The Cowboy Comes Home

“Of course I am, but I have other things that take up my time.”

Jameson’s gray eyes bored into her, causing a stirring inside her that not only surprised but frightened her. Feelings she thought had been dormant for a long time. For the past nearly five years her child and her business had filled all the voids. Now this man was creating something she didn’t want or need.

She pulled her jacket together to ward off the cold. “So if there’s nothing else, I need to get inside.”

“Nothing I can’t handle. Sorry I took up so much of your time.” He placed two fingers against the brim of his hat in a salute. “Good afternoon, Ms. Calhoun.”

“Mr. Jameson.”

“Why don’t you just call me Johnny? Unless you don’t like to get that familiar with the hired help.”

She refused to react. “I’m familiar with a lot of the men who work on the Double Bar C. I’ve known some all my life, but I don’t know you.”

He smiled. “Yet.”

Jess nodded and turned toward the house, trying to keep her walk slow and relaxed, but Johnny Jameson had managed to knock her off balance. She couldn’t allow that. She had once and soon learned that trusting a man led to hurt and pain. No, Mr. Good-Looking Cowboy, I’m not falling for your type again.

CHAPTER TWO

AN HOUR later, Jess was standing in the ranch kitchen, looking out toward the corral, watching as the new trainer carried his things up the steps to the apartment above the barn.

Johnny Jameson was moving in. For how long? Would he just work with Storm, or would Holt keep him here longer?

She shook away the questions. What did it matter? Once her brother came home, he’d handle the ranch again. And she’d go back to concentrating on her business, which she’d been neglecting the past weeks.

No doubt about it, even months later the entire family was struggling to adjust to all the changes since her father’s death.

Now, Holt was away, taking care of a terminally ill friend. Megan was at school in the East. Nate was in the army.

She released a sigh. The ranch problems were hers to deal with. Her immediate choice had been to hire a horse trainer. Well, she’d have to wait and see how that worked out.

She turned around and saw her son at the big oak table, eating an afternoon snack. A sudden sadness consumed her. Her father used to wander in about this time of day and join his grandson for milk and cookies. She could still hear Brady’s giggles and her father’s laughter ring out through the house.

Clay Calhoun’s death had been hard on all of them, but mostly her son. The twosome had been inseparable. The only exception had been when it came to horses. Her father always thought Brady would outgrow his fears, but didn’t push the issue. That was why she had been so surprised when the child showed up in the corral today.

Jess still worried about her son. Not an outgoing boy by nature, the soon-to-be five-year-old needed to interact more with his peers. So three mornings a week Brady had been attending preschool while she ran her store, Jess’s Bakery, featuring homemade preserves, which she’d named after her mother: Sandra’s Preserves.

“Mom, is Johnny staying here for a long time?”

She studied Brady’s brown eyes. “Not sure, honey. He’s going to work with Grandpa’s horse.”

The boy took a drink of milk, then said, “’Cause Storm is sad about Papa going to heaven?”

She smiled. “Yeah, Storm is sad, too.” Was that the reason she resented Johnny, an outsider, coming here? Because he could handle her dad’s horse so easily, when none of them could? Or that her son trusted him?

“I hope he can make Storm happy again,” Brady said.

“So do I, son.” She turned back around and looked out the row of windows toward the horse barn. “For what we’re paying him, he’d better,” she murmured.

Jess hated this. Since her dad’s death, Holt had taken over the running of the ranch as if he’d been born to it. He had been, but he wasn’t here and could be away a long time. In the past, she’d always gone to her dad for answers and now he wasn’t around any longer.

She felt the sting of tears, remembering back six years ago when she’d told her parents she was pregnant and was going to be a single mom.

Even though her mother voiced her disappointment, her dad wrapped her in his big strong arms and told her that it would be all right. He made sure of that. The moment her son was born, Clay claimed him as a Calhoun. Over the years, it had been her dad who taught her about the importance of the land and family.

She turned back to her child. “Brady, what made you go into the corral today?”

The boy shrugged, concentrating on his chocolate chip cookie. “I dunno.”

“I thought we talked about this. Until you’re older, you need an adult to be with you when you’re around the stock. Please, pay attention to the rules. They’re for your safety.”

He looked at her. “I came to find you. I was afraid you got hurt ‘cause of Storm.” She saw the fear in his eyes.

She went to him at the table and knelt down. “Honey, I wouldn’t get close to a runaway horse on my own. And Wes was there, too.”

“And so was Johnny. Papa said he can work miracles.”

Oh, no, was he making things up? “Brady, we talked about this. Papa Clay is gone away.”

“I know. He’s buried in the ground on the hill with Grandma Sandy.” He pointed toward the barn. “But Papa said this before, when he was sick in bed. ‘Member when I went to his room and read him stories? Sometimes he talked about the ranch.”

She couldn’t hide her smile. That sounded like Dad. “I think you better talk to Holt about that.”

“Papa already told Uncle Holt that he needed to teach me ‘cause I hafta know how to run the Double Bar C when I grow up and be the boss. That’s when Papa and Uncle Holt talked about Johnny.” Brady wrinkled his freckled nose. “Mom, did you know that he talks to horses?”

“Who, Papa?”

“No, Johnny. And that’s why Papa wanted him to come here.” Tears formed in the child’s eyes. “That’s why I had to go and see Johnny. To tell him things about Storm.”

Jess blinked several times. “Okay.” She hugged him. He’d been so tough through the past months. “But next time let an adult know before you head to the corral. Storm isn’t safe to be around.”

“I know. But now Johnny’s gonna fix Storm so he’s a nice horse.”

From a child’s mouth to God’s ears. “We all want that, son, and I hope it happens, but don’t expect miracles.”

“But there are miracles, Mom. In Sunday school they talk about them all the time.”

Okay, she was going to lose this one. “Okay, we’ll see what happens.”

“So, can I watch Johnny with Storm?”

She shook her head. “It’s too dangerous right now.”

“What if Johnny says it’s okay, then can I do it?”

She was torn. Brady had been so afraid to get anywhere close to the stables. Now he wanted to be around the orneriest horse ever. “All right, when we see Johnny again, we’ll talk about it.”

He cheered. “Tonight.”