The Rancher's Prospect (13 page)

Tara wasn't sure if that was the only measure of a good marriage, especially for a man from Walt's generation and upbringing as a tough, close-to-the-land rancher. “Some people are more public about their feelings.”

“Yeah, but Trent is the same with Emily, and Alaina is obviously crazy about her husband, Mike.” Josh laughed ruefully. “It's annoying sometimes—they're incredibly happy, so Mom is on a marriage kick, figuring my sister Maddie and I should find someone and skip down the aisle, as well. But I'm not interested, and I doubt Maddie is, either.”

The way Josh described his siblings' marriages sounded terrific, but if Tara had learned anything in her travels, it was that you couldn't judge by appearances.

“What kind of marriage do your parents have?” she asked.

Josh looked taken aback. “I've never thought that much about it. I'm not sure I know,” he murmured as if to himself. “I can tell they're good friends, but I couldn't even say that much about my grandparents. They seemed to live separate lives. Grandma would be tending the garden or painting while Grandpa was out working, either on the ranch or in his office.”

He dismounted, and Tara concentrated on the landscape instead of his muscles as he moved.

“There's a spring nearby,” Josh told her. “The water is as clear and pure as it gets. Are you thirsty?”

“Um, sure.” She swung off her own mount and led Ringo as he headed toward a small rise.

“We shouldn't get out of sight,” she urged. “Walt will worry.”

“That's okay, it isn't far.”

Josh tethered the horses to a branch. Beyond him, Tara saw a small spring bubbling joyously from a rocky opening. The water flowed down the hillside, with wildflowers blooming along the wandering channel.

“How lovely,” she exclaimed. It had been a long time since she'd believed in fairy tales, but this was like something out of a storybook.

Josh shrugged. “It's useful. This particular spring has never been known to go dry, even in drought.”

She knelt to scoop water into her mouth. In Australia she'd drunk water in the wild while on walkabout, but it had never been this cold and pure.

“Don't you want some?” she asked, standing and looking at Josh.

“Yeah.” He turned abruptly, bent and drank heavily.

Walt had ridden closer. “Fill my canteen, will you?” he called. “This is much better than the water at the house.”

He tossed the canteen to Tara, who emptied the contents and handed it to Josh. Once it was filled, she carried it back to Walt.

“Mmm,” he murmured after taking a long swallow. “That's the best water on the ranch.” He gestured to the meandering waterway. “Evelyn threw wildflower seeds out here every fall. I suppose nobody will do it now.”

Tara glanced around to see if Josh had heard, but he was still by the spring and she had a feeling Walt hadn't intended him to hear.

She pushed the thought away and decided to get another drink. Walt was right—it was the best water she'd ever tasted.

* * *

J
OSH
TRIED
TO
LOOK
away from Tara as she drank from the spring again, but her figure was too nicely displayed to make it easy.

Damnation, he didn't want his libido controlling his actions.

To make things worse, his grandfather was watching him with a knowing eye.

“What do you say we head back to the barn?” he asked when Tara had finished and was walking toward them. The sunlight glinted off her honey-gold hair and highlighted her blue eyes.

Walt grunted in agreement. This time Josh was certain that the lines in his face were from pain. He obviously hadn't dared dismount to get a drink.

Tara mounted Ringo and they started off, Walt leading the way, side by side with her. Josh rode fifteen feet behind. He told himself it was to give Walt and Tara space, but the view of her backside was also a powerful incentive.

She appeared to be an excellent rider, managing Ringo with no difficulty.

“When did the Nelsons first come to Montana?” she was asking Walt.

“In 1872. We were the first. The McGregors didn't come until a couple years later, and even then they spent part of their time in Oklahoma.”

Josh smiled. The rivalry between his parents' families would never be forgotten as long as Walt was around. Of course, his McGregor grandparents were also guilty of dredging up the subject. They disputed the date of their arrival, claiming it was a year before the Nelsons. However, at any gatherings where both families were in attendance, the subject was politely avoided.

“What was in Oklahoma?” Tara asked.

“Land and cattle. And later, oil.”

“I'll bet there were plenty of people who wished they'd held on to their land once oil became so important.”

“Yeah, the McGregors just got lucky. The Nelsons earned their stake another way.”

“How was that?”

“It's a family secret.”

Josh stared at his grandfather's back in surprise. Was there a part of the Nelson history he didn't know, or was Walt just spinning a story for Tara?

