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  By end of day today, everyone would have heard that the Dunbars had severed ties with the Cranes. Since they all knew which side their bread was buttered on, I had no doubt where the chips would fall.

  Chapter 17

  CALEB

  To say hell broke loose is a minor understatement, but by the time we were finished with our pie and coffee, and bought her a couple pairs of boots, word had spread.

  Just what I expected to happen was already starting, as was to be expected in a small town. People who were known associates of the Cranes were already trying to distance themselves.

  It was no secret that more than a few people were tired of Cecily and her ways, but no one has ever had the nerve to call her out on her bullshit because of her daddy’s money.

  Now that I had got the ball rolling, they no longer felt the need to hold back it seems. My mom was the first to call and let me in on what was going on even before we got back to the ranch.

  “What’s going to happen to him?”

  “To who?” I had just switched off with mom and her twenty questions. Mom hates Cecily’s guts, so there was no hiding her glee. Her boy had done her dirty work for her since she’s too much the lady to tell that ass to get fucked.

  “That girls dad?”

  Crap, I’d used the speaker because I didn’t want to hold my phone while driving, especially not with her in the truck. Stupid me, the fact that she was hearing it all had gone right over my head.

  “That’s not for you to worry about. A man can’t very well run a company or anything else if he can’t even control his own family. If he’d taught his daughter how to be human what happened today wouldn’t have happened.”

  Mikey had left us alone, sensing that I needed to be alone with her I guess, so I didn’t have to curb my tongue or actions. I took her hand because she seemed worried about Crane. Soft hearted, that’s what she is. Little does she know; that I’d only just begun.

  Back at the house she did the girlie bit, trying on her stuff and squealing over each new outfit. She showed more excitement here than in the store, so I knew she really liked my choices. I left her when she headed for the kitchen to get dinner started, and closed myself off in my office.

  There were over twenty messages on my machine. Most of the old timers knew that I was going to be taking over from dad in the not too distant future.

  Some of them were already a little wary of that day coming, because I’m not my dad, and they know it, I like to do shit my way. I guess they were making sure their asses weren’t next. As long as they didn’t fuck with her they should be fine.

  I deleted most of them and chose a few that I knew would do the most good. I was on a mission. If I cut Cecily’s old man off at the knees, there will be no more designer wear and new car every year for her.

  If he wanted shit to go back to the way it was, he was going to have to reel her in in a big fucking way to appease me. I’d be more than willing to give him suggestions when he finally gets around to calling again, which I’m sure he would. His call was one of the first I’d deleted.

  When I was finished dropping hints in the right ears, I sat for a minute to gather my thoughts. Except for Cecily’s little attempt at sabotage, the day hadn’t been half bad.

  She hadn’t shown any fear at being away from the ranch and being around people, so I knew that my baby wasn’t scarred for life by what the asshole had done.

  Even though she had yet to share what exactly he’d done to her, the little Drake had told me was enough for me to get the picture. She doesn’t know it, but I’ve been studying her to get clues.

  Sometimes, in the last few days while she’s downstairs fussing around the kitchen, I’m up here on the computer reading whatever I can find about domestic abuse, and some of the signs of PTSD.

  So far she hasn’t shown any, but it was still early days yet. I wasn’t sure how long I should let her continue to keep her silence, but I didn’t want to hurt her by dragging it out of her.

  ***

  That night I held her just a little bit closer in bed and watched over her until I couldn’t fight sleep any longer. She was such a soft, delicate thing, that it was hard for me to imagine what had been done to her, and why.

  My eyes still grew moist when I thought of what she’d been through, and I made a few promises to her in my heart, that I would wipe his memory out for good one of these days.

  I fell asleep with the warm weight of her in my arms and her breath on my neck. All was almost right in my world; I was just biding my time, trying not to rush her, but I was ready to take that next step. I wonder if she’d think it was too soon to wear great grandma’s ring?

  ***

  In the morning I had to go to the south pasture to check on a sick heifer. I hated like hell to leave her, but she seemed okay since she had a lot to do or so she claimed.

  “I don’t expect you to babysit me Caleb.” I had my arms wrapped around her with her head resting on my chest as we stood in the kitchen.

  We’d just finished breakfast, which was the only meal we didn’t share with the others every day, but I was expecting that shit to change soon too. The first time one of them gives her a sad look, she’d cave. The fucks.

  “It’s not babysitting, I hate being away from you. The boys will be around in any case so you know what to do if you need something. I should be back in a few, I think I hear the vet’s old clinker pulling up outside. Give me your mouth.”

  I kissed the breath out of her before letting her go to get my hat. With one last look at her over my shoulder, I headed out.

  “Morning doc.”

  “Morning Caleb, heard tell you had some excitement in town yesterday.” Gossiping fuck.

  “You did did you?”

  “Yep, I saw your ma last night, me and the wife were over to the house for dinner.” Shit.

  “Doc don’t you think you’re a little old to be gossiping with my mama?”

