Lucas (10 page)

Lucy stood pressed up
against the outside wall of the kitchen, listening to Liam offer her up as a
prize to all of his grandsons over the age of sixteen. She was mortified. After
forging her way west with a promise that she would be given a home and
companion, Gilroy Hearn had left her standing alone in the middle of the road in
Thistleberry, Montana. It was an experience she didn’t care to repeat. Liam
Deardon saved her that day, and she owed him everything. However, she didn’t
want to marry just any Deardon man, she wanted to marry Lucas. But he’d made it
perfectly clear that he had no desire to marry anyone.

Liam’s question still
lingered in the air and she couldn’t help but to peek around the wall. Her
breath caught in her chest and her heart leapt when she saw six Deardon men
with their hands in the air. Then, the seventh. Lucas raised his hand. She
pulled back against the wall, her hand against her chest, willing her heart to
calm.

He raised his hand? Why
did he raise his hand?

Each of the Deardon men
was handsome in his own right and all had wealth enough to provide for her and
any children that might come along—her cheeks heated at that thought—but until
yesterday, she hadn’t considered any of them as a potential spouse. They were
all very young and felt like siblings more than suitors.

She darted a glance
around the corner and caught another glimpse of Lucas, still leaning against
the wall, staring down at the floor, and a smile worked its way onto her lips.
She raised a hand to touch them.

Marriage!
She bit her bottom
lip, her hands clasped at her chin. Apparently, he’d changed his mind. The only
thing that could ruin this day was if someone other than Lucas won.

Several of the men
gathered around the stables. Horses, new to Whisper Ridge, had been brought in from
neighboring ranches to keep the competition fair. Sticks of various lengths had
been put into a cup and each participant was to draw to determine the order they
would select their mounts for the course.

Lucy pulled the warm
quilted blanket up around Liam’s shoulders. “You’ll catch a chill out here if
you’re not careful.”

“Aw, Lucy, it’s warmer
right now than it’s been in weeks. The fresh air will do us both some good. Now,
stop your fussin’ and sit down!”

For as much as Liam
grumbled at her, he wasn’t unreasonable. She understood how hard it was for him
to sit back and watch, but as much as he would hate to admit it, she believed
that he knew he just wasn’t up for the physical challenge. He was tired. Dark
circles fell like shadows beneath his eyes and his cheeks appeared sunken.
Hollow. His normally tanned skin had a greyish tinge and she worried that he’d
already overdone himself.

“They’ve all mounted,”
Liam said excitedly, pointing to the riders as they headed for the starting
point.

While it was still
difficult for her to tell some of the breeds apart, Lucy looked up to see Lucas
astride a beautiful, and unmistakable, buckskin mare. Some of the others had
horses much larger in stature than his, but poor Daniel appeared to have chosen
the short stick, as his mount didn’t look any bigger or well-bred than a pack
mule. Not that she really knew enough about horses to tell the difference, to
Liam’s chagrin.

Daniel didn’t look any too
pleased.

The racing trail had
been set off with flagged markers staked at intervals extending a good distance
around the property where there were unobstructed views from the front porch.
With nary a breeze, it was hard to believe that such a nasty storm had passed
through the day before yesterday. The snow had started to melt, but Lucy
enjoyed the feel of the sun as it warmed her face.

“You are a better woman
than I, Lucy Russell.” Hank’s wife, Mara, stepped up onto the porch and sat
down on the arm of Lucy’s chair. “You sure you want to marry one from this
brood?”

“For the chance to have
you as a mother-in-law? Of course.”

“Ahh…flattery. There’s
hope for you yet.” Mara looked down at her and winked.

CRACK!

Smoke rose from the gun
Alex held in the air, signaling the start of the race. A white spray of snow
spread across the landscape as riders quickly made their way around each marker
as they spanned the course. The horses had all been outfitted with special
shoes built for gaining traction in the snow. Lucy sat forward in her chair,
fixing her eyes on the contestants. After all, she was supposed to have a
life-changing stake in the outcome.

It didn’t take long for
the leaders to separate themselves from the rest. Hank, Seth, and Sam rode neck
to neck as they rounded the bend near the corral fence line and, to Lucy’s
delight, Lucas joined the foray at Sam’s heels.

She held her breath. It
wouldn’t be long now before the first crossed the finish line.

As Hank and Sam leaned
forward in their seats and rode toward the edge of the barn, Lucy’s attention
was caught by a shift in the snow on the roof. She glanced from the clump of
snow threatening to fall, then back to the riders. She stood.

