Say Yes to the Cowboy
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Vicki Lewis Thompson
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Chapter One
When a truck drove up outside the ranch house, Zeke Rafferty put down the barbell and grabbed a towel to mop his face. The workout wasn’t that hard, but the pain in his shoulder made him sweat like a pig. As he pulled on a T-shirt, the soft cotton stuck to his skin.
He’d recently decided to let his beard grow, so he hoped his visitor was someone who wouldn’t mind the sweat or the scruff. Walking out onto the front porch helped cool him off. Maybe he should start doing his exercises there so he could catch the Wyoming evening breeze.
He was glad to see the Thunder Mountain Academy logo on the tan pickup in front of the house. Anyone driving that truck would be family. When he saw it was Rosie, his foster mom, he hurried over to open the door for her. His nose told him she’d baked him a rhubarb pie. Excellent.
“Came over to see how you’re doing.” She handed him the pie and then waved him off as he started to help her down. “Don’t put a strain on your shoulder, son.”
“I won’t.” He got a kick out of seeing her at the wheel of such a massive vehicle. The top of her fluffed-up blond hairdo barely reached his shoulder yet she drove that truck with authority. He transferred the pie to his other hand and used his good arm to steady her as she stepped on the running board and hopped down. “The pie smells great.”
“It’s still warm. Do you have any of that vanilla ice cream left?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then, if you’ll make me some decaf, I wouldn’t mind a slice before I head back. By the way, Herb said to say hello.”
“Thanks.” Zeke enjoyed these impromptu visits from his foster parents. He was fine with his own company, which made him the perfect caretaker for his foster brother Matt’s ranch, but he didn’t mind having someone to talk to now and then.
Maybe his nights seemed especially quiet because his days were filled with the sounds of hammering and sawing, sometimes punctuated with a baby’s squeals and laughter. His foster brother Damon Harrison and Damon’s wife, Philomena, were renovating the house for Matt, and they usually brought along their seven-month-old baby, Sophie. Zeke wasn’t much help with the renovation because of his shoulder, so he entertained Sophie when she was awake.
Rosie glanced at the sawhorses in the living room and the cartons of hardwood flooring. “Damon mentioned that they’d decided to replace the floors in all the bedrooms.”
“Yes, ma’am, and it’ll be beautiful when they’re done. Matt’s gonna love it.”
“He will. They do fabulous work. Speaking of Matt, have you heard from him recently?” Rosie headed for the kitchen.
“He called this morning.” Zeke started on the coffee. “Wanted to warn me that he’d ordered a kitchen table and chairs.” He gestured at the card table and folding chairs in the room now. “Should be here in a few days.” After landing a starring role in a Western being released in September, Matt was on track to become the most famous of the Thunder Mountain foster boys. With his improved finances, he’d bought this place, outside Sheridan and adjacent to Thunder Mountain Ranch. Matt’s timing had been perfect for Zeke. A torn rotator cuff from years of trick roping had forced him to leave the rodeo circuit for a few months. Keeping an eye on Matt’s property and overseeing renovations and furniture delivery had given him a spot to land until he healed.
“You’re going to the premiere, right?” Rosie put generous servings of pie on two plates and added a scoop of ice cream to each. Then she put them on the table along with napkins and forks. She’d helped Zeke organize the kitchen when he’d moved in, so she knew her way around.
“Planning on it.”
“How’s your shoulder?”
“Better.” It was his standard answer but progress was too damned slow. He worried that even after he was healed enough to get back to his routine, he’d need hours of practice before feeling confident he could dazzle the fans.
“I went online today and found a video of you performing at a rodeo in Vegas. Do you always wear sparkly clothes or was that a Vegas thing?”
He laughed. “I always do. I have a closet full of that stuff. When the spotlight hits me, I’m a regular rhinestone cowboy.” After adding cream to Rosie’s coffee, he brought both mugs to the table.
“I liked the routine in the dark where the ropes light up.”
