“Then Jack will just have to behave himself, won’t he?”

  Wyatt smiled at her. “Guess so.” He uncapped his beer and glanced toward the road. From the moment he’d come down he’d been watching for Olivia’s Cherokee and hoping she’d show up before the men did. But the road was still empty.

  He turned back to Josie. “Did you have a good day?”

  “We did. Between working at the Spirits and Spurs and taking care of Archie, I don’t get much chance to hang out with Sarah and my sisters-in-law.” She smiled at him. “But you could have stayed for lunch, you know. Sarah said you were afraid you’d be intruding.”

  “Yeah, I did feel that way. And then it turned out I got to meet Olivia’s dad.”

  “Really.” Josie stopped bouncing Archie. “She’s very careful who she takes over there, for obvious reasons. Does she know that you know why she broke up with her fiancés?”

  “Nope.” He gazed down the road.

  “Well, I won’t say anything. What did you think of him?”

  Wyatt took a sip of his beer. “He’s a genius, is what he is. You don’t meet many of those.”

  “True.” Archie began to fuss so Josie went back to jiggling him on her knee. “You like her a lot, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “I have a good feeling about you two. It’s early yet, but if you didn’t run for the hills after meeting Grover, that’s a good sign.” She picked up Archie and scooted out of the rocker. “Time to walk around with my little guy. He’s getting restless.”

  Wyatt set his beer down next to his rocker and stood. “Why don’t you let me do that? My nephew and I need to get better acquainted.”

  “That would be lovely.” She handed him over. “But if he gets too fussy bring him back.”

  “He won’t be fussy, will you, Arch?” He adjusted the baby in his arms and Archie looked at him with wide blue eyes. Wyatt felt a tug of recognition. Archie really did look like Rafe’s baby pictures. “Come on, kid. Time to see the sights with Uncle Wyatt.”

  Carrying the little boy, he walked carefully down the steps, mindful of not stumbling with his precious cargo. Archie seemed to enjoy the movement and change of scenery, so Wyatt walked away from the house and down toward a corral next to the barn where a couple of paint horses milled around. Archie might like watching them.

  As he drew closer to the corral, the little kid started crowing and bouncing in his arms, obviously excited about the animals. Wyatt was congratulating himself on being a really cool uncle when he heard the rumble of a truck’s engine.

  He turned to see a cherry-red semi tractor rig pull in, hauling a large horse trailer. Wyatt watched with a feeling of inevitability as air brakes hissed and the semi came to a halt. Jack Chance climbed down from the driver’s side.

  14

  JACK STARED AT WYATT in obvious disbelief. “You’ve got my kid!”

  A couple of other smaller trucks pulled in behind the horse trailer and Josie hurried down the hill, followed by the rest of the family. Even from this distance Wyatt could see the panic in her expression.

  “Hello, Jack,” Wyatt said. “Nice to see you again, too.”

  “What are you doing with my kid?”

  “Giving Josie a break. Archie was starting to fuss, so I offered to—”

  “You come to my house unannounced when I’m not even here. Don’t you own a cell phone?”

  “I should have called in advance.” Guilt stabbed him.

  “Damn straight you should have. This is the second time you’ve shown up without warning, and I don’t like being caught off guard. Not only that, but I arrive home to find you toting my son around like you and he are the best of buds. I don’t know much of anything about you, Wyatt Locke, except that you’re Diana’s son, and that’s not much of a recommendation.”

  Josie reached him, puffing slightly from her short jog. “Jack, I told Wyatt he could carry Archie around.”

  “Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather he didn’t do that.” Jack closed the distance in two strides and pulled Archie out of Wyatt’s arms.

  “Wyatt is Archie’s uncle, Jack.”

  Jack glanced at her. “Yeah, and that makes Diana Archie’s biological grandmother, which is a sickening thought.” His gaze swung to Wyatt. “Did you tell her about Archie?”

  “No.”