  “Boy it’s not gossip, we were just shooting the breeze. For what it’s worth I think it’s about time somebody put that Crane girl in her place if you ask me, with her highfalutin ways.” He actually sniffed.

  “Doc we going after my sick cow or standing around here yapping like two old biddies?” The way his eyes were trained on the house, I knew what he was after; but I wasn’t quite ready for that yet.

  Taking her into town yesterday was a necessity, but I see now what I had to do, before I go introducing her around. Yes that was it, and why not?

  My heart felt lighter and I wore a stupid grin on my face as I clapped doc on his shoulder. “Let’s go old man. The sooner we get there the sooner we get back.”

  “You feeling okay boy?” he was giving me the squinty eyes.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “I don’t know but you’re grinning like a simpleton for no cotton picking reason at all.”

  “Oh there’s a reason alright.”

  I couldn’t wait to get back to her, and as soon as doc had finished taking care of the heifer that had just come up lame, we headed back.

  With my mind now made up I saw no need to put things off. I wasn’t worried about the timing or the fact that we hadn’t known each other that long. I knew all I needed to know, and if she weren’t on the same page, I’d just have to see to it that she is.

  I almost lost my new happiness when we pulled up to the house and I saw the condition of my yard. At first I thought maybe a stallion had gotten out of the stall, or maybe Brutus.

  My heart all but stopped at the thought and I was about to call out for her, but then I heard the boys and knew that if anything had happened to her they would’ve found me.

  They were alerted by the sound of the engine and came to meet me to ask after the heifer. After exchanging a few words with doc I said goodbye to him and turned my glare on the lot of them.

  “Who the fuck dug up my yard?” I asked before they could speak. My front yard looked like the aftermath of a twister.

  “We did b
oss, we’re making a garden for Ms. Amanda.” Diego was carrying a bag of what looked like special soil.

  “Come again?”

  “Yeah, roses.” Mikey had another sack of some shit thrown over his shoulder.

  “Since when? How come when I said I wanted to plant a garden you fucks hemmed and hawed and acted all put upon? Now you’ve gone and dug up half my yard.”

  “Boss seriously, that’s some female shit, it wouldn’t have looked right, but now with Ms. Amanda here, it’s okay.”

  “That shit don’t make no damn sense boy; what kinda roses did you get?” I didn’t want anyone else getting her flowers dammit.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean what kind of rose did you buy?” I was being an ass for sure, but who can blame me? They’re always showing me up in front of my girl.

  “Pink ones.” He nodded his head at me like I should know the answer, like I didn’t know that pink was my woman’s favorite color.

  “I didn’t ask you what color you ass, I said what kind?”

  “You mean there’s more than one?”

  “What the fuck? Did any of you clowns even bother asking her what kind she likes?”

  “Boss we got a few of ‘em so no worries.” Diego dropped his sack on the ground at my feet.

  “Are they all the same species?” They looked at me like I was nuts.”

  “Look boss I was talking to Ms. Amanda a couple days ago and I got out of her that she’s always wanted a garden of her own but never had the chance...”

  Just then she came slamming out the backdoor with her hair wild around her shoulders and her face pink from the heat in the kitchen.

  “Look Ms. Amanda, we’ve dug the garden for you, all you have to do is put in your rose bushes, later the boys and I’ll get you some peonies and that other stuff you said you liked.”

  “Oh Simon you did all this?”

  Simon? What the fuck? I folded my arms and raised my brow at him the sneak, trying to steal my woman with fucking dirt.

  “Come here Amanda.” My voice didn’t give anything away but still she looked at me with a surprised look on her face. It didn’t help that the assholes started laughing one after the other.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that you wanted a garden baby?” I spoke softly so that our nosy audience wouldn’t hear.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know they would do this, I can put it back the way it was if...”

  “Don’t be silly of course you can have your garden. Is there anything else you’re keeping from me?”

  “No.” she relaxed and my heart hurt a little at the idea that someone had denied her something as simple as a garden.

  “Are you sure sugar?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.” She seemed so excited over such a small thing it made me wonder what else she’d been denied in her young life.

  “You fools can get back to what you were doing, I’ll take it from here.” I’ll take care of their asses later for trying to show me up in front of my girl again.

  “I have something to take care of before we get started, give me five minutes.” I kissed her forehead before heading inside.

  I rolled my eyes as I punched in the number because I could already imagine how this particular conversation would go.

  “Mama I need a favor. Now what we’re about to discuss doesn’t go any farther than the two of us until I say different, well except dad, you’re going to tell him anyway.

  “What is it son, you sick?”

  “No mama don’t freak, no this is good news. I need great grandma’s engagement ring.” I had to move the phone away from my ear at her scream. So much for keeping it quiet. I’m pretty sure she’d just alerted the whole household.

  “When, who, oh my you have to bring her home to meet your dad and I.” She started rattling off all the things I had to do and I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

  “Mama calm down, I haven’t asked her yet, I plan to as soon as I get the ring. I don’t want what happened yesterday happening again ever...”

  “Oh we’ll have a summer wedding, next year. It’s the earliest we can do with such short notice.”

