stump. “So where you movin’ on to? Back to New York?”

Dani sprang upright and faced him, expression guarded.

He examined her more closely, trepidation creeping up his spine. “Jaxon said you told him that’s where you’re from.”

Her features relaxed and she nodded. “Yes. That’s where I’m headed.”

“What do you do there?” He gestured toward the stack of firewood. “I don’t get the impression that you’ve been doing this type of work for very long.”

Her stance stiffened. “I’m in...sales.”

“What kind of sales?”

“The boring kind.” She sighed. “The kind that keeps you holed up in an office staring at walls all day.”

“So you came here for a change of scenery?”

“I suppose you could say that.” She hesitated, voice softening. “I definitely needed a change and it is beautiful here.” She hefted the ax into her hands, shooting glances at him. “I enjoyed spending time with Jaxon today. He’s a wonderful child.”

Mac smiled. “That he is.”

“He admires you a lot and talks about you often,” she said. “He told me about how you taught him to split wood and how important his safety is to you.”

His face heated and he looked away. “Yeah, well, everyone has to pitch in around here to keep things running.”

“He misses you.”

Mac’s eyes jerked back to hers, the pointed look filling the blue depths conjuring deep-seated guilt. “Putting the shoe on the other foot now, huh?” he asked. “Giving the man pointers on parenting? Going to tell me what a bad father I am?”

“No.” She looked genuinely appalled. “God, no. If anything, I’d say the opposite. I may have only been here a day but it’s obvious how much you love Jaxon. And Nadine and Maddie.”

He stared down at his boots, the heat in his cheeks scorching down his neck. Her words lingered in his head then eased into his chest, delivering a sense of comfort that he wanted to hold on to.

“I don’t have children and I have no clue what it’s like being a single parent.” Her scuffed sneakers appeared in his line of vision and the fresh scent of grass and sun-seasoned wood drifted in. “But I know what it’s like to want to be seen. Noticed. My father is a hard worker like you and when I was young, he’d always say we’d spend time together. Tomorrow or the next day. But time got away from him and it just never happened. Our relationship hasn’t been the same since.” Her tone softened. “That’s all Jaxon wants. To be seen. Noticed.”

He raised his head, finding her closer than he’d expected. The once-creamy skin of her cheeks and forehead was sunburned a cherry red and freckles were scattered across the bridge of her nose, giving her an earthy, attractive air. Her wide eyes blinked up at him, patient and kind, then focused on his mouth and darkened.

She stepped back and shook her head. “Anyway, it’s my turn to apologize. It’s none of my business and I didn’t mean to offend you. I like Jaxon and just thought I’d give you my two cents before I left.”

She moved farther away and resumed splitting wood, her movements slow and unsteady.

Mac hesitated then went into the stable and fumbled through a couple shelves in the storage room until he found a pair of small gloves. He returned to Dani and held them out.

“Here. You’ll wake up with more blisters than you can count if you don’t put these on. They’ll be too big but will help at least. And breakfast is at six if you’d like to have a decent meal before you leave tomorrow.”

She paused between swings, breathing heavily, and took the gloves. “Thank you.”