A Maverick's Heart (6 page)

Seth took a break, sobered by the tragedy that had taken the life of someone dear to people he had come to like a lot. Would any gems he might find be worth possibly raking up bad memories for Lila? On the other hand, he could do some initial exploration without explaining anything to her. After all, she hadn’t expressed an interest in what he did for a living.

Pocketing his notes, he thanked the librarian. Rather than go directly to seek information on permits, he elected to stop at the sporting-goods store.

He initially picked out a youth mitt and several baseballs. He stood in an aisle testing bats when a passing clerk said, “You must have a son or daughter starting Little League next week.”

“No. These are for a friend.” The man’s casual comment pricked Seth’s conscience, causing him to again ponder what it’d be like to have a child to guide in ball playing and other activities. He pictured a baby he’d watch grow. For that to happen he’d have to set down roots. He grimaced, thinking of two of his serious girlfriends. Both were married with families now.

The clerk continued to hover. “Do you want the high-end bats that some parents are buying?”

“Not at the moment. This boy’s mother asked me to stick to a budget.” He added two adult mitts to his stack. “Can I leave these at the counter while I check out backpack oxygen tanks and masks?”

“Sure. If you’re planning to dive in any of our lakes, you’ll need a wetsuit.”

Seth shook his head. “Not necessary.” Reluctant to admit he might be descending into an abandoned mine, he ignored the clerk’s obvious interest. He owned top-of-the-line equipment he had stored with a friend in Italy who, since he’d married, had given up gem hunting. Trailing the clerk to where masks and packs were displayed, Seth spared a minute to wonder why, when women loved gems, they’d be dead set against the process it took to find and bring them to the earth’s surface. He quickly counted the number of buddies he’d lost to love and marriage. More than a few needled him about letting love pass him by. All seemed perfectly happy working other jobs.

He wouldn’t mind finding someone special, but what else did he know? His college degree was in geology, but most of those jobs required travel, too.

Finding the right aisle, he focused on the small display. He picked up a mask, put it down and dusted off one that came with a headlamp. If the same clerk checked him out, that item would be a dead giveaway as to his intention. Although caving would be another sport requiring this gear, he had no idea if any caves, charted or uncharted, existed here. The minute he decided to buy this stuff, he realized on some level he’d already hoped to have a look-see at Opportunity Mine.

He added the mask with the lamp to his purchases. Next he’d go to the courthouse to apply for a permit. It was always possible he couldn’t get one. Maybe he ought to wait to buy the equipment. But it was too late; a clerk had started to ring him through. The older man at the register didn’t question why Seth wanted a separate check for the ball gear. He thought he’d better have it because he was sure Lila would insist on reimbursing him.

At the courthouse a short time later, a clerk told him the Rainbow Mine was in receivership. The Opportunity Mine had become property of the state, which sometimes happened when mining went bad. If a mine no longer produced, no company wanted to pay property taxes on useless land.

“Thanks for the information,” he told the helpful clerk. “I’ll fill out a permit request to explore the mine owned by the state. Any idea how long it may take to get through the system?”

“I’ll fax it to the department in Helena. Summer has higher demand for permits. It’s still early, though. You could hear back in three weeks or so. You’ll get a letter that’ll include a permit or a rejection. If rejected, they’ll tell you why.”

“Three weeks works. I haven’t decided how long to stay and visit my family, but I’ll be here that long for sure.” Because he’d arranged with Zeke prior to his visit to receive his mail at the ranch, he wrote their address on his permit request. Doing so made him feel a little guilty, as if he were hiding something from Lila. Again he reminded himself that dealing in finding and selling expensive gemstones was how he made his living.

Semisatisfied with his day trip, he elected to look at the ball field where Lila said League games were played. He climbed from his vehicle to survey the park. It looked like every other small ball field. Open bleachers. Worn tracks to the bases. A bent mesh fence behind the catcher. Perimeter lights for night games. All suitable for nine-to twelve-year-old kids.

Next he stopped for a late lunch at an Old West restaurant boasting a lot of cars in its parking lot.

While eating a steak burger, Seth wished he could think of a gift for Lila. He was reasonably sure she didn’t currently have an important man in her life. But he didn’t know that for certain.

