Randall Riches
Judy Christenberry

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judy Christenberry has been writing romances for fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. A former French teacher, Judy now devotes herself to writing full-time. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two daughters. Judy’s a native Texan, but now lives in Arizona.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Chapter One

Samantha Jeffers looked up as a rowdy bunch of cowboys piled out of the big booth. She’d waited on them, ignoring their flirting and serving them quickly and efficiently. She hoped they left a good tip, but probably not. The Hot Skillet wasn’t exactly a high-class restaurant. But it did good business, especially when the rodeo was in town. She’d heard the winter traffic was good in this part of Arizona during ski season, but she’d gotten here right at the end of February, as the lifts were just shutting down.

As soon as the men were out the door, she went over to clear the big booth…and discovered the cowboys had left one of their friends behind. The man was slumped down, his face pale.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

Slowly, as if his lids were too heavy, he opened his eyes. “Yeah, sure,” he muttered and closed his eyes again.

“Mister, the boss won’t let you tie up this booth to sleep off your hangover.” She wasn’t trying to be mean, just stating the facts.

He opened his eyes again and sat straighter. The movement caused him to wince.

“Are you hurt?”

“Uh, maybe.”

“Sam?” her boss called from behind the counter. “You gettin’ that booth ready? There’s a large party comin’ in.”

“I still have a customer,” she turned and called over her shoulder.

“He orderin’ anything?”

“Mister, you’ll have to order something,” she whispered, “or he’ll throw you out for sure.”

“I can’t,” he growled.

“Look, I’ll cover the cost, but—”

“No. I think I have to go to the hospital.”

Samantha frowned. “Mister, our food’s not that bad.” Her poor joke got a half smile out of him, which impressed Sam. He was obviously in pain. “Want me to call an ambulance?”

“No! I don’t want anyone to know. My truck’s here. I don’t suppose you could drive me?”

Checking her watch, Sam realized she had fifteen more minutes of her regular shift, but she’d come in four hours early, at 6:00 a.m. this morning, as a favor for Brad, her boss. He should be able to spare her for fifteen minutes. “Wait a minute. I’ll see.”

She put down the big tray she’d carried to the table and crossed to the counter. “Brad, I need to leave fifteen minutes early.”

He didn’t look at her, a sure sign he was unhappy. She’d been here a little over a month and had learned to read his moods early. “Not ’til your shift’s over.”

“Brad, I started at six this morning as a favor. Seems to me you could reciprocate.”

“Don’t use them big words on me!”

“You know what I mean. Anyway, it’s not for me. That cowboy’s sick. I’m going to drive him to the hospital.”

“You mean you’re gonna get in his bed. Don’t lie to me!”

“Brad, that’s none of your business. I do my job and I’ve done more than my share today. I’m going.”

She turned away and he yelled, “If you leave, don’t come back!”

She sank her teeth into her bottom lip and made a quick decision. She didn’t like working here even if the tips were decent. And Brad had been trying to get a little too familiar lately. “Fine,” she said calmly. “I’ll clear out my locker.”

RICH RANDALL FROWNED as he realized what had just happened. The waitress had just been fired because he’d asked for her help.

Now he regretted his ridiculous pride for not asking his friends, well, his semifriends, for help. He hadn’t thought about the waitress’s situation. She’d ignored all the horsing around of the guys while she’d waited on them. Hal had won the bronc riding at the rodeo. Rich had come in second to Jay in the bull riding competition. The whole group had been celebrating most of the day.

Before he could consider his choices, the waitress, pretty in a quiet way, came out from behind the counter, carrying a big pouch purse over one shoulder and a sweater over her arm. “Ready?” she asked cheerfully.

“Look, I don’t want to cost you your job. We can call an ambulance.”

“No need. Is your truck automatic or stick?”

“Are you sure?” he asked, trying to ignore the pain in his ankle and read her expression.

“I’m sure. Can you walk out of here?”

He’d make it up to her somehow he thought—when the pain eased. “Yeah, I think so.”

She slid the table back, giving him room and then, as he stood, slid an arm around his waist. “Is it your leg?”

“My ankle. I—I must’ve sprained it.”

“Which leg?”

“The right one. That’s why I can’t drive my truck,” he said, still standing on his left leg, knowing when he shifted weight to the right one, he was going to be in even more pain.

“Let me get on the other side. Lean on me.”

She had a slender build. Even at five foot six, which was what he guessed her height to be, she couldn’t weight more than 110 pounds.

As if she read his mind, she said, “I’m stronger than I look. Come on. I want to get out of here before Brad loses his temper.”

“He hasn’t lost it yet?” Rich asked, thinking her sangfroid impressive.

She didn’t say anything, but she started him moving.

The first time he put his weight on the right foot, he almost sank to the floor.

She straightened him up again and said, “I suggest you hop. Won’t look too impressive, but that way we can get you out of here without you fainting.”

Awkwardly, he complied with her suggestion. Each hop jarred the injury, but it was better than trying to walk on his right foot.

Outside, she paused for him to rest. “Okay?”

“Yeah,” he managed to reply. “The black truck over there,” he added, nodding at the line of vehicles to the right.

“Thank God you didn’t park down the hill,” she said, still smiling.

Rich was amazed at her good nature, but then she wasn’t in pain like him. Her life wasn’t in disarray like his. Her future couldn’t possibly be as bleak as his.

“Here we go,” she announced, her grip around his waist tightening.

Just a few more steps and he could rest. He gritted his teeth and hopped.

Five minutes later, he slumped against the side of his truck, exhausted.

“Your keys?”

“In my pocket,” he said, panting but not moving.

“You mean you want me to get them out?” she asked. No more good nature. She sounded cold and unfeeling. “Look, cowboy, if this is just a come-on, you’d better find a better approach.”

Rich stood there, his mouth hanging open, as she started walking away.

“Wait! I’m not—I didn’t—” He reached out and lost his balance, falling, his cry hoarse with pain.

She came back to stare down at him.

“Damn it, do you think I could fake this? I’ll find the damn keys,” he assured her. She waited, saying nothing. He rammed his hand into the tight jeans pocket and found the keys, dragging them out. “Here. Satisfied?”

An agonizing moment passed before she bent over and helped him up. Then, without a word, she unlocked the passenger door of his truck. “Are you going to be able to get in there?”

He nodded. Even that movement brought pain. But he pulled himself up and in with his arm muscles. As he slid onto the seat, he was surprised when she lifted his right foot and gently placed it on the floorboard.

She disappeared around the truck, unlocked that door and climbed in. With ease, she slid the key in the ignition and shifted into reverse.

“You okay?” he muttered, fighting to stay conscious. The pain had gotten worse. He feared he would break into tears at any moment, and he’d be horribly embarrassed.

“How did you hurt yourself?” the lady asked after she had them on the road.

“A bull.”

“You’re a bull rider?” she asked. After he nodded, she said, “You’re crazier than I thought. You landed wrong?”

“You could say that,” he muttered wryly.

She pulled into the hospital parking lot and around the side to the door marked Emergency Room. Instead of parking, she stopped at the door. “Stay put. I’ll get a wheelchair.”

He thought about it, but finally he nodded. There wouldn’t be anyone here he was afraid would see him being wheeled into the hospital.

In almost no time, Samantha reappeared with a big, burly orderly and a wheelchair. The man pulled him out of the cab of his truck and eased him into the chair. Rich missed the waitress’s feminine touch.

“I’ll go park the truck,” she said and got behind the wheel.

It occurred to Rich that the woman could drive off with his truck and he’d never see it again. “You’ll come back, right?”

She chuckled. “Right.”

SAM HAD PLENTY of time to think about her future. When she returned from parking the truck, she’d discovered the nurses had taken the cowboy, her cowboy, to X ray. Forced laughter came out. She didn’t even know the name of the man who’d cost her her job.

No, that wasn’t true. Well, it was true she didn’t know his name. But she wasn’t going to remain in that job much longer anyway. Brad, her boss, had been married four times, his most recent wife had died only a month ago. Suspiciously.

