The Wyoming Kid

“Sex?”

“I’m not about to discount that,” his friend assured him, his smile widening. “But there’s more to marriage than crawling into bed with a warm body.”

“Such as?”

Chase didn’t take offense at the question, the way another guy might have. “I hadn’t realized how lonely it was around this place since my dad died,” Chase said. His expression was sober and thoughtful as he stared out at the ranch that had been in his family for four generations. “Letty and Cricket have given me purpose. I have a reason to get out of bed in the morning—a reason other than chores. That’s the best I can explain it.”

Lonny leaned back and rested his elbows on the step. He considered what his friend had said and, frankly, he didn’t see it. “I like my life the way it is.”

Chase nodded. “Before Letty returned, I thought the same thing.”

At least one person understood his feelings.

“Is it okay if I join you?” Letty asked from behind the screen door before moving on to the porch. She held a tall glass of lemonade.

“Sure, go ahead,” Lonny said agreeably.

His sister sat on the step beside Chase, who slid his arm around her shoulder. She pressed her head against him, then glanced at Lonny.

“Did you phone her?” It probably wasn’t a good idea to even ask, but he had to admit he was curious.

“I will later,” Letty said. “I was afraid if I called her now, she might be too distressed to talk.”

“I’m the one who’s distressed,” he muttered, not that anyone had asked about his feelings.

Letty ignored the comment. “You’ve really got a thing for her, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t.” Dammit, he wished his sister would stop saying that. Even his niece was parroting her words. Lonny didn’t want to argue with Letty, but the fact was, he knew his own feelings. “I can guess what you’re thinking and I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong.”

“You seem to talk about her quite a bit,” she said archly.

No argument there. “Now, listen, I want you to give me your solemn word that you won’t do anything stupid.”

“Like what?” Letty asked.

“Like try to get me and Joy together again. I told you before, I’m not interested and I mean it.”

“You know, big brother, I might’ve believed you earlier, but I don’t anymore.”

Not knowing what to say, Lonny just shook his head. “I want your word, Letty. I’m serious about this.”

“Your brother doesn’t need your help.” Chase kissed the top of her head.

“He’s right,” Lonny said.

“But—”

“I don’t need a woman in my life.”

“You’re lonely.”

“I’ve got plenty of friends, plus you guys practically next door,” he told her. “Besides, Tom’s around.”

At this reminder of the teenage boy living at the ranch, Letty asked, “How’s that going?”

Lonny shrugged. “All right, I guess.” He liked the kid, who was skinny as a beanpole and friendly but still reserved. “He’s a hard worker.”

Letty reached for Chase’s hand. “It was good of you to give him a job.”

Lonny didn’t think of it that way. “I was looking for seasonal help. He showed up at the right time.” When Lonny found him in the barn, Tom had offered to work in exchange for breakfast. The kid must’ve been half-starved, because he gobbled down six eggs, half a pound of bacon and five or six slices of toast, along with several cups of coffee. In between bites, he brushed off Lonny’s questions about his history and hometown. When Lonny mentioned that he and Chase were hoping to hire a ranch hand for the season, Tom’s eyes had brightened and he’d asked to apply for the job.

“I’m worried about you,” his sister lamented, refusing to drop the subject. “You do need someone.”

“I do not.”

Letty studied him for a long moment, then finally acquiesced. “Okay, big brother, you’re on your own.”

And that was exactly how Lonny wanted it.

Chapter Four

Tom Meyerson finished the last of his nightly chores and headed for his room in the barn. Stumbling onto this job was the best thing that’d happened to him in years. He’d been bone-weary and desperate when Lonny Ellison found him sleeping in his barn. That day, three months ago now, he’d walked twenty or twenty-five miles, and all he’d had to eat was an apple and half a candy bar. By the time he saw the barn far off in the distance, he’d been thirsty, hungry and so exhausted he could barely put one foot in front of the other. He didn’t think he’d make it to the next town by nightfall, so he’d hidden in the barn and fallen instantly asleep.

Life had been hell since his mother died. The doctor had said she had a weak heart, and Tom knew why: his dad had broken it years before. His father was a no-good drunk. There’d been nothing positive in Tom’s life except his mother. Fortunately, he was an only child, so at least there wasn’t a younger brother or sister to worry about. Shortly after he graduated from high school last spring, nearly a year ago, it became apparent that his father’s sole interest in him was as a source of beer money. He’d stolen every penny Tom had tried to save.

The last time his money had mysteriously disappeared, Tom had confronted his father. They’d had a vicious argument and his old man had kicked him out of the house. At first Tom didn’t know what to do, but then he’d realized this was probably for the best. He collected what was due him from the hardware store where he worked part-time and, with a little less than fifty dollars in his pocket, started his new life. He’d spent twenty of those dollars on a bus ticket to the town of Red Springs, then walked from there. All Tom wanted was to get away from Thompson, Wyoming, as far and fast as he could. It wasn’t like his father would be looking for him.

Life on the road was hard. He’d hitchhiked when he could, but there’d been few vehicles on the routes he’d traveled. Most of the time he’d hoofed it. He must have walked a hundred miles or more, and no matter what happened, he never wanted to go back.

When Lonny Ellison discovered him, Tom was sure the rancher would file trespassing charges. Instead, Lonny had given him a job, a room and three square meals a day, which was more than he’d had since his mother’s death.

The phone in the barn rang, and Tom leaped out of his bunk where he’d been reading yesterday’s paper and hurried to answer it. Lonny wasn’t back from town yet, he noticed, because his truck wasn’t parked out front.

He lifted the receiver and offered a tentative, “Hello.”

A short silence followed. “Tom?”

Tom’s heart began to pound. It was Michelle, a girl he’d met at the feed store soon after he’d started working for Lonny. Like him, she was shy and although they hadn’t said more than a few words to each other, he enjoyed seeing her. Whenever he went to the store with Lonny, she made an excuse to come out of the office and hang around outside.

“Hi.” Tom couldn’t help being excited that she’d phoned.

“You didn’t come in this afternoon,” Michelle said, sounding disappointed.

Tom had looked forward to seeing her all week, only to be thwarted. “Lonny decided to drive into town by himself.” Tom had searched for an excuse to join him, but none had presented itself, so he’d stayed on the ranch. He liked the work, although he’d never lived on a ranch before, and Lonny and Chase were teaching him a lot.

His afternoon had been spent repairing breaks in the fencing along the road. The whole time he was doing that, he was thinking about Michelle and how pretty she was.

“I wondered,” Michelle whispered, then hesitated as if there was more she wanted to tell him.