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He led them to the rear of the barn, where he’d left the Gator parked. Once he helped Maddie into the backseat and secured her with a seat belt, something the previous owner had installed, he and Sasha climbed into the front. Then he started the engine.
What a turn this day had taken. Graham’s morning had started out in the usual way—a shower before downing coffee and the biscuits and gravy Roger had made for them. Then he’d ridden out to check on the pasture where they planned to keep the new horses.
When he’d spotted the damage to the fence, as well as the battered front end of the Cadillac Escalade that had been left in the pasture, wheel wells deep in the mud, he’d realized things weren’t going to be as usual today.
But nothing had prepared him for Sasha and Maddie’s arrival a few hours later, which ensured that, at least for the time being, things on the Galloping G would be far from ordinary.
He just hoped the changes would be good ones.
* * *
While Graham appeared to be doing his best to avoid any big potholes on the dirt road on which they’d been driving, the Gator made a quick swerve, causing Sasha to grab the dashboard and brace herself. She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Are you okay, Maddie?”
“Yep.” The seven-year-old patted her seat belt and flashed a bright-eyed smile that revealed her missing tooth. “I’m all buckled in.”
“Sorry about that,” Graham said. “We had a heavy rain a couple days ago, and it left the road a mess.”
“I remember the summer storms we used to have,” Sasha said. “I actually thought they were cool.”
The rumbles of thunder and the lightning that tore across the sky had been an amazing, celestial light show. Some people were frightened by the sights and sounds, especially when they struck at night. But Sasha hadn’t been one of them. And she doubted Maddie would be, either.
Graham swung around a mud puddle. “Are the bumps and turns too jarring for you?” He nodded toward her belly.
Sasha cast a reassuring smile his way. “No, I’m doing okay. And believe it or not, the baby seems to be enjoying it as much as Maddie is.”
“Apparently, she takes after her mom in more than just her looks.” Graham tossed her a boyish grin. “You always were a tomboy who tried to convince Peter and me that you were as tough and strong as horseshoes.”
She responded with the title of a song. “Anything you can do...”
Graham laughed. “You used to sing that to us all the time.”
That was true. She’d taunted them with the lively tune from Annie Get Your Gun every chance she got.
Sasha had never seen the actual musical on Broadway, or anywhere else for that matter. But one summer day, when she was visiting, Uncle Roger had taken them all to see a local talent show. She’d loved the performance by a high school girl and boy who’d sung that song.
“That’s too funny,” Graham said. “I’d nearly forgotten it.”
Singing it to Graham had been one of her many ploys to get his attention, although it hadn’t worked.
However, it did seem to catch his interest now.
Graham turned to the right, following a narrow road, and pointed to a grassy area. “This is the stretch of broken fence I’ve been fixing. I’ll need to get it done soon because we plan to keep some of the rescue horses here.”
Maddie let out a little gasp. “Can we come back again and see it? After the horses get here?”
“Sure.” Graham shot a questioning look at Sasha. “That is, if your mom doesn’t mind.”
“No, of course not. Maddie would love to see them grazing in the field.” Sasha’s warm smile shot clean through Graham, setting off a spark in his chest.
He’d only meant to make Maddie happy, but the fact that Sasha realized he had a soft spot for her daughter and that she was so clearly pleased by it, caught him off guard. It also left him a little unbalanced, since he hadn’t meant to earn her praise.
As a result, he decided to end the tour for today and head back. Several quiet minutes later, he parked the Gator on the side of the barn.
“What’s that?” Sasha pointed to the concrete foundation they’d had poured last week. “Is Uncle Roger building something, maybe a new barn?”
“That’s going to be the new bunkhouse. We were going to remodel the old one, but after we got started, we realized it was in bad shape and wouldn’t meet code. So we decided to start from scratch. We also built a couple of cabins for the boys.”
Her brow furrowed. “The boys?”
Apparently, Roger hadn’t mentioned their plan to her.
“Horses aren’t all we hope to rescue,” Graham said. “We’re going to take in some troubled teenagers and put them to work gentling the horses, something we hope will give them a new perspective on life.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips parted. “Seriously? That’s a great plan. And very admirable.”
Graham probably should have let Roger tell her about it, since her uncle needed to score a few points. But what was done was done, so he shrugged. “The idea started out as a tribute to Peter, but then it sort of took on a spin of its own. We’ve already talked to the school board, as well as the juvenile probation department.”
