Second Chance Cowboy (16 page)

The rear lights of the sleek black
hearse disappeared into the darkness and she started to turn back
into the house when an odd sensation swept through her. She blinked
her eyes and a flash of ashen color blurred her vision. When she
opened them, the room became fuzzy. A baby’s cry sounded from
somewhere in the house.

Closing her eyes again, she breathed
in and out, counted to ten, but the shrill cry continued to echo
off the walls, penetrating her mind like claws on a
chalkboard.

Bracing herself against the side table
in the foyer, she listened to Chance and Dr. Maxwell speaking in
hushed voices, or through a tunnel. She couldn’t see the men. They
were in the living room. She moved and peeked inside her father’s
dark office.

The crying stopped, but an image came
to her. A baby lying inside its crib, a stuffed teddy bear placed
in the corner, the sound of a lullaby playing...

“
Are you ready to go
home?”

Carly twisted around so hastily, she
lost her footing. Chance dashed forward, caught her, and stabilized
her with supporting arms. Concern marred his tired features. “Are
you okay?”

The images faded. She gave herself a
second to recover. “I...I am ready to go home.”

* * * *

The next morning, Carly awoke alone.
She glanced at the clock and read the digital numbers in shock.
“Ten-thirty?” How could she have slept so late?

She jumped up, dressed in a pair of
jeans and a white tank and went downstairs.

Thelma stood in her usual spot in
front of the stove. Dressed in a purple blouse and white pants, she
saw Carly and dropped the apple and the knife. “How’s my baby?” She
scrambled around the kitchen counter and went straight to Carly to
pull her into a tight-gripped hug. “My poor girl, ain’t you been
through enough.”

Carly allowed the other woman to
comfort her, but she did not cry. She had gotten home last night,
crawled into bed with Chance, and buried herself against his body
and wept until sleep had come sometime in the wee hours of the
morning.

Her father was the one constant in her
life growing up. He’d been her supporter, her strength and the one
person who provided her with love. He taught her to ride horses. He
encouraged her to go to college. He’d been confident in her
capabilities, even when she wasn’t.

She sniffed back tears. He’d left the
world alone, sitting in his chair, at his desk. She wondered what
his last thoughts were.

She hadn’t read the letter that Rock
Snyder had given her from her father. She wasn’t ready. What could
he say in a letter he couldn’t say in person?

Her father had always said he wasn’t
frightened of death. He knew, when the time came, he’d join her
mother in heaven.

At times, interestingly enough, he
seemed to anticipate the moment. It comforted Carly to know her
father hadn’t feared his demise. He believed in an
afterlife.

Stepping back from Thelma’s comforting
grip, she attempted some form of a smile. “I’ll be okay, Thelma.
I’ll miss him. I’ll remember he lived a long, benevolent
life.”

“
You’re absolutely right,
my dear.” Thelma went to the kitchen counter. “Let me fix you some
breakfast. Eggs and bacon? Or how ’bout some French
toast?”

Carly’s stomach rolled and churned.
She didn’t feel so great. She wasn’t hungry. Maybe eating would
ease the ache in her stomach. “I think I’ll stick with toast this
morning, Thelma.”

“
Comin’ right up. Why don’t
you go sit with Chance on the patio and I’ll bring it out. He’s
been waiting for you all morning.”

Carly walked out onto the patio and
breathed in the fresh air laced with freshly mowed grass. The sun
warmed her skin, easing her tension. She joined Chance at the table
and he closed up the folder he had open.

“
Hi.”

“
Hi.” He watched her with
questioning eyes.

“
Thanks for being there for
me last night.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her
ear.

“
No thanks are in order. I
want to be there for you.” He ran his hand through his hair,
disheveling the thick locks.

“
I wanted you to know.” She
flipped him an appreciative smile.

Sitting forward, he placed his elbows
on the table and gazed at her. “Sweetheart, I’m not going anywhere.
I cared for your father. He was a damn good man.”

