Leaving Liberty, a Western Romance (Book 5) (Texas Hearts) Page 6

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  Chapter Eight

  The ranch didn’t look any better than it had yesterday. Libby had been determined to drive him off her property. It was her right. He could only push so far before he overstepped his bounds. He only hoped she didn’t throw him off the ranch today.

  She didn’t want to open up to him. He had a job to do. But deep down he didn’t give a rat’s ass about the investigation. He cared about the woman. And that was a shock to his system that he hadn’t expected when he’d arrived in Liberty weeks ago. Every step he took forward in this never ending investigation took him one step closer to the truth and two steps away from Libby. “Fourth generation rancher and the place is a mess. What secrets are you keeping here?” Jackson looked around and knew he couldn’t just walk away. Not only did every bit of training he’d had over the years tell him the story of what happened on this ranch ran deeper than an accidental shooting, but something had a hold on Libby Calvert so strong, it was driving her into the ground. He heard the sound of water running in the barn. It was probably Libby so he decided to go see her there. As he suspected, Libby was mopping a stall as if she were out for revenge for something. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail but tendrils of hair and pulled away from the elastic band and were now pasted to the sweat around her face. She didn’t stop what she was doing, even when it was clear she would have heard his approach. “Libby?” “I have work to do, Jackson.” “Slow down. You’re going to burn yourself out.” “I don’t slow until the work is done.” “Or you drop?” “Something like that.” “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to avoid that.” With every push of the mop on the floor, Libby’s breathing was hard and raspy, making him uncomfortable. She was a worker. But something was laboring her breathing. She kept at her task, spraying down the floor as if something was driving her. Then she turned her attention to the wheelbarrow she’d used to clear the stall, pushing it outside the barn. When Jackson couldn’t watch her anymore, he yanked the wheelbarrow out of her hands, spilling the contents of old hay and manure. “Look what you did,” she said, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “Stop it.” “I can’t.” She grabbed the handle of the wheelbarrow, but he held tight to it. “Is this about yesterday? About my finding out about the ranch?” “After you left yesterday I went over the books for the ranch. My father had things under control. But it won’t make a profit this year if I don’t start thinking about selling off some of the herd. We don’t have much of a reserve.” “I know.” She glanced up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun. “You showed up at the police station with petty cash in an envelope to bail out Cole.” “I’m not going to lose this place, Jackson. It’s all I have.” “It’s not all you have.” “I have barely enough money to pay for ranch hands this year. And that’s if I can manage to bring in what my father brought into the ranch last year. I need to get back to work.” He held her back by holding her shoulders with both hands. “What are you doing?” “I’m stopping you from killing yourself. You can’t do all this alone. Even you and I together can’t do it all. I believe you when you say Cole did the work of five men. He’d have to work that hard to get everything needed to be done on this ranch finished. But even he couldn’t, which is why the ranch is underperforming. I’m sure between your father and Cole they managed just fine. But you can’t do it alone. You can’t, Libby. It’s going to kill you.” Libby swayed in his arms. It was almost as if the sudden stop in movement threw her off balance more than the constant motion. “Libby?” “I don’t feel well,” she said in a voice that was small. The next thing Jackson knew, her body went limp. His heart hammered in his chest as he saw her eyes rolled back. Her face turned ashen. And he was just able to get his arms around her before she fell to the ground.

  * * *

  Seeing Libby open her eyes did wonders to calm Jackson’s nerves. However, his heart was still beating like a racehorse on a run. If he lived a thousand years he didn’t think he’d ever get over the fear of seeing Libby faint. He knew she’d been pushing herself. When you work on a ranch, large or small, work is just part of life. Animals need to be fed whether or not you were up to the task. But although Libby’s spirit was up to task, her body clearly wasn’t. “Hey there, beautiful,” he said as her eyes fluttered open. She looked around the room, her eyes barely open. “What happened?” “You fainted in the heat. At least I think it was the heat that did it. Dr. Gordon is going to check you out.” As if on cue the white curtain slid open. “Well, good of you to wake up, missy,” Dr. Gordon said. Libby’s eyes filled with tears when she saw Dr. Gordon. “It happened again?” “You mean this has happened before?” Jackson said. The doctor checked Libby’s pupils. “A few times. It’s to be expected when you push yourself like this.”

