CHAPTER FIVE
Richard had changed, Savannah mused. Although dusty from the road and weary to the bone, he’d acquired a look of sophistication she hadn’t seen six years ago. This was Richard, her brother, but at the same time he was someone she no longer knew. None of that mattered, however, the instant he wrapped his arms around her and joyously hugged her close. Her tears mingled with laughter and pleas that he put her down.
“Savannah, oh, it’s so good to see you.” His face brightened with excitement. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.”
Wiping the tears from her cheek, she smiled up at him. “I can’t believe it’s you.”
“I’m home. You have no idea how good this old place looks.” He gazed longingly toward the house.
Her heart warmed in that moment, and she was almost willing to forgive him the agony his betrayal had cost them.
“Don’t get comfortable, little brother.” Grady’s eyes were savage. He stood on the top step, feet apart, arms akimbo, barring the door.
Slowly Richard set Savannah away from him and faced his brother.
“Grady,” she said in warning. Despite his faults, Richard was their brother and the least they could do was hear him out. “Give him a chance to explain.”
Richard looked from brother to sister. He advanced slowly toward Grady, then paused. “I don’t blame you, Grady. You have every right to be angry.”
“You’ve got that straight.”
“What I did was despicable.” Richard stretched out his arm to Savannah, as if he needed her to stand with him. She stepped to his side, wanting to right the past and thrust all the ugliness behind them. They were a family, and if they couldn’t forgive one another, then they’d be hypocrites to sit in church every Sunday. The Good Book was full of the power of forgiveness. Only this wasn’t what Grady wanted to hear. Not now. Not yet. He demanded his pound of flesh first, and while Savannah understood his anger, she wanted him to give Richard the opportunity to set things straight.
“Despicable is only one in a long list of words that come to mind when I think of you.” Grady’s face was hard and unyielding. He’d braced his feet apart in a way that said it would take the strength of ten men to budge him from that porch. Nothing Richard could say would change his mind. Savannah had bumped against that pride of his often enough to know. Unless something drastic happened, Grady wouldn’t let Richard set foot in the home where he was born and raised.
Her younger brother hung his head in shame. “I don’t blame you for hating me.”
“Oh, Richard, you don’t know how difficult it was for us,” Savannah said, despite her determination to hold her tongue.
Richard’s face crumpled with regret. “I’m so sorry. I was young and stupid, and then once I owned up to what I’d done...I couldn’t face you and Grady. I was too ashamed.”
“You stole that money from your own flesh and blood!” Grady spit out.
“I was crazy with grief,” Richard pleaded, sounding the same way he had as a child when he knew he’d done something wrong. “I didn’t think. All I knew was that Mom and Dad were gone.”
“And Dad had stored away a hunk of cash,” Grady said.
Richard gestured weakly. “I was never cut out to be a cowboy, even you have to admit that,” he said, and glanced up at Grady for confirmation. “I could read the writing on the wall. With Dad gone you’d expect me to help around the place, and it just wasn’t in me. Still isn’t. Cows and me never saw eye to eye. You said it more than once yourself.” He gave a crooked half smile, enticing Grady to agree with him.
Grady remained cold and silent, his eyes as hard as flint.
“I know it was wrong to take that money. A thousand times since, I’ve cursed myself for being so stupid, so greedy.”
“You should have phoned,” Savannah chastised. “You could have let us know where you were. Grady and I were worried sick.” She looked to her brother to continue, to explain what they’d endured because of Richard.
Once again Grady’s cool silence was answer enough.
“I thought about coming home,” Richard said in a small pleading voice. “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought of it. You’re right, Savannah,” he said, rushing his words. “I should’ve called. I know that now, but I was afraid of what you’d say. I didn’t have the courage to face you.”
“What happened to the money?” Grady threw the question at his brother with a vengeance.
“The money,” Richard repeated, and the sigh that followed said it all.
“You blew it,” Grady said with disgust.
“I put it up as capital in a business venture. My plan,” he said, glancing desperately to Savannah and then Grady, “was to triple it and share the profits with you two. I thought if I did that, you’d forgive me and let me come home. Then we could go on the way we always have. But—” he paused and looked away “—the venture went sour.”