The sheriff had been hanging around. He’d warned her to stay away from Brad. She’d already figured that out. Brad, however, had been making noises about her stepping into the role of wife number five.

So now she had to decide where to go next. Flagstaff was a nice place, but she didn’t want to be that close to Brad. It would be her luck that he’d turn out to be a stalker.

Motion nearby caught her attention. Two nurses were wheeling her cowboy down the hall.

“Hey! Is that you, cowboy?” she called.

He didn’t answer, but one of the nurses did. “This is the man brought in a few minutes ago with a broken ankle.”

Sam jumped up and stepped to the side of the wheel-chair, walking with it. “Broken?”

“Yes. His walking on it didn’t help the situation.”

Slowly those brown eyes she’d seen earlier opened. “Too much noise,” he muttered, obviously on pain medication.

Sam smiled faintly. He was most autocratic. She looked at the nurse. “What happens now?”

“That’s for the doctor to say,” the nurse said, suddenly prim and proper.

“Yes, it is,” a man behind Sam said mildly as they pushed the wheelchair into a curtained-off area and moved the heavily sedated cowboy into a bed.

“Are you the doctor?” Sam asked the handsome man who looked about forty.

“Yes, ma’am. And you are…?”

“Samantha Jeffers.”

He smiled. “Welcome to our hospital, Miss Jeffers. You did say Jeffers, not Randall?”

Sam shot a quick look at the cowboy. “Um, no, not Randall.” Okay, at least she knew his last name. “Um, I’m his fiancée,” she hurriedly added, afraid she would be thrown out if she wasn’t related to him.

“I see. Does he have any family here?”

Sam hoped she was doing the right thing. “No, none. We were here with the rodeo. He’s a bull rider.”

“Not a great career choice,” the doctor said, sounding like he thought the man was an idiot.

She hadn’t thought the cowboy was brilliant, either, but for some reason, she felt compelled to defend him. “He’s very good!”

“Well, it will be a while before he gets up on another bull.”

“How long?” She knew Mr. Randall would want that question answered.

“Just a minute and I can tell you.” The doctor turned his back on her and took a large envelope from the foot of the bed. He removed the negatives and put them on a lighted background. “Hmm, he got lucky. It’s a clean break.”

“So he can leave right away?”

“No. Because he walked on the ankle, the swelling is particularly bad. We’re not going to put a cast on until the swelling goes down.”

“How long?” Sam asked, feeling more concerned than she should have.

“A day or two. He’ll need to keep the cast on for six weeks, probably. Then he’ll be good as new. You worried?” the doctor asked.

“A little.”

The patient groaned. Sam bent over him, brushing back the dark hair that had fallen across his forehead. “You okay, cowboy?”

“It hurts,” he whispered.

Sam looked up at the doctor. “Can’t you give him something more for the pain?”

The doctor gave an order to the nurse and she hurried out of the room. “She’ll be back in a minute with something to put him to sleep. He should stay asleep until morning.”

“Thank you,” she said, turning back to the patient. This was an unusual situation for Samantha. She had no family, no close friends. She’d never accompanied anyone to the hospital before. She hoped she never had to do so again.

“Do you need a ride home? Or a place to stay?” the doctor asked.

“No, but thank you for asking.”

When the nurse returned, the cowboy barely opened his eyes to take the medication. Sam patted his arm and said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Then she slipped out of his room.

IT WAS ALMOST ten when Sam left the hospital. She drove by a fast-food place and got a hamburger to take home for dinner. “Home” was a room she rented from an elderly lady one block from the diner. However, before pulling up to her building, she drove past slowly, looking at the vehicles parked on the street.

As she’d feared, Brad’s truck was parked right in front of Mrs. Walley’s old house. Damn! He was waiting for her.

At least he didn’t know she was driving the cowboy’s truck. Tomorrow he’d go to the diner and she’d be able to slip into her room and gather her belongings. Thankfully, she traveled light.

She didn’t have enough money with her to get a hotel room. Her savings were hidden in her room.

For tonight, she’d have to make do in the cab of the truck. She’d slept in worse places.

She drove to a nearby shopping center and stopped in the back of the parking lot. She made sure the doors were locked, put on her sweater and curled up on the truck bench seat. Thank goodness the cowboy didn’t have bucket seats.

She awoke when the sun came up the next morning, a little sore from her constricted bed. There was a doughnut shop in the strip mall and she bought herself some breakfast.

She returned to the truck and started it up, praying Brad had left. But his car, a beat-up Chevrolet, was still guarding her room. She knew he was thinking she spent the night with the cowboy, which meant his anger was growing. She shielded her face with her hand and drove on by, then returned to her earlier parking space at the shopping center.

Knowing she was in for a long day, Sam went into the large economy store, bought herself a snack and a paperback book. She couldn’t risk driving by her building too many times fearing Brad might notice the truck.

If Larry, his only cook, was handling breakfast, Brad would have to go in for the lunch crowd. So she’d have to stay hidden until eleven this morning. Then she could get to her stuff.

At eleven-fifteen, she parked the truck outside her room and hurried up the sidewalk. Mrs. Walley, her landlady, met her at the front door.

“Dear, you had a young man come calling last night.”

Samantha shook her head, hiding a smile. The old lady was a complete romantic. No one else would describe Brad as a “young man.” “What did he say?”

“He wanted to talk to you.” Mrs. Walley peeked out the hall window. “I think he waited all night. He knocked on the door this morning and asked for you again, but I told him you hadn’t come home. I don’t think he was very happy.”

“Mrs. Walley, I’m moving out today. Since I’m paid until the end of the month, you’ll have some time to find another renter without losing money.”

“Oh, dear, no! I’ve so enjoyed your being here. Must you go?”

“Yes, I must.”

“What shall I tell that young man? Or will you talk to him?”

“No, I won’t. Tell him I’ve gone to California.” She gave the woman a brief hug and entered the place she’d called home for a little over a month. After checking out the window to make sure Brad hadn’t come back, she took a quick shower and washed her hair.

Packing took about ten minutes. All her belongings fit in a duffel bag. She had to be ruthless with herself about what she kept. She couldn’t afford to weight herself down with sentimental junk. A couple of changes of clothes, her toiletries, one towel. She used a spare T-shirt as her nightgown. Wearing her only pair of shoes, some athletic lace-ups, completed her sparse wardrobe.

She slipped out without talking to Mrs. Walley again and headed for the hospital. She suspected the cowboy was going to be annoyed that she hadn’t stopped by first thing this morning. It had just been more convenient to pick up her belongings first. And she had to wait for Brad to give up.

It tickled her to drive by The Hot Skillet without Brad having any idea she was out there. The man was a bully. She felt sorry for the other waitresses who worked there and so very relieved she was no longer one of them.

THE PAIN greeted him as he swam to consciousness. Rich opened his eyes and recognized his hospital surroundings. He remembered his hardheadedness, his refusal to admit he was hurt to his so-called friends. The waitress who’d taken pity on him.

He looked around the room as if he expected her to be sitting beside the bed. Then he berated himself for such silliness. If his mother knew of his condition, she’d be here. She was the best. And his dad would chew him out, then give him a big hug. His twin, Russ…Rich’s eyes filled with tears. Damn, he missed Russ. He even missed his baby brother, Casey.

He wanted to go home. Even if he wasn’t returning as the conquering hero, as he’d imagined, he wanted to go home. As soon as the doctor released him, that’s what he would do.

The nurse brought in his breakfast, giving him a cheerful greeting. She was young and pretty and he flirted with her. But he kept calculating how long it would be before the doctor checked on him…and how long it would be before the waitress came back.

“Anybody here to see me?” he asked as the nurse prepared to leave.

“I don’t think so. Do you want me to check?”

“Yes, please. I’m expecting a lady, tall, willowy brunette.”

The pretty little nurse looked disappointed, giving his ego a lift. “I’ll ask,” she said and turned to leave.

“Say,” Rich said, stopping her again. “When will the doctor be by? I need to get out of here.”

