The Rancher's Lullaby (Glades County Cowboys) Read online

  “I’ve been givin’ some thought to what comes next,” he began. “What with Randy and Royce due home this winter, I was thinkin’ I probably ought to start looking for a new job.”

  Ty’s head swung toward him. “I thought you were doing fine here. What’s the rush?”

  Stifling a pang of regret that his time on the ranch was drawing to a close, Garrett squared his shoulders. “It won’t take all three of us to manage the Circle P.”

  “What makes you think your brothers will actually show up this time?”

  Garrett switched the reins to his free hand and wiped a sweaty palm on his Wranglers as he considered the unexpected question. “They said they’d be here after the first of the year. Soon as they finish out their contract in Montana.”

  Ty shook his head. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve heard nothing but good things about how well the twins are doing up north. But they were supposed to show up twice now—when Colt left and again when Hank did. Both times they found some reason to stay put. Maybe they aren’t as keen about coming to Florida as everyone else thinks.”

  The high-pitched whine of cicadas broke the stillness. Garrett let his voice drop. “At Dad’s funeral, they swore they wanted to come home and run the Circle P.”

  From beneath his cowboy hat, Ty’s gaze honed in. “When a loved one passes, people tend to make rash promises. Now that some time has passed and they’ve thought about it, managing the Circle P might not be what they want to do with their lives.”

  Garrett thought for a moment. He’d made a few empty promises of his own after Arlene’s death. Was it possible the twins had, too?

  Ty leaned forward to comb his fingers through Ranger’s mane. “What about you? You want the job?”

  “More than anything,” Garrett managed thickly. He wouldn’t argue with his brothers’ right to walk in their father’s bootsteps, but yeah, he wanted to stay put. To carry on the traditions of a long line of Judds. He tried out the words until he knew they were right and cleared his throat. “If it turns out they have other plans, I’d like to stay on...permanently.”

  “Talk to your brothers, then. As for me, the job’s yours as long as you want it.” Ty straightened. Up ahead, the first of the cattle and riders broke into a clearing that led the way to the corrals by the bunkhouse.

  Before the Circle P’s owner could spur his horse to the front of the line, Garrett blurted, “Think it’d be okay if LJ and I moved into the little house? The one Colt and Emma refurbished?”

  When Ty gave the matter about two seconds’ thought before shrugging his approval, Garrett took a breath and added, “Would you have any objection if I asked someone to move in with me? Not right away. Down the road a bit. If things go the way I think they will...”

  “You and Lisa?” That snagged his friend’s attention, and the man settled back into his saddle. “So it’s like that, is it?”

  “Yeah.” Garrett grinned.

  “Huh. Didn’t see that one coming.” Ty expelled a breath. His expression shifted into a smile. “If she makes you happy, I hope it all works out for you.”

  “Me, too.” He nodded. The feeling that he’d missed some hint or failed to catch a signal during his last visit with Lisa still nagged at him. He shoved it aside. Like every new couple, they’d have a few bumps to get past. It was part of what made new love so much fun. That, and the sex. He coughed.

  “What’s she think about moving this far away from town?” Ty asked.

  “It’s early yet. I haven’t asked her.” Hadn’t, in fact, ever taken her out on a date. Not a real one. To someplace with linen tablecloths and candles. But that was an oversight he’d correct as soon as the roundup ended. Grinning, Garrett tipped his hat back. With the prospect of permanent employment, a woman and a son he loved, things looked a whole lot brighter than they had a few months ago. Touching his heels to Gold’s sides, he moved on, suddenly eager to get the cattle settled in their pens and set his plans for the future in motion.

  * * *

  IN LISA’S ARMS, LJ pointed beyond the screen door. “Orse-y! Orse-y!”

  “Horse,” Lisa murmured, her stomach sinking as Josh tied a gelding named Dusty to the hitching post outside the kitchen door. An unexpected frisson of nervous energy passed through her. She fought it down, telling herself she should expect a few butterflies. After all, it had been months since her last performance. This time, though, she had bigger concerns than appearing before a group. How would Garrett react when he learned her secret? The question echoed, refusing to be ignored.