He considered buying her flowers and recalled seeing a flower nursery on the outskirts of town. Although maybe cut flowers were too intimate. He could buy a potted plant. But would she see that as making more work for her to remember to water it?

After lunch, he pulled into the nursery—just to look around.

“May I help you?” a woman called. She stood at a table arranging cut flowers in crystal vases.

“Is it okay if I browse? I’m not sure what I want yet.”

“Wander to your heart’s content. I’m making arrangements for a wedding reception. I’ll be here if you have questions or find something.”

Seth strolled aimlessly among pots. He paused at a table of violets and remembered in Boston his mother had a row of different kinds on her kitchen windowsill. He thought Lila had salt and pepper shakers on hers.

Beyond the violets he spotted blooming rosebushes. He could picture one on Lila’s porch bringing color and welcome to her and her guests. He liked red, but then spotted a bush with a profusion of salmon-colored buds. They would look really nice against the weathered-gray siding of the house. The container, too, was made of wood. Beautiful but not too fancy. Pleased with his decision, Seth picked up the rosebush and carried it to the front of the store.

“Ah, you found something.” The flower lady dusted her hands on her apron and motioned to the counter where there sat an old-style cash register. “A very nice choice,” she said, peeling the price off the bottom of the wood. “Would you like me to tie a satin bow this same shade around the pot?” she asked.

“Thanks, but I’ll take it as it is,” Seth told her and handed over his credit card. “It’s not for any special occasion. I just think it’ll look nice by the front door.”

“The roses have only recently come out of our hothouse. We shouldn’t have another freeze this late in the spring. But one never knows. If the weather turns, set the pot inside and you’ll be all right.” She smiled as she rang up his purchase and gave him the sales slip to sign.

The first thing he did after parking in his usual spot beside the bed-and-breakfast was to set the rose next to Lila’s front door. He descended the steps again and admired it. The bush looked exactly as he’d imagined, inviting and colorful.

He checked his watch and saw he’d wiled away most of the day. Even if Lila left the café shortly after it closed, he still had a good hour or more before she and Rory got home.

Going to his room, he changed out of his slacks and boots and into jeans and sneakers. He had plenty of time to take Ghost for a run and still tape the handle of the wooden bat he’d bought Rory.

* * *

S
OME
FORTY
MINUTES
LATER
, he was sitting on the top porch step taping the bat handle to ensure a better grip, when Lila drove in. The other guests had stopped by, bubbled over with news of the fish they’d caught and how delighted Doreen Mercer had been to get them. The women in the foursome admired the rosebush. Seth had smiled at their delight and also chuckled because neither of their husbands had noticed the potted plant.

Rory didn’t, either. He zeroed in on the bat in Seth’s hand and the ball in a mitt on the porch. “Oh, wow. Oh, wow,” the boy shouted, running up the few steps to shed his backpack and plop down next to Seth.

“Are these mine?” he asked, his eyes huge and his freckles standing out against his pale face.

“They are. And it’s still light enough for us to try them out,” Seth said, glancing at Lila, who moved at a much slower pace toward the steps.

“Kemper has green bats,” Rory announced, touching the sleek, dark wood of the bat Seth had taped and was now tearing off the excess and smoothing the edges down.

“This one is made of solid hickory,” Seth said. “It meets all League regulations. Some pro ball players still prefer wooden bats.”

Lila had reached the steps. She shifted her purse to the other shoulder and seemed to take in everything before stepping up. “Oh...oh...that rose is beautiful. Where did it come from?”

“I passed a nursery after I left the sporting-goods store. The rose called to me,” Seth said, deliberately making light of the agony he’d gone through to choose it.

“It’s perfect there,” she said, her eyes shining with tears. “I don’t know why I never thought to buy something to decorate the porch. It’s the very touch needed to greet guests. I’ve no idea what it cost, Seth, but you must let me reimburse you for the rose and Rory’s equipment.”

“The rose is a gift.” Seth’s tone brooked no argument on that score. “Hey, why don’t you change into jeans and come toss the ball around with us until it gets dark?”

“I, uh, c-couldn’t,” Lila sputtered. “I need to cut out baby layettes—that’s my project for my women’s group to sell at the next bazaar. We’re raising money for a snowy owl refuge.”

