The Cowboy's Last Goodbye (Grass Valley Cowboys Book 6) Read online

  “In case I’ve never said it, Uncle Cletus, I love you. If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure Ryan and I would have survived our childhood. You’ve always been there for me, and I appreciate you so much.”

  Cletus sniffled loudly and patted Harper’s back. “Go on with you, girlie. Soak in the tub for a while. I think General and I can round up something for dinner.”

  Harper knew what she said had left her uncle unsettled, but also touched. As she started to walk away, his hand caught hers. “I love you, too, Harper. You’ve been the daughter I never had but always wanted.”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks as she kissed his forehead again then went to her room.

  After taking a hot shower, she dressed and applied waterproof mascara. She hurried to the kitchen where Cletus made sandwiches and alternated between layering meat and cheese on the bread and tossing bites of turkey and ham to General.

  “Ha! Caught you doing the very thing you holler at me about all the time,” Harper said, pinning her uncle with an accusing glare.

  “Guilty as charged.” Cletus purposefully tossed the dog another bite. He pointed a knife covered in mayonnaise toward the refrigerator. “Pour us both a glass of iced tea and we can eat. I figure someone will show up with your truck before long.”

  Harper was brushing sandwich crumbs off the table when she heard tires crunch the gravel outside.

  One of Trey’s hired hands jogged up to the porch and handed her the truck keys then hurried back to a pickup with the Triple T brand on the door.

  “Thank you, Tommy!” Harper waved at the fresh-faced young man.

  She returned to the kitchen to find her uncle finishing the dishes. “I guess I’ll head to the hospital.”

  “It’s the right thing to do, Harper,” Cletus said, giving her a hug. “Make sure you take your sweater, girlie. Do you have enough cash in case you get hungry or need some coffee?”

  Her uncle’s parental concern made Harper smile. “I’m all set, Uncle Cletus. You and General stay out of trouble until I get back.”

  “If you aren’t gonna come home in the morning, give me a call. Make sure you tell Michele how sorry I am to hear about the accident. I don’t know what the world is coming to with kids texting on tractors and irresponsible foolishness such as that.” Cletus muttered to himself as he shuffled to his recliner and sat down.

  Harper gave General some special attention then washed her hands. She grabbed her sweater and purse before heading out the door.

  The drive to hospital gave her time to think about Ben and their relationship. No matter what either of them thought they wanted, they’d fallen in love. Not a temporary emotion or a fleeting kind of love, but the true once-in-a-lifetime love that many people only dream of experiencing.

  The thought of telling Ben goodbye, of never seeing him again, made her heart ache so badly, she gasped for breath.

  Harper hadn’t planned to fall in love, never intended for her very soul to become connected to Ben’s, but it had happened.

  Regardless of her feelings, now wasn’t the time to think about or discuss it. What Ben needed was her unwavering support and encouragement.

  After finding a parking space at the hospital, she hurried inside to the waiting room. The Morgan family sat together, withdrawn and worried.

  When Ben saw Harper, his eyes widened. He stood and hurried toward her.

  “What are you doing here?” He engulfed her in a hug, needing to feel her in his arms as much as she needed to be held there.

  “I wanted to sit with you, Ben. I hope that’s okay. Uncle Cletus practically kicked me out of the house.”

  The barest hint of a smile lingered at the corners of his mouth as he nodded his head. “It’s better than okay. I’m really glad you’re here.” He settled his arm around her shoulders and led her over to where he’d been sitting next to his mom.

  “Can I get any of you anything? Have you eaten?” Harper asked before she sat down.

  Michele reached out and Harper took her hand, holding it between both of hers. “Thank you for asking, Harper. We ate dinner in the cafeteria a little while ago.”

  “Do any of you need coffee? A bottle of water? Think of me as your personal errand girl.”

  Michele smiled. “That’s sweet of you, but I think we’re all fine for now.”

  Harper took a seat next to Ben, between him and Brice.

