The Rancher's Housekeeper Read online

  Geena glanced at Hank. “What kind does she take?”

  “It’s a new prescription for her anxiety.”

  Their mother continued to use her right foot to push off.

  “Here you all are.” Colt had come out on the veranda. Geena wished her body didn’t quicken at the sound of his deep voice. His gaze flicked to her. “I see you’ve met mother and Ina.”

  “Yes. Hank caught me in the hall looking at the pictures. We’re just getting acquainted.”

  “That’s good.” He turned to Ina. “Why don’t you take a break until dinner? Geena and I will go for a walk with her.”

  “Thanks. I’ve got a letter to write.”

  Somehow Geena needed to keep reminding herself there was nothing personal in Colt’s suggestion. For him it was vital she get to know the inner workings of the family so life on the ranch could get back to some kind of normal for them.

  He reached for his mother’s hand and helped her up from the swing. Still holding it, he waited until she’d stepped to the grass before he let go. Geena walked on her other side, enjoying the lush greenery surrounding the house.

  “We’ll head for the stream in the distance. It’s one of our favorite places. When we were little tykes, she’d make picnics and teach us boys how to fish there, didn’t you, Mom?”

  Geena fought the tears smarting her eyelids as she noticed Laura make a beeline for the cottonwood trees lining the water’s edge. All the memories of her life were locked up inside, but she seemed to know instinctively where she wanted to go. Every so often Geena eyed Colt with a covert glance. This had to be so hard for him and his brothers. She was touched by their love and devotion.

  When they reached the rippling brook, his mother stood there quietly and stared. “What are the things she used to like?”

  Colt angled his head toward her. “She loved to cook and garden. Now that she’s at this stage, I have no idea. All we do is try to replicate what she used to enjoy—play her favorite music and read to her from the books she loved. She likes walks.”

  “What about horseback-riding?” His dark brows lifted in surprise. “From the pictures, she looked like an accomplished rider.”

  “She was a top barrel racer from her late teens on. That’s how she and Dad met. He was a bull rider.”

  “That sounds like a magical beginning for them. Is there a reason she can’t still ride if it’s with supervision?”

  He looked taken aback by her question. “I don’t know. It’s food for thought.” She saw the love in his eyes as he looked at his mother through his black lashes. “Speaking of food, I bet you’re hungry, Mom. Hank ought to have dinner ready for us pretty soon. Let’s start back.”

  Colt took her hand and the three of them headed for the house. The mention of his mother’s interests had Geena’s mind racing with an idea. She couldn’t wait to try it out once she was used to her official duties.

  He took them around the house to the front drive where they could enter through the front door. This way he gave Geena a tour of the rustically decorated main floor. A marvelous hand-carved staircase rose from the center of the massive foyer. On the right it was flanked by a spacious living room, all vaulted with timbers. Beyond it lay a family room with a stone fireplace and furniture upholstered in red-and-green plaid.

  On the left of the main hall was a dining room with a carved oak table and matching hutch. She counted twelve chairs. Down one hall she saw a study with display cases filled with trophies of all kinds and a large rack of antlers over the lintel. The other hall led to the big kitchen and another hall where Geena would be living.

  “Lindsey’s not feeling well, so I’m going to run dinner up to them,” Hank announced when they entered the kitchen. The food was on the table ready to be served.

  “I’ll do it,” Colt offered. “Be right back.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “With your leg in a cast, you’d have to walk. I can drive there in two seconds.” She heard that same voice of authority she’d heard him use with the salesclerk. Already she was learning that Colt was by nature a fixer and took it upon himself to help everyone. Again she was impressed by that caring.

  Hank gave up the argument but Geena noticed he wasn’t happy about it. When Colt’s logic couldn’t be faulted, she wondered why it seemed so important to Hank. By now Ina had joined them at the table.

  Geena started eating. “This spaghetti’s delicious.” He’d served canned fruit cocktail and store-bought bread.

  “Thanks.” He was still upset. “I can cook three things and the family’s sick of them all.”

  Ina chuckled. “That’s not true, Hank. We’ve enjoyed your meals.” She helped Laura eat while she ate. Colt’s mother appeared to have a good appetite and didn’t turn away any food. She was such a lovely woman. Too young for this. Todd had been too young to die. Life could be cruel.

  Hank’s eyes focused on Geena. “I hope you can cook because I’m living for tomorrow when I don’t have to eat any more of my…stuff.” He’d almost said something else, reminding her of her brother Todd when he’d been in a grumpy mood. Hank appeared to be around thirty years of age, the same as Todd would be now if he were alive. She missed her brother so much, she still felt deep pain when she thought of him.

  “I promise I won’t make spaghetti for a month.”

  His dour expression didn’t change. “That’s a comforting thought.” Hank had a big chip on his shoulder. She suspected her negative response to his invitation to go dancing hadn’t helped his mood this evening.

  “I would imagine you’ll feel a lot better once that cast comes off. How much longer for you?”

  “Next Monday. It’s been a royal pain.”

  She was about to ask him how he’d broken it when Colt came back in the kitchen. He shot her a glance as he sat down at his place. “Have you been talking about me again?”