Just as the brothers
reached the barn, the snow slipped from the top of the roof and dropped on top
of their heads. Seth swerved out of the way, nearly running into Lucas’s horse.
Lucy brought a hand to her mouth. Lucas had disappeared from the saddle.

“Where’d he go?” Liam
asked, moving to the edge of his seat.

Mara jumped up from the
chair and rushed to the railing, looking toward the barn, where her husband had
just been attacked by the roof’s avalanche. When he and Sam both emerged, still
in their saddles, Mara stepped back, her hand on her chest, and smiled.

Lucy scanned the
ground, but Liam’s estranged grandson was not anywhere to be seen. The empty
horse still rode neck and neck with Seth’s toward the finish line. As they
approached the end, Lucas suddenly reappeared, lifting himself from the
opposite side of his mount, and regained his place in the saddle, urging his
horse faster.

“Whew.” The audible
sound of relief that came from Liam was palpable. “How’d he do that?” He leaned
back against the back of the chair.

The younger of the
Deardon boys stood on the ground in front of the porch and clapped heartily at
Lucas’s feat. Lucy, Liam, and Mara joined in.

Hank and Sam, trying to
gain ground, came up quickly on Seth and Lucas’s heels. They weren’t going to
let the win go easily. Snow dusted their jackets and filled the empty spaces
between them and their saddles, but it didn’t serve as a deterrent. The
picturesque backdrop, accompanied by the methodic rhythm of the horses’
movements, slowed time as Lucy watched with anticipation for the man who would take
an early lead in the tournament.

From her position on
the porch, it was difficult to tell which horse had been first to cross—Seth’s
or Lucas’s. Alex, who was considered the final judge for this tournament, bent
down from her horse and whispered something to her youngest. He nodded.

Lucy watched him expectantly.
He took the steps two at a time and with a quick gesture, motioned for Lucy to
come closer. The fourteen-year-old was taller than her, so he bent down and
cupped his hand around her ear, then leaned in.

“Seth was first. Lucas
second. Then my dad and Uncle Hank tied for third,” he whispered. Without
waiting for a response, he jumped down off the porch and rejoined his brothers
and cousins, who were now all congratulating the riders.

“Well?” Mara asked
expectantly.

Lucy forced a smile.
“Seth.”

Mara squeezed her arm
and skittered down the steps toward her son.

Lucy tried to squelch
the disappointment that bubbled in her belly. Seth was a good man—handsome,
strong, fun—but she was afraid that her heart had already been claimed by
somebody else. Lucas. She sat back down in the overstuffed chair Jake had
brought out for her. Liam placed his hand over hers.

“He is a good man,
isn’t he?”

“Yes, Seth has
everything a woman could hope for.”

“I wasn’t talking about
Seth.”

Lucy looked at Liam.
“How did you know?”

“I see it in your eyes
every time you look at him.” He coughed. “Don’t worry. This day is not over
yet. There are still four events. I have a feeling Gabe’s boy can hold his
own.”

Lucy smiled.

I hope so.

“That was amazing,”
Seth said as he congratulated Lucas with a bear-like hug. “Where did you learn
to ride like that?”

Lucas had never been more
grateful for his ability to pull off a stunt in his life. He’d caught a glimpse
of the snow crashing down from the barn’s roof and had slipped off the horse to
one side in time to avoid being knocked out of his saddle. Luckily, his good
arm had been able to support most of his weight and he’d been able to regain
the saddle with little effort.

“An old trick-rider
showed me a few of his feats. I’ve practiced a few times.”

“Well, you keep riding
like that and maybe you’ll win next year,” Seth teased as he turned to his
mother and picked her up off the ground and twirled her about.

Lucas looked up at the
porch where Lucy sat in the chair next to his granddad. She smiled at him and
he waved. He’d only lost the race by an inch, but he’d still lost. He tried to convince
himself that it didn’t matter. He barely knew Lucy, so why would he care if she
married his cousin? At least she would have a good name and someone to take
care of her.

Who am I kidding? I
think I’m in love with her. I can’t lose. I just can’t.

“I’ve never lost at
something I put my mind to and I’m not about to start now,” he said quietly as
he made his way to the stables with his mount. The buckskin had proven to be a
good choice, but he was confident he would have won had he been able to ride
Adonis.

