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Authors: Stella Bagwell

The Ranger And The Widow Woman (12 page)

BOOK: The Ranger And The Widow Woman
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“Maybe your son is just getting older and more settled.”
“Charlie is nearly thirty. And he’s always been a settled man. Even as a teenager he wasn’t the sort to sow wild oats or flit from one job to the next. Far from it,” she said, then laughed softly as though to tell herself she needed to lighten up. “Charlie always knew he wanted to be a Ranger.”
As Violet watched the older woman dump a diced tomato into the salad bowl, she thought about all Justine had said.
“Does Charlie talk to you much about his job?”
Justine moved down the countertop to the gas range and stirred a pot of cheese sauce. “Some. He doesn’t go into details. But Roy and I know something happened on a case a few months back that really affected him.”
“He hasn’t told you what it was?”
Justine shook her head. “Just that everything went wrong, and he felt as if it were all his fault.”
Of all the things Justine had said about her son, this surprised Violet the most. Charlie seemed so self-assured, so confident. The last thing he appeared to be was a man possessed with guilt. She’d rather think a woman was his problem.
“Are you sure your son isn’t troubled over a girlfriend? Or maybe he’s gotten involved with a married woman and doesn’t want you to know about it,” Violet said.
Grimacing, Justine waved her hand through the air. “Oh well, Charlie’s love life is a whole other story. The woman he wanted left him flat. Now he swears up and down...”
Suddenly her words trailed away and she looked at Violet as though something altogether different had struck her mind. Then with a shake of her head, she said, “I really shouldn’t be telling you all this. Charlie wouldn’t like it if he knew I was discussing him with you or anyone. Besides, you have enough problems of your own. And Charlie is going to have to figure his out on his own.”
She motioned for Violet to join her at the gas range. “Have you ever cooked
rellenos
?”
Violet was glad the woman was going to change the subject. She didn’t want to hear about Charlie’s troubles, or pain or sorrows. It was easier to let herself believe he was the tough, unshakable Ranger, who chased down the bad guys.
Shaking her head, Violet said, “No. My late husband didn’t like Mexican food, so I never tried my hand at cooking it.”
Justine smiled broadly. “Well, I’m no chef. But I can show you a few things.”
A few minutes later the two of them were immersed in frying the long, breaded peppers when a light knock and a voice sounded behind them.
Violet turned to see a young woman about her own age walking into the kitchen carrying a covered plate. She was tall and slender, and her hair was a vibrant shade of red.
“Anna!” Justine exclaimed, then quickly went to her and kissed her cheek. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d already headed back to Santa Fe.”
Smiling, the young woman shook her head. “Not without seeing Charlie first! I couldn’t believe it when Mom told me he was home!” She handed Justine the covered plate. “Mom wanted you to have some of her carrot cake.”
“Chloe actually baked!” Justine exclaimed. “My sister never bakes.”
“I cajoled her into it,” she said, then glanced to Violet who was still trying to tend to the frying peppers. “Hello,” she said amiably. “worry for intruding. I’m Justine’s niece.” With a little laugh; she walked over to Violet. “Actually I’m her half sister, too. But legally I’m her niece. She’ll tell you the story sometime. Are you here with Charlie?”
This young woman was certainly forthright, but she was equally warm and friendly, and Violet liked her immediately.
“I guess you could say that.”
“This is Violet, Anna. Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Very!” She quickly snatched Violet up in an affectionate hug. “Oh, I’m so glad Charlie has finally found a woman. He’s needed you for a long time!”
Violet’s mouth fell open. “But I—”
“I know, don’t tell me. He hasn’t asked you to marry him or anything. But don’t worry, he will. Charlie’s never brought a woman home with him before. You
have
to be special!”
Violet turned her openmouthed stare on Justine. The older woman merely laughed.
“Forgive her. She’s like my daughter, Caroline. A hopeless romantic.”
Laughing, Anna kissed Justine’s cheek again, then headed out the back door. “Sorry to dash in and out so quickly but I’ve got to be back in Santa Fe tonight.”
“Charlie’s down at the barn,” Justine told her.
“That’s where I’m headed. See ya!”
The kitchen seemed absurdly quiet after the door shut and the young woman was gone. Then suddenly Justine let out a little squeal and hurried to the deep-fry pot on the gas range.
“The peppers!”
“I’ve been watching them,” Violet assured her. “I think they’re okay.”
With a pair of tongs Justine pulled up one of the peppers from the boiling oil. The breading was a beautiful golden brown. She looked at Violet and smiled. “They’re perfect. I believe I’ve found a cooking partner.”
 
