Colorado Courtship Read online

  “I heard what happened to your livestock last winter. I’m sorry about that.”

  “Sure did change things.” The brightness in her eyes dimmed.

  “What are your plans with the place now? You going to sell?”

  “Sell?” She shook her head hard and fast. “Absolutely not. I’m hoping to earn enough money to buy a few head of bred cows so I can build up the place again.”

  “How you going to do that alone?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and she shifted away from him and faced the team. “I did a right fine job of taking care of things for my pa when he took sick.” She glanced back at him as if waiting for his snide response.

  He had none and only nodded, impressed by every inch of her heart and soul. “I heard you did. You’re really blessed to have your own place, you know that?”

  “I do.”

  “I hope to buy my own spread someday.” In a way they had that in common. Both wanted to build up their own place and he believed her reasons were much the same as his. To prove to others they could, but most of all because they loved ranching. Only thing was, she owned a place already. He didn’t. But...it wouldn’t be long until he did. He smiled slightly and mentally went through the calculations again of his savings and how much a place would cost.

  “Got anyplace particular in mind?” she asked, breaking into his thoughts.

  “Uh-huh. Thinking about buying a place up the Troublesome around Gunsight Pass.”

  “Never been there before.”

  “You haven’t?”

  “Nope. We were always too busy to go anywhere. We rarely even got to visit Uncle Emmett and Aunt Minnie except for a few times in the summer. We spent a lot more time with them when I was younger. Before we increased our herd. After that, it seemed like it got harder and harder to get away. Sure did miss seeing them as much.”

  “They’re pretty special. Your uncle’s a great man.”

  “He sure is. He looks a lot like my pa, you know?”

  “No. I didn’t know that. I never had the pleasure of meeting your father.”

  “You would have liked him. And I know he would have liked you, too.” Her confidence in that warmed Jed through and through. “There’s a picture on our mantel with my pa, Uncle Emmett and Grandpappy. Their pa. The resemblance is amazing.”

  They pulled up alongside the haystack. “I don’t look anything like my father.” He said it low enough that he barely heard himself speak. As soon as he did, he wished he hadn’t. He didn’t want to talk about his father. It hurt too much. “Well, we’re here. We’d better get this thing loaded.”

  Sunny looked over at him with understanding in her eyes. He hadn’t fooled her. Not saying anything showed she understood and even respected his wishes by not bringing it up. His admiration for her increased.

  They loaded the wagon, fed the cows and headed back down to the barn. As they removed the tack from the draft horses, Sunny raised Samson’s hoof. “Jed, look here. He’s thrown a shoe.”

  Jed ran his hand over Samson’s rump as he walked close behind the large animal. Bent over, Sunny rested his hoof on her leather chaps above her knees.

  “I’ll just have to fix it. Do you want to help?”

  Sunny lowered the hoof slowly and stood. Her mouth quirked off to one side and her eyelids settled on her cheeks. “That’s one thing I can’t do.”

  Jed could tell by the way she said it just how hard that was for her to admit.

  “The reason you can’t do it wouldn’t be because you barely come up to Samson’s knee, could it?” Cody stepped up to them. “Oh, pardon me. My mistake. You ain’t Sunny. You must be her twin brother.” His gaze slid to the men’s trousers she wore.

  Her eyes slatted as a scowl came to her face, and Jed wanted to punch the younger cowboy for taking her admission and stabbing her with it. “I do not barely come up to his knee.”

  “I know. That’s what I said.”

  “Huh?” She cocked her head to the side, then rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I meant.” Frustration bit through her words. “I meant I’m taller than that.”

  “Not by much,” George chimed in jokingly from behind Cody.

  Jed knew Cody and George were just teasing her, but he knew how much their teasing flustered Sunny so he stepped in to intervene. “George. Cody. That’s enough. I don’t want you talking to—”

  “It’s all right, Jed. Thank you, but I can handle these two myself.”

