Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
Brody stuffed the last bite of Tanner’s three-cheese scrambled eggs in his mouth, chewing as he picked up his plate, and hopped off the stool at the counter. He set the dish on the floor and motioned Cami forward. His Great Pyrenees dog didn’t hesitate, quickly lapping up the pieces he’d purposefully left.
“She’s going to get fat.” His older brother shook his head as if that would be the worst thing in the world.
“I wish.” As far as he was concerned, she could still stand to gain a few more pounds, or ten. She’d been so malnourished when he found her in the hills, he’d probably never be satisfied with how much she weighed.
With the plate licked clean, he picked it up and walked around the kitchen island, dumping his dirty dish and coffee cup in the sink.
“What’s the rush, Brody?”
He wouldn’t let his oldest brother delay him. He washed his hands as he answered. “I have to get out to Mesquite Road to meet our new neighbor.”
Amanda, his sister-in-law, piped in. “He’s meeting Miss Hannah Kingsley.”
Her false sing-song voice, rubbed him the wrong way. “It’s not a date, Mandy. This is important.”
She sobered immediately. “I apologize. You’re right.”
Tanner stood, then came around the counter as well. “Good luck. If you can get her to sell, it means we’ll be able to increase the herd and make the payments on the loans Dad took out for the new buildings. Then we will all be relieved.”
He was well aware Tanner had doubts about the dude ranch thing paying off. “Not nearly as relieved as me.” He grabbed two bottles of water and started for the front door. Cami followed him, her tail wagging. “Sorry, girl. I’ll be out in the heat too long for you. When I get back, you can go for a swim.”
Cami promptly sat on the entryway tile.
“Don’t forget I’m meeting with the plumbers. You’ll have to take the north fence-line run with Nash this afternoon.”
Good thing Tanner reminded him. “Got it.” Grabbing his hat from the entry table, he then crammed it on his head, gave Cami a pat on the back, and strode outside. The early morning heat hadn’t yet reached triple digits, but he knew it would soon. He was counting on the heat to persuade the lovely Hannah that she was ill-suited for the land she’d inherited.
When he’d first seen her through the gap in her apartment door, he had been intrigued. But now having had cake with her and talking on the phone, he had a better idea of who she was—a city girl.
Striding into the stables, he stopped to give his horse Chaos a pat. “I’ll be back soon.” He continued down the row of stalls until he came to the ATV. He began to roll the machine out, when he stopped. He turned and grabbed a helmet from the hook. Hannah had auburn hair which would soak up the heat of the sun. The helmet would help protect her from that and if they had an accident, not that they would with him driving, but it didn’t hurt to be careful.
Once outside, he started up the ATV and drove down the mile-long rocky road that served as the ranch’s driveway. After getting Hannah’s call, he’d stayed up late, excited. He doubted it would take long to convince her to sell. Then he would be free of the ranch. It wasn’t such a bad place. He just needed a change and to spread his wings, as his mother always told him. He felt during the last five years as if his wings had been clipped and were finally growing back.
When he reached Mesquite Road, he turned off the ATV and waited. He was early, as usual, but he was anxious to show Miss Hannah Kingsley her land. Once she saw how far away it was and how empty it was, she’d be thrilled to have his family buy it from her. With the money from the sale, she could do anything, go anywhere. Part of him envied her that. He’d been trying to do that for years.
When Hannah had called him and said she’d just discovered she owned the land, he’d been hard-pressed not to let out a shout. Convincing an elderly couple to part with their land, even though they’d been asked several times before, would have been possible but difficult, even though he would offer more than it was worth. But with an attractive woman his age, like Hannah, getting her to sell should be a breeze. She was used to city life and had just discovered she owned the land, so she had no emotional attachment to it. That added up to success.
Dust in the distance on Mesquite Road had him stepping off the ATV. As the slow-going vehicle came closer, he felt as if the gates to his future were opening. Either that or the gates to his prison. He’d almost escaped twice before, but this time, his father was going to let him walk free to pursue his own dreams.
