Shane's Burden Read online

Shane held her tight, holding her head against his chest, and running his hand down her hair.

  “It’s all right. Everything’s going to be all right,” he murmured.

  Alley’s body shook as she sobbed in his embrace. Shane simply held her, because that’s what she needed right now.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered into his shirt.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner to help you through this.”

  “Allison Cramer?”

  Alley tensed at the sound of her name. A short man walked toward them, dressed in blue scrubs, with blue covers over his shoes, and a blue surgical cap. He carried himself like a military man, giving him a slight resemblance to Boone Macklin’s brother, Thorn.

  “I’m Doctor Franklin.” He held out his hand to Alley, then to Shane. “Your grandfather made it through the surgery with flying colors.” The doctor’s face turned stern. “He’s one lucky man, and it’s a good thing we got this taken care of. His next heart attack would have been fatal. He’s in recovery in the CICU.”

  “When can I see him?”

  “The nurse will come and get you in about an hour when he’s a bit more awake. He won’t be fully coherent until probably tomorrow.”

  Dr. Franklin excused himself. Alley turned to Shane, swiping at her eyes.

  “He didn’t get the check-ups he was supposed to get because he was worried about money. He knew he needed this surgery years ago, but didn’t think he could afford the medical bills.”

  Shane took her hand and led her to one of the couches in the room. It was a good thing they were alone. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder when she settled next to him.

  “Where’s your mother?”

  “She flew back to New York with her lawyer husband.” Alley’s blood-shot eyes blazed in anger. “She said she’s giving me until Gramps is out of the hospital to decide what I’m going to do.”

  Shane reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I was really hoping to meet her.”

  “You might, if she comes back in a few weeks.” Her eyes filled with tears, but she sat straighter. “I’m not doing what she wants me to do, but I don’t know what’s going to happen now with Gramps and the farm. My mother seems to think she’s got full control of everything.”

  Shane pressed his lips together. “I made a couple of phone calls on my way from the airport, Alley. What your mother said is completely true.”

  “How is that possible? Gramps would never will the farm to her.”

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t. He did something stupid a long time ago, unfortunately, and he never fixed it later.”

  “What did he do?”

  “Your grandpa put your dad’s name on the deed to the farm as joint tenant. That means that, when your dad died, the property went to Henry. However, if Henry should die, the property goes to Henry’s or your dad’s spouse. Since Ariel is the only living spouse, she inherits the farm in the event of your grandpa’s death.”

  Alley shook her head. “I can’t believe this,” she whispered. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

  “Alley, your grandpa wanted you to have the farm. He must have forgotten about the will, or maybe he didn’t realize what would happen if he died. I’m sure your mother somehow talked him into signing that power-of-attorney without him realizing he was giving control to her. If she had a lawyer with her, it’s all legit.”

  Alley stared into his eyes. Shane touched her cheek and pressed a light kiss to her lips.

  “What am I going to do? She’s going to have the farm sold before Gramps even wakes up from his surgery.”

  Shane dropped his gaze to where his hand was intertwined with Alley’s. His heart began to beat faster. He could make all her problems go away right now, if only . . .

  “Allison Cramer? You can come see your grandfather now.”

  Alley sprang to her feet at the sound of the nurse’s voice. Shane stood back. He wasn’t family, so he wouldn’t be allowed in the intensive care unit.

  “I’ll wait right here.” He smiled in encouragement. His hand went to the back pocket of his jeans as Alley followed the nurse through the double-wide automatic doors.

  “Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you can muck stalls or mend fences, Gramps.”

  Alley led her grandfather through the front door of the house, and straight to his bedroom. Shane met the old man’s eyes, which shot him a pleading look. Shane shrugged.

  “Sorry, Henry. I’m gonna have to agree with Alley on this one. Doctor’s orders are for you to take it easy. I think the drive from Missoula to Burnt River was long enough for you. Time for a nap.”

  “If I had known that the two of you would gang up on me, I wouldn’t have approved of you seeing my granddaughter, Taggart.”

  Henry waved a finger at Shane, but there was a slight twinkle in his eyes and a twitch to his lips. The old coot might be grumbling, but he was thoroughly enjoying the attention.

  Alley’s eyes drifted to Shane, and she smiled. He laughed, and headed for the kitchen. Alley could deal with her grandfather, unless she really needed his help to strap the old man to his bed. The heart surgery seemed to have made him ornery. While he’d been in recovery in Missoula for the last couple of weeks, he’d gotten stronger, but also more hard-headed.

  Shane poured himself a glass of water, and gazed out the window at the barn. Alley’s muffled voice came from the back room, arguing with her grandpa. He smiled, even as his heart started beating faster.

  It’s time, Taggart. You’ve waited long enough.

  “I think those doctors gave him a brand new heart, rather than a bypass.” Alley sighed in exasperation and walked into the kitchen. She shook her head. “He’s going to be unstoppable when he’s fully recovered.”

  Shane held out his arm, and Alley stepped into his embrace.

  “I know you can handle him.” He placed a kiss on top of her head.

  Alley glanced up at him. The smile faded from her face. Shane met her stare. There was no doubt what she was thinking about.

