Polly Carson stuck her leather
work gloves in the back of her faded Levis. She sat back on her heels,
surveying the row of tomato plants she had just mulched. Rubbing the ache in
her lower back reminded her she wasn’t twenty anymore. Looking at her
surroundings, she wouldn’t change life on Grace Star Ranch for anything in the
world. Working the land in Montana had been a dream come true, and it put her
in close proximity to Clint Goodman, the only man who made her heart skitter in
her chest with just a smile. Not that he even recognized her. No one could. But
she knew he had a good heart. What person would happen along, find a woman so
badly broken that he’d stay with her, and even visit her in the hospital? She remembered
little about those first days, but she remembered his voice, the deep dimples,
and sable-brown eyes, and the way he talked about his home, Grace Star Ranch,
had sounded like heaven on earth.
She touched her face, picturing
her reflection in the mirror. The plastic surgeon had done an amazing job of
putting her back together. The only scars that remained were on the inside. She
shook off the darkness that threatened to obscure the July sunshine and stood
up. This morning she woke in a cold sweat, her heart racing from the same
nightmare she’d had for the last three years. She was running and her feet gave
way, sliding down a rocky embankment. Helpless. Ending in a heap at the bottom
of a ravine. But it hadn’t been a dream. It had been what brought her to this
point, even though she remembered nothing after she had breakfast until they
found her. Until Clint found her. Even now, her heart pounded in her chest as
it tightened with the familiar panic. Taking several deep cleansing breaths,
she reminded herself nothing would get done dwelling on the past. She knew
better than anyone life could change in an instant.
The sound of someone calling her
name interrupted her thoughts. Annie, the owner of the ranch and her boss, was
headed in her direction.
“Morning,” she called out. “How’s
things going out here?” She popped her hands on her hips and took in the
massive garden. “It’s amazing what you’ve done in just a year.” She bent over
and tore off a lettuce leaf, inspecting it, and then popping it in her mouth.
“Nothing like from garden to mouth.”
Polly liked Annie. Her openness
and willingness to listen and implement new ideas was just one reason working
here was the best job she’d ever had. “The critters would devour the lettuce if
we hadn’t installed that fencing.”
“I’m glad Clint and the boys
could get it done before everything grew.”
Polly turned away so Annie
couldn’t see her cheeks get pink at the mere mention of his name. “Chicken wire
did the trick, that’s for sure.”
“Tell me, what’s the scoop with
these tomato plants? They’re already a foot tall and deep green, nothing like
what I saw down at The Trading Post a few days ago.”
“I grew these in the greenhouse.
We’ve got a grape variety and ones that will ripen in our short growing season.
Quinn’s already thinking about how many quarts he can process for the
winter.”
Annie shuddered. “We just got
over that season. I’m not ready to start thinkin’ about snow.” Her soft twang
only came out occasionally, but Polly liked it.
With a soft laugh, she said, “It’s
part of growing food. We need to think about the harvest and preserving it.
Besides, we have a pleasant summer coming up since our spring has been warm.
It’s a good indicator we’re in for a stretch of sunny days ahead.”
“Do you think you’ll have enough
greenhouse space to grow even more for next year? With the resort having a soft
opening in the fall, I’m hopeful we will book the cabins solid next summer.”
Annie had part of the ranch under
construction with six family-style cabins and an expansion to the horse stable.
Her plan was to add a dude ranch resort as an offshoot of the cattle business.
Daphne, her friend from Boston, had moved out to run it.
“Not to worry, I’m using this
year’s harvest as a gauge of what we’ll need to expand for next year. Feeding
the ranch hands and preserving what we can is a part of the overall plan. You’ll
need to decide how meals will run for the resort, are guests eating with the
hands, or is there a separate dining hall? If Jed’s going to oversee
everything, then he has ideas about the menu. I guess what I’m saying is, it’s
an open-ended discussion until we know if Quinn is the head chef or if you are
having two separate kitchens.”
Annie tapped her chin with her
index finger and turned her head in the direction of the dining hall. “I’ve
been putting off this conversation long enough. I’ll run down and talk to Quinn
this morning. I was hoping he’d come to me and ask for the head chef job, but
maybe he’s waiting for me to offer it.” With a shake of her head, she grinned.
“He’s strong and silent like a few of our men around here.”
Polly instantly thought of Clint.
He was the strong, silent type, steady as her heartbeat, well, until he
occupied space with her, and then her heart thumped wildly. She really needed
to stop crushing on that man. “And you have a few raucous ones
down there, too. Clint had Zak Dawson up helping with the fence and all he did
was crack jokes.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Clint or
Zak?”
Her cheeks grew warm. “Zak’s the
funny man of that duo.” But Clint had the occasional one-liner that cracked her
up, too. Not that she was about to tell Annie that.
“Zak’s a good man and even better
with the horses. He probably tires of not having people to talk with, so he
makes up for it.” Annie gave her a sharp look. “Clint’s got a good sense of
humor. He just keeps it on the down low until he really gets to know
someone.”