“In other words you lost everything.”
Richard nodded slowly. “The investment wasn’t as solid as I was led to believe. It was a bitter lesson. But you have to understand,” he added, motioning toward Grady, “I was desperate to come home.” His voice shook as though the memory was as painful to him as it was to Savannah and Grady. “By this time I missed you both so much I would have done anything to find a way home.”
“You could have written,” Savannah said. “Even if you weren’t ready to talk to us...” For months she’d prayed for a letter, a phone call, anything that would explain what had happened. She’d refused to give up hope, refused to believe Richard would steal from them and then just disappear. After six months she stopped making excuses, and when they hadn’t heard from him after a year, his name was dropped from their conversations.
“I wanted to write,” Richard said, leaping on her words. “I tried. As God is my witness, I tried, but I was never good with words. How could I possibly explain everything in a letter?”
Grady snickered loudly. “Seems to me you’re about as slick with words as a snake-oil salesman.”
A flash of pain appeared in Richard’s eyes. “You really hate me, don’t you, Grady?”
“How could we hate you?” Savannah answered in Grady’s stead, fearing his response. “You’re our brother.”
At her words Richard rallied somewhat and gazed around the yard. “You’ve obviously done all right by yourselves. The ranch looks great.”
“No thanks to you.”
“Think about it, Grady,” Richard challenged. “What good would I have been to you if I’d stuck around? As far as I’m concerned, cows smell bad, have a negative disposition and are always needing something done to them. If I’d stayed, I wouldn’t have been any help. Okay, I admit taking the money was pretty underhand, but all I really did was lay claim to part of my inheritance a little early.”
“We almost lost the ranch,” Savannah felt obliged to tell him. Surely he must have realized that? “Richard, I don’t think you have a clue how hard it’s been for Grady and me,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated with what sounded like genuine regret. “How many times do I need to say it?”
“Sorry?” Grady said the word as though it were the foulest obscenity.
Richard ignored the outburst. “I’ll admit that what I did was rotten, but would it really have been such a bad thing if you’d been forced to sell the land?”
“What do you mean?” Savannah asked, certain she wasn’t hearing him correctly. This land had been in the Weston family for generations. Their ancestors had settled here, worked the land, raised cattle. Generations of Westons had been buried here in a small cemetery plot overlooking the main pasture. This land was their heritage, their birthright. Their future. That Richard could suggest selling it revealed how little he understood or appreciated the legacy.
“These days everyone knows its not a good idea to eat a lot of red meat,” he explained when it became apparent that his words had upset her. “The beef industry’s been declining steadily for some time, or so I hear. Actually I’m surprised you’ve held on to the old place this long.”
Savannah’s heart sank. It seemed impossible that Richard shared the same blood that flowed through Grady’s veins and hers. But he was her brother and she refused to turn her back on him, despite his shortcomings. Despite his betrayal.
“You think because you say you’re sorry it makes everything right?” Grady asked, his voice shaking with such rage Savannah feared he was near exploding. “Do you honestly believe you can walk back into our lives as if you’d done nothing wrong? I’m here to tell you it’s not going to happen.”
Confused and uncertain, Richard looked to his sister for support. “But I’m willing to do whatever’s necessary to make it up to you.”
“Give me back six years of constant hard work,” Grady shouted. “Days that stretched fifteen hours without rest. Days in which I did the work of two men. Backbreaking work. Can you do that, little brother?”
Richard stood still and silent.
“For six long years I fought off the wolf at the door. For six years I dealt with grief and stress and worry so bad I couldn’t sleep.” He climbed down the steps, one step for each statement. Anger seethed below the surface unlike anything she’d ever seen in Grady. Not the explosive kind common with him, but the deep bitter anger that gnawed at a man’s soul.
“I can’t change the past,” Richard muttered, his shoulders hunched, “but I’d hoped we could put all this behind us and start fresh.”
“Not on your life,” Grady said. He stood face-to-face with Richard now, glaring at him. “You haven’t shown any true regret. Not once have you asked Savannah and me to forgive you. As far as I’m concerned, you got your inheritance, and you wasted it. Now get off our land.”
