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China could literally taste her disappointment. It was bitter.
Marilee got to her feet. Bending down, she gave her new friend a quick hug.
“Sorry we won’t be together. Perhaps we’ll get another opportunity. Maybe we can chat over breakfast or lunch one day. South Padre Island is still a prospect.”
“It certainly is. Have a good time, Ms. Marilee. I’ll see you at the lake.”
China grabbed her tote and headed for the door to meet with Zane’s group. Two vans were lined up at the front entrance. As she walked over to the vehicle, China heard her name called. Turning around, she saw Marilee summoning her.
Smiling broadly, Marilee grabbed China by the hand. “You can ride with me. This nice gentleman, Mr. Wilson Vanderbilt, has agreed to swap vans.”
China wondered if anyone could hear the melody breaking out in her heart. Although she could fantasize about Zaire becoming her lover, she really wanted his friendship. Enchanted by the way he carried himself, she felt sure he was a decent, honorable man. China could easily admit to liking Zaire.
Zaire helped the women maneuver the steps up into the van. Smiling at China, he took hold of her hand. “It seems you’ve made a fast friend in Mrs. Cotton. I overheard her plea for Mr. Vanderbilt to change vans so you two could ride together. I hope the arrangements are agreeable.”
You have no idea how agreeable. China smiled sweetly.
“Mrs. Cotton and I have discovered a few things in common despite our age difference. I’m pleased.”
Zaire grinned. “That’s the kind of stuff we love to hear. We want our guests to be one hundred percent happy and content.”
China nodded. “This guest is both. Thanks for caring enough to ask.”
Smiling, Zaire tipped his hat and moved away.
It didn’t surprise Zaire that China wasn’t the least bit squeamish about baiting her hook with a slimy, wiggly worm. As a nurse, she’d probably seen more than her fair share of gory things. She was good at obeying orders and executing everything he’d instructed her to do—and without question. He liked how eagerly she fully engaged in the activities. China was a woman who seemed to have the same amount of zest for life as the highly active females in his family.
Many of the folks in the boat Zaire commandeered were quiet and still a tad sleepy. Once rods were cast, folks seemed perfectly willing to keep a close eye on their fishing lines. The atmosphere was peaceful as a bright yellow sun ascended.
From the first moment China felt a tug on her line, her excited yelps completely disrupted the quietness. “I’ve got something, Ms. Marilee,” she shouted. Looking at Zaire, she appeared hopeful. “Do you think it’s a fish?”
“Let’s hope so.” Zaire knew the tugging on the line could be a result of several things but had no desire to dampen China’s spirit. Her wide and bright smile was engaging. Seeing her looking so happy did his heart good.
“It’s getting stronger,” she yelled. “Please help me. I don’t want to lose it.”
The lake was kept stocked with a variety of fish. Catfish, a favorite delight in these parts, were abundant. For China’s pleasure, Zaire hoped she had a great catch and not a discarded item, like an old shoe.
China’s struggle with the line increased, growing more intense. Zaire came up behind her. Covering her hands with his, he added the extra strength needed to land the catch. She was suddenly propelled back into him and his lower anatomy responded immediately.
Avoiding China’s hips, Zaire continued to help reel in the catch. Upon revealing her grand prize, a beautiful striped bass, everyone clapped. Cheering and laughter rent the air. No sooner had the day’s first catch been taken off the hook than another fisherman yelped excitedly, telling the others about a strong tugging on the line.
In a helter-skelter manner Zaire moved from one guest to the next, helping each person reel in their prize catch. The experienced fishermen also jumped in to help out folks new to the sport. The large boat rocked but was in no danger of tipping over.
The kids’ reaction to their catches was what Zaire enjoyed most. The encouraging hugs they received from parents, especially dads, caused Zaire to wonder if he’d ever have a child of his own. The girls on the Little League baseball and Pop Warner football teams he had the pleasure of coaching were nothing short of amazing dynamos. Coaching the kids brought the greatest pleasure to the Kingdom brothers, who loved working with children because of their own abusive childhoods.
China was tickled silly to see Ms. Marilee and Mr. Vanderbilt seated on the grass lakeside, sharing a meal from provided box lunches. The lady was smiling brightly, and a lot. The two appeared pretty close in age. Could this be a love connection? Instead of intruding upon what appeared to be a personal discussion, China claimed a patch of grass a few feet away from the elderly couple.