“Taking in those boys won’t be easy,” Sasha said. “And even though you guys should be able to relate well, there will be a ton of paperwork and regulations.”
“Yes, we know.” And Graham already had that covered. “As a side note,” he added with a grin, “you weren’t the only one who went to college.”
“That’s right.” She returned his smile. “I forgot.”
As much as he liked living on the Galloping G, and as much as he loved helping Roger, he had a bigger goal in life than just working on someone else’s ranch.
“What was your major?” she asked.
“Business.” He’d actually earned an MBA. “So I have it all worked out.”
“I’d always assumed you’d eventually go to work for your dad.”
“No, I’d never do that.” He’d dreamed of having a business of his own someday, one that didn’t have anything to do with Robinson Tech. In fact, even though everyone, especially his father and his siblings, had expected him to join them at the corporate offices after his graduation, Graham had refused.
There was no way he could ever work with his old man. He and Gerald Robinson might have buried the hatchet in some ways over the past couple of years, but Graham still resented his father’s my-way-or-the-highway attitude.
Besides, he felt good about the nonprofit organization he and Roger were creating. And he planned to use his education and his connections to make it all happen just as they planned.
“Mommy,” Maddie said. “Can I go in the kitchen and find Uncle Roger? He might want my help fixing dinner.”
Sasha laughed. “Sure, honey. Go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”
When the little girl hurried toward the front porch, Sasha said, “Tell me more about this idea of yours. It’s not that I’m trying to dissuade you. I think it’s noble. But it’s... Well, it just surprises me, that’s all.”
Graham had a feeling it wasn’t just the idea that surprised her. It was the fact that he was still living here, eight years later. Some guys might be offended by that, but he liked being able to still pull her chain and tease her a bit. “I guess there’s more to me than met your eye, huh?”
For a moment, their gazes met and locked. He expected her to comment, to tease him, to... He wasn’t sure what was swirling around behind those pretty blue eyes.
Instead she let his comment go.
“Where did you come up with that plan?” she asked.
“Peter and I both had wild streaks. I’d like to think that we would have settled down in time, but I’m not sure that’s true. I was pretty rebellious back in the day.”
“I never understood why. The way I saw it, you had everything a kid could ever want.”
Graham could neither agree nor disagree with her. It wasn’t that he’d had an unhappy childhood. His father had supplied his family with everything they could possibly ask for, other than his time, of course. Gerald Robinson, or rather, Jerome Fortune—damn, would Graham ever get used to that name?—had always seemed to be at the office or away on a business trip. And while he supplied his children with plenty of material possessions, he’d held back on his affection. That in and of itself would cause plenty of kids to rebel. But Graham had other reasons for the issues between him and his dad. Things he’d never told anyone and certainly wouldn’t share with Sasha.
“Maybe I was a born rebel,” he said.
“Peter, too?” She slowly shook her head, not believing him. But her cousin had a wild side, too, even if she hadn’t been aware of it.
Graham and Peter had met in middle school and become best friends. They were both energetic and creative, often getting in trouble in class—and partying on the weekends.
Roger had always taken their rowdy behavior with a grain of salt, saying boys would be boys. But Graham’s dad considered it outright rebellion, especially when he knew Graham was probably his brightest child and had such unrealized potential.
“I guess you could say I sometimes led Peter astray,” Graham said, although that really wasn’t true. Still, he wasn’t about to let the conversation continue on that same thread and open up any more than he’d already done.
Since Sasha remained seated in the Gator, apparently eager to hear more, he opted to change the subject.
“How long are you planning to be here?” he asked.
“I don’t know. For the near future, I suppose. And until I can figure out my next step.”
“Well, for however long it is, I’m glad you came back and that you brought Maddie. It’ll be good for Roger.”
He’d meant his comment to give her some peace, but her gaze nearly drilled a hole right through him. She seemed to be asking him something with her eyes, but he’d be damned if he knew what it was.
Chapter Three (#ulink_a4139988-26e4-51e1-b1d7-2ff5edc4c6ff)
Graham was right. Sasha’s visit to the Galloping G might prove to be good for Roger. It would definitely be good for her and Maddie.
But what about you? she was tempted to ask Graham. How do you feel about my return?
A moment after the question rose in her mind, she shook the dust and cobwebs from it. Those days of carefree, youthful dreams were long gone, even if Graham was even more handsome, more appealing than ever.
