Stranded With The Rancher

“The heater will go off and on during the night, but you’ll stay warm.”

This cowboy took care of everything. She removed the parka and laid it over the end of the sleeping bag where she’d spread out the blanket. After sitting on the stool to take off the cowboy boots, she climbed in and curled up on her side while she watched him.

In an economy of movement he tidied the kitchen area. To her surprise he walked over and handed her a bottle of water. “You might get thirsty during the night anyway.”

The “anyway” brought more laughter to her lips. His sense of humor shouldn’t have come as a surprise, not after meeting his grandfather.

“There should be another word besides thank-you.”

His eyes searched hers for a quiet moment before he reached up and turned off the lantern. The moaning of the wind drowned out any noise he made getting ready for bed. It was the loneliest sound in the world. But with him inside the tent, she knew a strange contentment that was foreign to her.

“Ms. Dorney?” came his voice out of the darkness.

“Please, call me Alex.”

“All right, Alex. I’m waiting to hear what was so important my grandfather sent a woman fresh from the Big Apple up to sheep country.”

“I work for Rockwell Food Business Magazine, based in Manhattan as a contributing writer.”

“I read it regularly.”

She sat up. “You do?”

“It and a dozen other publications that keep abreast of news in the meat industry. Depending on how long you’ve been writing for them, I might have read one of your articles.”

His grandfather’s words rang in her head. Among other things, he’s a sheepman and knows it all.

Alex lay back down, surprised by her own stupidity. Everything was making sense, including the fact that his grandfather read her article thoroughly before asking questions.

“Last Saturday I flew out to Colorado to talk to some sheep ranchers at the Wool Growers Association convention in Montrose. After a few days I flew to Casper to attend a similar convention there. The people in charge told me the best person to ask for information was Royden Fielding.”

“Grandad would have liked to be there, but he needed me to take him, and I had to be up here.”

If he had attended that convention, Alex would have met both of them there. But it hadn’t happened that way. The thought of not meeting Wyatt Fielding bothered her in a way she didn’t understand.

“I called and set up an interview this morning, then flew to Jackson Hole.”

“And you were spared having to spend a wild night in Whitebark.”

She smiled. “Being up here on a mountain with sheep, fighting rain and gale-force winds, is what I’d call the real Wild West. I came to pick your brains about lamb.”

He burst into that rich kind of male laughter she loved. “Before I knew you wrote for that particular magazine, I thought you might be a photographer my grandfather sent up so you could get some spectacular photographs of the mountains.”

“There’s a thought.” She clutched the pillow. “So, when do you fight fires?”

“Several times a week when I’m back in town. But I also have a ranch to run.”

“Your grandfather wasn’t exaggerating about you.”

“He always exaggerates,” he corrected her.

She could believe it, but she also knew that for Royden the sun rose and set with his grandson. “Before we say good-night, do you mind telling me what you did today before I arrived?”

“Is this for research?”

“Yes.” Well, that and she wanted to know everything about him.

“We brought down the last four hundred head of ewes and rams over rough mountain terrain and streams from the ten-thousand-foot level where they’ve spent the summer. Once we start down, they wander off if you’re not chasing them every second. They get lost, caught in shrubs and trees, nearly drown and can fall off cliffs on the way.

“Considering the ewes are pregnant, that makes the journey down more treacherous. If the lamb lovers of this world knew what we go through, they’d pay us billions for the privilege of being served lamb chops and roasts at the dinner table.”

“Can I quote you on that?”

“Why not? Now, I don’t know about you, Alex, but I’m exhausted. Let’s sleep on the subject, and tomorrow I’ll answer all your questions after we have breakfast and I check the herd with Pali.”

He had to be worse than exhausted. She turned on her other side, away from him, so she wouldn’t be tempted to talk anymore. Alex’s mind filled with pictures of him chasing her instead of sheep all over creation, until oblivion took over.

Chapter Three

Lamb.

Wyatt’s tired body shook with silent laughter. He knew where this woman had come from and why. But he didn’t understand his grandfather’s agenda.

