The Rancher's Baby Surprise
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Sasha Summers
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Chapter One
“This is your last warning.” Natalie Harris held her broom up, ready to defend herself if there was no other choice. “This is my house and my porch and my porch swing. You need to leave. Now.” She shook the broom—pretty confident she wasn’t pulling off the whole menacing thing.
The large raccoon, dubbed Vlad due to his underbite, yawned and slumped back in Nat’s padded hammock chair.
So, not the least bit menacing. Great.
The raccoon stared at her with its one shiny black eye, showing no signs of concern... And no sign of moving, either.
“You’re not fooling me.” She advanced slowly, broom first. “I know you’re scared of me.” Maybe if she said it loud enough, they’d both believe her.
The raccoon scratched one ear with his back foot, leaning into the motion and closing his one good eye.
Or not.
“Come on, Vlad. I’ve had a long day.” She sighed, more pleading as she stepped closer, within broom reach now. “A long, long day. I want to sit on my porch, drink my tea and relax.” If she was going to come up with a way to save the Bear’s House, she needed a spark of genius. Right now, she wasn’t feeling it. She tapped the straw bristles on the deck before the hammock swing.
Vlad sat forward, stared her in the eye and growled.
Natalie stopped. They both knew she wouldn’t use the broom. They both knew she’d wind up in her rickety rocking chair while he sprawled on the comfy cushions of her new and barely used—by her, anyway—hammock swing.
“Vlad, can you give me the slightest break?” Everything about this was ridiculous. Who attempted negotiations with a massive, one-eyed, battle-scarred raccoon? Why not swat at him with the broom, shout and yell and claim what was hers?
Vlad sat back, blinked, rubbed his hands over his face, then rolled into a ball.
Natalie sighed, resting the broom against the mint-green staggered shake-style paneling covering her house. She didn’t have enough energy for this. She could enjoy her tea in Grampa Bear’s rocking chair. It was the same porch, the same view—if a little less comfy. What mattered was coming up with a plan. A doable plan. I can do this. But that didn’t stop her from leaning forward and glaring at the raccoon that refused to back down. “You’re lucky I’m so tired, Vlad...” The sentence hung in the air, lacking any real threat.
Vlad didn’t even twitch in acknowledgment.
“Since you’ve named him, I’m thinking he has the upper hand.” A deep voice floated across her front lawn, startling her just enough to knock the broom over and send Vlad scurrying off the porch and into the nearest tree, hissing and growling as he went.
I know that voice. Her heart stopped. Please. Please. Was he home? Finally? Natalie turned, peering into the twilight, unexpectedly nervous and over-the-moon delighted. “John?”
“Hey, Nat.”
It is him. His was her favorite voice in the whole wide world.
“John?” she repeated, stunned. He’s really, truly here?
“Am I welcome?” he asked. “Or do I need to worry about the assassin-broom action you’ve got going on?” He opened the white picket gate and came inside, a large black Labrador trailing after him.
“You’re welcome,” she said, laughing. She hadn’t realized she was running, and her arms slid around his neck, knocking his cowboy hat to the ground. It was the only way to know she wasn’t imagining this. He was big and warm, wrapping her up in a hug.
He chuckled, lifted her up and spun her around. “No broom, then?” He sighed, tightening his hold.
“It’s too early to say, yet. Just know I have it and I’m not afraid to use it.” She eased out of his hold, eager to look at him. “Come in. Sit. When did you get back? Are you hungry? Thirsty? I have iced tea? Or a beer, I think?” She picked up his cowboy hat, dusted it off and handed it to him.
“Thanks.” John took the hat. “A beer would be great.”
“What about your friend? Is he or she a beer drinker?” She crouched in front of the Labrador, noting the white and gray dusting the dog’s muzzle and around its eyes. “Hello,” she said, offering her hands up in greeting. The dog obligingly sniffed, then gave her a slow tail wag.
“Alpha is a straight-vodka drinker. But he’s trying to break the habit, so water would be good.” John chuckled.
Nat shot him a look. “I’ll make sure to remember that. No vodka for you.” She gave the dog a scratch behind the ear. “You are the biggest Lab I have ever seen, Alpha.”