As excited as he was, he started to grow inpatient as it became obvious the vehicle wasn’t just moving slowly but traveling at a snail’s pace. If that’s how she drove on dirt roads, what would she think of seeing her property on the ATV? Then again, the bumpy ride might make her more inclined to sell.
When they’d met at the restaurant, he’d found her to be pleasant and easy to look at, but she was a born-and-bred city girl. There was no walking to the corner Mexican spot for dinner out in the desert. Heck, from Rocky Road Ranch, the drive into town took almost a half-hour, though by the way she drove, he would estimate a good hour.
Finally, the car pulled into the driveway and under the sign above it that declared it Rocky Road Ranch. The door opened and Hannah stepped out in a pink tank top, white shorts, and tennis shoes.
Despite how inappropriate her outfit was for walking the desert, he appreciated how warm the pink top made her round face appear. She really did have attractive round, light-brown eyes. “Welcome to the Rocky Road Ranch.”
She looked up at the sign and then at him. “Where’s your ranch?”
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “It’s right here. The house is about a mile in.”
“A mile? Is your driveway better than this road. I don’t think I’ve ever been on such a bumpy one.”
He swallowed a chuckle. “Actually, our ranch is named for this mile drive.”
“Oh.” She walked toward him. “It’s very different out here. Is my driveway the same, as in bumpy and long?”
“Not exactly. There really isn’t a driveway onto your property.”
“How can there not be a driveway?” She cocked her head to the side, causing her long hair to fall off her shoulder and behind her.
He spread his arms wide. “Out here, it’s just desert, so unless you’re using the land, nature does her own thing.”
She smiled, appearing far more happy with his explanation than he would have liked. “I can’t wait to see it. Should I follow you?”
She still didn’t get it. The road ended at Rocky Road simply because no one had used her land in decades. “No. You’d better hop on the ATV with me. Your car wouldn’t like the terrain.”
“You want me to get on that with you and ride out into the deserted desert?”
It took him a moment to grasp her hesitancy, but understanding dawned. She was used to the city, where riding about alone with a man could be dangerous. “I know it seems a little strange to you, but out here, we all know each other and help each other. We’re brought up to respect women and the land we make our living from. You could say it’s in our soul.”
Not sure what he’d said to make her relax, but she smiled, making her whole face glow with pleasure. “I forgot I’m not in the city anymore, though how I could in the middle of nowhere is beyond me.” She clicked her car lock and pocketed the key. “Lead on.”
He showed her where to sit and handed her the helmet. “You should probably wear this. Not only is it safer, but it will keep the sun from beating down on your head.”
She nodded and obediently donned the helmet.
He climbed in front of her and patted his waist. “You’ll also want to hold on.” Then he started up the ATV.
Once her hands came around his waist tentatively, he started forward. By the first bump, she was holding tight.
He hoped that the path to her property would be enough for her to want to sell, but he wasn’t going to place any bets. Sometimes what appeared to be an easy thing, turned out far harder than expected, like last week, when he’d forgotten that life lesson and brought a rope to pull Nash, his ranch hand and good friend, out of the muck, only to have the rope break and the ATV sink deeper.
It was over a mile to the Kingsley property, and for a first-timer on an ATV, he had no doubt she’d need a break, so he slowed the ATV down when they had gone almost a mile. He looked over his shoulder. “We still have about a half mile to go. How you doing?”
“I’m okay. Let’s keep going.”
A little surprised by that, he imagined she was anxious to see what she’d inherited. He was just glad she found out about it or he would have never had a chance to convince her to sell.
Finally, they hit the edge of her property. He slowed the ATV and stopped it just over the Rocky Road Ranch line. He turned off the engine and got off. Holding his hand out, he helped her down, steadying her as she caught her balance.
She unbuckled the helmet and pulled it off. He almost expected her to shake out her hair like they did in hair commercials, but she didn’t. In fact, the helmet had matted her hair down and creased it where it had been blowing below the helmet. “Wow, I’ve never been on an ATV. That’s fun. Do you ride it often in your work?”