  When Ben turned to say something to his mother, Brice leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Thank you for coming back, Harper. Ben needs you here.”

  She gave Brice a reassuring nod then settled back for a long night.

  After they’d thumbed through every magazine in the room, Travis went with Tess to her office. Rather than sit and fret, she decided she might as well do something productive with her time. Bailey curled up against Brice’s side, saying she needed to close her eyes for a minute or two.

  Ben alternated between offering his mother words of encouragement and giving her comforting hugs until the woman dozed off with tears glistening on her cheeks.

  Harper didn’t know what inner well of strength Ben drew from, but from the pinched lines between his eyes and his clenched jaw, it appeared he was about to run out of reserves. He’d offered comfort to all of his family and accepted next to none as they waited.

  She wanted to do something for him, anything to help him get through the next difficult hours of their night vigil.

  “A little fresh air would be so nice. Would you like to go with me for a few minutes, Ben?” she asked.

  At his nod, she stood and walked out the door. Quietly, they strolled along the hall until they reached the exit doors and stepped outside.

  The night was crisp and clear with stars sparkling above their heads.

  Chilled, Harper pulled her sweater around her and took a deep breath of the fresh air. She and Ben walked over to a bench and sat down.

  Slowly exhaling a long sigh, Ben leaned forward with his knees on his elbows, staring at his boots.

  Mindful that he wouldn’t share all that was on his heart or mind, Harper placed her hand on his back and gently rubbed it, like she would for a child needing comfort.

  Ben tensed at first. Eventually, he relaxed and sighed again. His voice sounded unsure and unsteady when he finally spoke. “I don’t know what I’ll do if Dad doesn’t pull through this. The ranch is nothing without him there. Mom won’t be able to…” His voice cracked and he fell silent.

  Harper wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed her cheek against his back. “It’s okay, Ben. I know you love your dad and don’t want anything to happen to him. Just focus on the positive. His injuries could have been worse. The wreck could have been so much worse. He’ll be okay.”

  Ben sat up and pulled Harper into his embrace, resting his chin on top of her head. “Thank you for being here, Harper. I didn’t even realize how much I needed you with me until you left.”

  “If there’s anything I can do to help you or your family, let me know.”

  She felt Ben’s nod against her hair and relaxed against him. In no hurry to return inside, they sat in the dark until her fingers and toes felt half-frozen.

  A shiver wracked over her and Ben gave her a tight squeeze. “Are you cold?” he asked, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

  “A little,” she said.

  Ben lifted her onto his lap and surrounded her with his warmth. “That better?”

  She nestled against his chest. “Mmm. Much,” she whispered, inhaling his delicious fragrance. Ben’s continual concern and care for others left her humbled and more than a little awed.

  Without thinking, she lifted her head and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Immediately, his hold on her tightened and he took control, pouring out his emotion through the fervent exchange.

  Abruptly, he ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “Thank you for caring, Harper, for me and my family.”

  “You’re an easy bunch to love, Ben,” Harper said, sliding off hi
s lap and missing the look on his face at her statement.

  She took his hand and led him back to the waiting room. Tess and Travis appeared with steaming cups of coffee. Harper gratefully accepted one.

  Not long after they’d finished the coffee, Harper turned to Tess with a kind smile. “I’d love to hear more about your dad, Tess. Ben has shared a few stories with me, but I’m sure as the only daughter, stuck between two rowdy brothers, you’ve got a different perspective.”

  Tess nodded and began sharing fun memories she had of growing up. Ben clasped Harper’s hand in his as they sat together. He added some stories of things Tess didn’t know or remember.

  Brice and Bailey eventually awakened and joined in the conversation.

  When Michele awoke, it was to the laughter of her children as they recalled happy moments they’d spent with their dad.

  Bailey had gone to get more coffee for everyone when a nurse appeared and let them all know Mike had made it through the night and his condition had improved.

  With a collective sigh of relief, they faced a new day, certain that everything would be fine.

  Chapter Fourteen

  How lucky am I to have something

  that makes saying goodbye so hard.