“You want me to leave?” Richard sounded incredulous. He looked at Savannah but she turned away. “You’re my family!” he cried. “The only family I’ve got. You don’t mean this. Okay, okay, you’re right, I should have asked you to forgive me. I meant to—that was the real reason I returned. Like I said, I want to make it up to both of you.”
Savannah wavered, ambivalent.
“You should have thought of that sooner,” Grady replied, his voice clipped.
She’d hoped they could resolve their differences and make Richard a part of their lives again, but Grady was right. Richard hadn’t revealed any sincere sorrow for the agony he’d caused them. But then he’d always been weak and easily influenced. Nevertheless he was their brother; it came down to that. If for no other reason than to honor the memory of their parents, she wanted there to be no ill will between them.
“You’re serious?” Richard’s face clouded with disbelief. “You want me off the ranch?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
Brother stared down brother.
“I...I’m without a job. I was working at...at a sales job, and they downsized. I don’t have anywhere to go. I left instructions for the check from my severance package to be mailed here.” He glanced hopefully at Savannah and then at Grady.
Savannah silently pleaded with Grady, but he refused to look in her direction. It was hell staying quiet, especially when Richard begged for her help.
“You, too, Savannah?” he whispered in the hurt voice that tugged at her heart. “Do you want me to leave, too?”
Savannah was in torment, not knowing how to respond. Of course she wanted him to stay, wanted their lives to return to the way they’d been before. But she didn’t know if that was possible.
“I’m ruined,” he whispered brokenly. “The money’s gone. I lost my job and I have no savings. All I could think about was getting back to you and Grady. Making things right again.”
Tears filled her eyes and she bit her lip, trapped as she was between the strong wills of her two brothers.
Not waiting for her reply, Richard leaned down and reached for his suitcase. Apparently he was weaker than they realized because he staggered, but caught himself in time to keep from collapsing.
Savannah could hold her tongue no longer. “Grady, please! He’s about to faint. One night,” she begged, sliding her arm around Richard’s waist. “Let him stay one night.”
For a moment she didn’t think Grady would relent. “All right,” he gave in, his reluctance clear, “but he sleeps in the bunkhouse. First thing in the morning he’s out of here. Understand?”
“Thank you, brother,” Richard said softly. “You won’t be sorry, I promise you that. I’ll find a way to make it up to you and Savannah. I didn’t know, didn’t realize...I’ll do whatever you want if you’ll just let me stay. You’re the only family I’ve got.”
* * *
Laredo hadn’t meant to listen in on the scene outside the house. But he’d been in the garden at the time, and it had been impossible to ignore. He wasn’t sure what had finally occurred between Savannah and her two brothers, but the three had apparently come to some kind of understanding. He didn’t see Savannah again until dinnertime, and when he entered the house, she was all aflutter. He smelled biscuits baking, their aroma more enticing to him than the world’s most expensive perfume. An apple pie cooled on the kitchen counter beside a standing rib roast, recently taken from the oven.
When she saw him, her beautiful face brightened with a shy smile of welcome. “Richard’s here.”
“So I understand.” Laredo had tried to put the events of the early afternoon behind him and hoped she had, as well. Kissing her had been a mistake, one he regretted. His weakness for her complicated an already difficult situation.
The last thing he wanted was to let her believe in something that could never be. His property—three hundred acres in Oklahoma—was waiting for him. That and his horse. They were all he had. And they were almost nothing compared to the Westons’ huge spread. Compared to what Savannah had now. It would be cruel to mislead her into thinking she could be part of his future. But if the kissing continued, it’d be as hard for him to walk away as it would be for her to let him go.
“He hasn’t eaten in two days,” she said, explaining the frenzy of cooking that had taken place that afternoon. “I baked his favorites just the way Mom would have.”
“How’s Grady dealing with this?”
A sadness came over her and some of the excitement drained from her voice. “Not very well, unfortunately. He won’t let Richard stay more than the night. He’s forcing him to sleep in the bunkhouse. Richard said he was willing to work for his keep, and I think if I reason with him, Grady might let him stay on until his severance check arrives. I’m hoping he will, but it’s hard to tell with Grady.”
