Johnny looked perplexed. “What are those?”

  “Beef cattle.”

  “We’re not in Texas!” Sam pointed out.

  “Nope, but they were brought from there to this part of the country years ago. Want to get a look at the herd?”

  “Yeah!” they said with a collective voice.

  He turned to the Harrises. “I’ll bring them back for lunch. You can come along, or you’re welcome do something else.”

  Ralph smiled. “If you don’t mind, I think we’d like to take a walk.”

  “Good. Then we’ll meet you back at the ranch around one o’clock.”

  While they talked to their children about being on their best behavior, Carson walked over to Tracy who’d once again gotten off her horse without assistance. “Are you going to ride with us?”

  “Please, Mom?” Johnny’s brown eyes beseeched her.

  Apparently she had reservations. Maybe she hadn’t been around other men since her husband’s funeral and didn’t feel comfortable with him or any man yet. Operating on that assumption he said, “I was going to let the kids ride in the truck bed. If you’re with them, you can keep a close eye on what goes on. Those bales of hay will make a good seat for you.”

  She averted her eyes. “That ought to be a lot of fun.”

  Johnny jumped up and down with glee. “Hey, guys—we’re going to ride in the back of the truck!” The other two sounded equally excited.

  Pleased she’d capitulated, Carson walked over to the truck and lowered the tailgate. One by one he lifted the children inside. Before she could refuse him, he picked her up by the waist and set her down carefully. Their arms brushed against each other in the process, sending warmth through his body. After she scrambled to her feet, he closed the tailgate and hurried around to the cab.

  With his pulse still racing, he started the engine and took off down the road, passing the Harrises. The children sat on the bales and clung to the sides of the truck while they called out and waved. Through the truck’s rear window, Carson caught glimpses of her profile as she took in the scenery. Haunted by her utter femininity, he tried to concentrate on something else. Anything else.

  There’d been a slew of women in his life from his teens on. One or two had held his interest through part of a summer, but much to his grandfather’s displeasure, he’d never had the urge to settle down. It had been the same in the military.

  Carson couldn’t relate to the Anthony Barettas of this world, who were already happily married when deployed. Though foreign women held a certain fascination for Carson, those feelings were overshadowed by his interest in exotic places and the need to experience a different thrill.

  Then came the day when his restlessness for new adventures took a literal hit from the deathly stench of war. Suffocation sucked the life out of him, extinguishing former pleasures, even his desire to be with a woman. Of no use to the military any longer, he’d been discharged early but had returned to the ranch too late to make up to his grandfather for the lost time.

  Since he’d flown home from Maryland, the idea of inviting the Baretta family and others like them to the ranch had been the only thing helping him hold on to his sanity. Giving them a little pleasure might help vindicate his worthless existence, if only for a time.

  Never in his wildest imagination did he expect Tony Baretta’s widow to be the woman who would arouse feelings that, to his shock, must have been lying dormant since he’d become an adult.

  Somehow, in his gut, he’d sensed her importance in his life from the moment they’d met at the airport. Nothing remotely like this had ever happened to him before. He couldn’t explain what was going on inside him, let alone his interest in one little boy. But whatever he was experiencing was so real he could taste it and feel it.

  Next Saturday they’d be flying back to Ohio. He already felt empty at the thought of it, which made no sense at all.

  Chapter Four

  After passing through heavily scented sage and rolling meadows, the truck wound its way up the slopes of the forest. The smell of the hay bales mingled with the fresh fragrance of the pines, filling the dry air with their distinctive perfume.

  To the delight of both Tracy and the children, they spotted elk and moose along the way. Carson slowed down the truck so they could get a good look. Rabbits hopped through the undergrowth. The birdsong was so noisy among the trees, it was like a virtual aviary. Squirrels scrambled through the boughs of the pines. Chipmunks chattered. Bees zoomed back and forth.

  Tracy looked all around her. The earth was alive.

  Life was burgeoning on every front. She could feel it creeping into her, bringing on new sensations that were almost painful in their intensity, sensations she’d thought never to experience again.

  For so long she’d felt like the flower in the little vase Johnny had brought home from school for Mother’s Day. The pink rose had done its best, but after a week it had dried up. She kept it in the kitchen window as a reminder of her son’s sweet gift. Every time she looked at it, she saw herself in the wasted stem and pitiful-looking petals—a woman who was all dried up and incapable of being revived.

  Or so she’d thought....

  After following a long curve through the trees, they came out on another slope of grassy meadow where she lost count of the cattle after reaching the two hundred mark. They came in every color. In the distance she saw a few hands and a border collie keeping an eye on the herd. Carson brought the truck to a stop and got out.

  “Oh,” Rachel half crooned. “Some of the mothers have babies.”

  Tracy had seen them. With puffy white clouds dotting the sky above the alpine pasture, it was a serene, heavenly sight of animals in harmony with nature. “They’re adorable.”

  Carson walked around to undo the tailgate. Beneath his cowboy hat, his eyes glowed like blue topaz as he glanced at her. “Every animal, whether it be a pony or a calf, represents a miracle of nature. Don’t you think?”

