The Reluctant Rancher

Lightly, she put a hand on his shoulder then lifted up on her toes to kiss his cheek so quickly her lips barely touched his face before she drew away. She’d misjudged him. His afternoon beard had felt like sandpaper, its texture so rough beneath her softer lips.

Blossom’s mind had gone numb. But her stomach had settled.

His muscled strength was something to rely on yet to be wary of.

Still, underneath beat the heart of a good man. She knew that now.

Too bad she couldn’t trust him.

* * *

BLOSSOM DIDN’T COME to the table for dinner that night. Logan ate alone. From upstairs he could hear her talking to Sam, eating with him instead.

Willy and Tobias were nowhere to be seen. Logan had had words with the two cowhands—bison hands, he ought to say—that first night after dinner, and both of them had been avoiding him ever since. He’d never seen two men volunteer faster to ride fence today to keep out of his way. Probably they were at the bunkhouse heating up a big can of spaghetti or ravioli. He hadn’t meant to sound harsh. But their teasing, their looks at Blossom had gotten to him and he’d lost his temper.

His mood was always precarious when he was at the ranch. He couldn’t seem to forget he’d nearly lost Nicky here. He had lost Libby, not that his marriage had ever been one made in heaven. She felt the same, he supposed.

He dug into the casserole Blossom had served before she slipped away upstairs. No steak again tonight. Mac and cheese? At least there was no way she could ruin that. The way he criticized her cooking, no wonder she preferred his grandfather’s company. Even though he and Blossom had gotten along pretty well earlier in the barn while he sewed up the kitten, and she’d surprised him with that quick kiss, she’d pulled back right after.

His face still burned. But it was their conversation he missed now.

When the landline rang, he jumped up from his seat. Any interruption from his train of thought, even a telemarketing call at dinnertime, would be almost welcome.

“Circle H,” he answered, ready to hang up at the latest sales pitch.

“Hey, brother.” To his amazement, Sawyer had finally called him back, and Logan fought another familiar twist of loss inside. How long had it been since they were in the same place at the same time? Since they’d talked the way they used to?

“I’ve been trying to get through to you for the better part of a week.”

As usual, Sawyer sounded unconcerned. “What’s up?”

“Sam busted his leg. Bad,” Logan said. “He was in the hospital for a few days, had surgery and now he’s confined to his room. Picture that.” He explained about the bleed and concussion that had rattled Sam’s brain and messed with his sense of balance. “Where are you?”

“Here and there.”

Logan rolled his eyes. Sawyer was always vague. About everything. It had been too long since they were boys, growing up on the Circle H after their dad and mom had died, learning from Sam how to be men. They’d been even closer than most brothers, inseparable as kids.

“You might think about coming back now and then.” He couldn’t bring himself to say home. The two of them hadn’t seen each other since Logan had married Libby.

“I’m sure you can handle things.”

“That’s it?” He had the sense Sawyer was about to hang up first.

“You’re the big brother. You’re in Kansas. I’m not.”

“I’m older by less than five minutes,” he reminded Sawyer. “We could really use some help here, Tom.” Sawyer didn’t laugh at the old nickname he’d been taunted with as a kid. It was as if he’d put their past behind him and moved on, determined to make a life for himself anywhere else. He’d cut all ties—which wasn’t that different from Logan’s plans. Yet he was the one here now. “I thought you liked horses and cows and getting your boots dirty.”

“Don’t own a pair of boots anymore.”

“Sawyer. Look.” He glanced at his plate of cold macaroni and cheese and wondered why Blossom was still upstairs. “I’m almost at the end of my rope. Sam’s not easy to keep down—you ought to know that—and I should be in Wichita. I’m up for a promotion there.”

“Hope you get it.”

“If I don’t show up soon, they’ll give it to someone else.” His worst rival.

“You’re the big captain of the skies. Took off first chance you got. You left me holding the bag then, Logan. You think I’ve forgotten that?”

“No,” he admitted. He’d come back after the service to marry Libby, and Sawyer had left. “But this is now.”

“I bet Sam hasn’t even mentioned my name. Sorry,” he said, not sounding sorry at all. “I’m busy with...whatever I’m busy with, so the answer’s no.” He paused. “Hire somebody.”

“I did. She’s temporary—and she’s a caregiver, not a cowhand.”

“Neither am I.”

“Sawyer—”

“Don’t,” he said. “I can’t.”

“You mean you won’t help.”

“Right back at you. And don’t try that ‘we’re twins’ bit with me, okay? I haven’t had a spooky twinge about you in years. I don’t know when you’re sick or you’re in trouble at the stick of some jet. You don’t know when I’m—” He broke off. “Ah, hell. Good that you’re still walking around. Tell Sam I said hey.”

“Sawyer...”

But the phone had gone dead in his hand.

“Is something wrong?” Blossom said from the kitchen doorway.

Yeah, there was. He just didn’t know what where his brother was concerned. Sawyer had been hiding something. I’m busy with...whatever I’m busy with. He turned to find Blossom holding a tray of dirty dishes and cutlery. If he wasn’t mad at Sawyer, even worried about him, he would have grinned. Sam had cleaned his plate again. He really liked Blossom’s cooking.

“My brother,” he finally said. “We don’t have much in common these days.”

“Is he coming home?”

“Because of Sam?” When she nodded, he said, “Nope. He’s busy.”

She looked shocked. “Too busy to visit his injured grandfather?”

“So he says.”

“I don’t think I’d like him, then.” Taking care not to come too close to Logan, she lugged the tray to the sink. He offered to take it from her, but she only stepped aside with a murmured “I’ve got it.” She pursed her lips as she began to rinse the dishes. “My dad was a difficult man, but if we needed him, he tried to be there.” She paused. “The trouble with that, he was often deployed somewhere—and couldn’t come.”

“Families can be tough.”

“Tell me.” Blossom loaded the dishwasher and smiled over one shoulder. “But I have good news. I let Sam sit in a chair tonight to eat dinner and when I helped him up, he barely stumbled.”

“Let us pray,” Logan said, although he couldn’t see Sam taking over the ranch again any time soon. Which made him all the more frustrated with Sawyer. At the least they could have taken turns on the Circle H—and Logan wouldn’t have to risk his promotion. His chance to fight for shared custody of Nicky.