Roping In The Cowgirl

Chapter Two

The two women continued to stand in the yard, gaping at Blake as though he’d just dropkicked a puppy. But then again, who knew what his uncle might have told them about him?

At first, when the older woman wearing a yellow apron walked out of the house carrying a mug of steaming coffee, he’d thought she might be the one who’d been sweet-talking Sam. She wore glasses and wasn’t that close to him, so he couldn’t see her eye color. But she was a brunette, which he suspected was due to a recent visit to a local beauty salon. She was also in her mid-to late-sixties, so she was definitely what Sam would call “younger.” Still, while she was pleasant enough to look at, Blake wouldn’t consider her “sexy.”

On the other hand, the nurse had big green eyes the color of new spring grass. Her glossy dark hair was a tumble of curls that flowed over her shoulders and down her back. Even while wearing an unflattering pair of pink hospital scrubs she could stoke a dying ember in a man’s soul.

But surely she wasn’t the one his uncle had been talking about. Besides, it was also a sure bet that she couldn’t have a niece old enough to attend medical school. Still, she was a young brunette and definitely sexy...

Blake shook off that arousing but unwelcome thought as quickly as it struck.

Besides, she’d slapped her hands on her hips and was drilling into him with a critical gaze. It was clear to him that she wasn’t sharing the love.

Maybe he’d better take a new tack, sidestepping her and starting at the top. So he asked, “Who’s in charge here?”

Shannon stood as tall as her petite stature would allow and lifted her chin. “That would be me. I’m the head nurse.”

Seriously? She might look ready for battle, but she was just a bit of a thing—not much taller than five feet. She was also in her early-to midtwenties, and the way he saw it, she was too young to be running a retirement home, even if his uncle was in charge of the ranch.

In spite of her obvious annoyance, she had pretty features—a heart-shaped face, expressive eyes, thick dark lashes and a scatter of freckles across her nose.

She wasn’t wearing any makeup to highlight her physical attributes, but she really didn’t need to. Her beauty was natural and wholesome.

If he had to guess, he’d suspect that she had a nice shape, although those baggy pants and that boxy top hid it well.

Of course, none of that mattered. Blake wasn’t about to be sidetracked from the task he’d set out to do. And since he wanted to get to the bottom of the mess his uncle had gotten caught up in, he couldn’t afford to aggravate anyone who might be able to help him, particularly the two ladies standing before him.

“If you’ll excuse me,” the older woman said to Shannon, “I’ll let Darlene know you’re here and that she’s free to leave.”

Then she turned away and entered the house, leaving Blake and the nurse alone.

He had to admit that he hadn’t put his best foot forward when he first arrived, but there was a reason for that. He hadn’t slept a wink on the flight to Texas. He’d also had a long drive from the Houston airport, which had given him plenty of time to stew over what might be going on here at the Rocking C.

“Are you the ranch owner?” he asked Shannon.

“No, that’s Chloe Martinez. She’s out of town until mid-December, but she left me in charge.”

Blake gave the nurse another once-over. She didn’t seem to be the kind of woman who would target an eighty-year-old man for financial gain. But was she capable of detecting an emotional exploitation going on under her nose—and then putting a stop to it?

Her eyes narrowed, and she frowned. Apparently he’d really set her off, although he hadn’t meant to.

“I’m sorry if I offended you,” he said. “It might seem bright and early in the morning to you, but it’s been a long day and night for me, one that began more than twenty-four hours ago.”

“A successful investment attorney like you must be incredibly busy.” She removed her hands from her hips and folded them across her chest. “I’m surprised you were able to fit in a trip to Texas.”

She was right. He hadn’t created a successful career and comfortable life in Beverly Hills by taking vacations. And he didn’t have any time to waste in the Texas countryside now, even if the sights and sounds of the Rocking C stirred up old memories, reminding him of the ranch he used to visit every summer while growing up.

“In spite of what you’ve heard or might think,” he said, “I’ve really missed my uncle. And it’s high time I came to visit. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Did Sam know you were coming?” she asked.

“I wanted to surprise him.”

She nodded at the suitcase near his feet. “It looks as though you didn’t come for a short visit.”

“I might stay a while. It depends on how things go.”

She again eyed him carefully, assessing his stance and demeanor the way an opposing litigator would do. And for one fleeting moment it seemed as if she’d seen right into his heart.

Okay, so maybe she was astute—and not just a pretty face.

“You know,” she said, “rumor has it that you’re too caught up in making a buck and living the high life in the city to ever come to Texas. So I have a feeling your uncle will be surprised to see you.”

“He probably will be.” Obviously his uncle had been talking to his coworkers. And he hadn’t painted Blake in a very good light.