Turning her head, she sighed. “A very
good man.” She looked out over the line of the woods. The billowy
clouds rolled in the backdrop of the pale blue sky. “I haven’t read
the letter yet.”

“
Nothing says you have to
until you’re ready.”

“
I’m thrown over his
decision to have no funeral service. It’s against tradition. People
want the opportunity to say goodbye.”

“
I’m sure he had his
reasons. You know he wasn’t much into long, drawn-out
goodbyes.”

“
I guess.” She could see
his point. She remained quiet. Thelma came carrying a tray of toast
and tea.

“
Here you are, honey.” She
set the plate in front of Carly.

She forced a smile. “Thanks,
Thelma.”

“
You eat up, honey. You
need anything else you give a holler.” Thelma swiped at the mist in
her eyes and vanished back inside the house.

Chance glanced at the toast. “No eggs
and bacon? Has she given up on her quest to fill you up with
saturated fats?”

Carly laughed, although it hurt. “I
asked for toast. I’m afraid my stomach couldn’t take anything more
this morning.” She wasn’t even sure if the toast would stay
down.

“
I’ve cancelled my meetings
today.”

The toast she had bound for her mouth
stopped mid-air. “You actually cancelled all your meetings?” The
words fell from her lips purely out of shock. “Have you lost your
mind?”

“
Ouch.” His eyes
slanted.

“
I’m sorry.” She dropped
her uneaten toast to the plate. “You’re not the type to drop
business for anything.” She reached for the carafe and poured a cup
of the strong coffee. A lock of hair fell to her cheek and she
didn’t bother with it.

“
Is that what you think?”
His brow shot up.

She couldn’t lie. “It’s what I
know.”

“
I’m a changed man.” He
passed her the bowl of sugar and container of cream.

“
I get it.” Maybe his
change wasn’t actually a permanent one, she mused gravely. She
loved him, but Chance Taylor was a rancher and he made himself
available to business no matter what, at least up until
now.

Scooping a spoonful of sugar into her
cup, she dropped the utensil. She sucked in a breath. Another
memory pushed through her thoughts like a searing burn. She popped
her head up, her eyes bearing into him in question. “Were you at
Maloney’s a few nights ago?”

Chance’s face remained blank.
“No.”

“
It must have been a
dream.” She rolled her eyes at her mistake. With the pads of her
fingers, she rubbed her temples. “You drank a lot.” Her mind
searched through the void. “Wow, I can’t believe I asked you such
an outlandish question.”

“
You better eat.” He pushed
her plate toward her. “You need to keep up your energy.”

“
You’re right.” She picked
up a piece of the buttered toast and took a small bite. “I need to
go to the McAllister today,” she said after she
swallowed.

“
Don’t you think it’s too
soon?”

“
You know how Father was,
Chance. He’d have already been out this morning on his golf cart
pitter pattering around the ranch making sure everything ran
smoothly.” She took a sip of coffee, looking at him through the
rising steam. “I feel like I owe him.”

Chance pushed back into his chair
again, extending long legs in front of him. “That’s an odd
statement.”

She set her cup down, feeling a rumble
of nausea in her stomach. “I’ve been so busy with my own life, with
the charities, the peach grove, you name it, and I’ve made little
time to dedicate to him. He stayed over at that big ole ranch all
alone.” Seeing his doubtful expression, she winced.
“What?”

His eyes connected with hers. “Your
father didn’t feel alone. He was happy.” He sighed. “And don’t most
kids feel the same when their parents pass away.
Shoulda-coulda-woulda
. We should have spent more time with
them. We could have done more for them. We would have liked more
time.”

Carly sat forward, wanting to be
close. “It’s not been long since your parents died. My father’s
death must bring back painful memories.” She knew how close he’d
been with his family and how he hadn’t gotten the chance to grieve,
especially when his father passed. He had immediately bounced into
the leader role at the ranch, making difficult
decisions.

