Catching Ember (Buckle Up Series Book 1) Read online

  Chloe’s mouth bowed south, maneuvering back to Ember’s lap. Alarm filled her big green eyes as she wrapped a little arm around her neck in dismay. Noses almost touching, she petted the side of Ember’s face. “What happen, Emer? You okay?”

  The apprehension in her tiny tender voice pulled at Ember’s heartstrings. “I’m fine, sweetie.”

  JC handed a wipe to Chloe. “You wanna help clean her boo-boo?”

  “Yes, please,” Chloe replied softly, carefully dragging the soft white cloth over Ember’s scratches.

  “You sure you’re okay? I can take you to the…” JC mouthed the word doctor so not to alert her daughter.

  “No, really I’m fine.” Ember recanted the brief but terrifying events of the morning. Severe blush blistered her cheeks mentioning the part about her hero kneeling between her spread thighs, panties, and girlie parts on full exhibition.

  JC laughed so hard tears leaked from the corner of her eyes. “Sounds like Fort Worth rolled out the red carpet for your arrival. Coffee and a show.”

  “That’s what he probably said,” Ember chortled, giving a gentle poke to the little girl’s tummy. “I know it’s only been three weeks since I’ve seen you guys, but I can’t believe how big you’re getting.”

  Chloe responded with an innocent, loving grin. “I’m a big girl now. I have a big girl bed.”

  “You do?” Ember glanced at JC for confirmation.

  JC nodded proudly. “Yes, and she sleeps all night in her own bed now.”

  “I’m so proud of you!” Ember gushed, making the little girl squirm with delight.

  “I totally owe you. That trick about putting the sleeping bag at the foot of our bed worked. It took exactly three nights of not letting her in our bed and making her roll up the sleeping bag up in the morning for her to decide it was time for her to be a big girl.” JC twisted to the side and placed her hand on Ember’s forearm. “We miss you. It’s going to be great having you so close while we’re in Texas. We can spend time together.”

  Warmth grew in her chest. The Rider family had become her adopted family of sorts. “Have you found a new nanny?”

  “To tell you the truth, I haven’t even looked. I’ll never find anyone to replace you,” JC assured, an appreciative smile tipped the edges of her full lips. “Besides, I don’t work much when we’re here and to tell you the truth, I really enjoy the downtime. Texas is growing on me. Everyone is so friendly. Plus, it’s nice to be able to relax and be home with Chloe every day.”

  “I can always babysit if you need me to.”

  “You’re going to have your hands full the next few months.” JC looped her fingers through her long caramel hair, moving it to one side, laughing. “And I hate to be selfish, but it’s not just Chloe who misses you. I know you were our nanny, but we’ve always been friends too.”

  “We should have yoga dates.”

  “Definitely.” JC grabbed a bottle of water from a cup holder and lifted it in a cheers fashion. “And we need to sneak a girl’s lunch in too.”

  Chloe handed off the dirty wipe, clapping her hands in approval.

  “That sounds heavenly. I have a feeling I’m going to need to escape occasionally.”

  “You’re going to be just fine.” JC’s brows raised in recollection. “I wanted to tell you that Reed was talking to his partner, Sam, and come to find out, he actually grew up next door to your ranch.”

  “It’s not my ranch,” Ember corrected.

  “I hate to remind you, but it is indeed your ranch now. What you decide to do with it is another story. I mean, that’s why you’re here, right?”

  JC’s blunt honesty hit Ember with a giant dose of reality. Again.

  “Yeah. I get the full details this afternoon, but basically, he requested that I stay at the ranch for at least four months before making any decisions to sell.” Ember continued inquisitively, “Did Sam know him?”

  “He did. Sam told Reed he was a typical Texan, tough as nails, opinionated, and ornery, but he also mentioned that it’s a huge ranch.”

  “Mr. Montgomery, the ranch’s operator, said it was over one hundred thousand acres. I was in so much shock that I really can’t remember all of our conversation, but I think he said ten thousand head of cattle.” A nervous shiver chinked up her spine, the staggering size reaching far beyond her comprehension of understanding.