  “That’s a damn good thing because she has no right to this kid. He’s a Chance.”

  “Jack…” Josie put a hand on his arm.

  Jack ignored her and continued to glare at Wyatt. “You, on the other hand, are not. So keep your hands off my kid.”

  “You arrogant SOB.” Anger curdled in Wyatt’s gut.

  “Jack, stop this!” Josie grabbed hold of his arm.

  “Stay out of it, Josie.”

  “Then give me Archie.” Her voice was laced with fury.

  “Yeah, take him.” Keeping his attention on Wyatt, Jack handed her the baby. “Get him out of here.”

  Wyatt clenched his fists. He wasn’t going to throw the first punch, but he was sorely tempted now that Jack wasn’t holding Archie. “How dare you taunt me with not being a Chance, like I had a choice in the matter? Like you did? It’s all an accident of birth, Jack.”

  “This is my property, and I dare whatever I damn well please.”

  “Oh, yeah, the mighty Jack Chance. Judging from your arrogant attitude, I’m glad I’m not a Chance!”

  “If that’s the way you feel, why the hell did you come back?”

  “God knows. But I’ll tell you this. You should get down on your knees every day and thank God that my mother left you here.”

  “Oh, but she didn’t leave you, now, did she?” Jack’s expression was thunderous. “You didn’t have to wake up one morning and find out that your mother was gone and she wasn’t coming back! You didn’t have to—”

  “You didn’t have to grow up with a mother who didn’t give a damn about you! And a father who was so busy trying to please her that he barely noticed you either!” Wyatt’s blood ran hot in his veins. “No, you were surrounded by people who loved you—your dad, your grandparents and later on Sarah, and this…this whole fricking ranch! Yeah, let’s compare notes and see who had the worst of it, shall we?”

  Archie started to wail at the top of his lungs.

  “Get off my land.” Jack’s face was like granite.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve lost any desire to be here.” Adrenaline pumping through his system, he stormed past Jack and the rest of the family. Sarah called out to him, and he gave her a wave that he hoped would let her know he heard her, but he couldn’t respond. Not now.

  When he reached the drive, Olivia had just pulled in. She hopped down, took one look at his face and came running over. “Wyatt?”

  “I’m leaving, Olivia.” He started up the steps. He felt as if someone had his chest in a vice and was jabbing his head with an ice pick. “You should stay, though. It’s going to be a good party, and I know how much you like these folks.”

  “So do you!” She went up the steps with him. “Are you going to let Jack run you off?”

  “I don’t stay where I’m not wanted, Olivia.” He drew a breath that made his lungs burn. Then he opened the front door and held it for her because she seemed determined to follow him. “Jack was here first, and all I’ll do is cause tension if I stay.” He didn’t break stride as he headed upstairs. “I still love the area, so…we’ll see.”

  Olivia kept pace with him. “So you’re not going camping with Jack, I take it?”

  His bark of laughter sounded loud in the quiet house. “Hardly.”

  “Will you take me, then?”

  “What?” He reached the second floor and walked quickly down to the room he’d been assigned.

  “Camping. Let’s go.”

  “That’s crazy.” He hadn’t taken time to unpack, so all he had to do was throw a few things in his duffel and zip it. He took the bag of clothes Pam had given him as well. He wasn’t sure what to do about those, but he could decide that later. “We can’t just go off camping.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because…” He actually didn’t have a good reason. He had some dehydrated food in the truck, plus water he always carried. He glanced at Olivia’s outfit, noticing for the first time that she’d worn sneakers with her jeans and shirt, and she was carrying a zip-up sweatshirt.

  “I’m not going to stay for the party if you’re leaving,” she said. “I came to be with you.”

  “I don’t think I’m going to be very good company.” But the idea of heading off into the woods appealed to him. He’d cancelled his reservation at the Bunk and Grub, and he wouldn’t want to stay there anyway.

