Page 9 of Sweet Beginnings

“You know she’s going to be just fine,” Carson said over Preston’s shoulder.

“I know.” He nodded. “But she scared the hell out of me.”

A set of soft footfalls made their way up the hall. Preston lifted his gaze to meet the approaching ranch hand. An unfamiliar face. It had been ages since he’d spent enough time on the ranch to know all the hands by name. Of course he knew Ray. They all did. Ray had been foreman under his father and knew every inch of the operation as well as their dad. Preston couldn’t begin to imagine how they would have made it through the most difficult days after Charlie Sweet’s unexpected death if not for Ray. He’d seamlessly stepped into the role their dad had filled, saving the ranch and the family.

Hat in hand, the stranger’s eyes scanned each of them. Only the tick in his jaw showed his unease with finding Alice Sweet’s sons standing in the hall.

“Mom had a little accident.” Carson answered the unasked question.

“Accident?” The man pressed his lips tightly together.

Preston pushed away from the wall. “She was tossed from her horse. Landed on the fence. Nothing seems to be broken, but she’s pretty cut up.”

Fingering the hat in his hand, the man’s lips pulled tightly together as his gaze shifted to the closed door. “Doc with her?”

Preston shook his head. “Sarah Sue, the doc’s daughter, is tending to her.”

“I see.” His gaze shifted briefly to the door then back. “I’d best be getting back to the bunkhouse. I’ll check in on Ms. Sweet in the morning. Please tell her I went out to the farthest pasture as she asked. Fixed some fence line while I was there, but there’s more to do. A lot more.”

“Where’s Ray?” Preston asked.

“And the others?” Carson added.

The man slapped his hat against his leg and for a split second Preston thought he might spit before speaking. “Ms. Sweet had better explain that.”

The door behind him finally swung open and all of Preston’s questions for this man slipped away. The time waiting in the hall had seemed like forever. He blew out a relieved sigh, no longer concerned with the footsteps of the departing ranch hand.

Rachel stood in the doorway. “Mom’s all cleaned up and resting, but she still wants to talk to everyone. Sarah says we’d better hurry. She only gave Mom some ibuprofen for the discomfort, but she thinks Mom’s going to give out sooner than later.”

For everyone’s sake, Preston hoped all his mother wanted was to once again thank them for finding her, because whatever the reason she’d called them all together, he wasn’t up for any more surprises tonight.

Chapter Four

The four siblings lined up along the edges of the bed. Head bowed, gaze lowered, Sarah took a step back.

To Alice, the simple effort of clearing her throat seemed gargantuan. She knew the pills she’d taken were beginning to kick in. Under normal circumstances, it would take a dose of medicine suitable for a Clydesdale to knock her out, but her body had been through too much in the last few days, and the last few hours had completely pushed her already tired body over the edge. She suspected a soft breeze could have knocked her over. Another concentrated effort and she successfully cleared her throat, and then sighed. “This isn’t easy for me.”

“You don’t have to talk, Mom.” Jill patted her mother’s good hand.

Just the idea of her not wanting to speak made her chuckle. The sharp ensuing pain that shot in several directions at once smothered the smile and made her wince. She’d have to be more careful. “That’ll be the day when I’m too tired—or weak—to talk.”

This time it was Preston who smothered a hint of amusement. Concern lingered in those big steel blue eyes, but her last crack seemed to have assuaged at least a hint of her children’s worry.

“We’ve got some big problems with the ranch.”

Sarah eased back another step. “I should probably—”

“No.” Alice waved her back into the fold. “You’ve practically been one of the family since you were old enough to stand. Besides, the town’s going to find out sooner or later when they notice all my ranch hands but one are gone.”

Alice Sweet blinked, drawing on every ounce of strength she had. The previous week she’d spent day and night poring over the books. Checking not once, not twice, but over and over. The paperwork, the bank accounts, her husband’s personal memos. None of it had been good. Along the way, she’d had more than one heart to heart with the Lordandher deceased husband.

“You’re telling us Ray is gone?” Her son’s voice carried the same incredulous tone that had settled in her own mind as she’d considered the facts. The interminable drought had given Alice the first real challenge in running the ranch since Charlie had died. Had that been the only challenge she’d have handled it, but the books had shown that wasn’t the case. The ranch was bleeding cherry red ink, and if she screwed up her next move, she could lose it all.

Eyes closed, Alice could still see the new ranch hand standing yesterday at her back door looking more chagrined than a little boy tasked with picking out his own switch.

His words had come out especially slow and smooth, even for a West Texas cowboy. “I’m not sure how to say this so I’ll just say it straight out. Got back from the line shack a little bit ago. Found the bunk house empty of folks. No surprise at this hour of the day, exceptin’ all the gear is gone too. Not a boot, belt, or pair of britches in the place.”

She hadn’t liked the sudden souring of her stomach contents. All the pieces she’d been uncovering the last few days were falling into place more and more and she wasn’t liking the picture she was seeing.

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