Randall Riches (10 page)

“Hey, she’s not getting ideas from me!” Rich yelled. “Everyone in Rawhide has assumed I’m marrying her. All I did was bring her to town. I made it clear that all I was offering was a ride.”

“Well, make sure everything is clear to Samantha, Rich. She’s had a hard life.”

“Look, I don’t have any problem with Sam hanging around. But I can’t have everyone thinking I’m marrying her.”

“What would it hurt for a little while? You just got back in town.”

“Dad! Look, I’ll move over to Grandma’s. To watch out for her and Samantha. But I’m making sure Sam understands I’m not interested in—in marrying.”

“Don’t hurt her feelings.”

“No, I won’t. But I’ll introduce her around. Tell everyone she’s like my sister,” Rich promised.

Pete noticed some disgust in Rich’s voice. “You think the family is too big as it is? That we don’t have room for one more?”

“Of course not. Russ and I didn’t resent Casey, did we?”

“No. You treated him like a toy. It’s a wonder he survived,” Pete said with a grin.

“Yeah, we did upset Mom a couple of times, didn’t we?” Rich said with a chuckle. “It’s just that I’ll be lying if I say I think of Sam as one of the family.”

“What?” Pete asked, his gaze fixed on his son’s face.

“Well, damn it, Dad, I don’t plan on marrying Sam, but that doesn’t mean I think of her as a sister! She’s—I just don’t have brotherly feelings for her.”

“Yeah.” Pete cleared his throat. “Look, son, I want you to know I’m serious about taking care of Samantha. I don’t want her back on her own. So…be careful, okay?”

With a big sigh, Rich said, “Sure, Dad. I’ll be careful, and I won’t hurt her. But I’m not marrying her. I’m not willing to do that.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to do that, Rich. Unless you fell for her. She’s a special lady, you know. Reminds me
of your mother. She was a tough customer, too. But she has a big heart. I think Samantha does, too.”

“Dad, you said you weren’t matchmaking, remember?”

“I’m not. Are you going into town tomorrow to visit her in the hospital?”

“So the doc is keeping her another night?”

“Appears so.”

“If Grandma wants to go, I’ll go with her, but I can’t drive.”

“I’ll get your mom to come pick you up.”

“Dad—Sam probably doesn’t want to see me. I think I embarrassed her.”

“I’ll tell your mother to call before she comes.”

Rich gave up.

Samantha took her shower the next morning and changed into her white robe and gown. The fact that that much activity exhausted her was frightening. She lay down for a few minutes and had breakfast. Then she got out of bed and walked the halls in the small clinic trying to regain her stamina.

After lunch she walked again. There were several elderly ladies without visitors and Samantha hoped she’d brightened up their day by visiting with them. She had just left one room when the nurse caught up with her.

“You’ve got visitors, Samantha. Better head back to your room.”

Samantha was eager to visit with any of the Randalls, but she figured it was Janie or Lavinia. She was pretty sure it wouldn’t be Rich since he’d avoided her last night.

To her surprise, Rich stood by the door and was the first to greet her.

“Afternoon, Sam. We didn’t realize you were mobile.”

“I’m trying to move around. I’m a little weak from
just lying in bed,” she told him, restraining from covering herself. The gown and robe combined was opaque, but she was very conscious of not being more formally dressed.

Janie and Lavinia gently hugged her and kissed her cheek. Janie had some beautiful flowers in her hand, and Lavinia had another wrapped package.

“You shouldn’t have brought anything. You gave me my lovely gowns yesterday,” Samantha protested.

Janie put the flowers on her bedside table. “They’re just to cheer you up until you come home tomorrow morning.”

It occurred to Sam that she never used the word
home
when she found a temporary place to live. What a glorious word that was:
home.

“And this reminded me of you,” Lavinia said with a smile, handing over the present.

Sam opened the box to find a bottle of cologne. She hoped it wasn’t one of those heavy, musk-ridden scents. But she should’ve known better. Lavinia had chosen a clean sunshiny scent that lifted Sam’s spirits the moment she smelled it. “Oh, I love this!” She sprayed a little behind her ears and on her wrists. “Smell!” she ordered, extending her wrist to Janie.

Janie sniffed and praised her mother’s choice. Then she insisted Rich smell. Samantha wanted to draw back her wrist, but she couldn’t without being rude. Rich took her hand in his and bent closer to sniff her wrist.

Abruptly, he dropped her hand. “Very nice,” he said and moved back to lean against the wall, as far away as he could get from Samantha.

Sam chatted with the two ladies, ignoring Rich as he ignored her. It was obvious he hadn’t been given a choice about coming. When she mentioned the two ladies she’d been visiting, Lavinia and Janie decided to say hello to them. They ordered Rich to keep her company until they got back.

An awkward silence filled the room.

Finally, Rich pushed away from the wall and said, “We’ve got to talk.”

