Buch lesen: «A Valentine For The Cowboy»

Chapter One

“Hey, Brianna—I keep telling you I wish you’d come home. You could never be in the way. When you said you wanted to stay with Aunt Joanne and Uncle Clark in Montana, I thought you’d only be gone a few weeks. It’s now been six months!”

“I know.” She looked at the Cattlemen’s Association calendar on the wall. It was already the twenty-seventh of December. “But I’ve been doing well here working for them. I like being busy and was afraid if I came home for the holidays, I’d be overwhelmed with memories and I can’t deal with that yet.”

The car crash that had killed her beloved parents seven months ago had been so devastating that Brianna was amazed she’d survived this long.

“I hear you,” he said in a mournful voice, “but I want you to realize that Carol and I miss you more than anything.”

“I feel the same way.” But Doug, her elder brother, who was as blond as she was and sounded like their father, had only been married to his longtime girlfriend a few months before their parents had been killed. They were now running their parents’ fruit farm in Marysville, California, and making a success of it. This early in their marriage they shouldn’t have to worry about Brianna. Not when they’d had so much responsibility thrust on them.

The aunt and uncle she adored and who’d been so close to their family had never been able to have children. They’d begged her to come and live with them for a while.

“If you stay away any longer, you’ll probably forget you have an older brother.” He was twenty-seven to her twenty-three.

“Don’t be silly. I love you to death and promise to fly home soon.” The nearest airport was in Missoula, a half hour away from Stevensville. An hour if the roads in midwinter were bad. According to her uncle, this winter hadn’t hit them too hard and business had been good. Today was a beautiful day with a lot of sun that had brought in the customers.

Four or five times a year since she was a little girl, Brianna had come to Montana with her family to visit her aunt and uncle. They often took in a rodeo because her father and uncle once did bull riding themselves and Brianna loved it. In fact the three of them were going to the Stevensville rodeo tonight. While she stood there swamped by sweet memories, she heard the front door open. It was closing time, but she hadn’t locked up yet.

“Doug? I’ve got a customer. I promise to phone you next week and we’ll have a good talk after I’m off work. Give my love to Carol.”

“Will do. Talk to you later, sis.”

Brianna hung up. An attractive male, probably in his late twenties, had just come into Frosts’ Western Saddlery, one of Stevensville’s oldest and most well-known stores. They sold everything cowboys and cowgirls could possibly need. A lot of men young and old came in all the time, but she’d never seen this guy before. He had light brown hair and wore a gray North Face half-dome hoodie and jeans.

His hazel eyes twinkled as they fastened on her. “I can see you’re new here. Where’s Clark?”

“He left for home ten minutes ago.” Their ranch house was only a mile away. “What’s your name? If it’s an important matter, I’ll call him and tell him you’re here.”

“I’m Roce Clayton, but please don’t bother him.”

That name caught her attention in a hurry. “One of the legendary Claytons?” The Clayton Ranch was one of the oldest and most famous ranches in the Bitterroot Valley. It lay between the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains outside Stevensville. What a coincidence! Brianna was planning to drive there later to visit the Sapphire Mine Gem Shop owned by the Clayton family.

“Well, now, that all depends.” His smile made her chuckle. “What’s your name?”

“Brianna Frost.”

She could hear his mind working. “You’re Clark’s niece!”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I’m a vet. I’ve taken care of their dog, Taffy, for the last year.”

“Aha. So that’s where I’ve heard your name.”

“He just called me to take a look at her. I’m afraid her hip is bad.”

Brianna loved that dog. “She’s getting worse.”

“It’s a shame. You know, whenever I make a visit, all he talks about is you and your brother.”

“You poor man.”

“Not at all. I heard about your parents’ death. Clark took losing his brother very hard. I can only imagine the pain you’ve suffered. I’m so sorry.”

His sincerity touched her. “Thank you.” She cleared her throat. “I understand your father passed a little while ago, too. My uncle really misses him. It couldn’t have been an easy time for your family, either.”

“You’re right about that. He died thirteen months ago. Thank Heaven my mother is still alive. My older brother Wymon is head of the ranch now, but, between you and me, we’d all fall apart without her.”

Tears stung her eyes. “I know what you mean. You’re lucky to have her.”

“That’s for sure, but I don’t see her often enough.”

“Why is that?”

“I work at an animal hospital in Missoula and only come home when I can take an odd weekend off.” He gave her a half smile. “Anyway, I just thought I’d drop in to buy a pair of driving gloves while I’m on my way to the ranch.”