“Those are tricky to work with but they’re a crowd-pleaser.” He took a seat across from Rosie. “I’m flattered that you looked for the video.”
“I had ulterior motives. I wanted to see if the students would go for it, and they definitely would. Once you’re healed, I’d love to have you teach a short roping class at the academy if you can work it into your schedule.”
He smiled. “Is that why you made my favorite pie?”
“I figured it couldn’t hurt.”
“I’d be glad to.” His temporary move to Matt’s place had given him a chance to see Thunder Mountain Academy in action. Years ago Rosie and Herb had sheltered numerous foster boys at their ranch. Then in retirement they’d found themselves with financial problems through no fault of their own.
Some of their foster sons had rallied to help them create Thunder Mountain Academy, a for-credit residential program for older teens where they’d learn everything equine-related. Zeke hadn’t kept in touch as much as some of the other guys, so he hadn’t heard about the financial crisis until it had been taken care of.
Fortunately the successful program had kept his foster parents from selling the ranch. It also had been a blessing in disguise because they’d obviously been bored once all the foster boys had grown and left. Unlike Zeke, they were extremely social.
“We’d pay you to teach classes in roping,” Rosie said.
“Not necessary. I wasn’t here to help set up the academy so it’s the least I can do.” He lifted a forkful of pie. “Just make me a few of these and I’m good. It’s hard to find decent rhubarb pie.”
“I know. Not enough demand. Until you came along I never made it because nobody else liked it besides me. Having you a short drive away is a bonus for lots of reasons, but I love the excuse to make this pie.”
Zeke scooped up another bite. “Happy to be of service.”
“Incidentally, someone called today looking for you.”
“Who?” He paused, his fork in midair.
“Tess Irwin. She lives in Casper.” Rosie gazed at him. “Your ice cream’s dripping all over.”
“Whoops.” He shoved the mixture of pie and melting ice cream into his mouth, which bought him a little time to think.
“I take it you recognize the name.” Rosie’s blue eyes saw much more than he wanted her to.
“Yes, ma’am. We met in Texas in April. She and her girlfriend came down because her girlfriend’s going with one of my buddies on the circuit. So Tess and I...spent time together.”
“She gave me her number and asked you to call.” Rosie pushed a slip of paper across the table. “I promised to pass it on.”
“Thanks.” He stuffed the paper into his pocket without looking at it.
Rosie changed the subject to an upcoming wedding at the ranch. Cade Gallagher was the first foster boy Rosie and Herb had taken in. He was marrying Lexi Simmons, his high school sweetheart, in less than a month. Rosie had been waiting for that wedding for a long time and she loved discussing the details. Zeke was glad he’d be here for it.
After Rosie left, he took one of the folding chairs from the kitchen and sat on the front porch. The scent of rain was in the air. It had rained the first night he’d had sex with Tess. He couldn’t really call it making love because they’d just met. Rain had beat on the window as they’d undressed each other.
If he closed his eyes, he could picture her perfectly: blond hair down past her shoulders, blue eyes, nice breasts, slim waist, shapely legs. She’d mentioned a divorce the previous year. She hadn’t been looking for a steady guy, just someone to have fun with.
She had, in fact, been looking for someone exactly like him, a man with no plans to settle down, a man who could enjoy a couple of nights with her and expect nothing more. When it came to people, he had no expectations. His father had taught him two things—roping and self-reliance. Zeke had become proficient at both.
He’d never expected to see Tess again, yet here she was, tracking him down. She hadn’t seemed like the stalker type. In any case, he wouldn’t call her back. He’d come here to heal and take care of Matt’s place, at least for the next few months. He wasn’t interested in whatever Tess had in mind.
When he went back inside, he took the scrap of paper from his pocket, crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash.
* * *
Tess allowed a week to go by before putting in another call to Rosie. Rosie didn’t sound happy to hear that Zeke hadn’t called. When Tess emphasized the urgency of the matter, Rosie suggested she come in person so they could work things out.