“Savannah!” Footsteps echoed as Richard Weston bounded down the stairs from the upstairs bedroom and burst into the kitchen. “I found my old guitar.” He slid the strap over his shoulder and ran the pick over the tight strings, laughing with childish delight.
“I couldn’t make myself throw away your things,” Savannah admitted.
Walking about in his stocking feet, Richard circled the kitchen playing a mellow country hit Laredo recognized from the early nineties. A song of Reba’s, if memory served him.
The family resemblance was strong, Laredo noticed. Richard was a younger, slimmer, blonder version of Grady, good-looking and suave. Apparently he’d inherited a double portion of charm, as well. He serenaded his sister, causing Savannah to blush unmercifully. Laredo knew he should leave, but he found himself enjoying the scene.
When Richard finished the song, he set the guitar aside and glanced in Laredo’s direction, his eyes questioning.
Savannah’s gaze followed her brother’s. “This is Laredo Smith,” she said. She reached for Laredo’s hand, tucking it in both of hers. “He works for me.”
“Really, Savannah,” Richard joked. “I never suspected my older sister would have her own boy-toy.” He laughed then, as if he found the comment hilarious.
Any goodwill Laredo had felt toward the other man vanished with the ugly suggestiveness of his remark. Savannah’s face turned a deep shade of scarlet, and it was all Laredo could do to keep his mouth shut.
“It’s n-not that way with us,” she stammered.
“Whatever you say, big sister,” Richard responded. “Hey, when’s dinner? I could eat the entire roast myself.” He gripped Savannah by the shoulder and noisily kissed her cheek. “I can’t tell you how good it is to be home. I’ve missed you, Savannah, almost as much as I’ve missed your melt-in-the-mouth buttermilk biscuits.”
“I need to be getting back,” Laredo said, eager to check on Roanie. “I just stopped by to tell you I won’t be here for dinner.”
“You won’t?” Savannah’s eyes pleaded with him, and he realized she’d been counting on his support at the dinner table. She appeared to have forgotten that Grady had no particular fondness for him, either. He wished he could help her, but feared he’d do her cause more harm than good.
“Wiley invited me to play poker with him and his friends tonight,” he explained to justify his absence. “The game’s over at the Double Z bunkhouse.”
She forgave him with a brave smile. “Have fun.”
“Will everything be all right here?” He watched Richard walk past Rocket and give the old dog a vicious shove with his foot. His anger flared again, but he said nothing.
“Everything’s going to be just fine,” Richard answered on her behalf. “Grady can be downright stubborn at times, but he’ll come around. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure big brother doesn’t hassle her.” He placed his arm around his sister’s shoulders and squeezed hard. Savannah winced and Laredo battled the urge to grab the man by the shirtfront and jerk him away.
* * *
Although Laredo didn’t see Savannah again that evening, it didn’t mean she wasn’t on his mind. He worried about her dinner with her brothers, which burdened his concentration to the point that he lost at poker. Twenty bucks was more than he could afford to throw away in a poker game. By the end of the evening he regretted accepting Wiley’s invitation.
He and Wiley returned to find Richard in the bunkhouse, sitting on the edge of his bed, strumming his guitar and singing drunkenly at the top of his lungs. Wiley snorted in contempt and headed immediately for his small room. Richard didn’t seem to notice. He interrupted his song every so often to reach for a whiskey bottle and gulp down a swig. He held it up in silent invitation when he saw Laredo.
“Care to join me?” he asked. “I broke into Grady’s private stock. By the time he misses it, we’ll both be long gone.” He laughed as if stealing liquor from his brother was some kind of triumph.
“No, thanks,” Laredo muttered in disgust.
“I should’ve been a country singer,” Richard announced at the end of a barely recognizable Garth Brooks tune. Not that his singing voice was all that unpleasant, but the words were badly slurred.
“I’ve got talent, you know?” He lifted the bottle to his mouth, gulped down another swallow and threw back his head. “Ahh.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. “Powerful stuff. My big brother only buys the best.” He set the guitar down on the floor, holding it carelessly by the neck.
