A Rancher’s Surrender Read online

  The flicker had turned to flame when she’d touched him. In his barn, they’d touched due to confinement and though she’d felt a reaction then, it didn’t compare to the pull she’d felt this time.

  “Nothing like it,” she murmured, remembering the feel of muscle beneath her hand, the way he’d looked at her.

  But then she knew looks could be deceiving. She’d been fooled by them once before. She’d given Clint her heart, almost shared her body, only to learn he’d expected—no, demanded—she give up her silly desire to remain a vet once they were married.

  She’d given him back his ring and he’d laughed. Laughed and told her no man would ever want her as long as she was a vet. Laughed and said he couldn’t wait for the day she realized that and came home begging to have him back.

  His laughter echoed in her ears, continued to sting in that part of her heart that had yet to heal. It was the reminder she needed. Handsome or not, desirable or not, she wouldn’t open her heart again to that kind of rejection. She’d do whatever it took to prove Clint wrong, because, as God was her witness, she wasn’t ever going back to Pennsylvania. Even though she’d never take Clint back, even if he begged, she’d never give him the satisfaction of seeing her back home.

  Hope’s head lifted. Jillian looked over as another rider turned into her lane. Tossing the brush into the bucket, giving a quick glance to ensure there was water in the other, Jillian set her soiled apron over the rail and slipped from the pen.

  Could it be someone needed her already? Or, had word gotten around about Wade’s cow and the fact that their new vet was a woman and they’d come to demand she leave?

  She placed a hand over her belly in an attempt to still the nerves and stood tall. Whoever it was, for whatever reason, she would only let them see her confidence. She smoothed her skirt and waited by her porch as the man in black slid out of the saddle.

  He was almost as tall as Wade and appeared to be close to the same age. Equally as fine-looking, too, she realized when he took off his hat and she saw his midnight black hair and grey eyes. Catching the glint of silver and unable to miss the gun belt riding low on his hips, Jillian wondered what reason the sheriff had to call on her.

  “Afternoon, Miss Matthews.”

  “Sheriff.” She cocked her head to the side. “Should I be concerned that you already know my name?”

  His lips curved into a very nice smile. “It’s not a bad thing. Word gets ’round in a small town.”

  “I imagine it does.” She gestured to the porch. “Would you like to sit? I can get you some sun tea.”

  “No, thanks. I won’t be staying long.”

  “Then what can I do for you?”

  He leaned against the rail of the porch, crossed his arms. “Town’s beginning to buzz about you.”

  Well, she’d expected it but nevertheless her stomach clenched. “That didn’t take long.”

  “Never does. Anyhow, I thought I’d let you know it’s not good.”

  “I didn’t expect it would be, Sheriff, but I’m prepared to stay so I hope it’s not running me off you were after.”

  “Nah. We’re mostly harmless around here.” He extended his hand. “I never introduced myself. Shane McCall.”

  “A pleasure, Sheriff,” she said as she took his hand.

  “Or Shane. Whichever you prefer. Just don’t call me Mr. McCall; that was my father.”

  From the shadows that crept into his eyes, Jillian gathered that Shane had some hard feelings toward the man.

  “All right. Shane it is. Are you sure I can’t offer you anything?”

  “No, I’m fine. I need to be heading back. Just wanted to come introduce myself and let you know where you stood.” He placed a boot in the stirrup. “I don’t expect anyone around here to give you any real trouble, they’re mostly just jawing. But should that change, you be sure to let me know.”

  “I will, thank you.”

  He tipped his hat, swung the rest of the way in the saddle. “Good day, Jillian.”

  “Shane.”

  She watched him ride away, tall and handsome. His dark hair and clothes, along with the six-shooter he carried, gave him a commanding presence. She imagined if he weren’t married he’d have any number of eligible young women swooning. Yet, no matter how much she thought Shane attractive and pleasant, the sizzle of attraction she’d felt with Wade hadn’t been there with Shane.

