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Watching her younger son disappear into his room, she knew her boys would keep her on her toes with creative thinking all through school. Teenage years promised to be...a challenge.
She retrieved her tea off the porch rail. Wouldn’t Vernon and Grace be proud of their grandsons? She knew they would.
Would their father?
* * *
Joel lingered over his coffee, the empty plate that had held his barbecue sitting before him. Working with Jack Murphy doing whatever needed to be done around the rodeo helped defray his expenses on the road and kept him busy. What had he done when he was eighteen, traveling with the rodeo, and had the day off? Shoot the breeze with the other young cowboys or brag about his latest score in the different rodeo events? Of course, things hadn’t changed since he was eighteen. Cowboys still bragged about how good they were and how they would capture the ultimate prize of the championship belt buckle given to the number one cowboy in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, or PRCA.
“You need a refill on that coffee?” Hank Calder asked. Hank ran the concessions for the rodeo. He also cooked for the rodeo workers. If any cowboy wanted a meal, they could buy it. Of course, meals were included with the deal Joel had struck with Jack and his boss, Steve Carter.
“Sure.”
Hank topped off the coffee and sat opposite Joel at the picnic table.
“So, how’s it going? You enjoying this vagabond life?” Hank grinned. The instant Joel joined the rodeo, he and Hank had struck up a friendship.
“I was just thinking about that. When you’re young and green, the traveling and excitement of being in a different city every week is appealing.” He shrugged. “Then you grow up.”
Hank grinned. “I hear ya. I’ve got aches and pains in places I didn’t know existed. And I find new ones every day.”
Joel couldn’t help but smile. “You got that right. I’ve worked beside my dad and gramps since I could sit in a saddle and didn’t experience these aches and pains.” He fell silent. “I didn’t feel old when I put in an eighteen-hour day at the ranch. What happened?”
“When you get bucked off a horse or bull, it feels like you’ve been run over by a truck, which is different than a hard day’s work on a ranch.”
“You’re right.”
“So why’d you come back on the circuit?”
Good question. “Circumstances. My sister recently married and I wanted the newlyweds to have some time together on the family ranch.” Of course, Gramps was still there. “Too many bosses. She married Caleb Jensen.”
“It was your sister he married?”
“Yup. She came home and helped put together that charity rodeo that helped all the ranchers west of Fort Worth. She and Caleb got to know each other, and—” He shrugged.
“He was a mighty good pickup man, but I understand how the rodeo can wear out a man.”
“I wanted to see if rodeo life was as much fun as it had been at eighteen.”
“And?”
“I’m still checking it out. But the longer I go and the more points I get, the ache becomes secondary.”
Hank chuckled and walked back into the kitchen.
After cleaning up his dinner plate, Joel visited Helo and Sadie. He wanted to be prepared in case April’s boys asked about their horses. The new horses recognized him and came to the edge of the corral. Sadie bumped him with her nuzzle.
“Sorry, girl, I didn’t bring you anything. I just wanted to check on you so I can answer the questions I know I’ll get.”
Smiling, Joel thought about those little boys who’d barged into his life and thrown him a curve he hadn’t seen coming. It was just supposed to have been a run-of-the-mill rodeo run to pick up horses. Instead, he’d run headlong into a situation that laid him out flat. As ridiculous as it sounded, he welcomed the job offer. For the balance of the week, he’d be ranching and helping April, a woman who managed to yank his heart in a way it hadn’t been yanked before.
It was the Western thing to do to help someone in distress. It was also the Christian thing to do.
He could help her this week, but...
Sadie poked her muzzle in his face again.
He held up his hands. “I promise you, I don’t have a thing.” He stroked her neck. The horse nuzzled his hands, then dipped her head toward his pockets. Discovering no apples or carrots, she turned and joined the other horses in the corral.
“Not interested in me. Just wanted a treat?”
Jack stopped beside him.
“It looks like I’m losing my touch with the females,” Joel grumbled, nodding to Sadie.
“I doubt it.”
“Don’t see any ladies lining up beside my trailer.”
“That’s ’cause you have a not-interested sign written all over you that even the other cowboys can read.”
Joel opened his mouth to argue, then swallowed his words.
“Good, you’re not going to deny it.”
“I’m here to compete.” What Joel wanted was a championship belt buckle and to finish out a dream. Nothing more.
Jack rubbed his chin. “You sure it was the boys who hired you and you just didn’t volunteer?”
The question took Joel by surprise. “No, I didn’t volunteer. Why would you ask that?”
Jack shook his head. “You’ve been restless lately.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve been doing great in my events and gaining points.”
“True, but there’s something—”
“You sound like my sister, trying to look into my head and tell me what I’m thinking, and she’s going through training to become a counselor.”
Jack raised his hands in surrender. “Forget it. I didn’t mean to step in that snake pit.”