Laredo was tired; he’d put in a full day and his thoughts were heavy. In addition, he was worried about Savannah and how the animosity between the two brothers would affect her. She was the one stuck in the middle between two angry men, struggling to maintain the peace. One brother was stubborn and unyielding, the other manipulative and demanding.
He wished there was some way he could protect her.
Twice Laredo had to ask Richard to turn out the light. “Give me five minutes,” was the response both times. The light Laredo could handle; it was a small matter to turn on his side and put his back to the harsh glare. But the drunken singing and guitar strumming weren’t as easily ignored.
By midnight he’d had enough. He threw back the covers, walked over to the wall and flicked off the switch himself. “You got a problem with that?” he challenged. His day had started at five that morning and he desperately needed to sleep.
A tense silence followed. “Whatever,” Richard muttered. He dropped or shoved something onto the floor, and the crash echoed through the room. Frankly, Laredo didn’t care. He was through with the niceties as far as Richard Weston was concerned.
Laredo awoke at dawn, showered, shaved and was preparing for his day when he happened to notice Richard. He stopped, squinting as he took a closer look. He’d heard movie stars and the like used such devices, but he’d never personally seen one.
Richard Weston lay sprawled across the bed, his arms and legs dangling over the edge of the small mattress. He wore silk pajamas and, of all things, a black satin sleep mask to protect his eyes against the sunlight. Never in all his life had Laredo seen a more incongruous sight in a bunkhouse.
Shaking his head, he stopped in the barn to check on Roanie before he made his way to the kitchen for coffee. Squatting down, he gently tested the roan’s leg, working with practiced hands, exploring the damage to the delicate muscle. The swelling was down and the pain had apparently lessened.
After coffee and a solitary breakfast, Laredo worked in the rose garden; he installed the trellises he’d built earlier in the week and transplanted some shrubs Savannah wanted him to move. She hadn’t come outside and he guessed she was still busy in the house. Actually he hoped she’d treat herself and sleep in. She must have been exhausted yesterday, cooking for her ungrateful brother. He gritted his teeth just thinking about the other man.
Shortly after noon Richard wandered out of the bunkhouse, looking as if he hadn’t been awake more than a few minutes. His hair was mussed and he yawned as he strolled across the yard, his shirt unbuttoned. He wore canvas shoes without socks.
Before going to the house for lunch, Laredo decided to rewrap Roanie’s leg and apply the ointment again. He was half-finished when he felt someone’s presence. He turned around and found Grady standing outside the stall watching him.
“I understand I’m in your debt,” he said with the pride of a man who preferred to owe no one. He looked tired and drawn, as if he hadn’t slept much. For the first time since making Grady’s acquaintance, Laredo felt sorry for him.
“No problem,” he said, straightening. He rubbed his hand down Roanie’s back, reassuring the gelding that all was well.
Grady lingered. Apparently there was something else on his mind. “Savannah told you about the ghost town, didn’t she?”
“She mentioned it,” Laredo said stiffly.
“I thought she might have.” Grady leaned against the stall door. “Listen, I haven’t made my feelings any secret. I don’t like you, Smith. Nor do I trust you. A man who steals gets no respect from me.”
“For what it’s worth, I didn’t do it,” Laredo said, although he doubted Grady would believe him.
“I have even less respect for a liar.”
Laredo tensed. If it wasn’t for Savannah, he’d have had his fist down the other man’s throat. He’d worked hard to prove himself, but apparently a good day’s labor wasn’t enough for Grady Weston.
“You should know I’ve asked Sheriff Hennessey to do a background check on you, although I suspect Smith is probably an alias.”
Laredo’s hackles were already raised, but defending himself again would be a useless waste of breath. He exhaled sharply. “Fine. To be fair, if Savannah was my sister, I’d do the same thing. You’re looking to protect her. I can’t blame a man for that.”
If Grady was surprised, he didn’t show it.
“I’m pleased to hear you say that, because she needs protecting.”
Savannah’s brother had Laredo’s attention now. “What do you mean?”
“Unfortunately she mentioned finding Bitter End to Richard and he seemed far too interested. I heard the bastard when I was washing up for dinner. He was hinting that she should take him there.” He paused. “I don’t want it to happen.”
