Buy a Cowboy (12 page)

“You all did.”

They rode in silence for a long way.

“Where are the others?” Bonnie's worry began to flutter through her.

“They know what to do. They'll settle the horses into the larger paddock in the valley. When I have had time to cull the ones we need to get rid of, I'll move them to the pasture across the creek. We'll have to feed them hay this winter, but they'll be all right.”

She sighed again. The sound was lonesome in the thin air.

“What's wrong, Bonnie?”

“I was really useless today. You, Faith and Daniel would have been fine without me.”

“We would have missed that nice little sorrel colt.” Baya smiled at her.

Bonnie's gaze just followed a line between her horse's ears. Her chest heaved. “I didn't find it. Socks did. Socks was once used to wean colts from their mother. He would be put in with them so they wouldn't be too lonely. He must think that is still his job because he walked right up to that colt and brought it down the mountain. I just followed. My four-
year-
old did better at rounding up animals today than I did.”

“Our four-year-old,” Baya said.

Bonnie stared at him, too surprised to say anything.

Baya was settling into her family…their family.

They had reached the lower pasture and she could see the horses milling around the paddock.

Faith had just shut the gate and Daniel was leaning on his saddle horn watching the old mare and colt.

Baya frowned and pushed his red mare into a canter.

Bonnie followed, keeping up with the smaller horse easily.

“What are you doing with these two?” His voice sounded harsh, and Faith flushed.

“The other horses tried to kill them,” Daniel spoke up with spirit. “My horse got between that big mean one…” He pointed to the large lead mare. “…and these two. Faith opened the gate and let them out. We don't know why they don't like them.”

Faith's gray eyes were steely in her sun-pink face. “I'm putting them with Socks in Skip's little pasture. The one next to the barn. Phoebe doesn't like them, either. She'll terrorize them if we put them with these three. Skip can move in with Gadfly and Lady. He'll probably be fine now that he knows what to do.”

Under the gaze of his mutinous crew Baya stared at the two animals.

The colt stood head to tail next to his mother. Her tail worked overtime to keep the flies off them both. “That mare will have to go,” he muttered.

Bonnie slipped from her horse to limp toward the old horse.

The mare shifted to face her. At the sound of her voice, the old horse stretched her neck forward while the colt slipped behind the sagging old body.

Bonnie rested her hand on the bony cheek. Her fingers began scratching slowly over the ears, down the cheek, to the hollow underneath.

The sagging gray body stepped forward with a gentle blowing of her nostrils.

Mothers, they recognized each other. The human form of the duo felt tears gather as her equine counterpart snuffled thankfully that all the unreachable itchy places were getting attention.

“We will keep her.” Her voice firmed as she looked up at Baya. “She's probably given this ranch quite a lot of its riding stock. You can't throw her away now. She can finish out her life here. She is never to go back to the valley.”

“That is not a good policy, Bonnie.” Baya dismounted. Cradling Hope in one arm, he came to look at the horse's teeth. “She has to be over twenty if she's a day. We can't afford to keep everything.”

Bonnie cast a glance around the children. “We'll talk about it later.”

He looked into the quiet intent faces of the children before meeting Bonnie's gaze with grudging acceptance in his nod. “Put the horses up, Faith.” He began to walk away, but turned back.

“Daniel, take care of Lady and Phoebe. Faith can do the other two. Both of you get that wet stuff off Socks. We'll clean it up tomorrow after it dries a little.” He jerked his head toward the house as Bonnie handed the reins of the bay mare to Faith.

She hesitated before following him to the back porch. Bonnie was expecting him to start an argument the minute they entered the house. He settled Hope on the porch swing before following her into the apartment room.

She paused and waited for him to begin arguing but he walked past her into the kitchen.

“I'll get some hotdogs and fixings together if you get swimsuits for everyone.” He tossed over his shoulder as he walked by. “We can have a picnic down by the creek. The kids deserve a treat and you can use a break from the kitchen.” He paused in the doorway to glance back at her with a small grin. “Don't you think that would be fun?”

