No Strings Attached (Last Hope Ranch Book 1) (3 page)

Tyler grinned and Clay swore his ears turned bright red, but the light was murky in the garage.

“Saturday night. Just dinner and the movies. Nothing special.”

Right. Clay hid a smile. It was clear the poor guy was head over applesauce for Sally. He hadn’t quite gotten that the feeling was all that mutual given her response at the diner. And it had been Rein who set the date up, not Tyler instigating it. Clay swiped his hand over his mouth, unsure why that should give him some semblance of satisfaction. “Hey, I’m sure you guys will have a great time.”

Tyler, who’d been flipping through an old magazine, looked up as though surprised to still see Clay standing there. “Oh, yeah, it’ll be great. I’ve been wanting to ask Sally out for a long time. Since high school, really.”

Clay blinked. The man had to be in his early thirties. “High school?”

Tyler shrugged. “Yeah, I guess with everything going on in her life, I just never found the right time.”

Thank God for your friend Rein, Clay thought. “That’s a long time to harbor a crush.”

Tyler tossed the magazine down. “To tell you the truth, I’m not sure it’s such a great idea. But Rein thinks it’ll be fun and he said it’d be good for Sally to get out. She’s always working, and volunteering for stuff.”

Clay nodded. It seemed that Tyler, who, in the entire time Clay had lived here had never spoken more than three words to him, had seemingly been struck by a Victrola needle.

“You’ve dated women, right?” Tyler asked.

He wasn’t prepared for the odd question. “Uh, in college. Not too much since I came back home.”

Tyler’s gaze dropped to Clay’s leg. Though covered with his denim jeans and a rugged boot at the end, Clay felt as exposed as if he were stark naked.

“Yeah, sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” Tyler nodded toward his artificial leg.

“Let’s be clear. It’s not because the equipment isn’t working. I was engaged before I went overseas and when I got home… well, let’s just say that my fiancée couldn’t handle the look of my artificial leg.” The truth was, it was more than that. His sudden mood swings and sitting in a dark room all day proved too much for her, and she left him. It was easier to blame the leg.

“I’ve been with women, you know.” Tyler cleared his throat. “But no one like Sally.”

This was not a conversation Clay wanted to get into. “Uh, hey, Rein is probably waiting for us. Maybe we should, you know, head back inside?” He slapped Tyler on the shoulder, the differences between their experiences like night and day. His, he wouldn’t wish on anyone.

Still, he knew exactly what he’d do with a woman like Sally, given the chance, while poor Tyler seemed hesitant on the subject. “Tyler, do you want to take Sally out?” he asked, feeling more like a big brother than a complete stranger. Clay could almost see the gears turning in Tyler’s head.

He snorted and shrugged. “She’s beautiful.”

Clay nodded. “She is that.”

“And smart. I mean
really
smart.”

“She
is
a teacher.”

He looked at Clay then, the honest concern in his eyes almost painful. “What do you suppose she’d see in a guy like me? I’m a plumber and a carpenter. I didn’t go to college. I was born and raised right here in End of the Line. I’ve never even been beyond the border of Montana, for God’s sake.”

Clay understood what feeling helpless was like. He didn’t know what in Tyler’s past had happened to spawn this lack of confidence. In all other areas of his life, he seemed perfectly competent. Then again, a woman like Sally would be like trying to rein in a wild mustang. She’d been running free, headstrong, and in charge for so long that she’d more than likely run roughshod over Tyler in less time than it took him to change a drain pipe. He had to cut the guy some slack. “Hey, you know women. Just be yourself. You know, do all the right things—open the door, hold her chair, look straight into her eyes when she speaks… it’ll be fine.”

Tyler chuckled. “Yeah, fine.”

“Yeah.” Clay nodded and headed back to work as fast as his legs would carry him. He couldn’t say why the thought of this impending date kept creeping into head in spite of his efforts to forget about his talk with Tyler. But for the first time in a while, he dreamt of a red-haired woman with gold-flecked eyes.

