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Authors: Marcia Lynn McClure
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smiled affectionately , cupping Becca ’ s cheek with his hand. “ You can ’ t help nobody home if you ain ’ t there yourself, sweet thing, ” he said solemnly. He turned and jumped the fence again. Guthrie had brought in another heifer; there was work to do.
As she reached the back porch, Dusty turned to look back. Already she was regretting her lack of lightheartedness, but when she turned to see Ryder looking down adoringly at Becca, his hand affectionately on her cheek, all regret hardened into stone. Oh, how well she remembered the effect Ryder had on girls and women! Every female in the county used to take to swooning when he walked by . They used to rain pies and cakes on him, trying, no doubt, to impress him with their culinary prowess— to remind him that a good cook made a good wife.
She wouldn ’ t care that he was back . Truly! All an interest in Ryder Maddox gave a person was grief. She ’ d learned that. She didn ’ t need to learn it again. And thus, as was the case anytime Dusty foun d herself in a fit of weakness— almost becoming a cari ng, loving, normal woman again— she dug up the hurt and resentment that had kept her sane since Cash Richardson entered and exited her life. She could be nicer to her sister, kinder to her father, but she would not soften up where Ryder Maddox was concerned.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, Dusty kept herself busy with hard work. She quickly finished her outside chores and then moved into the house. She worked furiously even though the house didn’t need such fiery attention. The lunch hour arrived far too soon. She didn ’ t realize how occupied she ’ d kept herself until she heard the men filing in for their meal. Since Becca took care of the noon meal, Dusty had kept right on working. She soon heard the deep voices of men raised in conversation— her father calling her to join them.
Upon entering the kitchen, her gaze fell to Ryder— though she had sworn to herself to ignore him. He smiled and nodded. She nodded in return without cracking even a polite grin. She became angry, for at the mere sight of him, her heart fluttered , and her stomach seemed to flip , stirring up a sensation of elation she hadn ’ t felt for years . Stop it! she thought. But then Ryder picked up his fork, sp inning it around in his fingers twice , as had always been his manner before plunging into his meal. The familiarity of the habit further fed the response of warm melancholy in Dusty , and she winced.
“These here boys got the whole herd branded ’ fore lunch, girls! ” Hank boasted. “ Whatcha say to that? ”
Dusty stood silent. Becca jumped in to fill the obvious void. “ Was there ever any doubt about it? ”
“ Nope! Don ’ t suppose there was, ” her father chuckled. “ I forgot to ask y a , Dusty, ” he began, “ did ol ’ Leroy come by while I was away to pick up that beef I offered him? ”
“Um … ” Dusty stammered. Ryder again captured her gaze, winking and causing her to lose her train of thought. “ Um…yes. Yes, he did. He said to thank you kindly , and he left off a couple of hams in exchange. ” She looked away quickly . Becca star ed at her with a knowing smile . Dusty frowned at her sister and went about fixing herself a plate of food.
“ Now, I told that old boy he didn’t need to do anythin’ in return ,” Hank grumbled.
“ You know how ol ’ Leroy is, Daddy, ” Dusty reminded him, sitting down at the small drop leaf nearby. “He won’t take anythin’ without a swap. ”
“ Ol ’ Leroy ’ s a fine feller, ” Ruff commented.
“ Yep, ” Feller agreed. “ Ol ’ Leroy gave me my first horse. ”
“ Really? ” Becca asked.
“ Yep. I was eight years old and worked for him all summer one year a - helpin ’ to butcher hogs. He gave me a little bay mare and paid me a right good wage on top of it too.” Feller paused to chew and swallow a bite of food.
“ I can see that, ” Ryder mumbled.
“ Yeah,
As she reached the back porch, Dusty turned to look back. Already she was regretting her lack of lightheartedness, but when she turned to see Ryder looking down adoringly at Becca, his hand affectionately on her cheek, all regret hardened into stone. Oh, how well she remembered the effect Ryder had on girls and women! Every female in the county used to take to swooning when he walked by . They used to rain pies and cakes on him, trying, no doubt, to impress him with their culinary prowess— to remind him that a good cook made a good wife.
She wouldn ’ t care that he was back . Truly! All an interest in Ryder Maddox gave a person was grief. She ’ d learned that. She didn ’ t need to learn it again. And thus, as was the case anytime Dusty foun d herself in a fit of weakness— almost becoming a cari ng, loving, normal woman again— she dug up the hurt and resentment that had kept her sane since Cash Richardson entered and exited her life. She could be nicer to her sister, kinder to her father, but she would not soften up where Ryder Maddox was concerned.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, Dusty kept herself busy with hard work. She quickly finished her outside chores and then moved into the house. She worked furiously even though the house didn’t need such fiery attention. The lunch hour arrived far too soon. She didn ’ t realize how occupied she ’ d kept herself until she heard the men filing in for their meal. Since Becca took care of the noon meal, Dusty had kept right on working. She soon heard the deep voices of men raised in conversation— her father calling her to join them.
Upon entering the kitchen, her gaze fell to Ryder— though she had sworn to herself to ignore him. He smiled and nodded. She nodded in return without cracking even a polite grin. She became angry, for at the mere sight of him, her heart fluttered , and her stomach seemed to flip , stirring up a sensation of elation she hadn ’ t felt for years . Stop it! she thought. But then Ryder picked up his fork, sp inning it around in his fingers twice , as had always been his manner before plunging into his meal. The familiarity of the habit further fed the response of warm melancholy in Dusty , and she winced.
“These here boys got the whole herd branded ’ fore lunch, girls! ” Hank boasted. “ Whatcha say to that? ”
Dusty stood silent. Becca jumped in to fill the obvious void. “ Was there ever any doubt about it? ”
“ Nope! Don ’ t suppose there was, ” her father chuckled. “ I forgot to ask y a , Dusty, ” he began, “ did ol ’ Leroy come by while I was away to pick up that beef I offered him? ”
“Um … ” Dusty stammered. Ryder again captured her gaze, winking and causing her to lose her train of thought. “ Um…yes. Yes, he did. He said to thank you kindly , and he left off a couple of hams in exchange. ” She looked away quickly . Becca star ed at her with a knowing smile . Dusty frowned at her sister and went about fixing herself a plate of food.
“ Now, I told that old boy he didn’t need to do anythin’ in return ,” Hank grumbled.
“ You know how ol ’ Leroy is, Daddy, ” Dusty reminded him, sitting down at the small drop leaf nearby. “He won’t take anythin’ without a swap. ”
“ Ol ’ Leroy ’ s a fine feller, ” Ruff commented.
“ Yep, ” Feller agreed. “ Ol ’ Leroy gave me my first horse. ”
“ Really? ” Becca asked.
“ Yep. I was eight years old and worked for him all summer one year a - helpin ’ to butcher hogs. He gave me a little bay mare and paid me a right good wage on top of it too.” Feller paused to chew and swallow a bite of food.
“ I can see that, ” Ryder mumbled.
“ Yeah,
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