The Family Plan

“Did you see the show, Aunt Hannah?” she asked, executing an awkward but charming pirouette.

“No, sweetie, I didn’t.” Hannah applauded when Mandy was done, then scooped her up for a hug. “I just got home from school. But your Aunt Susan videotaped it. We’re all going to watch it after supper.”

“You have to go to school?”

“’Fraid so.”

“But it’s summer.”

“College is different. I’m trying to graduate early so I have to go during the summer. Nights and weekends, too.”

Mandy made a face. “That sucks.”

“Watch your language,” Chase warned.

His cousin gave him a bemused glance as she released a squirming Mandy. “She’s right, it does.”

“Been there, done that. It’s hard, but you’ll get through it.”

Chase had pushed himself to finish veterinary school in record time. In his case, because he had a wife and baby daughter at home. A wife he barely talked to in those days.

Eventually, he and SherryAnne managed to tolerate each other. Even to get along at times. When SherryAnne announced she was divorcing him and leaving Blue Ridge to pursue a career as a professional barrel racer, Chase was disappointed, but not surprised. They’d agreed when Mandy was born to stick it out so that their daughter would have the benefit of being raised by two parents. That commitment had lasted seven years.

They’d never fought for custody. SherryAnne wanted her freedom and Chase wanted his daughter. His daughter. No one else’s.

Chase had learned about SherryAnne’s infidelity by accident early in her pregnancy. He’d stayed with her until Mandy was born, planning to have DNA testing done soon after. It proved unnecessary. Chase didn’t need a test to tell him what he knew in his heart to be true.

“Hey there, you two.” Chase’s Aunt Susan came into the kitchen and ooh’d and aah’d appropriately when Mandy spontaneously performed part of her dance routine. “Aubrey just got off work,” she said after Mandy curtsied. “She and Gage are picking up pizza from Sage’s Bar and Grill on their way back from town.”

“Pizza, pizza,” Mandy singsonged and went in search of Chase’s Uncle Joseph to give yet another miniperformance to an admiring fan.

“She’s so cute.” Susan smiled dotingly. She and Joseph had become like substitute grandparents to Mandy after Chase’s parents had moved to Mesa. They still visited but only occasionally, usually around the holidays. Chase rarely had time off to visit them, something he hoped to change. As a result, Mandy spent a lot of time at the ranch. Chase, too, when he could get away. “You probably aren’t crazy about me saying this,” Susan went on, “but she’s the spitting image of SherryAnne.”

“She is.” Chase couldn’t deny the obvious. Mandy, with her red hair and freckles, had always favored her mother, for which he was glad.

His greatest concern was that Mandy might hear disturbing gossip about her mother or become the object of taunts and teasing. Protecting her 24/7 was beyond his abilities. Neither could he bring himself to tell her about her mother’s affair before someone else did. She was too young and too vulnerable.

A year between visits from SherryAnne had been hard on Mandy. Seeing her dancing around the kitchen in her recital costume, grinning from ear to ear, gave Chase hope that she would eventually rebound from her mother’s abandonment.

He hated to admit it, but he was thankful to Dottie Sutherland. She and her dance classes had restored some of the missing light in his daughter’s eyes. Dottie had also, as promised, not said one word to Mandy about her mother’s affair with Steven.

“I saw Jolyn at the dance recital.” Aunt Susan removed a stack of paper plates from the cupboard. “She looks good.”

Pulling one of the chairs away from the table, Chase dropped down into it. “She does.”

“Except for the limp, you’d never know what she’s been through the last year. I heard she had to learn to walk all over again.”

“I heard she almost lost her leg,” Hannah said.

“Imagine taking up a profession where you spend half your time outdoors and on your feet after something like that.” Susan shook her head in amazement. “She’s one strong gal.”

Chase thought of Jolyn while his aunt and cousin set the table. He’d forgotten about her limp. He’d been too busy noticing other things about her, like the long, smooth line of her legs and the hands that looked too soft and delicate to bang a hammer or saw wood.

Never one to hem and haw, Hannah asked, “Did she give you the bid for your clinic?”

“Yeah. We went over it after the recital.”

“And…”

Both his cousin and aunt stopped what they were doing to stare at him expectantly.