Chapter Two

Aimee pushed her head into Sally’s tiny office tucked into one corner of the choral room. “Hey, are we still on for tonight?”

Had it been a week since her meeting with Rein? She released a sigh. Thank goodness it was Friday. A teacher’s ultimate joy. Still, it had slipped her mind that they’d planned a girl’s night.

She looked up from the computer screen where she’d been designing a poster for the Buckle Ball. “Hey, can you come take a look at this?” She leaned back in her chair to give Aimee a better view.

Aimee stood behind her and studied the screen. “I like that. Is it me, or did this year just fly by? I can’t believe we’re already talking about this. Then again, the stores down in Billings are already stocking in Valentine’s Day and Easter stuff in the aisles.”

Traditionally, Sally ignored the first holiday and quietly spent the second visiting her dad’s grave on the hill at the Peaceful Lawns cemetery at the edge of town.

“Hey,” Aimee turned to her. “When is this double date? Do we need to reschedule for tonight?”

Sally shook her head. “No, we’ve postponed it until later. The weather turning cold this week caused some furnaces to go out. Tyler’s been working non-stop. I don’t even think he’s had time to remember to order my sink for my new island.”

“I’m sorry.” Aimee placed her hand on Sally’s shoulder.

Sally looked up at her. “I’m more concerned about the sink, to be honest.”

Aimee smiled. “Yep, looks like you need a girl’s night.”

“I’ve been working all week on lesson plans and this Buckle Ball. I really could use some help in coming up with candidates for the bachelor auction.”

“Great.” Aimee patted her shoulder. “Let me text Liberty and Angelique.”

“I think the guys are still working on the kitchen, though. Maybe we could start someplace else?”

Aimee was already texting. “No problem. Let’s start at Dusty’s. I love his Southwest egg rolls and I haven’t had a real margarita in months.”

“Sounds good. Let me finish here and I need to stop and get gas before I meet you at Dusty’s, ok?”

Aimee paused and scanned one of the messages popping up in response. “Perfect. They’ll meet us in about forty minutes. I need to call Wyatt and let him know he’s on full duty as soon as Rebecca leaves. He knew we might go out tonight, so I think he’s invited Rein, Dalton, and Emilee to come over for supper and help. Emilee loves practicing being a big sister using Gracie. And I tell you, for a guy I thought would be a bachelor the rest of his life, Dalton Kinnison is the best father little Emilee could hope for. Ever since he found out Em was his, it’s changed him. The three of them make an adorable family and with the baby due in June, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him or Angelique happier.”

Sally rested her hand on her chin as she listened, thinking back to all the obstacles the Kinnison family had gone through this past year. “I know, and I can see the change in Emilee in class, as well. Having a mom and dad, with a brother on the way has just made her shine. It’s wonderful.”

Aimee nodded. Emilee had been in her class over a year ago, and been instrumental in helping Aimee when an accident stranded them at the ranch while on a field trip.

“See you in a bit, then.” Sally went back to her task, checking details on the poster design before she printed off a copy to show her friends. It still had to get the chamber’s approval, of course, and then they would see to it that it was dispersed in town and within a sixty-mile radius of End of the Line, including Billings. Proceeds from this year’s auction were slated for the Billings Women and Children’s shelter that Ellie had opened up less than a year ago. Ellie had helped Angelique Greyfeather get out of an abusive relationship back in Chicago and had become even closer when Angelique’s ex managed to escape from jail and nearly killed both Ellie and Angelique out of revenge. All turned out well after a precarious time spent in the hospital, but she and Dalton were finally married and had a second child on the way.

Sally finished at school and made a quick stop at the Git & Go to pick up a few items for the weekend. Once home, she didn’t want to have to go out again unless absolutely necessary. She admitted to being a bit of a hermit. But she’d grown used to being alone on weekends when others spent time with their families. It had been one of the reasons she volunteered in the summer and fall to give trail rides to the kids at Ellie’s shelter. The thought of her last trail ride of the season and the heated confrontation with Clay Saunders reverberated still in her memory. Dirt had been slung, words said that cut deep. Neither had spoken of it since, avoiding the topic by avoiding each other as much as humanly possible.

