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“No,” she protested. “You haven’t made me sad.” She sighed. “Lately life has made me sad.”
“How come?” His big, broad hand moved to cover hers, its warmth as intense as the midday Inferno sun. Again April felt as if she couldn’t get enough air, as if somehow his touch displaced the oxygen in the room.
She wanted to tell him never mind, but his soft gaze held hers, and a slight pressure from his hand over hers encouraged the words to fall from her.
As nice as his hand felt covering hers, she pulled hers away and stood. Someplace in the back of her mind, she knew it was crazy to tell this man, this stranger, her life story.
Maybe the fact that she figured he probably wouldn’t understand all of it and couldn’t really judge her, made it seem overwhelmingly easy to consider baring her soul.
But that didn’t explain why his simple touch affected her so. “Let’s just say I have a terrible habit of trusting the wrong people,” she finally said, deciding baring one’s soul was far overrated.
At that moment, before Mark could make any reply, Brian came out of the bathroom clad in his usual sleeping attire, an oversize T-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts. “Hey, you guys had cake without me,” he protested.
“You can have yours now,” April replied.
Brian sat down in the chair where April had been and gazed at Mark eagerly. “Do you know how to ride buckin’ broncos and throw a lasso?”
Mark grinned, a slow, lazy expression that stirred fire in April’s veins. Despite his apparent slightly diminished mental capacity, she found him disturbingly attractive. There was something very sexy in his smile and a knowing glint that sparked in the depths of his eyes. “Sure,” he replied.
“Could you teach me how to ride broncos and throw a lasso?” Brian asked.
“Maybe,” Mark said, then frowned. “Although we ought to start off with the rope instead of riding a bronco.”
April smiled at him. “I think that’s definitely wise.”
“It’s wise? Good.” Mark grinned, as if extremely satisfied with himself.
April’s heart constricted with compassion. She wondered if Mark had been born slow, or if he’d had an accident as a child.
Her compassion had nothing to do with pity. It was difficult to pity a man who, despite any mental imperfections, exuded such quiet strength, who seemed to fit so well in his own skin and who radiated peace and happiness despite any depth of intelligence he might be lacking. It was impossible to pity a man who looked sexy enough to make her knees weaken.
“Tell me about the horses,” Brian asked, leaning forward eagerly.
As Mark talked about the horses and his responsibilities with them, April leaned against the refrigerator, entranced by the transformation that seemed to occur in him.
He began haltingly, his words and descriptions coming as if through sheer, intense concentration alone. But it was obvious the topic of conversation was one he felt comfortable with, confident about, and that confidence shone from his eyes, filling them with a compelling animation and life that had been heretofore missing.
A knock on the door interrupted the conversation. April opened it to see Matthew Delaney.
“Good evening,” he greeted her, his gaze instantly going beyond her to Brian and Mark at the table. “Mark, I wondered where you’d gone to.”
“I’m right here,” Mark replied.
“Yes, I can see that now.” Matthew focused his attention back on April. “It appears that we’ll be keeping the ranch open for the time being, so if you’re still interested in the position of social director, it’s yours.”
April’s heart soared. “Yes…oh, yes, I want the job.”
Matthew nodded, his stern features not relaxing at all. “If you’ll come to the house tomorrow around noon, we’ll go over the terms of your employment and I’ll give you all the files from the previous social director.”
“Thank you so much. I promise you won’t be sorry,” she exclaimed.
Again he nodded as his gaze sought his brother. “Mark, it’s getting late. You need to come back to the house now.”
Mark stood and clapped Brian on the back. “If you want to start work, be at the stables at seven in the morning.”
“Cool!” Brian exclaimed. “I’ll be there.”
Mark stepped out onto the porch with his brother, then smiled at April, that warm smile that forged a path straight to her heart. “I’ll see you tomorrow, April.”
She nodded. “Good night, Mark.”
She remained on the porch and watched the two brothers walking away. They were like bookends, equal in height and breadth of shoulder, but she found nothing particularly pleasing or attractive about Matthew Delaney.
With a sigh she turned and went back into the small cottage. Minutes later she tucked Brian into bed. It had been a long day, most of it spent in the confines of the car, and although it was relatively early, his eyelids drooped with sleepiness.