“And her price is almost fifteen percent under the next lowest bid.”

Hannah whistled. “That’s a lot of money.”

“It’s not just the money. She included several items in her bid the other two contractors missed.”

Jolyn had impressed Chase with her attention to detail. Unlike the other two contractors he’d dealt with, she’d patiently explained all the components of the bid in everyday terms he could understand.

“Money’s not everything,” Aunt Susan cautioned. “There’s experience and reputation to consider. She doesn’t have much of either, I’m guessing.”

“You’re right. She did provide me with several references, though, including the Wild and Wooly West manager and her former boss at the commercial contractor in Dallas. I called both of them earlier. They gave her glowing recommendations.”

“That’s to be expected.” Aunt Susan removed a pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. “A person doesn’t give out names of people who won’t talk them up.”

“True. But I did ask a lot of questions, described exactly what I’m building. Both men expressed their confidence in her abilities.”

Aunt Susan sat in the chair across from Chase. “I have no right interfering in your life, so feel free to tell me to butt out.” She lowered her voice and directed her gaze to the family room. Mandy continued to entertain her great uncle, who was trying his best to watch her and the six o’clock news at the same time. “I know Jolyn is your friend, but she’s also Dottie’s daughter. Working closely with her could lead to trouble. Big trouble.”

“Believe me, I know.” Chase rubbed the back of his neck, massaging the kinks loose. “But Jolyn supports me where Mandy is concerned. She always has.”

“Are you absolutely sure? Family ties are strong.”

“Pretty sure,” Chase answered honestly.

“Dottie could try and use Jolyn to get to you without Jolyn realizing it.”

“Jolyn’s aware of her mother’s goals and I think she’s savvy enough to not let herself be manipulated.”

“In my opinion,” Hannah said, “you’re safe using Jolyn. She needs this job if she wants her business to succeed, and she won’t do anything to screw it up. Neither will Dottie.”

Hannah looked at her mother as if challenging her to disagree. Susan gave a noncommittal shrug.

“I like that she’s here in town.” Chase leaned back and stretched out his cramped legs. He wasn’t used to sitting as much as he had this afternoon. “The other two contractors admitted that while workers may be on the job every day, they would only make the trip from Pineville two or three times a week. If something were to go wrong, Jolyn would be five minutes away.”

“It’s cool you’re giving a woman a shot at this. And the money you’d save…” Hannah rubbed her thumb and first two fingers together. “You can do a lot with all that extra green stuff.”

Chase quickly added some numbers in his head. “I can pay for the holding kennels, waiting room furniture and a three-year lease on an X-ray machine.”

Susan rose from the table. “Sounds like you’ve decided.” The tiny hint of disapproval in her tone was unmistakable.

“Not yet,” Chase said. “I’m going to sleep on it tonight. See how I feel tomorrow.”

“I’m glad you’re taking your time deciding.”

From outside came the sounds of tires on gravel and the Raintrees’ pet dog, Biscuit, barking. Gage and Aubrey had arrived with the pizza.

Hannah grinned knowingly at Chase and said too softly for her mother to hear, “When are you going to tell Jolyn she has the job?”

“In the morning.” He grinned back at her. “She’s bringing Sinbad by early to have his sutures removed.”

She jumped up to give her mother a hand with dinner and patted Chase’s shoulder as she walked by. “You’ve made the right decision, cuz.”

Chase thought so, too. There were any number of reasons why he shouldn’t award the job to Sutherland Construction Company and an equal number of reasons why he should. Granted, he might be taking a chance, but his gut told him to hire Jolyn.

And besides, he rather liked the idea of working with her. It felt right, and nothing had felt right for Chase in a long, long time.

JOLYN PULLED BACK on Sinbad’s reins, squeezed gently with her legs and commanded him to walk in a firm voice. He obeyed and slowed from a fast trot, but not willingly. She didn’t blame him. Between the trip from Dallas and his latest injury, two weeks had passed since she’d last ridden him.

Sinbad disliked confinement. He was an athletic animal, taking pleasure in racing from one end of the arena to the other or leaping over obstacles most horses would refuse. Advancing age had affected his ability somewhat, but not his desire. If Jolyn were to give him his head, he’d gallop the entire half mile to Chase’s house.

