Second Chance Rancher

“That would be Essie, coming to give me her opinion of the place and my life,” Lucy said, more to herself than to her neighbor.

“She does have opinions.” He grinned as he said it. They all knew Essie. She ran a café in town and had her own small spread about a mile down the road.

In the midst of the worst of her nephew’s religious antics, Essie had rebelled. She’d refused to attend his services, her first offense. And then she’d tried to stop him from beating Lucy. That had earned her a black eye and an escort from the premises. It wasn’t until after his death that Essie was allowed back on the property.

“Yes, she does have opinions.” Lucy watched the four-wheeler and the woman controlling it, a bright red helmet covering her now-graying hair.

“I’ll unhitch your truck and leave it by the garage. But let me know if you need anything. And don’t worry about the fence. I can get it taken care of.” He gave them a parting nod with a tilt of his white cowboy hat before he climbed back in his big Ford King Ranch and drove slowly in the direction of the garage, their old truck clunking along behind him.

“The temperature goes up ten degrees every time he’s near. Hot. Hot. Hot.” Maria appeared at Lucy’s side, a cheeky grin on her face. She took the poodle from Lucy. “I’ll get changed and we can get to work on this place. But you might want to go splash some cold water on your face first.”

Lucy shook her head and walked away from her little sister, who was grinning as if this was all a big joke and they weren’t in serious trouble.

Chapter Two (#u8a35d801-bbe0-5468-bc13-25b7475bf542)

Lucy headed for the barn where Essie had parked. Essie shot her a critical look, shaking her head as she hooked her helmet on the handlebars of the ATV. Her long gray hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Twin slashes of rose-tinted blush dotted her cheeks. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with a photo of downtown Bluebonnet Springs on the front.

“What’s Dane Scott doing here?” Essie said with the faintest trace of an accent. She’d moved to the United States forty years ago. Her husband, Emit Jackson, had been an American soldier. She’d loved him at first sight and would have followed him anywhere, she’d always told them.

Lucy’s father, Jesse Palermo, had arrived in Texas ten years later. He’d moved to the States when his bull riding career had been at its peak and the big money had been found outside his native Brazil.

It should have been obvious why Dane was there, but Lucy could play along. “He towed the truck home.”

Her aunt gave her a half grin. “He’s still a good-looking man.”

“I suppose, but he’s a bit young for you.”

Essie cackled at that. “Pity, but it’s true. But then, I was never in love with him.”

Had she been in love? It had been years ago and she’d convinced herself that it had simply been infatuation. Or maybe she’d been attracted to him because he’d seemed strong and safe.

She no longer needed a man to make her feel safe. She no longer needed to escape this life.

“I guess you saw your sister?” Essie asked as she sat on the edge of the ATV seat.

“Yes, I saw her.” Lucy didn’t know what else to say to her aunt. Her sister was pregnant. As the old saying went, “the cow was already out of the barn.”

Essie gave Lucy a long look with dark eyes that made a person squirm. “I hope you weren’t too hard on her.”

“I wasn’t.” Lucy sighed. “To be honest, I’m not sure what to do.”

“Aren’t you?” Essie’s mouth pulled down. “I’m not going to tell you that she’s your responsibility, Lucy. But she has to be someone’s responsibility. She’s not even eighteen and she doesn’t have anyone. Your mother doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. Your brothers are chasing pipe dreams. It’s like that poor girl is collateral damage. I love her but she doesn’t want to live with an old woman. And I sure don’t speak teen girl.”

“It’s a different language,” Lucy admitted. “I don’t know that I’ve ever spoken it.”

Essie’s eyes softened. “I know and I’m sorry. You were all victims and I wish I could have done more for you.”

Lucy nodded, her gaze again drifting across the property. It was easier to deal with the land, the house and not her emotional well-being. “It’s a mess.”

“Yes, it is.” Essie followed the direction of Lucy’s gaze.

They were both talking about more than the condition of the ranch.

“I’m not sure what to do about Maria.” Lucy leaned against the fence and watched as the few head of cattle stopped to graze before moving on to the water trough.

“Not much you can do. I don’t think she wants to marry the boy.” Essie got off the ATV and joined Lucy as she crossed to the fence to look out at the property. “I worry that she won’t go to college. She’s a smart girl and I don’t want her to give up on her dreams.”

Her sister had dreams. Lucy tried to remember what that had been like, to dream of something other than making it through a night without nightmares.

“Take time and get to know her, Lucy,” Essie said. “She’s someone you will probably like.”

Lucy nodded, her gaze remaining on the cattle. “I’ll talk to her. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say.”

“Talking is a start. She would probably like to have someone around. She gets lonely out here. When a kid get lonely, they get in trouble.”

Lucy thought about her own teen years. She’d been lonely and she’d also found trouble.

Essie patted her arm and headed for her four-wheeler. “I have to get to the café. I hired that silly Bea Maxwell to cook when I’m not there but I worry about leaving her alone. Why don’t you girls get cleaned up and come in for lunch? My treat.”

“I’m not sure. It looks like I have a fence to rebuild and a few things around here that can’t be put off.”

“Supper, then?”

Lucy nodded in agreement and watched as her aunt slid the helmet over her head. Essie smiled at her and then, quickly, before Lucy could react, stepped forward and embraced her. Lucy stiffened beneath the unaccustomed gesture but Essie didn’t let go. She hugged a little tighter and finished the embrace by patting her on the back.

“It will all work out, chica. Trust God that He has a plan.”

Lucy stepped back, putting some distance between them, and drew in a deep breath, telling herself she hadn’t needed or wanted that hug. “I think I’ll leave the faith to you, Aunt Essie. I’ll deal with the ranch and making sure Maria is healthy. You and God work out the rest.”

Essie laughed a little. “Oh, don’t you worry. Me and God are on very good terms.”

“I know.”

Unfortunately Lucy and God were another matter altogether. She’d had a childhood of God, sermons, the Bible and beatings. She avoided church and people who wanted to help her “get right with the Lord.” She admired people with genuine faith. She knew that it mattered. But she couldn’t make the walls disappear. The fortress around her heart was strong, built one beating at a time.

She headed for the house. Again the putrid smell of neglect hit her the moment she walked through the door. First things first—she needed some bleach and pine cleaner. Maria was in the kitchen scavenging in the fridge. She mumbled something about “nothing to eat” and that she was eating for two. “Don’t people realize the tadpole needs nourishment?”

Lucy couldn’t help but smile. The mischievous little girl Lucy had known had survived, still smart-mouthed and funny. She was the one good thing to come out of this place. And she could still smile. Lucy envied her sister.

“Essie said she’d feed us tonight. Until then, is there anything in the cabinets that isn’t spoiled?” Lucy grabbed a bottle of water out of the door of the fridge, and then gagged a little. “What’s in there?”

Maria slammed the door of the fridge, put a hand to her mouth and ran.

Lucy followed her sister to the bathroom door.

“Don’t come in,” Maria grumbled.

“I’m not, but I’m here if you need me.” She leaned against the wall and waited.