The Rancher Takes a Bride

Chapter One (#ulink_1869de1b-a3f5-553e-9904-db6d8e15df5c)

Spring in Martin’s Crossing, Texas, meant one thing to Oregon Jeffries. It meant another year of working up the courage to do the right thing. As she pushed petunias into the soil of the planter outside her shop, Oregon’s All Things, she thought about taking that step to make things right.

“Mom, you’re going to kill it pushing it in like that.” Her daughter, Lilly, appeared next to her, peering in at the plant.

She had a point. The petunia looked a little droopy from the handling it had received. One stem even appeared to be broken. Oregon pushed hair back from her face and patted the soil more gently.

“You’re right. I should be more careful.”

“Do you want me to finish them later?” Lilly, at twelve, was willing to do almost anything to help. Except maybe laundry.

“No, I’ll do them. Don’t you have a job to get to?”

Lilly glanced across the street, her blue eyes focusing on Duke’s No Bar and Grill. It was a long, low building with wood siding and a covered front deck running the length of the restaurant.

“Yeah, Duke said I could sweep up and water flowers. But I know you don’t like me working for him.”

“I didn’t say...” Well, maybe she had said something about wishing her daughter would find other jobs. But Lilly wanted a horse, and they’d made a deal that she had to work and earn the money to pay for the horse and the upkeep. As a single mom, Oregon couldn’t handle the expense of a horse. Plus, she thought her daughter would appreciate it more if she helped pay for the animal.

The townspeople in Martin’s Crossing had pitched in and given Lilly odd jobs. Each time she got paid, Lilly put most of the money in the jar she kept hidden in her room. And she put a portion in the offering at church.

Duke Martin, owner of Duke’s No Bar and Grill, had been giving Lilly various jobs since he learned of her quest to buy a horse. He’d even offered to help her pick a good, well-broke horse when she had all the money saved.

“You can go to Duke’s. Just don’t be a nuisance,” she warned.

Lilly kissed her cheek, and Oregon nearly cried. Her daughter no longer had to stand on tiptoes; instead, Lilly leaned down a bit because she’d outgrown Oregon over the winter.

“Thanks, Mom.”

Oregon nodded and went back to her flowers.

As she reached for another petunia, tires screeched, followed by shouting and then a sickening thud. Oregon turned, screaming as she saw her daughter fall to the asphalt. Everything slowed. Except her heart, which beat rapidly in her chest as she stood frozen on the sidewalk.

The driver of the car jumped out. Duke ran down the steps of the restaurant. Oregon couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. She heard Duke yell at her, then everything returned to normal speed.

There were people everywhere. Where did they all come from? Oregon felt a hand on her arm, a voice comforting her. “She’s going to be okay. You need to go to her.”

It was Joe, the vagrant who had appeared in town last winter. He held her arm and walked with her to Lilly’s crumpled body. Duke knelt next to her daughter. His large body hovered, his fingers touching Lilly’s neck, then her wrist.

“Don’t move,” he whispered when she tried to sit up. And then he saw Oregon. “Your mom is here. Stay still, sweetheart. Stay still.”

Oregon knelt next to her baby girl, brushing dark hair back from her pale face, noticing the bruises on her temple and cheek. Lilly opened her eyes and whispered that it hurt. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Duke stopped Oregon from scooping her up and holding her close.

“You can’t do that, Oregon.” He yelled for someone to bring a blanket.

Oregon saw that her daughter was trembling and pale.

“Oregon, hold it together.” Duke’s voice whispered in her ear. “Talk to her.”

She nodded and leaned in, unsure of what to say. Duke’s hand was on her back. Oregon wanted to sob. But she didn’t. Instead, she took Lilly’s hand and held it. “The ambulance is on the way, honey. We’ll get you help. You’ll be okay.”

A man shouted that he hadn’t seen her. That she’d come out of nowhere. Duke stood up and headed for the driver of the car. Six feet eight inches of Duke Martin had the man backing away, holding his hands up.

Oregon heard him tell the driver to sit and save his explanations. Right now they were going to take care of the child he’d hit. Her child. Oregon’s hand shook as she smoothed her daughter’s hair back from her face once more.

If Duke only knew, Oregon thought. She kissed her daughter’s cheek. “It’s going to be okay. I hear the ambulance.”

“Mommy, it hurts.”

“Can you tell me where it hurts, Lilly?” Duke once again took charge. He’d been an army medic in Afghanistan.

“Everywhere,” Lilly answered. “My leg. And my head. My stomach.”

“Do you remember where you were going?” he asked.

“To school,” she responded.

Though she had tried to fight it, the tears overtook Oregon. She felt strong hands on her shoulders. Joe pulled her to her feet and led her away. The ambulance pulled up, and Duke spoke with quiet authority as they assessed her daughter.

“I need to be with her.” Oregon tried to pull away from Joe.

“No, you need to stand here and let them do their job,” he insisted, his voice soft but firm. “Stay here with me and when they’re ready to leave, you can give her a kiss and tell her you’ll meet her at the hospital.”

“But I should go with her...”

“You can’t.” Joe led her toward the stretcher holding her daughter. Her baby. She tried to pull away from Joe, but he held tight. “Oregon, take a deep breath and tell our girl she’ll be okay.”

Our girl. The words registered faintly. Everyone in town considered Lilly their girl. People here loved them, cared about them. It was one of the reasons she’d stayed in Martin’s Crossing. Because for the first time in her life, she felt as if she truly belonged. Though she had wanted it more for her daughter than herself, that sense of belonging somewhere.

Joe led her back to Lilly and held her hand as she kissed her daughter on the forehead, said a quick prayer and told her they would meet her at the hospital.

“Mommy, I’ll be okay.” Lilly’s voice shook as she said the words.

“Of course you’ll be okay,” Oregon managed in a voice that remained steady. Because she was the mom. She would make sure her daughter was okay. God couldn’t take her baby. They needed each other too much.

As she stepped back, Joe touched Lilly’s brow. He smiled at her and whispered that she’d be home soon, and they’d talk more about that horse. Oregon wanted to tell him not to make promises. Oregon knew how easily they were broken.

Duke stood next to the ambulance as Lilly was loaded on. He spoke to the paramedics. Then he nodded and said something to Lilly. And Oregon stood there, letting him take charge because she couldn’t move. Couldn’t think.

Her body began to shake as the ambulance pulled away. “I have to go.” Oregon headed for her shop and apartment. She had to find her purse, her keys...

“Oregon, wait.”

She turned to see Duke striding across the street toward her. Joe came with him. She looked from Joe with his weathered face, gray hair and easy smile to Duke, a giant of a man with sandy-brown hair starting to grow out from the buzz cut he’d had, unshaved face and piercing blue eyes.

“What?” Her voice trembled, and for a scary moment everything faded. She took a deep breath and her vision cleared.

Duke’s features softened as he looked at her.