Instead, they walked. Because of her, not him.

Jolyn hadn’t raced or jumped or done anything more demanding than a controlled lope around the bullpen since the accident. She hadn’t ridden Sinbad at all until four months ago and then she’d done it against doctor’s orders. But if she hadn’t climbed onto Sinbad’s back soon, she might never have gotten on a horse again.

Sometimes, Jolyn dreamed about the fall. In her dreams, she and Sinbad were flying over the wagon, just as they’d done in every performance for nine straight years. The crowd held their breath in collective anticipation.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sharp thwack of Sinbad’s hoof hitting the side of the wagon. She felt his broad body shift beneath her as he was thrown off balance, saw the ground rush up to meet her, heard the sickening crunch when she hit and her own low “Oomph.”

Agonizing pain shot up her leg, so fierce it literally blinded her. She had no time to recover before Sinbad toppled like a giant oak tree and rolled on top of her, pinning her beneath a thousand pounds of thrashing, terrified horse.

She was told later that in clawing his way to his feet, Sinbad had injured her further. Broken ribs, a separated shoulder and torn ligaments were only a few of the injuries she’d suffered. Jolyn didn’t remember. She’d lost consciousness well before then.

She’d replayed the accident often enough to know it was just that: an accident. It could have happened to anyone at any time. Unfortunately, it had happened to her and changed the course of her life forever. She was lucky. It could have ended her life.

Jolyn rode bareback today, another reason she held Sinbad to a walk and probably why she was thinking about the accident. She’d decided against putting a saddle on him, afraid the cinch might aggravate his injury.

All at once, Sinbad lifted his head and whinnied shrilly. He recognized their destination, having traveled this same route countless times, and no coaxing on Jolyn’s part could keep him from breaking into a fast trot.

They reached Chase’s barn just as the sun crested the distant mountains. Jolyn loved morning rides and was glad when Chase suggested she come by early to have Sinbad’s wound examined and the sutures removed.

Their meeting the previous afternoon had gone well. At least, she thought so. Chase gave no indication of how her bid stacked up against the other two, telling her he’d let her know his decision in a few days.

The wait would be excruciating. No matter how tempting, she was resolved not to mention the bid or the clinic this morning, even if she had to spend the entire visit biting her tongue.

Chase must have heard Sinbad’s hooves clip-clopping up his driveway, for he came out from around the side of the house at the same moment she was dismounting. Slowly. Jolyn’s feet touched ground, and she cemented her teeth together to avoid crying out. She led Sinbad around in a small circle, as much to settle him as to walk off the pain in her knee.

“There,” she said to Sinbad in a whispery voice, “that wasn’t so bad.”

Chase reached her a few seconds later, a steaming mug of coffee in his outstretched hand. “Morning.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” She took the mug with fingers that were stiff from constantly yanking on Sinbad’s reins.

“Hope you still take it with cream and sugar.”

“I’ve learned to take it any way I can get it, but I still prefer cream and sugar.” She raised the mug to her lips. The coffee was warm but not hot, and she drank several large swallows.

“So, how’s our boy doing?”

“Good, I think.” Jolyn led Sinbad over to the hitching post just inside the barn.

Chase stood beside her, examining Sinbad’s wound. Using his thumb and fingers, he pushed in on the sutures and grunted with satisfaction. “It’s healing nicely. No infection or tearing, and scarring should be minimal. How much of the antibiotics are left?”

“Two days’ worth.”

“Finish them off to be on the safe side.”

He went to his truck, opened one of the compartments and returned with a large wad of cotton, a bottle of some kind of medicine and an odd-looking pair of scissors. After swabbing the injured area, he deftly and quickly removed the stitches. Sinbad’s only reaction was to snake his head around to see what all the fuss was about.

While Chase was bent over swabbing the area a second time, he said, “When could you start construction on my office?”

“What?” Jolyn wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

He straightened, his expression serious except for a barely noticeable crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “When could you start construction?”

Jolyn’s heart kicked into overdrive. “Um…right away. As soon as the permit’s ready.” She cautioned herself not to jump to conclusions. Chase hadn’t awarded her the job. He’d only inquired about a start date.

