It wasnt every day a girl got to round up runaway horses with a handsomeand kindcowboy.
Hes cheeky. You taught him that, didnt you? Lauren asked.
Sure did. I suppose there werent horses where you grew up, Caleb said.
The merry-go-round kind. As a little girl, I always wanted a horse. It was just a phase, I guess.
Its a phase I never grew out of.
It must be nice. In the mellow evening sunshine, he looked like everything good in the world. Her heart ached a little, and she couldnt say why.
Well, she said as she took a step back. Id best get going.
She kept backing away, because it was safer. Maybe it was better to escape while she could. Even a man as decent as Caleb had shortcomings, as everyone did. And that was the exact reason why she couldnt let herself start to think that he was as great as he seemed, as she seemed to want him to be.
JILLIAN HART
makes her home in Washington State, where she has lived most of her life. When Jillian is not hard at work on her next story, she loves to read, go to lunch with her friends and spend quiet evenings with her family.
A McKaslin Homecoming
Jillian Hart
Perfect love drives out fear.
1 John 4:18
To Patience Smith, with my deepest thanks
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Letter to Reader
Questions for Discussion
Chapter One
Lauren McKaslin climbed out of her little compact sedan and into the heat of the central Montana afternoon. She looked around at the sprawling two-story house on the rise above herher grandmothers house.
Nothing about it seemed familiar. Shed hoped to remember some part of her early childhood, jog some memory of visiting her grandmother here, but she had no memory at all. As always, the past remained as void as a black hole hovering in space, its gravity so powerful that no light or substance could escape.
She studied the surrounding countryside and tried to breathe in some of the peaceful calm, but it was impossible. Shed come to meet the grandmother she couldnt remember. The one her mother had told her had passed away.
Well, wasnt this the ultimate moment of truth? Shed driven a long way and shed worried every mile of her trip from Southern California. Her heart beat a panicky staccato against her ribs and her hands were cold despite the ninety-six-degree shade. Since shed started college, shed been alone. Her mother didnt approve.
Please, Lord, let this turn out like I hope. I really want a family. It wasnt only her grandmother shed come to meet. That was a scary thought, too.
The gravel crunched beneath the soles of her worn-out rubber flip-flops. Her throat was dry as she closed her car door. It sounded like a slam in the far-reaching stillness. The only other sound was the whisper of the hot breeze in the maples overhead.
Its going to be okay, Lauren. Remember how nice Gran was on the phone? But that didnt stop the anxiety washing through her. Shyness rolled over her in a wave. But something worse, something as heavy as lead, was sitting in the middle of her stomach. Fear. Maybe it was because of her mothers response when, as a teenager, shed wanted to contact her long-lost family. She wont want you any more than she wanted me. Go ahead. Youll see. As for the rest of em, they didnt want you then, they wont want you now.
Her life had been so bleak at the time, those words had seemed reasonable. And for the last few years shed been afraid to find out. What if she learned her mother was right?
Dont think about that, Lauren. Her mom had rarely been right about anything. She was probably wrong about this, too. Still, the doubt had taken hold and, like a vicious dog, had sunk in its teeth and would not let go. She felt very small standing in the shade of the enormous, upscale house. Even while she smoothed at the wrinkles in her walking shorts, she imagined she was very rumpled.
Hello there.
She startled at the rumble of a mans voicevibrant and resonant and deep. Then she saw him. He was nothing more than a part of the shadows in the shade of the porch. The shadow became a tall, wide-shouldered man. As he ambled toward her with an easygoing stride, he came into the touch of the dappled sunlight and she could see him clearly. He had a rugged, granite look to him. Dark brown hair tumbled over a high forehead. A confident sloping nose, a hard line of mouth, dark eyes and a chiseled jaw all complemented his square, handsome face. His big hands gripped the polished porch rail as he focused on her.
Shyness rolled over her in a bigger wave. Who was he? Before she could get up the courage to ask, he walked down the steps in her direction.
