Chapter Five
His truck’s diesel engine fell silent as he turned the key, replaced by the sounds of hammering and drilling from his ranch crew that were kicking ass on building the new barn. Leo Sullivan had worked Storm Pass for nearly thirty years and his motivation was evident in his hard work. He knew the ins and outs like the back of his hand. He’d become crucial in helping Puma get the land back in operation.
Leo had made it easier for Puma by bringing three other cowboys who had also worked at Storm Pass in the past. They worked well as a team.
Fortunately, they were also great at building. A few teenage sons had come out to lend a hand, doing whatever the men asked. That kept things rolling.
The wives brought a picnic lunch each afternoon, laid out a tablecloth on the tailgate of a truck, and served comfort food to the cowboys. They always invited Puma, who enjoyed sitting with the men and talking about life in Shades Cove. Some of the wives even brought up Bryar. He did his best not to sound too interested. After seeing her at the bar, he believed she’d rather skewer him than be civil.
He heard laughter as a few of the younger kids passed a ball. Today, all the wives and their kids had shown up. The teen girls eyed Puma and giggled when he accepted a piece of cake one of them had made.
“The cake’s delicious,” he said, getting another giggle in response.
“Girls, go play with your brothers.” Leo’s wife, Sandy, shooed off the teens. “Sorry about that, Puma. You’d think they’ve never seen a handsome man before.”
“Thank you for all these good meals you and the other women have been feeding me. This is much better than a cold sandwich,” he said around his bite of cake.
“We’re thankful for you. Leo had dedicated most of his life working this ranch alongside Storm. Times were tough when he had to let the men go. It’s hard to find work ‘round here and I saw Leo feeling worse every day because he felt like he couldn’t provide.” Sadness crawled across her weathered features.
“I’m sorry my pa allowed this place to go downhill. What a shame.” Puma shook his head in regret.
“I don’t think he allowed anything. Once Sue passed, your pa wasn’t the same. Everyone had their theory of what was happening to him, but I think he had a broken heart. I think we were all a bit heartbroken when she died. She was one of a kind, and boy, did she love you, Puma. Leo won’t admit it, but I think he has had a crush on her all these years. He thinks I don’t know about his history with Sue, but a wife knows everything.” She winked.
“History?”
“You don’t know?” She gave a little giggle. “My husband and Sue dated back in the day. A high school love affair. But Sue and Storm, well, they were meant to be. I used to get a little jealous that my hubby would light up when Sue was near, but he’s been a good husband to me. We’ve had a wonderful life together. Love isn’t always about fireworks. My ma told me once, ‘don’t settle for the fireworks, but find the fireplace’. That’s my Leo. He’s the best husband a woman could ask for. A strong, stable father.”
“Mom, where are the forks?” One of the boys yelled out.
“I better run along. A mother’s job is never done,” Sandy said.
Puma watched Sandy ruffle her son’s hair and he felt a tightness in his chest. The boy was probably right around nine or ten. Puma wondered what life would be like had Blake lived. Would he and Bryar still be together? Would they be here, on this ranch, raising a family?
Losing a child was a grief that never entirely went away. He’d never understand how something so precious could be ripped away. For many years after he left Shades Cove Puma had wished he could have been buried too. Guilt had plagued him like a disease. His son should be here now, playing with the other boys. Smiling and being a kid.
Shaking off his thoughts, Puma went to check on the progress of the barn roof while finishing his cake. If he didn’t stop eating like he had been, he would need a bigger size of jeans. He hadn’t eaten this well since he lived at home eating his mother’s cooking.
He didn’t need the extra expense of new clothes.
Puma had calculated how much time and money it would take to restore the farmhouse and ranch—only the desperately needed restorations. They couldn’t do business without the necessities. Things would be tight for a while, and he’d have to be logical. He recently bought a horse he wanted to train. If that went well, he’d invest more in training. One day, he hoped Bacon would make him a fine horse. Bacon…the name struck him as odd. Didn’t seem fitting for a beautiful mare.
He'd also purchased a handful of other horses. The crew would each need one if they wanted to be true cowboys.
The countdown was on. The men would be coming in three weeks. Once they were here, he’d enlist their help with whatever was left to do, but he wanted to get as much done as possible.