“The permit can be picked up anytime. I just need to give the county the name of the general contractor.” The smile lighting his eyes spread to his mouth. “Which I guess is going to be Sutherland Construction.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

She started to hug Chase, then caught herself. Contractors didn’t hug their brand-new clients. “Thank you, Chase. You won’t be disappointed, I promise. I’ve already put together a tentative schedule just in case and lined up three workers to handle—” She abruptly stopped, realizing she was rambling. Striving to speak slowly, she asked, “Would you like me to drive into Globe today and pick up the permit?”

“Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” Jolyn had pulled many permits for the contractor in Dallas. None with her own name on them, though. “I’ll leave this morning.” Globe, the county seat, was a good twenty minutes farther away than Pineville and in the opposite direction.

“What’s next?” Chase asked.

Jolyn led Sinbad out of the barn, Chase walking beside her. They stopped beside the fence to continue their conversation. “We should sign a contract. What kind depends on your lender, if you have one, and their requirements.”

“No lender.”

“Then we have a few options. How about I bring the permit and paperwork by this afternoon? In the meantime, I’ll contact the concrete company, see when’s the earliest they can start.”

“Better wait until early evening to come over. I have a full day because of taking yesterday afternoon off. I’ll phone when I’m heading home.”

“Sounds good.” Jolyn began mentally planning her day. “Don’t forget. You’ll need to clear the construction area. I can help tonight.”

“I think I can handle it.” He reached into his back pocket for his wallet and removed a business card. “Here. My cell phone’s on that in case you need to get hold of me for any reason.”

Jolyn took the card and ran her thumb along the crisp edge. The magnitude of the last few minutes sank in, filling her with joy. Thanks to Chase, she had her first big job. Sutherland Construction Company was no longer a dream. She pocketed Chase’s business card, resisting the urge to fling her arms wide and laugh out loud.

Sinbad nudged her elbow with his nose.

“Somebody’s ready to go home,” she said, hoping Chase didn’t notice the giddy tremor in her voice. “Got something around here I can use as a step up?” Without a saddle and stirrups, Jolyn couldn’t climb onto Sinbad unassisted.

“I’ll help you.” He bent and linked his fingers together.

Hesitantly, Jolyn reached out and placed her hand on Chase’s shoulder. It was strong and wider than she remembered, the fabric of his work shirt warm from the morning sun. Lifting her left leg, she placed her booted foot in his cupped hands and prayed her right leg wouldn’t buckle under the strain.

In the next instant, Chase boosted her onto Sinbad’s back, just like he had countless times when they were younger. Only today, his large and very capable hand lingered on the back of her calf.

Sensation flowed up Jolyn’s leg, more electrifying than it should be under the circumstances. Chase was her client, her veterinarian, her old friend. But his hand on her leg evoked a response in her that had little to do with business and friendship.

Sinbad pawed the ground, eager to start home.

“Take it easy with this big boy for another week or two,” Chase said, still holding Jolyn’s leg. “Don’t gallop or jump him if you can avoid it.”

“No problem.” She hadn’t done either of those things since the accident.

“I’ll see you tonight, then.” He squeezed her calf, then stepped back.

Jolyn waved. She didn’t trust herself to speak.

Chapter Four

Jolyn stepped back and out of the way as the last of the wet concrete was poured to create the foundation of Chase’s new clinic.

A moment later, the friendly-faced young driver who’d made the delivery handed Jolyn a receipt attached to a clipboard. “If I could just get your signature, ma’am, I’ll be outta here.”

She inspected the quantity and the total dollar amount before signing off. The delivery charge was twice the normal rate, but expected. Traveling the road from Pineville to Blue Ridge was both hazardous and time-consuming, forcing her to pay a premium.

“Thank you.” She returned the clipboard after removing the customer copy for her records.

“My pleasure.” The young man’s gaze lingered on her a second or two longer than necessary before he turned and left.

He wasn’t the only one to stare at her with undisguised interest. Jolyn had received similar looks from the clerk at the county office when she pulled the permit, two of the framers and the guy who operated the front-end loader when they’d excavated the ground. His daughter had once competed against Jolyn in barrel-racing events.

Evidently, men in these parts weren’t accustomed to dealing with a woman contractor. Their interest ranged from blatantly sexual to mildly curious. And while no one had shown her any disrespect, a few of the men had been borderline condescending. If that was the worst treatment she received, she’d consider herself lucky.