Shannon uncrossed her arms and softened her stance, although the skeptical expression she wore didn’t waver.

This wasn’t going well, especially since she was the one who was “in charge.” He’d clearly gotten off on the wrong foot.

Unfortunately, he’d been loaded for bear when he came to the Rocking C, which hadn’t been the right approach. So he’d have to do something to change that—and quickly.

He forced a smile and lightened his tone. “There’s something to be said about family issues and misunderstandings. There’s a lot more behind them than meets the eye. And there are usually two sides to the story.”

She arched a brow, challenging him to explain what his side or his explanation might be. But he didn’t want to get into the myriad emotions that had been brewing inside him since Sam refused to take his call yesterday.

It had not only stunned him when it happened, but just like an unexpected paper cut, it had also sliced him to the quick. That’s why he was determined to patch things up between them.

When he offered her a slight shrug, rather than an explanation that would require him to discuss hurt feelings, she said, “Then let’s hope your visit here goes well. Or your vacation or whatever it is.”

“For the record, I brought my iPhone and laptop, so I can work from here, if I need to.”

At that she smiled ever so slightly. “Good luck with that. The internet access here is sketchy at best, and the cell phone service is even worse.”

Then hopefully he wouldn’t have to stick around very long, just long enough to put a stop to the greedy schemer’s attempt to sway Sam into signing over the proverbial farm, not to mention paying her niece’s medical school tuition.

“I’ll manage without the telephone and internet,” he said, although he wasn’t sure how long he could do that and still stay on top of everything he had going on back at the office. Yet even if he couldn’t get as much work done as he’d hoped, he’d neglected his uncle for way too long.

The screen door swung open, and a redhead in her thirties walked out onto the extensive front porch without so much as a glance at Blake. “Good morning,” she said to Shannon. “Is it okay if I leave now?”

“Yes, I’m sorry I was late.”

“No problem.” The redhead, who must be the night nurse, blinked her eyes a couple of times and yawned. “I’m going to head home and get some sleep.”

“I’ll see you this evening,” Shannon said.

The redhead had no more than climbed into a small Chevy pickup and started the engine, when Blake’s uncle strode into the yard as big as life.

At nearly eighty, Sam Darnell had a thick head of white hair under his Stetson, a warm glimmer in his blue eyes and a smile that wouldn’t quit. But he wasn’t smiling now.

He folded his arms across his broad chest and cast an accusatory eye on Blake. “Well, look what the cat dragged in. My new attorney bet me that you’d be here within twenty-four hours of receiving your copy of that document, but I thought he was wrong.”

Blake shrugged a single shoulder. He’d taken a red-eye flight out of LA to Houston, so he’d arrived at dawn. Even after the time spent on renting a car and driving to the ranch, he’d still gotten here with hours to spare.

Sam adjusted the brim of his hat. “Looks like I owe my new lawyer twenty bucks, on top of the payment for the work he did.”

Blake hadn’t expected his uncle to be happy to see him, but he certainly hadn’t expected him to be so damn angry. Still, if truth be told, Blake really couldn’t blame him. “I owe you an apology, Sam, but just to set the record straight, I don’t care about that change in trusteeship. Now that you’re as healthy and strong as ever, it makes sense that you’d want to take control again.”

Sam’s only response was a humph.

“We need to talk.” Blake glanced at Nurse Shannon before returning his gaze to Sam. He was tempted to suggest they speak in private, but he’d let his uncle make that call.

Fortunately, neither of them had to say anything because the attractive nurse took the hint. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get to work.”

Sam, who actually did resemble the robust rancher he’d once been and not the frail old man who’d nearly died last spring, lifted the flat of his hand like a traffic cop. “Hold up, Shannon. Will you check on one of my men before you go inside?”

“Of course. What’s wrong?”

Sam blew out a sigh. “Nate Gallagher was helping me dig out the mud from around that old pump so we could repair it, and he had a run-in with a broken beer bottle.”

The nurse grimaced, apparently concerned about injury. Then she smiled, transforming her mood completely and putting a glimmer in those pretty eyes. “I hope it wasn’t his beer bottle. I heard that a few of the new cowboys you hired can get a little rowdy, especially on their days and nights off.”

Sam’s grin softened his expression and shaved ten years off his face. “You must have been talking to Rex and Pete. Those old coots usually have something to critique about my new hands.”

“Yes, that’s where I heard it,” Shannon said. “But since two of your new hires ended up in jail last Saturday night and you had to bail them out, I drew my own conclusion.”