“For yourself or someone else?”

“For me.” He gave her the size. “My old ones are falling apart. Maybe I’ll pick up a pair for my mom, too.”

“We’ve got some great gloves.” She walked him over to a display case and showed him several styles. He found the gloves he wanted and went back to the counter to pay for them.

After handing him the bag she said, “If you’re going to the ranch, could I follow you? I’ve never been there and I want to visit your family’s gem shop. Uncle Clark wants to give my aunt a gift for their wedding anniversary coming up next week. I told him she’d love a ring. I’d like to see what’s available.”

“Then you’re welcome to trail me.”

“Thank you so much. Let me just grab my jacket and purse from the back, then I’ll meet you in front.”

After she’d locked up, Brianna stepped outside and was greeted by clear blue skies, the temperature hovering around a chilly thirty-four degrees. She climbed into the Ford pickup her uncle let her drive. It helped that the sun had melted the ice on the windshield. Roce Clayton waved to her from his black Escalade and she followed him down the snow-packed road in the direction of the ranch.

He seemed like a great guy—it was too bad she wasn’t attracted to him. While Roce had been buying his gloves, she’d noticed he didn’t wear a ring. With a smile like his and his classic good looks, she figured he wouldn’t be single much longer. Her brother had been like that. Attractive and sweet. Carol had fallen for him in high school. Brianna hadn’t found that kind of connection with anyone yet.

She’d had a series of boyfriends in college, but she’d never been in love before. Not really. Her feelings toward the guys she’d dated had never been that strong. Brianna’s mom had told her, “When you meet the right one, you won’t have to wonder. You’ll know it in every atom of your body.”

She let out a sigh and followed the car in front of her around a curve in the road. Light glinted off the magnificent snow-capped mountains studded with pines. It really was a spectacular drive. Five more miles and they reached the entrance to the Clayton Ranch with its tall arch of antlers. Somewhere on their property was the entrance to an old sapphire mine.

Her uncle had told her stories about the first two Clayton brothers, who’d hailed from Lancashire, England. In the late l800s they worked and slaved to bring a big herd of Texan longhorn cattle to Montana, where they bought land and built their business into one of the most successful ranches on the western side of the state. They also bought mining rights as sapphires had been discovered throughout these mountains. Apparently Elias, the elder of the two brothers, neither married nor had children, so the legacy came through Wymon. The present-day Clayton brothers all had old English names to preserve their heritage, Roce being one of them.

She tried to remember the other brothers’ names but failed. She thought she would ask Roce when they arrived at the ranch. The Sapphire Mountains were looming closer, and she figured they mustn’t be far now.

* * *

THE SECTION OF the Sapphire Mountains known as Gem Mountain was also called the “Quiet Giant” because it had produced over l80 million carats of sapphires over 120 years, yet it didn’t receive a lot of publicity. According to Brianna’s uncle, people in the early part of the twentieth century used to dig for larger sapphires that could be polished and sold for a lot of money. The fractured stones were sold for industrial purposes and many of them were shipped to Switzerland to be turned into watch bearings.

After World War II the rock hounds came. The Claytons had sapphire gravel brought out of their mine and they opened their own gem shop. People would sift through the material and often find a special sapphire to buy. Today you could still visit the mine, but it was much easier to shop at the store owned and run by Roce’s mother, where you could see the sapphires on display.

Brianna’s thoughts were still concentrated on finding the perfect sapphire for her aunt when the large, two-story ranch house sitting at the base of one of the foothills came into view. When the Escalade pulled up in front, Brianna slowed to a stop and waited for Roce. He got out and walked over to her.

She lowered the window. “Your ranch is fabulous.”

“It is to me because it’s home.”

Home. How would it be to go back to Marysville and find her parents there? She could only hope that one day she’d stop hurting so badly.

“I’ll go inside and find Mom. Be right back.”

“It’s okay. I’m not in a rush.”

She expected to wait a while, but to her surprise Roce came back out in no time. “I just spoke to the housekeeper, Solana. It seems Mom decided to take advantage of this warm break in the weather and went up to the gem shop this afternoon.”

Brianna smiled. “I guess thirty-four degrees in Montana in December is warm.”

He grinned back. “Yup. Why don’t you get in my car? I’ll drive you and bring you back here. It’ll be easier than giving you directions.”

“If you’re sure, that would be great.”

“Of course.”

She climbed down from the cab and got into the passenger side of his car. Her aunt and uncle had been so wonderful to her that she really hoped to find a stone that her uncle would be excited about to give his wife.

