The Cowboy Soldier (20 page)

On landing, Alexa discovered their ordeal wasn’t over. A dark late-model Mercedes was parked beside her porch. At the sound of the helicopter rotors, her parents rushed out of the house. “What are you doing here?” she yelled at them.

“Your mother said she told you we were coming,” her father shouted.

“Alexa,” her mother exclaimed, “where on earth have you been?”

Rafe, who had stopped to thank the pilot, apparently heard the outburst. He stepped up behind Alexa and put his hands on her shoulders. “Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. Alexa’s had a rotten day. She could use a hot shower and a night’s sleep. I’ll be glad to fill you in on why she got home late. We lost her pickup and empty horse trailer in the Rio Grande. The three of us were lucky to swim ashore. I phoned my brother-in-law when we got to a phone and he arranged transport home in that helicopter.” Rafe waved in the vicinity where the whirlybird now lifted off.

Alexa reached back and took his hand. “Rafe’s right. Let’s all go inside.”

Her mother sniffed haughtily as Alexa dragged Rafe into the house, but her dad enveloped her in a big hug.

“Daddy,” Alexa protested feebly. “I’m grubby, and your suit must be an Armani.” But she was glad to feel his arms around her. When she finally pulled back, she said, “Mother, Daddy, meet Rafe Eaglefeather.”

“Ah, your patient, the soldier.” Jason Robinson let go of Alexa to size up her companion.

“Rafe’s a former soldier, an ex-rodeo champion, but he’s more than a patient. He’s the man I love.” Alexa lifted her chin to stare down her mother, who gasped.

“In that case, Alexa,” her father said, “it seems our family has a lot more to discuss than you missing Thanksgiving in Houston. I suggest we go to the living room and have a stiff shot of the brandy your mother thinks I don’t know she packed in her overnight case.” He held the door wider and nudged his wife ahead of him. They continued into the living room, but Alexa hung back with Rafe.

“I’m sorry I put you on the spot just now, Rafe.”

“No problem. Shall we just get the grilling over with?”

Alexa sagged against him. “You’ve no idea how hot the grill can get. When my mother gets started, she’s like a rabid alligator.”

Rafe laughed, but lowered his voice. “Are there rabid alligators?”

“You’ll see. In heels and a designer suit.”

He kissed her then. “For you, I’d face a platoon of alligators. You go hop in the shower. I’ll put water on for tea. What’s calming that goes with brandy?” he asked quietly.

“Wood betony and linden flower. I’ll get the jar down. Rafe, did I dream it, or did you say you loved me before we crashed?”

“No dream, and I meant it,” he said. “What I didn’t get around to asking was…will you marry me, Alexa? I almost lost you today. I never want to go through that again.”

She rose on tiptoes and kissed him thoroughly. “Oh, Rafe, I thought you’d never propose. I thought I’d have to ask you and my answer is yes. Yes, I’ll marry you. But, wait till I get back to tell my folks, please. Oh, and, Rafe, if you fix Mother’s tea…be extra generous with the brandy.”

“Alexa’s showering, so I fixed tea,” he said. A fire crackled cheerfully and Rafe wished he could curl up in front of it with Alexa.

Later, he consoled himself, discreetly brushing one knee against the table, to be certain it sat where he remembered.

“What kind of tea?” Alexa’s mother asked, sounding petulant.

“A favorite of Alexa’s,” Rafe said. “Her special blend. Why don’t I leave you two to enjoy a cup, while I hit the shower.”

“Could you remove this dog?” That request came from Alexa’s father. “He’s made himself at home in front of the fire, but the heat’s left him smelling like a sewer.”

Alexa’s mother’s voice rose over top of her husband’s. “Tell me you aren’t planning to shower with our daughter.”

Rafe held his temper in check. “I’ll take Compadre with me to shower in my bathroom. Come,” he called, snapping his fingers.

“So, you and Alexa aren’t sleeping together? Thank goodness for that,” her mother said. “For the life of me I can’t understand how a child we raised, Jason, developed this penchant for finding and harboring all manner of strays.”

