To Honor and Cherish (2 page)

Chapter
Three

Jax wasn’t sure why he’d been condescending to the boss-lady. She had common sense. He approved of the fact that she hadn’t backed down nor gotten too far from her gun. She had instincts and he could appreciate that.

He put his horse in the corral with some of the others. Making sure it had some oats, he left his saddle by the others in a nearby covered wagon.

After his horse was completely cared for, Jax turned to see Boss-lady standing in the doorway. Her arms were wrapped around her small waist protectively. She was a beauty, all at once proud and scared, frail but feisty. He was glad she was standing there. He hadn’t been sure of the etiquette, if he should knock or walk in.

She directed him in the door and they entered a large kitchen. Looking at her in the light of a huge hanging oil lamp above the table, he noticed she wore black mourning clothes, from head to toe. Not only that, she had striking blue eyes and gorgeous hair the color of melted chocolate. This job would have to be worth it, which brought his attention to pay.

“So, you’ve told me this job will be difficult, but you haven’t told me how much I can expect to be paid. Would you kindly enlighten me?” His voice seemed to fill the kitchen and he lowered it.

“My father had a contract drawn up. Would you like to see it? I doubt you will be disappointed. It should be more than sufficient wages, including your room and board.” She handed him a single sheet of paper that listed his duties and what he would be paid.

“You say your father drew up the contract? Will I be working for him then?” He was confounded by this woman.

“My father will pay you, but you work for me.” She fidgeted with her sleeve, her discomfort evident.

His thoughts raced.
The black clothes must be for a lost husband. If her father was drawing up contracts, yet the ranch was hers, there couldn’t be a husband. Now I wish I hadn’t given her such a hard time.

Jax scanned the contract in his hand. He was taken aback for almost a full minute. The pay was better than he’d expected. It would have been fun, haggling with her for a better offer, but he couldn’t. He’d done the same job for less.

“I’ll assume from your silence the sum suits you.” She looked him up and down. “You have no bags or other items?”

