Rita Herron - Certified Cowboy

Was the article she’d read about him having a hot temper simply gossip?

Kenny hung on to the fence, watching, infatuated with the cowboy’s every move.

Apprehension tightened her shoulders. If he grew too fond of the man, it would only make it more difficult when they had to leave.

And she had no doubt that that moment would come.

Rex’s harsh words echoed in her ears. I’ll kill you next time.

He would never give up. He would find them. And then the running would have to start again. A new name. A new town.

A new house or apartment or trailer, whatever she could find.

Another reason she couldn’t call the little cabin she and Kenny were staying in home. Although, the fireplace and homemade quilts and warm earthy tones made it cozy, and it felt more like home than any place she’d ever lived.

So did the dining hall. And Ms. Ellen… She was like a grandmother to Kenny and a second mom to her.

She liked Kim, Johnny’s sister, too, and her four-year-old little girl, Lucy, was adorable.

Kim taught riding skills to the younger campers and also did personal counseling, and Lucy and Kenny had enjoyed playing together.

Ranch life started early and she rose at five-thirty to help with the day’s meals while Kenny fed Cleo and played with the pups. Ms. Ellen arrived at the kitchen at four to start breakfast, but she always greeted her and Kenny with a warm smile and a pan of hot biscuits or cinnamon buns.

It was the first time since her parents died that she’d come close to having a semblance of a family.

She was desperately afraid she and Kenny were both losing their hearts to the ranch and the people here.

“Come on, Rachel,” Ms. Ellen called. “This barbecue sauce needs your special touch.”

Rachel grinned and went to taste the sauce, then added a dollop of molasses, and Ellen deemed it perfect. For the next two hours, they worked side by side, setting up the buns and Brunswick stew and slicing brownies to add to the dessert table along with bowls of homemade banana pudding.

A group of young boys from a middle school in a lower-income area filed in, then another church group of day-trippers, then six teenage boys from the orphanage. Two of the older boys looked rough around the edges, with tattoos and scowls that indicated a bad attitude. Rachel tensed as the oldest one, Ricardo, glared at her from the food line.

“This is pig slop,” the boy muttered.

Suddenly, Johnny appeared beside him. “Treat the lady with respect,” Johnny said in a tone that brooked no argument. “And if you don’t like the food, you can do without.”

Ricardo looked up at Johnny, his face turning to stone, but he nodded and mumbled an apology. Still, something about the sinister gleam in his eyes suggested he was faking it in front of Johnny. That if Johnny wasn’t around, he’d let his true side shine, just like Rex.

A shiver rippled up Rachel’s spine, but Kenny loped up, wearing a black Stetson like Johnny’s and imitating Johnny’s stance, and thoughts of the other boy fled.

“Look at my hat, Mom!” Kenny tipped the Stetson to show off the silver trim around the brim. “It’s just like Mr. J.’s!”

Rachel’s heart clenched at the hero worship in her young son’s eyes. “It’s awesome,” Rachel said tightly, but she frowned at Johnny as she handed him a plate.

His gaze met hers, and his brow furrowed in question, but then one of the middle school boys called his name and he turned to talk to them.

“Tell us about the time you won that big trophy for penning,” one of the boys said.

Johnny joined the boys at the table, then began to entertain them with his rodeo stories.

“I wanna learn to ride like that,” a ten-year-old named Pedro said.

“Me, too,” another boy yelled. “And I wanna learn to pen just like you, Mr. J.!”

Kenny piped up. “Can I be in the rodeo?”

Johnny patted Kenny’s shoulder. “Sure. We’ll start working on some riding skills tomorrow.” He fisted his hand and placed it in the middle of the table. “Who’s in?”

The boys clamored with excitement, balling their hands into fists and stacking them on top of Johnny’s until he gave the signal and they all shouted a cheer.

“He’s so good with the children,” Ms. Ellen commented. “Your little one seems to have taken a shine to him.”

“Yes, I see,” Rachel said, although her stomach was twisted in knots.

“Where is his papa?” Ms. Ellen asked.

Rachel added more buns and barbecue on the trays for the ranch hands filing in. “It’s just me and Kenny.”

“Then Mr. J. is a good role model, right?”

Rachel chewed her bottom lip. “Yes, it looks that way.” But she hurried to finish restocking the remainder of the food trays, determined to avoid the subject. One thing she’d learned on the run was to avoid intimacy with anyone.

Even well-meaning people like Ms. Ellen, because Rex might hurt the woman to get to her.

The next two hours flew by as she and Ms. Ellen served the ranch hands, grooms, camp counselors and other staff. So far, she’d yet to meet Brody, but Ms. Ellen assured her he was a fine man with a good heart.

Kenny hung with the other boys until she and Ms. Ellen had cleaned up and she was ready to leave. As she and Kenny stepped outside, she breathed in the fresh air, savoring the scent of fresh grass and the hint of wildflowers in the air.

But gravel crunched and she jerked around, immediately on edge.

Johnny hesitated, narrowing his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just thought I’d walk you two back to your cabin.”

Hating to be caught off guard, Rachel stiffened. “We’re fine on our own.”

Johnny shrugged but fell in beside her anyway, his sexy swagger irritating her to no end. Heaven help her. She didn’t want to like him, but from what she’d seen, he was great with the kids. And he was so tough and masculine at the same time that he was downright irresistible.

But she had to resist. Besides, he might be wearing a mask to fool her just like Rex had.

Kenny broke into a run as they neared the cabin.

“I’m gonna see Cleo and the pups!”

The barn door banged shut as Kenny rushed inside, and Johnny turned to her, concern etched on his chiseled face. “Kenny seemed nervous when you first got here, but he’s starting to open up.”

Rachel tensed. She didn’t intend to answer questions about her past.

Even more unsettling was Johnny’s masculine presence. And the scent of his body was so intoxicating that she could hardly breathe. What was it? Some woodsy smell and sweat? It shouldn’t be so potent or inviting, but for some reason, it stirred desires she’d thought crushed to death by Rex’s brute force.

“What’s wrong, Rachel?” Johnny asked. “Why was Kenny so scared when you first arrived?”

“He’s just shy around new people.” Her defenses rose and she whirled toward him. “Why did you give Kenny that hat like yours?”

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “He liked mine so much I thought he’d enjoy having one of his own. Is something wrong?”

No, it really was very nice. Touching even. But neither of them could get accustomed to it. “I appreciate you being kind to him, but you can’t give him gifts without asking me first.”

“I’m sorry,” Johnny said. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Rachel recognized the sincerity in his voice and felt like a heel. “It’s just that he can’t get used to receiving gifts from you or anyone else. Especially things that I can’t give him.”

He gave her a devilish smile, a leftover of his rodeo days. “It’s just a hat, Rachel, nothing more.”

Rachel’s mouth thinned. “I don’t want him hanging false hopes about staying here or…”