What on earth was Jack talking about? He was on course for winning that championship belt buckle.
“How old are those boys?”
“Six and eight.”
“I’d like to meet those entrepreneurs. If you have time, bring them by the rodeo this week.” Jack started toward his trailer.
“Not a problem. Once I mention it to them, wild horses wouldn’t keep them away.”
The question was, would their mother go for it? He didn’t know, but he hoped she would. Maybe it would help April relax and open up. He found he wanted to know more about this woman.
Chapter Three (#ulink_8d48cbcd-7219-57a1-a0b0-1f4c6f4755aa)
Joel felt as awkward as a high-school freshman with his first crush as he drove to the Landers ranch. Before he could get out of his vehicle, the boys scrambled down the porch stairs and raced toward him.
The screen door slammed. April, along with Cora, stood on the porch. “Have you eaten yet?”
“No, just grabbed a cup of coffee before I did chores.”
“Well, I’ve got eggs, bacon, hash browns and biscuits. And lots of coffee.”
His mouth watered. “Your stock fed?”
“I got it.”
“I helped,” Todd proudly announced.
Joel smiled at the boy. “And I know your help made things easier for your mom.”
Wes didn’t speak up, but Joel knew he wasn’t going to let his younger brother outdo him. Joel winked at Wes, acknowledging him.
The smell of bacon and eggs drifted out the screen door, making Joel’s stomach rumble, which was heard by all. “Then let’s feed the workers so we can get this day rolling.”
Laughing, Todd raced inside, Joel following.
Wes and Cora were already seated. Todd pulled out a chair.
“Wash your hands, young man.”
“Aw, Mom.”
“I need to wash my hands, too.” Joel held out his hands.
“’Kay. Follow me.”
Todd led Joel through the living room to the hall beyond. The first door stood open and Todd walked in. He stepped up onto the stool and turned on the water.
“Mom’s strict about washing our hands.” He grabbed the soap, lathered up and passed the bar to Joel.
“I know. My mom was the same,” Joel whispered, bending close. “And I had to have an inspection. But you know what was worse?”
Todd’s eyes widened. “What?”
“My grandmother. She wouldn’t allow a speck of dirt. I’ve been sent back to the bathroom many times. One time I had dirt here—” he pointed to a spot on the back of his hand close to the wrist bone “—and she made me go back and wash again. I got a second inspection.”
Todd thought about it. “Mom’s not that hard.”
Once finished, they joined the others at the table.
“Wes, would you like to pray?” April asked.
During the prayer, Joel heard a noise and opened one eye to see Cora grab a piece of bacon. April frowned. She noticed him, and they traded smiles. Adults holding down the fort.
“Amen.”
April dished eggs for Cora and Todd. Wes helped himself to a biscuit and hash browns. After serving himself a generous helping of eggs and hash browns, Joel dug into the meal. Watching the children eat, Joel flashed back to the scenes of his youth around the dinner table. Seeing April interact with her children made him keenly aware of how alone he was. One day in the future, he’d like to have a family of his own, which oddly resembled the people at this table.
Todd put down his knife. The biscuit on his plate sported a layer of butter, topped with peach preserves. “Why are you smiling, Mr. Joel?”
“I was remembering when I was your age and eating with my parents and grandparents.”
“Wow, you can remember that long ago?” Todd murmured in awe.
April choked on her coffee. Wes snickered.
“Of course I do even if my sister has her doubts.”
“I mean, where are your mom and dad?”
“They’re in Heaven now.”
“Oh.” Todd stared down at his plate, his shoulders hunched. “My dad and Oma and Opa are in Heaven, too.”
The smile on April’s face disappeared.
“Do you miss them?” Todd whispered, a catch in his voice.
The ache in the little boy’s voice touched Joel. He also knew Wes waited for his answer.
“I do. They went to Heaven many years ago, but sometimes I see a sunset or a flower and it reminds me of my mom and grandma. Now, with my dad, if I see a horse the same color as his, I think he would like that horse.”
“Oh.” Todd thought over the answer. “Are you still sad?”
April bit her lip, waiting.
He hadn’t expected a counseling session at breakfast and wondered what his sister, the counselor in training, would tell him to say.
Lord, I need some words of wisdom. “I was sad when it happened, but now I can remember them and smile. I recall the good and funny things, like when my dad stepped in a bucket of water I left beside the back door. Or the time my mom got mad at me and threw an egg. I ducked and it hit my sister, who was coming into the kitchen.” He winked at the boys. “You should’ve seen her face with all the yolk and egg white running down her cheeks and dripping off her chin. My mom’s reaction, her expression—” he dropped his jaw and let his eyes go wide to demonstrate the reaction “—was funnier than my sister’s.”
The boys laughed and he caught April smiling.
“I did my share of things that my mom got on me about.”
“What?” the boys asked.
Joel glanced at April. “I do need to keep a few secrets.”