Had he really not known a blizzard of this magnitude was coming? For that matter, Jose had taken off so fast, his swift exit seemed orchestrated.

Wyatt knew his grandparents had worried about him since high school. A month ago he’d told the whole story to his attorney. Was it possible the private investigator he’d hired could find Jenny? Had the miscarriage ruined her life?

How did her parents live with themselves after hiding their daughter where Wyatt couldn’t find her? How could they have left Whitebark without telling anyone where they were going? The cruelty of never seeing or hearing from her again had astounded him.

But maybe now he’d be given some information. After eleven years, he prayed to God for some closure on what had happened to Jenny.

His grandparents had hoped and prayed he’d meet another girl. Of course he’d met a lot of them, but no relationship had touched his heart.

Now, suddenly, a beautiful woman had been deposited at his sheep camp, unprepared and unequipped, relying totally on him for her survival. If this really was orchestrated by his granddad, Wyatt didn’t know the man had such a devious streak. The more he thought about it, though, he didn’t buy that this was a mere coincidence.

If this was his grandfather’s scheme, then Wyatt couldn’t fault the magazine writer who’d played into his grandfather’s hands by accident. The innocent woman who slept across the tent from him had been the ideal pawn.

Talk about the perfect storm.

* * *

WHEN WYATT WOKE UP the next morning, he pulled on his parka and boots. Alex was still asleep. Looking outside the tent, he was reminded of his last thought the night before. This perfect storm had created a white world! Without the driving wind, quiet reigned, but the snow still fell.

Wyatt stepped outside and whistled. His truck was more than half-buried. He walked with difficulty in the thigh-deep snow. Pali’s trailer was barely visible. Imagining that his friend was busy digging out, he went back to the tent for the shovel and started to make a path to the privy tent. Alex would need it when she awakened.

As he came back to the entrance, he almost bumped into her. Their eyes fused.

“Mr. Fielding—good morning.”

“It’s Wyatt. I think we’re long past formalities.”

She nodded. “I can’t believe all this snow! I never saw anything so beautiful in my life. Maybe this trip will make a photographer out of me. But how do the sheep handle waking up to this wonderland when they can hardly move?”

“Much better than we humans.”

“Why is that?”

He kept shoveling as they talked. “Is this the writer asking, or just curiosity?”

“Both.”

She had a forthright personality he liked. “Sheep have some very effective ways of keeping warm. Their wool insulates them, holding in body heat and resisting the penetration of water. You’ll see snow on their backs. The reason it doesn’t melt right away is because the body heat is kept in by the fleece. In addition, they’re ruminants.”

“What does that mean?”

“They chew on their cuds and have four-chambered stomachs. This process generates a lot of heat. The more forage a ruminant eats, the more heat its body produces.

“Our pregnant ewes, in which growth of the fetus results in heat production, stay even warmer as their pregnancy progresses. In fact, ewes carrying multiple fetuses have to increase their respiratory rate just to get rid of body heat. This is one of the reasons they benefit from shearing during the last six weeks of gestation.”

“I had no idea.”

“Keeping the sheep outside during the winter benefits both them and me. They need the ventilation and increased exercise. Most of the cases of respiratory disease that I have to treat occur in animals that are housed in a barn during cold weather.”

“Why is that?”

“The cause is the buildup of moisture and ammonia in the air. It damages the lining of the respiratory tract, interfering with its resistance to infection. Worse, the stale, humid air transmits viruses and bacteria into the airways. This combination of factors leads to coughing, sinus infections, bronchitis and pneumonia.”

“Kind of like children in a day care center.”

“Exactly. Sheep that live outdoors breathe fresh, drier air and aren’t exposed to fumes. Bronchitis and pneumonia in these animals is rare. That’s a plus for me. I have fewer sick sheep and don’t have to keep the barn clean.”

Happy laughter rippled out of her. She threw her head back to catch some snowflakes on her tongue. The tiny action produced an unexpected spark of desire that flared through him. He didn’t like what was happening to him.

