When All My Dreams Come True (30 page)

Right about the time he wondered if he’d ever catch up to Bobbie, she reined to a stop. In seconds, he reached her. He followed her gaze—and saw the buzzards circling.

   TWENTY-THREE   

B
obbie stared at the circling buzzards a moment longer before her gaze dropped to her hands. Jace realized she wasn’t a bank robber, but did he still think her capable of rustling his cattle?

“Let’s go see what the rustlers have been up to this time.” Jace’s voice sounded flat, tense.

He nudged his horse forward and she followed, staring at his broad back. Mere minutes ago, he laughed as he chased her. She didn’t know what came over her to challenge him like that. What she did know was the immense pleasure she felt when he sought her out to apologize and declare his love. She could still sense the warmth of his touch on her face...and his attempt to kiss her. Part of her wanted it like nothing else. The other part recalled the nauseating touch of another man. His lips... How long would that part hold reign over her emotions? She also had to question the wisdom of returning the feelings of a man who could be turned against her so easily. How could she trust someone who didn’t trust her in return?

She nudged her horse up next to his as they neared the area where the buzzards flew. Reining Mack to a stop, she stepped from the saddle, almost sagging to her knees at the sight of Jace’s favorite breeding mare lying before them. She forced her feet to carry her to the animal. Jace still sat on his horse. Their gazes met for a moment before he finally dismounted.

“Oh, Belle.” She knelt to caress the horse but drew her hand back when the head rose then flopped back to the ground.

Jace dropped to his knees and ran a hand over Belle’s protruding stomach. “We’ll have to help her or lose her foal. Maybe her too.” He ran for his rope. “Which end you want to work?”

“I’ll take the head.”

She laid across Belle’s neck as Jace reached in for the foal. He shook his head. “It’s tangled in the cord.”

After a few moments of maneuvering, Jace pulled out first one leg then the other. He tied the small rope around the hocks and gently started to pull. The small, cream-colored foal emerged in one smooth motion. Jace shoved a finger in each nostril to make it sneeze. Two snorts later, the foal struggled to lift its head.

Jace did a quick examination. “A colt. Belle almost always gives me a strong, healthy colt.”

Bobbie stood to allow Belle to rise. The mare remained on the ground though she nickered from time to time. After several minutes, Belle rose and tended to her newborn. As mother and son got acquainted, Bobbie couldn’t stop the moisture in her eyes.

Jace leaned down. “Are you crying?”

“No.” She looked away and swiped her sleeve across her face. “Just leaking happiness.”

He laughed, put his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. “I know the feeling.” He gave her another squeeze, then moved to Belle’s side. “I thought Belle was dead, another casualty of a sick and cruel enemy.”

Bobbie stood on the opposite side of Belle. “And who do you think is your enemy?”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t even look at her.

“You think it’s me.”

Jace’s head came up. “Of course not.”

“Then who?”

“Hank Willett, and I plan to get a confession out of him. I don’t know how yet, but I will.”

“Are you sure of this? I mean, do you know for a fact it’s Hank or is this an assumption?” He stared at her as if he didn’t understand. “I know what it feels like to be accused of something I didn’t do. I remember all the emotions raging through me, and I had no control over them.” She sent Jace an imploring look. “I’d rather be trampled in a stampede than go through that again.”

Jace took her in his arms. “I’m sorry, Bobbie.”

She allowed the embrace, then took a step back so she could look into his eyes. “All I ask is that you find proof before you confront Mr. Willett. It may save both of you some grief.”

“You’re right.” He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers trace her jawline before sliding his hand down her arm to grasp her hand. “Thank you for the reminder.”

Her skin tingled where he touched her. She squeezed his hand before stepping past him toward Belle.

“I’ll help you get Belle and Beau home.”

“Beau?”

She smiled. “Sure. It fits. He’s a handsome little guy, don’t you think? He’ll have all the girls’ attention before long.”

He moved up close behind her. She could feel his breath on her ear. “I’m not sure about that, but you’ve certainly got mine.”

Chills raced over her skin again. Did he know what he was doing to her? She moved to the other side of Mack and looked at Jace over the saddle.

