Carson went to the office, but the place was empty. Since Buck wouldn’t be back until lunchtime, he headed for the foyer to talk to Susan. “How’s everything going?”
“Great!”
“Have you seen Ross?”
“Yes. Another couple of groups went fishing with him. Did you know that by this evening we’ll be all booked up?”
“That’s the kind of news I like to hear.”
Like most ranches, the cattle operation on the Teton Valley Ranch had little, if any, margin. But the value of the land kept rising faster than the liability from raising cattle. It was either sell the hay, grass and cows to someone else, or borrow on the land when the market was down. In time he hoped the dude ranch idea would bring in its own source of revenue.
“Johnny Baretta was asking about you this morning. He can’t wait for another horseback riding lesson.”
That news pleased him even more. “Do you have any idea where he and his mother might be?”
“I heard him and the Harris children talking about going swimming. You should have seen how cute they all looked in their cowboy outfits when they came in for breakfast.”
“I can imagine. Talk to you later.”
He walked outside and headed around the other side of the house to the pool area. The swimming pool had been Buck’s idea and was a real winner for children and people who simply wanted to laze about. The kids’ shouts of laughter reached his ears before he came upon the two families enjoying the water.
“Carson!”
Johnny’s shriek of excitement took him by surprise and touched him. “Hey, partner.”
The boy scrambled out of the pool and came running over to him. Above his dark, wet hair he saw Tracy’s silvery-gold head as she trod water. Their eyes met for a brief moment, causing a totally foreign adrenaline rush. “Can we go horseback riding now?”
“That’s the plan,” he said before breaking the eye contact.
Like clockwork, the other two children hurried over to him dripping water. “Will you take us riding, too?”
He chuckled. It brought on another coughing spell. “Of course. Anyone who wants a lesson, meet me at the corral in fifteen minutes!” he called out so the parents would hear him. They waved back in acknowledgment. As he turned to leave, he heard Rachel ask Johnny why Carson coughed so much.
“Because he breathed all this bad stuff in the war.”
“What kind of stuff?” Sam wanted to know.
“Smoke and other junk.”
“Ew. I hope I never have to go.”
“I wish my dad had never joined the Marines.” Johnny’s mournful comment tore Carson apart.
He hurried back inside the ranch house to grab a bite of breakfast in the kitchen. While he downed bacon and eggs, he phoned Bert and asked him to start saddling Goldie and two of the other ponies.
After they hung up, he packed some food and drinks in a basket. In a minute, he left through the back door and placed the basket in the back of the truck, then climbed in. The interior still smelled of acrid smoke.
If the kids wanted some fun after their lesson, he’d let them get in the back and he’d drive them to the pasture to see the cattle. When he’d been a boy, he’d enjoyed walking around the new calves and figured they would, too.
When he reached the barn, he saddled Annie, but held off getting more horses ready for the Harrises. They might not want to ride, only watch their children.
Another lesson for Tracy and her son ought to be enough for them to take a short ride down by the Snake River tomorrow. With enough practice, they’d be able to enjoy half-day rides around the property.
If Johnny could handle it, they’d camp out in the Bridger-Teton forest where there were breathtaking vistas of the surrounding country. Even if the journey would be bittersweet, he longed to show them his favorite places. Since joining the Marines, he hadn’t done any of this.
Once Annie’s bridle was on, he grasped the reins and walked her outside to the corral where Bert had assembled the ponies. In the distance, he saw the children running along the dirt road toward them. All three were dressed in their cowboy outfits.
Johnny reached him first. “Do you think Goldie missed me?”
“Why don’t you give her forelock a rub and find out?”
Without hesitation he approached the golden palomino. “Hi, Goldie. It’s me.” He reached out to touch her. The pony nickered and nudged him affectionately. “Hey—” He turned to Carson. “Did you see that? She really likes me!”
While Burt grinned, Carson burst into laughter. It ended in a coughing spasm, but he didn’t care. “She sure does.”
“I’m going to feed her some oats.” Seizing the reins without fear, he walked her over to the feed bag.
Knowing Bert would keep an eye on him, Carson approached the fence. Beneath the brim of his Stetson, his gaze fell on Tracy whose damp hair was caught back with a hair band. This morning she wore a tangerine-colored knit top and jeans her beautiful figure did amazing things for. “Are you ready for your next lesson?”
“I think so.” Her smoky green eyes smiled at him before she entered the corral.
“Would you like some help mounting?”
“Thank you, but I’d like to see if I can do this on my own first.”
This was the second time she hadn’t wanted him to get too close. The first time he might have imagined it, but the second time led him to believe she was avoiding contact. He forced himself to look at the Harrises, who’d just come walking up.
“Should I ask Bert to saddle some horses for you?”
They shook their heads. Ralph leaned over the fence. “We’ve been riding before. Right now, we just want to see how the kids do.”
“Understood.” He turned to Johnny. “Hey, partner—why don’t you help me show Rachel and Sam what you do before you get on.”
“Sure! Which pony do you guys want?”
“That was a good question to ask them, Johnny.”
Sam cried, “Can I have the brown one with the black tail?”
“Bruno is a great choice.”
“I like the one with the little ears and big eyes. It’s so cute.”
Carson nodded. “That dappled gray filly is all yours, Rachel. Her name is Mitzi.”
The children loved the names.
“Okay, Johnny. What do they do now?”
“They have to rub their noses so the ponies will know they like them.”
The next few minutes were pure revelation as Tracy’s son took the kids through the drill, step by step, until they were ready to mount.
Ridiculous as it was, Carson felt a tug on his emotions because Johnny had learned his lesson so quickly and was being such a perfect riding instructor. He glanced at Tracy several times. Without her saying anything, he knew she was bursting with motherly pride.
Soon all four of them were astride their horses. They circled the corral several times and played Follow the Leader in figure eights, Johnny’s idea. Carson lounged against the fence next to the Harrises, entertained by the children who appeared to be having a terrific time. Since Tracy rode with them, Carson had a legitimate reason to study her without seeming obvious.
He threw out a few suggestions here and there, to help them use their reins