Forever My Cowboy Read online

  “Just trying to make the world a better place.”

  This was a new concept in Jenn’s throwaway life, where everything and everyone seemed to be disposable. She wondered if she had it in her to become a more grounded person, to take on responsibilities as Ollie had.

  The microwave dinged, and Ollie removed the plate with a pair of crocheted potholders in matching blue and white. She set it in front of Jenn and then brought her utensils and a blue-and-white-patterned cloth napkin. “Sweet tea?”

  Although the thought of something sweet and cloying held no appeal, Jenn found herself nodding. “Yes, please.”

  Ollie took two glasses out of an overhead cabinet, filled them with ice and tea. She sat across the small table from Jenn and slid one glass over to her.

  “Thanks. I appreciate this. Would you like to share this food? It’s pretty good.”

  “Land sakes, no. I ate a while ago. Just thought I would keep you company.” She took a healthy swig of tea. “I was really worried about you when you passed out at the graveside ceremony.”

  “Yeah, well…it was hot.” Jenn took a bite of one of the enchiladas. The one with brown sauce on it. Her taste buds were suddenly alive. She emitted a moan of ecstasy. “Oh, this is delicious.” She poked at the enchilada, apparently beef, covered with a chili-type sauce and cheese.

  Ollie appeared to be unimpressed. “Yeah, Tio’s is the place for good Mexican food. Glad you’re enjoying it.”

  “Mmph!” Jenn made quick work of the first enchilada before moving on to the other one. This was chicken, covered in a cheesy white sauce with chopped jalapenos. A little spicy, but delicious nonetheless. The Spanish rice was good, but she avoided the refried beans, thinking that her stomach had been in enough distress.

  Ollie rinsed the plate and placed it in the dishwasher. “Want a beer?”

  “Um, no, thanks. I… How about another glass of tea?” It had been much tastier and more refreshing than she had imagined.

  Ollie refilled Jenn’s tea and motioned with her head. “Let’s go outside.”

  Jenn thought that she wasn’t exactly dressed to go outside and be seen in public, but Ollie was heading for the front of the building. On the one hand glad to have a somewhat pushy friend, on the other wishing she could just go hide in the darkened bedroom, Jenn heaved a sigh and followed Ollie out to the front porch.

  It was dark and somewhat humid. Ollie had not turned on the outside lights, so they sat on the porch swing, protected by the porch railing with an ornate cut-out design.

  Jenn tucked her feet up under her, content to let Ollie manage the movement of the swing.

  “This is a pretty nice town,” Ollie commented. “Do you think you might want to settle down here?”

  “Jason loved it here,” Jenn said. She thought that Langston looked pretty good. It was a clean, small town in North Texas. She had never seen land so flat, but Jason had informed her that it was considered prime pastureland, and since most of the inhabitants were involved in ranching, she supposed he was right. He’d said that the area residents mostly raised cattle and grew crops to feed said cattle. He had wanted her to move to Langston, telling her she could have a new start here, that she could meet a nice local man and settle down.

  But by becoming an academic superstar, she was able to meet her own goals and aspirations of furthering her painting abilities and gaining the credentials so she might become a university-level teacher herself.

  Jenn grasped the wooden arm of the swing. “I—I don’t know if I could live here. I mean, without my brother, it would be very hard for me to settle in. I don’t know anyone here.”

  Ollie reached over and patted her on the arm. “You know me. I’m your friend. That’s a start.”

  Jenn covered Ollie’s hand with her own. “Thanks.” She found that sitting on a swing on the front porch of the Langston Inn was somehow comforting—especially since she was swinging with her very first real friend in a long time.

  Chapter 5

  “Miss LaChance, will you be able to come in for the reading of your brother’s will this afternoon? It’s been tentatively scheduled for 3:00 p.m.” Misty Garrett sounded way too perky. She had called Jenn promptly when the law offices of Breckenridge T. Ryan opened.

  “Sure, I can make that.” Jenn’s voice was decidedly raspy. It was her morning voice. She hung up, feeling a tiny bit of hope that Jason might have left her enough to tide her over until she was able to support herself and his children. She was certain there would be a job eventually…whatever that might be.