* * *

AFTER WORKING ALL day in the winter pasture, Eli took care of his horse and then left the barn and drove his blue rattletrap of a truck down to his house to shower and change his clothes. He made himself a couple of peanut butter sandwiches before leaving to pick up his daughter at the main ranch house. The ranch foreman, Luis, and several stockmen waved to him from a distance.

When Eli pulled up to the house, he saw an unfamiliar Ford pickup truck parked in front. It could be someone here to talk business with Wymon, except his brother’s truck wasn’t around. Neither was the Land Rover.

Anxious to give his little girl a hug, he hurried inside, but no one seemed to be about. There weren’t any voices coming from the front office. No patter of little feet. He walked through the foyer and down the hall to the kitchen where he found the dark-haired housekeeper at the sink, washing vegetables.

“Solana? Whose truck is out in front?”

She looked over her shoulder. “Roce came home from Missoula and brought a woman with him. I suppose they’ve gone up to the gem shop in his car.”

Whoa.

Maybe his brother had finally found the perfect woman to settle down with. He’d certainly had his share of girlfriends over the years. Roce had probably invited her to tonight’s rodeo. Their brother Toly and his partner, Mills, were competing in the team roping event. “Did you meet her?”

“No.”

“Where’s Mom?”

“She took Libby to the shop with her. They’ll be back soon.”

He checked his watch. “She’ll need to be since we’re leaving for the rodeo in an hour and a half. Are you sure it won’t put you out to watch Libby while we’re gone?”

“Of course not. I love her.”

“She loves you, Solana. Even so, I’m trying to find the right person to take care of her so you and Mom don’t have to shoulder the whole load. Libby’s my responsibility after all.”

“Stop your worrying,” the housekeeper said. “We’re happy to help.”

“And I appreciate it,” Eli said. “But I want you to know that I am looking.” Now that his daughter was fourteen months old, she was a real handful. His mother insisted that taking care of Libby helped her deal with her husband’s death, but it was still hard work and no one knew that better than Eli. “I’ll drive up there and relieve her.” He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge to wash down the sandwiches and went back out to his truck.

After starting the engine, he took off up the road past the barn and outbuildings, but a great weight had descended on him. It wasn’t fair for his mother to be taking care of Libby when she’d already raised four sons and had found fulfillment running the gem shop. Though he was trying to be a good father and pull his weight on the ranch, his guilt about the impossible situation was growing heavier with every passing day.

Sadness filled Eli’s soul when he thought about his ex-wife, who’d become too ill to raise their daughter and had suffered a nervous breakdown. He’d loved Tessa and they’d had a good marriage. Yet after the baby was born, she’d become a different person. He fought hard to keep their love alive and would have done anything to make their marriage work.

When she’d said she wanted a divorce, he was shattered. The word itself—the whole painful thought of it—was the last thing he’d wanted to hear, but she didn’t relent. It left him with no choice since her happiness had to come first. Paying for it had been costly.

He’d been saving money to pay for a woman to watch Libby. But it couldn’t be just any woman. She’d have to be a saint! Could there ever be a replacement for Eli’s mother? She was so wonderful with Libby, but it pained him that she couldn’t spend more time at the gem shop she owned and loved while she was taking care of his daughter.

Before he reached the shop at the base of the mountain, he spotted Roce’s Escalade parked in front next to his mother’s Land Rover. He shut off the engine and climbed down, eager to take his little girl back to his house. She’d become his whole world.

As he opened the shop door and felt the warmth envelop him, he saw his precious Libby in the arms of a shapely woman in a light-colored sweater and jeans standing at the counter talking to his mother. She had to be Roce’s girlfriend. There was no sign of his brother. Where was he?

Eli couldn’t help staring. She had the kind of otherworldly gossamer hair he’d always longed to run his hands through. While he was still mesmerized by her, Libby saw him and called out, “Dada!” His brunette daughter started squirming to get to him.

He moved toward her as the woman turned around. Eli was almost blinded by eyes that were the same deep blue as some of the sapphires in his mother’s shop. Libby reached for him and hugged him around the neck, breaking the spell that had held him captive.

“All the light bulbs have been replaced.” Roce’s voice came from the back room. He emerged and gave their mother a kiss. “Hey, bro.” He smiled at Eli. “How are things going? Libby gets bigger and cuter every time I see her.”