  Ina chuckled, but Hank countered with another question. “What’s wrong with Lindsey?”

  “She’s been having some contractions, but Travis said the doctor didn’t think they’d last. They’ve stopped for now.” His spaghetti disappeared fast. Geena would have to fix a lot of food to keep him satisfied.

  Hank didn’t move a muscle, but she could tell he was disturbed about something. Colt on the other hand went on eating as if nothing in the world could possibly be wrong. On impulse she got up from the table. “I’m going to get myself some more coffee. Anyone else want some?”

  “You can fill mine again,” Colt answered.

  She poured him another cup, realizing this was going to be her job from now on. It felt good to be useful again, especially in this household with all its dynamics and tensions, the kind that existed in a normal home. She’d missed the feeling of family.

  It hadn’t been the same after Todd had brought

  Janice home to live. Geena had wanted her brother to find the right woman and get married. She thought about the way Janice treated him and shuddered when she tried to imagine Janice with a baby. If Janice couldn’t remain true to one man, the baby would suffer from the instability.

  Geena had to stop thinking that way and sat down to finish her fresh cup of coffee. When she was through, she’d come to a decision and got to her feet once more. After picking up her plate, she walked around the table to remove Hank’s, hoping to improve his cranky disposition.

  “I take it you’ve been chief cook and bottle washer around here for a month, Hank, but no longer. Naturally I don’t know where everything goes yet, but if I do the dishes myself, I’ll find out. By tomorrow morning I’ll be ready to tackle the meals.”

  The frown on his face turned to one of surprise before his chair shot back. Despite his cast, he stood up in a hurry. “Glory hallelujah!” was all he said before disappearing down the hall.

  Ina took her cue and got
up to walk Laura back to her room. That left Colt who started clearing the rest of the table. Even though the kitchen was roomy, his tall, powerful body seemed to fill it. He eyed Geena. “Two pairs of hands make the work go faster. Don’t you agree? While we work, ask me all the questions you want.”

  She took him up on his offer, loving the cozy, domestic feeling now that they were alone. Around him her heart rate ran at a higher speed and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

  “Where’s Titus?”

  “He’s sleeping up at Mac’s place tonight. Mac

  Saunders is the ranch foreman. I’ll introduce you to him and his wife, Leah, when it’s convenient. Their family adopted Titus a long time ago. Everyone misses Dad and the dog is a reminder.”

  “That’s so sweet. What kind of food do you feed him?”

  “It’s right here.” He opened one of the cupboards and showed her everything, including his doggie treats.

  “What about your mother? Does she require a special diet?”

  “No. The doctor only said her meals should be well-balanced.”

  “Everyone needs that.”

  “We kind of fell down in that department this last month. As you noticed, Hank’s been a limping time bomb.” He flashed her a grin before emptying the dishwasher. She hadn’t seen that particular look before. It made him too appealing.

  While she loaded it, she watched where he put the clean dishes and utensils. After wiping off the counter, she cleaned the oven top. Colt took care of the table. Before she knew it they were done.

  “Follow me to the walk-in pantry. The laundry room is through that other door on the right.” She did his bidding, marveling at the amount of food storage. The pantry was really another room.

  “The big freezer is out in the mudroom. You’ll find all the cuts of beef, pork and lamb you want. Everything’s labeled. The freezer side of this fridge has chicken, ham, bacon, sausage. The rest is usually full of vegetables, fruits, salad, eggs, milk, cheese, yeast. The flour and sugar are kept in the bins on the right side of the dishwasher.”

  He’d mentioned all those items for a reason and Geena tried not to laugh out loud. “Thank you for the grand tour.” She had an idea they hadn’t eaten like they used to since Hank had taken over in the kitchen. Colt had put his point across big-time. Now it was up to her to produce those meals he was definitely salivating about. No worries there. Her grandmother had been a great cook and Geena had learned everything from her.

  “Okay,” he said, lounging against the counter with his strong arms crossed. “Ask me the question that’s been bothering you since we came into the kitchen with mother.”

  The man had radar. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “That’s the first lie you’ve told me since we met.”

  “What I’m thinking or wondering while I get to know your family is private and not important, Colt.”

  “It is to me. Out with it.”

  “This is about Hank,” Geena whispered.

  “I knew it. He needs to apologize for his rudeness. I’ll talk to him. Let’s go for a ride where we can be private. You won’t need your purse unless you want it.”

  Alone with Colt. Excitement chased through her like the cool breeze she’d felt at the service station when she’d heard his voice and had discovered he’d followed her.

  They left out the back door. He walked her past the other trucks and cars to a smaller, two-door white Ford pickup. “This is yours from here on out. The last person to drive it was Mary, but she didn’t have long legs like yours.” While she quivered from his personal comment, he opened the driver’s side for her. “Go ahead and get in so you can adjust the seat the way you want.”

  Her arm accidentally brushed against his shoulder as she climbed in. It sent arcs of electricity through her nervous system. Her body was still reacting to his touch and made her clumsy as she tried several times to position the seat at the proper distance. He’d opened the door on the other side to watch. His action didn’t help.

