Cowboy's Bride (20 page)

"You helping or just sitting?" Charlie asked
as he paused in one trip from the truck's cab to the trestle set up
for the men.

"Helping." She scrambled from the truck and
threw herself into the work.
Still, she absorbed everything.

Searching, she found Trace.
He looked hot
and tired.
Even from this distance, and over the other noise, she
heard him swear when a calf kicked his thigh.
Was she attuned to
his voice?

When Charlie banged the metal trash can top
as an announcement the meal was ready, several men came over to the
trestle and served heaping plates.
The rest continued to work.
When
the first group was done, another bunch replaced them.
The process
was repeated until everyone had eaten.

Kalli talked, laughed and asked a million
questions.
Everyone was willing to tell her all she wanted to know
and then some.
She enjoyed meeting her neighbors, enjoyed their
banter and jokes.
The only dark spot was the way Trace avoided her.
But she tossed her head and smiled at everyone else.
No one would
guess her heart felt bruised and battered.
Least of all Trace
Longford.

* * *

Three days.
Trace watched the last of the
calves move slowly toward the camp.
They'd finish today if he had
to keep them at work until midnight.
He couldn't keep seeing her
every day and not speak to her, touch her.
These had been the
longest three days of his life.
He saw Kalli every time she came
near.
She was always cheerful and friendly.
Half the cowboys
working had a crush on her already.
She knew just what to say, just
how to be friendly without crossing any lines that would lead to
further expectations.
Bob and Tom thought she was great.
The food
she'd ordered and served couldn't compare with anything Philip had
served over the years.
It was tasty and plentiful.

And she ignored him as if he had been
invisible.

Which is what he wanted, he told himself.
He
knew they had no future, but dammit, it hurt.
He wanted her to talk
to him, flirt with him.
Miss him.

He didn't like the way she flirted with the
other men.
Of course, others might not see it as such, but just
looking at a man with those bright dark eyes of hers, just grinning
at someone as if she was sharing a private joke that only the two
of than knew—hell, things like that could get a man thinking
thoughts be had no business thinking.

Trace knew he ought to ride right up to
where she was now and let Rory Jefferies know that Kalli would be
leaving soon.
Make sure Bob and Tom warned their single cowboys
about falling for a city girl who was here as part of a fantasy and
would be leaving at the first sign of trouble.

But he kept away, afraid he'd lose what
little control over his temper he had and punch one or another of
the men right in the face.

He frowned, urging his horse toward the
small band of cows and calves coming down the hill.
He'd worked as
hard as anyone these last few days.
Tried to exhaust himself so
he'd sleep at night.
But he only remembered Kalli sleeping with
him.
How soft and sweet and feminine she was tucked up against him
in that bed of hers.
How fragrant she smelled, like a woman, not
like a stinking cow or a bleeding calf.
Her voice was full of
laughter and excitement.
Not grumbling and swearing like
cowboys.

Hell, he didn't want anyone looking at her
but him.
And there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it.
He
kicked his horse and tried to outrun his thoughts.

10

Kalli struggled with the heavy saddle.
She'd
rigged up a cross hitch near the corral, set a sturdy wooden box
beside it.
Using that, she gained enough height to heave the saddle
across the horse's back.
Now to cinch it up.
It wasn't easy, but
she wanted to see some of the roundup from horseback.
And they said
today would be the last day.
Her ankle was better.
Even standing on
it for long stretches while serving meals these last couple of days
hadn't caused a problem.
Time to see a bit of the action from the
back of a horse.

She yanked up on the cinch for all she was
worth, then flipped down the stirrups and reached around for the
reins.
She unhooked the cross hitch.
Still on the box, she stepped
into the saddle and settled herself.
She'd done it.
Just another
example of how Yankee ingenuity paid off.
She didn't need anyone
saddling her horse for her anymore.

"So, want to show me what a good cow pony
you are?" she asked as she kicked the gelding lightly with her
heels.
He began walking toward the open fields.
She urged him into
a faster gait until they were loping toward the camp.
In only a
couple of minutes the thundering roar of horses sounded as she
crested the hill above the branding site.
She spotted Trace, Josh
and Jose riding hell-for-leather straight after a fleeing group of
calves.
Smiling, she drew up and watched as they turned them,
slowed them and headed the recalcitrant group to the camp.

Urging her mount forward, she intercepted
Trace as he drew near the branding site.

He drew up and watched her ride to him.

