The Rancher's Family Thanksgiving

Susie was used to Tyler being right there when she needed him. She wasn’t used to him refusing her anything.

He shrugged and, to her increasing dissatisfaction, held his ground. “You know your parents aren’t going to rest until they say whatever is on their mind. Therefore, you may as well just go on and get it done without me.”

“WE CALLED YOU HERE because we’re worried about you,” Meg Carrigan began as she and Susie’s father continued the preparations for the backyard party that would welcome Rebecca and Trevor home from their two-week honeymoon.

“It’s time you moved on and forgot the past,” Luke Carrigan added.

Susie tried to focus on the beauty of the November afternoon. It was unseasonably warm, with the temperature in the low seventies. The sky was a brilliant Texas-blue. It made a perfect backdrop for the red, gold and orange leaves on the trees.

Susie helped her mother spread burgundy cloth on the row of tables that would hold the buffet. “That’s easy for you to say. You didn’t go through what I did.”

Luke poured bags of ice into large galvanized tubs. “That was twelve years ago.”

And it feels like yesterday, Susie thought, putting bottles of beer and soft drinks in the ice to chill. “I’m fine.”

Her father moved on to setting up the barbecue grill. “If you were, you’d be dating someone.”

Maybe it was because her parents were both in the medical profession, but they had always been a lot more ready to dismiss what Susie had been through than she was. “Maybe,” Susie said calmly, “I’m just meant to go through life alone.”

Luke frowned, taking on the gentle but commanding air of a respected physician. “And maybe you’re not.”

Meg smiled like the understanding nurse she was and wrapped her arm around Susie’s shoulders. “We just want you to give love a chance.”

Susie tensed and stepped away. “I think they wrote a song about that.”

“Susie…” Luke’s voice held a warning tone.

Susie stopped rolling her eyes and sighed. “I suppose you two matchmakers have the man I should be seeing picked out, too.”

“Actually,” Meg allowed, “we have five.”

Susie blinked. “You’re kidding.”

Luke set the dials on his barbecue and began layering the first of several dozen baby back ribs on the grill. “All we are asking is that you allow us to arrange for you to make their acquaintance.”

“Which means,” Meg added, handing her husband a platter of Fredericksburg sausages, “giving them at least thirty minutes of your undivided attention.”

Susie laid out stacks of napkins, paper plates and silverware.” I can see the introductions now. Here’s my daughter, Susie. She’s a landscape architect who runs her own company and she can’t get an evening out to save her life.”

Her parents winced at her revealing choice of phrase.

“More accurately,” Luke corrected, “won’t accept an invitation for an evening out, from what I hear.”

Susie watched her father close the top of his grill over the sizzling meat. “Why lead ’em on if my intentions aren’t in the least bit serious? I’m always available for hanging out and going places with friends.”

Meg sat down to shuck some corn. “It’s not the same thing and you know it.”

“Why is this so important to you?”

Her father now walked around the yard, setting up folding chairs. “We want to know you’re moving on, especially now that the danger is over.”

As far as Susie was concerned, the danger would never be over. “The heartache can still come back.”

“It’s unlikely.” Her father came over to wrap an arm around his daughter.

“Unlikely” was not the same as “impossible,” and Susie wasn’t about to inflict her suffering on anyone else. “Look, Mom, Dad, I know you mean well,” she said, “but I’m happy with my life the way it is.” Her parents had a very happy marriage but she had a thriving business, a career she loved, a cozy house and enough money to do whatever she wanted in her leisure time.

“You could be even more content,” Meg said gently.

Susie studied her parents. Luke had silver running through his sandy-blond hair. Meg covered her silver strands with an auburn rinse that matched her natural hue. Both were fit, trim and remarkably energetic for a couple in their early fifties. They could also be indefatigable when it came to getting what they wanted for their four kids. Susie propped her hands on her hips and exhaled in exasperation. “You’re not going to give up on this, are you?”

Looking very much a couple, they shook their heads. “Not until you give it a try,” Meg admitted.

Given the fact that Thanksgiving was only a couple weeks away, Susie was willing to do whatever necessary to keep the peace for the holidays. She lifted a hand and set her boundaries. “I’m not going husband hunting. I will agree to meet the five guys—on one condition. If it doesn’t work out, if there’s no chemistry or interest on either one of our parts, you two have to back off. Permanently. And swear on all that is Texas that you will never say another word about me settling down, marrying and trying to have a family ever again.”

Her folks nodded, with obvious reluctance.

“How soon can we get this over with?” Susie asked impatiently.

Meg look over at the Congratulations Rebecca and Trevor! banner strung across the front porch. “I think we can arrange for you to meet all five bachelors in the next two weeks.”

“WHAT’S GOING ON BETWEEN you and Susie Carrigan?” Teddy McCabe asked Tyler, several hours later. “You haven’t taken your eyes off her since you arrived.”

Which, unfortunately, had been late, Tyler thought.

Beer in one hand, plate of barbecue in the other, he moved a little farther out in the backyard where the party was being held, and tried not to be so obvious about watching over the feistiest, most vulnerable woman he had ever known.

“Who’s the guy she’s been talking to?” Tyler asked.

It was clear from the range of expressions on Susie’s face that the stranger was one of the guys her parents had hoped to match her up with.

“New doctor at Laramie Community Hospital. Name is Whit Jenkins. Susie’s parents introduced the two of them soon after Whit arrived.”

Tyler could see why Meg and Luke would hope the two would hit it off. Whit Jenkins was thirty-something, decent looking, personable. In the twenty minutes, Susie had been talking to him over by the arbor, her expression had gone from pleasantly irritated—an expression Tyler knew well himself—to wary, to somewhat interested. He could tell by the way she was holding herself that she wasn’t drawn to Whit in the way her parents were probably hoping, but the night was young and the man showed no sign of leaving her side, especially now that Susie’s brother, Jeremy, fellow LCH physician, had joined the conversation.

“Do you know something I don’t?” Teddy continued.

“Meg and Luke are fixing Susie up with five different guys in the next two weeks.”

Teddy lifted a brow in surprise. “She agreed to that?”

Tyler nodded, recalling his phone conversation with Susie after the dreaded summit with her folks. She’d sounded remarkably chipper for someone who had lost the battle to keep any and all matchmaking out of her life, but Tyler wasn’t fooled. Susie might go along with Meg and Luke Carrigan’s wishes to keep the family peace, but she’d be privately gritting her teeth in resentment the whole time.

“So why is it bothering you?” Teddy asked.

Tyler looked at his brother. Teddy, Trevor and he were triplets, but the identical part only went so far as their basic looks. Teddy bred horses on his ranch, the Silverado. Trevor ran cattle on his place, the Wind Creek. Tyler’s Healing Meadow Ranch was a large animal veterinary hospital.

Now the once fiercely independent Trevor was married.