  Finally she got it right. “There.” As soon as she said the word, his masculine frame climbed in next to her. She couldn’t help but be aware of his long, rock-hard legs. “Did you ever drive around in this with Mary?”

  “No.”

  “I didn’t think so.”

  They both chuckled before he handed her the truck keys on a ring. “Go ahead and take us up the road.”

  She started the engine. The tank was three-quarters full. “It’s been a long time for me.”

  He slanted her a glance. “You rode your bike all those miles, so I don’t see a problem.”

  The automatic transmission made it easy. After backing out, she headed up the hillside past the outbuildings. He pointed out Travis’s place and Ben and Alice’s cabin. Farther on, Mac and Leah’s house. With him giving her directions, they reached another area of the property featuring open rolling grasslands.

  “I dreamed about times like this in prison. You have no idea what it means to be free.” Her voice shook. “I’m sorry if I talk about it so much. I’ll try to stop.”

  His profile took on a chiseled cast in the semi-darkness. “Three nights ago you were still behind bars. Like a returning war vet, you’ll always have that memory with you. But hopefully in time, the experience won’t traumatize you.”

  “Are you speaking from personal experience?”

  “Not exactly. I have a cousin, Robert, who’s my age and lives in Casper, Wyoming. He was in the military, but he hasn’t been the same since he got home last year. Though he’s in therapy and doing better, he still has occasional flashbacks and flies up to the ranch for a few days every so often to talk to me.”

  “The poor thing. PTSD?”

  “Yes.”

  “There was a woman in my cell block who’d served in Iraq. When she got back, she torched her stepfather’s warehouse because he beat up her mother. She didn’t know he was inside. His death sent her to prison. Sometimes at night we’d hear her screams and have to listen to things that made my skin crawl. She needs help.”

  Colt shot her another glance. “After what you’ve been through, you could benefit from some professional therapy yourself.”

  “Warden James told me the same thing,” she admitted.

  “The insurance I pay for you would cover a psychiatrist. Robert’s is one of the best around.”

  “But if he’s in Casper, that’s pretty far away.”

  “No problem. I do regular business there with my uncle and will fly you in our Cessna from Taylor Field. If you’d like, I’ll leave the doctor’s name and phone number for you on the kitchen counter by the phone.”

  Panic enveloped her because she sensed Colt was already worried about his new housekeeper. Part of her hoped he cared for her in a more personal way, but maybe she was deceiving herself. After all, that is what he did: he cared for people and took care of them.

  It was natural for him to be concerned over everyone on the ranch. He carried their problems on his back. Since she needed this job desperately, she’d better go along with his suggestion. Not that she’d find herself out of work if she didn’t. He wasn’t like that. But she wanted harmony between them.

  “Thank you.” What else could she say? Deep down, she knew she needed help from an outside source and was grateful. “If you’ll do that, I’ll make an appointment.”

  “Good.” He sounded relieved. “At the next rise, there’s a lookout where you can pull to a stop.”

  She drove a little further till she came to it. Evening had fallen. The surroundings of rough hills with steep ravines beyond them was surreal. Geena shut off the engine and got out of the cab. He joined her as they took in the vista.

  “After his release, the Sundance Kid was a fool to leave Wyoming,” she said. “He could have redeemed his life by startin
g all over again right here, on a spread just like yours.”

  A chuckle escaped Colt’s lips before he sobered. “It looks beautiful, but it has its headaches. Tell me what happened with Hank today.”

  Colt was a natural-born leader who took on the mantle of the ranch and everyone’s problems without thinking about it. He really was a breed apart from other men, and he already had a tentacle hold on her heart.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “HE asked me to go dancing on Saturday night,” she answered without pretending to misunderstand. Colt knew it had to be something like that. “Naturally I turned him down.”

  “On what grounds?”

  “That I have a rule never to combine the personal side of my life with business. I thought he’d handled the rejection just fine, but later at dinner he seemed upset.”

  “No man likes to be turned down, but Hank had more than your rejection on his mind, trust me.” He cocked his head, feeling very protective of her. “I’ll have a talk with him.” His brother was a bit of a player.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t. I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

  Her caring stirred Colt’s emotions. “Anything else you’d like to ask me?”

  “I wondered how he broke his leg in the first place.”

  “At the rodeo in Laramie. The bull stomped on him before he could roll out from under him.”

  “Oh no— Is Hank a champion?”

  Colt nodded. “He’s won a lot of prize money. This year he was hoping to win the world championship in Las Vegas coming up in December, but this broken leg has cost him a lot in practice time. He could go for it next year, but he’s not getting any younger. That’s a demon he can’t fight.”

  “What will happen if he doesn’t compete any more this year?”

  “He’ll keep doing his work here on the ranch.”

  “That explains a lot of his pent-up frustration.” She flicked him another glance. “In the hall I saw pictures of you steer-wrestling. When did you stop competing?”

  He hadn’t expected that, but she deserved an answer. “After I got married. By the time we were divorced, I had too many ranch responsibilities to consider going back to competition.”