  Yes, she had the talent, but why had she thought she could make a living as an artist? She’d realized that being a bright star in the sheltered world of academia had little value in the outside world. She had hoped that earning her doctorate in art education might help her snag a teaching job at a university, but when her parents had become ill, she had not been able to finish the degree.

  Considering the way her luck had been running lately, Jason may have left her the checkerboard they used to play on.

  “Good news?” Ollie had gone up to awaken her for the phone call and stood by as though prepared for any eventuality.

  “I guess. I’m supposed to go to the lawyer’s office this afternoon. He’s going to read the will.” She sucked in a painful breath and let it out slowly. “That makes it so…so final.”

  Ollie nodded wisely. “That’s what happens. You get to close a door on some things and move on to the rest of your life.” She reached out to pat Jenn on the shoulder. “I’m sure your brother wouldn’t want you moping around. You’re young and need to be thinking about where you go from here.”

  Jenn swallowed something that felt like a boulder in the back of her throat. “Um, yes, I have been thinking…”

  “Well, I hope you’re thinking about sticking around here. You got family here…and friends.” She gave Jenn a bright smile.

  “Family? I lost the last person in my family.” Jenn felt the taste of bile rise up in her throat.

  Ollie gave her a disappointed look. “But what about the children? You have a niece and nephew, Jason’s children. Don’t you care about them?”

  “I—I adore them, but I don’t know where they are. I feel so anxious about them.” She felt a shiver coiling around her spine. “They seem to have grown so fast. I was sorry I couldn’t come to visit because of Mom’s and Dad’s health issues, but Jason sent me pictures and we Skyped. They are really cute, and I intend to make a great home for them.”

  “The most important thing that children need is just someone to love ’em.” Ollie’s brow furrowed. “And those little ones ain’t got nobody else.”

  Jenn shook her head. “I worked so hard to care for my parents, and I’m determined to give the kids a good life, like Jason and Sara would want.” She gave Ollie an extremely lame excuse for a smile and hurried back upstairs.

  Jenn got ready to leave, hoping the doctor didn’t require payment in advance. She didn’t look forward to waiting in a room full of germy strangers, but she planned to sit as far away from other patients as possible and to try not to touch anything.

  She got in her car and followed Ollie’s directions to the doctor’s office. She parked outside, relieved that only a couple of other cars were parked in front.

  When she went inside, she was greeted by a cheery-looking, fortysomething woman whose head was barely visible above the counter. “Come right on in here, young lady.” She waved her over.

  There was only one other patient—an elderly man sitting across the room, reading a magazine.

  Jenn approached the desk warily. “I—I’m Jennifer LaChance. The doctor told me to come in today.”

  “I saw you at the funeral when you passed out and Cade Garrett caught you.” She gave a conspiratorial wink. “That was so romantic. I mean, he is a hunk and a half.”

  Jenn felt her lips trembl
e and caught the lower one in her teeth. “Well, I, uh… It was really hot.”

  The woman’s face morphed into an encouraging smile. “Of course. I was sweating my fanny off. I’m Dr. Cami’s office manager. Just call me Loretta.” She handed Jenn a clipboard with some papers to fill out. Loretta offered her a pen, but Jenn shook her head.

  “I have a pen.” She was convinced that using other people’s pens just spread germs, so she was always prepared. She accepted the clipboard and took a seat on the opposite side of the room from the elderly man to fill out the papers.

  She jumped when another woman stepped out into the waiting room.

  “Mr. Hanson? Come on back.” The woman gazed at Jenn intently, as though assessing her. Had she also seen Jenn pass out at the funeral?

  Loretta smiled at her. “That’s Reba. She’s Dr. Cami’s nurse.”

  Jenn pressed her lips together, nodding.

  In a short time, Reba returned and gestured to Jenn. She took the clipboard and flipped through the papers Jenn had filled out. “Let’s get you set up.”

  Jenn rose obediently, hoping that getting set up wasn’t too painful.