“He’s big and loyal and has one intimidating bark, but he’s harmless.” John patted the dog on the back. “He and Vlad will probably be braiding each other’s hair pretty quick.”
She cradled Alpha’s face in her hands. “I wouldn’t bet on it. Vlad’s not exactly the braid-your-hair type. I’d steer clear of him if I was you.”
Alpha seemed unconcerned, his dark brown eyes on her face and his long black tail still wagging slowly.
She stood and stared up at John. “I can’t believe you’re here.” She’d missed him. “How long are you home for?”
“For good.” His lips tightened. “Plenty of time for catching up...and a few beers, too.”
She nodded, beyond thrilled that he was home...but worried about the reason behind it. John’s plan had been to be a military man. He’d wanted to put in his twenty years and retire. He’d only been gone for eight years. Eight years, ten months and seventeen days—not that she was keeping track. Her gut had told her something had happened when his letters had gotten further and further apart. She hadn’t heard a word from him in months, and now, all of a sudden, he was here. Something has happened, all right. Nat knew John, knew he wasn’t one to give up without a fight... Unless he had no choice.
Until they reached the stairs, Natalie hadn’t noticed his limp. Then it was obvious. From the way he stepped and leaned out: his left knee was bothering him. It took effort to manage the three steps up and onto her porch, a lot of effort. Was this why he was home? Had he been injured? Question after question bubbled up, but she managed to hold back. He didn’t acknowledge his injury, and she wouldn’t, either. Not yet, anyway. John would tell her when he was ready; he told her everything. Normally. Then again, he hadn’t told her he was heading home...
John glanced at Grampa Bear’s empty rocking chair, his hand coming up to rest along the curved wicker back. How many hours had they spent here, she, John and Grampa Bear? How many memories had been made on this porch? She saw his fingers grip the chair for a moment, his jaw clenched tight, before his gaze met hers.
She swallowed hard, a massive lump lodging in her throat. Losing Grampa Bear... She shook her head, hoping he’d understand. She didn’t like to talk about Grampa Bear’s death. Not yet. It had been years, but it was still so raw. Besides, she’d rather focus on John—to be happy and celebrate his homecoming. She took a deep breath and forced the words out. “You can take Vlad’s spot,” she suggested, the slight waver in her voice revealing too much.
Thankfully, John nodded and let it go.
The white Christmas lights she kept tacked along the inside of the porch roof shed just enough light to really see John. He wore what he always wore. A button-down blue plaid shirt, on the threadbare side. Worn jeans. The same cowboy boots and straw cowboy hat he’d been wearing when he left. There were dark bags under his eyes, a hollowness to his cheeks and a thick scar that ran along his left temple, down his cheek and neck to disappear under the stretched-out neckline of his black T-shirt. He looked tired, the kind of tired that it would take time to recover from. John needed to rest and, from the looks of it, some healing, too. She drew in a deep breath. Between her, his mother and brothers, he’d have support and love and peace and quiet—just what he needed. He was home now. For good.
“You weren’t planning on sitting there?” he asked, ending her mental musings.
“No, no. Company first. You go right ahead. At this point, I should order another one, give up the fight.” She peered into the tree Vlad had retreated into.
Vlad hissed at her.
“What fun would that be?” John asked. “It is Granite Falls, after all.”
She didn’t miss the hint of scorn to his voice. She’d hoped that, after leaving home, he’d come to appreciate their hometown. Yes, it was small, everyone knew everyone else’s business, and the day-in-and-day-out sort of living was at a less-than-brisk pace. But those were the very things Nat had loved about Granite Falls. When she’d come to live here with her grandfather Barron Harris, Bear to friends and family, she’d been hungry for people who would care about her—care enough to make sure she was safe, had three meals a day and a roof over her head. Grampa Bear had done just that.
And I won’t forget it. That’s why, after John left, she’d get back to figuring out how to keep the Bear’s House Bar and BBQ. It’d been Grampa Bear’s baby for...well, forever. Now, it was Nat’s. She had to hold on to it. The Bear’s House wasn’t just a place and a job, it was Nat’s second home, and the patrons and staff were like family. Even though running the Bear’s House was all-consuming, losing the place, after losing Grampa Bear, was too much to consider. It won’t happen. I won’t let it happen.
