Judy Christenberry - Rancher And Protector

“Thanks, Rosemary.”

She nodded and took a bite of her sandwich.

Wes was watching him, as if he was wondering why Jason was pushing Rosemary from her comfort zone. But as Wes had said, they couldn’t be formal for two weeks.

In spite of Wes’s bragging about Rosemary’s skills, Jason still wasn’t sure she would be of much use on the cattle drive. He would just have to wait and see.

After a half-hour break, they were all in the saddle again, facing another four to five hours before they reached their first camp. Wes had explained that they would be at the halfway point this evening. Then they would travel another eight hours the next day. The day after, they would begin the search for cattle, at the farthest point and the highest elevation, beyond which the terrain was too rough for cattle to venture. Then they would gradually move back toward the ranch, sweeping the hills for the cattle.

It would be a much slower trip coming back than it had been going.

When they reached the camp set up by the cook, they could smell dinner cooking and see a large campfire. The warmth would be welcome, Jason admitted. As the sun lowered behind the hills, the air had changed from crisp to cold.

And the food would be just as welcome. His body was tired and in need of fuel. He’d tried not to slump in the saddle because Rosemary certainly wasn’t slumping. The woman must have a lot of muscles in that trim figure, he reasoned.

Ted was apparently feeling much as he did. “I’m glad to see that fire. I don’t like the cold.”

Jason frowned in surprise. “Haven’t you had to go out in bad weather to take care of the cattle?”

“I usually get some of the men to do that work.”

Jason thought he knew Ted Houston fairly well. He’d come highly recommended, and he’d ridden with Jason on a couple of weekends at a stable outside Denver, where Jason kept Shadow and several other horses. But a leader didn’t ask his men to do things he wouldn’t do.

After they dismounted and tended their horses, including putting up a rope corral that would hold the horses for the night, they all moved quickly to the fire where the cook had an appetizing stew cooking over the fire.

“It smells good, Cookie,” Rosemary said, finally smiling.

“It’s Sara Beth’s recipe, Rosie, so you know it’s good.” He turned to Jason and held out a hand. “I don’t believe I’ve met you. I’m Albert Downey, but everyone calls me Cookie, for obvious reasons,” he said with a grin.

Jason shook his hand. “Glad to meet you. I’m Jason Barton and this is Ted Houston.”

“Welcome, boys. The tin bowls are stacked on the tailgate of the SUV. Grab one and a spoon and get in line. It’s chow time.”

Jason waited for Rosemary to advance first. He fell in step behind her, his eyes on the sway of her hips in those tight jeans. They’d ridden through some of the most beautiful scenery in the west today, but Jason had to admit this was the prettiest sight he’d seen all day.

AS HE walked to the SUV, Ted came up alongside Jason. “That Cookie obviously doesn’t know who we are,” he said with an edge to his voice. “If he did, he’d be more respectful.”

Jason spared him a quick glance. “We’re helping with the roundup, Ted, nothing more. There’s nothing wrong with how he treated us.” He took a bowl and spoon and moved after Rosemary who had gone to get her bowl and spoon in front of him.

But she wasn’t the first one in line. Others had gone before her. She wasn’t standing on ceremony as Ted seemed to expect. Jason had to admit he was fascinated by Rosemary, but he assured himself it was only because of the contrast between the woman as he’d seen her in Denver and the woman who stood before him now.

When his bowl was full, Jason followed Rosemary to the canvas stools Cookie had set up around the fire. Selecting the one next to her, he sank down, relieved to have canvas under him instead of leather.

“Long day?” Rosemary asked.

“Yeah, but you seemed to hold up well.”

“I’ve done this before.”

“Surely not recently.”

“No, not recently. My father let things slip on the ranch the last two years.”

“I thought maybe it was Wes’s fault.” Jason didn’t mean his remark as an insult, but he realized he’d offended Rosemary again.

“How dare you?” she said before she stood and moved to another camp stool, making her disdain obvious to everyone gathered around the fire.

Wes, who was just now being served as the last man in line, watched Rosemary as she moved to another seat. Then he crossed to the seat she’d abandoned and sat down.

“How you doing, Jason?” he asked.

“Fine. Cookie makes a mean stew.”

“Yeah, he does.”

“Who is Sara Beth? He said it was her recipe.”

“She’s my wife. She’s been the housekeeper on the ranch for a long time. That’s how I met her.”

Conversation had resumed around the fire. The men had all been watching Rosemary, as if to determine she was all right. But with Wes’s approach and general conversation, he’d apparently reassured his men.

“What did you say to Rosie?” Wes asked, his voice lower.

“I’m sorry, Wes. I spoke without thinking. She thinks I insulted you.”

“How’d you do that?”

“She said her dad hadn’t done much on the ranch the last two years. I said I’d thought it was your fault.”

“That’s not unreasonable.” Wes took a spoonful of the meat and vegetables. “Rosie is a little touchy about things right now. She feels she abandoned her dad when he needed her. In truth, the old man sent her away. I think he was just too tired, and didn’t want to admit that to her.”

“That must’ve made things hard for you.”

“Yeah, but I couldn’t abandon him or the men who worked for him. And Sara Beth would never have agreed to leave him or Rosie.”

“I see,” Jason said. “I’m sorry I upset her. I didn’t realize the circumstances. I’ll apologize to her whenever she’ll let me.”

“No need. I’ll talk to her. Just remember this is a hard time for her. Give her a little space.”

Jason knew what Wes was telling him, but something inside him didn’t want to listen. “I’ll be more careful about what I say to her.”

Wes gave him a considering look, and Jason tried to conceal his response. He didn’t want Wes to forbid him to talk to Rosemary.

“Okay. I’ll try to patch things up when I talk to her.”

Jason let out a soft sigh. “Thanks, Wes. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. We don’t want any fights in front of the men.”

“No, of course not.”

Rosemary watched Jason and Wes out of the corner of her eye as she ate her stew. She would demand Jason leave if he upset Wes. She wasn’t going to allow that. Wes and Sara Beth were her family—her only family, now that her dad was gone.

Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of her father. He’d obviously been too tired, too ill, to handle the running of the ranch. Wes had apologized to her, but he’d said her father wouldn’t agree to anything that required any money. Clearly he’d been in financial difficulty, too, though she hadn’t known. She wondered if Wes and Sara Beth had even been paid all their wages, though they’d both told her they had.

The biggest question, for her, had been whether Robert had sold the ranch because he didn’t believe she, a female, could handle running it. Even thinking the thought that she’d hidden in her heart almost brought her to tears.

One of the cowboys sitting next to her leaned over and said, “You okay, Rosie?” Apparently mistaking her upset, he added, “If the man got fresh, we’ll take care of him.”