“Kate!” Her husband spoke sharply.

Gritting his teeth, it was all Rafe could do to keep walking down the hall. But could he really blame Alexa’s mother? By her own admission, Alexa had taken in Bobby Duval, a James Dean tough-guy. She had a collection of needy animals. And she’d taken him in. If he had a daughter, he probably wouldn’t be too happy in similar circumstances.

He hoped he could overcome Kate Robinson’s initial opinion of him. After all, Alexa said she loved him. A new believer that love conquered all, Rafe let the steamy spray wash away his anxiety. Anyway, he could only handle one battle at a time. Right now it was soaping and rinsing off a forty-pound collie who hated to be bathed.

Rafe persisted and emerged the victor. The result after he rubbed them both dry with a mountain of towels was that both he and Compadre smelled better.

Her father cleared his throat. Half rising from his chair, he picked up the bottle of brandy and tipped a finger or two in each cup. “Alexa gave us a rundown on your impressive military record, Major.”

“What are your plans after you leave Alexa’s?” her mother rushed to say. “More therapy at one of the VA Centers?”

Jason set down the bottle and extended the first cup to Rafe.

Alexa took the cup out of her dad’s hand and set it back on the table. Tugging Rafe down beside her on the couch, she said, “Your cup is sitting on the right edge of the coffee table. It’s a foot reach with your right hand, Rafe.”

He squeezed the hand Alexa held, and with the other easily found the cup. “Actually, I’m not planning on leaving. Alexa and I have discussed expanding the business by adding quarter horses to her training program.”

Kate picked up her cup. “Of course Jason and I can’t thank you enough for pulling Alexa out of that wreck today. That’s a horrible bruise she has on her head. And she explained how she hit the side window and it knocked her out. We are grateful….” She fumbled for words, but with a gesture, tossed the ball back to her husband. “Aren’t we, Jason? But…”

“Kate, I don’t know what you’re pussyfooting around trying to say,” he snapped.

“Oh, you do, too. You know as well as I do that Alexa’s sequestered herself in this no-man’s-land long enough. That unfortunate incident with the Duval boy is over and best forgotten. It’s high time Alexa comes back to Houston, opens a new holistic practice and gets on with her life.”

“Mother, I love it here, and I’m not moving back to Houston.”

“Nonsense, dear. What kind of life is it for you out here—feeding and doctoring all these strays.”

“Including me,” Rafe said deliberately, knowing he was the crux of Mrs. Robinson’s objections.

“Stop!” Alexa leapt up. “I will not sit here and listen to you try to rearrange my life again, Mother. Have you forgotten who insisted I move here when the media assassinated my character? You think you can order my life around whenever it suits you. You’ve never bothered to ask my opinion. You try to organize me like I’m one of your charities. You have since I started school.”

“That’s not true,” her mother said, sounding aghast. “I did spend time with your teachers, but all parents do. And your father and I both did all we could to help you find a suitable, appropriate career when teachers explained what a genius you were.”

“Right. You thought if I was a doctor I wouldn’t stray outside of Houston’s elite circle.”

Jason set his cup down with a clatter. “Whatever gave you that notion? Your mother and I are ordinary people. We both came from hardworking stock. We didn’t know how to react to having such a bright child. Your teachers were the ones who said you had aptitude in science and should be a doctor.”

“We wanted the very best for you,” Kate cried. “That wasn’t the Duval boy, and if you’d admit it, he proved us right. We know you did nothing to harm him. His parents were greedy through and through. It almost killed us to see the damage he—they—did to your career, and how that sucked the life out of you. So, yes, Alexa, we’re upset now. It seems a bit like history is repeating itself.”

“You never understood Bobby wasn’t like his parents,” Alexa said. “He looked up to Dad, and he had dreams. He worked so hard. He did a good job, or you would have fired him, Daddy. What Bobby did for me was make me laugh and show me how to not take life so seriously. He was my only real friend. As for Rafe, he’s given me back my self-esteem. We like the same things. Horses. Dogs. Ranching. He asked me to marry him tonight, and…I said yes.”