  “Let’s be real. There’s no way I’m keeping the ranch, but out of respect, I agreed to stay the four months. I’ll probably last two weeks.”

  JC snickered, all the seriousness dropped from her expression, replaced with a naughty grin. “Just imagine how many cowboys it takes to wrangle all those cattle. You might enjoy this more than you think.”

  A matching grin plumped the apples of her cheeks. “You should’ve seen the—” Avoiding the word ass, Ember wiggled her bottom in the seat. “—on the guy this morning.”

  “Told you. There’s just something about a hard-working man in a pair of tight jeans. I almost feel sorry for Reed when we’re here, I can hardly keep my hands off him.” She released a theatrical sigh of delight for good measure.

  “This guy was a double whammy. He was dressed in a suit, but the way he hopped right up on that horse…definitely a cowboy in there somewhere.” Another layer of color burnished her cheeks.

  “Ha! Look at you! In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you blush. He must’ve been very nice.”

  “He had the most gorgeous eyes I’d ever seen. I wouldn’t say he was overly friendly, but we definitely shared a look…some sort of connection.” Regret bowed her lips south. “Everything happened so fast. I wish I would’ve gotten his name. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing him again.”

  “You’re so intuitive,” JC noted, a hint of envy riddled her tone. “Ever since my career in modeling took off, I have such a difficult time trusting people. It’s hard to know who’s a true friend, but I remember being so drawn to you the first time we met. It was if we’d been best friends in another lifetime. You have such a great spirit.”

  “I think we talked for two hours after class that day.”

  JC looked off into the distance, seemingly gathering her thoughts. “You were there when I needed a friend, and now I get to be here for you. So, when you need someone to talk to, I expect you to call me. You got that?” JC flashed her index finger in a scolding fashion, securing the sincerity of her words.

  “Yeah, Emer. You got dat?” Chloe mimicked in the same chiding tone as her mother.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  A knock at the window startled her, causing all of them to jump in their seats. A police officer stood outside the car. Ember rolled down her window.

  “They said you were on the patio when the cattle came through. If you wouldn’t mind coming inside, I’d like to get your statement. I’m sure it won’t take long and then you can be on your way.”

  “Sure, I’ll be right in,” JC assured before rolling up the window, blocking out the heat. Chloe’s bottom lip protruded, expressing her disapproval.

  “Give Ember a hug goodbye, sweetie. We’ll see her in a few days.”

  Her big green eyes glistened with wetness. Chloe palmed the side of Ember’s face and rubbed their noses together. “Eskimo.”

  Ember batted her lashes against Chloe’s. “Butterfly.”

  She finished their well-rehearsed goodbye and exited the Rover. JC rolled down the window as Ember walked away. “If I happen to see a hot cowboy in a suit, I’ll be sure to stop and get his name and number for you.”

  Ember laughed out loud, turning back for a moment. “Yeah, you do that. Take a photo from behind for me too.”

  JC flipped her two thumbs and a giddy grin up before rolling up the window.

  Chapter 4

  Ember

  An hour later, Ember exited the highway, navigating her Toyota beneath the large, elongated sign cut from metal reading Walker Ranch. Nerves gathered in the pit of her stomach wondering how many generations of Walkers h
ad driven beyond the gates. Though she didn’t consider herself to be a Walker, she’d always wondered about the other half of her heritage.

  Foot barely pressing the gas pedal, she continued at a crawl, making her way past a dozen or so mature burr oak trees flanking the roughly paved road. The drive seemed to go on forever, allowing plenty of time for feelings of inadequacy to creep into her mindset. The idea of taking ownership of a cattle ranch pushed her responsibilities and concerns of inadequacy far beyond her comfort zone.

  Ember had always been inspired by different ideas, attitudes, and experiences, never backing down from a challenge. No matter what the job or task, she rolled up her sleeves and tackled it. However, ranching was completely foreign to her. Hell, she’d only been on a horse twice in her life.

