When All My Dreams Come True (31 page)

“Oh, well thanks. Just make sure you don’t let her get loose. I sure don’t need an angry mama after me.”

“She’s pretty tame, Jace. She’d probably only hurt you a little. A lot less than that stallion you tried to break.” She grinned at him and urged Mack farther up the bluff.

He followed her progress up and around the mare. The horse watched her, too, as she stood her ground over her foal. Bobbie swung her lariat a few times and let it go with a quick flick of her wrist. The noose landed right on target. She jerked the rope and looped her end around the saddle horn. Mack moved back. The mare fought against the lariat, bucking and swinging her head in a wild rhythm.

Jace spurred his horse toward the foal. He jumped down, scooped it into his arms, and mounted up again.

The barn door stood open when they arrived home. He carried the foal into a stall and stood back. Bobbie released the mare. The horse trotted inside, sniffed the air, and ran to her baby.

Once Jace closed the stall door, Bobbie turned and headed toward the house. He followed close behind. He wanted to see this. Ben faced Bobbie as she squatted down and maneuvered the rabbit toward the opening of her shirt. Jace moved so he could watch both of their faces.

When she pulled the bunny out, Ben gasped and his eyes grew big. “How did you do that?”

“I caught him out on the prairie.”

“You did?” Ben’s voice squealed.

“Touch him. He’s so soft, you can hardly feel the fur.”

Ben reached out and ran his finger along the head, imitating Bobbie’s movements. A grin stretched across his face. “He
is
soft.”

Annie entered the room with Sara. Ben beckoned them over.

“Feel it, Mama.”

Annie sat on the sofa and ran a finger over the fur.

“Isn’t it soft?” Ben said.

Annie smiled and kissed him on the nose. “Yes, very.”

The bunny squirmed, and Sara took a step back. Ben took her hand. “Touch it, Sara.” Sara took another step away and gave a vigorous shake of her head. Ben moved to his mother. “Can I keep it, Mama?”

Annie sent Bobbie an incredulous look. It was all Jace could do not to burst into laughter.

“Ah, Ben?” Bobbie tucked the bunny against her as she touched Ben’s shoulder. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep it.”

Ben reached to pet the rabbit. “Why not?”

“Well, because he wouldn’t be happy here.”

“Why not? I’d care for him real good.”

Bobbie pulled Ben closer. “But he wouldn’t be home, Ben.”

Ben frowned. Bobbie sat on a chair and pulled him onto her lap. The bunny squirmed, and she struggled to get it under control. When it was quiet again, she turned back to Ben.

“He squirms because he doesn’t like being here.” She dipped her
head to look into Ben’s face. “If I were to take you into town and leave you with a very nice family, like the Cromwells for instance, would it be all right with you if they kept you and raised you?”

Ben’s eyes widened. He shook his head. “I wanna be home.”

“That’s just like this bunny. He might think you’re real nice, but he wants to be home. Do you understand?”

Ben nodded and touched the bunny’s ears.

Bobbie hugged him and kissed his cheek. “You’re such a good boy, Ben.” She shot an apologetic look at Annie. “I need to go back and turn him loose. Maybe your mom will let you ride with me to let him go?”

Ben whipped around to look at his mom. “Can I, Mama? Can I ride with Bobbie?”

Annie reached around Ben and pinched Bobbie’s arm. Then she started to say something, but stopped herself and sighed. “I guess that would be all right, Ben. Maybe you can talk your Uncle Jace into riding out there with you.”

Ben jumped from Bobbie’s lap and ran to Jace, who scooped him up in his arms. “Will you, Uncle Jace? Will you ride with us?”

Jace tapped his own cheek with his forefinger. Ben grinned, threw his arms around Jace’s neck, and gave him a loud, smacking kiss.

“You just talked me into it,” Jace said.

Ben cheered and kicked his feet to be let down.

Jace walked over to Bobbie as she stood. “That was very smooth. I wondered how you were going to wiggle your way out of that one.”

“It never occurred to me he’d want to keep it. I just wanted him to see it.” Bobbie turned to Ben. “You ready to go?” He bobbed his head. “Would you like to carry him inside your shirt, or should I put him back in mine?”

Annie craned her neck and wrinkled her nose. “Inside the shirt?”