  “It’s summer now what’re you saying? That I have to wait a whole year before I can make her mine? That’s not gonna work. By next summer you’ll be holding one grandkid with another on the way.”

  “Really Caleb Dunbar, the poor girl isn’t one of your breeding heifers. Did she agree to this?”

  “Did dad ask your permission?”

  “That’s different as you well know. Your dad and I are from another time, things are done differently these days.”

  “I don’t think so, have Reeves run the ring over.”

  “Oh but...”

  “Not yet mama, I want her to be a little more confident when I let you lot loose on her. My ring on her finger should take care of that.

  Not to worry mama, you’re going to throw her the biggest party this town ever saw, I want you to pull out all the stops. I’m gonna get some ideas from her, secretly of course, I want it to be a surprise but it must be soon, can you handle that?”

  “Of course, but you know if I do up her engagement more than your sister in law’s there will be no peace in the family for quite some time.”

  She said it almost jokingly but I heard the ring of truth in her words. “Whatever you did for her I want double for Amanda. It’s her right as the wife of the eldest son after all isn’t it?”

  I said that shit playfully too, but my mom knows me, so I’m sure she knew I was serious as a judge.

  I wasn’t about to let anyone make her feel like she did yesterday, ever again. As soon as I put my ring on her hand things are gonna change around here.

  It’s not like we spend a lot of time in town, but it’s not like we lived a million miles away either. There were plenty of folks who’ve been dying to see the inside of my place.

  I’m sure Amanda would love to throw some of those fancy parties mama’s known for. I just have to run it past the boys first, make sure they won’t shoot the guests on sight seeing as how they have no fucking manners.

  We exchanged a little small talk before ringing off. I felt even better when I left my office to head back outside to plant flowers with my girl.

  Tonight, if all goes well, she will be wearing my ring before bedtime. I just have to figure out a way to trap her where there’s no escape, and no, I’m not above that shit if it’ll get me what I want in this situation.

  She was already knee deep in dirt and the same jackasses who had sworn to me that they didn’t know the first thing about planting flowers were right there with her. I should’ve known.

  I felt too good to let it get to me though, so I just muscled Mikey out of the way from next to her, and took over. “Shit, I forgot.”

  I dusted off my hands and went back in to the downstairs bathroom. I came back out and knelt beside her again. “Let me see your face.” I placed the hat that I’d brought out for her on the ground so I could open the tube of sunscreen and plaster her face and shoulders, before putting the hat on her head.

  “In a little bit the sun’s gonna be hot as a bitch I don’t want you to burn.”

  “Aw ain’t that sweet. Can I have some too boss?” Alex the ass made cow eyes at me and I had to throw a clump of dirt at his head.

  She laughed so hard she almost toppled over in the dirt. She finds joy in the silliest of things; it makes her laugh infectious. And the look that passed between me and the guys said it all. Our girl was coming along just fine. The asshole was all but forgotten.

  Chapter 18

  Mom came through and Reeves dropped by the house an hour or so later. Amanda was mesmerized by the over starched Brit in the middle of ranch country.

  She listened to his voice like he was singing opera and the old coot was eating it up, until the boys got jealous and ran him off. I guess she just had that kind of affect on the opposite sex; she makes them all stupid, including me.

  Now that I had the r
ing I wasn’t feeling so sure. We’d only known each other for a short time. I hadn’t even told her that I loved her yet. Though she slept in my arms every night, I hadn’t done anything more than kiss her breathless.

  Sure those kisses had grown hotter and wilder with time, but there as so much more I wanted to share with her. It wasn’t that I was afraid to touch her. I was just trying to give her more time.

  She was running from a traumatic experience after all, I mustn’t forget that. But neither was I willing to let that rule the rest of our lives, hers or mine.

  We’d shared enough of ourselves with each other that I knew she was the one for me and I had no plans on ever letting her go. I’ve been doing little things here and there to show her my heart, while trying not to move too soon and scare her away.

  She had even grown used to feeling my morning wood rubbing against her first thing in the morning, since I’d stopped trying to hide it from her; and I’ve been kind of gentling her to my touch of an evening when we sat in the den necking while the TV ran in the background.

  While she made lunch I sat at the table watching her move around the room. She was going on and on about the garden and how pretty it was going to be and I wondered if she realized she was planning for a future here on the ranch.

  She’d already accepted subconsciously at least, that this was home. This was good and will add to my argument later when I try convincing her to marry me.

  What the fuck am I saying? Hadn’t I promised myself that I wouldn’t do this, that I wouldn’t let her past dictate our future? Maybe I wasn’t doing her any favors by holding back.

  If she were anyone else maybe I could see doing that. But she was strong, stronger than I’d first thought, and besides, she had to know that her new man was stronger than the old and was willing to stand in front of her, to protect her.

  “Baby put that down and come here a minute.” She’d already taken a peach cobbler from the oven and her beans had been slow cooking she said, since this morning.

  She was about to put the corn bread in and there was chicken waiting to be smothered. The pigs will be here soon for their feeding so I’d better make this quick.