Chapter Twenty
“So Cauy was okay when he left?” Rachel asked Ruth as she ate her lunch at the kitchen table. She’d slept round the clock and was ravenous.
“He seemed to be, why?” Ruth sipped her coffee.
“I meant to tell him to get checked out by Dr. Tio. He did lose consciousness for a minute, and that can’t be good for someone who’s had previous head trauma.”
Ruth studied her over the rim of her mug. “Cauy’s an adult. I’m sure he can make that decision for himself, Rachel.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t like to admit there’s anything wrong with him, so—”
“Maybe you should let him make his own mind up.”
Rachel put down her fork. “Are you trying to say I’m interfering?”
Ruth’s blue gaze met hers. “What do you think?”
“Oh, don’t do that answer a question with a question thing.” Rachel sat back. “It drives me nuts. Can’t you just tell me what you’re getting at?”
“From what you’ve told me, you and Cauy aren’t going out together, are you?” Ruth asked.
“Not officially . . .” Rachel said. “But—”
“So it’s not up to you to tell him what to do. That’s all I’m saying, my dear.”
Rachel folded her arms across her chest. “He likes me telling him what to do.”
“Are you sure about that?” Ruth sighed. “You don’t have to fix him, Rachel. He’s not your problem.”
Rachel stared at her grandmother as a thousand replies formed in her mind. “I don’t want to fix him.”
“If you say so, dear.” Ruth smiled at her. “Now, what are you planning to do for the rest of the day? Now that the last guests have departed we can finally just be family again and start preparing for Christmas.”
Ruth carried on talking as if eager to distract Rachel from her blunt appraisal of her tenuous relationship with Cauy. She liked him just the way he was. After the night they’d spent together in the mine she was fairly certain he was as keen to have a real relationship with her as she was.
She finished her meal, took a last gulp of iced tea, and wiped her mouth on her napkin. “I have to take Grace to the vet’s today. She needs more shots, and Jenna wants to check how the puppies are doing.”
“Shouldn’t Cauy be doing that?”
“I made the appointment, and I forgot to tell him, so this one’s on me.” Rachel made sure she had her cell phone in her pocket. “The next one will definitely be up to him.”
Ruth nodded. “Give Jenna my love, and ask her if she wants to come over for dinner and tell us how life is in her new house.”
“I’ll certainly mention it to her.” Rachel stood and dusted toast crumbs off her chest. “It’s odd not having BB and Maria in the house anymore.”
“I know,” Ruth agreed. “And it’s certainly a lot quieter.”
Rachel put her silverware and plate in the dishwasher, washed her hands, and went to put on her warmest outerwear. A chill was definitely settling over the whole valley and she’d have to get used to it. The stark splendor of the white fields against the towering black Sierra mountains spoke to her soul. Wherever she went in the world, she now knew this place would always remain in her heart.
She got into her truck and drove the short route to the Lymond Ranch singing Christmas carols at the top of her voice. Maybe getting stuck together in the mine had been a good thing for her and Cauy after all....
She parked outside the house and got out to the sound of Grace barking from the fenced-in yard. The henhouse had been repaired and was currently full to bursting with feathered occupants huddled together against the winter cold.
“Back door’s open! Come on through!” Jackson called out to her.
She went inside to find him sitting at the table eating cake and drinking coffee. He wore a thick flannel shirt and had bunny slippers on his feet.
“Hey, how are you feeling, Rachel?”
“I’m good, thanks.” Rachel bent to pet Grace, who had come bounding in through the doggie door in the mudroom. “Is Cauy around?”
“He went into town about an hour ago to get a new phone. He just sent me a text saying he’s on his way back. Would you like some coffee while you wait?”
“That would be great.” Rachel glanced out of the window to where Cauy’s truck usually stood. “What are you up to?”
“Still going through the family finances,” Jackson said, grimacing. “I can’t believe how disorganized my father was, and Cauy’s not much better. He’s not used to having to think about every dime because he has all these people to do stuff for him.”
He handed her a mug of coffee and a carton of cream. “For light relief, I decided to clear out the closet in my bedroom and found the old Christmas decorations my mom used to put up. Cauy’s going to check the lights when he gets back so we can put the tree up.”