  She stepped right up to them and pointed her finger at them. “Listen here. I might be little, but—”

  “Wait. Just a minute, Sunny,” Cody interrupted her. He picked her up underneath her arms and held her eye level to his six-foot-three frame. Her legs dangled in the air. “There, now I can see you.”

  Jed braced himself, waiting for her to blow like a fired cannon.

  “Thank you, Cody.” She bent her head back and looked up at the sky. “I always wondered what the view was like from up here in the clouds.”

  Jed knew his chin had to be touching his neckerchief.

  “So what’s it like being the first one to know when it rains?” Sunny continued. “Are you sure your name isn’t stretch? Or high tower? Or beanpole? I’m sure it’s really beanpole and you just won’t fess up to it. Beanpole definitely suits you better with them long, skinny legs of yours.”

  Less than a second went by and Sunny was back on her feet.

  Cody whirled and stormed off, mumbling, “I ain’t that tall. Ain’t that skinny neither.”

  Jed threw back his head and laughed. George joined him and so did Matt, who’d stood silently in the background the whole time.

  “Ain’t funny,” Cody tossed over his shoulder.

  “How does it feel, Cody, to be teased about your height?” Jed called to the cowboy’s retreating back.

  “You sure got him a good one,” shy Matt said as he and George turned to leave.

  “She’s a sassy one,” Jed heard George tell Matt.

  Jed looked over at Sunny. “You really are sensitive about your height, aren’t you?”

  “You would be, too, if you’d been made fun of all your life for it. Grows old real fast.”

  “Just how tall are you anyway?”

  “Five foot.”

  “Five foot what?”

  “That’s it. Five foot. There is no ‘what.’ Sure wish the good Lord would’ve given me a few more inches at least. Then people wouldn’t tease me so much or mistake me for a child or for a boy just because I wear pants to keep my legs warm.”

  Jed kept himself from looking at Sunny’s womanly curves hidden under all that heavy outside winter garb.

  He followed her gaze as it slid to his legs. “Where’d you get them woolies chaps from? I’d sure like to get me a pair someday.”

  “I made them.”

  Her eyes widened. “You did?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “Do you think you could make me a pair of them?”

  Again warmth touched his heart. He’d never heard her ask for anyone’s help, and now she’d asked for his twice in less than thirty minutes. He smiled, wholly aware of the trust she was placing in him. “Sure can. In fact I have two more hides just like the one this was made out of in the bunkhouse storage room.”

  “What would you charge to make me a pair?”

  “Nothing.”

  She tilted her head and frowned. “I don’t need charity, Jedidiah.”

  Jedidiah? That wasn’t good. It was his turn to frown. “What do you mean? I’m not giving them to you out of charity. Just as a friendly gesture.”

  “Oh.” She sighed. “Sorry, Jed. Guess I’m too sensitive for my own good.”

  He wondered what had brought that on. Had she lived off people’s charity? If so, had she been picked on for that, too?

  * * *

  Sunny hadn’t meant to snap at Jedidiah. It was just that it always came back around to the same thing. After she’d had to accept charity gifts from her neighbors when her pa had t
aken sick, it made her feel as though she’d failed him. Pa had said she hadn’t, but she couldn’t help feeling as if she had. Jed didn’t know about none of that, though, and it was a gift and not charity. “If you’re sure about this, then I’d be right honored to accept your gift.”

  “Thank you, Sunny.”

  “Why are you thanking me?”

  “For allowing me to be a blessing in your life.”

  That he was. A blessing that had nothing to do with his gift offering. She liked him. Liked being around him. Liked that he never teased her. Well, except for that one time, but he’d apologized for that. Something no one else had ever done. Jed even took up for her when no one other than her pa ever had.

  “You ready to go track that lion?”

  Sunny looked up at him to see if he was serious. “Sure am!”

  “Well, let’s get to it, then.”

  “Will the men be going with us?” Please say no.

  “Uh-huh. The sooner we get rid of the lion, the better. Emmett’s already lost three yearlings to it.”

