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He moved toward her smoothly on his crutches. “It’s healing. You needn’t worry.”
“I always worry about you.” She hugged him, then stepped back to give Libby an appraising look. “Another beauty. Welcome. I’m Anita Lujan. Please all me Anita.”
Before Libby could brace herself, Mrs. Lujan swept her into her arms. Surprised, she stood stiff in her warm embrace and was relieved when the housekeeper stepped back. “Thank you. There’s so much to see here, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.”
“Mrs. Lujan raised me, so I forgive her abunda
nt affection. Libby is one of Magdalena’s sisters.”
Mrs. Lujan’s eyes widened. “You’re so fair, but you aren’t one of Miguel’s daughters, are you? Are you hungry? Refugio will make whatever you’d like.”
“Refugio is as excellent a chef as Tomas, but on a cattle ranch, his masterpieces are usually roast beef. Would you like a sandwich?”
“Whatever you’re having.” She’d worn her lime-green outfit to the hospital and felt overdressed. “I’d like to change my clothes first.”
“Let me show you to your room,” Mrs. Lujan exclaimed. “We love having guests.” Libby followed her up the stairs and Manuel came along with her luggage. They walked down the long hallway. “Santos has the last room, and you’ll be next door.”
“Does Santos bring his girlfriends here often?” Libby regretted the question as soon as it left her mouth.
“Only the very special ones,” the housekeeper replied. “Come downstairs when you’re ready.” Manuel laid Libby’s carry-on bag on the bed and left to bring Santos’s luggage upstairs.
The room opened onto the balcony and faced west as her room had at the beach. The furnishings were delightfully old-fashioned with a fancifully coiled brass bedstead and a thick mattress covered with a cream colored quilt. The sturdy wooden dresser, matching desk and chair looked as though they might have been made right there on the ranch. There was a glass vase filled with wildflowers set on a doily on the dresser. It was like stepping into a western movie, and she loved it.
She walked through the equally Spartan bathroom into Santos’s room and found similar furnishings complete with a flower-filled vase. There were no paintings or photographs on the walls, nothing to make the room look like one he’d grown up in. She wondered where all his boyhood treasurers were.
She changed into her jeans and a fresh top. Santos waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. “What do you think of the house?”
“I love it. It has a unique charm.”
“It does.” He led her into the dining room, where two enormous roast beef sandwiches waited for them. “Refugio is used to cooking for the ranch hands, but I’ll eat whatever you can’t finish.”
The long table had the same rustic nature as the pieces in her room and she slipped into a sturdy chair by his side. She hummed through the first bite. “This is so good.” They had glasses of water, and she took a quick sip. “This ought to help you keep strong.”
“How strong do you want me?”
His teasing glance made it plain where his thoughts lay. It was part of his abundant charm. “I was referring to your knee, not the rest of your anatomy.” She couldn’t even finish half of her sandwich and watched in wonder as he ate both his and the remainder of hers. “I don’t think Tomas has been feeding you enough.”
“It’s the fresh air. I’m always hungrier here. Let’s go outside, and I’ll show you more of the ranch.” The path leading to the stable was well worn in the dirt, and he made it with his crutches while she nearly skipped along. They passed through the stable to reach the corral, where half a dozen horses stood. A big bay came up to the rail and nuzzled his shirt pocket.
“Each man has a couple of favorites, and a few mounts they work into the rotation. If I spent more time here, I’d have my own horse. I should have brought some sugar cubes or apples for them.”
“I’ll go get them,” she offered and sprinted back toward the house. She returned with a handful of sugar cubes and a paper bag with apples. “I saw some chickens!”
“You’ve never been on a ranch before, have you?”
“No. Should I have known you’d have chickens?”
He kissed her worried frown. “I’ve never lived where it snows, so I’m sure I’d be surprised by something in Minnesota. I love watching you run. You barely touch the ground, but you didn’t have to hurry. The horses aren’t going anywhere.”
She looked around but didn’t see anyone nearby. “Have I embarrassed you?”
His gentle smile reassured her. “This is my ranch, and you can race around all you like. Hold a sugar cube on your palm. That’s right, keep your hand flat, and he’ll take the cube without biting you.”
“Oh, that tickles!”
Another horse came over to them, and the other four followed, nudging each other out of the way. She climbed up on the rail. “Could I ride one if I stayed here in the corral? We rode bareback at camp, and I never fell off.”
Santos shouted to a man strolling toward the stable and asked for the bay’s bridle. “If you rode ponies, you may find the ground is a long way down.”