  “Let’s do it, Wyatt. I don’t have to work tomorrow. Let’s spend the night together in a tent. You can teach me how to camp.”

  “You’ve been the best part of this whole experience, Olivia.”

  She smiled at him. “Thanks.”

  “All righty, then. Let’s go camping. You can follow me out, and once we’re off the ranch we’ll figure out our next move.”

  “Works for me.”

  But when they descended the steps, they found Sarah waiting for them. Wyatt looked around for the others but Sarah appeared to be alone in the house, at least for now. She looked extremely determined.

  Wyatt’s gut tightened again as he walked down the stairs toward her. “Sarah, I’m really sorry. I hate that I spoiled your great homecoming celebration.”

  “You didn’t,” she said. “My son did, and I’m sure eventually he’ll apologize to you for that.”

  Wyatt stared at her. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No. One of the things I’ve instilled in all my boys is good manners. Jack forgot his just now, but I have every confidence he’ll remember them soon.”

  There was a hint of steel in her words, but she kept her voice so even that it took Wyatt a moment to realize that she was furious. She did not, however, apologize for Jack. The glint in her eyes made it clear he would be expected to do that for himself.

  Wyatt had no stomach for watching a battle of wills between mother and son, not when he was the bone of contention. “It’s okay, Sarah,” he said gently. “You’ve been great to me and I appreciate that.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t leave.”

  “We’re going camping,” Olivia said. “So I won’t be here for dinner, after all. Thank you for asking me, though.”

  Sarah frowned. “Camping? Just like that? What about food?”

  “I always carry emergency rations in my truck. We’ll be fine for one night.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Come back to the kitchen with me.”

  “No, really.” Wyatt didn’t want to linger. “We should just go. It’s better if we—”

  “No one’s coming up to the house until I give the okay, so don’t get nervous. I instructed them all to stay down by the barn until I’d had an opportunity to talk with you. Pete’s in charge of making sure that’s the way it goes.”

  “Wow,” Olivia said. “You really are in charge around here.”

  “You bet your sweet bippy. Now come along. I’ll give you some real food so you don’t have to eat that reconstituted junk.” Sarah marched down the hall toward the dining room and kitchen area.

  Wyatt glanced over at Olivia and shrugged. Crossing Sarah right now didn’t seem like a wise idea. He set down his duffel and bag of clothes, took Olivia’s hand and followed Sarah to the kitchen.

  Moments later they came back down the hall. Wyatt carried a soft-sided ice chest filled with frozen gel packs and stuffed with homemade spaghetti sauce, eggs, bacon and cheese. Olivia had a bag that contained a box of pasta, a loaf of homemade bread, a box of crackers and a box of red wine.

  Wyatt mentally calculated whether he could get everything in his pack. He might need Olivia to carry some of the food in his spare backpack, but he’d make sure her load was light. He wanted to hike in a ways before they made camp. Getting away from civilization had never seemed more necessary than now.

  “Thank you, Sarah.” Wyatt glanced at Olivia. “Would you be okay with returning the ice chest and anything we don’t use?”

  “I expect you to return it, Wyatt,” Sarah said. “I can understand that you want to go off and lick your wounds, but you need to come back.”

  Wyatt faced her. “I’m not sure I even want to—”

  “Now you listen to me, Wyatt Locke. You started this thing, and I intend to see that you and Jack are on civil terms before you leave the ranch.”

  “But—”

  “Just leave Olivia’s Jeep here, take your truck and drive on up the road past the sacred site. The terrain rises some, and I’m sure you’ll find good camping up there.”

  “I don’t want to stay on ranch land.”

  “Oh, for pity’s sake. Of course you do. It’s getting late, and you need to make camp before it gets dark. You really don’t have time to mess around looking for some other spot, Wyatt. Besides, this way you can come back tomorrow and sort this thing out with Jack.”

  “I don’t think Jack wants to sort it out.”

  Sarah met his gaze and her jaw firmed. “He will.”