“In about an hour,” she replied as she walked out of his room.

Almost to the minute she’d predicted, the doctor examined him and promised to put him in a cast that evening so he could leave the next morning. But he told him he couldn’t drive for a month, even though he’d put him in a walking cast up to his knee.

Rich was devastated by that news. There was no way he was going to stay in Flagstaff for a month. Maybe he’d get the waitress to call home and get someone to fly down and drive him back. They’d have to come soon. His horse was stabled at the rodeo grounds, but they’d be closing the place tomorrow.

He spent the next three hours trying to plan a scenario that would get him home, get his animal taken care of and…with growing worries, figuring out what had happened to the waitress and his truck.

Just before they served lunch, the woman he’d become increasingly annoyed with finally walked into his room.

“Where the hell have you been!” he yelled.

Chapter Two

“Sorry I’m late,” the waitress said, seemingly unconcerned about his frustration.

“Where have you been?”

“Packing my belongings,” she replied, moving closer to his hospital bed.

“Just like a woman,” he said in disgust. “I’m lying here in pain and she’s packing a huge wardrobe!”

She ignored his remark. “Has the doctor been to see you? What did he say?”

“He said I get out tomorrow. They’ll put the cast on this evening, a walking cast.”

“Great! You’ll be all set, then.”

“Not exactly. He said I can’t drive for a month.”

She seemed taken aback, which made him feel better. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, I’ve had plenty of time to work things out, since it took you so long to—what do you mean pack? Where do you think you’re going?” He liked her. He appreciated what she’d done for him, but he hadn’t expected her to pack her belongings and follow him home. What did she think she was doing?

She grinned. “Don’t panic. My packing has nothing to do with you. I’m out of a job and—”

“Can’t you find something around here?”

She raised one eyebrow. “I could.”

“Then you wouldn’t have to move,” he pointed out.

“Thanks for the advice. Now tell me what you decided and where you want me to leave the truck.”

“I need you to do a couple of other things for me if you don’t mind. Can you go to the rodeo grounds and take care of my horse?”

“Your horse? You have a horse here with you?”

“Yeah.” Why did she sound so surprised?

“You don’t need a horse to do bull riding.”

“I also do calf roping and team steer wrestling.”

“Oh. Well, what do you want me to do with your horse? Do you mean clean out his stall and feed him? I can do that.”

“I’m not asking you to do that kind of work. Check and see if Gabe Randall has left yet. If he hasn’t moved on with the rodeo, get him to take care of Bella.”

“Bella?”

“My horse.”

“And if he’s gone?”

“I’ll give you some money to pay for someone to take care of her.”

“Okay. For how long?”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to call home collect and explain. Explain what happened and ask someone to fly down here and drive me home.”

“Where’s home?” she asked, curiosity on her face.

“Rawhide, Wyoming.”

He frowned when she didn’t respond. She seemed to be concentrating, causing him to ask, “What?”

“Is Rawhide big enough to have some restaurants, a diner or something?”

“Sure. It’s got just about everything…on a small scale.”

“Then I’ll drive you home, save you the cost of airfare.”

Rich was suddenly uncomfortable. “Look, I appreciate the help, but I’m not offering— I just met you.”

She stiffened. “All I offered was my driving ability, cowboy. Nothing else. Forget it. Where do I leave your truck after I see about your horse. At the rodeo? Is there someone I can leave the keys with?” She took several steps toward the door as she waited for his answer.

“Wait a minute! Don’t leave yet.” He didn’t want her to leave. Had he made a mistake? The women who followed the rodeo, called buckle bunnies, took a little compliment and magnified it into a proposal or marriage if a man wasn’t careful.

“Shall I wait until after you call so I can make arrangements for your horse?” She waited, but she didn’t smile. She didn’t look friendly, either. She looked more like she had last night when she thought he was conning her.

“Why would you want to drive to Wyoming?”

“I don’t,” she snapped, taking another step toward the door.

“Look, some of the women around here seem to think that if a guy pays any attention to her, he’s offering something long-term. I didn’t want to give you the wrong idea. I’ll give you some money to carry you ’til you get a new job. I know I owe you that much, but—”

She fished the keys out of her pocket and said, “I’ll go get my bag out of the truck and then leave the keys at the desk in the emergency room. Good luck!”

She headed for the door.

“Wait!” he ordered, but he wasn’t really surprised when she kept going. He tried to swing his legs to the floor and fell with a cry.

She stopped and looked at him. Then she moved toward him. He smiled at her, expecting her help to get back into bed. His ankle hurt, but at least he’d stopped her from leaving. Instead, she punched the button for the nurse.

“Yes? How may I help you?” A voice came through the intercom.

“Mr. Randall has fallen out of bed,” she said calmly.

Almost immediately two nurses reached the door. They rushed to his side. He watched the waitress move to the door again. “Please, don’t leave! Make her stop, nurse!” he pleaded.

“Ma’am, please wait. Surely you don’t want to upset the patient.”

After staring at first the patient and then the nurse, she gave the conventional answer, “Of course not,” but he noted the complete lack of concern in her voice.

“Now, Mr. Randall, don’t try to get up again or the doctor won’t release you in the morning,” the nurse warned after they had him settled.

When they left the room, he asked the waitress, “Why would you be willing to drive me all the way to Wyoming?”

“Because I need to get away from here and it would save me the cost of a bus ticket.”

Her simple explanation raised a few questions. “Why do you need to get away?”

“None of your business.”

“It is if you’ve broken the law.”

“Well, duh, if I’m a criminal, you don’t want me to drive you anyway.” She moved closer to the door again.

“Wait! Look, it would help me a lot if you’d drive me. I just didn’t want—I mean—”

“I’m not expecting a wedding ring in exchange for two or three days’ driving.”

He drew a deep breath. “Okay, then I won’t need to call my family. I’ll call them when I get out of this place. But my horse… Hopefully Gabe will be there.”

“Who is he? Family?”

“Yeah, kind of a second cousin.”

“Why doesn’t he drive you home?”

“Because he’s on the hunt for the National Championship. He can’t afford to miss a single rodeo. But he’ll be glad to help with Bella if he’s still in town.”

“Fine. Is Bella hard to load?”

“No, but whoever you get to take care of her can load her for you, and hook up the trailer. Hand me my billfold, please. It’s in that drawer,” he said, waving her in the direction of the bedside table.

She opened the drawer and took out a leather wallet, then handed it to him.

He pulled out three one-hundred-dollar bills. Holding them out to her, he said, “You should be able to hire someone for a hundred, but if you need to pay more, you’ll have it. Before you hitch the trailer up, fill up the gas tank. You might get us some drinks for the trip, too.”

She stood there staring at the money. “Are you crazy?” she finally asked.

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t hand over that much money to a stranger,” she said, as if speaking to a child.

“You’ll need it.”

“I don’t think so.”

Frustration filled him. “Just take the damn money. And tell me your name.”

“Samantha Jeffers,” she said slowly.

“My name is Rich Randall,” he replied, handing her the bills.

She took the money, folded it and slipped it into the pocket of her tight jeans. “I’ll return what I don’t spend.”

“Fine. I should be ready to go by eight o’clock. You can make that, can’t you? Since you’ve already packed.” He regretted his sarcasm as soon as it left his lips. He needed her. It wouldn’t be wise to insult her.

“I’ll be here.” Without another word, she left.

Rich leaned back against the pillow, feeling as if he’d just fought a battle. The woman was difficult. And he hoped he hadn’t made a mistake.

GABE RANDALL WAS saying his goodbyes when Sam reached the rodeo grounds. She explained what had happened to Rich, and Gabe offered to stay an extra day to help him out.

She refused his generosity, explaining that Rich had told her that Gabe didn’t have any spare time. She asked him to show her the feed and where to get water, and she’d take care of everything else.

Gabe did more than that. He showed her everything that would need to be done, and he introduced her to several men who worked at the barn. They agreed to help her the next morning.

“You’ve been very kind,” Sam said, shaking Gabe’s hand.

“Are you and Rich, uh, together?”