  She gave herself a mental shake. “You have more important things to worry about, Jillian, than handsome men.” If the townsfolk were starting to buzz, then it was time she threw herself into the hive.

  *

  Heat cloaked Wade as he made his way home, and it wasn’t all due to the outside temperature. Jillian’s smell, her touch. Everything lingered and teased him until riding became damned uncomfortable. He’d had women approach him at church, on his errands in town. He’d known by the way they smiled or found reasons to touch him they’d been interested. The problem was, he wasn’t.

  Oh, he’d looked. Considered, even. But as much as he wanted a woman who’d be happy to take care of his home, help raise his daughter, attraction was a necessary ingredient in a healthy relationship. And the more of it, the better.

  And wasn’t it just his luck that the first woman who’d stirred his desires since Amy had died was a woman who, he knew from experience, would never be happy to simply be a wife and mother. A woman bold enough to move across a country for what she wanted wouldn’t give it all up for anything. Or anyone.

  The fact he hadn’t been enough for Amy still stung. The ranch, the family they’d built, hadn’t been enough to keep her happy. She’d still wanted more. And, to this day, he didn’t have more to offer.

  Not with the bills his father had accumulated.

  The first time Wade had seen them, he’d been sure there was a mistake. But a closer review showed they were correct. What he hadn’t been able to figure out was why. Though not a huge spread, they had a fair-sized herd and the beef prices had been strong. It was his mother who’d finally filled in the blanks one night while he poured over the ledgers at the kitchen table.

  “Wade, your father was a kind man,” she’d said as she shook her head. “But he was a little too soft-hearted.”

  She’d gone on about the times his neighbors and friends, in one predicament or another, had come to him in desperation. And Samuel Parker had come through. The problem was he’d gotten himself so far in debt that there had been no one left to help him. The pressure had finally been too much and his heart had given out. Wade had buried his father next to Amy, who’d died only a year before. Who wouldn’t have died at all if she hadn’t found her husband lacking.

  He crested a hill. Seeing the ranch, Whiskey shook his head, whinnied to announce his presence to the horses waiting in the corral.

  “Almost there, boy. Are you ready for a drink?”

  Lord knew Wade was. Every time he swallowed, he tasted grit. All he wanted was to get a glass of water from the well then dump a bucketful over his heated body. After that he needed to quit stewing over his problems and get to work. Pity wasn’t going to pay the bills.

  Outside the barn, he swung off Whiskey, whose tail swished as the usual assortment of flies homed in.

  “Let’s get you brushed inside where it’s cooler.”

  He patted Whiskey’s neck, his hand leaving a dark imprint on the wet hide. Whiskey tossed his head, as though agreeing. Suddenly, Wade caught a whiff of something vile. The pungent smell burned his nostrils. He grimaced. Had the smell been this bad last night or was it the heat of the day that had ripened it?

  His frown deepened when he saw chicken feathers scattered in the aisle of the barn. He let go of the reins, knowing Whiskey would stay close. What the hell were chicken feathers doing there? The chickens never came into the barn; they stayed in the coop behind the corrals. Irritated, he stomped forward.

  “Now!” Scott yelled.

  Wade’s gaze jumped to the right. There was Scott, on the floor, on
e boot propped against a post, the end of a rope in his gloved hands. Wade felt it across his ankle at the same moment he realized just what that meant for him. His gaze zinged to the left and sure enough, there was James holding the other end.

  With Wade’s momentum already going, his balance slipped out of his control. No matter how he tried to step out or over, they adjusted the rope. He flailed his arms to try and keep on his feet, now knowing why the barn stank and what lay beneath the feathers, but it was no use. Falling forward, all he could do was keep his mouth and eyes closed and use his arms to keep from falling face first.

  Shit!

  Chapter Four

  The wagon clattered loudly as Jillian made her way to town. Though anxious to see Marietta for the first time, she wasn’t going in with any expectations about the townsfolk. She’d seen her share of men and women who frowned upon her being a doctor and Shane had warned her she could expect more of the same here. But her father had taught her if she wanted to follow in his shoes, she’d have to fight for it. Well, she planned on doing just that.

