Lois Richer - Heaven's Kiss

“His daughter?” He chuckled. “You scared the daylights out of me when you grabbed his horn.”

“Oh, Marvin won’t hurt me. We grew up together. But don’t ever put yourself between him and me. He’s very protective. My dad once yelled at me and Marvin charged him.” She giggled. “He’s really just a big old softie, but he doesn’t like everyone to know that. Especially men.”

“I see.” Luc swallowed. This—this girl had used a few choice words to single-handedly manage what he’d seen grown men twice her size fail at. His appreciation for Dani DeWitt’s courage soared. “I’m sorry I’m so late. M-Marvin wouldn’t let me past.”

“No, he doesn’t want any strangers on the ranch. He’s afraid I’ll sell him like I did the other cattle.” Her face changed, lost its glow of fun.

“Will you?” He saw how little she wanted that to happen.

“Probably have to,” she murmured. “I don’t have any cows to breed him with and he’s worth a fair bit.”

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say.

“Thanks. It’s been tough since Dad died, but I’m getting through.”

“From all I’ve heard, you’re doing very well.”

Her head jerked up at that, eyes narrowed. Luc realized he’d just told her the entire town was talking about her. He hurried to change the subject.

“Is this your land?”

She nodded. “Far as you can see.”

She told him exactly how many acres she owned, but the number didn’t compute in his brain.

“It sounds big, but I know less than nothing about ranches.”

“Why would you? You’re a doctor. I know less than nothing about medicine.” She pointed down the road. “If you want to follow me, I’ll take you back to the house.”

“Weren’t you headed somewhere? I don’t want to take up your afternoon.” Maybe he could get out of this yet.

“I was expecting you. I just came out to check on Marvin. I knew he’d head out here. He does it whenever he wants to make a statement.” She turned toward her truck. “Keep driving straight ahead. You’ll see the house in about five miles.”

Luc followed her at some distance, hoping to avoid the cloud of dust that trailed behind her truck, but also wanting to save wear on his shocks. Pavement appeared to be in short supply in Dani DeWitt’s neck of the woods.

As he drove, Luc noted that the place was huge—miles of green stretched before him. She ran it virtually alone, he knew from gossip in town. He couldn’t help his smile of admiration. Dani DeWitt was one very unusual woman. She’d handled a bull with an attitude, agreed to direct a play that involved half the town. She was feisty. And she sure didn’t back down from a challenge. He’d experienced that personally.

The house, when he saw it, made his eyes widen. A large, cedar-sided two-storey, it sat in the lee of a south-facing hill, huge windows offering what must be a stunning vista over the surrounding valley. A few scraggly flowers struggled to show their blooms against the house, but mostly the yard was grass. He parked beside her truck, climbed out.

“It’s very beautiful country,” he told her sincerely. “You must love to come home.”

“Yes, I do. I was away at college for four years, but every time I came back, it was as if I’d never left.” She motioned to the willow furniture on the deck outside the front door. “Would you like to sit out here in the sun? I can get us some lemonade.”

“Sure.” Luc gingerly lowered himself onto the cushion atop a web of woven willow and found it quite comfy. He waited, content to study the magnificent view, until she returned with two frosty glasses. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She took a sip, stared at him for a moment. “Are you enjoying Blessing, Dr. Lawrence?”

“It’s Luc.” He nodded. “Yes, I am. Now that Joshua’s recovered and I have a few minutes of spare time, I’m looking forward to really getting to know the area.”

“It was a terrible accident. I know both he and Nicole were glad you were there.” Dani stared out across the billowing grasses. “They seem very happy together.”

“I’m sure they are. The girls love their new mother, and Nicole doesn’t let Joshua get away with much. She’s got her own opinions about things.” He didn’t want to talk about work, Luc discovered. He wanted to talk about her. He didn’t bother to ask himself why. “Tell me about the ranch.”

A mask fell over her eyes, shielding her thoughts from him.

“What do you want to know?”

He shrugged. “Whatever you want to tell me. What it’s like to live out here. Whether you intend on staying or not.”

“Staying? Of course I’m staying. Who told you otherwise?” Her brows drew together in a frown of dismay.

“No one’s said anything. I just assumed with you being so young, you’d rather move back to the city.” He glanced around, noted the unmown grass, the windows that needed painting, the broken board in the balustrade. “You must get lonely out here by yourself.”

“I don’t really.” She smiled. “Maybe because I’m so busy, or maybe it’s because I grew up here, cut my teeth on a horse’s bridle. This is my world.”

“And you love it.”

It didn’t take the nod of her head to tell him that. Luc could see it in the way she stroked the arm of her chair, in the softness of her eyes as she watched horses frolic in a distant pasture. Dani possessed a beauty he’d seldom seen. She had a youthful vitality that glowed in her vivid green eyes, glittered in the sheen of her black hair where the sun struck, but it was more than that.

Her beauty stemmed from the easy way she fit into her world, accepted its problems and refused to moan about it. He’d heard enough talk to know she’d inherited trouble.

“Yes, I do love the Double D. I just hope I can hang onto it.”

Luc wasn’t sure how to answer that. He’d got the impression she was sensitive about gossip, but he also had a hunch she needed someone to talk to. Listening was something his profession had made him fairly good at, and Dani DeWitt’s low melodic voice was easy to listen to.

“I’m sure it’s a lot of work for one person.”

She glanced at him, then shifted her eyes away. “I have— I had help. I had to let most of them go. Now I share a hand with Gray McGonigle. He does most of the heavy work, so it’s not too bad.”

Luc glanced down at her fingers, saw the calluses that covered her small palms and felt a pang of sympathy for the chores she’d undertaken. She was so young to be saddled with such a demanding task.

“I’ll soon have to get rid of the rest of the stock,” she murmured, her eyes on a herd grazing a quarter of a mile away.

He understood she was thinking out loud, so Luc leaned back in his chair and sipped his lemonade.

“They’re too much for me to handle and I can’t afford to feed them come winter. Besides, I need the money they’ll bring.” Her voice dropped until it emerged a faint whisper. “I wish he’d told me about the loan. I didn’t have to go to college. I would have been quite happy to stay right here.” She peered up at Luc, her eyes glassy with tears.

“I’m sure your father wanted his daughter to experience college life, Dani. I didn’t know him well, but I don’t think he would have begrudged you the opportunity, no matter what it cost. Let me tell you something I’ve learned, just from watching Joshua Darling. Nothing is too much for a man’s daughters.” He kept his eyes straight ahead, pretended he wasn’t paying attention to her soft sniffles as she struggled for control.

“Daddy insisted I go. At first we even argued about it. But I never could disobey him. Still, I should have refused. I didn’t realize he was so short of cash. He shouldn’t have taken out a loan to send me on that overseas study trip last summer. He should have told me. I’d have come home sooner if I’d known.”