Are you looking for Mary?
She nodded, realizing that with every step he took, he became bigger. Not that he was scary looking, it was just that she didnt trust men that much. Also, as far as she could tell, they were absolutely alone, aside from the half-dozen horses in the field beyond the impressive house and the acres of grass and white rail fencing and fruit trees. She liked to keep her distance from strange men.
But then he smiled and that simple change softened his strong features. He was near enough that she could see the warmth of his eyes, which had initially seemed so dark. There was friendliness in those depths.
Nothing to be worried about. Shed grown up in the inner city and old habits die hard. Y-yes, Im looking for Mary. Shes expecting me.
All I know is that she gave me a call about thirty minutes back, said she was running late and asked me to be here to meet her houseguest. I suppose that would be you? He arched one brow and this, along with his grin, made him look like a stalwart, salt-of-the-earth kind of guy.
Not that she was one to believe in that kind of thing, but he was clearly a trusted neighbor of her grandmothers. Her uncertainty ebbed a bit. Shes running late? I can just sit here and wait for her.
In this heat? Come in and Ill get you settled. She said she wouldnt be long. He kept comingall six-plus feet of himmoving like a muscled tiger, sleek and confident and powerful. Im Caleb Stone. I live next door.
Next door? I only see horses next door.
His grin widened, revealing a double set of dimples. That means down the road. Youre a long way from home. I noticed your California license plate.
Uh, Im just here for a quick visit. This part of the country is beautiful. Secluded, but beautiful.
And so was she, Caleb Stone thought. When Mary had called him up, interrupting him in the middle of fixing his after-work supper, hed wanted to know the who and what of her request. Shed been tight-lipped about it. Hed been curious about her keeping quiet, but now he understood. The family resemblance was pretty strong and that meant that this woman could only be the lost granddaughter come home.
Youre Lauren, arent you? He said it in a friendly way because she seemed like a worrier. She glanced uncertainly around her with wide eyes; her hands, holding on to her keys and backpack strap, were white-knuckled. She stood perfectly still next to her decades-old sedan, looking wholesome in a simple summer shirt and modest shorts.
How do you know who I am?
Theres a strong family resemblance. I didnt know that Mary had kept in touch with you.
She hadnt. This was all sort of a last-minute thing.
Interesting. Its a long way to come at the drop of a hat.
Yes. Do you know how long Mary plans to be?
He came closer until he could see the light scatter of freckles across the bridge of her nose and the uncertainty on her heart-shaped face. She said I ought to get you settled.
I dont feel right going into her house without her. If you dont mind, Ill just wait in the shade for her. And you can go home. Its dinnertime. You must have plans.
Ive got lots of time. He wondered about her, this granddaughter and sister no one had talked about in, what, twenty years? It was as if shed died, right along with the mother whod taken her and fled all those years ago, destroying the family. Yep, call him curious. Ive got no place else to be, so Id be happy to get your things. Want to unlock your trunk for me? Ill get your bags.
Oh, I dont mind doing it. Really. She whirled around and with a snap of her flip-flops was heading toward the back of her little old sedan.
Hed been reading people for a lot of yearsit came with being a copand there was something about her, something essentially lonely about her. He couldnt pinpoint it. Maybe it was the hesitant way shed greeted him or her reserved manner. As he followed her to the back of her car, where she was unlocking the trunk with the twist of a key, he kept back his questions. He had a lot of them. Mary had buried her husband more than two years ago and shed never come back from the blow of his sudden loss. He wondered why Lauren hadnt stayed in contact with the family. What had she been doing all this time? And, the toughest question of allwas she anything like that mother of hers? He didnt think so, but sometimes people hid the most crucial information.
There were two medium-sized duffel bags in the tidy trunk and hed beat her to them. Dont worry, Ive got them.
But
Youre in Montana now. Youll have to get used to men being men. He flashed her his most disarming grin and shut the trunk. Hey, dont worry. Most of the time Im perfectly harmless.