“No. I’m just helping him out.”

“Well, Rich is a lucky man.”

Sam figured she would be the one everyone would think lucky, if their engagement were real. The cowboy, like his cousin Gabe, was a handsome man.

“Do you have everything you need?” Gabe asked, seemingly reluctant to abandon her.

“Thanks to you, I do,” she assured him.

“Well, I hope I’ll see you again. I’ll be stopping by Rawhide after the Nationals. Will you be there?”

“Maybe,” she said with a grin.

“If Rich is as smart as I think he is, then I will be seeing you again. Tell Rich I hope he heals quickly.”

With a frown, Sam asked, “Will he come back to the rodeo then?”

“Maybe. But I don’t think so. I don’t think his heart is in it.” Then he shook her hand and walked away.

After Gabe left, Sam examined the trailer, hoping it was one of those that had a bed and storage at the front end. But no such luck. However, she could stay in the cab of the truck again, as she had last night. And the rodeo offered bathing facilities for the cowboys who stayed in trucks and trailers.

She made a run to a grocery store and bought some drinks and snack food. She also paid for a cheap blanket. It got cool at night in Flagstaff. But she knew it got downright cold in Wyoming. Then she drove to a gas station and filled the truck. When she returned to the rodeo grounds, she visited Bella. She’d been around horses a lot when she was little. Her father had made a little money following the rodeo and she’d cleaned stables alongside him.

Bella, she decided, was much sweeter than her owner. Sam and the mare became friends in the shadows as the light faded. Then she returned to the truck. With her new blanket, she settled down for the night.

RICH FOUND HIMSELF looking forward to Sam’s return. Or did she prefer to be called Samantha? He seemed to remember the café cook calling her Sam, but Rich didn’t think she liked the man too much. Maybe he’d ask her.

He was feeling much more congenial toward the waitress this morning because everything had been worked out. He was leaving the hospital. It wasn’t a bad hospital, but he wanted out. He would be mobile again with his walking cast. And, most important of all, he was going home.

They brought in breakfast at seven. Rich enjoyed the scrambled eggs, biscuits and sausage. He figured it would save them a stop until lunch. If they pushed it, they might reach Rawhide late tomorrow. If they needed more time, they could pull in the next day at a reasonable time. It depended on what the driver could handle.

He was just finishing breakfast when Sam walked in. “You’re early,” he exclaimed.

“I thought you might be anxious.”

He grinned. “Yeah, I am.” He punched the nurse’s button. “Hey, I’m ready to go. What do I have to do?”

“The doctor will be there soon,” the disembodied voice assured him.

He scowled at Sam. “Did everything go all right?”

“Yes.”

“Gabe took care of everything?”

“Yes,” she repeated, smiling but reserved.

“You’re not a big talker, are you?”

“No.”

He stared at her, wondering if she was normally so taciturn. She’d seemed friendly enough the night she’d brought him to the hospital. Since then, they’d been at odds most of the time.

“Did you get breakfast?”

This time she nodded, just as the nurse came in to collect the breakfast tray. “Doctor just came on the floor, so he’ll be here any time now.”

Rich thanked her. After she left, he got up to visit the bathroom.

“Can you make it?” she asked, taking a step forward.

“Yeah. I’ll be right out.”

The nurses had slit the right leg on his jeans, which made it easy to get them on. He’d have to see if his mom could sew the seam again when he got the cast off since these were his favorite pair of jeans.

He came out of the bathroom just as the doctor entered the room. “Hey, Doc, I’m ready to go.”

“I can tell. Good thing your fiancée is here to drive you.”

Rich came to an abrupt halt, staring at Sam. She gave him a cool stare, not bothering to explain. “Uh, yeah.”

“You remember you’re not to drive for four weeks,” the doctor reminded him.

He gave a nod but said nothing, still watching Sam.

The doctor turned to Sam, too, and handed her a small bottle of pills. “These are pain pills. He’s going to suffer some before things get better. Be careful with these, they’re pretty strong. Don’t overdo them.”

“No, I won’t.”

“I should be in charge of those,” Rich protested, holding out his hand.

Sam slipped the bottle into her purse. “Is there anything else, Doctor?” she asked, ignoring Rich.

“Yeah. He’ll be more comfortable if his leg is elevated. And he should see his own doctor when he gets home.”

“Of course. I’ll remind him,” she said and gave the doctor a smile that lit up her face. Rich hadn’t gotten that kind of smile.

“That’s it, then,” the doctor said. He held out a hand to Sam and, in Rich’s mind, held it too long. Then he shook Rich’s hand. “Good luck.”

Sam didn’t move until the doctor had gone. “Ready? I’ll get your jacket.”

A nurse came in with a wheelchair. “Here we are, Mr. Randall.”

“I have a walking cast,” he pointed out.

“Good for you. Get in.”

“But I—”

“Hospital rules,” the nurse said, her manner firm.

He ignored the smile Sam was giving him and sat down in the chair.

She said, “I’ll go ahead and pull the truck around to the door.”

As she hurried ahead of them, the nurse said, “Pretty girl. When are you getting married?”

“We’re not!” Rich snapped.

“The doctor said she was your fiancée.”

“No, she’s a friend.” He needed to ask Sam about how the doctor had gotten the idea that they were engaged. But first he needed to get out of the hospital.

The nurse wheeled him outside and up to the truck. Once he was inside, Sam drove to the back of the parking lot and stopped. “Do you want to check on Bella?”

“Yeah.” Had he been that obvious? Or did she understand about cowboys and their horses? He didn’t know, but he was glad she’d stopped. He hobbled out of the cab and checked the connection between the truck and the trailer. Then he opened the trailer and tested the halter Bella was wearing.

“Everything is fine,” he pronounced to Sam. “I should have known since Gabe took care of it.”

Sam said nothing.

Once he was back inside, Sam pulled out a map. “I assume we’ll be going east on—”

He stopped her. “No, we’re going north, through Utah, into western Wyoming.” He pointed out the route he wanted to take. “Okay?”

“Whatever you say. I’d like to stop and buy you a couple of pillows. It will make the ride easier.”

“I don’t need them,” he replied.

Showing no emotion, she said, “Whatever you say,” repeating a phrase that should’ve pleased him. They settled into the truck and she started the motor.

“Where were you going to stop for pillows?”

“There’s a shopping center on the next block.”

She didn’t urge him again to consider pillows. Finally, he said, “We might as well get a couple of pillows. Thanks for thinking of it.”

“No problem.”

She pulled into the economy store’s parking lot. “Do you need anything else?” she asked, as she reached for the door handle.

“Did you get drinks?”

“Yes, they’re in the back. I’ll get a couple out when I get back.”

He watched her trot across the parking lot, wondering why she was irritating him. What she said had been perfectly polite, accommodating.

She returned with two pillows and cases to cover them. She removed the plastic and slid them into the cases and handed them in to him. Then she grabbed a six-pack of sodas and put them on the floorboard.

After she got in the truck, she told him to undo his seat belt and move to the middle of the seat.

“Why?”

“Well, since your right leg is the one hurting, we need to put it on the seat.”

He insisted on putting the pillow against the door and putting both his feet on the seat next to her. She didn’t argue. She took the other pillow and put it under his foot. Then she got a soda and opened it, passing it to him. He assumed they were ready to go, but then she pulled the pills the doctor had given her out of her purse. “Take this,” she ordered, handing the small pill to him.

“I don’t need it,” he said.

“You’re already hurting. There’s no need to suffer.”

With a sigh he took the pill, then sipped some soda. “Fine.”

She didn’t reply.

Once she started the truck, he relaxed against the door. The pillows had been a good idea. He began to feel bad about his difficult behavior. He noticed The Hot Skillet ahead. Thinking to make up for his boorishness, he said, “We can stop at the restaurant so you can tell your friends goodbye.”

“No!” she replied sharply. “No, thanks, that’s not necessary.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want them to know where I’m going.”

“You didn’t take anything you shouldn’t have, did you?” He regretted the question. Her face paled and her jaw tightened.