  “Yes,” she murmured, unexpectedly moved by his words and the beauty of her surroundings.

  Johnny’s giggle brought her head around. “Look at the funny calf. She’s running away.”

  “Buster won’t let her get far.” Carson lowered the children to the ground. Tracy stayed put on her bale of hay. “Wouldn’t you like to walk around with us?”

  “They won’t hurt you, Mom.”

  She chuckled. “I know. But from up here I can get some pictures of you guys first.” Tracy pulled out her cell phone to make her point. “I’ll join you in a minute.” She didn’t want Carson’s help getting down. To her chagrin she still felt his touch from earlier when he’d lifted her in.

  After she’d snapped half a dozen shots, she sat down on the tailgate and jumped to the ground. The children had followed Carson, who walked them through the herd, answering their myriad questions. Why were some of the calves speckled and their mothers weren’t? How come they drank so much water? He was a born teacher, exhibiting more patience than she possessed.

  Soon the dog ran up to them, delighting the kids. Tracy trailed behind, trying not to be too startled when some of the cows decided to move to a different spot or made long lowing sounds.

  Carson cornered one of the beige-colored calves and held it so the children could pet it. Their expressions were so priceless, she pulled out her camera and took a couple of more pictures for herself and the Harrises, who would love to see these.

  The hour passed quickly. When he finally announced it was time to get back to the ranch house, the children didn’t want to go. He promised them they could come again in a few days.

  “Do you think that calf will remember us?” Johnny wanted to know. All the children had to run to keep up with his long strides. Luckily their cowboy hats were held on with ties and didn’t fall off.

  As Tracy looked at Carson waiting for his answer, their gazes collided. “I wouldn’t be surprised. The real question is, will you remember which calf you played with?”

  “Sure,” Sam piped up. “It had brown eyes.”

  A half smile appeared on Carson’s mouth, drawing Tracy’s attention when it shouldn’t have. “I’m afraid they all have brown eyes. Every once in a while a blue-eyed calf is born here, but their irises turn brown after a couple of months.”

  Rachel stared up at him. “Do you think there might be one with blue eyes in this herd?”

  “Maybe. Tell you what. The next time I bring you up here, you guys can check all the calves’ eyes. I’ll give you a prize if you can find a blue pair.”

  “Hooray!” the children cried.

  On that exciting note, he lifted them into the truck and shut the tailgate without reaching for Tracy.

  Perhaps he wasn’t thinking when he did it, but it meant she’d be riding in the cab with him. He must have been reading her mind because he said, “Riding on top of a hay bale might work one way, but you’ve got more horseback riding to do and deserve a break.” Flashing her a quick smile, he turned to the kids.

  “That basket in the corner has water and fruit for you guys. How about handing your mom a bottle, Johnny?”

  “Okay. Do you want one, too?”

  “I sure do. Thanks. Your mom’s going to ride in front with me. That means everyone sits down the whole time and holds on tight to the side.”

  “We will,” they said in unison.

  “That’s good. We don’t want any accidents.”

  “Please be careful,” Tracy urged the kids.

  “Mom—we’re not babies!”

  Carson’s chuckle turned into a coughing spell as he helped her into the passenger side of the truck. Their fingers brushed when he handed her the bottle of water. This awareness of him was ridiculous, but all she could do was pretend otherwise.

  He shut the door and went around to the driver’s side. She could still smell residual smoke from yesterday’s forest fire. Carson should have been spared that.

  Before he got in, he drank from his bottle. She watched the muscles working in his bronzed throat. He must have been thirsty, because he drained it. After tossing it in the basket in back, he slid behind the wheel.

  She drank half of hers, not so much from thirst but because she needed to occupy herself with some activity. “What do you call the color of that calf the children were petting?”

  “Slate dun.”

  “I knew it couldn’t be beige.”

  In her peripheral vision, she noticed him grin. “In a herd of Longhorns you’ll see about every color of the rainbow represented, including stripes and spots.”

  “Thank you for giving us this experience.” She took a deep breath of mountain air. “There’s so much to learn. Johnny’s going to go home loaded with information and impress his relatives. That’s saying a lot since they always sound like they know everything about everything and don’t hold back expressing it.”

  His chuckle filled the cab. “Is he homesick yet?”

  “I thought he would be. When we were flying into Jackson, I was afraid he would want to turn right around and go back. But nothing could be further from the truth. The second he caught sight of the tall dude who told him he’d take him shopping for some duds like his, he’s been a changed child. For your information, tall doesn’t run in the Baretta family. Neither does a Western twang.”

  He darted her a quick glance. “Johnny wasn’t outgoing before?”

  “He was...until Tony died. Since then he’s been in a reclusive state. The psychologist has been working with me to try to bring him out of his shell. When I get back to Ohio, I’m going to give him your business card and tell him to send all his trauma patients to the Teton Valley Dude Ranch. It’s already doing wonders for his psyche.”