 
Charlie was quiet at dinner, but Sam made up for it by reciting everything he’d seen and done down at the barn, including having Anna push him in the wheelbarrow and playing with three dogs.
Violet was immensely relieved to see her son enjoying himself, yet she was also worried. She had no idea what lay ahead of them once they left the Pardee Ranch. But wherever or whatever life they found, she knew it would surely be a letdown to Sam after all this.
After supper and the mess was cleared away, Charlie announced they had to be getting back to the cabin. As they prepared to leave, Justine gave Violet a ledger, a box of statements and receipts and a few simple instructions as to what she needed done.
“It won’t be any problem at all,” Violet assured the woman as they all walked outside to Charlie’s pickup. “Thank you, Justine, for supper and the cooking lesson. And the job,” she added, glancing down at the ledger and box she was carrying.
“You’re more than welcome,” she said, then looked over at her son, who was letting down the tailgate of the pickup. “I’m glad you came, too, Charlie.”
“Thanks, Mom. Tell Dad I missed him,” he said to his mother. “And that I’m taking Buster home with me for a few days. I need a watchdog around the place.”
Charlie let out a low whistle. Three collie dogs suddenly appeared from the shadows and lined up at the back of the pickup.
“Maybe you should take Jane or Judy. The girls are much better watchdogs,” Justine suggested.
Charlie shook his head and tried not to notice Sam was hugging the male dog’s neck as if he were his greatest friend.
“No. The girls will go off hunting on their own. I’ll take Buster. He minds better.”
Laughing softly, Justine took hold of the collars on the other two dogs. “Obedience,” she said to Violet. “You’ll probably notice that’s a necessary commodity to Charlie. He hasn’t yet learned it doesn’t work on women, though.”
Charlie grunted at his mother’s remark. “Maybe that’s why me and women don’t mix.”
“I know,” Justine replied fondly, but wearily. “You’re the Lone Ranger.”
Charlie kissed his mother’s cheek. “He was a good guy, wasn’t he?”
She smiled up at him and patted his arm. “Only the best. Like you.”
Violet couldn’t help but notice that he dismissed his mother’s praise as though it bothered him or as if he felt as if he didn’t deserve it.
“Load up, Buster,” he said abruptly. “We’ve got to get home.”
The dog instantly obeyed and jumped up into the pickup. Charlie fastened the tailgate back in place, and the dog’s tail wagged wildly at being the chosen one.
“Buster goes for months without seeing you. But he never forgets you,” Justine remarked as she watched the dog do his best to lick Charlie’s hands.
Beside Violet, Sam began to jump up and down on the toes of his tennis shoes. “Charlie’s taking Buster home with us! Buster is gonna go to our house, Mommy! Oh, boy!”
Home. Our house
. Violet didn’t know if Justine or Charlie noticed her son’s choice of words, but she certainly did. And it made her more resolved than ever to leave as soon as she could. Sam had already had enough turmoil in his life without having to be uprooted once again.
Later that night after the three of them had made it back to the cabin and she’d helped Sam to bed, she found Charlie sitting in his regular spot on the front porch.
He glanced up with surprise when she offered him a cold glass of iced tea. “I didn’t ask for this.”
Did the man never have anyone simply offer him something without him asking for it first, she wondered. Did he never have a woman around to spoil him with little comforts?
“No,” she agreed. “But it’s still hot this evening. I thought you might enjoy it.”
His eyes narrowed skeptically, and for a moment Violet felt like dumping the whole glass over his head.
“Don’t worry,” she drawled in a dry voice. “This isn’t part of a seduction. It’s not filled with some sort of aphrodisiac. It’s simple tea, ice and sugar. I thought you especially needed the last ingredient.”
“Are you this smart with all the men you’re around?”
He plucked the glass of tea from the small tray, and Violet eased down into the chair next to him.
“I try not to be around men if at all possible.”
He glanced at her to see if she was teasing. When he saw she wasn’t, he said, “You’re not a man hater.”
If any woman had a right to hate men, it was Violet. But oddly enough she didn’t hate them. She didn’t even dislike them. She supposed there was still a part of her that hoped and yearned for a man to love her. Really love her with all his heart and soul. Not the halfhearted love Brent had given her.
She sighed. “No. I don’t hate men. I guess I said what I did because...well, it’s easier for me not to have to deal with them.”
“Do you miss your husband?”
She couldn’t believe he asked such personal things in such a blunt, forthright way. And once again she wondered if it was the Ranger in him or simply his no-nonsense personality that made him shoot questions at her.
“Sometimes. I miss Sam not having his father. And I miss...” Her words trailed wistfully away as her eyes scanned the dark desert hills in front of them. “I miss the way things used to be.” She turned her gaze back on Charlie, and something in his face, some wounded, needy look in his eyes drew her to him. And she realized she had to share at least a part of herself with him. No matter what it cost her in the end.
“Used to be?” he asked. “You mean before your husband was killed?”
She shook her head. “My...uh, my marriage was ending when Brent was killed. A few weeks before his plane crashed I’d gone to a lawyer and filed for divorce.”
“I guess you’d think it impertinent if I asked why.”
Violet stared into the glass of tea she was clutching with both hands. Charlie would probably never see her the same way again, but she couldn’t stop her confession now.
“Brent had been having affairs. It was something that started about the time Sam turned two. Of course, each time I found out, he appeared to be remorseful about his behavior. He would always promise it would never happen again and beg me to forgive him. But he...always seemed to find another woman he couldn’t resist.”
Charlie didn’t say anything for long moments. Violet forced herself to swallow a mouthful of tea in hopes it might ease the tightness in her throat.
“Why did you stay with him so long?” Charlie finally asked.
One of Violet’s slender shoulders lifted, then fell. “Because he was a very good father to Sam. And maybe—I don’t know—maybe a part of me kept hoping he really would change.”
“You say he was a good father, but what about being a good husband to you?”
She turned a mocking look-on -him. “How could he be a good husband when he was seeing other women? Or are you one of those men who think it’s okay and acceptable to keep a mistress on the side?”
“I think if a man is crazy enough to get married, he’d better make damn sure she’s the only woman he’ll ever want. In my opinion adulterers are lower than swine.”
She let out another long sigh. “Actually Brent was a good husband for the first few years we were married. But after Sam...I don’t know what happened. I’ve asked myself, a thousand times over, what I did wrong, what I didn’t have that made him seek out those other women. Over and over I blamed myself for not being woman enough to keep my husband home. I guess...I just wasn’t capable of being a mother and a wife at the same time. But that’s all over with now, and I guess I’ll never know.”
Charlie watched as she took another long drink of tea, then place the glass on the floor beside her chair.
She believed the past was over and done with, but he could see it was still eating at her self-regard. What manner of man could have left this woman and turned to another, he wondered. What sort of bastard could have hurt her so deeply? And not just once but many times over?
BOOK: The Ranger And The Widow Woman
11.4Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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