Autumn on the Rocker A
Tall grass sped by under the feet of a white horse. In the distance, beyond the new boundary line of the Rocker A, the Yellowstone River sparkled. It was September.
Maria pulled her horse carefully to a halt, tipping Tim’s gray hat down to shade her eyes. Where was that man?
There he was, in the distance, digging a post hole. Maria urged her horse to a canter and went to meet him.
He saw her coming and put down his tools, watching her with his arms crossed. A little embarrassed, Maria slowed down as she approached.
“Your mother would be proud,” Tim told her, patting her horse’s nose and squinting up at her in the strong sunlight.
“It hasn’t taken you long to become a real horsewoman.
” His shirt was soaked, and his face and neck glistened—mending fence was warm work, even in September. He wiped his brow on his sleeve.
“Grandma Pat sent me out here,” Maria said, “to remind you that today is Savannah’s birthday, and she wanted a dinnertime party.”
“Is it that late?” Tim put his hand between the sun and the horizon. “I’ll be right there. Give me a minute.”
He had brought his things in an ATV, and this time Maria was the one who had to go slowly alongside the ranch vehicle instead of galloping over the hills.
“The Baldwins sure didn’t keep their fences up,” he said. “I guess Neil was too busy taking down fences on our ranch to put any up on his.”
“Well, maybe he’s learning to put up better fences in community service,” Maria said. “Cassie says they give the guys a bunch of ranch work.”
“I hope it helps him readjust,” Tim said. “I know Cassie’s anxious to get him back, rehabilitated.”
Maria nodded. “Cassie’s making Savannah’s birthday cake,” she said. “She and Aunt Steph had a big argument over who would make it, but then Aunt Steph said she would do fancy s’mores for after dinner, and everybody was happy.”
“Especially the hands, I bet,” Tim said. “Did you hear what they got for Savannah? A beautiful little pinto, just her size, and better behaved than that Rocket Elijah rides.”
“She’ll love that,” Maria said. “She’s been wanting to work more on her riding, but so many of the horses are too tall or too slow.”
“It’s gonna make my gift look like peanuts,” Tim said. “I got her a Risk game.”
“That’s a great game,” Maria said. “We can play it with her.”
“I hope she likes it,” Tim said. “These kids nowadays—you never know what they’re gonna want. Maybe Savannah was hankering after a rifle.”
Maria laughed. “I think you’re safe with Risk.”
§
When they got back to the lower buildings, Tim went to put his gear away and take a shower. Maria went to put up her horse.
She still couldn’t believe this beautiful snowy creature was really hers.
After Tim had given Maria a number of riding lessons, Grandma Pat had declared that Maria needed a horse, and she would pick it out herself.
She was known for being a shrewd judge of horses, and not long after her pronouncement, she had gone with Tim to a stock auction and come back with a white horse named Oakley.
Grandma said she had picked the horse for its merits; Tim said the name was too good a coincidence.
She took her time brushing Oakley, making sure she was properly cooled down and had food and water. A shadow fell across the stable doorway, and she looked up.
There was a man in black, a mask covering his eyes, his hat pulled down low.
“Timothy Daniels!” Maria exclaimed. “What on earth are you doing in that getup?”
The Montana Rider dropped onto his left knee. “Maria,” he said. “I love you. Marry me?”
Maria burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand.
“What?” The Rider looked confused.
“Oh my goodness,” Maria said, “I’m not saying anything until I see who’s really behind that mask.”
The Rider laughed, holding out his arms. “Go ahead,” he said. “I’m all yours.”
Shaking her head, Maria pulled off his hat and unfastened his mask. Tim’s laughing eyes looked up at her, his question still hanging in the air.
“Of course I’ll marry you, you ridiculous man,” Maria told him, and immediately had the breath knocked out of her as he jumped up and swung her around, caught tightly in his arms.
“Gracious,” Maria gasped, “Timothy!”
He set her down, his face beaming. “This wasn’t the way I planned it,” he said.
“I was going to ask you tomorrow, in town, at that restaurant where we had our first date. But I put on the Montana Rider outfit to surprise Savannah at her party, and on the way out the door I got an irresistible temptation.”
Maria shook her head at him, still breathless. “We can’t announce anything tonight,” she wheezed. “I’ve always hated it when people take over other people’s parties with their engagement.”
“We’ll announce it tomorrow,” Tim said. “I’ll admit your dad knows. I asked him for his blessing, and he gave me so much advice that I’m terrified of the man now. Also, the ring is back in my room. Want me to get it?”
Maria laughed. “Don’t go anywhere yet,” she said. “Just kiss me, cowboy!”
Tim folded her closer in his arms, and in his kiss she read a lifetime’s worth of love and trust.
§
Savannah’s fourteenth birthday party, out on the patio in front of the ranch house, was a smashing success.
The whole ranch was there, bearing gifts and exclaiming over the delicious dinner prepared by Aunt Steph, Grandma Gilbert (a great favorite of Savannah’s ever since she met her), and Cassie Baldwin.