  Wyatt had never met a woman like Sarah Chance. She was one of the most loving people he’d ever known, yet also one of the toughest. He now understood why she hadn’t crumbled when her husband died unexpectedly.

  He still didn’t believe that he and Jack would mend any fences but he wasn’t going to convince Sarah of that, at least not now. Might as well go along with her plan for the time being, especially when he couldn’t refute her logic. He might have trouble finding a good camping spot before dark if he insisted on leaving Chance land to do it.

  “All right,” he said. “I’ll take your suggestion. Thank you for everything, Sarah.”

  “You’re welcome. See you tomorrow.” She stood in the doorway as they walked down the porch steps and over to Wyatt’s truck.

  He was aware of her watching as they loaded everything and got into the cab. Once he put the truck in gear and started toward the road leading to the sacred site, she came out on the porch and waved to the group of people waiting down by the barn.

  In his rearview mirror, Wyatt saw them trooping back up to the house except for one lone figure. Wyatt was pretty sure he recognized Jack standing there, staring after the truck. His gut twisted again. He’d wanted Jack’s goodwill more than he’d realized. But despite Sarah’s determination, he doubted he’d ever get it.

  * * *

  OLIVIA WASN’T SURE WHETHER to talk to Wyatt or leave him in peace to mull over his situation. They rode with the windows down, which at least kept the drive from being silent. Small birds twittered in the meadows they passed and a hawk circled overhead and added its piercing cry to the lilting music below.

  “The hawk is probably planning to eat one of those songbirds,” Wyatt said.

  “Now there’s a cheerful thought.”

  “I warned you that I might not be very good company.”

  Olivia sighed. “Then I say let’s talk about what happened instead of sitting here in silence.”

  “Not much to tell.”

  “How did everything get nasty so fast? It looked to me as if they’d just come home.”

  “Bad timing, maybe even poor judgment on my part. We were all sitting on the porch and little Archie started to fuss, so I told Josie I’d walk with him a little, give him a change of scenery.”

  She could imagine what came next. Poor Wyatt. “Let me guess. Jack came home when you were strolling around with Archie.”

  “I don’t know why I didn’t think that might happen. I was just enjoying taking the little guy down to see the horses, and somehow it didn’t occur to me that Jack might not react well to me doing that. The minute I heard that heavy-duty engine, I knew I was screwed.”

  She reached over and rubbed his thigh. “I’m sorry.” Then she paused. “Are these new? They don’t feel like jeans that have been worn a lot.”

  Wyatt smiled for the first time since she’d met him coming up from the barn. “I think you should feel that material again to make real sure it’s different from the jeans Sarah loaned me.”

  She was encouraged by that remark. Leaning over, she stroked his thigh again. “These are not the jeans you borrowed from Sarah.”

  “So do you like this feel better than the ones I had on before? Go right ahead and fondle them again if you’re not sure. I don’t mind.”

  She walked her fingers up and down his thigh. “I’m trying to solve the mystery as to how you have a pair of new jeans when you were with me practically all day and the stores in Shoshone aren’t open on Sunday.”

  “Two words. Pam Mulholland.”

  “She bought these?”

  “Plus two other pairs, and two more shirts. She gave them to me when I went to pick up my clothes. Too bad it was a wasted effort. She and Sarah thought it would be better if I had riding clothes so I could go out on horseback with Jack.”

  “Don’t give up on that, Wyatt. Sarah is a powerful woman.”

  “I don’t think even Sarah can bring Jack and me together. The gap is huge.”

  “How huge? You didn’t tell me what was said.”

  “It wasn’t pretty.” The truck hit a rut and Wyatt wrestled with the wheel until the vehicle settled down again. “First he accused me of walking around like I owned the place.”

  “Ouch. That’s harsh.”

  “Then he made it clear I wasn’t a Chance and I’d better keep my mitts off his kid.”

  “I’m sorry, Wyatt. Didn’t anyone come to your defense?”