Her Texas Ranger Hero (7 page)

“Good. I'll call you sometime tomorrow and let you know the details. We'll go riding and probably roast hot dogs around a campfire.”

“I haven't done that in forever. It's the reason I wanted to come home. I can't wait.”

“We'll take our horses in my trailer.”

“What's your horse's name?”

“Persey, after the Perseus constellation. I guess I don't need to ask the name of your horse.”

“I'm embarrassed to tell you.”

Luckey grinned. “Silver's a great name. Bring one of your masks, too.”

“Don't you dare tell your friends about that.”

“Why? It's a charming story told by a loving parent. What did you do with your pony when you left for China?”

“We stabled Silver with some neighbours.”

“My friend Vic will be there with his wife and son. Jeremy's the one having the birthday. He has a pony and a miniature horse.”

“Oh...a toy horse? I'd love to see it.”

“I'll give Vic a call and see if he'll bring both.”

“That'll be so fun. Thank you, Luckey. Now I'd better not keep you. Good night.” She hurried up the steps to her front porch and disappeared in the house.

He got back in his car, but sat there for a minute in a daze. For the first time in years he was going to go to a party with a most incredible woman.

Chapter Four

Early Friday evening, Ally watched for Luckey from the front porch of the ranch house, wearing her black cowboy hat and cowboy boots. She'd dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved black Western shirt with silver fringe. Ally was so excited to be going with him she couldn't stand still.

At four on the dot he drove up in a four-door dark red Dodge Ram 3500 truck pulling a two-horse trailer. She hurried down the steps to the vehicle, while Luckey opened the passenger door from inside so she could climb in. The gorgeous man wore a white Stetson and cowboy boots. There was no guy on earth who could equal his rugged good looks. “You're right on time!” she blurted, with too much excitement.

“I've been looking forward to this outing since the other night and don't want to miss a second of it.” His eyes played over her. “Black on black. I like it. The only thing missing is your black mask.”

His gaze missed nothing. She swallowed hard. “Keep winding down this road and we'll eventually come to the barn.”

“I want inside that tack room. Maybe we'll find one of your masks.”

Her cheeks felt warm. “Dad was just kidding.”

Luckey drove past the corral to the front of the barn. After pulling to a stop, he got out to open the rear of the horse trailer.

Ally joined him. “So
this
is Persey.” The horse nickered, causing her to chuckle. “You're a handsome specimen.” The golden palomino had a lustrous white mane and tail and was every bit as magnificent as his owner. “I'll have to bring you some treats.”

“Did you hear that?” Luckey had entered the stall to speak to his horse. “We're bringing you a girlfriend. Her name is Silver. We'll be right back.” He patted his horse's rump and followed Ally into the barn.

She led him over to the stall where she kept her Morgan. Luckey's knowing eye inspected the mare. “You've got a true black Silver here. Beautiful with that silver mane and tail.”

“You're my sweetheart, aren't you?” She hugged her horse's head and kissed her. “We're going on a ride with Luckey and his friends.” Silver nickered. “Let me show him my gear and then I'll take care of you.”

When they reached the tack room he turned to her. “I'll carry out your stuff while you load him.”

Ally grabbed some Buckeye Carrot Crunchers and led her horse out to the trailer. She talked in soothing tones as she walked Silver inside and gave both animals a treat. While they chomped on their goodies, Luckey came in with the gear. When he heard the noise, his deep chuckle worked its way to her insides.

“Spoiling you already, is she?” Though he'd spoken to his horse, his eyes had focused on her.

“It never hurts.”

“That works for humans, too.”

She tossed him a treat, making him laugh. They secured the horses and got back into the truck. “We don't have far to drive,” Luckey told her. “Kit's property is out here in Barton Creek, too. After he got married, he wanted more acreage for their horses, and moved out of his condo. He and his wife are throwing this party for Jeremy.”

Within minutes they arrived at the new glass-and-wood two-story house, where Ally spotted other trucks and horse trailers. Luckey escorted her inside to the big family room, where he introduced her to Kit and Natalie, who owned the house. Their little two-year-old, Amy, was adorable. Ally was envious.

“What a darling little girl, all dressed up in her Western duds,” she exclaimed.

Natalie laughed. “My husband has already turned her into a cowgirl.”

“My father did the same thing to me.”

“He sure did.” Luckey's eyes were all over Ally. Talk about legs turning to jelly!