  “That’s gratifying to hear, but let’s not talk about your going home yet. You just barely got here. I’m glad we’re alone so you can tell me what kinds of things he wants to do the most. I don’t want him to be frightened of anything.”

  “Well, I can tell you right now he’s crazy about Goldie and would probably spend all his days riding, pretending he’s a cowboy.”

  “He seems to be a natural around her.”

  “That’s because of the way you introduced him to horseback riding. You’ve given him back some of the confidence he’s lost this last year. That was a masterful stroke when you handed him the reins and suggested he walk the pony around first so she would get used to him. In your subtle way, you sent the hint that Goldie was nervous, thereby taking the fear from Johnny.

  “I held my breath waiting for him to drop the reins and run over to me. To my shock, he carried on like a trouper. When he was riding her around, he wore the biggest smile I’ve seen in over a year. That’s your doing, Carson. You have no idea the wonders you’ve accomplished with him already. I’m afraid you’re going to get tired of my thanking you all the time.”

  “That’s not going to happen. If my grandpa could hear our conversation, he’d be gratified by your compliment since he was the one who taught me everything I know about horses and kids.”

  She bit her lip. “You miss him terribly, don’t you?”

  “Yes. He and my grandmother were kind, wonderful people. They didn’t deserve to be burdened with a headstrong, selfish grandson so early in life.”

  Tracy took another drink of water. “There’s that word deserve again. Don’t you know every child is selfish? The whole world revolves around them until they grow up and hopefully learn what life’s really about.”

  His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Except I grew up too late. I should never have left him alone.”

  “Did he try to keep you from going into the Marines?”

  “No. Just the opposite in fact,” he said before another coughing spell ensued.

  “He sounds like a wise man who knew you had to find your own path. Tony’s two brothers who wanted to be police officers instead of firemen got a lot of flack from the rest of the family, especially from their father. He thought there was no other way to live, but two of his sons had other ideas. It has left resentments that seem to deepen.”

  “That’s too bad. How did he handle Tony going into the Marines?”

  “He didn’t like it. But by then Tony was a firefighter and planned to come back to it when he got out of the service. As long as his sons fell in line, he was happy. To this day, he’s still angry with the other two. He needed to take lessons from your grandfather.”

  “Unfortunately nothing removes my guilt. I was his only family left.”

  “It sounds like he wanted you to be happy. That was more important to him. He took on a sacred trust when he took over your upbringing. I feel the same way now that Tony’s gone. It’s up to me to guide my son. I’m terrified I’ll make mistakes. What worries me is the struggle Johnny’s going to have later on.”

  “In what way?”

  “His grandfather will expect him to grow up and take his place among the Baretta firefighters. Imagine his shock when we go home and Johnny announces he’s going to be a cowboy like his friend Carson when he grows up.”

  Her comment seemed to remove some of the stress lines around his mouth that could grow hard or soft depending on his emotions. “These are early days, Tracy. Your son’s going to go through a dozen different stages before he becomes a man.”

  She moaned. “Let’s hope he doesn’t end up suffering from your problem.”

  His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  Tracy looked through the back window to make sure the children were all right.

  “I’ve been keeping an eye on them,” he murmured, reading her mind again. Of course he had. He had a handle on everything, inspiring confidence in everyone, old or young.

  “I don’t want Johnny to be afraid to reach out for his dreams for fear of leaving me on my own. He’s especially aware of it since learning I lost my parents at eighteen. Sometimes he shows signs of being overly protective. A few months ago he told me he would never leave me and planned to take care of me all my life.”

  “There’s a sweetness in that boy.”

  “Don’t I know it, but I refuse to exploit it. That’s one of the main reasons why I decided to accept your invitation to come to the ranch. If I don’t help him to live life the way he should, then I’m failing as a mother. You and your friends have done a greater service for our family than you can possibly imagine. I know I said this before. You were inspired, and I—I’m indebted to you.” Her voice caught.

  He sat back in the seat. “After so much heartache, do you have any idea how much I admire you for carrying on? Tell me something. How did you continue to function after your parents were killed? I can’t imagine losing them both at the same time.”

  “We had fantastic neighbors and friends at our church. Between them and my close friends, they became my support group and helped me while I was in college. Then I met Tony and was swept into his family.”

  He cast her a glance. “Swept off your feet, too?”

  She nodded. “Natalie, my sister-in-law who’s married to Joe, one of the out-of-favor police officers in the family, has become my closest friend. They have an eight-year-old son, Cory, who gets along famously with Johnny. I’ve been very blessed, so I can’t complain.”

  After a silence Carson said, “What’s the other reason you decided to accept our offer?”

  “To be honest, I was becoming as much of a recluse as Johnny.” She told him about the Mother’s Day flower. “Your letter jerked me out of the limbo I’d been wallowing in. Once I caught sight of the Tetons in the brochure, I lost my breath. Like your stomach that flew around in the air for a week after your first flight with your grandpa, I haven’t been able to get my breath back since.”

  “After a visit to the Tetons, some people remain in that state.”