She touched his hand in a comforting
gesture.

He jerked away from her touch. “Carly,
your father loved you and he knew you loved him.”

She laid her shunned hand back into
her lap. “Will you go to the McAllister with me?”

“
I’d be more than happy to
help.”

“
I’m not quite ready to
take over the responsibility of a ranch.”

“
The ranch foreman, Jake
Stratton, has been with your father for nearly thirty years. He can
run the day-to-day with his eyes closed and can be trusted with a
million dollars in his back pocket. If you’d like, I can check with
him everyday to keep track of the business.”

She frowned. “You’re already so
busy.”

He rubbed his eyes. “I’ve got the
time. If not, I’ll make the time. Harry meant a lot to
me.”

Her heart swelled. She couldn’t
imagine not having Chance in her life at a time like this. His
solidity made her secure. She counted her lucky stars. “I’ll go and
freshen up and then we can head over.”

Chapter
Fifteen

CARLY SAW JAKE Stratton waiting on the
wide steps of the white house when she and Chance pulled into the
McAllister driveway. His leathered face crinkled and his kind eyes
appeared sympathetic when he lifted a hand and waved.

Carly climbed out of the truck and
hugged the middle-aged man tightly. “Your old man was a good man.”
Jake slid his hat back on his forehead. “I thought he’d outlive us
all.”

“
He was certainly stubborn
enough to.” Carly backed away and wrapped her arms around her
shoulders.

Jake nodded. “How are you, Chance?” He
stuck out a hand and Chance took it.

“
Jake, do you have a minute
to go over some of the details of the ranch?” Chance
asked.

Carly watched the two men go off in
one direction. She headed the opposite way. When her and Chance had
passed the barns on the drive up to the house, she saw Leslie’s
truck parked around the outer buildings. She hadn’t spoken with her
in some time and wanted to see how the horses were
doing.

Leslie was examining one of the mares
when Carly rounded the barn door. The other woman looked up and
acknowledged her with a sheltered expression. “Hi,
Leslie.”

Leslie dropped her stethoscope into
her bag. “I’m sorry to hear about Harry.”

Carly nodded. She wasn’t sure why, yet
something much like jealousy washed over her. She and Leslie were
never friends, but suddenly she had a feeling they didn’t like one
another.

Tall, slender and with delicate
features, Leslie could definitely draw a man’s attention. Her eyes
were the color of aquamarine, making Carly curious if she wore
colored contacts.

Carly wondered why Leslie didn’t date.
The last she heard Leslie was a free woman. Something didn’t feel
right to Carly, but her mind was fuzzy.

Removing the path of her thoughts,
Carly dragged her eyes to the mare Leslie worked with. “How are the
horses?”

“
Sarah’s pregnancy is
coming along fine. I’ll give her another booster injection next
month.” Leslie ran her hand down the mare’s sleek back. “I’d also
recommend upping the amount of high-in-fat pellets she’s getting
daily. It wouldn’t hurt to add a cup of feed to her daily
intake.”

Carly hesitated. “I guess I didn’t
know she’s pregnant.” There seemed to be a lot she didn’t
remember.

Leslie shot her a look over her
shoulder. “She’s in her eighth month, only three more to go, right,
girl? We’re on the home stretch now.” Leslie patted the mare
lovingly.

Carly pushed past the stab of guilt.
She didn’t understand why tension existed between them. Harry had
liked Leslie, and she obviously loved the horses. So what caused
the deep feeling within the pit of her stomach?

“
Chance told me he hired
you at the Swift Wind
.
Have you worked there long?” Carly
asked, uncertain when Chance actually hired her.

Leslie’s eyes slanted. “I’ve been
there a while.”

Carly stiffened at the gnawing feeling
rushing up her spine. Did she hear a latent meaning to the other
woman’s words? She smiled through her uneasiness. “For now, until I
make some administrative decisions, I’d like for you to speak to me
directly regarding the care of the horses here at
McAllister.”