Tracie Peterson - [Desert Roses 01] (12 page)

“So what do you think of this park, Mr. Toland?” the senator questioned. “My daughter finds it dull and lifeless.”

“Oh, Daddy, that wasn’t very nice to say.”

“Maybe not, but it was the truth.”

Luke wanted to put an end to the conversation as quickly as he could. “I love it. The canyon is home to me. There’s a great deal of peace and serenity here.”

“Maybe that’s why Valerie doesn’t like it,” Senator Winthrop replied. “She’s never cared much for peace and quiet. Even as a child she enjoyed the more rambunctious games of the neighborhood boys. Could never understand why a young lady would prefer the company of ruffian boys. Still, this park is decent enough. She ought to be able to find something that catches her attention.”

Valerie laughed and nudged her father. “Now, don’t be boring Mr. Toland with stories about me. He knows so very much about this park that I’m sure he could really tell you a thing or two.”

“I rather you tell me what your political view of the day might be.” The senator appeared capable of changing subjects as fast as Clancy could change a saddle. He eyed Luke critically, as if the next words out of Luke’s mouth might make or break his political career.

Luke shrugged. The conversation wasn’t one he wanted to get into. “I can’t say that I have a political view.”

“Nonsense. We men all have views of the situation around us. This park you love so much was an act of government.”

“No, sir, I beg to differ with you. This park was an act of God. The government might have set it aside as a national park, but God put it together.”

“Of course, boy, but what about those groups who want to come and destroy this fine place? The Harding administration would just as soon drill her for oil as to not.”

“I put my concerns in God’s hands,” Luke told Mr. Winthrop. “Then I don’t have to worry about it, and I can get a whole lot more done with the time I might have spent in worry.”

“Sounds like you’re burying your head in the sand.”

“Maybe, but at least I earn my money instead of begging or demanding it, and I don’t trade it for favors. Say what you will, but I see your kind of life as a real bondage.”

“Yes, I’m sure your kind of folk would.”

Luke felt his anger stirred. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“A lowly cowboy such as yourself can’t have much interest in the things of educated men. I’m sure most of it goes way beyond your comprehension.” The senator hooked his thumbs in his vest pocket and rested his hands against his portly belly. Striking such a pose, he continued. “The common man doesn’t always realize that he suffers because of the decisions other people are making for him. A president should take into account that the common man most likely doesn’t know what he wants or needs. In turn, the right president would choose for such people and help them to better understand their needs.”

“I understand my needs fully,” Luke replied, barely speaking through clenched teeth.

“But you can’t. Not really. For instance, you probably believe prohibition is a good thing. Prohibition is supposed to sober the country and bring back morality and sobriety. Instead, more people than ever before are drinking. And do you know why, Mr. Toland? Poor management of this country. It’s a sad and depressing event.”

“Now, Daddy, there’s no need to get yourself all worked up. You’ll be able to make speeches later.”

“Yes, I really must excuse myself. I have work to do,” Luke said with as much graciousness as he could muster. He tipped his hat ever so slightly, then turned to hurry across the grounds toward the stables.

“But, Luke, we had hoped you’d join us for dinner,” Valerie called.

Luke just kept going.

First Alex, and now this Winthrop character. Life at the canyon wasn’t nearly the pleasant respite Luke had once found it to be. When had things gotten so crazy?

I don’t have to stay
. The thought came from the darker recesses of his brain. That had always been the plan. Come to the canyon, make enough money, then buy a place of his own. But he wanted to share that place with Alex, and now she thought he was just as bad as her father. Oh, she hadn’t said it, but he could tell by the look in her eyes.

“She thinks I’m a no-good womanizer,” Luke muttered, coming to the stable yards. He opened the gate and moved into the corral, determined to get some work done before the day was completely lost.

“She thinks I’m of such low moral character that I’d forsake my faith and fall into the arms of some city-bred flirt.” He kicked at the dirt, startling the mules. Mindless of what he was doing, Luke managed to spook one of the newest recruits—a thin-faced mule with a bit of a temper.

To prove his attitude would brook little nonsense from the likes of Luke, the mule reared forward and kicked out with his hind legs.

