Colorado Heart (9781101612026) Page 21

  “Dang it, Cassie,” Jake started.

  “Let her go,” Manuel said. Jake turned at the sound of his voice and saw all three men standing there watching him. They’d seen everything. Dan and Randy looked like they were about to bust out laughing and Jake gave them a murderous look. They both covered their mouths with their hands and made a production of looking at the barn rafters, at the empty stalls across from them and at the cat, which was sitting on a bale of straw.

  “If you push her too hard, she will only run farther,” Manuel explained.

  Dang it, he was right. Jake took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. “What do you suggest I do?” he asked Manuel.

  “Give her time,” he advised. “She is like a wild horse that is afraid of all men. She must be gentled. You can’t accomplish it in a day.”

  Gentling horses he could do, but Cassie, he wasn’t so sure.

  “Hey, boss, you need to see this,” Dan said. “There’s lambs. And dang if they ain’t the cutest things I’ve ever seen.”

  “Cute, huh?”

  “Yeah, cute,” Dan said.

  With a sigh Jake went to look in the pen. To his surprise Dan was right. Lambs were pretty cute. The only thing cuter would be Cassie sitting right in the middle of them.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Jake knew the expression misery loves company. For the life of him he couldn’t figure out why. He wasn’t fit company for anyone. It would be a week tomorrow morning since he’d kissed Cassie. A week in which he worked his men like they’d never been worked before, and not given them a reason to complain about it, as he’d been right there alongside them. He pushed himself hard so he’d fall into bed exhausted every night. But he’d still lie awake at night, with Josie sleeping beside him, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom thinking about Cassie Parker. After all the years of carefully laid plans. After years of knowing exactly what he wanted and how to get it, he didn’t have a clue what to do next.

  He made sure to check in with Dan and Randy every evening in hopes of catching a glimpse of Cassie, but she stayed out of sight. He was pretty sure that she knew he was coming around every night, but she never came out, or even waved through a window. And he couldn’t figure out an excuse to go to the house, beyond apologizing for the kiss, and he dang sure wasn’t going to do that.

  Meanwhile, Dan and Randy were pretty antsy, as nothing had happened. They missed their friends and they’d sacrificed the past Saturday night in town to keep watch. There was no sign of trouble and no indication there’d be any. As a result, Jake had given them tonight off. They should be able to enjoy a Saturday night in town.

  Jake might even join them for a bit, he thought, as he rode into town. But first he had to talk to Ward. He needed a plan to help him woo Cassie, and as much as he hated to admit it, Ward could help him with that. Lord knows he couldn’t come up with anything to do or say to make Cassie come around to his way of thinking.

  As he rode into Angel’s End, he noticed Leah and Cade standing in the street. Banks, Leah’s son, and his dog, Dodger, were playing a came of tag around the couple. Cade waved at Jake and he walked over to join them.

  “It’s good to see you, Jake,” Leah said.

  “You too,” Jake said. Banks threw himself at his leg and Jake ruffled the boy’s blond hair. “And it’s good to see you also, young man,” he said. “How’s school? Are you keeping those grades up?”

  “Yes, sir,” Banks said. “Cade said he’d bring me out to your place when you take the cows up to summer pasture.”

  “We thought we’d look into getting him a mount,” Cade said. “If the offer still stands.”

  “It does,” Jake said. “Come anytime.” Banks let out a whoop and went off to chase Dodger again. The three watched him for a moment, and Jake smiled as he imagined his own son chasing Josie around in the same manner while he and Cassie watched. The past week had clarified exactly what he wanted from Cassie. Now he just had to convince her.

  “Has there been any trouble down your way?” Cade asked.

  “Nary a thing,” Jake replied. “Dan and Randy have had their fill of sheep, so I gave them the night off. I don’t know how much longer I can expect them to hang around the Parker place. Have you seen anything out of Watkins?”

  “I dropped by one day last week. He said I was interrupting his work and that was the high point of the visit. Does the man have any family? I can’t imagine anyone wanting to live with him.”