  To Jackson, he said. “Why don’t you have a seat in the waiting area. Libby and I are going to have a little chat.”

  He looked at Libby. “You sure?” She nodded with a weak smile that seemed to melt away the fragments of his anxiety. As he walked out of the room toward the waiting area, the full impact of what had just happened hit him fully. His whole body became cold and shaky. What had happened to her? She’d looked so frail and gray laying there on the ground that he’d thought the worst. And this wasn’t the first time? Jackson was trained for emergency situations. He’d been a first responder on the scene of many accidents and had witnessed gruesome acts of violence in the years he’d been a Texas Ranger. But in all his years working in law enforcement, he’d never been as terrified as he had been when Libby had collapsed.

  * * *

  “We’ve talked about this before, Libby,” Dr. Gordon said, leveling her with a stern look. “I know. But things have changed.” He gave her a sympathetic smile. “You have to give yourself time to grieve just as much as you need to still give your body time to heal. Your last surgery was less than two months ago. With so much going on, it’s only right that it’s going to take you longer to heal than most women.” A hot tear trailed down her cool cheek. “I can’t.” “Cole will take care—“ “No, he won’t. He’s gone.” The tears she’d held back for so long flowed fully now. The doctor sighed. “Can you sit for a minute?” Libby sat up on her gurney. The doctor handed her a tissue box. She pulled out two tissues, blew her nose with one and dried her eyes with the other. “I’m not selling my ranch,” she told the doctor. “Did I say you should?” “No.” “The other thing you’re not doing is taxing your body like this again. Ever. There is a reason your father wanted you to slow down. He wanted you to be on this earth for a very long time. You took all the steps needed to make sure you were going to be healthy and strong. Don’t undo all that by overloading yourself.” “But the ranch.” “Cole is gone, so hire a few ranch hands. There are always strong Texas boys willing to do grunt work around here. Even some of the local teenagers would welcome some extra money after they’re done with their own daily chores. Leave the work for someone else for a while so you can get back on your feet fully. I’m not asking Libby. You need to make this happen.” “Okay.” Dr. Gordon listened to her heart and took her pulse. “This does pose a problem though.” “What’s that?” “With Cole gone, there is no one at the ranch to check on you to make sure you’re okay. Cole was always good about that.” “So?” He shook his head. “I don’t like the idea of sending you home after an episode like this without some supervision.” “Hiring a nurse to come out again is out of the question. I don’t have the funds.” “You don’t need nursing. Just someone to make sure you eat and don’t collapse again.” “Are you serious? Even Jackson said that I was only out for a few seconds. I came to right away and was awake the whole ride to the clinic.” “And then you fell asleep on the gurney as soon as you got here.” Uncomfortable, she said, “I haven’t been sleeping very well.” “That’s understandable.” “I’ll be fine. I promise to go straight to bed and get some rest.” “And tomorrow you’ll be right back out in the barn pushing yourself. Dr. Gordon glanced at the open door leading to the waiting area. He couldn�
��t see down the hall, but Libby knew what he was thinking. “Oh, no.” “He seems like a nice man. I heard he was hanging around down at your place.” “What? Does the whole town talk about this? Doesn’t anyone have anything better to do?” The doctor laughed. “Not really. You grew up in this town just like the rest of us did. It shouldn’t surprise you.” “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Dr. Gordon rested a hand on her shoulder. “Some secrets are kept the way they’re supposed to be, only to be revealed when the time is right.” “Sounds like something my mother would say.” “I treated your mother for a long time before she passed. I knew her since she was a young girl. She was a wise woman.” Libby’s stomach burned. “Should I talk to him or do you want to?” “I can call someone else. Karen Bennett offered to come over and check on me.” “That’s a start. But I’d rather someone be there through the night. At least for tonight. The alternative is you stay under observation at the hospital tonight. I’m not flexible on this, Libby. I knew your father long before I started my practice here. I considered him a friend and as his friend, I won’t allow you to stay alone.” Libby’s mind raced with possibilities. Karen was out of town at least until tomorrow evening. A few of her friends had already headed up north to the livestock show this weekend. As she flew through the list of possibilities, her mind came up blank. “Could you send Jackson in?”

