A Montana Cowboy (12 page)

“Hey, Cassie— I haven't seen you in ages. You're pregnant! I didn't know.”

“Neither did I until after Logan died.”

“You look wonderful. How do you feel?”

“Frazzled. I need pampering, but this place is so busy I'll come back later.”

“No, no. I'll do your hair myself.”

“Really?”

“For a favorite customer, anytime. What do you want?”

“A shampoo and style.”

“Come on over to my chair.”

In a minute Cassie was draped in a smock. For someone else to do her hair was the height of luxury. “My kingdom to have my hair washed every day by you. This is heavenly, Mildred.”

“I hear you.”

“How's your daughter?”

“Rosie's fine, but her husband had to move to Billings so I've lost my helper. You don't know anyone who's looking for a part-time job, do you?”

Cassie gripped the sides of the chair. “What kind of work?”

“Running the desk, making appointments, taking the money. I usually come in at three to finish up the day, but so far no takers. Everyone wants full-time work. I don't blame them.” Mildred finished the rinse and wrapped her hair in a towel.

When Cassie sat up she said, “I might know someone who could do it until her baby's born.”

The older woman stared at her. “You need a job.”

She nodded. “For the next four months. After the baby gets here, I'll need it more than ever.” No one needed to know Trace's plans for the ranch. “I'll be out of a job in another month.”

“I don't get it. You're a Bannock.”

“Every Bannock I know works hard.” Except for Ned who treated work as a joke.

“You know what I mean, Cassie. For you to work in the salon...”

Cassie had met with this kind of mind-set before. “Tell you what, Mildred. I've put out feelers for work in several places. Even with a college degree, it hasn't helped produce results yet. If nothing pans out by morning, do you mind if I call you for an interview?”

“You're serious!”

“I am. I did the accounts, took money and handled reservations for hunters while Logan and I ran the Rafferty ranch. I'm friendly with quite a few of your regular customers. This job would be perfect since I'm an early morning person. By late afternoon I can go home and put my feet up the way the doctor told me to.”

“Tell
you
what. I won't hold my breath because I can't imagine you not getting snapped up by someone else. This job doesn't pay that well.”

“But you'll give me a chance if I phone you tomorrow? Provided you haven't found someone else?”

“We'll see. Between now and tomorrow anything can happen.”

At least Mildred hadn't said no.

After she left the beauty salon, Cassie went to the drive-through for a hamburger and a lemonade. On her way back to the ranch she felt energized after her talk with Mildred, who'd done a great job on her hair. If she hired Cassie and she could move into that apartment soon, she would have solved all her problems for a while.

Trace was at the root of her guilty turmoil. Earlier today when he'd grasped her arms, she'd felt desire for him arc through her body again more intense than at the lake. To experience such a yearning this soon after Logan's death filled her with sorrow over her weakness. She couldn't allow it to go on happening.

Once she was out of Trace's house for good and they didn't have to see each other again, maybe she could forget how he made her feel.

When she reached the house, his Explorer was gone. Thankful for the respite she hurried inside, eager to get busy and put up the last of the strawberries. But when she walked into the kitchen and read the note Trace had left on the table, she had to sit down so she wouldn't fall.

Cassie—

I should never have left you alone when I knew Bud was coming over. It won't happen again. For your information, Mr. Walker has been told I'm looking for a family man who plans to be a full-time rancher.

Can I count on you to hold down the fort for a while? After hearing from Nicci again, I've decided nothing can be resolved over the phone so I'm flying to Italy and talk to her face-to-face. I don't know how soon I'll be back, but with you in charge I have no worries.

The guys know my plans and they'll check in on you to make certain you're all right. If there's any problem at the ranch, call my father and he'll take care of it. My main concern is you. Please take very good care of yourself and that baby.

T.

Cassie sat there in a daze. What was it Mildred had said? Anything can happen between today and tomorrow. She struggled for breath. Trace was on his way to Monfalcone.
He's in love with Nicci
. From the looks of it, he would be married before long and probably live in Italy after all.

Whatever feelings Cassie struggled with, they were on her part, not his.

She ran to the bedroom and buried her face in the pillow, heedless of her pregnancy or her new hairdo. His note had left her in complete limbo.

* * *

T
HE
WHITE
T
ORNIELLI
VILLA
gleamed in the sun. One of the staff told Trace he'd find Nicoletta by the pool. He wanted to surprise her and made his own way beneath the purple bougainvillea overhanging the portico to the deck.

He found her lounging in a minuscule black bikini. She wore sunglasses and was talking on the phone, probably to her friend Bianca. If she was in pain, it didn't sound that way to him. She hadn't seen him yet. After a month's separation, the sight of her playing with the strands of her black hair should have excited him. She was at once so familiar to him.

All that animation bequeathed from the genes of her dynamic family was in evidence. Nicci was a beautiful creature of her unique environment. But Trace had been away from her and removed from this world for quite some time. He knew in his gut that to take her out of it would kill the part of her that was so scintillating. The part that had drawn him to her.

The fact that she still couldn't bring herself to fly to the United States meant she understood herself well and had done both of them a great favor. Their separation had given her second sight, too. Unless he came to her and melted into her world, they wouldn't work.

“Nicci?”

She turned her head and threw off her sunglasses.
“Caro!”
But she didn't come running yet. Instead she got up off the lounger and took in his Western shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. Her dark brown eyes played over him. “I don't recognize you like this. You've turned into a Montana cowboy.” Her strong Italian accent made her words sound so charming in English.

“I'm afraid this is the real me. For ten years I forgot.”

Nicci looked lost. He couldn't blame her. “What do you mean?”

“When I joined the Air Force, I was running away from my past because I was in pain.”