  Three yearlings was a huge loss. Jed was right. The sooner they got it, the better. “Do you want me to run and get Uncle Emmett?”

  “If you wouldn’t mind, that’d be great. I’ll get the horses ready. Which one of yours do you want? The bay or the paint?”

  “Rowdy, the paint. He’s not easily spooked.”

  “From what I’ve witnessed, handling a spooked horse wouldn’t be an issue for you anyway.”

  Jed’s words of confidence made Sunny feel as if she’d suddenly grown an extra foot or two. “Thank you, Jed.”

  “For what?”

  “For saying what you did. It means a lot to me.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  Sunny stared into his eyes.

  Eyes the color of a bluebird.

  Eyes filled with warmth and honesty.

  Eyes she could see herself waking up to every morning.

  Sunny blinked. What was she thinking? Here she barely knew the man and she was thinking about waking up next to him?

  Don’t lose sight of why you’re here, Sunny. It ain’t to get no husband. Keeping your promise to Pa comes before you ever think about marrying.

  “I’ll go get my uncle now. I think I saw him heading to the house earlier.” Sunny whirled, rushed to the cabin and stuck her head inside the front door.

  Her uncle stood with his back to the fire, warming his hands.

  “Uncle Emmett, it’s warmed up a bit. We’re ready to track that mountain lion now.” Excitement rushed through her voice.

  “That’s good. But why don’t you go on without me? I have some paperwork that needs my attention.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m sure, Sunshine. Be careful.”

  “I will.” She closed the door and ran back to the barn.

  She wished her uncle were going, but she understood how much paperwork was involved in running a ranch of this size.

  Jed stood outside the barn. He had the horses saddled and bridled and their snowshoes and rifles mounted on their saddles.

  “Can’t believe you got these two ready that quick.”

  “During calving season I learned to saddle a horse real fast.”

  “I know that one.” They shared a chuckle. “That’s one of the few things I don’t much care for about ranching.”

  “Calving season?” His brows disappeared under the brim of his black cowboy hat.

  “No. No.” She waved her gloved hand. “I love calving season. Well, the first few weeks of it anyway.” She grinned. “I don’t like having to saddle a horse in the middle of the night and head out in a heavy wet snowstorm or freezing cold to bring a cow in so I can pull its calf. Seems to me they always calve during the worst storms.”

  “Sure does, doesn’t it?” They chuckled over that one, too, knowing just how true that was. “It never fails. We could have ten days of nice sunny spring weather and very few calves are born those days. But let a spring storm come in, or a bitter-cold night, and them cows popped babies out like there was no tomorrow.”

  “That’s for sure. Seems like that’s when the breach calves come, too.”

  Cody, George and Matt stepped out of the barn, leading their horses.

  “So, you’re really going with us, huh?” Cody asked, his disapproval obvious.

  “Why is that so hard for you to believe?” Jed answered for her.

  “Because she’s a girl. She has no business tracking down a mountain lion. It’s dangerous.”

  “What does my being a woman—” she stressed the word woman because she hated being called a girl “—have to do with anything? What should matter is if I can shoot this thing.” She patted her rifle resting in its scabbard. “And how accurate my aim is. Let me assure you, Cody.” She looked right at him, dead center of his eyes. “It’s accurate.”

  “We’ll see.” Cody mounted his horse and headed toward the direction where the mountain lion had last been seen.

  They all mounted and followed him.

  “That man is going to find himself in trouble one day. If it isn’t for spouting off his mouth, it will be for that big head of his.” Jed’s head slowly shifted back and forth. “Let’s just hope it isn’t today.” His attention slid to Sunny. He stared at her and wrinkles lined his forehead. “You know, the more I think about it, the more I think Cody needs to stay behind and do something else.” Jed nudged his horse into a trot.

  Sunny caught up with Jed and stopped him. “Please, Jed. Don’t. Cody’ll blame me for his not getting to go along. I already get enough flap jaw from him. I don’t want him hating me, too. Just let me prove to him that I’m not helpless.”