She chuckled, the husky sound making Josh shift uncomfortably. “Let me guess,” she said, “you don't know the secret, either.”

Walt laughed outright, leaving Josh more stunned than he could remember. Had he
ever
heard his grandfather laugh so heartily?

“You're too smart, young lady,” Walt told her. “You're also right. My great-grandfather kept changing the story, and I never got the skinny on it. When I was a lad, I had visions of daring bootleggers, but the money predates Prohibition, so it wouldn't have been profitable enough for a stake in the 1800s.”

Josh grew envious as the two continued chatting. He loved his grandfather, but the old guy wasn't the easiest person to know. Grandma Evelyn was the grandparent he'd been close to, and he'd always wondered how a woman with her natural warmth and charm had ended up with Walter Nelson.

When he'd gotten older and understood how it could be between a man and a woman, it had seemed a terrible loss. Evelyn must have been capable of great passion, something that had appeared lacking in her marriage. Nonetheless, she'd been the sort of person who made the best of things, getting active in community affairs and devoting herself to her daughter and grandchildren.

And all the while Walt had been there, putting the ranch first and everything else dead last.

So how had Tara gotten through to Grandpa? It didn't make sense.

Josh regretted the thought as soon as it formed, because he was instantly riveted on her jeans and the way she filled them out. While he'd decided it was okay to be attracted to Tara, provided he didn't do anything about it, it could be a difficult decision to keep.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

T
ARA
WAS
BUSY
every possible minute over the next week, which was the way she liked to be.

Between party preparations, she finished shifting boxes and other miscellaneous stacks in her search for current paperwork. It was amazing the spots she found things tucked out of sight, old mixed with new. Of course, the most intriguing items were the documents and ledgers from over a hundred years ago, including a Bible with a singed cover. Walt's eyes had gleamed when she'd told him what she'd found so far.

“I wonder if my great-grandfather's journal is around anyplace,” he'd mused. “My mother thought it was lost when the first house burned.”

Tara had winced, thinking of the history that might have gone up in flames, but she was eager to explore whatever had survived. Both she and Walt had discussed whether they'd find information about the sapphires and what to do if they did.

By Saturday everything was in good shape for the big event. Huge tents had been erected, and the largest barn would be used for dancing. In addition to the pasture prepped for parking, another had a softball field laid out in it. Horseshoes, croquet and volleyball were also available, along with portable bleachers for people who just wanted to watch the various athletics.

Lauren hadn't wanted to go, but Tara convinced her to attend. They arrived before the official starting time, and her sister's eyes widened as they wandered around. The serving tables in the food tent were weighed down with platters and bowls from the caterer and partygoers, the barn was strung with Japanese lanterns, and a country band was already playing.

Tara grinned at her sister's wide-eyed surprise. “Pretty good, isn't it, to get this together in such a short time?”

“No wonder you were busy.”

“To be honest, everyone was so enthusiastic about this event, there was practically a stampede of people getting involved.”

A tall cowboy immediately claimed Lauren for a dance, and Tara went looking for Walt, only to see Josh talking with a couple of women. She instantly turned the other direction and found Walt sitting with his daughter along the barn wall.

He struggled to his feet. “Here's the gal who pulled this all together,” he announced.

“Nonsense,” Tara declared. “I simply did what you said. Everyone else was just waiting for the okay.”

Sarah McGregor pulled her into a huge hug, and Tara caught her breath; it was warm and sincere, and for a split second it was the way she'd always imagined a mother's embrace might feel. It was a foolish, sentimental fancy, something she usually avoided.

“Thank you,” Sarah murmured. “You've been good for Dad.”

Unexpected emotion filled Tara's throat, but before she could say anything, Sarah straightened and waved at her son approaching them.

“Josh, take Tara for a dance. She deserves it after all her hard work.”

“That's what I came to do.”

Tara couldn't tell whether he was sincere or if a hint of sarcasm tinged his voice.

Together they joined the crowd of couples.

“You don't need to dance with me,” she said, trying not to remember how strong and hard his arms had been when they'd kissed. “I'm sure you have other women you want to ask.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I saw you chatting them up when I got here, two of them, anyhow.”

He frowned. “Chatting them up?”

“Did I get the idiom wrong? I've spent so long working with people who speak English as a second language, I sometimes get mixed up myself.”

“No, I just don't appreciate sounding like a guy on the prowl.”