You don’t have anything
to prove.
Jonah’s words echoed in Lucas’s mind. Being the youngest, he’d often struggled
with finding a place for himself back home and the idea of returning without
purpose weighed heavily on him. Especially now, as they transitioned to cattle
ranching, it was time for him to find where he belonged. Horses were his
passion and he loved working with the mustangs. He’d seen plenty of opportunities
here at Whisper Ridge just in the last twenty-four hours and knew he had
everything to prove if he wanted to stay.

That last thought took
him by surprise.

I want to stay.

After seeing to his
horse, he joined the others outside where Aunt Alex had finished writing their
placements on an over-sized slate chalkboard.

“Second place, Deardon.
Not bad, for a first timer.” Seth laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

“One event!” Lucas
responded incredulously. “We’ve had one event.” He snorted softly at how
comfortable he already felt with the people who’d so graciously accepted him
into their lives. He’d been a stranger a couple of days ago, and now, he was a
part of the family.

Seth laughed again as
he waved and disappeared into the small crowd of competitors and onlookers.

The next event was the
caber toss and Lucas was more than a little nervous. He’d helped out a few
times at the Whittaker place back in Oregon, throwing logs alongside some of
the lumberjacks, and he understood all too well the strength it required. But
to throw one for sport…he rubbed his arm just thinking about it. He flexed his
hand a couple of times, then followed Seth to the meadow, where the snow had
begun to melt into muddy puddles and sopping vegetation.

Several massive logs,
much taller than Lucas had expected, had been laid out along the edges of the
field. Because of his placement in the last event, he would be the second to
last competitor to throw the caber.

Denver was up first. He
walked out onto the field where the log had already been laid out for him.
Uncle Hank lifted it from the far end and walked his way up the pole until it
was standing up straight in front of the participant.

Lucas watched with
interest as Denver leaned over and locked his hands, fingers intertwined around
the pole. He lowered his hands in laddered movements until he was able to lift
the log and get his hands underneath it without it tipping over. It appeared
even taller when being held in the air. The foreman took a moment to steady
himself before starting forward with small, quick steps.

Just when the caber
looked as if it might fall from his hands, he plowed his feet into the ground
and heaved the log forward. It didn’t go far. Denver dropped his head, shaking it
back and forth. Lucas guessed it landed maybe five feet from the man.

The next to step
forward was no taller than Denver, but looked as if he weighed half as much. He
followed the same basic steps as the first, but after he’d lifted the log into
the air, it tumbled backward until it fell behind him.

This might be tougher
than I thought.

When it was finally his
turn, Lucas took a deep breath, walked out onto the field, and glanced up at
the porch where his granddad sat watching. The old man tipped his imaginary hat
with a nod. Lucas nodded back. Then his gaze fell to Lucy. She’d moved to one
of the porch posts, leaning into and draping her arm around it. She captured
her bottom lip in her teeth and then smiled at him in a way that put clouds
beneath his feet.

Focus, Deardon!
There was more than
one thing at stake here—Lucy’s hand and his grandfather’s approval.

He’d always been a
quick study, but his heart pounded so loudly he could hear it echoing in his
head. Hank, who’d thrown the caber the farthest thus far, waited for his
signal. Lucas breathed in and held it for a moment. Then released it slowly,
closing his eyes to gain focus. He opened them and nodded at Hank. It only took
a moment for his uncle to stand the log upright in front of him.

Lucas bent his knees
and hunched over as he wrapped his hands around the pole like he’d seen all of
the others do. He laced his fingers together, working to keep his breathing
even and steady as his hands leapt down toward the bottom of the log. With one
swift movement, he maneuvered his clutch beneath the beam and held it firmly
against his shoulder, which, to his amazement, did not pain him.

He marked the spot in
his mind where he would stop to throw the caber. He’d noted that the most
successful of them had taken only a few steps before tossing. With another slow
exhale, he blocked everything else from his mind, except the task at hand. One
step. Two. Three. Lucas focused all of his strength into his hands and arms,
and heaved the log, tossing it forward.

“Ahhhhhh!” He grabbed
his shoulder, holding his breath, waiting for the caber to land. Finally, the
tip hit the ground and the end he’d been holding tumbled over the top.

He bent in half, his
shoulder now throbbing, and let out the air that had been trapped in his lungs.
Screams, whoops, and hollers erupted from the group and in moments, the small
crowd, made up mostly of his large family, surrounded him.

“Nicely done,” Hank grunted
the words, nodding curtly as he passed by.

Lucas stood up straight
just in time for Seth to pick him up and raise him into the air. “Whoop!” he
hollered. “Now, how am I supposed to beat that?”

