“I was afraid I might have spotty cell service on the highway tomorrow,” Tammy Dalton replied.
“I’m so glad you’re getting out of the house. A visit with Winston’s daughter in Punkin Center will be a nice road trip. I vaguely recall Winston having a daughter. I think she’s about twenty years older than I am so we never crossed paths in school. What’s her name?”
“Brenda,” Grandma said. “This will be my first time meeting her.”
“Punkin Center is almost halfway to Colorado Springs,” Tracy said. “It would be wonderful if you could talk Winston into extending your road trip another sixty miles.”
“He’s nodding,” Grandma told her.
“Great!” Tracy said and listened. “How long will you be staying with Brenda?” When her grandmother didn’t answer right away, she figured she was discussing it with Winston.
“Winston says a week, maybe two. Then we can head toward the Springs.”
“Grandma, the very best birthday gift you could give me is seeing you,” Tracy said, her heart feeling light and happy.
“For me, too,” Grandma said. There was another pause and then she asked, “Are you still on your ranch assignment?”
“Yes, and it’s been a thrilling experience.” Tracy knew it was Cash who made it thrilling. “I’m hoping Kirk Devereux, my boss, will extend my time to work on the story a few extra days so that I can interview additional members of the Cooper family.”
“Wonderful, sweetheart. I’m proud of you. I love you. Tracy.” Grandma’s voice broke.
“Hi, Tracy,” came Winston’s voice. “Your grandmother is overcome with happiness.”
“Me too,” Tracy said. “Thank you for talking her into a trip, and thanks in advance for bringing her to Colorado Springs.”
“My pleasure,” Winston said. “She and I are taking good care of each other.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I really appreciate it, Winston. I only have a one-bedroom apartment, but I want you both to stay with me when you get here. I can sleep on the sofa.”
“No, no. Don’t worry about me. I can sleep on the sofa, or the floor for that matter.”
“We’ll figure something out,” Tracy assured him, so grateful. Feeling guilty for misjudging him, she said, “Thank you so much, Winston. May I say goodbye to my grandma?”
He chuckled. “She’s waving, sniffling, and saying goodbye. We’ll see you in a couple of weeks, our Dalton Darling.”
“Okay! Great! See you when you get here. Grandma has my address, Winston.” Then more loudly she called into the phone, “Bye-bye, Grandma.”
The line went dead and Tracy held the phone to her heart. She’d see her grandmother soon. Everything was going to be okay. With a happy sigh, she looked at her few outfits, wondering what to wear for the evening. Deciding, she hurried into the shower. While shampooing her hair she wondered if Cash would stop by and walk her to supper. Itoccurred to her that he didn’t have her cell phone number. She needed to rectify that. For the sake of the magazine story. She smiled. Sure, for the magazine story. After shaving her skin smooth and rinsing away soap, she stepped out of the shower. Blowing her hair dry, she gathered it high on her head in a ponytail. With some mascara, blush, and lipstick she was ready to get dressed. Since riding was over for the day she had decided on a dress for a change. Casual, it was a snug, white sleeveless shirtdress that hit her above the knee. She snapped the turquoise buttons up the front and slid into a pair of white sandals.
She worked on the magazine article, leaving out the cot kerfuffle and adding the close call with the rattlesnake. Wondering how much longer it would be before Jacob, Donna, and the others returned from Turkey Pond, she took a break and wandered across the living room. At the window, overlooking the distance between the cabins and the back of Cash’s sprawling farmhouse, she imagined the area filled with friends, family, neighbors, guests, and wranglers. She was excited to meet Chase and Jade as well as Chloe and Derek and Cash’s little nieces and nephews.
Tracy hugged herself. As an only child raised in a ghost town by her grandparents, she longed for a big, extended family. She looked forward to having children. Two at least. She wondered if Cash wanted children. Oh for heaven’s sake, she’d known the man for four days. Even so, she smiled. As if thinking about Cash made him materialize, she saw him exiting the Western store. He held the door open for someone and then the woman named Rusty followed him outside. Wearing a cowboy hat and folding a bag under her arm, she grabbed his hand. Tracy’s smile faded, and she stood back from the window. Cash and the strawberry blonde walked away from the stables toward the front of Cash’s house.
Tracy’s entire body could not have been more jolted if she’d been snake-bit.
She stared but lost sight of Cash and the redhead as wranglers, guests, and horses returned from the overnight camping excursion. Ladies and gentlemen began dismounting. Eloise and Mavis, pulling the covered wagons, joined the horses at the water trough. The wranglers began gathering up reins, unhooking the mules, and leading the animals into the stables, no doubt to be fed and brushed.
No more sign of Cash. But when Tracy spotted Donna walking toward the cabin, she decided to avoid being trapped inside with her. She stepped onto the boardwalk in front of the cabins and waved to Jacob, Natasha, Michaela, and LeAnn. She’d go find Cristen in the café. Maybe she could use some help since Kellie had been out on the trail. Perhaps that would take her mind off Cash and Rusty. Unlikely.
“I thought we’d never get back,” Donna snapped, stomping toward Tracy.
“Are you not having fun?” Tracy asked, pausing for a minute.
“Not much,” she said, brushing dust from the trail off her jeans.
“Why did you push so hard to come along, Donna?” Tracy had wanted to ask her that question since before they left Colorado Springs. “Surely you knew what to expect.”
“Men?” Donna asked mockingly as if she should know that. “Ranchers and wranglers?”