Slowly, they circulated around the room. She'd met Cy before. He stood next to his wife, Kellie, who was holding their baby, Holly.

“Kellie is our state's most famous barrel racer,” Luckey informed Ally.

“Not anymore. I'm too out of shape,” she lamented.

Ally smiled. “I saw you in a rodeo on one of our trips home. You were fantastic.”

Cy put an arm around his wife. “She would have won the world championship if she hadn't found out she was pregnant and had to quit the circuit.”

Kellie winked at Ally. “It was his fault.”

That comment drew a roar from everyone before Ally was introduced to Vic and his wife, Claire, who was in the latter stages of pregnancy.

“And this is our birthday boy,” Claire said, putting her arm around a dark-haired child wearing a cowboy hat.

“Luckey told me,” Ally said, handing him her gift. “Happy Birthday, Jeremy. You can go ahead and open it if you like.”

The boy undid the wrapping and pulled out a red scarf.

“You know what that's a replica of,” Luckey remarked. He darted her a secret glance.

“What?” Jeremy asked.

“The Lone Ranger's scarf. He wore it knotted at the side of his neck.” Luckey took over and tied it for the boy.

“Cool! Thanks!” He turned to Vic. “What do you think, Dad?”

“I think that's a terrific gift for a junior Texas Ranger. All you need is a black mask to complete the outfit.”

Luckey's eyes swerved to Ally's. “I know a place where I can dredge one up.”

Before he had a chance to say any more, she changed the subject. “I hear you have a pony.”

“Yup. His name is Comet.”

“I love that name. What about your miniature horse? Is it here, too?”

He nodded. “We took them to the corral.”

“I want to see both of them. I had a pony when I was young, but I never had a toy horse. They are so cute!”

“You'll love Daken.”

“That's an interesting name.”

“Yup. Daken is Wolverine's mutant son. It means mongrel, but my horse doesn't look like one.”

Ally fought a smile. “I'm sure he doesn't. Tell me about Daken.”

The boy turned to his parents. “Hey, Mom—I'm going to take her to see Comet and Daken, okay?”

“Go ahead.”

“Come this way.”

A grin lit up Luckey's handsome features. “While you go with him, I'll drive the horses around to the corral.”

“Wonderful.”

Ally opened her purse and pulled out a packet of horse treats. After setting her bag on an end table, she followed Jeremy through the house to the back door. They hurried outside to the corral. On the way, Jeremy told her all about his favorite action heroes. Living in China, she'd missed out on a lot of information important to an eight-year-old boy.

“Oh!” she cried when she saw the little brown-and-white horse playing in the grass next to the pony.

“Go sit down by him and he'll come to you.”

Ally sank onto the grass and opened up the little packet of treats. Daken heard the rustle and came right over to her. She held one of the treats out on her palm and he sniffed it. Within seconds he'd gobbled it down and was stepping on her to get more. Laughter poured out of her. She lay on her side and petted him while Jeremy hunkered next to them.

“I think I have to get me a little horse, too, Jeremy.” Her gaze flicked to the pony. “Uh-oh. I think Comet is jealous. I have one more treat left.” She got up and walked over to the animal. “Here you go.”

By now Luckey had joined them. “It appears you have everyone eating out of your hand,” he told her. “How about going for a ride with me?”

A rush of warmth filled her body when she met his glance.

“Can I come?” Jeremy asked.

Luckey grinned at him. “It's your birthday, pardner.”

“Daken will follow us.”

Ally loved it. “That I've got to see.”

Five minutes later Vic had saddled Jeremy's pony. The other two Rangers joined them and they all went for a ride, with Daken trailing. While they rode, Jeremy related to Ally his harrowing experience of being kidnapped from school. The story tugged on her emotions. Jeremy had no idea she'd met Luckey because he was trying to solve a horrendous kidnapping case that had ended in murder.

“Thank goodness you were found in time,” she said.

“Dad charged into the room where I was tied up and took me home with him.”

Ally's eyes smarted. “Aren't dads the greatest?”

“Yeah.”

“Ally's dad is famous, Jeremy,” Luckey said.

The boy looked up at him. “He is?”

“That's right. Years ago the president of the United States chose him to be our country's ambassador to China. Ally lived there with her family for fifteen years.”

His eyes lit up. “Did you see panda bears?”

“Absolutely. My family used to go to Chengdu every fall with my friend's family. They have a panda breeding and research center there where you can see newborn panda cubs. They're so cute, just like your Daken.”

