The Rancher and the Event Planner

Chapter Fifteen



The renovations on the mansion were complete and the grounds had been landscaped. The pool had been retiled and filled and the water sparkled under the summer sun. Practically the entire town had gathered on the new gravel drive outside a brand new gate to the property. The name Cotton Hills had been woven into the wrought iron design on the gate and the resort’s new crest had been placed on the entrance pillars holding the gate. The committee had made the final decision about the winner of the contest and hung a banner across the front of the gate.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,” the chairman of the contest committee said. “It is my pleasure to declare Salvation, Texas the winner of the Best Texas Vacation Contest.”

Applause and whoops rose into the air. When the crowd had quieted the chairman continued. “I’d like to ask Rafe McCord and JC Barrett to please step forward.”

JC stood to the side wearing slacks and a sleeveless blouse with new flats. She’d curled her hair, made up her face and plastered on her best game face although inside her heart panted. She stepped over to the chairman joining up with Rafe. The chairman held out an oversized pair of scissors. “With the cutting of this ribbon, I declare the Cotton Hills resort officially open.”

JC took one side of the scissors and Rafe the other. Together they cut through the ribbon and a cheer rose from the crowd.

He’d barely said hello to her, the jerk pervert. How could a man be that twisted and act as if nothing had happened between them? She’d been staring a hole through him and he hadn’t glanced her way, not even once. Screw him and the horse he rode in on. She deserved this moment of glory and she wasn’t going to let a stubborn cowboy ruin the moment for her. She raised her chin a notch as Rafe opened the gate. JC didn’t follow but hung back to talk to Linc. “Thank you for waiting. Linc, I need to ask you something.”

He gestured toward the shade under a tree. “Okay, shoot.”

“I can’t keep the job and run the resort. Would you tell the city council for me?”

He pursed his lips, studied her a moment then glanced toward the mansion with the people walking around it. “Why should I?”

She forced the corners of her mouth upward. “Because you like me?”

He laughed. “Not good enough.” His expression grew serious. “Tell me the real reason.”

She couldn’t look at him. She looked instead toward the mansion and easily picked out Rafe holding Molly in his arms. Her battered heart ached like a sore tooth. “Because I’ve done something stupid and fallen in love with your brother. I want to stay in Salvation badly, and I thought I could, but I can’t live here, see Rafe and Molly and you and not be a part of that. I’m a damned strong woman but even I have my limits.” She turned. “So, will you do it?”

He didn’t say anything for a while. Would he refuse? “I will.”

A crazy combination of relief, hurt, disappointment and longing sped through her body. “Thank you.”

“On two conditions.”

Her emotional well went on alert. “What conditions?”

“Before you leave, go out to the ranch and see Rafe because you can’t sneak off without saying goodbye. You have to see him and you need to tell Molly. We’re having a family dinner at the house this weekend to celebrate winning the contest, and I’m putting on the dog. Rafe knows nothing about it and you aren’t supposed to know either.”

Damn it, she couldn’t face Molly. She couldn’t look into that little girl eyes, a little girl she loved with her whole heart and make up some story as to why she was leaving. She’d lied to her earlier about why she hadn’t been by to see her, but she couldn’t lie to her again. Molly deserved the truth. “Is that an official court order?”

“Yep. Take it or leave it.”

* * *

“I’ll let you know when the order comes in, Rafe.”

“Thanks.” Rafe turned toward his truck parked at the curb outside the hardware store, when a woman sashayed past. His heart lurched into his throat and his pulse zipped through his veins like blue lightning. He ran toward her. “Jennifer!”

The woman turned. His heart slid back down his throat. Attractive woman, but she didn’t come close to Jennifer’s striking features. Her blue eyes studied him with speculation and a hint of feminine interest.

Idiot. What had he planned to say to her? He didn’t have a clue. He tipped his hat. “Sorry, ma’am figured you for somebody else.”

She tossed him a saucy grin. “My loss, cowboy.”

He hadn’t seen Jennifer since the ribbon cutting ceremony. She’d moved from Cade’s cabin into quarters at the resort. He’d called the resort but had been told she wasn’t in. She probably didn’t want to talk to him and he couldn’t blame her. He’d frozen her out like a Texas ice storm. He told himself he’d done it for her own good but he knew the truth. He was scared. Bone deep scared of hurting her the way he hurt Caroline.

A few minutes later, Rafe pulled into the ranch house driveway next to Linc’s car, and cut the engine. He wanted to spend a nice evening with Molly, watching one of her favorite movies. He wanted his daughter to be full of ain’t-life-grand again. He couldn’t wait to see Molly’s face when she realized he had come home early.

When Rafe stepped into the house, the sound of laughter, the clatter of dishes, and the murmur of voices echoed from the kitchen. Amid the conversations, Jennifer’s voice mingled in. Unbridled joy, irritation, contentment and you’d-better-run-like-hell tangled inside him. What was she doing here?