Savannah was beaming, decked out in a pink flowered dress with a bow in her hair. Considering herself the hostess, since it was her birthday, she bustled around talking to everyone in turn.
Careful lest someone discover their secret and take the attention off Savannah, Maria and Tim separated to different groups.
As Maria chatted with Aunt Steph, the grandmas, and Cassie, she couldn’t help her gaze drifting to Tim now and again.
He was still dressed as the Montana Rider—which had sent Savannah into peals of laughter at his arrival—but was now missing the hat and mask.
They were probably annoying to wear for long.
Now he was talking and joking with the ranch hands.
Was it Maria’s imagination, or was Tim standing a little taller and sticking out his chest more than usual?
He was going to give it away if he wasn’t careful.
Of course, if she kept staring at him, that might do the same thing.
Maria dragged her eyes away from her handsome cowboy and listened to Aunt Steph tell about plans for redecorating the den.
They’d better not get rid of those swivel chairs.
After cake and presents—Savannah cried buckets of happy tears when the ranch hands gave her her beautiful new horse—everyone gathered around firepits and Swedish torches on the patio in front of the ranch house to make s’mores.
Some of the guys, at special request from Savannah, were playing guitars and harmonicas.
It was a nice sunny evening, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
Dad was coming over from parking his police car. He’d been late getting out of work but had come to the party as soon as he could. Savannah adored her newfound policeman uncle.
Standing by the s’mores table, Maria had to restrain herself from rushing over and blurting out her engagement news to Dad. She’d tell him sometime tonight, quietly—he could keep a secret, and it wouldn’t distract from Savannah’s party.
Dad stopped to give Savannah a wrapped package. Maria couldn’t see what it was from her vantage point, but whatever it was, Savannah squealed and hugged him. The girl was probably having the best birthday of her life.
Someone nudged Maria from behind, and she turned. It was both her grandmothers, with such mischievous looks on their faces that Maria almost burst out laughing.
“We heard,” Grandma Gilbert said cryptically, smiling all over her face.
“He’s a good boy,” Grandma Pat said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to have him for a grandson-in-law. But you’re right not to announce it at Savannah’s party. Very considerate.”
The grandmothers moved on, leaving Maria gawking after them until she remembered and turned away to assemble her s’more.
Tim drifted by, casually assembling his own s’more. “Howdy do, Miss Gilbert,” he said, sending Maria into spasms of choked laughter. “Fine day we’re having.” Tim continued on and disappeared into a bunch of ranch hands playing cards.
Maria wiped her streaming eyes and looked around.
She might as well find a nice chatty group of ladies to sit with.
A number of the ladies from their church were there, as well as some of Savannah’s friends.
Maria hoped their being there meant Savannah would be able to hang out with them more often.
Here was Dad, cheerful and purposeful, coming up to her. Ooh, this wasn’t a good place to tell him—people would hear. But there was no need. Dad took her in with one swift glance and asked, “Tim talk to you?”
“Yes,” Maria said, low, her smile threatening to split her face in two. “But we’re not telling people until tomorrow.”
“He talked to me yesterday. He’s a good man.” Dad’s face was serious. “I’ve often wondered, when you were growing up, what kind of man would be worthy of my princess. And I think he’s the one. He’s the right kind of guy.”
“Oh, Dad,” Maria hugged him. “I’m just so happy.”
“Good! That’s what we want.” Dad grabbed a napkin from a table and blew his nose. “Well,” he said, “I guess I’ll move along and see if there’s any food left around here, or just marshmallows. Talk to you later, Princess.”
It was getting dark, and people were gathering around the campfires and singing along to the instruments. In the semi-dark, no one would pay much attention to an already-established couple. Maria looked for Tim.
She found him over by one of the fires, expertly supervising some teenagers putting on more wood. He turned and saw Maria, and his look in the firelight made her heart race. “Maria!” he said. “I saved us a spot.”
The spot was a bench by the next campfire, where most of Maria’s family sat. A couple of the ranch hands were there playing bluegrass music.
They sat by the fire, Tim’s arm protectively around Maria, her head resting on his shoulder.
Grandma Gilbert and Grandma Pat were having an animated conversation.
Who would ever have thought those two ladies would take to each other so well?
Dad was talking to Uncle Russell and Elijah about politics, a topic they enjoyed.
Annabelle, with ranch hand Nate at her elbow, was talking to Savannah.
Maria’s heart was full. All the people she cared for most in life were right here, one big family. Mom would have loved that.
“You know something?” Maria said softly, close to Tim’s ear.
“What?”
“I think it’s time we got that family picture Grandma was talking about for her desk.”
Tim chuckled, his laugh sending a pleasant thrumming through her. “You think anybody would mind if the Montana Rider photobombed the picture?”
Maria laughed. “The Montana Rider can forget it. Tim Daniels can, though.”
Tim laughed, pulling her closer to him.
Tomorrow they would announce their engagement. But tonight—with Maria’s family around the campfire, strains of music floating through the air as the stars twinkled down—everything was perfect.