Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming (7 page)

Travis pushed open the door of his office and stepped inside. Angel stood with her back to him, gazing at the large wall map of the ranch and surrounding area. Her long black braid hung between her shoulder blades, and she must have stopped by her room, as her gun sat snug in its holster. He clenched his teeth, feeling as though a Texas tornado had slammed into his ranch and uprooted everything he held dear. Life hadn’t been perfect, but it had been much less complicated a few short hours ago.

It wasn’t fitting, a woman wearing a gun on her hip and toting a rifle. She should be wearing a dress and—he stopped, suddenly ashamed, as a memory returned. Travis had been teasing his sister because she was a girl. Mother had told him that, with God’s help, he could be anything he wanted to be, but so could his sister.

He hadn’t understood at the time, but a small patch of light shone into the darkness of his past prejudice. Could a person really become what he desired with God’s help? Did God care about what he did with his life?

Angel whirled around and stared at him, her hand clenched. He took a step back and rubbed his jaw. “I apologize, Miss Ramirez. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Her chin jutted out. “I wish everyone would quit calling me that. My name is Angel. Is that so difficult?”

Surprise coursed through him, and he raised his hands, palms out. “Hold on there, Miss…er…Angel. No need to get riled.”

Her posture gradually relaxed. “Sorry. It’s been—difficult—the past few hours.”

“Difficult? How?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to jerk them back. Of course. Coming to a new place, being questioned and stared at.

“It probably doesn’t matter, seeing I won’t be here long. But if everyone would call me by my given name, it would help. I’m not used to such proper talk.”

“Wait.” He stopped her before a torrent of words could bury him. “I understand. Let’s start over. Angel it is.” He strode forward and pointed at the map. “You probably spotted the ranch house.” He touched the lower left quadrant. “Did you come through Sundance?”

She nodded. “I skirted around the town, but yes, that’s the trail I took.”

Travis drew a large circle with his finger. “The ranch encompasses roughly two thousand acres. I homesteaded the first section and purchased land from ranchers wanting out.” He touched three places on the map. “These are the main points where wolf packs have been sighted.”

She kept her gaze fixed on the map.

He lightly touched her arm. “I’ve changed my mind about sending you out today.”

Angel swung toward him. “You’re making me stay here?”

“No. I’m just not sending you alone. I’ll show you some of the landmarks. We can’t cover half of the ranch today, but I can help you get the lay of the land.”

Angel shook her head, and her braid flipped over her shoulder. “No need. I can find my way.”

Travis stifled an irritated remark. “I’m sure you can, but my way will save time.”

She tapped her toe. “I understand how to read a map. I’ve been working the range for years.”

Travis wanted to snap at her stubbornness. “I’m sure you have, but I prefer to take you out the first day.”

She hesitated, clearly torn. “All right. You’re the boss. I’ll meet you in the barn.”

Travis stuffed down his impatience and grabbed his hat off the desk, slapping it on his head. Hopefully he’d made the right decision in hiring this woman. Why he thought he might be tempted to neglect his ranch work with this pretty employee around, he couldn’t imagine. He just prayed he could keep from going loco until he found somebody else.

Angel slung her saddle onto Bella’s back and stuffed her rifle in its sheath. The last thing she wanted was her new boss breathing down her neck. It would’ve been easier maintaining her old role, but she couldn’t deny the feelings of rebellion at the lie she’d lived for so long. People needed to accept her for who she was, not for what they thought she should be.

Travis grasped his horse’s reins. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

They swung into the saddle and rode out of the barn at a hard trot, heading northeast. Neither spoke for the next twenty minutes or so, but Angel didn’t mind. Getting a feel for this country was important— she was thankful Travis wasn’t talkative. Her mind drifted to the cowboy called Arizona. Now
that
one would talk her ear off if given half a chance, and no doubt propose within a week if encouraged. She’d have to watch herself and not spend any time alone with the man.

Angel twisted in her saddle. She slowed Bella to a walk and pointed at a butte rising in the distance. “Is that peak on your land?”

Travis nodded. “Yes, and it’s an excellent lookout. We keep part of the herd near the base, as there’s a good spring and rich grass. That’s where we’re headed.” He gathered his reins. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today. Let’s pick up the pace.” He grazed his gelding with a spur and the horse broke into a ground-eating canter.

A rush of warmth poured over Angel as she urged Bella to catch up. How wonderful to be in the saddle again, doing what she loved best. If only her parents or Uncle José could be here, life would be complete. That’s what she missed the most—a sense of family. Since leaving José, she had no one to call her own. There’d been little interaction with any of the family members on the other ranches where she’d worked. Staying in Travis’s home and sitting at the table had stirred a loneliness she’d thought buried. Angel pushed down the emotions, not wanting to dig too deep.