Luke had no time to respond. He took the full blow in his left wrist, and he felt the bone snap almost instantly. Knocked backward, Luke quickly regained his footing, clutching his arm in desperate pain.

“Oh, all the stupid . . . lousy . . . things.”

“Luke! You okay?” Clancy called, coming from the barn.

“I think this no good mule just broke my wrist,” Luke said, gingerly feeling his forearm and hand. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what he did. Hurts like nothing I’ve ever had before.”

“Let’s get you to the doc,” Clancy said, moving between Luke and the new mule. “Here,” he added, taking the oversized bandana from around his neck. “Let’s make you a sling.”

Luke winced as Clancy maneuvered the bandana around the arm. The pain, so intense, shot up his arm and spread throughout his body. He felt sick to his stomach and lightheaded.

“Boss, don’t you go passin’ out on me,” Clancy said, reaching out to steady Luke.

“I won’t mean it if I do,” Luke said, fighting the pain. “Just keep me walking—get me to the doc and I’ll be fine.”

“Sure. I can see that for myself. You look like you’re ready to lead another group of riders to Phantom Ranch.”

“I’ll be all right,” Luke said, biting his tongue to keep from screaming out in pain.

By this time some of the other members of his crew showed up. They watched Clancy and Luke with a curiosity that made Luke uneasy. He wasn’t a sideshow at the county fair.

“Get back to work you all. Can’t a man break his arm without half the state turning out to see what’s going on?”

The collection of men murmured responses among themselves, but Luke couldn’t hear what they were saying. It was just as well. He needed to focus his attention on keeping his feet moving down the path. He needed to keep his mind off the pain in his arm . . . and in his heart.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Alex!” Bernice came running into the kitchen, sliding on the still-wet floor. The boy who’d just mopped the area scowled and muttered something inaudible.

Alex looked up from the salads she’d been arranging and smiled at Bernice’s enthusiasm. “What is it, Bernice? You look as if the circus has come to town.”

“It’s Mr. Toland!”

Alex gave Bernice her full attention, noting the look of worry in Bernice’s expression. “What’s happened?”

“He got kicked by a mule. He’s over at the doctor’s, but I heard one of his men say he’s broken his arm.”

“Here, take care of these salads,” Alex said, not caring that it was strictly against the rules to leave her station without permission. She raced out the door and made her way to the infirmary. Visions of Clancy’s broken nose and bruised face came to mind. She felt her chest tighten with worry.
Oh, God, please let him be all right
.

The doctor had finished casting Luke’s wrist and hand by the time Alex arrived. A small collection of people was waiting as Luke emerged from the back room. “Well, I’m going to live,” he told Clancy. He looked past Clancy and noticed Alex. He smiled.

“What happened, Luke?” Alex asked, coming from behind Clancy. “I just got here and didn’t have time to ask.”

Luke’s brow furrowed. “I wasn’t keeping my mind on my work. I backed right into one of the new mules and the crazy thing kicked me. Clancy was right there and got me up here to the doctor. I’m going to be fine. Just a few weeks in a cast and I’ll be as good as new.”

“No horses or mules, however,” the doctor said, coming up behind Luke. “You’ll need to rest for a few days and take
it easy. It was a clean enough break, but there’s no sense in taking chances. You’ll not be able to ride for a while.”

Alex saw Luke wince at that statement. Luke had grown up in a saddle. She knew riding was an important part of his life. “We’ll take good care of him,” she promised the doctor, taking Luke in hand. “Come on. We’ll get you back to your cabin and settle you in. Then I’ll get your supper and see that you have what you need for the night.”

Luke grinned. “Like a mother hen, eh?”

“This is serious business, Luke,” Alex chided. She didn’t care how it looked or sounded to anyone else. She cared too much for Luke to let someone else take charge of him.

They walked quietly back to Luke’s cabin on the far side of the stables. Alex worried about the pain he must be feeling, all the while wondering at her own feelings, which seemed much too protective and deep for mere friendship. “Does it hurt?”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Now that they were alone, Luke wasn’t trying to sound like his normal cheerful self.