Taken aback at her enthusiasm, he shook his head. “Sometimes, but we generally prefer to ride our horses, especially when driving the cattle. It’s less stressful on them.” He opened up the back of the ATV and pulled out the water bottles. “Here. You want to stay hydrated out here.” He opened his and took a swallow, glad it was still a little cool.
“Thank you. You have horses? Of course you do. Does yours have a name?”
“Um, yeah. It’s Chaos.”
“Chaos? I bet there’s a story behind that.” She opened her bottle of water and took a sip.
Not entirely comfortable with that particular subject, he pointed to the north. “Your property directly abuts two of the four peaks, the eastern ones. Ours abuts the western ones. The land after that is state land.”
She lifted her hand to shade her eyes. “That seems a long way away. I really have no concept of what eleven-hundred acres looks like.”
“Out here, it’s enough for a medium-sized cattle ranch, but that’s about it. If you look to the east,” he pointed again, “you can see some powerlines in the distance. Your property ends just before them.”
She turned in the direction he pointed. “I don’t see any power lines. They must be very far.” She turned back, looking at the mountains and then past him. “This is a bit overwhelming.”
He nodded, pleased that she could see what a big responsibility it would be to own the land. “I understand. I’d be hard pressed to oversee that much land all by myself.”
“If my land and your family’s are up against the four mountains, then why is the town called Four Peaks? I would think it would be a different name.”
It took him a minute to follow the switch in topic. “It’s the view. Town is at a higher elevation than the valley we’re in here, so all four peaks are visible. From here, it’s difficult to see the outlying ones.”
She took another sip of water, then raised her hand again to shade her eyes and looked to the east. “Now I get it.” She dropped her hand and looked at him. “There’s so much to learn.”
Not if she sold. He kept his thought to himself. “Did you want to see any more? Obviously, it would take a whole day to see it all, and you said you had to be back in Phoenix by early afternoon.” He gulped down more of his water. The sun was already scorching the earth. It had to have reached over a hundred.
“I do, but I still have a couple of hours. Didn’t you say there were buildings on the property? I’d like to see them.”
He’d forgotten he’d mentioned that. “There were buildings. I know the shed blew down in a haboob about seven years ago. Honestly, I’m surprised it made it that long. I haven’t been there in over a year, but last I knew the casita was still standing.”
She squinched her face. “Would you be willing to take me to it? I know I’m imposing, but I really don’t have anyone else I can ask.”
Actually, that would be perfect. Once she saw how small the building was and there was nothing else out here but snakes and burrows, she’d be ready to sell in a heartbeat. “I’d be happy to. It’s not too far. Just a couple more miles in.” He downed the rest of his water and threw the empty bottle back in the compartment.
“Thank you. This means so much to me. To be able to see the property my grandparents honeymooned on really brings me full circle.” Her smile was wide before she took another sip and put her half-empty bottle into the compartment as well.
At her gratefulness, he felt guilt crawling up his back. While today for him was about trying to purchase her land, for her it was about the memories of her grandparents. He did hope it brought her some closure. “Then let’s see if we can complete that circle.” He held his hand out to the ATV and she climbed on, before quickly pulling on the helmet.
He straddled the seat and her arms came around him.
“You can go faster this time. That is, if you don’t mind me holding tight.”
He nodded and turned the machine on. Though he was surprised she enjoyed the ride, he was more than willing to pick up the pace. As for her holding tight, he kind of liked that.
He didn’t gun it, instead increasing their speed so she could get used to it. As he hit a straight spot without a ton of cacti and shrubs in the way, he gunned it. Her shout of pleasure reminded him of his first ATV ride at the age of four. They were definitely from completely different worlds.
He drove parallel to what was the Rocky Road Ranch driveway though they couldn’t see it. When he got to the place where his house was, he turned toward the mountains. He didn’t know the history of the casita, but he imagined it was built on the same longitudinal line as his family’s house to make it easier to be neighborly, though no one had lived there his entire life and maybe even his father’s life.
