Complication must be Garrett’s middle name. No sooner had he walked through the doors of the Iron Horse Bar & Grill, when he spotted Delta at the far end of the dimly lit bar. Alone. Apparently, her next stop hadn’t been a customer.
Garrett weighed his options. Walk out before she saw him, grab a booth in the back and pretend he never noticed her, or eat crow and get it over with. Delta’s gaze met his as she lifted a drink to her lips and froze. He could have sworn her shoulders sagged at the recognition, but between the neon beer sign behind her and the waitress temporarily blocking his view as she swept under the stools, he wasn’t a hundred percent certain. Delta lowered her glass and shook her head, destroying any illusion of subtlety, and then waved him over. Garrett had hoped for a burger and a beer, but it looked like he was eating crow for an appetizer. So much for unwinding.
Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” played on the jukebox as he crossed the room and he couldn’t help but notice his boots hit the floor in time with the beat. Before Kacey was born, he and Rebecca had spent every Friday and Saturday night dancing around this very floor. He hadn’t expected the memory to be so vivid eight years later.
“I hope our conversation earlier didn’t drive you here.” Garrett pulled out the corner bar stool next to hers and sat down. “It’s not even five o’clock.”
“I could say the same to you.” Delta sipped at her drink. “I was hungry, frustrated and this is the only place in town that’s not decked out for Valentine’s Day.” Her face soured at the mention of the holiday.
“Bad breakup?” he asked.
“Something like that,” she mumbled, staring down at the amber liquid as she swirled it in the glass.
“I hear you.” Garrett motioned for the bartender. “It’s not my favorite either.” His wife had died four days before the holiday, reminding him every year of what he’d lost.
“Bad breakup for you, too?”
“Something like that.” If only it had been a breakup, maybe his heart would have survived.
Delta nudged a platter of nachos toward him. “Help yourself. I can’t eat all this on top of the sandwich I ordered.”
“Thanks.” Garrett took her cordiality as a positive sign and reached for a few of the neatly stacked napkins along the back edge of the bar.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.
“I’ll have whatever she’s drinking.”
One of Delta’s brows rose. “Brave man.”
“Why’s that?” Garrett couldn’t help noticing how naturally beautiful she was without a lick of makeup. Truth was, he’d noticed it the moment he first saw her, but he forced it to the back of his mind. He had no business admiring anyone the ranch conducted business with. It was unprofessional and he wasn’t interested in anything more.
“I’m drinking chipotle whiskey.” Her mischievous smile presented more of a dare than a warning. “I don’t know if you can handle it.”
“I’m sure I can handle it. I’m a man. We’re rugged.” Garrett hooked his boots on the stool’s footrest and followed Delta’s eyes to the television she remained transfixed upon...sports scores from last night’s games.
“If you say so,” she said, her attention still unwavering from the screen.
“Seriously?” If Dylan thought Delta was one of the nicest people he had ever met, his brother needed to get out more. “I guess I gave you some first impression, huh?”
“Listen, don’t get me wrong. I get it.” Delta leveled her gaze to his. “You’re trying to save money wherever you can. But are you aware I had started charging your uncle twenty percent less than all my other customers over a year ago to help ease some of the ranch’s financial burden? Then I extended your payment terms six months later. I’ve taken two significant hits from my largest customer and now I’m taking another one. I won’t lie to you. It hurts. But, I shouldn’t have acted or reacted the way I did.”
Well, if that hadn’t made him feel like more of a jerk he didn’t know what would. “I knew about the payment terms, which I hope to amend sooner rather than later, but I had no idea about the discount. I should be the one apologizing. I was a bit overenthusiastic earlier.”
“Just a bit.” Delta’s smile tightened.
The bartender set Garrett’s drink on the bar top. “Did you want to place a food order?”
Garrett looked over the glossy double-sided menu. “Bacon cheeseburger, medium rare with fries.”
“Sure thing.” The man turned to Delta. “Your order’s almost up. Do you want them to hold it and serve it with his or bring it out when it’s ready?”
“Please don’t wait on my account.” Garrett had ruined enough of her day. He didn’t want to add dinner to it.
“I still haven’t made a dent in these nachos.” Delta sighed down at the plate. “Go ahead and hold mine.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, well, I can’t sit here and eat with you watching me.”
“I could leave.”
