Page 18 of Riches Beyond Measure (Golden State Treasure #3)

Twelve

Cord rode in from moving the cattle to a new pasture. Josh had invited him to the ranch house for supper to talk about the return to Graham’s claim with Hardy.

He caught Annie alone in the house making supper. Cord was surrounded by the fine smell of the chicken and the freshly baked biscuits she’d piled into a basket. A strudel sat cooling on the countertop.

“Where is everybody?” Cord said.

Annie turned and smiled, making Cord feel confused. Or maybe when it came to Annie, Cord was permanently confused no matter what her expression was.

“Michelle’s in her lab, and Tilda’s resting.

Her stomach is still unsteady. Gretel went home.

I’m determined to take some of the weight off her shoulders.

Poor woman, cooking for all of us and her family and running two households .

.. well, it’s one of the reasons I need to stop teaching or at least cut back some.

And while it was fun gallivanting off in search of treasure, it’s been good to be back. ”

“Where’s Caroline?” Cord asked, looking around.

“She’s in the office, playing with your grandpa.”

Cord glanced at the office door and smiled. Caroline could be heard singing quietly. Cord knew Annie kept a few playthings in there for the little girl.

“Caroline doesn’t seem to have missed me overly,” Annie went on. “But with her out of school for the summer, her routine has changed. I’ll need to stay close by her for a while.” Annie turned the chicken she was frying. Potatoes boiled away on the stovetop.

Dinner was almost ready, and Cord was the first of many she’d feed.

“I suppose Caroline hardly realizes I’m her mother these days, what with so many caretakers, and myself gone for a time.” She’d started out saying that with some amusement, but as she talked, her tone turned more serious. Cord wondered if she thought it was true.

“She knows who her ma is,” Cord reassured her. “She loves you. Whenever there’s a commotion and she becomes frightened, she runs straight to you.”

Annie locked eyes with him. “Commotion like an earthquake?”

Cord came to her side and rested his hand on her back. “I was thinking more about when company comes. We’ve had people invading the ranch regularly since we found that treasure ... including me. I guess I’m an invader, too.”

“No, Cord, you work here. If you’re an invader, all our cowhands are.” She smiled at him, and it appeared her uncertainty about Caroline had passed.

He’d enjoyed the few times they’d talked alone together.

More than enjoyed. He’d come to have great respect for Annie Hart Lane.

In truth, what he felt was considerably warmer than respect.

Now here he was with questions that bubbled up from deep inside him.

“Tell me about your late husband. Was he kind to you? Was he a skilled cattleman?”

Annie’s smile remained, though it was a sadder version now. “I told you how we ended up married.”

“You said you’d known him all your life and were good friends.

It was the most natural thing in the world to get married.

” Unlike Cord. She’d met him only last year, and he’d spent most of the winter in the bunkhouse or out on the range.

Even so, from the moment they met, he’d felt there was something special between them.

“Todd was a good rancher. He lost his ma when he was young, and his pa never remarried. When Pa Lane died from a fall off a horse, I didn’t think Todd would ever smile again.

At the time, Caroline was about one year old, and Todd spent a lot of time with her—almost like he wanted her to be as close to him as he’d been to his pa. ”

“So your husband had no brothers or sisters?”

“He lost an older brother in the war, and his two little sisters died in an outbreak of cholera. Then he lost his ma in childbirth, and the baby didn’t make it either.”

Cord shook his head slowly. It was a sad litany of death and grief. “When my pa died, it was a terrible blow. My ma has never really gotten over it.”

Annie nodded. “So you were still young when you lost your pa?”

“Yep, and we all went to live in Sacramento, closer to Grandpa Westbrook. But Ma couldn’t take it for very long, not without Pa there to soften Grandpa. Eventually she moved back home with her parents.”

“Did you spend much time with your grandpa?”

“This was before the train came through and sped things up, but we went to see him several times a year. Grandpa Westbrook lived in a mansion near Sacramento, not far from the bank he owned. Grandpa Rivers had homesteaded and owned a one-bedroom cabin. While it was more comfortable in town, I loved life on the farm and wanted that for myself someday. Because I needed to earn money to buy myself some farmland, I went to work at Grandpa’s bank. ”

Cord spoke softly, aware that his grandfather was nearby playing with Caroline. His quiet voice drew Annie closer.

“Grandpa was hard to live with, so I found a place of my own. But with that little bit of space between us, we formed a good relationship. I went to see him often and played the piano for him.”