  The estate appeared in the distance. Ember gripped the wheel, inching forward in her seat to get a better look at the sprawling single story ranch. She’d grown up in a three-bedroom home in the heart of Austin, walking distance from her mother’s yoga studio. June always preferred to use the word quaint instead of small when describing their home, however in comparison, her mother’s home was small enough to fit inside the garage of this house with plenty of room to spare.

  “What was I thinking? What the hell am I doing here?” she whispered out loud.

  The house looked far more expansive than she’d ever imagined, yet the uncluttered exterior added a firm distinction of simplicity verses opulence.

  Stone-wrapped columns holding up the large portico offered a more modern, updated look, however the long, ground-hugging profile gave hints of a much older structure.

  She drove around a broad grassy planter dotted with a few tall trees and a ring of low-growing shrubs in the center of the circular drive. Parking beneath the portico, she exited the car, and retrieved one of several suitcases shoved in the trunk.

  Ember was greeted by an American flag waving proudly in the hot breeze as she approached the limestone porch which encircled the home offering protection from the blazing sunshine. Four ancient old rocking chairs, made of wood and painted white, seemed to serve as more of a necessity than decoration. Noticing the worn decking beneath the chairs, she couldn’t help to wonder if her father sat there every evening to watch the sky darken after a hard day’s work.

  A stifling breeze dried the perspiration gathering over her flesh.

  Lifting her hand to knock on the door, she recoiled, dropping her arm to her side. Nerves tumbled in her belly. She waited for a moment, allowing courage and determination to gather force. Ember tried again, only this time pressing her finger to the doorbell.

  The door opened and she was greeted by a round elderly woman wearing pressed jeans and a crisp red button-down shirt with the Walker Ranch logo. Her gray hair cut pixie-short, and sun-chapped complexion, brought out the beauty of her simple features.

  “That’ll be the last time you use the doorbell, hon.” The sweet-faced woman flashed a genuine soft smile, greeting Ember in a quick embrace. “Welcome to Walker Ranch. I’m Mrs. Montgomery, but you can call me Bee. It’s nice to have you here.”

  Ember reached out, clasping the woman’s hand, giving it an easy shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Bee. I’m Ember. Ember Thompson.”

  “I’m the caretaker of the Ranch, so whatever you need, you just let me know. I cook, clean, and do the doctoring for the ranch hands,” she proclaimed proudly cutting through any small talk, guiding her inside the entrance and shutting the door. “We’ll go over the weekly schedule later, but for now, let’s get you settled so you can get familiar with this place.”

  “Okay. I’ve got a few boxes in the trunk of my car. Where should I put my things?”

  Bee waved a hand toward the long hallway. “Let’s just drop your things in your room for now, then you can unpack after I show you around.”

  Ember’s sweaty hand gripped the handle of her luggage, dragging it alongside her. The repetitive dull sound of wheels catching on every wide plank of flooring echoed down the long wide hall. Bee extended an arm, inviting her into a large bedroom with its own private sitting area and bathroom.

  Ember sucked in a small gasp. Lifting a hand, her fingers caged over her mouth attempting to mask her shock as she took in the enormous space. A king-sized bed crafted from chunky beams sat in the center of the room, flanked by large picture windows highlighting the scenic landscape beyond the glass. Solid pieces of thick pine stacked on top of each other all the way to the ceiling, created a dramatic headboard and the perfect backdrop for a gorgeous colorful painting of a calf and its mother. The rich brown suede-like comforter, and distressed turquoise pillows trimmed in leather, topped the enormous bed with the perfect pops of color and rustic atmosphere.

  Drawn to the vibrant subject matter of the simple, yet telling, painting, Ember moved closer to the bed. “Wow, this is beautiful.”

  “Mr. Walker painted that.”

  “He—my father—was an artist?”

  “He was a man who enjoyed wearing many hats.” Her voice was thick with pride. “Most of the paintings on the walls are his work. There’s a variety of size and style, but all of them were inspired by the beauty of this property. Several are from the last few years when he was sick.” Her eyes glistened and emotions contorted the hard-lined features of her face. “Toward the end, it was the only thing he had the strength to do, but it brought him a lot of joy. He appreciated the solitude.”

  A ping of loneliness tore at her heart and the weight of grief sat heavy on her chest.