Laredo agreed with Grady. “She’s already promised me she wouldn’t return alone. I hope she doesn’t go with Richard, either.”
Surprise flickered in Grady’s intensely blue eyes. “So she did plan to go back.” He scratched the side of his head. “Why on earth would she do such a thing?” He looked to Laredo for the answer.
“The roses,” he said, amazed Grady hadn’t figured it out.
“She’s already got more roses than she knows what to do with. How could she possibly want more? What’s wrong with that woman? Why would she risk her fool neck over a few flowers?”
“She’s after old roses,” Laredo explained.
“Old roses.” The two words were part of a deep sigh. Grady seemed lost in thought for a minute and then his gaze found Laredo’s again. “I don’t want her going there with Richard or anyone else, for that matter. It’s not safe. Regardless of my feelings toward you, I care about my sister and I’d appreciate your help.”
“You might find this hard to believe, Grady, but I care about Savannah’s well-being, too.”
“Then keep her away from Bitter End.”
Laredo wasn’t sure he could do that. “I’m not making any promises, but I’ll do what I can.”
Grady nodded wearily. “That’s all I ask.” He hesitated, glanced over at Roanie’s leg and then back to Laredo. “We could use a wrangler this time of year. Are you interested in the job?”
“I’d need to square it with Savannah.”
“That isn’t what I asked,” Grady said, his words sharp.
“I’m interested,” Laredo answered.
“Fine,” he said. “You can start after lunch.”
* * *
Damn, but the old town looked good. It was midafternoon as Richard slowly drove Grady’s battered pickup down Main Street. He’d barely been back twenty-four hours, and it felt as if he’d never left. Well, not quite, but close enough. He’d thought about returning to Promise more than once—but not driving his brother’s clunky truck.
Despite the town’s familiarity, a lot had changed over the years. The savings-and-loan had a sign that alternately flashed the time and the temperature. Damn if that didn’t beat all. Next thing he knew the town would have its own Dairy Queen.
Luck was with him. Slowly but surely he’d manage to wriggle his way back into Grady’s good graces—enough, at any rate, to convince his big brother to let him stay for a while. It wouldn’t take long to win Savannah back, but then his sister had always been a soft touch. Grady, however, wasn’t nearly as easy. So far, it was Richard two, Grady zilch.
Because not only was Richard staying at the ranch, he had the truck. Okay, Savannah had been the one to give him the keys, but what Grady didn’t know wasn’t going to hurt him.
His brother was a fool. Grady could have sold that ranch ten times over and lived off the profits for years. Instead he’d half killed himself holding on to twenty thousand smelly cattle-filled acres. Richard had listened to the spiel about their forefathers struggling against impossible odds and all that garbage. So what? He wasn’t about to let the ranch or anything else tie him down. He had better ideas than following a bunch of senseless cattle around all that godforsaken land.
Richard pulled into the first available parking spot and hopped out of the cab. Six years away, and he still knew this town inside out, recognized every street and practically every building. On the other hand, no one was going to recognize him, dressed as he was. What he needed, Richard decided, was new clothes.
His first stop was Jordan’s Town and Country. Max Jordan who owned the place would be close to retirement by now.
“Max,” Richard said as he walked into the Western-wear store. He greeted Max as if they’d been the best of friends, slapping the older man jovially on the back. “Don’t you know me?” he asked. “Richard. Richard Weston.”
“Richard.” The other man’s eyes brightened with recognition. “When did you get back?”
“Yesterday. Listen, does Grady still have an open account with you?” He fingered the pearl buttons on a polished-cotton shirt and checked the cost, raising his brows at the price.
“That’s one of our designer shirts,” Max said, and steered him toward another less pricy rack of clothes.
Richard returned to the original shirt. “Do you have it in a forty-two?”
“I think I just might,” Max said with some surprise. He shifted hangers as he searched out sizes. “Yup, got one right here.”
“Great. Grady said I should buy what I need.”
“Not a problem,” Max assured him, grinning at the prospect of a big sale. “How’s Grady doing these days? I don’t see much of him.”
“He works too hard,” Richard said. And it was true. His brother needed to relax and not take everything so seriously.