  * * *

  It was going to be a long night, Libby thought as they rolled down the driveway. Jackson had readily agreed to stay at the house with Libby, even before Dr. Gordon had approached her on the subject, making it harder for her to make a case for him not to be there. In the end, common sense won out. She may be stubborn, but she wasn’t hardheaded. She hadn’t finished feeding the animals when she’d passed out. If she refused Jackson now, she’d only end up calling someone else to come and take care of the animals before she could turn in and rest. Much as Libby hated to admit it, Jackson had been a big help since Cole had left. She couldn’t have gotten what little she had managed to get done without him. But the questions in his eyes, questions she couldn’t answer while at the clinic, were still there on the ride home. But he didn’t push. She doubted she’d get through the night without having to confront them. And she didn’t want to see his reaction when he learned the truth. Coward. Yeah, she was being one. But Jackson was the first man she’d met that made her question the choices she’d made months ago. The fear she felt now was unlike anything she’d felt, even before her decision had been made many months ago. “I’ll make sure you get inside okay and then I’ll tend to the animals,” he said, getting out of the truck. He walked across the front of the truck over to the passenger side. She pushed the door open on her own and climbed out before he could extend a hand. If nothing else, it was clear Jackson was a gentleman, something her mother would have noticed and made sure Libby did as well. But it was hard not to notice every little thing about Jackson Gentry. “I’m fine,” she said, looking at him. “I am. I’d appreciate you taking care of the animals. I can make us some dinner.” “Libby you—“ “I can at least do this, Jackson. I’ve never been a woman to just sit while the men worked. Neither was my mother. Even when she had cancer, she’d get herself up and do something. Life isn’t worth living unless your dare to be a part of it, she’d say. I’m not going to sit in bed and forget that I’m still here.” He looked at her for a long moment that dragged on longer than she could stand. She hadn’t meant to lecture him, but it sounded exactly like that. And now all she could do is look at his questioning gaze. Those eyes could pull any woman within a hundred feet of him into a drugged daze. She’d definitely fallen under his spell. “Okay,” he finally said. “I look forward to sampling some of that cooking you were bragging about the other day.” She sputtered. “You doubted me?” “No. But I’m also not picky. I could eat a whole cow right now.” “Gee, thanks.” He offered up a crooked smile that made her head dizzy. “Don’t mention it.” Libby turned and walked slowly to the house, listening for the sound of his boots on the dry pavement. She only heard hers. When she got to the door, she turned around. He was waiting for her to get inside. Gentleman. Her mom would have loved him.

