A Hero’s Heart: Resolution Ranch

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

“I think we’re all set for tomorrow, don’t you?” Travis looked down the table to him for confirmation.

Sterling nodded. “I don’t have any more questions.” He and Cash Aiken, one of Travis’s SEAL buddies, sat at one end of a big farmhouse table. In between, were Hope Sinclaire and her brother, Axel Hansen, who’d come up from Oklahoma, Travis’s new wife, Elaine, and her son Dax. “Axel will travel with us to Boise City, where Hope will relieve him.”

“Unless Haley goes into labor,” said Axel.

“Right.” Travis nodded. “Unless Haley goes into labor.”

Sterling caught an exchange of glances between Travis and Elaine.

Hope cleared her throat. “Ben and Gunnar will plan to meet us in Santa Fe with the trailers on January twenty-ninth unless we hear differently.”

Axel lifted his glass. “I think it’s time for a toast. To the new year and the new ranch.”

Travis shot a glance at Elaine and she nodded. Sterling bit back a snort. Newlyweds. Everyone found it so cute. The little looks and glances. The soft touches. Endearing. But all he could think of was the grief etched into Macey’s face. Did they know what they were in for, should something happen to the other? A pang for Johnny knifed through him. He should be here. With the living. Looking at his wife and child with that kind of affection.

“We have something to add to the toast,” said Travis looking expectantly at his wife.

Elaine’s cheeks turned the color of roses and she grinned from ear to ear. “We’re having a baby.”

In a flash, Hope was around the table, giving her a hug. Axel extended his hand to Travis. “Welcome to the club, man.”

Travis beamed. Sterling had never seen the man look like that. Look so happy. He forced a smile. “Congratulations. When?”

“Late June, early July,” said Elaine.

“There won’t be enough time for us to get a new round of mustangs fully trained and trekked,” said Travis, “so I’ll be relying on you to lead the next pack trip. I can start it, but want to be home in plenty of time.”

“Sure thing.” He raised his glass. “Like Axel said, to new beginnings. New life.”

“Hear, hear,” echoed the group.

Axel stood. “Who’s headed off to the Trading Post tonight?”

Travis wrapped an arm around Elaine. “We’re staying in with Dax tonight. Playing board games if anyone wants to join us.”

Sterling slid a glance at Cash. They’d only just met, but already he liked the man’s no-nonsense demeanor. “None of that domestic stuff for me. Thought I’d take Cash down to the Trading Post. Show him how the landlubbers ring in the New Year.”

“Haley and I will be down there with Gunnar for a little while. Play a round of pool before it gets crazy?”

“Sounds great. See you in a bit.” He waved as Axel and Hope took their leave.

“Don’t stay out too late, and don’t tie one on.” Travis gave him a downright fatherly glance. “We’re up at zero-dark-thirty and off by sunrise.”

“Got it, boss. Everything’s ready to go. I won’t stay out too late.” Sterling shrugged into his shearling and jammed his Stetson on his head. It had been years since he dressed in anything but BDU’s. His feet still weren’t used to his old s**t kickers, itching for the comfort of his tight-laced army boots. But it was New Year’s Eve and time to move on. Start fresh.

The last few weeks had been an awakening. Sleeping in his old room at his folks for more than a few nights, pulling out his old work gloves and his Stetson. He’d treated himself to new gloves, but the cowboy hat was in good shape, and he enjoyed wearing it. By the time they arrived back to the ranch from the trek, his foreman’s trailer would be here. A temporary dwelling while they built permanent structures this spring.

“You ready for a night on the town?” He grinned across to Cash. “It’ll be crowded, but everyone’s safe.”

Cash was in rough shape. He was already at the ranch when Sterling had arrived a week before Christmas. Travis had mentioned they’d served together and that Cash had worked as a bodyguard at one time. But it was obvious being in open spaces spooked the guy. Which made their impending pack-trip interesting, considering most of the six-hundred some odd mile trek would be out on the open range.

Cash shook his head. “Nah. I’m gonna turn in early.”

“I understand. If you change your mind, give a holler.”

It was only eight when Sterling reached the Trading Post, but already the place was hopping. Axel waived at him from a pool table, lifting a pitcher of beer. Sterling made his way through the crowd, stopping every few feet to talk to another person he recognized.

“McAllister, great to see you.” Sterling wrapped his longtime friend in a hug. “How long has it been?”

“Too damned long,” Mike grinned.

“Travis gave me some of your root beer. When you going into business? That stuff’s the s**t, man.” He had to admit, he loved this part of being home. Connecting with the friends he hadn’t seen in years. And it seemed like everyone was out tonight – the Cruzes, the McAllisters, the Hansens, the Castros. Even the Benoit twins. Only the Graces were missing from his old circle. “They’re up in Chicago,” explained Mike. “Carolina was supposed to get married about a week before Christmas. Her fiancé died the day before the wedding.”

“Man, that sucks.” He took a sip of his beer. “I’m telling you. That’s why I’m never falling in love. Too much damned pain.”

“No settling down for you? We’re getting old, man,” said Mike. “I’d settle down in a hot second with the right woman.”

Is that what Johnny thought Macey was? The right woman? He’d married her then broken her heart. “But what happens when the s**t hits the fan? When one of you goes off the rails. Or worse, dies?”

