And Then You Fly Read online

  His arms ached. He longed to hold the baby, but it was more. He also longed to hold Bree.

  It had been important that he be the one to tell her what happened with the accident. And when he had, she accused him of wanting her to smooth things over between Tucker and him. That hadn’t been it at all, but he hadn’t bothered to try to convince her otherwise. If she’d felt any of what he was feeling, she would’ve known that wasn’t why he told her.

  When he closed his eyes, he could see those arms, the ones she had wrapped around baby Cochran, folded in front of her. She’d closed herself off to him that day. That was the reason he left the way he had. And never looked back.

  Even when she texted him pictures the day Cochran was born, he didn’t respond. He couldn’t. If he did, he might be tempted to…to what? Ask her if she could forgive him? She’d think he’d lost his mind if he had.

  Instead, he ignored her. He needed to get Bree Fox out of his head. He closed his eyes and started to hand the phone back to his mama, but he stopped and took one more look. He couldn’t help himself.

  “I hear Bree is leaving Monument.”

  “What’s that Mama?”

  “I talked to Blythe yesterday. She’s torn up about Bree leaving town.”

  “What do you mean? Where’s she going?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe you should give her a call yourself and ask her.”

  He shook his head. Was she kidding?

  Carol sat down at the table across from her son. “I’m serious Jace, why don’t you call her? I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.”

  He waited until his mother went into the other room, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and scrolled through the contacts until he found Bree’s number.

  Chapter 2

  “Thanks for driving me to the airport,” Bree said to her mother. Paige Cochran was Bree’s rock. Blythe was daddy’s girl, but Bree belonged to her mama. There were things that never needed to be said between the two of them. Her mom understood. It was true when she was growing up, and it was true now.

  She gazed out the window at the pond just off County Line Road, a visible landmark from the interstate. “Whenever I drive by this spot, I feel like I’m leaving home. It’s this same place that welcomes me back.”

  “I know what you mean,” answered her mom. “Nothing ever changes on this stretch of land.”

  There were several thousand acres north of the road that separated Monument in El Paso County, from Douglas County. The original homesteaders gave the land to the State of Colorado, with the stipulation that it be open space for two hundred years. The only buildings visible were part of the original ranch. Family members kept the operation going, so there were still cattle and horses on the land.

  They were almost to the turnoff to the Denver airport before either of them spoke again.

  “Are you renting a car in Hailey, or is someone from the ranch picking you up?”

  “I decided to rent a car. It’ll be easier that way.”

  “Don’t spend all your time off on your own baby.”

  Her parents sat her down the day before and told her they were worried she’d isolate herself.

  Bree had spent most of the past couple months with Blythe, Tucker, and the baby. The camaraderie of being with her sister had been good for her in some ways, and not good in others.

  “She’ll spend all her time out on that river,” she overheard her father say to her mother.

  “She needs to Mark,” her mother answered. “She knows what she’s doing.”

  Her mother understood she needed this time to mourn the loss of her husband. He hadn’t been gone very long when Blythe was in a terrible car accident, one in which she almost lost her life. And shortly after that, Blythe realized she was pregnant.

  Instead of grieving her husband’s death, Bree took care of her sister. She let herself get caught up in the drama that swirled around Tucker and Jace Rice. Consequently, she hadn’t spent any time dealing with her own.

  “Thanks for understanding Mom,” Bree said as she hugged her mother at the airport curb drop off.

  “I do baby. Otherwise I’d be going with you.”

  It wasn’t until the plane was in the air that Bree felt truly alone. It was a feeling she’d been craving. No one on this plane knew her. She doubted anyone at Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, where she was headed, would remember her. It was just the way she wanted it.

  Instead of staying in the main lodge, Bree booked one-half of a two-sided cabin for the month of May. June, July and August were busier months, although the ranch manager assured Bree could stay longer if she decided she wanted to.

  ***

  Jace pulled his phone out of his pocket for the umpteenth time. He just couldn’t bring himself to hit the send button, and place the call to Bree. He put the phone back in his pocket and pulled out a pair of pliers instead. He’d been working on this one particular section of fencing all morning. The problem was, his mind wasn’t on the work he was doing, it was on Bree. The one-hour job took three.

  He was just about finished when he saw his father’s truck pull in through the ranch gates. He was back from picking up a bull in Texas at Exclusive Genetics. Bull number EG32197, was a little over a year old. Sired by Little Yellow Jacket, his dam was Cowgirl Trash. Good lineage and worth every penny of the $15,000 they paid for him.

  With the bull being so young, Jace was more worried about the older bulls picking on him than him being the troublemaker, but you never knew. He’d keep a steady eye on him for the next few hours, and pen him off to himself for tonight, at least. Jace left the fence unfinished.

  “Long drive Daddy?” Jace rubbed his father’s shoulder as he climbed out of the truck.

  “Not too bad. I stopped in Monument, but you already know that, don’t ya?”

  “Yeah, I know you did.” Jace walked toward the trailer.

  “Hold up there a minute,” Hank said. “I want to talk to you.”

  “Has anything changed?”