Taking down the speed a bit as he headed north, he kept scanning the landscape. He didn’t know the property as well as his own and he didn’t want to miss it.
Hannah’s squeezed his waist and yelled in his ear. “Is that it to the right?”
He looked to where she pointed briefly before grabbing his waist again. “Yes.” He adjusted their course a bit and brought them within fifty feet of the building before halting.
“Oh, I can’t wait to see this!”
At Hannah’s exclamation, alarm bells went off. He got off the ATV, and before he could say anything, she’d jumped off, only to stumble a bit. He grabbed her arm to help her regain her balance.
“Thank you. I didn’t realize my equilibrium was so delicate.”
He let go when she lifted her hands up to take off the helmet. She set it on the machine before turning to look at the adobe building, barely discernable from the cacti and Goat’s Beard vines growing over it and against it.
“If it wasn’t so flat out here, I would have never noticed this. I wonder if it was here even before my grandparents bought the land.”
“My guess is it’s been here at least sixty years.” He’d hoped that would make her shy away, but that wasn’t her reaction at all. In fact, her eyes widened with glee.
“Wow. That’s just amazing.” With that, she started forward.
Quickly, he grabbed her arm. “Whoa there, where you going?”
“I’m going inside, of course.”
He planted his feet, still not letting go. “I wouldn’t suggest it. That building has been abandoned to the desert. That means nature could have taken it over including animals, reptiles, and insects.”
She blinked as if considering that for the first time. “Would any of them be dangerous? I mean, beside tarantulas. I do know they live out here.”
He called on his patience, which he wasn’t known for. She was simply ignorant of the dangers of the Sonoran Desert. He let go of her arm and stepped between her and the building to face her. He wanted her to know how serious he was. “Yes, there could be tarantulas, but also rattlesnakes, raccoons, or even javelinas, not to mention the walls could cave in.”
She eyed the building, hopefully seeing what he saw. “I didn’t realize. I guess we’ll have to investigate carefully.”
As she stepped around him, he stood in shock for a moment before his senses caught on that he needed to protect her. Spinning around, he strode up next to her. “I wouldn’t advise going inside.”
She glanced at him, but kept her focus on the building. “Thank you. I still want to see it.”
Beyond picking her up and carrying her back to the ATV, there was nothing he could do. It was her land and her old casita. Still, he wouldn’t let her get hurt. Luckily, she started by walking around the structure. She stopped and pointed away from it to a pile of rotted wood on the ground. “Was that the shed?”
“Yes. There was more wood, but a lot has rotted back into the ground.”
She didn’t respond, instead continuing her walk around the building. Finally, she stopped at the front door, which was made of thick ironwood, being held on by rusty hinges. “It’s beautiful.”
He frowned, not sure he heard her right. “Did you say it’s beautiful?”
She pulled out her phone and took a picture. “Yes, the way nature has wrapped its arms around this manmade structure as if to protect it. Don’t you think it’s poignant?”
Staring at the vine-covered walls and a mesquite that towered over the roof, he tried to see what she saw. But he couldn’t. “It definitely makes a statement…to be careful.”
She shook her head at him before moving forward toward the door.
His hand shot out before he could take it back, and she halted. “Is something wrong.”
“Just go slow. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Her warm brown gaze softened. “I promise, I’ll be careful.
Nodding, he curled his fingers into fists as she pushed a few vines aside, ducked beneath them, and opened the door.
Hannah studied the room in front of her. She was well aware that Brody didn’t want her to get hurt, but from the moment she saw the structure, she trusted it. He’d never understand because even she didn’t. In fact, she was more than a little afraid of every critter he named.
Inside what must have once been white-washed walls was a very homey atmosphere, especially with the greenery crawling over the windows outside. There was a still brightly tiled counter that had an old-fashioned gas stove. Wood littered the kitchen area, which was probably formerly a table. It looked like it had been purposefully broken. There was no fridge, but there was a sink. Did plumbing rot? She had no idea. She’d lived in apartments her entire life.