  Jillian grunted as the wagon bounced through a large rut. She tightened her grip on the reins. She’d handle the town, but first she had to navigate this route. The road—if the two dirt furrows cut in the field could be called such—was riddled with rocks, bumps, and ruts. Perched on the edge of the seat with both feet braced on the floor, Jillian figured she’d be lucky to arrive in Marietta without having jarred every tooth out of her jaw.

  Fluffy clouds dotted a sky that stretched between the mountain range on her left and the one on her right. The sun was warm in the valley and Jillian imagined several birds would be out singing jubilantly, not that she could hear them for the constant rattle of the wagon and the jingle of the harness.

  The sun was at its highest when she rolled into Marietta. Tidy little buildings with painted false fronts lined the wide street and at the end, in the distance, a stunning snow-capped mountain rose above it all. Her stomach fluttered and her surly mood drifted in the breeze. It was so pretty.

  She drew back on the reins and, not wanting to miss a single detail, jumped down. Curling her fingers in Hope’s halter, Jillian led her horse up the street.

  The road was wide enough to turn a team around and it cut between two rows of charming buildings joined by a long boardwalk. She passed the stable and blacksmith, the tailor, the barber, the cobbler, and the doctor.

  A mother and two children stepped out of the doctor’s office. The woman paused when she saw Jillian. Before she could respond to Jillian’s greeting, her youngest broke free of her grasp and ran up the boardwalk, his little feet slapping the planks. His mother grabbed her skirts with one hand and her daughter with the other and gave chase while ordering the young man to stop right that instant. The boy turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

  By the time Jillian reached the corner and looked down a short street that connected up with another, the boy had been caught and his mother was blistering his ears. There didn’t appear to be any businesses down that way, only houses.

  Turning back to Main Street, Jillian saw her destination was just ahead on the right. She tied Hope to the post in front of the mercantile and stepped inside. After the brilliance of the sun, it took her eyes a moment to adjust. The store was surprisingly large and the shelves were lined with more food items, sweets, pots, pans, and bolts of material then she’d imagined a small town would have. Everything smelled crisp and clean, and even the wood floors gleamed with a recent polish.

  She’d never been the kind of woman who needed all the fancy trappings that came with a big city but she admitted to liking some pretty things around her. And she was more than pleased to see Marietta wouldn’t disappoint her in that regard.

  Two women with baskets tucked in the crook of their arms peered around the shelves to see who’d come in. Jillian smiled at them but they looked away and went back to shopping.

  “You must be the new vet.”

  Jillian turned. Standing before her, arms crossed over her white apron, smiled a woman who seemed to be about Mrs. Parker’s age. While her graying hair was drawn back into a bun, her face was smooth and her eyes bright as any child’s. Jillian couldn’t help but respond to the warmth in them.

  “I am.” She held out her hand. “Jillian Matthews.”

  The woman clapped both hands around Jillian’s. “A pleasure. I’m Letty Daniels and if you need anything you don’t see here, let me know, and I can bring it in. ’Course it may take months the way the stage works around here, but the town’s working on getting the train to come through so hopefully things will move faster after that.”

  With her hand still holding Jillian’s, Letty pulled her to the back of the store, only releasing her hold to step behind the long counter. Mrs. Daniels opened a large glass bowl and took out two peppermint sticks. At her nod, Jillian accepted one, smiled as the sweetness rolled over her tongue.

  Letty leaned forward, her own candy stick still in hand. “You’ve sure got this town hopping. People haven’t stopped cackling all day.”

  “The sheriff said word had gotten around. I must admit that surprises me. I only got here three days ago and I didn’t come through town.”

  “Marietta isn’t big so you’d better get used to the fact that if you sneeze, it’ll be town’s business by sundown.”