Ben nodded then leaned down and, with his tongue tucked at the corner of his mouth, fumbled with his button. Bobbie bent to help him get the bunny inside. Jace lifted Ben into his arms and
carried him out to the horses. After Bobbie climbed astride Mack, Jace handed the boy to her and mounted his own horse.

They headed back toward the bluff. Ben talked the entire ride out about how he would have played with and taken care of the bunny if he could have kept him. Jace exchanged many amused glances with Bobbie. She dropped kiss after kiss on the top of Ben’s head. Jace envied the boy.

She reined to a stop. “This looks like the place.”

Jace jumped down and lifted Ben to the ground. He helped Ben with the button, and Bobbie removed the bunny.

She held it in front of Ben’s face. “Do you want to kiss it goodbye?”

He leaned down and pressed his face into the fur.

She smiled. “All set?”

Ben nodded. She placed the bunny on the ground and loosened her grip. It didn’t move. She bumped it with her thumb, and the bunny scampered off.

“Bye, bunny,” Ben called after it, then bowed his head. “Please, God, keep my bunny safe. Make him strong. Amen.”

“Amen,” Jace echoed, but he’d never closed his eyes. The outline of a man on a horse stood out against the sky. He inched toward the others.

“Bobbie, I think it’s time we get Ben home.”

She stood next to him and followed his gaze. In seconds, she held Ben in her arms.

“You two go on,” Jace said. “I want to check this out.”

He headed toward his horse, and Bobbie grabbed his arm.

“I think we should go home together.”

He ignored the pleading look in her eyes and placed his foot in the stirrup.

“Ride home with us, Jace. It would be better if you came back here with Morgan and some others.” She flashed her eyes toward Ben and motioned with her head.

He looked at Ben. The boy’s gaze dashed between the two of them, and anxiety tinged his freckled face.

Jace touched Ben’s cheek and nodded. “You’re right. You ready to go home, Ben?”

“Yep.”

Jace mounted and looked back toward the bluff. The man was gone.

They wasted no time getting back. Jace called out to Dew and Sonny, and the three hurried back to the bluff. While Sonny followed the man’s trail, Jace scanned the area. He saw no other movement.

Sonny motioned to him. “The trail ends in these rocks, Jace. It’s like he knows this land as good as we do. He knows how to disappear.”

Jace ran several men through his mind as they headed home. Who knew his land as well as he did? Any number of people could qualify. He’d have to be patient a while longer and hope the man made a mistake that led to his downfall.

   TWENTY-FOUR   

J
ace and Bobbie headed into town early for the Bible study with plans to eat supper with Matt and Rebecca Cromwell, Cade Ramsey, and Cade’s mother. Cade had confessed to finagling an invitation for Jace and Bobbie in order to see the two together. Jace threatened his friend with a severe beating if he did or said anything to embarrass Bobbie.

Jace had offered to drive the buggy in an attempt to be close to Bobbie, but she insisted on riding Mack. He glanced at her. She looked good for having only half an hour to get ready. With all that had happened that afternoon, he’d forgotten to tell her about the invitation.

She looked deep in thought. Jace nudged his horse closer to hers, and her gaze now met his instead of looking at the ground.

“Are you all right, Bobbie?”

Bobbie’s brows shot up. “Yes. Why?”

“I just want to make sure you aren’t still suffering in any way from that attack.”

“I’m fine, Jace. The men are behind bars where they belong, and I hope they stay there. What more could I ask?”

Jace smiled when he heard that.

“What’s that smile for?” Bobbie said, returning it with one of her own.

“It’s just good to see you doing so well after something that awful.”

“Well, you know who I have to thank for that.”

“I sure do. God’s love can do amazing things in us.”

“Oh, Jace, I had no idea a person could feel like this.” Bobbie’s face beamed with joy. “I’ve never felt so loved. I know my parents loved me, and it felt good. But this is almost indescribable.”

Jace’s heart filled from the joy he saw on her face. A thought occurred to him.

“Bobbie, the town always has a picnic and celebration for Founder’s Day. Would you allow me to be your escort?”

“My escort?”

“Yes. I wanted to make sure I was the first one in line to ask.”

“Well, since you’re in a line of one, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Maybe, but that line will grow. So?”

“All right. Sounds like fun.”

They rode a ways in silence, then Jace said, “Let’s walk the rest of the way. It’s not much farther from here.”