When All My Dreams Come True (6 page)

B
obbie and Mack zeroed in on their next target. Since she’d been hired almost a week ago, their main task was cutting and roping calves while Jace and Coop tossed and branded them. She learned in a hurry not to question Jace’s decisions. The first day he’d told her they’d be branding calves. She’d looked up at him. “Branding? Don’t you think it’s a bit—”

“Early? Yes, but I’m not about to let the rustlers get away with any more of my calves without at least getting my mark on them.”

And in that moment, Jace had her convinced of his ranching abilities. She didn’t mind roping and branding. The work was hard but honest, and the help capable.

Jarvis Cooper. She smiled at the sight of him. When they had first been introduced, he was in the middle of stuffing his jaw with tobacco. He’d scooped his finger along the inside of his cheek when he saw her and discarded the brown wad into the dirt with a flick of his wrist. After wiping his finger on his pant leg, he extended his hand. Once they exchanged greetings, he restuffed his cheek.

A shudder went through her at the memory. She guessed he was only trying to be polite by removing the wad, but she would have preferred he left it alone. Since then, Coop became comfortable with her and apparently no longer felt the need to do away with his tobacco.
She’d found him kind and thoughtful, as were all the men. Even her opinion of Adam changed once she got to know him better, though she could tell he still burned because of their encounter that first day. She didn’t miss Grant Wilcox in the least, though the ranch could have used his help.

With a quick jerk of her arm, Bobbie sent her lasso flying around the head of the next calf. She whistled a quiet tune, more confident than she’d been the first few days. Her decision to ignore the stares, work hard, and prove she could do her job helped set the tone. Everyone soon relaxed and began treating her as one of the men.

Bobbie drew the calf in and pondered the fine job Jace had done in selecting his hired hands. Her stomach grumbled, and Beans came to mind. The cook reminded her of her father, and that gave them a special bond. He did more grunting than talking, but he treated her with kindness.

Dew Wellman, Jace’s foreman, deserved the position. He worked harder than all the other men and knew a great deal about cattle. The rest of the wranglers, Sonny Marshall, David Lundy, and Adam Taylor, had followed Dew out early that morning to round up more cattle. That left Bobbie at the ranch to do all the calf roping while Jace and Coop did the branding.

Determined to make a good impression, she made certain she had a calf ready for Jace and Coop at all times. She looped her rope three times around her saddle horn and sat back to wait until they were ready.

The sight of Annie hanging clothes out on the line made her smile. The lady was easy to like though she was as completely opposite from Bobbie as two women could get. Bobbie towered over Annie by a good five inches, and Annie was an open, kind, and giving person, while Bobbie kept to herself. Still, given time, they might become great friends.

Coop approached and sent a disgruntled glance in her direction. He flipped her lasso from the calf’s head. “Hey, Bobbie, you trying ta
kill us?” Coop tossed the calf on its side and then sat on its head, struggling with the legs while he waited on Jace with the branding iron.

She dismounted in stunned silence and grabbed the calf’s hind legs, pulling them back and holding them tight while casting a questioning glance at Jace. He met her gaze for an instant before turning his attention to the calf. He pressed the hot iron against the calf’s hip. It let out a loud
baw-w-w
. Moments later the scent of burned hair and seared flesh drifted across Bobbie’s nostrils.

Jace looked at her and squinted against the bright sunlight. “What he means by that is, you can stop working yourself into a sweat. You’re doing fine, and your job is secure. But as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’m a bit shorthanded. You’re keeping us so busy, we don’t have a chance to breathe.”

“And we ain’t getting no younger,” Coop said with a wink before spitting a stream of tobacco juice into the dirt.

She stared in silence while Jace notched the calf’s ear. Then a smile crept across her lips. “Sorry.”