Besides, even when life had been innocent and simple, that silly crush she’d had on him was hopeless. He’d never considered her anything other than a pesky kid. In fact, the last time she’d seen him on the Galloping G, when he’d come by to tell her uncle goodbye before he left for college, he’d called her “Sassy Pants” and had tugged on the ponytail she wore.
But then again, she’d only been fifteen at the time. She’d also been a late bloomer and had looked young for her age. Actually, she still did. Even though she was nearing the ripe old age of thirty, people often mistook her for Maddie’s babysitter.
Trying to rein in her wild and inappropriate thoughts, Sasha thanked him for the tour. “Maddie really enjoyed it. And so did I.”
“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure. When Chase brings those horses on Friday, I’ll give you a better explanation of our rescue operation.”
She nodded but didn’t make any attempt to get out of the Gator. She still had something weighing on her mind, a comment she’d made and the apology she owed him for it. “I’m sorry if I made it sound as though I didn’t think you and Uncle Roger could handle running a home for wayward teenagers. Or that you didn’t have legalities and logistics all planned out. I’m sure you do. I was just surprised to hear it, that’s all.”
Graham, his left wrist perched on top of the steering wheel, his right on the gearshift, studied her for a moment. As he did, their gazes held steady.
“No offense taken,” he said. “You always have been one to speak your mind. And for the record, your uncle isn’t the only one who’s glad you’re back.”
Her heart warmed at his words. It had been a long time since she’d felt wanted or appreciated. Gabe certainly hadn’t made her feel that way in the past few years. In fact, he never really had. “Thanks for saying that, Graham. Whether it’s true or not, I appreciate hearing it.”
“It wasn’t just fluff to make you feel good, Sassy Pants.”
She smiled at the nickname that had once driven her crazy. But today it flowed from his lips like an endearment.
Or maybe she was so starved for affection and validation that she would latch on to almost anything she could construe as a compliment. But whose fault was that? She only had herself to blame for remaining in a relationship that had fizzled out years ago.
In fact, in retrospect, her marriage had begun to unravel from the day she and Gabe returned from their honeymoon.
Sure, she’d thought that she’d loved him at the time and that he’d felt the same way about her. But the dream she’d once harbored, to finally have a home and family of her own, soon ended, and reality had set in as soon as the wedding-day sparkle was gone.
Tears welled in her eyes once again, and she blinked them back. But she wasn’t doing a very good job of it.
“What’s the matter?” Graham asked. “Are you okay?”
The last thing she wanted him to think was that she felt sorry for herself, when it was more her concern about raising her children without a father. The girls needed a loving, male influence in their lives. So she forced a smile to go along with the explanation she hoped he’d believe. “I’m fine. Just a few happy tears overflowing. It feels so good to be back on the Galloping G.”
And it really did. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t grieving for the happy family she’d once thought she’d have.
She sniffled, then proceeded to climb from the Gator. “I’d better go inside and check on Maddie. She’s probably driving poor Uncle Roger crazy.”
“I’m sure he’s fine.”
She suspected that was true, but she couldn’t stay outside with Graham forever, wishing things were different than they really were.
“Will we see you at dinner?” she asked.
“I usually eat most of my meals in the ranch house. Your uncle is one heck of a cook. So yeah. I’ll be there.”
She nodded, then turned away, leaving Graham seated in the Gator.
As she headed to the back door that led to the kitchen, she took a big breath, relishing the country air and the whinny of a horse in the pasture.
Yes, it was good to be back. While she was here, maybe she’d come up with a feasible game plan for the future. She had a degree in social work and might as well put it to good use.
But what about the cost of infant day care? Gabe had said he’d send additional money for that, but she wasn’t sure she could depend upon him to carry through with it. But at least she’d get a decent amount of child support, which was one of the details they’d agreed upon when they filed for divorce. So she was right back to her most troubling dilemma.
She’d never intended to be a single mother, but life didn’t always turn out the way a person expected it to.
Nevertheless, she would create a new family with her daughters—minus a daddy, of course.
She had no other choice. Her children’s happiness depended upon it.
* * *
Uncle Roger, who’d been a cook in the navy years ago, outdid himself at dinner this evening. Or maybe Sasha felt that way because she’d missed sharing meals with him on the ranch.
After the first couple of bites, Sasha said, “I’d like to have your recipe for this meat loaf. Grandma Dixon used to make it, but she always covered hers with a weird mushroom sauce. I like your version much better. It doesn’t need anything on top, other than some good, old-fashioned ketchup.”