Lucas had never felt so
excited and relieved at the same time.

“I have never seen
anyone throw like that,” Daniel said with a pat on his back. “You are full of
surprises. Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”

Lucas groaned. His
shoulder burned as if on fire.

“Not like this,” Lucas
said, grinding his teeth against the pain.

“You don’t look so
good,” Seth told him as he placed a hand on each of Lucas’s shoulders.

“Aaahhhh!” Lucas cried
out again in agony, his good hand shooting instinctively to place pressure on
the injured limb.

Lucas, Daniel, and Seth
walked to the fence where the doctor already waited, Lucy by his side.

“Thanks, Doc,” Lucas
said through another groan. “I appreciate you being willing to come and take a
look.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank
Miss Lucy. She’s the one who invited me to stay.”

Lucas met her eyes,
hoping his gratitude would show through.

“I could see something
was wrong as soon as the log went into the air,” she said apologetically.

“Is everything all
right over here?” Liam had descended the porch steps and crossed the lawn to
meet them at the fence. “Lucas, you all right, son?”

“I’ll be fine. I think
I just reinjured my shoulder.”

“I knew it had been
bothering you. How did you hurt it the first time?”

Lucas looked at his
granddad, unsure he wanted to admit he’d been hurt doing the same thing that
had gotten Henry killed. He looked down at his feet. “It dislocated when I was
thrown from a wild mustang.”

Liam laughed. Something
Lucas had certainly not expected. “Like father, like son.”

Lucas scrunched his
brows together.

“Eh, it’s a tale for
another time.” Liam turned to the doc. “He gonna live?”

“Let’s step into the
house where I can get a good look at that shoulder, without turning you into a
block of ice,” Doc said with a smile, then turned to Liam. “If he’s as stubborn
as the rest of you Deardons, I have a feeling he’ll do what it takes.”

Lucas and the doc
walked the short distance to the front porch steps leading into the parlor,
followed by Lucy, Seth, and his grandfather. He hated all the fuss, but complied
with the doctor’s instructions. The warmth of the fire inside the house contrasted
hugely with the cold weather.

“Off with ‘em—the coat
and shirt both.”

Lucas didn’t move. He’d
already bandaged the shoulder in preparation for today and didn’t feel like hearing
how foolish it had been to compete with a known injury.

“Come on,” the doc
pressed.

Lucas raised his hands
to the large buttons on the front of his coat with some difficulty. The pain
was different this time. It didn’t feel out of joint like it had before, but
something was definitely wrong. He didn’t have the time or the patience for
another injury. There were still three events to go, and all of them would
require the use of his arm.

“Oh, for heaven’s
sake.” Lucy stepped forward and made quick work of the coat buttons, careful to
avoid his gaze. She tossed the wool-lined jacket onto the couch and paused for
only a moment before tackling the buttons of his shirt. Her fingers shook as she
brushed his bare skin beneath the cloth.

Lucas sucked in at her
touch. How was he supposed to focus now?

When the last button
had been undone, Lucy finally glanced up and their eyes locked for one brief
moment before she stepped away. He opened the shirt enough for Doc to see his
bandages. Seeing the injured arm was apparently not enough for the doctor as he
reached inside, pushing and prodding the shoulder and chest area, making his
experienced assessment.

Granddad took a step
forward and opened his mouth to say something, but his footing faltered and he
stumbled.

“I think you need to
sit for a bit, Liam,” Doc said. “Lucy, maybe you should take him up to his room
to rest.”

“I am not going to be
confined to my blasted bedroom. I’ll just sit outside in the chair on the porch.
I don’t want to miss a thing. Achoo!” He turned to look at Lucas, pulling an
old handkerchief from his pocket. “You gonna be all right?”

Lucas nodded.

Lucy draped his
grandfather’s arm over her shoulder and turned around.

“Here,” Seth said as he
stepped toward them, “let me help.” He took their granddad’s other arm and
placed it over his shoulder.

Lucy glanced back at Lucas.
Only her eyes showed above the width of the arm she carried and they locked
with his.

I am going to marry
that girl.

They opened the door
and Lucas watched them through the wall of windows as Lucy and Seth helped his
grandfather back into his chair and tucked the blankets up around him. Seth
laughed at something she said and a heavy pit formed in Lucas’s belly.

“Ow.” Lucas rotated his
arm, protesting against the manipulation of his muscles. “I’m fine, Doc.
Really. Can you just rewrap it?”

Blasted shoulder
.

“Certainly, you don’t
think you can continue to compete?”