He was anxious to get the ranch running and back to making a profit. It would take a few years to save much money, but he was determined to make something of the place. He wanted to restore it to the ranch it once was before Storm let everything go to hell. Aside from being at Crazy Shades three nights ago, he hadn’t been anywhere else. He would have bet his eyeteeth that Bryar would have shown up, at least by now, but he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of her. Maybe he didn’t know her as well as he thought he did. Or perhaps she just wanted to prove a point. Either way, he didn’t have time for foolishness. If she didn’t need his help, so be it. He had enough on his plate without taking on someone else’s problems.
Even as he swore he’d steer clear of her, he knew that might be a problem. Shades Cove was a small town. He wanted people to understand that he wasn’t his father, and the LeGuard/Steel family feud had been laid to rest, at least in Puma’s book. This wasn’t a Hatfield and McCoy story.
He looked up and down the potholed driveway as he headed onto the lane. That was something else he needed to add to the growing list of repairs. The road would be nearly impossible to drive on when it snowed.
What the hell had Storm been doing the last ten years? Sandy said his heart was broken after Sue passed, but as far as Puma was concerned, his pa deserved a bit of heartbreak. He’d undoubtedly left some cracks in his loved ones' hearts.
Stopping momentarily, Puma stared at the old tire swing hanging by a frayed rope from the limb of an oak. He’d swung on there hundreds of times as a kid, and he’d hoped one day his own son—or daughter—would enjoy the land like he had. He’d almost had everything he wanted in life, been so close, and it had all been torn away.
From the beginning, he and Bryar were doomed to fail, but at that time, it felt like nothing more than two kids in love striving to prove everyone wrong. He’d known marrying her was a mistake, yet he lacked common sense at twenty. When he spotted Bryar across the field at a friend’s party, he was captivated like a carp caught in the icy waters. The bonfire had illuminated her eyes, a blend of blue with a hint of red from the flames she was warming herself by. Her long, dark hair framed her beautiful face, and the snug sundress had piqued his interest. He would have walked on broken glass to learn her name.
At first, he’d had no idea who she was because the last time he saw her she wore pigtails and braces. When he found out she was Bryar LeGuard, he should have run as quickly as his booted feet could carry him. Nope. Instead, he’d offered to get her a spiked punch and sit on his rusty truck's tailgate. She’d accepted without hesitation. They’d both been crazy. But the draw between them had been too hard to ignore. By the night's end, he’d kissed her and had known he was in trouble. Big trouble .
The next day, they met at Austin Mills Creek, where all the teenagers hung out. But Puma had felt a bit out of place. He was an adult, but he liked that Bryar had seemed older at eighteen than most of the kids in town. That night they’d talked for hours, like two familiar souls meeting. He’d been captivated not only by her beauty, but her intelligence and strength. She loved kids and wanted to become a teacher.
Things had gotten a bit carried away, and they’d skipped a few steps. He wasn’t sure when she’d run off to make curfew that he’d see her again. Although she was an adult, her father ran a tight ship, and she’d told Puma that Rory watched every move she made.
Fast forward, there he was, back home.
He entered the barn, and something struck him differently.
Stepping back outside, he looked up and noticed the sign hanging above the door. It read, “Storm Pass.”
Boy, that brought back memories. He’d made the sign as a kid for his pa’s birthday. Puma had forgotten about it.
“I hope that’s okay, buddy.”
Puma acknowledged Leo with a nod. “It’s more than okay.”
“As I was doing some repairs here, I found the sign leaning in a corner, and I thought it belonged where everyone could see it.” Leo scratched his silver whiskers.
Puma felt a hitch and swallowed it down. “How’s the roof coming?”
“We’ll start nailing in the last shingles in a few days. I wanted to talk to you about bringing on some extra help. Gopher’s wife is about to give birth to their fifth child, and he could use a job. Ricky’s also looking for work. I can assure you they’re both hard workers.”
Puma hesitated. He understood the struggles of the people in town. “I believe we can bring them on.” However, that meant Puma would need to revise his budget.
Leo clapped Puma on the shoulder. “You’re a good man. You’re going to do great things here.”
“I know a good crew when I see one. I’m grateful that you would come back to work here.”
“I always loved this place.” Leo started to walk away but turned back around. “I don’t know if you knew this, but I dated your ma back in high school. She was my first love. Don’t tell Sandy.” He winked.
“My lips are sealed.” Puma hid his smile.
“She was the prettiest girl in school. I remember she could wrap me around her finger just by glancing in my direction.” A sadness consumed his features.
“What happened?”
“Storm happened. Just like his name, he swept Sue off her feet. Then I met Sandy, and she’s the love of my life. All these years later, she still makes me feel lucky.”
A chill raced down Puma’s spine. “In typical Storm fashion. Coming in like a tidal wave.”
