Sea Of Grass (26 page)

“Who?”

“I don’t want to be like that,” she cried and held on to Tess’s shirt. “I don’t want to say, if I loved you and
th
-then it be too late and say soon you’d leave me, off you would go in the mist of day.”

“Claire—”

“And you’d never, never know how I loved you,” Claire said, tears streaming down her face. She sobbed mournfully into Tess’s shoulder.

Tess held her and whispered, “Claire, sweetheart. Please don’t cry.”

Claire couldn’t stop the tears. All the lonely years suddenly caught up with her; she desperately clung to Tess.

“You don’t have to worry, honey.” She sniffed loudly and held Claire at arm’s length. She wiped the tears from her eyes with the heel of her hand. “I’m not leaving in the mist of day, or night for that matter. And we won’t let…” She stopped, her gaze darting back and forth in a panic. “…our golden chances, um, shit, I can’t remember the next line.”

Claire laughed and cried at the same time at the helpless tone in her voice. She stopped crying and took a quivering breath. “I guess I must love you.”

Tess took her hand and brought it to her lips. She gently smelled the daisy, then kissed Claire’s hand. “Yes, you must.”

Claire touched Tess’s cheek. “Jack and I are a package deal.”

Tess nodded. “So is my father and Chuck and Pedro and...”

Claire let out a genuine laugh along with Tess. “Then we have the beginning of a wonderful partnership, Tess.”

“Thank God.” Tess pulled her into her arms.

“Kiss me, please,” Claire whispered against her lips. She threw her arms around Tess’s neck, leaving Tess no choice.

After a moment, Tess pulled back and whispered, “Am I going to have to memorize all of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals?”

Chapter 18

“You think Mom knows?” Jack and Tess rode to the north pasture.

“Not a chance. She’ll be very surprised. Now let’s get to work. Take that calf right over there.” She pointed in the direction.

Jack nodded and took the rope off the pommel. Swallowing hard, he pulled his hat down low on his brow. Tess smiled at the serious posture. “Now remember, quick release and snap it back. Watch their hooves. Ready?”

Jack nodded and sat tall in his saddle. “Go!”

He clicked the mare’s sides and took off. The calf, sensing his presence, made a beeline for the herd. Jack swung the lariat over his head a few times, then he slung it at the hooves of the calf. Immediately, he pulled it back and tightened the noose around the hooves.

“Tie it off quick!” Tess said as she watched. Jack did just that and flew off the horse. He ran and got the calf on its back and hogtied it. He raised his hands when he finished and Tess stopped the time clock she held in her hand.

“
Yeehaw
!” she exclaimed, and Jack untied the calf. He slapped its rump as it took off. Running back, he was laughing and jumping.

“I did it!”

“You certainly did and a great time. You’ll be all set for the Fourth of July Rodeo. I’m proud of you,” she said as he mounted his horse.

“Boy, I never thought I’d be roping in a rodeo. I wish my Mom was here.”

“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise. Now let’s try it again while we still have some light.” She gave his cowboy hat a playful tug.

“So you gonna do the barrel racing at the rodeo?” Chuck asked Tess as they sat on the back porch. Tess was sitting on the top step, leaning against the railing, her long legs stretched out in front of her, her Stetson drawn over her eyes. Essentially, she could have been asleep.

“I am not,” she grunted. Claire was sitting in the chair peeling potatoes. Chuck was helping.

“What’s barrel racing?” she asked absently. Chuck glanced up and grinned.

“Tess here was the champion, three years running—”

“When I was twenty.”

“She raced ’round a few barrels and competed against other ladies. No one came close.”

“Doesn’t seem that hard.” Claire winked at Chuck.

“Nah, it’s not. But it’s the only competition for women,” Chuck teased and got a grunt from the dozing Tess.

“Must not be much competition,” Claire added.

Tess slightly lifted her Stetson and peered at Claire. She smirked slightly and settled down again.

“Why don’t you enter in the baking and cooking?” Tess drawled lazily.

Claire cocked her head in thought. “What would I enter?”

“Biscuits,” both said at the same time.

Claire raised an eyebrow. “No! My biscuits would never win,” she said halfheartedly.

“Maria enters every year and wins. Seems only right you should defend the Double R.” Tess yawned and shifted comfortably against the post. With her arms folded in front of her, she lazily waved off an annoying fly.

“Tess, I can’t do that,” she argued. “Can I?”

Chuck grinned and nodded. Tess lazily nodded.

“Hmm. Well, maybe I could enter the biscuits. I-if you think they’re good enough. I don’t want to embarrass the Double R.”

“You could never embarrass the Double R, and your biscuits are heavenly. Enter them,” Tess said.

It was all set. For the next two weeks, Jack was nowhere to be found. He’d finish his chores, then hop on the black horse and ride off. Claire wondered what in the world he was doing. She was so grateful to Tess, Jed, and Chuck for taking him under their wings. It made her so happy to see how much he’d matured in a few short months.