“Your parents' divorce did that to you.”

“Yes. You've never known that kind of pain. You have an intact family. But since I've been home, my past has caught up with me. I never really wanted to leave it.”

Her eyes filled. “So what are you saying?” she cried. “Are you glad that laser almost blinded you?”

“With hindsight I can say yes because it brought me to my senses sooner. I've come to tell you that I've decided not to take the position at the Air Force Academy. Ranching is what I love to do.” When he realized what Lamont Walker planned to do with his property, Trace had had an epiphany. He didn't want anyone living there but him. “If you could live with me on the ranch and like it, then I could see us getting married because I love you, Nicci.”

She shook her head. “I love you, too, but I don't want that kind of life,
Caro.
”

“I know, and I respect you more than you can imagine for being totally honest with me. Our happiness depends on it. I owe you so much. That's why I'm here so we could say these things to each other in person.”

“I'm remembering what you told me about your mother. She never liked being a rancher's wife.”

“It's true. Ranch life isn't for everyone.” But there was one person he knew who loved that life.

Visions of Cassie had been in his mind from the first time he'd seen her in the garden. Though she was still in mourning for Logan, she loved every minute of her time on that ranch. She'd been born into a ranching family.

After hearing her tell him what Lamont Walker had intimated and how'd made her cringe, Trace had been more than annoyed. In truth, he'd felt like decking the guy before the two men had driven away. His feelings for Cassie had grown so strong, they refused to go away.

“As long as we're being truthful, why did you never want an engagement with me?”

“Because I knew I could never work for your father. Not that he isn't a fine man, but I have to be my own boss.”

“But I'm talking before your injury,
Caro
.”

“Maybe because of my parents' history, in my subconscious I was afraid of commitment.”

“What are we going to do?” came her plaintive cry.

“Marriage isn't the answer for us, Nicci.”

“But I can't bear to lose you. I'll get dressed and we'll go to your hotel.”

“I didn't check into one.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn't think it would be a good idea.”

“Since when? Something about you has changed.” She moved closer and slid her arms around his neck. “Kiss me,
Caro
. It has been such a long time.”

In ways it had seemed like an eternity since they'd made love. He pulled her close and kissed her, but the driving passion he'd always felt for her was missing. To his shock he found himself wishing it was Cassie in his arms. She'd been so shaken by that lowlife Bud had brought out to the ranch, Trace had wanted to kiss her until she forgot everything else and clung to him.

As gently as he could, he removed Nicci's arms from around his neck and kissed her hands. “I'll never forget you, Nicoletta Tornielli. Meeting you, knowing you, was the best thing to happen to me after I was deployed here. You brought happiness into my life when I didn't think it could be found. I wanted to marry you, but our dream wasn't meant to be. You have to know I enjoyed every minute of it. Now I have to go. A taxi's waiting for me.”

She looked stung by his words. “You planned to leave so soon?”

He nodded. “We both know it has to be this way.”

“After flying all that distance, why are you in such a hurry to get away from me?”

“This is difficult enough without prolonging it, don't you think? Do we really want to make things harder on ourselves?”

A silence surrounded them. “You've met someone,” she accused quietly, summoning his guilt.

“Nicci...”

“You have! I can feel it. Who is she?”

This was one time he wished Nicci didn't have such an intuitive nature. “Give my best to your family. They're wonderful people. As for you, I want your happiness more than anything in the world.”

The tears trickled down her cheeks. “You haven't answered me.”

“Goodbye, Nicci.” He kissed her cheek.

Her perceptive comment trailed him as he headed for the portico and hurried outside to the taxi. Contrary to what he'd thought, driving away from Nicci and the villa wasn't the traumatic experience he'd expected. Trace's mind went over his session with Dr. Holbrook.

His expert advice to straighten things out with Nicci first had cleared Trace's emotional vision. Instead of more pain at seeing her again, he was filled with a sense of wonder over the relief he felt that this chapter in his life had come to an end. A whole new world awaited him back in Montana. A familiar world he'd tried to put behind him during his time in the Air Force, but he hadn't succeeded.

You're going home, Trace.

On his way to Montana, he'd make a stop in Colorado Springs to let the brass know he wouldn't be taking the teaching position after all. Once that was done, he'd head for Oregon to see his mother. Dr. Holbrook told him he needed to get rid of his anger for past hurt if he really wanted to heal, more advice Trace intended to take.

Then he'd return to White Lodge and have a big talk with his father. It was long past time Trace begged his forgiveness for being so blind.

What an irony that it took his eye being scarred by a laser to see what had been right in front of him all the time.

On Wednesday he flew into Billings, realizing he'd been gone a week. His feelings were so different from the first time he'd looked out the window two weeks ago, he couldn't believe he was the same person. The excitement missing before was in full evidence now. He picked out familiar landmarks that told him he was home. Everything he held dear was down there. Everyone...

Once he'd landed and gathered his suitcase, he picked up his car in the long-term parking and headed for White Lodge. He'd phoned his father from Portland and had asked him to meet him at the ranch at two in the afternoon. It was important.

Sam was already there on the front porch of the house reading a magazine, no doubt the latest veterinarian medical journal. Cassie's car was gone. Knowing her, as soon as his dad told her Trace would be arriving, she'd taken off so she wouldn't impose. For once he was glad she wasn't there. This gave him private time with his father.

He pulled to a stop and levered himself from the front seat. His dad got up from the swing. Trace took the porch steps in one leap and embraced his father. Tears smarted his eyelids.

A surprised laugh came out of Sam before he let him go. “What's this all about? A goodbye hug because you've decided to marry Nicci and live in Italy? Is that why she isn't with you?”

“Dad? We've got a lot to talk about.”