She nodded mutely, her mouth hanging open.

He started rummaging in the cupboards.

Bonnie went up the back stairs to get the clothing the kids would need. While grabbing beach towels and a quilt out of the closet, she discovered the red plaid picnic basket in a far corner and dug it out, too. She stared sightlessly into her vanity mirror.
God, I'm stunned. God, did You see that? He's planning a family outing. Did You know he would do that?

She looked at the heavy four-poster bed. Moving to sit on the mattress she clasped her hands together and sought calmness.
Lord, I'm stunned. He keeps using words I find offensive and then he thinks of something as kind as a picnic.

Her body felt lighter, as though a burden had lifted. Unsure whether to trust this new freedom, she stood and strode around the room.
Thank you for this small thing, Lord. Actually, it's a big thing. Please give me the wisdom to know how to go on. Thank You. Touch Baya. I know he believes, but please let him come to a true knowledge of You. Thank you
.

“Bonnie,” the deep voice carried up the stairs. “Are you about ready?”

“Coming!”
Thank You again, dear heavenly Father
. She whispered the silent prayer as she slipped into a blue tank suit and ran down the stairs to help Baya get the food prepared.

8

Faith and Daniel took turns swinging on the rope and jumping into the water, screaming as the cold water encompassed their overheated bodies.

Bonnie spread the quilt near the well-used stone fire ring in the clearing near the water.

Hope was paddling her feet from the big rock Baya had set her on.

Bonnie pulled Hope's swimmies out of the picnic basket and began blowing them up. She walked into the water to slip the bright armbands on her littlest child.

The water was freezing.

She shivered even as she enjoyed the coolness after the scorching stickiness of the day. She sighed thankfully as the frigid water numbed her saddle sores.

Baya gathered wood and had a fire blazing in the clearing.

Faith came out of the water and wrapped herself in the beach towel before stumbling to the fire and warming her hands.

“Feels great, huh?” The deep raspy voice sounded just at Bonnie's ear.

She kept her eyes closed as she nodded. Slowly she submerged her body into the freezing stream, gasping as she felt the water close over her chest. She opened her eyes when she stopped panting and smiled. “Feels wonderful.”

“See me. Mom!” Daniel grabbed the swing and pushed off from the tree. He released the rope with a yell and splashed into the water.

Faith caught the rope and swung off behind him. She surfaced close to her brother and raced him to the bank.

“Come on, Mom,” Daniel yelled. “You do it.”

She waded out of the water. Grabbing the rope Faith held, she walked around the tree trunk and pushed off. Squealing with laughter, she swung out over the water and let go as the rope started its journey back to the bank.

Faith caught the rope and jumped in, splashing her mother as she surfaced.

Daniel followed.

Hope pushed off her rock and tried to swim toward them.

Baya grabbed her hand and waded as he walked toward them in the water.

Bonnie was braced against the tree ready to swing out over the water again. A grin started impishly as she pushed away from the trunk.

He tried to move, but hampered by the Hope's grip he couldn't get himself or Hope out of the way of the splash. He released Hope's hand to dive underwater.

Bonnie swam for the shore and managed to get a lung
full of air before he grabbed her feet and pulled her under. He pulled her close and kissed her.

She opened her mouth in surprise, swallowing what felt like a lung full of water. Choking, with tears running down her face, she surfaced.

“You! You!” She shoved at his chest, laughing. Her hands froze as her fingers splayed out over the line of hair there. His warmth spread up her arms, stilling her.

“Here I come!” Daniel hurled through the air toward them.

She shoved Baya with enough force that he fell back into the stream. Laughing, she slipped under the water to avoid the splash. She was still laughing when she surfaced and saw Baya sputtering and shaking water out of his hair.

With a growl he started after her, and Daniel joined the game of tag.

She turned over on her back and began kicking water back at the advancing men. She almost made it to the bank before Baya caught her again.

Daniel swam past and clambered up to sit on one of the flat rocks.