He plopped his hat on the hall tree and headed for the kitchen. Jennifer and Linc stood around the island, chatting. Molly sat on one of the bar stools with her new dog, Dixie at her feet, who looked up at his daughter with adoring, liquid brown eyes.

“Daddy,” she exclaimed jumping down from the stool and running to him.

He picked her up and she gave his neck a squeeze and looked at him with laughing, green eyes. “You’re home early. JC’s here.”

Rafe nodded at Jennifer with what he hoped was a neutral expression. A jumbled confusion roiled inside him like a dust storm. What was she doing here?

Even dressed in a t-shirt, cutoffs and sneakers, she radiated pure beauty and kindness. Her face was scrubbed free of makeup.

“Hi, Rafe,” she said. “I was invited tonight to celebrate the town winning the contest.”

“Yeah, we’re grilling steaks with all the fixings,” Linc said. “And I’m making twice-baked potatoes. And a special cake. How ‘bout a beer and a stroll down to the barn before dinner?”

Rafe still held Molly in his arms, and he looked down at her, then back at Linc. “Thanks, but I came home early to spend time with my best girl.”

Molly giggled. “Oh, Daddy.”

But first he needed to put distance between him and Jennifer. “What do you say we take a drive down to the pond and feed the ducks?”

“JC can come too,” Molly said. She turned to JC. “The ducks are so funny.”

Jennifer glanced his way for a moment, then turned her attention to Molly. “Well, I’d like to help get dinner ready.”

Molly’s face fell. “Oh, please come, JC. Please.” Her voice ended on a slightly high note.

“Go have fun,” Linc said. “I can handle this.”

Damn it, he had no choice but to let her come along. “Yeah, you don’t want to miss the ducks.”

* * *

On the way to the pond, Molly chattered non-stop, which turned out to be a blessing. It had been obvious that Rafe was surprised she was there when he got home and would rather she left, but she had been unable to turn down both the dinner invitation, and Molly’s plea to visit the ducks.

When they arrived at the pond, the sun lounged on the horizon and cast brilliant red, pink and orange color into the distant clouds. Molly grabbed the bag of bread crumbs and climbed out of the truck at record speed. Dixie ran by her side, sniffing the new ground, tail wagging. Molly stopped at the edge of the pond and called, “Hi ducks, I’m back. I brought you some food.”

The ducks, paddling about on the opposite side of the pond, swam swiftly over, quacking with duck joy. Dixie barked and wagged her tail at the sight of the ducks swimming toward them.

The air redolent with the scent of grass, dust and water, wove with the slight scent of fish and cat tails spearing upward at the edge of the pond. Cows grazed in the distance and every now and then JC inhaled a whiff of manure.

“Come on, JC. Feed the ducks.”

JC tossed bread crumbs, with Molly while Rafe leaned against the front bumper of his truck. Unable to tolerate his gaze boring into her back a moment longer, she handed the bag of crumbs to Molly and said, “Here, you finish up. I’ll be right over there with your dad.”

When she reached his side, she said, “I know you don’t want me here, but I had no choice. I couldn’t say no to Molly.”

“I never said I didn’t want you here.”

“You didn’t have to. It was written all over your face.”

“I never meant to make you unwelcome. I’m just trying to protect you that’s all.”

“Protect me? From what?”

“From me. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Her heart beat like a wild thing, along with her pulse. She desperately wanted to turn, declare her feelings, her hopes, her dreams, but she couldn’t. The man obviously didn’t return even an inkling of her feelings, she was sure of it not because he didn’t want to but because he was too damn scared.

A breeze fluttered a lock of his hair and the scent of man, sweat and soap drifted past her nose, and she couldn’t help but inhale. “I think you’re more scared of hurting yourself. You know, for a big, tough cowboy you’re a coward.” She looked toward Molly and Dixie by the pond, the ducks nibbling bread crumbs in a greedy frenzy of flapping wings and quacks.

He straightened and faced her. “Excuse me?”

“That’s right. You wear your fear like a hair shirt. You don’t have the guts to try again. You don’t believe in giving yourself a second chance. You screw up once and that’s it. What was it you said about after you get thrown off a horse you get right back on? You should practice what you preach. And just for the record, no one is in a marriage alone. There is fault on both sides. So whatever happened between you and Caroline it wasn’t all your fault.”

“Are you finished?”

She looked at him, feeling her heart trying to push its way out of her chest. He looked good and mad which was fine with her. She’d done all she could to win him over to her side and failed. So be it. “Yes, I’m definitely finished.”

A slice of the sun’s orange fire seemed to pause on the horizon, and a flash of heat lightning shimmered in the distance. “Good because we’d better get back.”

* * *

After dinner, Molly said, “JC, are you ready to help me wash Lucy?”

