Rocky Mountain Cowboy (32 page)

Hawk checked external details, then climbed into the pilot’s seat beside her. She knew he dearly loved his airplane and flying. He’d bought the Cessna when he’d been at the peak of his professional rodeo career. She’d asked him on the flight over how he had managed to keep it undamaged these past months. He’d told her he kept it locked in a hangar at the local airport
even though it cost him more to house it that way.

“So how was your long weekend?” he asked her once he buckled
himself in. “Did you get all your consultations and meetings done?”

“Before I tell you, I want one more kiss, a longer and more private one than you gave me in the airport.”

“Greedy woman,” he laughed as he leaned across the middle console and hooked an elbow around her neck to bring her mouth to his. Long moments later, after a lot of heat and tongue and his usual expertise, he let her come up for air. “Is that better?”

“Hmm, much,” she sighed. “But just for now.”

“Like I said— greedy woman.” Chuckling, he put on his headphones, flipped a few switches, then started the engine. After talking to the air traffic controller, he turned the plane and taxied into the waiting position. “I’ve got a welcome home dinner planned, just you and me, a couple of nicely grilled steaks at one of the local steakhouses I like, some wine and candles; no interruptions.”

The wicked sparkle in his glittering blue eyes made her stomach do somersaults. She could hardly wait to get home. She had really really missed him. When they got the go ahead from the tower, Hawk taxied onto the runway and lifted off. Jenny was a little tense, actually a lot tense. She hated take-offs the most, but Hawk’s was so smooth, she quickly relaxed, then settled back to enjoy the flight.

“I did have a good trip— very productive,” she told him, picking up their conversation again once they were in the air. When they rose to the proper elevation and cruising speed, she looked down over the front range of the Rocky Mountains as they turned west, into them. “The studio and the producer liked my preliminary sketches. We chose fabrics and consulted with the movie’s director. I’ve worked with him before, and we get along well. Neither of them have any problem with me working on the costumes long distance, as long as I can come to Hollywood when they really need me. They both said they wouldn’t ask me to do that too often. They also said I had to bring you next time. They want to meet you.”

She liked most of the people she worked with. Many of them were also her friends, especially the ones she worked with most frequently, her seamstresses and cutters and buyers. Several of them had made her tell them all about her dad’s ranch and the man who had made her want to relocate half-way across the country.

With her vision alternating between Hawk and the view of the spectacular high mountain parks below her, she told him about the movie she was designing the costumes for. She didn’t tell him about the arrangements she had made to sell off nearly all of her financial portfolio, so she’d have access to the funds she might need. She had even talked to a realtor about putting her condo on the market. While she was still undecided about selling it, she had set things up so that she could make the arrangements over the phone if she chose to sell.

“I talked to Peter, too. He was angry with me,” she went on to tell him.

Disturbed by her comment, Hawk gave her a pointed look. “How angry?”

“Angry enough to want nothing more to do with our partnership. We dissolved it, in fact. But we never had a written agreement anyway.” Her argument with Peter hadn’t been pretty. It saddened her to lose his friendship, but he hadn’t been willing to understand her decision to form a partnership with Hawk and live on the ranch. She was on her own now if she wanted to continue her fashion designing. She was still contemplating doing that, from here.

“Good riddance, I say,” Hawk said with a shrug. “I know you thought of him as a friend, honey, but there was a reason he and the Caldwells hit it off so well, you know. Kindred spirits.”

“I suppose,” she sighed. “But we’d worked together for so long.”

Hawk turned to her again. “A little more than work, I’ll bet.”

“It was, but it’s been over a long time.”

“Smart decision. You deserve better.”

Jenny smiled at him with a lift of one eyebrow. “Really? And that
better
— might it be you?”

“Damn straight!”

She laughed with him. “So how was your weekend? Safe I hope.”

“
Safe and boring,” he reassured her. “I hung around the stock show and watched television in a lonely hotel room Saturday night.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” she teased. “I wouldn’t want you to be anything but lonely while I was gone.”

“Believe me, I was,” he assured her. “The rancher I flew to Billings, with his wife, put me in touch with a better buyer for our cattle. He’s offering a really good price. He’s flying out next week to weigh the saleable part of the herd. He’s even going to arrange the shipping to the stock yard, probably pay for it as well, if he likes what he sees.” He took his eyes off the jagged peaks below him and turned to look at her. “Even if all goes as planned, I think we’re only going to break even this year.”

“Well, I guess that’s better tha
n being in the hole. You can still let me....”

Hawk held up his hand and interrupted her. “We’ll be fine.” End of discussion. She didn’t want to argue, so she let it go. Time would tell. “You and Hank will have to handle the weigh in and get the cows loaded onto the cattle trucks. I’ve already begun separating out the stock we’
ll be selling. The buyer would like to get the shipping started by next weekend. I’ll leave you all the information you need so you can call the buyer tomorrow and set up a day and time for him to come out. We have scales at the ranch. Tom and I installed them four years ago. I checked. They’re working fine. Hank and I will finish culling the herd tomorrow.”

Was he leaving again soon?
She’d been hoping to spend some time with him. They had barely seen each other these past two weeks. “Oh, Hawk, it sounds like you’ve been running yourself ragged. Where are you off to next?”

“On my next hunting trip. I leave day after tomorrow at five in the morning. I’m taking up a party of four wealthy businessmen from Denver. They’re paying me really well to help them bag a deer a piece. We’ll be staying at the line cabin this time. Won
’t be back until they get their bucks.”

“Another hunting trip? How many more did you book?”

“A couple.”

“Well, you look worn out already,” she noted unhappily.

“I’ll live through it. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay,” he reassured her with a crooked grin.

“When are we meeting with the attorney to sign the paperwork on the partnership? He must have everything ready.”