“At most we have an hour of light.” Seth pulled two adult mitts out of the sack tucked behind the porch railing. “I took the liberty of buying you a glove.”

“Please, Mom.” Rory begged her with his eyes, too. “You used to play with me, or read, or do puzzles. You never do anything now ’cept work.”

Seth knew the moment she capitulated. Her smile slipped and her shoulders bowed. “I, uh...let me feed Ghost and change. You guys start without me.”

“I took Ghost for a run and I fed him,” Seth said. “He could come out, but maybe we should break in this new ball first. Another day we can show Ghost he only gets to chew on Rory’s ratty old baseball.”

“Sure. Thanks for feeding him,” Lila said, bending to sniff a rosebud. She slanted a happy smile at Seth that had his heart beating faster before she went inside.

“Come on, Seth. I can’t wait,” Rory shouted, all but hopping up and down when Seth handed him a blue leather outfielder youth glove. “This is cool. Cooler than Kemper’s brown glove. After we practice, if Mom lets me, I’m gonna phone him.”

Seth left the smaller of the two adult gloves on the porch for Lila. He put on the larger one and massaged the new ball a few times. “Let’s leave batting practice for another day. Tonight we’ll get the feel of throwing and catching a ball.”

Nodding vigorously, the boy ran to the side of the house where Seth had first seen him tossing his old ball in the air. Rory turned to face him and Seth gave an easy toss. The ball bounced in and out of Rory’s new glove and hit his head.

“I missed it,” he said ruefully as he rubbed his forehead.

“Let the ball come down to your level instead of reaching for it,” Seth instructed. “It’ll take time to get used to the new glove. Gently squeeze the ball the instant you feel it touch the mitt. Cover it with your free hand so the ball stays firmly in the pocket.”

“Nobody told me that before.” Rory threw the ball to Seth.

It went wild and he had to dive for it. Then he took a minute to show Rory the right way to throw from his shoulder, not his elbow.

The boy said, “This is good. At recess no one wants me on their team ’cause they say I throw like a girl.”

“That’s not nice,” Lila said, letting the door slam as she emerged from the house. She scooped up the spare mitt and made her way to them. “Tell your friends some girls throw better than boys, and they can run faster, too.”

“She’s spot-on,” Seth declared and tossed her the ball, which she caught neatly.

Lila gave Rory a soft toss, which he held on to. The success had him dancing excitedly.

Following a few more good catches, Seth noticed Lila relaxing and smiling a lot. And she looked darned appealing in snug jeans and a T-shirt. A thought he savored more and more as they continued to play even after the sun dipped low and evening shadows threatened to end their outdoor time.

Lila, though, acknowledged the fading light. “Hey, guys, as much fun as we’re having, we almost lost that last ball in the dark. Time to call it a night.”

“Aw, Mom. I’m really getting the hang of closing my mitt around the ball like Seth showed me. Can we throw a few more? Please, please, please?”

She shrugged. “Two more rounds then we’re done.”

Rory threw to Seth. He had to back into a row of bushes to catch the ball. He tossed underhand from that distance to Lila.

Seemingly out of nowhere swooped a giant bird directly over Seth’s head. He ducked and cringed as the flapping bird skimmed his hair to catch the ball in its talons.

Then the thief flew off with his prize.

Rory jumped around bawling and bellowing, “Stop. Stop him. That bad owl took my brand-new ball.” His screech ended in copious tears.

Lila, who’d dropped to her knees to escape the snowy owl’s path, reacted to her son’s howl. Leaping up, she ran to his side and gathered him against her.

Coming closer, Seth circled both of them in his arms, one hand cupping the back of Lila’s head. “Rory,” he said calmly, “I bought three balls. Don’t cry. Think about the story you’ll have to tell at school tomorrow. That was awesome.”

Clutching at Seth, Lila concurred. “Right, Rory. Do you remember Auntie Myra telling us how an owl tried to fly off with Orion? Tomorrow we’ll laugh when we think how upset the bird will be to discover the leather he stole isn’t covering anything good to eat.”

The boy dried his eyes on Seth’s shirt. “It’ll serve him right.” He snuffled. “Auntie Jewell told my class one time that snowy owls mostly hunt food out in the fields. I’ll pay you back for the ball, Seth.”