  Hank hung his head and shook it. “No Jace, it hasn’t.”

  “Ain’t me refusin’ to talk to Tucker. You’re barkin’ up the wrong twin.”

  Jace’s mom came flying out the front door and ran into his father’s waiting arms. He spun her around and gave her a kiss that made Jace blush. That was what he wanted, but doubted he’d ever have. A love so strong that after thirty years, their kisses were still as passionate as when they met.

  His father distracted, Jace slid away from the conversation he didn’t want to have anyway, and opened the back of the trailer to unload the bull.

  “Gotta come up with a name for ya. Somethin’ fierce is what I’m thinkin’.”

  “You talkin’ to bulls now instead of your daddy?” Hank was following Jace into the barn. “And don’t you go sayin’ the bull’s got more sense, or I’ll clip you one.”

  “No Daddy, I wasn’t gonna say anything like that. But, can we table the Tucker talk? I got nothin’ to say on the subject, and I doubt he did either.”

  “Your mama and I aren’t giving up Jace. You and your brother need to resolve this thing between the two of you. You’re both hurting. In the meantime, you’re missing out on seeing your nephew grow up.”

  That was the hardest part for Jace. His brother’s baby was seven months old.

  “How is Cochran? Growin’ like a weed?”

  “He looks just like you.”

  Jace laughed. “Tuck and I are twins, in case you forgot. I’m guessin’ he looks more like his daddy than me.”

  Hank raised his eyebrow. “I could tell the difference between you boys from the minute you were born. And I’m tellin’ you, he looks like you Jace.”

  “What do you think of Cowgirl Stinger as a name for this one?” Jace pointed at the bull.

  “I like it,” his father smiled. “Seems fitting.”

  “Yeah, I like it too. Who knows, maybe it’ll be a female bull rider who’ll be the first to cover him.”

  His f
ather put his hand on Jace’s arm. “I’m not letting it go Jace. We’re gonna talk about Tucker, and we’re gonna do it right now.”

  Jace sat down on a bale of straw and settled in for the lecture he knew his daddy was going to give him no matter what. Once Hank Rice got something stuck in his craw, there was no dissuading him until he got whatever he had to say off his chest.

  The dinner bell rang a half hour later, or his daddy might’ve talked all night. Both he and Jace knew better than to keep his mama waiting when dinner was on the table.

  “What news from Monument?” said his mother, not five minutes into their supper.

  “Well, Carol,” his father answered, “There’s a fella in Larkspur I want to go see, and Jace, you should meet him too. Ty Rinaldo is his name.”

  “Heard of him. He’s got a good operation goin’ down there. But Daddy—”

  “Jace Porter Rice,” she rested her hand on his arm.

  Jace knew when his mama used his full name, he’d best keep quiet. Why was it he’d thought living so close to his parents was a good idea?

  “As I was sayin’,” Hank continued, “TZ Bucking Bulls has been a family operation for three generations, and Ty’s gotten in good with the National Western Stock Show. That’s something I’d like us to be a part of. Next year, if we can make it happen.”

  Jace wondered if he could come up with an excuse good enough to get out of going to Monument. He doubted it.

  Sometime in the middle of the night, Jace heard a raucous coming from the barn. He pulled on his Wranglers and stuck his feet in the boots that were always near his bed. His father was headed toward the barn from the other direction. The bulls had broken through the pipe fencing, and there was a fight going on.

  In his rush to get to the pen, Jace tripped when his jeans caught on a piece of the broken pipe. When his leg twisted around, he felt a pain he’d hoped never to experience again.

  The pain was ingrained in his memory, and he had no doubt that an MRI would simply confirm what he already knew. He’d just torn his ACL. Two years prior, he tore it skiing. At the time he doubted he’d ever ski, or ride a bull or a bronc again in his life. It had been a long road of rehab, most of it self-prescribed, but he’d done it.

  The trip to Larkspur was postponed indefinitely. Hank wouldn’t be able to leave the ranch until Jace recovered, and that might take weeks.

  ***

  Bree’s mom needn’t have worried about her being off on her own too much, since her only option for meals at Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch was to join the other guests and ranch hands in the main dining hall.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  Bree looked up into the greenest eyes she’d seen since the last time she saw Jace Rice. “Of course,” she answered, moving her tray out of his way.

  “Red Dugan’s the name.”

  “I’m Bree, uh…Fox.”

  “You sure ’bout that?” he chuckled.

  “Yes, sorry.” Bree extended her hand. “Nice to meet you Mr. Dugan.”

  “It’s Red, young lady. I heard a rumor somewhere that you’re heading out to do some fishing later this morning.”

  “Not much later, in fact, I planned to leave in a few minutes.”

  “If you can wait until I finish my oatmeal, Miss Fox, I’ll take you to one of my secret spots.” he winked.

  “Please call me Bree, and I’d like that.”

  “You’re saying you can keep a secret then right?”

  Bree blushed, laughed, and waited for Red to finish his breakfast.

  Bree hopped in Red’s truck, after he put her rod and other gear in the back.