She dropped a loaf of bread into the basket she carried and was eyeing a jar of salsa when she had the unmistakable feeling of being watched. Glancing up, she noticed Sam Tanner standing directly across from her over the shelf of chips. Sam was the owner of Tanner’s Meat Market. He was a widower and handsome in a rugged way, with silver hair streaking once coal-black hair and bright, blue eyes that all but sparkled in his all cowboy face.

“Miss Andersen,” he replied, his thick silver mustache lifting with his smile. His gaze held hers as he tipped the brim of the dusty, brown Stetson he wore as he ambled to the register to pay for his groceries.

“Hey… Sam?” Sally said quietly, trying to determine why he seemed to act so strange. He wasn’t a stranger. Sally had been going to the market for years and he’d always been friendly, very open.

This
bordered on creepy.

She mentally shook her head and told herself that she was imagining things when Sam paused at the door, looked back straight at her and smiled—and yes, it was definitely charming, with a bit of sex tossed in, she was pretty sure.

“See ya around,” he tossed out in his whiskey-coated voice.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but her brain couldn’t find her tongue to speak. She followed his slow, swagger across the parking lot with her gaze as she walked to the register. “You notice anything odd about Sam just now?” If there were any gossip, any scuttlebutt in town the first to know would be Denise or Betty, and the next would be Maggie, owner of the
Daily End Times
newspaper.

Denise sorted through the handful of change Sally had dumped from her wallet to pay for her bread. She could have used her debit card, but she got a gleeful sense of power when she paid with cash whenever she could.

Denise rang up the item and chuckled. “Hun, you’ve become about as popular as the Powerball around here.”

Sally’s heart stilled. “What are you talking about?”

Denise had the courtesy to at least appear surprised. “The buzz around town is that you’re looking for a baby daddy.”

A wave of nausea assaulted her. She dropped her forehead to the cool, glass countertop. “Please tell me you’re joking.” She closed her eyes.

“Sweetie, are you okay? Here, maybe you need to take a sip of my energy drink.”

Sally felt the nudge to her head and straightened. “Where on earth did you hear this?”

Denise looked at the ceiling as though trying to grapple with the origin of the rumor—which in theory wasn’t really a rumor, just a misguided perception. Sally pictured her fingers closing around her once-best friend Aimee’s throat.

“I think it was at Betty’s.” Denise was really pondering this. “Or maybe it was the other night on my bowling league—that would’ve been Thursday night.”

Sally groaned audibly.

Denise studied her. “Goodness, if it’s not true, there are certainly going to be some upset bachelors in this town.”

Sally glanced at Denise. “What… all eight of them? Nine, if you count the UPS guy who comes through on Monday?”

“Poor guy.” Denise sighed. “Kurt, seemed so hopeful, too.”

“Oh, my God.” Sally held her hand to her forehead, hoping to quell the chaos swirling in her skull. She shouldn’t have said a word to anyone. “Denise,” she began forcing calm into her voice. “you’ve got to help me squash this rumor.”

Denise straightened her shoulders. “Of course, sweetie. If something isn’t true, then for sure Maggie ought not be sending it to print.”

Sally’s stomach lurched. “She isn’t—” She snatched her purse and ran out the door. Stopping to judge the fact that she might not be good behind the wheel in her mental state, she turned on her heel and sprinted down the block to the newspaper office. Checking her watch, she had just enough time to get there if they hadn’t closed early for the day. She stumbled to a halt, holding her stomach as she tried to catch her breath. Her gaze zeroed in on the tiny red, white, and blue clock attached to a plastic suction on the door, turned to the side that read ‘closed.’

She became a most desperate woman, banging on the door. “Maggie! Maggie!” For a split second she did glance around, grateful that on that particular late Friday afternoon there were few people left, few stores open still. With a sinking feeling, she noted there were no lights on inside the office. She dropped her head against the door, wishing the earth would simply open up and swallow her whole.