Jax lifted his bedroll into the air. “My trunks.” His eyes crinkled at his joke.

~~~

Meg led him back to the room she’d lain Chase in to prepare him for burial less than a month ago. It had been cleaned the very next day in an effort to make her feel better. That was the only other room available right now as her sister, Lizzy’s old room still held the feel and furnishings of a youthful girl. She was sure Jax would be uncomfortable in a room full of feminine furniture. No one used the upstairs rooms, so they wouldn’t be clean enough for a guest.

Rose had stayed with her for the first week after the tornado, but Pete and Rose had their own home to tend to. She wished, a bit belatedly, that they lived closer so she could’ve asked Rose to join her once again. The thought of being alone with this man all night sent her thoughts to racing.

“I trust you will be comfortable here.” Her voice betrayed her nervousness. She opened the door and waited for him to enter. As he walked by, she inhaled his scent: leather, some smoke, sweat, and something else that was unique.

Looking around the room, Meg was nervous to allow her gaze to rest on anything. There was no way she could leave this man alone in her home and go get Rose, but she didn’t want to be here either. Fear gripped her and she couldn’t look him in the eye or move from her spot. She backed into the door, closing it. Her eyes went wide at her mistake. What if he wasn’t trustworthy? Her color went from robin red to ashen and she felt as if she might faint.

“Are you going to be all right? You look a bit peaked,” he asked, concern weaving his brows together.

She looked at the window, anywhere but at him or the bed. “I’m fine. Rose and Pete also work for me. They’ve worked at the ranch for twenty years and they will be here in the morning. Early, in the morning. So, breakfast should be ready whenever you are.” She spun to leave and had to back up when she came within inches of running into the door she’d pushed shut. Knowing she sounded like, and now looked like, a rambling fool, she yanked the door open.

“Excuse me?” His voice played with her frazzled emotions.

“Yes?” She looked over her shoulder, her focus darting like a caged rabbit.

“I don’t know
your
name. Might be important.” He smiled, encouraging her to do the same.

“Meghan. Meghan Conner, but ma’am will work just fine.” She left him to his thoughts and whatever else he planned to do that evening.

Meg rushed to retrieve the shotgun outside. She’d never kept it in her room before, but tonight she certainly would. There would be little sleep to be had, she feared. At least the lumberyard would finish the bunk house soon. It would be a basic rectangular box, one room only, nothing special, with the most difficult aspects being the door and windows. It wouldn’t be done soon enough now. She wouldn’t get any peace with some stranger staying in her home.
Oh, if Mother only knew.
The thought made her snort, a very unladylike noise.

What in the world had possessed her to say her name was Meghan? She hated that name. No one ever used it. It had been the name of her mean old grandmother and in order for the family to distinguish the two, they had decided when she was an infant that she’d be Meg. Other than herself and her grandmother, she’d never known any other Meghans.

“Great, now I’ll be saddled with that name forever.” She slapped the palm of her hand to her forehead and shook her head back and forth, weary to her bones.

Forcing herself to look in the mirror, she sighed.

“So, the Lord has provided a handsome man to walk right into my life and I still look as plain as dead grass.” Blowing out the lamp, Meg changed and climbed into bed.

Chapter
Four

The next morning, Meg awoke to a shriek. She scrambled from her bed, sure the house must be on fire. Grabbing her dressing gown, she ran toward the kitchen with her hair trailing down her back. Terrified, she searched back and forth into each room for the source of the problem. When she made it to the kitchen, Jax leaned against the table by the stove, pouring himself a cup of cold coffee. Rose stood frozen by the front door, petrified.

Meg stopped short, and covered her front with her gown. “Rose, this is Jax, our new foreman.” She panted from her rush. “Jax, this is Rose, my closest friend and housekeeper.” Meg finally took control of her emotions.

“Ma’am.” He lifted his cup to Rose.

“You stayed…here… last night?” She stammered.

“Yes ma’am. Meghan assures me the bunkhouse’ll be done soon.”

“Meghan?” Rose’s forehead crinkled and she shook her head, looking confused.

“Yes, oh right, she told me ma’am would work, too.” He smiled at her and took a sip of the cold, stale coffee, grimacing at the brew.

“She did, did she?” Rose smiled at Meg like a sly fox now warming to the situation. “Let me fix you some breakfast and fresh coffee, cowboy. My name’s Rose.”

Rose went to work on breakfast, and Meg made herself scarce to get dressed. She’d seen Rose’s look and knew she was in for some teasing. Maybe she deserved it. She could hear Rose chatting away with Jax as she prepared breakfast.

Meg took her time getting ready. She had no desire to face either Jax or Rose after the introduction this morning. She sat in front of her mirror brushing her hair, when Rose said in an overly loud voice,

“You don’t need to wait for
Meghan
if she’s taking too long. I’m sure my Pete could show you around. He’s right outside.”

Meg blushed from her hairline to her neck. Of course Jax would’ve needed her to take him around the ranch and tell him what she expected of him. Drat, this was all new to her.

She came out a minute later. Rose looked up, giggling at her.

“Good morning,
Meghan.
Is there anything I can get you for breakfast,
Meghan
?”

Meg scowled. “Stop teasing me. I wanted him to give me some respect. Maybe Meg sounds like a child’s name.” Meg crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her, which made Rose laugh even harder.

“Oh, so Meg isn’t old enough? As if the black clothes didn’t age you enough, now you want to be older sounding, too?”

“I don’t know…yes. I guess. You can still call me Meg, though.” She smiled, trying to get Rose off the subject.

“So, I get to think of you as a child? No. No, I don’t think that’ll work. If you want to be Meghan, you shall be. It’s just interesting that it took a handsome, young cowboy showing up in the night for Meghan to come out when Meg was just fine before.”

Meg’s jaw clenched in frustration. Rose laughed all the more.

“Come,
Meghan
. Let’s have some breakfast and go check on the men. We have to keep them in line, you know.”

Meg was fit to be tied. Every time she turned around Rose teased her. Meghan this and Meghan that, always with a teasing little sing-song voice. The new foreman wouldn’t give her any respect if Rose continued like this. Sure, she’d made a mistake. It was time to be done with it and move on.

~~~

Meg saddled up her horse to visit Chase’s grave when Jax came up behind her.

“Ma’am?”

She jumped and turned around. He’d been so quiet she hadn’t heard him behind her. “Yes, Jax?”

“If you’re headed into town, I’d like to ride with you. I have a few friends that might make good hands if you’d like to meet them?”

The idea of spending an hour with this man sounded like pure torture. If she could make such a fool of herself after only a few minutes, she would have the entire family embarrassed in a one hour ride.