“No.”

“I didn’t mean—” He broke off, remembering why he was still wary of her. “Hey, why did the doctor call you my fiancée?”

Chapter Three

“You sure must be popular with the ladies,” Samantha said, not directly answering his question. “Relax and go to sleep. I promise I won’t marry you while you’re napping.” Okay, so she shouldn’t be sarcastic, but she was tired of this man accusing her of something.

“I didn’t mean to sound so suspicious,” he apologized, turning on the charm. “But a man gets alarmed when he’s told he’s engaged to a stranger. An attractive stranger, I’ll admit, but still a stranger.”

“Like I said, you don’t have to worry. I’m not looking for a husband. Just a ride. So you can save your cowboy charm for someone more susceptible.”

He chuckled, even as his eyelids began to droop. “You think I’m flirting?” His voice grew softer, a little slurred.

Sam watched him out of the corner of her eye until she was sure he was down for the count.

It wasn’t the first time she’d been falsely accused, though no one had ever suggested she was trying to trick a man into marriage. She’d discovered the newest person on the job had to walk a straight line or all kinds of sins would be heaped on her head. She kept her gaze on the road and he remained silent also.

A couple of minutes later, he gave a little snore. She gradually relaxed. It took energy to resist that charm she’d accused him of using.

At least she didn’t have to worry about Brad anymore. He had no idea where she was now. Thanks to Rich Randall. She looked at him once again noting how handsome he was. Frowning, she turned back to the road. He looked familiar, but she knew she hadn’t met him before.

With a shrug, she shoved that thought away. The less she looked at him or talked to him, the better off she’d be.

RICH SLEPT all morning. He awoke a couple of minutes around two when she stopped to fill up. She’d grabbed herself a hot dog while she was paying the bill. As she started to leave the station, she thought she ought to buy one for Rich, too. If he didn’t want it, she’d eat it. Breakfast seemed a long time ago.

When she got in the truck cab, he was awake, frowning.

“Is your ankle hurting?”

“My ankle and my head. Where are we?”

“We’re in Utah. Want a hog dog?”

Still frowning, he sat up a little bit, reached for the hot dog with a thanks, and ate it quickly.

When Sam held out another pill, he intended to refuse it, but the annoying pain had him reaching for it. Two minutes later, he was sleeping again.

Samantha waited until he’d nodded off to eat her own hot dog. Then she nursed her soda, making it last as she headed down the road again. She’d checked Bella’s water while the truck filled, and the horse had seemed to be all right.

She decided she’d need to watch for a horse motel when it got time to halt for the night. Rich hadn’t mentioned any place, even though he’d obviously driven this route before.

But she was pleased. Flagstaff was behind her. And a new life was ahead of her.

JUST THEN, the phone rang at the Randall home in Rawhide, Wyoming.

“Jake, is that you?” a voice asked when Jake Randall picked up the phone.

Jake knew he should recognize the voice of the caller, but he couldn’t quite place it. “Yeah, who’s this?”

“It’s your cousin, Gabe.”

“Gabe. How are you? Rich said you were in the hunt for the Nationals.”

“I’m doing okay. Listen, is Pete there? I need to speak with him.”

Jake waved to his brother, sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him. “Here’s Pete.”

Pete took the phone. “Gabe? How are you? Are you coming our way?”

“No, sorry. I’m heading for California. I just wanted to check on Rich. He has called you, hasn’t he?”

Pete felt his heart clutch. “What are you talking about?”

“Ah. He didn’t call. Well, I hope I did the right thing. A young lady stopped by the rodeo grounds yesterday, she was driving Rich’s truck. She asked me to show her what needed to be done to load up Bella. Seems Rich had a bad fall Sunday. He was in the hospital, she said. A broken ankle.”

“A broken ankle?” Pete exclaimed, catching the attention of everyone sitting at the kitchen table. Especially Janie, his wife.

“Yeah. I tried to call him at the hospital afterward. I was a little worried, but there was no answer. That’s why I thought I’d check with you.”

“Well, thanks for the heads-up, Gabe. I’ll check things out. Good luck this week. And come see us when you can.”

“Will do. Hope everything’s all right with Rich.”

Pete hung up the phone. His wife, Janie, was beside him, her eyes big. “Now, honey, don’t worry. I’m sure everything is fine,” he said at once, as if he weren’t worried.

Pete’s three brothers and their wives were all there when the call came and all started firing questions.

Holding up his hand to stop their questions, Pete returned to the table and sat down beside Janie. “Now, a broken ankle is nothing. I mean, it will stop Rich’s career for a while, but I’m sure he’ll be all right.”

“But why hasn’t he called?” Janie demanded.

“Because he’s a man and he can take care of himself,” Pete assured her.

“But he won’t be able to drive home,” Jake pointed out.

“I know. But he’s got a friend with him.” Everyone relaxed as he added, “I’m sure she’ll drive him home.”

Janie stiffened. “She? His friend is a woman?” B.J., Jake’s wife, chuckled. “Are you surprised? Rich has always attracted the ladies.”

“Yes, but I—I want him to marry someone from around here, not some—some rodeo floozie!”

“Now, Janie,” Pete said soothingly, “Gabe said she was a friend. He would’ve said something if the woman was, uh, something else.”

Jake leaned forward. “Yeah, you can trust Gabe, Janie. He’s family.”

They hadn’t really known Gabe long, but he’d clicked with the men in the family at once. His father, a cousin of their father, had lived in Kansas City. Gabe’s father and his wife had been to visit after their honeymoon. They’d planned another trip, but he’d been in an automobile accident and had died. Their father had gone to the funeral and offered the widow a home with him and his boys. But she was pregnant with Gabe. She’d chosen to remain in Kansas City.

She came to see them one more time, when Gabe was six, but she’d been a sad woman. She remarried when Gabe was eight. Then she’d died when Gabe was twelve.

They’d lost track of Gabe until Toby, Jake’s oldest, went on the rodeo circuit. Since then Gabe had visited several times. He’d even discussed the possibility of making Rawhide his permanent home.

“What can we do?” Janie asked, drawing Pete’s attention back to his son.

“I don’t know. He’s not carrying a cell phone. I’ll call the hospital and make sure he was there.”

He returned to the phone with everyone watching. When he finished the call, he told Janie that Rich had been released that morning with a walking cast. “The nurse said his fiancée was there to drive him home.”

“Oh, no!” Janie exclaimed, covering her face with her hands.

RICH STRUGGLED awake, something nagging at him. When he opened his eyes and saw Sam driving, he tried to sit up and groaned with the effort.

She glanced over at him. “You’re awake.”

“Sort of,” he said, shaking his head, hoping to rid himself of the grogginess he felt.

“How are you doing?”

“I don’t know. Where are we?”

“Right at the border of Wyoming. I’m looking for a horse motel for Bella, but so far I haven’t found one.”

He pulled himself up to look out the window. “There’s one about two more miles, next to a hotel. Nothing fancy but clean.”

“Good.”

When she didn’t say anything else, he asked, “How’s the trip going?”

“Fine.”

“You want to add any details to that answer?” he asked, exasperated.

“I’ve filled the truck up twice. I’ve checked Bella each time. I’m tired. Want to know anything else?”

He shook his head and sighed. “Sorry I slept so long.”

“There wasn’t anything for you to do.”

“I could’ve kept you company,” he pointed out.

“I’m not much of a conversationalist.”

No kidding. “Hey, you never answered my question about why the doctor thought you were my fiancée,” he suddenly remembered. This time he was getting an answer.

“I was afraid they’d toss me out of the room when the doctor asked me if I was family. I didn’t think I’d pass for your sister. It seemed the best thing to say.”

A simple enough explanation. He should’ve figured it out himself, but he’d been jolted by the doctor’s statement.

“I see.”

“You’re paranoid about women, aren’t you?”

He shrugged. That wasn’t a subject he wanted to discuss with her. “Hey, where are you from? You got family somewhere?”

“No.”

He stared at her. “You don’t have family?”