“I think so, too,” he muttered, caught totally off guard. “She’s my little cowgirl. Aren’t you, sweetie?” After kissing her cheek, he eyed his mother. “Thanks, Mom. Just so you know, I’m headed home. If you’re going to the rodeo with us, you need to be at the ranch in an hour.” On that note, he headed for the door.

“Wait—don’t forget this.” His mother held up Libby’s little parka.

He’d forgotten because he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Eli reached for the coat and put it on his daughter, aware of the younger woman’s engaging smile.

“Bye-bye, Libby.”

He suffered another shock because his daughter smiled back. “Bye.”

Their exchange trapped the air in his lungs because Libby had never said that word before. Once back at the truck, he fastened his daughter in the car seat and started down the mountain road.

Eli knew he’d been rude to leave like that. So rude, in fact, that he hadn’t even answered his brother’s question about his welfare. But the sight of Libby in that woman’s arms had jolted him. Normally his daughter wasn’t comfortable with strangers, but she’d seemed perfectly content with this one just now.

As for Eli, he hadn’t been involved with another woman since meeting Tessa two and a half years ago. After a quick marriage and early pregnancy followed by a divorce, he’d devoted his life to Libby and had lost all interest in women, or so he’d thought.

So what in the hell had just happened to him? He’d stood there helplessly assessing her attributes as if he’d never seen a beautiful woman before. What made it worse was the fact that she was Roce’s girlfriend.

Had his brother noticed Eli’s behavior?

Of course he had! Roce didn’t miss anything.

Damn and damn.

* * *

BRIANNA TRIED TO concentrate on the reason why she’d come to the shop in the first place, but the arrival of the little girl’s gorgeous daddy had brought a tension she couldn’t shake. Was it anger she’d felt as he pulled his daughter away from her?

She’d offered to hold her while Mrs. Clayton showed her the sapphires. The little fourteen-month-old was so adorable and Brianna had loved entertaining her. Yet the father had seemed anything but pleased. Brianna wasn’t exactly pleased, either.

Not only had she felt a strong and immediate physical attraction to Roce’s brother—something that rarely happened to her just by looking at a man—it wasn’t until he was putting the parka on his daughter that she noticed he wore a wedding ring.

Life played mean tricks on you. Roce Clayton didn’t wear a ring, but he hadn’t caused her heart to race when they looked at each other.

Time to snap out of it, Brianna.

After a moment’s hesitation, she chose the stone she loved the most from one of the trays. “Can you set this dark pink sapphire aside? My uncle will come to pick out the setting he wants and pay for it then. Will you be open Monday evening? He can be here by six. Their anniversary is on Wednesday.”

“We’ll take care of all of it on Monday,” Mrs. Clayton said, smiling kindly. Brianna could see where her two sons got their good looks. They all bore a resemblance to each other.

The pretty dark-blond widow whose short hair was cut in a becoming style also possessed a charming nature and was wonderful with her granddaughter. She turned to Roce. “I’m ready to go if you are.”

“See you back at the house, Mom.” After he gave Libby a hug, they walked out to his car and started down the mountain.

“Thank you so much for bringing me here. I found exactly what I wanted for my uncle. Your mother is so knowledgeable about these stones. It was fascinating listening to her.”

“Dad had the gem shop built for her to run. What started out as a hobby turned into a career for her. Over the years she’s made quite a name for herself. She brings in business from all over the country.”

“With your father gone, I’m assuming it has become even more important. She’s a lovely woman and her granddaughter clearly adores her.”

He nodded. “Dad fell for her the first time he saw her.”

“That’s so wonderful. It was the same with my brother and his wife. Love at first sight.”

He grinned at her. “I would say it doesn’t exist, but then I see it happen to other people all the time.”

Brianna was thinking the exact same thing. Her mind flickered back to Roce’s brooding brother. Did he have a fairy-tale love story, as well? When they reached the ranch house and Roce pulled up next to her truck, she opened the door. “Thanks for driving me up there. I really appreciate it.”

“It was my pleasure. I guess you heard us talking about the rodeo. Have you ever been to one?”

“Yes, actually. Plenty of times. My father and uncle were both bull riders years ago. We’re going to the arena tonight.”

“Then you’ll see our baby brother, Toly, and his partner, Mills, competing in the team roping event.”

“Uncle Clark said one of the Clayton boys would be in the lineup. We’ll be rooting for them.”

“I have to be there early to check over their horses. Why don’t you and your family join ours in the bleachers? We’ll save seats for you down in front.”

“That’s very generous of you. Thank you.”

“Good.”

