Her Forever Cowboy (17 page)

“S
o he's leaving,” Norma Sue said, sliding into the booth beside Adela and looking across the table at Susan.

Susan nodded. She'd decided to stop by Sam's and have lunch sitting down in a booth. It had pleased Sam no end that she'd come. But then Esther Mae and Adela had joined her. And now Norma Sue. At this point, Susan wasn't sure what she'd been thinking when she'd come. She should be at her clinic waiting for the afternoon delivery of her office equipment but after Cole walked out, check in hand, goodbyes said, she hadn't wanted to be alone. If she stayed alone she would have fallen to pieces.

And Susan Worth did not fall to pieces.

Beside her Esther Mae's expression fell. “That's what Susan just said.” She scanned the group. “What are we going to do? We can't just let him ride that motorcycle off into the sunset.”

“I agree,” Adela said, clasping her fine-boned hands together. “I think we need something to buy us some time.”

“I agree,” Norma Sue said, thumping her fingers on the table.

Susan looked from one to the other, her mind whirling. “Y'all, he's leaving. There isn't anything any of us can do. He's a grown man who has other places he'd rather be.”

Esther Mae harrumphed. “Crazy man, what is he thinking?”

“I just don't know,” Norma Sue grumbled. “We need to figure a way to keep him here for a little longer—at least until he comes to his senses.”

“But what do we do?” Esther Mae asked. “Could you tinker with his motorcycle, Norma Sue?”

“What!”
Susan exclaimed. “Certainly not.”

“Hold on to your bloomers, Susan.
If
I could tinker with his motorcycle I might be tempted to do just that. But I don't know a thing about them contraptions. And why in the world wouldn't you want me to keep that man here?”

“Yeah,” Esther Mae quipped. “Look at you, honey. You're all flustered and agitated.”

“That's right, dear,” Adela said. Her eyes twinkled mischievously—very un-Adela-like. “You are
very
agitated and I believe
very
much in love.”

She couldn't deny the truth, so Susan clamped her mouth shut. This was all very strange.

“Come on, admit that my Adela is right,” Sam said, walking up with a coffeepot in one hand and mugs and cups clutched in formation in his other hand. He placed the cup in front of Adela. “Here you go, girls,” he said then leaned closer. “So what's the plan?”

“No plan,” Susan said. “Really, y'all. A woman has
to have her pride. I refuse to have Cole Turner stick around because someone tricked him into doing it.”

“Oh, you do have a point,” Esther Mae gushed. “But, then again, what if he doesn't know how you feel? What if you let him go without telling him that you love him?”

“I never said I loved him—”

“
Oh
, you said it all right. Just not out loud,” Norma Sue drawled. “Now what are you going to do about it?”

“Yeah,” Esther Mae said. “You're someone who works hard for what she wants. This wonderful career of yours proves it. So don't sit there and say you're just going to let the love of your life sneak on out of town because you don't want to rock the boat.”

Susan started to remind them that she hadn't even said she loved him and certainly hadn't called him the love of her life—but what was the use? They had her number.

So what are you going to do?

She stood up. “I love y'all dearly, ladies and Sam. But I don't have a clue what to do. I really don't.” She started for the door.

“Well, don't just run off. Let's come up with a plan,” Norma Sue said.

“No, I have a delivery that needs to be met. And I need to think. But,” she added, managing a smile, “thank you all for caring.”

 

Norma Sue watched Susan leave and then she looked about the table. “We can't just sit here and let this happen.”

“I'm tellin' y'all he loves Susan,” Sam said. “I kin feel it. But if it ain't love yet, it's on the fast track ta bein'
that way. I thank they jest need more time. If he hauls off and runs away because of whatever it is that happened to him after college then we might not ever get him back here again.”

Norma Sue hunched her shoulders, and stared at the jukebox that sat across the room.

“But, Sam, Norma doesn't know anything about a motorcycle. She can't fiddle with it,” Esther Mae said with a long sigh. “So how else are we supposed to keep him around?”

Sam frowned. “That thar is the problem. Maybe you gals can jest go over thar and remove a few parts.”

“Yeah, you mean steal them,” Norma Sue huffed. “I can just see Sheriff Brady or Deputy Zane coming to haul me into jail.”

“Okay, back up and time out,” Adela said gently. “We can't break the law. We have to figure something else out.”

“Yor right, sweetheart,” Sam said. “I wouldn't want them ta have ta arrest you—now Esther Mae and Norma he kin have.”

“Not funny,” Adela said. Reaching across Norma Sue, she patted his arm. “No one is doing anything to put Brady or Zane into a compromising position. We might not be able to fix this situation. If Susan isn't going to speak up then God will have to step in.”

“That's right,” Norma Sue said, lifting her cup. “Let's just pray something happens between now and in the morning that changes Cole's mind.”

Esther Mae gasped. “I can't just sit here and twiddle my thumbs. There has to be something we can do.”

“Patience, Esther Mae,” Adela said, patting her friend's hand. “We have to learn to trust God just as much as everyone trusts Him.”

Esther Mae frowned. “I just can't sit here. Sure, the Bible says for us to have patience and wait on the Lord. But it also says in the book of James, ‘You have faith, I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.' Well,” she harrumphed, “I think it's time for a deed.
Or two!
”

 

“So you're leaving,” Seth said, clearly not happy.

Cole had saddled a horse and ridden out to where he was checking calves. It felt good to be on a horse. His thoughts were troubled as he'd ridden but even so he'd enjoyed being out riding across the land he loved.

