Valentine's Cowboy (6 page)

She heaved a put-upon sigh and shook her head. “My partners don’t like the idea and won’t even seriously consider it. So I’m here far away from their squashing influence to ponder the dream by myself.”

“Does the dream include buying a B&B in Maui and moving here? I saw a number of bed and breakfast brochures on your coffee table,” he asked, oddly not liking that idea at all. It wasn’t like he would see her often back in Kansas, where they both lived. But maybe every few months he might head up to Kansas City and take her out. If she were agreeable to the idea, that is.

“It’s beautiful here and tempting, but no. I just wanted to find the time to look at one or two while I’m here.” She caught sight of the large number of cars parked along the sides of the road and then bent forward to look toward the beach. “Dale told me this area is known to be one of the best places in the world to windsurf. He windsurfs, too, and he’s been teaching Shelby.”

Sam hazarded a glance toward the water where waves rolled steadily in one after the other. The water looked nearly as crowded with windsurfers as the roadsides were with cars. He scowled. “Riding crazy waves on some kind of board with a sail on it. Darting around almost out of control. The sport looks damn dangerous to me.  I don’t think I much like her learning that.”

“She’s a big girl. She can handle it. Besides, Dale wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

He snorted. “Shelby’s from Kansas. She’s never been around water all that much. Doing something like this is too dangerous. I’ll tell her that the next time I see her.”

“When are you going to stop being her protector? Let her live her life without giving her a rough time about it?” Valentine pressed, what sounded like fury in her voice.

He scowled at her, noted the sparks of anger flashing in her eyes. “I’m not her protector. I’m her big brother, and have been practically her parent for a hell of a long time.”

Her body was stiff as he listened to her counting to ten under her breath. “Counting? Really?”

“It’s calming. Okay?”

“You don’t look all that calm.”

She rolled her eyes and snapped, “Did you ever think you were being a little too strict with Shelby? Keeping her too close to home? Not letting her try things, figure out what she wanted.”

“You’re stepping into an area that isn’t any of your business, Dr. Hart.” He didn’t like to think about what he might have done wrong in raising his sister. He’d done his best. He’d loved her, and, truthfully, he’d been scared ever since she learned to drive that he might lose her, too. “Being a parent, even a substitute one, is damn hard.”

She gave a curt nod and appeared to swallow down another comment he probably wouldn’t have wanted to hear. “Truce, okay?” she asked through gritted teeth.

He nodded, although he could have sworn she added “For now” under her breath.

They drove on silently for a few miles, but she evidently couldn’t stand the silence. She quoted from some brochure she must have read. “This drive to Hana has 617 curves and 56 one lane bridges, which I understand we’ll need to be careful on. You can’t always see very well around the curves.”

He was a good driver, especially after having dealt with the results of what had happened as a result of the risky driver who had taken his parents’ lives. He’d keep his eyes peeled for the dangers, but he wasn’t into brochure conversation.

“I’ve a got a dream of my own, a long-range goal. I’m having a hell of a time getting a start on it, like you.” He wasn’t sure why he was telling her this, but the words just came out.

“Expanding the ranch?” She studied him curiously.

He shook his head and an annoying curl of hair fell onto his forehead. He brushed it back with one hand. “I need a haircut, bad.”

“No,” she protested, blushing when he glanced in her direction. “Sorry. I kind of like your hair the way it is, a little shaggy.”

He wasn’t sure what to think about that, but he liked the comment anyway. “I like your sassy ponytail, too. ‘Course I liked your hair hanging free as well. All nice and silky soft.”

Now she didn’t appear to know what to say in response, so she changed the subject. “Your dream doesn’t involve the ranch?”

He hadn’t shared his dream with anyone besides the elderly veterinarian in town. Not even with Jake, not since Sam had been forced to quit college all those years ago. He hadn’t seen any point in sharing something that was so far out of his reach. But he found himself saying, “I’ve got a chance to take over the main veterinary office in Crowley. That’s the town closest to the ranch.”

She swiveled in her seat as much as possible. “You’re a veterinarian? I didn’t know that. Shelby never mentioned it.”