She dipped her head and looked at
Annie. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Hey, can you do me a favor
before you head out?” Annie glanced back at the main house. “Mary’s a little
tired today. Would you cut some lettuce and if there are radishes, harvest some
for dinner tonight and drop them at the house? I have to run into town and I’d
feel better knowing someone had laid eyes on her while I’m gone.”
“Is she alright?”
“If you ask her, yes, still
running this place like my Pops were still alive. But she picked up a cold, and
it’s settled in her chest, and we both know Mary, stubborn as a mule about
resting. She’ll be down here when she gets ready to fix dinner, getting what
she can and well…” Her voice trailed off.
Polly saw the tears well up and
then get blinked away from Annie’s eyes. “Consider it done. Maybe we can have
tea together and I can pick her brain about her success with the garden all
these years.”
“I tried to tell her I’d”—she
gave a sheepish grin and shrugged her shoulders—“well, Linc would cook tonight,
but she insists on fixing supper.”
“My grandma was just like Mary,
never wanting help. At least Mary’s relinquished most of the gardening to me.
She even allowed me to work in her flower gardens.”
Annie placed a warm hand on
Polly’s arm. “I really appreciate your patience with Mary. She’s the only
family I have left.”
“We all love her, so stop
worrying. I can pop in whenever for a quick glass of water.” She patted the
small walkie-talkie on her hip. “And you can reach me anytime.”
Polly would do just about
anything for Annie and her family. After all, if it wasn’t for the woman
standing in front of her, Polly wouldn’t be living her dream or live in close
proximity to the man who had saved her life. One of these days, she needed to
fess up and tell him who she was and thank him.
“I got lucky when Jeremy
introduced us at The Trading Post.”
Polly swallowed the lump in her
throat; she knew exactly what Annie meant. It was a fresh start for both of
them—Annie taking over the family’s ranch and her working at the ranch. They
were both building a new life from the ground up.
“Hey, how often is a gardener
given the chance to start an entire operation literally from just a patch of
land and an idea?”
Annie shrugged. “Like every spring?”
“Nope, this land needed to be
cultivated and coaxed back into life. We’ve added compost and fertilizer,
turned in nutrients, and let the magic of nature work over the winter.” Much
like her transformation as she worked the land, it restored her faith that the
future was bright. She had left the withered version of herself on that hiking
trail.
“You did the work.” Annie gave
her a bright smile.
In more ways than just the plot
of land in front of them. “Thanks, Annie. All I needed was the opportunity.”
Her smile grew. “Oh, look,
there’s Clint and Linc.”
The two cowboys headed in their
direction. Clint was taller and thinner than his boss, who was also Annie’s
husband, but they both had dark hair and the muscles of a hard-working cowboy.
That’s where the similarities ended. Linc’s smile was quick and easy, whereas
Clint’s was slow and guarded. He was slowly getting comfortable around her, but
it had puzzled Polly why.
“Ladies,” Linc said and pecked
his wife’s lips. “I thought I’d find you out here, Annie.”
“Actually, I was talking with
Polly about plans for next year, and then I’m on my way down to see
Quinn.”
Clint gave Polly a half grin.
“Gotta feel sorry for the cook. Once Annie says she’s gonna talk to someone,
that means they’d best be prepared to make some decisions.”
Although her tongue felt like she’d
trip over it if she spoke, she laughed and then said, “I think I’d been in that
same position last year.”
He pushed his Stetson back on his
head and gave her a rare, wide smile. “And look how that turned out. We’re now
eating better than ever, thanks to your skills.”
She could feel the flush rise in
her cheeks and she eked out, “That’s nice of you to say.”
“Wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean
it.” Clint’s deep drawl made her toes curl in her work boots.
Polly could feel Annie’s eyes
watching them as they bantered. She chanced a quick look, and Annie’s eyes
widened with laughter. But it left her questions unasked. Polly was sure that
would be a topic of conversation when they talked later.
“Linc, why don’t we head down to
the dining hall? I think Polly was going to ask Clint for some help with
something.” Annie gave Polly a sly wink and slipped her arm through her husband’s.
“Clint, after you’re done up
here, can you stop down at the horse barn and check on things there? I have
some things to go over with Annie in the office.”
Polly noticed the glint in Linc’s
eyes and if she were to hazard a guess, this was part of Annie and Linc’s
not-so-subtle way of playing matchmaker.
“You got it, and then I’m gonna
check on the new calves. Doc Howard will be making a quick trip out later
too.”
“Good.” Linc took Annie’s hand
and with a smile in Polly’s direction and a curt nod to Clint, he said, “Take
all the time Polly needs to get whatever done.”
When they were out of earshot,
Clint stuck his hands in his front pockets and rocked back in his boots. He was
studying Polly carefully. “So, how can I help you?”