“Isn't
every
single man on the prowl?” Tara asked lightly.

“Not necessarily.”

“Don't tell me you live as a monk.”

His mouth tightened. “I haven't done much socializing since I moved back to Schuyler—I've been too busy. But that won't last. I enjoy dating as long we understand each other.”

“And by ‘understand each other,' you mean they need to accept you aren't looking for anything permanent, just a good time.”

“I'm not shallow. There's nothing wrong with wanting to stay single.”

“I agree. I'm not interested in a relationship, either, though for different reasons. It doesn't mean we're shallow.”

Tara hoped that was true. At times she felt terribly limited because she avoided getting too involved with people. But that surely meant she was careful, not shallow.

* * *

J
OSH
TRIED
TO
QUELL
the heat settling in the lower half of his anatomy. Tara was a delicious armful, and she danced remarkably well. In fact, as the music picked up, they whirled and did a number of fancy steps he rarely got a chance to try.

His eyes were fixed on hers, and they could have been doing the tango with all the steam they were generating.

Slowly he became aware that most of the dancers had left the floor and were just watching them. With only a few bars left of the song, he swung Tara around and they finished to the sound of applause.

“Nice footwork,” Walt declared as they returned to where he was seated. His eyes had that knowing look again, but Josh ignored it. Walt might suspect his grandson was attracted to Tara, but he was sorely mistaken if he thought anything would come of it.

“Thank you, Tara,” Josh said formally before turning to his mother. “How about a whirl around the barn floor?” Asking her to dance had been his original intention...along with wanting to hear what Tara might be saying to her and Walt.

“I'd love to.”

His mother had been the one who'd taught Josh to dance, so they made a good showing on the floor as well, though he realized that Tara was more striking in her vibrant aqua dress and long, blond hair. Something about her drew attention.

“Tara looks lovely tonight,” Sarah said as if reading his thoughts.

Josh shrugged, knowing his mother's matchmaking tendencies.

“She must have gone shopping in Schuyler,” he said casually. “Candy McCoy is wearing the same dress.”

He'd been talking to Candy and her friend Marie when Tara had come into the barn. He wasn't a fashion aficionado and wouldn't have realized the dresses were similar if it hadn't been for Candy's reaction. Her eyes had flared with anger while she muttered to Marie that the store had promised no one else had bought that style.

While Tara might have gotten the dress after Candy, the shop would have been technically correct in any case. Tara's gown was a rich aqua, while Candy's was neon red and a size too small, possibly to draw attention to her generous bust.

“Candy certainly enjoys standing out in a crowd,” Sarah commented, and from her tone Josh realized his mother didn't like the youngest McCoy sister any better than his sisters did. Ordinarily Mom liked everyone.

“She succeeded tonight,” Josh said lightly, hoping to give the impression that neither woman was important to him.

“I don't think so. Haven't you noticed that most people are watching Tara?”

“Probably because she's new in town and they're intrigued by the separated-twins story. Say, did you know Grandpa has been going riding lately?”

Sarah made a face. “He told me that's what he planned to do.”

“Didn't you try to stop him?”

She gazed at him with loving, exasperated eyes. “Of course I tried, all the while knowing it wouldn't do a lick of good. Your grandfather has his faculties intact, and I'm not ready to treat him as if he's in his dotage.”

“Okay, okay.” He twirled her across the floor, hoping to forestall further discussion about his grandfather
or
Tara.

* * *

L
AUREN
WAS
ENJOYING
herself more than she'd expected...as long as she wasn't paying attention to Carl Stanfield as he danced with the local girls. Some of them were quite attractive, too.

She didn't lack dance partners herself, but it was strange. She and Tara were identical twins, yet it felt to her as if Tara was the truly pretty one. Mostly it was because Tara carried herself with confidence and knew how to accessorize properly. Emily had the knack, too, though she rarely bothered with her appearance. Well...that wasn't true any longer. After meeting Trent, Emily had adopted a sexier style.

Lauren scrunched her nose. She and Tara had bought their dresses at the same store in Schuyler, yet her sister managed to look as if she'd stepped out of a Paris fashion show. It was a puzzle how they could be so much alike and yet so different.

The band was playing a lively tune she didn't recognize. According to Lauren's dance partner, Grayson Welch, it had been written by a local musician over a hundred years ago. As the song ended, Grayson whirled her around in a flourish, right in front of Carl.