“Not that I know of. But it doesn’t affect my driving.”

“Cute,” he drawled. “I didn’t say it did. I was just surprised. So where are you from?”

“My birth certificate says Dallas, Texas.”

He shifted his weight and winced.

“You in pain? Need another pill?” she asked.

“No, I don’t need another pill. Do you hate conversation that much?”

“I was concerned,” she muttered and turned on her blinker. “I assume this is the horse motel you were talking about?”

“Yeah. I bet Bella will be glad to get out of the trailer.”

“Probably. You go make the arrangements and I’ll get her out.”

He frowned. “You’d better let me. She’s not used to you.”

“Why not? I put her in there this morning.”

“I thought Gabe put her in?” he asked in surprise.

“No, he left yesterday. I just barely caught him.”

She stopped the truck and opened her door.

“Wait a minute. Why did you load her? I thought you were going to hire someone. Why didn’t you?”

“I hired a couple of guys to help me hook up the trailer. But Bella is beautifully mannered. I didn’t need any help for that.”

“But I—”

“If you’re worried about the money, I have it.” She slipped out of the truck and dug into one of her jeans pockets. “Here it is. I used some to buy the pillows, too. And the gas.”

He looked at the bills she handed him. Two one-hundred-dollar bills were there.

“What did you pay the guys for hitching up?”

“Fifty to split. Too much?”

He shook his head. “Nope. A bargain.”

She said nothing, heading to the back of the trailer.

He got out and started toward the office, but he looked back to see if she could manage Bella okay. She was right about Bella’s manners…if she liked the person. If not, she could be difficult. But she was on her best behavior today.

No wonder. Sam was petting and stroking her, using that sexy voice. He recognized envy in his thoughts. Ridiculous! All he was interested in was getting home.

Inside, he paid for Bella’s stay and then went out to help Sam put her in a corral and toss her some hay.

“We can get rooms next door,” he pointed out as they left Bella.

“She’ll be safe?”

“Yeah. There’s someone on duty all night.”

She got behind the wheel of the truck and drove the few yards to the hotel. There was a café attached that had decent food. After dinner, Rich was looking forward to stretching out on a soft bed that didn’t move.

“After we get the rooms, we can eat in the café.” He was sure she was tired, too. She’d driven over ten hours without many breaks.

“I don’t need a room.”

He frowned. “Of course you need a room.”

“I don’t want to spend my money on a room.”

“It’s my money you’ll be spending,” he pointed out.

“No, I won’t. I pay my own way.”

“Consider it pay for doing your job,” he said, sure that would settle the matter.

“No.”

“What’s wrong with you, woman? You expect to camp out?”

“No. I’ll sleep in the cab of the truck.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” He was becoming perturbed. “You’ll be uncomfortable.”

“I wasn’t the past two nights.” She slung her shoulder bag onto her shoulder and got out of the truck. “I’ll save you a seat in the café.” Then she closed the truck door and walked toward the restaurant.

He sat there with his mouth open. The last two nights? He’d assumed she had an apartment somewhere. Why hadn’t she used it? When he realized he was wasting time, he marched inside the hotel and got a room. He checked to be sure they had more rooms in case Miss Hardhead changed her mind.

Then he strode toward the café next door. He was glad it was close. Even though he had a walking cast, his ankle still hurt every time he put weight on his right side. But he walked quickly.

Sam was sitting in a booth, the hair around her face damp. When he appeared at the table, she asked. “Is decaf coffee all right?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m going to wash up.”

When he got back, the waitress was chatting with Sam. He slid in the booth.

“Do you need some time, honey, to check the menu?” she asked.

“Nope. I’ll take a cheeseburger with fries, and a big piece of apple pie afterward. They have good pie, Sam.”

“I’ve already ordered,” she said calmly.

“Did you order pie?”

“No.”

“Bring her a piece of pie, too,” he said to the waitress. The woman looked at Sam, and she shook her head, still smiling.

Then she looked at Rich. “I can order for myself, thank you.”

He considered fighting that battle. Then he decided she was right. She had the right to order for herself. Besides, he wanted some answers to his questions.

When the waitress left, he asked, “What do you mean you slept in the truck the last two nights? Why? Didn’t you have your own place in Flagstaff?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you sleep in your own bed.”

She took a drink of water. He noticed she hadn’t ordered a soda or coffee. “I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Brad was there.”

His stomach clinched. She had a boyfriend? Or a husband? “Who’s Brad?”

“The owner of The Hot Skillet.”

“The one who fired you?” he asked, frowning. “You lived with him?”

“No.”

“Then why was he there?”

“He was parked outside.”

The waitress returned with his cheeseburger and a chef’s salad for Sam.

“That’s all you ordered?”

She looked surprised. “Yes.”

“You and Brad had a thing going?”

“No. His wife died last month.”

“His wife? I don’t get it. Why was he there? And why did that mean you couldn’t go home?”

“He’d decided I should be wife number five.”

“His wife died a month ago and he’s already looking for his next wife?”

“Yes. And I didn’t cotton to the idea especially since it seems his wife died under suspicious circumstances. I slept in the truck so he wouldn’t find me.” She took a bite of salad. “He stayed until eleven the next morning, so I couldn’t get to my things until he left.”

“Why didn’t you call the police?”

“It was easier to wait.”

She continued eating as if they’d been discussing the weather. He sat silently, thinking about what she’d faced alone. Did it happen often? She was certainly attractive.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said.

“For what?” she asked in surprise.

“I was rude about you taking so long to pack. Where is your luggage, by the way?”

“I put it in your storage trunk in the back of the truck when I loaded your gear. I hope you don’t mind.”

“There was enough room?”

She nodded, but it was the smile on her lips that fascinated Rich.

“What’s funny?”

“Nothing.”

“So Brad is the reason you decided to leave town?”

She nodded again.

“But your friends—”

“I’d only been there since the last of February, Rich. It’s no big deal.”

“But what if you can’t find a job in Rawhide?”

She smiled again. “Don’t panic. I take care of myself. If I can’t find a job, I’ll move on.”

Once, when he’d been irritated with his parents, and even his twin, Russ, he’d wished he didn’t have a family, that he could be all alone. In his juvenile imagination, he’d thought that would be a good thing. Now, he ached for the woman across from him. No family. No friends. Totally alone, no one to rely on.

“That’s a tough life.”

She shook her head, still calm. “It was worse when my father was alive.”

“Worse? How?”

She sighed, then nodded at his plate. “You’d better eat your cheeseburger before it gets cold. Besides, I think you’re going to need another pill tonight.”

“No, I don’t. Two in one day is enough.”

“I’m not sure.”

He realized she’d distracted him from her strange answer. He couldn’t imagine life without his father and mother, his brothers, his huge family. They all lived on the ranch outside Rawhide. Well, actually, some of his cousins were down in Laramie attending college. But there were still a lot of Randalls around.

“When did your dad die?” he asked, after taking a bite.

“When I was sixteen.”

“So…last year?”

“You think flattery will get you whatever you want, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“I guess not,” she agreed, but she didn’t say anything else.

“Okay, I’ll be more direct. How old are you?”

“None of your business.” She said the words pleasantly, but Rich could hear the steel in them.

“Why are you so secretive?” he demanded.

“Because you’re not a friend. I hardly know you. It doesn’t pay to tell your business to strangers. I’m driving you to Wyoming. That’s it. I’ll be on my way tomorrow after I get you home.”

He didn’t like the thought of that. She was too pretty and young to wander around without any protection. But she was right about him getting tired. He decided to talk to her about the dangers of her lifestyle tomorrow in the truck. They’d have plenty of time.

The waitress arrived with his pie. He ate it slowly, finding himself filled up on the cheeseburger. But he had to finish it after making a big deal about it to Sam.

As he took the last bite, the waitress returned with their bill. He was surprised but relieved when Sam didn’t reach for the ticket. At last, she was accepting his providing for her. Next, she’d agree to take a room.

Looking at the total, he called the waitress back. “You forgot to put her salad on the bill.”

“No, sir. She paid before you got here.”