Leo seemed to mull his thoughts. “Those two…Sue and Storm, well, they were the true definition of lovebirds.”
Puma snickered. “If you say so.”
“I know your pa was a bit of a rambler, but he got the raw end of the deal.” Leo swiped off his hat and rubbed his balding head.
“Look, I’m grateful you want to defend my father, but he got caught red-handed.”
The older man blinked. “Are we talking about the Bobbi LeGuard situation?”
“Yeah. Storm single-handedly started a feud between families who’d been close for generations.” And it destroyed Puma’s happiness with Bryar.
After a snort, Leo said, “Son, I’d say I knew your father better than anyone else, aside from Sue. He didn’t get caught doing anything except comforting a woman who was upset because Rory had cheated on her with one of the church ladies. Now that man didn’t know what being faithful meant. Now, I’m not saying Bobbi didn’t have feelings for Storm. Hell, a lot of women did. But he knew better than to fish in the Bobbi LeGuard pond.”
“I’ve been told a few different things.” Puma didn’t know what to believe, except for what he saw as a kid.
Leo’s shoulders slumped. “I’ve noticed that there have been quite a few rumors circulating. However, I learned the truth years later when Rory confided in me that he felt upset about Storm and Bobbi’s friendship. He admitted he never actually saw them together but started the rumor to ease his guilt regarding his affair with Bella Waters. You know how misunderstandings can spiral sometimes. I’ve probably said enough, but being here, where your mom lived, brings back wonderful memories from my childhood. Though she broke my heart in our youth, she eventually became a dear friend. I still miss her. This town lost an angel.” A sense of nostalgia filled his battered features. “I better get back to work if we want the renovations done before our first snowfall.”
Puma guessed he didn’t know the truth about the past. Didn’t know if he much cared, either. If his pa had wanted to make things up to Puma, Storm would have lowered his pride. Not one phone call. Not one visit. Not a single kiss my ass in all those years.
He walked around the barn's interior, glad to see that the clutter Storm had accumulated over the years was gone in exchange for organization.
He finished his cake and tossed the plate into the burn pile as he headed for the bunkhouse, the building that needed work next. The crew needed to sleep somewhere, or they’d be like sardines at the farmhouse—and probably would kill each other. They were like brothers, but he didn’t want to be near them twenty-four-seven.
Puma opened the door to the building and it fell off the hinges. “Damn!” The list kept getting longer.
Inside smelled of sweat and mold. There was a lot that needed to be redone. The planked flooring needed to be replaced with concrete that would endure foot traffic for years to come. The drywall had some holes that would be patched, and a paint job. A door in the bathroom. He didn’t think any of his buddies would want to shit without a door. They did enough of that across the pond.
He'd ordered all new twin beds, a TV, and some furniture. Puma even bought a pool table. He wanted to make it as comfortable as possible. The crew deserved a home to rest their weary heads. Ranch work was hard and draining. Adding the responsibility of security duties, he was asking a lot right out of the gate.
Leaving the bunkhouse, he strode toward the farmhouse, whistling. Even with all the issues he felt lucky. A peace he hadn’t felt in years. There were no terrorists or wanted villains that he had to chase. No war zones he had to infiltrate. Just simple ranch life.
He scanned the farmhouse and his breath hitched.
Bryar was sitting on the porch in one of the rockers, watching him approach. Her mouth was twisted, and her eyes targeted him with hostility. Yet, he felt excited to see her. She looked like that girl he remembered, minus the scorching expression.
“A few days late, aren’t you?” he said as he stepped onto the porch.
“I didn’t know I had an appointment scheduled.” She popped the lid off a beer bottle. The cap when skidding across the worn planked floor of the porch. “I hope you don’t mind that I helped myself.”
“Have at it.” He hooked his thumbs into his front pockets. “Punctuality has always been an afterthought for you.”
She rolled her eyes and stood. The sundress she wore fit her nicely, and he felt his body grow to attention. “I didn’t come here to argue,” she said.
He reached for the bottle and took a long drink. “That expression says something different.”
“Resting bitch face. I’m guilty.”
He noticed how she shivered against the cold that swept in from the cooler day. The temperature had dropped as the sun dipped deeper behind the mountains. “How about we take this inside?” He didn’t wait for her response. He opened the screen door and held it open for her.
With a few seconds’ hesitation, she crossed the threshold. She brushed against him and he involuntarily jerked. It almost seemed out of pure habit that we wanted to pull her closer and kiss the hell out of her.