Mike shrugged. “The higher the mountain the harder the fall, I guess.” He grinned over his beer. “But I always was a risk taker. On the front lines, while you were in the pocket dancing like a ballerina.”

“f**k you. Someone had to be QB. My face was the prettiest.”

“Damn straight about that,” added Tony Cruz, pounding him on the back. “I’m surprised you didn’t come home with more scars.”

The comment caught him by surprise and his body went tight. “They’re there. But not where you can see them.”

Tony’s eyes grew flinty. “I know the feeling, man. All the s**t you can’t unsee. And you can’t tell anyone about either.”

“Quit cryin’ in your beer you p*****s,” Mike chided. “It’s New Year’s Eve. Time to shed that s**t. Move on. We lost a lot last year. All of us. Cassie and Travis are always talking about not letting our stories define us. Let’s not have this last year define the next.”

Prairie had been through a tough year surviving a killer tornado, and it seemed he wasn’t the only one who wanted to shed the past. “I’ll drink to that.” Sterling raised his glass. “To kicking the s**t out of the new year.”

“There’s the one that got away.” Mike motioned to the dance floor.

He swung around and caught a flash of pale blonde on the far side of the room.

Emma Sinclaire.

Goldilocks. His high school rival. He’d recognize those long legs anywhere. And that perfect blonde hair swinging down her back. The color of sunshine. Her older brothers were dark, but she’d inherited her mother’s coloring.

“I always thought you two would end up together,” remarked Cody Hansen, home between rodeo stints.

“Yeah,” nodded Mike. “You two bickered like an old married couple. I thought for sure you two had the secret hots for each other.”

“Right?” said Cody, shooting Mike and Tony a knowing glance.

“No, way.” Sterling burned behind his ears. “Emma Sinclaire was a pain in my a*s. Yours, too.”

“True,” said Tony. “But I always thought she was hot.”

Sterling stole another glance across the room. Emma stood bent over the jukebox, jeans cupping a perfect heart-shaped a*s. She turned, laughing, and his breath stuck in his throat. f*****g gorgeous. All grown up with a wide smile and miles of luscious curves. Perfect for caressing. Or more.

“Put your tongue back in your mouth, Walker.”

“See?” Mike crowed. “I knew he always had the hots for her.”

Sterling turned away. “Not. Interested. Never was.”

Cody snorted. “And that’s why you made it clear to the rest of us she was off-limits. You’d have taken any one of us by the throat if we’d asked her out.”

He couldn’t deny it. He’d taken it upon himself to personally screen all her pursuers. Someone had to. Her brothers had been too caught up in saving their ranch to pay attention to her. He’d been doing her a favor. It wasn’t his problem that not one of them measured up to his standards. It wasn’t because he wanted her for himself.

“Sterling was too much of a player for her,” said Tony.

“Tell me about it,” said Mike. “Everyone wanted Sterling. You were the flame and all the girl moths couldn’t stay away. I couldn’t get a date in town if my life depended on it.”

“And since Emma didn’t want him, no one could have Emma,” added Cody.

“You guys are full of s**t,” said Sterling, not liking how the back of his neck heated. “Maybe it’s because you guys weren’t good enough for her.”

“Who died and made you her protector?” asked Tony. “Three brothers weren’t enough for the job?”

“Emma and I had a special bond.” He smirked at the memories. He’d delighted in baiting her. The way her face lit when she got her undies in a twist was irresistible. And she was so smart. Working to best her kept him on his toes.

“Now who’s full of s**t?” chortled Mike. “You made her life hell. Always teasing her in front of Nikki Pope. Rubbing it in her face when you beat her by one point in debate.”

His stomach flopped. The way they put it, he sounded like a real asshole. “But it wasn’t like that. It was just friendly competition.”

“Was it?” Cody stared at him. “I still think she was the one that got away and you took it out on her.”

Was Cody right? Antagonizing her might have been the best part of his day, but he’d never meant to be an asshole. A little finger of guilt snaked through him. Cody’s assessment held the ring of truth and squared with what happened the last New Year’s Eve he’d spent at the Trading Post. He’d thought about making a move that night, years ago. But by the end of the evening, she’d made it crystal clear how much she despised him, and he’d gone home disappointed.

A weight settled in his chest. Maybe that had been for the best. If Johnny’s death had taught him anything, it was that you couldn’t pull another person into your orbit without breaking them. And he’d never let that happen to Emma. Emma Sinclaire was pure gold. Regardless of their antagonism.

Cody’s eyes lit mischievously. “Bet you a ten spot you can’t get her to dance with you.”

Sterling glanced back to the jukebox. She f*****g glowed with vitality. With life. He wanted that. Just the tiniest piece of it to rub off on him. Fill the holes in his soul. Longing arced through him. God how he’d missed her. It had been brutal at first. But eventually the ache had gone away. To be replaced with missions and life lived hard on all fronts.

“I’ll add to that.” Tony slapped a twenty on the bar. “It’s now or never. Because if you don’t make a move, I will.”

Fuck that.

Deep inside him, an old competitive spirit sparked to life. A slow grin creased his face. He hadn’t felt this good since before he was injured and forced to leave the Rangers. “Game on, motherfuckers. Time to watch a pro at work.” Sterling cracked his knuckles. There was nothing he loved more than a challenge. Especially when it came in the form of a pretty woman. And extra especially when that woman was Emma Sinclaire. “Hold my beer. She’ll be putty in my hands in no time.”