At that, Sam laughed, again reminding Blake of the man he’d always loved and respected, the man who’d once thought Blake could walk on water—or leap tall LA buildings in a single bound.

“Nate doesn’t drink anything stronger than soda pop,” Sam said. “Besides, it was a dirty old bottle that had been there for a while, so the cut could easily become infected. I wanted to take him to Urgent Care to get it cleaned out properly, but he didn’t want any part of that.”

“Where is he?” Shannon asked.

Sam nodded toward the bright red barn, which appeared to have been recently painted. “When Nate spotted you in the yard and realized I was going to ask you to check him out, he swung around to the back entrance. He’s probably washing off the blood and planning to slap a bandage over it. But that cut was pretty deep.”

“Then I’ll hurry and take a look at it before he covers it up and heads back to work.” Shannon lifted the mug she’d been holding, took a sip and then set it on top of an old tree stump near the porch. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Before Blake could resume talking to his uncle, the screen door swung open and the older brunette returned.

“Can I get you some coffee?” she asked Sam. “You didn’t have your second cup this morning.”

“Not yet.” Sam nodded toward Blake. “I need to speak to Fancy Pants first. Then I’ll come into the kitchen and share a cup with you.” He winked at the woman. “And if you have any of that carrot cake left over from last night, I’ll have a piece of that to go with it.”

She laughed. “You got it.” Then she went into the house, the screen door shutting behind her.

When the two men were finally alone, Blake said, “Like I said, I owe you an apology.”

“Just one?” Sam let out a little snort. “And just what would that be for?”

“Not visiting you more often.”

Sam straightened his shoulders, which tugged on his red flannel shirt and made them appear to be just as strong and broad as ever. “Once you went off to law school, you put me and Nellie on the back burner.”

Why’d Sam have to mention Nellie? If Blake had felt guilty before, the reminder of his aunt and the fact that he’d been too busy to come to Texas and spend either Thanksgiving or Christmas with the couple during the last five years she’d been alive made it all the worse. And no matter what he said, what excuses he’d given himself, there was no making up for that.

Sam glanced at Blake’s suitcase. “You planning to stay here?”

“I thought it might take some time for me to prove to you just how sorry I am. So, yes, I’d like to stay with you, if that’s okay. Otherwise, I’ll find a place in town.”

That seemed to touch the heart of the rugged rancher, at least a little. And for that, Blake was grateful. His aunt and uncle had been good to him while he’d been growing up and had felt neglected by his unfailing focus on his career.

He could argue that he’d offered to move them to California, but neither of them would have been happy leaving Texas. He knew that now, even if the truth of it had escaped him before.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Sam pointed at Blake’s luggage. “Get your stuff and come with me. I don’t have all day.”

Blake grabbed the suitcase and followed his uncle past the barn and down a short path to a small outbuilding that also appeared to be freshly painted. The exterior walls were clean and white, and the bright red door was the same color as the barn.

“This is my place,” Sam said, as he let Blake inside.

Blake scanned the cozy living room with a small stone fireplace on the outside wall and a built-in bookshelf next to it. His uncle had certainly downsized. Before Sam and Nellie sold their ranch, they’d lived in a sprawling house on more than five hundred acres of prime grazing land.

“I hope I don’t inconvenience you,” Blake said.

“You won’t bother me. For the most part, I’ve been staying with Joy in the big house.”

Blake’s gut clenched. What did Sam mean by “staying with” her?

“You’re sleeping with her?” Blake had meant to mask his surprise, but the tone of his voice let him down.

“So what if I am?” Sam snapped. “I’m an adult.”

“Yes, but...” Blake bit back his response, which would only serve to make matters worse.

“Did you think your generation invented sex?” Sam asked. “Or that I’d outgrown the need for it?”

“Neither,” Blake said, although he’d assumed that a man his uncle’s age... Well, hell. Clearly his assumption was wrong, and he was glad to know that. He’d hate to think he’d ever “outgrow” the need or desire for sex.

“And just so you know,” Sam added, “I don’t need any little blue pills, either.”

Blake had no response for that, other than to hope he’d inherited some of the Darnell strength, stamina and hormones.

“Go ahead and make yourself at home,” Sam said. “I’ve got work to do. We’ll have to talk more later.”

A nap did sound good. Blake hadn’t been able to sleep on the plane.

“Lunch is at the big house at eleven-thirty sharp,” Sam added. “I’ll see you then.”

After Sam left, Blake scanned the ten-by-ten-foot living room, with its brown leather sofa, dark oak coffee table and the colorful Navajo rug that adorned the hardwood floor. The place was cozy and clean, although it was a far cry from the high-rise condo in which Blake lived.