"Hi," she said brightly, ignoring the fact
he hadn't spoken to her in a week.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to take part in the roundup.
I'm
tired of cooking.
I want some of the action."

"You don't belong here.
You don't have the
first idea of what to do.
It's dangerous, Kalli, not some
picnic."

"I believe it’s still my ranch.
And my place
to participate in my roundup.
You're in charge, what should I do?"
Jutting her chin out, she glared at him.
She would not be sent home
like a child!

"Jose!" Trace roared, calling the young man
as he cut out a bawling calf.
"Ride with Kalli, show her the
ropes." Trace touched the brim of his hat and rode away without a
backward look.

Turning her horse toward Jose, Kalli tried
not to let the hurt take hold.
But it was impossible.
After a week
of not speaking, he'd treated her like a disliked acquaintance.
She
hated that!

"Hi, Kalli.
I was just getting ready to
bring in another bunch.
Come on and I'll show you how." At least
someone was glad to see her, she thought as she partnered with
Jose.
At least she’d get some experience in.

* * *

"Cows are dumber than dirt," Kalli mumbled
as she shampooed her hair a second time, letting the hot water
course over her aching body.
"Almost as dumb as a certain cowboy I
know," she said, getting the last of the dirt and grit from her
long hair.
Chasing calves and separating than from their mothers
had proved much more difficult and dirty than she would ever have
suspected.
Dust almost an inch thick had covered her.
Her ankle
ached again from staying in the saddle as the cutting horse had
darted and turned, doing his job.
Her arms were weak from swinging
ropes.
And she had lasted only four hours.
Those men did it day in
and day out, all day long.
No wonder Trace's muscles were so
well-defined.

Paired with Jose, she had little time to
seek Trace out.
But she caught glimpses of him during the
afternoon, and found his eyes on her from time to time.
Refusing to
let him know how his reactions were confusing her, she smiled each
time, pleased to note his frown when he realized she'd seen him
before he returned to whatever task he was doing.
At least he
wasn't indifferent to her.

"Dumb man," she said as she shut off the
water and snatched a thick towel to dry with.
What game was he
playing?
If he thought he was going to chase her away to get her
ranch or get her to leave, he was dead wrong.
She didn't think he
was thinking at all.
Just reacting.
What had caused his distant
attitude?
What had changed, that last night?
She had thought their
lovemaking had been spectacular.
Had she said something to offend
him?

As long as she lived she would never
understand the male of the species, she thought as she drew on a
loose caftan.
She turned on the hair dryer and began to dry her
hair, puzzling on the mystery of Trace Longford.

His warm hand covered hers and flicked off
the dryer.
Startled, Kalli spun around.

"You scared me to death!" she said.
But the
fear vanished instantly when she saw him.
He was covered in the
dust and mud and blood from the branding.
His face was worried.

"We've got a man injured.
Can you look at
him?
We might need to call an ambulance."

"Of course.
Where is he?" She followed Trace
to the kitchen where she saw a young man propped up in one of her
chairs.
Blood was coursing down his face.
His shirt was torn and
bloody.
Josh and Bob Marshall supported him as he sagged against
them.

"What happened?" Kalli asked as she hurried
to the injured man.

"Ran into an irate mama cow," he said,
trying to make light of the serious situation.

"Looks like she won.
Can you men put him up
on the table?
It'll do for an exam.
Josh, run to the bunkhouse and
get that first-aid kit we got a couple of weeks ago.
Bob, help me
get his shirt off.
Trace, can you run the water until it's hot, but
not so hot it burns?" Calmly Kalli directed the men on the various
tasks she wanted done as she assisted the cowboy onto her dining
table.
Kalli's training and work as an emergency nurse stood her in
good stead.
She worked swiftly and efficiently.
Grateful she'd had
the foresight to get Charlie to purchase a large industrial
first-aid kit on his last visit into town, she knew she had enough
supplies for emergency first aid.
Now to see the extent of the
injuries.

As she worked and joked with Jerry Williams,
the injured man, she was conscious of Trace's eyes on her.
He
leaned against the wall and watched her work, watched as she joked
and washed away the blood.
Watched as she assessed the extent of
damages and made a call to the local hospital.
Watched as she
bandaged the injured man and helped Bob and Josh get him to her
spare room.

"Get a night's sleep and then we'll see how
you feel.
If everything's fine in the morning, you're free to go.
The cut didn't even need stitches, and if you don't show signs of a
concussion, I declare the altercation a draw," she said as she
eased a light blanket over him.