  “But when I was called to the Parker ranch they had no idea Doc Fletcher had left, let alone that I’d arrived.”

  “Well…” Letty smiled. “Eileen only comes in once a week to do her shopping and I don’t expect her until tomorrow. Wade was over at Silver’s last night. I suppose folks heard him talking about you and word spread from there.”

  “Silver’s?”

  “Silver’s is the respectable saloon down the street. Grey’s is the other, across from it and, unlike Silver’s, it attracts an unruly bunch. You’ll like Silver. She not only owns the saloon, she runs it. And despite what folks around here think, she’s a good woman.”

  One of the women shopping harrumphed.

  Letty fisted a hand on her hip, tilted her head to look down the aisle. “Did you need anything, May Bell?”

  “No, just had something in my throat,” the woman answered and made a show of clearing her throat. “It’s better now.”

  Letty rolled her eyes, turned back to Jillian. “Silver and the Parkers, they’re good people.”

  “Eileen seems very nice.” Jillian conceded.

  She wasn’t sure yet what to make of Wade.

  Letty stuck her candy in her mouth, sucked on it for a moment. “Eileen was the first woman who befriended me when we moved to Marietta. I’m glad you met her first. I can’t say, from the grumblings I’ve heard, that the rest will prove as friendly.”

  Jillian bit her lip. “When I was at the ranch, there was a problem.”

  “I know, dear, and I was sorry to hear that.”

  “Word has gotten out already?”

  “As I said, it’s a small town.”

  “How bad is it?”

  “It’s not going to help, you, I’m afraid. But I have to say, even without that poor cow dying, you would have had a hard time. Folks, especially those who’ve been here since Marietta was founded, tend to think the town belongs to them. So, as an outsider, you wouldn’t have been readily accepted anyway. But an outsider doing a man’s work? That just makes it worse.

  “Now don’t get me wrong, Jillian, I’m not one of those. After all, if folks hadn’t come, this place would still be nothing but a trading post. New blood keeps a town thriving, brings in businesses. Otherwise, we’d all become stale like week old bread. Unfortunately, not everyone’s as open-minded as I am.” She nodded toward the front of the store.

  Jillian turned around. The two women ducked down, pretended they weren’t listening to every word.

  “Go on and find what you need, Jillian. I think those women are about done here.”

  There was pretty yellow material she’d love to sew into curtains,
and a simple rug that would look perfect at her front door. But knowing she couldn’t be extravagant in her spending, she kept to the basic necessities.

  By the time Letty had rung up purchases and walked the women to the door, Jillian had carbolic acid, beeswax for her salve recipe, laudanum, and other medicines for her supplies. Fifteen minutes later Jillian and Letty were loading her purchases in the back of her wagon.

  “Thank you for all your help.”

  “Well, that’s what I’m here for.” Suddenly Letty’s eyes widened and she snapped her fingers. “The church is having a picnic after this Sunday’s service. The whole town usually comes and they have races and games for the children, a baseball game for the men as well as a craft and bake sale for the women. It would be a good chance to get to know the people around here.”

  “Actually, I was thinking of riding around some of the farms, introducing myself.”

  Letty arched a brow. “You carry a gun?”

  Jillian’s eyes rounded. “Are you saying I’ll need to protect myself against this town?”

  Letty shook her head, popped her candy out of her mouth. “Nah, and I’m not sure what stories you’ve heard back home, but you won’t get scalped either. Still there are rattlesnakes and such around here that you don’t have back east. Besides, if you were my daughter, I’d tell you to carry a gun. I believe a woman ought to be able to take care of herself.”

  “I agree. And I can. As it happens I have a rifle tied to my saddle.”

  “Good girl. Now then, don’t forget the picnic. Eileen and I will be there, so you’ll have friends to talk to.”

  Friends. Jillian smiled. Those had been in short supply back home. “I’ll look forward to it, then.”

  “Don’t get too excited. While I expect most around here will accept you with time, the truth is some may never. Speaking of which, here comes just the sort.”