“Did you have one for a pet?”

“No. I begged my father for one, but pandas are wild and owned by the People's Republic of China. It's against the law to keep one. Even if you could, you'd need to own a bamboo forest, because that's what they eat all the time.”

“Daken loves grass.”

“He makes a great lawnmower,” Vic piped up. Everyone chuckled before he said, “I think we'd better get back, son. It's growing darker and your mom has a fun game set up for all of us out in back before we eat.”

“What kind of game?”

“It's a surprise.”

“Okay, let's go!”

Ally smiled at Luckey before the six of them headed back toward the ranch house. In her wildest dreams as a child, she'd never imagined riding horses with four handsome Texas Rangers.

To her delight she saw that three plastic barrels in red, white and blue had been set up in a triangle like a barrel racing event, with chairs placed around for an audience. Behind the chairs was the fire pit.

“Kellie lent Claire her practice barrels,” Luckey explained.

“What a fun idea. I'd love to see her perform again.”

“One day maybe.”

“It's about time!” Claire called out with a smile. “We're going to have a timed contest to see who can go around the barrels the fastest. I've got a stopwatch. Come over to the table and pick out your starting number from the cowboy hat. Jeremy? Bring Daken so he'll stay by me.”

“Yay!” Jeremy dismounted and hurried over to pick out a number. Daken followed and she tied the small animal to her chair.

“Hey. I'm number three!” the boy announced excitedly.

One by one the partygoers drew their numbers. “I got five,” Ally told Jeremy.

“Who's first?” Claire asked.

“Luckey's my name,” Luckey said as he got back on his horse. The sight of him in his cowboy gear, sitting astride his palomino, almost overwhelmed Ally. He walked his mount to the starting point.

“I'm clocking you. Ready, get set,
go
!”

Ally sucked in her breath as Luckey rounded the first two barrels with ease. But he missed the third and was disqualified. Next went Kit, who showed expert horsemanship, but his horse hit two of the barrels, disqualifying him, as well. Jeremy rode his pony next, trying hard to keep his animal focused. It was hilarious. But he didn't miss the barrels and didn't hit them.

Vic started out with a flawless performance until the second barrel, when his horse shied away in a different direction and was ruled out of the competition.

Then it was Ally's turn. She'd never barrel raced before and it showed. Hands down, she gave the worst performance of all the contestants, bumping every barrel, and was disqualified. But it was all done in good fun for Jeremy's birthday.

Last but not least came Cy, who started out well, but leaned too close at the third barrel. The momentum sent it rolling across the meadow and he had to chase after it and bring it back. With him out of the competition, the winner was clear. Luckey smiled at Ally as Claire stood up to make the announcement.

“And the gold buckle goes to Jeremy Malone for a winning time of 22 seconds!” Everyone clapped as she handed him his prize. “Great job!” She hugged and kissed him before they all congratulated him.

“Okay, guys. We've got hot dogs to cook. The buns and condiments are over on the table and there's coffee, too. For dessert we're having s'mores.”

“Yum!” Jeremy exclaimed.

The bonfire provided the perfect backdrop for Ally to study Luckey's rock-solid silhouette. While the horses grazed, everyone gathered around the fire to eat. Luckey found a stick for her and they cooked their hot dogs side by side.

“You and your Ranger friends acted like you honestly tried to do your best in that race. It's so sweet of you to make this night so special for Jeremy. He seems like a great kid. I can't believe he was kidnapped.”

“It was a nightmare, but Claire, who was his nanny at the time, helped find him fast. Vic married her soon after that.” Luckey shook his head. “I'd like to find the guy who stole the life from those four Asian girls. The sooner the better.”

“I want that, too, Luckey.”

After a wonderful evening, they said goodbye to the others and loaded up for the drive back to Ally's parents' ranch. On the way there Luckey said, “You were a hit with everyone, especially Jeremy.”

“I'm flattered that he asked me to come to his parents' house so I could play with Daken. What a cute boy.”

“The Lone Ranger scarf was the best present you could have given him.”

She glanced at the man sitting next to her. “You have great friends. I've never had a better time, Luckey. After a night like this, I'm so glad I'm back in Texas.”

“Glad enough to spend part of tomorrow with me? That is, if you don't have work.”

“If this has to do with the case, then I can do both.”

“What if this didn't have anything to do with it?”

Her heart stopped. “It wouldn't matter, but I think that's a trick question.”