Jolyn walked the perimeter of the foundation and watched the trio of finishers with their long-handled bull floats transform the rough bed of concrete into a smooth, clean expanse. In this heat, the concrete would solidify within a couple of hours. Tomorrow, they would start framing the exterior walls.

Confident everything was going well, she went to her truck. Opening one of the side-mounted toolboxes, she dug around for a tape measure and a level, which, to her annoyance, weren’t in the last place she’d left them.

She heard Mandy’s small voice behind her.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Hey there.” Jolyn extracted the tape measure with a triumphant grin. “I’m looking for this. And a level. What are you doing?”

“Nothing. I’m bored.”

Two dogs sat at Mandy’s heels, purple and pink leashes attached to their collars. One was short, squat and pitifully ugly, the other a shepherd mix with half of one ear missing. As a kid, Chase was forever dragging home stray or injured animals. Jolyn suspected not much had changed in that regard.

“Can I watch you work for a while?”

“If it’s okay with your dad.” She thought Mandy looked more unhappy than bored.

“He’s still inside talking to Mrs. Payne. She’s watching me today,” Mandy said. “After she’s done washing the dishes and folding the laundry, she’s taking me to her house. She doesn’t have satellite TV, you know.”

“Bummer.” Jolyn resumed rummaging in the toolbox for the level.

“Yeah.” Mandy sighed.

“What about games?” Jolyn asked, wondering if the lack of satellite TV was the only reason for Mandy’s dejection.

“Mrs. Payne doesn’t play games. She sews quilts.”

Jolyn finally located the level, which was buried at the very bottom. “Let me guess. You don’t like to sew quilts.”

“I like to dance.”

“I saw you at the recital last week. You were good.” When Jolyn crossed the yard to the concrete pad, Mandy and the dogs followed her.

“Are you a dancer?”

“Me? No.” Jolyn caught the attention of the closest finisher and pointed to a rough patch that needed smoothing. “I took lessons for a while, then quit.” She winked at Mandy. “I didn’t have your talent.”

“Dad says you and him used to show horses together. Mommy, too.”

“That’s right,” Jolyn said distractedly. With some difficulty, she knelt on the ground and lowered her head until it was even with the pad, visually inspecting it. “Your mom and I were best friends.”

“You were!”

Jolyn cranked her head around. “Your dad didn’t tell you?”

“No.” Mandy’s face reflected a mixture of surprise, delight and disappointment. “He said you were friends, but not best friends.”

“Since we were younger than you.” Jolyn tried to stand but her right leg refused to support her weight. Wincing with pain, she braced her hands on her bent left knee and waited a moment to catch her breath before trying to rise again.

“You okay?” Mandy asked.

“My leg’s a little sore today.”

Sore didn’t begin to describe how it felt. Jolyn had been pushing herself hard for weeks now—driving great distances, walking more than usual, tackling the repairs at Cutter’s Market and her new office and riding Sinbad whenever she had a spare hour.

“Need help?” Mandy took Jolyn by the elbow and tugged.

Despite the little girl’s spindly arms, she impressed Jolyn by managing to hoist her to her feet.

“Those dance lessons have obviously paid off.”

“What?” Mandy furrowed her small, freckled brow.

“I was making a joke.” Huffing, Jolyn smoothed the girl’s hair. “Evidently a bad one.”

“Dad says you hurt your leg when you fell from your horse but I’m not supposed to ask you about it because you might be…” She scrunched her mouth to one side. “Sensitive.”

Jolyn laughed. “You can ask me any questions you want. I don’t mind.”

“I’d rather you tell me about my mother.”

She really should get back to work, but the desperation on Mandy’s face tugged at Jolyn’s heart. She didn’t understand how SherryAnne could leave her child behind and visit only once during the last two years. Surely professional rodeo riders got vacations once in a while.

“You look like her.”

“Everybody tells me that.”

“It’s true.” Jolyn’s mother was deluding herself if she thought she saw something of Jolyn in Mandy. “But you act more like your dad.”

“He didn’t eat his vegetables, either?”

“Okay,” Jolyn conceded, “there may be a few differences between you.”