“You do have an extraordinary gift for the piano.”

“I’ve loved playing from my earliest memory.

Grandpa let me take lessons from the man who played the organ at our church.

I enjoyed that; no one had to scold me to practice my lessons.

Grandpa grumbled about it being a waste of time, but then he bought me a Steinway piano.

It seemed to soothe Grandpa’s soul to hear me play on it.

” Cord smiled as he pondered those days with his grandpa with fondness.

Annie turned the chicken again, even though Cord thought she’d just done so. “Looks done to me,” he said. “You’ve fried it up to a perfect, crispy brown.” He inhaled deeply and couldn’t help but catch the scent of Annie mixed in with all the other wonderful smells.

That was when he realized he’d been standing here talking to her all this time with his hand still on her back. He probably oughta step away from her now.

Using a fork, she removed the chicken from the cast-iron skillet on the stove and placed it onto a serving platter, then set aside the fork.

When she’d finished, Cord turned her to face him. Not stepping away at all, not letting go. “Annie, I don’t know when we’ll find the time to get to town for a meal together. Do you think, maybe after we eat, we could go for a walk later this evening?”

Her cheeks turned a bit pink. She met his gaze, then dropped her eyes to where her hands were intertwined. Then she looked up again. “I’m glad the professor and his assistant went to town.”

“They couldn’t do much else when you as good as kicked them out.”

Her cheeks pinked up even more. “The man is aggravating, and I ... well, I didn’t like him staying upstairs in the house, not with Caroline and I sleeping so close by.”

Cord felt his temper rise. His hands tightened on her waist, and he drew her closer. “Did he do something to Caroline? If he has, I’ll—”

“No.” Annie touched her fingertips to his lips. “It’s nothing like that. It’s just awkward ... although I never felt that way when your grandpa was staying in the house. Nor when you were.”

Slowly, gently, Cord leaned down and kissed her on the lips. Really kissed her.

The seconds grew to a minute, with Cord losing track of the time. He came to his senses after a bit to find his hands sunk deep in the rich, dark silk of her hair. Her cheeks were even rosier, and her lips shone.

Only an inch away, he gathered his wits and said, “Will you go on that walk with me, Annie? I’d love to stretch this time with you a bit longer.”

She smiled. “I’d like that. And maybe soon we can get to town for a meal together. But for tonight, after I tuck Caroline into bed, I’d be honored to take a stroll with you.”

He kissed her again. When the potatoes boiling over hissed on the stove, Annie pulled away from him reluctantly as if she were tearing herself free. Finally she turned back to the stove.

“Could you please set the table, Cord?” she asked, clearing her throat.

Cord got busy. He had to or he’d end up pulling Annie close again while their supper went up in flames.

“Annie has agreed to go for a walk with me after supper.” Cord spoke, and it was like a sudden deep freeze swept across the table.

Everyone sat there, motionless and silent. Josh and Zane exchanged a long look.

Michelle spoke first. “I’d be glad to get Caroline settled into bed for you, Annie.”

Tilda was next. “And don’t you worry about the dirty dishes. We can do the cleaning up.”

Zane said, “You’re going to do what ?”

Josh looked at Cord with narrowed eyes.

Annie turned to look at her brother. She was older than him, so he didn’t boss her around like he did most everyone else. But he sure tried. “We’re going for a walk, Zane.” She almost laughed at the stunned look on his face. The man truly had no idea.

Josh had said a thing or two that told her he’d noticed something going on between her and Cord. He couldn’t have noticed much, though. She thought of today’s kisses and was glad neither brother had been there to witness her and Cord’s intimate moment.

There’d been other moments, too. A connection that drew her to him. But those kisses had been serious...

Staring straight at Zane, she said, “Thank you, Cord. Yes, taking a walk with you would be real nice.”

Caroline was busy finishing the strudel they’d served with whipped cream and didn’t bother looking up. And she was the only one Annie worried about.

Zane’s brow furrowed, and he looked from Annie to Cord, then back again. Then he stood from the table and said, “I’ll wash, Tilda. Josh can dry.”

Annie smiled at him. Standing, she proceeded to the back door, Cord right behind her. They stepped outside into a cool California evening.

“I thought there might be trouble there for a second.” Cord spoke quietly as they started walking toward the west.

She gave a little laugh. “Zane looked surprised, but he adjusted soon enough.”