Ride With Me (A Quaking Heart Novel - Book One)

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  Jessica was left standing there, her mind busily assessing Johnnie. A guardedness swept over her, but not from Johnnie's warning. Not entirely, anyway. She squinted through the dust swirled up by his boots. He walked with the same lanky strides as always, straight-backed, chin tucked in that purposeful pose she'd come to associate with him. But he was not the same. He had sounded different. Articulate and absent the usual drawl. That alone gave her pause, made her wonder if he was who he seemed to be. But she didn't want to think about that right now. She was floored by rage and too busy to spend another moment on mysteries with no answers.

  And trying to make sense of the bomb Clint had just laid on her.

  Jessica settled into a good location, and the round-up began. It was a grandly orchestrated show of muscle power: calves fighting against ropes; horses flexing in tight turns; cowboys' hard bodies pulling, tugging, holding; mother cows bellowing; dirt flying; dogs biting at the heels of the calves to direct them—a dazzling show.

  She counted seven cowboys at this round-up, including Clint. Two were on horseback, taking up the majority of the arena. They roped the calf, branded it, then released the legs to pull it by the rope at its neck to the portable squeeze. There, other wranglers de-horned, vaccinated, and castrated the males. A bucket nearby harbored the calf bits and pieces. Two cowboys handled that while two brought in one calf after the other from outside the corral. After de-horning, Clint used pliers to remove the nerve in each hornless, bloody crater before plastering it with salve.

  Once each grueling experience concluded, the bewildered calf was released to its mother. Relief flowed through Jessica each time a mother found her poor tortured calf and the bawling ceased. She knew this was a necessary part of cattle ranching—to discourage rustling and keep the calves healthy—yet, it was a bit barbaric to watch.

  Still, Jessica had gotten so involved that she found herself standing on the side of the fence leaning in to get a better view. Johnnie and Clint had both taken note of her enthusiasm, each giving a gratifying grin when they happened to catch her eye. She was flattered by the approval of both men.

  Then everything changed.

  No more than an hour had passed when Jessica heard a truck pull up beside her. She twisted around in time to see someone get out of the passenger's side, flick a hand of dismissal to the driver, and close the door. The truck spewed grit as it made a big loop to head back to the ranch. Jessica had been so caught up in the round-up, she'd forgotten all about the other woman who'd be joining them. Her exasperation rushed out of her on one long breath.

  As Jessica examined the beautiful, petite blonde, her mouth went dry. The same woman who'd interrupted the dance between her and Clint. The one he had left with.

  Today she flaunted a fancy cowgirl outfit—a short jeans skirt with silver beads imbedded in swirls and a white ruffled blouse, boasting her curves. Matching cowgirl boots revealed shapely legs. From under her hat, glorious straight hair flew about her face in the breeze. Her skin was tanned, her make-up and nails perfect. She looked every bit the 'Miss Montana' that she was. What a stunning couple she and Clint made. Jessica grimaced at the traitorous thought.

  She stared as Veronica made her way to the fence a couple feet away. She walked right past Jessica as if she were a simple spectator watching her glide down a model's runway. She had eyes for her Clint only as she carefully stepped up on the bottom slat of the corral fence and waved a debutante's gesture, trying to catch his attention.

  Though she had stood there for less than a minute, Veronica's face abruptly contorted and she wrinkled her nose. "What is that awful smell?" She gagged slightly but regained control.

  Right then Clint's head rose up to offer Jessica another heart-stopping smile. But when he caught sight of Veronica, his smile gaped wide with pure delight. Veronica's grimace shifted to a spectacular, perfect-toothed grin back at him.

  Jessica's heart all but wrenched to a stop. Almost in slow motion she watched the exhibition unfold before her. Clint circled an arm above his head. The rest of the cowboys responded with amazing swiftness as the whole operation ceased. He stepped away from the squeeze and hollered, "Take a break," then strolled to the fence to greet Veronica.