“A standoff with a raccoon sounds pretty eventful for these parts. Might even be able to sell tickets.” John winked her way, snapping her back to the present.
She smiled. She had to. That was the thing about John: when he wanted to be charming, there was no one more charming than he was.
She’d moved here two years before John’s father passed, and those two years were enough for her to irrevocably hand over her heart to John Henry Mitchell. John’s childhood had been far more golden than hers. By all appearances, he had no reason for lingering hostility. A big and loving family, wealth, a known and respected name. But after John’s father died, the Mitchell world was forever changed. John lashed out at everyone—her included. And while it was understandable that he was hurting, he refused to let anyone comfort him. Instead, he had mastered the art of verbal warfare. His words had become hate-filled missiles lobbed far and wide, fired at anyone within John’s line of vision. Once he’d started, there was no stopping him. John’s charm and zest for life had gone hard, twisting up his insides and making him angry with life. He seemed hell-bent on pushing the limits, taking risks and not caring about the consequences.
And through it all, Nat had watched and loved him. He was her friend. Even at his worst, she knew he’d needed her. Nat knew the pain that came from being discarded by those who mattered most, and she wouldn’t do that to John. She believed, somehow—someway—John would find his way back. He’d look around him and see things without all the hate clouding his vision. Until then, she’d let him sit in her hammock chair, give him a beer and be there for him—no matter what.
John could feel Nat’s eyes on him. She had questions for him. Of course she did. But, knowing Nat, she’d wait for him to start the conversation.
That’s not gonna happen.
The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his knee, his scars or anything too heavy. He’d spent the last ten months trying to figure out what his life would look like now that he’d been discharged from the Marines. He hadn’t told his family—hell, anyone—about his injury or his discharge, so going home hadn’t been an option. He’d put his family through enough; he hadn’t wanted to add to that by worrying them. But the more he and Alpha had driven back and forth across the country looking for answers, the more lost and alone he’d felt.
When he’d made his weekly check-in call, his mother had told him his brother Kyle was getting married. And just like that, John had headed home.
Showing up was bound to be a surprise. A good one, he hoped. But I guess we’ll see what Hayden has to say about that.
As much as he dreaded another run-in with his older brother, there was no denying he was happy to be home. The rugged beauty of the rolling hills, the familiar scenery and faces, from the fresh peaches hanging low on the trees to the constant symphony of crickets, cicadas and doves, eased some of the ache he’d carried since he’d first set foot on American soil as a civilian. Sure, it was hot—it was Texas, after all—but the heat didn’t get to him. He’d always preferred being outdoors to indoors. The last few years had taught him he preferred quiet to conversation, and for the most part, he preferred being alone to keeping company.
Natalie Harris was the exception. Nat had always had a sort of sixth sense about him. She seemed to know what he wanted and needed before he did, and she always—always—saw right through him. Right now, that’s exactly what he needed. No pressure, no expectations and no answers... Not right now, anyway. He’d deal with Hayden and his family tomorrow.
Alpha yawned, stretched and flopped onto the wide wooden porch. “Make yourself at home,” Nat said, smiling. She glanced his way. “You both look tired.”
John tried to lower himself into the hammock swing like it wasn’t a big deal. He was just sitting down—it shouldn’t be a big deal. And, if it wasn’t for his leg, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But his knee was a patched-together mess, and his range of motion would never resemble anything normal, so he had to make do. There was no way he was going to let a little discomfort affect his daily life. He locked his jaw, sat and swallowed the grunt of discomfort that stung at the back of his throat. As soon as he was seated, he stretched both of his legs out in front of him to alleviate the stress.
With any luck, a few beers would take the edge off the pain.
He glanced up to find Nat, her hands clasped in front of her, smiling at him like he was Santa Claus.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” She shook her head. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
He nodded, pushed his cowboy hat back on his head and smiled in return. Nat just had one of those smiles, irresistible. She always had. That hadn’t changed. But now that he was sitting still and there was enough light to see clearly, he got an eyeful. Of Nat. But what he saw? Well, she was a bit of a shock. A whole lot had changed.