  “His wife died around the time I got here,” Jake said. “He has a son the same age as Jared Castle’s youngest, back East in school. He comes for a couple of weeks every summer to visit. I think he lives with his grandparents in New York.”

  “Good to know,” Cade said. “I wonder if he holds himself accountable to anyone.”

  “You two talk like Watkins is the one responsible for everything,” Leah said. “Maybe his men acted without his knowledge.”

  “I don’t think so,” Jake said. “Remember we caught him dragging that dead sheep to town. So even if he wasn’t there when Baxter killed it, he condoned the act.”

  “Leah always sees the best in everyone,” Cade said. “For which I am very grateful.”

  Unfortunately, it was just the opposite with Cassie. With good reason, she saw the worst in everyone.

  “So, Jake,” Leah said. “Will you have a date for the dance? It’s only a few weeks away.”

  “I’m working on it,” Jake lied. He’d actually forgotten about the Cattlemen’s Association’s annual dance. It was held every year at the Castles’ barn on the third Saturday in May. Everyone looked forward to it and he hadn’t given it a second thought until now. And he was the head of the association. Dang if Cassie Parker didn’t have him twisted up inside.

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Leah said. “If Cade doesn’t mind dancing with two,” she added, and put a hand on her belly.

  “I don’t mind at all,” Cade said, and slipped his arm around his wife.

  “I’ll see you then,” Jake said, and left the happy couple. He couldn’t help smiling as he walked away. Maybe the dance was just what he needed to gentle Cassie, as Manuel said. He’d show her that he could be the perfect gentleman. It was as good a place to start as any. He whistled a happy tune as he walked into the Heaven’s Gate Saloon. Coming to town had been a good idea.

  * * *

  Another Saturday night at the Heaven’s Gate. Ward hoped that this one wouldn’t be as damaging as the last. Some of his chairs were in sorry shape after the fight last week and one table was completely out of commission. When he looked out over the crowd, he noticed Dan and Randy from Jake’s ranch were here, but the cowboys from Watkins’s place were missing. That didn’t bode well in Ward’s mind. From the gossip he’d heard, there hadn’t been any more problems at Cassie’s place, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be. Ward sat down at his piano and Lady lay down beside the bench as Ward began to play.

  Jake walked in with a grin on his face, went to the bar to get a beer from Bob and came over to the piano. “What’s got you in such a good mood?” Ward asked as he continued to play.

  “Making plans,” Jake replied.

  “And do any of them involve our sweet Miss Parker?”

  “They do,” Jake said. “I’m going to ask her to the dance.”

  “Ah yes, the dance,” Ward said with a smile. “That’s as good a place to start as any.”

  “She might need some convincing,” Jake added.

  “I believe you’re the man to do it,” Ward said.

  “Just got to figure out the best time to do the asking,” Jake said. “Considering she’d just as soon shoot me as look at me.”

  “And what did you do to deserve shooting?”

  “Well according to her, just my being alive is enough to make her want to shoot me. But c
onsidering I kissed her good and proper, with an audience watching, I’m fairly certain that will be the excuse.”

  “You kissed her?” Ward stopped in the middle of his nocturne.

  “Right in the middle of the barn.”

  “Good for you.”

  “I knew you’d be proud.” Jake grinned.

  “Are you serious about this woman, Jake?” Ward started playing again, a sonata this time. “Because I get the feeling there’s something in her past that might complicate things a bit.”

  “You’re right, there is, and I know what it is. As far as getting serious, I know I’d like to, but that’s entirely up to her. She’s got a lot of walls to get past.”

  “And asking her to the dance is part of your plan to get past those walls?”

  “It’s a start. Manuel advised me to act like I’m gentling a horse. And to give her some time. Well I’ve given her a week to think that kiss over.”

  “I believe Sunday morning is the perfect time to ask someone to a dance. She won’t be able to use work as an excuse not to talk to you.”