She carefully stepped around the wood from the table. On the other wall was an old couch, though the material had dry-rotted in the heat, and some of the stuffing had been pulled out, probably by a small animal. She liked to think the critter used it to make a nest, preferably outside. The rattan coffee table that matched it had two collapsed legs, making it into a slide for mice, if the tiny black dots at the end were any indication. Mice droppings she knew, as they’d had a few apartments with mice.
At the back was an open doorway. Moving toward it, she heard something run under the wood behind her.
“Hannah, you probably don’t want to go any further. I don’t even know if this roof will hold for the next two minutes.”
At Brody’s words, she glanced up. The rafters didn’t look rotten, and the wood above them showed no leakage from her to where he stood just inside the building. “I appreciate your concern, but I have to see the rest.” How could she make someone, who lived in a house with family on a piece of land they owned, understand what it was like for her? He couldn’t. This little place had belonged to her grandparents. It had been their dream, and they’d left their dream in her hands, for her, to become her dream if she wished it to be.
“Then let me go first. I’m wearing jeans and boots which are better protection from a snake bite than bare legs and tennis shoes.”
To hear someone be concerned about her after being alone for six months had her eyes itching again. She really needed to hold it together. “Okay.” She waited for him to step around the mess in the kitchen and move toward the open doorway. She followed and this time she saw a critter hop from a piece of wood to the wall. A gecko. She breathed easier since she was used to them.
“Wait here.” He blocked the doorway, forcing her to stop.
She hadn’t realized how bossy he could be, but she did as he commanded.
He moved into the room which was clearly a bedroom, then he disappeared through another doorway briefly before coming out. “Okay. It doesn’t look like anything is living in this section.”
As she stepped into the room, she could imagine how it had been when her grandparents had been young and in love. She’d seen pictures of them, so it was easy to envision her grandmother making the wooden bed that still dominated the room. She walked up to the bed and held onto the large ironwood bedpost. Had her grandfather built it or bought it? Either way, it still looked very sturdy. Though the mattress had the same holes as the couch cushions, the rest of the room seemed relatively untouched by the desert and its inhabitants.
Moving to the other doorway, she found a small bathroom. There was no mirror over the sink, and the shower was metal, but there was also no toilet. She stepped out to see where Brody was. He remained next to the bed watching her. “Do you think they had a toilet over that hole?”
“Of course. Sixty years ago isn’t the stone age. Trespassers probably took it.”
“A toilet? What would they want with that? I’d think the bed would be more worth their while?”
He shrugged, clearly not that interested. “It could be campers wanting to embellish their campsite or college kids out on a dare.”
Obviously, she had led a rather sheltered life that didn’t include stealing toilets. “I imagine the fridge is missing for the same reason?”
He just shrugged.
She moved back to the bed, an irrational need to touch a place that her grandparents had been motivating her. Running her hand over the headboard, she marveled at how thick it was. Getting such a large piece of furniture out this far had to have been a labor of love.
A sound at the door to the casita had Brody immediately moving in that direction. She hurried after him to see what it was.
“Shoo! Get!”
She stepped outside to find a burro had pushed the helmet she’d worn off the ATV and was trying to step on it with his hoof. She’d never seen a burro in the wild. “He’s so cute.”
Brody sent her a glare before yelling once more. “Go on! That’s not yours!”
The burro let out a loud bray, which struck her as funny. “I don’t think he’s happy with you.”
“I’m not happy with him either.” Brody scooped up the helmet and brushed it off.
The burro let out another loud bray before giving up on his prize.
She walked to the ATV. “Are there a lot of wild burros out here? Do you have any as pets?”
He stared at her for a long while, then finally answered. “Yes, and absolutely not. They’re ornery and think they own the desert.”
She looked around them before turning back to him. “Well, they kind of do.”
