Saved by the Rancher

chapter Eighteen


THE NEXT MORNING Jack sat at the breakfast bar drinking coffee, desperate for the caffeine to jolt his system after another long, restless night, dreaming about Jenna and talking himself out of walking down the hall to her room and crawling into her bed. That argument lasted deep into the night and early morning.

Caleb and Lily came in through the kitchen door. “Uncle Jack. I got to see my pony. She’s brown and white, and she ate a carrot out of my hands.”

“I know your pony is brown and white. I bought her for you, goofy.”

“Where’s the lady?”

“She’s upstairs sleeping with Sally. Stay down here. She’s not feeling well, and she needs to sleep. Morning, Caleb.”

“Morning, Jack. All the crews are working. No problems this morning, except for Blue. He wants to go out for a ride. You’ve had him cooped up for too long. Stubborn horse.”

While they sat in the kitchen discussing the ranch, Lily snuck upstairs. Jack and Caleb realized, too late, Lily escaped. They bolted from the kitchen and reached to top of the stairs in time to see Jenna’s back to the door and Lily next to her. They paused outside the door on the landing, enthralled by the innocent scene in the bedroom.



REST, FOOD, AND the medicine worked wonders in making Jenna feel better. She lay in bed listening to Sally snore and stared across the room to the windows and the trees outside. The beautiful morning bloomed with bright sunlight. Lying on her left side, a little blond head popped up next to the side of the bed.

“I snuck in here. Daddy and Uncle don’t know.”

“I see.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Jenna. Who are you?” Had to be Lily, but she loved the lyrical sound of this tiny nymph’s voice. She couldn’t help smiling at this bright angel of a child.

“I’m Lily Bowden, like the flower. I’m three.”

“Stargazer lilies are my favorite.”

“Like Uncle’s ranch. Stargazer Ranch.”

“So it is. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Can I come up there with you?”

“May I come up there. And yes, you may.”

Lily climbed up and lay down facing Jenna. She put her hands together and tucked them under her cheek. Angel baby, smelling of spring and strawberry shampoo.

“Daddy calls me sunshine sometimes. Mommy’s name is Summer. He says I’m Summer’s sunshine. That’s funny,” she giggled. “Daddy brings mommy flowers he picks in the fields. He puts them in a vase on the table. Then he kisses her.”

“Very romantic. People should always do nice things for others, especially the ones they love.”

“No one brings me flowers. What does the Stargazer look like? Maybe I can find one in the field.”

“I don’t think you’ll find one. Stargazers are a really big lily. They start out closed like this.” Jenna held up her hand, palm up, with her fingertips touching. “Then, they open like a star and inside they are dark pink and they smell really, really good.” She spread her fingers to show Lily how the flower opens.

“Is there a flower shop in town?” Jenna remembered several stores on the main street by the diner, but couldn’t remember what kind. Her arrival in town had become nothing but a blur, except meeting Jack. Him sitting in the booth at the diner showed crystal clear in her mind.

“Yes. Next to mommy’s work. It always smells really good.”

“When I feel better, I’ll go into town and see if they have any Stargazers. If they do, I’ll buy you some, so you can see. Maybe mommy will let you keep them in your room.”

“Really? I can have flowers?”

“Yes. You have your Uncle’s and Mommy’s blue eyes.” Lily’s were very close to Jack’s, but his had deep blue flecks.

“Daddy has muddy brown eyes. I like blue ones better. Yours are pretty. They’re the same color as grass.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s Sally behind you. I named her when I was one. Uncle said it wasn’t fair Mommy got a baby and he didn’t, so he got a puppy. She used to lick my face and I would call her silly, but Uncle Jack thought I called her Sally, so that’s what he called her, Silly Sally. Isn’t that funny? Silly Sally.”

Lily burst into laughter over her own joke. Jenna couldn’t help but smile and giggle with her.

Lily turned very serious. “Do you have a big owie?”

The sheet covered her, but one bandage high on her right shoulder wasn’t hidden. Just a white bandage, no blood, she didn’t think it would frighten Lily.

“I got a bad sore and your Uncle Jack put the bandage on to help it get better.”

“That’s a big owie.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Did you go to the doctor? I don’t like the doctor. They give you pokey shots. I get a lollipop, so it’s not so bad. Mommy kisses it better.”

“I didn’t go to the doctor, but your Uncle Jack gave me lots of pokey shots right in the butt. I didn’t get even one lollipop from him. Can you believe that?”

“You should at least get a lollipop.”

“Yeah. Well, he’s coming back in here later and try to give me another shot. I’m not letting him if I don’t get a lollipop this time.”

“Yeah. That’s not nice that you didn’t get one.”

“It’s okay. I bet your Uncle doesn’t have lollipops anyway,” Jenna giggled.

“He might. He hides candy in a special jar for me in the pantry.”