“The path to the bathroom has been cleared for you. While you’re gone, I’ll fix some food. Would you like pancakes, bacon, eggs?”

“All of the above and your delicious coffee. What kind is it?”

“Pali gets it from his Basque relative who runs a coffeehouse in Livingston, Montana. She roasts Arabica beans that are shade grown.”

“It’s the best! When I return, I’ll help you.”

After he went back inside, he got busy cooking. Pali would be pleased Alex had shared that compliment. He decided to make enough food for Pali to join them. The less time he spent alone with Alex, the better for his peace of mind.

“Mmm. Something smells good.” She’d come back inside.

“Do me a favor and warm this bacon. It’s fully cooked already. I’m going to find Pali and ask him to eat with us.”

She squinted at him. “You trust me?”

“I don’t know. You don’t cook?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“No matter. Would you rather go get him?”

“Not if you don’t want to perform an emergency rescue.”

“The trailer is only a few hundred feet away.”

“In this snow, it looks a mile. Don’t worry. I’ll try not to burn it. I did do a little cooking when our family roughed it at the beach.”

“What beach was that?”

“The Jersey Shore.”

“I’ll be right back.”

He went outside and started trudging through the snow. As he got halfway there, Pali appeared outside the camper. “Hey, Pali! Come on over to the tent for breakfast.”

“Yeah?” A smile broke out on his weatherworn face.

“Yeah. Bring Gip.”

“So you got yourself a cook.”

He knew where this conversation was headed and cut it off right there. “She’s a food magazine writer from New York who wants to know why there’s a demand for lamb and where it’s headed. My grandfather sent her up here, no doubt thinking it would be a good experience for her to see the sheep in their natural habitat.”

Pali shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense when he had to know this storm was coming.”

Wyatt couldn’t have agreed more, but had considered keeping his thoughts to himself. He should’ve known Pali would pick up on the strangeness of their situation. His grandfather had been up to something to send her up here. “I’ll see you in a minute,” he called, then trudged through the snow to the tent, stepping in the tracks he’d already made.

Alex looked around when he entered. “Isn’t he coming?”

“He’ll be here soon.” Wyatt walked over to her. “I don’t smell smoke.”

“Being a firefighter, too, I guess you’d know if there’d been a fire in here.”

Yup. But he had news for her. There’d been one set already. It had started last evening when she’d arrived. He’d felt an instant attraction and it had brought a wave of heat more intense than any fire he’d fought with his buddies.

They heard barking. Wyatt undid the zipper and Pali came in, shedding his parka. The dog padded over to Alex who leaned down to pet him. Then she smiled at Pali. “Why don’t you sit on the stool to eat?”

“Thank you.”

She poured him a mug of coffee and handed it to him. “I was just telling Wyatt how much I love this coffee. He told me you get it from a relative in Montana. Do you think I could order some when I go back to New York?”

That was the second time she’d talked about going home. Why that bothered Wyatt, he didn’t want to venture a guess.

“I will make sure of it.”

“That’s wonderful.”

She made plates for Wyatt and Pali, and one for herself. Then she sank down on her sleeping bag and fed a piece of bacon to Gip who looked like he was in heaven as he gobbled it.

“How did you happen to come to the US, Pali?” The writer was at it again.

“I was born on a little farm in Orbaizeta, known for its cheese made from the milk of the Latxa sheep. But there’s little money to be made at home, so I left and went to Nevada where I had friends. It was there I discovered there was an opening in Whitebark for a shepherd, so here I am, and I stayed.”

“That was my grandfather’s lucky day,” Wyatt interjected.

“I bet you miss your family.”

“Yes. I go back four times a year to visit, but I’m very happy here. You’re a good cook.”

“Thank you, but all I did was warm the bacon without burning it. Wyatt’s the one who deserves the honors.”

“I think you do, too, for making the most out of being here in a snowstorm.”

“That’s nice of you to say.”

“I understand you’re a food magazine writer.”

“Yes. I’m writing a story on the mutton and lamb industry and the reason for the costs. Tell me—do you eat a lot of lamb in your native country?”