The vans would return to the ranch once lunch was over. At two o’clock China had scheduled a horseback riding lesson. Zaire was the instructor. She feared making a fool of herself since she was intimidated by the big but beautiful beasts. For her, since the death of her father, conquering all her fears was important. She didn’t want to live out life fearful of anything.
Walking over to China, Zaire dropped down on the grassy knoll. Positive she reeked of raw fish, China felt uncomfortable having him in such close proximity. She had used sanitizing wipes to take care of her hands, but she still felt self-conscious.
Zaire grinned. “Congratulations! Not only did you land the largest fish, you caught the most. Five fish is a pretty good haul for someone who hasn’t fished in a long time. Your two rainbow trout are beauties.”
China giggled. “Who would’ve ever thought it? I regret not coming here to the ranch with Dad. He invited me numerous times, but I always had work. So far, it’s been a fun adventure. I’m sorry I missed out on the memories we could’ve made. But I’ve definitely earned bragging rights on the number of fish I caught. I bet your mother and aunts are good at fishing.”
“You got that right! They love to fish. Mom cleans all the catches, freezing what she doesn’t cook up right away. As for your dad, he has a lot to be proud of.”
“Thank you. Speaking of dads, yours seems pretty proud of his three guys. He’s lively, too, with his silky-smooth moves. Your parents dance well together. I guess rhythm and harmony are what happens when you’ve been married a long time.”
Looking right into China’s face, Zaire shrugged. “I guess five years is a long time to be married, especially by today’s standards.”
China appeared totally perplexed. “Five years? I don’t think I understand.”
“Morgan Cobb is our stepfather, a good friend of our own father. At first, we didn’t like him because he knew Dad was abusing his family. None of us understood why he’d hang out with an evil man like Macon if he wasn’t the same kind of man.”
China’s eyes softened. “Birds of a feather don’t always flock together, Zaire.”
Agreeing with her, he nodded. “You’re right. That’s the same thing Hailey told Zurich when he first voiced his negative feelings about Morgan to her.”
Briefly, China touched Zaire’s hand. “God puts people together for all sorts of reasons. I believe He does it so we can learn something we need from them. Everyone who comes into our lives is there for a specific reason, a season or perhaps a lifetime.”
“I believe in that. When we learned Mom planned to marry Cobb, it made us stone crazy. That was a real difficult time for my brothers and me.”
Fighting an urge to reach up and caress his smooth, handsome face, China smiled instead. “It obviously turned out okay. You all seem to get along so well.”
“We do. After Zurich confronted Mom about her desire to marry Morgan, we found out he was nothing like our father. She told my brother that Morgan had kept food on our table and clothes on our backs when our alcoholic father regularly drank up his paycheck. Cobb also paid for our tuition and dorm fees at Buckley Academy.”
China’s starry gaze fell upon Zaire. “Buckley Academy! Now that’s one prep school I’ve heard a lot of great things about.” She thought back on what she’d witnessed with Bernice and Morgan. “They seem extremely good together. Is he accepted now?”
“We love and deeply respect Morgan. We’ve grown close to him. He’s more than a father to us. He’s a friend. The man treats Mom like the queen she is. Who can find fault with that? Speaking of reasons and seasons, what do you hope to learn from your experiences on the ranch? And has your seasonal or lifetime partner arrived yet?”
China’s eyes suddenly grew moist. “My reason for being here is twofold. I came here to scatter my father’s ashes over the land. He was a Texan and he loved this ranch. I’ve been going nonstop since my father died a few weeks ago. I am worn out and desperately need rest and relaxation. As for a lifetime partner, he’s still out there wandering around somewhere.”
“I’m sorry about your father. You have my deepest sympathy. If he loved this ranch, maybe I knew him. I’ve met most, if not all of our guests. What’s his name?”
Sniffling, China wiped her nose with a napkin. “Brody Braxton.”
In racking his brain, Zaire recognized the name but he couldn’t put a face to it. Looking closely at China, he tried to see if she reminded him of anyone. “If it’s not too hard on you, please tell me a little about your dad.”
China’s heart overflowed with sweet memories of her dad. “Brody was a wonderful father. He raised me alone, meeting my every need.”
She cut it off there. No one needed to know her dark, personal despairs.