“Don’t forget to wake me up early,” Brian said. “I’ve got to be in the stables by seven.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you up in time,” she assured him. She stroked a strand of his dark hair off his forehead, as always marveling how much the child looked like his father. It was as if Brian had been cloned from Derrick’s rib and had nothing of her physical characteristics.
There were times in the dark of night when April’s biggest fear was that her son would grow up to be just like Derrick—a weak man without character, without good values. The only two men who had been a part of Brian’s life, who had any profound influence, had been sad, weak imitations of men.
“Mom? Something’s wrong with Mark, isn’t it?” Brian eyed her sleepily.
“Yes, honey. I think maybe something is wrong. I think maybe he’s just a little slow.”
“But he’s not stupid,” Brian replied.
“No, I don’t think he’s stupid.”
“It’s okay if I like him, isn’t it?”
April smiled at her son. “Yes, it’s okay that you like him.”
“Good.” Brian closed his eyes and within moments was fast asleep.
April remained seated on the edge of the bed, watching her son sleep. For the past two months, since her own father’s death, Brian had been unruly, difficult and possessing a simmering anger that had April at her wit’s end. But from the moment he’d learned they were staying here, and while he’d been interacting with Mark, he’d transformed back to the child of her heart, with smiles and good humor.
April left the bedroom and closed the door behind her, her thoughts filled with Mark Delaney. Certainly April wasn’t looking for an intimate relationship with any man, but friendship would be nice, especially for Brian’s sake.
As she went into her own bedroom, she realized this was the first time in as long as she could remember that thoughts of tomorrow didn’t bring despair, but rather brought hope.
Chapter 3
It was just before ten when April walked toward the stables in search of Brian. She needed to go into the small town of Inferno and pick up some groceries, since it appeared they were going to stay.
She’d slept better than she had since her father’s death. No dreams had haunted her, no worries had kept sleep at bay. She’d awakened at dawn, feeling for the first time in a long time that she was ready to take on her future.
Already the sun was intense, heating her shoulders and the back of her neck where she’d pulled her hair into a ponytail and exposed pale, untanned skin. She tried to imagine what the heat would be like in July or August, but found it impossible to envision.
Brian wasn’t in the stables, so April decided to try the barn. The structure rose before her but there was no sign of Brian anywhere around the outside. She opened the large, double door and stepped into the interior, where she was instantly greeted by the scent of dust, grain, hay and leather.
Although she didn’t immediately see Brian, she heard the murmur of voices in the distance. She followed the voices to a small tack room where Brian and Mark were working side by side. They had their backs to her, and for a moment she merely watched, not alerting them to her presence.
Brian was oiling a saddle, and Mark was watching him. “Make sure you’re getting it into all the cracks,” Mark said.
“Like this?” Brian asked.
Mark watched a moment. “Perfect,” he replied, then patted Brian’s back. “You’re doing a great job.” Brian appeared to grow taller beneath Mark’s praise.
April’s heart expanded with love for her son and gratitude for the man who was taking time with him. Brian had such a hunger inside him, a hunger for male companionship, a hunger that radiated from his eyes and made April feel helplessly inadequate.
“Hi,” she said.
They both spun around at the sound of April’s voice.
“Hi, Mom.” Brian’s smile was huge, and April tried to remember when she’d seen him look so genuinely happy. It had been a long time…too long. Especially since his grandfather’s death, Brian had been a powder keg of emotions, sometimes exploding in a burst of anger or simply simmering in sullen silence. It was good to see his eyes sparkling with pleasure for a change.
“Hi, April.” Mark swept his hat off his head. “We’re just oiling down some tack.” His smile warmed her as effectively as the sun outside. Why was she so drawn to this man, she wondered.
She walked over and placed a hand on Brian’s shoulder. “I was wondering if I could borrow this cowboy for an hour or so. I’ve got to get into town and get some supplies.”
“Okay,” Mark agreed easily. He set his hat on a workbench and picked up a towel and wiped his hands. “Mind if I join you?”
April looked at him in surprise, unsure how to reply. “I…well, sure…if it’s all right.”
“All right?” He gazed at her blankly.
“All right with your brother.” April felt the warmth of a blush steal over her cheeks. It seemed odd telling a grown man he’d better check with his brother before going into town. But she knew Mark was no ordinary grown man.