“Would you—” She stopped and cleared her throat. “Would you prefer I send one of the men back here to help you?”

He looked from the mare to her. “No. I’m riding back with you.”

She sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

He acted as though he didn’t hear her. He strode to his horse and mounted, waiting for her to do the same.

“Jace—”

“Bobbie, Belle’s a great breeding mare, and I think the world of her, but she’s an animal. You’re the woman I love, and I’ll do everything I can to protect you. We’ll come back for Belle when she and Beau have had a chance to rest and gain some strength.”

Her throat clogged with emotion. All arguments faded, and she climbed onto her saddle without another word.

“Dew, where’s Bobbie?” Jace had been searching for close to 15 minutes. The woman could disappear faster than his sister’s hot cakes.

Dew was checking one of his horse’s shoes. He let the leg drop. “One of the mares didn’t show up with the rest. Bobbie said she thought she knew where to find her.”

“Which mare?”

“The one due to foal.”

“I oughta get rid of her. She does this every year. Picks a new spot each time too.” Jace shook his head. “Bobbie say which way she was headed?”

Dew pointed a thumb over his shoulder as he grabbed another of his horse’s legs. “Toward the bluff. She said she shouldn’t be long.”

Jace stood in indecision as he watched Dew clean the mud from around the horseshoe, then made up his mind. “I’m going to check on her. If that mare foaled, Bobbie may need some help. She shouldn’t be alone out there anyway.”

“Right. I had that same thought, but she insisted she’d be fine.”

He could just hear her saying those very words. He threw his leg over the rump of his horse and urged him into a gallop. The message he had to give Bobbie wasn’t urgent. He could tell her they had an invitation to supper at the Cromwells when she returned, yet he couldn’t resist the desire to track her down. He chose the shorter route. Though it had more obstacles to traverse, the view made it worth the effort. He rode past the edge of the pond, ascended along the rocky face of a small cliff, and headed toward a tiny grove of trees.
He cut through the dense growth of the grove, which put him only minutes from the bluff.

He reined to a stop. Several yards away, Bobbie and Mack pranced in the grassy meadow at the base of the slope.
What are they doing?
Bobbie turned Mack in a circle one direction. In the blink of an eye, she turned him to go in the other. He dashed ahead, only to stop and spin in the opposite direction. If Jace didn’t know better, he’d think they were dancing. The next moment, Mack bounced back and forth as if sorting a calf for branding.

Bobbie scrambled from her saddle to the ground. Jace stood in the stirrups for a better look. She jumped up and raced in circles. She’d grab at the ground, run farther, and grab for something again.

Jace nudged his mount down the slope and came up behind her. Her head was down. She appeared to be working on something.

“What are you doing?”

She gasped and spun around. Her chest heaved and her hands clutched at her stomach.

Jace jumped from his horse and hurried toward her. “Are you hurt?”

“Uh, no.” She buttoned the bottom of her shirt. “What brings—” She grabbed at her side.

“Bobbie, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing. Really.” She squirmed and giggled.

“Bobbie—”

She gasped and looked down at her shirt. “Oh, for pity’s sake!”

“All right, Bobbie. Start talking.”

She looked up at him. “It wet on me.”

He suppressed a laugh. “Would you care to explain that?”

Bobbie pursed her lips and undid her bottom button. She reached in and pulled out a small handful of fur and held it out to him. “I thought the kids might like to see a baby rabbit.”

“Is that what you and Mack were after?”

She nodded. Her cheeks flushed pink. “I thought it was cute.”

She was the cute one. “You’re full of surprises. You go after a horse and round up a hare.” He shook his head. “Well, it never hurts to start small.”

She stuffed the bunny back inside her shirt, then headed for Mack and pointed toward the southwest. “The mare should be right up there.”

“Wh–you’re still going after the mare?”

“Why not?” Bobbie swung up onto the saddle and patted the bunny hiding in her shirt. “He’s safe.”

She flicked the reins and shot off. He hurried to mount up and galloped after her. Life would be different with her around—if she chose to stick around.

Bobbie stopped and pointed. “She’s foaled. I’ll go up around and rope her. You can run in and grab the baby.”