“You could, but that would be rude of me to ask. Besides, I ordered a turkey club. It’s not like it’s going to get cold.” Delta nudged the nachos closer to him. “Please help me eat these.”
Garrett lifted a heavily topped tortilla chip. “Think we can start over?” he asked before popping the gooey piece of heaven into his mouth. “Man, these are awesome. You never used to be able to get nachos here. A basket of chips and salsa was about all you could order outside of a burger or a bar pie.”
“Been away for a while?”
“Almost five years. I visited my brothers when I could, but it’s been even longer since I came in here.” Garrett lifted his drink. “You still haven’t answered me about starting over.”
“Hard to forget being asked to do my job differently.”
“We’ll forget about that, too. Fresh start. This is our first meeting, and you can go back to doing what you do best.”
“I’m not even going to question why you changed your mind, but I’ll take the do-over.” Delta raised her glass to his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Garrett Slade.”
“Same here.” Garrett’s eyes had already begun to water from the scent of the whiskey, but he took a man-sized swallow anyway. “Good Lord, woman!” He exhaled slowly, surprised that flames didn’t shoot out of his mouth. “How do you drink this stuff?”
Delta’s impish laugh rose above the music. “I can take the heat.”
Garrett froze. He hadn’t heard those five words in years. He squeezed his eyes shut against the memory, wishing he’d chosen someplace other than the Iron Horse tonight.
“Are you all right?” Delta’s warm hand upon his arm snapped him back to the present. “You need to take it easy with that stuff. It’s meant to be sipped, not chugged.”
Garrett shook his head. “It’s not that.” The concern reflecting in Delta’s caramel-brown eyes touched his soul in a way he hadn’t thought possible again. “This is the first time I’ve been here without my wife. We practically lived in this place before we moved to Wyoming.”
“Where is she now?”
“She died.” He took another sip of his drink, needing the heat to numb the pain of the memory. “Pancreatic cancer.”
Delta’s grasp tightened. He could have sworn he heard her swallow hard at the revelation, but when he lifted his gaze to hers, only sympathy greeted him in return.
She eased her grip. “Her loss must have been devastating for you.”
“Thank you.” Garrett patted her hand and shifted on his stool, effectively breaking all physical contact between them. He stared down at the gold band he hadn’t found the will to remove. In his heart, Rebecca would always be his wife. There could never be anyone else. “You reminded me of her when you said you could take the heat. Rebecca used to say those exact same words.”
“Really? Wow.” Delta rubbed her hands up and down her jean-clad thighs.
“Chemotherapy killed her taste buds and she constantly bet that she could out heat me.”
Delta stilled. “I’ve heard that.”
“Some things just stick in your mind, you know?” He folded his napkin into a tiny triangle. “It’s been almost three years and sometimes it feels like yesterday. Coming here is just hitting me harder than I expected.”
“I can imagine.” She picked up a chip and broke it in half before setting it back down on the platter. “So, this was your spot, huh?” Sadness reflected in her eyes as she spoke.
“Up until the day we moved away.” Garrett straightened his shoulders. “But enough about that. Tell me about yourself. I don’t remember you when I was growing up here, although you’re definitely younger than me.”
“I’m from Missoula, born and raised.” She cracked a knuckle against her glass. “And I’m thirty, so if I’m younger, it isn’t by much.”
“I have three years on you.” Garrett watched the kitchen door, hoping their orders would come out soon. He already felt he had said too much. “So...what brought you to Saddle Ridge?”
“Henry, Silver Bells’ former farrier. I don’t know how well you knew him.”
“We spoke a few times in passing. Dylan and Jax always talked about him, though. Seems like a good guy from what I’ve heard.”
“He and my dad apprenticed together way back in the day.” Delta swiveled slightly to face him, causing her knee to brush against his. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bump you.” Her hand rested lightly on his leg for a brief second, but it was long enough to send his blood coursing quicker through his veins. “When Henry decided to retire, he called and asked if I was interested in taking over his customers. Before that, I was working for my dad. Coming here gave me a chance to have my own business. And Missoula is still close enough for me to visit my family on weekends and holidays.”
Garrett tried focusing on her face as a whole, but he kept wandering down to her mouth as she spoke. Her lips were full and naturally darkened, as if she’d just been kissed. Not that he needed to be thinking about kissing Delta or anyone else. His heart was permanently shuttered. Stick to the topic, Garrett. “How long have you been here?”