“I told you I was leaving the other day,” he said, shifting in the saddle and glancing out toward the ravine where he, Cole and Wyatt had spent many a day exploring. “You'll have to hire someone else.” He met his brother Seth's penetrating gaze.

Seth's jaw tightened and Cole knew he was trying not to let his anger overtake his words. Seth was like that, calm in a storm. Steady as rock.

“You miss this.” He nodded, letting his gaze flicker about the land before tagging him again. “You can't run for the rest of your life, Cole. I feel like I'm a broken record, but how else am I going to get through to you? All the good works in all the world won't bring Lori back to you. Won't change the past.”

“I'm not in denial. God gave me the ability to help people and that's what I'm doing.”

“That's all noble of you and you've changed lots of lives doing what you do but I need you here and at the other ranch. I need you to help me. You need to put some structure in your life here on the ranch. And what about Susan?”

“What about her?”

“You don't have any feelings for her?”

Cole swallowed; he wanted to deny the question but he couldn't. He couldn't tell Seth a lie. “I care for her. But she needs more than a man who, as you put it, is quote ‘living in denial' unquote. She needs more than I can give.”

“More than you can give or more than you're willing to give? There's a big difference, little brother.”

Cole didn't like the way that sounded.

“Look, Cole, I had issues of my own to deal with when I met Melody so don't think I'm judging you about this. I just know that I've been blessed because I resolved those issues and took hold of the love God was offering me. I just want you to have the happiness I know He has in store for you, too. And my gut tells me Susan is the one to make you happy. Don't leave. At least not yet.”

“Sorry, Seth. I'm leaving after church tomorrow. After I say goodbye to everyone.”

 

Early Sunday morning, Cole walked out of the stagecoach house and stared at his motorcycle. For six years it had represented escape to him. When things started caving in around him, he'd tied up his loose ends quickly and hit the road.

But he'd hardly slept all night as his thoughts and his heart fought. He wasn't so sure if hitting the road was what he needed now.

Maybe Seth was right. Maybe if he didn't make a stand at some point, he'd never come to peace with the things he didn't want to face. Was it all about denial? Was the entire past six years of helping others simply denial on his part?

The thought pained him.

He'd believed he was helping others out of a good heart when it may have simply been a coward's way of not facing issues—point-blank and real…He'd not faced the pain and resentment he felt eating him up inside over Lori. God should have spared her like He'd spared Catherine Elizabeth…and all those whom Cole had witnessed survive disaster and illness. God should have spared Lori.

He set his saddlebag on the porch and sank down on the steps. He knew Seth was trying to make him step up into his responsibility…and this ranch was his responsibility as much as it was Seth's. But could he stay? Did he want to stay?

It was eight o'clock. He'd planned to be on the road by six so he'd get an early start—or was it to avoid saying goodbye to anyone? He'd told Seth he was going to church, but he'd decided it would be better not to. He'd already said goodbye to Susan the day before at the clinic.

And he'd driven away from her with rocks in his stomach.

Susan. He was leaving her behind. His heart ached thinking about that.

He hadn't told any of that to Seth when he'd ridden out to give him the news that he was leaving.

It would have only made Seth more determined to keep him here. Cole grabbed his bag. It was time to go.

Time to stop thinking and ride.

 

Susan hadn't slept a wink. She'd paced back and forth all night and the fact was, she couldn't let Cole go. She'd not had the power to keep her mom or her dad with her—but she had the power to at least try to keep Cole in her life. No, she
couldn't
let him go.

Not without telling him that she loved him.

Not without at least trying to get him to stay.

The ladies were right. She'd fought for everything she'd ever achieved. Her daddy had taught her to set a goal and go after it. That meant keeping the love of her life in her life, too!

Storming off the porch, Susan had her truck door open and one foot on the floorboard when Catherine Elizabeth lumbered down the steps.

“Stay, girl. I can't take you with me,” Susan called and hopped inside. A pitiful howl filled the air. “Not now,” she groaned. She'd waited so late that she was afraid Cole had already ridden out of town. She didn't expect him to hang around for church. He'd realize that if he went everyone would be on his case to get him to stay. So she figured he'd probably rode off toward the sunrise. But there might be a chance that he hadn't.

She didn't have time to waste. But Catherine Elizabeth looked so sad, and lonely…Jumping out, Susan jogged over to the driver's side and opened the door. “Come on, girl. Let's go get ‘my man,' as Mrs. A. calls him.” And as she wanted him to be.

Catherine Elizabeth ambled over and waited as Susan bent to lift her. It was like trying to lift a cow all by herself. “Okay, I can do this,” she gasped, adjusting her hold and giving it another try. Nothing happened.

Susan had to get the dog into the truck. Time was of the essence. She was a vet. She lifted animals onto exam tables all the time. She should be able to lift Catherine Elizabeth, too. Wrapping one arm beneath the overweight dog and the other around her back legs, Susan took a deep breath and
heaved
…“Don't want to hurt your feelings,” she grunted as she managed to lift her, “but we're putting you on a diet while Mrs. A. is recouping.”

“A smart woman once told me to lift with my knees. Maybe it'll work for you.”

The slow drawl behind her had Susan almost dropping poor Catherine Elizabeth on her well-rounded bottom. Thankfully Cole stepped from behind Susan and rescued the sweet dog before injury happened.

“Where did you come from?” Susan's heart was thundering in her chest as she looked at him. All tall and broad-shouldered, he looked so rock-solid—in a much better way than Catherine Elizabeth—as he hugged the old dog. “Wait a minute.” She glanced around. She hadn't heard a truck or motorcycle drive up and, examining her surroundings, she saw neither. “How did you get here?”