  “Ward, I believe you’re right,” Jake said. He looked at the crowd. “Things look pretty quiet tonight.”

  “I thought so too. Do you notice anyone missing?”

  “Yeah, Watkins’s men.” Jake put down his mug. “And I let Dan and Randy have the night off.”

  “There’s no way they could have known that in advance, is there?”

  “No, I told them on my way here. They rode on ahead. We didn’t pass anyone on the road.”

  “It’s probably nothing then,” Ward said. “Watkins probably is punishing them for getting into a fight last week.”

  Jake put his mug on top of the piano. “I think I’ll pay Cassie a visit tonight.”

  “Do you want any company?” Ward asked.

  “Nope, but thanks for the offer. I’m sure if there’s a problem Libby will come looking for me. I’ll just send her on to you.”

  “I’ll keep an eye out,” Ward said as Jake left.

  Lady whined and Ward stopped to look at her. “What?” he asked. Lady sighed and put her head down on her crossed legs once more.

  * * *

  Jake felt a sense of urgency as he left the outskirts of Angel’s End. There could be a lot of reasons why Watkins’s men weren’t in town on a Saturday night. He urged Bright into a canter. Cassie told him she couldn’t live her life expecting him to rescue her every time there was trouble. But dang it, she couldn’t fight off a bunch of men alone. She needed to accept the fact that there were things she could not do on her own.

  And what if there wasn’t a reason for him to show up? What if he was just charging in to save the day in hopes that Cassie would just fall into his arms? Then he’d just ask her to the dance and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He’d make her see reason.

  A group of riders were headed his way. Jake slowed Bright down and rubbed his arched neck to soothe him when the horse protested. It was Watkins’s bunch. Eight of them and Baxter in the middle. So he was overreacting. Jake guided Bright to the side of the road and let the group pass. Baxter and a couple of his buddies gave Jake a hard stare as they went by, but no words were exchanged, which was fine with Jake. Once they were passed, he started up again at a much slower pace. He needed time to think about what to say to Cassie.

  Minutes passed. Minutes during which he thought out every argument Cassie could throw at him and every counter he could offer. Bright suddenly shied, and danced sideways on the road, which curved to the left around a rock slide that happened years ago. Jake searched the road for a rattler and heard a rustling above him. A cougar perhaps? Just as he turned he was hit in the side by someone throwing themselves at him from the rocks. He was rolled off Bright before he had time to react. Bright reared and kicked and reared again as Jake struggled with the man who was on top of him. He wore a bandana over the bottom part of his face, but Jake recognized the eyes as Baxter’s. Baxter raised his gun.

  “Don’t kill him, you fool,” someone said as Baxter swung the handle of the gun at Jake’s face. He tried to block it but he couldn’t. He heard rather than felt the crack and darkness filled his vision and then all went black.

  * * *

  Cassie stood on the porch and looked out over her valley. It was a peaceful evening after a peaceful week of nothing but blue skies and sunshine. The moon hung bright and low in the sky, so low that it felt like if she reached far enough, she could touch it. The sheep were gathered together in a tight group to protect the week-old lambs and even Libby seemed content as she grazed alongside them. Puck and Manuel’s mules browsed in the corral by the barn and Suzie snoozed in one of the rocking chairs that graced the porch, while Max lay at the end of the porch, enjoying the cool breeze. Yes, everything was at peace.

  Except for Cassie. The last thing she felt was peace. Ever since Jake kissed her, her mind had been a swirl of emotions, and her dreams had left her yearning for something more. Something that she was too afraid to want.

  Suddenly, Max jumped off the porch and ran down the drive. He stood a moment with his ears pricked, and then he started barking. The glow of torches coming over the rise and around the bend sickened Cassie, and she ran into the house to get her rifle.

  “Someone is coming,” she said to Manuel before she ran outside again. She heard the scramble behind her, and Manuel appeared beside her with his rifle. “This can’t be good,” Cassie said.

  “Agreed.” Manuel’s eyes never left the approaching group.