“It’s good to see you, my boy,” Max said, watching Richard try on a pair of three-hundred-dollar snakeskin boots. They fit perfectly, as if they were just waiting for him. “I’ll take these, as well.”
“Good choice.”
Grady wouldn’t think so, but Richard would pay him back. Eventually.
“I’ve got to say I still miss your parents,” Max continued. “They were good people. My, but your mother knew how to cook, and your pa, why, he was the life of the party.”
The word “party” struck a pleasant chord with Richard. He didn’t imagine there’d been much celebrating around the Yellow Rose since he’d been away. Not with Grady being such a tightwad. He doubted his brother even knew how to laugh anymore, and Savannah ran and hid from her own shadow.
“Funny you should mention a party,” Richard said as the owner tallied the bill. “Grady’s throwing a bash to welcome me home on Sunday. You’re welcome to come. Bring the missus too.”
“Who else’ll be there?”
“The whole town’s invited. Spread the word, will you?”
“Sure. It’ll be great for everyone to get together. Haven’t had a real party all spring, and it’s weeks yet until the big summer dance.”
Richard left soon after signing his name to the yellow slip. On the sidewalk outside Jordan’s he ran into Ellie Frasier. “Ellie,” he said, and did a double take. “Little Ellie?” Only she wasn’t so little anymore. She’d been in junior high when he was a high school senior, and he remembered thinking then that she was going to be a looker. He’d been right.
She stared at him blankly.
“Richard!” he cried, and spread his arms wide. He was surprised she didn’t recognize him in his new shirt, hat and boots. He gaze lowered to her full breasts. He always had been partial to a well-endowed woman. Yup, he could see he’d come home in the nick of time. No ring on her finger, either. Not that it mattered. Often, forbidden fruit was all the sweeter.
“Richard Weston?”
“The one and only.”
She asked the same questions as Max—when he’d arrived, what he’d been doing, how long he planned to stay and so on. He was vague until he mentioned the party.
“Bring whoever you want, but be sure to save me a dance, all right?” He winked, letting her know he was interested.
“I don’t know... My dad’s been sick and—”
“Come, anyway,” he urged. “You need the break, and what better way to put your troubles behind you than to kick up your heels and party?”
Dancing. That meant music. They were going to need a band, and on short notice. That’d cost a few extra bucks, but hey, no problem. Grady was tight with a penny, but he probably had plenty of cash stored away. His older brother was too much like their father to cut it close to the bone.
“Who’s playing at the Chili Pepper these days?” he asked, referring to the best barbecue pit in town.
Ellie named a band he hadn’t heard of. He nodded and headed in that direction. While he was there, he’d arrange to have Adam Braunfels set up a barbecue. They were going to need lots of food. Naturally Savannah would want to cook up most of it herself, make salads and such; she’d insist on that the same way Mom would if she were alive.
He remembered his parents with fondness. Their deaths had put an unexpected crimp in his life, but Richard was a survivor. The years had proved that. He’d weathered his current troubles, hadn’t he? He was home and as safe as a babe in arms.
By the time Richard drove back to the ranch, he’d made a number of arrangements for the party. He’d ordered a dozen cases of beer and he’d made sure there was going to be plenty of soda pop for the youngsters. Millie over at the flower shop had suggested Chinese lanterns and agreed to set them up early in the afternoon. For a price, naturally, but she’d been reasonable about it.
Savannah was working in her garden when he arrived. She wore one of those long dresses of hers with an oversize straw hat and looked more like a nun than the big sister he remembered. Briefly he wondered what was up between her and that prickly hired hand.
“My, don’t you look beautiful this afternoon,” Richard said as he waltzed through the gate. “As pretty as one of your roses.”
She blushed and Richard was struck by how truly pretty she was. It surprised him.
“Listen, sis, I probably shouldn’t have done this, but I ran into some friends in town.”
Savannah straightened and dabbed the sweat from her brow. “I imagine everyone was glad to see you.”
“They were, but there just wasn’t enough time to visit with everyone the way I wanted. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited a few people over for dinner Sunday evening. You wouldn’t mind cooking up some of your prize-winning potato salad, now, would you?”
“For how many?”
Richard laughed and hugged her close. “Enough for about 150.”