“He loved to horseback ride and he lived to conquer the ranch’s mechanical bull. Unfortunately, he was dominated by it.”
“Most men are. Now Mom and my aunts give that bucking mechanism pure hell. The ladies practice riding it a lot, timing each other to chart the length of time they stay on during each ride.”
China roared with laughter. “I can actually imagine them riding the bull. They’re a feisty bunch of women.”
“Getting back to your dad, I believe I may’ve met him. Do you have a picture of him?”
China dug into her tote and pulled out her wallet. Flipping to the picture compartment, she came up with her favorite one of Brody by himself. “This is Dad,” she said, handing the billfold to Zaire. “Does he look familiar?”
Zaire’s eyes flared with instant recognition. “We’ve had a lot of interaction over the years. My brothers and I simply referred to him as Mr. B. He was an amazing storyteller, weaving some of the best yarns we’ve ever heard.”
China was thrilled to know Zaire clearly remembered Brody.
“I remember Mr. B. so well. He loved to help out around here. You’re right about his love for this place. He even talked about moving back to Texas after retirement to build a house on the several acres he owned. Are you selling his land?”
“I’ve thought of it but haven’t made a final decision. I don’t know what else I can do. I’m a city-loving girl from L.A. I can’t begin to imagine Texas as my home.”
“Life around here is a far cry from city living. I worked in the city for years but was constantly drawn back to my roots. I retired soon after I came up with a viable business plan to build on the vast acreage we own. I like peace and quiet. Our starry nights are unrivaled.”
“I can see why you’d feel that way. Serenity is a perk of being way out here. I’ve never felt this kind of peace. What kind of work did you do before retiring?”
“Architectural engineering. I still do consulting work.
My education paid off when we drew up the plans to turn this place into an enormous entertainment venue. My work is my passion. I can barely wait to wake up to get my day started. At nightfall you can either find me around a campfire, involved in some activity with the guests or on my back patio stargazing. I easily lose myself to these surroundings.”
China imagined Zaire seated in front of a campfire or relaxing on a patio. He obviously appreciated and preferred the simpler things in life. Ranching was his admitted passion. What else was he ardent about?
It was hard for China to picture him a loner. A sexy woman on his arm was an easier image to conjure up. He was masculine, steeped in virility. She had missed an opportunity to inquire about his possible partner when he’d boldly asked about hers. It wasn’t like her to let too many things get by, but Zaire kept her in a tizzy.
The urge to reach over and squeeze one of Zaire’s rock-hard thighs had China edgy. She wanted to stay with him—and she also wanted to run away from his strong presence, all at the same time. China needed to will her mind to blankness. Zaire occupied way too much room inside her head.
Zaire looked at his watch. “It’s time to get back. I have a riding lesson.”
“I know. I signed up for the riding session to conquer my fear of horses. Getting on one is the only way I can do it,” China confessed.
Zaire’s eyes filled with admiration. “When something scares us, finding a way to deal with it is smart. I promise to make your first riding experience a good one.”
China grinned. “Thank you. And I promise to hold you to your promise.”
Getting China up on a horse wouldn’t be anywhere as easy as Zaire had initially thought. Each time she backed away from Ebony Dancer, she put more and more space between her and the jet-black filly. The other students had already mounted—and she was holding up the class.
Zaire took China aside. “In the interest of time, I have to start the class. There’s an hour and a half break between this riding session and my calf-roping event. Let me work with the others, then give you a private lesson. Okay?”
Though relieved by his gracious suggestion, China looked embarrassed. “I’ll stay and watch. Maybe it’ll help get my nerve up.”
He pointed at the white fence. “Stand on the other side or sit on it. Just be careful. Don’t want you to fall off and get hurt.”
Giving Zaire a thumbs-up, China scurried from the corralling ring and propped herself comfortably on the pristine fence posts. Watching the lesson was better than tackling it, especially while fear still ran rampant through her.
Several minutes into the lesson, China recognized Zaire as a master at his work. The first thing he’d accomplished was gaining the riders’ trust in his abilities to instruct. Thoroughly explaining each step he’d take them through, his tone was steady, calming.
Children didn’t look the least bit scared, making China feel rather silly. She looked forward to the private lesson and hoped Zaire didn’t think it was a contrived plan to get him alone. As she thought more about it, she easily concluded being alone with him wasn’t such a bad idea.