  Didn't Mabel say Clint might marry? The connection to Mabel's words stopped Jessica's breath. This had to be the one. She thought of closing her eyes against the pain, but like a person watching an execution she couldn't tear her gaze away.

  He gave Veronica a quick kiss on the mouth. Instant tears sprang into Jessica's eyes and she turned her face to hide a sniff. Veronica offered a syrupy greeting to Clint. Harder to take were the charming words he gave right back.

  While a mixture of disgust and defeat vied for first place in her emotions, Jessica felt a touch to her arm. She blinked back insistent tears, hoping for a graceful recovery before rotating back to Clint. Her gaze lingered on the hand he'd laid on her arm before meeting his eyes. A puzzled furrow twitched at his brow. Jessica blinked away the last of the moisture clouding her vision while Clint studied her. Would he see the pain there? If she lowered her eyes, he would guess. Instead she lifted her chin and forced a smile.

  "Jessie, this is Ronnie." Catching Veronica's stern look, he corrected. "Rather, this is Veronica. Veronica, this is Jessie."

  His words were for Veronica, but his gaze remained fastened to Jessica. "Jessie's been watching a while, plus she helped Johnnie set up, so she can answer any questions for you. Right, Jessie?" He looked confident that she would agree. That irked her a little, since he was right.

  "Sure." She gave Veronica a compliant expression with a half-hearted smile.

  Before turning back to the squeeze, he patted each girl on a cheek. Jessica reveled in the warmth of his skin on hers, while Veronica, the minute Clint's back was turned, grimaced, and spat out, "Ugh, he stinks. Like this place does. I don't know why he insisted I come to such a vile spectacle. I guess some women fit in." She looked Jessica up and down. "Though it's beyond me the interest true femininity would have out here."

  Jessica cringed.

  A wave of odors from the arena wafted on a gust of wind, biting her in the nostrils. Jessica breathed through her mouth, waiting for it to pass. Veronica gagged and bent at the waist, gulping in deep drafts of air.

  Veronica's comment about true femininity still sizzled in Jessica's brain. Her good sense left her and the need for retaliation took its place. She signaled one of the men and pointed to Johnnie. The man tapped Johnnie on the shoulder and nodded in her direction. The second he looked at her she pointed to one of the buckets and motioned to have him bring it to Veronica.

  Johnnie looked confused as he checked out the bent-over Veronica, then studied Jessica. Jessica bit hard on her bottom lip to keep from smiling. Smart man, he immediately picked up on Jessica's intentions and didn't disappoint. Grabbing a partially filled bucket, Johnnie jogged over to the fence, stepped up two rungs swung the bucket over and deposited it under Veronica's bowed head. She took one look in the bucket, lurched upright, and screamed. The ear-piercing sound reverberated throughout the arena.

  "What are you trying to do?" she screeched as she scowled at him, then gagged, then hollered in exasperation, then gagged again. She glowered at Johnnie in between her bouts of near retching.

  Johnnie ignored her convulsing throat and gave her a riveting blue-eyed look with his most captivating smile. "Just trying to help, beautiful. Looked like you needed to heave."

  Smooth . . . very smooth. Jessica fought to keep her lips pressed together.

  His task done, Johnnie pivoted to leave, a wry smile twisting his lips.

  The episode was so comical Jessica would have whooped with glee if she hadn't worried about disappointing Clint. The little snit is getting everything she deserves. But as Veronica looked like she would heave, for real, guilt swelled in Jessica's conscience. She sighed and grabbed a fairly clean towel from the post nearby, dipped it into the drinking water bucket, and hurried back to the
beauty's side.

  "Let me help," Jessica said. She nudged Veronica in the opposite direction of the smells and mayhem of the corral, walking her out to catch the fresh breeze off the meadow. She plastered the cool, wet cloth on Veronica's forehead. Veronica flinched away, but looked so puny Jessica figured she didn't have the strength to fight back. Jessica wiped at her cheeks and her throat and slid the cloth around the back of her neck.

