“I don’t think I’m going to find anything.” He stood, hands resting on his hips, gazing out over the scenic terrain. “I’m sure the river has changed its banks dramatically in the last two hundred years. Erosion probably destroyed any remnants long ago.” He sounded regretful.
“You’re probably right, but it never hurts to look.”
Alec’s interest in his heritage surprised her. The questions he’d asked about the Hardin home site and now the interest in his own ancestral home didn’t fit the image of the modern builder who wanted to level everything. She couldn’t stop from watching him as he continued looking out over the scenic waterway. From his tawny eyes and full lips to the strong, deep set of his jaw, his face was temptation run amuck. Add intelligence sprinkled with a sense of humor, and it all added up to an irresistible combination.
In a moment of clarity, she realized she had come to respect Alec. He was a successful businessman and builder, a great father and a man of his word. But the reason he was here sent a twinge of sadness inching its way to her heart.
At that moment, he turned toward her and she made the mistake of looking into his eyes. The smile faded and his eyes darkened to the color of molten topaz. She knew he saw the awareness in her face. She swallowed hard.
The cry of a hawk circling overhead broke the spell.
“It’s getting late. The sun has almost set. We’d better get back,” she whispered, turning away.
In silent agreement they climbed into the Jeep and headed back to the home site and the trail leading home.
Ransom was still contentedly munching on the knee-high grass when the Jeep pulled up near the old homestead. Alec approached the big gelding and ran his hand down the glossy neck, then looked at the last rays of the setting sun in the open western sky.
“Is it true a horse can find his way back home on his own?”
Shea pursed her lips to hide a grin, nodding. “They usually know where the food is. Go ahead and unsaddle him and turn him loose. You can ride back in the Jeep. We wouldn’t want Scotty to think his dad doesn’t know which way is up in the dark.”
“Ha. Ha.”
With the saddle, bridle and tether removed, Ransom acknowledged his freedom by kicking his heels in the air and running for home, his tail held high above his back. Alec put the tack in the Jeep and climbed into the passenger seat. She slid in behind the wheel and turned the key. The engine caught, but immediately sputtered and died. She tried again, but it refused to start. Pumping the gas pedal did no good either.
“Mind if I have a try?” They switched places, but Alec had no more luck getting it started than she had. He walked to the front and opened the hood. “Everything looks okay,” he muttered. “How much gas did you have?”
“I filled up last week and haven’t really gone anywhere except over to Leona’s. It should have plenty.”
“Well, it doesn’t.” Alec closed the hood.
It was miles back to the ranch house. By the angle of the sun, it would be dark in less than an hour. A quick glance revealed he was thinking the same thing.
He walked over to a small crevice, kicked at the grass, then looked out over the far hills as if deep in thought. He smiled, shook his head, then he began gathering rocks, placing them in a circle around the indention.
“Are you building a fire?”
“Yeah. It might get cold later tonight.” He looked at her. “Unless you know of a better way we can keep warm?”
She ignored his teasing. “Hank will know something’s wrong and come after us. You don’t really need to do that.”
Alec dropped more sticks into the circle. “It might be a while. Are there any matches in the Jeep?”
“Not that I’ve ever seen but I’ll look.” She walked to the front of the vehicle. Opening the glove box, she found not one, but two lighters and a small box of matches.
“I don’t know how these got there, but here you go,” she said, tossing him a lighter.
“How about water?”
“We don’t keep water in the Jeep. If we’re headed out to a branding or mending a long stretch of fence—something that will take a day or more—we load a couple of big ice chests and some ten-gallon coolers in the supply trailer and pull it to the site.”
He nodded. “Would you humor me?”
With a shrug, Shea returned to the back of the vehicle. Moving aside Ransom’s saddle and an old tarp, she immediately spotted two jugs of water. Frowning, she looked at Alec.
“And...?”
She pulled out the two gallons of water. “I don’t understand—”
“It’s just a guess, but I think Hank knew we would need matches and water before you ever left the ranch.”
“What? What are you saying?”
“This.” He gestured with his hands. “Our being out here alone...stranded. It was a setup. It was planned.”
“No.” Shea denied his words, but at the same time, her heart increased its rhythm. “Hank...wouldn’t do something like that.”
“Okay.” He squatted next to the small pile of wood, tearing dried grass and shoving it underneath the smaller sticks.
“I’ve known him all my life. He just isn’t the kind of person to...to...”
“Play matchmaker?”
“Exactly.”
“Take a look in the back. I’m betting you’ll find some blankets. While you’re there, you might check and see what we’re having for dinner.”
Shea opened her mouth to argue but closed it again without a word. She set the containers of water on the ground and turned back to the Jeep. Partially hidden farther under the tarp were a sleeping bag, two pillows, a couple of blankets and a small ice chest. A thermos and a few foam cups completed the stash.
“I don’t know of anyone else who would drain the gas tank and load the Jeep with supplies two people would need for a night,” Alec said, walking over to where she stood. “Do you?”
She was dumbfounded that Hank Minton, of all people, would do this. But it could be no one else. “No.” When she got back to the ranch, he was going to get a piece of her mind.
Shea watched the last of the sun’s glow surrender to the multitude of stars in the night sky. The wood in Alec’s campfire popped and hissed as the flames danced over the dried branches, releasing the tantalizing aroma of hickory and pecan into the still night air.
They ate in companionable silence. The sandwiches in the small ice chest went quickly, along with the slices of apple pie and coffee.
Finally, unable to hold any more, she dropped the remains of her meal into the baggie. Leaning back against a big rock, she stretched out her legs and pulled the blanket around her shoulders. The temperature had begun to drop as the sun disappeared.
“Want another cup of coffee?” Alec sat next to her, his arms resting on his knees as he, too, looked up at the night sky.
“No, thanks.” She leaned her head back against the boulder. “I still can’t believe Hank set us up.”
“He’s from the old school,” Alec replied. “Married people don’t live separately. They don’t argue all the time—”
“They don’t leave their wife the morning after the wedding.”
“And the wife damn sure doesn’t spend her wedding night in the barn.”
“You’re right,” she murmured. “Hank did it.”
“I’ll bet he had help.”
She turned to look at him. “What do you mean? Who?”
“A couple of nights ago, when I tucked him in, Scotty voiced some concern about having to leave here. I hadn’t said anything about him returning to New York, and I didn’t understand what would cause him to worry about it. He must have figured if we didn’t get along—”
“Then he’d have to leave.” Shea finished the thought. “Set up by a four-year-old.”
“He’s smart, capable of a lot more than you’d expect for his age,” Alec replied. “Which is another reason I wanted him here with me.” He chuckled. “He’s run off two nannies so far and his grandmother is on her last nerve, even though she would never admit it.”
“Hank mentioned he’s been asking about a horse.”
“I know,” Alec replied. “He’s talked about little else since he got here.”
“Alec, I’m hesitant to mention this because I still worry over Scotty’s safety, but we have a gelding. Been around here forever,” she ventured. “He’s a small horse, older than I am, and as gentle as they come. He loves people. If you want Scotty to learn to ride, he couldn’t be any safer than on Marty. I think Scotty would like him. He’s a paint and kinda flashy.”
Alec appeared to consider the suggestion. He glanced toward her, grinned and nodded his approval. “I appreciate your offer. I think that would be great.”
For a while they sat back listening to the fire crackle. Somewhere out in the woods a pack of coyotes made its presence known.
“Alec, I...I never asked if there was someone special in your life. I mean, it’s a little late now, but—”
“No.” Alec shook his head. “No one special.”
“But you were married...?” she prompted, hating herself for showing any interest at all, but unable to contain her curiosity.