What She'd Do for Love Page 18

  “How am I going to get better if I don’t practice?”

  “There’s not much to practice tonight. I already put a lasagna in the refrigerator. All you have to do is put it in the oven at five.”

  “I’m sure I can handle that. And maybe I’ll make a salad.”

  “Don’t make a big one. You know your father isn’t a fan of lettuce.”

  Christa started toward the door, but stopped. “When do you see the doctor again?” she asked.

  “Next week.” Mom made a shooing motion. “Now go. Jet and I want to sleep.”

  Restless, Christa left the house and walked to the barn, where she found her father. He stood in the middle of the tack room, studying a collection of saddles. Some of them were more than thirty years old, the leather burnished by decades of wear. Some bore the initials of long-ago riders, cowboys who had once worked for the ranch or relatives who had once lived here. One English-style riding saddle had sat in the corner for as long as Christa could remember, though no one ever used it. The others saw duty from time to time, when visitors wanted to ride, or when neighbors came to help during round-ups. “I was thinking I ought to sell some of these old things,” Dad said.

  “You don’t think you’ll need them?” She ran a hand over the worn pommel of one of the oldest saddles.

  “Nah, they’re just taking up space. Maybe I’ll ask Nate at the feed store if he knows anybody who might want to buy them.”

  Christa’s stomach knotted. “What’s with all this downsizing, Dad? Selling off the cattle, not planting as much hay? Are you trying to cut expenses?”

  He stiffened. “You don’t need to worry about my finances. Your mom and I are fine. But I’ve been meaning to ask you if you need any money. It can’t be easy for you, with no income coming in.”

  “I don’t need any money.” Once more, he’d conveniently deflected the conversation back to her. “I have savings.” Those funds were getting low, but she wouldn’t admit that to him.

  “How’s the job hunt going?” he asked. “Have you heard back from that interview you went on?”

  “I don’t think I’d want that job, even if they offered it to me,” she said.

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t think we’d be a good fit.”

  Her dad snorted. “What do you care about ‘fit’? A job is a job. You do your work and get paid.”

  She could have predicted her father would say this. To him, a job was a means to an end. The few times he’d taken outside work, he’d been focused on supporting the ranch. He never cared about making friends or having a career or advancing to a higher position.

  “I’ve been thinking about maybe starting my own business,” she said.

  He frowned. “I’d say in this economy, that’s pretty risky. And where are you going to get the money to get started?”

  “I wouldn’t need much. And I could get a loan...”

  Already, he was shaking his head. Debt was another thing Dad was against, if it could be avoided. “If you go to work for a big company, you’d have a good salary, guaranteed,” he said. “Health insurance, retirement. Those kind of things are worth a lot.”

  “I think I’d like being my own boss. Yes, I’d take all the risks, but I’d reap the rewards, too.”

  “You’ve only been out of school four years. Why would someone hire you when there are other people out there who have more experience?”

  Why, indeed? “I think I could offer things big companies wouldn’t. Personal service. New ideas.”

  “I’m not trying to be negative, honey. But you’ve got to consider this carefully. I’d hate to see you set yourself up for failure.”

  She was already broke, unemployed and living with her parents, so how much worse could it get? “I’ll be okay, Dad.”

  “I’m sure you will, hon.” He returned to contemplating the saddles.

  Don’t sell them, she wanted to say. Don’t change anything else about the ranch. She’d had too much change lately.

  Ryder would probably remind her that life was all about change. The problem with him was, he was so used to change, she didn’t have faith that he’d ever settle. While all she wanted to do was find a place to grow some roots again—in a home and a job that she wouldn’t have to leave. With people who wouldn’t leave her.

  * * *

  “THEY’VE FAST-TRACKED this section of the new shopping center and, if the weather cooperates, they’re hoping to have it open after the first of the year.” Ryder spread a set of plans on the hood of his truck and pointed to a shaded area along one side of the page. “There’s a natural drainage route through here. We’re laying corrugated culvert, which should take care of diverting water from the roadway and the parking lot.”

  Ryder’s boss, Greg Draycut, a tall, wiry man with close-cropped blond hair and thick, black-framed glasses, squinted out across the newly paved lot, toward the row of stores taking shape. “The businesses going in are good. They’ll want to be sure and have access. Good. Good.” He bobbed his head, and shifted his gaze to the graders and back-hoes at work on the future roadway. Greg had driven up from Austin this morning to meet with Ryder. “I thought it would be useful to see how things are going,” he’d said on the phone, but now he seemed agitated. Distracted.

  “Is something wrong?” Ryder asked.

  “No, no. It looks fine. You’re doing a great job.” He nodded toward the center. “Do they know yet what’s going to be in these buildings?”

  The future shopping plaza was still only a latticework of steel beams and concrete. Hard-hatted construction workers carried plywood, sheetrock and power tools in and out of stores in various stages of construction. “I’m not sure,” Ryder said. “The usual chain stores, I guess. And, I hear some businesses are moving out here from Cedar Grove. Near the highway, they’re going to put in some restaurants.”