The men nodded and went back to work. She returned to the saddle, meandered toward the calves, and returned Annie’s wave. Because of the distance she couldn’t see if Annie was smiling, but she had no doubt it was there. Besides, how could Annie not be happy? She had a thoughtful, loving husband and two cuddly children. It didn’t hurt that she lived amidst such beauty.

Tall trees lined the creek bank that ran along the ranch. In order to enter, a person had to cross a bridge that spanned the creek. Huge oaks also grew along a small ravine that separated Jace’s house from Annie’s. Mountains rising up in the background gave the scene a finished look. This place was even prettier than the Simms ranch.

Mack tugged at the reins. She smiled and heeled him forward. Her horse loved the job of ranching almost as much as she did.

As the day passed, some of the larger calves struggled with the men. If one fought itself free, she’d jump from the saddle to help. She’d been kicked more than once and bore the bruises for proof.

Another calf managed to break loose from Coop’s grasp, and Bobbie lunged from her saddle to drop onto its head. The calf dragged her several feet before knocking her loose and scampering away.

Her battered ego now matched her injured behind. She stood and brushed the dirt from her clothes. Jace and Coop rocked with laughter. She grinned, shook her head at them, and remounted Mack to find that calf before the setting sun made any more work impossible.

She returned before long with the calf in tow, and after dismounting, she headed across the pasture toward the two men. The long day had left her with an ache in every bone and muscle in her body. She caught Jace watching her, his mouth twitching.

She shook her finger at them. “Stop laughing.” She had to hide her own smile. “I’m tired of calves, and I’m tired of saddles. If I have to spend another day in that saddle, I’ll have to start wearing dresses just to hide my bowed legs. And I’m so hungry that if I have to rope one more calf, I just might cook it and eat it.”

“Stop, Bobbie,” Coop said holding his side. “I can’t breathe.”

The smile she’d been hiding claimed her face. She desperately wanted to rub her backside, but instead, she rocked side-to-side in an attempt to get the circulation going again.

The thud of hoofbeats drew their attention to the top of the ridge. Calves herded by the wranglers appeared at the crest and plunged down the slope into the creek. Her groan escaped before she could rein it in.

Coop sent her a teasing grin. “Stoke the fire. Here comes supper.” He headed toward the empty corral. “I’ll get the gate.”

“Thanks, Coop.” Jace turned to her. “Why don’t you take care of Mack and then head to the house? I want to talk to Dew a bit and I’ll be in as well.”

“You won’t get an argument from me.” She was already walking away.

“I didn’t think I would.”

She took plenty of time caring for Mack while telling him he had
worked harder than any of the others. His head dipped lower and lower while she ran the brush over his back.

Her one-sided conversation with Mack continued until Jace entered the barn. He leaned against the stall opposite Mack’s, his gaze soft and his hat pushed back on his head. She kept on brushing.
It’s his barn after all
, she reasoned. Why shouldn’t he stand there if he wanted, his arms crossed and looking for all the world like he felt at ease.

“Do you always talk to your horse?”

She glanced at him before returning her attention to the task at hand. “Yes.”

“You’ve done a good job training him. He really knows his business.”

She shrugged. “He’s a good horse.”

An awkward silence fell between them. Jace cleared his throat. “Annie has supper about ready.”

She set down the brush, fished for a lump of sugar in her coat pocket, and said a quiet good night. After patting Mack’s neck, she followed Jace to the house.

The washroom sat just off the kitchen, and she stepped inside to clean up. The tub in the corner looked inviting. A hot bath would do wonders for her sore muscles and the smudges of dirt and sweat the mirror revealed.

Jace leaned against the door frame waiting for her to finish. “If you’d like, I could help bring in water for a bath tonight.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

Jace inclined his head, his gaze questioning.

Questioning what? The fact that his offer surprised me?
Surely he realized she didn’t know many gentlemen. She smiled and walked past him into the kitchen to offer Annie some help, but Annie had the food on the table and everyone sat waiting on them.

“I’m sorry.” Her glance encompassed the sea of faces that met her.