  In the hallway, Reba gestured for Jenn to step up onto a balance beam scale. She nudged the sliders back and forth until she was satisfied with the result and then made a note of the numbers on the paperwork. She jerked her head to the other end of the hall. “Let me get you set up in a room.”

  Jenn followed her to an open exam room.

  Reba pointed to a chair, and Jenn obediently sat down while Reba gathered her tools. She took Jenn’s blood pressure and heart rate and made notes.

  “How am I doing?” Jenn asked, her anxiety wrapped around her like a cloak.

  “You’re still here.” Reba gave a harsh laugh. “Doc’ll be with you in a few minutes.” She left, closing the door behind her.

  Jenn swallowed hard, experiencing a sudden sense of claustrophobia. The room was small but felt too small. She gazed at the supplies on the little counter. A jar of tongue depressors. A box of rubber gloves.

  And then a brief knock and Dr. Cami was in the room with Reba on her heels. “Good to see you, Miss LaChance. You look better than the first time we met.” She held the clipboard and seemed to be totally in charge.

  “I do feel better, Dr. Ryan. I was just…overcome with emotion, and it was so very hot.”

  “It surely was.” The doctor seated herself on a rolling stool and proceeded to examine Jenn, while Reba made notes.

  Finally, the doctor frowned at Jenn and made little clucking noises. “I’m going to have Reba do a blood draw. You’re quite pale, Jennifer, and your nail beds are too. I suspect you’re anemic.” She inspected Jenn’s lower eyelid and continued with the clucking. “You’re not vegan, are you?”

  Jenn shook her head. Due to her financial woes, her nutritional status was probably in the toilet, but she didn’t want to explain to these women that a steady diet of ramen noodles had been budget-friendly. “No. I don’t pay much attention to what I eat.”

  Cami and Reba exchanged a dark glance.

  Reba leaned toward Jenn in a conspiratorial manner. “Honey, you could use one of them posters about the food groups. You know, protein, grains, veggies, fruit, and don’t forget about dairy.”

  Jenn blinked and drew back. “Well, I have to—to be able to afford all that…and there’s just one of me. It’s hard to have all that and not waste a lot of food.” Her voice wound down to a whine. “When I was taking care of my parents, I made sure they had complete meals, but since they passed away, I’ve just been eating whatever’s handy.” And cheap…

  Dr. Cami put her hand on Jenn’s shoulder. “Maybe Reba overstated it, but you are seriously anemic. I suspect that your long-term diet has affected your overall health. Let’s get your blood work.” She smiled encouragement before leaving the room. “You’re going to feel a lot less fatigue.”

  Jenn nodded, terrified of the items Reba was assembling. “Is this going to hurt?” She recalled all of the doctor appointments she had taken her parents to.

  Reba snorted. “Nah! I’m a one-stick wonder. Just have to find a vein.” She tied a rubber strip around Jenn’s upper arm and then examined the inside of her elbow. Reba thumped the area several times and then smiled. “There you are.” She slid a needle into Jenn’s inner arm before she could even draw a breath. Blood flowed into glass tubes and Jenn immediately felt light-headed.

  “Hang on,” Reba ordered. “Don’t you pass out on me.” She filled the last vial and removed the needle, pressing a cotton ball against the puncture site.

  Jenn sucked in a deep breath, trying to blink away the nausea. She had never been good with blood.

  Dr. Cami was back with a small notebook. She opened it and held a pen at the ready. “Okay, what have you eaten so far today?”

  “Today? I haven’t eaten yet today.”

  They both stared at her, appearing to be somewhat horrified.

  “You haven’t eaten anything?” Reba’s voice was harsh.

  “Nu-uh,” Jenn stammered.

  “It’s after one in the afternoon. Your body hasn’t received any nourishment since whatever you ate for dinner.” Cami raised her brows. “Doesn’t that seem a bit extreme? Aren’t you hungry now?”

  “Well, I guess so. I could eat something, but I had to come here and then go to see your husband, the lawyer.”

  “I see,” Cami said. “Reba, find out what’s in the fridge.”

  Before she was allowed to leave, Jenn was practically force-fed. She was given a carton of orange juice and a tuna salad sandwich. The latter had been Reba’s lunch, but she insisted that Jenn eat it. Reba said she would go to the drive-through at the Dairy Queen.