“Jax, I’m making…more of a social call.” She stammered and looked away. “I… have a friend who is…ill.” She looked away from him, knowing it was a terrible lie. “I’d like to meet your friends and you are free to go into town and bring them out if you believe they’ll be good for the job.” She reached for the saddle and wound the reins around the pommel. “In fact, I will leave the hiring of the five men to you. You’re the one who will be working with them and it will be a good test to see if you can spot strengths and weaknesses. That being said, if they fail, so do you.” She stuck her foot in the stirrup and swung her foot over the saddle.

Pulling the reins off the pommel, she turned her horse around to leave. Jax stepped in front of her horse, taking the bridle in his hand.

“So you need five? What’s the pay?”

“For hands? One quarter of what you make each month plus room and board. I would think that would be enough to keep the men happy.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

~~~

He released the bridle and let her go, but his curiosity was piqued. He wondered where she had to be in such a hurry, and why it was so important he not ride with her. It would have been a good opportunity for her to tell him what she wanted him to do and about the trip south she mentioned. Why in the world would she want him to take cows south? She seemed to be avoiding him, and he couldn’t figure out why. How could he manage a ranch without direction?

Perhaps she was skittish, like a horse. He would try assuming the responsibility, since it seemed she wanted nothing to do with it. She’d given him full rein to hire after only knowing him for a few short hours, and most of those she’d been asleep. That must be what she expected, for him to assume his role. Well, if that’s what she wanted, then far be it from him to deny his boss. In the meantime, he was curious and since he needed to go to town anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to follow behind.

He grabbed his already saddled horse and followed her at quite a distance. About a mile outside of town, he saw her turn off the trail and leave her horse by a tree. He pulled up and watched her from as far away as he could. The area wasn’t familiar to him and he wasn’t sure if she was walking to someone’s home or only resting. He saw her kneel on the ground and then collapse. He kicked his horse to a gallop. If something happened, he needed to make sure she was all right. Before he got close enough for her to notice the sound of his approach, he realized she was at a cemetery. Reining up, he hoped he hadn’t disturbed her.

He cursed himself for interfering. Slowing the horse to a walk, he passed the scene with as quiet a pace as possible. It was a private moment and she hadn’t wanted to tell him about it. He scowled at the town laying just ahead, his boss had to trust him at some point, but this was one thing he hadn’t needed to see. He didn’t want to feel sorry for her. She was the boss, after all.

Chapter
Five

Jax kept the horse at a quiet walk until he passed where she lay, and the sound wouldn’t bother her. His main focus was on getting back into town without being seen. Meandering through town much like he had the night before, he made sure to stay on an out-of-the-way path.

Someone had been spying on him; that much seemed certain. He had to make sure no one but his closest friends knew he was here. Also, if push came to shove and Larson came out to the ranch for him, he’d have a few guns in his corner with the new hands he planned to hire.

He looked in the bar through Wayward’s Way and saw the first two men he wanted to talk to. Jeff was as steady as they come and he needed work. He wouldn’t balk at taking orders from a friend and the offered salary would seem like riches to him. The other man was the one he’d spoken to yesterday, Mac, who’d already said he was interested. Jax wandered over to the table where Jeff sat.

“Hey. Seat taken?” Jax pulled the chair out before Jeff answered.

“Nope, sit. Deal a hand?”

“No time. You looking for work?”

“Yeah. Whatcha got?”

Jax explained the work to him and who his boss would be. Jeff was a man of few words so he agreed to the work with no questions asked. Jax asked him to wait for three days, then told him where he should go. He agreed and Jax left Jeff to go speak to Mac at his table.

“Took your advice.” Jax flipped the chair around facing Mac and straddled it.

“So why are you here?” Mac raised an eyebrow. “And not laying low out there?”

“You said you might be looking to take a position. A cowhand job interest you? Help me keep an eye out for Larson?”

“Is the pay better’n here?” He continued to shuffle his deck.

“Yup, and you don’t have to stay at Betty’s anymore.” Jax chuckled. He knew Betty partially owned the bar and she was a lonesome widow. She was well known for getting too friendly with the men who worked for her.

“Sold.” Mac laid down the deck. “When can I come out?”