  Shane set the water glass on the table. His hand went to the back pocket of his jeans and he paced along the length of the counter. His pulse increased with every step he took.

  “What are you doing? Why are you so nervous? You’re acting like Red when he doesn’t get exercise for a day.” Alley stopped his pacing by moving in front of him.

  Shane reached for her hands.

  “Alley, there’s something that’s been on my mind for a while, and now is the worst time to even bring it up. I wanted to say something after I got home from Kentucky, but then Henry was in the hospital, and . . . well, it just wasn’t the right time.”

  Alley’s forehead scrunched. She tilted her head and stared at him with narrowed eyes.

  “Alley, I love you,” Shane blurted. All of a sudden, his brain shut off and he’d become completely tongue-tied.

  She shook her head and laughed softly. “And I love you. Are you feeling all right?”

  “I’d do anything for you, I hope you know that,” he rasped.

  “Shane –”

  He placed a finger over her mouth. If he didn’t get the words out now, he’d burst.

  “Alley, if there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s not to wait too long when good things happen. When you want something, you have to grab it, or it might slip away forever. You never know what the next day will bring.”

  Her smile faded. “I know. I almost lost Gramps in the blink of an eye.”

  He took her left hand in his, while he reached into his back pocket with the other.

  “Allison Cramer, I didn’t want to ask you because I was afraid of how you’d react, and I just want you to know that I would never hold you back from doing the things you want to do . . . within reason, of course. And I don’t want you to think I’m asking for any ulterior motive other than I am crazy in love with you, and . . .” His voice trailed off, and he shook his head, then raked his fingers through his hair. “This is not how I t
hought I’d ask you this question.”

  “Shane Taggart, what are you rambling on about?”

  With a trembling hand, Shane held up the simple diamond ring he’d carried around wherever he went.

  “What I want to ask is, will you marry me? This thing’s been burning a hole in my pocket for weeks.”

  Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. Shane held his breath. Alley stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. Slowly, she shook her head, then nodded.

  “When did you get this?”

  “Before I went to Kentucky. I couldn’t find the right time, because I didn’t want you to think I wanted to cage you, like your mother does.”

  Alley’s forehead scrunched even more. She leaned forward. “You thought that by asking me to marry you I’d feel confined?”

  Shane smiled hesitantly. “Yeah, I did.”

  Alley let out a soft laugh. “Shane Taggart, I’ll keep saying it. You are crazy.”

  He grinned. “So, will you marry me?”

  Alley nodded slowly. Tears filled her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Shane pulled her into his arms and lifted her off the ground. “Good, because I already have a wedding gift for you,” he whispered against her ear.

  “Wedding gift? Shane, I don’t need –”

  The doorbell rang several times. Shane cursed under his breath. He released his hold on the woman who’d just made him the happiest man on earth. With a trembling hand, he slipped the ring on her finger.

  The ringing continued, and someone pounded against the door. Shane kissed Alley lightly on the lips.

  “Hold that thought while I deal with whoever’s at the door.”

  Shane stepped into the living room to the front door. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind who would be on the other side. He pulled the door open as the bell rang again, and came face-to-face with Alley’s mother.

  She looked the same as she did in some of the photos he’d seen of her that hung in the house, although now she wore a stylish and expensive dress with a matching hat and shoes, and carrying a matching purse. Her blonde hair and make-up were perfect.

  Ariel’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.

  “Who are you?” she demanded. Her eyes went from him to glancing inside the house.

  Shane held out his hand. He grinned. “Your future son-in-law, ma’am.”

  Ariel’s eyes widened even more. “Son-in-law?”

  She scrutinized him with renewed interest, lingering on his simple white t-shirt, then his worn jeans. Shane dropped his hand when she didn’t shake it.

  “Well, this might explain why Allison wanted to stay in Burnt River. I won’t let her make the same mistake I made and let her marry some poor horse wrangler who’ll keep her confined to a life of misery.”

  He stepped forward, forcing her to take a step back. Shane closed the door behind him, and faced the woman squarely. He needed a few words alone with Alley’s mother.

  “My daughter isn’t going to ruin her life in this town. She’s got potential elsewhere, not in a place like Burnt River.”

  You’re right, Mrs. Cramer.” Shane crossed his arms over his chest. “She should be free to go and do whatever she wants. The only difference between you and me, though, is that I’m willing to let her make that choice for herself, and she’s choosing to marry me.”

  Ariel shot him a hate-filled look. “It’s Mrs. Halloway now. My husband is Adam Halloway, a very influential lawyer back east.”

  “I’m sure he is.” Shane narrowed his eyes. “So influential that he was able to convince Henry Cramer to sign over power-of-attorney to you, when he never would have done that if he had known what he was signing. He would have given it to Alley.”

  Ariel smiled smugly. “You don’t beat around the bush, do you? Regardless of whether Henry would have wanted me to make decisions for him on his behalf or not, this farm would have gone to me in the end, and not to Alley.”

  “He wouldn’t have wanted you to have the farm, either.”

