Jodi Thomas - WM 1 by Texas Rain Page A

he’d ever loved to do in this life had been taken away from him. Since he’d been eighteen his career had defined him. He’d not only lost being a Ranger, he’d lost himself.
    “Something wrong with the pot roast?” Martha asked with a poke to his shoulder.
    Travis looked up from his plate. “It’s fine,” he growled. If she had her way, he’d not only be crippled, but fat. “I thought I’d wait for the jury’s verdict before I eat.” His brothers and Sage did look like they were about to pronounce sentence on him.
    Martha huffed and left the room. She never wanted any part of what she called their “family business.”
    Travis waited for the door to close. He knew the others had been talking about him behind his back. Hell, he’d been so short-tempered, he wouldn’t be surprised if they’d voted to send him to the bunkhouse. Leaning back in the chair, he crossed his arms and waited to hear what they had to say.
    His older brother stood first and paced in front of him. “You’re alive, Travis.” Teagen stated the obvious. “Stop storming around here like you’re in hell.”
    Travis swore and lifted his cane. “I can’t seem to get rid of this. What kind of Ranger walks with a cane? I can’t even get in a wagon without help, much less set a horse, so don’t have me trying to dance about still being alive.”
    “There are other things you can do,” Sage said calmly.
    Travis turned his gaze to her. “Like what? There is nothing else I’ve ever wanted to do.”
    “You could stay here. Help us run the ranch,” Tobin said from his seat on the windowsill.
    Travis shook his head. “I can’t even climb the stairs. If I stay here I’ll be sleeping in the study the rest of my life.”
    Sage tried again. “You could work at the Ranger office.”
    Travis closed his eyes, feeling anger build inside him. Anger not at Sage, but at the world. “What would I do there? Watch everyone else go out on assignments? I’d hate that. Besides, what would I be—the cripple who sweeps up and makes the coffee? Or worse, I could limp around and remind every man what might happen to him one day.”
    “Stop it, Travis.” Martha’s voice cracked like a whip as she entered the room with a tray of mugs. “You’ve never been a whiner. Don’t start now.”
    “I’m not whining.” Travis answered. “I’m being a realist. I see no future for me. Not here. Not anywhere.” He’d always thought that if he ever took a bullet, he’d recover or die, either way he wouldn’t have to worry about not being a Ranger.
    Sage stood and lifted the mugs off Martha’s tray. None of her brothers seemed interested in coffee, but she needed something to do. “You’ll find something.”
    He faced her. “What?”
    Sage whirled suddenly. “Climb the mountain, Travis. Find the answer there.”
    Silence hung in the room, thick as the smell of coffee. All knew the story of how their father had climbed Whispering Mountain and dreamed his future.
    Travis lifted his cane. “How can I do that?” He smiled at his sister almost as if she’d said something funny.
    To his surprise it was Teagen who answered. “We’ll carry you.”
    “What? Are you mad?”
    Teagen met his stare. “Tobin and I can carry you. It’s not that much of a climb. We made it several times when we were boys, remember.”
    Tobin stood and set his cup down. “I’ll get one of the narrow bunks from the bunkhouse. We can use it as a litter. Then you’ll have something to sit on so you can stand once you’re at the summit.” Tobin’s gaze told Travis that his little brother had seen him trying to stand and knew it was painful for him even from a sitting position. It would be impossible from a bedroll on the ground. “Travis and I could carry you up before dark and leave you to dream.”
    “I’ll get blankets and pack a few supplies,” Martha said. “I’ll not have you starving up there.”
    “Wait!” Travis shouted, but only Sage turned to listen.