“All right woman, I got you now!” Baya's gravelly voice held laugher. “Now you're gonna get it, little lady. I'm gonna make you pay for treatin' your husband so bad.”

“Yeah, Mom. What were you thinkin'? You already drove one husband off. You wanna get rid of another?” Daniel asked.

Stricken, Bonnie stood in waist deep water and stared into Baya's dark eyes. Did he think that, too? Turning, she walked out of the water and wrapped a towel around her in a protective shield.

~*~

Daniel looked up at Baya puzzled.

“You shouldn't have said that, son.”

Baya put a hand on his shoulder. “What made you think of such a thing?”

Daniel was quiet for a bit and then he spoke. “Does my dad know where I am?”

“I guess so. Do you miss him?”

“He used to go fishing with me. We've been here a long time, and he hasn't called.” A frown creased his eyebrows together.

“You can call him. Why haven't you called him?”

“I don't want Mom to be unhappy.”

Baya looked back to where Bonnie huddled by the fire. “Talk to your mom. OK?”

“Promise?”

“I'll talk to your mom about it, too.” Baya rubbed the wet head. “I'm going to get the hot dogs and food ready. Gather up the girls and tell them to be ready to eat in about ten minutes.” He waded out of the creek and started toward the fire.

Moments ago laughter had melded them together, all of them as a family. One moment he had a wife, and the next, a stranger huddled behind a bright beach towel erecting an icy wall. It was cold outside the family unit.

The kids were back to chasing each other in the water. They had done so well today. Pride eased into Baya's heart as he considered how spunky they were and warmth grew inside him again.

Bonnie refused to acknowledge him.

Baya wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how.

A cry from the creek made him spin around.

Hope was bobbing about in her swimmies trying to paddle to shore. The flow of the creek was taking her slowly downstream to the rim of rocks damming the pool. He began to run.

Faith dove into the water and reached the little girl, dragging her ruthlessly toward the shore.

Bonnie jumped up, racing towards them. By the time she got there, Hope was already laughing, paddling back into the creek with her sister.

Bonnie walked back to their picnic, slumped back down and stared unseeing into the fire.

A cold, unreasonable fear settled in Baya's stomach. Something was seriously wrong. Why would she close herself off from him?

~*~

Baya finished cleaning the bunkhouse and closed the door.

Bonnie was walking to the clothesline with a large wicker basket. She bent to pull the damp sheet from the basket and hang it on the line. Today she wore faded denim shorts that enhanced the tan of her long, shapely legs.

In the days since they had brought the horses down the mountain, he had not known what to say or do to bring her out of her slump.

She continued to work diligently at the house or around the barn. She had even asked polite questions concerning the running of the ranch. Yet the unhappiness that had descended on her at the creek was still wrapped about her like an invisible cloak.

He didn't know whether he could break through; he didn't even know whether he should try. Baya had not broached the subject of the Daniel calling his father yet. Because of the wall of sadness surrounding Bonnie, he could not find an appropriate time.

A sparrow warbled from the trees, and Bonnie turned toward the sound. For the first time in four days, an honest smile curved dimples into her cheek.

Baya walked toward her, decision firmed inside his mind.

~*~

Bonnie pulled a sheet up and gave it a little shake as Bya drew near, thinking he probably wanted to tell her where he would be today.

He didn't stop, and her eyes widened as he pulled her into his arms. The warmth and strength of him surrounded her as he bent her to fit against his leanness. The warmth of his mouth absorbed her little gasp as he kissed her with rough tenderness.

Her spirit rose to meet him, the heavy warmth and weight of him against her, surrounding her. Her head fell back and he followed it, teasing her lips with the softness of his mouth and the brush of his mustache. Longing. There was longing in the pleasure of his kiss.

He drew away momentarily, and then gave her another quick kiss before releasing her. Without a word, he walked away.

Bonnie tried to still the sudden burst of heat that flowed through her. The contrast of the warm kiss and the dampness of the cold sheet she clutched to her chest sealed the moment firmly within her. Reason re-surfaced and she hung the sheet with shaking hands.