Kristina O'Grady - I Choose You - A sizzling Hollywood Western romance

The muscles in Ben’s arms strained, the cow gave one final bellow and the calf popped out. Ben quickly swiped the birth bag from its face, unhooked its feet from the pullers and stepped out of the cow’s way.

She sniffed the calf with her nose and nudged it.

He held his breath and waited.

The cow licked the calf’s face and let out a gentle moo.

“Come on, little guy,” Ben urged softly.

The calf raised its head. A surge of relief rushed through Ben’s body. Thank God. He walked back to Thunder and put the calf puller back into the saddlebag. He dug around until he found a rag all scrunched up in the bottom. He poured some water on it from the canteen he had tied to the saddle horn and washed off the birth as best he could. He’d have to have a shower as soon as he got home.

He stuffed the rag back in the saddle bag, climbed back onto Thunder and watched the cow and her calf for a few moments before turning to check the rest of the pasture. He rode to the top of a rise and surveyed the valley below him. He leaned forward, resting his right forearm on the saddle horn. Horse sweat, sagebrush and last year’s dried prairie grass assaulted his senses. They epitomized home to him. God, he loved this place. He’d been away far too long but since Rachel he couldn’t cope with the memories this piece of land held.

As kids he and his two sisters roamed these hills every spare moment they had. If he listened carefully he was sure he could still hear the echoes of their laughter.

His dad pulled his horse up alongside Thunder.

“You’ve been away too long, son,” Lance said.

Their saddles creaked as they shifted to look at each other.

“I know. I’m home now though. And this time, I ain’t leavin’.” Benjamin turned once again to the view before him and took a deep breath. “I’ve missed it.”

“Glad to hear it, ’bout time you came back where you belong. We need you around here. It’s time you started thinking of taking over from me and your mom.”

“You can’t be serious?” Ben asked in surprise. “I thought you just wanted me to come back and help you out for a year or two. What’s going on, Dad?”

The solemn look on his father’s face hit him like a fist in his gut. He’d seen that look two times before. Once when Rachel died and the other time wasn’t much better.

“What is it?” He pushed the dread back down his throat, swallowing it back down to his stomach.

His dad once again shifted in his saddle, as though Ben’s gaze made him uncomfortable.

“We want you home, is all. And we need the help. This place is getting run-down, as you can see. I can’t keep it up like I used to. We need your help and it’s time for your mom and me to enjoy what’s left of our lives. We all know how short life can be.”

Benjamin couldn’t understand why his father was avoiding his eye. It wasn’t like his dad to back down from anyone. Fear gripped his gut tighter than before.

“It isn’t Mom, is it? She’s not sick, is she?” Even he could hear the alarm creeping into his voice.

That brought his dad’s head up.

“Your mom? No son, she’s fine…it’s the ranch that’s struggling.” His dad kept his eyes locked on him while he spoke. “The last few years have taken their toll on us. Normally we could ride out this rough patch but with the extra bills we had while Rachel was sick, we’re finding it tough to make ends meet.’

Benjamin shook his head in wonder at his father.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner? I would have come back long before now.”

“We didn’t want to ask. Your mother and I know what a tough time you’ve had in the last few years, what with Rachel and then Jenna. Well, we wanted you to be able to come back on your own accord, when you were ready. You just took longer than we expected, is all.” His dad grinned at him. “We had to ask you back in fear you’d never come on your own.”

It was Ben’s turn to avoid his gaze. He looked out across the pasture instead. He didn’t want to think about how he’d run away.

“How bad is it?” he asked.

“Pretty bad, but I’ve got something up my sleeve. I’ll show you the books when we get home. Come on, we’ll check the rest of the herd and then I’ll show you.”

Benjamin watched his dad ride down the steep slope and head towards the dugout to check the last of the cows. Calving was just getting started and the cows needed to be checked frequently. Ben found it hard to turn and ride in the opposite direction to check the far end of the pasture; all he wanted to do was head for home and take a look at those books.

Damn, he knew he shouldn’t have stayed away so long.

Ben watched two more cows give birth. Thankfully his assistance wasn’t required with either of them. Then he and his dad arrived at the gate home within minutes of each other.

“Come on, son, your mom will have some lemon squares to have with our coffee.”

Benjamin couldn’t help but laugh at the wistful look on his dad’s face. He had a sweet tooth and enjoyed his wife’s baking.

Drawing to a halt at the barn door, Benjamin jumped down from the saddle and led Thunder into the cool dark building. With saddle and bridle removed he cut him loose out into the pasture so he could roll in the dirt. Ben watched from the fence, a smile sliding onto his face. It was good to be home.

***

Fresh from the shower, Ben sat down at the kitchen table and helped himself to his mom’s baking.

“These lemon squares are delicious, Mom. I’ve sure missed your baking,” Ben said around a mouthful of tarty sweetness.

“And I’ve missed you.” His mom kissed his check and dusted powdered sugar off his chin. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me too,” he replied.

Country music played from the radio on the shelf next to the sink. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the room. Benjamin was in heaven. He took another bite from the lemon square, barely suppressing a moan of pleasure.

His mother belied her cooking ability. For all of Ben’s twenty-eight years she had been lean, toned and gorgeous. He was proud of how his mom kept her appearance a priority and how she went for a five mile run every morning at sunrise to start her day before helping out on the ranch. Beth told him that since Rachel died she’d started doing yoga to find peace. Consequently her body was lean and toned as a result.

But she was starting to show her age. Ben had been surprised at the change he had seen in her when he’d arrived yesterday. Her hair was now peppered with grey and although cut in an attractive pixie cut, it showed off the wrinkles on her face. And there was no hiding the dark circles under her eyes. His dad was right; the stress was getting to her. Somehow in the last two years, his mom had shrunk into a shadow of her former self. Ben found it hard to look away from her. He kept expecting her to wash the wrinkles away as though they were Halloween make-up and return to her former glory.

“Come with me, Benjamin.” His father pushed himself up from the table and headed towards the back of the house and his office.

Ben grabbed two more squares and refilled his coffee cup from the pot on the counter before following his dad.

The office was the same as it always had been. The papers piled on the desk didn’t look like they’d been moved for over a decade and the dust on the shelves confirmed that his mom still wasn’t allowed in to clean. He remembered from his childhood that his dad once accused his mother of moving some important papers and as a result had never let her into his sanctuary since. At least not with a broom or duster.

“How do you find anything in this mess?” Ben asked, looking for a place to put down his coffee cup.