“That’s cool,” Rachel said. “Do you need any help? I’m just sitting here doing nothing.”
Jackson looked her up and down. “If you mean it, could you help me shift a couple of the boxes into the farm office? I can’t get deeper into the closet until these two are out of the way, and they are too big for me to manage on my own.”
“Sure!” Rachel took off her jacket. “I’d love to help.”
It was better than sitting there biting her nails waiting for Cauy to come back, full of a weird mixture of hope and fear.
Jackson carried on talking as they walked down to his bedroom. “They’re not heavy. Just awkwardly shaped. I don’t want to bring a whole pile of crap down on top of myself while I manhandle them out. I think one of them is full of stuff for the tree.”
When they reached the closet, Rachel immediately saw what he meant. The two biggest storage containers were at the bottom of a huge stack of boxes. “Maybe we should move some of the smaller ones on the sides before we start.”
“Okay.”
They worked together for several minutes to reduce the piles, and were able to slide out the first box and then the second without incident.
“Phew!” Jackson said. He checked the weight of each cardboard container. “How about you take the one on the right?”
Rachel bent down to gather the box in her arms and discovered that it was a lot lighter than she had anticipated. It was just awkwardly large to hold. She followed Jackson across into the office and waited as he cleared a space on the desk. Several papers fluttered to the ground, and Grace pounced.
Jackson groaned and relieved Rachel of her box. “Can you get that back from Grace? Cauy will kill me.”
“Sure!” Rachel sat on the floor and picked up the rest of the pages while Grace wrestled and growled at the one she’d found. “She’s only got the envelope. Does he really need that?”
“Probably not,” Jackson said. “I’ll just go and get some scissors. Mom taped these up good.”
Rachel gathered the rest of the scattered papers on her lap and was attempting to set them in some sort of order when the word Morgan caught her attention. Forgetting all about good manners, she read the first page of the document, her sense of outrage growing with every word. Cauy and his lawyer were joking about screwing Chase out of a fortune?
She stared at the wall. Was that why he’d really come back? To take down her family?
“I found the scissors.” Jackson came back in and halted as he noticed she was still sitting on the floor. “You okay?”
“Yes.” She stood and fixed a smile on her face. “I couldn’t help noticing this letter is about Cauy suing the Morgans for land.”
“Oh yeah, that.” Jackson cut through the tape. “Kim’s really good at discovering the dirt. That’s why Cauy pays him so well.”
The back door slammed, and Rachel started toward the sound, the papers clenched in her hand. Cauy was just taking his coat off as she entered the kitchen. He looked exhausted. Everything in her wanted to rush into his arms and make him better.
“Hey.” He nodded but made no effort to come any closer. In fact he looked downright wary. “What’s up?”
“I came to take Grace to the vet.”
“Okay,” he said, nodding. “Do I need to come with you?”
“That’s entirely up to you.” Rachel raised her chin. “I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I was telling you what to do or anything.”
“Is something wrong, Rachel?” Cauy asked slowly, his gaze on her face.
“You tell me.” She held up the pile of paper. “Your lawyer seems to think you have a legal case to grab some of Morgan Ranch.”
“Yeah, that’s true, but I—”
“So why haven’t you gotten around to mentioning it while my family have saved your ass on several occasions including getting you out of the very mine your lawyer thinks you should have ownership of?”
He opened his mouth to answer her, and then seemed to think better of it. She, on the other hand, couldn’t stop talking.
“And what about me? I thought we’d reached some kind of understanding the other night, some kind of . . . bond.”
“Rachel . . . as to that.” He met her gaze. “I’m sorry.”
Her heart actually hurt. “Sorry for what exactly? Raising my expectations, or making me look stupid?” She was proud her voice wasn’t shaking. “Or did you just get a good laugh out of deceiving my whole family?”
A muscle flicked in his jaw, but he didn’t defend himself. Rachel gathered her resources.
“You might not be Mark Lymond’s real son, Cauy, but you sure as hell act like him.” She bent down and gathered Grace in her arms. “Have a great day.”
