Coming Home To The Cattleman. Judy Christenberry

inside him was going to need some cooling down.

      “Actually, a shower sounds good,” Jason answered, and it was going to be nice and cold!

      Jennifer changed into slacks and a blouse and drew her hair back in a ponytail. Then she headed downstairs to help Rachel prepare dinner.

      Without asking, she set the table and then asked Rachel what else needed taking care of. “Put the rolls in the oven if you don’t mind, honey. That should make them ready when the meal is.”

      “Shall I start pouring tea for everyone?”

      “Yes, please. Goodness, you don’t even have to ask what I need you to do, do you?” Rachel asked with a smile.

      “I hope not! I can figure out setting the table and fixing drinks. I’ll get used to fixing the bread, too. I guess the guys need those carbohydrates, with all the work they do.”

      “Yes, they do. They put in a long day. How did you manage today, by the way? Was it too hard for you?”

      Jennifer looked up in surprise. “No, I had a lovely afternoon. It was so relaxing being out in the fresh air and feeling useful. And Buster is still working here! I was quite surprised.”

      “Yes, Buster stuck through the bad times,” Rachel said.

      “I’m glad.”

      “You’re glad about what?” Sam asked as he came in the kitchen.

      “I was saying I was glad to see Buster today.”

      “You recognized him?”

      “Yes, of course. He used to help take care of me sometimes when I was little. Don’t you remember?”

      She knew she’d said the wrong thing, though she didn’t know what exactly.

      “I remember,” Sam said sharply, a sudden frown on his face.

      Jason walked into the kitchen at that moment and, looking at Sam, saw the dark look on his face. Immediately, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

      “Nothing’s wrong,” Sam told him and pulled out a chair to sit down.

      Jason studied first Sam and then Jennifer. She, too, had a strange, nervous look on her face, but since neither said anything, he joined Sam at the table. He’d find out what was going on later.

      “We’re having T-bones tonight,” Rachel announced, with a smile, trying to dispel the dark mood that had suddenly fallen across the group.

      Jennifer opened the oven and took out the bread. The rolls were a golden brown. She put them in the napkin-lined basket and covered them up.

      When she put the basket on the table, Rachel brought the steaks to the table, followed by a dish of broccoli covered in cheese and another salad.

      “We’re ready,” Rachel announced.

      Jennifer sat down across from Jason and her father, but remained silent. She didn’t know why Sam had been upset over the mention of Buster, but something had certainly unsettled him. The last thing she wanted was to cause problems with the other cowboys on the ranch, especially when they hadn’t even sorted out their own relationship yet. Jennifer decided that she would try to talk to Rachel about it later.

      Sam said the prayer and began passing the dishes around.

      “How did the work go today?” Rachel asked Sam.

      “Fine. We divided that herd and moved the second group to a fresh pasture.”

      “Jennifer rode well,” Jason added.

      Jennifer didn’t look up. She was cutting her steak and eating. Somehow, she had to find out what had upset her father earlier, and make sure she didn’t do it again. Maybe Jason would know.

      “She said she’d been taking lessons for years,” Rachel added.

      “It showed,” Jason said, which surprised Jennifer, but still she kept her head down. She liked hearing his compliments, but she knew that there was still a lot of ground to make up between them. Jason had made it clear he didn’t trust her, and a day riding with him wasn’t going to change that.

      “Are you riding out with us in the morning?” Sam asked.

      Jennifer hesitated before she said, “No, I’d like to spend some time with Rachel in the morning, if you don’t mind.”

      “No.”

      No elaboration, no coaxing her to come out with them. Nothing. Just no.

      No one said anything else. Once the meal was finished, Sam got up and left the kitchen without a word. Jason looked at Rachel.

      “What upset Sam, Rachel?”

      “I don’t know. Do you, Jenny?”

      “No. I just mentioned to him that I had seen Buster earlier today, and he got upset, but I didn’t understand why.”

      “Buster? Why were you talking about him?” Rachel asked.

      “He worked here when I was little. He used to babysit me when I’d ride with Sam. I was surprised to find he still worked here and just mentioned to Sam if he remembered how he used to look after me.”

      “Why would that upset him?” Jason asked, frowning.

      “I don’t know,” Jennifer said, “but I wish I did.”

      “Okay, I’ll go talk to him, it’s probably nothing.” Jason stood up to go.

      “Wait! If…if I did say something that upset him, I didn’t intend to. Please apologize to him for me.”

      “I think if you have upset him, you should make your own apologies,” Jason said, glaring at her.

      “Fine, if you figure out what went wrong, come tell me and I will apologize. I’d rather do it myself, anyway.”

      “Fine!” he ground out and stalked out of the kitchen.

      Rachel and Jennifer began clearing the table. Jennifer sniffed a time or two, and Rachel asked, “Are you all right, Jenny?”

      Jennifer took a tissue and wiped her eyes. “I’m fine.”

      Rachel went to the young girl and placed her hands around her shoulders. “I know it must be hard for you, honey, but you just need to give your daddy some time.”

      Jennifer smiled at the older woman and nodded her head. “I know that, Rachel, but we’ve lost so much time. Everything I say or do seems to upset somebody…I feel like I’m walking on eggshells!”