Jax explained about the bunkhouse and though Mac expressed disappointment at not getting out from Betty’s clutches a little sooner, at least he now had options. Jax promised him much more than the usual pay of a cowhand because Mac would be his right-hand man. Jax mentioned asking one of their mutual acquaintances, Mark, to take of one the other positions.

Mac laid down his deck and looked at Jax, his look intense and focused. “Well, if I’m to be your right-hand man, let me give you your first bit of unwanted advice. Stay far away from that one. You can’t help him. I’d sooner trust a snake. He could hurt someone. He won’t put down the bottle, no matter how much you threaten or cajole. No. I wouldn’t do it.”

“I know what you’re saying, and I’m listening, but he’s an old friend and I think he deserves one more chance.”

“Suit yourself.” Mac shrugged his shoulders, picked the deck back up and shuffled it out of habit. “Not my butt on the line.” He raised his hands, putting up a wall between him and the subject.

Jax excused himself and told Mac he’d see him in a few days. He needed three more men to fill his ranks and the day had gotten away from him.

It took all afternoon but two more of his good friends agreed and now only one more spot remained. He thought about Mark. He was a drinker and a ruffian. Jax mulled over whether he should give him the chance at growing up. Could he trust Mark to behave, especially when his boss appeared to be a lonesome, beautiful widowed lady? Drink could make you do some pretty stupid things, and Mark had proven he’d always enjoyed the folly.

He watched and entered the mercantile when he was sure no one else was inside. Mark sat behind the counter of his father’s store. It was the only place that would hire him anymore. He looked glum with his face slack and his hand holding up his head, propped on the counter. He perked up as soon as he saw Jax.

“Want to go grab a drink, maybe a game? There’s a new belle at the saloon.” Mark leaned closer to Jax, as if it were a secret.

“Aren’t you running the store?” Jax held out his arms, incredulous to Mark’s apathy.

“Well sure, but that’s why we have keys, right?” He held up the key, jingled it, and gave Jax a sideways look.

“Not enjoying your job, Mark?”

“I sit here all day fighting with ugly, old ladies about the value of eggs.” He rolled his eyes. “Some of them, I argue with to make the day interesting.”

“I’ve come to offer you work, but the job I’ve got comes with a few…stipulations: sober, no fighting, and you keep your women in town.”

“What? Is the job for the reverend?” He scoffed.

“Nope, for me. I don’t need to explain my reasons. You can take it or not.” Jax doubted his judgment in even asking. The longer he stood there, the more he knew Mac had been right.

“So my choice is stay here and haggle over pennies with hags or dry up with you. Tough choice.” He slumped back onto his hand.

“Choice is yours. I won’t make it for you.”

“What’s the pay?” Mark threw the key in the air and caught it, bored with the conversation.

Jax quoted him half the amount of the other hands. He knew Mark would never work as hard as his other friends, even on his best day. He was a gamble, and boss-lady shouldn’t lose money on him.

Mark sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, considering his options. A slick card shark with greased black hair, he should have been working in a saloon, not on a ranch, but even they didn’t trust him enough. Betty couldn’t even abide him. She’d take his money for drinks, but wouldn’t hire him, no matter how often he enticed her.

“Yeah. Let me grab a few things. We can get one last drink on our way out of town.” He smirked and flicked the key in the air, catching it as it descended toward the floor.

“No.” Jax shook his head slow so Mark wouldn’t miss the point. “You want me to break my own rules so soon? If I can’t trust you, just tell me now. I need five men and you were my fifth. I can find another. Can I trust you?”

“Hey, I haven’t started yet. Not my problem if you have.” Mark always looked for the loophole.

“Come out to the Whitte Ranch in three days.” Jax turned for the door.

“Why do I have to wait? If you’re there, let me come with you.”

Jax sighed, he shouldn’t have to explain anything. “There’s no room for you yet. The bunkhouse isn’t done.”

“So you’re staying in the ranch house then? Mmm, I see how this goes. Didn’t I hear the Connor man was killed in that twister? Ain’t his missus out there all alone? Or are you keeping her warm?” He leered, laughing at his own joke.

“That’s enough, Mark. If you can’t give her respect when she isn’t here, then you don’t need the job. She’ll be your boss.”

“My boss? Not likely to take orders from no woman and I can’t see you doing it either.” Mark sneered. “What does a woman know about running a cow operation that size?”

“I’ll find someone else.” He grabbed the handle to leave.

“No, hold up, Jax. Don’t be getting all worked up now.”

Jax waited, his hand on the door, for him to make his decision. He regretted coming in here. It wouldn’t take long for him to find a reason to fire Mark. He hoped boss-lady wouldn’t witness the nonsense that was sure to happen first. It would look poorly on him. Whitte Ranch looked to be a good place to stay for a change.