  When the dazed woman took two full breaths of clean mountain air, and seemed to get her bearings, she pierced Jessica with a venomous glare. "You stupid . . ." She yanked the rag from her neck. "You stupid—ridiculous—tomboy!"

  It wasn't even that great an insult, but coming from Clint's love interest, the comment stung. Jessica wanted nothing more than to dish out more humiliation of her own, but a passage from the Bible, out of Matthew, came to mind. 'Love your neighbor as yourself'." She bit back a retort.

  Clint jogged up, as if he were at Veronica's beck and call. The jealousy inside Jessica swirled again, but she pounded it down. Clint's mouth was drawn and his eyes were cold. He took one look at the moisture on Veronica's face, pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket, and handed it over without a word. He strode back to the corral, shaking his head as he went.

  Veronica looked shocked, and Jessica flushed. Veronica must have planned on Clint coming to her rescue. She probably even expected him to leave the round-up to take her away from the vile display he had demanded she see. It was obvious she didn't expect what he did do. Veronica turned west and stomped off.

  Jessica looked skyward, seized again on the verse from Matthew, and sighed. She jogged after Veronica. "Wait. Take my horse."

  Veronica swung around like a wildcat. Jessica expected all ten bright pink nails to slash out at her. Instead, she went still in a perfect Miss Montana pose. "Fine, I'll ride," she finally said, as if she'd never heard of a greater imposition in her life.

  They walked back to the little mare. Jessica untied the horse and held the reins while she waited for Veronica to awkwardly climb up two rungs of the fence. Once there, rather than turn back to the horse, Veronica looked toward Clint. She waited for him to raise his head, not minding in the least Jessica had to wait and watch as well. When he eventually glanced up he tipped his hat in good-bye, gave Jessica an impassive look, then casually went back to work on the calf in front of him.

  Veronica's reaction came in stages. First she stiffened, then her fingers turned white where they gripped the fence. She growled loudly and swiveled toward the horse. Her face was now blood red. Jessica didn't say a word, just held the horse steady as Veronica gave an unsteady jump and almost missed the saddle. The horse sidestepped, startled by the sudden motion, and nearly lost its rider. Veronica clung to the saddle horn so hard, she looked more like a stooped hag rather than a pageant beauty. Finally settled, she ripped the reins out of Jessica's hands and took off like a shot. Bad idea, since the mare would speed up even more when the barn was in sight. Jessica smiled. Oh, to be the fly on the wall for that bone-jarring ride. Still, she prayed the debutante would make it back in one piece. Though, with any luck, she'd be enjoyably disheveled.

  During the remainder of the calf marking, Jessica mulled over Clint's reaction to Veronica. He had acted as if he hadn't cared one whit about her. Why would he have invited her if he didn't care if she stayed? Had this been a test? Did he hope she shared his love of the ranch? Maybe he had planned to ask her to marry him out here. Okay, maybe that was a stretch. Still, the blood in Jessica's head seemed to pool in her feet. She didn't understand any of it.

  At the end of the round-up exhausted cowboys began to disperse, each heading back to camp. Johnnie came to the fence where Jessica had been attentively watching the whole event, dangled his wrists over the top slat, and gave her a sparkling smile. "It looked like you enjoyed yourself today, young lady."

  "Oh, I did." She leaned in conspiratorially and wagged a finger at him. "Loved the part you played with the princess. Didn't know you had it in you."

  He grinned. His white teeth flashed through the grime on his face and goatee. "Yeah. Love teasing those self-absorbed types." He lifted a shoulder to wipe the sweat from his face. "You and Mabel'll be busy making Rocky Mountain Oysters tonight. Yum."

  "Rocky Mountain whats?"

  His eyes twinkled with mirth. "You'll find out. Check in with Mabel when you get back." He glanced to where Jessica had originally tied her horse. "I see you had to let your horse go. Wait and I'll give you a ride back to the ranch."

  Clint came up from behind and put a hand to Johnnie's shoulder. "Not necessary. It's my fault she had to give up the gray. I'll take her back. You finish up here."