  “You sure I can trust ya girl? Could always blindfold you on the drive over if you’re afraid you’ll tell.”

  Bree laughed again. “I promise,” she crossed her heart, “that I will never divulge your super-secret fishing spots.”

  “Good thing since the only thing I could’ve blindfolded you with is this old bandanna that’s been in this truck since the day I bought it. We’re talkin’ twenty years or so.”

  “Ew,” Bree cringed.

  Bree looked out the passenger window. Red didn’t speak again until he pulled off the main highway onto an unmarked dirt road.

  “There’s been some talk about naming this old road Dugan’s Way, but I put the kibosh on that brilliant idea.”

  She smiled again. “Sounds like your secret’s out already.”

  “This way,” he said, pointing toward the woods.

  A ten-minute walk later, Red stopped at the edge of a tributary of the Salmon River.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she murmured. The water was high, and a deep shade of blue. The grasses along the tributary’s edge were a deep shade of green, but not as dark in color as the pine trees that rose above them on either side of the water. The same breeze that Bree felt on her face, moved the clouds quickly across the blue Idaho sky. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, remembering the last time she fished in an area not far from here.

  “How long you been fishin’?” Red asked.

  “Since before college. About ten years. It was something my husband and I used to do together.”

  “But not anymore?”

  “My husband was…” Bree’s eyes filled with tears.

  Red held up his hand. “You don’t need to say another word young lady. I’m sorry I brought something up that causes you hurt.”

  Bree shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’m not used to talking about it. My husband was in the Air Force. He was killed in Afghanistan last year.”

  “I see. I lost my brother in Vietnam, never got over it.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I am too. For me and for you. War is hell. There’s nothing that describes it better. I was too young to go myself. I miss him every day, even after all these years.”

  “I understand,” she said softly, thankful to talk about his grief rather than her own. Bree closed her eyes and focused again on the breeze on her face.

  “I know,” she whispered after a few minutes. “There isn’t a minute that I don’t miss him.” The tears were back, but she didn’t try to fight them.

  She was here to mourn Zack, and instead of pushing the feelings away, she had to face them, let herself feel them, work her way through them. She’d never be able to move on if she didn’t. And that was what she wanted, wasn’t it? To move on?

  “Tell me about him.”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Your young man, tell me about him.”

  Bree took a deep breath. She hadn’t planned to talk about Zack to anyone. But if she was going to do this, she needed to.

  “I met him when I was fifteen,” she began. “At church.”

  ***

  Jace got up and put the brace on his knee. The news hadn’t been as bad as he initially thought it would be. The ligament wasn’t torn completely, only partially. It wasn’t any less painful, but the recovery would be much easier. And quicker.

  He’d dodged a couple of bullets. One with the injury itself, since it wouldn’t require surgery, and two, by getting out of a trip to Monument.

  He heard his mother downstairs, puttering around in his kitchen. She came by every morning to make him a pot of coffee and a hot breakfast. She also left lunch and dinner for him to heat up later.

  Getting downstairs was painful, but Jace was determined to sleep in his own bed on the second story of the ranch house. If he stayed downstairs, he’d be forced to sleep on the couch, and if he did that, his back would hurt as much as his leg.

  “Mornin’ Mama,” he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  “How’s the leg?”

  “Sore. But better than it was yesterday.”

  “You take anything for the pain?”

  “Not yet. Gonna try to get by with over-the-counter stuff today. I don’t like the way the prescription medicine makes me feel.”

  She set a plate of bacon and eggs on the table in front of him.

  “You do
n’t have to come over and make me breakfast you know.”

  “I know, but I like to do it.” She sat down in the chair across from him. “I’m worried about you.”

  “I’ll be okay Mama. It’ll take time to heal, that’s all.”

  “It isn’t your leg I’m worried about Jace, it’s your heart.”

  Jace wanted to tell her he was fine, and that she shouldn’t worry about him, but he couldn’t. “Me too,” he said instead.

  ***

  Bree leaned over and picked up a rock near the side of the stream.

  “What’s the hatch?” Red asked her.

  “Caddis.” The most common. “I’ll head downstream,” Bree offered.

  “Plenty of fish right here.”

  Bree wouldn’t have minded going off on her own. If she did, she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone but herself. Other than Zack, there wasn’t anyone Bree liked to fish with. It took her a few minutes to settle in with the discomfort of fishing in such close proximity to another human being. Soon she got into the rhythm of casting, and let herself get lost in it.

  “Gettin’ hungry?” Red asked.

  Hungry? She hadn’t given a thought to food, but now that he mentioned it, she was starving. She pulled her cell phone out to check the time. It was just past noon. They’d been fishing for three hours, and neither had said a word.

  “You won’t be gettin’ a signal on that thing out here, better to forget you have it with you.”

  “No, uh, I was just checking the time.”

  “That’s right, you youngins don’t wear watches, do ya?”

  Bree laughed. “You’re right, it’s been a long time since I relied on a watch to tell me the time.” She waved her phone in the air. “Much easier to rely on this thing.” She put the phone back in her pocket.