She grasped Molly’s hand. “I’m ready.” Without looking at Rafe she and Molly headed for the barn. They brought the white pony out to a concrete pad built along the west side of the barn with a hot and cold water spigot. JC helped Molly regulate the water to a comfortable temperature, then poured some shampoo into a bucket and filled it with water. They rubbed the soapy water over the pony from head to hoof then gave her mane and tail a good scrubbing.

Molly picked up the hose and slopped water over the pony’s white coat. Sudsy rivulets of water trickled down the pony’s sides and onto the concrete pad. Some of the water sloshed on JC as well but she didn’t jump out of the way. “Guess I need a wash, too.”

Molly laughed. “Oops, sorry. You always look pretty, JC.”

JC scooped some suds in her hand and blew them into Molly’s face. “You always look pretty too, especially with soap bubbles on your face.”

Molly giggled and wiped away the suds. “JC, I’m so glad you’re staying in Salvation.”

JC forced a smile she didn’t feel. She’d come over to tell Molly that she was leaving town. She should do it now and get it over, but Molly was so happy at the moment she didn’t have the heart to wreck her evening.

Once Lucy was thoroughly rinsed, Molly showed JC how to use the sweat scrape to remove the excess water before rubbing a thick towel over Lucy’s back.

JC ran a comb through the pony’s mane as a kaleidoscope of family dinners, dancing at the Round Up, and kissing Molly goodnight flashed through her mind. Molly and Rafe were the family she dreamed of but never had. In caring for Molly, she had put her own heart at risk by allowing herself to fall in love with not only Rafe and Molly, but a whole family.

A few minutes later, they settled Lucy back in her stall. JC straightened the pony’s summer sheet and secured a strap beneath the horse’s belly. Quiet filled the barn except for the occasional whicker from one of the horses and Lucy munching hay. Molly patted Lucy, and gave her a kiss on her soft muzzle then grasped JC’s hand. She looked up at JC and curled her index finger in a come hither motion. JC leaned down close. Molly kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for helping me.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

“That pony smells better than a bunch of Texas Bluebells.”

Molly giggled. “Daddy, you’re so silly.”

Yearning consumed JC at the sound of Rafe’s voice.

Rafe slid the stall door open and JC and Molly stepped out onto the alleyway. Wisps of hair stuck to JC’s neck, various stains decorated the front of her t-shirt and bits of hay and dirt clung to her sneakers.

Molly yawned and leaned against her father as they walked out of the barn and into the dusky evening. “Tired, punkin?” Rafe said. Molly nodded. “Run inside and I’ll be there in a minute.”

Molly looked at JC. “Will you read me a story before you leave?”

“I’d love to.”

As soon as the back door closed, Rafe stopped for a moment and turned. His blue eyes glimmered in the evening’s half-light, his lips curved upward. “Thanks for helping Molly.”

“No thanks needed. It was entirely my pleasure.”

A few minutes later, JC sat next to Molly’s bed reading her a story. Rafe leaned against the door jamb, the lamp casting a soft glow about the pale pink room. Dixie lay on the bed beside Molly, her white head resting on Molly’s legs.

“The princess ran down the stairs into the prince’s arms and they lived happily ever after.”

JC glanced at Molly. Her eyes were closed, her lashes soft as a butterfly’s wings on her cheeks, her face as sweet as an angel sleeping on a cloud. She hadn’t told Molly she was leaving and she couldn’t wake her up and tell her now. JC promised herself she would speak to Molly before she left town.

She closed the book, laid it on the nightstand and gave Molly a kiss on the forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

She left Dixie curled up on the bed and walked toward the bedroom door.

“JC?” Molly said behind her. “Will you come back and see me tomorrow?”

JC turned. Molly snuggled under the covers with a ragged stuffed horse in the crook of her arm. Molly had no idea she was planning to leave tomorrow, but she had to be honest, she couldn’t lie. She had to tell Molly face to face. “Yes, I promise, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Molly closed her eyes with a sigh and a little smile played over her lips. “Goodnight, JC.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

When JC tried to walk past Rafe, he laid a hand on her shoulder. She stopped, but couldn’t look at him. What if she betrayed her feelings? A lump grew in her throat. He placed two fingers beneath her chin and brought her face around to his. “For the record I’m not a coward.”

Rafe’s face swam before her vision, her eyes awash with tears. A terrible longing squeezed her aching heart. “Then prove it.”

He dropped his hand. “Drive careful back to the resort.”

* * *

JC climbed in her car and cranked the engine. A sob pushed into her throat, her breath grew weak. She had to leave Salvation because seeing Rafe, being invited to the ranch by his brother and visiting Molly, a little girl she adored, and could never be her little girl, hurt like a needle piercing her heart. But tomorrow she would say goodbye to the man she loved and his daughter.