“Some lamb stew. But mostly we like blood sausage made from the sheep. We fill them with blood and dry them before adding the rest of the sausage filler.”

She made such a funny sound. “For me that would be an acquired taste, I think.”

Wyatt chuckled.

“Some things worth relishing start out that way.” Pali shot Wyatt a glance with a knowing grin. He’d just sent a message that penetrated the skin and went deep. Wyatt’s grandfather had made a big mistake, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it right now.

The hell of it was, a part of him didn’t want to change a thing.

* * *

ALEX SIPPED THE last of her coffee as Pali got up and put his plate and mug on the camp table. “Thank you for the meal. Gip and I are going to take a look around and see if any of the sheep are in trouble.”

“I’ll go with you.” Wyatt followed suit, then the two men put on their parkas and gloves.

“I’ll clean up,” Alex offered, needing to be practical, considering the situation. Wyatt flashed her a glance from under sooty black lashes. She smiled. “I do know how to do that.”

“Terrific. I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone, but you have everything here you need.”

He was right. Everything and everyone she could ever want or need was right here. Who would have thought she would have to fly thousands of miles and end up on a mountain in a blizzard for the ice around her heart to melt? “I’ll be fine.”

His blue gaze swept over her. “When I get back you can interview me.” The men stepped outside, but the dog whined and wouldn’t leave.

“Gip!” Pali called to him. “My dog knows a good thing when he sees it. He’ll be begging for food from now on.”

Alex laughed. “See you later, Gip.” The intelligent dog answered with a bark and left the tent.

She stood outside on the path Wyatt had made and watched until they were out of sight. There was still cloud cover, but the snow was slowing down. One look at Wyatt’s barely visible truck and she wondered how they would ever leave. Jose had said he’d be up to get her later today, but that wouldn’t be possible.

Alex went back inside to do the dishes and straighten the tent. How strange to be doing domestic work like this. Not her normal regimen.

Since the whole area must have awakened to the results of this storm, Wyatt’s grandfather would be fully aware of their situation. Being the ultra sheepman, he would know everything had come to a standstill. But probably no one knew how long they would be stranded.

That realization filled her with an excitement she hadn’t known in years. Alex would welcome all the extra time given her to get to know Wyatt Fielding better.

Taking advantage of her privacy, she warmed some water. After a quick sponge bath, she brushed her teeth and also gave her hair a good brushing. Then she put on a pair of her designer jeans and a clean blouse. For want of an extra sweater, she wore the same yellow crewneck with it.

Once she found the recorder in her suitcase, she sat down on the stool and talked into it about what she’d learned from Wyatt so far. When he returned, she’d get his voice recording.

While she waited for him, she prepared a list of questions on her laptop. In Casper, she’d made several recordings with experts. Alex listened to them now and planned to discuss what she’d already learned to see if Wyatt was in agreement or not.

When three hours had passed, she put her things aside and went out to the privy. After coming back, she washed her hands, then took stock of the food supplies. Wyatt had stacked canned goods against the rear wall of the tent. The tortillas and ground beef stood out and she decided to make tacos for lunch.

After putting the cleaned skillet back on the little stove, she popped open a can and poured in the beef to heat it. She would use the smaller pan to warm the tortillas. Then she made a fresh pot of coffee.

Before long she heard voices outside the tent and looked toward the opening. She was thrilled to see Wyatt walk inside.

“Sorry you were left so long.”

“No problem. I have lunch ready.”

“Give me five minutes to set up one of my pup tents outside—we have an injured ewe. Then I’ll be back.”

Wyatt grabbed the shovel and went back out. A minute later he returned and walked over to a corner where he kept a lot of gear. He carried a tent bag on his shoulder with careless male grace.

She stepped outside to watch him set it up. Then he walked over to the camper. In a minute, he and Pali came from that direction carrying the injured sheep and put it inside. Next, Wyatt returned to the larger tent with the shovel before he reached for a small satchel and went back out. Before long he came in and took off his parka.

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