The cool wind nudged the rim of her sombrero, and the pounding of hoof beats filled the air. The sun-warmed needles on nearby pine trees emitted a fragrant odor and she inhaled deeply, thankful to be alive. No longer did she fear Bart Hinson finding her. Three years was more than enough; by now the man would have turned his attention elsewhere. She could relax, knowing the secret of her past would never be exposed.

The towering rock butte grew more distinct against the azure sky, and a long line of cattle spread along the base, contentedly grazing the knee-deep grass. Travis held up his hand and slowed his horse to a trot. Angel drew up alongside, letting Bella match her pace to the gelding. “Nice spot. How many cattle are you running in this location?”

Travis grinned, and the result surprised her. His normally somber expression relaxed, and smile lines creased the corners of his mouth. “About five hundred. This is one of my favorite places. Wait till you see the spring.” He pointed toward a decidedly green patch near the foot of the butte. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

In another few minutes they reached the wide grassy patch where cattle grazed and calves dozed in the sun. There must be over three hundred head, and the herd extended out of sight around the far edge of the rock outcropping. The butte towered above them and encompassed an area of at least ten acres. Angel had noticed while still at a distance that the top was somewhat level and fell off sheer on the three sides visible.

Cows lumbered to their feet as the horses passed, and calves bucked and jumped across the grassy area. Water gushed nearby, but Travis said it was a spring, not a running stream. Most springs she’d encountered were pools, originating at a seep or trickle of water. Her eyes widened as they arrived at the source and swung down from their mounts.

The rock face split about two feet up from its base with bushes growing on each side. Water boiled from the narrow fissure as though anxious to reach its destination. The entire crack gushed with tumbling water that spilled into a basin below. The resulting pool measured as wide as a grown man could toss a rock, and two sides were ringed with boulders that must have tumbled down over the centuries. Grass grew on the shore, and one area that appeared shallow was trampled and churned by the hooves of thirsty cattle.

Angel walked around the edge, noting the imprints of elk and possibly deer. No wolf tracks that she could discern, but that wasn’t surprising. She turned to Travis. “Amazing.” She breathed the word reverently. “I’ve not seen the like of this anywhere in Wyoming— or on south to Texas, for that matter.”

Travis’s brows rose, and a curious light sparked in his eyes.

Angel winced. Most of her work had been done in Wyoming, at least over the past two years. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to know of her history in Texas.

“Sounds like you’ve done a lot of traveling. You track varmints down Texas way?”

She shook her head. “No. Wyoming and Colorado. That’s all.”

His mouth opened, then snapped shut. Good. She didn’t intend to answer any more questions.

Angel turned toward the spring. “I’m surprised you didn’t locate your house here.”

He leaned his arm against his saddle. “I thought about it, but it’s too far from town to bring in supplies. We have a good, year-round creek not far from the house, but this would’ve been nice. It’s excellent grazing for the cattle, though.”

“I can see that. You ever climb the bluff?”

“Yes. On the back side the slope is more gradual. Great view of the ranch from up there, and with a looking glass, you can see other locations where the cattle hole up.”

“I’ll try it. Might be a good place to spot predators.”

“We haven’t had much trouble with wolves over this way. At least not yet.” He frowned. “But it couldn’t hurt to keep watch.” He gathered up his reins. “Let’s head out. I want to reach the next grazing area before we eat.”

They mounted and headed north. Angel looked back at the pool one more time. This was a place she’d return to—there was something about running water that soothed her soul—and right now, she could certainly use it. She chanced a look at Travis. Did he feel the same way, or was the man so focused on his ranch that he failed to notice the peace? She shrugged and pushed down the thought, irritated that she cared. He was her boss, not her friend, and his feelings weren’t her concern.

Travis glanced back, wondering at the longing that flashed across Angel’s face. What drove her to live this kind of life? Did she want a family, or did she have normal desires? He still had trouble using her given name, even in his mind. What was he thinking, giving this woman a man’s job and asking her to spend long days alone roaming the range? Part of him longed to treat her like the lady she should be, not the man she pretended to be.

Disgust niggled at his heart. Not at this young woman riding beside him, but at himself for not having the strength to stick with his decision when he’d wanted to send her away. But something about the determined—no—
desperate
expression she’d worn when she thought he might turn her aside had gotten under his skin.

Another half hour of riding brought them within sight of a second herd. Distant bawling floated on the still air and small dust clouds rose. The grassy plain extended for as far as he could see, and he surveyed the area with satisfaction. More cattle grazed here than anywhere on the ranch. He leaned back in his saddle and relaxed. “Tell me about some of the places you’ve worked.”

Angel didn’t reply, and he stiffened. Surely she couldn’t object to a casual question. A swift movement jerked him around—Angel had withdrawn her rifle.