“You know what I like to have for breakfast sometimes? Chocolate covered peanut butter cups. They’re really good with a cup of coffee.”

“You get to eat candy for breakfast. Mommy won’t let me. She says I have to have cereal or fruit or something.”

“That’s the good thing about growing up. You can have anything you want. Sometimes I eat rocky road ice cream for breakfast.”

“I can’t wait to grow up,” Lily said with an exasperated sigh.

“Well, that’s the problem. In order to grow up you need to eat good things for breakfast. But once you do grow up, all the ice cream and candy you want.”

“I like you.”

“I like you, too, sweetie.” Her voice shook. The loss of the last two years grew heavy in her heart, though Lily’s sweet presence went a long way toward making things better. It felt wonderful to be around a family after years of running and living on her own.



CALEB GLARED AT Jack. “You hide candy in the kitchen for her.”

Jack shrugged. “What good is having a niece if I can’t spoil her?”

Time to get Lily. Caleb and Jack entered the room. Jack gazed down at the two beauties in bed, lying face to face. They sure made a pretty picture, the two of them talking about pokey shots, lollipops, and ice cream for breakfast. For just an instant, his mind and heart showed him a picture of a bright future he once thought would be cold and lonely. His Jenna. Their daughter. He shook off the thought, but acknowledged this sense of wanting a family had really settled inside him. He waited for the nerves, the sound of shackles clamping down. Nothing. Just the same sense of ease he always felt around her.

Lily launched herself off the bed into her dad’s arms. Caleb scooped her up and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.

“You must be Daddy with the muddy brown eyes.” The sad look in her eyes vanished with the smile she gave Caleb.

Caleb chuckled. “Yes. Caleb. And you’re Jenna?”

“Yes. Your daughter is wonderful. Thank you for sharing her with me. She’s the best medicine.”

If Jack hadn’t already been amazed by the sweetness of this woman after listening to her talk with Lily, her thanking Caleb for sharing Lily with her clinched it. He couldn’t take his eyes from the deep pools of green, awestruck.

Warm hearts shine through, his mother’s voice whispered in his mind.

Summer walked in and tickled Lily’s ribs. “You can stop staring at her now. You’re married, for God’s sake.” She elbowed Caleb in the ribs, grabbed her daughter, and planted a kiss on her chubby cheek.

Jenna laughed and it did Jack’s heart good to hear the lighthearted sound from her.

“Seems I’m still underdressed for this party. Jack, will you please bring me my clothes?”

“I already told you, I’m not crazy, or stupid.” He couldn’t help egging her on. Too much fun to play with her.

“I did, however, bring you these.” He held up a prescription bottle. “No more pokey shots. Doc Stanton dropped by the other day when you were passed out. He checked on you and left these antibiotic pills.”

“Uncle Jack, you didn’t even give her a lollipop when you gave her pokey shots. That’s not nice,” Lily scolded.

“Yes, Uncle Jack.” Jenna said. “That’s not nice, and neither is eavesdropping.”

Caleb and Jack exchanged guilty looks. “Busted.” Jack handed Jenna the pills and a glass of water from the bedside table. Jenna took out a pill and downed it without protest.

“Much better than a pokey shot. Thank you, but . . .”

“Don’t worry. He won’t say anything about seeing you. He’s a friend,” Jack assured her.

“Enough, you guys, out.” Summer took charge. “I’m getting Jenna up and giving her a haircut. Jack, go over to the cabin and get this girl her clothes and other things. It doesn’t look like she’ll be going back any time soon. Hey, what are those two boxes by the front door?”

“Oh, yeah, those are for you, Jenna. They arrived yesterday. I think they’re from Ben.”

“Would you bring them up? Oh, and make sure you grab my purse at the cabin. I need my phone.”

“Anything else, ladies? I’m at your beck and call,” he responded sarcastically.

“Please, Jack,” Summer and Jenna said in unison.

“I’m outnumbered. Come on Caleb, you get to help.”

“I want to stay with Mommy,” Lily said.

Summer and Jenna exchanged concerned looks. Nobody wanted Lily to see Jenna’s back. “Sunshine, you go with Daddy and Uncle. Make sure they bring all of Jenna’s things.” Lily beamed, excited to be in charge of the task.

“Are you really going to get me flowers?”

“As soon as I’m able to go to town, I will, okay?”

“Okay.”

Lily’s smile made Jenna smile in return. Jenna gave her a conspiratorial squint of the eye and told Lily, “Make sure Uncle Jack brings my clothes.”

“You’re spoiling all my fun,” Jack teased and left with Lily slung over his shoulder, giggling.

She had to think about Jack and what he could mean to her life. She felt like she had two ghosts whispering to her. One said, take a chance on love. The other said, don’t be selfish. You’re putting him at risk. Afraid of the first, she wanted to ignore the second all together. Too bad they were both right. Falling for Jack could be a chance for love, but it also put his life at risk. All their lives at risk.