Annie nodded. “You look like you’ve had a long day.”

“Long enough.” Bobbie sat down beside Sara. “I think I’ll see and hear bawling calves in my sleep tonight.”

Ben giggled and imitated a frightened calf while everyone laughed.

“Did I hear Jace offer to help draw bath water?” Annie arranged her napkin in her lap and then looked up.

Bobbie remained silent, letting Jace answer for himself. She didn’t expect any favors. He reconfirmed his offer.

“Would you like me to help you wash your hair?”

“That would be wonderful.”

An hour later, she leaned back and relaxed in the hot water, relishing the feel of her muscles unwinding. Her eyelids drifted closed as the steam rolled off the surface. She blinked, trying to keep from succumbing to the urge to sleep.

She had stayed up late the night before, her mind going over the thoughts and plans her father had shared for a ranch. For many years she had watched Roy Simms and now observed the way Jace ran his place. She took notes on all she had learned, writing down each item she could recall, not stopping until the words blurred before her eyes.

The sound of the door opening startled her into wakefulness. Annie entered with a pail of warm water. “Are you ready?”

Annie washed Bobbie’s hair, then rinsed away the soap with the water in her pail.

“Bobbie, you have the most beautiful head of hair I’ve ever seen.”

She laughed at Annie’s remark. “Thank you.”

After dressing, Bobbie joined Annie at the kitchen table, where she waited with a steaming cup of black coffee. Annie pushed it toward her as Bobbie ran a brush through her tangled locks.

Annie set aside the newspaper she was reading and watched. Minutes later, she groaned. “I can’t stand it.” She took the brush from Bobbie and continued the job. “I can’t wait until Sara’s hair
is longer. I’ve dreamed of doing this with her like my mother did with me.”

An ache tore through Bobbie’s heart. No one had brushed her hair since her mother died. The memory was wonderful and excruciating at the same time.

“So, tell me about your trip from Boulder. How long did it take, and where all did you stay?”

Bobbie took a deep breath. “It took about ten days. I didn’t rush to get here. I’ve never been too far from home, so I wanted to take in the sights, do a little exploring.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Our parents took us on a trip to see more of the territory. I can’t imagine there’s a prettier place than right around here.”

She nodded. “I have to agree.”

“So what towns did you stay in?”

Too many questions
. “I didn’t stay in any towns.”

The brush stopped halfway down the length of her hair. “Why not?”

She sighed. “People who live in town have very little tolerance for women like me.”

“Women like you?” Annie turned Bobbie’s shoulders and peered into her face.

“Unfeminine women in trousers. Men can be rude, and women’s tongues often sting. The country held much more peace.” She traced a crack in the table with her thumbnail. “I only went into a town if I ran low on supplies. I own a couple old dresses just for trips into town, but I didn’t take the time to change into one.”

Annie remained quiet for several moments. “I’m sorry, Bobbie. I hate that that happened to you.” She hesitated a moment longer before moving the brush again.

Bobbie shrugged but stayed silent. The large clock ticking off the seconds clicked louder as each moment passed.

“What possessed you to leave the safety of the Simms Ranch
anyway? I can’t think of a single woman brave enough to venture out on her own like you did.”

“I don’t know if it was bravery or stupidity. Actually, I’m chasing a dream.”

When Bobbie didn’t say more, the brushing stopped again. “Now, Bobbie. You can’t just leave me hanging like that. Don’t make me wring this out of you.”

The humor in Annie’s voice made her laugh. “During the last couple years, my dad and I started talking about buying a ranch of our own. It began as a joke with the two of us stating what we’d do with our own place. We didn’t do much about the idea at first, but then the dream took hold of my dad. The more he talked, the more I wanted the same thing. He was to be the boss with me as his foreman.

“We’d always been careful with our money, but once we had something to save for, we watched every penny. We knew it would take less money to buy a small, established ranch than having to build from nothing, so Daddy started watching the papers for just the right place to come along.”