“Oh, Alexa.” Her mother rushed over and took her daughter’s hands. “Honey, I know right now you feel indebted to Rafe because he saved you today. But consider what it means to be someone’s caregiver long-term. I know what it’s like to be tied down. My mother was an invalid. I took care of her when I should have been a carefree child.”

Her mother was speaking as if Rafe wasn’t in the room, but it was useless to try to stop her once she was on a roll. “That has nothing to do with us, Mother. If you think Rafe needs me more than I need him, you’re mistaken. And he’s far from an invalid.” Alexa scooted closer to Rafe to grab his arm. “We’re partners. Equal in every way. Please, can’t you be happy for us?” She leaned her head on Rafe’s shoulder.

He looped an arm around her. “Alexa, you humble me,” he said with feeling.

“Well, Kate,” her husband said, “it seems congratulations are in order.”

“Yes, yes, I suppose they are,” Kate agreed, returning to her seat with an air of defeat.

Rafe cleared his throat. “At our age, we don’t really need your blessing to get married, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. But…it’d please me if you could see your way to give it. I lost my parents when I was fourteen. Family is important to me. I want Alexa to keep hers. And our children will need grandparents.”

“Oh, Rafe.” Alexa fluttered her fingers along his jaw. “I was prepared to set aside my desire to have children for you. I wasn’t sure you wanted them. I know you seemed hesitant around your sister’s brood.”

“I felt uneasy around them because I can’t see.”

“Rafe, I hope for your sake you regain your sight. But I love you as you are. Frankly, raising children can’t be much different from training horses. And you’re marvelous at that.”

“Alexa, I still can’t believe you love me.”

“Ahem.” Her father cleared his throat. “Kate, I propose we toast the happy couple. It’s getting late. We’re not as young as Rafe and Alexa. We need our beauty sleep. Gone are the days we stayed up all night necking.”

His wife nearly choked, but Jason chuckled and went around topping off their cups with brandy. “Alexa, Rafe, earlier I looked over this property. Tomorrow I want to talk to you both about putting a wind farm on that slope behind the house. You can make enough so that raising horses can be a hobby.”

“Jason Robinson, what kind of toast is that?” Kate exclaimed, doing her best to stifle a yawn. She rounded the table and touched Rafe’s arm. “I apologize if I sounded rude before. All I’ve ever wanted, truly, is for Alexa to be happy. I guess maybe I never really knew just what she wanted. But I can see she’s happy now, and for that I thank you. Jason and I do give our blessing.”

Alexa hugged Rafe before she raised her cup and clinked it with his first, then with her dad’s and mother’s. Compadre, who’d been snoozing by the fire, lifted his head and gave a little yip when they all loudly said, “Cheers!”

Kate gathered the empties. “I’ll wash these, dear. I hope you and Rafe will settle on a wedding date soon. You may as well know, Rafe, I’ve imagined the kind of wedding Alexa should have from the day I bought her christening gown. Remember, Valentine’s Day is beautiful and doable in Houston. Rafe, you’ll look handsome in a cutaway tux, or if you’d rather wear your dress uniform…”

“Mother,” Alexa threw up her hands. “I thought something small, here at the ranch. The animals…”

“Jason will arrange to fly in a qualified petsitter. You’ll need someone to stay while you’re on your honeymoon. Paris, perhaps?”

“Mother…”

Rafe wrapped his arms around Alexa from behind, bent his head and nipped her ear. “Let your mom do this for you, sweetheart. Let your dad walk you down the aisle. Have the works. I look forward to doing that for any daughters we have.”

Alexa turned in Rafe’s arms. They were still kissing when her parents hurried off to the kitchen with the tray of empty cups.

Rafe pulled back to whisper in Alexa’s ear, “It wasn’t too terrible. Even rabid alligators have a soft spot when it comes to love.”

Alexa’s laugh was muffled by another kiss, one that continued well after her parents retired. It was a love-affirming kiss that said the two of them were ready and eager to embark on a long, happy, passionate and spirited future together.