When he’d left, he’d been a mess of a hotheaded twenty-year-old, and Nat had been all tomboy, with long braids, shapeless denim overalls and a feisty attitude. Sure, they’d had a few FaceTime calls and he’d seen her once on leave for a couple of hours a few years back, but he was pretty sure she hadn’t looked like this then. Maybe he hadn’t been paying attention?
This Nat didn’t have braids. Her dark hair was cut along her jawline, sleek and glossy and sweeping down and across her forehead at an angle. Her nails were painted, and she wore dangling earrings. Not so tomboy, either. But the most worrisome difference was the lack of denim overalls. Why did she have to look so...womanly? This was Nat. Nat Nat. She’d never been a small woman that poked at her food, but he’d never noticed—or cared—about her figure. Now it was impossible to miss. This Nat was all curves and femininity. Any man would be hard-pressed not to notice—and appreciate...
These were not the sort of thoughts he wanted to have when he was thinking about Nat. She was his friend. Little things like her rear or the way her red shirt cupped and clung to places he didn’t want to notice needed to stop. “It’s been a while, Nat.” Not exactly a great conversation starter, but true nonetheless.
“A couple of years.” She nodded.
He regretted not making more trips to Granite Falls when he had leave. But, being the stubborn ass he was, he’d thought he was making some sort of point. Instead, he’d lost, forever, time with a man he’d loved.
“Let me get you and Alpha your drinks. Give me a sec.” She held up one finger and opened the screened front door, letting it slam behind her.
He waited. He could almost hear Bear Harris snap at her for making all that racket. Bear Harris had been a good, salt-of-the-earth man who loved his motorcycles, his military models, the Bear’s House Bar and BBQ and his granddaughter. He’d been a little rough around the edges, but John had always known where he stood with Bear, and John had respected that. He’d respected Bear, period.
“You’d have liked Bear,” he said to Alpha, giving the dog’s neck a firm rub. “He was good people.” And sitting here, on his porch, without hearing Bear bellowing about Nat slamming around in the kitchen felt wrong. Until now, he hadn’t thought about how alone and isolated Nat was. Because I’m a selfish ass. He ran a hand over his face, hating himself all over again.
Nat emerged seconds later, a longneck beer in one hand and a large ceramic mixing bowl painted with daisies in the other. The bowl was so full, water sloshed over the rim.
“Gentlemen,” she said, bending to place the bowl on the ground next to Alpha. “Refills are on the house.” She gave Alpha a quick pat, then stood and offered John the ice-cold beer.
“Nothing for you?” John asked.
She pointed at the tall glass of iced tea and frowned. “I had my beverage of choice...and then Vlad showed up—”
“Right.” John chuckled. “That was some showdown.”
“He’s quite a character.” But Nat didn’t seem all that upset over the supersized, belligerent raccoon. Then again, she was alone so, belligerent or not, Vlad was company for her.
“How are you doing?” The question was out before he could stop it. So much for steering clear of all serious topics of conversation. He hadn’t even made it fifteen minutes.
Nat glanced at him, crossing the porch to grab the arm of the old wooden rocking chair and drag it closer to the swing. “Fine.” She sat, cradling her glass of iced tea.
He didn’t buy it. At all. The way she pulled herself up, curling in on herself in that chair told him otherwise. And it was a gut punch. One that took a minute to recover from. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here...” He leaned forward, ignoring the sharp tug behind his knee.
“You sent flowers,” she sniffed, taking the hand he offered. “From wherever you were serving. I bet that couldn’t have been easy.” She squeezed his hand before letting go. “It was peaceful... He just didn’t wake up.” She sipped her watered-down tea. “I went in with his coffee, to let him know he was running behind...” She shrugged. “No illness or injury or pain. There’s some comfort in that.”
For Nat, maybe. John suspected Bear would have preferred to raise some hell to the end. But John kept that to himself. He’d been gone too long to know how Bear would or wouldn’t have felt anymore. “I’m sorry. Damn sorry. He was one of a kind.”