And what about the rest of the time?
Ill let you figure that out.
Thats when it happened. Her reserve melted away and she smiled. Just a little, but the effect was dazzling. She sure looked like goodness. That was one image he wanted to believe.
Then he saw something else beyond Laurens shouldera streak of white against the amber-tipped grasses of the horse pasture. The swinging gate was wide open. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, Malia was up to her old tricks. That troublesome mare!
He set the bags on the walkways top stone step. How good are you at herding horses?
Lauren missed a step. Had she heard him right? Had he saidherding horses?
We have an escapee.
What? Then she turned to follow his gaze and saw the open gate and the horses racing away down the gravel driveway, tails flying.
Cmon. He flashed her that dimpled grin in a way that made him seem like the perfect Western man. He gestured toward the detached garage set so far back she could only see the front doors.
I dont know how much help Ill be.
Youll do fine, city girl. He said those words warmly, but there was a hint of something else underneath.
Lauren wasnt sure she ought to step into a vehicle with a stranger, but he was already running. She watched as he disappeared around the side of the houses raised flower beds. Should she accept his request? How could she help? He might be a stranger to her, but it was clear her grandmother relied on him. Okay, so she had trust issues. It was simply an old habitand a hard-learned lesson in her lifethat you were better off keeping to yourself. Strangers were people who hadnt taken advantage of you yet. Or, in most cases when she was growing up, people who hadnt taken advantage of her mother yet.
The best defense was a solid independent streak and a look that sent people scurrying. This time she was having difficulty summoning up that look or the belief that Caleb Stone wasnt just how he seemedan all right guy. He drove into sight in a blue medium-sized pickup with the window rolled down. Leaning out, he met her gaze. His truck ground to a halt in the gravel, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Get in. Your grandmothers horses are getting away. His grin broadened and the big rugged man became someone else with that smile. His dark eyes crinkled pleasantly in the corners. The hard angles of his face softened. Everything about him screamed capable. Trustworthy. Honest.
I should help with my grandmothers horses.
His eyes twinkled. Exactly. Its the least you could do.
Maybe part of it was that she really wanted to see those horses. Her grandmother hadnt mentioned owning horses! She reached for the door but it was already swinging open. There Caleb was, straightening back to the wheel.
Okay, so he was a gentleman, too. She hopped onto the seat and the truck was already in motion as she reached for the seat belt. The air conditioner was blowing against the sun-warmed passenger compartment and the windows were down, the fresh dust-scented air blowing against her face.
Glad you came along. I could use the company. He reached around to grab his Stetson from above the back window. Besides, its always less exasperating when you share the load with someone.
Exasperating? Thats making me regret that I came along.
Then forget that I said exasperating. Pretend I said interesting instead.
Thats not giving me a lot of confidence.
Dont you worry. Theres no reason you shouldnt trust me. I know what Im doing. Ive been doing this since I was a little guy.
It was hard to imagine this big man as a little guy. But before she could think about it too much, his rugged baritone stopped the direction of her thoughts.
There they are. Look at em go.
As the truck curved around the bend in the road, the escaped horses came into sight. Four horses, their rich velvet colors glistening in the sunshine, their manes and tails flying in the wind, their dainty legs reaching out powerfully and their hooves churning up the ground.
Thrills shivered through her, and she leaned forward. Shed never been this close to horses before.
Malias the lead mare, the white Arabian, Caleb explained. She must be real proud of herself, figuring out that new lock I installed. Took her long enough, the rascal.
Theyre beautiful, all color and grace and motion. She itched for her sketch pad so she could put the image of them on the page. She tried to memorize the way the sunlight glossed their flanks of black, brown and white.
They know theyre in trouble. Look at em.
Lauren watched in amazement as the horses fell into a single line at the shoulder of the road, as if to make room for the truck to catch up with them. A warm breeze skittered over her face, tangling her hair, as they raced closer and closer to the horses.