  “You ready, Miss Lisa? Should I get Lady for you?” The young ranch hand stood on the cement porch, his weight shifting from one booted foot to the other.

  “I’ve already loaded my gear in the back of the ATV, Josh.” Lisa hugged LJ to her chest before reluctantly settling the boy into his high chair. “I guess it’s time to go.”

  At the counter, Doris sliced cleanly through a palm heart. “It’s not too late to change your mind. If you decided not to go on the roundup, I’m sure Ty would understand.” Barely looking up, she continued chopping.

  Lisa smoothed LJ’s dark hair. “Why would I do that? I’m looking forward to it.” Not that she wanted to perform full-time anymore. No, her days having to glance at her booking schedule to know what city she was in, those days were over. She’d found her niche in the music shop. Just as she’d found everything else she’d ever wanted in Okeechobee.

  “You weren’t feeling all that great on Sunday.” Doris lowered the butcher knife. She aimed a pointed glance toward Lisa’s midsection.

  “Oh, that.” Lisa waved a hand dismissively. “Like I said, I’m pretty sure it was something I ate.” That was her story, and she was sticking to it. She wasn’t about to confess that she was carrying Garrett’s baby. Not before she told Garrett. So far, she hadn’t found the words. Or the time. Certainly not on Sunday evening. She’d planned to tell him one day this week but, busy with preparations for the roundup, Garrett had skipped the jam Tuesday night. At their final practice, he’d been all thumbs and as jumpy as a metronome set at two hundred beats per minute.

  So, no. She hadn’t been able to tell him about the baby. But she would. She had to. There was no sense trying to hide a secret like the one she carried in a town the size of Okeechobee. Garrett was a smart guy. He’d do the math. Besides, a man deserved to know he was a father. Whether he’d intended to become one or not.

  At the screen door, Josh cleared his throat. “Miss Lisa, you sure you want to take the ATV? Might take us a bit longer to get where we’re going, but it’d be quieter on horseback. We wouldn’t disturb the birds.” The ranch hand swept his hat from his head.

  Lisa aimed her friendliest smile toward the wrangler who, according to Garrett, had shown more interest in the migratory birds than the cattle. While she hated to let her escort down, she had little choice in the matter. Hoping the young man wouldn’t insist, she said, “I’d be a lot more comfortable in the ATV.”

  Though Lisa read disappointment in Josh’s narrow shoulders, he only plopped his hat back on his head and issued a polite, “Whatever you say, ma’am.”

  He quickly led Dusty back to the barn. By the time he returned, she’d settled herself in the passenger seat of the sturdy four-wheeler that had been outfitted to look like a covered wagon. The ranch hand slid behind the wheel of the vehicle parked beneath the shade tree and started the engine. Just beyond the first set of gates, though, Josh slowed.

  “Look right there,” he said, pointing. “See those little piles?”

  Following his aim, Lisa spotted a dozen mounds of rich black dirt in the tall green grass.

  “Burrowing owls make those.” Josh’s voice rose above the engine’s noisy rumbles. “They’re on the endangered list.”

  She scanned the area and shook her head. “I don’t see any owls. Did we scare them away?”

  “Nah, they’re nocturnal. They’ll be out hunting tonight. They’re real good at helping keep the insect population
under control. Their nests can be ten, twelve feet deep.”

  As Josh put the ATV in motion again, she squinted over her shoulder at the mounds. What if Lady had stepped in one of the holes while they were riding through the pasture? Glad she’d made the decision to forego the horseback ride, no matter how leisurely, she settled into her seat.

  They bumped along the deeply rutted trail for thirty minutes or more before Josh lifted his chin to the flocks of sparrows and smaller birds that wheeled and turned in the sky overhead. “They’re on their way to their nests near the lake. That’s where the bunkhouse is. We’re almost there.”

  The sun had dipped below the tops of the trees by the time they rounded a corner and pulled into a clearing. At one end stood a two-story bunkhouse built of sturdy cedar. A short distance from the temporary living quarters, hand-hewn logs formed a large circle around an open fire pit. In the distance, a dozen or more long-horned cattle milled about in roomy pens. Before she had time to take in more of her surroundings, Josh stood at her side.