He glared at Sam. “You did what?”

“Let’s not argue in front of everyone, Rich.” She slid from the booth, thanking the waitress again. Rich noted she’d left some money for a tip.

He handed the waitress a twenty and told her to keep the change. He knew they didn’t do much business.

Then he hurried after Sam, catching her arm to stop her outside. “Why did you pay for your food yourself?”

“I told you I take care of myself. I handled it like that because I knew you’d make a fuss.”

“Woman, you’re trying my temper!”

“I’m tired, Rich. Just go to bed.”

“Come on, then. They’ve got enough rooms. I’ll get you one.”

“No. I need to save my money. I’ll sleep in the truck.” She pulled her arm out of his clutches and headed for the truck.

He stared after her, unable to believe she could be so hardheaded. Then she stopped and turned around, coming back to him.

“I forgot.” She pulled the pills out of her pocket and took one out. “Here’s a pill, in case your foot starts hurting. What time do you want to leave in the morning?”

“I suppose eight o’clock. We’re about eight or nine hours away. Unless you’re too tired to get up that early.”

“That will be fine.” Then she walked away.

Rich stared after her, frustrated. He didn’t have a sister, but he had girl cousins. And he wouldn’t let any of them sleep in the truck when there were empty rooms available. But he had no choice. He could rent every room available and it wouldn’t matter. Sam was going to sleep in the truck.

What was he going to do with her?

That was something else he’d worry about tomorrow.

Once in his room, he undressed and stretched out on the bed. His foot was throbbing. After a moment’s debate, he decided to take the pill Sam had given him. He’d cut back tomorrow.

After swallowing the pill, he reached for the phone and dialed home, wanting to give his parents warning of his imminent arrival.

His mother answered. “Rich! How are you?”

“Fine, Mom. I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me, young man. Gabe called us.”

“Ah. Well, I had an accident. I broke my ankle, but it will be good as new in six weeks.”

“Oh, dear. Is it painful?”

“It’s not bad.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m on the Utah-Wyoming border. I’ll be home tomorrow.”

“You’re not driving, are you? Gabe said your fiancée was with you. Have you got something to tell us?”

Rich rubbed his forehead. He was feeling very groggy. “Uh, no. Just Sam.”

“What?”

“Just Sam,” he said again. But he noticed he slurred his words.

“Rich? You don’t sound good. Are you all right?”

“Took my medicine.”

“Is—is that woman with you?”

“No, just Sam.”

“Tell him to take good care of you.”

“Yes, Mom. Gotta go.”

He replaced the receiver, falling into a deep sleep the minute he closed his eyes.

Chapter Four

Samantha knocked on Rich’s hotel room door the next morning. She’d gotten the number from the man at the registration desk.

She didn’t hear any sound from inside. She pounded louder. “Rich? Are you all right?” Then she pounded again.

She decided to get the manager to open the door. As she was leaving, however, she heard a faint voice.

“Yeah?”

“Rich? Are you all right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you awake? It’s seven-thirty. I’m going to the café for breakfast. Are you coming?”

“Uh, yeah. I gotta get dressed.”

He must’ve taken the pill she’d given him last night. He sounded a little fuzzy this morning. “If you know what you want for breakfast, I can go ahead and order for you.”

“Okay, coffee, a short stack, scrambled eggs, bacon.”

And there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, she marveled. Not that she’d noticed, she assured herself. “Okay. Come as soon as you can so it won’t get cold.” Then she headed for the café.

The same waitress was on duty. “You worked last night and this morning, too?” Sam asked her as she sat down.

“I have to. My husband is sick. He lost his job. I’m the only one bringing in any money,” the lady said with a weary smile.

Sam gave her their orders. She brought a pot of coffee to the table at once along with two clean cups.

Sam poured herself some coffee. She didn’t often indulge, which made the times she did even more enjoyable.

She watched the waitress stop at another table. She often told herself she was better off without family. The waitress’s situation reinforced that decision. She tucked the thought in the back of her mind to pull out when she got low. Sometimes she felt so totally alone.

Rich came in, still looking sleepy, dressed in those split jeans and a clean T-shirt. And he still looked good.

“Morning,” she said cheerfully. But she didn’t say anything else. She couldn’t get used to having someone to talk to in the morning or she’d miss him tomorrow when she was alone again.

“Coffee,” he muttered, reaching for the pot first thing. “Thanks for having it here.”

“No problem. We have the same waitress as last night. She’s working a double shift because her husband’s sick and can’t work.”

He looked sympathetic. But instead of saying something, he studied her. “Have you already paid for your breakfast?”

She frowned. “No, but I figured you understood now.” Darn, she should’ve taken care of it, but the waitress had distracted her.

“Ah. I’ll leave a really generous tip if you let me buy your breakfast, too.”

She stared at him. “She deserves a generous tip.”

“She won’t get one unless you cooperate.” He sounded stern, as if he might really act so badly. She couldn’t see any kindness in his gaze.

“That’s ridiculous!” she exclaimed.

“Your choice,” he muttered and sipped the hot coffee.

The waitress returned with a tray full of food. Most of it was Rich’s. Sam had ordered a bowl of oatmeal.

“I forgot to ask about the ticket,” the waitress said, as she put the food on the table. “Do you want it separated?”

Rich gave Sam a steady look, letting her know she hadn’t answered his offer. She slowly shook her head. “No, the gentleman will be paying this morning.”

With a nod, the waitress hurried away.

He smiled. “Good decision, Sam.”

“Shut up. Blackmail isn’t pretty!”

“I’m not sure the waitress would agree with you. I’d bet she’s got some babies to feed.”

She lowered her eyelids so he couldn’t see the tears pooling there. She never cried in front of anyone. She couldn’t afford to show a weakness. “I know.”

Having broken one of her rules, Samantha felt nauseous. But she didn’t dare not eat. She’d learned that lesson the hard way. She had to stay strong.

There was no conversation after that. As soon as she finished, she slid from the table. “I’ll go load up Bella. You paid last night, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. But I’ll be finished in a couple of minutes and we can go together.”

She turned around and walked out, not bothering to argue with him. He’d thought he could control her, but he had another think coming. She’d only succumbed this morning for the waitress’s sake.

Of course, she wouldn’t know how generous Rich was, because she wouldn’t be there when he paid the bill. But, strangely enough, she trusted him to do what he promised.

When she pulled up in front of the café ten minutes later, Bella safely loaded, Rich strode out with two disposable cups of coffee.

He walked around the truck to the driver’s side. She reluctantly rolled down her window. “Yes?”

“I got you some coffee for the road. I need to collect my gear from the room.”

“Thank you. I’ll wait here.”

“Would you hold my coffee, too?”

She reached out and took it, settling it in the cup holder.

He started to walk away. Then he halted. “Oh, Paula said thank you.”

Then he hobbled toward his room.

While he was inside, she carefully backed the truck and trailer close to his door so he wouldn’t have to walk far. Then she killed the motor and got out to unlock the storage trunk in the back.

When Rich came out, she was standing beside the door and reached for his bag.

“What are you doing?” he asked in surprise.

“Loading your gear.”

By the time he caught up with her, she was relocking the storage trunk. “Hop in. It’s already eight o’clock.”

“We’re not punching a time clock, Sam. If we leave at eight-thirty instead of eight, it’s no big deal.”

She ignored him. Turning the key in the ignition, she put the truck in gear and pulled onto the road. She didn’t touch her coffee until she had the truck going at top speed, where there would be no more shift changes. Then she removed the lid to her cup and took a cautious sip.

“They make good coffee,” Rich said, sipping his own cup.

Instead of commenting on the coffee, she asked, “How much did you give her?”

“One of the hundred-dollar bills. I told her I’d promised you. She wanted to come find you to thank you, but I told her it would embarrass you.”

Relief and gratitude filled her. She hadn’t expected him to be so generous. But she was pleased. It had been worth swallowing her pride. “Thank you.”