The tension left his shoulders and a crooked grin relaxed his face. “Yeah, I guess they do out here. Are you ready to go back? I do have to get back to the ranch soon.”
“Oh yes, of course. I should have realized that.” She held her hand out for the helmet, chastising herself for being so selfish. Was that part of living alone, forgetting others had lives too?
“I don’t want to rush you. After all, who else is there to show you the land you inherited? As you can imagine, it’s worth a lot to cattle ranchers like my family.” He gave her the helmet.
“I’m very grateful. This has given me a lot to think about.” She pulled the helmet on and buckled the strap before turning toward the casita once more. There was something about the little building that made her feel bad for leaving it. Shaking off the thought, she climbed onto the ATV. Once Brody sat and started the machine, she grasped him about the waist. She didn’t mind in the least. Despite the heat of the day, he smelled good, like cut cedar.
As he drove them across the desert and back to her vehicle, she tried to enjoy the ride like she had when they’d come out, but her mind was a whirr of ideas and possibilities. When she said she had a lot to think about, she hadn’t quite realized exactly how much there was. Her new land was the start of a new life, whether she sold it to the Dunns or kept it for herself. That feeling of being at a fork in the road with both paths leading to exciting newness and growth had her spirits almost jubilant by time Brody brought the ATV to a stop.
She practically jumped off the machine, unbuckling the helmet. Beyond grateful and happy for all he had done for her, she gave him a hug after he swung his leg off to stand next to her. “Thank you so much for everything.” When she stepped back, she noticed a flush creeping up his neck.
“I’m happy I could help. Like I said, around here we just do that.”
He may feel like it was nothing unusual, but for her, it was life-changing. “It was more than that. You’re the one who told me about the property and then showed it to me. That’s just plain kindness, and I appreciate that more than you know.” The thought of how alone she was once again swept in like a thundercloud, and she swallowed hard to keep from tearing up. He’d think her a blubberhead.
“I’m happy I could help you.” He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure what to say next. “If you want to see it again, or more of it, just let me know. I’ll check in on you in a few days.”
She grinned, her good humor restored. “Because that’s the neighborly thing to do?”
“Yeah.” Once again, he looked uncomfortable, but at least no red colored his skin.
She dug her key fob out of her pocket and unlocked her car.
He immediately stepped up and opened the driver door for her.
A little surprised, it took her a moment to move. “Thank you.” She sat on the driver’s seat and turned the engine on, hot air blowing from the air conditioner vents. She pulled the sunshield off the window and grabbed the dishtowel from her console between her seats and laid it over the hot steering wheel.
Brody leaned over her open door, his denim shirt protecting him from the hot metal. “Have a safe drive home.”
She nodded, and he shut the door for her. She waved.
He tipped his hat before striding toward the ATV.
How had she not noticed what a cute butt he had? “Hannah, you stop that right now. He’s either your neighbor or your buyer.”
Stepping on the accelerator, she started down the long dirt track called Mesquite Road, which would lead to Black Spur Road and then to Main Street. She really should explore the town of Four Peaks to see what it offered, but she needed to get back and change. She’d promised her grandmother’s friend she’d help her and her husband with their taxes for their small business. She was an expert with budgets, not taxes, but she’d been helping them for years as a favor to her grandparents. So far, everything had worked out.
As she pulled onto the highway heading west before going south to Phoenix, she contemplated going back to school for another degree. She loved learning and debating, and was probably in the minority as she enjoyed doing research. If she sold the land, she could afford a master’s degree. Yet even as the thought occurred to her, the image of the little casita standing out in the middle of the desert all alone filled her head.
The casita was like her, alone in a big world with no purpose anymore.
What was she thinking? A building didn’t feel. People felt. She was imposing feelings on the casita because it belonged to her grandparents. That’s all it was. Still, keeping the land was the other option. She needed to look at both options fully. The only way to do that was type up the pros and cons of each. Yes, that’s what she’d do and look at the options logically.
“Sure you will.”