  The riders came on, four of them and all heading straight for the barn. Cassie took off at a run down the drive with Manuel beside her. Max bravely charged at the riders and there was a yelp as he got caught up beneath a horse. Cassie stopped, raised her rifle and pulled the trigger, but missed as they rode around the barn. A torch flared upward and landed on the roof and another one went into the open door of the loft. Flames quickly shot up and licked at the top of the barn, lighting up the sky.

  “No!” Cassie yelled. Luckily Puck and the mules were outside, but the milk cow was inside.

  “Get them as they come back around,” Manuel said. Cassie crouched behind a fence post and Manuel took cover behind the oak tree.

  “We got to get the cow out,” Cassie yelled. They could hear the poor animal bellowing now, and Puck and the mules joined in. They were dangerously close to the flames.

  Two of the riders came around the barn and the other two set out across the valley to where the sheep huddled. Max, recovered from his fall, charged after them. Soon Libby joined into the cacophony of noise; braying, barking, baaing and the plaintive mooing of the cow accompanied by the nervous calls of Puck and the mules. Cassie and Manuel shot at the two riders heading toward them and Cassie watched in satisfaction as her shot knocked one of the men off his horse.

  She took off at a run for the barn.

  * * *

  “Wake up, Jake.” Water sloshed in his face and Jake sputtered. He rubbed water out of his eyes and looked up at Ward, his face illuminated by the moon.

  “What happened?” he asked. His mind felt like it was wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a box, and his head throbbed at the temple. He touched the side of his head and felt blood.

  “You tell us,” Ward said. He held out a hand and Ward and Cade hauled him to his feet.

  “Someone attacked me on the trail.”

  “And left you for dead by the looks of it,” Cade added. “Your horse turned up in town.”

  “Thank God,” Jake said. “He could have just as easily gone home and no one would have noticed him until tomorrow morning. It was Baxter, it had to be. I passed him on the way.”

  “He wasn’t in the group that showed up at my place,” Ward said.

  “He’s at Cassie’s,” Jake said. He took a step toward Bright, staggered and quickly righ
ted himself. The world tilted as he swung onto Bright’s back and he felt the contents of his stomach heave upward, but he quickly swallowed it back down and kicked Bright into a run with Ward and Cade by his side.

  This wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all.

  * * *

  Cassie flinched every time she heard a shot. From the sounds of it Manuel was keeping them busy. She couldn’t worry about that now; she had to get the poor cow out. The heat was unbelievable and it felt as if her skin was blistering. When she opened the pen, the cow charged out into the night. Cassie ran on through the barn to the corral and undid the gate. Puck trotted through but the mules needed encouragement. She finally got them headed in the right direction and followed after them.

  Her entire valley was bright as day with the moonlight streaming down and the firelight behind her. Several dead sheep lay in the valley and she heard Libby braying loudly in the distance. Max’s barks sounded close to the house, so she headed in that direction. Lord help all of them if the house was on fire.

  It was. Cold fear gripped Cassie’s heart. She picked up her pace. The riders were headed back down the drive but she didn’t care. Her mother and Rosa were inside; Manuel fired a few parting shots and followed her.

  “Mother!” Cassie screamed as she got to the porch. Suzie dashed out from beneath it, and Cassie heard the panicked chattering of the coon family along with the pops and cracks of the fire.

  “Rosa!” Manuel called out.

  “Go around back,” Cassie yelled. “See if they got out that way. I’ll meet you in the middle.”

  The heat was like a wall. Cassie dashed through the door where flames licked around the frame. “Rosa?” The ceiling was on fire and flames poured down the ladder that led to the loft. “Rosa!” Cassie called again. Manuel came through the back door and shook his head. They heard a crash from Cassie’s room.

  “Help us!” Rosa cried out.

  Manuel and Cassie both ran to the bedroom. A timber had fallen and Rosa and her mother were trapped against the back wall of the cabin. Rosa held her mother upright and was shielding her from the fire with her body.