“He does. But he’s going to have to wait until I can get a day off, and right now that doesn’t look too likely until maybe sometime next week.”

“He’s not going to be too happy about that. He’s worried about us making that ninety day deadline. He doesn’t want the court having to step in.”

“We’ll make it in plenty of time. Jack just likes to worry. He’s our financial advisor, too.”

“Well, then, I guess he’s got a lot to worry about lately, doesn’t he?” She couldn’t restrain the sarcasm and irritation out of her voice.

He shot her a frown, but they dropped the subject for the rest of the flight home.

CHAPTER 19

It was dark
by the time Hawk drove under the the lodge pole cross beams that heralded the entrance to the Bar F/Bar L Ranch. They’d had dinner in Winthrop after parking the plane in his hangar at the local airport. Not long after, Jenny had snuggled up against his side in the cab of his pickup, laid her head on his shoulder, and promptly fallen asleep.

The road to the house was lined with gravel, but it was still a bumpy ride. It didn’t take long to jar Jenny awake
once they hit it. She sat up drowsily and stared at the tall dark shadows of the pine and aspen trees that rose on either side of the lane.

“Almost home,” Hawk announced with a kiss to the top of her head.

“Good, I’m exhausted.”

As soon as the truck crested the hill, they saw the ominous orange glow that lit up the sky over the ranch house.

“Oh dear God!” Jenny exclaimed. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Shit!”

Hawk stepped on the accelerator, sending rocks spewing out behind his rear tires. The descent to the yard had both of them staring out the windshield toward the fire burning behind the house.

“Oh, Hawk, it’s the new barn!” Jenny cried in alarm.

Hawk swore vehemently
again and drove to the front of the house, where he skidded to a stop.

“Check to see if anyone’s called the fire department!” he yelled as he slammed the truck into park and and hopped out.

Jenny scrambled out with her cell phone in hand. Deciding she wouldn’t waste time looking for someone, she dialed 911 and headed toward the barn, just as Hawk had done. The flames coming from the wooden structure were leaping high into the night sky, fueled by the light wind. Eli and Hank were hosing down the rear entrance that opened onto one of the paddocks surrounding the barn. For the moment, no other structures seemed to be threatened, but that could change if the wind picked up or shifted.

The front of the barn was completely engulfed, and
Jenny could hear the horses screaming inside. It was a sound that sent terror up her spine. Cursing the high heeled boots she was wearing, she rushed over to Eli.

“I called the fire department
,” the old cowboy shouted to her. “They’re on their way, but we haven’t been able to get inside yet to get the horses out. The damn thing’s goin’ up like a tinder box.”

She had lost sight of Hawk
, and she was deeply afraid that she knew where he was.

Eli confirmed her fears.
“He just ran inside, through that door. We got six horses still in there.”

The rear doors weren’t on fire yet, but the walls around it were. Hank and Eli had managed to create a safe zone, free of flames, about five feet wide. Hawk couldn’t get all those horses out by himself before the two cowhands lost
the battle with fire-free zone.

Where was Steve? Jenny wondered. He wasn’t fighting the fire with Hank and Eli. She made Eli hose her down, and in spite of his protest, followed Hawk into the barn. He was at the back, struggling with his horse and Aspen. Someone was going out a side door
with a horse. She guessed it was Steve.

Jenny grabbed Aspen’s reins from Hawk’s hand. “Let me get her!”

Hawk whirled around at the sound of her shout, his face already dark with soot, none too pleased to see her. “Take her and get out. Don’t come back in. I’ll get the others.” He was having trouble controlling Red Phantom, who was terrified of the heat and smoke. The horse reared and screamed. It was a bloodcurdling sound. Metal shod hooves slashed the air, narrowly missing Jenny’s head and shoulders. Hawk hauled on the reins to bring his horse under control. “Go! Get the hell out of here!” he shouted at her over the din of roaring flames.

Jenny led Aspen out, choking on the thick smoke that was quickly filling the barn. She looked back over her shoulder. Hawk had his horse at the door. He slapped him on the butt, then turned back inside. The big gelding bolted for the freedom of the paddock.
She gave Aspen a slap and the mare followed Red Phantom to safety.

Jenny knew Hawk couldn’t get the other three horses out without help. She pulled the scarf from around her neck, tied it over her nose, and ran back inside to help him. Hay bales and bags of feed were igniting all
around her. Overhead, the fire was rolling along the ceiling beams like in an inferno of rage, hissing and crackling so loudly, it sounded like a roaring monster. It was deafening and utterly terrifying.

Running to the nearest stall
, she opened the gate and immediately the horse inside came charging out. She quickly jumped aside, and it headed straight for the rear doors. Hawk released one more, and it, too, raced for the outdoors. She was nearing the last stall, when Hawk met up with her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pushed her toward the exit.

“Get the hell out of here! Now! I’ve got this one.” He looked up and saw one of the ceiling beams split
and fall. “Run, damn it! Run!”

The center walkway was a
river of flames. Luckily, the last horse cooperated with its rescue. Because its stall was at the back of the barn, there was just enough time to get it out. Jenny was running ahead of it, staying out of its terrified path, and Hawk was right behind it, herding it in the right direction. All three of them made it to the safety of the corral just seconds ahead of the roof collapsing.

It caved in with a mighty
roar, a spray of sparks, and a firestorm of flames. Hawk tackled Jenny from behind and took her to the ground at the far side of the pen, his body protectively covering her head and backside as they fell. With the wind knocked from her, Jenny lifted her head from the dirt, turned in Hawk’s arms, and saw Hank, Eli, and Steve herding the six horses into another corral, farther from the barn. Pushing up onto his arms, Hawk thrust to his feet, then pulled her up to stand next to him.