  The father she’d never known was gone.

  Ember was left with no connection to build on, no memories to look back on, just a large void in her history that left her mourning a father she, until now, never realized she desperately wanted to know.

  Feeling her legs begin to wobble, Ember shifted toward the colossal sofa at the far side of the bedroom, slowly sinking into the deep cushions. Tears needled her nose and a slick of wetness gathered at the rim of her lashes. She dabbed the pad of her middle finger to the corner of her eyes.

  Bee made a tsk sound, sitting beside her, taking her hand in hers. “The last thing your father would’ve ever wanted was to see you cry.”

  “You know, I never had a father growing up. My mother never married,” Ember stated in a daze, her face a blank slate. “For the last week, I’ve been telling myself it’s been no big deal because I didn’t know him anyway. It’s like I was supposed to grieve the loss of someone, or the idea of someone, that I created in my mind when I was a little girl. But now, it just feels so different…so real…being here in his home, surrounded by his belongings.” Her eyes were wide with confusion and sadness. She wanted to ask a dozen questions, but turned to the older woman, stating, “I don’t know anything about him.”

  “Hon, sometimes we grieve for things we’ve never had, and things we wished we had, and the things we’ve lost. There’s no fixin’ that, but you come from a line of Walkers, so I’d imagine you’re a might bit tougher than you realize.”

  Ember’s brows arched casting a look of reservation.

  The word tough and Ember Thompson had probably never been used in the same sentence.

  “His soul will live here forever.” Bee stood, smoothing out the creases in her shirt. “There’s no better place to learn about the man than this ranch. Let’s get you acquainted.”

  “Okay,” she croaked, clearing the nerves from her throat, rising to her feet.

  Afternoon sunlight streamed in through three sets of French doors along the back of the home, brightening the modest interior. All the major rooms, living, dining and kitchen, flowed into the other, creating an uncluttered open floor plan. A web of massive wooden beams spanned the ceiling end-to-end, looking as if they’d been erected over a hundred years ago, setting a rustic tone for the décor. Several stunning colorful paintings of Texas landscape, all created from her father’s hands, dressed the cream-colored walls.

  “I expect you’re a might hungry after the long drive,” Be
e said, entering the pristine kitchen.

  “Thank you, but I’m not that hungry at the moment. Maybe in a bit.” Ember wanted to add that her stomach was too stressed out to even consider eating but kept it to herself.

  Rich, earthy tones lent a casual atmosphere to the estate, but the lavish hickory cabinets and Texas sandstone covering an alcove surrounding an eight burner Viking stove, indicated a sophisticated retreat.

  “I have all kinds of sandwich fixins in the fridge. You just let me know when you’re hungry and I’ll prepare lunch for you. Supper is usually served between six and six-thirty.”

  Ember couldn’t stop her eyes from pulling wide from shock. A slow awkward smile hooked the corner of her mouth. “You cook dinner every night?”

  “Yes ma’am. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day except for Sunday. That’s the Lord’s day.” The elderly woman inched toward Ember, inspecting her features. Curious interest filled her gaze. “Well, I’ll be. You have your daddy’s smile.”

  Some sort of strange sentiment, pride mixed with surprise and a hint of annoyance, robbed her of her voice. Ember lifted her chin, attempting to acknowledge the unknown truth.

  Other than a brief introduction at a busy restaurant in Austin, she had no idea what the man even looked like. She wondered how long it was going to take to get over the fact that she’d stood in his presence and never even took a good look at him, asked him questions, or got to know the man whose blood ran through her veins.

  The back door groaned at the hinges as it opened and closed. The sound of heavy footsteps resonated down a wide hallway off the kitchen.

  The scents of outdoors clung to a tall, thin-framed man who looked as if he’d just parked his horse outside after a three-day cattle drive. His craggy face was tanned and weathered from a lifetime of working in the Texas sun. He extended a large, rough-worked hand, greeting her kindly. “Welcome to Walker Ranch, Miss Thompson. I’m Mr. Montgomery.”

  “Thank you for having me, but please, call me Ember.”