“I’m not.” Bitterness twisted in his gut and traffic held his attention for another mile. “I’ve wanted to be one since I was a kid. I’ve always had a way with animals. A real interest in taking care of them.”

“So why haven’t you pursued this dream?” She held up a hand to stop him from answering right away. “Sorry, I’m not always this slow. You took over the ranch at twenty or something, didn’t you? You had to keep it going in order to financially take care of Shelby.”

Sam focused on the pair of sharp curves ahead. As always, it pained him to even think about the one thing in life he wanted so badly. Talking about it was even worse. He’d resented having to take over the ranch, the same ranch he and his father had argued about many times. His father intended for him to take over the ranch when he retired. He’d told his father he wouldn’t do it. They’d argued about the decision so damn many times.

He gritted his teeth, tightened his hands on the steering wheel. Shelby hadn’t heard any of those arguments, thank God. She didn’t know how much it had hurt him to end up doing just as his father had wanted all along. But, in spite of his resentment concerning the ranch, he’d tried to never let her see how he’d felt. She’d loved growing up on the ranch and was a real horsewoman. He’d always hoped that one day she would eagerly take over the role of ranch owner. Yet another hope of his evidently shot to hell.

Frustration ate at him. He needed space. He needed out of this damn tiny Jeep. A faded sign on the side of the road just ahead mentioned a totally impossible for him to pronounce name of an historical church down a side road. A quick decision had him turning down the lane.

“It’s time to get out for a bit. I need to stretch my legs.” He glanced at her. “I figured since you’re obviously into history stuff that this might be a good spot to do so. I’ll unwind, and you can go look around.”

Valentine was worried about Sam. The conversation had come to a crashing halt and she almost regretted even bringing up the ranch and dreams. Almost. It was pretty clear to her that he needed to talk about this whole veterinary matter. It meant something to him, even now after having supposedly given up the dream twelve years ago. It upset her that he hadn’t trusted his sister enough to share something this important with her. The man needed to talk, to vent. She was a professional listener, someone trained to hear people share their innermost feelings and accept their venting. She would use her skills, even though he might resent her for it.

They pulled up next to a small church, built in 1853 per the sign. The instant he turned off the engine, he practically leaped out of the Jeep. He strode briskly away from the church toward a spot that overlooked a valley and some kind of crop fields. He stood stiffly, as if fighting back things he didn’t want to think about…as if fighting some kind of personal demons.

“Why haven’t you ever told Shelby about this veterinary interest of yours?” Valentine asked, moving up behind him. She knew he had to have heard her approach, but he refused to look at her.

“What good would it have done?” He said the words hollowly, hopelessly.

She touched his arm and the muscle beneath the shirt jumped. “Sam—”

He shifted away. “I couldn’t do anything about my dream. I couldn’t manage the ranch and go to vet school at the same time. Hell, I was only twenty-two when it all fell apart, when I had to grow up damn fast.”

She ached for him. Twenty-two was awfully young for so much responsibility. And she knew it was a lot of responsibility, because the Thompson Ranch was a big one. She’d heard the pride in Shelby’s voice when she talked about her home. This big, sad cowboy had done an amazing job of not only keeping the ranch going, but also in expanding it into one of the most prosperous ranches in the state. She honestly didn’t know what to say at the moment.

“That dream has always stayed with me. I never figured I’d have a real chance to even pursue it. Now I’m being handed an unbelievable opportunity to make it come true.”

He looked at her, pain in the depths of his brown eyes. “But I can’t abandon the damn ranch. It’s been in the Thompson family for over a hundred years.” He drew in a deep breath. “I’ve got to convince Shelby to take it over. The place is as much hers as it is mine, as much her duty as it is mine.”

His jaw tightened. “She’s being stubborn about the matter.”

She felt sorry for them both. “Of course you have a right to your dream. But Shelby has a right to hers as well. Running the ranch is not her dream,” Valentine pointed out, reasonably she hoped.           

He looked accusingly at her. “She was never this stubborn until she started having talks with you! We got along damn good. You’ve filled her head with all this independence stuff. Now she doesn’t understand loyalty to family.”

