He took the basket, placed it on the counter and dug out a soft, steaming biscuit. He took a bite and groaned. “Delicious. I could get used to this.”
“Thank you.” She grinned. “I do appreciate a man with an appetite.”
“And I appreciate home cooking. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thank you. We need to get back to the house.”
“Yeah, we can’t leave Grandpa by himself,” Livy told him. “And Mommy’s in the corral working Whiskey. He’s gonna be the NCHA champion some day,” she announced proudly.
“Olivia, it’s not nice to brag,” Bernice said. “Now, ask Mr. Luke before we wear out our welcome.”
“My mom, Aunt Bernie and me want to invite you to supper tomorrow night.” The child’s eyes widened. “Will you come? Aunt Bernie is making our favorite, pot roast with those tiny potatoes. And there’ll be a surprise…”
This child was a charmer. So different from her mother’s no-nonsense attitude. “Well, how can I turn down an invitation like that? I’d love to come. What time?” “Say six o’clock,” Bernice said as she started for the door. “Come on, Livy, we need to get back to Grandpa.”
“I hope Mr. Meyers feels better soon.”
Livy looked up at him, her eyes sad. “Grandpa is really sick. He doesn’t even read me stories anymore.” Her gaze widened. “Do you read stories, Mr. Luke?”
Tess stood in her father’s bedroom. “It’s okay, Dad. I can do it for you.”
“No,” Ray Meyers argued, pushing her hand away. “I can button my own damn shirt.”
Tess stood back, but watched protectively as her aging father worked at the simple task. Today was one of his more lucid days. And she was grateful.
His fingers were clumsy but he managed the job. The sixty-five-year-old one-time rodeo cowboy, horse trainer and rancher looked used up. She brushed a tear from her eye. His thinning hair was more white than gray. His lined skin was liver spotted and his blue eyes were tired…and sad. To her he was the most wonderful man in the world. And soon he wouldn’t remember her…or his granddaughter.
“Hey, Dad, you want to sit outside today? It’s not too hot yet.”
“I don’t want to sit on the porch…I need to check the herd.” He glanced at Tess and a strange look came over him. “Mary Theresa, why aren’t you in school?” he asked, suddenly agitated “You don’t want me to get into trouble again do you?”
“No, Daddy. I don’t.” She knelt down next to his chair. “You know I love going on roundups with you.” She wanted to store up all the memories she could, no matter if they were decades old.
“And I love you with me, too, baby girl. But you need to go to school.” He brushed his hand over her head and cupped her cheeks. “You’re so pretty…just like your mama.”
A tear ran down her face. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too.” Then the look in eyes changed to confusion and Tess knew she’d lost him.
“How about if I turn on the television and you can watch The Price is Right?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she pressed the remote to the game show, then left the room.
Bernice looked up from her crossword puzzle at the kitchen, but Tess didn’t want to talk right now. She needed an escape for a few hours. She turned to Livy who was playing with her cat on the back porch.
“Hey, sweetie, how would you like to go riding?”
It was late morning, and the August sun was beginning to heat up by the time Tess saddled the horses. Her dad’s gelding, Dusty, was ready for Livy. The old buckskin hadn’t been ridden much lately, and the exercise would be good for him. She led Whiskey and Dusty out of the barn. That’s when she looked up and saw Luke pull his car up at the back of the house and get out.
“Mom, look it’s Mr. Luke.” Before she could stop her daughter, the child took off running. “Hi, Mr. Luke,” she called.
“Hey, shortcake,” he called back and started toward the corral. He was in a pair of faded jeans and a chambray shirt and boots. He sure didn’t look like a businessman.
Tess watched her daughter beam as she approached him. “We’re going riding.”
“Seems like a nice day for it,” he said as he caught up to the child. His gaze met Tess’s and offered an easy smile.
Ignoring the funny tingle, she touched her finger to her hat and nodded. “C’mon, Livy. We need to get going.”
The child seemed hesitant, then said, “Mommy, can Mr. Luke go with us?” She turned back to the man in question. “You can ride Dusty…he’s real gentle.”
It wasn’t a good idea. “Livy, Mr. Luke probably has a lot of things to do today.”
The girl looked up at her new hero. “Do you?”
Luke slipped his hands into his pockets. He wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want to sit around the house all day…again. He shrugged, but felt his excitement grow. “No. I’m free. I wouldn’t mind seeing a little of the ranch.”
The child grinned. “See, Mommy. He wants to see the ranch.”
He watched Tess struggle with her decision. He couldn’t blame her, he was a threat to her family’s future.
She finally said. “Okay, you can ride Dusty, and, Livy, you’ll have to double up with me.”
Livy jumped up and down. “Oh, boy.” She grabbed Luke’s hand and nearly pulled him to the corral.
Tess tied the reins to the railing. “You’ll need to adjust the stirrups.”
“I think I remember how.”
He went to work as she boosted Livy up on Whiskey. Then she went around to the other side of Dusty and helped him with his task. Finished with the one stirrup, Luke came around to the other side. Standing next to her, he caught the soft scent of soap and shampoo. He stole a quick glance at her face to find her skin scrubbed clean of any makeup, revealing a dash of freckles across her nose. She looked like a teenager.
“That should do it.” She squinted up at him. “Just give Dusty his lead, and he’ll do the rest.”
Luke nodded, happy to have something else to concentrate on. He jammed his boot into the stirrup, grabbed the horn and boosted himself onto the horse.
Excitement went through Luke as he walked the buckskin away from the corral gate and tested some basic commands.
“How does it feel?” Tess asked.
“Good.” He glanced at her and smiled. “Real good.”
“Okay, let’s go,” Livy said.
“Hold your horses,” Tess said as she climbed up
