Free Trusting the Cowboy by Carolyne Aarsen Page B

good job for now until you are able to work on the ranch again,” his mother said with a smile for her youngest son.
    “What do you do now, Dean?” Lauren asked, trying to draw the taciturn young man into the conversation. She remembered Dean well from the summers she’d spent here. He’d been a wild young man who lived a rough life. He’d also had a huge crush on Erin. But both Jodie and Lauren had warned her away from him. Thankfully she’d listened. Dean had hung out with David Fortier and Mitch Albon, both young men of questionable reputation. Now David was dead and Mitch was in prison. Dean, it seemed, had escaped that. Probably thanks to his stable family life.
    “I work part-time as a finishing carpenter for Jan Peter. He’s a big time contractor out here. But I guess I’ll need to talk to him about full-time work.”
    Lauren shot Vic a puzzled look. “I thought you ranched with Vic.” Hadn’t Vic told her that he had figured on buying the Circle M for his brother?
    “If you want to call what I do ranching.” He released a bitter laugh. “And thanks to you, my life is going in a different direction.”
    “Dean. That’s enough,” Vic said. “Lauren is our guest.”
    Lauren’s heart shifted as Dean’s anger washed over her. Ranching wasn’t in his future because she was selling the Circle M ranch.
    She shouldn’t have come.
    Dean sighed, then turned to Lauren. “I’m sorry. I’m just in a lot of pain right now. That was out of line.” Dean pushed his chair away from the table and grabbed a crutch. “I gotta go lie down.”
    He limped off, the thump of his crutch echoing in the silence.
    Mrs. Moore watched him go, and Lauren saw the sorrow on her face. Poor woman, dealing with so many losses in one year.
    “I’m so sorry,” Mrs. Moore said. “But please, don’t take it personally. He’s been bitter since the accident and then his father’s death.” Her voice wobbled and Lauren felt a rush of sympathy for her.
    “I understand,” she said, reaching across the table to cover her hand in sympathy. “I have no doubt this has been a difficult time. For you, too.”
    Mrs. Moore gave her a grateful smile. “You’re a sweetheart. It has been hard, but God has given us the strength to deal with it all. I don’t know what I would do without knowing that He’s watching over us.” Mrs. Moore squeezed Lauren’s hand. “I’m sure you feel the same way. What with your father’s death and all. You girls had your own struggles, I know.”
    Lauren held her gaze, feeling a fraud by taking her concern, yet surprised at the affection she felt for this caring woman. Her own mother had been distant, dealing with her own sorrows. Yet here was this woman, a stranger to Lauren, feeling sorry for her.
    “My faith has helped me through many of life’s trials” was all she could say, unwilling to let go of Mrs. Moore’s hand. It had been so long since someone other than her sisters, whom she seldom saw, had shown her affection. Had touched her like this. It warmed her soul.
    Mrs. Moore gave her hands another squeeze, then sat back. “So tell me more about your work. You must be smart as all get-out if you work as an accountant.”
    Not smart enough to stay employed , Lauren thought with a too-familiar twinge of anger at her previous boss.
    “I know how to work with numbers” was all Lauren could say.
    “Will you be doing that here? In Saddlebank?” Mrs. Moore asked.
    “No. I won’t.” Lauren couldn’t help a quick glance Vic’s way. She guessed from his mother’s surprise at Dean’s comment that Mrs. Moore didn’t know of her plans.
    “So you’ll be supervising Vic’s leasing the ranch?” Mrs. Moore asked.
    “I can’t make any decisions until I’ve stayed at the ranch for two months,” she said, keeping things vague. No reason to bring up the topic of her selling the ranch.
    “Saddlebank is a good place to raise a family,” Mrs. Moore said with a melancholy smile. “Benny, my