  * * *

  Of all the times to be stupid, Jackson thought as he saw the trail of blood on his arm. First Libby’s fainting and now his stupidity. His hands were filthy from working in the barn so he walked to the faucet, and used the cold water to wash his hands and clean the blood off his arm. The scratch on his arm didn’t look too bad upon inspection. Libby most likely had a first aid kit in the house. He’d patch himself up before dinner. With all his work done, he gave a quick look inside the barn. The animals were either eating or content in their stalls. He closed the barn door and headed to the house. When he reached the back door, he paused at the doormat and scraped his boots, something his mother had drilled into him and his brothers when they were little. Once inside the mudroom he took his boots off and set them next to Libby’s smaller ones. There was another set of larger men’s boots next to hers. He paused for a second thinking they might be Cole’s. But then Jackson remembered. They were probably her father’s and Libby hadn’t summoned the courage to remove them yet. The weight of seeing two sets of boots side by side hit Jackson hard. In the mudroom back at the ranch, the boots were lined up in a row. The house was always overflowing with cowboys. But Libby’s entire family was gone. No wonder she was driving herself hard. At least, he hoped that was all it was. The burning in the pit of his stomach told him otherwise. Libby took one look at him and dropped the serving spoon in the frying pan. “I leave you alone for five seconds and look what you did?” she said, walking over to inspect the trail of blood on Jackson’s arm. “I went head to head with a rusty nail.” The kitchen smelled wonderful. Jackson didn’t know what she was cooking up for dinner but it sure smelled good. “You’ve been busy,” he said, watching her drop a first aid kit on the table and pull out gauze and tape. “Not really. It’s an easy recipe. Don’t expect much. You need a tetanus shot.” “I had one last year. Job hazards and having to deal with all types of situations make it necessary I keep up to date on my shots.” She walked over to the sink and ripped open a large piece of gauze, running it under the warm water to soak it. “Come here,” she said. Jackson did as he was told, holding his arm over the sink. The soft touch of her hand against his skin made him lightheaded and made the sting of the hydrogen peroxide she poured over the wound less noticeable. “Are you going to pass out on me?” she teased. “Only one fainting per day. We’ve reached our quota.” She chuckled as she inspected the cut on his arm. “You’ve done this before,” he said. “A time or two.” “Your medical box is filled with supplies.” “Always good to be prepared. Now you can sit down at the table so I can patch this up.” He glanced down at his arm. “A little bandage will do.” “I want to cover it good. If this gets dirty it will get infected. Don’t argue.” Sitting in the chair, he had to look up only slightly to see Libby’s face as she concentrated on her task. Her beauty caught him off guard and stole his breath away, making it hard to look away. There’d been beautiful women in his life who loved being with a Texas Ranger for any number of reasons. Carol, a young girl from Amarillo, had wanted to feel safe after a breakup with an abusive boyfriend. Nice girl, but it hadn’t lasted long. Jennifer only wanted everyone she knew to know she was dating a real Texas Ranger. He couldn’t run from her fast enough. There’d been others not as memorable for many reasons. But Libby… He kissed her and yet that had a way of burning in his mind more than any other woman he’d made love to in the past. His dreams of Libby had a way of keeping him up at night as he lay in bed in his motel room. The feel of her hands on his skin, the heat from her body close to his, was nothing in his dreams compared to what he was feeling now. But unlike his dreams, they both were fully clothed. As she brushed her fingers across his forehead, he felt his body respond. “How’d you get this one?” she asked. “What?” “This scar above your eyebrow. It’s faint but it looks like it was a nasty one at one
time.” Pulled from his thoughts of the two of them naked in a heated embrace, Jackson focused on what Libby was saying. “Beau hit me in the face with a shovel. He said it was an accident.” “Your brother did this to you on accident? And you believed him?” He shrugged. “That’s what he said.” “What was her name?” “Excuse me?” “It had to have been about girl for you to be talking so casually about it. So what was her name?” Jackson laughed, drinking in the scent of her. Libby had taken a quick shower and her hair was still a little wet. She smelled like lavender and something more. Feminine. Good God he wanted to kiss her again. “Actually, I think it was female. But it was a horse. I was eleven and Beau was ten. There is a reason he rides broncs and I don't.” “Ah, well priorities at that age.” “Exactly.” Her expression changed and she had a faraway look that told him she wasn’t in the room with him at all. She’d gone somewhere else. “Hey, come back to me.” “What?” “You went somewhere.” “I was just thinking.” “It’s just a scar. Just another story to tell.” She touched her hand to the scar again. “Is that how you see them? Stories?” “Living on a ranch you’re bound to get a few of them. I have my share.” He smiled up at her. “You must have them, too.” She didn’t smile in return. “I have a few,” she said quietly. “Yeah, any interesting story to go with them?” “That’s for another time.” She turned away and snapped the lid to the first aid kit closed. “Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you wash up a bit and I’ll get the food on the table.” She turned away from him, leaving him dizzy and cold and wanting to reach for her. But he didn’t. He just walked to the washroom and left her to her busy task of feeding him. At least the house was cool and he didn’t have to worry about her falling down from heat exhaustion. It hadn’t been Libby’s idea to have him stay the night. But he was glad he was here. Everything about her from the little tilt of her nose to the way she played with the end of her ponytail sometimes all the way to those crazy socks she wore, intrigued him. And yet, even when he was standing close to her, like he had in the kitchen, she felt so far away. He decided that was something he very much wanted to change.