Tess had no idea how they’d do that, but she wasn’t in a position to question Rosie. She packed an overnight bag and threw it in her sedan before driving north toward Sheridan. At the turnoff to the ranch, she saw a wooden sign announcing it as the location of Thunder Mountain Academy.
The ranch itself had a homey feel. An old-fashioned, hip-roofed barn was off to the left and the low-slung house sported an awesome front porch that ran the length of the building. Adirondack chairs in alternating brown and green lined the porch. The sign she’d seen initially was painted in the same colors, which must have something to do with the academy, whatever that was.
A short, blond woman who might be in her sixties came through the front door and stood on the porch as Tess climbed out of her car.
“Tess?” she called as she walked down the steps.
“Yes, that’s me. Are you Rosie?”
“I am.”
“Is Zeke here?” All the way from Casper she’d wondered if she’d step inside the ranch house and find him waiting for her.
“Not yet, but I’ve invited him for dinner.”
“Does he know that I’ll be here?”
“No.”
Tess’s stomach churned with anxiety. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t want to ambush him.”
“Tess, he’s deliberately avoiding you, and I didn’t raise that boy to be rude, especially to a young lady he has a connection to. I intend to make sure that you get a chance to talk with him.”
“You’re his mother?” If this petite, plump and fair-skinned woman had given birth to Zeke, he must take after his dad.
“Foster mother.”
“Oh! Oh, my goodness. He never told me that he’d been in foster care.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Listen, why don’t you get your bag and come inside for some lemonade and peanut butter cookies?”
“Okay. Thank you.” Tess let out a breath. Rosie’s blue-eyed gaze was kind, and kindness was welcome right now. Lemonade and cookies sounded pretty darned good, too.
After depositing her overnight bag in a guest room, she sat at Rosie’s kitchen table, enjoying her snack while Rosie filled her in on the history of Thunder Mountain. Then Rosie explained the structure of the academy and why it existed.
Tess hung on every word. Knowing that Zeke had been a foster child added a new challenge to the situation. But every bit of information helped, including the tidbit Rosie had provided about his injured shoulder.
“He’s terrific. A great guy,” Rosie said. “But he’s always held himself apart from the rest of us. I won’t divulge his past. That’s for him to reveal if he chooses to. But I won’t kid you...he has issues. Even though I don’t approve of his decision not to call you, I understand why he might not. His bum shoulder has turned him into an injured bear hiding in a cave.”
“I can see him doing that. He’s so independent. I’ll bet not being able to work drives him nuts.”
“I’m sure it does. But I taught my boys manners. He should have given you the courtesy of contacting you and listening to whatever it is you have to say.”
Tess smiled. She really liked this woman. “But you could have insisted he call me back instead of inviting me up here.”
“Wouldn’t you rather see him in person?”
“Yes. Yes, I would.”
Rosie laid a hand on hers. “Zeke won’t be here for another hour. Maybe you’d like to have a little rest before he gets here.”
She knows. Tess could see it in her eyes. “Is he close by?”
“In Wyoming terms, we’re neighbors. He’s agreed to be the caretaker at his brother’s ranch while he’s healing his shoulder.”
Tess pushed back her chair and picked up her empty lemonade glass. “I’m going to take you up on that suggestion of resting before dinner. Unless you need help?”
“Thank you, but I have it covered. The students are in charge of making their own dinner tonight and I have meat loaf and scalloped potatoes ready to pop in the oven for the family.”
Tess’s mouth watered. Food was one of her obsessions these days, and eating someone else’s cooking would be a treat. “That sounds delicious.”
“I’ll tap on your door when he gets here.”
“All right.” A surge of anxiety canceled her hunger. “Thank you.”
Tess escaped to her bedroom, which was decorated in soothing tones of green. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched out on the bed and launched into the deep breathing exercises she’d been practicing.
That helped. Starting at the top of her head, she gradually relaxed her entire body. Outside her window a bird sang a cheerful little song, but otherwise the house was quiet. Peaceful. It was, she could tell, a good house. A refuge.