“One thing, though, Roce. Can you please not mention that I went to your ranch today, and ask your brother and mother to do the same? Uncle Clark wants to keep the ring a secret.”

He winked. “Understood.”

She jumped down. “Thanks again for everything. See you there.”

On the drive to Stevensville she wondered if she was crazy to have accepted his invitation. It couldn’t be construed as a date since it was meant for the whole family. That was the problem. His brother would be there, the married one with the piercing blue eyes. The angry one with the darling daughter. Brianna didn’t even know his name. Would his wife be there? Roce had provided no explanation for his behavior. Of course it was none of her business.

An hour later she and her aunt and uncle bought their tickets and made their way through the crowd inside the noisy enclosed arena. Excitement was high because Stevensville’s favorite son was competing. Brianna scanned the bleachers down in front and picked out Roce’s mother right away. There were empty seats on either side of her.

“Brianna?”

She turned her head. “Hi, Lindsay!” Her married friend worked at the bookstore a block away from the saddlery. They often ate lunch together during the week.

“Come on,” her uncle murmured. “The parade is beginning. Let’s just sit here for now.”

She waved to her friend and followed her aunt and uncle down a nearby aisle. The three of them found seats and watched the horses prance around, ridden by the contestants carrying flags. Brianna loved the fanfare and the smell of the horses, but tonight she was distracted and kept her eyes on Mrs. Clayton. After the national anthem had been sung by a local country singer, she watched three tall, hard-muscled men file into the row and sit next to their mother.

Brianna had never seen three such handsome brothers. Brianna couldn’t distinguish who was who in their Stetsons.

A minute later one of them stood and began walking up the stairs. As he approached, she could tell it was Roce. She waved to him and he walked over and shook hands with Uncle Clark and Aunt Joanne. “I’m glad you’re here. Why don’t you all come with me?”

Her uncle and Roce talked about Taffy’s condition as they followed Roce to where his family was sitting. The poor dog was on her last legs, a sad fact of life that couldn’t be ignored.

The saddle bronc riding event was announced. Everyone shook hands quickly before it started. Brianna’s aunt and uncle knew all of the Claytons and greeted Roce’s mother warmly, calling her Alberta.

Roce explained that he’d been to the saddlery earlier in the day to buy gloves and had met Brianna there.

He went on to introduce Brianna to his brothers Wymon and Eli. But the first contestant was out of the box, stalling the conversation for the time being. Brianna sat on the end next to her aunt, but, instead of concentrating on the rodeo, her thoughts were on the brother named Eli, who’d come without his wife.

Roce was conventionally handsome and Wymon, whom Roce had introduced as the eldest brother, had light gray eyes that stood out in striking contrast to his black hair. Still, it was Eli with his rugged dark looks and his black Stetson who made Brianna’s pulse quicken. She silently cursed herself for always being attracted to the bad-boy type.

All rodeos thrilled a crowd and this one was no exception. She held her breath throughout the team roping event and whooped and hollered along with the rest of Stevensville when the best time went to Toly and his partner. The celebrating went on for a long time. According to her uncle, the Clayton family hoped Toly and Mills would go to the Pro Rodeo National Championship in Las Vegas next December.

Brianna could only imagine how much the Claytons missed their father at a time like this. Her own parents would have loved this rodeo, too. She wished they were here and missed them terribly. It was especially hard not to have her mom to talk to after what had happened at the gem shop earlier that day. Her awareness of the man sitting five seats away had dominated her thoughts all night.

She was relieved when the barrel racing ended and the winners received their gold buckles. With the rodeo over, everyone got up to head outside. While her uncle stood talking to Roce, Brianna put an arm through her aunt’s. “I’ll walk out to the car with you.”

“He could be a while. Clark lives for nights like this.”

“Dad did, too.”

Brianna thought they’d evaded any more socializing and was happy when they reached the car and got in. But then along came her uncle with Roce, who walked around the front of the car and knocked on the window. She asked her aunt to turn on the ignition so she could lower it.

He smiled down at her. “You got out of there too fast for me to say good-night.”

“Thank you for allowing us to sit with your family. It made the whole evening that much more exciting and we’re so proud of your brother.”

“It was fun. Too bad I have to get back to Missoula tomorrow. But when I come to visit again, I’ll drop by the saddlery. If you’re not busy, maybe we could go out to dinner.”

“That would be great,” she said, blushing.

“Good. I’ll look forward to it.”

After they drove off, her uncle glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “I do believe you’ve made a conquest of Roce Clayton.”