  Uncertainty flitted through his eyes. “He’s never hunted down a mountain lion before. I’m not sure I trust him helping us.”

  “Please, Jed?”

  His chest rose and fell. He gave a quick nod. “But only because I believe in you.”

  Sunny’s chest expanded farther than Jed’s had. Only, hers was from pride. Jed believing in her and saying it, meant a whole lot to her. “Thank you.” She gave him her biggest smile, and when he gave her one back, her heart hopped in her chest, and it wasn’t from excitement neither. It took a lot to scare her, but that did. A lot.

  * * *

  They made their way to where the mountain lion was spotted last. Evidence of the animal’s presence was visible. Another yearling half-eaten and buried to be consumed later. With winter so bad this year, food was scarce for the animals. If only they could trap the animal and transport it somewhere else. But anyplace where the lion would have an abundant supply of food besides the rancher’s cattle would take days to get to.

  Time no one had to spare.

  And the weather made that feat impossible anyway. Jed blew out a long breath. As much as he hated killing any animal, he knew it had to be done before too many more cattle went up missing.

  Its hide, thick and light, would make a good vest or small jacket for someone. Someone like Sunny.

  “Over here,” the object of his last thought spoke in a hushed tone.

  The men headed over to where Sunny was crouched down. “It’s a female.”

  “How can you tell?” Cody asked with sarcasm.

  What was wrong with Cody? Sunny had done nothing to warrant his behavior.

  Sunny remained squatted but shifted to where they could see the print. “Male toe prints aren’t teardrop-shaped like these here are.”

  She was right. Jed’s admiration for her slid upward a few more notches. He’d never met a woman like her before.

  “Looks like it headed toward the Kids Pond.”

  “I think you’re right. Well, let’s go find out.” Jed nodded to his men and to Sunny.

  They mounted their horses, and Cody took off ahead of them. That boy was looking for trouble, and Jed wished he hadn’t let Sunny talk him into letting Cody come.

  With the fresh snow it was easy to see the lion’s prints. When the snow went from
a foot to two feet, too deep for their horses, they stopped and tethered them to a rope they strung between two trees. “Who wants to volunteer to stay back with the horses?” Jed asked, not wanting to leave the horses defenseless if the lion chose to come back around. Mountain lions were known to wait until a person was cornered with no way of escape. Or it might back itself into a cave knowing that when the person stepped inside, it had the advantage over them, and would attack.

  “I’ll stay.” Sunny surprised Jed by volunteering. He knew how badly she wanted to hunt that animal and why.

  “Scared?” Cody taunted her.

  “Nope.” She just smiled at him.

  “Prove it. You go, and I’ll stay.” He crossed his arms over his lanky chest.

  Sunny yanked her rifle out of its scabbard. “Sure will. See you later. Have fun, Cody.” With those words she headed off in the direction of the tracks.

  Jed had to keep himself from laughing. He, Matt and George hurried to catch up with her. They followed the tracks higher and higher up the mountain, traipsing through the thick trees, fighting branches and large trunks from felled timber. Near a rock dwelling the hair rose on the back of Jed’s neck and arms. From past experience that meant only one thing—the lion was nearby.

  Sunny stopped, squatted down and pointed upward. “There it is,” she whispered.

  They joined her and followed her pointing finger.

  “Good job, Sunny.”

  George raised his rifle.

  Jed grabbed the barrel and lowered it. “Emmett said Sunny could get the first shot.”

  George looked at her.

  “It’s okay, Jed. Let George nail it.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yup.” She smiled, and his admiration toward her went up yet another notch.

  George braced his rifle against his shoulder and pulled the trigger hammer back, then the trigger.

  Bam!

  The mountain lion sprung upward. Before anyone could get their rifles aimed, it fled out of sight. Heart racing faster than the wind, Jed, along with everyone else, tossed their rifle straps over their shoulders and charged after it.

  “It’s circling around to the where the horses are,” Sunny said from beside Jed.