“Sally? Sally Andersen, is that you?”

Startled to be recognized, she straightened and saw Nathan Smith, having just locked the door to Smith Drug and Radio Shack, walking toward her.

“Nate. Hey. I was looking for Maggie. I had hoped she’d still be here, it’s kind of important. Looks as though that she’s closed early.” Sally managed a weak smile.

Nathan was engaged to Charlene Whitecomb—a bit of fact that Sally found very comforting at present. Charlene worked in the End of the Line library housed in the basement of the County courthouse in the middle of the town square.

“Maggie was in the store earlier today. Mentioned something about meeting her daughter down in Billings for dinner.” He studied her with concern. “Sally, you look a little pale. Can I do something to help you?”

Sally’s shoulders slumped. Hope deflated inside her. The upside—if one could find one—is that there was no weekend edition of the
Daily End Times
. The other sliver of hope she clung to was Maggie’s professional integrity. Surely, she’d not go to print without first corroborating the facts with Sally first.  “No,” she glanced at Nathan. “I’m fine.” She waved off his concern and adjusted the collar of her coat around her neck, realizing then she’d left her gloves and hat in the truck back at the store. “It’s been a dreadfully long week—for you, too, I’m sure. Nothing one of Dusty’s famous margaritas won’t cure.”

Nate’s gaze cut across the street where Charlene was walking across the courthouse lawn to meet him.

“You two have big plans tonight?” Sally asked, grateful to turn her thoughts—and Nate’s—elsewhere.

“We’re going to catch dinner at Betty’s, and then hit a movie tonight.” He smiled, unable to take his eyes off the petite blonde who returned his smile, her face beaming.

Sally was happy for them, truly. It’s just being this close to her least favorite holiday was tainting her generosity… that, and recent events. Valentine’s Day for her had become the day she ordered in pizza, coupled with her favorite wine, shut the blinds and read all day in her pajamas. “Sounds lovely. Have a great evening.” She started to walk away, and was surprised when Nate grabbed her arm.

“Sally,” he said lowering his voice as she took a step closer. “I’m only a pharmacist, but if I might offer some advice?”

Sally eyed his grasp and detected he was completely serious. “Sure, Nate, what is it?”

He cleared his throat. “It’s just that too much alcohol can cause issues… especially if, you know….”

“Know?” Sally prompted, having no idea where Nate was going with this strange conversation.

“If you’re trying to get pregnant,” he whispered leaning down toward her ear.

Sally withdrew her arm from his grasp. Maybe he was joking. She waited for him to laugh—tell her he meant nothing by it.

He didn’t.

“Does everyone in town know about my life?” she asked. She suddenly felt as though she were the lead in a sitcom gone horribly wrong.

Nate gave her a brotherly smile. “Just watching out for our own, right?”

Sally nodded. Could this nightmare get any worse?

Nate patted her arm, and in the next moment, reached out to take Charlene’s hand.

“Hi, Sally,” Charlene bubbled forth in a bright, I-have-no-problems-in-the-world voice.

Sally bit back a sob, and made a beeline for her truck.

A few moments later, she sat behind the wheel in Dusty’s parking lot. Already several patrons were gathered there, given the number of vehicles in the lot. She gripped the wheel and told herself she should just go home, put a quarantined sign on her door, and call in sick for the next…oh, maybe the next five to ten years. Long enough for people to forget.

She knew better. Hell, people still talked about Nate’s grandfather, a decorated WWII veteran, who one Friday night decided to streak across the football field during the halftime band performance in solidarity of his peer’s request for a nude beach day as part of the resident activities at the Sunnyside Nursing Home.

George Smith was apprehended and eventually set free on bond. A couple of band members quit the band. The nursing home allowed George to stay, but nude beach day never happened. Still, it didn’t stop folks from reminiscing now and then, just for a good laugh.