  “Well, he made some very unfortunate mistakes, then, just like he didn’t make good decisions where this place was concerned.” She glanced around, her eyes falling on the yard that was overgrown with weeds and the house that needed fresh paint. “He should have sold it a long time ago. Good thing I was able to step in and finally take care of business. Henry’s going to have enormous medical bills, and he’ll thank me that I sold this farm.”

  “You what?”

  Shane glanced over his shoulder to find Alley standing in the doorway. Her mother’s smug smile increased. Her eyes went from him to her daughter.

  “I received word from the bank, so I had to fly back here to sign the papers. Someone made a cash offer on the place, and I’ve accepted. It’s a done deal, Allison. I signed the papers before driving all the way out here.” She reached into her purse and produced a large manila envelope, handing it to Alley.

  “You can’t do this, mom. Cramer Farm is Gramps’ home. It’s my home.”

  Her mother glared at her. “New York is your home,” she hissed. “And Boston will be your home after you get back there and tell them you’re ready to enter the doctoral program. Your grandfather can go to an assisted-living facility. It’s better for him, anyway, with his recovery from surgery, and he’ll have the care he needs.”

  Alley snatched the envelope from her mother’s hand. “You know something, Mom? Only because you want me to go so badly, I’ll never go back to school.” She spun on her heels and rushed back into the house, slamming the door behind her.

  Shane stared at Alley’s mom. He ran his fingers along his jaw to suppress a grin. She still wore a smug smile on her face.

  “You can tell my daughter that all the papers are in order, and she’ll have to vacate within the month so the new owner can take over. You think she’s going to stay because of you? She’ll realize her mistake, and when she does, I’ll be waiting for her.”

  Shane nodded. “I’ll let her know. You have a good day.”

  Without looking at her again, Shane entered the house. Alley paced the floor in the living room.

  “Take a look at those papers, Alley.”

  Alley stared up at him, her eyes wide and filled with tears. “Don’t talk so loud. I don’t want to wake Gramps and upset him.”

  “I’m surprised all the knocking and doorbell-ringing didn’t wake him already.”

  Shane walked up to her and took the envelope from her hand. He opened it, and pulled out a stack of papers, then reached for Alley’s hand.

  “I wonder who the buyer is. Maybe you can make a deal with him.”

  Alley scoffed. “A deal? I don’t have the money to make an offer on the farm.”

  Shane flipped to the page that held the buyer and seller signatures. He held it under Alley’s nose.

  “I think he’d be agreeable to a deal. Especially since you recently said you’d marry him.”

  Alley’s eyes shot to Shane as if he’d lost his mind, then to the paper in front of her.

  “You bought this place?”

  Shane shrugged. “I couldn’t pass it up, especially since it comes with such beautiful . . . amenities.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “As I was saying before your mother interrupted us, I already have a wedding gift for you. My copy of these papers is in my truck, but I was going to give them to you.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her soundly on the lips.

  “Well played, Shane Taggart,” she whispered. “You finally got your hands on the farm.”

  “But I only want the girl that comes with it.”

  “Are you absolutely sure you want to take on all this extra responsibility of a wife, a rundown farm, and a stubborn old man?”

  Shane wrapped his arms more fully around her, molding her up against him.

  “I love you, Alley Cramer. You’re one burden I will gladly shoulder. Let’s make our dreams come true together.”

  Epilogue
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  A couple months later….

  * * *

  “Well, I guess she decided not to come.”

  Shane reached for Alley’s waist and spun her around, tugging her close. He held a glass of champagne in one hand, trying not to spill any of it, and leaned forward to kiss his bride.

  Alley smiled up at him, her eyes filled with love. “She made her choice. I’m sure she got her invitation.”

  Shane returned her smile. “I’m sorry your mother has decided not to be part of your life.”

  Alley shrugged. “I have a feeling she won’t stay away too long. She can’t help but meddle in my life. She’s not going to stop now, even though I’m married and have made it clear she can’t control me anymore.”

  Her smile widened. Shane stared at his pretty wife. She wore a simple white off-the-shoulder dress that reached to the ground, making her appear as if she was gliding across the ground. They’d both elected to have a simple wedding ceremony at the ranch, followed by a backyard barbeque reception, catered by Evie’s Diner.

  Shane wore a new pair of jeans, a black shirt, and a black cowboy hat. The outfit had made him sweat earlier in the sun, but now that evening was settling in, it was more bearable.

  Alley’s eyes glistened in the setting sun. The smile that spread across her face made her look radiant, and Shane pulled her closer as soft country music played in the background.

  “I wonder if she ever put two and two together that the buyer of Cramer Farm is the man I married.”

  Shane chuckled. “It sure would have been nice to see her reaction when she figured it out, since you never mentioned me to her by name.”

  Alley glanced at something near the outdoor bar. “I’m so glad Mason could be here. I know it meant a lot to have him be your best man.”

  Shane followed her line of vision. He looked to where his brother sat at the bar with Boone Macklin and several of their friends. His eyes rested on the wheelchair that stood out among the white plastic chairs.

  “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to stand beside me at my wedding.” Shane cringed at the word ‘stand’, since Mason hadn’t been able to stand.