She stumbled slightly on the uneven ground. Luke reached out to steady her, sending electrical charges up her arm and straight to the heart. She saw him grimace, however, and couldn’t bear that he was hurt. Not Luke. Strong, virile, capable Luke. Why couldn’t it have happened to someone else? “Did the doctor give you anything to take for the pain?”

“Yeah, but it only helps a little. He said it should stop hurting in a day or two.”

“I’m really sorry,” Alex said, as if somehow this had all been her fault.

“You don’t need to be sorry. It was my own fool inattentiveness that brought this on. I’ve told my crew a thousand times, if I’ve told them once, you can’t be daydreaming or stewing over other things while you’re working with the animals. Now I’ll be in this cast for six weeks, and it’s going to wreak havoc with my job.”

“You’re in charge. Your men can get the heavy work done and you can do all the paper work and set things up for the
guests. You’ll see; it won’t be so bad. Maybe Clancy would even let us borrow his car from time to time and we could get you out away from the hotel.”

“I can’t very well drive like this,” he grumbled. “Well, then I can drive us,” Alex said. “It can’t be that hard to learn.”

Luke laughed out loud, causing Alex to halt in mid-step. “What?” she questioned as he continued to laugh. “You don’t think I can learn to drive? Is that it?”

“I just don’t want the rest of me broken up,” Luke said, managing to contain his mirth.

“You got yourself broken up all on your own,” Alex reminded him. “I have yet to break a single thing you own.”

Luke sobered at this and turned away. Alex thought his attitude very strange, but said nothing. No doubt the pain and the medication given him by the doctor was enough to alter his mood.

Approaching his cabin, Luke climbed the porch steps, opened the door, and stepped inside. Alex marched in right behind him. She knew her actions would cause eyebrows to rise and tongues to wag, but she didn’t care. Luke was her best friend and he needed her.
That’s what friends are for
, she told herself.
They bear all things and endure all things
. Funny, that sounded vaguely familiar. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was certain she’d heard those phrases before.

She looked around the simple three-room cabin. There was a living area with a fireplace and two small windows. Luke had a worn-out sofa that Alex thought she recognized from having been in the hotel at one time. There was a desk and chair in the corner. Stacks of papers and ledgers were neatly arranged on the desktop—the organization of it surprised Alex.

On the opposite wall from the front door was another door that Alex presumed went to the bedroom or the bath. “Where’s your room?”

Luke pointed to the door, and Alex nodded and asked matter-of-factly, “And the bath?”

Luke grinned. “We’re already pressing propriety here. I don’t think the Harvey Company would find it at all acceptable for you to see to my cleaning up.”

“I wasn’t suggesting that at all,” Alex replied, feeling her cheeks grow hot. “I merely wanted to know where everything was. The doctor wants you to rest. I wanted to help by making the place as conducive to your recovery as possible. If I need to move things around to make it easier for you, then I have to know where everything is to begin with.”

Luke yawned and Alex wondered if the medicine was making him sleepy. “I think I will lie down for a time,” he said, rubbing the upper portion of his left forearm.

“I think that would be wise. I need to get back to my shift. I’ll bring supper in an hour or two.”

“You’ll be taking care of the Winthrops tonight, won’t you?”

Alex nodded. “I suppose so.”

Luke seemed less than pleased with the news. “That’s going to keep you longer than an hour or two, won’t it?”

“I’ll just do what I can to hurry them along. They love their politics,” Alex said, moving to take Luke’s hat from him. “Do you need help with your boots?”

“I hadn’t even thought of that. Yeah, I suppose I do.”

Alex motioned him to the bedroom. “Go ahead and sit down on the bed. I’ll help you get them off.”

Luke did as he was told, and Alex followed him into the simple bedroom. She was surprised that this rough and rugged cowboy could be such an orderly person. The bed was made, the nightstand was clear of clutter. Without a word, Alex turned down the bed for Luke, then pointed to his boots.

Luke cradled his arm and sat down on the edge of the bed. He lifted first one foot and then the other, while Alex wrestled the boots from his feet and placed them beside the nightstand. “Do you need anything else before I go?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll look forward to seeing you tonight. Might be wise to bring someone along with you. Wouldn’t look good to have you visiting my cabin like this on a regular basis.”