  “Let me help you, ma’am,” he said, offering his hand. Once she’d exited the vehicle, the young man hefted her instruments and bag from the storage area. Inside the spacious bunkhouse, Josh headed for the stairs while Lisa paused to get her bearings. The good smells of wholesome food drifted in the air. Her stomach rumbled as she surveyed the ranch hands and guests who ate at wooden tables.

  She knew the instant Garrett spotted her. Even from across the crowded room, she noted the way his shoulders loosened and his eyes warmed. Or they did until Josh leaned in to whisper something that sent a shadow skittering across Garrett’s face. Lisa straightened as the rancher strode toward her. She’d hoped the man she loved would sweep her into his embrace, but he planted his feet out of reach. He leaned down, his eyes full of questions.

  “You didn’t come on horseback. You aren’t still shaken up on account of Puck, are you?”

  “No. Not at all.” Frankly, she hadn’t given the scare more than, oh, an hour or two of thought since it happened. Instead, it was the hastily arranged appointment with an ob-gyn that tipped the scales in favor of the ATV. Along with a prescription for prenatal vitamins and advice on controlling morning sickness, the doctor had advised caution.

  “This isn’t the time to take up a new sport. Your balance will be all out of whack for the next few months. Let the horseback riding go until after the baby comes. Which will be—” the woman in the white coat had consulted her laptop “—May 7. Give or take two weeks.”

  Marking the date on her calendar had made things real in a way a dozen home pregnancy tests hadn’t. Her head swimming, Lisa instantly decided to err on the side of safety. There’d be no more riding lessons, no caffeine, no alcohol—not for the duration of the pregnancy.

  Looking up at Garrett, she toyed with her braid to keep her fingers from stretching over a belly that would soon begin to swell with their baby. An uneasy shiver passed through her. She bit her lower lip. Considering the tragic outcome with Arlene, she understood why he wouldn’t want another child. He hadn’t wanted much to do with LJ at first, either, but now the boy couldn’t ask for a more devoted father. Wouldn’t Garrett change his mind about this baby, too?

  She let her smile deepen. “Don’t worry. We’ll pick up our horseback riding lessons again. Just not this week.”

  Or the next. Or the one after that. How’s next summer sound?

  “You sure that’s all?” Garrett stared down at her, his blue eyes probing.

  Swallowing an urge to confess, she stuck with a simple explanation. “No matter how big or small the crowd, I run through the lyrics and chords before every performance. I couldn’t do that and pay attention to a horse at the same time, so I asked Josh to drive me here.”

  The reminder that she was there to perform with him sent a different kind of tension through the tall rancher. Garrett gave an exaggerated shiver. “I’m as jumpy as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”

  Lisa’s heart melted a little at the nervous edge in his voice. The man stopped runaway horses. He’d won gold buckles for lasting eight seconds on a bucking bronc. A little stage fright was normal, but he’d do fine. She reached for his forearm and gave the steely muscles a squeeze. “Don’t be. You’re going to do great. Just think of it as playing in the living room in the Circle P...only outside...and with a few guests. We’ll have fun.”

  He rolled his shoulders. “If you say so,” he said, looking unconvinced. “But you should stay close. I might need to be reminded.”

  Sticking to Garrett’s side wasn’t exactly a hardship, Lisa decided as she glimpsed the teasing light in his eyes. He led the way toward the buffet line where, apparently, his nervousness didn’t affect his appetite. While she chose vegetables and a healthy salad, the rancher loaded his tray with steak, Brunswick stew and a large piece of butter-slathered cornbread. Choosing a table with room for two more, they chatted with guests while they ate the delicious meal.

  Garrett soon left to confer with Ty, and the other guests scattered. At loose ends, Lisa joined a youngster of eight or ten in a game of checkers while she waited for their performance. The last rays of sunshine had disappeared below the horizon when Garrett appeared at her elbow.