She was finishing up with the dishes when a voice called from the back porch. “Mrs. Redmond?”

Claire recognized the voice. It was Ethan Drummond. She walked to the screen door to see him standing there, his hat in hand. She had to admit he was a handsome man. “Mr. Drummond, good afternoon. Come in.” She opened the screen door.

Ethan walked in smiling. “I was in the area, thought I’d stop by. Boy, it’s hot out there.” He wiped his damp brow. Claire offered him a seat.

“How about some lemonade?” she asked, and Ethan agreed.

She sat across from him, and they absently sipped the lemonade. “So, Mr. Drummond…”

“Ethan, please. And I’d be honored if you allowed me to call you Claire,” he said, smiling. Claire smiled back and nodded.

“Ethan, what brings you here?”

“I had such a lovely time at the barbecue, I just thought perhaps, well, maybe you’d like to go out for dinner sometime. You spend too much time in the kitchen. Tess is a slave driver,” he said with a smirk. Claire laughed.

“Not really, it is my job,” she pointed out the obvious.

“Then you need a break. I insist,” he said just as Tess walked through the kitchen door.

She was dusty and sweaty. Her white shirt wet with perspiration. She took off her hat and ran her forearm across her damp face. “Ethan, this is a surprise.”

Tess smiled thinly and glanced at Claire, who was oddly aroused by Tess’s jealousy. Tess walked to the sink and picked up a glass.

“Have some lemonade,” Ethan offered happily. “Claire was so kind to make some.”

Tess turned and saw the pitcher and glasses. Her jaw twitched. “No, thanks, this’ll do me. I’ve got to get back.”

Ethan smiled. “Tess, take a rest and…”

“I’m fine, thank you,” she said evenly and drank the water.

Claire glared at her but said nothing.

“So, Claire, how about it? Dinner in town and a movie? Tess, you shouldn’t work this adorable woman so hard. She needs a night off,” Ethan said.

“Mrs. Redmond can come and go as she pleases. She doesn’t need my permission.”

Claire closed her eyes and counted to ten.

“Be my guest. We can fend for ourselves for one night. I’m sure we won’t die. Have fun,” Tess said and refilled her glass.

“Wonderful,” Ethan exclaimed. “How about tonight?”

“Fine,” Claire said, watching Tess.

Tess finished and set the glass in the sink. She grabbed her hat and gloves. “Nice to see you, Drummond. Have a nice time, Claire,” she said without looking at her as she walked out of the kitchen.

Claire watched as Tess mounted the chestnut mare and took off in a flash, leaving behind a trail of dust. Claire let out an exasperated sigh.

“Geez, she rides like a man,” he said.

“Better,” Claire said. “Why don’t you pick me up at six?”

Tess stayed at the north pasture when the men were leaving. “Not coming to dinner?” Chuck asked curiously.

“No, I’ll stay. Send one of the boys out when they’re finished with supper.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Shit, I’m just not hungry,” she said angrily.

Chuck raised both eyebrows. “Since when? I hear Claire made chili and biscuits. The guys have been talking about it all afternoon. What in the hell is wrong with you? You’ve had a burr under your saddle since you came back this afternoon.”

Tess gave a hard yank on Stella’s reins. “Nothing is wrong. I’ll see ya later. I’m taking a ride.” She kicked Stella’s side sharply and took off, scattering the cattle as she rode southward.

Chuck scratched his chin. “Now what?”

When he got back just in time to see Claire get into a convertible with Ethan Drummond, he knew. Jack was at the stove stirring the chili. “Where’s your mom going?”

“Out with that Drummond guy. I don’t know why. She didn’t look like she wanted to go. Where’s Tess?”

“She’s out riding. Says she won’t be back for dinner.”

“Hmm.”

“She’ll come back when she’s hungry, which I am.”

Jack laughed and handed him a bowl. “Me too. I hope Mom has fun.”

Claire sat at the restaurant and absently sipped the iced tea through her straw. Ethan watched her carefully as he sipped his whiskey.

“Well, I’m having a marvelous time,” he said.

Claire chuckled. “Sorry, Ethan. I’m not very good company.”

“Nonsense. Now tell me all about yourself. Don’t leave anything out,” he said as the waitress set the menus on the table. “May we have a bottle of wine, please?”

After two glasses of wine, Claire felt a little more at ease and not so angry over Tess’s reaction.

“So you left Portland with Jack and headed to Helena,” he said and cut into his steak.

“Yep. That’s pretty much it,” she said as she ate.

“Well, there was something else. You were married,” he said, stealing a glance at the pretty woman across from him.

“And I am no longer. Now that’s it,” she said, trying to change the topic. “So what about you? You don’t look like a rancher to me.”

“God, no. I’m a businessman. There’s so much happening in this area, so much money to be made and I, Mrs. Redmond, intend on cashing in,” he said and raised his glass. Claire gave him a wary look as she toasted with her glass. “I went to college, got a degree in business and marketing, and I plan on making a fortune by the time I’m forty-five.”