“A little over a year.” She sipped her whiskey with ease. “Where were you in Wyoming?”
“Wheatland.” Garrett rolled the glass slowly in the palms of his hands. Oddly enough, he found the liquor less intoxicating than Delta. “My wife and I moved there almost five years ago to be closer to her parents. I managed their cattle ranch up until a few weeks ago.”
A waitress set both of their meals in front of them. She was one more person he didn’t recognize. It used to be he knew everyone and their brother. When did he become a stranger in his own hometown? At least he’d made one new friend tonight.
“Silver Bells must be a big change from a cattle ranch.”
“It is.” Garrett took a bite of his burger and nodded. “It was time, though. I love my wife’s family, but we were living with them. I appreciated their help with the kids, but the place had a shroud of grief hanging over it. They talked about Rebecca all the time and her mother still set a place for her at the table.” Garrett didn’t even have to close his eyes to envision that empty seat across from him. It made every meal almost unbearable. “My kids are mad because I refuse to do that here, but I don’t want them growing up in a constant state of depression. That’s not to say I love Rebecca any less.” His voice began to rise. “She’ll always be my wife. No one will ever replace her.”
Delta reared back at the declaration as if he had physically shoved her. The force of his words had startled even him.
“I can’t imagine anyone would try.” She inched away from him and turned her attention to her sandwich.
“I’m sorry. You’re the first woman I’ve really sat down and spoken with outside of family. Apparently I left my manners back in Wyoming.”
“Let me make this easy for you.” Delta side-glanced him. “I’m just one of the guys where you’re concerned. I can assure you it will never be anything more. I’m assuming you’re okay with that.”
“Suits me just fine.” Then why did her matter-of-fact attitude on the subject sit on his chest like a bobcat on a briar bush? He certainly wasn’t interested in her.
“Good. Now that that’s out of the way...how old are your children?”
“Bryce is four and Kacey will be eight next month. Rebecca died just before her fifth birthday and she hasn’t wanted to celebrate since. I’m hoping this year will be different. And I need to stop running on about myself and my problems.” Garrett ordered a beer before returning his attention to Delta. “I’ve monopolized the entire conversation.”
Delta dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “We all need a friendly ear sometimes.”
“At least I’ve wandered into the friend zone and out of enemy range.”
“Friends, huh?”
Her bemused expression gave him pause. “It’s a start, at least.”
“I’ll give you that much.”
Over the rest of their meal Garrett continued to tell her about his kids. She’d listened intently as he spoke and had carried on their conversation as if he hadn’t made a repeated ass out of himself earlier. By the time their plates were empty, he realized he hadn’t asked much about her. Guilt over Rebecca forced him to tamp down the desire to make plans to have dinner with Delta again. Tonight was a one-time deal stemming from a chance encounter. That was it.
“Buy you another round?” The question was out of his mouth before he could stop it.
Delta rose from her stool, tugged a few bills from the pocket of her jeans and tossed them on the bar. “Thank you, but I need to get going. Jake’s waiting for me.”
Jake? “Oh, okay. At least allow me to pay for your dinner to make up for this afternoon.”
“Nah, I got it. Besides, I thought we just met tonight.” Delta winked. “I’ll see you tomorrow when we meet with Dr. Presley.” She began to walk away and then turned toward him. “Welcome home, Garrett. I hope you find the peace you’re looking for.”
* * *
BY THE TIME he arrived at Dylan’s to pick up Kacey and Bryce, he felt more certain moving back to Saddle Ridge had been the right decision for him and his family. He could hear his kids from the great room as he climbed the steps of the log cabin’s front porch. Peering in the window, he saw Kacey dancing around the room with his brother while Bryce and Emma—Dylan’s fiancée—clapped along with the music. It had been a long time since he’d heard his daughter laugh so freely. And it was better than any song playing on a honky-tonk jukebox.
Dylan caught his reflection in the window and waved him inside.
“Daddy we had pasketti!” Bryce ran over to him.
“Spaghetti,” Kacey corrected. “You’re old enough to say it right.”
Wise beyond her years, his daughter still hadn’t relinquished playing mother to her brother. She’d taken on the role herself the moment he and Rebecca told Kacey she was sick. In hindsight, they never should have told her. She’d barely had a chance to be a child.
