The Reluctant Rancher

The little town of Barren was a far cry from Philly—it was no more than this one street and a few surrounding blocks, from what she’d seen—and most of the area’s population probably lived on ranches like the Circle H. That suited Blossom just fine. She was anonymous here, another bonus.

A smile crossed her lips. She couldn’t imagine Ken here in his fancy suit that had cost thousands of dollars, his silk ties and custom-made white shirts, not to mention his pricey shoes. He’d stick out all right. The local dress code seemed to be jeans and boots and, of course, the ubiquitous cowboy hat.

Logan hadn’t worn one today, but then he didn’t seem to consider himself a cowboy. A jet pilot, he’d told her, and his job was as far from ranching as she was from Philadelphia and Ken. No wonder Logan looked uncomfortable on the Circle H.

In front of a pet store, she gazed at the window display. A red dog collar studded with silver adorned the neck of a stuffed black-and-white border collie. A herding dog. Blossom had seen several of them at the Circle H but only from a distance. We don’t name the animals. They weren’t family pets any more than the little no-name kitten was, at least in Logan’s view.

Unable to resist, Blossom stepped inside the store. From the cat department in the rear, she bought a couple of toys—a mouse with catnip inside, a fishing-pole type thing with feathers at the end—then a dish with a goldfish design and, finally, a small pink beaded collar with a bell to warn the birds.

Outside again, she strolled along the paved walkway, humming to herself.

A few doors down, a children’s apparel shop looked too enticing to be passed by, even when she shouldn’t keep Logan waiting. He’d said not to hurry, but Ken had been good at laying traps like that to spring on her without warning.

Carrying her pet-store bag, she went in.

“Good morning.” A clerk came forward. “May I help you find something?”

“Oh, no. Thank you. Is it all right if I just look around?”

The woman smiled. “Of course. Take your time,” she said as Logan had.

Blossom wasn’t used to dallying. With her father she didn’t dare, and when Ken said jump, she’d asked how high—at least in her mind. Her daily routine in Philly had come to be very structured and, ultimately, confining. She’d even quit her first job there to have more time at “home” to meet Ken’s demanding standards, and it wasn’t often—or hadn’t been until now—that she could simply enjoy part of a morning doing what she liked.

The clerk, who trailed her through the shop, clearly wanted to chat. She had no other customers. Or did she expect Blossom to shoplift from one of the displays? In the next instant she had her answer.

“Do you live here?” the woman asked. “I haven’t seen you before.”

And in small towns, people noticed. She’d gathered that right away from a few curious glances she’d gotten on the street. Blossom would bet the woman knew everyone around here by name.

“I’m passing through,” she admitted with a twinge of regret. What if she’d grown up in a town like this one on a ranch like the Circle H? In a house she could truly call her own?

She explored a rack of oh-so-small baby clothes mostly in blue then, moving on, a set of cream-colored shelves that held silver mugs, little spoons and picture frames. The baby in one photograph made her heart turn over. “What a sweet face,” she said to the clerk, who was still hovering nearby.

“That’s my niece, actually. I wanted to show off this frame in a more personal way. Usually, my stock comes with inserted photos of complete strangers who stare out at me all day. Barren is a close-knit town. People like to make a connection. Isn’t she cute? If you’re not looking for baby boy things, we have some adorable new dresses over there on the far wall.” She waited only a second before asking, “Are you having a little girl?”

As if by instinct, Blossom’s hand went to her stomach. Was she showing already? She hadn’t thought so. It wouldn’t do for word to get around town that she was pregnant. Certainly, she hadn’t told Logan. Or even Sam. Her job at the Circle H seemed precarious enough. She’d be here only a short time, and she’d seen Logan with Nick. She doubted he’d welcome the idea of a baby there.

“No, I’m not,” she said. “I, um, have a friend who is.”

The clerk raised one eyebrow but said nothing.

“Let me show you.”

As the woman pulled out one after another of the most beautiful baby dresses, Blossom all but melted into a puddle on the floor.

She fingered the embroidered hem of a too-cute-for-words gingham sundress. “Pink still seems to be very popular.”

“Purple, too,” the clerk agreed. “Or should I say lavender?”

But it was the tiniest things that called to Blossom. She drifted toward a white basket heaped with layette items from receiving blankets to booties before her gaze fell on an artfully stacked pile of baby hats on the same table.

“The hospital in Kansas City orders these for the newborns,” the clerk told her. “Parents like them for home, too. We have some really nice ones.”

Blossom picked up a multicolored cap in pink and blue and yellow that covered all the bases. To her delight it had an interwoven cowboy/cowgirl motif. “Maybe my friend would like this.”

“I’m sure she would. That’s one of our new designs.”

Blossom couldn’t leave the store without buying something, having taken up the sales associate’s time, and the tiny cap warmed her heart. It didn’t cost that much, which seemed to disappoint the saleswoman but suited Blossom’s budget, and Ken wasn’t here to tell her she didn’t need it.

Moments later she was on the sidewalk again with another bag to carry.

At the end of the street she hurried into the Mother Comfort Home Health Care Agency, her original destination.

“Hi, Blossom.” At the reception desk in the front room, an attractive dark-haired woman had been typing on the computer. When she glanced up, a slight frown crossed her face. “Everything all right on the Circle H?”

Not really. She’d stepped over a boundary with Logan yesterday because of that kiss, and on the way into town she hadn’t known what to say to him. “Fine,” she said, struggling to remember the woman’s name. A few days ago she’d helped Blossom fill out her application.

“I had a terrible time finding someone for Logan. I’m glad you filled the bill.”

“I’m not sure about that but—” She didn’t go any further. “I wanted to ask about my pay. I wasn’t sure of the arrangement.”

The woman’s frown deepened. “The agency collects the money from a client, we take our commission for placing you, then cut a check.” She paused. “It’s not Friday so I can’t pay you yet for the week. But don’t worry. The Hunters always meet their bills and if they didn’t—”

“I’m not worried.” Which was a lie for a different reason. “But...could I get cash instead?”

“That’s not our usual policy.” She hesitated again. “If it’s inconvenient for you to come to town again, we could do direct deposit at your bank.”

Blossom’s pulse skipped. That was even worse. There was no way she’d open a bank account. She wouldn’t give Ken a trail to follow. She’d already made one slip soon after she left Philadelphia. “Not cash then?”

“I can check with my accountant.” She gave Blossom an encouraging smile. “Or I could mail the check to you.”

“No, I’ll come in on Friday.” If she lasted that long before she had to move on again.

Shifting her packages, Blossom finally remembered the woman’s name was Shadow. Her brown gaze was very direct. “Is there a problem, Blossom?”

“No, of course not. I like the Circle H,” she said, which was true. “I was just wondering. Please ask your accountant.”

Her heart was still thumping by the time she finally finished the grocery shopping. The ranch cupboards and pantry, the huge double freezer, held plenty of food so she didn’t need much, but a few items had been missing for the dinner she planned to make tonight. Assuming she could think straight by then. A check? Up until now she’d worked for cash doing odd jobs or waiting tables whenever she ran out of money.