“It’s all right,” he assured her. He handed Brian the towel.
“Then, let’s go,” Brian said enthusiastically.
Although April was not particularly comforted by Mark’s reassurance that it would be fine if he went along, she didn’t know how to gracefully ask him to check with his older brother.
She didn’t know many cowboys, but she suspected they were a breed of men with a tall share of pride. The last thing she wanted to do was wound Mark’s pride. “Okay, let’s go.”
As they walked from the barn to the car, April shot him a surreptitious glance. He looked like a poster image for the Old West with his hat riding low on his forehead and shadowing his features and his worn jeans hugging the length of his long legs.
April tore her gaze from the handsome cowboy and instead focused on her son, who was chattering about all the things he’d learned that morning. “Did you know a horse will eat oats and grain until it gets sick? Mark says they don’t have sense enough to stop once they start.”
April smiled. “I thought only eleven-year-old boys did that.”
“Ah, Mom,” Brian said with a giggle. He got into the back seat, leaving the front passenger seat for Mark.
Moments later April was driving toward the small town of Inferno, trying to ignore the pleasant scent that wafted from the man next to her. He smelled like the sun, mingled with minty soap and the whisper of an earthy cologne.
They rode in silence for a few minutes, April searching for some topic of pleasant conversation.
“Mom, why don’t you turn on the radio?” Brian asked, as if the silence bothered him.
“Won’t do you much good,” Mark replied. “Inferno only picks up one signal, and it’s a local channel owned by old man Butterfield.”
“What kind of music do they play?” Brian asked.
“Not much. About the only time the station has music is when Butterfield lets his wife or his daughter sing.” A charming, slightly mischievous smile lit Mark’s features. “They’re nice people, but when they sing, one sounds like a cow giving birth and the other sounds like a baby calf bawling for its mama.”
April laughed, and Brian giggled. “I think maybe we’ll skip the radio,” April said.
“Besides, if the radio is playing, it’s harder to talk,” Mark observed.
“What do you want to talk about?” Brian asked. He leaned forward, half hanging over the front seat.
“Why don’t we talk about car safety?” April suggested. “Sit back and buckle up.”
“Ah, Mom, I’m not a baby,” Brian protested.
“A cowboy never rides in a car without buckling in,” Mark replied sternly.
To April’s astonishment Brian sat back and buckled up. April flashed Mark a grateful smile. “Tell me more about cowboys,” Brian said eagerly.
Mark turned slightly in his seat, so he was facing April and able to gaze at Brian in the back. He flashed an easy grin. “What do you want to know about them?”
“I want to know everything about them, ’cause I want to be one,” Brian exclaimed fervently.
“Cowboys are men who live by a code of honor.”
“A code of honor?” Brian’s voice held a touch of awe. “What’s that mean?”
“It means you mind your mama, you take care of your horse and you never lose your hat.”
“I don’t even have a hat,” Brian said mournfully.
“We’ll get you one after payday, Brian,” April promised, grateful he’d mentioned the lack of a hat and not the omission of a horse in his life. She could probably swing a cowboy hat out of her first paycheck, but a horse would be impossible.
Within minutes they’d arrived in the small town of Inferno. Built on a square, the little town didn’t appear to even try to compete with the impressive courthouse at its center. With its wide concrete walkway and four stories of steel and glass, the courthouse looked as incongruous as a magnolia blooming in the middle of the sand.
The rest of the buildings that comprised the town of Inferno were one-story, earth-tone adobe and stucco that gave the impression of longevity and a peaceful coexistence with the desert that surrounded them.
“You can park there.” Mark pointed to an empty space in front of a grocery store.
April pulled into the parking space and shut off the engine. “What a charming little town,” she said as the three of them got out of the car.
“Come on. Before you buy groceries, I’ll show you all my favorite stores,” Mark said as he clapped his hat back on top of his head.
As the three of them started down the sidewalk, April looked around with interest. Would this little town eventually feel like home? Could she and Brian find happiness here?
“There’s the diner,” Mark said, pointing a finger at the storefront with two potted cacti like sentries guarding the door. “They have good apple pie, but don’t eat the meat loaf surprise. It’s awful.”
