Leann Harris - A Ranch to Call Home

“Does that mean you’re going to desert us?” She tried to force as much lightness as she could into the words, but they sounded desperate to her ears.

His expression lost all humor. “No. I promised you I’d help, and I keep my promises.”

Instantly, she knew this man had been let down by someone he trusted and would not break his word.

“Have you changed your mind about working as the pick-up rider?”

“No. But I could recommend someone.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer.” She paused, wanting to find the right words. “Thank you for not saying anything to Joel and Gramps about what happened out there in the storm.” She swallowed. “That lightning strike was so much like... I heard the boom and felt that pressure and sizzle and suddenly...”

“You don’t have to explain.”

Kaye closed her eyes and nodded, shamed by her weakness. And she wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about her memories.

Razor butted her shoulder, throwing her off balance. Caleb caught her. She looked up into his face, and for an instant there was that connection again. Their moment was spoiled when Razor butted her once more. The horse’s persistence made her smile. “Is he always so contrary?”

“I warned you about him.”

She picked up the curry brush, walked into the stall and began brushing him.

Caleb laughed. “You, my friend,” he addressed Razor, “know how to manipulate folks.”

“No, he’s not a manipulator. Razor is honest in what he wants, unlike my ex-husband.” The words were out of her mouth before she thought about them. Her loose lips shocked her. Well, she certainly was airing all her dirty laundry today, wasn’t she?

Caleb continued to stroke Razor’s nose. “You’re right. Razor’s honest in what he wants and doesn’t choose to hurt others to satisfy his own needs.”

Ah, he’d been hurt, too.

Kaye continued to brush the horse but refused to look at him again, knowing that they’d both said too much.

After several minutes of silence, she looked up. Caleb was nowhere to be seen. She didn’t know how to feel. How was she going to face him tomorrow?

* * *

By the time she walked into the kitchen at eight in the morning, Caleb and Joel were long gone. Someone had taken down the old coffeepot that her grandmother used, plugged it in and there was coffee. She’d spent the night fighting different nightmares. Finally, around four o’clock, she started praying and the last thing she remembered was singing “Amazing Grace” in her mind.

“’Bout time you hauled yourself outta bed,” Gramps mumbled as he walked into the kitchen. “You army folks get up this late?”

“Good morning to you, too.” She brushed a kiss across his purplish cheek. “I’m glad you found Grandma’s coffeepot.”

His eyes took on a faraway look. “I remember the first time she made coffee in that pot. Your ma was only a teenager.” He shook off the sad feeling. “Your brother and Caleb made coffee and peanut-butter sandwiches and left.”

The blown toaster sitting beside the coffeepot had belonged to Grandma, too. After pouring herself a cup of coffee, she sat at the table and slowly looked around the kitchen, taking in her mother’s stove and refrigerator. The blender and expensive freestanding mixer had thankfully survived since they weren’t plugged in. Mom had saved for six months to get that mixer.

Gramps put the bread and peanut butter on the table. “You might as well make yourself a sandwich.” He sat down beside her. “You okay, girl?”

Her head snapped up. “Why would you ask?”

Gramps grabbed her hand. “’Cause my face looks better than yours.”

She winced and opened her mouth to argue, but she understood what Gramps was saying. “The stove, refrigerator—they were all picked out by Mom and Grandma.”

Gramps folded his hand over hers. “They’re just things.”

“But there’s memories,” she whispered, her throat closing up.

“True, and to be sure they’re good ones, Brenda Lynn, but they are only things. We needed to replace half those things before nature took care of that. You should cherish those memories, girl, but you gotta make peace with them.”

His point hit too close to home. She slathered the peanut butter on a piece of bread and took a bite. With her mouth full, she didn’t have to respond.

Before Gramps could say more, there was a knock at the front door. She sprang to her feet, eager to leave the conversation, and saw an old schoolmate through the glass in the door. She opened the door. “Bryan?”

“Hey, Brenda. Long time, no see.”

She’d gone through all twelve years of school with Bryan Danvers. “It has been a few years. What are you doing here?”

“I’m your insurance agent.” He pointed to the embroidered shirt pocket with the name of the insurance company. “You had a lightning strike?” He looked down at his clipboard.

“We did, and all the males in this house are mourning the death of that sixty-inch TV.”

He clutched his chest. “Ouch. I can understand their grief. Why don’t you show me where this crime occurred?”

So male. “Follow me.”

* * *

Caleb rode slowly up to the stand of trees where Kaye and he’d taken shelter yesterday. A section of grass close to the river was blackened where the lightning had touched down.

Razor’s head came up.

“It’s okay.” Caleb patted his mount’s neck. “I know this place makes you nervous, but there’s nothing here now.”

He’d lain awake last night going over in his head Kaye’s limited confession. Flashbacks were normal, and that was what worried him if he got back in the arena with bucking horses—he might freeze up, leaving the cowboy hanging. He worked in tandem with another pick-up rider, but moments made the difference in saving a cowboy and him being hurt.

When the sound of another rider pierced his brain, he turned in his saddle and saw Joel riding toward him. “Any cattle down here?”

Shaking off the memories, Caleb answered, “I haven’t looked yet.”

Joel’s brow knitted into a frown. He scanned the area and saw the blackened spot down by the stream. “Is this where you and my sister took shelter?”

“No, it was in the stand of trees there.” He pointed.

Leaning on the saddle horn, Joel asked, “Did something else happen here? Sis kinda looked panicked when I asked where you two were.”

Caleb knew Kaye didn’t want her brother to know about her flashback, but Joel’s friendship meant a great deal to him. And Caleb knew if his brother had a need, he would want to know. “Let’s say that you should pray for your sister.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I know you know how to pray, and you might pray for me, too.”

Joel sat up, ready to press more questions.

“Let’s see if there are any strays down here.” Before Joel could comment, Caleb headed down to the river. If his friend questioned him too much, he just might guess what happened, and Caleb wouldn’t do that to Kaye.

* * *

Anything that was electronic in the house was fried. They documented every appliance and lamp. Thankfully, Joel’s laptop hadn’t been charging or they would’ve lost all the rodeo information, too. As Bryan took pictures of the damage, he updated Kaye on nearly all the sixty kids who’d been in their graduating class. Bryan took pictures of the porch and had Kaye sign the report.

“Can we start the cleanup of the porch?” Kaye asked, Gramps standing behind her. The charred smell brought too many memories.

“Yes, since I’ve got everything documented here. And those cell phone pictures, you can email them to me. By Friday, I should have the check for you, so do you need anything before then?”