“May I claim the next one...as a friend?” Carl asked after Grayson had thanked her for the dance.

That was nice. He was making it clear that he wouldn't press for anything else.

“Um, sure,” she said.

The band started playing another classic, “Make the World Go Away.”
Of course.
It was like teasing an addict with the drug they craved, in her case, with one of her favorite romantic songs, filled with yearning, regret and hope.

Carl's strong arms swung her among the other dancers, making her tingle. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the music and sensations cascading through her body.

“Hey,” he whispered, guiding her toward the edge of the dance floor. “Are you light-headed? It's warm—maybe we should go out for some fresh air.”

Lauren almost declined, but his protectiveness filled her with guilty pleasure. Besides, it
was
warm in the barn, and the area outside was beautiful.

They exited at the far end, away from the food tent and other activities, and walked toward a stand of trees. In the distance the crack of a bat hitting a softball sounded through the evening, followed by faint cheers, but on this side there were few people.

A cooling breeze ruffled the grass, and everything was bathed in the long rays of the sun.

“Mmm,” she murmured. “It's lovely out here. The air tastes golden.”

Carl nodded. “This is my favorite time of day. At the risk of sounding poetic—which I'm not—it's sort of magical.”

Lauren shot him a quick glance. It would be wonderful if he'd escorted her outside to sneak a kiss, but he was obviously too honorable. Her contradictory desires were frustrating. One minute she was glad he'd backed off, the next she was wishing he hadn't.

A flash of irritation went through Lauren. Her ex-boyfriend had crashed through her reservations and fears with the subtlety of a bull in heat. Carl could have done the same, but no, he was a gentleman. If he'd persisted, she probably would have succumbed eventually.

Suddenly it struck her that
wishing
Carl had persisted was another form of the cowardice she despised.

She lifted her hand and touched his face, moving closer. His eyes darkened.

“Lauren?”

“Magic moments can be outside of time, can't they?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

The next thing she knew, his lips were on hers. Seduced by the enchantment of the light and the moment, she kissed him back wholeheartedly.

When his arms loosened, Lauren pressed closer, not wanting the magic to end. Obligingly, he tightened his grip again, exploring the depths of her mouth with his tongue.

It was only when voices in the distance intruded that he drew back, took her hand and headed toward the barn as though nothing had happened. But he was breathing raggedly and through his fingers she could feel the rapid pace of his pulse.

“I'm sorry,” he said.

“Hey, we decided it was a moment out of time,” Lauren reminded him. She didn't want to regret her impulsive behavior; it represented a brief conquest of courage over fear.

“You're right,” Carl agreed. “But we'd better go inside now, or I'll be in the doghouse with all the men who were waiting to ask you for a dance.”

She fixed a neutral smile on her face, and as they entered the barn again, Roger Dean arrived to invite her onto the floor. “Sorry, Sheriff, even a guy with a gun and a badge can't monopolize one of the prettiest women around,” he said with a wink at Carl.

“My loss—I didn't think to bring either with me,” Carl answered easily.

Roger was a good dancer, and Lauren loved the song the band was playing, but nothing tingled as he swung her in a circle.

* * *

B
ECAUSE
W
ALT
WASN
'
T
easily mobile, Tara divided her time between the dance floor and checking on the food tent and other areas.

“I feel guilty,” Sarah McGregor told her when they crossed paths again close to nine in the evening. There was still a glow in the sky, but the pastures being used for sports were already brightly lit with the lights Walt had rented. “I should be looking after everything instead of you being stuck with it.”

“Don't worry, I'm happiest when I stay busy.”

Sarah laughed merrily. “You're sweet. Truthfully, I've never had any responsibilities at the Nelson dance. My parents took care of everything while I was growing up, and when I was an adult it was pleasant to attend the party just as a guest. My mother encouraged it. Looking back, I wonder if she was protecting her position as hostess.”

“Or maybe she wanted to give you a chance to relax,” Tara suggested. “Walt told me you often entertain out at your ranch and that your husband has elevated barbecuing to an art form.”

“Yes, Dad has finally managed to recognize a
few
good qualities in Parker McGregor.” Sarah's eyes twinkled. “It was at the annual Boxing N party that Parker and I fell in love. I was a senior in high school and only seventeen, because I'd skipped a year. We were married that July. Mom was concerned about my age, but she was happy for me and Dad didn't seem to mind
too
much.”