  “That’s good. This should be a popular place.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Let’s make this a priority. We want to complete this section as quickly as possible.”

  “Of course.” Ryder began rolling up the blueprints.

  “Maybe we should put on extra shifts,” Greg said. “Bring in some floods and work nights.”

  That sort of addition would run the budget for the project into the red. “What’s the rush?” Ryder asked. “We’re already ahead of schedule.”

  Greg stared at the dirt between his feet. “The legislature is really focused on slashing the budget. They’re cutting everywhere,” he said. “That could mean some pretty drastic cuts across the board.”

  “They wouldn’t cut funding for a project that’s already this far along.”

  “Don’t be so sure about that. There’s a faction within the statehouse that thinks we ought to concentrate on maintaining and improving the roads we have, not building brand-new ones.”

  Was Greg exaggerating, or were things really that bad? “I’ve been so busy I haven’t been paying much attention to politics,” he said.

  “I can’t get away from it.” He clapped Ryder on the shoulder. “Do what you can. So far, everything looks great.”

  “Can I take you to lunch?” Ryder asked. “Show you some more of the town?”

  “I wish I could, but I have to get back for a meeting this afternoon.” He pulled his keys from the pocket of his khakis. “I’ll be in touch.”

  He walked to his truck, head down, shoulders bent; he was the picture of a man burdened by responsibility. Ryder directed his attention to the crew positioning one of the giant culverts that would handle the runoff from even the most torrential rains. Surely Greg was exaggerating the threat that any of this would be stopped. They’d already started pouring concrete. They still had miles of roadway to go, but it didn’t make sense to abandon things once they’d begun.

&
nbsp; “Hey, Ryder!”

  He turned and saw Kelly and Christa striding toward him across the new parking lot.

  “What are you two doing out here?” he asked, as they neared his truck.

  “We came to take a look at the new location of the Cedar Grove Salon.” Kelly was smiling from one ear to the other. “Mom and I signed the lease yesterday and I couldn’t wait to show Christa.”

  “Hello, Ryder.” Christa looked genuinely pleased to see him. He’d meant to call her later in the week, to see how she was doing and feel her out on the possibility of another date. He’d fully expected to have to employ all his charm to get past her reservations about him, so he’d put off the call. But now, she looked so welcoming, he wondered if he’d imagined her earlier resistance. When her eyes met his, all the tension that had been building over his meeting with Greg dissolved, and he couldn’t stop himself from grinning.

  “However, there’s not much to see yet,” Kelly continued. “But the builders have promised we’ll be able to move in after the first of the year.”

  “It’s a super location,” Christa said. “Between a cosmetics boutique and a kids’ clothing shop.”

  “And right across from the coffee shop,” Kelly said. “Handy for when I need a caffeine fix.”

  “Congratulations,” Ryder said, forcing his gaze away from Christa to her friend.

  “Mom’s scared to death about the move, and frankly, I’m kind of nervous myself, but this could be a great thing for us. I’m hoping we’ll pull in lots of new customers, and that our established clients will be willing to make the drive out here, with so many other stores close by.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do well,” he said. “You did a sweet job on Christa’s hair.”

  “Thanks.” They both looked at Christa again. “She was great to let me experiment with her,” Kelly said. “but I think she’s happy with how it turned out.”

  “I am.” Christa ran her fingers through the shorter, streaked locks. “It’s easier to manage than I thought it would be.”

  “Oh, and Christa’s going to help me with my plans to expand my business.” Kelly clutched her friend’s arm. “Show him, Christa.”

  “Show me what?” Ryder asked, amused.

  She opened her purse and took out a slim, gold card case. She extracted a business card from the case and handed it to him.

  He studied the logo of two stylized M’s superimposed on each other. “Montgomery Marketing,” he read.

  “That’s Christa,” Kelly said. “Isn’t it exciting? She’s going to open her own marketing company, and I’m her first client.”

  “My only client right now.” Christa leaned in for the card.

  Ryder held it out of reach. “Can I keep this?” he asked.

  “Oh. Sure.”

  “She’s helping me design a whole new logo and signs,” Kelly continued. “And we’re going to hand out coupons for the grand opening, and run some ads in the paper. It’s going to be amazing.”

  “Congratulations to you, too,” Ryder said. “I know it’s a big step.”

  “Thanks. I figured I didn’t have anything to lose, giving it a try. I’m going to talk to the leasing agent about getting a list of other stores and contacting them about hiring me, too,” Christa said. “It’s scary, but exciting at the same time. And I’m going to see what I can do to help the businesses that are staying downtown. I’m hoping we can encourage people to pull off the highway and take a detour into Cedar Grove proper.”

  “That’s an excellent idea,” he said.

  “Thanks.” Her smile dimmed a little. “My dad isn’t so keen on this plan.”

  “Dads worry,” he said.

  “I know. I want him to see that I’m serious about this. And it’s a way for me to stay in Cedar Grove, which should make him and Mom happy.”

  “You’re happy here,” he said. “That’s what counts.”

  “It’s home.” She shrugged. “I went away for a while, but I’m ready to stay now.”