  Jenn managed to eat half of the sandwich and washed it down with orange juice.

  “Try to finish it,” Reba said.

  “I—I generally don’t eat this much.”

  “Well, you’re eating it today.”

  Jenn took another bite and chewed furiously.

  Dr. Cami brandished the small notebook. “I want you to write down everything you eat for the next week and then bring it back. Even if it’s only a bite, write it down.”

  Jenn was finally allowed to leave the doctor’s office with the notebook and a sample bottle of multivitamins with iron. She drove to the lawyer’s office, knowing she had distinctly fishy breath.

  * * *

  Cade was early. Truth be told, Cade was usually early. His paternal grandmother had drummed it into him that being late was rude and a sign that you did not hold the person or event to which you were late to be important enough to trouble yourself to be on time, so he was habitually early.

  “Hi, Cade. Mr. Ryan will be with you shortly,” Misty assured him. She was married to Big Jim Garrett’s oldest son, and she was Breck Ryan’s secretary/office manager.

  Cade nodded at her and took a seat, and in just a few minutes, he was shown into Breck’s office. They shook hands, and Breck waved him to one of the seats across from his desk.

  He took a sealed document out of his desk drawer and laid it reverently in front of him. “I’ll start the reading as soon as Miss LaChance shows up.”

  Cade glanced at the antique clock on the wall. It had a brass pendulum swinging back and forth. Three o’ clock sharp. “She’s late.”

  “Not seriously late. We’ll give her a little leeway.” Breck shrugged. “Besides, you were early.”

  Cade was resigned to wait for Her Highness to arrive, the woman who was apparently always late.

  Breck’s mouth was tight as he drummed his fingers on his desk. He heaved a sigh and swiveled his chair to face Cade. “How are you doing? I know that losing Sara was quite a blow. She was a lovely young woman.”

  Cade drew a deep breath, bracing himself for the pain that ripped through his chest at the mention of h
er name. “She was the best.”

  “And I understand you’ve got the LaChance kids? How is that going?”

  Cade made an exasperated growl. “They’re so young and helpless. I—I feel really inept.” He clasped and unclasped his hands. “Thank God for Mrs. Reynolds. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

  Breck gave him a long, solemn stare. “But you have a ranch to run. How can you do that with two small children?”

  “I owe it to Sara. She would have wanted me to step up.” He shook his head. “Those kids have Garrett blood.”

  Misty knocked on the glass inset in the door. “Miss LaChance is here, gentlemen.”

  Breck growled something unintelligible and Misty opened the door to show the latecomer into the office.

  Both men stood, but Cade couldn’t summon a properly welcoming expression. He stared at her, feeling as though he’d been punched in the gut.

  The sister looked amazing. Her eyes weren’t puffy and she wasn’t hiding behind oversize sunglasses. She was tall and had a very nice figure. Her dress was of some soft, pale-blue material that sort of fluttered when she walked, and her pale skin was sort of glowing, like a pearl.

  He honestly didn’t understand how she managed to affect him whenever he saw her, but she stirred something inside him…something he wasn’t sure he wanted stirred.

  Breck gestured for her to take the other chair and then seated himself.

  Cade, too, dropped into his own chair, trying to ignore the scent of whatever made Jennifer LaChance smell so good.

  “I’m sorry to be late,” she said a bit breathlessly. She gave a smile that let Cade know, for the first time, that she had dimples. “I was visiting your wife, Mr. Ryan. She said for me to tell you it was all her fault.” She blinked those wide-set eyes. “She was holding me prisoner.”

  Cade noted the Band-Aid taped to her inner arm, complete with a cotton ball. Obviously she’d given blood. He tried to reconcile his feelings that were warring over her tardiness and his reaction to her long legs and the fragrance she wore like an aura.

  Breck lifted one side of his mouth in a knowing smile. “I’m sure she was.” He began some kind of legal blather that sounded as though he had memorized it, or at least had said it a few times in the past. He reached for the large manila envelope on the desk and broke the seal.