“He was.” She leaned forward to peer up into the tree at the edge of the porch. “Vlad showed up a few weeks after Bear’s passing. I don’t know if he’d always been here and was too scared of Bear to make himself known or if Bear sent him to keep me company. The raccoon is just as surly as Bear ever was.” She shot John a glance. “That’s probably why I can’t bring myself to trap him.”
John leaned back in the chair, smiling. He didn’t hold much faith in the idea that the dead looked out for the living. In his experience, death was just death. The end. The person was gone—taking all the things left unsaid and undone to haunt the ones left behind. But if Nat needed to think that Bear had sent some oversize rodent to keep her company, he wouldn’t ruin it for her. Bear hadn’t just been her grandfather, he’d been her only relative. Losing him meant Nat was alone.
Another gut punch. This one was harder and weighted with a good amount of guilt.
“You sell the Bear’s House?” he asked, suspecting he already knew the answer. The Bear’s House Bar and BBQ had been a long-standing institution in Granite Falls. Bear’s motorcycle-loving friends tended to show up in groups, lining the far end of Main Street and causing all sorts of complaints from the more tightly laced residents.
“No.” Nat looked horrified. “Never.” She made a weird-pitched sound, half shock and half disbelief. “Of course not.”
“I figured as much.” John chuckled. “You’re running the place, then?” Considering she’d spent just as much time there as she had at home, it made sense.
She nodded. “Bear only hired loyal people, you know that. I’m just lucky they stayed once he—” She broke off to take a deep breath. “Having them means I don’t have to live, sleep and breathe the place.” She leaned toward him, confessing, “Of course, I am still there every day.” Her blue gaze swept over his face slowly, searching, before she sat back in the rocking chair and stared out into the darkness.
Hell... He blinked, forcing his eyes from her profile to the beer in his hands. After being gone for almost nine years, of course, there’d been some changes. In his mind, though, he always pictured Nat the same—unchanged. But the hair and the jewelry and the eyes and the clothes... It was going to take some time to get his mind wrapped around this Nat. Appearances aside, he was grateful that Nat was still Nat. His friend, the person he could count on through anything—no matter what.
It’d been a long time since he’d been back to Granite Falls, and he didn’t know where he fit. Tomorrow he’d go home, to the ranch, and see what sort of greeting he’d get. As much as he’d like to think they’d welcome him with open arms, he wasn’t about to hold his breath. At least, where Hayden was concerned. John had said some horrible things before he left, doing his best to wound his big brother. He might not have wanted to see it then, but he’d come to terms with his part in their falling-out. His was the lion’s share. It was long past time for John to own up to that and apologize.
Would Hayden accept? Would he be willing to set aside the old wounds or would he get all smug and push back at John? Hayden had warned John his temper would hurt him, and, boy, had he called it. That was exactly what had happened. John’s temper had cost him his knee, his military career and his future. John had to live with that.
Whether he and Hayden liked one another didn’t really matter. They were brothers, and they needed to clear the air. It wouldn’t be easy. John feared Hayden would use that condescending voice of his or launch into an I told you so speech and John’s temper would, once more, get the better of him. But, and it was a big but, if there was a chance he and his brother could come to some sort of understanding, it would be worth it. At least that’s what John kept telling himself.
“You okay with Alpha and me staying here tonight?” he asked. “It’s awful late to surprise my family. But tomorrow... I figure it can wait one more night.” Truth be told, he needed one more night before facing his mother and brothers.
“As long as you’d like.” Nat didn’t hesitate. “There’s plenty of room.”
“I appreciate it.” He could breathe.
Her blue eyes met his, steady and warm. “You’re always welcome, John. Don’t you know that?”
He nodded. “But it’s nice to hear.” Depending on how tomorrow played out, he might need a place to stay. “That means a lot, Nat.”
“You and Alpha put your feet up and rest awhile.” She smiled.
He was tired. So damn tired. Tired of aimless wandering and tired of avoiding what needed doing. Tomorrow, he’d change that. Tomorrow, he’d find out if there was a place for him on the family ranch or if there was no repairing the damage he’d left behind.