“I see that.” Garrett knelt on the floor next to his son. He tried to give his daughter a hug, but she slipped under his arm and sat next to Emma on the couch. He didn’t want to pressure Kacey, but damned if it didn’t kill him to see her happy up until the moment he walked in the room. “Looks like you wore most of your pasketti, little man.”
Kacey huffed at him. “You’re not helping, Dad.”
“He refused to wear a bib.” Emma frowned. “Or a towel or a napkin. I wanted to get him changed and wash his shirt before you got back, but I didn’t have anything that would fit him.”
“It’s no big deal. He’s always been a messy eater. I keep hoping he’ll grow out of it soon.”
“How was dinner?” Dylan asked.
“Good. I ran into Delta at the Iron Horse. And don’t worry. I apologized and told her she can continue to do her job as she sees fit.”
“Thank God for that.”
“We wound up having dinner together although I’m afraid I did most of the talking. She seems pretty nice.”
“Dinner together, huh? You sly dog.” Dylan nudged his arm. “You went on a date with Delta.”
Garrett put a finger to his lips and glanced over at his daughter, who continued to ignore him. “Please,” he whispered. “Kacey’s mad at me enough. And I have absolutely zero interest in pursuing anything with Delta. It was just two people sharing a meal.”
“Okay, okay.” Dylan held up his hands in surrender.
“One question, though. When she left, she said Jake was waiting for her. Who’s Jake?”
“He wasn’t with her today?”
“No.” Garrett hadn’t spent much time with Delta in the stables, but as far as he knew, she was there alone. “Does he work for her?”
“Work for her? No.” His brother laughed. “They, um, live together. I’m sure you’ll meet him soon. When you see one, you usually see the other. Why the curiosity about Jake if there’s nothing between you and Delta?”
“Just wondering.” He hadn’t expected her to have a boyfriend after her comment about Valentine’s Day. Garrett lowered Bryce to the floor. “Run and get your stuff together. I need to get you home and into a bath, then it’s off to bed.” He tried to shake the flip-floppy sensation growing inside him. He was fine two seconds ago. It had to be from the chipotle whiskey. “Kacey, honey, time to go.” Garrett gave Emma a hug as she stood up from the couch. “Thank you for entertaining them tonight. I really appreciate it. I know you have your hands full with Holly.”
“Holly’s been a dream baby so far.” Emma held Garrett’s face between her palms and smiled up at him. “I know this move hasn’t been easy on you or the kids. They’re welcome here anytime. Don’t you ever think twice about it.”
Garrett took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. “My brother struck gold with you. He’s a lucky man.”
“Holly and I are the lucky ones. We inherited an amazing family.”
“Enough already,” Dylan called out from the kitchen table. “I swear you two are the ones who are related. I’ve never seen two more sentimental people in my entire life. Emma still has the baby hormone thing going on, but you, dear brother...” Dylan’s head tilted questioningly. “That must have been some dinner.”
Garrett ignored his brother’s comment and walked out to bundle the kids into the car. He’d been feeling nostalgic ever since Christmas when he first came home. He had so many memories in this town. Most good. One life-shattering.
He still hadn’t been able to drive past their old family ranch. The place where their father had died at the hands of their brother, Ryder. Shortly after the funeral, their mother sold the ranch and moved to California where she remarried and rebuilt her life. He and Rebecca had left from Saddle Ridge to escape the pain of the past, and years later he’d come back to escape even more pain. His grief emotionally drained him every day. He had to work—to continually stay active to keep his mind occupied and remain strong for his children. He refused to let them down.
Tonight, despite the bittersweet memories of Rebecca, some of the weight had lifted from his shoulders. He’d enjoyed taking time away from the ranch, and being in Delta’s company, even though the tension that still hovered between them. He’d been able to relax for a few short moments, and somehow that new beginning he needed finally seemed possible.
* * *
“THERE’S MY BOY!” Jake ran across the yard and jumped into Delta’s arms. At fifty-five pounds, he was no lightweight, but she didn’t care. He licked the side of her face as his body wriggled against hers. “I missed you, too. Did you have fun today?”
Delta’s Australian shepherd loved ranch life and her clients enjoyed having him around, but twice a week she treated him to BowWowWowzer’s Doggie Daycare where he could be among his own kind. It was her way of giving back to the animal who gave her so much unconditional love and support through the darkest days of her life.
That darkness had come flooding back when Garrett told her about Rebecca. Not that it was ever completely gone, but on most days, she managed to keep those memories neatly tucked away.