"Sorry to be so much trouble," he mumbled,
giving in to the pain pills she'd given him.

"Not a bit of trouble.
I've missed nursing,
didn't realize how much until right now.
I'll check on you during
the night.
If you wake and need something, call me.
I'll leave the
door open."

Kalli thanked Bob and Josh and followed them
to the kitchen.
Trace had gone.
Bidding them good night, she set
about cleaning up the mess.
When her kitchen was set right, she
wandered out to the front porch and sat down.
Most of the trailers
were gone now.
The roundup had ended, the calves were branded, and
the herd was turned loose to graze until fall.

Kalli watched as the stars came out,
piercing the dark blanket that hid the mountains from view, that
blotted out everything in its vast expanse.

Slowly she began to think it was time to let
go.
She couldn't have everything she wanted.
And wanting alone
didn't make it possible.
She'd given it her best shot, but some
things were just not meant to be.

In the morning she'd deal with it.
But for
right now she wanted to sit on her porch and think and remember.
Tears blurred her vision as she blinked frantically to clear her
eyes.
She loved him so much, ached with the knowledge he didn't
want her.
She wanted to stay with him, build a future together.
But
he only wanted her land.
Slowly she rose and went to bed.

* * *

Kalli checked on Jerry several times during
the night, wakening him to make sure he didn’t have a concussion.
He promptly fell back asleep each time.
Upon waking in the morning,
he insisted on getting up and going home.

"Though I appreciate all you did for me,
ma'am," he said as he finished the last of the eggs she prepared
him.

"It was the least I could do, you did so
much for me with the roundup.
I'm only sorry you were injured
helping out.
As soon as I'm dressed, I'll give you a ride
home."

"The boss said he'd send someone," Jerry
protested.

"No problem, I have to go into town for some
things anyway.
I'll be ready in a few minutes."

The next three days Kalli spent hours on
horseback, seeing every inch of the ranch.
Each night she'd soak in
the tub, after spending hours at the computer, trying to keep her
muscles in some sort of working order.

She heard nothing from Trace.

The spring roundup was over, the new tally
of cattle official.
She baked about a million cookies and took them
as a thank-you to each of the ranches that had helped.
She met Mary
Margaret Hyden and agreed to go to dinner one night.
She met Bob
Marshall's wife and four children and agreed to meet them at church
on Sunday.

She arranged to sell her hay when she
harvested it.

Still she heard nothing from Trace.

Kalli called her parents and discussed
things with them for a long time.
Feeling slightly homesick, she
was glad for the opportunity to talk to them, get their input on
what she was doing.
Two of her brothers called and she regaled them
with all the benefits of ranch life, only admitting at the end that
she missed them terribly and wanted to see them again, soon.

Evenings Kalli sat on her porch.
Watching
the sun set behind the Tetons, she gathered her feelings close and
rejoiced in her ranch.
She loved Wyoming.
She felt its peace and
wonder pervade, wash through her like a blessing.
She thought long
and hard about her future, about ranching and about Trace.
Mostly
she thought about Trace.

Finally her mind was made up.
On Wednesday
morning she drove to town to see Richard Strominger.

It was afternoon by the time Kalli returned
to the Triple T.
She'd thought it through for days and made her
decision.
Now the plan was in motion.
Before long, she was sure,
she'd hear from Trace Longford.
She only wondered what she'd
hear.

Two days later Kalli was in the kitchen when
the knock at the door caught her unawares.
She'd been so caught up
in her thoughts, she hadn't heard anyone arrive.

Becky stood in the doorway when Kalli opened
it, her face pale.

"Can I talk with you, Kalli?" she asked,
looking bewildered.

"Oh, honey, anytime.
Come on in."

Suddenly Becky burst into tears.
Kalli
reached out and drew the child to her, enfolding her in her arms.
Becky was as tall as Kalli, but she didn't let that bother her.
She
rocked her as they stood in the doorway, smoothing her hair, gently
crooning to her, wondering all the while what had happened to make
the child so upset.

"It's my fault," Becky sniffed after a
moment, obviously trying to get herself under control.

"What is, honey?
What's got you so
upset?"

Becky just sobbed.

As a nurse, Kalli had experience soothing
distraught relatives.
She knew what to say, how to say it, and
gradually Becky's weeping stopped.
With her arm around Becky's
shoulders, Kalli led her to the table and pressed her down into a
chair.