She managed to grab her coat as she left, and made it to her car without losing it entirely. She settled Grace in the seat beside her and started the engine. So there it was. Someone she thought cared for her had let her down again and thought only of himself. Ruth had been right. Cauy didn’t need her at all. Was she cursed? Or was there something seriously wrong with her that made everyone take advantage of her even when she tried her best?
Rachel backed carefully out of her space. Whichever one it was, she was no longer going to sit back and take it.
* * *
“What the hell is going on?” Jackson stormed into the kitchen and loomed over Cauy. “I couldn’t help overhearing Rachel tearing you off a strip, and you just let her?”
“Yeah.” Cauy sank down onto the nearest chair. He wanted to crawl into bed and hide for a week to lick his wounds. “It’s none of your business.”
“Why didn’t you just tell her you have no intention of pursuing that case?” Jackson plonked himself down beside Cauy. “Have you got a death wish or something?”
Cauy fixed his brother with his hardest stare. “Can you just drop it?”
“No.” Jackson stared right back. “You love her. Why did you send her away?”
“I don’t . . .” Cauy couldn’t even finish the lie. “I can’t . . .”
“Can’t what? Be straight with her?” Jackson demanded. “Do you want me to go after her and tell her the truth?”
“Goddamn it, no!” Cauy was shouting now. “Why the hell do you think I sent her away in the first place?”
“I don’t know, Bro.” Jeez, now Jackson was bringing out the sarcasm. “Please enlighten me.”
“Rachel’s too young for me, and she needs her own life, not getting stuck with someone who’s had their life and just wants to stick around on a ranch and grow old.”
“You make it sound like you’re ninety!” Jackson wasn’t backing down. “What are you? Six years older than her? Seven? That’s nothing, Cauy.”
“She’s just gotten out of college. She has her whole life ahead of her,” Cauy insisted. “She doesn’t need to be stuck here with me.”
“Maybe she wants to be stuck with you. God knows why, but maybe she does!” Jackson shoved a hand through his hair. “So you let her think you’re a land-grabbing asshole to get rid of her? Jeez, Bro.”
“I did it for her,” Cauy growled. “It’s for the best.”
“Right.” Jackson stood and looked down at him. “Just for the record. You are an asshole, but not for the reasons you think. I’m going to set up the Christmas tree. I don’t need your help, okay? Just sit here and reflect on your stupendous stupidity in sending the woman who obviously loves you away!”
Jackson slammed the door as he left, making Cauy wince.
He’d done the right thing. Trying to explain everything wouldn’t have worked. Rachel would’ve refused to give up on him because that was fundamental to who she was. Her accusation about the lawsuit had offered him the perfect way to make her hate him and move on with her life without having to worry or feel responsible for him.
The fact that he needed her and wanted her was enough reason to send her away. She deserved to be put first for a change. Cauy buried his face in his hands and took several deep breaths. He’d survive. He’d done it before. He was doing this because he loved her, not because he didn’t. Why couldn’t Jackson see that?
The fact that it was tearing him apart didn’t matter either.
Rachel had to come first even if it left him in the dust.
* * *
Luckily, Jenna had been called out to attend to a horse with colic so Rachel only had to deal with Dave at the vet’s. As he was somewhat of a one-man show even though her heart was breaking, she only had to smile and nod along as he examined Grace and took the cast off her leg.
After insisting on paying the new bill and setting up a separate new account for Grace, Rachel headed home. She’d already decided she wouldn’t return the dog to Cauy. Having to see him again regularly—even if it was just to talk about the dog—would be too much to deal with right now.
When she reached the ranch, she sat down on the steps with Grace and introduced her to all the other dogs that milled around the ranch, and then took her inside. Billy was sitting at the kitchen table reading something on his laptop. He looked up when she came in, and smiled at the dog.
“Who’s this?”
“This is Grace.” Rachel didn’t have to make the dog go over to Billy. All animals loved him.
“Cauy’s dog?”
“Mine now—that is, if you and Ruth don’t mind keeping an eye on her after I’ve gone,” Rachel said as Billy ruffled Grace’s big ears.
“Does Cauy know about this?” Billy asked slowly.
“He’ll work it out.” Rachel filled the dog’s bowl with water and showed Grace where it was. “He’s not stupid.”
“What’s wrong?”