He was done running all over the countryside. There was plenty of room to ride out there, lots of work to keep him busy, and even a young lady to make things pretty. Thinking of the young lady brought a vision to his mind of her in her dressing gown from that morning. Her hair long and wild, and he smiled without realizing what he’d done. Worse, Mark had seen the side of his face.

“Ah, so you do want me to come.” Mark threw his mouth into his biggest salesman smile. “Fine, fine. I’ll come out there in three days. I better have my fun before I head out to the convent, though.”

“You do that, just don’t bring it with you.” He pulled the handle and left, ambling back to his horse.

Walking about half of the way back to his horse, he sensed eyes watching him. This couldn’t be good. He slowed down and pulled his hat down his forehead to hide his face though he suspected it was too late. Putting his hand down, he unhooked the loop holding the gun riding on his belt. Attempting to look all around and remain inconspicuous, he noticed a man across the street leaning against a building. Jax had been thinking too much about the task at hand and not enough about his own safety. He strode with long strides down the narrow boardwalk, when a man jumped out of the doorway and pulled him up short.

“Afternoon, Jackson. Boss wants to have a word or two with you,” said a tall, skinny man in filthy clothes. He hadn’t seen bathwater in a long time and his breath was close to rancid. Jax shrank back.

“I have somewhere I need to be.” Jax took a step backward. “Maybe another time. It isn’t like you don’t find me everywhere I go.” Jax took another step backward and made to dodge around him.

While he’d been distracted, the man from across the street had come over and stood right behind Jax. He was trapped. The man behind him grabbed Jax’s arm and put a gun to his back. The filthy man grabbed Jax’s gun and removed it from his belt. Fear crept up his spine and lodged in his throat. They led him toward the boarding house. He couldn’t outrun a bullet. If he yelled, they might shoot him for the trouble. His mind raced thinking of ways to escape, but each thought seemed more dangerous and futile than the last.

It took a few minutes to walk to the boarding house, and anyone they met in the street mysteriously had something urgent to do. The two brutes took Jax upstairs to one of the rooms at the very back. Jax had been staying in the room right next to Lars’s, a young girl had been staying in the third room at the top of the stairs. Jax had a rapid thought,
I wonder if she is still there?

Sitting in a chair cleaning his gun sat Lars Larson, the one person Jax had been avoiding for three long years.

“Jax, wish I could say it was nice to see you, but it ain’t. You’ll understand if I don’t offer you a drink or anything for that matter. You won’t be around long enough to enjoy it anyway.” Lars carefully rubbed the oiled cloth on the barrel, finishing his task.

Lars was tall and mean with a beer paunch and a barrel chest. No one was sure of his hair color. He’d never been seen without his Stetson, pulled low. He reeked of everything a man shouldn’t have in excess, cigars, women, and booze. The clothing he wore was understated even though he was one of the wealthiest men Jax knew, and it was dusty from the ride here.

“Don’t be too hasty, Lars. I’ve told a lot of people in this town about you. If I show up missing, they’ll know it was you and you’ll have even more law after you than you already do.”

Lars laughed, a full booming sound, and looked behind him. “What law?” He gestured to the whole room behind him. “Isn’t it clear to you by now I don’t care about the law? I’ve moved all over this great state looking for you and didn’t bother hiding one bit. Unlike a little bug like you who flies all over, hiding under cover wherever you go.”

Jax yanked at his arms, trying to get free. “Why can’t you let me be? If I’m not a threat to you, why do you keep after me?” Jax tried to stall.

“Because you know too much of my business. If you’d stayed put and followed orders, I wouldn’t have to chase you all over creation. If you’d quit flappin’ your jaws, I might be able to trust you’d disappear. You don’t seem content to leave well enough alone. Someone might actually believe you and ruin my outstanding reputation.”

The room full of dingy men laughed at Lars’s joke, but the fun was over. Lars wove his hands together, palms out, and pressed, cracking his knuckles.

He motioned for his minions to move Jax and they did, each taking an arm. Holding him back against the wall, Lars pummeled Jax in the face, chest, and stomach. He took it without making a sound for a few minutes but soon he groaned with each new contact and Lars punctuated each punch with a yell. When Jax thought he couldn’t take another hit, someone knocked urgently on the door and he went limp against the wall, forcing the men holding him to keep him up. Lars hit him one last time in the gut for good measure.