The Cowboy's Ready-Made Family

Tanner stopped cleaning up objects in the yard—some branches, a pitchfork, a scrap of rag—and looked into the younger boy’s eyes. “Robbie, the best way you can help is to stay inside until we have them in the corrals. Otherwise, you might frighten them. Think you can do that?” He didn’t mention that Robbie might be trampled. Tanner’s fists curled at the idea.

Robbie nodded.

Tanner gave the yard a sweeping glance. He could see nothing more that would alarm a wild animal. He turned his attention to the corrals. Jim Collins knew what he was doing when he built them. The valley ran from the box canyon downward to the yard, narrowing and providing a natural crowding passageway. By swinging the set of gates outward Tanner created an alleyway that would funnel the horses into the big pen. Even if the animals wanted to run, the men would have no trouble keeping them contained.

Satisfied, he spoke to the boys. “It’s time. Go on inside.”

As the boys went toward the house, he swung to Scout’s back and rode up to join the others. Tanner opened the barricade and the men slowly edged the animals out of the enclosure and down the coulee.

The animals snorted and neighed but moved easily along the narrow valley. At the yard they balked for a moment but the men had them surrounded and the only direction for the horses to go was into the big holding pen.

Tanner and Johnny both dismounted and closed the gates.

The men gathered round the corrals and admired the milling horses for a few moments before Big Sam’s three cowboys rode away on the heels of Tanner’s thank-yous.

“Those three are off Ma’s mare, if I don’t miss my guess,” Johnny said as he eyed the horses.

“I’m thinking those two, as well.” Tanner pointed out the two he meant.

“I barely remember Ma’s mare,” Levi said as he joined them.

Tanner grinned at his younger brother. “You were just a tadpole.”

“I was five.”

“I’m five, too,” said a little voice behind them, and all three jerked about.

Tanner’s heart raced up his throat when he saw Robbie. He thought he’d made himself clear about staying indoors. Thought the boy understood. “Does your aunt know you’re here?”

“Why? You only said we had to stay in until you had the horses in the corrals.” He climbed the fence to look at the herd. “Say. They’re even better-looking than I recall.”

Johnny and Levi grinned at each other.

“Robbie, you get back here!”

They all turned toward Susanne, silhouetted in the doorway.

Her displeasure blared like a trumpet. Did she not want the boy around the horses...or the three half-breed men? Only one way to test her. “It’s okay now,” he called. “Why not let the children come and see them?”

She stared at him, her expression so full of denial he knew what she would say even before she opened her mouth. “Very well.” Susanne turned to the children.

His brain bucked. He’d expected her to refuse. But, of course, she couldn’t deny the children this little treat.

Frank was halfway across the yard before she finished speaking.

The girls followed their brother more slowly, perhaps as uncertain as they were curious.

Susanne remained in the doorway.

“That’s the aunt?” Levi said.

“I thought she’d be old,” Johnny added. “Now I understand why you’re willing to turn your hand to farming.”

“For the use of the corrals,” Tanner growled.

“You want to see them, too, miss?” Johnny said to Susanne, sparing Tanner a look that said far more than he’d dare speak aloud. Why are you being rude to her? The horses are in her yard. She’ll want to look at them.

Johnny had forgotten to take into consideration a simple fact. Susanne was white as white could get—wheat-colored hair, sky-colored eyes and skin like china.

Tanner was clearly a half-breed with black hair, black eyes and dark skin.

It wasn’t rudeness that kept him from speaking. It was consideration for her situation. And yes, a desire to avoid the hurtful comments he expected to hear.

He’d best keep his distance from this woman, as she’d no doubt do with him.

“I’d like to see them.” She pulled the door closed behind her and started toward them.

Tanner was too stunned to even think.

* * *

Three pairs of eyes watched Susanne as she crossed the yard. Her world had been shaken up by the pounding of horse hooves as the herd had raced into the corrals. The animals were majestic and her heart thrilled to watch them even as her mouth went dry. What had she done, allowing such wild, powerful animals into the yard? Bad enough she’d agreed to let Tanner plant her crop, but these horses threatened the safety of the children.

As she neared them, her mind filled her with a thousand uncertainties. This was what Jim had planned. Did allowing Tanner to use the corrals fulfill her brother’s dream or mock it?

Would the children be hurt? If not by the horses, then by their big-eyed admiration of Tanner, which they made no attempt to disguise.

Knowing how much the wild horses had meant to Jim, she couldn’t resist letting the children see them more closely or refuse the invitation to see them herself. She’d warn the children to stay away from the animals after they’d had their look.

The three men smiled at her approach, setting her nerves into an anxious twitch. What did they want? Worse, why had she agreed to something that seemed to give them the right to ride into her yard without invitation?

Tanner stepped forward. “Miss Collins, might I introduce my brothers, Johnny and Levi.”

She stilled her nervousness. Never show fear. Never show emotion of any sort.

The men were clearly related though vastly different. Johnny wasn’t as dark as Tanner and dressed like a well-heeled cowboy with crisp new-looking jeans and clean shirt. Levi was slighter than his brothers and taller. He had a cocky bearing about him. She couldn’t quite say how she came to that conclusion. Maybe it was the way he stood with his legs apart and his fingers jammed into the front pockets of his jeans. Or maybe the way he quirked his eyebrows when he greeted her with a smile.

“What do you think of the horses?” Tanner made space for her beside him at the corral fence.

She hesitated but curiosity overcame her and she stepped up on a plank as far from him as she could get and still see. “They’re beautiful.”

Beside her, Tanner murmured, “They truly are.” His voice rang with awe.

She understood his emotion. The animals held their heads and tails proudly. One kicked up her hind legs. Susanne studied them all and picked out the one she admired the most. “That’s the best-looking one.” She pointed to a bay with a white blaze.

Tanner jerked about to stare at her. “You picked out the dominant mare. She’s the leader of the pack. Once I can handle her, the others will be easier.”

“Good eye,” Levi said.