“You’re a strange woman, Samantha Jeffers. You didn’t want to let me pay for a bowl of oatmeal. But for someone else, you’ll accept a tiny bit of what you’ve honestly worked for. I owe you more than that, you know.”

“More than a hundred dollars?” she asked, staring at him before she turned her gaze back to the road. “For two days of driving? I don’t think so.”

“Airfare would’ve been a lot more. Probably five or six hundred. Plus they would’ve been shorthanded on the ranch.”

“Well, consider me paid. I don’t charge that much. How far is Rawhide from your place?”

“Fifteen miles,” he said, still thinking about what she’d said.

“Is there a lot of traffic on the road?”

“You worried about the drive?”

Sam didn’t want to tell him she was hoping to hitchhike into town. She figured he’s fuss at her. But she hoped to get there before closing time. If she was lucky she might even get hired at once.

“Why did you ask that?” Rich asked, drawing her attention.

“I just wondered.”

“You don’t have to worry about getting back to town right away. We’ve got lots of room. You can rest up a day or two. And have the best meals ever. Red and Mildred can’t be beat.”

“Who are Red and Mildred?”

“Red worked for our grandfather as a cowhand, but when our grandmother died, Red raised my dad and his brothers. When all the boys settled down, Red married Mildred. She’s B.J.’s aunt. She moved to the ranch when B.J. came to be our vet.”

“How nice.” She wasn’t sure why he was telling her this, but it kept him from asking her any more questions.

“Yeah, she and Red had a double wedding with Uncle Jake and B.J.”

“B.J. is a woman?”

“Yeah, kind of like your name. If someone said Sam, I’d think he was talking about a man. Why, last night I— Uh-oh.”

Now he’d definitely caught her attention. “Uh-oh, what?”

“Well, I called home last night and my mom— That is, Gabe had called and told them I was—we were engaged. Mom wanted to know what was going on, but I’d taken my pill before I called. Things got kind of fuzzy. I don’t think I explained that we’re just acquaintances. I’m not sure. I can’t remember.”

“Well you should certainly know by now that I don’t want to marry you. I’ll explain to your mother as soon as we get to your house.”

“Hell, Sam, I didn’t say you did. I was trying to prepare you for our reception.” He glared at her.

She didn’t want to think about the kind of reception she might receive if they were engaged, and his parents liked that idea. But as it stood, she would probably face some hostile people, especially his mother. “How many in your family?” she asked.

“Mmm, twenty-one, I think.”

She gulped and turned to stare at him. “Twenty-one? My, your poor mother.”

He, in turn, stared at her. “Why?”

“Well, having that many children would—”

“No, you’ve got it wrong. Mom only had three kids.” He chuckled. “Wait till I tell Mom that one.”

“But you said—”

“Honey, Mom only had three kids, me and my twin brother Russ, and Casey, our kid brother. Everyone else is a cousin or an aunt or uncle. And Mildred and Red.”

“I meant, how many people would be at your home?”

“Well, they all live there, but most of the kids are in college now, so they won’t be home.”

“You all live together? The house must be huge.”

“It is. But a few years ago, we built the bachelor pad for all us guys. We still eat at the big house, but we have our own rooms in the pad.”

She stared down the road, not saying anything.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his gaze on her.

“It’s a little overwhelming. I’ve dreamed about having family, but it never occurred to me that some people had a small country for a family.”

Rich chuckled. “It all started when Uncle Jake, the oldest of the four brothers, decided someone needed to marry so there would be another generation of Randalls. He did some matchmaking for his brothers, Brett, Chad and my father, Pete. Dad married my mom, Janie. She was a neighbor. Chad married Megan, a decorator from Denver, and Uncle Brett married Anna, a midwife-nurse. Then, the three wives turned the table on Uncle Jake and he married Aunt B.J. She’s a vet. And then they all had kids.”

“And they all live together? Didn’t any of them want their own place?”

“Nope. You know that expression about it taking a village to raise a kid? We had our own village. There was always someone around to keep an eye on us. And some of us learned the hard way that we had to mind any adult. Even in Rawhide, we couldn’t get away with anything.”

“So you left home and went to the rodeo so you could get away with whatever?”

“No. That wasn’t the reason.” His upbeat tone had changed to something darker.

His tale had been so happy, so perfect, his dark expression worried her. “What happened?”

He sighed. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re the one who started this conversation. Did you start hating your family?”

“No! But Russ got a girlfriend and I felt…left out. It’s juvenile, I know, but my feelings were hurt. Russ and I had always done things together.”

“That must have been difficult,” she said softly.

“Yeah. And I didn’t value my family because I guess I’d always taken them for granted. When I got hurt, I realized how much I missed them. I’m ready to go home. I can be happy for Russ. Abby is a nice lady.”

“Good for you.”

“Yeah, it’s good I finally figured out what’s important. Don’t you miss that?”

“What?”

“Not having a home, a family.”

“It’s hard to miss what you haven’t had.”

That raw statement stopped the conversation. She concentrated on her driving, hoping he’d sleep for a while. Her emotions were too raw, hearing about his family and his life, a life she’d dreamed of too many times.

RICH DIDN’T SLEEP.

He was concerned. He wanted to help Samantha. He really did, but he had no idea how he could do so.

Of course he’d ask his mother to find her a job. But even if they found a dozen jobs, Sam might not take them. In fact, she probably wouldn’t. He figured she’d leave Rawhide real soon.

Not seeing her wouldn’t take her out of his head. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She wore no makeup. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail. Her clothes were well-worn and inexpensive. Her nails were short and unpolished. But she fascinated him.

His cousins, the girls, wore jeans and T-shirts, too, but they worked on their hair for a quarter hour, at least. Their nails were manicured and polished. Even their toenails. They had their ears pierced and wore different earrings all the time.

In their closets, they had dress-up clothes, too. Fancy shoes. He was beginning to suspect Sam didn’t have much more than he’d seen.

He wondered if she’d asked about the traffic near Rawhide because she was planning on hitchhiking back into town. As if he’d let her. But that worried him most of all. Keeping Sam safe. He didn’t want her running into another Brad, wanting her, taking advantage of her.

Maybe he’d ask his dad’s advice.

He wasn’t asking Uncle Jake. He’d suggest Rich marry the woman. He didn’t intend to marry for a long time. He was only twenty-six. His father and Jake had both waited until they were thirty or so. Brett and Chad had married earlier. Because Jake had done some matchmaking. He was still fond of playing those games.

Of course he’d gotten caught in his own trap. After all his brothers had married, their wives had conspired against him. Not that Jake complained. He and B.J. were perfect for each other.

Rich leaned his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. He was a little surprised at how tired he was, since he’d slept over ten hours last night. But it would pass the time.

When the truck pulled off the road about three hours later, he woke up. First he checked his watch. Then he looked at Sam. “What’s up?”

“I’m getting gas. I hope you still have money.”

“Sure,” he said, frowning. Leaning toward her, he saw the gas tank registered half-full. “Is the truck driving okay?”

“Yes.”

“So you just wanted to fill up?”

“Yes. Is that a sin?”

“Nope, but—”

“I have to stop. Coffee goes right through me!” she snapped, her cheeks flushed.

He grinned. “Well, why didn’t you say so? I could use a pit stop, too.” He chuckled as she glared at him. So independent, but embarrassed about having to stop. She was a character.

When he returned to the truck, she was waiting for him.

“What are we going to do about lunch?” he asked.

She stared at him. “It’s not even noon yet.”

“In half an hour. They’ve got some barbeque sandwiches inside. We could get some and eat while we drive. Or there are some picnic tables under those trees.”

“All right, I can get them when I pay for the gas,” she abruptly said and held out a hand for money.

“Naw, I’ll get them. You stretch your legs.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he stared her down. He wouldn’t let her get the sandwiches because he knew she’d use her own money to pay for hers. He headed back to the little grocery store. Inside he paid for the gas and four sandwiches. He added chips and cold sodas. Then he picked up a bag of Hershey’s Kisses. He’d bet Sam didn’t treat herself often. He added a couple of apples so he could say he chose healthy things.

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