  Winnie The Pooh

  Ben waved as Harper parked her truck at the barn and got out. General jumped down and barked twice, racing over to the man he’d come to think of as his special friend.

  Amused by the interaction between her dog and the cowboy who’d stolen her heart, Harper watched as Ben dropped down on his knees and rubbed the dog’s head.

  General rolled onto his back so Ben could scratch his belly. One hind leg twitched, keeping time to each scratch, making her giggle.

  “You might not think this is funny if you had an itch on your belly you couldn’t reach.” Ben grinned up at her with sparks of yearning dancing in his rich brown eyes. “Why don’t you come over here and I’ll see if I can dislodge your fleas.”

  Harper shook her head. “I don’t need to roll in the dirt or have you scratch my tummy, but thanks for that enticing offer. And just so you’re clear on the matter, my dog does not have fleas. They wouldn’t dare take up residence on him.”

  Ben chuckled and gave General a good pat on his head before he got to his feet and wrapped his arms around Harper, greeting her with a tender kiss.

  A smile lingered around his mouth when he lifted his head. “You taste like cinnamon and sugar.”

  “I might have baked cinnamon cookies this morning and sampled one or two on my way over here,” Harper reluctantly admitted.

  “Well, I think I’d like another sample.” Ben’s voice dropped to a husky whisper before he kissed her again.

  A clearing throat interrupted their interlude and Harper hid her face against Ben’s chest as he sighed and shot daggers with his eyes at his mother.

  “Hey, Mom,” he said, tamping down his impatience and temper.

  “Sorry to bother you, honey, but your dad wanted to know if you remembered to order the parts for the feed wagon yesterday.”

  “I took care of it. Tell him to stop worrying,” Ben said, frustrated with both of his parents. In the month since his dad’s wreck, Ben had taken over running the ranch. He’d used every vacation day he had at work and then took a leave of absence for an indefinite period.

  The trauma Mike sustained from his head injury left him unable to see. The doctor assured them it was temporary, but as one week passed into another, everyone wondered if Mike would ever regain his vision. He could see blurry images, but nothing with any clarity.

  Suddenly thrust into the role of managing the ranch, Ben did the best he could. Running the ranch full-time was far different from coming back to play ranch hand on his days off. However, his father had taught him well and it wasn’t like he was a green kid.

  He knew what he was doing and didn’t need to be reminded, nagged, and micro-managed every time he turned around.

  The fewer painkillers his father took, the more cantankerous he became, treating Ben like he’d never set foot on a ranch, seen a cow, or ridden a horse.

  At some point, he’d have to sit down with his father and have a conversation about how they were going to get through the winter together, but today wasn’t that day.

  Today, Harper had come to watch as Ben and some of the hands culled cows from the herd to haul to the sale.

  Although Mike thought they should wait until spring, Ben didn’t see the need to feed cattle that weren’t good producers through the winter. After a rather curt discussion, his father had thrown his hand in the air and told Ben to do whatever he wanted.

  Michele tried to be a buffer between her husband and son, but it did little to help the situation. Most of the time, her efforts at placating Ben and Mike left them all upset.

  The more Ben did on the ranch, the more agitated Mike became. With no time to worry about his dad’s feelings that morning, Ben removed his dusty cowboy hat and ran a hand over his head.

  “Mom, if Dad thinks someone else can do a better job taking care of the ranch until he’s able to return to work, tell me who. I’ll go get them right now.”

  Michele placed a hand on his arm and gave him an appeasing look. “I know it’s rough, honey, but he’ll get over this need to be in control. Hang in there. We both think you’re doing a great job, even if your dad won’t say it. He’s so grateful you took time off to help us out until he’s back on his feet.”

  Ben caught Harper’s glance and offered her an almost imperceptible shake of his head. They’d spoken at length about what would happen if his father didn’t regain his sight. If Ben chose not to stay and run the ranch, his parents would most likely have to sell. While their ranch hands were dedicated, none of them were able to take over as manager.