But Blake was prepared to stay as long as it took to bury the hatchet. He’d also do whatever he could to protect Uncle Sam’s heart and bank account while he was at it.

And if he had to buy off the gold digger and her niece, then so be it. He’d be damned if he was going to just roll over and let nature—or greed—run its course.

* * *

If there was one thing Shannon had learned during her first few days on the job at the Rocking C, it was to be prepared for the unexpected. There seemed to always be one minor crisis or another occurring that would keep her busy from morning until night.

And today had been no different. From the traffic jam at the bridge to Blake Darnell’s surprise arrival, nothing had been routine. Even dealing with Nate’s injury hadn’t been easy. She’d had to override his objections and insist upon cleaning and dressing the wound properly.

After the cowboy had gone back to work, she’d called Doc Nelson, who’d be coming by this evening for the weekly poker game, and asked him to arrive early so he could take a look at it. In the meantime, the doctor had prescribed an antibiotic, as well as a tetanus shot. So she then had to get into the all-terrain vehicle and drive the injections out to the south pasture, bushwhacking the young cowboy, who’d rolled his eyes but let her do her job.

Once that was out of the way, the rest of her morning went as usual. It was just after noon when she prepared the midday medications. As she passed them out, she took time to visit with each of the elderly men, all of whom she’d grown to care about.

The last one on her med list was Rex Mayberry, one of her favorite old cowboys. She often found him outside, seated in one of the rockers on the porch, so that’s where she started her search.

She’d barely reached the screen door when she heard him blurt out a curse. Sure enough, she’d found him. She adjusted the small tray she carried with disposable cups of water and medications labeled with residents’ names, then went outside.

As she opened the screen door, the hinges squeaked. Rex, who’d been watching the younger cowboys try to gentle a yearling in the corral, turned and watched her approach. The scowl he’d been wearing morphed into a wry grin. “Well, if it ain’t my personal Florence Nightingale. I was beginning to think you’d abandoned me.”

“My favorite resident? No way would I ever forget you.” She’d only been working at the Rocking C for three months, but everyone here had managed to touch her heart, especially Rex, who could be a real hoot when he wasn’t complaining. And even then she got a big kick out of him.

She handed Rex his pill in a tiny paper cup and waited until he’d taken it and chased it down with water. Turning to go back into the house, she spotted Blake Darnell approaching and stopped in her tracks.

He’d changed out of the khaki slacks he’d been wearing earlier and into a pair of jeans. He might be trying to fit in around here, but he was much too polished around the edges. Even the denim didn’t make him look like a rancher, let alone a cowboy. And in spite of the fact that both he and his uncle were attractive men, considering their respective ages, they didn’t seem anything alike, especially in temperament.

So when Blake tossed a smile at her and again apologized for being rude earlier, it took her by surprise—a rather pleasant one at that.

“I didn’t get any sleep last night,” he added, “and then I got stuck in some backed-up traffic about two miles from here. Someone lost a load of hay, although it was pretty much picked up by the time I drove through. So that’s why I was a little snappish with you earlier.”

As much as Shannon wanted to stay angry at him, she’d never been one to hold a grudge. And the fact that he’d been delayed by the same teenage driver who’d spilled hay all over the road made her smile. “I was probably a few cars in front of you when you crossed the bridge, so I can relate to your frustration.”

“Can we start over?” He reached out his hand for a proper greeting, and she took it.

The warmth and strength of his grip sent an electrifying tingle zapping along every one of her nerve endings, a physical reaction to his touch that she hadn’t expected and didn’t appreciate.

Blake Darnell was a charmer, and she wasn’t about to allow herself to be roped in by him. But she’d have to agree with her initial assessment. He was drop-dead gorgeous when he smiled.

He was also the kind of man who was too busy to spend time with his aunt and uncle, something she found bothersome. Family was important, especially when you didn’t have many relatives left.

What she wouldn’t give to have one more opportunity to talk to her father.

“Dang it,” Rex hollered out. “Would you look at that?” He pointed a gnarled finger toward the younger man in the corral with a bay gelding. “Oh, for cripe’s sake. That guy Sam hired doesn’t know squat about horses. Will you go down there and give him a few pointers?”

“Me?” Darnell asked the sweet but crotchety old cowboy.

Rex shot him a frown. “No, not you. I was talking to Shannon. Who the hell are you, anyway?”

“I’m Blake Darnell, Sam’s nephew from California.”

“Oh.” Rex sat back in his chair, eyeing the attorney. “I heard about you.”

Actually, there weren’t many people living or working on the Rocking C who hadn’t. Sam might be a sweetheart most of the time, but he didn’t hold back when he blew a fuse.