Rachel sat at the table and let out a breath. “Why would you think something was wrong?”
“Because you’re my daughter and I’ve learned to read your face over the past few weeks, and you’re not happy. Did something happen with Cauy?”
Rachel was debating what to say when Chase came in and sat beside her. He pointed at the dog.
“Where did that come from?”
“It’s the dog Rachel and Cauy found at the feed store,” Billy said helpfully. “Rachel’s taking charge of her now.”
Chase frowned. “Did Cauy kick her out?”
“Me or the dog?” Rachel tried to make a joke, but didn’t think she’d quite pulled it off. “I bet he’ll miss Grace more than me.”
“What happened?” Chase turned the full power of his immense focus on her.
“I was just asking her the same thing,” Billy said.
“I went over to Cauy’s to pick up Grace and take her to the vet’s. While I was there I discovered that Cauy had set his lawyer to investigate what he described as an illegal land grab by the Morgan family almost a hundred years ago.”
“What?” Chase blinked at her.
“Apparently, the Lymond family claimed that about one eighth of our ranch, including the silver mine, belongs to them,” Rachel said. “And Cauy’s lawyer said that even if he can’t prove it, Cauy should take you to court to screw you out of a lot of money that you can well afford.”
“Wow. Weird that he hasn’t mentioned it.” Chase looked at Billy. “I thought you said he was all about putting the past behind us and moving on?”
“That’s what he said when I dropped him home the other night,” Billy confirmed. “I wonder what’s going on?”
“Maybe he just wants money and revenge for his father,” Rachel said darkly.
“Money?” Chase snorted. “He doesn’t exactly need any himself, you know. He owned an oil company in Texas that was just bought out by one of the big guys.”
“What?” Rachel sat up straight. “He said he worked as a laborer and then a roustabout!”
“He certainly started that way, but he made his money later.” Chase gave her an exasperated stare. “Don’t you google the guys you date? I thought everyone did that these days for safety reasons.”
“Usually I do, but”—Rachel was babbling now—“I wasn’t really officially going out with Cauy, so I didn’t. Are you sure he’s rich?”
Chase tapped away on his keyboard and turned the screen so she could see it. There was a picture of Cauy obviously taken before the accident, and a whole long biography about him and his oil companies.
“Holy cow, he’s almost as rich as you are!” Rachel breathed. “He said Lorelei got half of everything, and I was feeling sorry for him!”
“So he doesn’t need our money, which brings us back to the idea that he’s doing this to revenge a man who might not actually be his father anyway,” Chase pointed out with his usual calm logic. “I’m not buying it.”
“Neither am I,” Billy chimed in.
Rachel looked at them both and shook her head. “So where does that leave us?”
Billy glanced at Chase. “Are you quite certain Cauy admitted he was going to go through with this court case?”
Rachel ran the painful encounter back through her head. “He didn’t argue that he wasn’t. Probably because he knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on.”
“Then maybe he just said it to get rid of you?” Chase suggested.
Billy cleared his throat and turned to Rachel, who was staring open-mouthed at Chase. “You’ll have to excuse your big brother. Sometimes he opens his mouth before he thinks things through and sticks his boot right in it.”
Chase looked startled. “Sorry, did that sound rude? It just seemed to be the most logical conclusion. I didn’t mean to imply—”
“There’s no need to apologize. You’re probably right.” Rachel groaned. “He could’ve just let me down easily.”
“Maybe he thought he did.” Chase nodded, and then scowled as Billy elbowed him in the ribs. “What?”
“Perhaps you should just shut up now and let me handle it?” Billy raised his eyebrows. “I’m sure January needs your help somewhere else.”
“She’d call me if she did.” Chase closed his laptop. “Okay, I can see I’m not wanted. Let me know if there’s anything further I can do to help Rachel, okay?”
“Help?” Billy shook his head as Chase left the kitchen. “With help like that who needs enemies?”
“I know he was trying.” Rachel rested her chin on her hand and sighed heavily. “I don’t think there is anything left for you to say, is there? Cauy Lymond wanted me to think the worst of him, and he accomplished his goal.”
“Yeah, he did.” Billy hesitated. “The real question you have to ask yourself, Rachel, is why?”