  Apart from his father’s annoying interference, Ben loved being back on the ranch and the day-to-day work.

  Sure, there were tasks he disliked, but overall, he’d forgotten how much he enjoyed ranch work. He’d given a lot of consideration to leaving his job and returning to the ranch permanently, but he didn’t want to rush into it. He figured after another month, he’d know for certain what he wanted to do.

  He forced a smile for his mother and patted her back. “I’ve got it all under control, Mom. At least for today.”

  Michele gave him another motherly glance then turned to Harper. “When you get tired of watching Ben and the boys work, I hope you’ll come inside the house for a while, Harper. It’s always nice to visit with you.”

  “Thanks, Michele. I will.” Harper hurried over to her pickup and took out a resealable bag filled with cookies. When she started to hand them to Michele, Ben snatched it out of her hand. He helped himself to three then gave the bag to his mom with a grin.

  “Quality control,” he said, taking a big bite out of a cookie and nodding his approval.

  Michele and Harper shared a smile then the older woman returned to the house while Harper accepted the hand Ben held out to her and followed him behind the barn to a pen.

  “You can sit on the fence to watch, Tinker Bell. I’d ask you to ride with us, but some of the cows can get a little ornery and I don’t want you to be scared. The guys are bringing in the herd, so it won’t be long until this pen is full of bawling bovines.”

  From her summers spent with Cletus, Harper could ride a horse. But it had been so long since she’d ridden one around cattle, she was more than happy to sit on the fence and watch.

  Besides, it was easier to ogle Ben from a position there than if she was keeping one eye on her mount and one on the herd.

  “I’ll be fine, Captain Morgan,” she said, reaching up to adjust the collar of his twill work coat.

  “You’re gonna have to stop calling me that since I’m temporarily off duty.” Ben pecked her cheek then took another bite of cookie. General bumped his leg and gave him an imploring glance. Ben tossed the dog the last bite then brushed the cinnamon off his fingers.

  “Would y
ou rather I call you Cowboy Morgan? How about Maniac Morgan? Grumpy Britches Morgan? Do you prefer Bad Boy Biker Dude?” Harper teased.

  Ben laughed and slipped his hands inside her coat, tickling her sides. “My dad already owns the grumpy britches title, so I guess we’ll have to stick with Captain.” He placed a warm kiss to her neck then landed a playful swat to her bottom.

  “You and General stay out of trouble while I’m gone,” Ben said, as he walked backward toward the barn where his horse waited.

  “Aye, aye, Captain.” Harper saluted him then whistled to General when the dog started to follow Ben.

  The two of them watched as he mounted Brutus and rode across the pasture.

  Harper wandered through the barn, imagining it decorated for Tess and Travis’ wedding reception. She’d seen photos of it and had a hard time reconciling the space she stood in to the romantic backdrop in the images.

  “What do you think, General? Is this a good place for a wedding?” she asked the dog, running a hand over his head, wondering why her thoughts had lingered so much on weddings and babies lately. Then again, with Tess only a month from her delivery date and all of the Thompson and Morgan siblings so loopy in love, it wasn’t hard to determine what instigated the ideas.

  Harper scoffed, knowing the biggest reason was Ben. Since he’d returned to the ranch, they hadn’t been able to spend a lot of time together, but the moments they’d managed to steal had been precious to her.

  With Ben, she could talk about anything at all. In spite of that, they both carefully avoided the topics of love, commitment, and marriage.

  Tired of tiptoeing around the truth, Harper decided she wouldn’t leave today without telling Ben how she truly felt.

  She’d come close to admitting it the night she sat with him in the hospital, but had been too much of a coward to share what was on her heart.

  Uncle Cletus had assured her she and Ben were the only two people who couldn’t see how right they were for each other.

  Drawn from her musings by a sound that rumbled like distant thunder, Harper ran outside and around the barn. She watched as Ben and the ranch hands drove the cattle into the big sorting pen.