“Thanks for taking such good care of him, Anna.” Delta pulled a folded check out of her back pocket and handed it to the daycare’s owner. “I think I was paid up until today. This should cover the rest of January and all of February. If not, let me know next week.”
“No problem. My Sugar and Banjo can’t get enough of him. I swear the three of them together rule the play yard.” A chilly twilight breeze blew between them, causing Anna to pull her jacket tighter across her chest. “The temperature is expected to drop tonight. Why aren’t you wearing a coat?”
Delta glanced down at her flannel-covered arms. “I guess I forgot to put it on. It’s in the truck. I have Jake to keep me warm.”
“Far be it from me to pry, but are you all right? You look kind of pale.”
Delta lifted her gaze to see two sets of blue eyes studying her closely. Jake’s and Anna’s.
“What? No.” Delta hugged Jake closer to her. “I mean yes, I’m fine. I have a lot of work stuff on my mind tonight.”
“If you’re sure that’s all it is. I know Jake’s a good listener but I can lend an ear if you ever need one.”
“I appreciate that. You better get inside before you freeze. I’ll see you soon.”
Delta carried Jake to the truck. He was perfectly fine to walk, but she wasn’t willing to release her hold on him. She needed the comfort only he could provide. Once tucked away in the warmth of the cab, she eased her grip on him, but he refused to budge from her lap. He sensed her hurt and grief and protectively shielded her from the world just as he’d done from day one.
Anna stood watching her from the daycare’s front door. If she didn’t leave now, Delta was certain the woman would knock on her window next. She backed out of the drive and started down the road with Jake plastered to her side. Turning on the radio, she tried to forget her conversation with Garrett. It was impossible when guilt wrapped its icy fingers around her heart. Delta was all too familiar with cancer. She had survived stage IIIb Hodgkin’s lymphoma after it had almost killed her three years ago. That was when Jake had come into her life.
Her father had heard about a litter of puppies from one of his customers. Cute as Jake was, the last thing she’d wanted was an animal to care for. She’d been back living with her parents and couldn’t even take care of herself. But once she looked into the dog’s big blue eyes, her heart had melted. From that point forward, they rarely spent time away from one another. He’d gone with her to the hospital, giving comfort and support not just to her, but to other patients. Once she had kicked cancer’s ass, she worked with Jake to have him become a certified therapy dog. They visited hospitals and nursing homes in Missoula, and still did, whenever she went home. But they’d also continued their routine here in Saddle Ridge.
Jake wasn’t just her dog. He was her best friend and had never let her down.
She pulled down the ranch drive to her small home and parked. She rented the former caretaker’s home on an older couple’s ranch. They were on one side of the property and Delta on the other. In exchange for the use of their barn to house her farrier equipment and work truck, she shod their horses free of charge.
She opened the truck door, allowing Jake to jump over her lap and onto the ground. Every night he ran to her landlord’s door for a cookie, then back to her house for dinner.
Delta slid into her jacket and sat in one of the rockers on the back porch. The brisk January air felt good against her warm skin. Between the nachos and her dinner, she felt a food coma coming on. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes. Garrett’s face immediately came to mind. The sadness in his eyes as he spoke of Rebecca had just about broken her. If she hadn’t left when she had, she never would have made it out of there tear free. Why had she survived when so many others had died? People with families. People like Rebecca. They’d both battled cancer at the same time, yet she—the one with no family—had survived.
A soggy tennis ball landed in her lap, jarring her out of her thoughts. “Ew, Jake!” Delta held up the filthy ball. “Is this the one you lost last summer?” Jake ran down the steps and barked, waiting for her to throw it. “I’ll take that as a yes. One more time then we’re going in.” She stood and threw the ball of crud toward the empty pasture before unlocking the back door. Within seconds, Jake had returned with his treasure. “You’re not bringing that in the house. Drop it.” If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn he rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah, I know. Mean mommy. Now come inside for dinner. I have a date with the TV remote.”
She wondered what Garrett was doing tonight. She imagined him curled up on a couch, reading to his kids. Did they look like him? Not that it mattered. She couldn’t go there. She made a point to avoid any personal involvement with a client. This was still a new business and she wouldn’t screw it up. There wasn’t room or time for dating.
She sagged against the kitchen counter. She’d never missed the touch of a man more than she did right now. And only one man would do. Garrett Slade. The most off-limits man she knew.