Samantha tried to square her shoulders, sure he was going to ask her to leave because she’d made him uncomfortable after last night. It was his home, after all. But her right shoulder was still painful. She sank against the pillows. “Of course. I can be on my way day after tomorrow.”

“No!” he roared, taking her by surprise.

“You don’t want me to leave?”

“
I
don’t have anything to do with your decision. But Dad wants you to stay. He’s afraid I hurt your feelings last night when I—I didn’t intend to kiss you. You turned your head and—it was an accident.”

“I know.” She kept her voice calm. But the question running over and over again in her head was
I can stay?

“You do?”

“Of course.” She raised her chin a little and issued a brittle laugh, hoping Rich didn’t notice. “The look of horror on your face made it obvious.”

“I didn’t mean— We’re causing a lot of gossip.”

He sounded grim and Samantha wondered what people were saying.

He didn’t wait for her to ask. “They’re saying we’re
getting married. But you remember I made it clear that wasn’t in the cards, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. I wanted to make sure you didn’t expect me to marry you. Not that there’s anything wrong with you. But I’m not the marrying kind.”

“All right.”

“That’s all you’ve got to say?”

“What did you expect me to say? Cry and plead for you to marry me? I never stay where I’m not wanted.”

“Just because I’m not interested in marriage doesn’t mean you should go!” he hurriedly said. “Dad and Mom want you to stay. Grandma would be devastated if you left. I don’t care if you stay. As long as you don’t expect me to—uh—”

“Marry me,” she said.

“Yeah.”

“No problem. If you don’t mind, then, I’ll stay at least until I’m stronger.”

“Good,” he said, relief on his face. “So, I’ll be busy, working on the ranch, and you’ll be in the house with Grandma. We won’t see much of each other and—and the rumors will die out.”

“Right.” She held on to her emotions, though she admitted to herself it depressed her that he wanted to avoid her. Unconsciously she lifted her wrist to her face and sniffed the perfume again. Maybe she shouldn’t have agreed to stay a while. She was noticing a partiality for Rich that was growing. Her eyes widened as she realized it was possible she was coming to care for him.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to let escape any hint of such a fact. The man was already freaked out by the rumors. She’d never lived in a small town, and she had no concept of the gossip that could occur, but Rich seemed fearful of it. As if a rumor of their marrying might
make
him marry her. A ridiculous thought!

While she’d been trying to order her thoughts, Janie and Lavinia came in again.

Janie looked first at Samantha and then Rich. “Did my son prop himself against the wall and not speak while we were gone?”

Rich’s face turned red, but Samantha calmly said. “Why, no, he’s been telling me about his ideas for his new job. I’m impressed with his knowledge.”

“Good,” Janie said. “I’d hate to hear he’d been rude.”

“Not at all,” Sam said, smiling. “We’re as comfortable with each other as brother and sister.”

Rich glared at her, but she thought it was a nice touch. That would make it clear to everyone that there was no attraction between them. Which was a lie, of course, on her part, but that didn’t matter. At least she was going to be able to stay in the first place she’d called home in twenty-four years.

W
HEN
L
AVINIA
and Rich drove to town to pick up Samantha the next afternoon, Rich felt relieved about his situation. Samantha hadn’t given him any grief about the marriage thing. And now that she was getting out of the hospital, they wouldn’t be under the town’s eye.

In fact, he could hurry that along by going out with
someone else. He’d always played the field. He could do so again. But he noticed he didn’t have any enthusiasm for it.

Okay, so he’d concentrate on his job until he felt differently. Either way, the rumors would stop.

As Lavinia parked the car, she sneezed.

“Bless you, Grandma. Are you coming down with something?”

“I don’t know. I felt funny this morning.”

“We’d better get you in to see Doc while we’re here.” His grandmother had caught pneumonia a couple of years ago and his mom always panicked if Lavinia showed any signs of a cold.

“No, no, I’m sure I’m all right. I have to be to take care of Samantha.” Lavinia opened her door and got out of the car, only to sneeze again.

Half an hour later, Doc was patting Lavinia on the shoulders. “You let these young people take care of you now, Lavinia. I want you to stay in bed until you’re feeling better.”

“It’s just the sniffles, Doc, and you know it.”

“You said the same thing when you had pneumonia. You do as I say or I’m putting
you
in the hospital.”

“We’ll take care of her, Doc.” Rich put his arm around his grandmother.

“Looks like it will be just you. Sam’s recovering well, but she won’t be up to doing all the work.”

“Uh, okay. I’ll take care of both of them.”

“Good for you. Call me if she feels worse and I’ll come see her. We don’t want to take any chances.”

“Right.”

“Are you picking up Samantha now?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve given her some cream to rub on the strained muscles in her shoulder. It will provide some warmth and help her shoulder to heal faster. Make sure someone applies it every night.”

Foreboding filled Rich. On her shoulder? Touching her? Rich would do what he had to do, but that task sounded dangerous.

He let his grandmother go ahead of him to Sam’s room. He pulled out his cell phone. “Mom, Grandma has a cold and Doc wants her to go to bed and stay there.”