Walking over to the fence, Zaire helped China down. “Now you can have my undivided attention. Here’s what we’re going to do. I think you should ride with me before you attempt to get on a horse alone. We’ll move along at a slow pace.”
Picturing herself on the same horse with Zaire, China’s heart leapt. “I love your idea.” Then her smile turned to a frown. “But I’m still scared.”
“Wait here. Be right back. It’ll be okay,” he said, his tone soothing, promising. He and two ranch hands led the horses inside a gray metal barn right behind the corral.
Seated atop Thunder, galloping at a steady pace, Zaire rode back to China and rapidly dismounted. “I need you to trust me, China. Can you do that?”
Literally shaking in her boots, China nodded. “I’ll try.”
Taking her by the hand, he led her over to Thunder. “Stay, boy,” he commanded calmly. Taking a minute to think about whether to put her on the horse or get on first and help her up afterward, he decided on the latter. Remounting, he reached down a hand to her. Fear still written in her eyes, she reluctantly joined her hand with his.
In the next instant, Zaire had China seated in front of him. Putting her on the back of the horse couldn’t guarantee her safety, so he thought it best to guide from the rear. She was a little thing. Her size left him plenty of room to maneuver.
China felt exhilarated with Zaire seated right behind her. It was hot and muggy, but being on fire for him had her even hotter. Without thinking of consequences, she laid her head back against his chest. The wind tousled her hair from behind and above. China didn’t care what she looked like, not while she felt such peace.
This was not the China Braxton she was used to. Usually every strand of her hair had to be in place, and her clothes had to be immaculate and wrinkle-free or she’d feel disheveled and frumpy. She already understood why her father had loved the ranch. Out here in the open spaces, she felt her mountain of burdens rapidly rolling away.
Trotting Thunder slowly around the ring, talking to China at the same time, Zaire actually felt her beginning to relax. He snapped the reins, causing Thunder to pick up speed. “Lean forward and whisper near his ear. Gently stroke his neck and mane,” he instructed. “Thunder loves to be stroked, especially by a beautiful woman.”
Zaire’s pointed statement had China cringing, though she knew it shouldn’t.
Why had he made a point to say that beautiful women stroked Thunder?
So, maybe she had her answer. Zaire as a loner had been a half-baked thought.
Friendship was probably all they could ever have.
“Mom and my aunts have spoiled Thunder rotten. Every time they come to the stables, they visit his stall and bring him apples and carrots. He gets plenty of pampering from those beautiful ladies and from some of our female guests.”
“What about your girlfriends? Do they spoil him, too?” Unable to believe she’d asked him that, she bit down on her tongue as a punishment for her rudeness.
“Girlfriends! That’s a nice thought to wrap my head around, but I don’t have any. Nor do I have a girlfriend. It’s hard to get to know women when you’re a workaholic. My father was an alcoholic, and this son of his is obsessed with working hard.”
“I’m sorry, Zaire. I shouldn’t have stuck my nose in your private business.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Zaire laughed inwardly.
Zaire was surprised he was opening up to China in such a personal way. It wasn’t like him to share his deepest feelings, especially the painful ones. His real troubles with women started when he moved to the ranch. Most women didn’t share his enthusiasm for his cowboy lifestyle, though a few pretended to.
If only she knew how much I’ve let her in. Why is she so easy for me to spill my guts to? Look at her pretty face and those liquid chocolate eyes. Now, pal, ask yourself the same question again.
Zaire sighed. Opening up to China was easy because she had listened closely to him and seemed to care about what he had to say. He liked talking to her.
Admit it, man. You’re lonely as hell, and she turns you on. She’s also the only woman who has even come close to sparking your interest.
Now that China seemed comfortable straddling Thunder, Zaire guided the horse out of the corral and onto the open range. Maybe once she felt the wind at her face and breathed in the clean air, she’d come to love it here as much as he did. Not even his brothers knew every square inch of the ranch like he did. There were so many exciting wonders to see.
Thinking about the big oak tree he loved to sit under during his downtime, Zaire steered Thunder in its direction. Never had he shared his private haunts with a woman, but he wanted China to see and feel every special spot there was.
Zaire knew she’d be gone from his life all too soon. If he didn’t make the most of the time China was within his reach, she’d never know why he loved the ranch so much. It was a dangerously high hope, but maybe, just maybe, she’d also fall in love with Whispering Lakes Ranch.