  “And you’re going to be here for a while, too, aren’t you Ryder?” Kelly asked.

  “A couple of years at least.” After that...well, he’d learned not to look too far ahead into the future.

  “You never know,” Kelly said. “You may come to like it so much you decide to make it your home.”

  Lively pop music blared from Christa’s purse. She reached in and pulled out her phone. “It’s my dad,” she said.

  “His ears must have been burning,” Kelly joked.

  “Hello, Dad? What’s wrong? You sound upset.”

  Christa’s face paled, and Ryder put out a hand to steady her. Her eyes met his, fear and confusion mixed. “Okay,” she said. “I...I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She dropped the phone back in her purse. Ryder held on to her arm, afraid she might crumple.

  “What is it?” Kelly asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “My mom...” She swallowed, and took a deep breath. “An ambulance is taking her to the hospital.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  HER FATHER’S WORDS on the telephone echoed in Christa’s head like a song that refused to leave. “Your mother collapsed and I called an ambulance. They’re taking her to the hospital.” Collapsed...Hospital. Only Ryder’s steadying hand on her arm kept her upright. “I’ve got to go to her,” she said, and fumbled in her purse for her keys. If only she could fly to her mother’s side.

  “I’ll drive you.” Ryder put his hand over hers. “Where’s your car?”

  “It’s back at the beauty shop,” Kelly said. She put her arm around her friend. “She’ll be all right. Your mom is tough. She’s a fighter.”

  Christa nodded, trying desperately to breathe normally. She couldn’t panic. She wouldn’t lose it. Not yet. “I’m sure this is merely a precaution. But Dad sounded so upset.”

  “Where is he now?” Ryder asked. “Do we need to go out to the ranch and get him?”

  “He’s following the ambulance.” She turned to Kelly. “Take me back to my car.”

  “We’ll go in my truck.” Ryder took her hand.

  “He’s right, Christa,” Kelly said. “You shouldn’t try to drive yourself. What if you had an accident?”

  She wanted to protest that she was fine; she could do this. But her hands shook and she had trouble focusing her vision. Obviously, she was in no condition to drive. She looked into Ryder’s eyes, drawing on the strength she found there. “What about your job here?”

  “I can leave, no problem.” He put his arm around her. “I want to do this.”

  She leaned against him, resisting the urge to bury her head in his shoulder and weep. After so many weeks of worry, this was too much. But she had to stay strong, for her mom. “Thanks,” she said. “But let’s hurry.”

  He pulled out his keys. “We’ll leave now. Do you know what hospital?”

  “Park Haven. On the south side of the city.”

  He helped her into the truck and made sure she was buckled in before he raced around to the driver’s side. As they pulled away, Kelly waved, a worried look on her face.

  Christa closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer that her mother and her father would be okay. “Now I really wish the highway was complete, so we could get there faster,” she said.

  “By the time we get there, maybe she’ll have seen the doctor and we’ll know something more,” he said.

  “She was doing great over the weekend,” Christa said. “My dad barbecued steaks Sunday afternoon and we were kidding her about how much she ate. Then she had her regular chemo appointment yesterday and that seemed to go okay.”

  “Maybe this was a reaction to one of the drugs they gave her. Something they can quickly correct.”

  His words filled her with hope. “Do you think it could be something like that?
Something so simple?”

  “I’m no doctor, but doesn’t that kind of thing happen all the time?”

  She collapsed back against the seat once more. “I hope that’s all it is. I mean...I know she’s really sick. She has cancer.” Just saying the word was hard. “But I never let myself think about that. We say things like ‘when your treatment is over’ or ‘when you’re well again’. It’s too frightening to think anything else.”

  “That’s how you should think of it,” he said. “Cancer doesn’t mean she’s going to die. A lot of treatments these days work.”

  But they all knew of people for whom treatment didn’t work. She bit her lip and blinked against the stinging in her eyes.

  “What does her doctor say?” Ryder asked.

  “I don’t know what her doctor says!” She took a deep breath, regaining control of her tattered emotions. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just frustrated my parents won’t tell me anything. Or they only tell me things they want me to hear.”

  “They’re trying to protect you.”

  “But I don’t need them to protect me. I need them to be honest with me. I’m a grown woman. I won’t crumble at bad news.”

  “It’s hard when our parents can’t see us as adults.”

  Something in his voice made her more alert. “Do your parents treat you like a child, still?”

  “Sometimes.” He smiled. “My mother always tells me I’m not eating right, and my dad wants to give me advice and money.”

  She laughed—a sound that was part relief, part sympathy. “My dad does the same thing. He’s certain that because I’m unemployed, I must be nearly destitute. Although, I suppose living at home with them again doesn’t do anything to make me seem less dependent. So I try not to argue with them.”

  “That’s what I do—nod and thank them and then do pretty much what I want. I tell myself that one day I’ll say the same things to my kids. It’s how parenting goes.”

  She wondered what kind of dad Ryder would be. Calm, she thought. Protective, but considerate. The same way he was with her. Her heart gave a little flutter, like something lovely waking up.