“Oh, thank goodness you had Doc check her out.”

“Yeah, but I can’t—I mean, I can manage, but any help you can give me would be appreciated.”

“I’ll be at the house when you get there and get Mom settled in bed, and Sam, too. Then I’ll make some things for the freezer. Your dad can come for dinner.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

When he got to the room, his grandmother was fussing, trying to help Samantha. “Grandma, Doc said for you to take it easy.”

Samantha, letting Lavinia tie her shoes, jerked back and winced. “What’s wrong with Lavinia?”

“Nothing at all, dear. Just ignore the boy.”

“Grandma!” Rich turned to Samantha. “She’s starting a cold. Since she had pneumonia a couple of years ago, Doc errs on the side of caution.”

“Sit down, Lavinia. I’ll manage.” She got up and took Lavinia’s arm and led her to the only chair in the
room. In spite of Lavinia’s arguments, Samantha had her seated and leaning back.

Rich was grateful. In turn, he took Samantha’s good arm and led her to the bed. “I’ll tie your shoes. Are you packed?” He knelt in front of her and quickly tied the shoes. Then he looked for her suitcase.

“Yes. The nurse who helped me dress took care of it.”

Helped her dress? Surely they wouldn’t expect him to— No, they couldn’t ask that of him. It would make it tough to ignore Sam if he had to get that close.

“You can’t dress yourself?” he asked, trying to make his voice sound calm, but he figured he missed as his grandmother and Sam both stared at him.

Sam spoke first. “Of course I can. But I’m slower. Don’t worry. I can take care of myself and Lavinia, too.”

“Sure, okay. Ready?”

When they got to the car, the women escorted by Rich, hobbling along on his walking cast, he realized he had another problem. He shouldn’t let his grandmother drive. She’d sneezed three more times on their way out to the car. He found a blanket in the trunk and put his grandmother in the back seat, tucking the blanket around her. She was shivering.

“You aren’t supposed to drive,” Samantha reminded him quietly.

“I know, but if you help me, we can make it.” He opened the passenger door for her. “I’ve got to pick up the prescription Doc gave us. Do you need to get one filled, too?”

“Yes, but—”

“Hand it to me and I’ll take care of both of them at once.” She did so, and he indicated the front seat. “Sit down. I’ll be back in a minute.”

When he returned to the car, he explained that, since the car was automatic, he could drive with his left foot. However, he wanted her to sit next to him in case he needed help.

Samantha strapped herself in to the middle seat. “You mean you want me to grab the wheel?”

“No, I want you to press the gas pedal if necessary. You’ve got two good feet. I’ve got two good arms. Together we can manage.”

She agreed, watching him carefully. Neither of them noticed anyone looking at them until they backed out of the parking place. Someone shouted, then. Rich looked up and saw several of his friends. They were giving him a thumbs-up.

They were that excited that he was driving? Then it hit him. They saw Sam pressed against him and thought their closeness was for romantic reasons, not for driving.

He groaned and shifted against the car door.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked.

“Nothing!” he snapped. Then he apologized. “Sorry, it’s my fault. My friends saw us sitting close together and thought—you know.”

“So, do you want me to move away?”

“No. It wouldn’t be safe.”

If he’d been in the car alone, he wouldn’t have hesitated to try driving by himself, but with his grand
mother sick in the back seat and Sam having already suffered from severe bruising, he didn’t want to have a wreck.

The fifteen-minute drive took a little longer because he didn’t want to go too fast. But with Sam pressing against him so she could have her foot ready if he needed help, the ride seemed interminable. Her left breast rested against his right arm, soft yet firm, distracting him from the driving. He only hoped she wouldn’t notice his response.

He gave thanks that his mother was waiting for them. She hurried out to the car.

“Mom, come on in. I’ve changed the sheets on your bed. It’s all ready for you.”

He opened his door to get out, but his mother’s next words stopped him. “You two sure are cozy.”

Sam spoke up. “Rich isn’t supposed to drive with his right foot, so I was helping.”

“Oh, you poor dear,” Janie exclaimed. “I forgot, since you’ve been getting around so well.”

“That’s okay, Mom. We’re a house of gimps,” Rich joked.

“Well, let’s get Grandma in her bed. Rich, can you make her a cup of hot chocolate?”

“Sure.” After saying that he realized he had no idea how his mother or his grandmother made hot chocolate. Maybe they had some of those instant packets.

He got Sam’s suitcase and followed her into the house. “I’ll carry your bag up after I make the chocolate for Grandma.”

“Go take the bag up now. I’ll make the chocolate,” Sam said, surprising him.

“But your arm?”

“I can do it one-handed, except for pouring it into the cup. You’ll be back down here by then.”

He didn’t wait for her to offer twice.

When he came back into the kitchen, he discovered Sam had found a small tray. She put a napkin and a large cup on the tray along with the pills the doctor had prescribed. “Should I add a couple of cookies?” she asked. “Did she eat much lunch?”