Valentine bristled and narrowed her eyes in disgust. “You’re such an idiot! Blind to only what you want to see.”

“Want me to leave you here in the middle of nowhere?” he bit out, waving around him.

“You wouldn’t do that and we both know it.” At least she hoped he wouldn’t drive away without her.

He started back to the Jeep and she ran after him. She stood between him and the driver’s door, pulling in air. She was out of shape. “And you think your sister is stubborn!” She pulled in another breath. “For your information,
Mr. Thompson
, I did
not
change your sister’s personality. She
did not
suddenly become obstinate or independent because we had a few sessions.”

“I’ve never seen much use for you psychiatrists, at least not when it came to pushing your services on people who don’t need them. Like Shelby.” His nose wrinkled in obvious distaste for her occupation. “She’s always been levelheaded. Always respectful. Hardly ever gave me any grief growing up.” He glowered at her. “Until
you
messed with her head.”

She was tempted to punch him right smack in the nose, but she’d probably break her hand. Instead she called upon her dwindling patience. “I am
not
a psychiatrist. I am a professional romance therapist. I don’t
mess
with people’s heads. And I don’t
push my services
on anyone.” She was reconsidering punching him now.

He had the good sense to look uncomfortable. “Exactly what the hell is a romance therapist? Do you teach people about sex? Find out why they’re not getting satisfied or something?” He shook his head. “That’s plain old pitiful.”

She stretched to her full height and still only went nose to shoulder with him. “Have I mentioned what an idiot you are?”

“Watch it, darlin’. I wouldn’t mind busting your butt again.”

Immediately her buttocks tightened. Still, she refused to back down. “You can—and will—do what you feel you must. I’m positive of that. Suffering a few hours from a sore bottom doesn’t make me cringe in my sandals, cowboy. It won’t make me stop trying to correct the error of your thinking.”

“Give it your best shot, but I’m reserving the decision about giving you another spanking.”

She was almost too annoyed with him to even try.

After a few seconds, she said, “I never discuss what goes on between my patients and me. But let me make this clear. I do
not
teach lessons in sex! I work with clients to help them find release for their suppressed feelings in relation to romantic harmony in life.”

She looked pointedly at him. “Maybe you could stand a few sessions, about romantic harmony. Not about suppressed feelings, because you express them pretty well.”

“I don’t even want to think about my baby sister and sex, romance, or romantic harmony.” He shifted uncomfortably. “What I do know is that since Shelby released whatever ‘suppressed feelings’ she was suffering, there’s been nothing but disharmony in our lives!”

The semblance of calmness she’d seen in him for a minute had disappeared. Fury sparked in his expressive eyes again. “She won’t even discuss the ranch issue anymore. She told me you said it was okay with her to focus on what she wanted to do with her life. That the ranch was
my
problem alone.”

Before she could comment, he pinned her with a heated look. “I’ve never once had a woman complain about my romancing. Fact is I can give a woman a hell of an orgasm.”

Her thoughts immediately headed down a path they shouldn’t be going. She fought to ignore his last comment and think back to what she’d said to Shelby. She didn’t remember putting it exactly the way he’d accused her of doing. But there was the chance Shelby had gone with her own interpretation of their talk about the ranch and Sam.

“I don’t think I quite said the ranch problem was all yours. But, Sam, have you ever really considered your sister and her dreams in all this decision about the ranch?”

His shoulders stiffened, but he remained silent.

“You’re torn because of what you want to do. But I’m pretty sure you haven’t listened at all to what Shelby wants to do! And it isn’t just Shelby’s desires that matter in her life anymore. She will soon have a husband and they will make decisions together.”

His chest rose and fell in deep, sharp breaths. His face had reddened and his mouth had tightened. She saw it all and worried about him. He’d faced so much in his life, and it seemed that maybe this particular hurdle was too much for him. She knew deep down he would never hurt Shelby or risk losing their relationship forever. But right now he was on the edge, because his own dream seemed even farther away than before. He needed a temporary release for all that pent up frustration. And, darn it, she could only think of one easy way for her to help him. She really should get some kind of good merit badge for what she was about to do.