  “It’s time,” he said. “Most everybody’s outside.”

  “I have to go on out to the campfire now,” she told the boy, whose crooked grin made her wonder what LJ would look like when he got older. “Why don’t you find your folks and have them bring you out in a minute? I think there’ll be s’mores in a bit.”

  The boy’s face lit up, the checker game forgotten in his haste to find his parents. She and Garrett grabbed their instruments and headed outside. There the Circle P’s guests and ranch hands had saved a spot for them on the logs surrounding a crackling fire. Once they were settled on the smooth, aged wood, Garrett strummed the opening bars of their first number without introduction or fanfare. At his signal, Lisa launched into a verse of the song about a boy pining for a lost love. She nodded as Garrett matched her note for note, chord for chord, his accompaniment every bit as good as the professionals she’d worked with in the past.

  The applause when they finished reminded her of one of the reasons she loved having an audience, but it was easy to see that Garrett didn’t expect it. He beamed, his eyes conveying what she’d expected all along—that the practice and time they’d spent together had been worth every minute. With a slight bow, he kicked off another song. The next couple of numbers were fast-paced and fun, and soon the crowd clapped and sang along with the music. They kept things lively for an hour or more, not slowing until Chris brought out the makings for s’mores.

  At last, Lisa propped her banjo on the log beside her. “Time for me to take a break,” she whispered. “Want me to bring you some water or a glass of iced tea?”

  She brushed her hand along the rancher’s shoulder while she marveled at her luck. She’d never have guessed six months ago that she’d find everything she’d ever wanted in small-town Okeechobee. But she had it all in Garrett, LJ and the miracle baby she carried. More than anything, she wanted to give her child the permanence, stability and roots she’d craved when she was growing up.

  Only one thing stood in her way. She had to tell Garrett the secret she carried.

  * * *

  IN THE MIDDLE of the song, Garrett’s attention snagged on the two youngsters who sat opposite him. The older of the boys trapped a melted marshmallow between graham crackers and slivers of chocolate. Carefully he slid the tip of a long stick from the messy treat and handed the s’more to his younger brother. The smaller boy stuffed the whole thing into his mouth. Grinning a chocolate smile, he dug into a bag of marshmallows and poked a fresh ball on the end of his big brother’s stick.

  Twang.

  Garrett winced at the sour note. Concentrating, he forced his attention back to the song he was supposed to be leading while Lisa made a quick trip to the ladies’ room. He shifted, uncomfortable despite his perch on
a hand-hewn log that time and countless use had weathered to a smooth finish. Try as he might, he couldn’t wrestle his thoughts away from the scene that reminded him so much of his own childhood.

  He played the closing bars of one song, then launched into the next, willing himself to think of something else. If anything, he should be thinking of where to take Lisa on their first official date. Lightsey’s was the obvious choice. The seafood house served the best fried catfish in the state. Locals crowded the tables beneath mounted deer heads and trophy fish. Once he showed up there with Lisa on his arm, the whole town would buzz with news that they were dating. He’d ask her tonight, after everyone else turned in for the evening.

  Across the campfire, the family polished off the last of their s’mores. The father draped his arms around the shoulders of his boys while Garrett sang a funny song about fishing for crawdads. As the song came to a close, he spotted Lisa on her way back from the bunkhouse. His stomach tightened when he noticed Steve walking beside her. The wannabe cowboy had paid a pretty penny to spend a week fighting mosquitoes and rain squalls on a fall roundup. Though nothing about Lisa’s body language said she was interested in their guest, Garrett couldn’t ignore the way his heart stuttered when she angled her head back, laughing at something the other man said. The move stirred every possessive bone in Garrett’s body, plus a few he hadn’t been sure he had. He bent over his guitar, his teeth clenched, as Lisa took her seat beside him.

  “You know, you’re pretty good.” Steve levered himself onto the log with Lisa wedged between them. “Ever think of singing professionally?”

  At the clueless question, Garrett tried not to roll his eyes. He forced his way into the conversation. “Lisa was the lead singer in a band called ’Skeeter Creek. Ever hear of them?”